On Tuesday, an RTL.lu reader submitted striking video footage and photographs showing an unusually large gathering of white storks in a Luxembourg field.
The remarkable sighting raises questions: Why are so many storks congregating in Luxembourg simultaneously?
Our colleagues consulted bird expert Jim Schmitz for explanation. For migratory birds like white storks, August signals the start of their annual journey to Africa, Schmitz noted. While Luxembourg commonly serves as a stopover point, the expert acknowledged the photographed gathering appears “very impressive” in scale.
These storks follow well-established migration routes from northern Europe to Africa. Many traverse France before reaching the Gibraltar crossing – a journey spanning thousands of kilometres.
According to Schmitz, storks naturally congregate in sizable groups during migration to rest and replenish energy. Open fields provide ideal foraging grounds, he noted, explaining the birds feed collectively on abundant insects, frogs, and other small prey.
The white stork holds cultural significance across Europe, long revered as a harbinger of good fortune. Conservation efforts in recent decades have successfully bolstered populations in several regions after previous declines.
While increasingly stable populations mean more frequent sightings, this week’s massive gathering in Wincrange’s farmlands still qualifies as an exceptional event.
