Stork in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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What is a Stork?
STORK
(the pious), a bird of passage, much like the crane, but larger. It feeds on insects, snails, frogs, and The Stork. (Ciconia Alba. After Tristram.) offal, and was reckoned among unclean birds. The common stork (Ciconia alba) stands nearly 4 feet high, and is white except the extremities of the wings, which are black. Its long legs enable it to seek its food in the water as well as on the land, and its bill is so formed as to retain its slippery prey. In Palestine it builds its nest on trees, Ps 104:17, or on lofty ruins, but in Europe it everywhere appropriates chimney-tops and the eaves of houses. In Hebrew as in Latin the stork is "the pious bird," and its English name comes, indirectly at least, from the Greek storye, which signifies "natural affection." Unquestionably, these birds exhibit unusual tenderness toward their young and their mates, but the ancient opinion that the offspring recognize their parents all through life and carefully tend them in age, it is a pity to say, is probably apocryphal. Storks are singularly regular in their migrations to and from Africa. They pass over Syria in vast flocks, which sail high in the heaven, and as their legions wheel in the sky and even dim the sunlight the most stupid mind is awakened to admiration. Jer 8:7. "In various parts of Holland the nest of the stork, built on the chimney-top, remains undisturbed for many succeeding years, and the owners return with unerring sagacity to the well-known spot. The joy which they manifest on again taking possession of their deserted dwelling, and the attachment which they testify toward their benevolent hosts, are familiar in the mouths of every one. "In all the countries where the stork breeds it is protected: boxes are provided on the tops of the houses, and he considers himself a fortunate man whose roof the stork selects. There is a well authenticated account of the devotion of a stork, which at the burning of the town of Delft, after repeated and unsuccessful attempts to carry off her young, chose rather to remain and perish with them than leave them to their fate. Well might the Romans call it pia aris! "The beauty and power of the stork's wings are seized on as an illustration by Zechariah: 'The wind was in their wings, for they had wings like the wings of a stork.' Zech 5:9. The black pinions of the stork, suddenly expanded from their white body, have a striking effect, having a spread of nearly 7 feet, and the bird on the wing, showing its long bright-red bill and steering itself by its long red legs, stretched out far behind its tail, is a noble sight. The stork has no organs of voice, and the only sound it emits is caused by the sharp and rapid snapping of its bill, like the rattle of castanets." - Tristram. This bird seems to be fond of the society of man, is often seen stalking in the crowded street, and is superstitiously protected in the East. Its marked preference for Muslims over Christians is, however, not due to special attachment to the faith of Islam, as the Turks boast, but to the greater amount of offal to be found about Mohammedan dwellings, and, what is more creditable, to the kinder treatment the bird receives at their hands. The black stork (Ciconia nigra) is abundant about the waters of Palestine. It builds its nest in trees, is somewhat smaller and darker- colored than the white species, and is unlike it in shunning the society of man. See Peacock.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'stork' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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