In search of Saker Falcon chicks

Monitoring the Saker Falcon population in Southern Romania is amongst the actions of the Life for Falcons project, that aims for the conservation of this Near Threatened falcon species, figuring on the Red List of both Romania and Bulgaria. The five biologists from SOR forming the monitoring team surveyed 3062 km of transects, revisited the 140 natural nests reported in previous years, and found 330 new ones belonging to other species (Rooks, Hooded Crows, Ravens, Long-legged Buzzards or Kestrels). Saker Falcons don’t build nests, but occupy the ones built by these species in previous years. The monitoring efforts were also covering the 41 artificial nest boxes installed in previous projects, and staring 2025, they will also include the 60 new ones, installed this year with the participation and support of Transelectrica.

The data collected shows a higher occupation rate of artificial nest boxes than of natural nests, of the seven breeding pairs five having chosen the artificial platforms (some being occupied in previous years too) while other two occupied the nests of Long-legged Buzzards. However, at subsequent visits, the biologists noted that not all pairs were successful, two having abandoned their territories during the breeding season, while another one remained at their empty nest box until the middle of May.

With the arrival of spring starts also the fieldwork in search of Saker nests and pairs. The monitoring action took place between March and May, and the first finding was that, compared to previous seasons, in 2024 the Sakers started breeding two-three weeks early.

The other four Saker pairs fledged a total of twelve chicks. Unfortunately, there was also an incident, affecting one of the pairs with three chicks. On the field for monitoring, the team found a dead chick under a pylon. Another chick, unable to fly, but with fully formed plumage, was found at the same place, fortunately unharmed. It was ringed and left where found, as at least one of the parents was evidently feeding it. Its progress was monitored the following days, until it fully matured and took flight. The fate of the third chick is unknown, but we hope that it was capable of flight and managed to save itself.

Additionally, at the beginning of June, Dragoș Plăeșu, a member of SOR, reported another successful breeding of a pair from a hitherto unknown territory. He observed an adult with three recently fledged young, and the biologists think it safe to assume that the pair bred in a Long-legged Buzzard nest nearby. 

This year the number of fledged chicks didn’t pass that of 2023, the Saker Falcon population in Southern Romania remaining very small. With the project “Securing the recovery of the endangered Saker Falcon in Bulgaria and Southern Romania”, LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162 (link https://saveraptors.org/ro/), developed on a regional level and financed by the LIFE Programme of the European Union, we aim to reduce the anthropic threats,  improve the quality of the breeding habitat by installing safe breeding platforms, boost the food sources but also to substantially increase awareness, understanding and capacity for support by key stakeholder groups and the general public to enable that the project actions and their conservation impacts will be sustained.