Far Eastern white stork - description, range, habitat, reproduction, nutrition, conservation status, threats, protection, photos and videos

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The white stork is the largest bird that can be found in our region. The stork's wingspan is up to 220 cm, the bird's weight is about 4.5 kg. In our country, storks are considered the patrons of family life and home comfort. It is believed that if storks have settled near the house, it is fortunate. Storks are birds with a strong family organization; they live in pairs and raise their own offspring together.

What does it look like

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Photo of a stork in the meadow

The stork is a stately, tall bird with a large barrel-shaped body, thin stilted legs and a long, straight, conical beak. The neck is long, flexible, and sharply curved back at the top. The head looks forward, the end of the beak is directed downward.

In the plumage of all types of storks there are two colors - white and black, each variety has a different color ratio. The powerful paws are partially feathered, the skin on them is red-gray, covered with sparse gray down. Toes without webs.

Two storks in the water opened their wings

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Storks have huge wings, their span is 1.5-2 meters. When fully expanded, the back of the wings forms a straight line. The wings move with a large amplitude, which allows the bird to quickly gain height. In flight, storks can reach speeds of up to 45 km/h. In flight with rising air currents they glide. Soaring is achieved due to wide wings beveled at the end, an elongated forearm and a short shoulder. While soaring, the stork goes into rest mode: cardiac activity decreases, the pulse is 100-120 beats per minute. A short sleep lasts 15-20 minutes, then the bird enters the wakefulness stage and increases its speed of movement.

The tail of storks is of moderate length, blunt at the end. It's always black.

Photo of a stork close up

Storks' faces are not feathered. The skin around the eyes may be black, red or blue, depending on the species. The color of the stork's beak is red, but there are birds with gray and black beaks.

Stork beak

Stork in nature
As has been noted, the beak of storks is long and thin, straight, tapered at the end. The bird “works” with it like tweezers, capturing aquatic life from a shallow depth. The stork holds the victim across its body, then makes a sharp swing of its head, tossing the carcass, and swallows it completely.

Photo of a stork's beak

Those who have ever watched a stork may have noticed that storks knock with their beaks. This is how birds communicate with each other. Due to the peculiar structure of the vocal apparatus, most species of storks are deprived of the ability to make sounds similar to other birds. The exception is the Black Stork. It may make sounds similar to loud inhalation. The stork knocks with its beak, and the air passing between the halves of the beak transforms into a quiet whistle or hiss. By clinking their beaks, birds warn their relatives about danger, show sympathy, and mate. Other storks click their beaks without any whistles. Males constantly click their beaks during love games. Their “songs” are a series of rapid chattering sounds of their jaws. During the mating ritual, the male and female knock their beaks together as a sign of sympathy.

Why do storks stand on one leg?

The stork stands on one leg.
The unusual habit of the stork to stand on one leg is not a bird’s whim, but a vital necessity. Birds spend most of their time in the water, and if they stand on both legs, they will quickly freeze. Therefore, storks have to bend one leg and hide it in the feathers under their belly - this is how birds carry out thermoregulation. Storks, like flamingos and herons, sleep standing on one leg. The peculiar structure of the bird's paws helps maintain balance while standing on one leg. At the same time, the muscles in this position are relaxed and the birds do not get tired.

Appearance and features

Photo: White stork bird

The stork is a bird almost entirely white. On the wings and slightly behind there is a border of black flight feathers; it is more visible during the flight of the bird. When the bird is standing, the back of the bird appears to be black due to the folded wings. During the mating season, the bird's plumage may take on a pinkish tint. The bird has a large, pointed, smooth beak. Long neck. The bird's head is small in size. Bare black skin is visible around the eyes. The iris of the eyes is dark.

The main part of a bird's plumage is the flight feathers and feathers covering the shoulder part of the bird. The bird has long feathers on its neck and chest; if the bird is disturbed, it fluffs them up. Males also fluff up their feathers during mating games. The tail is slightly rounded. The bird's beak and legs are reddish in color. White storks have bare legs. While moving on the ground, the stork slightly shakes its head. In the nest and on the ground it can stand on one leg for quite a long time.

The flight of a stork is a fascinating sight. A bird gently soars in the air, almost without flapping its wings. During landing, the bird sharply presses its wings towards itself and pushes its legs forward. Storks are migratory birds and can easily cover long distances. Birds mainly communicate with each other by chattering their beaks. When clicking its beak, the bird throws back its head and extends its tongue; this clicking replaces vocal communication. Sometimes they can make hissing sounds. Storks are long-lived and on average white storks live about 20 years.

Female and male: differences

Male

The male weighs up to 4 kilograms. The male representative has a powerful body with a retracted chest, wide long wings, and a medium-sized tail. In some species, the area around the eyes turns blue during the breeding season.

Female and male stork in the nest

Female

The weight of the female varies from 2 to 2.5 kilograms. Her body is not as built up as that of the male. The neck is shortened, shaped like the number “2”. The beak is pressed to the neck.

Population and species status

In Western Europe, the number of these birds has been declining for many years, and there are no longer black storks in Scandinavia. At their wintering grounds in India, the number of these birds is also constantly decreasing. Previously, this bird could be seen within the Mai Po swamp, and in large numbers. Nowadays, it is unlikely that a black stork will be found within this swamp. A similar picture is observed throughout the Chinese habitat.

The habitat of black storks has recently undergone significant changes in much of Eastern Europe, as well as in Asia, which poses a serious threat to these birds. On the territory of Russia, natural habitats are also being reduced as a result of deforestation in particularly large volumes. As a rule, large trees on which black storks build nests are destroyed first.

In Asia and southern Europe, storks are threatened by hunters, which can lead to the destruction of breeding populations. In northern Italy there is a valley of the Ticino River, within which black storks previously lived. So, nowadays there are no black storks here! In 2005, scientists released several individuals into the Lombardo del Ticino park to try to restore the lost population.

Current populations of black storks are threatened by:

• Active development of new territories.
• Construction of dams.
• Construction of irrigation structures, as well as construction of hydroelectric power stations.

On the territory of the African continent, the same development of new territories is practiced with the aim of allocating them for agricultural needs. This factor, in turn, involves the use of various chemistry, which kills various representatives of living nature. In addition, birds die from collisions with power lines and overhead cables.

