Igor Karyakin

Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network

According to the Red List of IUCN, Steppe Eagle ( Aquila nipalensis ) is a globally Endangered (EN) species, included in the Red Data Book of Russia and protected throughout the country. Steppe Eagle breeding range in Russia covers semi-desert and steppe areas from Kalmykia in the west to Dauria in the east. The Altai-Sayan Ecoregion (ASER) is key...

We should begin to consider the issue of “Birds and power lines” in Russia with the state plan for the electrification of Russia, which was adopted in the USSR in 1920. The length of overhead power lines (PLs) had increased by several dozen times over ten years back then, but they were seated on wooden supports, which are pretty much safe for birds...

For centuries, Steppe Eagle ( Aquila nipalensis) had been the most numerous Palearctic Aquila species, but nowadays it has been decreasing in numbers progressively, so in 2015 the IUCN changed the species status to “endangered”. The decrease is evidently related to Steppe Eagles’ electrocution at nesting areas and during migration, poisoning by vet...

Abundance and spatial distribution of the birds under study are determined during field surveys. At the result, we obtain the distribution density in individuals, pairs, nests per unit area (for example, pairs/100 km2 ), or the distance between nearest or all neighbors (represented as mathematical values (1–5, on average 3.5±1.1 km) and/ or in grap...

The White-Tailed Eagle ( Haliaeetus albicilla ) has been a key species for projects on study and conservation of large raptors in Tatarstan, which has been continuously carried out since 2011. The main monitoring studies were carried out in the upper part of Kuibyshev and Nizhnekamsk reservoirs, where large population groups have been formed since...

The range and abundance of Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug ) in Russia and Kazakhstan are systematically declining. It is no exaggeration to say that the Saker Falcon is by far the most endangered raptor species in the Palaearctic. A compilation of literature data shows the species’ estimated abundance in 1970s Russia was at least 9,000–10,000 pairs (G...

The Steppe Eagle ( Aquila nipalensis ) is a bird without which it is impossible to imagine Kazakhstan. According to the latest 2018 population estimate, there were 20950–31570 breeding pairs in the country (68.5–82.2% of the world population). The Kazakhstan population has been steadily declining since at least the 1990s (Karyakin, 2018). In the pr...

The status of the Steppe Eagle ( Aquila nipalensis ) was unclear in Turkey, which forms the south-western border of the species’ breeding distribution. The status of the species in Turkey has never been clear, as historically only two nesting sites were found and documented in the wider area of Tuz Gölü, which were proved to be active only in some...

Research aims to describe the progress in solving the “Birds and power lines (PL) problem” in Volga region. More than 80 scientific articles on the scale of bird mortality on PLs and ways to solve this problem, as well as more than 30 internet media publications served as the material for analysis. Isolated cases of bird deaths on PLs appear in sci...

The range of the Black Kite ( Milvus migrans ) includes vast territories in Eurasia, Africa and Australia. This raptor demonstrates unique ecological plasticity, inhabiting a variety of biotopes and readily taking the advantages of living close to humans. According to various sources, the Black Kite has from five to seven subspecies. Two of them in...

Rapid sex determination of Steppe Eagle ( Aquila nipalensis ) nestlings without laboratory diagnostics is necessary for a variety of tasks. When working directly on a nest, it is important to know the sex of nestlings during population monitoring, ringing and tagging with GPS transmitters. Sex determination is also necessary when working with sick...

Wind energy is one of the most affordable energy sources worldwide and represents one of the most climate and environmentally friendly options for energy production. However, wind power plants (WPP) can have negative impacts on biodiversity, especially on flying animals (birds and bats), through direct mortality due to collisions and indirectly due...

The Altai falcon from Central Asia always attracted the attention of humans. Long considered a totemic bird in its native area, modern falconers still much appreciated this large-bodied and mighty bird of prey due to its rarity and unique look. The peculiar body characteristics halfway between the saker falcon (Falco cherrug) and the gyrfalcon (F....

The Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) is one of the rare species of eagles breeding in Kazakhstan and inhabiting almost the entire territory of the country. The south and south-east of Kazakhstan is the south-eastern border of the breeding range of the species (Karyakin, 2020). It is this part of the range that will be considered in this paper. Орё...

Wild birds including raptors can act as vectors of clinically relevant bacteria with antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in black kites (Milvus migrans) inhabiting localities in proximity to human-influenced environments in southwestern Siberia and investigate their...

Electrocutions involving power lines negatively impact avian populations on six continents. Affected species and mitigation strategies to minimize these effects are well described in parts of North America, Europe and southern Africa and are being developed in Asia, Australia and South America. Probably the most geographically dispersed electric sy...

The aim of this study was to investigate the spread of antibiotic-resistant E. coli between three populations (P1-P3, n=55) of black kites (Milvus migrans) inhabiting localities with different anthropogenic influence in southwestern Siberia. This included populations P1 (n=16) and P3 (n=33) residing in environments with significant human footprint...

The status of Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis in Turkey, which forms the south-western limit of the species’ breeding distribution, is unclear. There were no published breeding records between 1980 and 2003, when a Steppe Eagle brood was found in central Anatolia. We describe this first documented Turkish breeding record of the twenty-first century...

The Black Kite ( Milvus migrans ) is one of the most widespread raptors in the world. The Palaearctic is populated by two migrating subspecies, Milvus migrans migrans and Milvus migrans lineatus , in the western and eastern part of this realm, respectively. There is a large intergradation zone of M. m. migrans/M. m. lineatus in-between. Although th...

Installing artificial nests is a widely used method of managing wild bird populations around the world that allows to increase their numbers and/or productivity and breeding success. Among raptors this method is mostly used for small falcons and owls; however, artificial nests are also repeatedly used to attract such a rare species as the Saker Fal...

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a globally threatened species. The northernmost limit of its breeding range is located in Kazakhstan and is fragmented into three large enclaves. The Karatau range is one such enclave. It was previously assumed that a small number of Egyptian Vultures nested here; however, research showed the fallacy of s...

Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) is one of the most threatened falcon species of Northern Eurasia, the range and the number of which has fallen catastrophically over the last four decades. One large breeding group was concentrated in the Karatau Mountains in southern Kazakhstan. Based on the results of studies in 2010 and 2022, we modeled Saker Falcon...

On the basis of data obtained from ARGOS/GPS and GPS/GSM tracking of 34 eagles (4 Steppe Eagles (Aquila nipalensis) from Central KZ, 1 Steppe Eagle from Southern Ural region, 22 Steppe Eagles, 5 Eastern Imperial Eagles (Aquila heliaca) from the ASR and 2 Greater Spotted Eagles (Aquila clanga) from the from the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion), we have define...

Migratory connectivity of Steppe Eagles Introduction The steppe eagle Aquila nipalensis is an Endangered large raptor, that breeds in Eurasian steppe. Despite its wide distribution and charismatic appearance, much is still unknown about its ecology, behavior and migration. We used data from GPS-tracked steppe eagles to map migration and to calcu...

The black kite Milvus migrans, one of the most common raptor species, shows great flexibility as regards food resources and breeding sites. While black kite subspecies are found all over Eurasia, Africa and Australia, it has been poorly studied outside of Europe, with virtually nothing known about the phylogeny of populations in Asia, India, Africa...

Background The Black Kite (Milvus migrans) is one of the most widespread raptors in the World. The Palaearctic is populated by two migrating subspecies, Milvus migrans migrans and Milvus migrans lineatus, in the western and eastern part of this realm, respectively. The intergradation zone of M. m. migrans/M. m. lineatus covers large areas in-betwee...

The steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) is a globally endangered, full migrant raptor that breeds in the southern temperate zone from European Russia in the west to eastern Mongolia, Dauria and adjacent north-eastern China in the east. It winters in Africa, the Middle East and Southern and South-Eastern Asia, and migrations can sometimes entail journe...

