Sitting Pretty

Question 3, 2003 Statistics 101 Exam
“In areas of Western Europe, such as Germany, France and Switzerland, the population of nesting storks is decreasing, and so is the human baby birth-rate. In areas of Eastern Europe, such as Poland, the population of nesting storks is still very strong, and there is a much higher human baby birth-rate. Hence storks bring babies. Discuss” etc, etc, etc….
Storks are a very elegant large white wading bird that thrive in wetlands and pasture where they live on insects, amphibians, mice, snakes and small mammals and birds. They have no fear of humans, and have long nested in towns. They are considered to bring luck to a household should they nest on buildings, and for centuries people have tried to encourage them to nest on their chimneys by putting up platforms and other inviting structures.
Storks became extinct in North Eastern France late last century, and a very committed group of naturalists is working at their reintroduction. Some towns in Alsace, including Ribeauville, have been selected for this program. A number of buildings have structures like bicycle wheels placed on chimneys in the hope that storks will nest there. Storks are like salmon, which always return to their birth place to breed, and by rearing chicks in a town, then letting them fly south on their winter migration to sub-Saharan Africa the naturalists have been able to re-establish breeding colonies. At last count there were 230 nesting pairs in Alsace.
Of course Ribeauville is now on The Stork Trail. There are maps, busloads of twitchers, memorial cups, fridge magnets and tea towels. But we saw them for free.
Chris