Actions
During
the project 13 actions are being carried out, which are
presented in short descriptions below:
1.
Evaluation of habitat quality in relation to land-use practices
and development of habitat management guidelines
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A
map database of 1:100000 scale will be prepared
in the territories of two lowland- an two mountain
breeding pairs. The maps will show the land use
pattern of these territories and the potential threatening
factors (electric powerlines, roads, etc.). The
data will be compared with the results of the investigation
regarding the habitat preferences of the birds (see
action 5.). In this way we will be able to identify
how different land use types and crop fields influence
the eagles’ feeding habits and the size of
their home range.
Based on the results we will be able to develop
habitat management guidelines by the consideration
and application of which the long-term existence
of the imperial eagle may be ensured in Hungary
(in the key areas of its range). We hope that the
national park directorates will incorporate these
guidelines into their general habitat management
plans to be developed for the Environmentally Sensitive
Areas (ESA) of Hungary.
Results so far: The map databases have been
established in a GIS system, which is also useful
for other actions of the project. While mapping
the potential threats in eagle territories we identified
and indicated a total of about 635 km medium-voltage
powerlines on 1:10000 maps as potentially dangerous
to imperial eagles. For the investigation regarding
the habitat requirements of the species the land
use patterns have been recorded also on 1:10000
maps in two sample territories and in the surroundings
of further 17 nest sites in a 215 km2 area. At the
same time censuses of three prey species (souslik,
hare, pheasant) have been carried out in two sample
territories.
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2.
Preparation of a proposal to modify electric pole configurations
dangerous to birds
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Though
in Hungary the insulation of medium-voltage powerlines
has been going on successfully for several years,
long term solution to the electrocution problem
can only be the application of bird friendly pole
designs. During the project we are preparing a policy
paper that will present the problem in detail, suggest
solutions and will be distributed among the stakeholders
(electric companies, institutions of the state nature
conservancy, ministries).
Results so far: Two meetings have been held
with leaders of the North-Eastern Electric Utility
(ELMU-ÉMÁSZ), the company responsible
for the distribution of electricity throughout most
of the imperial eagle’s range in Hungary. The
topic of the meetings was the possibility of lont-term
solutions to the electrocution of birds. For also
economically acceptable solutions further cooperation
is needed. Also a lot of information has been collected
about the experience of many experts in different
countries (e.g. Germany, Slovakia, USA, South Africa),
which will be helpful for the preparation of our
paper. We are especially thankful to Rick Harness
(USA), Chris van Rooyen (South Africa) and Dr. Dieter
Haas (Germany) for sharing their experience with
us.
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3.
Areas holding at least 2 pairs of Aquila heliaca are to
be designated as SPAs
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Having
evaluated the legal protection status of areas holding
at least two preeding pairs of imperial eagles a
report will be presented to the responsible nature
conservation authority about those areas that have
not yet been included in the list of proposed SPAs.
The extension of their legal protection, the declaration
of such areas as SPAs based on the Bird Directive
(79/409/EEC) can be a significant contribution to
the conservation of imperial eagle habitats.
Results so far: The locations of all eagle
nests known in 2003 have been uploaded to a GIS
map. The locations have been compared to the areas
of SPAs proposed by the Bükk National Park
Directorate and the MME. Within the administrative
area of the Bükk National Park Directorate
nine (20%) out of 44 active nests are located outside
proposed SPAs.
National park directorates in Hungary are
the nature conservation authority in large areas
around the protected territories of the parks themselves.
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4.
Monitoring of known and potential breeding sites
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A
network of reliable observers regularly controls
known nests during the entire breeding period without
disturbing the birds. When they detect any problems
or threats affecting breeding success they immediately
inform the responsible national park directorate
and the project coordinators. By monitoring potential
breeding areas we try to learn about newly forming
pairs in due time.
Direct nest control happens once a year (unless
some threat requires climbing up to the nests more
often), when also the chicks are ringed. Nestlings
are ringed both with conventional aluminium rings
and colour rings.
Results so far: The network of observers
was established in early 2002, with members who
had been participating in conservation actions and
monitoring before. Due to the network we get data
about all known nests at least on a monthly basis,
but in most cases much more frequently. The observers
in an area report their observations to an assigned
coordinator among them. In this way information
on several nests is delivered to the project leaders
by one person responsible for a certain area. The
data is presented on special datasheets.
