To the question of the origin of name "aist". - V.N. Grishchenko. - Berkut. 5 (2). 1996. P. 209-215.
The Russian name "aist" ('stork') has not the generally accepted etymology. Different hypotheses are considered and criticized. The old "classic" hypothesis by F. Miklosich (1886), E. Berneker (1908-1923) et al. gives the best explanations of the origin and has most evidences. According to this point of view the name "aist" descends from the German word "Heister" (an old local name of the Magpie). This word has been adopted in Ukrainian and Byelorussian ("hajster") and later was transformed in Russian "aist". At first this name concerns only the Black Stork. [Russian].
Key words: stork, Ciconia ciconia, Ciconia nigra, name, etymology.