Stork characteristic of the bird. Stork white: description with photo

The human vision sometimes does not notice minor details that distinguish one of the other. Most often this happens when our mind follows a specific strategy and focuses on the entire picture, and not at its parts. People who infrequently see birds do not distinguish them because of this deception of sight. Moreover, errors are allowed mainly in the determination of water birds. In the article, let's try to figure out what the differences of Stork, Crane and Heron?

Definition of a stork

Stork - a wandering (migratory) bird of large sizes, has long legs, the same neck and beak. He has huge, beautiful wings whose length can exceed two meters. It belongs to this bird to the detachment of the aistoid, the family of galley. Storks per year can overcome huge territories. Representatives of this family can be found on all continents, but most often they settle in the countries of the tropical zone, in hot and moderate latitudes. The most famous of them is a white stork whose age can reach 20 years.

Stork wings are covered with white feathers, and on the edges in dark. This is one of the main external differences of Aist from the crane, whose plumage is almost completely gray. Living in nests, birds prefer the open spaces and the proximity of the reservoirs. Their diet includes mainly small vertebrates. However, storks will not refuse from snakes, frogs and toads. Chervi, insects, amphibians, small rodents and fish - so diverse the power menu of these demanding birds.

Zhuravl - a large migratory bird

These birds belong to the family of the caravel, which has about 15 species around the world. Their representatives can be found in North America, Australia, Asia and Europe. These birds are distinguished by long gray legs. In the photo you can see the differences of Aista and Crane. It is clearly seen that this bird decorates grayish-white (less than red plumage). Its beak short, yellowish color. The recognizable feature of the crane is a small colored head and a long black and white neck. Especially impressive short peristy tail. Unlike a stork, the crane is larger.

Heron - Pernished resident of swamps

Heron is a big marsh bird from the alert family. She has very long legs, and the elongated neck has a curved shape, so similar to the English letter S. The cranes mostly live near the water, but perfectly adapt to other conditions. Living in cold areas, birds fly south for the winter and returned in the middle of spring. Activity show not only during the day, but also at night.

The most common representative of this species is gray heron. Bird feeds on exclusively animals. Being very deft, the predator eats everyone, who cannot stand up for himself. In connection with the habitat, the tower of the Heron consists of fish, various small vertebrates, mollusks and crustaceans. In fairly large quantities, they destroy terrestrial animals: rodents, frogs, snakes, etc.

Differences of heron, crane and stork: habitat and lifestyle

The appearance of these birds is perfectly known for both adults and children. But at the same time, they are often confused with each other. And not surprising: there is a lot in common between them. But there is still more differences.

Herons live near water bodies, for example, swamps and reservoirs, due to which they are considered skillful swimmers. During the hunt, stand in shallow water, saying to the prey around him. For its nests, they choose the place hidden from other eyes: flooded bushes, reed or reed. Since birds are rather timid, they will settle away from people. It is worth noting that they have a very loud and sharp voice, which is often used during the flight.

Storks prefer to live and build their nests on the square. Their house is often located on the hills, branches of trees or roofs of houses. This bird is far from timid, often settles pretty close to the housing of people. Storks are not associated with water, and can capture food from the ground on the go. In addition, they do not know how to swim and have nothing voices. Instead of screaming, they are sticking out the nose loud. At night, birds are inactive.

The crane, unlike a stork and heron, can nest and in open spaces, and near the reservoirs on Earth. These birds do not like to approach people, but alone do not live. They always live in groups among their relatives. Naked and can perform marriage dancing that other water birds are not peculiar. Very graceful.

Appearance

Heron During the flight, the wings are parallel to the body, and also draw the neck, which at these moments they like the letter S. These are small lungs, their average is 110 cm, weight 1.5-2.5 kg. The plumage is mostly white, less often pale white. On the legs there is a serrated nail, which they combing their small feathers. Heron is very elegant and neat birds.

Storks fly with straight elongated neck, the serrated claw is missing. The average height is 125 cm, the weight is about 4 kg.

The plumage is light, but on the ends of the wings there are black feathers. Although there are species that are completely covered with black feathers.

The cranes during the flight there are sharp movements of the wings, which they have over the body, the heavy neck, while they are bent as the Heron, but the rear paws are stretched back.

You can see what a different color of the feathers in these birds on the photo presented in the article: the differences between the stork, the crane and herons are very noticeable. The caravals feathers have white, gray, and head, neck and tail - black. In addition, their beak is much shorter than their fellow. In size, they are an order of magnitude larger storks.

Storks (Lat. SiSniA) - the genus is quite large in size sizes, the so-called swamp feathered. All representatives of this kind in strict accordance with the established scientific classification belong to the detachment of the delicate or aistoid, as well as the stork family.

Software description

For representatives of the kind of storks, the presence of long and naked legs covered with mesh-type skin. The bird has a long, straight and conical beak. The front short fingers on the legs are connected to each other with a swimming wide membrane and have pinkish claws. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe head and neck, there are completely naked skin.

Appearance

External features are fully due to the species characteristics of storks:

• In the black stork, the top of the body is covered with black feathers with a greenish and red tint, and on the bottom there is a white feather. The chest is wary with sufficiently thick and noticeably shaggy feathers, a little resembling a fur collar;
• The White Stork is mostly characterized mainly in black color, as well as pure white sweering and breasts. Stork's legs of this species differ in red, and the beak has gray staining. The skin, located around the eyes, red staining, but with the onset of the marriage period, it acquires a characteristic blue color;
• The whiticist stork has a characteristic black hat on the head, and from the neck area (in the occipital part) and to the front chest area there is a fluffy fascination of white. The rest of the plumage is predominantly black with the presence of a reddish shade in the shoulders area. On the stomach and at the bottom of the tail are white feathers, and for crumbling feathers is characteristic of dark green;
• The Malay woolly stork has a black and white main plumage and a red beak. Leather facial without feathers, orange color, with yellowish circles in the eye area. Feathers of adults and young birds outside the breeding season have a more modest, rustic staining;
• The American stork is characterized mainly by white plumage with steering feathers and a fork tail of black. The view is characterized by a blue-gray beak with orange-red leathery areas around the eyes and irradia of pure white staining;
• White storks have a characteristic white plumage with black tips on the wings, a long neck, as well as a long and thinned beak of red, long and reddish legs. Thanks to the blacknate staining with the folded wings, the bird of this species was called "Chernoguz" on the territory of Ukraine.

Rare Far Eastern Storks resemble white storks with their appearance with their appearance, but have a more powerful black beak and legs having bright red staining. Around the eye of representatives of this species is red inertial leather. Chicks have a white feather color and a reddish-orange beak.

Character and lifestyle

Very common white storks are inhabitants of low-lying meadows and are often settled in wetlands, and also often selected for nesting plots near the housing of people. Waving food, storks calmly and slowly go around the terrain, but seeing their prey, fiercely run up and quickly grab it.

It is interesting!Voice communication is replaced by a clicken beak, in which the stork thwarts the head far to the back area and retracts the tongue back, so that the sound is enhanced by a well-resonant oral cavity.

Far Eastern storks, also live near the water bodies and wet places, but the most important difference in the lifestyle of this type of white stork is the choice for nests of the most deaf and hard-to-reach places, away from residential settlements.

How many storks live

The average life expectancy of various representatives of the kind of storks directly depends on the characteristics of the species and their habitat. White storks are able to live in natural natural conditions about twenty years, but when compliance with the rules of content in captivity, this indicator is often significantly higher.

Many representatives of Far Eastern Storks in the conditions of the capture lived even until the age of half a century. According to observations, the maximum average life expectancy of the black stork in captivity can be three decad of years, but in natural conditions this indicator rarely exceeds sixteen years.

