The Results of Monitoring the Breeding Groups of the Steppe Eagle in the Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan

Abstract

Between 2 and 14 July; 2018; fieldworks were carried out to monitoring of the Steppe Eagle breeding groups ( Aquila nipalensis ) in the central part of the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. In the course of the work 408 birds we found; 173 Steppe Eagle breeding territories were localized or re-checked. Within 3 study plots 160 Steppe Eagle breeding territories (92.5%) were examined; including 27 successful nests with 46 nestlings. The occupation of breeding territories was 84.38%; while the percentage of active nests in the occupied breeding territories was 70.37%. Successful were 28.42% of nests from the number of active nests and 16.88 % from the number of identified breeding territories. The number of nestlings in broods ranged from 1 to 3; averaging ( n =27) 1.7±0.67 nestlings per successful nest and ( n =95) 0.49±0.85 nestlings per occupied nest. Monitoring of Steppe Eagle breeding territories on 2 plots examined for the first time in 2017 showed a decrease in the number of occupied nests by 18.9%; and the number of successful nests – by 63.9%. A major cause of decline in the success of Steppe Eagle breeding was fires; which burnt nests in 20.8% of the breeding territories. A high rate of Steppe Eagle deaths was revealed on a power line dangerous to birds; passing through the examined territory – 13.3 ind./10 km.