These amazing birds differ from others not only in their beauty, but also in their extraordinary grace. In external parameters, they look like a heron, only larger in size.
And the stork's nest stands out from the others in shape and size. Why is it remarkable? You can find out where and from what these birds build their nests by reading this article.
Stork beliefs
In Belarus, the bird is affectionately called white busel, and in Ukraine - chernoguz or leleka. There are no birds in the world with which so many legends are associated, will accept and believe, and they are all quite sweet and kind.
The very first sign that comes to mind is that the stork is a bird that brings children to families. In the old days, treats were specially laid out for storks on the windows of the huts for the sake of the appearance of children in the house. And on the roofs they installed wheels from carts so that storks would make their homes there.
It was believed that the stork's nest on the roof of the house would certainly bring happiness and peace to the owners. And the number of storks also had a certain meaning - how manychicks, so many kids are expected in the family.
Both white and black storks live in nature, the former being the most common.
Stork habitats
The white stork is the national bird of the Republic of Lithuania. On the territory of this state, the highest density of nesting of this species of birds is registered. Usually storks nest alone, but there are also large colonial settlements.
They live in almost all areas of Europe, including the Russian European part. There are also in Asia (for example, in Uzbekistan).
Storks build their nests in various and unexpected places, even on some power lines. They are not at all afraid of people and settle on the trees and roofs of houses in rural settlements.
Many villagers specially prepare places to facilitate the arrangement of nests for birds - they install poles with circles, cut off extra branches on trees. Civilization and people do not frighten storks at all. However, birds still do not lose their caution towards humans.
General information about stork nests
This amazingly beautiful and noble bird builds a very large nest (up to 1.5 meters in diameter). The weight of such a dwelling can reach 250 kg. Basically, the stork builds a nest on the roof of a man-made structure, or on broken treetops near water bodies (rivers and lakes) or swamps.
As a rule, one nest is used by storks for years. Birds always return to their old dwelling, and malesarrive earlier and guard it until the return of the female. But the nest before breeding the chicks is again put in order, repaired, so its size increases every year. The height is usually 50 centimeters, and the old nest as a result of such reconstructions can even reach a height of 1.5 meters.
In Germany, the oldest stork nest was used by birds for 381 years.
What is a nest made of?
Stork nests are built from twigs and large branches. They line the tray with hay, old grass and straw. Sometimes old rags, wool, paper, etc. are used as lining at the bottom of the nest.
With all this, each nest is built differently. All storks have their own peculiarity in planning the construction of a cozy nest. For example, there is a difference in the construction of nests between white and black storks, which is discussed in more detail below.
White storks
The most famous of all birds of this species is the white stork, which breeds in Russia in the European part of the country. Its wintering grounds are Africa and India.
The height of the bird is 120 centimeters, its weight is four kilograms. Its distinctive feature is that the stork does not have a voice, but instead taps with half of its beak, making certain sounds that are understandable to almost all surrounding birds.
White storks are monogamous. In the repaired nest, after returning from wintering, they lay from 1 to 7 eggs, then incubate them alternately (both female and male) for about 34 days.
They prefer to settle along the banks of water bodies: rivers, lakes, swamps. These birds are excellent swimmers, flyers, and surprisingly easy to move on land (even run after prey). The white stork in flight reaches speeds of up to 45 km per hour. During sleep, he stands on one leg, periodically changing it.
White stork's nest
The white stork's nest (outer side) is built from tree branches, the thickness of which reaches even several centimeters. The inner part is laid out with thinner and softer branches, and plant stems, turf, earth, manure, straw and hay are often found in its walls. The lower part is lined with a rather thick layer of softer material - moss, hay, leaves, dry grass, wool, etc.
Also, you can find a wide variety of rubbish in the nest - old rags, films, papers, pieces of rope, etc.
In Russia, the oldest nests of white storks (about 35 years old) were discovered in the Tver and Kaluga regions. In Western Europe (Germany, Poland and Hungary) there are nests that are over 100 years old.
Black storks
Black storks live in the mountains and in the forest. They prefer to nest in places inaccessible to people, and lay about 5 eggs each. They are also caring parents, both the female and the male take turns incubating the eggs.
The weight of a black stork is about three kilograms. The legs, neck and beak are long. The wingspan reaches 2 meters. During the flight, the stork beautifully stretches its legs and neck, smoothly and slowly flaps its wings.
Unlike the white stork, the black stork has a voice. Among other things, black, in comparison with white, is more thorough in designing its nest - carefully laying branches, using clay and earth.
About baby storks
After the storks have built a nest, and chicks have hatched from hatched eggs, the real fuss begins. Their parents will feed them from morning to evening. They are constantly busy looking for water and food for their chicks. From birth, storks feed on insects.
Food that the chicks grab on the fly is thrown into their mouths from the beak of their parents. And the water flows smoothly into the beak of the chicks. All this happens within the first two months. The chicks are eating very well and gaining weight pretty quickly.
There is a not very pleasant feature of storks - they get rid of sick and weakened chicks.
Strengthened and matured young birds begin to look for food themselves, already without parents. They feed on snakes, insects, lizards, frogs, various rodents, etc.
Interesting facts about nests
Today in Ukraine more and more often you can find a stork's nest on a pole of power lines, a slightly smaller number of them - on trees, and even fewer - on water towers. The smallest number of nests is on various buildings.
Stork nests are also found on the rocks. For example, in Portugal in 1994, more than 2% of nests were built on them. Old dwellings are found inruins, on monuments, towers, on straw stacks, piles of dry branches and manure. There are known cases of nests being found even on the booms of construction cranes and on the ground.
The height of the nest depends on the height of the support. It varies from 0 (on the ground) to several tens of meters (on pipes and other structures). There is a known case of the location of the nest on a hundred-meter tower in Spain. Basically, they are built at an average height of 5 to 20 m.
In many regions of Russia, nests are located on water towers, especially in the Kaluga region (73% of nests).
In Lithuania in 1994-2000, storks built a nest on an old tree in 52 percent of cases.
Stork display behavior
For mating and breeding birds, the center of social activity is the nest, where you can see their various demonstrations. An interesting fact is that outside the nest, partners tend to ignore each other.
Usually in the spring the male returns to the nest first and protects the dwelling from other storks. A pair is formed on the nest. The host meets strangers approaching storks with a characteristic crackling of the beak, throwing back and lowering its head and spreading its wings. At the same time, he still raises his tail and puffs up the feathers on his neck.
If a female arrives at the nest, the demonstrations take on a different character after a while - a welcome ceremony takes place. At the same time, the male, puffing up his feathers and shaking his head from side to side, welcomes the couple. When an alien male tries to sit on the nest, the owner takes a threatening posture: he stands onhalf-bent legs motionless with wings spread apart in different directions, with the tail lifted up, and the head and neck stretched forward. There are many different demonstrations of the stork depending on the situation. Fights may also occur.
A beautiful picture (two storks in a nest) can be seen after pairing. Each of the pair greets the partner flying up to the nest with current demonstrations. Often, both birds in the nest lek in a "duet", sorting out feathers to each other, mostly on the neck and head.
Conclusion
The stork on the roof is the most familiar picture for the countryside. Many artists and photographers capture them there.
It should be noted that not everything is so smooth in the world of storks. Often nests are occupied by other lodgers - sparrows, wagtails and starlings, breeding their offspring in a beautiful cozy nest of rooftop owners and harbingers of a happy and prosperous life.
