birding...

Wren Troglodytes troglodytes ©Sue & Andy Tranter http://www.suesbirdphotos.co.uk/

“During the realisation of the BirdLife International’s “Birds in Europe – Their Conservation Status II” project in Serbia and Montenegro, 180 bird species were identified as breeding in Kosovo and Metohija in the 1990-2002 period. Yet, the lowlands of this province are not adequately researched, river valleys and wetlands in particular; where a number of waterbirds are probable breeders. Thus the total number of breeding species is probably 5% higher.

Additional species of Kosovo and Metohija that are potential breeders and might be confirmed as such if intensive research was possible, mostly waterbirds and raptors, are: Red-necked Grebe, Great Cormorant, Bittern, Squacco Heron, Great White Egret, Black Stork, Northern Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Goosander, also Black Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Montagu’s Harrier, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Saker, Spotted Crake, Snipe, Common Tern, Whiskered Tern and Pallid Swift.

Inadequately covered areas of Kosovo and Metohija include carp fishponds along the Sitnica River (Batuse, etc.), bigger dams (Radonjicka, Gracanicka, Batlavska, Vrbnicka, etc.) as well as remaining wetland areas along Sitnica, Lepenac, Lab, Beli Drim and Drenica rivers.”

Source: Puzovic, S., Simic, D., Saveljic, D., Gergelj, J., Tucakov, M., Stojnic, N., Hulo, I., Ham, I., Vizi, O., Sciban, M., Ruzic, M., Vucanovic, M. & Jovanovic, T. (2003). Serbia and Montenegro bird populations size and trend estimates 1990-2002. Ciconia, Vol. 12: 35-120. Novi Sad.