Saker Falcon in the Karatau Mountains and surrounding territories (Kazakhstan) – results of 2022 research

Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) is one of the most threatened falcon species of Northern Eurasia, the range and the number of which has fallen catastrophically over the last four decades. One large breeding group was concentrated in the Karatau Mountains in southern Kazakhstan. Based on the results of studies in 2010 and 2022, we modeled Saker Falcon distribution in Google Earth Engine using the image classification method – Random Forest (probability + regression). The area of Saker Falcon breeding biotopes in Karatau and adjacent territories is calculated at 4222.64 km2, area of habitats – 9084.3 km2. Saker Falcon population in the study area for 2010 is estimated at 128–281 pairs, 200 pairs on average; in 2022 – 28–66, 46 pairs on average, with a decrease by 77%. The “catalyst” for the collapse of the Saker Falcon population in Karatau is a prolonged depression in the number of rodents. Pairs that survive while nesting almost exclusively feed on birds. The preserved resource is important for population recovery, and the further fate of the species will depend both on restoration of rodent populations and on the pressure of other negative factors, such as poaching and mortality on overhead power lines

Steppe Eagle in the East Kazakhstan Region

Fieldwork aimed at studying the population structure and demographic indices of the breeding groups of Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) in the southwestern part of the East Kazakhstan region was conducted from June 24 to July 20, 2020. In total, we recorded 79 adult Steppe Eagles. Within 4 sampled plots, 44 breeding territories of Steppe Eagles were visited, including 11 successful nests with a total of 11 nestlings found. The occupation of breeding territories was 95.45%, and the share of active nests from the number of occupied territories was 69.05%. The share of successful nests makes 25% and of unsuccessful – 31.82% from the total number of breeding territories. All broods found have only 1 nestling, making on average (n=29) 0.38±0.49 nestlings per active nest. In all sampled plots we observe a high proportion of nests with failed breeding (48.28% of active nests). The distribution density of Steppe Eagle breeding territories was 1.16–2.81/100 km2, on average 1.88/100 km2. The density of successful nests was 0.38–0.53/100 km2, on average 0.47/100 km2. The overall Steppe Eagle population inhabited suitable breeding habitats of the East Kazakhstan region was estimated in the range from 1110 to 2368 breeding pairs, on average 1617 pairs