Can you guess what those big balls the ornithologist is holding are?
These are White Stork pellets! Yes, they are that big. What are they? It is a mass of undigested and regurgitated food, mainly bones, hair, feathers and insect shells. Do you see those iridescent fragments? Those are crushed beetle shells.
Why are we collecting them? This is yet another element of our research conducted in the Life project, whose aim is to protect the species. Our goal is to study the diet of white storks nesting in the Narew and Biebrza valleys so that we may better protect them in the future.
Results will be known soon. The pellets are now in the laboratory to be dissected and tested by our specialists. As soon as we receive any information about the diets of our storks, we will surely share the news.