The Black Stork - Ciconia nigra - is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in
the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in
central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species. It is seen in
pairs or small flocks—in marshy areas, rivers or inland waters.
The Black Stork resembles
the white stork in size, but shines with reddish green tint. It has a white
breast, belly, and a white spot under the tail. Its long legs and beak are red.
The eyes are greyish green. When
in full flight, you see that the underside of the wings is black with a white
triangle at the base of the wing. They fly with neck outstretched and have a
rasping call.
These storks feed
on fish, amphibians, reptiles, shellfish and insects. They mainly eat fish,
doing most of its foraging by wading through shallow water, stabbing at prey.
The breeding
season is from April to May and it breeds in Japan,
north-eastern China and Western Europe. A monogamous solitary nester, possibly
with a life-long pair bond. They build a stick nest high in trees or on a cliff
face. It lays 2 to 5 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for between 34 to
36 days. The chicks are brooded almost continually for the first 15 days and
are fed by both parents. The baby Black Stork is covered with white down and
has a yellowish or yellowish orange beak.
The young leave
the nest when they are between 60 to 66 days old, becoming fully independent
roughly two weeks later.
The main threat
to this species is habitat degradation.
Conservation Status Globally – Least Concern.
In South
Africa and Namibia a very different picture - In the account for the Black Stork in
the Red Data Book from 2000, Keith Barnes wrote: "The Black Stork may
suffer a decline in the near future and, owing to its small population, it requires
monitoring." This range-change map shows that these were prophetic words.
Keith considered that the breeding habitat, in mountainous regions was not
threatened, but that the crunch was going to be food: fish, frogs, aquatic
invertebrates. "Wetland conversion in the form of degradation of estuaries
and highland marshes, the forestation of catchments which reduces water inflow,
and the damming of smaller rivers, such as in Lesotho
and Mpumalanga,
are causes of concern."
SABAP2
(2007–2011) probably represents the first monitoring of the Black Stork since
SABAP1 (1987–1991), and the outcome is alarming. The species has not been
recorded in SABAP2 in most of its former areas. There are large tracts of its
former range where there have been remarkably few SABAP2 records, for example
in the Overberg and Swartland areas of the Western Cape. It is remarkable that a
species as large and conspicuous as the Black Stork can quietly slip away
unnoticed.
These striking storks can be
seen on the following Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -
Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari
/Adventure.
Aves Eastern Cape Birding
Tour / Safari /Adventure.
Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves North East Birding Tour /
Safari / Adventure.
Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves Western Cape Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves West Coast Birding
Tour/Safari/Adventure.