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An overview of the most 
significant recent (1990–2012) 
raptor monitoring studies in 
European Russia 
Pregled najpomembnejših nedavnih 
(1990–2012) dejavnosti v okviru 
monitoringa ptic roparic v evropskem 
delu Rusije
Vladimir Galushin
Department of Zoology and Ecology, Moscow 
Pedagogical State University, Kibalchicha 6, RU–
129164 Moscow, Russia, e–mail: v-galushin@yandex.ru
The avifauna of European Russia includes 47 breeding 
raptor species: 13 species of owls and 34 species of 
birds of prey (BirdLife International 2004). 
Population status and trends of the latter at the end of 
20th century are shown in Appendix 1.
Raptor studies in European Russia
Raptor research, including long-term monitoring 
of their regional populations, does not evenly cover 
the entire European Russia. In the last two decades, 
regular studies covering all raptor species have been 
implemented in the following areas: Darwin Nature 
Reserve and its vicinities (1), north of Moscow (2), 
the Upper Don River (3) and the Northern Caucasus 
(4). Some irregular surveys and research covering 
only certain species have been carried out in the 
Murman (5) and Yamal (6) peninsulas, the Urals 
(7), Kaliningrad (8) and Smolensk (9) regions, the 
Middle Oka River (10), Kaluzhskie Zaseki Nature 
Reserve (11), the Volga River (12, 13, 15), the Central 
Chernozem (Black Soil) region (14), the Lower Don 
River (16), the North-Western Caucasus (17) and the 
Orenburg region (18).
Within Darwin Nature Reserve (120 km2) 
near Rybinsk Reservoir at the Upper Volga (1) it 
was ascertained that 65 years after the reserve was 
established the number of rare raptors like the Osprey 
Pandion haliaetus and White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus 
albicilla increased gradually (up to 38–40 and 27–30 
pairs, respectively), while populations of common 
species like the Buzzard Buteo buteo, Black Kite 
Mivus migrans, Kestrel Falco tinnunculus and harriers 
decreased owing to the total afforestation of their 
open hunting places (Kuznetsov & Babushkin 2006, 
Babushkin 2010).
A model study and monitoring of the Kestrel, Long-
eared Owl Asio otus and Short-eared Owl A. flammeus 
are being implemented within the area of 48 km2 some 
100 km north of Moscow (2) annually from 1996 
onwards. A number of owls sharply fluctuated from 
0 to 41 (LeO) or even 0 to 63 (SeO) breeding pairs 
quite synchronously with the population dynamics of 
their major prey, specifically Common Voles Microtus 
arvalis (Volkov et al. 2009, Galushin & Sharikov 
2011). The findings clearly indicate that myophagous 
predators are capable of wide annual movements in 
search of breeding places with high density of their 
favourite prey not only through open tundra and 
steppe as shown before (Galushin 1974), but within 
forest-agricultural landscape as well (Kostin et al. 
1990, Kostin 2012).
Long-term monitoring of raptors breeding within 
50 km2 (including 3.2 km2 of forest fragments) of the 
Plushchan area along the west bank of the Upper Don 
River (3) has been carried out from 1992 onwards 
(Galushin et al. 2000, Zakharova 2003, Solovkov 
et al. 2009). The numbers of Goshawks Accipiter 
gentilis have increased (from 1 to 3 pairs); Buzzards 
(5–9 pairs), Sparrowhawks A. nisus (1–2 pairs) and 
Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus (2–4 pairs) have 
been relatively stable, Black Kites have decreased in 
numbers (from 4 to 1 pair), one pair of Booted Eagle 
Aquila pennata and Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus 
nested irregularly, while the Hobby F. subbuteo and 
Figure 1: Map of recent raptor monitoring sites in European 
Russia (numbers correspond to those given beside the site 
names in the text)
Slika 1: Zemljevid novej{ih lokacij za monitoring ptic roparic 
v evropskem delu Rusije ({tevilke lokacij so enake {tevilkam 
ob imenih lokacij v besedilu)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9 10
11
12
13
14 15
16
17
18
316
V. Galushin: An overview of the most significant recent (1990–2012) raptor monitoring studies in European Russia 
Kestrel disappeared after 1999 resulting in predation 
by martens on their nest providers, i.e. Hooded Crows 
Corvus cornix and Magpies Pica pica.
The Northern-Caucasus Plains (4) (180,000 km2) 
are inhabited by 28 raptor species, i.e. 21 Falconiformes 
and 7 Strigiformes. Eight of them have decreasing 
populations: Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Long-legged 
Buzzard B. rufinus, Steppe Eagle A. nipalensis, Imperial 
Eagle A. heliaca, Peregrine Falcon F. peregrinus, Eagle 
Owl Bubo bubo and Short-eared Owl. Evident 
increasing populations are indicated for the following 
four species: Tawny Owl Strix aluco, Barn Owl Tyto 
alba, Goshawk and Sparrowhawk. Other 16 species 
have either stable or slightly increasing populations 
(Ilyukh & Khokhlov 2010).
