Poland is a center of so called eastern population of white storks. There are around 40 000 pairs there which is an European record. In countries like Denmark, Belgium, Holland lives not more than over a dozen pairs. The second biggest population has Spain – a center of western population. Eastern and western populations do not meet during flight, they have different habits. Eastern storks live in countryside, build nests on house roofs and electric polls. The western ones are city fans. Their nests are on churches and castles. The biggest group of 110 nests is in Alvaro town in Navarra province. Western and eastern storks prefer different menu. Those from east eat small mammals and amphibians, and hunt on wetlands. Westerners occupy steppes and agricultural areas and mostly feed themselves with invertebrates e.g. grasshopper.
They are threatened by irrigational plans, quite on the contrary to eastern storks which are endangered by drying programs.
