Nature or Surroundings - Birds affected by floods: Drenched and carried away
Animals like hedgehogs, marmots, and mice, as well as their babies, faced a tough time during the floods in Bavaria. They drowned or their underground burrows were submerged. Sadly, young storks were also affected by the heavy rain - experts discovered many deceased chicks in the southern region of Bavaria.
Meadow birds, including the endangered Great Bittern, experienced significant losses due to the floodwaters in the Danube and Regenstal areas in the Oberpfalz, according to Verena Auernhammer from the Bavarian Bird and Nature Protection Association in Hilpoltstein. "The entire habitat was submerged," she explained.
The Great Bittern has only 500 breeding pairs in Bavaria, so the flood couldn't have come at a worse time. Thankfully, it didn't occur during the main breeding season, which would've caused much more devastation. "If it had, we would've lost the entire clutches," Auernhammer said.
One major challenge for bird chicks was the continuous rain. "They won't survive if it doesn't stop," she warned. Weak animals might not make it.
For stork chicks three to four weeks old, the persisting rain is lethal. At this age, they're around the size of a chicken and can't take cover under their parents' feathers. "Sadly, they're still not fully feathered and are therefore constantly wet," said Oda Wieding, a biologist at the LBV.
Regional differences were stark. Many stork nest caretakers in southern Bavaria reported high losses. In Neuburg-Schrobenhausen, around three-quarters of the broods were damaged. On the other hand, the situation seemed better in the north and central parts of Bavaria - the number of dead chicks was either slightly increased or normal. "The losses probably won't be as severe as in the flood year 2013," predicted Auernhammer for meadow birds.
Despite the hardship experienced by meadow birds, Auernhammer believed the flood wouldn't have long-lasting effects on the Great Bittern's population. "It's not unusual for there to be years with greater losses. In the following year, the situation should even out," she remarked.
Meanwhile, some bird species, like the lapwing, found advantages in the higher water levels in less severely affected areas such as the Altmuhl valley. "They've taken advantage of it," concluded the expert.
