Do White Storks Bring Babies? - Londolozi Blog

Maybe your like

L ondoloz I

Blog

Member sign in / Register

Enquire Now

Membership overview

Quick sign in/sign up

Tired of new passwords? Link your social media account of choice for instant, secure access to Londolozi Live.

Who are you?

Tell the community something about yourself and tweak your Londolozi profile. More of a secretive animal? Keep your profile private.

Track your activity

Earn badges for your profile as you interact with Londolozi and the community as you comment, share and explore our online ecosystem. All your activity with Londolozi is now connected.

Increase your ranking

Earn prowess and rank up as you interact with Londolozi Live and earn a spot on the monthly points leaderboard.

Discuss stories

Chat with other Londolozi Live Explorers and with your favourite Contributors from the Londolozi team about their photos and stories from the wild.

Curate your own gallery

Add your favorite photographs from around Londolozi Live to your very own Favorites gallery, using the ♡ button, for others to enjoy.

Purchase full res photos

Buy your favorite photos in full resolution, easily and securely, for download at any time from your Profile Page.

Home of leopards

Tell us which of the Leopards of Londolozi you've encountered during your visit! Their cards will move to your profile page collection.

Rent gear

Need a camera for your stay? Book it online and hassle free. Travel to Londolozi light and easy.

Back Login / Sign up

Blog

Londolozi.com

Londolozi Live q

Blog Fine Art Photography Leopards Londolozi.com Sign in

Enquire Now

Wildlife

Do White Storks Bring Babies?

Adam Bannister January 9, 2013 1

There are few birds as well known as the White Stork. This tall white bird, blended with black flight feathers and bright red bill and legs is found in numerous countries throughout the world. So widely spread is the stork that if features as a prominent figure in many cultures. The Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese are amongst those that associate some symbolic role for this species.

The stork has been revered in Europe at least since the Middle Ages. It is believed that this is so due to the fact that they have been building their nests on man-made structures since then. They can be found on rooftops, towers, chimneys, telephone-poles, walls, haystacks, and specially constructed nest towers.

These birds are phenomenal migrants. Each year more than 500,000 storks migrate to Africa, flying southwards from their breeding grounds in Europe. They cover huge distances in the search of warmth and food. Already, as we speak, White Storks have started landing at Londolozi Game Reserve. Their place of origin: more than likely Germany. I did a quick calculation and the approximate distance as the ‘stork flies’ in miles from Johannesburg, South Africa to Frankfurt, Germany is 5385 miles or 8664.47 Kilometers! It has taken them 4-5 months to make this mammoth flight. They are perhaps among the most visible of migrating birds because of their close association with humans and their tendency to congregate in air thermals en route. They truly are on of the great migratory species of the world.

Migration aside, there is one aspect which I find even more fascinating about this bird: their association with babies…

Everybody knows about the story of the stork delivering babies to people’s houses. But where did this myth come from?

blog.web_flying_white_stork

Some say that this myth has its origin in Pagan times, when civilizations were keen to have high birthrates. The myth of storks and babies was forged by the birds’ return in spring, when many babies were born. The legend is very ancient, but was popularised by a 19th century Hans Christian Andersen story called The Storks. Although they originally nested in trees, storks are very tolerant of human activity, and today in Europe their most common nest site is on rooftops. German folklore held that storks found babies in caves or marshes and brought them to households in a basket held in their beaks. The babies would be dropped down the chimney of a hopeful mother. Households would notify when they wanted children by placing sweets for the stork on the window sill.

It appears that the Storks close association with chimneys and roof tops and their arrival from migration, during human birth time peaks, may have led to the popular image of a stork delivering a little bundle of joy by dropping it down the chimney.

