Storks Planckendael: Spring is back in the country and that means there’s lots to do again at ZOO Planckendael! Our feathered friends, the storks, have returned from their warm winter quarters. With their long red legs and large wings, they are an impressive sight. And this year they are even earlier than usual! How is that possible? And what makes Planckendael’s stork colony so special? Read on quickly and find out!

@Jonas Verhulst
Early birds catch the most worms…. or nests?
2025 has only just begun, but ZOO Planckendael already welcomed the first storks after an absence of a few months. During the first counts, more than 50 birds were already observed in the Mechelen animal park. That is many more than last year around this time. Already it is a clatter of birds over the park, searching for the best nest! “2024 was another record year with 166 young. Most of those young left in mid-August“, says caretaker Olivier.
ZOO Planckendael annually looks forward to the homecoming of the stork colony, an important tradition. This year the arrival is extra early: the first birds have already landed back in the park and let their clatter be heard. Probably these birds did not fly all the way to the far South, but wintered closer to home.

@Jonas Verhulst
But why exactly do storks choose Planckendael as their home? The answer is simple: they feel safe here and have everything they need here. The park offers the storks spacious nesting sites, plenty of food and a peaceful environment to raise their young.
A Colony in Growth
Did you know that Planckendael’s stork colony is one of the largest in the country? It all started with a few pairs brought to the park in the 1990s. Thanks to good care and a suitable habitat, the colony grew steadily. Today, hundreds of storks live in Planckendael.

@Jonas Verhulst
“In total, ZOO Planckendael counts some 376 birds and also had an increasing number of breeding pairs and young in recent years. This makes it the largest colony in the country. These storks do not all winter in the same place, so their return is also staggered“, says Olivier. Storks that traveled longer distances are expected from late February and especially in March.
In any case, not all storks embark on the big trek every year: “We know that several of our adult birds winter here in the park or the wider area. For a stork, roaming a few hundred kilometers around their nest is no exception outside of the breeding season“, says Olivier. “In the animals that do leave, we see different strategies.“
Different Wintering Types
Most of the 2024 stork young left in mid-August in three large groups. A small proportion of the young stayed a little longer and later joined groups of vagrants to engage in another part of the migration.

@Jonas Verhulst
The adult storks leave for the South around mid-September. In addition to the birds that stay in the park, some others continue to roam locally. They migrate toward Germany, the Netherlands and northern France in a matter of days. Storks are great opportunists when it comes to food. They eat small mammals such as moles, mice, or frogs but they also relish insects, carrion, and earthworms. If enough food can be found in the area, they do not need to fly far away. So this group of storks returns earlier. They spend the night in the park while looking for food elsewhere.
A Look Behind the Scenes
Want to know what the life of a stork caretaker is like? Our caretakers work hard to make sure the storks are enjoying themselves. They check the nests, take care of sick birds and conduct research and ring these unique birds. This is how we learn more and more about these fascinating animals.

@Jonas Verhulst
The national winter count took place in mid-December. “Storks are ideally counted before sunrise, because they fly out early to look for food“, says Olivier. The official count is a snapshot, so additional observations give a more complete picture. “In the days following the count, we saw the number of storks increase rapidly. Storks are nest faithful, which is why they always return. Empty nests were reclaimed and clattering could be heard all over the park. There is a lot of territorial drift, which means that there is a lot of flapping among them to make clear “this is my nest, fly on“. Some storks are already flying around with branches to decorate their nests, which normally happens later. The mild winter weather of recent months probably plays a role in this.”
“Meanwhile, we have already counted more than 50 storks. Storks that have wintered up to several hundred kilometers from the park are already peeping and taking back their nests and beautifying“, explains Olivier. So this year the nests over the park are busy extra early.
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The Greatest Threats to Storks
Although things are looking good for storks now, there are also threats. Climate change, habitat loss and pesticide use can threaten the survival of storks. Fortunately, there are many people working to protect these beautiful birds.

@Jonas Verhulst
Record year 2024
Since 1990, storks have been welcome guests at ZOO Planckendael. It all started with six of these black and white birds. The young of these breeding pairs then had the opportunity to leave for warmer places in August. At the time, there were hardly any storks taking the western migration route. Thanks to their release, the park brought the stork back to Belgium. “They migrated as much as 5,000 kilometers to southern Spain and even to West Africa, but came back, again and again. The colony has expanded briskly since then. In 2024, we counted 166 young, equaling the record set in 2023. With 71 successful nests and 376 birds in total, it was a successful year for the country’s largest colony“, explains spokeswoman Amanda Wielemans. Curious to see what else 2025 has in store for this special species.
How can you help?
You too can contribute to the protection of the stork. By visiting Planckendael you support the preservation of the stork colony. You can also contribute in your own garden by, for example, creating a pond or choosing native plants.
Come to ZOO Planckendael and admire these special birds up close!