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Spain’s 2025 White Stork Census Finds 33,500–34,000 Pairs, Down Nearly 20% From 2014

Researchers point to landfill closures as a key driver, calling for closer monitoring.

Overview

  • The tally reverses earlier gains and brings totals back near the levels recorded in 2004.
  • Castilla y León holds the largest population at about 10,997 pairs and appears stable despite the national decline.
  • Extremadura and Navarra show steep losses, while the Community of Madrid reaches a record near 2,500 pairs tied to nearby landfills.
  • Analyses cite landfill closures acting as ecological traps alongside pressures from agricultural intensification, nest removals, and power-line collisions.
  • With Portugal reporting 14,421 pairs, the Iberian population nears 50,000, reinforcing calls for sustained monitoring and targeted conservation.