Shafaq News/ Migratory birds from the Arctic Circle and northern Europe continue their long journey, fleeing the harsh winter in search of warmth.

Their route leads them to Iraq, where they rest before heading to their final destination in Africa for the summer, only to return north when the season changes.

Shafaq News Agency's camera captured a stork, migrating from Europe, resting on electricity transmission towers between Baghdad and Babylon, in central Iraq. The birds have built nests atop the towers during the mating season, awaiting the maturity of their chicks before continuing their annual migration.

In the photographs, the storks are seen incubating their eggs, awaiting hatching to begin the process of feeding their chicks. Once ready, the young storks will learn to fly and embark on their journey south to Africa.

The stork is a migratory bird often found near water in Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan region and the marshes. Known for its large size, long legs, and beak, it feeds on insects, frogs, fish, and snakes.