Eagles of Palearctic: Study and Conservation Jelabuga, 20-24.09.2013
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS Grzegorz Maciorowski Kordian Bartoszuk
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
* Greater Spotted Eagle (AQC) is the rearest eagle in Europe
* Total estimates - 1000-1500 pairs, optymistic - 3000-3800 pairs, mainly in the Asian part of its range (Russia, Kazakhstan) * in Europe the population does not exceed 300 pairs, including: - Belarus – 150-200 - Poland – 10-12 (plus approx. 10 mixed pairs with AQP) - Ukraine – probably over 15 pairs (4 nests found in 2012) - Estonia – min. 2 pairs - Russia - ? (Kaliningrad Oblast - 4 pairs) - Latvia – 0 (the species disappeared) - Lithuania – no record for the last years (probably does not exceed 5 pairs)
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
The only place where AQC breeds in Poland is the Biebrza Valley, Europe’s biggest marsh fen area
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
THE BREEDING SEASON • The Greater Spotted Eagle is a dual-biotopical species • For successfull breeding it needs both a forest and an open-space hunting area • The type of those 2 biotopes can change with the geografical location of the population
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
PHENOLOGY • End of March, April – arrival to the breeding territory • End of April, beginning of May – hatching • Beginning of June – clutching • End of July to mid-August – juveniles leave nests • September-October – start of the migration
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
Three migration routes of the European AQC population 1.Towards south-eastern Europe (probably the lowest number of birds) 2.Towards Southern Europe – The Balkans 3.Towards the Asia Minor and north-eastern Africa (main migratory route)
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
2011 autumn migration
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
RESEARCH OF THE SPECIES • • • • •
Monitoring since 1988 Telemetry research (1992-2006, 2010-2013) Biology research (1990-2013) Genetic research (samples gathered since 1992) Colour ringing (since 2006)
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
• Polish-German research group tagged 16 AQCs with satellite transmitters between 1992-2006 • Within the LIFE project AQCs were tagged with 10 satellite transmitters and 7 dataloggers between 2011-2012 • Species identification performed on over 190 individuals from the Biebrza Valley with the help of genetic analysis • Between 2005-2013 171 Biebrza’s Spotted Eagles were marked with colour rings - 49 AQCs, 28 AQX and 94 AQP
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
• • •
• • •
Protection zones of all AQC nest sites Over 100 artificial nest platforms erected Nest trees secured from predation of Pine Marten Martes martes with repellents Between 2010-2012 two territories controlled by camera monitoring Various other conservation activities conducted within the LIFE project National Conservation Plan to be published soon
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
BREEDING SITES: - Drainage and loss of suitable biotopes!!!! - Intensive use of meadows (corn) - Inappropriate management of the AQC biotopes - Tree-felling in private forests - Hybridisation with the Lesser Spotted Eagle MIGRATION ROUTES AND WINTERING GROUNDS - Drainage of the marshes - Shooting!!!!
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
Hybridisation
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
- Since the start of ringing min. several tens of AQCs were shot (incl. adults – resulted in min. 3 abandoned territories) – most in the Balkan region - In 2012 in Montenegro a male called Bruzda was shot - 3 other transmitters stopped sending signals in Serbia, Greece and Turkey
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AQUILA CLANGA – DISTRIBUTION, BIOLOGY, RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, THREATS
ALEK – near Patra (Peloponnese)
To all the nature lovers and people involved in conservation of this dying eagle – THANK YOU! Eagle Conservation Committee
Photos: Kordian Bartoszuk Michailo Jovicevic Thomas Krumenacker Grzegorz Maciorowski Paweł Mirski
Благодарим за внимание!