White Stork
Ciconia ciconia
Storks are known in common knowledge as the birds who bring children. Their relationship with people is even stronger, as today we can rarely find storks that nest outside of human settlements. The male and female storks have similar appearance. The storks build their huge nests mainly on electric pylons, in smaller number on roofs, chimneys or haystacks. They usually forage on wet meadows and agricultural fields, alone or in smaller groups. Their diet varies depending on the weather, and the availability of food. In drier seasons they eat small mammals and insects, in wet years their main source of food consists of frogs and snakes. Storks usually raise 3-5 chicks, their number is influenced by the quantity of food. The chicks make hissing noises in the nest, the adult birds make sounds by clattering their bills.
