Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) – Hungary Conservation status EU27: Secure Protection status BD: Annex I CMS: Appendix II Bern Convention: Annex II Population (2008-12) UE27: Breeding: 5,900-7,800 pairs MS reported increases CZ, DE, EE, HU, FR, IT, LU Other MS AT, BE, BG, ES, GR, LT, LV, PL, PT, RO, SI, SK Photo: Lukasz Lukasik (Wikimedia Commons, 2018) Summary: The Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) is a waterbird species that breeds in Europe, with most of its population migrating to Africa in winter. Although it is scarce, its threat status is considered to be Least Concern both globally and within Europe, as its population has been increasing. It predominantly feeds in wetlands, but requires old, undisturbed and open forests with old trees with large canopies for nesting. The main pressures and threats to the species are human-induced habitat degradation caused by deforestation, the rapid development of industry and farming, as well as the construction of dams and drainage of lakes for hydroelectric power production and irrigation. The species is also highly sensitive to human disturbances and will abandon its nests due to the presence of foresters and hunters. The principal conservation measures that have increased the Black Stork’s population have included the restoration of wetland and nesting habitats and the construction of artificial pools for feeding. LIFE projects, such as the ‘Conservation of endangered bird species populations in natural habitats of the Danube inland delta’, have helped restore such areas and raised awareness of the species and its needs with local communities. Background Status and EU occurrence The Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)1 is a widely distributed, but rather uncommon and specialist water bird species that occurs in Europe, Asia and Africa (BirdLife International, 2018). In the EU, the Black Stork regularly occurs in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Its European breeding population mostly winters in Africa, but some birds are sedentary, such as in Spain. Although it is a scarce species, due to its wide distribution, increasing population trend in Europe, and lack of any evidence of substantial declines elsewhere, the Black Stork’s threat status is considered at all scales—global, European and EU27—to be of least concern (BirdLife International, 2015, 2018). According to the latest Member State Art 12 reporting data (Annex 1), the species has shown short-term breeding population size increases (2000-2012) in seven Member States, with three also increasing over the longer-term (1980-2012): the Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary. The short-term breeding population status of the species was mostly reported as stable or unknown in the other EU countries, but decreasing in Latvia and Slovakia. Ecological requirements The Black Stork requires old, undisturbed and open forests for nesting. It builds large nests composed of sticks positioned between 4 to 25m high in large forest trees or along cliffs (e.g. in Spain). They prefer to nest in trees generally 25m high, about 120 years old and roughly 66 cm in diameter at breast height, with canopies large enough to hold the nest away from the main truck of the tree. The Black Stork can sometimes occupy nests of other bird species, and has been observed reusing nests in successive years (BirdLife International, 2015, 2017). Pairs are spread throughout the landscape at a distance of no less than 1 km, even in areas where the species is numerous (BirdLife International, 2015, 2017). 1 Natura 2000 species code A030-B The species forages in marshes, shallow rivers and streams, swampy patches, pools, flood plains and damp meadows, and occasionally in grasslands with strands of reeds or long grass. It tends to avoid dense forests and large bodies of water, though non-breeding birds can frequent estuaries of tidal rivers. In these habitats, the Black Stork predominantly hunts for fish, but may also take amphibians, snails, insects, small reptiles, crabs, other birds and mammals (BirdLife International, 2015, 2017). An Estonian study identified good practices relating to the conservation and management of the Black Stork (Lohmus and Sellis, 2003 in BirdLife International, 2015). The authors found that the ’retention of large older trees during forest management is important in providing nesting sites for the species.’ Other conservation measures suggested by conservationists include the preservation of large territories of deciduous woodland and management of river quality away from nesting sites. Regarding dietary requirements, measures should aim at protecting and managing feeding habitats as well as improving food availability through establishment of shallow artificial pools in grasslands or along rivers. The minimisation of human disturbance in breeding areas is also important (BirdLife International, 2015). Pressures and threats Pressures affecting this species are mainly human-induced and include forest and plantation management and use, large-scale water diversion, suspended electricity and telephone lines, and other human intrusions and disturbances (BirdLife International, 2015; BROZ, n.d.). This is particularly the case for Hungary’s Black Stork population, which has been observed abandoning its nests due to disturbance by forest maintenance workers and hunters (BROZ, n.d.). Other pressures and threats can be linked to climate change and natural processes, which include droughts and less precipitation, storms and cyclones (EEA/ETC-BD, undated). Overall, though, habitat degradation is the main threat to the species. Especially in Russia and Eastern Europe, areas of suitable breeding habitat are being reduced through forestry activities that remove the large nesting trees preferred by the Black Stork. Rapid development of industry and farming as well as the construction of dams and the drainage of lakes used for hydroelectric power production and irrigation are also contributing to habitat degradation. These activities both reduce nesting habitats through the construction of new buildings or clearing for farms, as well as reduce feeding grounds suitable for the Black Stork through damming rivers or reducing water flow from irrigation. According to Hungary’s Article 17 report the highest pressures on the species result from forest and plantation management and use, large scale water deviation and droughts and less rainfall. In Africa, wetland wintering habitats are ‘threatened by conversion, agricultural intensification, desertification and pollution caused by the concentration of pesticides and other chemicals’ (BirdLife International, 2015). Occasionally, Black Storks can be killed by colliding with power lines and overhead cables, and illegal hunting in southern Europe whilst on migration (BirdLife International, 2015). Drivers of improvements: actors, actions and their implementation approaches Organisers, partners, supporters and other stakeholders The main project that made a key contribution to the improving status of the population of the Black Stork in Hungary, was the LIFE project ‘Conservation of endangered bird species populations in natural habitats of the Danube inland delta’, which ran from January 2009 to December 2015 (Annex 2). The project covered the SPAs Dunajské luhy (Slovakia) and Szigetköz (Hungary), in the later focussing on a large inundation area at the Danube river between the villages Rajka and Göny, Moson Danube and scattered well-preserved wetlands within the Szigetköz. The project was led by the Regional Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development in Slovakia (Bratislavské regionálne ochranárske zdruenie; BROZ), in conjunction with project partners from Slovakia’s State Enterprise for Water Management Construction (Vodohospodárska výstavba; VVB), Comenius University’s Faculty of Natural Sciences in Bratislava, Slovakia (Prírodovedecká fakulta Univerzity Komenského Bratislava; PriF UK), Hungary’s North-Transdanubian Environmental and Water Directorate (Észak- dunántúli Környezetvédelmi és Vízügyi Igazgatóság; EDUKOVIZIG), and Hungary’s Nature Conservation Association (Szigetközi Természetvédelmi Egyesület – Szigetköz; SZITE)(BROZ, 2018). Contributions / relevance of strategic plans No strategic action plan is known to have been prepared for the Black Stork in Hungary. Measures taken and their effectiveness Hungary reported that in 2008 to 2012 the following conservation measures were taken for the Black Stork. Application of conservation measures for Ciconia nigra for 2008-2012 in Hungary Inside / Broad Measure Type Ranking outside SPAs evaluation Restoring/ improving forest habitats Legal Recurrent High Both Maintain Adapt forest management Legal High Both Maintain Administrative Recurrent Restoring/ improving the hydrological Contractual High Inside Maintain regime Recurrent One Off Establish protected areas/ sites Legal One Off High Inside Maintain Legal protection of habitats and species Legal One Off High Both Maintain Regulation/ management of hunting and Administrative Low Inside Maintain taking Recurrent Specific management of traffic and energy Contractual One Low Both Maintain transport systems Off Specific single species or species group Administrative One Low Inside Enhance management measures Off Source: Hungary Article 12 report 2013 at https://bd.eionet.europa.eu/article12/summary The Danube LIFE project aimed to improve the conservation status of floodplain