Why do we count storks?

White stork count campaigns are held every 10 years and provide information for the subsequent protection of the species and its habitat. Among other things, the data obtained during the census will be taken into account in land-use planning (e.g., in connection with road construction, nests are moved to other safe places).

This year’s census, which was the eighth edition of the event, began on June 28 and lasted more than two weeks. The event was coordinated by scientists and ornithologists affiliated with the White Stork Research Group, and the process was supported by numerous volunteers who visited more than 2,500 Polish municipalities.

About 1,300 people from all over the country were involved in the stork counting campaign.

What does the stork count look like?

Wanting to become a volunteer, it was necessary to familiarize oneself with the method of counting birds, equip oneself with binoculars, a phone and a means of transportation that would allow efficient movement. The purpose of the personal visit to the stork nest was to determine whether it was occupied and what the effect of the nesting was, and such information could only be obtained in person by going to the site.

Where did we count the storks?

Employees of our foundation, who were involved in the initiative, were in charge of counting storks in the area of 3 municipalities: Bobowa, Luzna and Moszczenica in Malopolska province, Gorlice district. In these three municipalities, we confirmed the presence of 18 young storks, two new nests and several nests from the previous census that were unoccupied. The data will be included in the overall report, which will be compiled with the 2014 census data.

Fewer and fewer storks in Poland

Data show that between 2004 and 2014, the stork population in western Poland declined from roughly 52,000 pairs to about 45-46,000 pairs. The largest number of these beautiful birds can be found in Podlasie – it is estimated that even more than 200 nests can be found there, which is probably due to the fact that the eastern provinces are still based on small farms and traditional agriculture.

In Poland, storks are declining, while on a global scale the stork population is growing.

In Western Europe, for example, the increases are as much as 200-300% over several years, which is mainly due to the birds’ reduced migration. Some storks, instead of flying to Africa, stay on the Iberian Peninsula and feed on garbage dumps, thus avoiding the long and dangerous journey. Studies show that Polish storks also often feed on garbage dumps, populating old nests in the area.

When will we know the results of the 2024 white stork population count?

All the data has been transferred to a nationwide database, and the results of the census will not be available until the end of the year, but it is already known that the largest number of storks was recorded in the provinces of Warmia and Mazury and Podlasie.

If you are curious about what unusual nests the volunteers taking part in the white stork census came across, check out the FB profile VIII Międzynarodowy Spis Bociana Białego.

One tool for measuring biodiversity is the Bio-audit, which provides an accurate analysis of the state of ecosystems. The Bio-audit helps to identify priority areas for biodiversity conservation and restoration.