A couple of storks (Ciconia ciconia), from two recovery centres in Cáceres and Madrid, has managed to nest and have four chicks in the aviary of ​​Terra Natura Benidorm. Veterinarians haven´t done examination to the small birds to avoid possible rejection from their parents. As soon as they grow a little older, they will proceed to carry out an in-depth review and determine their sex.

The parents arrived at Terra Natura Benidorm in 2006 and 2008. In the case of adult storks, they are usually cared in these centres due to the injuries caused by power lines. When they fly, they don´t see them and crash into them with serious consequences for their health. Another problem they have is the tangles in their body caused by the ropes left in abandoned places which they use to make the nest.

Both parents are very watchful and protective with their four chicks, both have spent time incubating the eggs until they hatched and now, they feed and protect them. To do this, they provide regurgitated food to the chicks every hour until they reach 10 days of age, from this point they will start to leave more time between the feedings until they become independent with two months of age.

The four chicks were born with a thick grey down, characteristic of this species. When they are born, they are blind, so they are completely dependent to their parents. Although the conservation of this species is not a concern, we should know that a few years ago its populations were reduced due to the use of pesticides. However, thanks to conservation efforts and better use of land and wetlands, their populations have recovered with a slight increase.

At present, Terra Natura Benidorm has a group of four common storks plus the four new chicks. The species uses the same nest throughout its life, so every year they try to fix it and make it bigger. There have been cases where the nests reach almost a ton in weight. Their fidelity towards the nest translates into fidelity towards the couple as they are monogamous. Another of their curiosities is the sound they make similar to chattering, which happens when their jaws click, known as crotoreo, and they use it to greet their partner.