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

Rearing of Juvenile Long-Legged Buzzards by Steppe Eagle in Western Kazakhstan

On 15 of June, we examined a living nest of Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) 6 km southeast from village Altykarasu of the Aktobe region of Kazakhstan. Below the nest, there were two fully-fledged juvenile Long-Legged Buzzards (Buteo rufinus). This observation could be attributed to non-lethal catch of Long-Legged Buzzard nestlings by Steppe Eagle with subsequent rearing

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

Steppe Eagle in the Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan

Between June 22 and July 18, 2017, fieldworks were carried out to study the population structure and demographic characteristics of the Steppe Eagle breeding groups (Aquila nipalensis) in the central part of the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. In the course of the work 808 birds we found, 280 Steppe Eagle breeding territories were localized. Within 10 registration areas 277 Steppe Eagle breeding territories (96.18 % ) were examined, including 70 successful nests with 102 nestlings. The occupation of breeding territories was 87.73 %, while the percentage of active nests in the occupied breeding territories was 69.14 %. Successful were 42.26 % of nests from the number of active nests and 25.63 % from the number of identified breeding territories. The number of nestlings in broods ranged from 1 to 3, averaging (n=71) 1.45±0.56 nestlings per successful nest and (n=168) 0.61±0.80 nestlings per occupied nest. With a very high percentage of nests with unsuccessful breeding (54.46 % of the number of active ones), high percentage of nests with dead clutch was recorded – 34.55 % of the number of nests with unsuccessful breeding. Distribution density of Steppe Eagle active nests averaged 7.67/100 km2, varying in different areas from 4.11 to 12.90/100 km2. The distribution density of Steppe Eagle successful nests on the areas varied from 0 to 4.81/100 km2 averaged 3.24/100 km2. For the area of habitats suitable for breeding across the Karaganda region (142,549.9 km2), the abundance of the Steppe Eagle in nesting was 4,794–5,814, at average 5,275 pairs and 2,183–2,647, at average 2,402 successful pairs

Результаты GPS/GSM-трекинга ювенильных степных орлов из России и Казахстана

В статье приводятся результаты прослеживания с помощью GPS/GSM-трекеров 19 ювенильных степных орлов (Aquila nipalensis) из России и Казахстана в 2013–2019 гг. Послегнездовой период до распада выводков длился от 30 до 82 дней, в среднем (n=18) 58,4±16,5 дней, причём он был короче у самок (в среднем 48,8±14,2 дней) и длиннее у самцов (в среднем 66,2±13,6 дней) (T=0, Z=2,37, p=0,018). Площадь индивидуальных участков, определённых как минимальный конвексный полигон (MCP) 95%, варьировала от 0,5 до 28,4 км2, составив в среднем (n=18) 6,94±8,95 км2, причём она была меньше у самок (в среднем 1,64±1,88 км2, n=8) и больше у самцов (в среднем 11,18±10,20 км2, n=10) (T=1,0, Z=2,55, p=0,01). Старт миграции степных орлов приходился в разные годы на период с 24 августа по 12 октября. Раньше начинали мигрировать птицы из Оренбургской области, позже – из Республики Алтай. Максимальная линейная дистанция от гнезда до места зимовки составила 4222 км. Для молодых птиц на первом году жизни показано отсутствие возвратов в натальную область, для орлов на втором году жизни доказана смена зимовок с Индо-Пакистанских на Аравийские и с Аравийских на Африканские