Between April and June 2021, the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation together with external contractor DOPPS, Birdlife Slovenia, organized a river bird census on the Mura River in the section between Ceršak and Dekanovec.
The entire Mura river with some larger side arms and gravel pits on this section was covered with a focus on 5 river birds, which are breeding on the river. These are common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius), sand martin (Riparia riparia), kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and bee-eater (Merops apiaster).
Nevertheless, many different bird and other animal species were observed, as well as the breeding conditions (gravel bars, gravel islands, steep river banks) at different river flow rates. The impact of the invasive plant species, especially Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), on the steep river banks, decreasing the breeding sites availability for sand martin and kingfisher was unfortunately obvious.
Photo provided by the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation.