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Returning to the important topic of correct identification of differently aged Short-toed Eagles in the nature, Gábor Papp has tried to briefly describe the main characters of juvenile, 2, 3 and 4 cy eagles, and also visual differences between adult males and females. His description are illustrated with the corresponding images. Here is two versions of the text, Hungarian and English ones:

• Gábor PAPP, 2015 – A kígyászölyv kor és ivarhatározása – segédlet a terepi megfigyelések minőségének javításához [Ageing and sexing of the Short-toed Eagle – an aid to improve the quality of field observations in Hungary] // short-toed-eagle.net – (Hu), (En).

This bird had been photographed by Javier G. in Peñaflor (the environments of Zaragoza city, Spain) /map/ in August 2013. Thanks to the author and to Javier Blasco-Zumeta we have the following information about that unique record of leucism in Short-toed Snake Eagle:

That absolutely white bird was born in a forest of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis), successfully left the nest, was observed in its territory until the end of September, and when it was time to start the migration the juvenile Short-toed Eagle flew away.

If the bird has survived, its return to Europe may be expected next year, after 2 years of probable wintering and summering in Africa.

The images of an eagle killing a snake is quite widely distributed and can be found in various works of art in different countries, with different cultural traditions, rather geographically distant from each other. Some considerations to this matter are given by Bernard Joubert in his short essay for the next issue of the La Plume du Circaète bulletin which is prepared for release in the near future:

• Bernard JOUBERT, 2015 – Malheur des uns, bonheur des autres [Unhappiness of some, delight of others] // short-toed-eagle.net (Fr).

How different reproduction of different pairs can be? Some adult Short-toed Eagles occupy the same sites from year to year. They had yet been identified in 2011 by photos taken since 2006 and according to previous and new observations. The birds had got indexes A11, B11 etc. although, in spoken communication we give them more harmonious names: for example, K11 is Barry, B11 is Ospry, and so on. Then later pictures of the individuals repeatedly got into the annual photo galleries. The natural identifying details are general plumage patterns, shapes of heads, wings, beaks and general silhouettes in flight from certain angles as well as signs of moulting. The number of the examined images should be enough to select the details and to collate them. Thus, now it is possible to compare the mean reproduction – – of pairs of individuals identified from year to year for certain, definitely without replacements of mates and without clear differences in objective conditions for breeding.

The new birding database has been created this year for collecting pictures, geographical locations and other data of observations from Ukrainian birdwatchers. Among information on other species, it contains details of new records of Short-toed Eagles in various regions of Ukraine. The site has been made by Askar Isabekov and Andrew Simon as an analog of the well-known project for Kazakhstan that has already existed for 10 years. One more similar website is dedicated to Siberian birds. There is not any record of Short-toed Eagle on the last one yet; nevertheless, even isolated observations made at the edge of the species range would be of the great interest for ST Eagle researchers.

This article, which was published a year ago and was based on data collected in the Cévennes National Park (Parc national des Cévennes) /map/, is available now on the Le C.R.B.P.O. website:

• Jean-Pierre Malafosse, Pierre Maigre, 2014 – Dispersion post-natale des jeunes Circaètes Jean-le-Blanc Circaetus gallicus [Post-breeding dispersal of young Short-toed Eagles] // Alauda, 82 (2): 81-84. – (Fr).

Several new works on Short-toed Eagle have been published and included in Guido Premuda‘s Bibliography (Sunbird.it) this year:

• Premuda G., 2015 – La migrazione dei rapaci sulle Alpi Apuane: campo Biancone marzo 2015 [The migration of birds of prey in the Apuan Alps /map/: March Short-toed Eagle camp 2015]. Infomigrans 34-2015. – (It).