In Turkey, storks that have nested on the minaret of the same mosque in the Sakarcalık village of Osmaniye for 45 years have become the symbol of the village. In 1977, storks made a nest on the minaret of a mosque for the first time, which was built in 1966. The storks are meticulously protected by the villagers. They have made the village of Sakarcalık known as the “Village with Storks”.
A 63-year-old village resident said, “Storks have been nesting on this minaret for as long as I can remember. Whether you go to Kadirli or Osmaniye, they call Sakarcalık village Leylekli village. They come here every year and go back in August.”
The storks migrate to warmer countries in August and September once the eggs hatch and baby storks fly away.