<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The article summarises the results obtained during the 7th International White Stork Census 2014 in Latvia as well as analyses of changes since 1934. More than 2000 participants were involved in the census. About 14,000 pairs of white storks (WS) were found nesting in Latvia in 2014, i.e. about 52% more than in 1934, and about 25% more than in 1994 and 2004. The breeding density was one of the highest in the breeding area — on average, 21.7 occupied nests/100 km2 territory and 60.8 nests/100 km2 agricultural lands. The proportion of occupied nests in 2014 was 90.1%, and the proportion of successful ones — 95.7%. The average number of raised chicks decreased from 2.7 in occupied nests and 2.8 in successful nests in 1934 to 2.1 and 2.4 in 2014, correspondingly. The main reasons for this decrease were deterioration of feeding conditions (amount and availability of food, as well as the regionally growing use of agricultural chemicals). Since 1934, considerable changes in WS nest location and human aid in their construction have been observed. Eighty years ago, an absolute majority of nests (about 80%) were built with human aid (artificial nest support) on trees; whereas in 2014, only 3.5% such nests were registered. Most nests (64.8%) in 2014 were built on electric poles without artificial support. According to observations after 2014, the growth of the breeding population of WS in Latvia has come to an end, and even a slight regional decrease has been observed. Nevertheless, at present, there are no reasons to consider the local breeding population of the WS as being endangered and vanishing.
</abstract>

The article summarises the results obtained during the 7th International White Stork Census 2014 in Latvia as well as analyses of changes since 1934. More than 2000 participants were involved in the census. About 14,000 pairs of white storks (WS) were found nesting in Latvia in 2014, i.e. about 52% more than in 1934, and about 25% more than in 1994 and 2004. The breeding density was one of the highest in the breeding area — on average, 21.7 occupied nests/100 km2 territory and 60.8 nests/100 km2 agricultural lands. The proportion of occupied nests in 2014 was 90.1%, and the proportion of successful ones — 95.7%. The average number of raised chicks decreased from 2.7 in occupied nests and 2.8 in successful nests in 1934 to 2.1 and 2.4 in 2014, correspondingly. The main reasons for this decrease were deterioration of feeding conditions (amount and availability of food, as well as the regionally growing use of agricultural chemicals). Since 1934, considerable changes in WS nest location and human aid in their construction have been observed. Eighty years ago, an absolute majority of nests (about 80%) were built with human aid (artificial nest support) on trees; whereas in 2014, only 3.5% such nests were registered. Most nests (64.8%) in 2014 were built on electric poles without artificial support. According to observations after 2014, the growth of the breeding population of WS in Latvia has come to an end, and even a slight regional decrease has been observed. Nevertheless, at present, there are no reasons to consider the local breeding population of the WS as being endangered and vanishing.

Number of White Stork <italic>Ciconia ciconia</italic> Nests in Latvia Between 1934 and 2014

Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Number of White Stork  Nests in Latvia Between 1934 and 2014

The article summarises the results obtained during the 7th International White Stork Census 2014 in Latvia as well as analyses of changes since 1934. More than...

Number of White Stork Ciconia ciconia Nests in Latvia Between 1934 and 2014

Published Online: Sep 28, 2023

Page range: 141 - 152

Received: Dec 19, 2022

Accepted: Aug 16, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2023-0022

Keywords
population changes, breeding success, characteristics of nests

© 2023 Māra Janaus et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Number of White Stork Ciconia ciconia Nests in Latvia Between 1934 and 2014

Published Online: Sep 28, 2023

Page range: 141 - 152

Received: Dec 19, 2022

Accepted: Aug 16, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2023-0022

Keywordspopulation changes, breeding success, characteristics of nests

© 2023 Māra Janaus et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
population changes, breeding success, characteristics of nests