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Loburg (dpa / sa) - Most stork pairs in Saxony-Anhalt are expected to have offspring in the next two weeks.
In some nests young animals have already hatched, said Michael Kaatz from the Loburg bird sanctuary in the Jerichower Land district.
The majority will probably follow suit in the last two weeks of May.
"Hatching is imminent," says the expert.
The persistent rain could be problematic for the young animals if the nests are very sodden and therefore lacking sufficient protection. It is therefore a good thing that not many stork babies have been born yet. On average, two young birds per pair can be expected, three or four are also possible. When they have just hatched, they primarily need sufficient food such as earthworms and insects, which their parents find in pastures and meadows. Fields are less suitable.
Although the stork migration is over, not all nests in the country are currently occupied.
"Most of the animals have returned," said Kaatz.
They are not yet counted.
Roughly, the bird sanctuary reckons with up to 600 pairs.
Every year there is some fluctuation, also depending on the region.
There was growth in the north of Saxony-Anhalt.
Some couples occupied different nests than in previous years, others never come back.
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According to the information, the main reason for this is the train route.
The animals that fly towards Africa via Turkey and Israel have a more arduous route.
They have higher losses.
It is different in the western federal states: the storks that settle there mostly come from the direction of Spain.
You have better conditions on this route.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210515-99-605944 / 2
More about the Loburg bird sanctuary