Wildlifeof China
Black Stork
Storks, Herons, Ibises & Pelicans
Photo: (c) Gianluca Congi🪶🦆🌲, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC-BY-SA
Ciconia nigra
Basic stats
Diet
Primarily fish, plus frogs, salamanders, eels, reptiles, insects, mollusks, and small mammals
Habitat
Quiet forests near rivers, marshes, swamps, pools, and other wetlands
Range
Breeds across the Palearctic from Spain to China and winters mainly in Africa and India
Clutch size
3–5 eggs
Incubation period
32–38 days
Size
95–100 cm
Wingspan
144–155 cm
Weight
About 3 kg
Black storks have the broadest distribution of any stork species, breeding across the Palearctic from Spain to China. In autumn, migratory birds travel south to wintering grounds in Africa and India. They breed in quiet wooded landscapes near water, building large nests high in trees and feeding in rivers, marshes, swamps, and temporary pools. Mountainous terrain is also occupied when suitable feeding water is nearby. Adults stand 95 to 100 centimeters tall, span 144 to 155 centimeters, and weigh approximately 3 kilograms. (Animal Diversity Web)
These storks hunt visually, either standing in water with their wings extended or walking stealthily before lunging at prey with the bill. Fish dominate the breeding-season diet, supplemented by frogs, salamanders, eels, reptiles, insects, mollusks, and occasional small mammals. Birds usually forage alone but may gather where food is abundant. Black storks breed once annually in late April or May. A clutch contains three to five eggs, incubation lasts 32 to 38 days, and both parents feed and protect the young. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Black Stork eat?
- Primarily fish, plus frogs, salamanders, eels, reptiles, insects, mollusks, and small mammals
- What habitat does the Black Stork live in?
- Quiet forests near rivers, marshes, swamps, pools, and other wetlands
- Where is the Black Stork found?
- Breeds across the Palearctic from Spain to China and winters mainly in Africa and India
- How many eggs does the Black Stork lay?
- 3–5 eggs
- How long are the eggs of the Black Stork incubated?
- 32–38 days
- How big is the Black Stork?
- 95–100 cm
- What is the wingspan of the Black Stork?
- 144–155 cm
- How much does the Black Stork weigh?
- About 3 kg