Spreading

Habitat of the stork
In Russia, storks live in the territory from the Baltic Sea to the Urals, then in Southern Siberia and the Far East, bypassing the Kuril Islands and Kamchatka. A small group of black storks lives in Chechnya and Dagestan. Outside Russia, they live in Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and are found sporadically in the Netherlands, Iceland and southern Saxony. In North America and England, as well as in Australia, there are no storks of the genus Ciconia.

Where do storks live

A stork drinks water from a lake.
Storks live in quiet, dense deciduous forests, next to swamps and lakes rich in aquatic life. Storks live in tall trees. These birds are found in hilly and mountainous areas. Some species of storks, in particular White storks, nest next to humans. They build nests on power lines and roofs of outbuildings.

Distribution and habitats

The nesting range of the white stork is very extensive: the Iberian Peninsula, Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, North Africa, Western Asia and Transcaucasia, the south-eastern regions of Central Asia. In Russia, the range has recently expanded to the east and northeast, and white storks are regularly found in Karelia and the Middle Volga region. White storks winter in tropical Africa and India, and some birds from Central Europe fly to Asian wintering grounds. White storks are inhabitants of low-lying meadows and wetlands; often settle near human habitation.

Is the stork a migratory bird or not?

Stork bird in flight
Storks are migratory birds. Every year at the end of summer they fly to warmer climes. The young ones fly away first. Young birds gather in flocks and fly along the same routes and to the same places as their parents. Adults are removed from the site a little later. The birds fly in a wedge at an altitude of 1-2 kilometers. The flight continues throughout daylight hours; at night, the storks make a stop. The distance that birds cover during migration is 6-9 thousand kilometers. In spring, the birds form flocks again and fly back. Young animals can remain “overwintering” from one to three years before reaching sexual maturity.

Species living in South Africa, Central and Southern Europe, America, Japan and Asia lead a sedentary lifestyle, since food remains freely available for them all year round.

When do storks fly away for the winter?

The stork flies away to warmer regions
Like all migratory birds, storks fly away to warmer regions by the beginning of autumn and return back after 6-7 months. Storks from Belarus fly away for the winter in mid-August. The signal for the start of migration is the first night cold snap and shortening of daylight hours. Storks from the Kaliningrad region fly south in early September. In warm autumn, birds stay in their habitat until the end of the month. Storks return from wintering in early March. From the Leningrad region, storks fly south already in July. Returns occur in early April. Chinese storks move away closer to October.

Where do storks spend the winter?

Two storks in a field
Different species of storks have their own wintering place. One of the countries where storks fly is Africa. Storks from Russia migrate to East Africa for the winter, Belarusian storks spend the winter in the south of the African continent. Some species fly to Asia Minor during the summer. Belarusian storks fly southwest to Spain and Gibraltar. Some flocks remain to bask there. Others continue their journey through Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, and Guinea to the south of the continent. Spanish and Algerian birds join the European storks as the school moves. A significant portion of birds remain for the winter in West Africa, in particular Senegal and Nigeria. Russian birds fly to Africa through Asia Minor and Israel to the east coast of Africa - to Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. In warm winters, the migration route is shortened. If weather conditions permit, storks remain for the winter on the coasts of the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Description of the bird

According to the scientific classification, the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) belongs to the new palate true birds of the order Storks of the Stork family (Ciconiidae). Common features are excellent flight qualities, skillful use of rising currents of warm air from the heated earth to save energy.

When walking, representatives of Storks shake their heads and can stand on one leg for a long time. The weight of an adult individual with a height of 1–1.2 m is 3.5–4.5 kg. The span of large wings reaches from one and a half to two meters. Beak length is 18–22 cm.

The bone skeleton of the white stork is dense, but hollow. The smooth triangular tongue is underdeveloped. A special feature of the windpipe is the absence of a lower larynx. The crest of the quadrilateral sternum is located very high.

Only chicks make guttural calls. The vocal cords of adults are reduced, so there is no voice. To attract females, males tap their beak halves and make hissing sounds. The neck and chest are covered with elongated feathers, which fluff out when excited. For example, during mating.

In young animals, the first molt occurs in December-May. Adult birds renew their feathers throughout most of the year. The flight feathers are in the nesting period, the rest are in the winter. Life expectancy depends on the habitat and the availability of food supply. The average is 20 years.

What does it look like

The stork is often confused with the heron and crane. The main distinguishing feature of the crane is its gray plumage. The heron is much smaller in size, the neck is curved in the shape of the letter S.

The representative of the stork family is not replete with a variety of colors. Ciconia ciconia is white except for the red legs, elongated wedge-shaped bill and black edging of the flight feathers. In Ukraine, the bird was nicknamed Blackguz due to the fact that the color of the rear part appears black if the wings are folded.

On strong long legs with exposed calcaneal joints, the three front toes are connected by a membrane, the back one is underdeveloped. The claws are convex and thick. The short tail consists of 12 feathers. The head of storks is small, the neck is long and mobile. Brown eyes are framed by unfeathered black skin.

Differences between a female and a male

Sexual deformity is weakly expressed, the color of the plumage is the same. The main differences are the weight, shape and length of the beak. The male has a powerful body with an average weight of 4 kg. The mandible is curved upward, the beak is long.

The female is 500 g lighter, the body is less knocked down. The straight beak is shorter, more strongly pressed to the neck, which is shaped like a deuce.

Varieties

In the subspecies taxonomy, scientists have identified the European variety (Ciconia ciconia ciconia) and the Turkestan variety (Ciconia ciconia asiatica). Subspecies differ in their distribution areas.

The first inhabits Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. The second is Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), found in Transcaucasia. The Turkestan form is larger. Its representatives have longer wings, tarsus, and beak. The mandible is pulled up more strongly.

Until recently, white storks were classified as Far Eastern storks. Scientists have now classified Ciconia boyciana as a separate species. The reasons for isolation are differences in behavior and morphology.

Character and lifestyle

Birds do not settle in forests or overgrown swampy areas, preferring open landscapes - floodplains, rice fields, meadows, pastures, steppes. Nests can be seen in flat areas and in the mountains at an altitude of up to 2 thousand m above sea level. But still, storks more often choose villages and cities for nesting.

