New findings of trematodes of the superfamily Echinostomatoidea Looss, 1899 in birds from the Czech Republic

Summary In the Czech Republic, 12 freshly dead birds belonging to four species were examined helminthologically during a period of 2015 – 2019. They were six Caspian gulls Larus cachinnans (Lariformes), three goosanders Mergus merganser (Anseriformes), two common snipes Gallinago gallinago, and one common curlew Numenius arquata (Charadriiformes). Concerning trematodes, five echinostomatoids species were found, namely Aporchis massiliensis (obtained from one positive Caspian gull), Echinoparyphium macrovitellatum (one positive from six Caspian gulls), Echinostoma academica (one positive common curlew), Echinostoma stantschinskii (one positive from two common snipes), and Echinochasmus mergi (one positive from three goosanders). All the five echinostomatoids species represent the first records for the helminth fauna of the Czech Republic; the fl ukes A. massiliensis and E. macrovitellatum are recorded for the first time in the Central Europe or the Europe at all, respectively.

The Goosander Mergus merganser range expansion on the Balkan Peninsula and a new breeding population in Bulgaria

The Goosander Mergus merganser was not recorded breeding in Bulgaria till recently. We present herewith the very first record of the species breeding in the country and estimate the size of its breeding population in Bulgaria. Thus, we propose a change in its status in the country with more effort to be invested in the survey of this small, isolated population.

Flock-fishing deep-diving piscivores (Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus, Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, Common Merganser Mergus merganser) at Lake Vombsjön, southern Sweden, and those that exploit them

Lake Vombsjön in southern Sweden is visited by large numbers of Great Crested Grebes Podiceps cristatus (>2000), Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo (sometimes >1000) and Common Mergansers Mergus merganser (up to 2000) in late autumn and early winter. Different species exploit them. Great Crested Grebes are used especially by commensal Common Gulls Larus canus; the gulls take advantage of fish that flee towards the surface. Common Gulls also use cormorants and mergansers in the same way but also try to kleptoparasitize them. Both Herring Gulls Larus argentatus and Great Black-backed Gulls Larus marinus kleptoparasitize these two species, while Red Kites Milvus milvus, Grey Herons Ardea cinerea and Carrion Crows Corvus corone use them commensally. White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla seem to use both methods to obtain fish. On 50% of one hundred visits during November to March, eagles were seen flying low over the fishing flocks. They would fly a metre or so above the flocks and then accelerate and attack a bird holding a fish. The bird would then either try to escape by a rush or by diving, dropping the fish which the eagle seized. Interestingly, the flock-fishing birds showed no fear reactions towards the eagles but appeared to regard them similarly to large gulls.