White storks at Los Barruecos Natural Monument, Caceres, Spain

© Wild Wonders of Europe/Widstrand/Minden Picture

Living the high life. Storks ready for take-off

It’s migration season for white storks, shown here tending to a nest at Los Barruecos Natural Monument in central Spain. This destination is known for large, granite boulders intermixed with sculptures created by local artists – and it’s a favourite stork nesting spot. In August and September, white storks leave their nests for a 25-day trip south to their African wintering grounds, where they gather in large flocks. They return to Europe nine months later – hence their unique role in folklore, giving parents a low-stress way to answer the question: ‘Where do babies come from?’.