The black stork (Ciconia nigra) has been chosen as the Bird of the Year 2026 in Belarus.

Several factors about it:
The Black Stork is listed in the Red Book of Belarus and is protected throughout the country.
It leads a secretive lifestyle. Unlike the White Stork, it avoids people, preferring remote, inaccessible forests and large trees for nesting.
For nesting, Black Storks choose large forests where they are rarely disturbed by humans. Most often, these are old oak groves, aspen groves, and less often, coniferous forests. The main condition is that there should be marshy areas nearby, where the birds can easily find food.
Black Stork nests can be used for decades.