WHITE STORK: Fertility

Since She is often the first Bird seen in spring, the Ukrainians refer to White Stork as “The Messenger of Spring”. In northern Germany, White Stork returns to her nest in March, nine months after Midsummer. When White Stork returns in the spring, She adds more sticks to her already enormous nest. Often building her nest on the roofs of people’s homes, White Stork will then line it with paper and clothing from the humans. Since She brought prosperity to any family where She nested, people encouraged White Stork to make her home on their buildings.


As portrayed in books, White Stork brings babies to people. Since Pagan times, many people in Europe believed that She brought fertility (hence babies) to people. There is such a strong association between White Stork and babies that newborns often have “stork bites”, small pink patches on their eyelids or upper lips. These patches are believed to be “gifts” from the White Stork.

Many people associate White Stork with fertility and prosperity. However, most modern people often think of fertility only in terms of babies. But, fertility also encompasses abundance, and of course prosperity. Let White Stork nest on your roof, and experience abundance in your life. Be fertile in all areas of your life.
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Science Notes:

1. Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana) is not a subspecies of White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). The White Stork has two subspecies: European (Ciconia ciconia ciconia) and West Asian (Ciconia ciconia asiatica).