Lord of the Sky – the White-tailed Eagle

There are two species of such eagles in the Ukrainian ornithological fauna – the White-tailed Eagle and Pallas's Fish Eagle. The latter was observed within the territory of Ukraine only three times – in the beginning and in the middle of the twentieth century (the last registration was made in 1964). The White-tailed Eagle is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine; in Europe, this species is included to the category of globally threatened species.

These eagles, as many other birds of prey, are characterized by their well-developed nesting conservatism. From year to year, they rebuild and repair their old nests so that these structures sometimes reach huge dimensions. One of the highest nests of these birds we have found in Dneprovsko-Teterevskoye Hunting Ground. Its height was equal to 310 cm. It is difficult to estimate the age of this structure; probably, it is equal to approximately twenty years.

December and January are the months of breeding season of these birds. Fact of the earliest nesting of the White-tailed Eagles in Ukraine was recordered in Kiev region. In accordance with our calculations, the first egg was laid by a female on February 6 or on February 7.

In the good old days, the White-tailed Eagles lived in any places suitable for their habitat, so that this species was considered as a not so rare one in Ukraine. According to the estimations made in the beginning of the twentieth century, population size of the White-tailed Eagles was equal to 120-150 nesting pairs. However, difficult times have occurred, and hunting societies of the former USSR have declared a legitimate and total war on the birds of prey. It was the time of mass depopulation of birds of prey — they were killed off everywhere because they were considered as a vermin for agriculture and hunting. Such activity was promoted by paying bounties for the birds' paws presented by hunters thus getting the latter increasingly excited. Only in 1969, when it was understood that such situation would lead to complete extinction of many species of birds of prey, Ukraine introduced a clampdown on shoot of all species of birds of prey. By the time when such clampdown was introduced, only 20 or 30 pairs of the White-tailed Eagles lived in Ukraine. Decline in population size of these birds was essentially affected by mass devastation of old flood-plain forests where these birds nested usually.

After introduction of the clampdown on shoot of birds of prey their population has began to rise steadily. Substantial increase in their population was obvious already in the eighties. To date, ornithologists estimate that Ukrainian population of the White-tailed Eagles is from 80 to 100 pairs.

To our great regret, we have to acknowledge the fact as follows: unlawful shooting of these birds with the help of firearms is the basic reason of extinction of this species. Hunters fail to observe even the most elementary rules that regulate norms of shooting.

On May 4, 2003, in the course of the field study of the White-tailed Eagles' nests in Kiev region, we have found a killed female with cut paws. Who was the man who behaved himself so brutally with this surprisingly beautiful and rear bird?

Last year this female and her "spouse" have bred 3 nestlings; it is a rare situation for the White-tailed Eagles, because they breed, as a rule, 1 or 2 nestlings only.

The White-tailed Eagles having their nests in Ukraine are treated as settled birds, because juvenile birds are more inclined to migration and roaming from place to place. The adult White-tailed Eagles try to stay within their nesting territories and neighboring areas during the entire year. In autumn, the White-tailed Eagles from Scandinavia and Russia (both adults and juveniles) fly to Ukraine in order to spend the winter. We have observed migrating White-tailed Eagles in the sky over Kiev as well. Basic migration path of these birds goes over the main waterway – Dnieper. According to the data on return of rings of the tagged birds, the majority of the White-tailed Eagles recordered at wintering in the Ukraine belongs to the Scandinavian population. They fly to spend the winter to the valleys of the biggest rivers as well as to the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. In accordance with the data of winter counts made in various years, ornithologists have recordered from 260 to 370 White-tailed Eagles that wintered in Ukraine. In winter, basic places of concentration of such birds near Kiev are situated within the pool of Kiyevskaya Hydroelectric Power Station as well as within the channel mouth of Bortnicheskaya water-treatment system. In these places, water does not freeze even during the hardest frosts, thus creating a reliable shelter for wintering waterfowl. In these same places, the White-tailed Eagles may prey upon dead fish too.

During the last severe winter (2002-2003), when water in Dnieper was covered with a thick layer of ice, we have observed several White-tailed Eagles resting on the ice within the territory of Kiev immediately.

In order to promote increase in the population size of the White-tailed Eagles and ensure their further settlement within the territory of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds has developed a national action plan aimed at protection of this rare birds; this gives a hope concerning the future of this species in Ukraine.

S. Domashevskiy, Expert on Birds of Prey