Expansion of the breeding range of the Oriental Stork Ciconia boyciana in the Razdolnaya River basin (south-west of Primorsky Krai) in 2024

The Oriental Stork is one of the specially protected bird species of the Russian Far East, listed in the Red Data Books of various levels. In recent years, an increase in its number has been noted in most of its breeding range. This is facilitated by both abiotic factors and the progressive synanthropization of the Oriental Stork. Since the 1970s, these birds have increasingly begun to nest on power line poles, which allowed storks to settle in places where there were no nesting trees before. Previously, the southern border of nesting in the Primorsky Krai was in the south of the Khanka lowland, and in 2023, its reproduction was first noted in the Razdolnaya River basin, 36 km southwest of the former nesting sites. In 2024, colonization continued here and seven new nests were found. The article describes the characteristics of the nests found, as well as analyzes the causes and prospects for expanding the range of the Oriental Stork in the south-west of Primorye.