White storks build enormous nests from sticks and grass, adding to them each year until some nests become as wide as a car and weigh hundreds of kilograms. They nest on high points — rooftops and poles — because they feel safest up high and it gives them a great view. Villagers in Bulgaria often welcome storks nesting on their roofs, believing it brings good luck.
The stork's long legs are perfectly designed for wading through shallow water. It hunts by walking slowly through meadows, streams and wetlands, then suddenly stabbing with its beak to catch frogs, fish, voles and large insects. It can stand completely still for minutes at a time, waiting for prey to come close enough.
Every autumn, white storks leave Bulgaria and fly thousands of kilometres south to spend the winter in Africa. They make the journey in big flocks, using rising columns of warm air called thermals to soar without flapping their wings, saving energy on the long flight. The route from Bulgaria to Africa and back is one of the great wildlife journeys on Earth.
Bulgaria is an important country for white storks — it has some of the largest nesting populations in Europe. Conservation groups count the nests every year to track how well the birds are doing. When more storks return each spring, it means the wetlands and meadows they feed in are healthy and full of food.