Bonelli’s Eagle Webcam
18. May 2011A webcam into a nest of a pair of Bonelli’s Eagles in Spain can be found here:
Help to protest against destruction of critical habitat for Lesser Spotted Eagle in Germany
14. May 2011In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (northern Germany) 49 hector of critical habitat for Lesser Spotted Eagle (one of the rarest and most endangered raptors in Germany) have been destroyed. The habitat were valuable grasslands use for foraging by 3 pairs of. Now they have been turned into fields which are not nearly as good a foraging habitat as the grasslands were.
According to Birdlife Germany, this is illegal as this was done in a protected area.
You can help and protest against this development by sending a letter to the regional government. More information (in German) incl. information about where to send protest letters can be found here.
http://mecklenburg-vorpommern.nabu.de/themen/landwirtschaft/13746.html
More information about the Birdlife Germany and their conservation work for the Lesser Spotted Eagle and how you can help can be found here:
http://www.nabu.de/tiereundpflanzen/voegel/vogelschutz/schreiadler/pate/index.html
Budapest Declaration on bird protection and power lines
10. May 2011After a successful conference in April 2011 in Budapest, the Budapest Declaration on bird protection and power lines has been adopted by the participants of the Budapest Conference “Power lines and bird mortality in Europe”.
The Conference was co-organised by MME/BirdLife Hungary, the Ministry of Rural Development of Hungary and BirdLife Europe and was kindly hosted by MAVIR (the Hungarian Transmission System Operator Company Ltd.), as part of the official programme of the Hungarian EU Presidency in 2011. It was attended by 123 participants from 29 European and Central Asian countries,the European Commission, UNEP-AEWA, six energy and utility companies, experts, businesses and NGOs.
13 conference presentations, 12 posters, the Budapest Declaration and the list of conference participants are available for download on the following MME website:
http://www.mme.hu/termeszetvedelem/budapest-conference-13-04-2011
New Interview with Alv Ottar Folkestad about the White-tailed Eagle in Norway
1. May 2011
White-tailed Eagle chick in nest
© Alv Ottar Folkestad
I am happy to announce a new interview, this time about the White-tailed Eagle in Norway.
The White-tailed Eagle is one of the largest eagles in the world with a wingspan of up to around 245cm. During the last decades, the species has increased dramatically in many countries. In Europe, the largest population lives in Norway where Alv Ottar Folkestad has been studying the species for many years.
In this new interview, Alv explains the current situation of the White-tailed Eagle in Norway, how the population has developed over the last years, what threat’s it faces in the future (incl. wind farms) and why the European Otter is important for the White-tailed Eagle in Norway and many other interesting facts about this spectacular species.
See the interview for more information:
Interview with Alv Ottar Folkestad about the White-tailed Eagle in Norway
News about the Eastern Imperial Eagle from Bulgaria
29. April 2011The BSPB is doing great work in Bulgaria for the Eastern Imperial Eagle.
Here are several different and very interesting news about this wonderful raptor species in Bulgaria and the BSPB’s work:
4 new artificial nests for Imperial Eagle placed
New nest of a Imperial Eagle found in Derventski Hills
BSPB started the guard of Imperial Eagle nests
17 occupied Imperial Eagle’s territories have been recorded at the beginning of April
Bulgaria: Five more Griffon Vultures were tagged with GPS/GSM transmitters and are now ready for release into the wild
28. April 2011The Griffon Vulture is a rare or extinct raptor species across most of Europe. Only in Spain are the numbers high and currently not threatened.
In other countries, a lot of effort is made by dedicated conservationists to help to increase the population.
In Bulgaria a reintroduction effort is underway that will help to increase and secure the population in Bulgaria and on the Balkan.
In order to learn more about the birds and their survival and movements, 5 more Griffon Vultures where fitted with GPS/GSM transmitters by the team from Green Balkans. 4 of the birds are from the 4 different release sites of the reintroduction program.
For more information, see the Green Balkan’s website:
Five more Griffon Vulture were tagged with GPS/GSM transmitters and are now ready for release into the wild
More about vulture conservation in Bulgaria:
VULTURES IN BULGARIA
Soon there will also be a new interview about the Griffon Vulture in Bulgaria.
Web-Cam for Lesser Spotted Eagle
18. April 2011A Web-Camera for a Lesser Spotted Eagle nest in Latvia has been established. Click the following link to get there:
Bulgaria: Yet another newly formed pair of Eastern Imperial Eagles localized as a result of radio-tracking
17. April 2011Tracking raptors with radio or satellite transmitters is not only important for science but also for conservation, for example when learning more about migration routes or mortality of raptors.
In Bulgaria, radio tracking of a female Eastern Imperial Eagles called Gabriela by the team at Green Balkans has now allowed the timely location of the new area occupied by the Gabriela and another eagle.
It is important to find newly established pairs early to make sure they can breed successfully in the following years, for example by improving habitat, providing food or artificial nests.
To learn more about Gabriela and the conservation of work Green Balkans and Eastern Imperial Eagles, click here:
Yet another newly formed pair of Imperial Eagles localized as a result of radio-tracking
New Interview Pascual López about power lines and raptors in Spain
13. April 2011
Spanish Imperial Eagles on corrected pylon
© EBD-CSIC
A new and very important interview in now available:
Interview Pascual López about power lines and raptors in Spain
In this interview, raptor Researcher Pascual López talks about power lines and raptors in Spain.
Around the world, power lines have long been a serious problem for raptor conservation (and other large birds like Great Bustards or White Storks). Either the birds collide with the power lines or they get electrocuted on dangerous pylons.
In Spain the problem is affecting many raptor species, including the rare and endangered Spanish Imperial Eagle and Bonelli’s Eagle, both species loosing many birds to electrocution.
But much can be done if some money is available and there is the will of governments and companies to make the world a little better for raptors.
Pascual describes in detail the situation in Spain and how it affects raptors, especially the Spanish Imperial Eagle and the Bonelli’s Eagle. He also explains what pylons are the most dangerous one, what must be done to make those safe for raptors and what already has been and is currently beeing done in Spain.
Also have a look at Pascual’s website (link at bottom of the interview) to find many interesting publications about raptors.
Spanish Imperial Eagle at 282 pairs in 2010
9. April 2011In 2010, 282 pairs of Spanish Imperial Eagles have been counted, 279 in Spain and 3 in Portugal. This is 16 pairs more than in 2009. 341 young fledged, the highest number ever recorded.
For the next 4 years, more than 6 million Euros will be invested in the modification of power lines to make them safe for the eagles in Andalucía, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León and Extremadura.
This was published on the website for the conservation of the Spanish Imperial Eagle:
El MARM, las CCAA y Portugal analizan los avances conseguidos en la conservación del águila imperial ibérica
More information about the Spanish Imperial Eagle:
Spanish Imperial Eagle species account on europeanraptors.org