Academic literature on the topic 'Eurasian kestrel'

Recent development in video monitoring has allowed collecting of data on prey deliveries at raptor nests, and this offers an opportunity to relate prey selection to short-term changes in environmental factors on a scale of hours. Whereas raptors may specialize on ectothermic prey at southern latitudes, only some generalist raptors may include such prey in their diet at northern latitudes. In particular, at northern latitudes the activity pattern of ectothermic reptiles is strongly dependent on the prevailing weather conditions. To test whether this dependence affects the exposure of reptiles to raptors, we used video recording of prey deliveries at nests of the Eurasian Kestrel ( Falco tinnunculus L., 1758) at 61°N in Norway, where the Common Lizard ( Zootoca ( Lacerta ) vivipara (Jacquin, 1787)) is the only lizard available to kestrels. The probability that a prey item delivered at a kestrel nest was a lizard increased towards midday and also increased independently with increasing ambient temperature, which on average, was 20.2 °C when lizards were delivered compared with 15.7 °C when other types of prey were delivered. Thus, the delivery of lizards by kestrels in our study may be regarded as a functional response, where the abundance of lizards is determined by solar height and ambient temperature.

Abstract During directional flight trained Eurasian Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) in the laboratory expended 13.8 W. Free-living birds expended 14.6 W during nonsoaring flight that included both directional flight and wind hovering. The former value was obtained by combining food balance and indirect calorimetry techniques, the latter by doubly labeled water (Dz18O). Because the energy-expenditure rates are so similar for directional flight alone and for wind hovering and directional flight combined, we argue that the value for either mode of kestrel flight may be used to analyze time-energy budgets. We predicted avian flight costs (et) from an equation based on published data on flight costs in 14 species (body mass 3.8-1,000 g): where M is body mass (g), bw is wing span (cm), and Sw is wing area (cm2). Inclusion of the morphological data with body mass significantly improved the prediction of flight cost [r2 = 0.84 vs. r2 = 0.75 without bw and sw, Fc (2,18) = 5.34, P < 0.05]. Received 8 May 1986, accepted 29 November 1986.

Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) nesting in a nest box on a very high voltage electricity pylon In 2008 an Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) nestled down for the first time in a wooden nest box with dimensions of 80×80×80 cm, installed on a very high voltage electricity pylon in open agricultural landscape near the village of Budkovce on the Východoslovenská rovina plain in Slovakia. Since 2008 it has nested in this nest box every year, raising 1 and 2×3 young. Nesting by an Eurasian eagle-owl in a nest box on a pylon in agricultural land has not previously been recorded in any part of its whole breeding range. An interesting discovery in 2010 was a clutch of four eggs laid by a common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) found in the corner of the box, despite the fact that the Eurasian eagle-owls female and chicks were in the nest box.

Abstract The red-footed falcon and Eurasian falcon represent two syntopical falcon species. While the Eurasian falcon is considered a common and numerous species in Slovakia, the red-footed falcon population has undergone a considerable decline during the past few decades. Nowadays it nests in a single locality in Slovakia, the Sysľovské polia Special Protection Area, which forms the northern and fragmented border of the species distribution area in Europe. By analysing prey remains from 9 nests (from 1998, 2001, 2013, 2014 and 2016), we identified 433 prey items belonging to 35 taxa and 9 orders. Every year, invertebrates made up the major part of the diet spectrum, in which Calosoma auropunctatum, Tettigonia viridissima, Zabrus tenebrioides, Anisoplia aegetum and Rhizotrogus sp. were the most frequent species of prey. Of the vertebrates, Microtus arvalis was the most hunted prey species. By supplementary analysis of 21 photos, we extended our knowledge on the diet by other 6 taxa. The peak of the M. arvalis population growth in 2014 did not manifest itself in the red-footed falcon diet composition. In 1998, 2014 and 2016 we also studied the diet of a syntopical species, the Eurasian kestrel. By analysing prey remains in 22 nests, we identified 1,151 prey items belonging to 37 taxa and 7 orders. In 1998 and 2014 vertebrates predominated, especially the common vole, however in 2016 invertebrates prevailed. This fact could be a reaction to the M. arvalis population peak in 2014 and its decline in 2016. These results suggest that this variability in the foraging behaviour of the Eurasian kestrel, an opportunistic predator, during the hunting of invertebrates increases the diet similarity and overlapping of the food niche of both studied falcon species.

43 species of nesting birds were registered of Tiraspol City’s resident area in 1999–2019. The total density was about 1995,7–2361 pairs/km2 . House Sparrow, Rock Dove, Tree Sparrow and Common Swift were the dominants. Crested Lark, Willow Warbler and Wood Warbler disappeared from nesting ornithofauna of resident area. Common Kestrel, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Scops-owl, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blue Tit and Eurasian Nuthatch for 20 years were appeared. A signifi cant increase in abundance was noted in populations of Rock Dove, Long-eared Owl, Common Swift, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Rook and Tree Sparrow. There was a decrease in the number in the populations of Chiffchaff, Northern Wheatear, Black Redstart, House Sparrow and Chaffi nch. The majority of birds nesting in the resident area belong to the Transpalearctic type of the fauna, to the desert-mountains landscape-genetic faunistic complex, to the sklerophilnai ecological group and phytophagan trophic group.

