Factors affecting the nest site selection of the black stork, Ciconia nigra in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park, North-Eastern Greece

Nest site preference of black stork nesting in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park, northeastern Greece was Studied through the 2003 - 2004 field seasons. Seventeen nest-trees and their surroundings (0.1 ha circular plot centered at nest-tree) were described and compared to the characteristics of the same number of paired, randomly selected plots. Black storks usually nested in old pines, on branches at a mean distance 1.5 m from the trunk or against the trunk. Nest sites were located at slopes significantly steeper and significantly closer to small streams compared to random plots. The total free density at nest sites was significantly lower and the mean canopy closure immediately adjacent to black stork nest trees wits also significantly lower compared to that adjacent to the randomly selected trees. Nest sites had lower tree basal area than randomly selected sites, suggesting that the less wood volume sites were preferred for nesting by black storks in the study area.