06.07.2010

Young Storks practice Flying

Our four young storks at the Internet eyrie in Vetschau/Spree Forest have developed well enough to start using their wings. After initial hopping around we can experience along with them how they flutter with strong beats of their wings above the nest and for the first time rise from the eyrie.

"Klappi", "Twiggy", "Friedrich" and "Paula" will become fledglings and will be hard to distinguish in size from their parents "Cico" and "Luna". On the average the young ones will reach a weight of about nine pounds by the end of the nest period which is above the weight of the parents. However, they will lose this "baby fat" quickly when the exhausting days of flight exercises and ever further excursions into the countryside begin.

One thing, however, differentiates the young storks from their parents in the first year. The beaks are not coloured red. The change from the initial black through brown-reddish and finally to a brilliant red of an adult stork. Also, the legs do not show the rich red of an adult stork. Those who may still want to observe the storks in their nest should hurry along and visit the White Stork Information Centre in Vetschau/Spree Forest for we anticipate our storks will leave us during the middle of August.

Bernd Elsner
Manager
NABU Regional Association Calau e.V.

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