Population studies of White Storks ( Ciconia ciconia) in Europe

Abstract

Abstract Thus, long-term, concurrent information on breeding pairs is available for many parts of the species’ breeding range. These censuses revealed a general decrease in stork numbers in Europe, although the decline was not continuous and rather different changes occurred in various parts of the species’ range. In general, storks breeding west of the migratory divide (Fig. 10.1) and migrating to W. African winter quarters sharply decreased or even became extinct, whereas the eastern population (breeding east of the migratory divide, Fig. 10.1) appears to be relatively stable or even locally increasing in size and extending its breeding range. Besides these international censuses comprehensive, long-term annual counts of breeding storks are available from some regions, including ringing data and annual data on breeding success, so allowing a more detailed analysis.