31.05.2004

The fourth Chick hatched

Practically no one expected that an additional chick, the fourth, would hatch in the afternoon of Pentecost Monday. The first three hatched on the 25th, 26th and 27th of May respectively, and after an interval of four days "Afri" hatched. A fifth egg is still present in the nest, whether yet another stork chick will hatch, we will await with bated breath.

The parent storks are caring diligently for the new generation. While one of the elders constantly nurtures and protects the young ones, the other is "on the road" to search for food. At this time it means to gather earth worms, snails and insects for the tiny beaks. Soon, however, the young ones will need energy rich morsels such as mice, lizards and frogs. Only when the young storks have developed sufficiently (after about three weeks), will both parent storks fly off in search for food. The fodder requirements will then reach eight to nine pounds (4 kg) per day. A single stork is unable to gather such large quantities.

Whether all young storks will thrive and become fledglings, depends primarily on adequate and beak-suitable fodder now. Only when the parent storks find enough nourishment within a radius of one and a quarter mile (2 km) of the eyrie, will there be sufficient for all young storks.

At most stork biotopes in Germany not enough fodder is longer available. Young storks then regularly starve or will be thrown from the nest by the parent storks. Storks require a varied environment made up of wooded fields, pools and permanent greens. Particularly harmful is intensive farming with poisons or genetically modified plants.

It is pleasing at this time to watch how a parent stork warms the young ones and supplies them with shade by angularly bending the wings in parasol fashion. Should it become even hotter, the parent storks will bring water to the young ones. Visitors to the White Stork Information Centre are able to follow the exiting phase of bringing up the new generation on a monitor directly between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Guests observe live the happenings in the stork eyrie. Different exhibits give insight into the lives of white storks and measures to protect them.

Winfried Boehmer
NABU-Project-Leader

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