Conservation of the Saker Falcon in the Carpathian basin 2006 – 2010

Summary report of LIFE06 NAT/H/000096 project 

Juvenile female Saker (photo: Bagyura János)

 Juvenile Saker (photo: Jozef Chavko)

Introduction

The Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug Gray 1834) is a typical bird species found in open areas, steppes, and semi-deserts. It reaches its westernmost distribution range in the Carpathian Basin. The global population of this ‘noble’ raptor species – it plays an important role in Hungarian legends as ‘turul’ – is estimated to be six – eight thousand pairs. However, the number of pairs is decreasing throughout the distribution range of the species (except for in the Carpathian Basin). It is especially important to conserve the Hungarian-Slovak populations.

In regard to the conservation aim above, between 2006 and 2010 an extensive Hungarian-Slovak Saker conservation programme was implemented. This was led by the Bükk National Park Directorate, involving 16 partners and using the financial support of the European Union’s LIFE-Nature programme. The project aimed to strengthen the Hungarian-Slovak populations of the Saker Falcons living in the Carpathian Basin as they are a globally endangered species (listed in Annex I. of the Bird Directive). The estimated total European population of the species is 450 pairs. Hungary and Slovakia hold 40% of the European population, therefore conservation of the population in the Carpathian Basin is extremely important from the aspect of the European population’s future. Although the populations in both countries increased between 1990 and 2000, the overall population decreased by 20% in the last ten years. In regard to the facts above, conservation measures can be successful only if the risks on the Sakers during migration can be identified and threatening factors eliminated. Also, these losses must be compensated by strengthening the population in the Carpathian Basin.

PROJECT DETAILS LIFE06 NAT/H/000096 Conservation of Falco cherrug in the Carpathian Basin Duration of the project:

01. 10. 2006. – 30. 09. 2010. Total budget of the project: € 2 152 042, of which 74,66% is provided by the European Commission through LIFE-Nature fund.

Beneficiary

Partners

Support

What is LIFE? The abbreviation ‘LIFE’ stands for the financial instrument for the European Union’s environmental policy. This is a fund created in 1992 to support nature conservation and environmental projects of Community interest. Programmes implemented under LIFENature are to base and foster a more efficient conservation of sites of Natura 2000 network designated under Bird and Habitat Directives

What is Natura 2000? Natura 2000 is the ecological network of the European Union. It aims to conserve biodiversity in Europe by designating nature conservation areas of European importance. The base for designation is the Union’s two basic pieces of legislation for nature conservation, the so-called Bird Directive (79/409/EEC) and Habitat Directive (92/4/EEC), and the uniform standard criteria applied to all Member States. Management and use of Natura 2000 sites are regulated by Member States on a national level.

www.sakerlife.mme.hu (photo: Lucia Deutschova)

Falco

Falconidae

Falconiformes

Aves

 Adult male Saker (photo: Jozef Chavko)  Juvenile Saker (photo: Balázs István)  Juvenile Saker practicing its wings (photo: Balázs István)

Saker Falcon

(Falco cherrug Gray, 1834) The Saker is brown and buzzard-sized falcon, but a slimmer bird of prey.

Females are larger than males; however the difference is not as obvious as with Peregrines. Adults are yellowish brown on the back; the head is light cream-coloured, sometimes almost white. The moustache is narrow and less distinct. A white breast is typical for adults with brown spots that densify toward the belly. The cere and legs are yellow. Adults are generally lighter coloured than young birds. Newly fledged Sakers are also brown, but the spots on the breast and belly are denser, merging into stripes. The moustache is more distinct and darker than on adults and the head is darker as well. The cere and legs are light blue, starting to become yellow only during the second year. Generally, juveniles are darker than adults.

Distribution and habitat Sakers prefer open area habitats with woods and pastures with Susliks.

The species is a typical raptor species for the steppes ranging from Central-Europe to China. Their typical habitats in Europe are wooded steppes in the lowland, agricultural areas, and foothill lowlands. In Asia they live in steppes, semi-deserts, and on mountain plateaux (up to 4000 metres). The distribution area of the Sakers more or less overlaps with the distribution area of the Susliks, their favourite prey.

Migration In Europe, some young birds move South in the autumn with adults staying in the breeding area all year round. Migrating routes and wintering places of Central-European Sakers was little known before the Saker conservation LIFE project. Due to the project, we now know that Italy and the Sahel region in Africa are the most important wintering areas of the species. A significant part of the Asian population is migratory. The main direction of migration is South-Southwest. The known migration routes and wintering places cover Northeast-Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle-East, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Southern parts of Turkmenistan, and some parts of China and the Tibetan Plateau.

Breeding Sakers do not build nest

Sakers prefer nest sites with the possibility of a safe approach and offering a good view of the territory. The lowland nests of Imperial or White-tailed Eagles are the preferred choice, but they also breed regularly in Buzzard, Crow, and Goshawk nests. The increasing Raven population has started to breed on pylons of high-voltage power lines in the lowlands. Sakers have adapted to this new nesting strategy and are using such Raven nests in increasing number. Due to this new strategy, Sakers now occupy areas where nesting possibilities used to be limited. Display flights begin at the end of January and the beginning of February, depending on the weather. Females lay 3-5 eggs in mid to late March. Breeding lasts 32 days and starts after the laying of the second egg. Small chicks are fed by the female; prey is brought by the male only. Young birds fledge after 4247 days, but adults teach them to hunt after an additional 2-3 weeks. Females become adults at the age of one year; males can start to breed at age two. Pairs stay together for a lifetime.

  Distribution range of Saker (green=all year around, blue=wintering area)  Saker chicks in an artificial nest (photo: Bagyura János)  Juvenile male Saker (photo: Bagyura János)

Diet Susliks (Spermophilus citellus) are the Sakers favourite prey in both Hungary and Slovakia, however they are a seasonal prey item, because Susliks are dormant in the winter. Pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) are therefore more important prey throughout the year. Migratory birds, mostly Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), form a big part of their diet for weeks in early spring. Adults often hunt on voles in the winter. Pairs stay together outside of breeding season as well, sometimes hunting together. Sakers often steal the prey from other raptors like Harriers (Circus spp.) and Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus).

Pigeon (photo: Gallai Zsófia)

Conservation status The Saker is a strictly protected species in both countries; its conservation value by law is HUF 1.000.000 in Hungary and about € 3 320 in Slovakia. The species is listed in Annex I. of Bird Directive of the European Union, Annex II. of Bern Convention, Annex II. of CITES, and it is listed as “Endangered” on the Red List of IUCN Starling (photo: Gallai Zsófia)

Suslik (photo: Ervin Hapl)

THREATS ON THE SAKER FALCON Disappearance of natural nest sites Due to efficient species conservation, the Saker population is increasing in the Carpathian Basin. But there are not enough nest sites, as trees and woods often disappeared from agricultural areas after the change of regime in 1990. Thus there has been less possibility for nesting for species like the Corvidae and the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) that in turn provide nests for Sakers. Old nests are unsafe and they often fall apart during breeding. Sakers meanwhile have discovered pylons on electric power lines in the lowlands and have started to breed in Corvidae nests built on such pylons and wooden nest boxes installed on these pylons.

Decrease or disappearance of hunting areas and food sources After the change of the regime, the number of grazing livestock decreased significantly throughout the country. As a result, traditional use of meadows and pastures ceased. Forestation started on the abandoned sites resulted in the disappearance of the Suslik – the favourite prey of the Saker – and the decrease of other prey species.

Electrocution Poles of mid-voltage electric power lines webbing the habitats of Sakers are lethal threats to them and other bird species. In flat, treeless habitats, birds like to perch on poles that offer a good view of surrounding habitats. Birds, however, landing on or flying off the crosspieces may make a short-circuit by touching either of the two cables. Or when birds perch on one of the metallic crosspieces while touching an energized cable or any other charged structure, they may get electrocuted. This threatens adult as well as juvenile birds.  Juvenile Sakers just before fledging (photo: Balázs István)  Saker killed by electrocution (photo: Bagyura János)  Grazing helps maintaining short grasslands for Sousliks, Sakers’ favourite prey

Bird crime Nowadays shooting is a problem in Slovakia, where the poachers - not knowing the biology of the Sakers – consider falcons as enemies and shoot in the nests or at the individual birds. Illegal poisoning, unfortunately, is increasing in both countries, where poachers in most cases place illegally poisoned carcasses of foxes, martens, and dogs. Sakers can be poisoned directly by feeding off a dead carcass or indirectly when taking a poisoned lure from Buzzards or Kestrels. Nest robberies represent another serious threat in Slovakia for the Saker.

