black sea red data book - Department of Biology

only single specimens were recorded during their summer wandering and annual
migrations. The Black stork has a wider distribution than the White stork in the
Caucasus, but is rarer (Portenko, 1958). Its nesting places include the whole seashore
of Georgia (Cramp & Simmons, 1977), but according to Abuladze (1993) only 2-3
pairs were breeding in West Georgia in 1980. Along the South Black Sea coast
several nesting sites are known, located mostly in the Turkish part of the mountain
Strandja, in the Kizilirmak delta, near Trabzon and in some areas distant from the sea
(OST Bird Report, 1975). During seasonal migrations, Black storks can be seen
everywhere along the shores of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. It is believed
(Lebedeva, 1979) that migrating Black storks over the western part of the Black Sea
were hatched in Lithva, Latvia, Byelorussia. Those migrating over the eastern part
came from central Russia. In autumn Black storks from Lithuania, Latvia,
Byelorussia, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Germany, Denmark and possibly specimens
from Central Romania, Ukraine and Estonia concentrate along the western Black Sea
coast (Nankinov, in press).
Habitat type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. Settles in woods and rocky
places. The choice of the nesting places depends on the proximity of basins rich in
food, safe places for building nests, and lack of disturbance.
Biology. Some Black stork pairs are formed during spring migration. The repair of
old nests and the building of new ones is accomplished after mid March. The nests
are situated on trees and rocks. Egg laying in late March. The number of eggs is 1-5
The first young hatch during 5-15 May. The brood consists of an average of 3.2
youngs. Flying young are observed from 11 June till 18 August. The nesting period
extends to 149 days (Nankinov D., in press). Black stork feed not only on fish, but
also on amphibians, reptiles, small rodents, insects, crustaceans, snails and other
invertebrates. To some degree the feeding regime of Black and White storks is
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