Seasonal occurrence and abundance of waterbirds in sandpits and fishponds

Censuses of waterfowl at four fishponds and sandpits in the surroundings of Třeboň were carried out regularly during one season and their occurrence was compared with that recorded by other studies and information in the database of the Třeboňsko Protected Landscape Area. Some waterfowl show a marked preference for fishponds during the breeding season. This can be due to many factors, presence of more food, extent of the littoral growth of vegetation, fish stock, depth of water etc. However, sandpits are attractive to waterbirds in winter, when they serve as over wintering sites, meeting places for migrating birds or refuges from hunters.