Ciconia nigra
black stork

Black storks (Ciconia nigra) have the widest geographical range of any species in the stork family (Ciconiidae). They are found throughout the Palearctic, from Spain to China during the nesting season. In autumn, C. nigra individuals migrate south to South Africa and India to overwinter. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Perring and Middleton, 1985; Perring, 1990; Sibley and Monroe, 1990; Thompson, 1964)

Black storks breed in quiet, wooded areas which are close to water. They build nests high in trees and forage in marshy wetlands and rivers. They can be found in hilly, mountainous terrain also, as long as there is enough water nearby for foraging. Less is known about their wintering range, but they are presumably found in wetland areas in which they hunt for food. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Perring and Middleton, 1985; Perring, 1990; Sibley and Monroe, 1990; Thompson, 1964)

Similar to white storks, black storks are large birds with sturdy builds, weighing approximately 3 kilograms. They are 95 to 100 cm tall with a wingspan of 144 to 155 cm. They have long necks, bills, and legs, short tails, and wide wings. They have a black body with varying green and purple gloss on the feathers and white areas on the breast and belly. The bill and legs are scarlet red, intensifying during mating season. In winter months, the bill and legs turn brown.

Males are larger than females, but the sexes are otherwise alike. Young black storks do not have as a rich coloration to their feathers, but these colors become vibrant by one year of age. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Perring and Middleton, 1985; Thompson, 1964)

Black storks have been recorded living as long as 18 years in the wild and longer, 31 years, in captivity. (delHoyo, Elliot, and Sargatal, 1992)

Known for their shy and solitary behavior, C. nigra tend to stay far from human activity and development. Black storks are solitary outside of the breeding season, when they occur in loose clusters of nesting pairs. Black storks are migratory and active during the day. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Perring and Middleton, 1985; Thompson, 1964)

Black storks walk purposefully on the ground, with a steady stride. They perch and stand upright, often on one leg. These birds are excellent fliers, flying high in warm currents of air. In the air, they keep their head below the line of their bodies, stretching out the neck. Other than migration, C. nigra do not fly in formation or in flocks. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Perring and Middleton, 1985; Thompson, 1964)

Home Range

Black storks tend to stay close to their nests in wooded areas during breeding season, but home range sizes are not known. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003)

Though they are loudest of all storks, C. nigra are fairly quiet birds. They have few loud vocalizations, using low grunts, whistles and hisses, in a che lee che lee pattern. Most vocal communication takes place in the form of the bill-chattering during mating season. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Perring and Middleton, 1985; Thompson, 1964)

Information is processed visually by C. nigra. They hunt by eye-sight, unlike some of their relatives, which catch prey by touch. Black storks also use vision and sound when finding a mate. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Perring and Middleton, 1985; Thompson, 1964)

These carnivorous birds locate prey by standing in the water with wings outstretched. They also walk stealthily with their heads down in order to see prey. When one spots food, it lunges its head forward, grabbing with its long bill. Black storks tend to hunt on their own unless food is abundant, when larger groups form to take advantage of rich food resources. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Hampl et al., 2005; Perring and Middleton, 1985)

The diet includes frogs, salamanders, eels, small reptiles, fish, and occasional small mammals. During breeding season, fish make up the majority of the diet. ("Storks (Ciconiidae)", 2003; Campbell, 1974; Hampl et al., 2005; Perring and Middleton, 1985; Thompson, 1964)

There are no documented natural predators of C. nigra. Humans are the only known species to threaten black storks. Much of this threat is due to habitat destruction and some hunting. (IUCN, 2004; UNEP, 2006)

Black storks are predators of small vertebrates in the ecosystems they inhabit. They prey on mostly aquatic life, such as fish and amphibians. In some areas of Europe, mostly Spain, C. nigra are hosts to Cathaemasia hians, a trematode. The temperature of the black stork's digestive tract allows for the trematode to complete its life cycle. The trematode is usually found in its primary host, fish species, but gets taken up by C. nigra through feeding. It is then passed to young by the black storks feeding of the young. Because such feeding takes place by adult regurgitation, Cathaemasia hians are also found on the nest floor, infecting all nestlings. (Merino et al., 2001)

There are no known adverse effects of C. nigra on humans.

Aside from their beauty and importance in their native ecosystems, there are no known positive effects of C. nigra on humans.

The IUCN Red List has classified C. nigra as Least Concern. There is a global population of 32,000 to 44,000 individuals of black storks. The population is decreasing, mostly due to deforestation and destruction of habitat. Black storks have also been hunted. During migration, many storks die during collisions with power lines. In some areas in their wintering range in Africa C. nigra is also protected by law. (IUCN, 2004; UNEP, 2006)