Black Stork

Black storks can be found in remote forests where they build their nests on old trees or in a niche in a rock face. The birds react very sensitively to disturbances or changes in their nesting place. On account of this, black storks are given nest protection in Central Europe. It is forbidden to approach a black stork’s nest.

The black stork, along with the white stork, are the only stork species in Europe. Apart from the difference in plumage colour, the black stork has a number of other features that distinguishes it from its relative: the black stork is slightly smaller and makes a shorter and quieter clattering sound with its bill. During winter, the black stork flies to East or West Africa, because the cold temperatures in Europe make it difficult to find food suchas fish, frogs, newts or insects. It returns to Europe in spring for breeding.

In the 1950s, there were only a few brood pairs remaining here. Thanks to conservation measures and their adaptions to new living conditions, the population is stable.