Wood storks are off the endangered species list. Advocates say it’s too soon

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Federal officials are removing an iconic bird found in south Georgia from the endangered species list — but environmental advocates say that might not be good news for the birds.

Wood storks live and breed in the swamps and wetlands of south and coastal Georgia, as well as much of Florida and several other southeastern states. The enormous, bald-headed white birds with black-tipped wings have been on the endangered species list since 1984. At the time, their population had declined by more than 75% from their 1930s level.