Courtship Choreography
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills, belonging to the family Ciconiidae. They occur in most of the warmer regions of the world and tend to live in drier habitats than the related herons, spoonbills and ibises; they also lack the powder down that those groups use to clean off fish slime. Storks have no syrinx (sound-producing vocal organ) and are mute, giving no bird call; bill-clattering is an important mode of stork communication at the nest. Many species are migratory. Most storks eat frogs, fish, insects, earthworms, and small birds or mammals. There are 19 species of storks in six genera.
Stork Lore
The fable that babies are brought by storks is mainly from Dutch and Northern German nursery stories, no doubt from the notion that storks nesting on one's roof meant good luck, often in the form of family happiness.
In some countries, it was believed that placing sweets in the window was a way to let the storks know that the family in the home was ready for a baby.
In ancient Greece, there was a law that demanded children take care of their parents in old age. The law was called “Pelargonia,” which is derived from the Greek word for storks—“pelargos.” Storks tend to care for their young long past when the young are able to fly and fend for themselves, which led to the belief that the young were looking after the old instead. It is yet another way in which storks and children are connected.
Seen as a symbol of good luck, storks had a tendency to nest on people’s roofs and chimneys and it was believed that storks on the roof would result in children for the couple living in the home.
March, the month in which many midsummer babies were born, was once considered a lucky time of the year to give birth.
Storks have a high tolerance for the presence of human beings and are not easily frightened by us.
Courtship Choreography
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills, belonging to the family Ciconiidae. They occur in most of the warmer regions of the world and tend to live in drier habitats than the related herons, spoonbills and ibises; they also lack the powder down that those groups use to clean off fish slime. Storks have no syrinx (sound-producing vocal organ) and are mute, giving no bird call; bill-clattering is an important mode of stork communication at the nest. Many species are migratory. Most storks eat frogs, fish, insects, earthworms, and small birds or mammals. There are 19 species of storks in six genera.
Stork Lore
The fable that babies are brought by storks is mainly from Dutch and Northern German nursery stories, no doubt from the notion that storks nesting on one's roof meant good luck, often in the form of family happiness.
In some countries, it was believed that placing sweets in the window was a way to let the storks know that the family in the home was ready for a baby.
In ancient Greece, there was a law that demanded children take care of their parents in old age. The law was called “Pelargonia,” which is derived from the Greek word for storks—“pelargos.” Storks tend to care for their young long past when the young are able to fly and fend for themselves, which led to the belief that the young were looking after the old instead. It is yet another way in which storks and children are connected.
Seen as a symbol of good luck, storks had a tendency to nest on people’s roofs and chimneys and it was believed that storks on the roof would result in children for the couple living in the home.
March, the month in which many midsummer babies were born, was once considered a lucky time of the year to give birth.
Storks have a high tolerance for the presence of human beings and are not easily frightened by us.