Key points
- A clash occurred in Lelyaky between storks following the return of last year’s nest owner, Odarka.
- Odarka occupied the empty nest in the “Pyriatynskyi” National Park.
- Later, Lel and Kvitka returned to the nest, triggering a conflict: Odarka attacked Kvitka, and Lel drove Odarka away.
- The skirmishes lasted around an hour and repeated several times.
- Currently, Lel and Odarka remain in the nest.
- Researchers hope the conflict will resolve naturally.
In the village of Lelyaky, part of the Pyriatynska community in the Poltava region, a clash occurred between storks following the return of last year’s nest owner.
On 5 April, around 12:37, the stork Odarka returned to the nest located in the “Pyriatynskyi” National Park. At that time, the nest was empty, so she immediately took possession of it and behaved as its owner.
A minute later, other storks – Lel and Kvitka – returned to the nest. A conflict immediately arose between the birds: Odarka attacked the female Kvitka, but the male Lel intervened and drove her away from the nest.
Researcher Iryna Sarazhynska noted in the Facebook group “Leleka Hrytsko” that the skirmishes between the birds lasted around an hour and occurred several times.
This sequence of events had been predicted by scientists, as confrontations occur when last year’s nest owners return to a nest already occupied by other storks.
– researcher Iryna Sarazhynska.
Currently, Lel and Odarka remain in the nest, and periodically the bird attempts to bring Kvitka back to the nest.
Researchers hope the conflict will resolve naturally, though the further development of the situation remains unknown.
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A young stork has returned to its nest in the Poltava region
