WADERS 209 



Family 1 : Storks (Ciconiidae) . 



The Common Stork (Ciconia alba). 



(Height 30 inches.) 



A. The Stork a Protdge of Man. 



In Holland and Germany, young and old rejoice to see the storks 

 returning to their home with approaching spring, and reoccupying their 

 old nest on the high roof of the church or the gable of the farmhouse ; 

 for, like the swallow, the stork is a welcome and inviolable guest. The 

 farmer willingly presents the bird with a cart-wheel as a foundation for 

 its nest, for the house which harbours a stork's nest is supposed to be 

 safe from lightning and fire. Studiously he watches the pair repairing 

 the nest which has been torn by winter storms, prancing about on the 

 summit of the roof, and producing with their beaks their peculiar rattle. 

 Presently he sees the male bringing food to the sitting female, then both 

 parents tending and nurturing the young ones, and the latter, after they 

 have left the nest, taking their first lessons in flight ; and finally, with 

 the approach of autumn, he watches " his storks " joining their mates 

 from the whole neighbourhood in one huge swarm, previous to their 

 departure to the winter home. 



Where no nesting-place has been provided for it, the stork establishes 

 its dwelling on a lofty tree. It has virtually no enemies, but in case of 

 necessity is well able to defend itself, its young, and eggs, which are 

 white (no protective colouring). Hence the conspicuous colour of its 

 plumage does not expose it to danger. All parts of the plumage are 

 white excepting the flight-feathers, which are black ; beak and legs red. 



In England the stork is an occasional summer visitor in the southern 

 and eastern counties, and if unmolested would probably breed there 

 regularly. In Scotland and Ireland it has very rarely been seen. 



B. Food. 

 The stork is a thoroughly predaceous bird, feeding upon all the 

 larger animals of marsh, pond or meadow which it is able to master. It 

 consumes large quantities of amphibians, especially frogs, reptiles, 

 snails, earth-worms, and all kinds of insects. Small fishes, young 

 rabbits, large numbers of the eggs and young of ground-breeding birds 

 (name Borne), also constitute its prey. On the other hand, it devours 

 large numbers of mice, and is not even afraid of attacking the viper. 



1. As its food thus consists mainly of aquatic animals, the stork 

 frequents well-watered districts. 



2. The food is gathered up from the ground, or picked off from low- 



