Listen to this nature story:

Three large, white eggs lay securely in the center of a large nest made of sticks and grass. A beautiful white bird with a red beak and black-tipped wings sat patiently on the eggs, keeping them warm. The bird was a male white stork. He had been sitting there quietly all day long. He always took the day shift, which allowed his mate to hunt for food when frogs were easier to see and catch.

Every so often other storks flew overhead on their way to or from the marshy hunting fields just outside of town. Each time any stranger came close to the nest, the male ceremoniously threw his head back and snapped his beak sharply.

This was not just a casual gesture. The male arched his head all the way back until it touched his wings. This stretched his neck so tightly that it amplified the clapping sound, making it as loud as a firecracker. “CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!” The warning echoed from rooftop to rooftop. He meant business. This was his nest and he let everyone know it.

“CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!” Another stork flew too close to the nest and the male responded with the same vigorous warning. However, instead of turning away, this stork slowly glided closer to the nest. For this stork, the clapping noise was not a warning but rather an invitation.

Recognizing the approaching stork not as an enemy but as its mate, the male graciously rose to his feet. He flung his head backward as far as it could go, then threw it forward in a sweeping bow. With wings half-spread and tail held high, he turned in a circle, being careful not to step on the eggs.

Together the two birds clapped in unison, bowing repeatedly as they exchanged places on the nest. Without a single sound being uttered, the two storks greeted one another and confirmed, by their actions, the bond that had formed during their initial meeting and courtship.

The sun was just setting as the female took her place on the eggs, and the male turned to go. He squatted on the rim of the nest, his long legs folded awkwardly beneath him. With great effort he leaped into the air. His broad wings beat heavily until he was clear of the nest. His neck and legs stretched out in front of and behind him as he caught the last of a few rising thermals and began to soar.

The night grew cold as the female nestled closer to the eggs. Her soft feathers insulated them from the damp chill. It would take more than sixty twelve-hour shifts to incubate the eggs. By morning she was stiff and hungry. It had been a long night and she was ready for her mate’s relief. Just as dawn broke, a single stork glided slowly toward the nest. Instinctively, the female rose and began to clap her beak in welcome. She bowed with her wings half-open just as she had done many times before.

But this time something was wrong. The stork that had landed so gracefully on the edge of her nest did not return her bow. It was not her mate. It was an inexperienced parent looking to steal nesting material! Its own eggs had fallen through a poorly constructed nest, and it was searching for sticks to repair its own inadequate work.

Drawn by the clapping female’s welcome, the intruder had accepted her invitation and was now proceeding to tear apart the nest. The invader jabbed and twisted its long beak into the nest, prying loose whatever it could dislodge. The three eggs bounced around precariously close to the edge.

“CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!” The female tried to correct the wrong impression she had given to the stranger. She threw back her head, but instead of bowing she dropped her wings to her side. Repeatedly she pumped her wings up and down as she continued to clap her beak. “CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!” This time the message was clear, but the intruder refused to leave.

Drawn by the all the commotion, the returning male who was already in sight of the nest dived headlong into the intruder, pounding it with his wings and driving it over the edge of the nest. In a flutter of feathers, the male turned to his mate and bowed, his wings half-open in a gesture of peaceful greeting. She bowed in return. As the two circled one another, it was easy even for a casual observer to understand the parents had quickly set things straight and returned to normalcy.

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The very nature and character of God is seen all throughout His created universe. Job remarked, “But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee” (Job 12:7-8).

Each section of Character Sketches, Volume IV begins with a captivating “read-aloud” nature story that introduces the character quality being taught. The printed volume continues with interesting facts on the featured species’ characteristics and physical features. This is followed by a story from Scripture that illustrates the character quality, along with background information on the individual or situation in the story, which is then summed up in a “character sketch.” Generously illustrated with stunning lifelike watercolor and pencil drawings, the oversized book (9 1/2″ by 12 3/4″) is available to order and will be treasured and enjoyed for generations.

The Character Sketches series is designed to be a tool that fathers can use to teach their children basic concepts of Scripture that are illustrated in the world of nature. Among our best-loved publications, hundreds of thousands have enjoyed the gripping stories and beautiful illustrations that the volumes contain.