BS nesting

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BS nesting: more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewforum.php?f=22

1. Arrivals and occupation of the nest
more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=29

Question (Q): When do they arrive from their wintering grounds?
Answer (A): Central European adult black storks (BS), after arriving from the African winter quarters, usually occupy their nesting sites from mid-March to mid-April (but e.g. to Estonia/EE in April).

Q: Do they return back together?
A: Mostly, males are the first to arrive on the breeding site, which usually immediately start repairing or setting up the nest. The female arrives usually within the next 1 - 2 weeks, but sometimes the same day.
(Juveniles tend to move northwards in next spring, 3 - 4 weeks later than breeding birds. They return to Europe, but not up to breeding sites.)

2. Nest building and repairing
more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=30

Q: Where do black storks build their nests?
A: The nest of the black stork is usually located inside the (old natural) forests on an old branched tree.

Q: How do black storks´ nests look like and what they are made of?
A The nests of the black stork are rather flat, large, with a robust structure - made of branches and sticks and is lined with green moss.

3. Nest Defence
more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=31
Storks perform a typical threat display (stereotyped motor pattern), the Up-Down with Bill Clattering, characterised by fast and repeated movements of the neck downwards and then upwards and backwards, emitting a mechanical sound produced by the rapid closure of the bill by banging the mandibles, and often with some pecks on the nest material.

4. Pairing, mating
more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=32

Q: How do they copulate?
A: If male managed to jump on the back and female jerked his tail to the side and male curled his tail, it is copulation. In typical bird copulation, males and females momentarily press together their cloacas – genital openings – in what biologists call a cloacal kiss.

5. Eggs lying, incubating and hatching
more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=33

Q: When does the female after returning back lay its first egg?
A: The female lays its first egg 3-14 days after arriving in the nest.

Q: How many eggs are there in the nest? (clutch size)
A: There are mostly 3-5 eggs (laying is usually every 2 day).
Female Black Storks lay three to five eggs for a full clutch. After fertilisation, the egg cell must undergo the process of being surrounded by protein and covered with a shell. This process takes 2 days in black storks.

Q: Do they both take part in the incubation ?
A: Both parents take part in the incubation, which begins usually after the second egg has been laid. Mostly the female broods at night.

Q: How long does the incubation period take? (incubation period)
A: The chicks hatch after a hatching/incubation period of 34-38 days. (e.g. EE - usually in the second half of May)
The chicks start hatching after an incubation period of 30 to 38 days. The length of the incubation period depends to a large extent on the weather (fluctuations in air temperatures, rainfall, etc.).

Q: What are the symptoms of baby bird´s hatching out? (egg talking)
A: Baby bird chirps from inside the egg usually on the last 2 days - the sound the baby bird makes indicates that the baby bird is hatching soon.

Q: How many times a year does the female clutch?
A: There is only one clutch per year.

Q: How do baby birds look like?
A: Baby birds are covered with fluffy white down.

Q: What Is the baby bird called?
A: chick - storklet (informal storklet - inspired by the term: eaglet) - youngster (or offspring)

Q: What are the names for young birds?
A: hatchling (just hatched out of the egg ) - nestling (bird developing in the nest) - fledgling (young bird that has left the nest)/juvenile - subadult (immature bird)

6. Chick raising
more in:formations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=34

feeding
A: The adult birds partly digest the food and regurgitate it into the centre of the nest, so the chicks can feed themselves.

7. Brood reduction
more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?p=943#p943

Q: What is parental infanticide?
A: Parental infanticide is killing of own offspring (being thrown out of the nest, swallowing, flying away with the chick from the nest). Old/parent black storks correct the number of chicks in the nest, making the infanticide relatively common in this species.

Q: Why do old black storks make the infanticide?
A: In the event of food shortages, this will help ensure that other chicks (bigger, stronger) have a better chance of survival.

8. Behaviour of the nestling
more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=36

9. Fledgling of young
more informations https://www.ciconianigra.sk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=37

Q: How long does it take for baby birds to fly? (nestling period)
A: The chicks become capable of flight at the age of 68–72 days (maiden flight). Starting a flight depend on more factors.

Q: When do fledglings leave the nest forever?
A: Better results are in surviving of the chicks which spend longer time in nest after fledging, means they return to the nest and step by step get independent, but are still getting food from parents in nest. For another 2-4 weeks after being able to fly they will go to the nest at night or rest at the nest. (e.g. In EE, depending on the spring and summer weather, the chicks will be able to fly from mid-July.)