Bukhara without storks: a lost chapter of history

Bukhara is a city with a centuries-old history, where oriental bazaars, majestic madrassas and winding streets create a fairy-tale atmosphere. But once upon a time there was another remarkable detail in this landscape - storks. For centuries, they nested on minarets, roofs and trees, giving the city even more color. However, in the 20th century, these birds left Bukhara and never returned. Why did the storks disappear?

City of Storks

Bukharians have always treated storks with respect. It was believed that if a bird settled on the roof of a house, it promised happiness and prosperity. Their nests were decorated with domes, and the birds themselves proudly walked along the banks of irrigation ditches, hunting frogs and insects.

But today you will not meet them either in the sky or in the historical center.

Is the disappearance of Zakhkash the main reason for the storks' exodus?

Storks are waterfowl, and their life is closely connected with the presence of frogs, fish, and insects. Previously, there was a complex system of Zakhkash around Bukhara - these were large irrigation ditches that performed an important function: they facilitated the seepage and accumulation of groundwater, helped drain marshy lands, and washed out saline soils.

However, with the growth of the city in the 20th century, the Zakhkash began to disappear. They were filled in to make room for buildings and roads. As a result, Bukhara lost a significant part of its reservoirs, and along with them, frogs, insects, and small fish - the main sources of food for storks - disappeared. Having lost their usual habitat, the birds were forced to leave the region.

Urbanization: where would we be without it?

With the disappearance of water bodies, the city has also changed architecturally. If earlier storks easily found a place to nest on old roofs, mosques and minarets, then over time these buildings were either destroyed or restored.

Modern buildings with pitched roofs, glass and metal turned out to be unsuitable for nesting. As a result, even if the storks wanted to return, they simply would have nowhere to settle.

Industrial emissions and pesticides

An additional blow to the ecosystem was the active use of pesticides in agriculture in the 20th century. This led to a reduction in the population of insects and amphibians. For storks, which feed on these species, such changes were catastrophic.

In addition, the growth of industrial enterprises, transport infrastructure and air pollution also contributed. Gradually, Bukhara ceased to be a place suitable for storks.

Can storks be brought back?

Storks are not just birds, they were once part of the image of Bukhara, its living legend. Their disappearance is not just a biological fact, but the loss of one of the main details of the urban landscape, something that made Bukhara special. Imagine: minarets reaching into the sky, the warm light of the setting sun and white-winged silhouettes majestically soaring above the ancient domes. Once this was a familiar picture, but now it exists only in the memories of old-timers.

To bring back storks means to bring back a part of history. But is it possible? 🤷🏻‍♂️

Khonako Nadira Divanbegi on Lyabi-Khauz, 1902-1908

Hauzes: Bukhara's Lost Water Symphony

Storks are not the only lost part of Bukhara's history. There are also hauzes. I talk about this in detail on my tours, including the history of the region's water supply.

Bukhara has always been a city where water played a key role. At its heart was a unique network of hauzes - reservoirs that supplied the city with drinking water, gave life to markets and madrassas, and created coolness on hot days. They harmoniously fit into the life of the city, linking architecture, nature, and culture.

Today, almost all of these hauzes have been lost, and the remaining ones are more decorative elements than real reservoirs. But what if we bring them back to life? What if one day, as before, the snow-white wing of a stork is reflected in their waters again?

Positive

Bukhara is waiting for its revival - just as, perhaps, the storks are waiting for it. And until that day comes, come to see the ancient city, feel its spirit, touch its history. And maybe you will be the one who sees their return.

As a Bukhara guide and organizer of tours in Uzbekistan at Pilgrim Travel, I will help you learn its secrets, feel its past and see the future that it is preparing. Bukhara is waiting for you - and perhaps the storks are too.

Bonus

Since you have taken the time to read this part of the article, thank you for your attention and interest in the history of Bukhara. As a token of our gratitude, here is a small gift: rare old photographs showing Bukhara with storks when they were still an integral part of the city landscape. These pictures are a window into the past, a reminder of what this ancient city was like when white-winged guardians still soared in its skies.