The stork is a very endearing animal, and we're very lucky if we can see one nearby. They nest high up in the mountains and can usually be found in towns and villages. They've always been associated with migratory birds , since in winter they leave for warmer areas and return to their nests during calmer times. Although this is becoming less common, we'll see why. We'll analyze some interesting facts about storks and how they raise their young.
Storks and their migration
It is said that by Saint Blaise's Day (February 3rd) you will see the stork . This is a saying that was used in villages to announce the arrival of storks around that time, when they returned from their migration. Many of them have now given up the migration and stay in their nests year-round. The reason?
Until a few years ago, storks used to migrate during the winter to spend those months in milder places with warmer temperatures. Their exact destinations are unknown, but some researchers have investigated whether they could travel up to 6.000 or 8.000 kilometers , crossing countries and even continents like Africa. Afterward, they would return to their original nests, repair and improve them.
But what is happening that the storks are not migrating?
There's a change in their habits, as winters are much milder and more tolerable, and they have more access to landfills for garbage. In summer, they catch a wide range and variety of animals, such as tadpoles, frogs, snakes, and small fish. But in winter, they turn to landfills, where they find a huge amount of food and where they can encounter a large number of other birds. In this sense, it's interesting to learn about other aspects of their habitat and behavior.
How many storks can live in Spain?
In 2014, a census was taken that showed that more than 42.000 couples could live throughout Spain, according to data from SEO/BirdLife. Nowadays and after a decade the data is yet to be determined, because, although many years have passed, there are many other data that go against it, such as the disappearance of some irrigation fields, extensive livestock farming, the closure of landfills...
Nests are created at height
Storks like to live in society and have always shown this by placing their nests on top of human constructions, such as churches, mansions, electricity pylons, country houses, ruins, monumental buildings, and sometimes rocks or trees.
Their nests are made of many branches . Many of these storks, usually the pair, return to the same nests to breed. They rebuild the nest and raise their chicks . The nests can reach up to 2 meters in diameter and weigh between 200, 400, and 1.000 kilos. They can lay up to four eggs in their nest .
Curious facts about their upbringing and offspring
The clutch size is usually around four eggs, but in rare cases, clutches of up to seven have been recorded. Egg custody is shared not only by the mother but also by the father, who participates in incubation and even takes turns.
The eggs are white and slightly larger than a chicken's. They take 30 days to hatch . The chicks emerge from these eggs, and interestingly, these little animals are born with teeth, just like small reptiles.
They are fed by both their mother and father , who bring them food in the form of a gruel during their first few days of life. The parents swallow it and regurgitate it for them , at least until they are able to eat solid food.
Growth of the zygoni
Stork chicks take seventy days to develop . By one month old, they can open their wings and begin practicing flying, but they won't be able to fly until they are three months old. Studies show that some stork species migrate to Africa as chicks to spend the winter and then gradually arrive on the Iberian Peninsula, settling in cities or towns and remaining near landfills.
What do storks look like?
There's an interesting fact: storks share identical morphological similarities, both males and females. In shape, coloration, and size, they are completely the same; it's impossible to tell their sex, or in other words, they don't exhibit sexual dimorphism.
On the other hand, white storks are very large birds with long legs and long necks. Their plumage is almost entirely white, except for the black primary and secondary feathers on their wings. In contrast, black storks have far fewer white feathers and can be recognized by their black head, neck, and wing coverts.
Stork chicks have dark gray, almost black, legs and beaks until they are two months old . Their beaks gradually lighten and turn red over the course of several days due to the carotenoids in their diet. It is only after they reach one year of age that their plumage becomes noticeably different from that of an adult.
Sound effects
Although you may not know it, these birds emit a rather peculiar and loud sound. They are birds that are usually quiet and don't bother anyone, but for some reason they become excited or stimulated in the presence of strange individuals near their nests and begin to emit strange sounds. Perhaps it could also be because they are in a period of heat or mating?
It's a sound they make with their beaks, like a clacking or rattling, their mandibles clashing together, known as "crocoting," and they use it as a greeting to their mate. They can do this in the nest or in other places like irrigated fields or wetlands.
The truth is, this bird has become an elegant species in many places , thanks to its bearing, colors, and long orange legs. It's an iconic bird, with its elongated beak, and it evokes a certain charm in many children when they see it.