Gyula Kovacs

• Austrian Research Centre for Forests

The common tern (Sterna hirundo) is a migratory seabird experiencing a decline in breeding pairs across several European populations due to various threats, including habitat destruction and human disturbance. This study investigates the population genetic structure and diversity of common terns sampled extensively across three European areas—North...

Results of the November 2018 waterbird census at Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands. Waterbird census was carried out on 56 survey plots around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 18th November 2018, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d, 2015; KOVÁCS & HAJDU, 2015a, 2015b; KOVÁCS & BRUCKNER...

Results of the November 2020 waterbird census at Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands. Waterbird census was carried out on 58 survey plots around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 14th November 2020, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d, 2015; KOVÁCS & HAJDU, 2015a, 2015b; KOVÁCS & BRUCKNER...

Results of the January 2021 waterbird census at Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands. Waterbird census was carried out on 59 survey plots around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 17th January 2021, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d, 2015; KOVÁCS & HAJDU, 2015a, 2015b; KOVÁCS & BRUCKNER 2...

Results of the November 2019 waterbird census at Lake Balaton. Waterbird census was carried out on 54 survey plots around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 17th November 2019, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d, 2015; KOVÁCS & HAJDU, 2015a, 2015b; KOVÁCS & BRUCKNER 2022a, 2022b, 2022c) by Bird...

Results of the January 2020 waterbird census at Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands. Waterbird census was carried out on 58 survey plots around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 19th January 2020, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d, 2015; KOVÁCS & HAJDU, 2015a, 2015b; KOVÁCS & BRUCKNER 2...

Conflict between cormorants and fisheries represents the challenges of sustainable natural resource management in the light of biodiversity conservation. The last few decades' considerable increase in the worldwide Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) population along with climate change's impact on migration patterns of European populations empha...

The common tern (Sterna hirundo) is a migratory seabird from the family Laridae (gulls). It breeds in the Northern Hemisphere, including the European continent, whereas it migrates to the coastal areas of the South Hemisphere during the winter. Its breeding sites cover both freshwater and marine habitats. It is currently listed as Least Concern on...

Riparian forests are particularly vulnerable to environmental change and anthropogenic influences because they are highly dynamic ecosystems, thus proper adaptation measures are crucial. The implementation of these measures, however, strongly depends on the actors’ perceptions of the specific problems occurring in such forests. For understanding th...

Conflict between cormorants and fisheries represents the challenges of sustainable natural resource management in the light of biodiversity conservation. The last few decade’s considerable population increase along with climate change’s impact on migration patterns of inland populations of European great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo ) emphasizes...

Results of the November 2016 waterbird census on the Lake Balaton and the surrounding wetlands. Waterbird census was carried out on 54 survey plots (Table 2) around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 19th November 2016, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a; 2008b; 2008c; 2013a; 2013b; 2013c; 2013d; 2015; KOVÁCS & HAJDU, 2015a; 2015b) by...

Results of the November 2017 waterbird census on the Lake Balaton and the surrounding wetlands. Waterbird census was carried out on 55 survey plots (Table 2) around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 18th November 2017, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a; 2008b; 2008c; 2013a; 2013b; 2013c; 2013d; 2015; KOVÁCS & HAJDU, 2015a; 2015b) by...

Management plan for Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) in Hungary. The management plan for Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) was made in the following structure:1. Biology and ecology of Eurasian Coot, evaluation of conservation praxis 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Ecology 1.2.1. Habitat conditions 1.2.2. Reproduction 1.2.3. Feeding 1.2.4. Movement and wintering 1.3....

Results of the November 2015 waterbird census on the Lake Balaton and the surrounding wetlands. Waterbird census was carried out on 54 survey plots (Table 2) around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 13th November 2015, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a; 2008b; 2008c; 2013a; 2013b; 2013c; 2013d; 2015; KOVÁCS & HAJDU, 2015a; 2015b) by...

In a changing world, riparian forests are coming under more and more stress from biotic threats. This impacts all stages from saplings to older trees. One of the most dominant biotic threats are alien species and eruptive pest species. Sustainable silvicultural methods are required to reduce the risk of such biotic threats. We investigated the infl...

Natural oak regeneration and seeding

The influence of meteorological parameters on the health status of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) was analyzed using long term datasets (1989-2010) collected in 15 sample plots located in Hungary’s main beech regions. Leaf loss values were correlated with different meteorological parameters as explanatory variables. Analysis was performed by the CReMIT...

We performed our investigation on the territory of "LAJTA Project" (Győr-Moson-Sopron County). In the area a long term small game research has been carried out for 30 years. In the course of our research, we used aerial method to estimate the density of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). We used a microlight aircraft and flew 400 meters above ground l...

This study investigated the habitat selection of the Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) during the breeding season of 2014 in an intensively managed agricultural environment (LAJTA Project, North-West Hungary). In order to assess the habitat preferences of the Common Quail, habitat composition around occupied plots were compared with unoccupied contr...

The present study investigated the habitat selection of the Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) in both intensively (LAJTA Project) and extensively managed (MOSON Project) agricultural environments in North-West Hungary. In order to assess the habitat preferences of the Common Quail, habitat composition around occupied plots were compared with unoccup...

