White Stork

Ciconia ciconia

Stately and unmistakable upright black and white bird with red legs and bill. In flight is has huge rather square black wings with the inner forward quarter white - in some areas there may be other species with something like a similar pattern but not over most of their range.

Breeds in huge nests in trees or on buildings using traditional sites. Feeds in marshland areas on frogs, fish, insects, small mammals and any other animal it can get hold of. Long distant migrant wintering in Africa and India using soaring flight and traditional routes. Declining in many areas the two European populations are from Spain and North Africa and from Eastern Europe from Denmark through to Greece. No, it does not deliver babies!

There are 17 storks worldwide but not in northern areas.

Length	1,100 mm
Closed wing	570 mm
Weight	3,400 gms

A Bird On! Sketch by Chris Mead
Copyright © 1996 by Jacobi Jayne & Company and Chris Mead