A record 311 white stork pairs have nested in Slovenia this year, seeing 673 baby storks fly from their nests in what is another new high since the first annual white stork census was carried out in the country in 1999.

"During the census we visit all white stork nests in Slovenia and we check the breeding success. We do this from late June to early July when the baby storks are big enough to be easily counted," Urška Gajšek from the Bird Watching Association (DOPPS) explained.

Talking with locals about the nesting process, fights for the nest and arrivals of storks is a very important part of the process, allowing census takers to learn the information that cannot be obtained otherwise. They also inspect the nest for stability and security.

The association performed the census for the 26th year running this year. They have been using an internationally established method and their data is included in the international white stork census.

Many storks arrived in Slovenia earlier than usual this year due to mild winter. The first returned to their nests in early February, while they usually return in the second half of March. Many pairs were able to start nesting early and saw their chicks fly two to four weeks earlier than usual.

According to DOPPS head Damijan Denac, the white stork likes a warm and dry climate, meaning it can adapt to climate change well. "It populates new areas and it apparently has enough food sources, which is what makes it so successful," Denac said.

The number of stork pairs nesting in Slovenia has increased only slightly from last year's 300, but that year only 437 chicks were counted, compared to 673 this year. This was largely due to the cold and rainy weather in May when the chicks are at a stage when they cannot yet regulate their body temperature and many pass away.

In rainy weather storks can also struggle to find enough food and will sometimes abandon one chick to increase the odds of survival for the others.

Until this year the highest number of stork pairs nesting in Slovenia was 300, recorded in 2023, and the most baby storks made it out of their nests in 2020 when there were 596 chicks.