The Black Stork is the Bird of the Year

The Black Stork has been chosen as the Bird of the Year 2026 in Belarus. This is a large migratory bird with black plumage and a white belly. It is included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus.

It is not easy to see a Black Stork in person. It avoids humans and inhabits remote, hard-to-reach forests, marshy lowlands, and the banks of forest rivers. This bird chooses large trees with strong branches to build its nests.

The Black Stork is more selective in its diet compared to the White Stork: its diet mainly consists of fish, brown frogs, and large insects.