Pair formation in the Montagu's Harrier. - Wiacek J. - Berkut. 15 (1-2).
2006. - P. 151-158.
Montagu’s Harrier arrive to nesting territories in eastern Poland in the
second decade of April. During the research males were more numerous. The arrival
of females was more stretched in the time. The time of pair formation was an
average 18 days. Monogamy was the dominating system of pair formation. The females
spent more time inside the territory while the males hunted. The males performed
88.8 % of sky-dancing while females only 11.2 %. Flight play as ritualized form
of aggression within pair was common behaviour. The males performed 1915 fake
attacks on females. During pre-laying period 70 copulations were observed (0.22
copulations per hour of observation). Most of them (84 %) were successfully.
[English].
Key words: Poland, Montagu’s Harrier, Circus pygargus, ethology,
pair formation.
Address: J. Wiacek, Dept. of Nature Conservation, Curie-Sklodowska University,
Akademicka 19 Street, 20-033 Lublin, Poland; e-mail: rjwiacek@poczta.onet.pl.
