Differences between Stork and Swallow

Stork and Swallow are two classes of birds that belong to the Ciconiidae and Hirundinidae families respectively.

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.

Swallow encompasses about 90 species of birds. These birds are small with short bills. The color of their plumage varies depending on the species. The back could be plain or bluish green. The belly is usually plain and white, while the lower part of the face and the neck are usually red. The wings of Swallows are narrow and pointed. The tail is long with the tip either square or forked. The birds have short legs with small feet for perching, walking, and running. They have exemplary eyesight. The birds spend most of their time in flight. Some prominent and widespread Swallow species are Barn Swallow, Mosque Swallow, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, and Bank Swallow.

Where are Stork and Swallow found?

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.

Swallows prefer locations that are near lakes, rivers, and waterbodies. However, they live in diverse habitats. They can be found in open grasslands, meadows, alpine areas, and even towns and cities. Swallows are distributed in almost all continents – Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. They do not exist in Antarctica, the Arctic, and some remote islands.

What do Stork and Swallow eat?

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.

Swallows are insectivores. They chiefly eat flies and insects like mosquitoes, wasps, bees, spiders, ants, butterflies, snails, grasshoppers, worms, bugs, moths, crickets, and beetles. They are capable of hunting their prey during flight. In winters, the birds eat berries and seeds.

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

• Stork do eat Fish while Swallow may not eat Fish.
• Stork do eat Frogs while Swallow may not eat Frogs.
• Stork do eat Lizards while Swallow may not eat Lizards.
• Stork do eat Snakes while Swallow may not eat Snakes.
• Stork do eat Turtles while Swallow may not eat Turtles.
• Stork do eat Squirrels while Swallow may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Stork while Swallow do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are commonly eaten by Stork while Swallow do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Stork do eat Mice while Swallow may not eat Mice.

Size of Stork and Swallow?

When it comes to size, 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 size of Swallows differs based on the species. The average length is 3.9-9.4 inches, while the wingspan is about 11-12.6 inches. Mosque Swallow is one of the largest among the species. It is about 9.4 inches long. The species is native to Africa.

Average weight of Storks is 3-17 pounds depending on the species. Marabou is the largest species and weighs around 17 pounds. while The average weight of Swallows is 0.35-2.11 ounces. Mosque Swallows, which are one of the largest Swallow birds, weigh around two ounces.

Where do Stork and Swallow nest?

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.

Swallows build their nests in tree holes, cavities of dead trees, nest boxes, ledges of buildings, crannies, or small craters in the ground. The birds prefer dimly lit areas to keep their nests and eggs safe from the sight of predators. Both male and female Swallows engage in nest building. The nests are shaped like cups and mostly made of mud. The birds gather mud in their bills for its construction. They also mix mud with grass and other plant material to make pellets. Swallow nests typically consist of about 1,000 pellets. It usually takes one to two weeks for the birds to complete the nest. Swallow eggs are oval with about 0.8 inches in length and 0.6 inches in width. They are plain white and could have brown speckles. The female incubates the eggs for about 14 days. The nestlings that hatch thereafter are mostly naked and do not open their eyes fully until the tenth day. They fledge when they are 18-24 days old but keep returning to the nest for many weeks.

How long do Stork and Swallow live?

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.

The life expectancy of Swallows is very small. They are known to live for two to four years. The oldest known Swallow bird lived for a record 11 years.

Are Stork or Swallow migratory birds?

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.

Most Swallow species are migratory. Their breeding and wintering habitats are usually different. The birds usually relocate southward during winters. In Europe, Swallow species move towards Morocco and South Africa. The ones in North America and Canada travel to Central and South America. The Holarctic species migrates from North America to South Africa and even the Indian subcontinent. Barn Swallow, the national bird of Austria, spends its winters in Singapore. In Asia, Swallow species do not travel long distances for migration. They move locally or sometimes even reside in the same territory. The species in Japan migrate to the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The birds from China and northern India move southward.

Do Stork and Swallow fly in flocks?

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.

A group of Swallows is known as flight or gulp. The social behavior of Swallows depends on the species. Some are absolutely solitary, while some may live in pairs. Some species live in larger groups of about 200. During the breeding season, most Swallow species are solitary. However, there are a few of them that nest in colonies where about 35 pairs live together. On cold winter nights and during migration, Swallows generally flock together.

Are Stork or Swallow protected?

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.

Swallows are protected in some parts of the world under conservation and migratory bird laws. These laws prohibit harming of the birds and their nests.

Are Stork or Swallow endangered?

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.

Some species of Swallows are threatened or endangered. Further they may be rare in some parts of the world but thriving elsewhere. For instance, Barn Swallow is the most pervasive of the species in the world. However, it is listed as threatened in Canada. The White-tailed Swallow exists in a small population in Ethiopia. It is listed as a vulnerable species. Blue Swallow from south-eastern Africa is also facing decline in population and is endangered. Swallows, like most other birds, face threats from climate change, deforestation, pesticides, and natural predators.

Can Stork and Swallow fly?

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.

Swallows spend most of their time flying. They hunt for their food while airborne and can even catch insects that are flying. The birds are built with a lean body that facilitates good aerodynamics. They also have long, wide, and sharp-edged wings that help them glide in the air. Swallows are known for their long-distance migration. They travel during the day, flying at low altitudes. Some species fly 6,000 miles two times a year. The birds travel about 320 miles a day at about 20 miles an hour during migration. Their maximum flying speed is 35 miles an hour.

Can Stork and Swallow swim?

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

Swallows are not regular and efficient swimmers. However, they can swim short distances. Even the chicks will be able to swim if they accidentally fall in water. Swallows also regularly bathe in shallow waters and puddles.

Mating patterns among Stork and Swallow

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.

Swallows reach sexual maturity when they are 40-50 days old. Courtship between partners begins about a week before egg laying. The male performs aerial flight and bowing displays while the female is perched at the nesting site. The partners also sing long songs during courtship and laying of eggs. The male continues to sing throughout the breeding season to defend the territory. There is usually one or two broods raised each year. Swallows lay two to six eggs in a clutch, depending on the species. While the female incubates the eggs, the male is known for his outstanding involvement as a parent.

When is the mating season for Stork and Swallow ?

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

The mating season for Swallows depends on the species and geography. It could be March-July or May-August. Partners engage in courtship as soon as they reach their breeding territories from the wintering sites.

Do Stork and Swallow mate for life?

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.

Swallows mate for life. The partners stay together until one of them dies. They also return to the same nesting site each year. Some of them may even use the same nest after renovating it.

How do Stork and Swallow sleep?

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

Swallows sleep on trees, ledges, tree holes, or caves. When the chicks are young, the family sleeps together at the nesting site. In non-breeding months and winters, Swallows generally sleep in flocks at common roosting sites.

Can Stork and Swallow be eaten?

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

Swallows are eaten despite laws protecting them from any harm. It is a delicacy among people in Europe. People are also known to eat the eggs of Swallows. Further, Chinese also savour soups made from the nests of these birds.

Can you hunt Stork or Swallow?

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.

Swallows are hunted for meat. They are also killed in some places for destroying crops and farmlands. However, it is illegal to harm or hunt the birds in some countries.

Can you feed Stork or Swallow?

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.

It is illegal and not advisable to keep Swallows as pets. At feeders, they can be given insects and kitten food.