They feed in the shallow waters of stagnant, slow-flowing reservoirs with low vegetation. Agricultural fields are used as a food source for a limited time - immediately after plowing and harvesting.

They make long-distance migrations to warmer regions. In flight, they cover up to 10 thousand km, rising to a height of 2–3 thousand m. In February–April they return from wintering to their nesting sites.

They walk on the ground and sometimes run. They fly well, swim reluctantly and can even take off from the surface of the water with a tailwind. They are diurnal and can form colonies during the mating season. Immature young animals spend the spring and summer in a flock. They stay in places rich in food.

Parents, free from feeding their chicks, preen their feathers or rest in a characteristic position. When gaining strength, they stand on one leg in places with a good view of the area, with their beak buried in their neck.

White storks do not breed in abandoned and abandoned settlements.

What does it eat?

White storks feed exclusively on animal food. The diet includes:

• frogs, toads;
• shrews, weasels, moles;
• fish;
• crustaceans, mollusks;
• snakes, lizards;
• rodents - voles, rats, hares, gophers;
• insects - spiders, locusts, mole crickets, caterpillars, ground beetles, chafers, earthworms, leeches;
• eggs of birds nesting on the ground, chicks.

It washes dirty prey in water, swallows small ones whole, and grinds large ones with its beak. The hunting method is active. Walking on the ground, he changes pace, freezes, and makes throws. Sometimes it watches for rodents. In shallow water, it probes muddy water or the bottom with its slightly open beak.

Before eating a viper, the stork often hits its head with its beak. After receiving a bite, he is sick for a couple of days and fully recovers.

Where does it live?

The range of the European variety is from the Iberian Peninsula to Transcaucasia and the Volga region. In the north - to the northwestern territories of Russia, Sweden, Denmark. In Africa, the subspecies is found in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria.

The settlement of Russia began with the Kaliningrad region. In connection with the movement to the east, the range has spread to another 20 regions, the Krasnodar Territory, and southern Karelia.

The habitats of the Asian part of the population are Dagestan, North Ossetia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Stavropol Territory. The Turkmen subspecies breeds in the south of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, southeast of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and China.

Reproduction

White storks become sexually mature at 3–7 years of age. Once formed, a pair remains for several years, but only for the breeding season. The male is the first to arrive at the nest. It scares away competitors with its cracking beak, menacing pose with spread wings and raised tail.

If the warning does not work, a fight ensues that lasts for hours and can end tragically. The owner greets the female differently - he lies down and shakes his head from side to side.

New nests with a diameter of at least a meter are built by young couples for 8 days at an average height of 5–20 m. The frame is constructed from tree branches. Turf, grass, straw are woven into the walls of the inner part, and held together with manure. The tray is lined with moss, wool, and leaves.

The average clutch consists of two to five, less often seven, white eggs, which the female lays at intervals of 2–3 days. The eggs are incubated by the pair alternately. After 32 days, with a difference of 6–60 hours, the chicks hatch, covered with white down. After a few hours, their eyes open.

The first days, every hour and a half, parents feed the offspring with soft insects, regurgitating them from the esophagus. After a month, rodents and reptiles are included in the diet. The female and male bring water in their beaks, shield them from the sun with their bodies in hot weather, and warm them when the temperature drops.

After 2 months, the brood begins to feed on its own, but for another 4 weeks it returns to the nest to spend the night. By the end of July, the young animals gather in flocks, preparing for long-distance flights for the winter.

Natural enemies

Adult birds are attacked by sea eagles and bald eagles, and mammals are attacked by wolves, foxes, and stray dogs. Chicks often become victims of crows, jays, magpies, rooks, jackdaws and martens.

In wintering areas, white storks are attacked by crocodiles, large representatives of the cat family. Most of all, people and economic activities are to blame for the reduction in numbers.

Wintering

At the first night cold snap in August-early September, migration to wintering begins. Representatives of the Asian subspecies fly to India and Sri Lanka.

The European population partially remains in the breeding areas (in Spain, Portugal, Israel, Bulgaria, Armenia, Ukraine, Dagestan). Another, more numerous part is concentrated along the banks of rivers and lakes in South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia.

Birds winter mainly in wet biotopes. When there is a sufficient food supply, they stop in mountainous and desert areas.

The stork is a symbol of Belarus

A stork stands on one leg on a stump.
In the Republic of Belarus, storks are called “busly” (“buslik” and “lyalko”). Busel is a symbol of Belarus. These birds are clean and peaceful, they are caring parents. Along with swallows, doves and cranes, buslas are sacred birds for Belarusians. With its white wings, the busel shelters the people from everything bad.

Stork eats grass

Busel in Belarus appears as a wise, ambitious being with high moral qualities. According to ancient legend, the busel was once a man, but God turned him into a bird. The arrival of a bird from wintering means the arrival of spring, the rebirth of life. The image of the busla in Belarus can be found in art and folk art.

There are many white storks in Belarus. 15 years ago there were 20 thousand pairs in the republic. Today the number of birds has increased by another 10 thousand. Population growth is associated with an increase in suitable nesting sites. The Belarusian climate is mild, there is enough habitat for birds.

Two storks in flight

Storks live near human settlements, since food can always be found nearby. These birds settle only where there is plenty of food for them. In the wild, storks settled on tree branches near swamps. But due to the reduction of places suitable for living and food, storks began to move closer to people. Today, storks feed in hay pastures and arable lands, in vegetable gardens and orchards.

Protection of black storks

Since 1998, the IUCN has classified black storks as a species that is not considered critically endangered in the near future. Experts believe that this factor is associated with the vast habitat areas and over the past ten years the number of these birds has not decreased by 30 percent or more. This rate of decline is not considered critical for the species to be vulnerable.

Considering the fact that populations have not been adequately studied, although they are distributed over vast territories, in some areas the number of this species is significantly limited. In Russia, black storks are included in the Red Book as an endangered species. In addition to Russia, black storks are protected in the territories of some countries of the post-Soviet space.

