evidence: Covering an area of 536 sq. km, Lake Constance, also known as Bodensee in German, is a large body of water that is shared by the three European nations of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The lake forms a part of the Rhine River basin and is geographically positioned at the northern foothills of the Alps. Lake Constance is considered Central Europe’s third-largest lake by surface area and also the second largest lake in Europe by water volume. Lake Constance is situated at an elevation of 395m and has a maximum length of 63km and a maximum width of 14km. The lake has an average depth of 90m and reaches a maximum depth of 251m at its deepest point. The shorelines of Lake Constance are shared by the German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg; the Swiss cantons of Schaffhausen, St. Gallen, and Thurgau; and the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. [...] Lake Constance hosts more than 412 species of birds, many of which rest in the nature reserves of the Mettnau peninsula and the Wollmatinger Ried. Some of the most notable birds that are found here include chaffinch, starling, robin, chiffchaff, great crested grebe, goosander, grey heron, goldeneye, mallard, tufted duck, etc. Lake Constance is also considered an important overwintering area for about 250,000 birds. The lake also functions as an important staging post during the migration of birds. About 45 species of fish have been recorded from lake Constance. Several invasive fish species like the rainbow trout, zebra mussel, killer shrimp, opossum shrimp, etc have also been observed in Lake Constance.