# White Stork (*Ciconia ciconia*) The White Stork is a tall bird with long legs and a long beak. They are known for their beautiful white feathers and black wing tips. These birds often build big nests on rooftops and trees. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Common Stork ![White Stork](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ciconia_ciconia.jpg&width=800) Photo: Krzysztof Kin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ciconia_ciconia.jpg) ## Appearance The White Stork is a large bird with pristine white plumage, starkly contrasted by glossy black flight feathers visible when its wings are spread. It has long, slender red legs and a long, pointed red beak, giving it an elegant and unmistakable appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Ciconiiformes - **Family:** Ciconiidae - **Genus:** Ciconia ## Interesting facts - A single White Stork can eat hundreds of grasshoppers and other pests in one day! - Baby storks are covered in soft white down, but their beaks and legs are dark, turning red as they grow. - These birds follow farmers' plows to snatch up tasty insects and rodents revealed in the soil. - White Storks build huge nests that can weigh over 500 kg and are reused for generations! ## Special abilities - **Thermal Navigator:** White Storks can soar on warm air currents, or 'thermals', because of their broad wings, saving energy during long migrations. - **Beak Drummer:** White Storks can clatter their beaks together rapidly because of strong neck muscles, using this sound for communication. - **Long-Distance Traveler:** White Storks can fly thousands of kilometers between continents because of their efficient soaring flight and strong endurance. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 100-115 cm - **Wingspan:** 155-215 cm - **Weight:** 2.3-4.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-39 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-6 - **Incubation:** 33-34 days - **Migration Distance:** 8000 km ## Diet & Feeding A keen hunter, the White Stork eats a variety of small animals from insects to small mammals. - **Primary Foods:** Insects, Frogs, Small Mammals, Fish, Lizards, Snakes - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common Frog (*Rana temporaria*) — A favorite prey item in wetlands. - **Hunts:** [Common Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-vole) (*Microtus arvalis*) — Hunted in grasslands and farmland. - **Shelter:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — Often nests within the large stick nests of White Storks. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-eagle) (*Haliaeetus albicilla*) — Predates on eggs and chicks in some areas. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch storks from a distance and never disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White Stork? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White Stork? 100-115 cm ### What is White Stork's wingspan? 155-215 cm ### How much does White Stork weigh? 2.3-4.5 kg ### How long does White Stork live? 20-39 years ### How fast can White Stork move? 70 km/h ### What does White Stork eat? A keen hunter, the White Stork eats a variety of small animals from insects to small mammals. ### Where is White Stork usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Pairi Daiza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pairi-daiza) — Hainaut, BE · Zoo - [NaturZoo Rheine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturzoo-rheine) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Zoo - [Biosphärenreservat Bliesgau](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/biospharenreservat-bliesgau) — Saarland, DE · Park - [Biosphärenreservat Spreewald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/spreewald-biosphere-reserve) — Brandenburg, DE · Park - [Parque Regional del Sureste](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parque-regional-del-sureste) — Comunidad de Madrid, ES · Park - [Tierpark Nordhorn](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-nordhorn) — Niedersachsen, DE · Zoo [View all places to see White Stork](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-stork) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [White Stork: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-stork)