Nesting habitats of Black Stork (Ciconia nigra L.) in Ukrainian forest zone (Polissia) revealed by an overlay analysis in GIS

Abstract

The study was based on an overlay analysis in GIS. Exact locations of 108 nest and layers representing forest types, prevailing tree species, forest age and productivity (bonitet class) were used. The analysis was performed on the level of individual nests (spatial join to point layer), and on the level of buffers with 500m radius around nests. To find the most preferable forest types for Black Stork we compared the frequency of distribution of forest types on the nesting territories with the frequency of distribution of those types in the study area and in 500m buffers around 108 random points. According to the results of our research, the spatial distribution of Black Stork nests to a great extant follows the general structure of forests in the region. We found some selectivity in case of wet forest types with prevalence of oak with pine, as well as with black alder, but the result is not statistically significant. The only statistically significant relation was found in case of forest age. Black Storks prefer old and mature forests. The most important trees for nesting were oak (53,3%) and pine (29,9%).