Waterfowl census shows more cormorants, less swans and eagles.

A census of waterfowl in the Czech Republic carried out in January has shown a decrease the number of swans and White-Tailed Eagles, and a rise in the number of cormorants. Ornithologists say that the changes are part of a trend of several years, whereby swans have been pushed out by competing wild geese and, like the White-Tailed Eagle – the largest bird of prey in the Czech Republic – have taken to wintering farther south due to colder winters and icier ponds in the country. Cormorants however have benefited greatly from protected status and currently number roughly nine thousand. The birds have caused considerable damage to the Czech fishing industry by consuming an estimated half-tonne of fish a day.