Avifauna of Lake Geča — Pilot Faunistic and Serological Study

Abstract

Lake Geča is located in the northern part of the Protected Bird Territory Košická kotlina. With a surface area of 250 ha it is the largest water area in the complex of a number of gravel lake areas located close to the villages Čaňa and Geča. From 2014—2016 we used the method of capture and ringing to focus on observations of transmigrating passerine birds species. This pilot study included serological testing of selected passerine species for the presence of specific antibodies to Usutu virus (USUV) by the virus neutralization test. During the field research we obtained 1077 data about ringed birds of 43 species. We received one report about the presence of a bird ringed in our study from another location in Slovakia, and 3 long distance (above 100 km) reports from Hungary, Czechia and Croatia. No specific antibodies against USUV were detected in the birds tested.

Keywords

• avifauna
• geča
• bird-ringing
• usutu virus