Wonderful Birds  

Unusual wintering of the Lesser White-fronted Goose
in Kyiv vicinities

...The lesser white-fronted goose can be quite rarely found in Ukraine and mainly in northern oblasts. At Polissia it was seen the last time almost 20 years ago, on October 6 – 7, 1985. Dr. Ì. Golovushkin fixed three flocks of these geese in Vyshhorod Region, Kyiv Oblast. That is why it was rather unexpectedly to see a flock of these birds on 9 December, 2003 in the vicinity of Kyiv, when the migration movements of this species is, as a rule, is over. Ten geese were flying from the north-east.

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Birds of prey over Kyiv

By its geographical location Kyiv is situated in confluence of two migratory ways, actively using by migrants in spring and autumn periods. One of the most powerful ways, which is using by birds, is Dniester River with Kiev water reservoir situated in its upper part and wide floodland (Poluda, 1983; Domashevskiy, 1996). The second migratory flyway comes and joins from the north-eastern part of the Kiev town edge, which goes along the Desna River floodplain. In autumn, after confluence of migration flyways, the birds continue to follow over city, being concentrated within limits of Dniester River-bed, the small part of migrants is separating in the south-western direction.

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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.

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An enigmatic world of the Great Snipe

The Great Snipe (Gallinago media) is the rarest representative of subfamily of Common Snipes (Scolopacinae); in Ukraine, they are most well-known to the hunters preferring to hunt with pointing dogs.

At all times, these Sandpipers (as well as the Jack Snipes (Lymnocryptes minimus) visiting Ukraine during migration only) were considered as the first (that is the best) wading birds; gourmets always rated Great Snipes highly due to their taste qualities.

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© The Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds  
2002-2007