Movements of the mute swan Cygnus olor were studied based on the database of the Hungarian Bird Ringing Centre (BirdLife Hungary). A total of 20,335 recoveries of 6,806 individuals were evaluated, which yielded new information about migration routes, moulting and wintering grounds of this species. Apart from local recoveries, a total of 1,265 birds...

1. INTRODUCTION Numerous ornithological papers have been published about the avifauna of Lake Balaton; however, due to the complexities of research in this area, only a few comprehensive studies have been published about population changes of local waterbirds. In the 1970’s KEVE, in the 1980’s BANKOVICS, and in 2008 NAGY et al. summarized the statu...

Regular survey of Mute Swan families has been carried out on the southern shore of Lake Balaton during the period 2004–2014. Between June and September, the average number of cygnets per family decreased from 4.8 to 3.7 (Table 1). Proportion of immutabilis cygnets was also recorded in case it was possible. Proportion of immutabilis cygnets was 31.2...

Breeding waterbird surveys have been carried out on the fishponds and marshes at South Balaton between 2007 and 2014. In this paper the reproduction data of seven species were presented. Detailed data of Greylag Goose (Anser anser) (Table 1–3) and Pochard (Aythya ferina) (Table 4) are given, while only few data of Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)...

The breeding population of Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is 260–400 pairs in Hungary (MME NOMENCLATOR BIZOTTSÁG, 2008). The estimated nesting population was 30–65 pairs on Lake Balaton between 1990 and 2002 (POÓS, 1991; KÁRPÁTI, 1998; SZINAI, 1997; HORVÁTH, 2003; ALBERT et al., 2004). 46 breeding pairs were counted in April 2014 during the aerial survey...

Tóközi-berek (marsh) is located in Hungary at the southern shore of Lake Balaton, near Zamárdi. In this paper we present the faunistic results of ornithological surveys between 2007-2010 and 2012-2013. A total of 72 bird species from 31 families and 12 orders were observed. Furthermore results of the waterbird survey in 2007 and data of the songbir...

The first nesting of Mediterranean Gull was observed in 1940 in Hungary. Since then the species has been spreading in several areas of the country. Until the new millennium only a few observations have been recorded at Lake Balaton. In this paper we analyse 67 observation data of 91 individuals between 2004 and 2014. The species is typically observ...

Vegetation beneath the canopy might be an important factor for macromoth community composition in forest ecosystems, strongly determined by forest management practices. Herein, we compared nocturnal macrolepidoptera communities and herb layers in young and old sessile oak (Quercus petraea) dominated forest stands in the Sopron Mountains (Western Hu...

Waterbird census was carried out at 55 sites (Table 1) around Lake Balaton and its surrounding wetlands on 12th November 2011, like in previous years (KOVÁCS, 2008a; 2008b; 2008c; 2013a; 2013b; 2013c) by South-Balaton Nature Conservation Group (BirdLife Hungary). A total of 42 waterbird species from 9 families and 8 orders were observed. The highes...

Jelen vizsgálataink során a széltornyok közvetlen környezetében megfigyelhető madarakat vizsgálatuk különös tekintettel a fészkelőkre. A felmérések három éve alatt (2010–2012) április és június között pontszámlálást végeztünk a tornyok körüli 100 m sugarú körben, melynek eredményeit hasonló élőhely-összetételű kontrollterületekével vetettük össz...

The Lepidoptera fauna in the Külső-Somogy region (Somogy County) in southwestern Hungary is generally under-recorded, despite the fact that the area hosts a diverse landscape and a wide range of natural and semi-natural habitats. As part of the landscape-scale habitat rehabilitation program the authors conducted a series of surveys on the butterfly...

This study has shown that the Marcali reservoir is an important waterbird wetland habitat espe-cially during the migration period. Based on our findings early springtime season proved to be the most important season concerning bird activities on the reservoir. The reservoir and its surroundings are not spe -cifically important as breeding areas; a...

Study on some breeding parameters of the Great Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) was carried out in 2005 on Kis-Balaton and in 2009 in the Nagyberek Fehérvíz Nature Conservation Area. Mean (±SE) of clutch size was 3.51±0.15 (N=41) on Kis-Balaton and 3.27±0.19 (N=11) on Nagyberek while ranges of clutch size were 1–6 and 3–5, respectively,...

Légifelvételek, űrfelvételek alkalmazása évtizedek óta széles körben elterjedt módszer a különböző kutatási programok támogatására. Mindazonáltal a kutatás-specifikus légifelvételek, ortofotók és élőhelytérképek megrendelése gyakran túlmutat egy adott program költségvetésén. Kiváló alternatívát (sőt esetenként egyedüli megoldást) jelentenek a rádió...

Breeding Biology Studies on Rook (Corvus frugilegus L., 1758) using Continuous Video Monitoring, Sopron. The aim of the research was to study the nesting biology of a pair of Rook (Corvus frugilegus) in the Sopron University Botanical Garden (47° 40' 50" N, 16° 34' 38" E) using a computerized video camera system (Geovision GV-250). The camera was p...

KOVÁCS GY.: Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) occurrence at the southern shore of Lake Balaton and breeding at the fishponds of Irmapuszta. Abstract: The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is one of the characteristic bird species of Lake Balaton. Breeding colonies were described formerly from fishponds in Fonyód and Irmapuszta. Currently, the most numerous...