As in every year, this summer numerous storks arrived at our centre, most of them in their first year of life, in need of care. Some had been orphaned, while others suffered wing or leg injuries during the period when they were learning to fly.

On 20 August, five individuals were declared fit to fly and were released near Sângeorgiu de Mureș (Mureș County).

Of the five that remained in the aviaries of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, two, brought to us from the Vets4Wild Veterinary Clinic, were prepared for reintroduction into the wild. One was a stork recovering from a sprained leg, which had spent about a month with us, and the other was a ringed specimen from Poland, which needed only a week to regain its strength. The two recovered together in the same aviary. Upon release, the stork with the sprain did not hesitate, quickly rising into the sky, and after circling twice, it returned to the field near the “Pole” that had remained on the ground. The scene repeated itself, the braver bird seemingly encouraging the other to take flight as well. A few hours later, we returned to check the site and found that both birds had left the area.

About a week later, it was the turn of two other young storks to taste freedom once more. One had arrived from Maramureș County in a weakened state, and the other from Mureș County with a strained wing. Both birds recovered swiftly and could be released back into the wild.

In our centre, only one stork was not declared fit to fly. It will be transferred to a large aviary in Sânsimion, where it will spend the winter.