Types of storks

Currently, there are several types of representatives of the kind of storks:

• () - a fairly large bird, which is characterized by the original color of the sucping. The height does not exceed 110-112 cm with an average weight in the range of 3.0 kg and the wings of 150-155 cm;
• Bellorchy Aist (CSOni Abdimii.) - relatively small bird sizes, no more than 72-74 cm long and weighing to one kilogram;
• Whitish stork (SiSni Eriseserus) - medium-sized representative of the kind of storks, having a body length within 80-90 cm;
• Malay woolly storks (SiSniya Stormi.) - a rare type of a family of storks with a length of the body not more than 75-91 cm;
• American stork (MaguaRi sisni.) - the South American representative of a family of storky, characterized by a body length at 90 cm, at the wings, no more than 115-120 cm and the middleweight weight of 3.4-3.5 kg;
• White storks (SiSnia Sisnia) - Large swamp birds having a maximum growth of at least 1.0-1.25 m at the wing is in the range of 15.5-2.0 m and body weight of 3.9-4.0 kg.

It is interesting! The image of the stork was found quite widespread in heraldry, and the presence of such a pennate on the coat of arms symbolizes foresight and vigilance.

Area, habitats

A couple of species belonging to the genus Storks live on the territory of Europe: black stork (C. Nigras) and white stork (S. Alba). These species refer to the category of migratory birds that appear in Central Europe from February to March. In England, representatives of the species do not meet at all.

Belobrali storks live in Africa, from Ethiopia to South Africa, and whitician storks occur only in Indochier and India, in the Philippines and in the tropics of Africa, on the island of Java. Malay woolly storks are common on Sumatra and Borneo, found in the territory of South Thailand, in the western part of Malaysia, as well as in Brune. The bird prefers intact progress to freshwater biotopes with adjacent lowland forest zones, and also settled near the rivers or at the floodplain areas.

It is interesting!The population is found in the northern part of Korea and the northeastern part of China, as well as in Mongolia. For wintering, the stained view will fly to the south and southeast of China, where dwells on wet areas in the form of fine water bodies and rice fields.

American storks are currently living in South America and the eastern part of Venezuela, up to the territory of Argentina, where extremely wet areas and agricultural land preferred. The range of the spread of the Far Eastern Aist is mainly represented by the territory of our country, including the Far Eastern territory, where Primorye and Amur region are related to the habitats, the River Basins of Amur, Zey and Ussuri.

Diet storks

The extraction of American storks most often become fish and frogs, crayfish and small rodents, snakes and water insects, as well as some invertebrates. White storks feed:

• small vertebrates;
• various invertebrate animals;
• frogs and toads;
• snakes and;
• large size locust and grasshoppers;
• rainworms;
• medvedka and Misky beetles;
• duffle or sick small fish;
• not too large lizards;
• mammals in the form of mice and rats, moles, will be engaged, and;
• small feathers.

Belobrali storks feed mainly caterpillars and locust, and also use other large insects as food as food. Whitish storks are most often found in park areas or near water bodies, where they actively destroy fish, frogs and toads, snakes and lizards, and also actively feed on some invertebrate animals.

Reproduction and offspring

Initially, all the representatives of the detachment of the delicate or aistoids from the Aisay family, nests themselves mainly on trees, near the human housing, where they were equipped with a very large nest from the branches, whose weight could well be several centners. Subsequently, the roofs of residential buildings or any other buildings began to be actively used for the creation of the socket. Currently, the stories are increasingly arranged nests on the pillars of high-voltage lines and factory pipes. The nest created by the stork is able to serve as a pennate shelter to remove the offspring for several years.

Male stork flies to the nesting sites for a few days earlier than the females of this species appear. On the territory of our country, birds arrive at the end of March or in early April. The very first female appeared near the nest, the male will consider his own, but very often a few females are fighting for the right to take off the offspring. Behind the selected female aist-male cares, making the beak quite frequent and loud clairing sounds. Similar sounds are published by the male while approaching the jack of a strangee male, after which the owner of the socket uses his beak for the attack and attacking the enemy strikes.

Depending on the species, the number of deferred eggs can vary from two to seven pieces, but most often it happens from two to five pieces. Storky eggs are covered with a shell of white, and a pair is covered together. As a rule, males make offspring in daytime, and females - exclusively at night. In the process of changing the ingredients of the poultry, special cassels are published by the kerats and ritual postures are used.

Exciting continues a little more than a month, after which the sore, but completely helpless chicks are hatched from eggs. In the very first time, the hatched chicks of the stork feed are predominantly rainworms, which are actively thrown out of the pharynx of parents. The matured chicks are completely capable of catching up their own food directly from the parent beak.

It is interesting!The oldest currently - the nest of the stork, which was built by birds of this species on the tower located in East German, and served as a pergana house from 1549 to 1930.

Adult birds are keen on and controlled by the behavior and health status of the entire offspring, so too weak or sick chicks are mercilessly thrown out of the nest. Approximately eight weeks after birth, young asistans are first sealed under the supervision of their parents. For many more two, and sometimes three weeks of such astute feed and teach well to fly, improving the skill of flights, parents. Nevertheless, the full autonomy of the Aistyat is acquired in the last decade of summer, after which they fly to warm places. Adult storks fly to the wintering approximately in September. Pernaya sexual maturity is achieved in three years, but they prefer to nest later, about at the age of six.

