Differences between Rook and Stork

Rook and Stork are two classes of birds that belong to the Corvidae and Ciconiidae families respectively.

Rook is a Eurasian bird that resembles the Crow. It has black plumage with purple sheen in addition to bushy feathers on its thighs. The bill is sharp and slightly curved. The legs are black with three forward and one backward toe. The bird differs from Crow and other members of the family by the white bare skin at the base of its bill. It is however as intelligent as other species of the Corvidae family. It can solve puzzles, plan in advance, build and apply tools, mimic human vocabulary, and display sophisticated behavior. The Rook family consists of two sub-species, namely, the Western Rook and the Eastern Rook.

Stork is a large wading bird with long legs and long beak. Its beak and legs are usually red in color, while its eyes are grey. The color of its body could be streaks of white, black, and red depending on the geography. The bird’s head and upper neck are usually not covered with feathers. The Stork is almost mute as it has an undeveloped syrinx. The Stork family consists of about 20 species of birds such as Marabou Stork and Adjutant Stork. The family is related to Herons, Ibises, and Flamingos.

Where are Rook and Stork found?

Rooks prefer open grasslands, agricultural fields, and pastures with ample tall trees for breeding. The birds can be found in the fringes of towns and cities. Rooks exist in the UK, Ireland, Iran, northern and central Europe, parts of Asia, and New Zealand.

Storks choose to live near marshes, grasslands, meadows, rivers, ponds, and lakes. They are not prevalent across the world. They exist chiefly in Asia, Africa, and Europe. One bird from their species can be found in Australia, while three others occur around Argentina and Florida.

What do Rook and Stork eat?

Rooks are omnivores. They dig into agricultural fields for insects, larvae, and worms. They also eat beetles, larger insects, mice, small birds, eggs, seeds, grains, carrion, and food waste thrown away by humans.

Storks are carnivores that mainly eat fish. They also feed on reptiles, insects, amphibians, mice, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and even small alligators. They generally capture their prey in fields and shallow waters.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Rook and Stork

• Both Rook and Stork eat Fish.
• Both Rook and Stork eat Frogs.
• Both Rook and Stork eat Lizards.
• Both Rook and Stork eat Snakes.
• Both Rook and Stork eat Turtles.
• Both Rook and Stork eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Rook, but not by all Stork.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Rookand Stork.
• Mice are eaten by both Rook and Stork.

Size of Rook and Stork?

When it comes to size, Rooks are 1.4-1.5 feet long. They have a wingspan of three feet.. Storks are huge birds. They are about two to five feet tall with wide wings that measure over 10 feet. The biggest storks in the world are the Shoebill and Marabou that stand five feet tall.

The average weight of Rooks is 11.99-18.69 ounces. while Average weight of Storks is 3-17 pounds depending on the species. Marabou is the largest species and weighs around 17 pounds.

Where do Rook and Stork nest?

Rooks build large nests in colonies that are known as rookeries. They are constructed with twigs and lined with mud, moss, leaves, grass, hair, and wool. The nests stand freely on tall trees. Both male and female partners involve themselves in the construction of the nests. In some instances, they use old nests from previous years. The eggs are greenish white and sometimes have dark spots on them. They are about four centimeters long. The mother Rook incubates the eggs for 16-18 days. During this time, she does not leave the nest and gets fed by her partner. After the eggs hatch, both partners take turns to feed the young ones. The chicks fledge when they are four weeks old but continue to secure food from the parents for more time.

Storks build their nests on trees and shrubs that stand in flooded water. They do so to keep predators away from eating the eggs. Both male and female birds participate in the construction of the nest, besides sharing the responsibility to incubate them for about five weeks, after which the eggs hatch. Baby Storks usually fledge 50-65 days after hatching. An interesting fact about parenting in Storks is that the parents sometimes throw some chicks out of the nests so that they can feed the healthy chicks well and support their survival.

How long do Rook and Stork live?

The average lifespan of Rooks is five to 10 years. However, through bird banding it has been observed that some Rooks live up to 20 years.

Storks can live for over 30 years in the wild. They have been known to live up to 35 years in captivity. The longest living species was a White Stork that lived for 39 years in Switzerland.

Are Rook or Stork migratory birds?

The migration of Rooks depends on their location. The ones living in the southern hemisphere are mostly residents. The birds in the north relocate to the south during winters. They migrate in large flocks along with other species from their family, especially the Jackdaws. They return to their rookeries at the onset of spring. Rooks from northern parts of Europe and Asia migrate to southern Asia, western Europe, and the Middle East for wintering.

Storks migrate during winters to warmer regions as they cannot find food in colder weather. They are known to migrate long distances, for instance from Europe to Africa, sub-Saharan region to South Africa or India. They mostly migrate in huge groups.

Do Rook and Stork fly in flocks?

