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Record number of storks in the Ziegenhain old district despite challenges!
Record numbers of storks were recorded in the Ziegenhain old district in 2025, despite challenging weather conditions and a lack of food.
Record number of storks in the Ziegenhain old district despite challenges!
In recent years, the stork season in the Ziegenhain district has developed impressively. According to ornithologist Heinz Stübing, there are record-breaking ones this year 27 occupied Horste, a significant increase compared to last year's 20 breeding pairs. This positive development is strengthened by the history of storks in Germany, where the number of breeding pairs in Hesse has now increased again to over 1,000.
Despite the encouraging increase in breeding pairs, the region suffered setbacks. So this year only flew33 young storks, which compared to the36represents a decline in the previous year. This decline is largely attributed to challenging weather conditions: a wet spring followed by a dry start to summer led to food shortages for the birds.
Long-term perspectives and history
Stübing points out that in the 1940s there were a maximum of eight breeding pairs in the region. A dramatic decline caused by changes in agriculture left the storks in a precarious situation in the 1960s. It was only in the 1980s and 1990s, when not a single pair could be detected, that the observation of a breeding pair in 1998 proved that the situation could gradually improve.
An exciting detail are the two pairs of storks who have made it a habit to spend the winter months here in the Altkreis. This is part of an optimal route within the migratory bird season and the region is known for its important migratory bird routes, particularly the West Hessian Depression, where storks are often found in the Schwalm floodplains. Not long ago, six local storks were equipped with transmitters, which showed interesting flights, including across the Strait of Gibraltar to Mali.
Overall, it can be said that the storks in Hesse have made a remarkable return and interest in observing them is also increasing. These fascinating birds are the focus of attention for many bird watchers and ornithologists like Stübing, who continue to monitor the development of their populations. It is to be hoped that the coming years will offer better conditions for the storks, so that the number of young storks will increase again and the region will continue to serve as a breeding ground for these majestic animals.