All the most interesting things about the stork

As part of the Project "Let's save the Red Book birds of Russia together!" we are telling you some interesting facts about storks.

The word "stork" has consonant words in different languages. For example, in ancient Sanskrit, Old Russian, German, Slavic languages. However, its exact origin has not yet been established. The most plausible version of the transformation of the German word “Heister”, which in some areas of Germany is the name of the magpie. And, probably, the only related feature between a stork and a magpie is the color of the plumage, hence the analogy.

Why is the stork not afraid of man?

In fact, not all storks build their nests on the roofs of houses, although such cases are quite common. For example, black storks lead a secretive lifestyle away from civilization, while white storks are really quite adapted to humans. Many people find an explanation for this in the fact that at different times in different parts of the world white storks were treated with warmth.

Does the stork bring children?

The myth that the stork brings children is known to everyone. It turned out that it originates from a tradition that existed among the ancient Germans. In those days, marriages were mostly concluded in the summer, just at the time when the storks were preparing for departure. And they returned about 9 months later.

Do storks always return "home"?

These birds are very fond of their homes and use them annually. More interestingly, they pass on their nests by inheritance. There is a known case when the same nest was inhabited for 381 years.

Being monogamous birds, storks pair up only during the mating season. And, despite the fact that storks are quite caring parents, they still get rid of weak and sick offspring in a very harsh way, throwing the chicks out of the nest.

Scientists are guided by storks in environmental issues. These birds are very sensitive to environmental pollution. This means that if the stork feeds on some reservoir, the water there is quite clean.

The project is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund.

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