Preparations for the nesting season: All is ready to welcome common terns on Lake Šoderic

On World Water Day 2022, we organized vegetation clearing action on a gravel island on Šoderica Lake near Koprivnica to prepare it for the common tern nesting season. Last year, the island was home to 70 bird pairs. This year we are hoping for a few more.

Fifteen people joined the action, including experts from the Institute for Ornithology in Zagreb, Public Institution for Management of Protected Natural Areas in Koprivnica-Križevci County, Administrative Department for Spatial Planning, Construction, Environment and Nature Protection of Koprivnica-Križevci County, Association of Sport Fishing Clubs Koprivnica, IGMA Ltd., WWF Austria, and WWF Adria. In addition, we were joined by journalists from Nova TV and a cinematographer from Filmofil, who recorded the whole event.

The main goal of the action was the removal of all woody vegetation and tall grass to ensure good nesting conditions for common terns. They usually nest on gravel islands in rivers, for instance on the Drava River, but human activity is causing the disappearance of those habitats, which make islands like the one we visited for World Water Day important for the preservation of the common tern population in Croatia.

In the following years, we will repeat the action if there will be a need. Until then, we are monitoring common terns on the island and will provide updates on our social media channels.