From Antiquity to the Middle Ages: The White Stork's Journey Across Europe - Medievalists.net

For the first time, they used archaeological finds to trace the bird's range dynamics since the last Ice Age, revealing that northeastern Europe only recently became part of the stork's range.

Before 1500 years ago, Ciconia ciconia was confined to southern and western Europe, primarily existing on the Iberian Peninsula, Upper Rhine region, and southern Balkans.

Thanks to this extensive database, we can make reliable statements about the distribution of the white stork over the past millennia, highlighting its historical presence and migration.

The bond between humans and the white stork, associated with luck and prosperity, has evolved and is deeply rooted in European culture and environment.

Read at Medievalists.net