Storks rarely sighted are spotted in Empangeni
A NUMBER of white storks, seldom seen in these parts, were spotted in an Empangeni field on Wednesday.
Rumours of the flock resting after delivering babies at a local government maternity hospital could not be confirmed.
This large bird of the stork family, Ciconiidae, can be identified by its white feathers and black wings.
Adult storks have long red legs with long, pointed red beaks and measure on average 100–115cm from beak tip to end of tail.
They have a 155-215cm wingspan.
This species breed as far north as Finland, well as north-western Africa, south-western Asia and southern Africa.
The long-distance migrants spend European winter months in Africa, from tropical subSaharan Africa to as far south as South Africa, or on the Indian subcontinent.
When migrating between Europe and Africa, they avoid crossing the Mediterranean Sea and detour via the Levant in the east or the Straits of Gibraltar in the west, since the air thermals, on which they depend for soaring, do not form over water.
Storks eat a wide range of prey, including insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and small birds.
They take most of their food from the ground among low vegetation, and from shallow water.
They are monogamous breeders, but do not pair for life.
They build large stick nests, which may be used for several years.
Each year the female can lay one clutch of usually four eggs, which hatch asynchronously 33–34 days after being laid.
Both parents take turns incubating the eggs and both feed the young.
The young leave the nest two months after hatching, and continue to be fed by the parents for a further seven to 20 days.