Topical relationships of common Buzzard Buteo buteo L. (Aves: Falconiformes) in Rivne Nature Reserve, Shatsk National Nature Park and surrounding areas

Abstract

In the paper some parameters of topical relationships of Common buzzard (Buteo buteo L.) in Rivne Nature Reserve and Shatsk National Park (Western Polissya) were discussed. On the study area Buzzards usually choose pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaerth.) as a nesting trees in proportion to their abundance in the environment. In case of aspen (Populus tremula L.) and Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) Buzzards show some selectivity. Dimensions of nesting trees are in average larger than the neighboring trees (Z = 5.18, p<0.001). The height of nests location on a tree correlates positively with the height of nesting trees (r = 0.73, p<0.05). The majority of nests on the studied sites are located on a side branches (71%), less in a fork of main trunk (29 %). The nests are oriented mainly northwest (28 %) and west (19 %) directions. 30 % of nests are located at a trunk bend. As distance from the nests increases, average forest cover of nesting territory decreases from 74 % in areas within 500 m radius to 49 % in areas within 2000 m radius. Distances from buzzards’ nests to nearest settlements and shortest distance to roads in Shatsk NP and Rivne Reserve are significantly different. Average breeding productivity was 2.2 chicks per nesting pair. Significant correlations between the breeding productivity and distance from nest location to forest margin, roads, settlements, and to nearest neighbo­ring buzzard nests were not found.

Keywords

• Buteo buteo
• topical relationships
• breeding