All measures aimed at preserving, as well as increasing the species, must be comprehensive, since it is necessary to focus not only on the preservation of forests, but also on the quality of reservoirs, since black storks feed mainly from reservoirs. In some areas, it may be necessary to create artificial reservoirs to create a food supply for these birds. In other words, a lot of effort will have to be made to maintain the numbers of this species.

It is important to know! A number of studies have been conducted in Estonia that have shown that the preservation of large old trees, even in forest management conditions, plays a very important role for the life of populations, since it is very important for them to have places to build their nests.

Black storks are protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of Eurasian Migratory Birds, as well as under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife.

Nutrition

Stork on the hunt
Storks are birds of prey. They hunt reptiles and fish, snakes and small mammals. Their diet includes frogs, eels, salamanders, and crabs. During the breeding season, small fish, small birds and animals are added to the menu. Storks feed their chicks with snails, worms, mollusks, beetles and their larvae. Storks feed on snakes, and do not shy away from poisonous species, such as vipers. Creeping up on the victim unnoticed, the stork grabs the snake with its tenacious beak and begins to forcefully hit the ground. Having stunned it, the stork swallows its prey whole.

What do white storks eat?

Photo: White stork in Russia

The diet of storks is extremely varied. The stork's diet includes:

• worm;
• locusts, grasshoppers;
• various arthropods;
• crayfish and fish;
• insects;
• frogs and snakes.

Interesting fact: Storks can eat poisonous and dangerous snakes without harm to their health.

Sometimes storks can also feed on small animals such as mice and small rabbits. Storks are birds of prey; the size of their prey depends only on the ability to swallow it. Storks do not break apart and cannot chew their prey. They swallow it whole. Near a body of water, storks like to rinse their prey in water before eating, this makes it much easier to swallow. In a similar way, storks wash frogs dried in mud and sand. Storks regurgitate undigested parts of food in the form of grebes. Such grebes are formed over several days, and they consist of wool, insect remains and fish scales.

Storks hunt near their nests in meadows, pastures, and swamps. Storks are large birds and for normal life, a bird kept in captivity requires up to 300 grams of food in the summer, and 500 grams of food in the winter. In the wild, birds consume more food, since hunting and long flights are quite energy intensive. Storks eat almost all the time. On average, a pair of storks with two chicks consumes about 5,000 kJ of energy obtained from food per day. Particularly profitable and convenient food for storks are small rodents and other vertebrates.

Depending on the time of year and habitat, the bird’s diet may vary. In some places, birds eat more locusts and winged insects; in other places, the diet may consist of mice and amphibians. During climate change, storks do not experience a shortage of food and quickly find food in a new place.

Lifestyle and behavior

Stork in the swamp
Predators spend most of the day searching for food. They look for food by standing in the water with their wings spread and their head bowed low. As soon as prey appears in the water surface, the stork throws its head forward and grabs the victim with its long beak. Hunting, as a rule, takes place alone. If food resources allow, then the birds flock to the table to eat to their heart's content. Storks forage for food in the water, but sometimes come to land to hunt ferrets, mice, and gophers.

Photo of a flock of storks on a field

During the breeding season, storks stay in pairs; birds gather in flocks only during migration. Surprisingly, before flying to hot countries, storks perform a “cleansing” - sick and old birds are beaten to death with their beaks. This is done so that during a long flight, weakened birds do not delay the flock. In addition, sick birds are carriers of infections, which can lead to the spread of diseases among healthy birds.

Storks return from their winter quarters in March-April. The males arrive first. The first thing they do is start arranging their home.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: White stork bird

Storks are calm birds. During the non-breeding period they live in flocks. Birds that do not breed also stay in flocks. Sexually mature individuals create pairs. During the nesting period, pairs of a male and a female are formed; these pairs remain for a long time. Storks build large, massive nests and can sometimes return to them after wintering. Storks often settle near human dwellings. They try to settle down closer to the reservoir. Birds make their nests on man-made structures. On houses and barns, towers. Sometimes they can build a nest on a tall tree with a sawn or broken crown. Birds winter in warm countries.

Most of the time, storks search for food in order to feed themselves and their offspring. Storks are active during the daytime; at night they sleep more often. Although it happens that storks feed their young at night. During the hunt, the bird slowly walks along the grass and shallow water, periodically slowing down its pace, and can make sharp throws. Sometimes birds can lie in wait for their prey. They can catch insects, dragonflies and midges on the fly, but mostly they find food on the ground and in the water. Storks are good at catching fish with their beaks.

On average, during hunting, storks move at a speed of about 2 km/h. Storks find their prey visually. Sometimes these birds can eat dead small animals and fish. Storks can even be found in landfills along with seagulls and crows. These birds can feed either alone or in whole flocks. Often in places where birds spend the winter, in areas rich in various food, one can find clusters of storks, in which there are up to several tens of thousands of individuals. When birds feed in flocks, they feel more protected and can find more food for themselves.

stork nest

Storks in the nest
Storks build huge nests, measuring 1.5 * 1 m. The weight of a stork's nest is 200-250 kilograms. Storks make nests on poles, roofs of buildings, and treetops near water bodies. The presence of water near the “house” is an important condition when searching for a nesting site, since the birds are very voracious and the presence of food nearby is their priority. Having once built a nest, birds use it throughout their entire lives. Every year the storks return to their nest. It is easier for them to renovate an old home than to waste energy each time building a new one.

Photo of a family of storks in a nest

The male builds the nest. Construction takes him two weeks. The bird carries twigs and large branches to the place and weaves them together. The bottom is lined with grass or hay. Birds living near humans use objects found near the house or in the barnyard as bedding - old rags, wool, paper, straw.

Lonely stork in its nest

Each species of stork has its own peculiarity of nest construction. White storks are sloppy in this matter; their nests are always hastily built, looking like a bowl of branches thrown on top of each other. By the end of the season, holes and gaps form in their nests, so the birds have to patch the walls and bottom every year. Black storks have neat and compact “houses”. Strengthen the walls of the bird with clay or damp soil. The nests serve their owners for many years. Every year the nest of the stork family becomes larger: the walls thicken, the depth increases. Sometimes storks live in the same nest with small passerine birds.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: White Stork

White stork (Ciconia ciconia). Order Stork-like. Stork family. Genus Storks. Species White stork. The stork family includes 12 species and 6 genera. This family belongs to the order of long-legged birds. According to scientific data, the first storks lived in the Upper Eocene era. Some of the most ancient remains of storks were found by scientists in France. The stork family reached its maximum peak of diversity in the Oligocene era.

