Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)

Family
Ciconiidae (Storks)

Size
95 - 100 cm
Wingspan: 145 - 180 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Habitat
Old, undisturbed, open forests, shallow streams, pools, marshes, swampy patches, damp meadows, flood-plains, pools in dry riverbeds. Occasionally grasslands with stands of reeds or long grass. From sea-level - 2,500 m.

Range (Guide)

Afghanistan (P), Albania (B), Algeria, Angola, Armenia (B), Austria (B), Azerbaijan (B), Belarus (B), Belgium (B), Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B), Botswana, Bulgaria (B) (NB) (P), Central African Republic, China (mainland), C�te dIvoire, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska) (B) (P), Cyprus (P), Czech Republic (B) (NB), Denmark (P), Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia (B), Ethiopia, France (B) (NB) (P), Georgia (B) (P), Germany (B), Gibraltar (P), Greece (B) (NB) (P), Guinea, Guinea-bissau, Hong Kong (China), Hungary (B) (P), India, Iran [Islamic Republic of] (B), Iraq (NB), Israel (NB) (P), Italy (B) (NB) (P), Japan, Jordan (NB) (P), Kazakhstan (B), Kenya, Kyrgyzstan (B), Laos, Latvia (B), Lebanon, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania (B), Luxembourg (B), Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (B) (NB), Malawi, Malta, Mauritania, Moldova [Republic of] (B) (P), Mongolia (B), Montenegro (B) (P), Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (NB), Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland (B) (P), Portugal (B) (NB), Romania (B) (P), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B) (P), Russia (European) (B), Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia (B) (P), Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (B) (NB), Slovenia (B) (NB), South Africa (B), South Korea, Spain (B) (NB) (P), Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden (B), Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan (China), Tajikistan (B), Tanzania [United Republic of], Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey (B) (NB) (P), Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine (B) (P), Uzbekistan (B), Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe (B).

Vagrant to Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Finland, Gambia, Ghana, Ireland, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Mali, Niger, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Somalia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.

Breeds across Palearctic, mostly c. 40° 60° N; winters in north-eastern and eastern Africa and from western Pakistan, through northern India to south-eastern and eastern China; some birds probably resident in south-western Spain. Also breeds in scattered populations from Malawi and Namibia to South Africa.

Population
Estimated population is 24,000 - 44,000 (2010).

Status LC
Habitat degradation and hunting are the main thraets,

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Food
Fish, frogs and other small animals.

Voice
A variety of soft calls. Also bill clattering at the nest.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (27)...)

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) [XC182144]
by Jarek Matusiak from Gmina Leoncin (near Leoncin), nowodworski, mazowieckie, Poland (?)

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) [XC421079]
by id from \u00c4hij\u00e4rve, Antsla Parish, V\u00f5ru maakond, Estonia (alarm call, call)

Nest
A platform of twigs and branches, in a tree.

Eggs (Guide)
3 - 5; white.

Subspecies
No subspecies.

References
See References.

The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7

Files:

JPG files for Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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