Changes of the Hungarian White-tailed Eagle population in the relation to protection efforts
Horváth Zoltán and Gáborik Ákos
Historical background Negative effects
Positive effects
•
Protected since 1939 (allowed to be shot only at fishponds). Strictly protected since 1954 BirdLife Hungary founded in 1974, as an effect of their monitoring activity, the use of poisoned eggs finished in 1981 In 1987 MME (BirdLife Hungary) and Somogy Nature Conservation Organization Started the Whitetailed Eagle Protection Programme In 1990 an official nest protection zone of 100m radius was introduced, the National Park Directorates got strong and the Nationwide Ranger Sercice built up.
• • • • • •
Frim the XIXth century contiuous habitat losses, vanishing of wetlands (feeding and breeding areas lost) disturbance of the intesive forestry and agriculture technologies expanding use of chemicals (e.g. DDT) shooting by hunters, fishermen poisoned decoys egg and chick collecting Between 1970 -1980 10-12 known breeding pairs, estimated 20-25 pairs.
WTE in Hungary before the Program (1986)
Activities in the program First steps Building the coutnry-wide observer network. Organize nest control and collection of breeding data Starting legal protection initiation procedures for wetland habitats used by White-tailed Eagles. (In Southern-Transdanubia, mainly in Somogy county) WTE-conferences to exchange experiences Collect funds from tenders and sponsors Landpurchases Pracrical activities and achievements of present Nationwide observer network (80 persons, in 18 regions – nesting, breeding data, protection zones) Colour ringing Winter feeding and synchronous census Artifical nests Measuring dangers Hungarian pouplation 236 pairs
Colour ringing • Joining the European program in 2004, number of breeding pairs >100 • altogether 398 chicks ringed • In 2011, 69 chick got colour ring
Winter feeding and synchronous census Winter feeding • Significance in protection is decreasing, helps read colour rings Synchronous census • In every January since 2004 • In 2011-ben 461-494 specimens observed. • The wintering population (resindent and northern altogehter) min. 800 specimens.
Colour ringed WTE observations in Hungary Country
Number of birds (spec.)
Number of observation (occasion)
Estonia
6
14
Finland
6
16
Croatia
1
1
Poland
16
25
Latvia
2
5
Lithuania
6
11
Hungary
93
154
Russia
3
12
Sweden
1
1
Serbia
3
3
Slovakia
10
18
Oservations of WTEs, colour ringed in Hungary Country
Settlement
Austria
Sankt Andra am Zicksee
1
Bernhardsthal
2
Eckartsau (NP Donau-Auen)
1
Kopacki rit, Osijek
1
Kopacki rit, Bikovac
1
Poland
Krzywa Góra, Pokój
1
Lithuania
Laikses, Kelme
3
Russia
Knevitsy
1
Romania
Cosereni
1
Constanca (Palmasan)
1
Chisinau-Cris (Kisjenı)
1
Zrenjanin (Carska bara)
1
Ujozora (Uzdin)
1
Vojvodina (Ujbanovci)
1
Kližská Nemá
1
Croatia
Serbia
Slovakia
Number of observation (occassion)
Artifical nest installations • First one in 1976 • Altogether 80 ones (mainly in the early period of the program) • Importance is decreasing contiuously, only if reasonable
Dangers and risks Electric shocks • Mainly on medium voltage lines Poisoning • Mainly carbofuran, phorat , lead and mercury
Changing of the Hungarian WTE population between 1987-2011
Hungarian WTE nests in 2011
Acknowledgements The Hungarian Whjte-tailed Eagle Protection Programme is coordinated by the BridLife Hungary, the Somogy Nature Conservation Orgabization and the Duna-Dráva National Park Directorate, in cooperation with national park directorates (ANPD, BUNPD, BNPD, HNPD, DINPD, KMNPD, FHNPD, KNPD, ÖNPD), the inspectorates for environment, nature and water and local nature conservation NGOs. Bagyura János, Bank László, Barbácsy Zoltán, Barcánfalvi Péter, Bátky Gellért, Bátky Kolos, Bereczky Attila, Blaskovits Zoltán, Dr. Bod Péter, Borbáth Péter, Cifrák Gábor, Csihar László, Csonka Péter, Csokonai Péter, Csór Sándor, Deme Tamás, Dombi Imre, Dudás Miklós, Feldhoffer Attila, Fenyısi László, Firmánszky Gábor, Forgách Balázs, Fülöp Tibor, Glacz Róbert, Gruber Ágnes, Haraszthy László, Horváth Tibor, Horváth Márton, Jakus László, Jaszenovics Tibor, Kalocsa Béla, Kenéz István, Klébert Antal, Kotymán László, Kováts László, Kószás Vendel, Krúg Tibor, Kulcsár Péter, Lelkes András, Lóránt Miklós, Lovászi Péter, Marik Pál, Megyer Csaba, Mezei Ervin, Nagy Gábor, Nagy Lóránt, Nagy Tibor, Nagy Tibor (Lábod), Németh Ákos, Németh Csaba, Nyemcsok Tamás, Mórocz Attila, İze Péter, Parrag Tibor, Petrovics Zoltán, Pénzes László, Pigniczki Csaba, Pintér András, Prommer Mátyás, Puskás László, Rozner György, Sallai Zoltán, Sándor István, Schulcz Andrea, Schurk László, Seres Nándor, Siklósi Máté, Staudinger István, Stix József, Szegvári Zoltán, Szeiman Péter, Szelényi Balázs, Széll Antal, Széplaki János, Szilágyi Attila, Szinai Péter, Szitta Tamás, Tajti László, Tamás Enikı, Tar János, Tihanyi Gábor, Tóth Imre, Tömösváry Tibor, Török Hunor Attila, Vasas András, Váczi Miklós, Viszló Levente, Völgyi Sándor, Wágner László, Zalai Tamás, Zákány Albert és Zöldvári Ákos
Photos: Horváth Zoltán, Jan Henriksson és Kalotás Zsolt
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