Storks and migratory birds prepare for seasonal migration

Migratory birds, including white and black storks, are beginning to gather in groups in preparation for their journey to African wintering grounds. In areas like the Körös-Maros National Park, storks can be seen congregating in large numbers, sometimes numbering in the dozens, at feeding sites such as grasslands and marshes.

Experts from the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society (MME) note that climate change is altering the timing of these migrations. Péter Lovászi, head of the monitoring and research department, explains that changes in food availability—such as the drying of shallow lakes or the earlier ripening of berries—are shifting migration patterns.

For storks, factors like drought and changes in mowing or harvesting schedules affect their food supply. In recent years, large stork groups have been observed as early as early August, with very few remaining in Hungary by late August. Additionally, some Eastern European storks have increasingly sought food at landfills, leading to more sudden and noticeable departures from settlements.