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Why do storks avoid long flights over water during migration?

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A zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) with a bright orange beak, gray head, orange cheek patch, and black-and-white striped tail perches on a branch. — Bird A brightly colored zebra finch (*Taeniopygia guttata*) perched on a branch.

Storks avoid long flights over water during migration primarily because they rely on static soaring to travel efficiently.

Unlike birds capable of dynamic soaring over oceans, storks depend on thermals—vertical columns of rising hot air generated by the heating of the ground—to gain altitude and glide over long distances. Because these thermals form over land rather than over water, storks are largely restricted to overland routes during their migratory journeys. By following these land-based paths, they can utilize the necessary air currents to sustain their flight without expending excessive energy through constant flapping.1