Disturbance and increasing mortality on migration routes and wintering areas Unintentional human disturbance resulting from lack of knowledge is not rare. In such cases the breeding fails because of work being done in an immediate vicinity of a nest. At the start of the project, we did not have accurate information about migration routes, wintering areas, and mortality in these areas, but we assumed a high mortality during migration, based on a comparison of the number of fledged juveniles and breeding pairs.

Sometimes also Sakers (lower right on the photo) become vistims of poisoning beside other birds of prey (Common Buzzards can be seen on the upper side of the photo) (photo: Jozef Chavko)  A Saker perished in the Sahara (Mauritania) (Photo: Med Saleh Menna/Parc National du Banc d’Arguin)

AIMS AND ACTIONS OF THE SAKER CONSERVATION LIFE PROGRAMME In order to achieve these aims, the following actions have been carried out: • Analysing the effects of agricultural support schemes and related habitat management on the Saker habitats. • Preparing restoration and management plans for abandoned pastures on pilot areas and preparing proposals to introduce favourable agricultural support schemes on the Suslik habitats in order to motivate appropriate land use. • Modelling population dynamics. • Training project staff. • Purchasing durable goods (under public procurement procedure). • Preparing, placing, monitoring, and maintaining nest platforms and boxes. • Reintroduction of the Suslik to certain Natura 2000 sites and monitoring the reintroduced Suslik population. • Surveying and insulating dangerous pylons and monitoring insulation. • Tagging satellite birds with satellite-received transmitters and rings to collect data on migration and juvenile dispersal, and collecting feather samples for analysis. • Guarding disturbed nests. • Attending, breeding, and repatriating injured birds. • Analysing addled eggs for chemical substances, and publishing results. • Monitoring the population and the effects of various project actions. • Collecting and evaluating data resulting from satellite tracking and ringing. • Leading BirdLife’s European Saker Working Group to co-ordinate conservation efforts and collecting data about the wintering areas, migration routes, and dispersed juveniles using an international mailing list. • Raising the awareness of hunters and improving mutual cooperation in Slovakia. • Testing efficiency of agri-environmental counselling based on project results in pilot areas. • Placing information boards. • Designing and maintaining the project website. • Gathering public support for conservation efforts. • Informing the media about aims, actions, and results of the project. • Organising international conferences to share and evaluate experiences and results. • Preparing an after LIFE conservation plan.  Free again – recovered Saker after releasing (photo: Horváth Márton )

The aim of the programme is to stabilize the population in the shortterm and to facilitate growth of the European population for the longterm. This will occur by learning about and possibly eliminating any threats.

 Juvenile Saker with a satellite-received transmitter (photo: Jozef Chavko)   Saker with satellite-received transmitter (photo: Prommer Mátyás)  Souslik family (photo: Ervin Hapl)

  Juvenile Sakers in aluminium nest-boksz (photo: Bagyura János)  Juvenile Saker on an insulated pylon of mid-voltage power line (photo: Bagyura János)

Expected main result 180 pairs in Hungary and 35 pairs in Slovakia by 2010

keri_allomany_osszevont_en.pdf

1

2010.09.07.

14:20

1980 1983

1986 1989

West Slovakia

1992 1995

1998

Hungary

Adult male Saker (photo: Jozef Chavko) Dynamics of Saker pairs between 1980 and 2010 (graph: Gallai Gergely)

2001

2004

2007

2010

PROJECT RESULTS

Providing nests sites • 239 wooden nest platforms in Hungary and 20 wicker artificial nests in Slovakia were placed on trees. • 301 aluminium nest boxes in Hungary and 85 in Slovakia were placed on pylons of high-voltage power lines. • About 600 trees were planted in treeless lowlands in Hungary to ensure future nest sites. • More than 1200 juveniles fledged in the project areas throughout the project time.

Ensuring food sources • A proposal was prepared to refine the agri-environmental support scheme in favour of the Saker and the Suslik, the Saker’s favourite prey, by using aerial and space images, data from satellite-tracked birds, and field studies. • 4866 Susliks (3600 in Hungary and 1266 in Slovakia) were repatriated from airfields – where they pose risks to aviation – to pastures, where grazing is ensured for the long term. • The responsible authorities prepared habitat management plans for the grasslands, providing suitable habitat for the Sakers and Susliks. • More than 300 farmers per year were educated about potential financial supports for Saker-friendly farming methods.

 Juvenile Saker in Artificial nest (photo: Balázs István)  Suslik trap (photo: Marek Brinzík)  Suslik (photo: Balázs István)

Preventing electrocution • 7466 pylons (6600 in Hungary and 866 in Slovakia) of midvoltage power lines were insulated in the project areas. • Efficiency of the used insulators was tested.