A flock of Rooks is known as parliament, building, or clamor. Rooks are the most sociable in the Corvidae family. They are always spotted in large groups. They forage in flocks and use various vocalization to communicate. The birds are also known to play amongst themselves. In addition, Rooks sleep in big groups and nest together in large colonies.

A group of Storks is known as a muster of Storks or a phalanx of Storks. These birds are highly sociable. They stay together and migrate in massive flocks that can even encompass a thousand birds. However, during the breeding season they prefer smaller groups or solitude.

Are Rook or Stork protected?

Rooks are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act in the UK. However, they can be killed with a permit to protect crops and livestock, and for the safety of aircrafts. Similar laws exist in other parts of Europe and Asia.

Storks are a protected species in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Conservation laws like the African Conservation Action Plan and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement have come up in response to concerns of the International Union for Conservation of Nature that the Black Storks are not protected satisfactorily.

Are Rook or Stork endangered?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified Rooks as species of least concern. The birds are not endangered. They exist in millions in their territorial countries.

Storks are extant birds. They had become extinct in the UK about 500 years back but emerged back in the 1970s. They have however become extinct in Japan, Korea, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The Adjutant Stork is endangered in India and Cambodia, and the Painted Stork is critically endangered in parts of Asia. Very few Storks are also left in Italy due to widespread poaching.

Can Rook and Stork fly?

Rooks typically fly in large flocks. They keep their wings stiff during direct flights. They sometimes soar high in the company of Jackdaws. They fly at a speed of 32-45 miles an hour during migration.

Storks fly with their neck and legs stretched out. They flap and soar with their broad wings, using thermal air currents. They can reach altitudes of 1,500 metres above sea level and touch speeds of over 110 miles per hour. During migration, they fly nearly 4,400 miles.

Can Rook and Stork swim?

Rooks do not have webbed feet like waterbirds. Their body is not adaptable for swimming.

Storks are not swimmers. They do not prefer deep waters and usually choose shallow waters for their habitat.

Mating patterns among Rook and Stork

Rooks generally start mating when they are two years old. The male Rook sets the ground for courtship by bowing to the female, swinging his tail, and crouching his wings. He will also fetch food for her. The female will bow in return, ruffle her wings, and spread out her tail in acceptance. The partners caress each other’s bill and sing while mating. They are likely to be assaulted by other male birds. The female lays three to four eggs every breeding season. She takes the responsibility of incubating the eggs while the male fetches food for her. Once the eggs hatch, the partners feed the young ones during nesting and even for few weeks after fledging.

Storks start breeding when they are about four years old. The male bird is the first one to arrive at the nesting site. He initiates by building a nest or revamping an existing one and ducking on it. The male and female engage in elaborate mating dances. They raise a single brood each year, which consists of two to five eggs.

When is the mating season for Rook and Stork ?

The mating season for Rooks is March-June. The migratory birds return to their territories when spring sets in.

The breeding season for Storks is generally the spring. This is usually from the start of February till the end of April.

Do Rook and Stork mate for life?

Rooks are monogamous and generally mate for life. Nevertheless, there may be instances of bigamy. A nest could be used by multiple females.

Storks are known to be monogamous and faithful to their partners during every breeding season and even for a few years. They may find new partners during migrations or in consecutive breeding seasons. In case of monogamous partners, they generally revisit their nesting site and use the same nests with little restoration.

How do Rook and Stork sleep?

Rooks spend the nights in enormous flocks. As the sun sets, a noisy group of birds return to roosting sites. They sleep on branches in woodlands or even settle down in their rookeries. At daybreak, the birds disperse in different directions in search of food.

Storks roost in colonies. They sleep on trees and shrubs surrounded by water. Some storks even sleep standing on one leg in water.

Can Rook and Stork be eaten?

Rooks are said to be consumed largely during the second world war. People still consume them in a gravy. The Rook pie recipe is much acclaimed. Although consumption of scavenging birds is not desired, people are not averse to Rook meat. The meat of young Rooks is said to be more delectable than that of adult Rooks.

Storks are edible and some people do eat them. However, the bird is protected, and it is illegal to kill them for food.

Can you hunt Rook or Stork?

Shooting young Rooks was a sport in the UK in earlier years. This served the purpose of sport, pest control, and hunting for meat. Rooks are known as agricultural pests. Killing them with with a license is permitted in most parts of the world as they destroy livestock and crops. They also rummage waste bins and cause health hazards to humans.

Thousands of White Storks lose their lives every year due to illegal hunting for sport, especially in Lebanon and Italy. The birds are also shot for their meat. All this is despite existence of laws to protect the bird.

Can you feed Rook or Stork?

Rooks are not picky eaters. They can be given worms, insects, meat, berries, and fruits.

Feeding wild animals and birds in public places is not permitted in places like USA, Singapore, and Dubai. Storks are huge birds and need to be fed a lot of food. In captivity, these birds are fed with fish, frogs, small birds, earthworms, lizards, and meat.