Mitochondrial DNA variability affects the characteristics of cell metabolism and serves as marker of evolutionary processes. The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences of saker and gyrfalcon were examined. Five amino acid substitutions were identified, and for two of these, changes in amino acid physicochemical properties were revealed. Suggesti...

1. Long-distance migrations are among the most physically demanding feats animals perform. Understanding the potential costs and benefits of such behaviour is a fundamental question in ecology and evolution. A hypothetical cost of migration should be outweighed by higher productivity and/or higher annual survival, but few studies on migratory speci...

The review was prepared in accordance with the obligations of the Russian Federation to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity (Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The review provides an analysis of the current legal framework for wildl...

The article represents results of inspection of power lines for bird casualty in the Minusinsk Hollow, Khakassia, Russia in 2020. Previous inspection was done in the region in 2011 thus our work reveals changes in bird casualty over the last 10 years. The bird mortality on power lines of medium voltage remains remarkably high – mean value for the b...

For purposes of this article, the analysis of 1765 literature sources was made on the distribution of the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). The information on the localization of breeding territories of this species over the past 30 years was collected into one dataset. Based on the above data, cell mapping and GIS analysis of the distributi...

С 70-х гг. казахстанскими орнитологами на перевале Чокпак в предгорьях Западного Тянь-Шаня вёлся регулярный учёт мигрирующих птиц, на основании которого стала понятна особая важность данного участка для мигрантов из Южной и Средней Сибири. Дальнейшие исследования миграции крупных хищных птиц посредством спутниковой телеметрии и GPS/GSM-трекинга лиш...

In 2018, atotal of 30 ornithologists and birdwatchers participated in the work of the RaptorRingingCenterof the Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network and ringed 615 individuals of 24 species of Birds of Prey and Owls. The leading species that have maximum ringed individuals is Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius) – 118 individuals; it follo...

На фоне значительного роста числа встреч степного луня в левобережной части Минусинской котловины в 2018 г. он появляется и в правобережной её части. Здесь со 2 июля по 1 августа на транзитном маршруте и в ходе обследования трёх площадок по учёту орлов встречено 25 степных луней (включая слётков текущего года) на 10 точках.

This article represents the results of tracking by means of GPS/GSM-dataloggers of 19 juvenile Steppe Eagles (Aquila nipalensis) originated from the Russia and Kazakhstan in 2013–2019. Duration of post-fledging dependence period varied from 30 to 82 days, mean (n=18) 58.4±16.5 days, and it was considerably shorter for females (mean 32.2±4.55 days)...

Disentangling individual-and population-level variation in migratory movements is necessary for understanding migration at the species level. However, very few studies have analyzed these patterns across large portions of species' distributions. We compiled a large telemetry dataset on the globally endangered Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus...

The gene mcr-1 conferring resistance to last-line antibiotic colistin has been reported globally. Here, we describe the first detection of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in Russian wildlife, an isolate of Escherichia coli sequence type 2280 from a black kite (Milvus migrans) scavenging raptor. Whole-genome sequenc-ing and plasmid transferabil...

The gene mcr-1 conferring resistance to last-line antibiotic colistin has been reported globally. Here we describe the first detection of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in Russian wildlife, an isolate of Escherichia coli sequence type 2280 from a black kite ( Milvus migrans ), scavenging raptor. Whole genome sequencing and plasmid transferabi...

Between 2 and 14 July; 2018; fieldworks were carried out to monitoring of the Steppe Eagle breeding groups (Aquila nipalensis) in the central part of the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. In the course of the work 408 birds we found; 173 Steppe Eagle breeding territories were localized or re-checked. Within 3 study plots 160 Steppe Eagle breeding ter...

The article presents the results of the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) surveys in the Krasnoyarsk Kray, the Republic of Khakassia and Republic of Tyva in 2018, specifies the population dynamics based on the comparison of the data obtained with the records of 2011 and 2000–2001 years, estimates the number of species in the constituent entities of...

