Differences in the flight initiation distance near expressways and in open farmland in wintering Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo)

The development of road networks has given rise to man-made wildlife habitats. Birds of prey use roadsides and highway infrastructure as attractive foraging sites. In order to measure reactions to human disturbance, the flight initiation distance (FID) of Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo) foraging on expressways and in open farmland was investigated. The GLM model showed that FID was affected by habitat types, distance from the nearest building and distance from the nearest tree. Common Buzzards have a shorter FID on expressway than in farmland. The distance from the nearest building and the distance from the nearest tree were positively correlated with FID. Our results confirmed the behavioural plasticity of these birds and may provide a theoretical basis for measures aimed at reducing the risk of collisions with moving road vehicles

Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus wintering in central eastern Poland: population structure by age and sex, and the effect of weather conditions

Conditions at wintering grounds affect the numbers of birds of prey to various extents. Weather may influence the latitudinal winter distribution of short-distance migrants, such as the Rough-legged Buzzard, with respect to age and sex. Inventories were conducted in central eastern Poland during 2003-2006 on a sample plot with very high densities of Rough-legged Buzzards. In particular years, Rough-legged Buzzards wintered in different numbers, but there was no significant variation in numbers among phenological periods of winter. The mean daily temperature but not the depth of snow influenced numbers so that lower daytime temperatures were associated with higher numbers of wintering Rough-legged Buzzards. The observed age and sex structures were similar to the latitudinal winter distribution of these parameters in the Rough-legged Buzzard population in the Nearctic region: adults significantly outnumbered immatures, and among adults there were more females than males

Wpływ kolonii lęgowych gawrona na zawartość metali ciężkich w glebie

The content of Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd and Pb in rook faeces from two colonies roosting in urban parks in Eastern Poland (Siedlce and Biala Podlaska) and the effect of the colonies upon the metals content in soil were analyzed. The analysis was carried out by comparing the chemical composition of soils at the nestling sites and at the control sites. Differences showed in metals content in the faeces depended on the localization of colonies. The colony from the former site significantly contributed to the content of Cu, Fe, Zn and Cd in soil. Neither of the rook colonies affected soil Pb levels. The chemical composition of rook faeces reflected the quality of the environment in which rooks feed. Our study findings show that the rook is particularly sensitive to local changes in metals content in the environment.Analizowano zawartość metali Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd i Pb w odchodach gawrona bytującego w dwóch koloniach zlokalizowanych w parkach miejskich na terenie wschodniej Polski (Siedlce i Biała Podlaska) oraz wpływ kolonii na zawartość tych metali w glebach. Analizy wpływu kolonii gawrona na zmiany właściwości gleb dokonano, porównując skład chemiczny gleb na stanowiskach pod gniazdami ptaków i na stanowiskach kontrolnych. Odnotowano statystycznie większą zawartość Fe, Zn i Cd w odchodach ptaków gniazdujących na terenie Siedlce niż w Białej Podlaskiej. Istotny, na zawartość Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd i Pb w glebie, okazał się wpływ siedleckiej kolonii gawronów. Nie wykazano wpływu kolonii gawrona na zmiany zawartości Pb w glebie. Skład chemiczny odchodów jest odzwierciedleniem jakości diety ptaków. Przeprowadzone badania wykaza ły, że gawron jest gatunkiem szczególnie wrażliwym na lokalne zmiany zawartości metali w środowisku

Uranium and radium isotopes in drinking water of Kraków agglomeration

Niniejsza praca prezentuje wyniki analizy izotopów radu i uranu (226Ra, 228Ra, 238U, 234U) w próbkach wody pobranych z zakładów uzdatniania wody i publicznych studni znajdujących się na obszarze aglomeracji krakowskiej. Na podstawie wyników pomiarowych oszacowano roczne obciążające dawki wywołane pochłonięciem izotopów radu i uranu zawartych w badanych wodach dla ludzi we wszystkich grupach wiekowych. Stwierdzono że oszacowane dawki są mniejsze niż dopuszczalny poziom (0,1 mSv/rok) z wyjątkiem grupy niemowląt z założeniem, że każde dziecko w tej grupie konsumuje dziennie 1 litr wody.This work presents the results of measurements of radium and uranium isotopes (226Ra, 228Ra, 238U, 234U) in water samples collected from drinking water plants and public artesian wells in Kraków agglomeration. Annual effective doses for people of different age groups, caused by intake of natural radioactive isotopes contained in the waters, were estimated based on the obtained radioactive data. It turned out that the estimated annual doses are lower than the permissible level (0.1 mSv), excluding those far babies aged below 1 year, assuming the consumption of 1 liter per day for every baby in the age group