Ciconia alba; Print; The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white; with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks; and measure on average 100-115 cm (39-45 in) from beak tip to end of tail; with a 155-215 cm (61-85 in) wingspan. The two subspecies; which differ slightly in size; breed in Europe (north to Finland); northwestern Africa; southwestern Asia (east to southern Kazakhstan) and southern Africa. The white stork is a long-distance migrant; wintering in Africa from tropical Sub-Saharan Africa to as far south as South Africa; or on the Indian subcontinent. When migrating between Europe and Africa; it avoids crossing the Mediterranean Sea and detours via the Levant in the east or the Strait of Gibraltar in the west; because the air thermals on which it depends for soaring do not form over water.; 1700-1880