Apparently, in those days the best conditions for the life and development of birds of this genus developed. In the modern world, there are descriptions of 9 fossil genera, as well as 30 species. Some species of storks that exist in the modern world lived during the Eocene. And also 7 modern species are known from the Pleistocene period.

Video: White stork

It is known that ancient storks were many times larger than modern birds, and also differed slightly from modern birds in their physiological structure and way of life. The modern white stork is a large white bird. The wings have black trim. The back of the stork's body is also black. Females do not differ in appearance from males. The size of the bird is about 125 cm. The wingspan is about 200 cm. The body weight of the bird is about 4 kg.

The species Ciconia was first described by the secular scientist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Carl Linnaeus was the first to mention this species in a unified system of classification of flora and fauna.

Reproduction

Photo of a family of storks
Having finished building the nest, the male begins to search for a partner. Or rather, the female herself chooses a male from among those who have already acquired a home. The female who flies to the nest first becomes the male's spouse. Sometimes females fight for a specific male, while the male does not take part in the fight. Storks are monogamous birds. The bird lives with one partner for the rest of its life. The only exception is the death of one of the partners, then the lonely bird chooses a new mate. Birds mate in the air, while the birds stay parallel to each other, rushing high into the sky.

Photo of stork eggs in a nest

The stork lays from two to four eggs measuring 6*5 centimeters. The shell is white, matte, rough. Laying lasts a week, eggs appear at intervals of two to three days. Incubation begins with the first egg. Storks hatch their chicks one at a time: while the male sits in the nest, the female feeds at this time. Then the birds change places. 30 days after the first egg is laid, the chicks appear.

Description of the stork

Storks range in height from 60 to 150 cm. All or part of the head and the upper part of the neck may not have feathers and are usually brightly colored. The stork bird is silent or almost silent due to the lack of a fully developed syrinx (the vocal organ of birds), but some of them rattle their beaks loudly when excited.

They fly, alternately flapping and gliding, with their necks outstretched and their legs stretching. Storks are found mainly in Africa, Asia and Europe. One species of stork, the black stork, is also found in Australia.

Most storks gather in flocks, except during the breeding season, when they mate.

What do storks eat? The stork continues feeding all day. Most of these birds eat small animals caught in shallow waters and fields. Some storks, like the marabou stork in Africa or, as it is called in India, the adjutant bird, feed mainly on carrion.

White storks

A stork's nest is a large branched platform, built by both a male and a female stork, in trees or on rocky ledges. The white stork builds its nest on roofs and chimneys.

Typically, a stork hatches from three to six eggs. The eggs are hatched alternately by both parents. Usually stork eggs are snow-white. Stork chicks hatch approximately five weeks from the start of laying.

Stork chick

A stork chick is having lunch.
Since all eggs have a different period of postembryonic development, stork babies are born in different sizes. The smallest chick is born from the last egg laid. Mature stork chicks (maturely hatching) have fluff on their bodies, the chicks see and hear well, and can move around in the nest. The skin of immature chicks (immature hatchlings) is bare, they are blind and helpless, and cannot independently maintain normal body temperature. The skin of the cubs is light gray, the beak is orange. By 40 days of life, young storks fledge.

Photo of a stork hatching from a nest

Stork chicks look larger than the babies of other bird species similar to storks. Scientifically, a baby stork is called a “chick.” People call the offspring of storks “storks.” If we are talking about one chick, then we can say “stork”.

Why do storks throw their chicks out of the nest?

Stork chick in the nest
Parent storks are attentive and caring towards their babies. For the first two weeks, they warm the chicks, take turns feeding them, and make sure that they are not eaten by other birds of prey. However, these birds are not without hard-heartedness: storks closely monitor the development of the young, and if they notice that the offspring have weak and frail specimens, then they coldly throw the chicks out of the nest. Such cruelty is explained by the fact that immature chicks are not viable, and therefore parents prefer not to waste energy, time and food on them. Birds either peck at weak and sick chicks or throw them out of the nest. There is a reason for this behavior: immature chicks are disposed of so that stronger and more mature chicks can get more food. When parents have nothing to feed their newborns, the last hatched chick usually lags behind in development. It may be trampled by other chicks or thrown out of the nest. or he himself may fall out of the nest due to lack of space. We are talking about natural selection - whoever is stronger survives.

Photo of stork chicks falling out of the nest

Adult storks do not always throw out only weak chicks from the nest. In hungry years, parents can also get rid of healthy offspring, leaving 1-2 chicks in the nest, which they can feed. Sometimes strong chicks themselves get rid of competitors - they throw their brothers and sisters out of the nest. Due to lack of food, adult storks eat their chicks or eggs.

The storks feed the remaining healthy young with earthworms. Newborn birds deftly grab food and swallow it whole.

Two stork chicks are waiting for their parents

At one and a half months old, stork chicks make their first flights under the supervision of adults. The parents continue to feed the brood for another two weeks. By 70 days of life, young birds leave the parental nest. At the end of summer, mature storks gather in flocks and fly south separately from their parents. They fly to the wintering grounds of adult birds, unmistakably choosing the route of their descendants on an intuitive level. Young storks return to their birthplaces upon reaching sexual maturity (at 3-4 years).

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: White stork chicks

White storks are capable of breeding at the age of 3-7 years. But still, most of these birds breed at the age of 7 years. These birds are monogamous, pairs are created for the nesting period. Usually in the spring the male is the first to fly to the nest, or arranges it. A pair is formed on the nest. If other storks approach the nest, the male begins to drive them away by cracking his beak, throwing his head back and fluffing his feathers. When approaching a female's nest, the stork greets her. If a male approaches the nest, the owner of the nest drives him away, or the bird can sit on its nest, spreading its wings to the sides, closing its house from uninvited guests.

Interesting fact: Before creating a family, storks perform real mating dances by circling, making different sounds and flapping their wings.

