Branta Issues > Issue №15 (2012)

On the bird wintering in the south of the Crimea under extreme winter conditions of 2011/2012.

Y. A. Andryushchenko, M. M. Beskaravayny, S. Y. Kostin, V. M. Popenko, S. P. Prokopenko

The coast of the Southern Crimea is a region of regular and, in a period of strong cold spells, forced winterings of birds. The cold spell in late January 2012, observed in a major part of the Azov-Black Sea Region of Ukraine, led to the formation of deep snow cover (up to 30 cm), and almost continuous ice cover. The ice was absent only in sea waters of the Southern Crimea and therefore many birds moved to this area. A substantial increase in the number was recorded for 41 species of hydrophilic birds. Wintering of the Garganey was recorded for the first time in the Southern Crimea, also it was recorded a relative high for the winter period number of the Great Black-headed Gull and Sandwich Tern. Qualitative and quantitative composition for most bird groups in watersheds of the Southern Crimea was usual for a winter period. The cold spell and formation of snow cover in the north of the region induced considerable changes only in Falconiformes. A total of 17 species of this order was registered in the study area, of them 10 appeared or much increased in numbers after the cold spell.