winter presence of long-legged buzzard (buteo ...

Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle «Grigore Antipa»

Vol. LV (2) pp. 285–290

© 28 décembre 2012

DOI: 10.2478/v10191-012-0018-6

WINTER PRESENCE OF LONG-LEGGED BUZZARD (BUTEO RUFINUS) IN MOLDOVA (ROMANIA) EMANUEL ȘTEFAN BALTAG, VIOREL POCORA, CONSTANTIN ION, LUCIAN SFÎCĂ Abstract. Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) is a medium sized bird of prey which is known as a breeding species for Romania. In the last years it started to become a common wintering presence in the south-eastern part of Romania (Dobrogea) but it was also recorded in the more northern areas (Moldova) during the cold season. Its presence in Moldova, during the winter period, was recorded in large river valleys, with agricultural lands or grasslands and with trees or timber poles, which are used for perching. Long-legged Buzzard is a new presence for Moldavian winter seasons and it could be observed only in warm periods of winter, when the daily mean temperature is above 0°C. The wintering places are maintained not only for all winter period, but also for the next years. This behaviour could be explained by its territorial fidelity, which was recorded also in other European buzzard species during the winter period. Résumé. Buse féroce (Buteo rufinus) est un oiseau de taille moyenne de proie qui est connu comme une espèce nicheuse pour la Roumanie. Dans les dernières années, il est devenu une présence commune au cours de l’hiver au sud-est de la Roumanie (Dobroudja), mais il était également enregistré dans les régions du Nord (Moldavie) pendant la saison froide. Sa présence en Moldavie, pendant la période hivernale, a été enregistrée dans les vallées des grands fleuves, les terres agricoles et les prairies avec des arbres ou des poteaux en bois ou qui est utilisé pour se percher. Buse féroce est une nouvelle présence pour les saisons d’hiver en Moldavie et il ne peut être observé que dans les périodes chaudes de l’hiver, lorsque la température moyenne quotidienne est supérieure à 0°C. Les lieux d’hivernage sont maintenus non seulement pour toute la période d’hiver, mais aussi pour les années suivantes. Ce comportement peut être expliqué par sa fidélité territoriale, qui a été observé également pour le Buse variable. Key words: Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus), Moldova, winter.

INTRODUCTION

The Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) is a medium sized bird of prey that nests in the southern Palaearctic region, mostly in warm and dry areas. It forages in open country areas, avoiding dense vegetation where it is apparently unable to locate and pursue its prey (Friedemann et al., 2010). The Long-legged Buzzard is listed in Annex I of Bird Directive as subject of special habitat conservation measures in order to ensure survival and reproduction. For Europe, it is a rare bird which breeds only in few countries: Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Romania, Hungary and Ukraine (Munteanu et al., 1997). Probably the highest population is in Greece and Bulgaria (Munteanu et al., 1997), but we do not have sufficient information about the presence of Long-legged Buzzard in Ukraine. For Romania, the breeding area was limited, until 2007, to south-eastern part (Dobrogea) but, in the last 5 years it started to breed also in Moldova (Baltag, 2010). Its wintering occurrence in Romania, like in all Europe, is insufficiently documented (Baltag & Ajder, 2011). Until 10 years ago, it was known only as a breeding species which did not spend the winter in this area. The literature about its winter presence in Europe is scarce. Even if it starts to spend the cold season in some of the south-eastern