The stork's nest is a rather large structure made of branches, plants, hay and manure. The masonry site is lined with soft moss, grass and wool. Birds build nests for many years, and often work on their superstructure. Usually the first female, and the one who flies into the nest, becomes its owner. However, fighting between females is common. Several females can fly into one nest, a fight can break out between them and the one that wins can stay in the nest and become a mother.

Oviposition occurs in the spring. Usually in late March - April depending on the climate. The female lays eggs at intervals of several days. The female lays from 1 to 7 eggs. The pair incubates the eggs together. The incubation period lasts about 34 days. The chicks are born absolutely helpless. First, their parents feed them earthworms. The chicks catch them or collect fallen food from the bottom of the nest. Parents closely guard their chicks and protect their nest from attack.

The chicks begin to slowly take off at the age of 56 days after hatching from the egg. Young storks learn to fly under the supervision of their parents. For several more weeks, parents feed their grown cubs. At the age of about 2.5 months, the chicks become independent. At the end of summer, young birds fly away to winter on their own without their parents.

Interesting fact: Storks are very kind to their offspring, but they can throw weak and sick chicks out of the nest.

Signs about the stork

A white stork flies near the trees.
According to an ancient legend, God instructed a man to take a bag of snakes, frogs and lizards to the river and throw them out there, but the slave did not fulfill the request and released the reptiles. For disobedience, the man was turned into a Stork. The bird's food was the same frogs and snakes released into the wild.

Most signs associated with storks are positive. The people believed that the bird protected from evil spirits and evil spirits, and attracted happiness and wealth to the house. In ancient times, storks were considered sacred birds, and it was forbidden to hunt them. People tried to lure birds to the house - this way they attracted good luck and prosperity.

Stork on the roof of a house

A lucky omen is to see a stork on the roof of a house. Storks have always preferred to live next to humans, but not every human home became their shelter. For unknown reasons, birds choose specific houses, bypassing others. A stork's nest on the roof of a house is considered a good sign. For a family living in a house, the appearance of a bird promises family and financial well-being. You will be even luckier if next year the stork family returns to the old nest - such a sign meant that it would be good for at least a year. A popular legend about the stork says that a stork living on the roof of a house protects against damage, the evil eye and bad news. Great grief foreshadowed the sudden abandonment of the nest by the stork family. People believed that if birds abandoned their nesting grounds, disease and poverty would come to their home.

Other signs:

The stork is looking for something in the grass

1. Storks settled on the roof of a barn or took a fancy to a building in a barnyard - for large offspring. Cows will produce more milk, and chickens will lay eggs.
2. Seeing a stork in reality is a sign according to which a person will be protected by higher powers throughout the next year.
3. It is a lucky omen if a stork flies to the house. This event will certainly bring good luck, harmony and prosperity to the house.
4. Seeing a stork in the sky is a sign that guarantees success in work matters. A stork flew overhead - to meet pleasant people, to fulfill all plans.
5. It is a good omen to see a stork on the road - such a meeting with a bird promises a pleasant time with family and friends, peace of mind.
6. According to popular belief, if a stork flies past a particular house or lands on the roof of a house, it means that a child will soon be born there. The arrival of a baby in the family is signaled by a stork flying over the heads of the future parents.

Signs about weather and nature:

Two storks are freezing

1. A stork flew over the field - for a harvest year.
2. Seeing a flock of storks is a bad omen, foreshadowing a cold, rainy, protracted autumn.
3. Storks are circling over the nest - strong winds are expected.
4. The bird sits motionless on a branch - sunny, dry weather will change to rainy.

The person who finds a stork feather will have a happy, long life.

Two bird feathers for an unmarried girl means that she will get married within a year. In ancient times, Indians decorated their clothes with stork feathers because they believed that they brought good luck in hunting. The found feathers were kept in a secluded place.

Interesting facts about the bird

Amazing facts about white storks:

1. Cleaning is done before migration. They destroy weak and sick relatives.
2. For thermoregulation, on hot summer days they defecate on their feet. The higher the air temperature, the more droppings, which cool the skin and reflect the sun's rays.
3. They do not wake up when changing the supporting leg.
4. Dry prey is rinsed in water so that it can be swallowed.
5. They build sloppy nests by throwing branches on top of each other.
6. Images of a white stork are present on city coats of arms, coins, and ancient frescoes.
7. In Muslim mythology, storks are the souls of believers who were unable to visit holy places.
8. The oldest nest was occupied 381 times. The largest one - with a diameter of one and a half meters, weighs 200 kg.

Grown-up chicks taken from the nest quickly get used to humans. They greet acquaintances by opening their wings and tapping the beak halves. If an adult tamed bird is released into the wild, it will fly a little and come back.

Why do storks bring babies?

Photo of a stork with a basket
Since ancient times, storks have symbolized new life, birth. Each of us at least once in our lives has seen a picture depicting a stork carrying a bundle with a baby in its beak. He delivers the child to the parents - this is how offspring appear in the family. It is not known for certain who connected the stork and the child, since many civilized nations have similar legends. Historians believe that the origins of ancient myths about storks distributing children to childless people are in Northern Europe. During the time of the pagans, marriage ceremonies among people took place in the summer. At the same time, the storks flew away for the winter. The birds returned after 9 months. Their arrival coincided with the birth of children from those couples who were married last summer. Thus, the appearance of storks foreshadowed the birth of children. Gradually everything got mixed up and resulted in a wonderful story about noble birds - messengers of God who carry children all over the world.

Stork holding a baby in its beak

Birthmarks on newborns are called “stork’s kiss.” This peculiar pigment formation is most often located between the eyebrows or on the back of the head and does not pose a threat to health. Redness on the skin usually goes away in the first years of life. Nevus received its name due to its shape in the form of wings and a heart.

Dream about a stork

Stork walks in the field

• to see a stork flying overhead in a dream - to a quick addition to the family;
• if a person dreamed that a stork had built a nest on the roof of a house, then this dream means that a happy future awaits him;
• a dream about a family of storks foreshadows a happy marriage;
• an unmarried girl dreamed of a stork - foretells early marriage;
• dream of a stork sitting on the roof of a house or a tree - to a pleasant meeting with relatives;
• empty nest of storks - a dream promises troubles, family conflicts;
• A black stork dreams of problems at work.

