Photo: Krzysztof Kin / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White Stork
Ciconia ciconia
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) — Storks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a member of the Ciconiidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 3.4 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Ciconiiformes
- Family Ciconiidae Storks
- Genus Ciconia
- Species ciconia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.4 kg
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Ciconiidae
- Order
- Ciconiiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White Stork is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The White Stork is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a member of the Ciconiidae family, within the order Ciconiiformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF widespread.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3.4 kg, with a wing length of about 56.6 cm and a tail of around 25 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 5.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White Stork?
The White Stork is a very large bird that weighs around 3.4 kg.
Where does the White Stork live?
The White Stork is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the White Stork belong to?
The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) belongs to the Ciconiidae family, in the order Ciconiiformes.
What does the White Stork eat?
The White Stork is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the White Stork migrate?
The White Stork is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the White Stork endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White Stork make?
1 real field recording of the White Stork — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White Stork's range?
The White Stork has a mapped global range of about 5.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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