In the 19th century, the generation of bows and arrows was sophisticated: the most powerful recurve bows of the time could launch an arrow at distances of more than 400 meters and pierce armor at distances greater than that of a football field.
This, however, does not explain how an arrow from Central Africa landed in the small town of Klutz, in northern Germany, in 1822. For this, we have to turn to another owner of the skies: the white stork.
Pfeilstorch, a German term meaning “arrow stork,” was the name given to a white stork that landed in the town of Klutz, in the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, in the spring of 1822. life to the stork because the arrow only went through the stork’s skin.
It is a “gift” to science because, until then, the debate revolved around how birds survived winter.
In 1797, Thomas Bewick, an English artist and herbal history author, hinted at the correct answer in his e-book A History of British Birds: stating that a ship’s captain, whose opinion he held in high esteem, was a witness among the islands of Menorca and Mallorca “a gigantic number of swallows fly towards the north. “
This contrasted with the fallacious but widespread belief that swallows hibernated during the winter months. Bewick even conducted experiments with swallows to keep them warm and feed them during the winter months, but concluded that “they leave us when this country can no longer provide them with the proper, herbal food. “
The hibernation theory wasn’t the only theory Bewick had to contend with. In 1703, a Harvard professor suggested that migrating birds flew to the moon and back. Others believed that birds hibernated underwater or, in certain cases, metamorphosed into other birds.
These debates were put to rest after the arrival of the Pfeilstorch in Germany. There was only one logical explanation for the African arrow: northerly migration.
The Pfeilstorch was the first of a series of migratory birds that arrived in Europe with arrows in their skin. Ernst Schüz, a German ornithologist active in the early 20th century, recorded several cases of birds carrying embedded arrows. Among them was a white-bellied stork. discovered in Tanganyika, a Joan of White eagle in Hungary, a space buzzard in Finland and a black kite. He also saw swans and eiders. being hit by Inuit arrows.
Schüz later observed that such sightings were increasingly rare due to the widespread transfer from bows and arrows to firearms.
The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a migratory bird known for its long-distance movements between its breeding and wintering areas. These birds breed primarily in Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia, preferring open landscapes such as wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural fields.
During their migration, they basically follow two main routes: the Eastern Corridor, which takes them through the Balkans, Turkey and the Middle East to the wintering grounds of East Africa, and the Eastern Corridor. western, which crosses the Iberian Peninsula and West Africa.
Migrations paths of the white stork.
White storks avoid crossing large bodies of water, as they rely on thermals for energy-efficient gliding. This preference directs them along land routes such as the Bosporus in Turkey and the Strait of Gibraltar. They begin their autumn migration from breeding sites between August and October, traveling up to 13,000 kilometers to reach their wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa. Spring migration starts between January and March, with storks returning to their breeding areas by May.
While many storks continue to follow those classic routes, some Western European populations have adapted to milder winters and abundant food by avoiding their migrations and wintering closer to their breeding grounds. Despite their adaptability, migratory storks face demanding situations such as habitat loss, hunting and climate change.
Are you an animal lover and have a puppy, even a bird? Take the science-backed puppy personality test to find out precisely how well you know your little friend.
A community. Many voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.
Our network aims to connect other people through open and thoughtful conversations. We need our readers to share their perspectives and exchange ideas and facts in one space.
To do so, please comply with the posting regulations in our site’s terms of use. We summarize some of those key regulations below. In short, civilians.
Your message will be rejected if we notice that it appears to contain:
User accounts will be blocked if we become aware that users are participating in:
So how can you be a user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.