Interesting Facts

There are not so many interesting facts related to this bird, because this species has not been well studied. But they still exist. An interesting fact is that it is common for this species of bird to kill its weak chicks. This happens extremely rarely and in conditions of lack of food. By this act, they increase the chances of survival of the remaining chicks.

Scientists have discovered more than 12 types of parasitic creatures in the body of the Black Stork. Despite the fact that these parasites live with the bird throughout its entire life. Conducting research, it was found that there are much more parasites on young individuals than on sexually mature ones.

During its seasonal migrations, the stork is able to cover distances of over 5,000 kilometers. Using satellite tracking, average migrations in the western direction were recorded at 5,687 kilometers and 7,128 kilometers in the eastern direction. The average time values ​​for these flights are 37 and 78 days, respectively.

In some countries of Southern Europe and Asia, black stork populations may be threatened by hunters, since they do not have a ban on shooting this bird species.

Origin of the bird's name

Storks fight
According to one version of the origin of the name of the bird, “stork” refers to the German dialect, in the dictionary of which there is the word “Heister”. The Germans used this word to call the magpie bird, then they began to call the birds that we call “storks.” The German word entered the Russian language in the form “geister”, which over time was transformed into the word “stork”. Initially, only the Black Stork species was called "stork". Since the mid-19th century, when the white stork began nesting in Russia, the name “stork” extended to this species of bird.

Nutrition and feeding behavior

The food spectrum of white storks is very diverse and variable due to the location of this population. Their main food is small vertebrates and various invertebrate animals. The favorite food of European storks are frogs, toads, snakes (including poisonous vipers), as well as large grasshoppers and locusts. However, white storks willingly eat earthworms, various beetles, small fish (including dead ones), lizards, small rodents, chicks and bird eggs. Thus, the “peace-loving kind” stork is a real predator. Living in villages, storks deftly catch chicks and ducklings that have become separated from their mothers. During wintering, storks often feed on locusts. Looking for food, storks slowly walk on land or water, and when they see prey, they quickly and deftly grab it.

Interesting facts about storks

The stork froze in place

1. In the 17th century in Italy, storks were exterminated.
2. The only enemy of the stork is the eagle.
3. White storks prefer to live next to humans, while black storks, on the contrary, avoid communicating with people.
4. In Orthodoxy, the stork is considered a symbol of the Annunciation.
5. Africa is home to a separate species of predatory storks - marabou. These birds feed on carrion and behave unfriendly to other birds and humans.
6. The stork can soar in the air for hours without moving its wings.

Natural enemies of white storks

Photo: White stork bird

These birds have few natural enemies.

For adult birds, the following are considered enemies:

• Eagles, and some other birds of prey;
• foxes;
• martens;
• big dogs and wolves.

Stork nests can be destroyed by large birds, cats and martens. Among the diseases storks suffer from, mainly parasitic diseases occur.

Storks become infected with such types of helminths as:

• chaunocephalus ferox;
• histriorchis tricolor;
• dyctimetra discoidea.

Birds become infected by eating infected fish and animals, and picking up food from the ground. However, the main enemy of these beautiful white birds is considered to be humans. After all, most birds die due to being caught on power lines. Birds die from electric shock, and young birds sometimes crash into wires. In addition, although hunting for birds of this species is now limited, many birds die at the hands of poachers. Most birds die during flights. Most often, young animals die, birds flying for the winter for the first time.

Sometimes, especially during wintering, mass deaths of birds occur due to weather conditions. Storms, typhoons and cold snaps can kill several hundred birds at once. The main unfavorable factor for storks is the destruction of buildings on which the birds nested. Restoration of dilapidated temples, water towers and other places where storks nest. Birds take a very long time to build their nests. The construction of a nest takes several years, which means that storks will not be able to reproduce after arriving at their usual place.

How long do storks live?

A stork walks along the mown grass.
Sedentary species of storks live longer than their migratory counterparts. On average, storks live 15-20 years. The life expectancy of white storks is 19-20 years. In captivity, birds live up to 30 years. Far Eastern storks in the wild live no more than 19 years. In protected conditions, birds can live 40-45 years. Black storks have a life cycle of 18 years. Birds in captivity live 5-6 years longer.

Name options:

• male stork - stork;
• female stork - stork;
• chick or baby stork - stork;
• chicks or baby storks are storks.

Description

This tall and elegant bird has a similar plumage color to the related white stork, but is slightly more massive than its relative, and also stands out due to the ruff of long feathers on the chest and neck, a powerful dark beak and bright red legs. With the exception of contrasting black flight feathers, the rest of their plumage is completely white. The average height of the Far Eastern stork is 100 – 115 cm. The chicks have a brownish edging on the wings, a red-orange beak (white stork chicks have a dark beak) and dull red-brown legs.

Stork family

The family of storks (Ciconiidae), distributed among 20 species throughout the globe except North America, is characterized by a hard, straight beak, the upper jaw of which does not have a longitudinal groove, but is sometimes equipped with a short groove in front of the opening of the nostril. The cover of the lower leg, consisting of hexagonal scutes, connecting membranes between the three front fingers and, finally, a straight-cut or slightly rounded tail, which is fork-shaped only in exceptional cases.

Storks live in flat, richly irrigated and forested areas. They do not have a real voice, but they make a cracking sound by striking their jaws against each other. They rest and nest on trees and roofs of buildings. They usually form large communities only during flights; they also nest in colonies only as an exception. Stork nests are quite strong buildings, which birds often use for many years in a row, in which case the nest often acquires very significant dimensions.

Saddle-billed stork beak

Storks fly relatively calmly, with their necks stretched forward and their legs pointing backwards; they do not flap their wings very quickly and soar from time to time. In the so far known species of the genus stork (Ciconia), the beak is straight and slightly compressed laterally, the head is usually bare only the edges of the eyes and a fork-shaped place on the chin, the tail is chopped off, its upper coverts are sometimes strongly developed, shaped like rudders, and the coverts located along the edges of the tail, reach its end and form a fork.

