White Storks Could Return to London After 600 Years

The giant birds, with wingspans of up to two metres, were once a common sight in Britain, until hunting and habitat loss drove them to extinction.

Soon to be a fixture of London's skyline?

White storks thrive in various European cities and their surrounding areas, often nesting on rooftops, chimneys, and electric pylons, and foraging in nearby wetlands and farmlands. They are particularly noticeable in cities with a strong tradition of co-existence with humans, such as Strasbourg and Madrid.

Meanwhile, reintroductions in southern England have led to a boom in sightings around Greater London. Now social enterprise Citizen Zoo is asking Londoners for their thoughts on sharing the city’s trees, rooftops and buildings with the majestic birds after an absence of six centuries. Its London White Stork Project will also scope out likely habitat hotspots in the city - and, from a nest in Sussex, south of London, you can see their live-cam feed here.

White storks are seen as an ‘umbrella species’ whose protection brings a boost for other species. Their huge nests provide shelter and a food source for insects and other birds.

“We can make the conscious choice to integrate more nature into our cities,” Elliot Newton, co-founder and director of rewilding at Citizen Zoo. “[Doing so] will bring a whole wealth of benefits.”

"What we want to see is how can we make London a more white stork-friendly environment, and embrace it for its ability to inspire people about the nature we can and should have close to where we live."