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EMANUEL ȘTEFAN BALTAG, VIOREL POCORA, CONSTANTIN ION, LUCIAN SFÎCĂ

European countries, there is little information about the wintering ecology of this species. The aim of this study is to inform about the presence of Long-legged Buzzard during the cold season in an area unknown until now as a winter territory, and also to analyse the observations made in Moldova, in relation with habitat selection and weather conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study area, Moldova, is situated in the Eastern part of Romania. Our observations are collected during the cold season (November – February), since January 2007 until February 2012. Our data were recorded from direct observation of birds. Each time we set the GPS position and registered the habitat and the behaviour of birds. With date and GPS position we could find the elevation of the area and the climatic variables for that time. These data were used to analyse the climatic characteristics of the period and also the structure of landscape. All spatial data were encountered and analysed in QGIS software, version 1.8. For elevation data, we used SRTM 90 m Digital Elevation Model Dataset (Jarvis et al., 2008). The weather conditions were measured in the weather observation network of the Romanian National Meteorological Agency and were obtained from the OMM international weather data stream (Metar data stream, 2012). For each transect we used the values revealed by the closest weather station for each observation day. Aiming for a high relevance of the weather data, each observation point is situated on a distance below 50 km from the weather station used for describing the meteorological conditions of our survey. RESULTS

During the study period we recorded data from 15 observations made in Moldova (Tab. 1). If we take into consideration the fact that we had no data on this species before 2007, we can assert that the number of observations we made during Table 1 Records of Long-legged Buzzard in Moldova during cold seasons, taken from January 2007 until February 2012. Date 16.02.2007 22.02.2010 09.12.2010 11.12.2010 16.12.2010 20.01.2011 24.02.2011 20.11.2011 15.12.2011 22.12.2011 22.12.2011 24.01.2012 24.01.2012 23.02.2012 24.02.2012

No. and age 1, adult 1, adult 1, adult 1, adult 1, adult 1, adult 1, adult 1, adult 1, juvenile 1, adult 1, adult 1, juvenile 1, juvenile 1, juvenile 1, juvenile

Habitat grassland grassland agricultural field grassland agricultural field agricultural field agricultural field agricultural field agricultural field agricultural field grassland grassland agricultural field agricultural field grassland

Location close to Sîrca, Iaşi county close to Trifeşti, Iaşi county close to Belceşti, Iaşi county close to Spinoasa, Iaşi county close to Belceşti, Iaşi county close to Belceşti, Iaşi county close to Ripiceni, Botoşani county close to Otetoaia, Vaslui county close to Vetrişoaia, Vaslui county close to Belceşti, Iaşi county close to Belceşti, Iaşi County close to Popricani, Iaşi county close to Drăduşeni, Botoşani county close to Iveşti, Galaţi county close to Costache Negri, Galaţi county

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this study is consistent. Our date revealed that 5 of the individuals observed were juveniles and 10 individuals were adults. Most of the birds were recorded in valleys (mean altitude = 70 m), on agricultural lands, and lurking for prey from different perches (usually trees or timber poles). All observations were recorded in warm weather with daily mean temperature above 0°C (range of daily mean temperature = 0.3°C – 5.2°C, average mean daily temperature = 2.32°C). There was one individual which was monitored during a cold wave that prevailed over the region. It was observed for 5 days in the same place (Belceşti, Iaşi county), but after the daily mean temperature dropped below - 5°C, that bird left the area. In January, after the temperatures started to rise, we observed, in the same place, another Long-legged Buzzard adult. Most of the birds were seen in the same place for longer periods and usually they were recorded each year in the same area. There are less than 25 km between the observation points from different years (Fig. 1). DISCUSSIONS