Preventing bird crime • 2-3 nests were guarded in Slovakia in order to prevent shooting and nest robbery in the nest each year. • Hunters were involved in the nest guarding. • Continuous contact with hunters was kept during the project by having meetings, giving lectures, publishing articles, and organising common events. • Offences against wild bird legislation were recorded in a database and solved in cooperation with the Police or other competent authorities.

čítanie nielen pre poľovníkov

• 500 copies of a coloured 16 page brochure was published and distributed among hunters in cooperation with the Slovak Hunters Association.

Minimising human disturbance in breeding season • 2 - 3 threatened nests were guarded each year. • More than 300 farmers per year were educated.

NAŠE DRAVCE POZNÁVANIE DRAVCOV V PRÍRODE VÝZNAM DRAVCOV V PRÍRODE NEGATÍVNE VPLYVY ČINNOSŤ ČLOVEKA

DRAVCE AKO OBETE NEZÁKONNEJ ČINNOSTI

• Co-operation with electric companies to prevent disturbance on pairs breeding on pylons of high-voltage power lines by maintenance works was improved.

  Insulated pylon of a mid-voltage power line (photo: Bagyura János)  Journal of Raptor Protection of Slovakia

Learning about movements, habitat use, juvenile dispersal, migration and mortality of Sakers • 47 birds (43 juveniles and 4 adults) were tagged with satellite transmitters. • 1300 chicks were ringed with ornithological rings, with 600 of them ringed also with special PIT rings. • More information about the habitat use of Sakers, juvenile dispersal, migration habits and routes, wintering areas, threats during migration and wintering was gained by using satellite telemetry.

Caring, breeding and repatriating injured birds • 8 special cages were built in different parts of Hungary to adopt and breed injured Sakers. • 5 captive-bred juveniles were repatriated before fledging to broods of wild Saker pairs. • 4 recovered birds were released back into nature.

Raising public awareness about the species and conservation efforts in order to ensure long term conservation

• 27 (3-language) info boards were erected. • A 3-language project website was designed and is kept up-to-date regularly. • 2500 pieces of a 3-language poster (A2 size) was prepared, placed on public places, and distributed among the public. • 3 documentary films about the project were prepared and presented in Hungary. • 500 pieces of a 3-language DVD were prepared and distributed. • The media was informed continuously via press conferences and press releases.

  Juvenile Saker with satellite-received transmitter (photo: Jozef Chavko)   Injured juvenile Saker in the rescue centre (photo: Lucia Deutschová)  Erecting information board (photo: Lucia Deutschová)

  Saker with satellite-received transmitter (photo: Prommer Mátyás)  Routes of juvenile Sakers mounted with satellite-received transmitters

CONSERVATION AFTER LIFE The project supported by the European Union’s LIFE programme and Ministry of Environment and Water Affairs came to an end on 30th September 2010. Results of the project speak for themselves; however conservation work does not stop here. Some activities will continue in the framework of another LIFE project (LIFE09 NAT/ HU/000384) e.g.: • Repatriation of Susliks; • Insulation; • Public awareness raising; • Knowledge transfer to Bulgarian and Romanian partners. Project partners will continue other actions by using their own sources: • Monitoring the progress of agri-environmental support schemes; • Monitoring and maintaining artificial nests; • Managing Suslik habitats; • Removing useless satellite-received transmitters from birds; • Reading PIT rings; • Monitoring Saker and Suslik populations.

 Adult female Saker (photo: Bagyura János)