Written by Adam Bannister

Filed under Wildlife

About the Author

Adam Bannister

Londolozi Alumnus

6,500 pts 22,150 pts

Londolozi Alumni

View Adam's profile Recommended Reading

General Nature, Londolozi Family, Safari Experience, Wildlife

An African Love Letter – Celebrating Love At Londolozi

Megan Kane-BermanFeb 14, 2026 4

General Nature, Leopards, Lions, Photography, Rangers, Safari Experience, The Week in Pictures, Wildlife

The Week In Pictures #740

Nick TennickFeb 13, 2026 1 16

General Nature, Lions, Rangers, Safari Experience, Wildlife

The Newest Additions to the Mhangeni Pride of Lions

Kirst JoscelyneFeb 12, 2026 11

One Comment

on Do White Storks Bring Babies?

Join the conversationJoin the conversation Cancel

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Connect using

Post Comment

Robyn Guest 80 pts

Love this story! Particularly the way humans and storks have so happily co-existed for centuries. Do you know the story of Klepetan and Malena, two storks that have show their devotion despite so many hurdles. Amazingly, once Malena is badly injured by a hunter, not only does Klepetan fly such long distance to be with her, but also, humans build a nest for her on their own roof. Stories like these give me wings!

6th August 2016 at 00:49 Reply Connect with Londolozi

Sign up for our Newsletters

Daily Story Monthly Story Leave this field empty if you're human:

We use cookies to provide a personalized experience. By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.

One moment...

Anonymous Add to cart Be the first to this photo You and 1 others this photo q Filed under Share

Anonymous 10 April, 2798 Purchase a photograph I

Our best photographs are available for purchase in digital format from the Londolozi Live Fine Art Store, via credit card. Purchasable photos are tagged with the Fine Art Store icon:

Once purchased, you will be able to download the full resolution, unwatermarked image (around 10Mb) from your profile page at any time. There are also different license options which you can choose from when adding the image to your cart.

To add any purchasable image to your cart, press the Purchase/Add to cart buttons next to an image, from anywhere across Londolozi Live:

Pay using Mastercard or Visa through our 100% secure payment gateway, Payfast.

Okay Favorited by I

The following Members haved favorited this photograph. Visit their profiles to browse their collection of favourites.

Okay Add to Cart I

'Image title'
Resolution: 2000 x 2000 px Size: 8.213

Select License

Please choose a license and then 'add to cart' to continue.

Personal - R2500.00

You may not use this image for commerical purposes. Learn more.

Commercial - R5000.00

You may use this image for commerical purposes. Learn more.

Add to Cart View Cart

After you have added this photograph to your cart and completed checkout, you will be able to download the full, unwatermarked version at any time from your Profile page.

Close Purchase complete I

Thank you for purchasing from the Londolozi Fine Art Site! Your order completed successfully and we have emailed you the order details.

Your purchased photographs are available for download in full resolution at any time from the Downloads tab below, here on your Profile Page, alongside information about your orders.

We hope you enjoy your new purchase!

Done Cancel

Overview 1 of 3

Points I

Points are awarded for each of your interactions with Londolozi Live, and for earning new badges and titles.

All Members of the tribe get points (although our in-house Contributors get a lot fewer to keep things fair ;). Points are just for fun for now and there are two kinds:

Prowess points are awarded for engaging with the community.

Members Staff Action
5 pts - Visiting the Londolozi Blog today
100 pts - Joining Londolozi Live
40 pts 30 pts Sharing a photograph via email or Twitter
80 pts 20 pts Commenting on a story
120 pts 30 pts Receiving a reply to your comment
160 pts 40 pts Sharing a story via email or Twitter
180 pts 80 pts Sharing a gallery via email or Twitter

Contribution points are awarded for contributing engaging content to Londolozi Live.

Members Staff Action
50 pts 5 pts Having your photograph favorited
100 pts 10 pts Receiving a comment on your story
150 pts 15 pts Others are conversing about your story
150 pts 15 pts Having your story shared via email or Twitter
200 pts 20 pts Having your photograph shared via email or Twitter
250 pts 25 pts Receiving 10 comments on your story
350 pts 35 pts Having your story published
400 pts 200 pts Having your gallery shared via email or Twitter
750 pts 250 pts Having your photograph purchased

Want to have your story or photo journal published on the Blog and become a Guest Contributor? Let us know!