Major results of raptor research and monitoring 
are published in books (Karyakin 1998 & 2008, 
Rakhimov & Pavlov 1999, Ilyukh & Khokhlov 
2010, Korepov & Borodin 2013) and in over 200 
papers in conference proceedings and other paper 
collections, as well as in scientific journals Ornithologia 
(Moscow, Chief Editor V.M. Gavrilov), Zoological 
Journal (Moscow, Chief Editor Ju.I. Chernov), Strepet 
(Rostov on Don, Chief Editor V.P. Belik), published 
in Russian with English summaries, and bilingual 
(Russian and English) Raptors Conservation (Nizhniy 
Novgorod, Chief Editor I.V. Karyakin). They have 
also been discussed at the 4th (Penza, 2003), 5th 
(Ivanovo, 2008), and 6th (Krivoy Rog, Ukraine, 2012) 
conferences organized by the Working Group on 
Birds of Prey and Owls of North Eurasia and at other 
ornithological workshops and meetings.
Questions raised by EURAPMON
The data collected by raptor monitoring are practically 
used for their protection mostly by the federal and 
regional conservation organisations and societies first 
of all for the preparation and revision of Red Data 
Books at various levels, which comprise an important 
basis for the national and regional conservation 
legislation.
Raptor specialists in Russia are in permanent 
contacts with our colleagues from EURAPMON 
as well as from Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Latvia, 
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Finland, Poland, 
Germany, UK, Spain, Israel, Bulgaria, Serbia and 
many other countries.
Co-ordination of the raptor research, monitoring 
and conservation is the major activity carried out 
by the Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls 
of Northern Eurasia, which has been led from the 
very beginning of 1983 by Vladimir Galushin. The 
membership of this working group consists of about 
100 persons, with over 20 specialists coordinating 
local activities for raptor research and monitoring 
in various regions. As already mentioned, raptor 
monitoring in Russia does not cover the entire country 
in its European part evenly, but is fragmented through 
separate regions.
Local monitoring efforts usually concern all raptor 
species. At times, however, regional administrations 
mainly support monitoring of particular rare species 
for the preparation or revision of local Red Data 
Books. In such cases, major threats and conservation 
measures are the key issues. The most endangered 
raptors in Russia are large falcons, specifically the 
Saker Falcon F. cherrug and Gyrfalcon F. rusticulus, 
mostly due to illegal taking and falconry trade. Any 
international help in their study and, most of all, 
protection could be very valuable indeed.
The major problem of raptor monitoring in 
Russia is a huge size of the country – European 
part of it is almost equal to Western and Central 
Europe combined. So, it is impossible to cover it by 
the existing professional ornithologists, while our 
birdwatchers are still few and less experienced at the 
same time. Therefore, participation of professionals 
and volunteers from other countries would be highly 
beneficial.
Acknowledgements: We are thankful to well-known 
ornithologists like Pertti Saurola (Finland), Bernd-U. 
Meyburg (Germany), Janusz Sielicki (Poland), Maxim 
Gavrilyuk, Jury Milobog and Vitaly Vetrov (Ukraine), 
Vladimir Ivanovski and Valery Dombrovski (Belarus), 
Alexander Abuladze (Georgia), Evgeny Shergalin 
(Estonia, UK) and many others for the valuable 
exchange of experience. We hope this kind of joint 
efforts will continue to the benefit of raptors and 
raptorology. The author is also grateful to the referee 
and Luka Božič (editor) for useful corrections and 
amendments to the text.
Povzetek
Monitoring 47 gnezdečih ptic roparic (13 sov in 34 
ujed) poteka na kakih 20 lokacijah v evropskem delu 
Rusije. Najpomembnejši in najrednejši monitoring 
opravljajo v (1) Darwinovem naravnem rezervatu 
(120 km2) v bližini zadrževalnika Ribinsk na Gornji 
Volgi, (2) v severnem delu moskovske oblasti, (3) 
ob Gornjem Donu z majhnimi gozdnimi zaplatami 
med kultiviranimi polji, in (4) v Severnem Kavkazu 
(180.000 km2), ki ga poseljuje 28 ptic roparic (21 vrst 
ujed in 7 vrst sov). Najpomembnejši rezultati, doseženi 
z raziskavami in monitoringom ptic roparic so bili v 
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Acrocephalus 33 (154/155): 315−319, 2012
zadnjih 15 letih objavljeni v petih posebnih knjigah, 
v več kot 200 znanstvenih člankih, predstavljenih 
na treh različnih konferencah, posvečenih pticam 
roparicam (2003, 2008 in 2012), in na mnogih 
drugih srečanjih. Raziskave, monitoring in varstvo 
ptic roparic koordinira Delovna skupina za ujede in 
sove severne Evrazije, ki je bila ustanovljena leta 1983.
References
Babushkin, M.V. (2010): [Raptors of forest-lake areas at the 
Upper Volga river.] PhD thesis. – Moscow Pedagogical 
State University, Moscow. (in Russian)
BirdLife International (2004): Birds in Europe: 
population estimates, trends and conservation status. 
