Size: Height; 100cm. Weight; 3kg. Wingspan; 1.4 - 1.8m.

Habitat and Distribution: This bird species has a huge distribution, ranging across Europe into Asia and China and down as far as South Africa during the winter months. They are found in quiet wooded areas near to water.

Age: 18 years in the wild, and up to 30 in captivity.

Groups and Breeding: Blacks Storks are solitary outside of the breeding season. They have an elaborate courtship dance involving neck bobbing and beak clattering. Once they have found a mate they remain faithful to this mate for the breeding season but not beyond.

The nests are built high up in trees by both male and female, using sticks and mud in April or May. Up to five eggs are laid which hatch after around 35 days. It takes up to a further 70 days for the young to fledge. Both parents care for the young and the young remain dependent on their parents for several weeks after fledging and are not sexually mature for 3 to 5 years.

Diet: Fish, frogs, salamanders, small reptiles and occasionally small mammals.

• Migrating Black Storks can fly up to 500km a day and average 100-250km.
• Nests may be recycled year after year and parents may inadvertently care for the young of other bird species that are found in the nest such as Hamerkops and Black Eagles.
• If the temperature in the nest becomes too hot, parent birds will sometimes regurgitate water onto the eggs to cool them down.
• Food is regurgitated onto the nest floor by the parent birds and young feed off the floor.
• Nests can reach up to 1.5m in diameter.