Breeding biology of the Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) in east-central Poland and implications for its conservation
2012
Krupiński, Dominik | Lewtak, Jerzy | Rzępała, Mirosław | Szulak, Krzysztof
In 2005–2011 active conservation and study on the population of the Montagu’s Harrier was conducted in the farmland areas of east-central Poland. The population was estimated at 240–270 breeding pairs and its size was stable. The mean clutch size was estimated at 3.71 eggs per breeding pair. The number of fledglings was 1.24 per nest and 2.6 per successful breeding pair. There were no significant differences in sex ratio. The birds nested mainly in winter cereal and rape (70%). Population productivity positively correlated with a high number of nests located in late harvested crops. The pairs breeding in early harvested crops had significantly lower breeding success (10%) than the pairs nesting in winter cereal (>70%), due to losses during farming activities. Protection of broods with fencing had a positive effect on the breeding success of pairs nesting on arable fields. An important factor that had a negative impact on the breeding success of Montagu’s Harriers was adverse weather conditions.
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