The black kite Milvus migrans is a common bird of prey demonstrating remarkable ecological plasticity. It inhabits a variety of habitats and is an increasingly synanthropic species. The black kite is widespread in Eurasia, Africa, Australia and adjacent islands. Palearctic kites migrate to Africa, India and China in winter, but kites of Africa and...

We have applied the method of a forming tree-nesting behavior pattern in the chicks of the cliff-nesting Peregrine Falcon. In June 2016 and 2017, in the Southern Ural Mountains and Bugulma-Belebey Upland, we discovered four nests of Peregrine Falcons, which were threatened by destruction due to various anthropogenic and biological factors. For prev...

This article represents the results of Saker Falcon’s (Falco cherrug) population monitoring in the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion (ASER), as well as results of satellite research of the species including population genetical research. The study area includes Krasnoyarsk Kray, Khakasia, Tuva and Altai Republics, and mountainous part of Altai Kray of Russia....

This article describes our experience obtained during the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) reintroduction conducted in the summer of 2018 in the Tuva Republic of Russia. Nineteen captive-produced nestlings of “Altaic” morph of the Saker were placed into nests of wild foster parents of the same species. In total, we engage 10 wild foster pairs of Saker...

За последнее десятилетие в АСЭР отмечена смена старых самок балобана (Falco cherrug) на молодых более чем в 100 парах, причём почти в половине случаев размножение у этих самок прошло успешно, а в 21 паре произошла смена самцов. Но успешное размножение при смене в паре самца на годовалую птицу отмечено только в одном случае – в Республике Тыва в 201...

This article represents the results of tracking by means of GPS/GSM-trackers and Argos transmitters of 17 juvenile Sakers (Falco cherrug) originated from the Altay-Sayan Ecoregion of Russia in 2002-2018. Duration of post-fledging dependence period varied from 26 to 50 days, mean 40±8.6 days, and it was considerably shorter for males (mean 32.2±4.55...

In 2017, a total of 36 ornithologists and birdwatchers participated in the work of the Raptor Ringing Center of the Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network and ringed 498 individuals of 23 species of Birds of Prey and Owls. The leading species that have maximum ringed individuals is Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) – 146 individuals; it fo...

Large birds of prey make up about 40% of all ringed birds. The Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis (more than 700 individuals), the Imperial Eagle A. heliaca (more than 500 individuals), the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (more than 350 individuals) are the leaders among them, taking into account data not included in the database for 2018 and u...

On May 25, 2018, in order to study geographical movements of the Caspian eagles, within the framework of the project implemented by the Dagestan Nature Reserve with support of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, in cooperation with the employees of Sibecocenter LLC and members of the Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, three...

The Altai-Sayan region is the key area for the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) – 43–51% of the species population in Russia is concentrated here, but it is the only region in the country where the species population has not decreased in the last decade. Therefore, monitoring of the Altai-Sayan Steppe Eagle populations is fundamentally important....

The current Steppe Eagle population size is estimated at 25,500–46,065 breeding pairs, 20,950–31,570 pairs of which nest in Kazakhstan (68.5–82.2% of the world species population), 2,640–3,945 pairs (8.6–10.4%) – in Russia. But if we can talk about acceptable accuracy of the population estimate for Russia and Kazakhstan, then there are no accurate...

Most of the breeding range of this species falls within the steppe and forest-steppe zones of Kazakhstan and Russia. The population number of the Imperial Eagle in Russia and Kazakhstan as of 2018 is estimated at 6,465–7,849 breeding pairs, half of which nest in Russia. Currently, in Russia (without the Republic of Crimea) and Kazakhstan 2,481 bree...

For the whole Altai-Sayan region, the total number of Osprey was estimated at 360–380 breeding pairs in 2005, and at 400 pairs in 2015 due to the better exploration of the region. This estimation should be considered as minimal since no thorough surveys of mountain-taiga rivers of Altai-Sayan were done yet. Today, a Center of Field Research got i...