For the time being, relevant data regarding winter ecology of Long-legged Buzzard is almost absent. There are only a few articles (e. g.: Glutz von Blotsheim et al., 1989; Cramp & Simmons, 1980; Domashevsky & Kostyushin, 2001; Mrlik & Landsfeld, 2002), which bring some information about the presence of this species in different parts of Europe, but there are no references to its presence in Romania. There are only a few records of Long-legged Buzzard in Europe during the cold season (less than 30 observations, Mrlik & Landsfeld, 2002). Our date enriches the European observations made on Long-legged Buzzard and brings into attention a new wintering area. Like Common Buzzard (Baltag E., unpublished data), Long-legged Buzzard prefers the same type of habitat: agricultural fields and grasslands. Also, its presence was recorded only in large river valleys with trees or timber poles, used for perching. The presence of Long-legged Buzzards is recorded only in warm periods of the winter season. The recent winter conditions, defined by significant increasing frequency of warm waves (Clima României, 2008) seem to be favourable for this species. Recently, it was recorded as a common presence during the winter in Bulgaria (Klisurov I., pers. comm) but also in Dobrogea (personal observations). Probably, these birds which were observed during our surveys are from Moldavian breeding couples, because there are no other known Long-legged Buzzards further north. Most of the data came each year from almost the same areas (maximum distance between observation points < 25 km). Given the fact that we made observations over the entire Moldova, our data cannot be considered as being influenced by visiting mostly specific places. Territorial fidelity of Buzzards during winter time was well described in literature. In the southern part of Sweden, it was observed that the northern breeding individuals of Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) as well as Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) are returning annually in the same wintering areas (Sylvén, 1978). For Steppe Buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus), it was proved that individuals, which winter in southern part of Africa, use the same wintering territory in the same season (Moreau, 1972; Whitelaw, 1995) but also for the next seasons (Moreau, 1972). Territorial fidelity of this species was described also by Glutz von Blotzheim et al. (1989) and Newton (1990). Regarding our observations, we can remark that the Long-legged Buzzard is a species with

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Fig. 1 - Long-legged Buzzard observations in Moldova during the cold season (November – December), made from January 2007 until February 2012.

territorial fidelity for the winter period in Moldova, but there is evidence that more study on this subject is needed. Long-legged Buzzard is a protected species for Romania, but its population, distribution and ecology is poorly known until now. In Dobrogea, the breeding

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couples of Long-legged Buzzard are included in Natura 2000, Special Protected Area. The Moldavian breeding couples are not covered by Natura 2000 Network because the species distribution was unknown when the Special Protected Areas were designated. Also, the Moldavian wintering areas of this species are not covered by Natura 2000 Network. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to thank Lucian Bolboacă, Laurenţiu Petrencu and Ana-Maria Stratulat for their help during the field work and also to Gentilia Zenovei, Andrei Ştefan and to anonymous reviewers for their suggestions in the early version of the manuscript. Also we are grateful to Ivailo Klisurov for providing information about the Bulgarian population of Long-legged Buzzard. This work was supported by the European Social Fund in Romania, under the responsibility of the AMPOSDRU [grant POSDRU/CPP 107/DMI 1.5/S/78342] and POSDRU/89/1.5/S/49944. The study complies with the Romanian laws.

