adult

adult juvenile European distribution at rest

Identification

The Black Stork is almost as big as a White Stork but can be distinguished by the fact that the head, neck and upperparts are completely black. Indeed, they look entirely black in flight apart from their white bodies and 'armpits' and of course their red legs and bills.

Habitat

Breeds in wooded areas or on riverside cliffs. Feeds beside lakes and rivers or in marshy fields.

Behaviour

Doesn't indulge in bill-clapping like White Storks but instead they display like birds of prey by soaring above their breeding woods.

Migration

Birds migrate south to winter in tropical Africa, usually during September to early October when up to 6 000 birds at Istanbul and 600 at Gibraltar have been counted. Birds generally return to their breeding grounds during March-April.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Black Stork is classed as Rare: species currently considered for acceptance by the British Birds Rarities Committee (or forms of equivalent rarity).

Golf del sur, Gomera (Tenerife), Canary Islands 02/01/2010	Golf del sur, Gomera (Tenerife), Canary Islands 02/01/2010	fish pools, Kibutz Ein Hamifratz, Galilee, Northern District, Israel 02/11/2009	Kibutz Ein Hamifratz,Western Galilee, Israel 06/10/2009	Kibutz Ein Hamifratz,Western Galilee, Northern District, Israel 06/10/2009
Etang de Capestang, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 14/09/2009	Etang de Capestang, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 14/09/2009	Lesvos, Greece 30/04/2009	Capestang, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 01/09/2008	Spurn, E Yorks 01/09/2008

 View all pictures of Black Stork

This species has been reported in the following areas (Bird News Extra subscribers can click a county name for more details):

Black Stork breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Moldova
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Turkey
Ukraine

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