The Black Stork, Ciconia nigra (Aves: Ciconiidae) in central-eastern Calabria (Italy)

Abstract

The black stork (Ciconia nigra Linnaeus, 1758) is an extraordinary bird not only for its elegance but also for its unique habitat. It prefers isolated places that are often inaccessible to humans and always in direct contact with water, a vital element for its biological cycle. Calabria is a region rich in natural beauty, with large coniferous forests, canyons, rivers, mountain streams and crystal clear lakes, an extensive area of which is legally protected since the 1970’s. All this has encouraged breeding of the black stork in Calabria, which, in the past was considered as rare and/or occasional. The present work outlines the results obtained in the above mentioned territory regarding breeding and flight activities of the three-year period with direct observations or reports from ornithologists.