The White stork (Ciconia ciconia) has mainly white plumage, with black on its wings, long bare red legs and a straight pointed red bill. Owing to its mythological reputation as the bringer of babies, the white stork is an extremely popular bird. In Europe, people sometimes attach wagon wheels to rooftops and barns or tall poles near buildings in hopes of luring the birds to nest near their homes. They will use anything high, including church steeples and electricity pylons as well as tall trees and buildings. Stork nests are huge: some old nests may be over 6 ft (2 m) in diameter and nearly 9 ft (3 m) in depth. They are constructed of branches and sticks and lined with twigs, grasses, sod, rags, and paper. Some nests have been in continuous use for hundreds of years . Breeding birds add to the nest each summer, with both males and females contributing to the construction. Storks are considered to be silent birds, but white storks throw their heads back and clatter their upper and lower bills together rapidly, making a loud rattle.