Due to the fact that for the second year next to my home on the concrete support of electrolyinium grooves storks, I decided to replenish my knowledge about these birds. And I learned so many interesting facts that I decided to set out them in the journal. Basically, it concerns the white stork.
So:
From a long time, the stork was considered a sacred bird, in the ancient mythology with stories (on another version - cranes) chariot Mercury was harnessed. In the beliefs of the ancient Chinese, he figuratively designated a happy old age. And in many European traditions, the stork is a symbol of caring for the elderly parents, since it was believed that adult storks feed the old parents who were not able to independently produce food.
In the Christian tradition, the stork symbolizes good, light and faith, because actively destroys the snakes, which Christianity considered the symbol of sins and devil.
The legend is widespread that the stork brings children and a good harvest. It is for this reason that storks read in rural areas, and still in the villages try to defend these birds from all troubles. Predated the peasants strengthened on the roofs of old TV wheels, so that the story can reject the nest. If the storks for some reason, left the nesting on the house, it was believed that this punishment for sins and the inhabitants of the abandoned house would hit all sorts of misfortunes and misfortunes.
But on the African continent, where storks are mostly winter, they are hunting. 80 percent of the death of these birds, shooting. Miaso stork is used by Africans in food, head and legs are used in witchcraft rites, and feathers go to jewelry.
Near Africans and residents of the Far East. This led to the fact that the last Far Eastern Stork, nesting in Korea, was killed in 1971. The only exception to the East was Japan, in which the storks on storks were always banned.
In enlightened Europe, also not always to the storks treated favorably. In the 17th century, the stork was completely destroyed in Italy, Germany and Austria-Hungary was not lagging behind, where in the early 20th century, the awards were issued for shooting birds.
The worst of all had a black Aist, the hunt for which was banned only in 1960. Judged people thought that he was eating them, destroying fish stocks.
The image of a stork was quite widely used in heraldry and symbolism. The stork located on herbs is vigilance and foresight, since sleeping on one leg and is always ready to awaken and start active actions. In the modern world, the stork is one of the unofficial symbols of Belarus. The stork is also used in the symbols of Germany, and for the Japanese prefecture of the Highogo stork has become an official symbol.
Aist is a very large bird. The White History (Ciconia Ciconia) has a height of 100-125 cm and the wing span of up to two meters. The weight of large individuals of this kind comes up to 4 kg.
The population of storks living in a temperate climate, in the cold season, moves to the south - in Africa. This is about 10,000 km. Birds got a number of features for this. Wide powerful wings of storks are capable of making up to two crawls per second, which allows you to develop a speed of 45 km. at one o'clock. They actively use ascending air flows, for a set of height and planning. Storks during the flight for 10-15 minutes can go to rest mode. In this state, the heart rate in the bird decreases to the same level as in a dream. (Pulse storks during wakefulness - 270 beats per minute). Thanks to all these fixtures, storks are able to fly up to 200 km per day.
Stork sleeps standing on one leg. At the same time, the bird periodically, without waking up, completely reflexively changes the tired leg.
The rear finger on the feet of the stork is not developed, and between the front fingers is the membrane. It helps the bird moving around the swampy terrain and shallow water with a random bottom.
A long sturdy carriage of a stork is perfectly adapted to mining food - small fish, amphibian, reptiles and large insects.
The white stork, does not make up loud sounds, it is caused by the underdevelopment of voice ligaments. Of course, weak squeak or pepture they produce completely capable, but another method is used as communication. Wanting to attract the female or remove the opponent from the nest, the white storks make up loud sounds, slightly by the beak. In this case, the position of the body in each of these cases is different, which allows you to create a sound of different tonality. The females and even the chicks of the white stork also use this way of communication, but the chicks with a soft beak are not a loud click.
The life expectancy of storks in different sources is very different. On the one hand, many authors argue that storks live up to 20 years, on the other, up to 70 years.
White and black storks are small in food. But they also have their own addictions. We can call the most predatory to be called a white stork, which is happy to eat small mammals (including gophers and will be engaged), and on occasion, it catches small birds and ruins nests with chicks. There were cases when the stork attacked her caress or even the ermine.
In addition to mammals and birds, the diet of white stork includes amphibian, reptiles and mollusks. The bird's prey eats even poisonous snakes, such as Vijuk. White storks do not discern and insect, especially in the spring period. At this time, the loving food of the birds serve rainworms, larvae of leafy OS, Medveda and May beetles. Also, the white stork eagerly eats locust. True, most of the locusts are eaten by them in wintering in Africa.
White and black storks fly to the nesting places at the end of March - early April. Female males ahead of females for several days.
Strawstone storks reach three years. The sample is different from the male solely.
