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. A carnivore, the White Stork eats a wide range of
animal prey, including insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, small
mammals, and small birds. It takes most of its food from the ground,
among low vegetation, and from shallow water. It is a monogamous
breeder, but does not pair for life. This conspicuous bird has given
rise to many legends across its range, of which the best-known is the
story of babies being brought by storks.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Stork>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1568:
Anglo–Spanish War: At San Juan de Ulúa (in modern Veracruz,
Mexico), Spanish naval forces forced English privateers to halt their
illegal trade.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_San_Juan_de_Ul%C3%BAa_(1568)>
1779:
American Revolutionary War: John Paul Jones led the Continental
Navy to victory in the Battle of Flamborough Head, one of the most
celebrated naval actions of the war.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Flamborough_Head>
1846:
Using mathematical predictions by French mathematician Urbain
Le Verrier, German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle became the first
person to observe Neptune and recognise it as a hitherto unknown planet.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_of_Neptune>
1952:
In one of the first political uses of television to appeal
directly to the populace, Republican vice presidential candidate Richard
Nixon delivered the "Checkers speech", refuting accusations of
improprieties with contributions to his campaign.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkers_speech>
2008:
A gunman shot and killed ten students at Seinäjoki University
of Applied Sciences in Kauhajoki, Western Finland, before committing
suicide.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kauhajoki_school_shooting>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
analemma:
An egg-shaped or figure-eight curve that results when the Sun's position
in the sky is plotted out over the year.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/analemma>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
You got to set your mind right and the rest will come to you naturally.
No restrictions, no hang-ups, no stupid rules, no formalities, no
forbidden fruit — just everyone getting and giving as much as he and
she can.
--Ray Charles
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ray_Charles>