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5

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) German name(s): "Weißstorch" Size: 0.95-1.1 m; wing span 1.80-2.15 m Weight: 2.5-4.0 kg

Europe: Family Group 5 Family Group 5 Table Great Egret Little Egret Cattle Egret Grey Heron Purple Heron Striated Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Squacco Heron Green Heron Little Bittern Eurasian Spoonbill Glossy Ibis White Stork Black Stork Greater Flamingo Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names German birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description White Storks are tall birds with a long neck and all-white plumage, except the flight feathers and wing coverts, which are black. Their long legs and pointy bill are red.

Taxonomy, classification See White 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 White Stork is available HERE . There are two races of White Storks, both of which are strongly migratory. Part of the population of White Storks, nominate race "ciconia", breed in northern Africa (Atlas Mountains and north-west African coastal areas) and in south-western Iberia. Others breed from the South shore of the Caspian Sea westward, all the way through Turkey and into central and eastern Europe. Race "ciconia" spends the northern winters in sub-Saharan Africa and in East and South Africa. Others winter in northern Arabia. Race "asiatica" breeds in Kazachstan and spends the northern winters in Pakistan and north-western India. The central and eastern European breeding range extends from the River Rhine eastward to the geographical longitude of the Baltic States and southward from the eastern edge of the Alps to the Balkans, northern Greece and the north-western coastline of the Black Sea. The Turkish/Middle Eastern population stays to the South of the Caucasus mountain range. During the breeding season White Storks will choose habitats with high nest sites, e.g. open grassland with scattered trees, and access (within 3-5 km) to wetlands (ideally swamps, marshes, riverine flood plains) or other secure feeding grounds (increasingly rubbish tips).

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "ciconia" We have seen White Storks, nominate race "ciconia", in good numbers (tens of breeding pairs) in their long-established breeding grounds in the Rheingau, which is part of the Rhine valley around Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, in July 2006, May 2010, and every year since 2013. D. Wilczynska reports spotting White Storks, race "ciconia", regularly during the breeding season in Poland. In 2016 they were seen in May in and around Brok, Masovia, and the river Bug and also in Wizna, Podlachia, near the river Narew. During the 2017 breeding season they were also observed in Biebrza NP, Poland. In 2018 they were also found in the River Bug Landscape Park, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland. J. Pires reports finding White Storks, race "ciconia", regularly during the breeding season in the area of Mora, Evora, Portugal. J. Pires also finds White Storks, race "ciconia", all year round in various locations in Spain. In the South of Portugal White Storks, race "ciconia", are present all year round. C. Pears reports finding them preparing to breed in Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal, in February 2015. In the past we used to see White Storks, race "ciconia", occasionally in various locations along the valley of the river Rhine.

Photos

Race "ciconia"

ADULT

BREEDING

PAIR

Frontal/lateral view of a pair of White Storks on their nest; the bird at the back, which is larger and has a longer bill than its mate, is probably the male (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2020]

Lateral view of a pair of White Storks on their nest; the bird at the back, which is larger and has a longer bill than its mate, is probably the male (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2014]

Lateral view of a pair of White Storks on their nest, male on the right (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal, February 2015]

Ventral view of a pair of White Storks in nuptial flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a White Stork (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2020]

White Stork preening (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, May 2016]

Close-up lateral portrait of a White Stork (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Lateral view of a White Stork (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2018]

Lateral view of a White Stork resting on a pole (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Badajoz province, Spain, January 2023]

Lateral view of a White Stork (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Embalse de Los Canchales, near Montijo, Spain, December 2019]

Lateral view of a White Stork wading in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, January 2020]

Lateral view of a White Stork wading in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Marim, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Algarve, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a White Stork
[Rheinaue near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, July 2006]

Dorsal view of a White Stork
[Rheinaue near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, July 2006]

White Storks congregating on the bank of a river (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2014]

White Storks congregating on the bank of a river in preparation for migration to Africa (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2019]

