Piotr Wilniewczyc, Piotr Dębowski, Maciej Kubicki
Ornis Polonica 2015, 56: 298–308
https://doi.org/10.12657/ornis.2015.4.3
Abstract: The paper presents changes in breeding avifauna of the Valley of the Czarna Konecka (IBA PL142), an upland 85-km river, flowing mostly among forests. Recent counts from 2011 were compared predominantly with the surveys from 1993–1995. During last 20 years seven new breeding species have settled in the study area (the Greylag Goose Anser anser, Gadwall Anas strepera, Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula, Little Crake Porzana parva, Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea and Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis), and three have disappeared (Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and European Roller Coracias garrulus). A total of 53% species have experienced population increase, 22% – a decline, and for 24% no significant trends have been found. The most remarkable population growth was found for the Common Merganser Mergus merganser (from 0–1 to 7–8 pairs), Crane Grus grus (from 2 to 23 pairs), Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago (from 26–27 to 46 pairs), Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus (from 8–9 to 17–19 pairs), Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus (from 5 to 21–24 pairs), Hoopoe Upupa epops (from 13–17 to 34 males), Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus (from 14–15 to 45 pairs) and Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus (from 15 to 75 males), whilst declines were reported for Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix (from 25 to 1 male), Lapwing Vanellus vanellus (from 83–87 to 11 pairs), and Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis (from 35–50 to 7–12 pairs). Changes in avifauna have been affected mostly by habitat transformations, such as succession of trees, bushes and reeds in meadows, changes of fishing practises and the increase in the area of damp and very dry habitats.
Keywords: breeding birds, Czarna Konecka Valley, population monitoring, population trends, Special Protection Area, survey
