MIGRATION: A FLIGHT FOR SURVIVAL
t’s fitting that the White
Stork Ciconia ciconia kicked
off our Flight for Survival
campaign, because this
species actually helped scientists to
discover the phenomenon of bird
migration. It seems hard to believe
nowadays, but people once didn’t
realise that birds migrated. Bizarre
theories used to abound: that birds
hibernated at the bottom of the oceans,
or even turned into mice when they
disappeared from our landscape. But in
1822, near the German village of Klütz,
an incredible phenomenon was found:
a stork carrying an arrow in its neck –
the kind of arrow only seen in central
Africa. This Pfeilstorch, or “arrow stork”,
was the first of several specimens found
in Europe with arrows embedded in
their bodies, planting the idea that
birds migrated long distances between
breeding and wintering grounds.
The way in which White Storks
migrate is a marvellous spectacle. They
travel in their thousands, sometimes
said to block out the sun, using their
enormous wings to soar along the
updrafts, spiralling to altitudes of
1,500m before gliding effortlessly for
kilometres – a technique that comes
in particularly useful when crossing
the vast Sahara Desert. Because large
stretches of water do not create
the right air currents, they avoid the
Mediterranean Sea, diverting mainly via
the Bosporus in the East or the Strait of
Gibraltar in the West – funnelling them
into “bottlenecks” where many storks
travel in close convoy.
On their voyage, they must overcome
a series of obstacles. Electrocution on
overhead powerlines is an ever-present
risk, and many stopover sites they once
relied upon have been destroyed by
intensive agriculture. And then there are
the humans who want to kill them.
The killing of White Storks has moved
from low-level subsistence for food
I
WHITE STORK
FACT FILE
WINGSPAN: 155-165 CM
TOP SPEED: 110 KM/H
THREATS: SHOOTING,
POWERLINES
APR-JUN 2019 • BIRDLIFE
The White Stork takes off from
southern Africa, travelling the
length of the continent and
crossing the Sahara Desert.
After diverting around the
Mediterranean Sea, which does
not create suitable thermals, the
species makes its way to breeding
grounds in northern Europe.
WHITE STORK
MIGRATION
ROUTE
to a large-scale sport enjoyed by
hundreds of people using sophisticated
technology – just because they can.
For those taking the Eastern route, the
worst illegal killing “blackspot” is Lake
Qaraoun in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley.
At the height of the migration season,
hundreds of thousands of White Storks
are funnelled through this narrow
valley over a few short days, and many
thousands never see the other side.
Fortunately, BirdLife Partners in
countries all along its route are working
hard to protect this species. From
the staff of Doğa Derneği (BirdLife
in Turkey) who recently discovered
a previously unknown migration
bottleneck, to the NABU (BirdLife in
Germany) conservationists who share
live updates on the migration journeys
of satellite-tracked White Storks, they
recognise their duty to safeguard
migratory birds on their way to their
next destination.
Our Lebanese Partner, SPNL, works
tirelessly to end the illegal killing
of birds in their country. They have
been campaigning for many years to
tighten enforcement of the country’s
hunting laws, and their anti-poaching
unit makes daily visits to illegal killing
blackspots during migration season.
But they also understand that it’s not
just about punishing wrongdoers – it’s
also important to change minds. Their
community engagement programme
is doing just that – and it’s already
beginning to have a real impact. Hope
is on the horizon, but there is still much
urgent work to be done before the skies
over Lebanon can truly be considered
safe for storks.
The White Stork is probably best
known for its role in European folklore
as the bringer of babies to new parents.
But it was seen as a symbol of good
luck and fertility long before that.
Ancient Greeks and Romans saw the
White Stork as a model of perfect
parenthood – and this is accurately
reflected in the real-life behaviour of
the birds, who share parental duties
equally. Since the bird likes to nest
on rooftops, throughout history the
species has been a familiar and iconic
part of human life, actively helping
humans by hunting pests, and even
allowing farmers to time the planting of
their crops to the White Stork’s arrival.
It would be wonderful to see a world
where this species was revered as much
as it once was.
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