White Stork on the point of landing (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2018]

White Stork on the point of departure: Full wing stretch, bend knees... (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

White Stork on the point of departure: One powerful wing beat... (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

White Stork on the point of departure: ... and jump out of the water (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

Lateral view of a White Stork in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a White Stork in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Soto de las Juntas, Madrid, Spain, December 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a White Stork in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Dorsal view of a White Stork banking to land (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Adult White Stork, right, with a fledgling - note the pale bill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2020]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Aug

Eggs: 2 - 7 (~4)

Incubation period: 30 - 32 days

Fledging age: 58 - 64 days

Pair of White Storks performing a bonding ritual by clappering on their nest; this is the pair whose clappering was recorded on 3 August 2016 (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, August 2016]

Nest

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks

Height above ground: 10 - 30 m

White Stork on its nest in a natural setting, on a stunted willow tree (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Rheinaue near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, April 2019]

White Stork with two nestlings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

White Stork chicks on their nest (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2013]

Close-up look at a pair of White Storks on their nest on an electricity pylon (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Rheinaue near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, March 2013]

Pair of White Storks on their nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Brok, Masovia, Poland, May 2016]

Nest with 3 young White Storks near fledging age
[Rheinaue near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, July 2006]

Close-up view of two White Storks chicks in their nest (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Rheinaue near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, May 2021]

White Stork chicks on their nest (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2014]

Pair of White Storks with their young chicks (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, June 2016]

Pair of White Storks with their young chicks, one of which is begging for food (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, June 2016]

Close-up frontal view of 2 White Stork chicks (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, June 2016]

Close-up view of 3 White Stork chicks (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, June 2016]

Impression of the view of a White Stork nest on a power pole onto the surrounding wetland (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, June 2016]

Adult White Stork with a chick it has just fed (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

White Stork readjusting some nest material for the perfect fit (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Rheinaue near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, April 2021]

Time on the nest can also be used for preening (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Rheinaue near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, April 2021]

White Stork nest, front left, with a second nest by Eurasian Spoonbills near it (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Lateral view of a White Stork carrying nesting material (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, March 2020]

Eggs

Size: 68 x 45 mm

Colour: Off-white, with very small brown speckles

Shape: Long elliptical

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Pair/flock

White Storks, which can become about 35 years old, mate for life.

Pair of White Storks performing their bonding ritual on their nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, May 2016]

Although not becoming tame, White Storks will tolerate the proximity of humans, e.g. when choosing manmade nest sites (disused chimney stacks, power poles, artificial platforms).

Life as a White Stork can be dangerous - and you don't want to mess with #1490 when she sees (a) red (bill)...!
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, June 2019]

White Storks are a mostly migratory species. Only in a few favourable locations in southern and central Europe are they usually sedentary.

Why travel all the way to sub-Saharan Africa... (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2020]

... when the winters in southern Portugal are also very pleasant? (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2020]

When finding favourable conditions for overwintering, White Storks can form very large flocks.

Click on image to see an estimated 20-25% of a large flock of White Storks (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2021]

Food, Diet

White Storks feed mainly on amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and also fish and insects. They are very opportunistic and will scavenge at rubbish tips and take chicks of small, ground-nesting bird species.

Near-lateral view of a White Stork hunting in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2018]

White Stork looking for prey in a lush meadow (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug Landscape Park, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, June 2018]

White Stork looking for prey in a lush meadow (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Brok, Masovia, Poland, May 2016]

White Storks looking for prey in a lush meadow (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Brok, Masovia, Poland, May 2016]

This White Stork appears to be scooping up water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Spain, June 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

whtstrk_jp_20200424.m4a	(Portugal)	Bill clapper (+ cow)	© JP
whtstrk_dw_20160803.m4a	(Poland)	Bill clapper on nest	© DW

More White Stork sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Sat, 18 February 2023, 4:28 +00:00