Materials on ecology of buzzards in northern Ukraine. - S.V. Domashevsky.
- Berkut. 13 (2). 2004. - P. 230-243.
Data were collected in 1989, 1992–2003 in forest and forest-steppe parts
of Kyiv, Zhitomir and Chernigiv regions. Rough-legged Buzzard is a migratory
and wintering species. The first birds in autumn are recorded in the end of
September and the beginning of October. Peak of autumn migration are in the
second and third ten-day periods of October. It is the most numerous species
of raptors wintering in the northern part of Ukraine. In winters of 2000–2003
on routes in 1047 km 491 birds were registered. Departure from wintering area
begins at the end of January and well expressed migration begins in the third
ten-day period of February. The peak of spring migration is in the end of the
first ten-day period of March or the beginning the second ten-day periods of
the month. The last migrating birds are observed in the middle of April. Long-legged
Buzzard is the most rare species of genus Buteo. It is included in the Red Book
of Ukraine. For the first time breeding of this species in the northern part
of Ukraine was recorded in 1989. Breeding ecology of the species and its trophic
connections were studied. Eggs are laid in the end of March or the beginning
of April. The breeding population in Kyiv region numbers 11–14 pairs. For
the first time two records of migrating birds were in the study area, one bird
was observed in winter of 2000/2001. Eurasian Buzzard is the most numerous raptor
species of the Ukrainian forest zone. Spring migration begins at the end of
February with peaks in the first – third ten-day periods of March. In breeding
territories the first birds appear in the middle of February or the beginning
of March. Nests are placed on the average height of 15,1 m. The mean size of
clutch is 2,9 eggs. Nestlings occur in the first and second ten-day periods
of May. Mean number of nestlings in brood is 2,2. Fledglings leave nests from
the middle of June up to the beginning of July. On autumn migration the first
buzzards occur since the end of August. The peak of migration is in the third
ten-day period of September, less often in the first ten-day period of October.
In the middle of 1990s buzzards becomes winter in the northern part of Ukraine.
Now they winter regularly, their number is less than Rough-legged Buzzard. 359
birds were observed during wintering in 2000–2003 on routes in 1047 km.
For the first time for northern part of Ukraine B. b. vulpinus was caught on
12.12.2003. [Russian].
Key words: Buzzards, Buteo buteo, Buteo rufinus, Buteo
lagopus, northern Ukraine, ecology.
Addres: S.V. Domashevsky, Zhukov str. 22/42, 02166, Kyiv, Ukraine; e-mail:
utop@iptelecom.net.ua.
