Recent Changes in Distribution of Wintering Populations of Waterfowl Established on the Basis of Lithuanian Ringing Recoveries

Abstract

Recent changes in the wintering grounds of the Lithuanian breeding population of Mute Swan, Mallard, Common Pochard, and Coot were established by means of the analysis of the long-term ringing data stored in the Data Bank of the Lithuanian Bird Ringing Centre. Significant changes in the wintering grounds of Mute Swan and Mallard of the Lithuanian breeding population have occurred since the late 1980s; the wintering grounds of Common Pochard and Coot, on the other hand, have changed just unremarkably. These changes were primarily caused by human impact and an increased number of mild winters during the present climatic amelioration.