Photo: Ostap the Stork Has Become a Favorite Among Passengers at the Bus Station in Khmelnytskyi Oblast

A stork named Ostap has taken up residence at the bus station in Dunaivtsi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. The bird has been living on the grounds and inside the bus station for nearly half a year, where it attracts attention and entertains passengers. The bus station manager is taking care of the bird.

Ostap the stork appeared at the bus station in late May of this year. He flew in to the people in a neglected state and was eventually fed fish. He has now been living at the station for about five months. Bus station manager Oleksandr Ivanov said that at first they wanted to place Ostap with a woman. However, he didn’t like it there, so he returned to the station.

“We wanted to find him a home; we put him in a woman’s chicken coop, but he stayed with her for three days and then returned to the bus station. He walks around here, and people feed him. He spends the night on the bus station’s chimney or flies off somewhere. But every morning and throughout the day, he’s here,” said Alexander Ivanov.

It’s unknown where the bird came from. According to locals, Ostap had a mate who died. So he was sad for a long time. Now the bird lives at the bus station. However, why he chose to stay there remains a mystery to the residents of Khmelnytskyi.

Ostap has a feisty temperament but isn’t afraid of people. The black-winged stilt even demands fish from those who feed him. Passengers and visitors to the station often take photos of Ostap, so he has already become a local celebrity. “He isn’t afraid of people at all. He knows that we bring him fish in bags. So when he sees someone with a bag, he runs after them and demands food. He acts boldly and haughtily, as if dictating his own terms. He lets people get close to him and clicks his beak,” the station manager shared.

Oleksandr Ivanov also noted that he is trying to learn how best to care for the stork and is already looking for a place for it to spend the winter.

This was reported with reference to Suspilne Khmelnytskyi.

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