We analyzed a fragment of mitochondrial CytB locus obtained from young and adult black kites Milvus migrans lineatus from 19 nests in the Republic of Tyva, Russia. Three previously known (CytB-6, CytB-14, CytB-19) and three new haplotypes identified as CytB-6.1, CytB-6.2, and CytB-19.1 were detected. We described a set of substitutions specific to...

In this short report contains modern information about breeding Red-Footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) and Amur Falcon (F. amurensis) in the Republic of Tyva

This article represents a data obtained during observing a breeding group of Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus) and GPS-tracking of 4 juvenile birds from the breeding group located on the Narat-Tyube ridge, State Nature Reserve “Dagestanskiy”, Dagestan, Russia. The population number of this breeding group remains stable during the last 7 yea...

In work of the Raptor Ringing Center of the Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network in 2016 participated 30 ornithologists-researchers and birdwatchers who have ringed in total 295 individuals of 23 species of birds of prey and owls in the 19 regions of the Russia (Vologda, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Pskov, Nizhny Novgorod, Sverdlovsk, Yaroslavl...

The report provides information on the status of populations and the dynamics of the number of the White-tailed Eagle in Southern Siberia (Novosibirsk region, Kemerovo region, Irkutsk region, Altai Kray, southern part of Krasnoyarsk Kray, Zabaikalsky Kray, Republic of Altai, Republic of Khakassia, Republic of Tuva, Republic of Buryatia), discusses...

The report provides information on the status of populations and the dynamics of the number of the White-tailed Eagle in Volga-Kama region (Samara region, Ulyanovsk region, Perm region, Republic of Udmurtiya, Republic of Tatarstan, Republic of Chuvashiya, Republic of Bashkortostan), describes the increase of White-tailed Eagle population as a respo...

The results of studying the White-tailed eagles’ migrations with the help of a ringing

In the broad area of the Peregrine in Russian Federation two regions are monitored for more than twenty years: the Volga-Urals, which includes the Ural mountains and adjacent plains of the Volga basin of the total area about nine hundred twenty thousand square kilometers; and the Altai-Sayan region with mountains and adjacent westerly parts of West...

This article summarizes data obtained during the 5 years nestboxing project aimed to multiply breeding population of the Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) in the basin of Izdrevaya river, Novosibirsk region, Russia in 2012– 2016. From 2012 to 2015 a total of 38 nestboxes (NB) were installed. The distance between neighboring NBs vary from 0.58 to 1.80 km (...

This article compiles the results of episodic visits of the aurhoes to the basin of the Izdrevaya river during 2012–2016. The main goals of those visits were: to figure out the species composition of nesting fauna of birds of prey, estabishing the manner of nesting pairs’ distribution and designing a system of nestboxes for different species of bir...

There was an inhabited Osprey nest found on 22th of June, 2016 on the route along Bolshoy On river at 1321 m above sea level altitude. This nest was built on horizontal beam of metallic pillar of high-voltage powerline near Abaza – Akdovurak highway. At the moment of the discovery the female was in the nest (possibly warming the young nestlings), t...

The article analyzes identification signs of 3 Eurasian subspecies of a Black Kite (Milvus migrans)-European Black Kite M. m. migrans, Siberian Black Kite or Black-Eared Kite M. migrans lineatus and Pariah Kite M. migrans govinda, discusses the distribution of subspecies, intergradations zones, variation of signs and validity of the belonging of bi...

On summer 2017 a pilot project on population recovery of Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) was conducted in Altai-Sayan region of Russia. Ten 20-days old falcons of “Altaic” morph from a breeding center were placed in nests of wild falcons of other color morphs. Sequence of control region (D-loop) of mitochondrial genome from 414 to 1417 bp (1004 bp) pr...

The article analyzes the influence of various types of felling on the occupation of breeding territories by different species of raptors mainly in the Altai Territory forests. Responses of birds of prey to the disturbance factor are also analyzed. Flight initiation distance is determined for each species. A review of international and Russian exper...