View the leaderboards Titles Badges Okay

Overview 2 of 3

Badges I

Badges are awarded for achieving various things and come with a bunch of points in tow. Here's an example badge:

We've had the pleasure of hosting you here at Londolozi and together we've experienced the magic of the wild and now you're part of the family. You've let us know about your past visits while editing your Profile.

Londolozi Guest

Awarded for visiting Londolozi.

1000 prowess earned for earning the Londolozi Guest badge

Each badge has a basic version, such as the Londolozi Guest badge above, and a specialist version:

Londolozi Lifer

Awarded for visiting Londolozi three times.

2000 prowess earned for earning the Londolozi Lifer badge

And for certain badges, there are even more levels to attain:

Nature Mystic

Awarded for completing 21 Mindfulness Wellness Challenges.

1600 prowess earned for earning the Nature Mystic badge

To see all the badges on offer and find out how to grab them, visit the Badge Showcase or click on any badge you happen to find out there in the wild.

Badge showcase Points Titles Okay

Overview 3 of 3

Titles I

When you first join Londolozi Live you start out with the title of Member. For interacting with the community in various ways, you can easily earn a promotion and earn some points in the process.

There are currently 6 different titles (we've got plenty more in the works):

Member

Awarded for joining Londolozi Live.

100 prowess earned for joining Londolozi Live

Explorer

Awarded for posting a comment on a story.

200 prowess earned for promotion to Explorer

Digital Ranger

Awarded for sharing a story, image or gallery via Twitter or email.

350 prowess earned for promotion to Digital Ranger

Senior Digital Ranger

Awarded for reaching 10 000 prowess points.

Digital Tracker

Awarded for reaching 25 000 prowess points.

Master Tracker

Awarded for reaching 50 000 prowess points.

Badges Points Okay

Badge series 1 of 9

Guest I

You've earned the badge:

Londolozi Guest

Awarded for visiting Londolozi.

1000 prowess earned for earning the Londolozi Guest badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Londolozi Lifer

Awarded for visiting Londolozi three times.

2000 prowess earned for earning the Londolozi Lifer badge Prev Next Okay

Badge series 2 of 9

Leopard I

On a trip to Londolozi you've been lucky enough to spot a leopard of Londolozi. You've encountered the leopard's profile card on the Blog and pressed the 'Spotted this Leopard?' button to record your sighting.

You've earned the badge:

Leopard Spotter

Awarded for spotting one Leopard of Londolozi.

200 prowess earned for earning the Leopard Spotter badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Leopard Specialist

Awarded for spotting five Leopards of Londolozi.

800 prowess earned for earning the Leopard Specialist badge Prev Next Okay

Badge series 3 of 9

Lion I

You can't get enough lion in your day and like to chat about the powerful cats with our Rangers and other enthusiasts on Blog stories that have been filed under 'Lions'.

You've earned the badge:

Lion Enthusiast

Awarded for commenting 20 times on Lions stories.

600 prowess earned for earning the Lion Enthusiast badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Lion Fanatic

Awarded for commenting 50 times on Lions stories.

900 prowess earned for earning the Lion Fanatic badge Prev Next Okay

Badge series 4 of 9

Photographer I

You've got an eye for the wilderness and have had your photographic journal from your time at Londolozi published on the Blog for others to enjoy. You found out how to submit your story by emailing us.

You've earned the badge:

Photographer

Awarded for submitting a photo story.

700 prowess earned for earning the Photographer badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Master Photographer

Awarded for submitting five photo stories.

2800 prowess earned for earning the Master Photographer badge Prev Next Okay

Badge series 5 of 9

Storyteller I

You've got the gift of the storyteller and have had a tale of your time at Londolozi published on the Blog for others to marvel at around the camp fire. You found out how to submit your story by emailing us.

