Happy surprise: three healthy chicks for the Oslo stork couple!

Happy surprise: three healthy chicks for the Oslo stork couple!

After a sad loss, the pair of storks in Osnabrück have brought a breath of fresh air into their nest with the birth of three chicks. This happy event is particularly notable after a strange stork attacked the pair's first brood this spring, killing all four chicks. The white stork carer Rita Lunde was thrilled about the current development because she had originally only hoped for another chick. For many, this positive turnaround is welcome news from the natural world.

The nest, which is located on the main road, now shows the three young storks waiting to hopefully be successfully reared. The older chick is already around two and a half to three weeks old and enjoys the attention of his touchingly caring father. Unfortunately, the challenge that parent storks have to overcome cannot be underestimated. At the same time, there remains concern that in other regions, such as Bavaria, storks are throwing their chicks out of their nests due to lack of food, leading to an extremely tragic fate. This practice is often due to the deteriorated living conditions for the animals.

Challenges for storks

The situation for white storks is tense in many parts of Germany. Their habitats suffer from intensive agriculture and the use of pesticides, which severely deplete food sources such as voles and earthworms. It has been reported that storks often struggle to adequately care for all chicks, which can subsequently lead to the drastic step of throwing chicks out of the nest, as observed in Bavaria. The drought in spring 2025 will further exacerbate this problem, as earthworms will flee to deeper soil layers and the prey for the storks will become sparser.

The population development of white storks is cause for concern. While around 9,000 breeding pairs were counted in Germany in 1934, the number fell to just 2,949 breeding pairs by 1988. However, thanks to intensive conservation and environmental efforts, a recovery is being observed: in 2019 there were already over 7,500 breeding pairs. These good developments show the positive influence of nature conservation measures and such a sustainable approach to nature.

A look into the future

The white storks have adapted and often show changes in their migratory behavior, resulting in fewer dangers and losses. Wintering conditions in West Africa have also improved, contributing to global population stabilization. Experts have found that the number of storks is increasing, especially in the old federal states.

Although the challenges in raising storks still remain, the baby happiness in Osnabrück gives hope for a positive development. The father stork takes loving care of his offspring, and the world watches with excitement to see whether all three chicks will successfully make the leap into adulthood. It is hoped that such positive news can find more space and create awareness for the protection of these majestic birds.

WAZ reports on the good news from Osnabrück.
RTL highlights the challenges facing white storks in Bavaria.
NABU provides information about the population development and protection of the white stork.