Rezultati januarskega štetja vodnih ptic leta 2014 v Sloveniji / Results of the January 2014 waterbird census in Slovenia

In 2014, the International Waterbird Census (IWC) was carried out in Slovenia on 18 and 19 Jan. Waterbirds were counted on all larger rivers, along the entire Slovenian Coastland and on most of the major standing waters in the country. During the census, in which 268 observers took part, 413 sections of the rivers and coastal sea with a total length of 1395.1 km and 226 other localities (178 standing waters and 48 streams) were surveyed. Altogether, 45,346 waterbirds of 62 species were counted. This is the lowest number of waterbirds recorded after the 1997 and 1998 censuses. The greatest numbers of waterbirds were counted in the Drava count area, i.e. 20,217 individuals (44.6% of all waterbirds in Slovenia). By far the most numerous species was Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (43.0% of all waterbirds), followed by Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus (10.1% of all waterbirds), Coot Fulica atra (7.9% of all waterbirds), Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis (6.0% of all waterbirds) and Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (4.6% of all waterbirds). The number of 1,000 counted individuals was also surpassed by Mute Swan Cygnus olor, Pochard Aythya ferina, Tufted Duck Ay. fuligula and Teal An. crecca. Among the rarer recorded species, the Black Stork Ciconia nigra (registered for the first time during the January Waterbird Censuses; only the second winter record in Slovenia), Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis and Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (both registered only for the second time during the IWC) should be given a special mention. Numbers of the following species were the highest so far recorded during the IWC: Shelduck Tadorna tadorna, Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata, Shoveler An. clypeata, Redthroated Loon Gavia stellata and Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus. Also, the total number of C and E category species/taxa was the highest to date, although still quite low with 70 individuals. Numbers of the following species were the lowest so far recorded during the IWC: Cormorant, Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis and Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus