鹳科在鸟类传统分类系统中是鸟纲鹳形目中的一个科，又俗称送子鸟。

鹳科动物的化石在北美、南美、欧洲、非洲、亚洲等许多国家都有发现，而且大量化石证据表明，这个物种十分古老而且分布广泛。鹳科的形成至少可以追溯到第三纪早期或白垩纪晚期，现代鹳类（包括鹳属Ciconia、Ephippiorhynchus、Leptoptilos等）的化石约出现在中新世（2350万年~520万年）。

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families.

Storks dwell in many regions and tend to live in drier habitats than the closely related herons, spoonbills and ibises; they also lack the powder down that those groups use to clean off fish slime. Storks have no syrinx and are mute, giving no call; bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Many species are migratory. Most storks eat frogs, fish, insects, earthworms, small birds and small mammals. There are nineteen living species of storks in six genera.