01.06.2006

Meto hatched

After an interval of five days, the second young stork hatched. This time, the chick did not peel himself out of the shell as usual during the night but in the forenoon at 9:38 a.m. The first chick was named "Lenka" (Sorbian for Leah) by the Sorbian/Wendish daycare-group at Vetschau. The recently hatched one received the name "Meto" (Sorbian for Matthew)

Because the eggs were laid at two-day intervals and brooding began already after the first egg had been laid, the chicks will hatch at the same intervals of two days. However, the unusual five-day interval between the first and second chick can only be explained with the second egg being unfertilized. The long span between hatchings has possibly dyer development consequences for chicks which hatch last. When the parent storks find sufficient fodder, the younger storks grow quickly and soon differences in size are unnoticeable. In our intensively use territory, however, many stork couples do not find enough food animals. The consequence is that the brood follows a dramatic course. The youngest fall behind in their development and will finally abandoned by the parent storks. This is a biological necessity to ensure a fast growth for the remaining young storks. In only 2½ months, that is by the middle of August, the young storks have to be fledglings, so that they can embark on the flight to their winter quarters by the end of August / beginning of September. A stork couple with three young ones requires about 550 lbs. of fodder per season. If we want a stork couple to raise three to four young ones we have to assure that suitable food biotopes are available, this means, to retain wetlands or create new ones, to dam up waters in the territory wherever possible, to use areas as permanent green lands and cultivate alfalfa, avoid the use of pesticides and insecticide, and do not grow genetically modified plants.

Winfried Boehmer
NABU-Project Leader

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