The Results Implementation of a Foster Parents Adoption Method for Restoration of the Saker Falcon Population in Russia (With the Results of GPS/GSM Tracking of Fledglings)

Abstract

This article describes our experience obtained during the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) reintroduction conducted in the summer of 2018 in the Tuva Republic of Russia. Nineteen captive-produced nestlings of “Altaic” morph of the Saker were placed into nests of wild foster parents of the same species. In total, we engage 10 wild foster pairs of Saker who had 31 native nestlings. All native nestlings were left in nests and grew together with adoptive ones. One captive-produced nestling out of initial 19 nestlings was withdrawn from the project because of trauma. No case of nestling mortality was observed – all 49 young birds successfully fledged. During post-fledgling period, the known losses among juveniles were 5 birds (10.2%): 2 captive-produced birds were killed by another raptor, and 3 native nestlings from different breeding pairs died under the extreme weather conditions happened in Tuva in July of 2018. Two captive-produced and 2 native young Sakers were tracked via GPS/GSM transmitters.

Keywords

• пернатые хищники
• хищные птицы
• балобан
• falco cherrug
• реинтродукция
• алтае-саянский регион
• gps/gsm-телеметрия
• индивидуальные территории
• миграция