Beneficiary of the LIFE project (LIFE06 NAT/H/000096) “Conservation of Falco cherrug in the Carpathian Basin” Bükk National Park Directorate H-3304 Eger, Sánc u. 6. Published by Halmos Gergő MME/BirdLife Hungary 1121 Budapest, Költő u. 21., Hungary Written by Bagyura János, Fidlóczky József a Prommer Mátyás English translation Prommer Mátyás Slovak translation Lucia Deutschova, Slávka Siryová Design Gallai Gergely Printed by Flekkprint Nyomda Kft. Printed in: 2000 copies (in Hungarian) 1000-1000 copies (in Slovak and in English) We would like to thank to our colleagues, who contributed to the successful implementation of the programme, for collecting data in the field or by helping us in any other ways. Agócs Péter, Baranyai Zsolt ,Bartha Csaba, Bártol István, Bene Viktória, Bereczky Attila, Bérces Sándor, Béres István, Biró Csaba, Bíró István, Bodnár Mihály, Botos István Csaba, Boldog Gusztáv, Boldogh Sándor, Borbáth Péter, Boruzs András, Czuczor István, Császár Zsuzsanna, Csonka Péter, Czifrák Gábor, Czikora János, Darányi László, Demeter Iván, Demeter László, Dudás Miklós, Egri Kiss Tibor, Farkas Roland, Fatér Imre, Fehér Gyula,Fehérvári Péter, Feldhoffer Attila, Felber Péter, Firmánszky Gábor, Fitala Csaba, Forgách Balázs, Fülöp Gyula, Gallai Gergely, Gáborik Ákos, Gilly Zsolt, Gilányi Gábor, Gombkötő Péter, Habarics Béla, Halmos Gergő, Harmos Krisztián, Dr. Hegyi Zoltán, Horváth Márton, Hunyadvári Péter, Juhász Róbert, Kapocsi István, Kálmánczi Anna, Kepes Zsolt, Kleszó András, Kotymán László, Kovács András, Kovács Sándor, Kováts László, Kozma László, Dr. Kovács Éva, Kovács Sándor, Köszegi László, Kökény Ildikó, Kővári Anita, Lantos István, Lengyel Tibor, Lóránt Miklós, Medgyesi Gergely, Mészáros András, Mezei János, Mikle Baráth Miklós, Mogyorósi Sándor, Molnár István Lotár, Mórocz Attila, Nagy Károly, Dr. Nagy Lajos, Nagy Tamás, Német Ákos, Őze Péter, Palatitz Péter, Parrag Tibor, Petróczi Imre, Petrovics Zoltán, Pongrácz Ádám, Primusz József, Puskás László, Sallai Zoltán, Sándor István, Seres Nándor, Simon Pál, Solt Szabolcs, Dr. Solti Béla, Somogyi István, Spakovszky Péter, Szabó Attila, Szelényi Balázs, Szilágyi Attila, Szinai Péter, Szirtl Attila, Tajti László, Tamás Enikő, Tar János, Tarján Barna, Tóth László, Tóth Tamás, Tőgye János, Újváry Balázs, Urbán László, Vajda Zoltán, Vasas András, Vers József, Vidra Tamás, Vókó László, Zábrák Károly, Zákány Albert, Zölei Anikó, Zsíros Sándor. The injured birds were attended by Dr. Molnár Viktor and Dr. Sós Endre (Budapest Zoo). We processed and evaluated the data together with MME/BirdLife Hungary's Monitoring Centre (Nagy Károly, Görögh Zoltán and Nagy Zsolt). We thank the help of our colleagues from Slovakia Peter Adamec, Michal Adamec, Michal Ambros, Juraj Andre, Ivan Baláž, Pavol Balko, Juraj Balogh, Michal Behúl, Marek Brinzík, Peter Bryndza, Jozef Chavko, Gašpar Çamlík, Lucia Deutschová, Alexander Fekete, Martin Giç, Dalibor Greguš, Erik Gulák, Ervín Hapl, Stanislav Harvançík, Peter Hohti, Miroslav Holeša, Jozef Izakoviç, Ján Kal'avský, Martin Kal'avský, František Karika, Mário Kern, Metod Macek, Viliam Klescht, Sivlia Klešíková, Eva Komanická, Silvia Kónyová, Ondrej Koporec, Milan Královiç, Dušan Krivošík, Elena Kyselová, Jozef Lengyel, Ján Lipták, Denisa Löbellová, Štefan Lovas, Boris Maderiç, Lucia Matejoviçová, Miroslav Maukš, Vladimír Nemçek, Michal Noga, Ivanka Nováková, Mária Nováková, Ján Obuch, Ján Orlovský, Peter Rác, Ján Salay, Jaroslav Saxa, Ján Sekereš, Ladislav Serbák, Slávka Siryová, Daniela Stanislavová, Pavol Stranovský, František Szitási, František Szkuby, Vojtech Szucs, Michal Šara, Ján Šmídt, Tibor Šnajdár, Jozef Tóth, Fridrich Tóth, Michal Uçník, Marcel Uhrin, Andrej Vd'açný, Ignác Vincze, Slovenská elektrizaçná prenosová sústava, a.s., Západoslovenská energetika, a.s., Východoslovenská energetika, a.s., Štátna ochrana prírody SR.