The island of Høje Sande at the mouth of Skjern River in West Jutland has broken records this summer with the number of breeding white storks. According to the Danish Ornithological Society (DOF), a total of 623 breeding pairs have been registered, making the colony one of the largest in Northern Europe. The white bird with its distinctive broad, long beak has found ideal conditions in the area, where Høje Sande alone is home to 438 breeding pairs of white storks.
Senior researcher at Aarhus University, Thomas Bregnballe, estimates that this number approaches the maximum possible for a colony in Denmark. The white storks from Høje Sande utilize the entire Ringkøbing Fjord area and Skjern Meadows for their foraging. Last year, 409 breeding pairs were recorded in Danish colonies, but the number was lower than the previous year, causing concern among researchers for a potential decline this year.
One of the challenges facing the white storks is the white-tailed eagle, which is also increasing in numbers in Denmark. The white-tailed eagle disturbs the white storks, although it does not directly hunt them. Thomas Bregnballe explains that this year the white storks have had more peace to breed, and the white-tailed eagles have not been a threat at Høje Sande.
Traditionally, West Jutland and Limfjord have been core areas for the white stork, but there is now a trend of the species spreading as a breeding bird. For example, 13 pairs of white storks have bred on the artificial island of Peberholm at the Øresund Crossing, which is the easternmost colony in Denmark. Thomas Bregnballe believes that the white storks in the Øresund area can act as an outpost that will spread to Sweden in the future. He also predicts that climate change may lead to an even more northern distribution of the white stork.
The white stork, a migratory bird, typically winters in West Africa, but in recent years some have also wintered in Southern Europe. Most white storks arrive in Denmark in March and April and leave the country again in August and September. The species reintroduced as a breeding bird to Denmark in 1996.