Where do storks live in winter and in summer?

We know the storks since childhood. These are the birds that settle their nests on the pillars and roofs of our houses. They say that if the stork has settled, it means that happiness has come to the family. Probably, that's why these graceful long-legged and long-legged handsome men are not offended. And those in return are not at all afraid of people.

But in fact, the life of storks is not as simple as it seems. There are among them and those who close to themselves do not allow anyone to settle in the most inaccessible places. Of these, you can not expect happiness. And in the many-sided family of storks, there are enviable flyers, who annually cross thousands of kilometers, there are also homemakers who can not be driven out of a settled place with a stick. Where do storks live in summer and winter, how do they look for a couple, how do they raise their children, and is it true that they bring happiness? Let's understand.

What are storks

Few people have never seen slim white with black birds on long red legs with a long red beak. Some owners of household plots with such figures from synthetic materials decorate their gardens, even construct artificial nests on poles and place the figures there. These birds are called storks. According to folk beliefs, they bring to the house many good things - children, luck, money, happiness. That's where people settle them in their plots, if not live, then at least artificial. The life of storks in nature is complex and interesting.

Many know that they can stand on one leg for a long time, looking for prey, that they arrive in the spring, and in the autumn they fly away that they do not do anything to anyone. Do you know how many species of storks exist in the world? According to the generally accepted classification, there are only three genuses:

1. Storks-beak (they look a bit like a heron).
2. Storks-razini (they always have a little beak).
3. Actually storks.

Each genus has its own species. So, pecks are:

• American;
• Gray;
• African;
• Indian.

Razin are:

• African;
• Indian.

And looking at the above mentioned names, everyone can answer where the storks of these species live. But a slightly different picture is obtained with more familiar to us simply storks. In this kind of birds are:

• Black;
• White;
• Black-clawed;
• White-necked;
• White-bellied;
• American;
• Malayan.

There are two more kinds of birds, similar to storks and even belonging to the family of stork - this is yabiru and marabu.

Let's look at some species in more detail.

White Storks

These are the same birds whose figures are so fond of settling in their gardens and on the pipes of some homeowners. The life of white storks, it would seem, is well studied, because they are always in sight, completely not afraid of people. Males in these birds grow to 125 cm in height and gain up to 4 kg of weight. The sweep of their wings can reach 2 meters. The body of white storks (head, chest, stomach, wings), white, only the tip of the tail and the ends of the feathers on the wings are black. Their paws are thin and long, reddish in color, the beak is also thin and long, most often bright red. The portrait of the white stork female is exactly the same, only its dimensions are slightly more modest.

Places where white storks live are mainly meadows and marshy lowlands. Food they serve any amphibians, snakes (mostly vipers and snakes), earthworms, beetles. They do not disdain hating us with bears, mice and rats, which, when they eat, really bring happiness to the house. Adult storks do not refuse even moles, small rabbits and gophers.

It's interesting to watch birds hunt. They leisurely, as if in a half-dozing they walk through a meadow or a swamp, sometimes freeze in one place, as if meditating. But only their eyes will catch prey, storks instantly come alive and quickly grab their prey.

At home these birds build, as they say, for ages and never change them. There is a case where one nest existed for almost 400 years! Of course, all this time he was not occupied by the same stork. The life span of these birds is about 20 years, so that over four centuries of generations has changed quite a lot. But the "flat" of dry twigs and straw was occupied by representatives of the same family. That is, from her father, she went to her son and so on.

But you can not say much about the cordial faithfulness of these birds. They create a solid family, but only for one season. The male first arrives at his expensive dwelling, corrects it, if necessary, and sits down to wait for the chosen one. It can become any female, the first to fly to an enviable groom. He throws back his violent little head, almost puts it on his back, opens his beak and begins to publish a joyful clatter. If, at this stage, another candidate for the heart and living space approached the nest, the first person begins to find out the relationship with her, and the male obediently waits, whose will take.

