Rob Robinson

Large, long-legged and well-known bird breeding in open farmland areas near wetlands, building a large stick nest in trees, buildings, or man-made platforms. Long-distance migrant. Diet broad, ranging from insects to small mammals and amphibians, young birds, and outside breeding season, garbage rom landfill sites. Massive decline in Western Europe in 19th century due to industrialisation and agricultural changes. After local reintroduction population now large and increasing. Large populations in central and Eastern Europe, Iberia, and Turkey. European population 224,000-247,000 pairs.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendIncreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		502000-563000,530000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for White Stork

Two clearly distinct flyways recognisable, with sub-population breeding in low countries, France and SW Germany migrating SW to Iberia and Western Africa, and sub-population breeding Denmark, Northern Germany, Poland, Baltic and other parts of central and eastern Europe migrating SE through Middle east to eastern and Southern Africa. Migratory divide cuts diagonally through Europe from German-Dutch border in NW to east of Munich and further SE to Croatia. Exceptions occur; Iberian breeding birds mainly migrate to NW Africa, but minority winters SE Africa. Birds from Southernmost Sweden also diverge from general dichotomy and predominantly migrate SW, because of reintroduction with birds from North Africa. Few re-encounters in UK all from birds born in Netherlands, Denmark and Poland.

Recoveries by Condition for White Stork

Number of encounters increasing exponentially from 1950 to peak in 2015. Minority reported shot, most in Africa and Middle East. 10% reported dead by other causes. Relatively few ringing recoveries, mainly in Germany and Spain. Over 80% of recoveries refer to rings read in the field or to birds otherwise alive, and occur in all European areas, but rare in Africa.

Annual Movements for White Stork

Most re-encounters in W and E/SE Africa from Dec through Mar, then thinning, but quite some remain year-round. Long spring peak in Middle East from mid Mar to begin May, Turkey mid Apr. Many present in winter in SW, W and C Europe, but not E Europe, where first arrive mid Mar, majority Apr. Density increases earlier in W and C Europe in mid Mar. Highest densities in breeding areas end May - begin Jul when nestlings are ringed. Movement to SW and SE begin Aug, two migration corridors visible in W Europe, one in E Europe end Aug, then thinning out.

Connectivity by Month by Region for White Stork

Birds born W, SW, C Europe May-Jul connect to southern Spain Aug-Sep, many remain in Iberia in Oct-Feb (Shephard et al 2015). Others re-encountered Niger Delta in W Africa Sep-Mar. Many remain in breeding area in winter, or alternate between wintering in Iberia/France and wintering in breeding area, possibly age-related. Birds born in rest of C, E and SE Europe and Denmark move SE and found in Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and SE Europe in Aug, then connect to Middle East Aug-Sep, where few winter. Many re-encountered in E and SE Africa in Nov-Mar. Again Middle East Mar-Apr. No wintering in breeding area, except few birds in Denmark. Few winter N. Italy. Many immatures of both sub-populations remain in Africa during Apr-Oct, and to Iberia resp. SE Europe Jun-Jul. Great variability in choice of routes and winter quarters within indivuals (Berthold et al 2004).

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Berthold, P., Kaatz, M., & Querner, U.2004 . Long-term satellite tracking of white stork (Ciconia ciconia) migration: constancy versus variability. Journal of Ornithology 145: 356–359

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