In legends and fables, the white stork brings luck, children, and prosperity. Today, its presence is often seen as a sign of a healthy environment. Few birds in Europe hold such positive connotations as the white stork (Ciconia ciconia). But how ancient is this bond between humans and storks? Where did it first form, and how has it evolved over time? “To answer these questions, we must first understand when and where the stork lived,” explains archaeologist Dr. Ulrich Schmölcke from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie in Schleswig (LEIZA).
In collaboration with ornithologist Kai-Michael Thomsen of the Michael Otto Institute at NABU, and with support from the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence at Kiel University, Dr. Schmölcke has delved into the history of white storks in Europe. For the first time, they used archaeological finds to trace the bird’s range dynamics since the last Ice Age. “This research shows that northeastern Europe, where the stork is prevalent today, only became part of its range in recent centuries,” says Thomsen. Their findings have been published in the Journal of Ornithology.
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The study involved evaluating previously published bird bone finds from prehistoric and early historic settlements. A significant data set from 1999 contains information on over 7,500 archaeological sites with animal remains, dating from the last Ice Age to the early modern period across Europe. Thomsen and Schmölcke added more recent finds from contemporary research. “Thanks to this extensive database, we can make reliable statements about the distribution of the white stork over the past millennia,” Schmölcke notes.
Before 1500 years ago, Ciconia ciconia was confined to southern and western Europe, with populations primarily on the Iberian Peninsula, the Upper Rhine region, and the southern Balkans. “At the end of antiquity, the distribution boundary of the white stork coincided exactly with the extent of the Roman Empire. Ancient written sources show that it was already closely associated with people in the Mediterranean region at this time,” Schmölcke explains.
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Beyond the borders of the Roman Empire, however, the white stork did not find any suitable habitats. The human population density was significantly lower. There were fewer open spaces, as agriculture was less intense.
“It was only around 1000 years ago that the white stork’s range expanded rapidly to the north-east. This coincides with the medieval ‘Landesausbau’, when many forests were cleared and new agricultural land was created,” says Kai-Michael Thomsen. “Apparently the white stork is a long-term beneficiary of certain man-made landscape changes.”
The study provides important insights for both nature conservation and archaeology. “If we want to understand how species spread or why they disappear from some areas, we can’t just look at the current pattern. We also need to understand the long-term developments,” Thomsen adds.
A 19th-century drawing of a stork on display at the Rijksmuseum – Wikimedia Commons
“Both at LEIZA and in the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence, we are investigating how the relationship between humans and the environment has developed over the past millennia. In order to do this, however, we need to know what the environment looked like in the past and which species occurred where,” adds Schmölcke.
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Future studies will examine additional species, with the potential for even deeper insights. “But the study does show the great potential of cooperation between ornithology and archaeology, especially if we include even more analytical methods such as genetics and isotope measurements in future,” emphasizes Schmölcke.
The article, “Prehistorical and historical occurrence and range dynamic of the Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) and the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) in Europe,” by Ulrich Schmölcke and Kai-Michael Thomsen, appears in the Journal of Ornithology. Click here to read it.
Top Image: The stork in the Bird Book of Hugo Fouilloy Getty MS. LUDWIG XV 4
In legends and fables, the white stork brings luck, children, and prosperity. Today, its presence is often seen as a sign of a healthy environment. Few birds in Europe hold such positive connotations as the white stork (Ciconia ciconia). But how ancient is this bond between humans and storks? Where did it first form, and how has it evolved over time? “To answer these questions, we must first understand when and where the stork lived,” explains archaeologist Dr. Ulrich Schmölcke from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie in Schleswig (LEIZA).
In collaboration with ornithologist Kai-Michael Thomsen of the Michael Otto Institute at NABU, and with support from the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence at Kiel University, Dr. Schmölcke has delved into the history of white storks in Europe. For the first time, they used archaeological finds to trace the bird’s range dynamics since the last Ice Age. “This research shows that northeastern Europe, where the stork is prevalent today, only became part of its range in recent centuries,” says Thomsen. Their findings have been published in the Journal of Ornithology.
The study involved evaluating previously published bird bone finds from prehistoric and early historic settlements. A significant data set from 1999 contains information on over 7,500 archaeological sites with animal remains, dating from the last Ice Age to the early modern period across Europe. Thomsen and Schmölcke added more recent finds from contemporary research. “Thanks to this extensive database, we can make reliable statements about the distribution of the white stork over the past millennia,” Schmölcke notes.
Before 1500 years ago, Ciconia ciconia was confined to southern and western Europe, with populations primarily on the Iberian Peninsula, the Upper Rhine region, and the southern Balkans. “At the end of antiquity, the distribution boundary of the white stork coincided exactly with the extent of the Roman Empire. Ancient written sources show that it was already closely associated with people in the Mediterranean region at this time,” Schmölcke explains.
Beyond the borders of the Roman Empire, however, the white stork did not find any suitable habitats. The human population density was significantly lower. There were fewer open spaces, as agriculture was less intense.
“It was only around 1000 years ago that the white stork’s range expanded rapidly to the north-east. This coincides with the medieval ‘Landesausbau’, when many forests were cleared and new agricultural land was created,” says Kai-Michael Thomsen. “Apparently the white stork is a long-term beneficiary of certain man-made landscape changes.”
The study provides important insights for both nature conservation and archaeology. “If we want to understand how species spread or why they disappear from some areas, we can’t just look at the current pattern. We also need to understand the long-term developments,” Thomsen adds.
“Both at LEIZA and in the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence, we are investigating how the relationship between humans and the environment has developed over the past millennia. In order to do this, however, we need to know what the environment looked like in the past and which species occurred where,” adds Schmölcke.
Future studies will examine additional species, with the potential for even deeper insights. “But the study does show the great potential of cooperation between ornithology and archaeology, especially if we include even more analytical methods such as genetics and isotope measurements in future,” emphasizes Schmölcke.
The article, “Prehistorical and historical occurrence and range dynamic of the Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) and the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) in Europe,” by Ulrich Schmölcke and Kai-Michael Thomsen, appears in the Journal of Ornithology. Click here to read it.
Top Image: The stork in the Bird Book of Hugo Fouilloy Getty MS. LUDWIG XV 4
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