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White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

The beauty of this majectic bird especially shows when in flight.

The group of White Storks seeking for food in the meadow near my garden.

In the summer of 2006 I suddenly spotted a few White Storks flying low over my garden and landing in the meadow nearby. What a wonderful view! I managed to take a couple of pictures of the scene and also of the small group of them seeking for food in the meadow. They came back once of twice the next days and then they just disappeared. Apparently they were just passing by. AND on that occasion they did not leave any babies in my surroundings...

Portraits of the White Stork. (Both photos were not taken in my garden but in a ZOO.)

White Stork belongs to the family Ciconiidae that live in warmer parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. It is a rather huge white bird with black feathers on the tips of the wings. Adults species have strikingly red coloured beaks and legs. White Stork is a migrant bird travelling extremely long distances to Central and Southern Africa and to Indian subcontinent to spend the winter. White Storks form pairs in spring to build nests and to bring up the young. Contrary to common belief, White Storks are not attached to each other but they are rather attached to the nest. They tend to come back together to the same location year after year. The female produces about 4 eggs and then both male and female take turns sitting on the eggs and, later, feeding the young. The menu of White Stork consist of frogs, large insects but also young birds, lizards and mice.