What they like

Open countryside with wet edges. Ditch banks, small ditches, species-rich meadows, damp muddy spots. Quiet to breed and a high place to live: nest pole, cthemney, high platform. Help out: leave ditch edges rough, mow in stages, make a wet corner in your garden or park. On a yard or farm: create a wide, herb-rich field margin and retain water longer.

Ecological importance

The stork is a long‑legged cleaner. It picks mice, frogs, earthworms, large insects and sometimes a young rat out of the grass. In doing so it keeps the land alive and balanced. Young storks themselves are prey for birds of prey and foxes when they are on the ground. Breeding high and quietly helps.

When in the Netherlands

Mainly from February through August. Some remain year‑round, especially in mild winters.

Status

Breeding bird. Once nearly gone, now returned thanks to nesting sites and better habitat. Still dependent on wet, food‑rich land.