Branta Issues > Issue №2 (1999)

Winter counts of birds of prey in 1998-1999 in Crimea

Prokopenko S.P., Grinclienko A.B.

One-clay motor-car and walking counts were carried out in December- January within 10% of the Crimea area. Additional expedition was organized on 21-26.01.99 to Kerch Peninsula (total route length was about 500 km). Information was collected on the following species: Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) – total number was about 20 birds; Griffon (Gyps J'ulvus) – 30-40 birds were wintering; Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) – 10 individuals were observed; Steppe Eagle (Aquila rapax) was not observed; Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) – 2 individuals; White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) – 29 birds were counted, estimated total number is about 70 individuals; Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) was not observed; Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) – 84 individuals were counted in different habitats but steppe is preferred (wintering density— l ind./10km²); Buzzard (Buteo buteo) – 4 individuals; Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rujinus) – 6 birds were observed, one of these was of dark morph, Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosas) – 8 individuals were counted; Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) – 12 adult males and 24 birds of unknown sex were observed, mainly in the east of the peninsula; Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) – wintering density is l ind./1 km², total number is about 300 individuals; Sparrowhawk Hawk (Accipiter nisus) – up to 20 individuals were counted in favourable days, wintering density is 1 ind./4km²; Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) – 20 birds were counted in Simferopol, 24 ones were observed at Kerch Peninsula, wintering density is l ind./10km²; Merlin (Falco columbarius) – 9 birds were counted, 7 of these were females; Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) — 10 birds were counted, toted number wintering in Crimea is 70 individuals; Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) – 9 adult females were counted, total wintering number is supposed to be 80 individuals.