In 2003 a total of 80 known and potential territories
were controlled in this way. 40 out of 63 active
nests were found in the lowlands. Most failures
were recorded during the incubation period (13 cases),
with all but one case in the lowlands. Remains of
16 eggs were collected, out of which six could be
sent to the Veterinary University of Budapest for
further investigation. The death of six chicks was
recorded during the nestling period and further
two chicks were hit by a train just after fledging.
Out of 43 successful nests 69 chicks fledged in
2003.
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5.
Conventional (VHF) radio tracking
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At
least four adult and several juvenile eagles are
going to be fitted with radio tags. By tracking
the movements of the adults we can get information
on home range size, habitat use and habitat preferences
of the adult pairs. By tracking juveniles we aim
to detect their temporary settlement areas and to
learn about their survival (see also action 6.).
Results so far: Two fully-grown fledlings
were fitted with radio tags in July, one in a lowland
territory and another one in a mountain territory.
The two birds are tracked regularly. The bird from
the lowland nest, which was the youngest of three
siblings and left the nest about ten days after
the two other fledlings, became independent in mid
September and settled 25 km far from the parents’
territory in an area rich in prey and very much
liked by young imperial and white-tailed eagles.
The juvenile from the mountain nest, the only chick
of the pair this year, became independent at the
beginning of November. Before that he gave clues
as to his parents’ hunting territory, which
had until then been a mystery.
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6.
Satellite tracking of juveniles
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Six
to eight juveniles are going to be fitted with satellite
tags („Platform Transmitter Terminal”
– PTT) just before fledging. With the help
of satellite technology we will try to track the
birds for about two years. We hope to gain useful
information about the temporary settlement areas,
migration routes and survival of the juveniles.
Temporary settlement areas are areas where immature,
non-breeding birds like to spend their time in the
first few years of their lives and prepare themselves
with good chances for pair selection and breeding.
From the point of view of the species’ survival
the importance of such areas is equal to the importance
of the breeding areas. To successfully protect immature
birds in these areas (e.g. by retrofitting electric
poles) it is imperative to identify their location,
and so far only a very few areas in Hungary have
been known as temporary settlement areas of imperial
eagles.
Results so far: Two chicks have been fitted
with satellite tags in 2003, both in lowland areas.
One of them probably got cought by strong north-westerly
winds because left the parents just a few days after
fledging. His early independence meant bad chances
of survival. He very soon arrived in western Romania
from where he got to northern Serbia, where his
signal stayed for several weeks. Suspecting him
being dead we organised a trip to Serbia in the
first days of October to find the bird and the tag,
that time without success. The trip was repeated
one month later, when we found the dead bird with
the tag in a deep roadside ditch and learnt fom
locals that the unfortunate young eagle had been
hit by a car. One week after that, on the 12th of
November the recovered tag was put on another juvenile
cought accidentally in southern Hungary and whose
origin we knew thanks to the fact that he wore a
ring. The bird is still in the area where he was
released.
The other juvenile that was tagged as a fledgling
has been independent since the end of October. He
has not left Hungary so far but travelled a huge
circle around the Hungarian plain.
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7.
Monitoring of known and potential temporary settlement areas
A network of observers is going to monitor known and potential
temporary settlement areas. The task of the network is to
record all observations of impreial eagles, their age and
movements in certain areas. The data are entrered into a
database. The evaluation of the data may reveal important
information as to what areas of Hungary are most important
for young, vagrant eagles.
Results so far: Based on the data obtained so far
two areas are considered to be important places for temporary
settlement of young eagles, located in Békés
county (south-eastern Hungary) and the south-eastern part
of Heves county (north-eastern Hungary). Useful information
has been gained by observations of colour-ringed birds.
Colour ringing programme of imperial eagles has been run
in eastern Slovakia since 2000 and in Hungary since 2002.
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8. Locating and retrofitting the most dangerous medium-voltage
electric poles
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Powerline
sections considered to be a threat for imperial
eagles are going to be identified in both breeding
and temporary settlement areas. Poles of these sections
will be retrofitted in cooperation with utility
companies by the application of special crossarm
covers developed by MME. Specific pole types will
be retrofitted by way of exchanging bare jumper
wires with insulated cable. During the project 10
000 poles are planned to be made safe for birds
(in addition to the nearly 30 000 poles retrofitted
in Hungary so far).