Along the banks of rivers in low-lying areas, near lakes and ponds, in swamps and bogs, in lowlands covered with meadows and cut by ditches, on cultivated land the white stork (C. alba) lives, however, it is never found in grains, reeds and reeds .

Great-billed stork

Peculiar storks include the genus of large-throated storks (Leptoptilus), widespread throughout the tropical countries of Asia and America. Its representatives are characterized by a straight conical beak and are distinguished from other storks by a free-hanging crop sac, a naked head and upper neck covered with sparse down, soft and curly lower tail coverts and their stocky appearance.

Great-billed stork

In its way of life, it resembles kites, with which it attacks carrion and, in human-inhabited areas, plays the role of flayers.

Gigantic stork

The genus gigantic stork (Mycteria) contains not only the largest storks, but in general the largest representatives of the group of wading birds. It is characterized by a beak strongly flattened laterally, gradually curved upward at the tip, and sometimes flat on the forehead. One species of this genus lives in the tropical countries of Asia, Australia, Africa and America.

The Indian representative, the Indian giant stork (M. asiatica), is distributed from Eastern India, on the one hand, across Western India and Ceylon, and on the other, across the Indian Islands to Australia. It lives, usually alone or in pairs, along the banks of large rivers and ponds and in swamps, where it feeds on reptiles, frogs, fish and mollusks.

Myths and signs

Storks are such unique birds that over many centuries man has created a lot of legends, myths, speculations and superstitions that are known to us to this day. Almost everyone knows the most common legend, the essence of which is that storks bring children into the house. Among other things, with the help of storks, people manage to collect large harvests. To attract the attention of storks, people installed special devices on the roofs of their houses that made it easier for these birds to build their nests. When birds left the nest, it was believed that various troubles and misfortunes awaited the owner of the house.

Poets wrote poems about these unique birds, and composers composed music. They have become the heroes of some films and many cartoons that children love to watch.

Habitat

On European territory there are black and white storks, which are classified as migratory birds. In central Europe, these birds appear in February/March. These birds are not found in the vast expanses of England.

White-bellied storks live within the African continent, from Ethiopia to South Africa. As for white-necked storks, they can actually be found in southern Thailand; Malayan storks are found in western Malaysia and Brunei. These birds prefer to nest in biotones that are untouched by humans and represent lowlands with the presence of forest plantations. In addition, storks settle in floodplains of rivers, as well as near various fresh water bodies.

Interesting moment! Some populations of these birds are found in northern Korea, northeastern China, and also in Mongolia. These birds winter in the south, as well as in southeast China. These areas are characterized by the presence of wet areas, small ponds, and rice fields.

The habitat of American storks extends to the South American continent, starting from the expanses of Venezuela and ending with the territories of Argentina. Here they nest in damp areas, as well as near agricultural lands. Far Eastern storks prefer to live in the Far East, or rather in Primorye and the Amur region, as well as in the basins of rivers such as the Amur, Zeya and Ussuri.

Stork's nest - be careful

Stork feeding

The white stork, which inhabits lowlands and swamps, settles there not by chance. Its main diet is the frogs living there. Their entire appearance is adapted for walking in shallow water.

Ankle legs with long toes perfectly hold the bird on sticky ground. And the long beak helps to fish out from the depths all the most delicious things - frogs, mollusks, snails, fish.

In addition to aquatic life, the stork also feeds on insects, especially large and schooling ones, such as locusts.

Collects worms, cockchafers, mole crickets. In general, everything is more or less of a digestible size. They will not refuse mice, lizards, snakes, and vipers.

They can even eat dead fish. If they can catch them, they will feast on hares, moles, rats, gophers, and sometimes even small birds.

During the meal, storks majestically stride along the “table”, but when they see a suitable “dish” they quickly run up and grab it with their long, strong beak.

Tantalum

The fifth and last genus of stork birds represented in India is Tantalus, 4 species of which are distributed in the tropical countries of Asia, Africa and America. It differs from other storks in the shape of its beak, which is rounded at the tip and rounded at the top and slightly curved downward, thus occupying the middle between the beak of the ibis and other storks.

stork tantalum

The Indian representative of this genus, the Indian tantalum (T. leuco-cephalus), known as the pelican ibis, belongs to the most famous birds of India, common in areas rich in water. It lives alone or in pairs, often nests socially in large trees near villages, easily becomes tame and is then very trusting of humans.

Reproduction and raising of offspring

After the male finishes building the nest, he begins searching for a partner. In pairs, males are chosen by females, looking at those applicants who have already managed to acquire housing. The female who is the first to fly up to the finished nest becomes its named spouse.

Sometimes females can start a fight over a male, while the males themselves wait for the fight to end.

The created pair never breaks up, and the birds live with each other until old age. The exception is when one of the couple dies and the spouse is forced to select a new partner.

Indian downy stork

A relative of our storks is the Indian downy stork (Ciconia episcopus), which lives in addition to East India also in Western India and on the Indian islands. It is much smaller in size than our white stork, and is dressed in black plumage with a coppery sheen. Its tail and rump, however, are white, and its neck is covered with short and soft white feathers, similar to down.

Indian downy stork

It differs from the African downy stork mainly in that the entire upper part of its head is black.

Argala

The more famous of the two representatives of this genus, the argal (L. dubius), ranging from Northern Hindustan through Eastern India to Sumatra, Java and Borneo and often found in the vicinity of large cities, appears, for example, in large flocks in Calcutta in the hot season. Previously, when the cleanliness of the city still left much to be desired, the argala at night usually sat on the roof of the governor’s house and other tall buildings in the city.

Argala stork

As a useful cleaner of street sewage, he enjoys the protection of the law in many areas, but, in addition to carrion and other garbage, he also eats reptiles, frogs and fish. This bird is also called the bald stork orderly . This bird hatches its eggs in large societies, often together with pelicans, and it is remarkable that although it has no vocal muscles and usually cracks its beak like our storks, it can nevertheless produce a cry reminiscent of the lowing of a cow.

Chicks

Reproductive success is closely related to the amount of rainfall that kills the babies.
At birth, the chicks have white down and a flesh-colored to dull orange beak. Babies are fed by both parents by regurgitating food. The young fly 55 days after hatching, but leave the nest at 63–70 days of age.