Stork in the nest on the roof of a church, Olhao, Faro, Algarve, Portugal, Europe, EU
Legend has it that in the old days in Portugal, it was considered very bad luck to kill a stork. The punishment, so the story goes, is that an offender had his hand chopped off. Now that really is bad luck. Ancient Thessaly, a region found in modern Greece, originally implemented the death penalty for anybody killing a stork; even worse luck. For many years the stork has been a protected species worldwide. In Portugal they are almost revered. Unfortunately, these beautiful creatures migrate from southern Europe to the Near East and Africa where, despite still being protected under law, many countries do not enforce the law, or they implement very light penalties, that do little to deter hunters. Much illegal killing of storks and other protected species still takes place when these birds migrate. Portuguese farmers appreciate and protect storks because the birds thrive on small mammals, lizards, snakes and large insects, which save the farmers having to use expensive pesticides on their crops. This in turn protects the bees that pollinate the crops for better harvests, as well as providing valuable honey and by-products produced from bees wax. Storks often build their nests close to marshlands or wetlands, where they can feast on frogs and fish too. Storks build their nests up high, perched on tall chimneys, telegraph poles, electricity pylons and even church steeples. These huge creations are an incredible feat of engineering and balance, and it’s a wonder how such large birds can raise their families in them without toppling down to earth. They return to their nests each year and it’s not unusual to see a series of nests on pylon poles, where the offspring have chosen to build close to their birth nest. If you’ve ever wondered why you see so many ancient commercial chimneys still standing tall in areas that have been demolished and /or redeveloped, it’s because it’s against the law in Portugal to demolish or disturb a stork’s nest.
Size: 5760px × 3840px
Location: Olhao, Faro, Algarve, Portugal, Europe, EU
Photo credit: © Thibaut PETIT-BARA / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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