So far, a total of eight individuals have been examined in the country.Continue reading
A thirty-five year old record has been broken in Békés County (southeastern Hungary): this year 320 pairs of white storks will raise 1,102 chicks, writes the Körös-Maros National Park’s press release.
In spring, 366 pairs started breeding, only 46 pairs failed. This year is the second best year in the last 35 years in terms of the number of breeding pairs and the best year in terms of the number of chicks.
The highest number of pairs (33) was in Békéscsaba, with 76 chicks. Conservationists also found a nest with six chicks in the Makó region, which is considered outstanding.
In Körösladány, a pair started nesting in a tree, which has not been seen elsewhere in Hungary. However, they did not lay eggs at the end. In Békés county, the area around the Körös river, the region around Berettyó and the Kettős-Körös rivers are the most popular nesting areas.
Photo: Pixabay
After a record year in 2014, there was a drastic drop in breeding numbers, but since 2020 the numbers have been rising again.
The breeding area, migration route and wintering area are the main factors that influence the number of breeding pairs and chicks in a given year. In 1996, for instance, the weather on the migration route was very bad, and strong winds and snowstorms decimated the population. In 2014, however, there were plenty of chicks and a huge abundance of food in the breeding area, which is why the number of successful breeding jumped. This year, although there are few voles, the number of locusts is high, the national park’s website says.
Via MTI, Featured image: Pixabay