Results so far: The identification of dangerous
line sections was started in last winter. A total
of about 635 km medium-voltage powerlines have been
identified within five km radius circles around
imperial eagle nests. During our surveys a number
of electrocuted buzzards, kestrels and corvids were
found, but fortunately no imperial eagles. The first
set of crossarm covers is under production.
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9.
Construction of artificial nests and reinforcement of collapsing
nests
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new artificial nests are going to be constructed
during the project. This will help the establishment
of new pairs in potential imperial eagle habitats.
Artificial nests provide safe breeding opportunity
to eagles in both physical terms (stability) and
with regard to human disturbance, particularly in
areas with limited nest site availability. If a
natural nest is considered threatened by collapse
during the breeding period the nest is reinforced
to secure a successful breeding.
Results so far: Ten new artificial nests
have been constructed in imperial eagle habitats
so far and many older ones have been renovated..
In 2003 five pairs of imperial eagles bred in artificial
nests.
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10.
Restriction of human disturbance and guarding of endangered
nests
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A
large proportion of breeding attempts (about 30%)
fail, the most frequent cause of which is human
diturbance. If during the regular controls of eagle
territories we detect human activities that may
be a threat to the success of the breeding attempt
(e.g. forestry, hunting, construction, bee-keeping,
tourism, etc.) we notify the national park directorate
in charge. After that the directorate may issue
temporal or spatial restriction of certain activities
according to its legal possibilities. At the most
endangered nest sites continous nest guarding is
organised for the entire breeding period.
Results so far: In 2003 there was only one
case in the administrative area of the Bükk
National Park Directorate when human activity was
restricted: a bee-keeper settled just beneath a
nest with well-grown chicks and the national park
directorate postponed the harvesting of the honey
until the fledging of the juveniles. At another
nest site (where somebody had cut off the nest from
the tree in 2002 and the chicks disappeared) we
organised nest guarding with the help of volunteers.
This pair successfully fledged two chicks. A third
nest was observed with the help of an industrial
camera system in the last few weeks of the breeding
period. One chick was raised in this nest.
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11.
Preparation of educational materials
Brochures, posters and other materials for stakeholder groups
and the general public are going to be prepared in order
to get them acquainted with the status and conservation
problems of this natural treasure of Hungary, the imperial
eagle. For the long term conservation of the species the
most important is a good cooperation with those stakeholders
that are directly connected to the conservation of the imperial
eagle (foresters, hunters, landowners), but also important
is to raise the awareness of the general public. During
the project posters, stickers, brochures and notice boards
are going to be prepared. Also the preparation of this website
was completed within the frames of this project action.
Results so far: Ten notice boards containing basic
information on the project have been manufactured. They
are going to be erected at target areas of green tourism,
in parking lots along highways and other frequented places
near natural areas.
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12.
Production of materials for the written and electronic popular
media
An important part of the project is the communication through
the popular media. During the project a number of newspaper
articles, television- and radio reports will be produced
as well as scientific publications will be prepared.
Results so far: So far three media events have been
organised: (1) at the beginning of the project (26.11.2002)
a press conference was held in connection with the repatriation
of a juvenile imperial eagle. (2) In the summer of 2003
a press campaign was launched about the electrocution problem
of birds of prey. (3) Recently press releases and radio
reports have been presented in connection with the satellite
tracking of young eagles. Local and national tv- stations
and newspapers were present at all events. The two juveniles
fitted with satellite tags have been named after two celebrities:
the leaders of the most popular radio programme in Hungary.
Live talks have been presented in that radio programme and
hopefully there will be more reports there on the two birds
in the future.
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13.
Organisation of workshops and public meetings for stakeholders
The best and most effective way of communication with most
stakeholder groups is personal communication and cooperation.
Because of this we are organising a number of meetings with
foresters, hunters, electric companies, people working in
nature conservation, NGOs and scientists. The work, objectives
and results of the project are going to be presented on
international conferences. The meetings offer an opportunity
for constructive discussions about the project and the conservation
issues of the imperial eagle.
Results so far: A questionnaire has been prepared
to assess the opinion of people involved in the project
on the significance of threats induced by different stakeholder
groups. In total seven presentations have been held for
six stakeholder groups (altogether about 600 people), and
other groups have already been contacted. On the 23rd May
2003 the 5th International Imperial Eagle Workshop was held
in Budapest (organised by MME), as part of the 6th Worls
Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls.
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