Circaetus gallicus information navigator

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.

Here we present three different authors’ texts dedicated to Short-toed Eagles of three different regions: Crimea, Belarus and Turkmenistan. They are extracts…

…from S.A. Bukreev’s book (Ru):
• Букреев С.А., 1997 – Орнитогеография и заповедное дело Туркменистана [Ornithogeography and reserve management of Turkmenistan] – М.: Центр охраны дикой природы (Biodiversity Conservation Center), 159 с.

…from Y.V. Kostin’s book (Ru):
• Костин Ю.В., 1983 – Птицы Крыма [Birds of Crimea] – М.: Наука, 240 с. /map/.

…and from V.V. Ivanovski’s work (Ru):
• Ивановский В.В., 1992 – Трофические связи редких хищных птиц Белорусского Поозерья [Food chains of rare birds of prey of Belarussian Poozer’e] // Оттиск, №173, 66 с. /map/.