The "Krotyk" stork begins its 5,000-kilometer journey... as thousands follow its autumn migration

The famous Polish stork “Krotyk” has once again embarked on his autumn migration journey southward, undertaking an adventure followed in detail by thousands of enthusiasts thanks to the GPS device attached to him.

According to Euronews, Krotyk began his journey on August 16, 2026, from the Masuria region in Poland. Just two days later, the tracking device showed his arrival near Złoczew in Ukraine, approximately 70 kilometers east of the city of Lviv.

The bird gained particular fame after he fell from his nest shortly after hatching, only to be rescued by local residents and staff from Masuria Natural Park, who later released him back into the wild.

This season has been special for him, as he became a father for the first time; five chicks hatched in his nest, four of which survived.

During his previous migrations, Krotyk covered thousands of kilometers, passing through areas including the Bosphorus, and spent the winter in Egypt. His current journey is expected to span approximately 5,000 kilometers.

Experts continue to monitor his route, stopover sites, and flight speed until he reaches his winter destination.