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Monitoring of 9 different pairs of Short-toed Eagles has been conducted during 10 years in Northern Ukraine (Kiev Region /map/, Mizhrichynskyi Park /map/ of Chernihiv Region, southern part of Sumy Polissya /map/). Some calculations and results of the monitoring are represented in tabular forms:

• K. PISMENNYI, 2013 – Some data on breeding of Short-toed Eagle in Northern Ukraine // short-toed-eagle.net – ; in the form of XLS file with formulas: (En).

Average breeding success amounts to 0.60 juvenile / territorial pair and is quite close to this index for France: 0.57. The last result is based on observations of 2835 (!) breeding cases which have been managed to make by French national Circaetus gallicus network for 11 years (Bernard Joubert, personal communication). Also some other conclusions can be made: old pines (Pinus sylvestris) are prefered by Short-toed Eagles for nesting in Northern Ukraine; the eagles more often change their nests than they successfully breed; nest height is highly variable; the eagles’ choice of a nest depends on their previous breeding success; after an unsuccessful season the nest is changed with high probability, after successful one the following choice of a nest is unpredictable.

During 10 years of observations in Central Northern Ukraine (Kiev Region /map/, Mizhrichynskyi Park /map/) a lot of photos of several the same Short-toed Eagles have been taken. Some of them can be viewed in the galleries (just an example). Since Short-toed Eaglers’ the biggest flight feathers are often seen from a great distance they are easily recognizable in photos. Especially it concerns 4th-10th primaries of both wings. Accumulation of data allowed to determine inter-moulting periods of certain feathers:

• K. PISMENNYI, 2013 – Short-toed Eagle. Replacement of the biggest 14 flight feathers // short-toed-eagle.net – (En).

First of all, the results might be of interest as additional information for recognizing individuals in the nature from year to year, together with individually typical plumage colouration and silhouettes in flight at certain angles in certain poses. Regular photographing of Short-toed Eagles at their breeding sites and foraging grounds allows to distinguish them with high probability without special marking, without stressing and often even without disturbing the birds at all.

This gallery consists of photos taken by Sergey Domashevsky in period of 2010-13 during his expeditions to some regions of Ukraine and of Central Asia. Sergey is an expert of Ukrainian Birds of Prey Research Centre, his main activity is aimed at research and conservation of birds of prey in Ukrainian Polesie such as Spotted, Short-toed Eagles and other species of raptors and owls. As always, some explanatory comments can be found below the presented images.

This gallery contains some photos of Short-toed Eagle taken in Northern Ukraine this year. As usual, it is planned to be updated with new pictures if I manage to take something interesting. They may be not as of high quality as of interest for Short-toed Eagle watchers. That is why all of them are commented in detail. Single eagles are named individually with alphanumeric code, for example: “A11” means bird “A” of the gallery of 2011, but “A” without a number here means that the individual has not been marked yet in previous galleries.

The following observations have been made for the first time in the history of studies in the Crimean Peninsula. The point, Cape Chauda /map/, is located strictly at the 45^th parallel.

While counting geese on Cape Chauda in the southern part of the Kerch Peninsula (Crimea, Ukraine) we have observed a young Short-toed Eagle (aged less than 1 year) on January 14, 2013. Then at the same location two individuals (male and female) in juvenile plumage too was observed on February 4, 2013. The birds were kept on a power pole surrounded by steppe.

Weather conditions in the autumn and winter of 2012/2013 years were soft, positive temperatures dominated, snowfall was rare and only for short periods. Observations in January and in February were made at above-zero temperature as well, snow cover was missing. Perhaps such weather conditions have caused Short-toed Eagles’ wintering in Crimea.

Possible prey items on Chauda: Steppe Viper (Vipera renardi); the snake is common there, but in warm winters can be active and can appear on the surface of the ground – we have seen them in previous winters; also voles couldn’t be excluded.

Just like last year I would like to share some photos, which, though have not perfect quality, can tell something about different aspects of Short-toed Eagles’ life as here, in Northern Ukraine, so in general. Also like last year the photo gallery will be updated with new images during the season. Every update will be described in comments.

We, Roman Vatrasevich and I, began to photograph one male Short-toed Eagle right after his arrival at the breeding territory in Mizhrichynskyi Park /map/, were taking the photos every 5-8 weeks and finished to do it about a week before his departure to Africa. We aimed to record the moulting of the biggest primaries.