Storks prefer from year to year to use the same nest. The oldest nest of the white stork is the nest, built in 1549 on one of the towers in East Germany. It was used until 1930.
Returning to the old nest, the male immediately begins to put up and reproduce it. Often old nests achieve huge sizes and weights of several hundred kilograms. In such "apartments" there are no longer the storks themselves, but also small birds.
The White Storky Nest's nest is guarding him from competitors. When the other male is approaching, he distinguishes the opponent, loudly smoking the beak, and the sound of the lumber and the pose of the male is radically different from behavior that the female is called. If the opponent persists, the fight can break down between the birds.
All storks are monogamous, but migratory species have a change of partners. The male traveled to the nest is waiting for the first female, which will respond to his call. At the same time, it did not matter whether his last year's girlfriend was alive. Often, between late last year's female and have time to take a nest of a new thing before, a collision is happening before, and the stork-male does not interfere in conflict. Winner remains with him.
In the masonry from Aist about 3rd eggs. Racing happens on average for about a month. Then they are on the light of helpless, albeit coated down. After another two month, parents take care of the chicks. Moreover, the parents are not only feeding chicks, but also sing them, and on a hot day they pour water to prevent overheating.
Trial flights begin at the age of two months, but another 15-20 days children live in the nest and parents continue to take care of their grown chicks. Full autonomy in migratory types of storks come aged a few more than 70 days.
In the future, the chicks live separately from their parents. Their independence comes to the fact that adolescents of the White and Far Eastern Stork are sent to wintering a month before adults. They may at the age of the age and two may not return to nesting sites at all and stay in places of wintering all year round.
It is noted that white storks are often thrown out of the nests of weak and sick chicks. Moreover, if the fallen chick is planted back the story will repeat. Most likely, storks are struggling with the overruns of feed and protect healthy chicks from parasitic and infectious diseases.
Ways of migration of storks are currently well understood. The western European people fly through France, Spain and Gibraltar to Algeria and Morocco and further to the places of wintering in West Africa, or rather - in Senegal and Nigeria. Storks of Eastern Europe - along the western coast of the Black Sea, above the Bosphorus strait to Turkey and Syria, and then, along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the lower reaches of the Nile and through the countries of East Africa, up to the southern part of the continent. Finally, the wintering places get to December, distributing evenly throughout the territory. The flight is laid genetically. If storks from Eastern Europe to transport to Western, they will still move easternly, although it will be more protracted. But it will only happen if the processed individuals will not contact the local one. Young birds from another region who entered the flock of local storks will stick to the routes offered by the senior comrades, and soon, the new way of migration will be ascertained.
Unlike cranes, storks do not form a geometrically correct V-shaped wedge and fly a relatively free group after the leader. In flight, the bird pull the neck forward, and the beak slightly lower down.
Storks practically do not have natural enemies. Only large eagles and crocodiles can attack a powerful bird. Therefore, the main danger to the population of storks of various species is a person.
Currently, the relative stability of the number is achieved only at a white stork. The remaining species are under threat of extinction, who because of their initially small number, and who are due to the active impact of man. They suffered from human impact black and Far Eastern stork.
But even the white stork at the beginning of the XXI century has numbered no more than 150,000 nesting steam. Moreover, there is now a constant reduction in the number of birds, nesting in the countries of Western and Central Europe. The main livestock is located in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
In nature, major types of storks lead a secluded lifestyle, forming a couple at the time of nesting. The nests are located at some distance one from the other and the males before the start of the marriage season strictly follow that competitors do not invade their living space.
For people, storks are different. White stork tries to settle closer to human housing, preferring to post his nests on the roofs of rustic houses or old towers. Black stork, on the contrary, set off away from man.
In the conditions of home maintenance, storks quickly get used to person and easily come to contact. Near pets of small sizes (rodents, and small birds), storks are better not to contain, because the birds may well try to eat other pets.
In relation to a large poultry, storks behave calmly. Cases mentioned when a stork living next to man, "fell out" and protected his poultry, not allowing Kuras to scatter in the yard.
Storks are not only beautiful and graceful, they are loyal assistants of a person who destroy the pests of agricultural plants. Separate types of storks, among other things, are sensitive indicators of the ecological situation. It is noticed that if the stork lives and feeds on some reservoir, then water is clean there. Now only the goodwill of people depends, whether the times will be able to return when storks lived in every village, pleaseing the surrounding beauty.

