Storks in the western Algarve

Last year, 2017, in the western part of Portugal, I saw a few storks nesting on poles, electric pylons etc. But I wasn't able to get any photos. This year I saw lots of storks in the western Algarve. They are the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). They are white, with black on the wings, and red legs and beak.

The first time I saw them in a town was in Silves. They were nesting on many buildings, as well as chimneys and trees. It is quite an amazing sight to see such big birds with such big nests so high up.

Storks are protected in Portugal and it is possibly a sign of good luck to have storks nesting on your house. Note the stork on top of this building with the nest on the corner and a close up of the bird -

The storks breed in Europe and spend the (southern hemisphere) winter in Africa. The storks arrive in Portugal Oct/Nov and the eggs are laid in Mar/Apr. The chicks hatch about 5 weeks later. Then they all leave for S. Africa around July, as it gets too hot in Portugal and the rivers dry up and there is not enough food. They eat  insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and small birds. It must be quite a sight to see these large birds flying in the skies above the town. 

However this blog suggests that the storks no longer migrate, as there is enough human rubbish for the birds to feed on. They now visit landfills and rubbish sites and are eating fast food. 

As it was the end of March, there were baby stork heads peeping up from the nests -

Storks are monogamous. These 2 appear to be mating

Parent and chick on a nest atop of a chimney -

Couple on nest on top of a building site -

Driving up towards Monchique, in one area along the river valley there were hundreds of storks nesting. Some were on tall electricity pylons, some were in trees, others just in the tops of bushes and some were even on the ground. It was like stork city. Apparently the storks return to the same nest each year.

The storks in Spain and Portugal are the most stable populations in Europe.


See more on these storks on Algarve information.