A total of 45 voucher specimens of falcons which are deposited in the bird's collection of the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum (INHM) were reviewed. Mummified falcons were preserved as voucher study specimens and tagged with museum collection labels. In the current study, morphometrics of six species of the genus Falco Linnaeus, 1758: Lanner falcon F. biarmicus Temminck, 1825; Sacker Falcon F. cherrug Gray, 1834; Lesser Kestrel F. naumanni Fleischer, 1818; Peregrine Falcon F. peregrines Tunstall, 1771; Eurasian Hobby F. subbuteo Linnaeus, 1758 and Common Kestrel F. tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758 were documented. These species were recorded previously in the ornithological literatures by several authors and deposited in the museum collection; nevertheless, breeding and migrating of these birds are still occurring throughout Iraq. Furthermore, the current distribution ranges and conservation status of each of the mentioned species throughout Iraq were reviewed and comprehensively discussed.

Buzuluk pine forest is a unique pine massif with a total area of 111,118 hectares, which is located entirely in the steppe biome on the border of the Orenburg and Samara regions, in the southeastern part of the Russian Plain. This report provides some information about threatened and endangered raptors of the Buzuluk pine forest for a relatively long period of time. It uses data by scientist and ornithologist E.P. Knorre collected between 1928 and 1941, present time observations carried out since 2000 to the present, and published data by other researchers who have visited Buzuluk pine forest starting from the beginning of the 21st century. Most observations by E.P. Knorre were associated with the Pine Barrens Experimental Forestry in the Orenburg region, where “Buzuluk pine forest” Nature Reserve (10,503 hectares) existed at the time. In his unpublished monumental report “Qualitative inventory of birds and animals of the Buzuluk Pine Forest State Nature Reserve”, discovered in the archive of the current “Buzuluk Pine Forest” National Park relatively recently, E.P. Knorre listed the following raptor species found in Buzuluk Pine Forest: Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus (breeding) Red-Footed Falcon Falco vespertinus (breeding) Eurasian hobby Falco subbuteo (breeding) Saker Falcon Falco cherrug (breeding) Osprey Pandion haliaetus (highly likely breeding) European Honey-Buzzard Pernis apivorus (breeding) Black Kite Milvus migrans (breeding) White-Tailed Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (breeding) Short-Toed Snake-Eagle Circaetus gallicus (breeding) Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus (breeding) Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus (breeding) Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus (breeding) Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis (breeding) Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo (breeding) Rough-Legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus (wintering) Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga (breeding) Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca (breeding) Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos (breeding) Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops (breeding) Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo (breeding) Tawny Owl Strix aluco (breeding) Ural Owl Strix uralensis (breeding) Little Owl Athene noctua (common in autumn, the status is unclear) Northern Long-Eared Owl Asio otus (breeding) Short-Eared Owl Asio flammeus (breeding) Since the beginning of the 21st century, occurrence of most raptor species listed in report by E.P. Knorre was confirmed in the modern period of observations in Buzuluk Pine Forest. Nevertheless, such raptor species as Common Kestrel, Red-Footed Falcon, Saker Falcon, Osprey, Short-Toed Snake-Eagle, and Pallid Harrier were not recorded. Western Marsh-Harrier that once bred here was not found on the internal water lakes and swamps of the Buzuluk Pine Forest. As for the Strigiformes, Tawny Owl, Ural Owl and Northern Long- Eared Owl were recorded more frequently today. The previously breeding Eurasian Scops-Owl and Short-Eared Owl in the inner sections of the pine forest were not recently found here. Present-day breeding of Eurasian Eagle Owl requires additional confirmation. The finds of Little Owl, included in the Knorre’s report as autumn migrant, have not been confirmed yet. At the same time, new raptor species have been registered in the Buzuluk Pine Forest. These include Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus; single individual was observed in summer: Barabashin, 2001), Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus; a pair of birds in May: our data), Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus; single bird in May: our data), Levant Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes; single bird in May: Morozov, Kornev, 2009). According to our observations, the wellbeing of such species as Greater Spotted Eagle, White-Tailed eagle, Golden Eagle, Short-Eared Owl, Western Marsh-Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier was influenced by the ongoing climate warming in the Buzuluk Pine Forest area, which was evident from raising average annual air temperatures and decreasing precipitation. According to observations by E.P. Knorre, another serious limiting factor in the past was transformation of the forest under the influence of extensive fires and uncontrolled logging of trees. Logging and fires in pre-Soviet times led to appearance of huge empty spaces, which were then penetrated by steppe vegetation from adjacent steppe areas. Steppe formation was responsible for the appearance of such species as Common Kestrel, Red-Footed Falcon, Pallid Harrier, Eastern Imperial Eagle across inner forest areas for some time. In the 1950s, the mass pine tree plantings and increased fire control led to restoration of the forest integrity and at the same time to disappearance of Common Kestrel, Red-Footed Falcon, Pallid Harrier, relocation of breeding pairs of Eastern Imperial Eagle to outer rims of the forest.