White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Cegonha-branca

White Storks can be found everywhere, sometimes nesting in impressive numbers on roadside telephone poles. In Portugal their numbers have increased dramatically following legal protection granted to them in the '80s.

 Although originally migratory, there are many that now no longer make the arduous journey south and instead over-winter in Portugal; this is being attributed to Climate Change. For those that do migrate, their journey south begins in late July with a return in April. Clutch size is up to 3 dependent upon the weather and food supply, with hatched chicks obvious by the end of April and fledged by early June. White Storks have no voice box so cannot "sing" or even croak, so their bonding and mating display takes the form of "beak clacking" with their heads thrown back to rest on their backs.

 Portugal has the distinction of harbouring the only known White Storks that nest at sea. This behaviour is a relatively recent adaptation, but it is an expanding one and from its beginnings on the west coast in the lower Alentejo it has now spread southwards and around onto the southern coast of the Algarve.

Birding in Portugal

Quinta do Barranco da Estrada
7665-880 Santa Clara a Velha
Portugal

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Phone : (+351) 283 933 065
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