This census has been taking place in Latvia every 10 years since 1934 and helps to compare how the number and breeding success of white storks have changed over the decades, explained Agnis Bušs, Head of Public Education and Engagement at the Latvian Ornithological Society (LOB), on Latvian Radio's "Good Morning" program.
He said that the easiest way to report a nest sighting is to use the "Dabasdati" app on your mobile phone. When reporting a nest, it is important to indicate whether it is empty, whether storks are visible, and whether chicks are visible. Instructions for submitting the data are also available.
Bušs said that the previous count in 2014 had counted the highest number, so it was expected that the number would now decrease, but not because the White Stork was threatened - it had simply reached its maximum ecological carrying capacity.
The LOB representative also pointed out the differences in breeding between regions - Latgale has more nests but fewer chicks, while other regions have fewer nests but more chicks.
There are about 14,000 inhabited stork nests in Latvia and more than 8,000 nests are on electricity poles.
