In line with the agreement on international collaboration in Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) ringing launched at the First International Black Stork Conservation and Ecology Symposium, held in Latvia in 1993, colour ringing of the above birds in the Czech Republic started a year later. In a total, 584 Black Storks (575 nestlings, 9 adults) were marked by colour rings in 1994 - 2000. The numbers of birds ringed in individual years are as follows:
1994 - 18
1995 - 63
1996 - 106
1997 - 128
1998 - 68
1999 - 94
2000 - 107
total 584

In 1994-1997, orange plastic rings from Spain inscribed with three black numbers and/or letters (the first sign "6" is the country code for the Czech Republic) were used for this purpose. In 1998, these were blue ones inscribed with three white letters, originally designed for Cormorants. In 1999, they were again replaced by Spanish rings, now green ones with white numbers and/or letters (the first sign again "6"). Finally, new red rings with white numbers and/or letters, a new country code being the first sign of three-point code "H", from the word CZE"H" were used in 2000. The way of ringing was a combination of plastic ring always in tibia and metal ring in tarsus or tibia (the plastic ring in even years in right tibia and in left tibia in odd years). Black Storks were ringed at 105 sites on the whole territory of the Czech Republic: 30 ringers, who collaborate with the Prague Ringing Centre, the National Museum, were involved in the activity. In a total, 101 recoveries of Black Storks marked by colour rings (i.e., 17 %) were obtained by the end of 2000. In Black Storks marked by standard metal rings, the ratio is only approx. 3 %. The difference in both rates will be discussed during the oral presentation. Most of the birds (80 %) were checked visually, the minority of them was found dead (10 %) or wounded (10 %). Exceptionally two individuals were killed (shot to death).

Most of birds (60 %) flew along the SE route via Bospor and Israel, less of them (20 %) moved to the SW direction via Gibraltar. Only two birds were checked in Central Italy, i.e. just right on the southern route. The others were found in the close vicinity of nests or it was impossible to determine the direction of their migration. During the migration, most of the birds (52 %) were observed in Israel, 11 % of them were found in France, in Germany, Hungary and Spain (5-6 %). We have not received some recovery from Africa yet. The results will also be discussed in more details (e.g., Willem van den Bosche´s activity in Israel, etc.). In addition to the data on migration, the first information on nest settlement of Black Stork young was also obtained (one approx. 40 km SE in the Czech Republic, another 420 km NW in Germany). Wintering of the species on Israel was confirmed.

Now some interesting findings: two siblings from the same nest were observed both in Spain and Bulgaria, other two siblings were found both in Central Italy. A young was reported from Corsica, another two times during ten days (Switzerland and France). Some other birds were repeatedly found in the consecutive years, maximally even four times.

Because the research is expected to continue in the future, the above results should be considered as preliminary ones.