The only situation when he is concerned - if suddenly another male, who does not want to build his own house, pozaritsya on his property. Then the owner of the nest again tilts his head back and starts to clap his beak, only not happily, but menacingly. If an uninvited guest does not understand the hints, the owner of the nest rushes at him and hurts his beak with pain.

Well, the question of housing is settled, with the chosen one, too. The bride and groom sit down in the nest, both throw back their heads and proceed to glee, while clapping and gently striking each other with their beaks.

Reproduction

These birds have chosen for themselves many areas of Europe, including Southern Switzerland, the Leningrad region, almost the entire territory of Ukraine, and in Belarus there are so many storks that they were called the winged symbol of the country. On the question of where the storks live in Russia, one can answer that representatives of the white stork species can be found only in its western part, from the borders with Ukraine to Orel, Kaluga, Smolensk, Pskov and Tver. A separate population is found in the Transcaucasus and in Uzbekistan. In the European part storks return from the southern edges in March-April.

By choosing a couple, they begin to extend the family. Carefully lining the nest with rags, pieces of paper, feathers and wool, the female lays the first egg in the tray and immediately begins to sit down. In the future, gradually it turns out to add to the firstborn another 3-5 slightly oblong white testicles.

It is noted that the place where the storks live should be with good energy. On the farmsteads, where they built their own house, there should not be scandals and abuse, let alone wars.

Dad and mother incubate testicles in turn for about 33 days. Chicks are born as unevenly as eggs. They are born sighted, but completely helpless. First they only know how to open the beaks, where parents put rainworms and give them a drink of water. But in a couple of days the younger generation itself is able to collect worms dropped by parents and even grab them on the fly.

Dad and his mother are vigilant about the activity of their offspring. The weakest, they, unfortunately, provide an opportunity to take care of themselves independently, pushing them from the nest to the ground. The remaining chicks quickly gain strength, but are fully dependent for up to 55 days. Then they begin the day to leave the nest and learn to catch their food. Parents feed them for another 18 days. In the evening, young animals return home to sleep, and in the morning they go back to school.

Migration Paths

Many are wondering where the storks live in the winter, and why they fly away. The second question is easy to answer - with the onset of cold weather their food disappears. On the first question the answer is more extensive. On the 70th day of their bird life, the chicks become young storks, gather in large companies and from the last summer numbers without parents the packs are sent to the south.

As they find their way to where they have never been, scientists still argue, but the basic assumption is the instinct inherent in the genes of birds. It is believed that they are guided by the atmospheric pressure, illumination and temperature of the environment. It is noticed that to fly over large ponds, for example over the sea, storks avoid.

Adult birds leave summer apartments somewhere from the 15th of September. Surprisingly, it turns out, for migration routes, it's important where storks and ducks live too. Birds that spend summer to the west of the Elbe migrate to Africa and settle in the region between the Sahara and the tropical jungle. Living east of the Elbe route through Israel and Asia Minor, also reach Africa, only its eastern regions, and winters in the lands from Sudan to South Africa. Storks from Uzbekistan and surrounding areas do not fly so far for the winter, but move to neighboring India.

There is a population of storks living in South Africa. These people do not migrate at all, they live settled. Do not fly to winter and storks from Europe, where winters are not harsh, and the food remains active all year round. In the spring, they again form packs to fly home, but the young can stay in the south for a year, two or three, until maturity is reached.

Storks black

Representatives of this species managed to get into the Red Book of many countries, including Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, and this despite the fact that black storks, unlike whites, never settle near people, and choose for themselves the most remote And hidden from the extra eyes of the territory, sometimes climbing into the mountains to a height of more than 2 km.

Nests are built in rocks or in tall trees. Where do storks live ? Also in Europe, and in Russia they settled from the Baltic to the Far East. Wintering they fly to Africa and South Asia. Populations living in Africa do not move anywhere.

Outwardly these birds are very graceful. In size, they are somewhat smaller than their white relatives. Most of their body (head, neck, back, wings) is black with an overflow, white only the belly, which makes it appear that these birds are dressed in elegant tailcoats.