You've earned the badge:

Storyteller

Awarded for submitting a story.

600 prowess earned for earning the Storyteller badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Raconteur

Awarded for submitting 5 stories.

2400 prowess earned for earning the Raconteur badge Prev Next Okay

Badge series 6 of 9

Collector I

You recognise a work of art when you see it and made a purchase of one from our Fine Art Site.

You've earned the badge:

Collector

Awarded for purchasing from the Fine Art Site.

500 prowess earned for earning the Collector badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Art Specialist

Awarded for purchasing 10 times from the Fine Art Site.

2000 prowess earned for earning the Art Specialist badge Prev Next Okay

Badge series 7 of 9

Good Work Foundation I

You recongise the rare privilege it is to be able to experience the untamed beauty of the natural world, and have found an opportunity to give back through The Good Work Foundation, for the sake of others, your children and the wild. You've let us know about your donations while editing your Profile.

You've earned the badge:

GWF Patron

Awarded for donating to The Good Work Foundation.

500 prowess earned for earning the GWF Patron badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

GWF Protector

Awarded for donating to The Good Work Foundation 5 times.

2000 prowess earned for earning the GWF Protector badge Prev Next Okay

Badge series 8 of 9

Curator I

You've curated your own Favorites gallery by ♡ing at least 15 photographs which you absolutely love from around Londolozi Live. If your Favorites gallery has caught the eye of the Fine Art site Editor and is featured, you've also earned the esteemed Featured Curator badge.

You've earned the badge:

Curator

Awarded for curating your own Favorites gallery of 15 photographs.

400 prowess earned for earning the Curator badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Featured Curator

Awarded for having your Favorites gallery featured.

1600 prowess earned for earning the Featured Curator badge Prev Next Okay

Badge series 9 of 9

Mindfulness I

You've participated in one of our various Mindfulness Wellness Challenges, completing 7 entries to become a Wellness Apprentice. As you continue along your awakening journey you move to become an Earth Healer and Nature Mystic.

You've earned the badge:

Wellness Apprentice

Awarded for completing 7 Mindfulness Wellness Challenges.

1600 prowess earned for earning the Wellness Apprentice badge

You're a specialist in this field and have earned the badge:

Earth Healer

Awarded for completing 14 Mindfulness Wellness Challenges.

1600 prowess earned for earning the Earth Healer badge

You've achieved mastery in this field and have earned the badge:

Nature Mystic

Awarded for completing 21 Mindfulness Wellness Challenges.

1600 prowess earned for earning the Nature Mystic badge Prev Next Okay Subscribe to comments I

Check this box if you would like to be emailed if someone replies to your comment on this story. You can unsubscribe at any time by following the 'unsubscribe' link in the notification emails.

Okay Newsletter sign up I

Update your newsletter email subscriptions by signing up for our Daily Story or Monthly Newsletter.

Okay Outdated browser I

It looks like the browser you are using is Internet Explorer version 11 (released in 2013) or below. This browser is outdated and is not compliant with the standard technologies of the web today.

Modern browsers are know as 'evergreen' because they are frequently updated to keep up with the changing web and remain secure. Please consider downloading a modern browser:

You can continue using your current browser to use this site but it will not function or appear as designed and your experience will be negatively affected.

Ok, thanks Londolozi Live

Membership Overview

Membership overview

Quick sign in/sign up

Tired of new passwords? Link your social media account of choice for instant, secure access to Londolozi Live.

Who are you?

Tell the community something about yourself and tweak your Londolozi profile. More of a secretive animal? Keep your profile private.

Track your activity

Earn badges for your profile as you interact with Londolozi and the community as you comment, share and explore our online ecosystem. All your activity with Londolozi is now connected.

Increase your ranking

Earn prowess and rank up as you interact with Londolozi Live and earn a spot on the monthly points leaderboard.

