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White Stork
Conservation status
Least Concern [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae Genus: Ciconia Species: C. ciconia
Binomial name
Ciconia ciconia Linnaeus, 1758
Distribution and migration of the White Stork

The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae, breeding in the warmer parts of Europe (north to Estonia), northwest Africa, and southwest Asia (east to southern Kazakhstan). It is a strong migrant, wintering mainly in tropical Africa, down to the south of South Africa, and also in the Indian subcontinent.

It is a huge bird, 100-125 cm (40-50 in.) tall, with a 155-200 cm (61-79 in) wingspan and a weight of 2.3-4.5 kg (5-10 lbs). It is completely white except for the black wing flight feathers, and its red bill and legs, which are, however, black on juveniles. It walks slowly and steadily on the ground. Like all storks, it flies with its neck outstretched.

There are two subspecies (HBW):

• Ciconia ciconia ciconia Linnaeus, 1758. Europe, northwest Africa, westernmost Asia; wintering in Africa.
• Ciconia ciconia asiatica Severtsov, 1873. West-central Asia; wintering in India.

The Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana), now regarded as a distinct species, was formerly treated as a subspecies of the White Stork.

Notable breeding totals occur mainly in eastern Europe, with 52,500 pairs in Poland (6th International Census of White Stork, 2004)^[2], 12,000-18,000 pairs in Ukraine, 10,500-13,000 pairs in Belarus, 10,000 pairs in Lithuania, the highest known density of this species in the world, and 8,500 pairs in Latvia. In Germany, 3,000 of the total 3,400 pairs are in the former East Germany. In southwestern Asia, Turkey has the highest population, with 15,000-35,000 pairs. Apart from Spain (14,000 pairs) and Portugal (1,000-2,000 pairs), numbers in western Europe are much less healthy, with the once sizable Danish population declining to just five pairs in 1995, while re-introductions of zoo-reared birds have halted declines in Italy (30 pairs), the Netherlands (9-12 pairs), and Switzerland (120-160 pairs). A few pairs also breed in South Africa, recent colonists from within the normal wintering population (HBW). North of the breeding range, it is a rare passage migrant or vagrant in Finland, Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden, and also west to the Azores and Madeira. Data (except Poland and South Africa): Snow & Perrins 1998.

Threats to the species include the drainage of wetlands and other agricultural intensification, collisions with overhead power lines, use of persistent pesticides (such as DDT) to combat locusts in Africa, and (largely illegal) hunting on passage and the wintering grounds (HBW). Some birds, known in German as Pfeilstorch ("arrow storks"), have been found in Europe with African arrows embedded in their bodies.

The White Stork is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Close-up of head and neck (captive bird)

White Storks rely on movement between thermals of hot air for sustained long distance flight. The birds take great advantage of thermals during annual migrations between Europe and southern Africa. Normally, this route would take them over the Mediterranean, but since thermals only form over land, storks take a detour. Eastern storks travel over Suez, while hundreds of western ones fly through the straits of Gibraltar and the Bosphorus. That way, they can get help from the thermals for almost the entire trip and save enormous amounts of energy in the process^[3] .

These storks breed in open farmland areas with access to marshy wetlands. It builds a stick nest in trees, on buildings, or special platforms. Because it is viewed as bird of good luck, it is not persecuted, and it often nests close to human habitation. In southern Europe, storks' nests can often be seen on churches and other buildings. It often forms small colonies. Like most of its relatives, it feeds mainly on frogs and large insects, but also young birds, lizards and rodents.

It is almost silent except for the noisy mutual bill-clattering when adults meet at the nest.

According to mythology, the 'stork' is responsible for bringing babies to new parents. This story probably came about because White Storks have a habit of nesting on buildings in urban areas, so they are often seen around human habitation.

Lithuanians and Poles believe that storks bring harmony to a family on whose property they nest. The White Stork is the national bird of Lithuania and Poland. It is also - set against a yellow and green background - the symbol of the city of The Hague, The Netherlands.

White Stork family	White Stork	White Stork, juveniles	White Stork
White Stork	White Stork is having a break before he will return to the nest	White Stork just starting from the nest	White Stork feeding the young
Two young storks a few days before leaving the nest for the very first time	White stork family shortly after one of the adults is arrived	White stork offspring left allone for a while	White stork - Welcoming the newly arrived
White stork - Low-level gliding	Young white stork - first flight, first landing, third attempt	White stork; the young left the nest three weeks ago	White storks' tree

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Ciconia ciconia

• Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) 1: 460-461. Lynx Edicions.
• Snow, D. W. & Perrins, C. M. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Concise Edition. Oxford.

1. ^ BirdLife International (2004). Ciconia ciconia. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
2. ^ http://bergenhusen.nabu.de/zensus/zensus2006/worldpopulation.pdf
3. ^ Alexander, R. Mcneill (1992). Exploring Biomechanics, Animals in Motion. New York: Scientific American Library. ISBN 0-7167-5035-X