White Stork

The White Stork was declared the national bird of Lithuania in 1973. Lithuanians believe that storks bring harmony to the families on whose property they nest; they have also kept up the tradition of telling their children that storks bring babies. Stork Day is celebrated on March 25 with various archaic rituals. Notably, Lithuania is a beneficial and important habitat for these birds: it has the highest known nesting density in the world.