|
|
Black Stork
(Ciconia nigra)
German name(s): "Schwarzstorch"
Size: 0.9-1.05 m; wing span 1.75-2.05 m
Weight: 2.9 kg (average)
|
|
 |
Physical description |
|
Click here for a physical description
Black Storks are tall birds with a long neck and an all-black
plumage, except
the belly, vent, undertail coverts and the innermost parts of
the underwings, which are white. The black parts can have a
violet to green metallic gloss.
The long legs and pointy bill are crimson-red and the eyes
are surrounded by crimson-red
Juvenile
Black Storks have dull grey and greenish-black
plumage where
adults
are glossy black, with speckling down the front, and their legs
and bill are grey-green.
|
 |
Taxonomy, classification |
|
See Black
Stork at Wikipedia .
|
 |
Range, habitat, finding this species |
|
Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Black Stork is available
HERE
.
Black Storks are a partly migratory, partly sedentary species,
with two separate major populations.
There is a sedentary/dispersive population in the southern
quarter of Africa. While in most parts Black Storks are
sedentary within that range, the north-western part of their
range (mostly Angola) is frequented only during the winter
months.
The migratory part of the population is split into three parts.
One part spends the winters in western sub-Saharan Africa. Of
these, most birds migrate to the North-African coastline and
western/central Europe via the West-African coastline, crossing
the Mediterranean near Gibraltar.
A second population winters in eastern sub-Saharan Africa, of
which most birds migrate to eastern and south-eastern Europe
and European Russia via the Nile valley, along the eastern
Mediterranean seaboard and via Asia Minor.
There is a distinct migration border in Europe between these
two populations that runs roughly from the German/Danish
border on the Baltic Sea coastline to the Hungarian Puszta.
A third population winters in tropical southern Asia, from
the India/Pakistan border region in the West to southern
China in the East, basically anywhere to the South of the
Himalaya mountains. Their breeding range encompasses much
of mid-latitude Asia, up to the Siberian East coast, with
the exception of areas without tall trees, such as e.g. the
Mongolian steppe. They are capable of flying over the Himalaya
mountain range and have been spotted at altitudes of up to
8000 m!
Within their breeding range, including Europe, Black Storks are
scattered and far apart; even where the population density can
be considered "high", nests are at least 1 km apart. That, and
the species' shyness, makes the Black Stork harder to find than
the White Stork.
The range of the western population, which includes wintering
grounds in south-western Iberia, extends from parts of central
western France into the Belgian/German border region and on
into northern Germany and from there the entire region towards
the Balkans and Greece.
The eastern population settles into an area spanning from Romania
(the Danube Delta) to Poland and the Baltic States and everything
to the East of that line towards the Ural Mountains. There is also
a breeding population in and around the Caucasus mountain range.
Only in an area northwards of the northern coastlines of both the
Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus they are found only
during their migration.
During the breeding season Black Storks will choose habitats with
tall trees, often conifers, and good cover near water. They are
much more specialized into hunting in wetlands, such as submerged
meadows, bogs and swamps than
White Storks.
|
 |
Sightings |
|
Click here for sighting information
J. Pires reports finding Black Storks
in the area of Mora, Evora, Portugal. In the past they were seen
during their migration, but in recent years they can be found in
the area all year round, during both summer and winter.
J. Pires also found Black Storks at
Sagres, Algarve, in preparation for migration in October 2018
and again in October 2019. In 2020 Black Storks were also found
Couco, Coruche, Santarem, and the Montargil Dam, Portugal. In
June 2021, the species was found on the Sorraia River at Santa
Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal. More Black Storks were found
on Morraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Mondego estuary, Portugal,
in January 2023.
D. Wilczynska reports spotting Black Storks in the River Bug
Landscape Park, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, in May 2018.
|
 |
Photos |
|
 |
ADULT |
|
Frontal view of adult Black Storks in a shallow wetland, with a
Grey Heron at the back
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]
Lateral view of a Black Stork
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, June 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a Black Stork
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, June 2021]
Comparison of a Black Stork with a
Grey Heron and a
Great (White) Egret
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2019]
Near-frontal view of a Black Stork banking to the right;
note the six prominent "fingers"
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Black Stork in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2022]
Lateral/ventral view of a Black Stork in flight; note the
purple/green iridescence on the neck that is described in
field guides but rarely seen this clearly in nature
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]
Lateral/ventral view of a Black Stork in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2018]
Lateral view of a Black Stork in low flight
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug Landscape Park, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, May 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Black Stork in low flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2019]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of Black Storks in flight, heading
towards their winter quarters;
two adults at the top, two juveniles below
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]
Black Storks and other birds making use of a thermal to
gain altitude before heading across the strait of Gibraltar
to Africa
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]
 |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
|
Family of Black Storks, adults on the right, immature birds
on the left, resting in shallow water together with a small flock of
Eurasian Spoonbills
in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2015]
Lateral view of a juvenile Black Stork
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]
Dorsal view of a juvenile Black Stork, with an adult behind
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]
 |
Food, Diet |
|
Lateral view of a Black Stork with its catch, a fish; in the background a
Great [White] Egret
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Black Stork with its catch, a fish
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2018]