Storks about Schwäbisch Gmünd: an unusual sight of roofs!

Storks about Schwäbisch Gmünd: an unusual sight of roofs!

Schwäbisch Gmünd, Deutschland - Also today, on June 21, 2025, a particularly nice sight in Schwäbisch Gmünd causes a stir: Two white storks made themselves comfortable at the Johanniskirche. Passers were visibly enthusiastic about the rattling of the majestic birds and stopped to watch the unusual spectacle. Loud Eastern district currently about ten stork pairs that are building their nests here.

This positive development is no coincidence. In the Schwäbisch Gmünd region there is a clear increase in the stork population, which is very trendy of the entire Ostalb district and even Baden-Württemberg. Storks feel more and more drawn to their breeding sites, even thanks to the milder winter. As the Welt have changed so that storks have increasingly changed in Germany and Head the southern Europe instead of taking the long flights to Africa.

more and more storks in Baden-Württemberg

The white stork population in Baden-Württemberg has reached an increase to 2,191 breeding pairs this year, while there were 12,122 breeding pairs nationwide in the previous year. Overall, it is around 13,000 breeding pairs in Germany, which shows a gratifying trend when you consider that only about 3,000 couples were counted in 1988. The food supply for the storks is important, which is why moist meadows in the area are crucial, since there are slight earthworms and other animals.

There was a short breath in 2018 when plans for the settlement of wild storks were rejected in the Himmert Garden in Gmünd. At the time, graduate biologist Ute Reinhard said that the region was not considered a suitable habitat. However, the developments of recent years show that the spread of this species can be supported by targeted human measures. Removing drainage and creating nesting opportunities could create future breeding sites in the region.

A look at the stork census results

As part of the 8th International Weißstork count, which is organized by nabu , the results from 40 out of 55 participating countries are available. These additions are important in order to get a precise picture of the stork population, since the breeding pairs have already been increased to 330,000. The final figures are to be published by autumn 2025.

The preservation and promotion of the stork population is not only a question of nature conservation, but also a matter that affects our culture and traditions. After all, the white stork is a symbol of spring feelings, happiness and even child blessing. In this sense, we hope that the storks will continue to find a home in Schwäbisch Gmünd and beyond!