86
LONG-LEGGED STORKS
In the warm days of the spring, some of the large white birds we
see in the sky while flying our kites are storks. The stork is a big,
migratory bird that is one to one and a half metres (60 inches) in
height, mostly with large white wings and a long black tail. Its
beak and long legs are red, giving them a lovely appearance.
One of the most striking characteristics of storks is the way they
fly. While flying, they extend their heads forward and push their
legs backward. This aesthetic style of storks enables them to fly
much faster by cleaving the air aerodynamically. Every year, storks
migrate to warm regions because they are vulnerable to cold. That
is why when we see storks arriving, we also receive the glad tidings
of hot summer days. In the summer season, storks live in the
temperate regions that extend from Europe to North Africa and
from Turkey to Japan. Before the weather cools, they migrate to the
southern hemisphere, tropical Africa and India.