PREZENȚA ÎN PERIOADA DE IARNĂ A ȘORECARULUI MARE (BUTEO RUFINUS) ÎN MOLDOVA (ROMÂNIA) REZUMAT Şorecarul mare (Buteo rufinus) este o specie de pasăre răpitoare de zi, de dimensiuni medii, ce cuibăreşte cu regularitate în Dobrogea. Cuibăritul speciei a fost semnalat începând cu 2007 şi în Moldova. Deşi figurează în literatura de specialitate ca specie migratoare, prezenţa ei în perioada de iarnă a început să devină tot mai comună, în special pentru partea de sud-est a ţării. În Moldova specia a fost observată, pentru prima dată în perioada de iarnă, în anul 2007. De atunci am început să urmărim prezenţa speciei şi pentru această parte a ţării. Până în prezent au fost înregistrate 15 observaţii în timpul sezonului rece (noiembrie – februarie) pentru întreaga arie de studiu. Din datele pe care le deţinem, pentru aria de studiu, putem spune că şorecarul mare se întâlneşte cu precădere în văile largi ale râurilor, unde predomină terenurile agricole şi pajiştile. Altitudinea medie înregistrată pentru observaţiile din Moldova este de 70 m. Având în vedere faptul că este o specie ce preferă climatul mediteranean, prezenţa ei în timpul sezonului rece este strâns legată de perioadele de încălzire a vremii, pe parcursul cărora temperaturile diurne depăşesc 0oC. În ultimele decenii, frecvenţa zilelor cu temperaturi maxime de peste 0oC în timpul iernii se află într-o creştere semnificativă din punct de vedere statistic (Clima României, 2008). Şorecarul mare pare că manifestă o preferinţă pentru anumite teritorii de iernare, deoarece a fost observat în aceleaşi arii nu doar pe durata unui sezon ci pe întreaga perioadă de studiu. Fidelitatea teritorială a fost înregistrată şi la celelalte specii de şorecari din Europa însă, pentru a putea demonstra cu certitudine acest comportament în cazul şorecarului mare, sunt necesare studii amănunţite şi pentru perioade mai lungi. LITERATURE CITED BALTAG, E. Ş., 2010 - Birds of prey from Iaşi County. Analele Ştinţifice ale Universităţii „Al. I. Cuza” Iaşi, s. Biologie animală, 56: 129-146. BALTAG, E. Ş., V. AJDER, 2011 - Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) expansion in the Historical Region of Moldavia. P. 184. In: Murariu D., C. Adam, G. Chişamera, E. Iorgu, L. O. Popa, O. P. Popa (eds), Annual Zoological Congress of “Grigore Antipa” Museum - Book of abstracts. “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History, Bucharest, Romania. CRAMP, S., K. SIMMONS, 1980 - Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 2, Hawks to Bustards. The Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York. DOMASHEVSKY, S. V., V. A. KOSTYUSHIN, 2001 - Record of the Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) wintering in the northern part of Ukraine. Vestnik zoologii, 35 (3): 88. FRIEDEMANN, G., Y. YOM-TOV, U. MOTRO, Y. LESHEM, 2010 - Shift in nesting ground of the long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus) in Judea, Israel – An effect of habitat change. Biological Conservation, 144 (1): 402-406. GLUTZ von BLOTZHEIM, U. N., K. M. BAUER, E. BEZZEL, 1989 - Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas: Falconiformes. Wiesbaden, Germany: Aula-Verlag.

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JARVIS, A., H. I. REUTER, A. NELSON, E. GUEVARA, 2008 - Hole-filled seamless SRTM data V4, International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), available from http://srtm.csi. cgiar.org. MOREAU, R. E., 1972 - The Palaeartic-African Bird Migration Systems. London, U. K.: Academic Press. MRLIK, V., B. LANDSFELT, 2002 - The occurrence of Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) in parts of Central Europe during 1980-1998 and possible factors for its recent expansion. Egretta, 45 (1-2): 104-114. MUNTEANU, D., R. TODOROV, I. VATEV, 1997 - Long-legged Buzzard. In: J. M. V. Hegemeijer & M. J. Blair (eds.), The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance, T & A D Poyser, London. NEWTON, I., 1990 - Population Ecology of Raptors. London, U. K.: Poyser. SYLVÉN, M., 1978 - Interspecific Relations between Sympatrically Wintering Common Buzzards Buteo buteo and Rough-Legged Buzzards Buteo lagopus. Ornis Scandinavica, 9: 197-206. WHITELAW, D. A., 1995 - Home range behaviour of the steppe buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus in the non-breeding season. Ostrich, 66: 94-96. *** Clima României [Romanian Climat] 2008. Publishing House of Romanian Academy of Science. *** Metar data stream, 2012, www.wunderground.com , Accessed in 01 March 2012 *** QGIS - Quantum GIS, version 1.8 “Lisabona” is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) licensed under the GNU General Public License, www.qgis.org Received: September 20, 2012 Accepted: December 11, 2012

Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Viorel Pocora, Constantin Ion “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, 20A Carol I Bd., 700505, Romania e-mail: [email protected] Lucian Sfîcă “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and Geology, 20A Carol I Bd., 700505, Romania