Two black storks (Ciconia nigra) were registered during the regular monitoring of the Nikšić reservoirs, which the Center for the Protection and Study of Birds conducts as part of its volunteer activities.
Black storks, as announced by CZIP, belong to the order of secretive and shy species, which are rarely seen. They were observed near the Salt Lake.
The last time they were recorded was in 2002, in the vicinity of Ulcinj in the summer period, so it was estimated that one pair nests in that area. The latest observation indicates that it is about migrations, which are in full swing these days and for other species that will spend the winter in Africa or the Mediterranean.
"Compared to white storks (Ciconia ciconia), which visit us this year in numbers unheard of in recent ornithological history, black storks differ not only in appearance but also in a completely different type of habitat they inhabit. Namely, they nest in old and dense forests nearby or in the swamps themselves, often near larger watercourses. They make their nest high in trees, and it is quite difficult to record, as well as the presence of the storks themselves. It is possible to see them feeding, after heavy rains, when they visit nearby ponds. In the surrounding countries, they nest most often along larger rivers, in the floodplain forests of Posavina, Podravina, and Podunavlja. Black storks, like white storks, are monogamous, which means that one pair decides to be faithful throughout their life, i.e. until the death of one of them. They are threatened by the logging of old trees, draining swamps and regulating river systems". it is stated in the CZIP announcement.
Bearing in mind the rarity of black storks in Montenegro, it is added, their recent feeding and resting at the Nikšić reservoirs indicates exceptional biodiversity importance, including a part of the non-urbanized field.
"Otherwise, the karst fields in the Dinarides, which includes the Nikšić field, play a huge role in the migration and nesting of birds, especially their untouched parts where there are still natural streams, marshes and preserved meadows. Green oases in the karst are a resort for numerous species which, especially during the spring, use these fields to rest after an exhaustive journey across the Adriatic Sea and the Mediterranean in general. , cormorants, herons... White storks, as the closest relatives of the black stork, stayed in large numbers in several locations in Montenegro this year during their flight. The most numerous were in Nikšić, where as many as 20 of them were found. Later they were noticed in Pljevlje , Berane, Rožaje, Podgorica, Igalo, Ulcinj, and recently also in Sutomor. After the death of Perka and Perko in Berane, Montenegro was left without a single nesting pair, however, this season two young birds stayed at the same nest, the newly formed pair still sexually active immature but whose successful nesting we expect next year".
The curiosity of the migration season, as pointed out by CZIP, is certainly represented by the stork from Podgorica, which has been staying on the Morača River since summer, and was observed in Rogami, Zagorič, it also stayed in the yard of the KBC, and it can most often be seen with collectors.
"Considering that all the storks have already left, there is a justified fear that, like many storks last year in Europe, they will spend the winter in our capital city. In order to provide her with a safe winter and enable her to feed during the colder months when there is less food available in nature, we ask citizens to let us know the exact location where they noticed this stork roosting at night, because that way we can take measures to specifically protect it. places where storks stayed or nested, and in accordance with international practice and the good experience of BirdLife International. Please report your observations of the movement of the Podgorica stork and its potential roost (lighting pole, roof, etc.) to ornithologist Bojan Zeković at bojan.czip@ gmail.com or by phone at 069621785," concludes the CZIP announcement.
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