A small group of delicate birds, which gave the name to the whole squad of the aistoids. In fact, the genus of storks received wide fame due to the same type - White Aist, while the rest of his representatives are little known. To real stumps are the closest storks-rations and beats. In addition, the relatives of these birds can be traced with Marabu, Sedloklywami and Yabir.

Far Eastern, or a black-free stork (Ciconia Boyciana).

The appearance of these birds is easily recognizable due to the characteristic long legs, neck and beak. The beak of the real storks are straight and not too massive, they look more powerful with storks, and his sash is a little twisted, so they never closed tightly. Because of the ever-open beak, they were called themselves. Wings in these birds are wide and strong, the tail is relatively short, cut off stupidly. Feet are fitted only at the top, the fingers are free and not connected by the membranes. In the color of all types of storks there is only white and black color in different ratios. Coloring paws and beak black or red. The size of all kinds is about the same, weigh these birds are 3-5 kg. The males and females are outwardly indistinguishable from each other.

Anastomus Lamelligerus (Anastomus Lamelligerus).

Storks in the old world, the greatest diversity and the numbers are achieved in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. The only appearance in South America is an American stork. All southern types of settles and live in pairs or small groups consisting of several pairs, nesting in the neighborhood. White, black and Far Eastern storks live in the moderate zone of Europe and Asia and are migratory. White stork wintering in Africa, black - in Africa and India, and Far Eastern - in China. The bird's nesting places arrive in March-April, at first they keep in small flocks, and then divided into pairs. Throughout the nesting period, family relations persist, but in the fields of feeding storks calmly carry the neighborhood of themselves like. By the fall, they are going to small flocks of 10-25 individuals, and at the end of August-early October fly south. In the grounds of wintering, they form mass clusters, here their flocks can have up to thousands of individuals.

The American stork (Ciconia Maguari) is distinguished by a bluish tinge of beak.

Flying storks are moderately fast with strong wingspins. Although these birds confidently feel in the air, but they try to avoid superfluous energy consumption. During a long flight, they often go to planning on prostrate wings, also storks try to avoid places with strong air flows, in particular, they never fly over the sea.

The temper of these birds is calm and friendly. They not only do not find out the relationship with each other, but also laugh with other waterfowl and chain birds (herons, for example). Almost all kinds of helloos storks, the communications tool for them is a loud snapshoting with the beak. The only appearance of sounds is a black stork. His voice sounds like a quiet "Chii-Lin". Interestingly, the chicks in all types of storks are able to shout, their voices resemble a rough bass or meowing of the cat.

Belochy Aist (Ciconia Abdimii) is the shortest and short-fledged look.

The habitats of storks are somehow connected with water. In most cases, birds prefer to arrange nests on trees near the coast. It happens that the nest itself is hidden in the grounds of the forest, and the birds are flying only to the poultry. During the search for feed, they roam the shallow water or at the edge of the water. Deep into the water storks never come, because they do not know how to swim. They also avoid dense thickets of reeds, impassive shrubs, but a meadow with low grass for them is suitable as it is impossible by the way.

Almost all sorts avoid the neighborhood with a person and try to settle down deaf areas. The only exception to this rule represents a white stork. He so well tolerate the neighborhood with people, which is often settled on man-made structures. White stork nests can be seen on the roofs of houses, bell tower, mains of power grid, telegraph pillars, water towers. If the design allows, then several pairs can equip the sockets in each other.

A pair of black storks (Ciconia Nigra) at the nest in the forest more often. The plumage of these birds, as in other dark-colored species, often casts green and purple.

Storks feed on a variety of small animals. Their diet makes mollusks, worms, frogs, toads, small lizards and snakes, sometimes small fish. The way of hunting storks can be called active search. Unlike Herkel, they do not freeze in place in a fixed rack, but constantly walk along the stern plot. Seeing prey, stork sharply throws the neck forward, the vigorous beat of the beak finishes it and immediately swallows.

Black stork wanders in shallow water in search of mining.

Storks - Monogamous Birds: The resulting couple retains loyalty to each other throughout life. A new pair of bird can only be formed in the event of the death of the previous partner.

For nesting, migratory views are embarked soon after the arrival. Stork's nests are big piles of branches with a raven tray in the middle. The design of the socket is rather durable, so the birds try to occupy old nests, periodically reproducing them. Often, after the parents, the nest "inherits" one of their chicks. The record case of continuous operation of the nest is registered in Germany, where the birds used it from 1549 to 1930. In cumbersome nests of storks, innocuous chops are often searched - Sparrows and these small birds.

The marriage ritual of Far Eastern storks - the male and female, throwing the head, click the beaks.

In the laying of these birds there are from 2 to 5 eggs white. Occupation begins after the brand of the first or second egg, so the entire brood hatch over several days. Incubation period lasts 33-34 days, both parents participate in reaching. Storky storks hatch covered with light gray flock and grow rapidly. Parents take turns bring them feed and water in the beak. The success of breeding largely depends on the feeding conditions, the younger chicks are often killed in the minor years, which goes less food. The first and a half of the month of chicks are carried out in the nest, then they are fascinated and starting to travel around the branches of the tree, and then roam together with their parents around the surrounding area.