Discuss stories

Chat with other Londolozi Live Explorers and with your favourite Contributors from the Londolozi team about their photos and stories from the wild.

Curate your own gallery

Add your favorite photographs from around Londolozi Live to your very own Favorites gallery, using the ♡ button, for others to enjoy.

Purchase full res photos

Buy your favorite photos in full resolution, easily and securely, for download at any time from your Profile Page.

Home of leopards

Tell us which of the Leopards of Londolozi you've encountered during your visit! Their cards will move to your profile page collection.

Rent gear

Need a camera for your stay? Book it online and hassle free. Travel to Londolozi light and easy.

Back Login / Sign up Okay + Add Profile

Rich Laburn Head of Digital 2,870 pts 6,585 pts

is Custodian of the single-edition Tortoise Pan 4:3 Male Leopards NFT Protector Token

I 10 1/1

Tortoise Pan4:3Male 2016 - mint 6th generationMother Leopard

Born in 2016, the Tortoise Pan 4:3 male spent his early years in the south-east of the reserve, but began moving further afield in late 2019.

Token Details Very Rare Mother Leopard Dynasty - 3 6th generation - 3 4:3 spots - 1 male - 2 Trait: Nose spot - 1 Total - 10

Learn how to become a Leopards NFT Custodian

Leopards NFT

Rare by nature

Leopards NFT is a collection of single-edition art ETH tokens each tied to one of 73 famous wild Leopard of Londolozi, with a portion of proceeds continuing their conservation and guardianship.

As custodian of one of the elusive Leopards NFT Protector Tokens, along with other benefits, you are granted exclusive access to the Londolozi Protector Club together with other investors, philanthropists, conservationists and digital art enthusiasts.

Learn more about the 73 Leopards NFT Tokens

About Browse Tokens Faq

Learn how to become a Leopards NFT Custodian

Learn more Close Mashaba 4:3 Female I

Have you spotted the Mashaba 4:3 Female in the wild during one of your trips to Londolozi or the surrounding area?

Yes No

You've spotted the Mashaba 4:3 Female in the wild during one of your trips to Londolozi or the surrounding area.

To view and manage all the Leopards of Londolozi you've spotted, visit your Profile.

Please sign in to submit your sighting.

Not a Member yet? Join the tribe!

sightings by Members

The Leopards of Londolozi

You can visit the Mashaba 4:3 Female's dedicated profile page to access a rich trove of information about this leopard, including family tree, unique markings, territory maps, timelines and a host of stunning images and videos.

View Profile Close Share via email I Message preview

Someone has shared a story with you from the Londolozi Blog:

Cancel Subscribe I

Daily Story Monthly Story Leave this field empty if you're human:

Daily Story Monthly Newsletter Thanks for signing up! No thanks

Tag » Why Do Storks Bring Babies

Blog

Join Londolozi Live

Londolozi Live

Membership overview

Blog

Londolozi.com

Londolozi Live q

Londolozi Alumnus

An African Love Letter – Celebrating Love At Londolozi

The Week In Pictures #740

The Newest Additions to the Mhangeni Pride of Lions

on Do White Storks Bring Babies?

Join the conversationJoin the conversation Cancel

Follow Us

Sign up for our Newsletters

One moment...

Favourited by 1 Members

Prowess points

Contribution points

Londolozi Guest

Londolozi Lifer

Nature Mystic

Member

Explorer

Digital Ranger

Senior Digital Ranger

Digital Tracker

Master Tracker

Londolozi Guest

Londolozi Lifer

Leopard Spotter

Leopard Specialist

Lion Enthusiast

Lion Fanatic

Photographer

Master Photographer

Storyteller

Raconteur

Collector

Art Specialist

GWF Patron

GWF Protector

Curator

Featured Curator

Wellness Apprentice

Earth Healer

Nature Mystic

Membership Overview

Londolozi Live

Membership overview

sightings by Members

The Leopards of Londolozi

Contact