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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.

Please visit a website of Francesco Petretti – www.francescopetretti.it. It is updated weekly and you can find on it reports about observations of Short-toed Eagles in Central Italy /map/ containing some photos of them. There are several ways to get information on the subject: to search by keywords, for example, «Circaetus»; just to use the tags, such as «Short-toed Eagle» or «Biancone» etc.

The first article is placed on the LPO Coordination Rhône-Alpes website and dedicated to Short-toed Eagles of the Rhône Department /map/:

• Bertrand DI NATALE, 2005 – Le Circaète Jean-le-Blanc Circaetus gallicus dans le Rhône [Short-toed Eagle in the Rhône] // L’EFFRAIE, La revue du CORA Rhône, n° 16: P. 33-38. – (Fr).

The next two texts can be viewed on the DZPPS site. They are about observations of Short-toed Eagles in Serbia, in Northern Bačka /map/ and also in the Vršac Mountains /map/ (Sr):

• O. Sekereš, 2008 – Dugotrajno zadržavanje zmijara Circaetus gallicus na području Bačke i Banata tokom 2008 [Long-term stay of Short-toed Eagle in Bačka and Banat during 2008] // Ciconia, 17: P. 34-37. – .
• M. Vučanović, 2008 – Podaci o biologiji gnežđenja zmijara Circaetus gallicus na Vršačkim planinama [Data on breeding biology of Short-toed Eagle in the Vršac Mountains] // Ciconia, 17: P. 38-43. – .

A full text of the following new article is not available for free, but you can view the abstract and references (En):

• Michele Panuccio and Nicolantonio Agostini, 2013 – Visible Migration of Short-Toed Snake-Eagles: Interplay of Weather and Topographical Features // Journal of Raptor Research, 47(1): P. 60-68.

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.

This year Short-toed Eagles’ breeding was observed in southwestern Switzerland /map/ for the first time. On the Oiseaux.ch website you can find the report on this written by Lionel Maumary:

• Lionel Maumary, 2012 – Le Circaète Jean-le-Blanc a niché en Suisse ! [Short-toed Eagle has bred in Switzerland] // Oiseaux.ch (Fr) {rough translation} – the text contains excellent pictures and video. Also photos of this pair of Short-toed Eagles taken by Thomas Nierle in April 2012 can be viewed here. The juvenile Eagle has left the nest succesfully!

Results of Angelo Battaglia‘s observations on Short-toed Eagles in Province of Piacenza /map/ during period of 12 years, from 1990 to 2001, is available on the Download Area section of the «Trebbia» integrated project’s website:

• Angelo Battaglia, 2002 – Aquile – L’Aquila Reale e di Biancone in provincia di Piacenza – Provincia di Piacenza, Assessorato Alla Caccia [Short-toed Eagle in Province of Piacenza] – 64 p.; Sezione del volume dedicato al BIANCONE (Circaetus gallicus) – (It).

Unfortunately photos of Short-toed Eagles are not in high resolution.

Just one more Russian text of 20 years ago on Short-toed Eagles’ nesting in the Vetluga and the Unzha rivers interfluve /map/ is brought to your attention:

• Кузнецов А.В., 1985 – Гнездование змееяда в междуречье Унжи и Ветлуги [Breeding of Short-toed Eagle in the area between the Unzha and Vetluga rivers, Kostroma Region] // Орнитология. М.: Изд-во МГУ, Вып.20. 129-132 (Ru).

This article was published as the result of A. V. Kuznetsov‘s four years’ observations on a pair of the birds in the mentioned region.