Mechelen, Belgium — The year 2025 has only just begun, but ZOO Planckendael has already greeted the first wave of storks returning to the park, marking an unusually early homecoming for the colony.
More than 50 storks have been counted so far, significantly exceeding the numbers observed at this time last year, according to the zoo’s caretakers.
Every year, the zoo eagerly anticipates the return of its stork colony, but this year’s arrival has come as a surprise.
The early comeback suggests that many of the birds did not migrate to their typical southern wintering grounds, opting instead to stay closer to home.
“2024 was another record year with 166 young. Most of those young left in mid-August,” caretaker Olivier stated in a press release.
In total, ZOO Planckendael currently hosts around 376 storks, making it the largest colony in Belgium. The colony has steadily grown since its inception in 1990, when the park welcomed its first six black-and-white storks.
“We have also seen an increasing number of breeding pairs and young in recent years,” Olivier added.
He explained that the birds do not migrate uniformly, causing their return to be staggered. Storks that travelled further south are expected to arrive later, mainly in late February and March.
Not all storks undertake the extensive journey each year. Some adults spend the winter in the park or nearby areas, a behavior not unusual for the species.
“For a stork, roaming several hundred kilometres around their nest is not exceptional outside the breeding period,” Olivier explained.
He noted that storks exhibit various migration strategies, with some venturing as far as southern Spain and West Africa, while others remain relatively close.
The past year equalled 2023’s record, with 166 young storks successfully leaving the park. Most departed in mid-August in three large groups, although a few stayed behind longer and eventually joined migrating flocks.
The adult storks, meanwhile, embarked on their southward journey around mid-September. Some ventured into Germany, the Netherlands, and northern France, while others chose to remain in Belgium, taking advantage of local food sources such as small mammals, insects, and carrion.
The national winter count of storks took place in mid-December, offering a glimpse into the population’s status. “Storks are ideally counted before dawn because they fly out early to look for food,” Olivier noted.
The official count revealed a swift rise in numbers in the days that followed, with empty nests being reoccupied and the familiar sound of clattering beaks echoing throughout the park.
Interestingly, some storks have already been observed carrying branches to their nests—a behavior typically seen later in the year. The recent spell of mild winter weather is believed to be a factor. This early activity has delighted both visitors and caretakers, who now look forward to a promising breeding season.
Storks are also becoming a more common sight outside the zoo, with nests visible on street lights and chimneys in municipalities surrounding Brussels, including Vilvoorde, Machelen, and Grimbergen. The early return of these birds suggests a thriving stork population and sets a hopeful tone for the year ahead.