White storks (Ciconia Ciconia) at the nest with chicks.

In nature, storks are not so many enemies: relatively large sizes are embroiled them from attacking birds of prey, and nesting on trees - from terrestrial predators.

In the past, these meek and faithful birds enjoyed universal love. Storks personified happiness and family well-being. According to believe, the nest of storks on the roof of the house meant wealth and peace, and the birds themselves were messengers of motherhood. Nevertheless, now the number of species living in a temperate zone is constantly declining. This is due to the reduction of natural habitats (draining the swamps, reservoir contamination), anxiety factor. White stork is often increasing the deaths of chicks and adult birds on power lines. Extremely rare Far Eastern stork, listed in the international red book, is small in the number of black stork, avoiding neighborhood with a person (it is also listed in the national red books) and even the white stork reduces its range. To protect these birds, it is enough just to provide them with feedstocks (ponds, meadows) and attract comfortable sites for nesting.

A small colony of white storks on an old bell tower.

Storks - the genus of birds in the Aystovo family, aist-shaped detachment. These feathers are easily recognizable, their long legs are distinguished, a long neck, a rather massive torso and a long beak. These birds are the owners of large and powerful wings, they are wide and allow storks with ease of climbing into the air.

The legs of these birds are fired only partially, the fingers on the limbs do not have a membrane. The dimensions of the storks are quite large: the mass of the adult bird is from three to five kilograms. At the same time, females and males on dimensions do not differ, and indeed the sexual dimorphism in these feathers is absent.

In the plumage of storks there are black and white colors, in different numbers, depending on the species.

The most famous types of storks:

• Whitish Stork (Ciconia Episcopus)
• (Ciconia Nigra)
• Cyconia Boyciana (Ciconia Boyciana)
• Bellochiy Aist (Ciconia Abdimii)
• (Ciconia Ciconia)
• Malay Wool Stork (Ciconia Stormi)
• American Stork (Ciconia Maguari)

Where do storks live?

Birds from the kind of storks live in Europe, Africa, Asia, in addition, storks and southern America are inhabited.

Southern species lead a settling lifestyle, northern storks make seasonal migrations. These feathers live in pairs or not very large groups. Before departing into the warm edges, storks are collected in a few groups, 10 - 25 individuals.

All types of storks are dependent on water bodies, so try to settle near water. But some still satisfy the nests in the thick forests, flying to the water only for the purpose of finding food.

Listen to Aista's voice

What does the stork eat?

The stork menu make up small animals: worms, mollusks, frogs, lizards and fish. The storks are looking out on the shallow water, it is also taking care of different directions. If the stork notes prey, then dramatically pulls his long neck forward and with all his strength pierces the victim to his sharp beak. Then the bird quickly swallows his "lunch".

About the reproduction of storks in nature

These birds are monogamous, i.e., once choosing a partner, they remain in a pair only with him. A new partner may appear only in the event of the death of the previous one. The storks build their nests from a huge amount of branches. In the middle of the nest, something like a rammed tray is shutdled. Aist "House" is a rather robust design that allows you to withstand several individuals of these large birds. It often happens that after the death of the parents, one of the chicks inherit the generic nest.

The Aist's female during the reproduction period is laying 2 - 5 eggs, the incubation period lasts for 34 days. The future offspring is based on both parents when one fulfills the role of the zoom, the second brings him food.

Enemies storks in nature

Storks are large birds, so they have no detractors in nature. They build their nests high high, so that land hunters do not get to them, and the impressive dimensions and sharp beaks will save storks from the attack of feathered predators from the air.

Signs associated with storks

According to the ancient persons, if the family of storks Skid's nest on the roof or near the house, the owners expect peace, peace and well-being. The storks themselves have always been associated with people with adding in the family, no wonder the newborn or the future child speak "Aist brought". These magnificent birds always caused a sense of admiration and reverence in humans, it was before, and is observed even in our time.

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