Circaetus gallicus information navigator

Örs the satellite-tagged Short-toed Eagle, marked as a juvenile in 2017, has returned to Hungary after two years. He hatched in the area of the Kiskunság National Park /map/ being famous for hosting the only known nesting population in the Hungarian lowlands. He spent the past winter in the Sahel Zone on the border of Sudan and South Sudan, a regular wintering area for the species. On the last day of March, he packed up and started his northbound migration, however, he stopped in Central Turkey and we were worried that he would spend the entire summer there again, after the summer of 2018. Fortunately, he decided to move on on June 24 and to our delight, he reached the border between Croatia and Hungary a bit more than a week later. Since then, he paid a visit to Burgenland, Austria and Western Slovakia where he stopped at military bases, which were probably familiar for him since he was born in one of those in Hungary. Recently, he has been in Northwestern Hungary, an area where observations of this species are quite rare.

We hope eventually he will visit his home ground and may also mark a few, so far unknown, territories in the Kiskunság area.

Gábor Papp

The map of Örs’ tracks is available on SATELLITETRACKING.EU.

The annual review of Short-toed Eagle monitoring in Cévennes National Park /map/ and Lozère contains the latest data and unique observations:

• Jean-Pierre et Isabelle MALAFOSSE, 2018 – Le Circaète Jean-le-Blanc, résultats pour 2018. Suivi des Rapaces forestiers en Lozère et dans le Parc National des Cévennes [Short-toed Eagle, results for 2018. Monitoring of Raptors in Lozère and in the Cévennes National Park], rapport interne C.R.B.P.O./ P.N.C.: 12 p. – (Fr), (En) {rough translation}.

Many thanks to the authors and translators (Ferenc and Gábor Papp)!

This video footage was taken by Vince Schwartz. It presents the Short-toed Eagle pair nesting in the Visegrád Hills /map/ as well as the hunting of the male of an immature pair settled in the neighbouring Pilis Hills /map/ in 2018.

Please, read the more detailed explanation by the author:

• Vince SCHWARTZ, 2018 – Nesting of Short-toed Eagles in the Visegrád Hills in 2015-2018 // short-toed-eagle.net (En).

Many thanks to Gábor Papp for his kind help in preparing this post!

The authors of the following papers studied Short-toed Eagles among other Raptors. Here are the results of those comparative studies focused on monitoring of migrating birds and on distribution constraints:

Currently, 7 nests of Short-toed Eagles are controlled in 3 Regions of Northern Ukraine. All those pairs have chicks this year. It is of great interest to know the final result of the reproduction season in this area. The gallery will be updated after the end of the season, however, now we can see some pictures of the old acquaintances again.

The English (En) version of that article with links to more pictures:

• Konstantin PISMENNYI, 2018 – Le circaète dans le nord de l’Ukraine : état et avenir des populations, observations sur quelques couples et individus [The Short-toed Snake Eagle in Northern Ukraine, the population state and outlook, observations of certain pairs and individuals] // La Plume du Circaète n° 16-17: pp. 11-15.

Monitoring of Short-toed Eagle in the Cévennes National Park /map/ and Lozère was continued by local conservationists in 2017:

• Jean-Pierre et Isabelle MALAFOSSE, 2017 – Le Circaète Jean-le-Blanc, résultats pour 2017. Suivi des Rapaces forestiers en Lozère et dans le Parc National des Cévennes [Short-toed Eagle, results for 2017. Monitoring of Raptors in Lozère and in the Cévennes National Park], rapport interne C.R.B.P.O./ P.N.C.: 13 p. – (Fr), (En) {rough translation}.

Our sincere gratitude to Jean-Pierre and Isabelle for sharing the report, as well as to Ferenc and Gábor Papp for its translation to English!