Bird of the Year 2026

Bird of the Year 2026 Chosen

The Black Stork will be the Bird of the Year 2026 in Belarus.

Citizens of the country could cast their vote for one of five candidate birds until July 30 inclusive. Following the voting results, the Black Stork leads by a large margin across all platforms. It holds first place.

The Black Stork is a bird listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus. It inhabits the forest zone of Eurasia and winters in South Asia. This bird avoids humans, therefore the lifestyle of the Black Stork is poorly studied. It prefers to settle in remote, old forests in plains and foothills near water bodies – forest lakes, rivers, and swamps.

The largest population of Black Storks in the world resides within the territory of the Srednyaya Pripyat заказник (nature reserve), located in Belarus.

As part of the "Bird of the Year" campaign in 2026, educational and conservation initiatives dedicated to the Black Stork will be prepared.

The Bird of the Year in Belarus has been chosen annually since 2000. The White Stork was the first to receive this title. In 2025, the Bird of the Year is the Eurasian Curlew.