The rhythms of their lives are the same as those of white storks, but there are also minor differences. So, the male does not wait indifferently for the first girlfriend who got caught, but invites her to her house, flapping her tail and whistling. Nestlings of this species are born even more helpless than those of white storks, and begin to ascend on the feet only on the 11th day. But in the nest, young animals spend all the same 55 (less often - a little longer) days.

The diet and diet they have with white storks are approximately the same. Crossed white and black storks yet it was possible, despite of set of the general lines.

Far Eastern Stork

It is also called Chinese. Where does the stork live and what does it feed on? Of course, he chose the Far East, as well as China, South Korea and Mongolia. In Russia, it was only 3,000 individuals.

The bird's diet is the same as that of its other brethren - fish, bugs, frogs, small rodents. Just like the black, the Far Eastern stork prefers to move away from human eyes.

Outwardly, representatives of this species are very similar to white storks. The difference is in larger sizes, but most importantly in the red circle of the skin around the eyes and in the black color of their beaks, because of which the other name of the species is the stork black-beaked. Curiously, the chicks of the Far Eastern Stork beak are red-orange, and the chicks of the white are black.

White Stork

If you are interested in where storks and ducks live, the answer - near water bodies and in swamps - is most suitable for storks of white-fronted ones, because the main dishes in their diet are toads, small and medium fish, live and inanimate, as well as water snakes and Other representatives of the fauna that fit in the beak. For example, if there is a chance to catch a small rodent, the white-footed storks also will not miss the moment.

Representatives of this species in Russia can be seen only in zoos. They live in Africa, Java, Borneo, Bali and some other islands. White-legged storks - birds of average size, grow to 90 cm. They have not only the neck but also the bottom of the abdomen, as well as the lower feathers of the tail. The rest of the body, including the spectacular cap on the head is black, and on the sides the feathers are beautifully poured. The legs of these storks are long, yellow-orange-reddish, and the beak is of an incomprehensible color, combining shades of gray, red, yellow and brown.

White-bellied stork

Representatives of the species are very similar to black relatives, but they are much smaller in size and are the smallest storks. Adult males grow no more than 73 cm in height and only 1 kg in weight. In Russia, they live only in zoos, and in nature their area is South Africa, Middle Africa and the edge of the Arabian Peninsula. A sturdy stork of caterpillars and beetles is eating, rodents and snakes do not encroach. She lives, mostly in the woods, on tall trees.

Stork-Razinya

There are many places where storks and ducks live, as well as other birds - lovers of settling near water bodies. For example, storks-open. Their habitats are Madagascar, parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. There are no winter cold, but the storks-razini still migrate.

They rise to the wing when the heat comes, and the reservoirs dry up, which means their food disappears. So they have to fly to where the water still remains, and in it you can catch fish and other living creatures.

Razini got their name because of the structure of the beak, which seems all the time slightly ajar. In fact, everything here has thought it through and created their beak adapted to eating mussels and crustaceans, and not just fish and toads.

Stork-beak

Representatives of this kind of storks are less graceful, but their size is not clumsily attached to dimensions (they are almost as large as white storks), but rather a solid beak. Plumage of beak is mostly white, but in the Indian species it is some dirty-gray, with black feathers on its wings. The American has a gray head, while in gray, on the contrary, the head is white, only feathers on the wings are gray.

Bivouaches live in America, Asia and Africa, choosing for themselves a marshy lowland, where you can find a lot of food, and where there are tall trees to build their nests on them. Bugs, like white storks, are not afraid to settle near people, they can often be found in rice fields, in city parks and on trees or poles in rural settlements. In this kind of bird, fidelity is known not only to their home, but also to their partner. So, American beaks create a couple for life.

Any kind of stork is unique. In Russia, rehabilitation centers have been established to protect the birds living on its territory (in the Leningrad, Moscow, Ryazan, Kaluga, Smolensk and Tver regions). Anyone who finds storks or their chicks who are in trouble can go there for help.