News
Inside a Stork NestWalking through Knepp, it’s hard not to be drawn to the stork nests perched high in the trees. Staggering and intricate constructions balanced on the exposed oak branches. The sheer size and complexity of these nests makes them more than just a breeding ground for storks. They’re miniature ecosystems, built over time and constantly evolving. Each nest is shaped by its surroundings and offers a habitat to a whole host of other creatures. Their return to the UK, provides the opportunity to understand what we have missed since the loss of white storks and their nests, centuries ago.
At this time of year, our resident storks are preparing their nests for the upcoming breeding season. They are often seen carrying piles of dry sticks or clumps of hay to either build their first nests, layering them to form a sturdy frame, or to develop those already established. But what they line their nests with varies.
At Knepp, we’ve noticed that nests closer to the on-site stables tend to be lined with hay and straw, while those farther away use more natural materials like moss and leaf litter. Some pairs seem particular about the comfort of their nest, carefully padding it out, while others seem far less fussy. This suggests that storks are opportunistic in their nesting choices, making use of whatever is most convenient in their environment. While all nests serve the same purpose, their individuality shines through, giving each nest its own unique flare.
Unlike some other birds, storks don’t build a new nest each breeding season to be abandoned in the winter months. Instead, their nests grow with time, as pairs will add to it year after year. Each spring, there’s competition among migratory returns over the best nesting spots, and we’ve even seen theft of twigs and other nesting material among the colony. Over time some nests reach gigantic stature, with records of more mature nests becoming over 1.8 meters tall, 2 meters wide, and weighing up to a tonne! But getting to that point isn’t easy, nor is it completed by a single stork pair. Those of that size can be decades old, with a rotation of multiple pairs coming and going over the years.
Across Europe, storks often take advantage of human structures, nesting on rooftops, pylons, and church towers. But at Knepp, we’re seeing what might have been their natural nesting preference before human development. One year, storks successfully raised chicks on a nest on Knepp Castle, however the birds have chosen not to return to this location. Perhaps a nod to their wilder instincts, they have favoured the old oak trees, choosing exposed branches for easy access.
Storks are social birds and are often seen gathering in the hundreds in many parts of Europe. Often a menagerie of individuals from across the continent, linked by their migration destination and food opportunities. Interestingly, there’s a loose social hierarchy, which we have seen first-hand in our English colony. Some trees have become prime real estate, housing four nests, and our volunteers report territorial scuffles for the best spot, the more dominant birds coming out on top. The long-term hope is that, as numbers grow, storks will spread further across the south coast, perhaps even exploring urban nesting, like their European counterparts.
When white storks were lost from Britain, their towering nests were lost with them. These structures don’t just provide breeding grounds for the storks; they also support a surprising range of other species. The dense, sometimes thorny, structure provides ideal habitat for small birds like house sparrows, which often treat the nests as their own, flying in and out of the sticks and making use of the storks’ presence for protection. But the real action is hidden within the nest itself. Built from an ever-growing mix of organic material, stork nests are teeming with invertebrate life. An exciting prospect and potentially hugely significant in an era of declining insect populations. Given that invertebrates form the base of the food web and are crucial pollinators, these messy, smelly nests could play a surprising role in the ecosystem.
The return of white storks to Britain is about more than just bringing back a lost species. Their nests, full of life, represent a piece of the wild that had been missing for centuries. So next time you spot one of these remarkable nests, take a moment to consider the hidden world within.
Written by Becca Bowie, White Stork Project Assistant
