Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)

It is slightly smaller than the white stork from which, as the name suggests, it differs mainly in black coloration. In adults the beak and legs have an intense red color. It lives in marshy forests abounding in ponds, marshes and meadows. It builds nests (with a diameter of more than 1 m) in the crowns of large trees. It eats mainly fish, amphibians and insects which it hunts wading in the shallow water. In search of food it can move up to 10 kilometers from the nest. In contrast to the white stork it rarely clatters, it often makes sounds similar to whistling and hissing. The black stork leads a secret life, and therefore it is more difficult to observe than the popular white stork. Until recently, it was a species greatly avoiding the neighborhood of people and very timid. In recent years the fear of man has weakened and there have been cases of the species nesting close to human settlements or busy roads.