Page 88 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

STORKS
Order Ciconiiformes Family Ciconiidae Species Ciconia nigra
Black Stork red around eye
dagger-
like, bright
long black
neck red bill
long, fingered
wings blackish plumage
with green and
purple gloss
white black chest
wingpits
white belly
ADULT
IN FLIGHT
long red
legs
dull greenish dull greenish
black back bill

paler legs
ADULT
flat wings
while gliding
JUVENILE FLIGHT: powerful, direct; on long, fingered, flat
wings with steady beats and long glides; master ADULT
soarer in upcurrents.
uch less familiar than the stockier
MWhite Stork, the Black Stork is AT THE NEST
a shier species which prefers wilder Black Storks nest in remote areas,
country with extensive forests, marshes, not in towns or villages as do
and isolated crags. It is a rare bird White Storks.
throughout its range, wintering in Africa
and returning quite late in spring. Small
numbers can be seen on migration over
the Pyrenees and a few “overshoot”
to unexpected places in spring.
VOICE Generally silent except for
rasping notes at nest.
NESTING Big, bulky
structure of sticks on SIMILAR SPECIES
rock ledge or high up OCCURRENCE
in canopy of large trees; WHITE STORK CORMORANT Occupies extensive forests,
2–4 eggs; 1 brood; similar in flight; juvenile marshes, and rocky areas mostly
superficially
see p.85
May–July. similar in flight; in Spain, Portugal, and E Europe,
see p.72
FEEDING Hunts frogs, white head in summer. Migrates to Africa
newts, toads, and aquatic and breast each autumn and very few are
insects in wet places, and long seen outside regular range.
picks them up in its long, tail white Seen in the UK
slim bill. chest JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 90–105cm (35–41in) Wingspan 1.1–1.45m (3 1 ⁄2 –4 3 ⁄4ft) Weight 2.5–3kg (5 1 ⁄2 –6 1 ⁄2lb)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 20 years Status Rare
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