UBPRC – Ukrainian Birds of Prey Research Centre

New Issue of Journal «Strepet» Published

The new number of Stepet’ journal has been published. – 2009. – Vol. 7, Iss. 1-2. The journal includes the following publications on birds of prey:

Price of the journal is 60 roubles + shipping costs. If you would like to purchase the journal please contact the editor Viktor Belik (strepet@raptors.org.ua), in Ukraine – to Yury Milobog (ym@raptors.org.ua).

Belik, V.P. (2009) Birds of planted forests of the steppe Ciscaucasia

In 2009 in Kryvyi Rih (Ukraine) a new book has been published:

Belik, V.P. 2009. Birds of planted forests of the steppe Ciscaucasia: Composition and formation of ornithofauna in arid conditions. – Kryvyi Rih: Mineral. 215 p.

This book represents a text of the dissertation defended in 1986 at Institute of Zoology of Ukrainian Academy of Sciences in Kyiv. Despite a slight declining interest in this subject in the 1980s – after the release of a large series of publications of the Ukrainian and Russian zoologists, dedicated to the study of ornithofauna of steppe planted forests – these studies are still valid until now.

It’s the point that precisely at that period the USSR had accumulated extensive data on faunogenesis of birds, which were repeatedly discussed in the press, but, apparently, not comprehended to an end. Only recently, when it was prepared the information ground, “ploughed” by current global dynamics of the bird ranges, there arose prerequisites for a deeper analysis of the collected data of that period. And a brief overview of the problem, undertaken again in 2003 (Ornithologia (Ornithology), Issue 30, pp. 25-31), has found a very favorable response among specialists. Therefore, it would be useful once again to discuss these issues on particular materials, which are contained in the dissertation.

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Current status of the Peregrine Falcon population in Ukraine

The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) is included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (1994) as a vulnerable species, and has the status of ‘Least Concern’ in the Red List of IUCN/Birdlife (2004). In the new edition of the Red Data Book (in print) it is referred as ‘rare’.

The second half of the 20^th century was characterized with a catastrophic decrease of species numbers in all parts of the range especially in the Mediterranean area. As a result in 1980s the Peregrine population in Ukraine reached its minimum equaling to about 15-20 pairs. However already since 1980s the population showed a restoration trend in the Crimea. In the end of the 20^th century and in the beginning of the 21^st century the increase rate of numbers was rather high (as for such a rare species). This process attracted attention of ornithologists from Ukraine and recently three groups of specialists have published 3 papers, which we present below to download. All of them mutually complete each other and allow to receive quite a full image of the current status of the Peregrine Falcon in Ukraine. The numbers of breeding birds in the Crimea were estimated by V.N. Kucherenko and S.Yu.Kostin (2003) as 50-55 pairs, M.M.Beskaravainy and A.N.Tsvelykh (2009) – about 70 pairs, V.V.Vetrov, S.P.Prokopenko and Yu.V.Milobog (2009) about 105–110 pairs and additive 10-15 pairs in the Carpathians.

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All-Ukrainian Zoological Scientific Conference in Kyiv National University

15-18 September it was held the all-Ukrainian Scientific Conference dedicated to 175-years anniversary of foundation of the Department of Zoology of Kyiv National University named after T.G.Shevchenko. The conference was organized by the Department of Zoology and Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Kaniv Natural Reserve and Ukrainian Union for Bird Conservation. The conference was opened in Kyiv, and scientific sessions took place in Kaniv Natural Reserve. The conference was participated by near 60 scientists of Ukraine as well as representatives from Russia and France.

According to results of the conference the proceedings were published: Zoological science in modern society. Proceedings of the all-Ukrainian Scientific Conference dedicated to 175-years anniversary of foundation of the Department of Zoology of Kyiv National University named after T.G.Shevchenko (15-18 September 2009, Kyiv-Kaniv). Kyiv: Fitosociotsentr, 2009. 532 p. [in Ukrainian]. The proceedings include three publications on birds of prey:

New species of the Red Data Book of Ukraine

Thus, the new list was approved by the order of Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukrain No 313 of 17.06.2009 “About approval of lists of animal species which are included in the Red Data Book of Ukriane (animal world) and animal species which are excluded from the Red Data Book of Ukraine (animal world)”, registered in Ministry of Justice of Ukraine with No 627/16643 of 13 July 2009.
In general, numbers of species in the Red Data Book increased from 67 (in the second edition) to 86 (in the third edition). At this no one species was excluyded comparing with the previous edition. As for birds of prey their number was added by 4 species. They are Black Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, Short-eared Owl and Scops Owl.
I have to disappoint future readers of the Red Data Book of Ukraine. Similar to previous editions there will be only one page dedicated for each species so it will be rather short information.
Below there is the list of animals which are to be included to the Red Data Book of Ukraine (Falconiformes and Owls): Читать далее »

Materials of ІІІ International Scientific Conference «Birds of prey of Ukraine» have been published

Modern Study of Birds of Prey and Owls. Materials of ІІІ International Scientific Conference «Birds of prey and Owls of Ukraine», Kryvyi Rih, 24–25 October 2008 / Gavrilyuk M.N., Fesenko H.V. (eds.). – Kryvyi Rih, 2008. – 412 p.

The book includes reports and posters submitted on scientific conference held in Kryvyi Rih on October 2008 and contains data of last study in broad range of questions of ecology, protection and use of birds of prey and owls distributed mainly in Eastern Europe. Materials of the book can be interested by professional ornithologists, environmental workers and amateurs in pedigreed pigeons breeding and falconry.

If you are not an author of one of articles included in the book, it costs for you 25 UAH. The book can be bought in Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Bogdan Hmelnitsky str, 15 – to apply to Hennadiy Fesenko.

If you want to receive the book by post, contact please Yurij Milobog ym@raptors.org.ua. For additional information just send a message to info@raptors.org.ua.

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Gavrilyuk, M.N. Practical guides for the monitoring program of birds of prey in Ukraine (2009).

[in Ukrainian] File size 1.3 МB, – pdf.

The book is a component of the UBPRC initiative to provide regular monitoring for diurnal birds of prey and owls in Ukraine. It includes issues of organization and implementation of the monitoring program. Published in Ukrainian.

New Issue of Journal “Berkut” Published

New issue of Ukrainian ornithological journal “Berkut” (2007, Vol. 16, Iss. 2) includes the following papers on birds of prey:

• Dombrovsky V.Ch. – Toward breeding of the Spotted Eagle in Western and South Ukraine. [in Russian]
• Kitowski I., Pitucha G. – Long term changes in the population size of the Eurasian Marsh Harrier breeding on main water bodies of Zamosc region, east Poland.
• Kitowski I., Pitucha G. – Diet of the Eurasian Tawny Owl in farmland of east Poland.
• Wiacek J. – The function of the female’s sky-dancing in the Montagu’s Harrier in natural habitats of Eastern Poland.

Complete contents of the issue, abstracts and papers are available at the journal’s web-site.

“Strepet” 2008, Vol.6, Is.1 was published

Dear colleagues,

A regular issue of the journal “Strepet” 2008, Vol.6, Is.1 was published. It includes some papers on birds of prey.

• Efimenko N.N. The Griffon Vulture in Turkmenistan (:93-106)
• Belik V.P., Vetrov V.V., Milobog Yu.V., Gugueva E.V. The White-tailed Eagle inhabiting shelterbelt forests in the Don basin and pre-Caucasia.

Also pay your attention please to complete list of publications dedicated to Birds of Prey in the Strepet journal since 2003.