Birds · Ciconiiformes · Ciconiidae

White Stork

Ciconia ciconia

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is the star of one of Europe's most widespread children's tales, the one that has storks delivering newborn babies. It builds some of the largest nests of any bird.

Weight

2.3 kg – 4.5 kg

Size

1 m – 1.2 m

Lifespan

27 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

GrasslandCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Grassland

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Fun facts

It builds some of the largest nests of any bird, reused year after year.
It is the star of the European tale that has storks delivering babies.
It winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
comportamientoSome populations have stopped migrating in recent decades, staying all year near landfills and farmland where food is available.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Open marshland, farmland and wetlands of Europe, North Africa and western Asia; it winters in sub-Saharan Africa
Birth weight: Weight at hatching not found as a precise figure in the sources consulted
Size at birth: Black bill and greyish-yellow legs at hatching
Sexual maturity: 3-4 years
Gestation / incubation: 33-34 days
Litter / clutch size: 2 to 6 eggs per clutch (most commonly 3-5)
Lifespan in captivity: Anecdotal cases of up to 48 years in captivity