25.05.2010

Tiniest Chick perished over the Pentecost Weekend

In the morning of May 24 only four stork chicks could be observed at the Internet eyrie in Vetschau. After searching below the eyrie, no chick could be found. It is impossible to say what actually happened to the lastly hatched chick. We can only state assumptions. Several causes may have contributed to the death of the chick. The dropping out of the nest of the chick is possible which is not unusual with a clutch of five. It became obvious that the smallest chick was unable to stand its ground against the larger ones during feeding and consequently fell behind in its development.

Another explanations could be the so-called "cronism", whereby the parent storks eat the severely underdeveloped chicks themselves. It is a normal behaviour not only for stork but also other bird species.

Four stork chicks can now be observed in the Internet eyrie, tended to by Cico and Luna around the clock. The fodder supply appears to be sufficient for the young ones at this time. Nevertheless, the fourth chicks also shows signs of underdevelopment. It is essential for this little one to amply feed in order to compete with its siblings and have good chances for survival.

Bernd Elsner
Manager
NABU Regional Association Calau e.V.

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