The black Stork ( Ciconia nigra nigra ) original document available in french on "Biodiversité" Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae Size: total length: 95-100 cm; wingspan: 185-205 cm Weight: +/- 3 kg Identification: adults: big wader with superior parts (head, neck, breast, back and wings) shining black with iridiscent reflections. The rest of the plumage is pure white. Red beak and feet. When in full flight, you see that the underside of the wings is black with a white triangle at the base of the wing. Neck tensed in flight. Youngsters: the dark parts are brown-blackish, beak and feet are first yellow (when in the nest), become beige-pinkish when they take flight (+/- 3 months). The one year old bird looks like the adult but in a more colourless way. Connected species: when seen against the sunlight, possible confusion with the white Stork, and even with the Crane (more gregarious and noisy). The "ashen Heron", of dark-grey appearance, flies with the neck fold up, sometimes tensed, but there is no contrast between the superior black parts and the pure white bottom.   Signs of presence Discrete species. Tracks on the sludges or on the soft soils of banks of rivers and ponds: unlike the ashen Heron (in the centre) (ashen Crane at right), the rear toe is little developed. Voluminous nest placed on a strong fork of a big leafy tree in the forest. Silent species.   Diet Little regional information. The fishes (of maximum 20 cm long) constitute, in terms of weight, the main part of the diet. The batracians are the other main component; micromammals, reptiles, shellfish and insects complete the diet.   Habitat Unlike the white Stork, which is a bird from the countryside and the steppes, the black Stork is above all a forest species. They settle in old quiet forests where the nest is placed on a big tree, often near an open space ( slopes, clear forests), which allows them an easy access. Their hunting field consists of streams and small rivers, of marshy ponds, of meadows with low vegetation. Couples are always several kilometers apart from one another; the highest densities are of 8 couples/100 km2 in Eastern Europe.   Reproduction Reproductive system: monogamous, the couples seem to be faithful. Territoriality: there is always one of the adults present in the nest (or near), till the youngsters are about two weeks old. The couple defends the nest and its surroundings. The hunting zone extends within a radius of 5-10 km around it. Location and characteristics of the nest: voluminous nest, can reach 1,5 m of diameter and 1m width. It is placed on a thick side branch or on a strong fork of a big tree, at 12-25 m high, mostly an oak, sometimes a beech. The nest is constructed by the two adults; they can sometimes use a former raptor nest. The same nest can be faithfully reoccupied several years in a row if the place is quiet. Laying and productivity: 3-5 eggs (extremes 2-6), laid at an interval of 2 days; one brood a year (e. g. in the Walloon region (Belgium), generally 3-4 youngsters take flight, once they were even 5) . Brooding: 35-38 days, by the two sexes, starting with the first or the second egg. Rearing of the youngsters: 63-71 days in the nest, then 1-2 weeks in its close surroundings, notably on the ground. Sexual maturity: 3 years. Longevity: insufficient information, probably more than 20 years.   Geographical distribution Nesting In Europe Poland, the Baltic countries and the West of the CEI constitute the main centre of reproduction in Europe. More westwards, the species are colonizing again Germany, France, the Benelux, Scandinavia. The settling concerns first the isolated couples, then small groups develop themselves in favourable regions, like the Ardennes, Lorraine or Burgundy. The Iberian population has probably been isolated after the extinction of the species elsewhere in Western Europe.   Migration and wintering Migrating bird wintering in Western Africa (Senegal, Mali). An important part of the youngsters will stay in Africa during their first summer, but an increasing number comes back afterwards at their reproduction area for the summer. Only the Iberian population is partly migrating.   Nesting populations Europe/E.U. The black Storks are by far less numerous than the white Storks. The total number in Europe amounts to 2600 till 3000 couples of which 250-300 are in the EEC: France 10-20, the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg 1-5, Germany 40-50, etc. Tendencies During this century, they settled again in most of the Western countries of Europe: Austria since 1938, Bavaria since1947, France since 1976, Luxemburg and Belgium since the eighties, Denmark since1989. In the Walloon region of Belgium, increase of observations since the seventies, summerings and first presumptions of nesting since 1982. It is possible that the species effectively reproduced itself before the first documented case in 1989.   Threats The return of the black Stork is one of the main ornithological events of these last years. This is due mainly to the preservation of the species in Europe, the maturation and the preservation of the extent of numerous forest clumps during this past century as well as to the preservation of a sufficient number of natural or seminatural wet environments. The species is still exposed to the action of factors susceptible to slow down the process of restoration of its population: Too frequent disturbances, increasing the risk of failure, due to walkers, to naturalists which are too curious, to photographers or forest works near occupied nests; Real risks of collection of eggs or destruction (confusion with the ashen Heron, though this species is as much protected!); Loss of nests by felling the carrying tree, leading to perturbation and delay in reproduction; Attacks of habitats, in particular through planting coniferous trees in the forest valleys and wet areas, through the construction of common ponds in these same valleys, through the drainage of wet meadows and through the insidious pollution of the waterways (a.o. through the sewers of the too numerous localities lacking a purification station).   Protection status European Union Species of the Annex 1 of the Directive 79/409/EEC: obligation of preservation measures of the habitat. Species of the Annex 2 of the Bern Convention (19 September 1979): commitment to protect their environment. Species of the Annex 1 of the Washington Convention (CITES): world-wide prohibition of trade and detention.   Particular measures of conservation The increase of this symbolic species will be favoured by: the control of the disturbances, so that the quietness of the area (nest and its surroundings) would be ensured (from March till July), if needed by particular restrictions to the circulation in the forests; the non-exploitation of the trees carrying nests or the delay in felling them as well as by finishing the forest works before the 1st March in the occupied areas; raising public awareness, particularly the forest and fishing sector, to the importance of the return of the species and its ecological significance; the preservation of the different elements of its habitat, in particular through stopping the degradations that continue to attack its wet component (cfr threats), even in the special protected areas (Directive EEC /79/409). To know more... Cramp,S. 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N° spécial Science & Nature magazine science.et.nature@wanadoo.fr.vre Jadoul, G. (1994). - La Cigogne noire : chronique d'un retour annoncé. Ed. du Perron Alleur-Liège. Drawings J.-S. Rousseau Photographs G. Jadoul Edition Department of the Preservation of Nature of the Ministry of the Walloon region (1995) Diffusion Documentation and Communication Department of the Directorate General of the Natural Resources and the Environment 15, av. Prince de Liege, 5100, Namur, Belgium.