UBPRC – Ukrainian Birds of Prey Research Centre

RESOLUTION of the 6th International Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls in North Eurasia

27-30 September 2012 Kryvyi Rih National University has held the 6th International Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls in North Eurasia “Birds of Prey in the Dynamic Environment of the Third Millennium: Status and Prospects”. Contributors for conference materials were 164 ornithologists from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Hungary, Finland, Great Britain, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and it was directly attended by 94 ornithologists. Participants included well-known experts from universities, academic institutions, natural reserves and sanctuaries of many North European areas, among them 16 doctors of science and professors. A great portion of attendees constituted young bird experts along with students and post-graduates making a valuable contribution to studies of birds of prey.

The conference acknowledges a high organization level of the event and fruitful scientific forum valuable for further development of studies and conservation of raptors in North Eurasia. At the eve of the 30th anniversary the Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls of North Eurasia (WGBPO North Eurasia) summarized the outputs of the scientific and organization activity in the field of research, awareness and conservation of birds of prey. 4 years after the Ivanovo Conference allowed raptor experts to collect an essentially new material on distribution, population dynamics, ecology and migrations, and also new data on impacts of natural and human factors on birds of prey important for understanding their number dynamics and conservation management.

Basing on presented scientific materials and discussions, the Conference considers necessary to pay special attention to further research of relationships “raptor – prey”, revealing migratory ways and wintering grounds of birds of prey with wide usage of innovative high-tech tools.

The conference focuses ornithologists upon the need of comprehensive studies of ecology and ethology of common raptor species, mainly those, distributed within North Eurasia.

The conference acknowledges the value of birds of prey research provided by scientific teams of reserves and national parks.

The conference recommends publishing new practical guides on raptors study and conservation encouraging the application of modern high-tech achievements.

The conference positively appraises the experience of publishing thematic collections of papers in addition to general conference proceedings. It proposes to continue this tradition announcing Circus species in North Eurasia to be the topic for the thematic collection of papers at the next conference.

The conference approves Ulyanovsk Resolution “Birds and Power Lines -2011” and recommends to all interested persons to use it as a practical guide when organizing and implementing bird-protection actions. The conference recommends the WGBPO leaders to address governments of North Eurasia countries and propose them to adapt, basing on Ulyanovsk Resolution, necessary measures for preventing bird mortality on high voltage PL and other electric constructions.

The conference acknowledges the valuable contribution of ornithologists of Russian Federation in the development of technologies on prevention PL bird mortality. It considers necessary to address electric transmission companies in Ukraine with a proposition to carry out joint Russian-Ukrainian research aiming at bird protection on power lines.

The conference recognizes benefits of using native bird species in official symbols of administrative regions. It plays an important role in promoting conservation of rare bird species and wildlife on the whole.

The conference gives a positive reaction to the implementation experience of the Conservation Programme for the Imperial Eagle Population in the Volga River Area and considers useful to share it with other regions of North Eurasia.

The conference considers particularly important to intensify communication activity of all WGBPO members in the field of public awareness on protection of all birds of prey species.

The conference considers necessary to draw attention of regional administrations to the importance of governmental support for sick and injured birds rehabilitation centres since they also are effective cores in population awareness and promotion of birds of prey and nature conservation.

The conference greets the revival of falconry in North Eurasian countries on conditions of strict observation of nature conservation laws, and indicates the need of collaboration between ornithologists and falconers in conservation of birds of prey.

The conference points at the value of thematic master classes and special courses to train young birders in different methods of research and conservation of birds of prey: methods of number census, nest inspection, study of trophic links, identification of prey objects, up-to-date methods of data analysis, use of high tech tools, GIS, activities for population management etc. All these activities are recommended to organize during next conferences on birds of prey and owls of North Eurasia and as thematic workshops in the intervals between conferences.

The conference indicates that it is very important to renew the work of WGBPO website and organize regular publishing of WGBPO Newsletter to unite birds of prey experts in North Eurasia.

The conference considers an important direction of WGBPO the collection of information about North Eurasian ornithologists and inclusion them into the global database.

The conference appreciates and accepts the proposition to hold “the 7th International Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls in North Eurasia” in September 2016 in Sochi City, Russia.

The conference participants express their sincere gratitude to Kryvyi Rih National University, Ukrainian Birds of Prey Research Centre and Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station, to V.I.Strigunov the chairman of WGBPO Ukraine and Yu.V.Milobog Cand. of Bio.Sci., who provided essential sponsorship, for magnificent organization of the 6th International Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls in North Eurasia “Birds of Prey in the Dynamic Environment of the Third Millennium: Status and Prospects”.

Within the conference it took place the General Assembly of WGBPO North Eurasia members. Decisions of the assembly are presented below.

30.09.2012, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine