Branta Issues > Issue №10 (2007)

Value of Kinburnskaya Spit in conservation of White-tailed Eagle in winter period

Petrovich Z.O., Redinov K.O.

Observations were taken over the period 1993-2006 in the Dnieper Delta, on Kinburnskiy Peninsula, Dnepro-Bugskiy, Berezanskiy and Tiligul'skiy Limans, in Yagorlytskiy and Tendrovskiy Bays, along the coast of the Black Sea and adjacent agricultural landscapes. First individuals in areas of winter assemblages appear in August, while dispersion is observed in February-March. 21-30 September 2002 on Kinburnskaya Spit it was found a dead White-tailed Eagle, ringed 27 May 2002 as a chick in Poland.

In winter White-tailed Eagles gathered on joint roosts, still permanent for many years. Some eagles lived independently. In early 1990s on Kinburnskiy Peninsula three roosting areas were known. After the fire in 2001 only two roosting areas left. The main roosting area of eagles is in the artificial pine-tree forest of 40 years age near Pokrovka village (fig.). When these pine-tree plantations were under 30 years, the eagles roosted in natural groves.

During 1993-2005 numbers of wintering White-tailed eagles (roosting areas) did not exceed 30-50 ind. During 6-8 February 2006 on roosting areas of Regional Landscape Park "Kinburnskaya Spit" there were 291 birds.

From the roosting place White-Tailed eagles fly away to feed for the distance up to 50 km and cover coastal land area and water area above 2,000 km² (fig.). Their diet in spite of wide range of food is based on waterfowl.

There is an opportunity to provide ringing of wintering birds in Regional Landscape Park “Kinburnskaya Spit” involving foreign experts.