The Amazing World of Storks: Beauty and Mystery

Despite their graceful appearance and a name that hints at purity, storks are listed among the impure birds in the Torah. The sages say their name, based on their habit of sharing food with fellow storks, ironically denotes impurity since they only extend kindness to their own kind. As the Imrei Emet explains, "Since it shows kindness only to its peers and not to others, it is impure."

Storks are frequent travelers, migrating twice a year. During summer, they reside in Europe. Come autumn, they embark on a southward journey to warmer climes.

These large birds are notable for their long red legs and can stand about three feet tall. Their piercing red beak measures between 15-20 cm long, with a wingspan of 200 cm, and they weigh between 2.5-3.5 kg. Their striking white feathers contrast with their black wing and tail feathers.

In early spring, when they return from their "winter vacation," storks build their nests in sunny places, typically on the tops of tall trees, as it is written: "Stork: her home is in the fir trees" (Psalms 104:17). Over time, it became common to see their nests atop house roofs, favoring chimneys, towers, power poles, or windmills in open fields. They shy away from big cities, opting instead for the tranquility of small villages and towns, not necessarily from a love of nature, but due to the abundance of food like frogs, lizards, and insects in lakes, rivers, and marshlands, distant from urban settings.

Storks predominantly feed on insects like locusts, grasshoppers, and crickets, but also prey on small vertebrates: weak or dead fish, frogs, snakes (including vipers), chicks, and small rodents. They "impale" their prey with their beak. Small creatures get tossed in the air, landing straight into their open mouths, while larger ones are first torn apart before being eaten.

The construction of their large nests, often over a meter wide, serves them for years, with annual renovations. Lasting repairs allow nests to grow up to 2-2.5 meters high, made of twigs, covered and cushioned with leaves, grass, and straw. Stork pairs are loyal, never abandoning the nest together; one always stays behind to guard the chicks and the nest. This bond lasts their entire natural lifespan of up to 12 years, and in zoos, they can live up to 30 years.

Storks model exemplary parenting, tirelessly dedicating themselves to their helpless chicks. Throughout summer, stork parents take turns guarding the nest and going out to fetch food for both the young and maintaining the "household."

An intriguing behavior noticed by researchers is the "welcoming ceremony" when one partner returns to the nest with food. The storks bend towards each other, lift their heads high, and rub beaks, producing loud clapping sounds. This "ritual," lasting 2-3 minutes, is repeated upon every return. It's interesting to note that storks themselves are deaf. After this exchange, the one who stayed home then departs to gather food.

Now comes mealtime. The full-bellied stork stretches and regurgitates pre-digested food into the nest, where the eager young await their meal. Once the meal ends, the stork tidies up, repairing and straightening the nest—demonstrating exemplary housekeeping.

Nowadays, in much of Europe, stork populations are declining, especially in western and central parts. The causes behind this drop aren't entirely understood. Many storks fall victim to electric wires, vehicles, and aircraft, but the worst threats are wetland drainage and water pollution. Additionally, rodent poisons used in agriculture "contribute" to their dwindling numbers.