The first white stork nested in the village of Zemplínske Hradište in eastern Slovakia. There are about 20 nests in the village. (source: TASR)
Northeastern Slovakia, from Bardejov through Stropkov up to Humenné, has been experiencing a baby boom of storks in 2021.
Martina Vlasaková from the administration of the Poloniny national park stated that the Snina district saw more young storks this year than it has in the last 18 years. The main reason is the stork-friendly, springtime weather, according to Vlasákova and stork expert Miroslav Fulín.
In 2020, 1,236 pairs of white storks nested in Slovakia and brought 2,732 young storks into the world. An average stork couple has three baby storks.
Fulín estimates that the number of pairs this year is 1,350. Full statistical data is not yet available.
The less common cousin of the white stork, the black stork, also nests in Slovakia. They prefer to nest in forests, and estimates place their population size to be somewhere between 600 and 800 pairs.
