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Belfast Telegraph
21-05-2025
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
USPCA assures public ‘injured' rare white stork spotted across NI is in ‘good health'
The bird, which is not native to the region, has been reported in several locations including Belfast, Downpatrick, and even as far afield as Donegal. White storks are known for their large, long-legs and are typically native to parts of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. They are also best known for their white plumage with black wing feathers and long red beaks and can commonly be mistaken for herons, which are native to Northern Ireland. A wildlife officer was dispatched to assess the stork after its most recent sighting in Belfast and following examination, the bird was found to be in good health and free-flying with no intervention deemed necessary. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. In a statement, the USPCA said: 'White Storks are not native to Northern Ireland and it has obviously drawn attention to itself. We would advise the public not to approach, and give the bird as much space as possible to avoid stress. Dog owners should also be aware around the bird. "The bird should move on at its own leisure if left undisturbed, but if anyone has any further concerns, or believe the bird is in immediate danger, or has become injured, please call 028 3025 1000 as we continue to monitor its wellbeing.' While they are common in countries like Poland, Germany, and Spain, white stork sightings in the UK and Ireland are rare and usually involve birds that have strayed from their usual migration routes.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Belfast: Rare sighting of white stork in Northern Ireland
A rare sighting of a white stork has caught people's attention in various parts of Northern Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) posted on Facebook that it had received "numerous calls from concerned members of the public regarding an "injured stork over the past two days". It seems the bird was spotted in Botanic Gardens, Belfast, parts of Downpatrick in County Down and even in Donegal.A USPCA wildlife officer assessed the stork in Belfast and found it to be "in good health and free flying". Storks are not native to Northern Ireland and the charity has advised the public, especially dog owners, to leave the wildbird alone."We would advise the public, not to approach, and give the bird as much space as possible to avoid stress. Dog owners should also be aware around the bird," it charity added that if left alone the stork will move on, but if anyone has further concerns to contact them. The bird appears to have a metal ring attached to its leg, which might indicate it is from a private collection. The white stork was spotted in Botanic Gardens in Belfast on Tuesday but seemed to be in good spirits, according to onlookers. History of storks on the British Isles White storks are a breeding bird of southern Europe, with a red bill and black and white feathers. A small breeding population live in southern England as part of a reintroduction attempt in 2016, according to the charity British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).The only documented record of a pair of white storks breeding in the UK is from Scotland in 1416, when a pair was reported to have nested on St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. The BTO added that, "since the 1960s, white storks have been recorded in small, but increasing, numbers as scarce migrants, some of which have been considered to be of wild origin, while others are likely to have been released or be birds that have escaped from collections or from reintroduction projects, making it difficult to accurately assess their numbers".
