New Data on the Long-legged Buzzard in Kyiv region
The Long-legged Buzzard is the species listed in the Red Data Book in Ukraine. During last decades its range expanded. Breeding sites were revealed in Kyiv region as well (Grishchenko 2002, 2003; Domashevsky, Kostyushin, Pismenny 2008). However, today we are still poor-known of a complete picture of distribution and numbers of the species. In addition, characteristics of the species ecology near the northern border of its range are also a question of interest.
During 1-3 May, 2009 for further study of distribution and ecology of the Long-legged Buzzard we examined in the field trip the southern part of Kyiv region (the right bank of the Dnieper). Our studies covered Mironovka, Tarashcha, Boguslav and Rakitnoye districts. Main attention was paid to systems of gullies as they are most promising for breeding of this species. We were focused at searching territorial Long-legged Buzzards and their nests. The distance of 435 km was covered by car. Except for gullies, edges of forest sites and small areas of the Ros’ River floodplain were visited. In spite of unfavourable prognosis, the weather was in general fine for researches as it rained only twice during the period.
In total, we have found 5 pairs of the Long-legged Buzzard not known before, three of them with occupied nests. One pair had two nests on their breeding territory (near the village of Salikha, Tarashcha district). The occupied nest was located on a solitary willow at the height about 13 m on the bottom of the small gully. The female incubated 3 eggs. One egg had no pigment. Birds were rather tame, allowing us to take a number of good pictures and presenting with pleasant moments of watching these raptors. 250 m apart we discovered another, unoccupied, nest of this pair. It had been renewed by birds as it contained a lot of green twigs, the tray was well-expressed. The nest was located on an apple-tree at the height of 6 m.
The second pair also built the nest in a solitary willow on the gully bottom (near the village of Kirdany of Tarashcha district). It was located at the height of only 5.5 m. The female incubated the clutch with 3 eggs.
The third pair of Long-legged Buzzards was found at the forest edge (near the village of Brannoye Pole of Boguslav district). Birds built their nest in a huge oak. We didn’t check for the content of this nest.
In Tarashcha district one single bird was also seen. Another two territorial birds were recorded in Boguslav district. Besides looking for new locations we also examined sites where we had been observed the Long-legged Buzzards before (Domashevsky, Kostyushin, Pismenny 2008).
In one of the gullies, where the Long-legged Buzzard was hunting, it was found the nest in a solitary willow. In this nest a female of the Common Buzzard incubated the clutch. Judging to the habitat and type of the nest location it had earlier belonged to the Long-legged Buzzard.
Thus, near the northern border of its distribution, in conditions of Kyiv region, the Long-legged Buzzard remains faithful to its breeding pattern typical for other regions of Ukraine preferring to build the nests in gullies or nearby, in solitary trees or at forest edges.
During our survey other raptors were also observed: Common Buzzard – 45 birds, Marsh Harrier – 8 (including building of the nest by one pair), Montagu’s Harrier – 1 on passage, Black Kite – 1, Sparrowhawk -2, Goshawk – 3, Honey Buzzard – 2 on passage, Hobby Falcon – 4 (of them 1 pair was in the old nest of the Raven on a power-line pole).
Sergey Domashevsky, Maxim Gavrilyuk
Map: Location of settlement with nearby nests of Long-legged Buzzards.
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