Branta Issues > Issue №5 (2002)

Ecology of Magpie (Pica pica L.) on the Obitochnaya Spit (the Sea of Azov).

Koshelev A.I., Pokusa R.V., Koshelev V.A.

We have studied the nest ecology of Magpie in 1988-2002 in the Northern Priazovie in the south of Zaporizhzhia region, including the Obitochnaya Spit. It was investigated 43 nests, 29 clutches, 22 broods. We measured 160 eggs and ringed 32 nestlings of magpie. We described the location of the nests, their sizes, oomorphological indexes, year and brood variety of eggs’ sizes. Magpie settled the Obitochnaya Spit at the end of 1970s in artificial woods. 45-50 pairs of them are on the spit every year. The average size of the clutch is 6.46±0.70 eggs, brood – 5.14±0.23 nestlings, the success of reproduction – 73.0-76.0%. The diapason of variety of oomorphological indexes for magpies on the spit is not high. We didn’t discover the difference between those birds and birds on the continent. In autumn about 50-60% of magpies fly on the continent to the surrounding villages. The stable group of magpie which belongs to the North-Azov population is formed on the Obitochnaya Spit.