One quarter of the total population of storks in the world arrive in Poland in the spring and therefore there is no other country in Europe or another village like Zywkowo, in the municipality of Gorowo Ilawieckie, in the Warmian and Masurian Province. The village lies close to the border with Kaliningrad and consists of only nine farms. Each year around 70 storks come here and twice as many leave here. It is surely the village with the highest per capita density of storks.

Since 1998 a “Stork Village” has been formed here by the local branch of the Bird Protection Society. By their efforts thirteen roofs of houses and barns were renovated which are the most favoured by storks. Their nests can also be found in trees, on poles and chimneys. In one such area ornithologists have erected a tower from which these birds can be observed and also look into their nests.

Thanks to the storks the village, which was severely depopulated, was revived. Each year it is visited by some 8000 tourists. The promotion of Zywkowo and looking after its guests is the job of the Association of Agriculture and Tourism of Zywkowo Lands “Stork Village”. There are many such villages in this region.

Zywkowo the Warmian and Masurian Stork Village (woj. Warminsko-Mazurskie)

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