BirdLife Conservation Series No. 12. – BirdLife 
International, Cambridge.
Galushin, V.M. (1974): Synchronous fluctuations in 
populations of some raptors and their prey. – Ibis 116 
(2): 127–134.
Galushin, V.M. (2002): Small Falcons in European Russia: 
recent population status and trends. pp. 201 In: Yosef, 
R., Miller, M.L. & Pepler, D. (eds.): Raptors in the 
New Millenium. Proceedings of the World Conference 
on Birds of Prey & Owls “RAPTORS 2000”, 2–8 April 
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Research Center in Eilat, Israel.
Galushin, V.M. (2005): [Adaptive strategies of raptors.] DS 
thesis. – Moscow Pedagogical State University, Moscow. 
(in Russian)
Galushin, VM. (2007): [Adaptive strategies and 
communications of birds of prey.] pp. 326–338 In: 
Matrosov V.L. (ed.): Scientific proceedings of Moscow 
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Galushin, V.M. & Sharikov, A.V. (2011): Review of recent 
surveys of the Long-eared Owl populations in European 
Russia. pp. 25 In: Abstract Book of International 
Conference on the Survey, Monitoring and Conservation 
of the Long-eared Owl Asio otus, 1–5 November 2011, 
Kikinda, Serbia.
Galushin, V.M., Zakharova-Kubareva, N.Ju. & 
Romanov, M.S. (2000): [Nesting and behaviour of 
raptors in forest microfragments at the Upper Don river.] 
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part of the Kaluga region.] pp. 61–73 In: Gavrilyuk, 
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[Relationship between the Buzzard distribution, 
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tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and the Osprey 
(Pandion haliaetus) in the Vologda lake district and 
southeastern Onega area. pp. 80–90 In: Koskimies, P. 
& Lapshin, N.V. (eds.): Status of Raptor Populations 
in Eastern Fennoscandia. Proceedings of the Workshop, 
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Zakharova-Kubareva, N.Ju. (2009): [Rare raptors 
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University, Rostov, Russia. (in Russian)
Arrived / Prispelo: 27. 3. 2013
Accepted / Sprejeto: 1. 7. 2013
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APPENDIX 1 / DODATEK 1
Birds of prey populations and their trends in European Russia in the 1975–2000 period (GaLuSHin 2002, 2005 & 2007, 
BirdLife internationaL 2004): (–) small decline, (– –) moderate decline), (– – –) large decline, (F) fluctuating, (S) stable, (+) small 
increase, (+ +) moderate increase, (+ + +) large increase, (?) – trend unknown
Populacije ujed in njihovi trendi v evropskem delu Rusije v obdobju 1975–2000 (GaLuSHin 2002, 2005 & 2007, BirdLife 
internationaL 2004): (–) majhen upad, (– –) zmeren upad), (– – –) velik upad, (F) nihajo~, (S) stabilen, (+) majhen porast, (+ +) 
zmeren porast, (+ + +) velik porast, (?) – trend neznan
* Combination of various signs for individual species indicates variations of its status and trends in different regions in the vast territory of European Russia
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Acrocephalus 33 (154/155): 315−319, 2012
Species / Vrsta
Population trend/ 
Populacijski trend  
1975–2000*
No. of breeding pairs at the end  
of 20th century / Št. gnezdečih parov  
ob koncu 20. stoletja
A. Population decreasing
A1. Rare species included into Red Data Book of Russian Federation (2001) or proposed to be included in its next edition
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus F, – 300–1,100
Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga – – 600–800
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis – – 5,000–20,000
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus S, – 20,000–30,000
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug – – – 10–20
A2. Common species
Black Kite Milvus migrans – – 30,000–50,000
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus – 200–400
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus S, F 20,000–40,000
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus F, – 40,000–60,000
B. Populations relatively stable
B3. Rare species
Red Kite Milvus milvus S, + 5–10
Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus S, – 50–100
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus S, – 70–120
Black Vulture Aegypius monachus S, – 30–70
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus S, – 1,000–2,000
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos S 500–1,000
Booted Eagle Aquila pennata S, + 600–1,500
Osprey Pandion haliaetus S, + 2,000–4,000
Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus F, – 100–200
B4. Common species
Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus S, F 60,000–80,000
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus S, + 160,000–180,000
Buzzard Buteo buteo S, + 200,000–500,000
Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus S, F 30,000–60,000
Merlin Falco columbarius S 20,000–30,000
Hobby Falco subbuteo S, – 30,000–60,000
C. Population increasing
C5. Rare species
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla + + 1,000–2,000
Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus S, + 500–1,000
Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes S, +, – 2,000–3,000
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina S, + 300–500
Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca S, + 800–1,200
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni S, + 400–600
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus S, + 1,000–1,200
C6. Common species
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus + 40,000–60,000
Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus F, + 25,000–35,000
Goshawk Accipiter gentilis + + 90,000–110,000
Total / Skupaj 781,465–1,335,820