There was less sad news from the world of protected birds, rare falcons: Why don’t they want to nest in Slovakia?
Last year, 14 pairs of endangered peregrine falcons nested in Slovakia. I had 35 cubs. The Slovak-Hungarian project has to prevent extinction and create conditions for the growth of the peregrine falcon and great bustard population. TASR provides information about the State Nature Protection (ŠOP) SR and Predator Protection in Slovakia (RPS).
The falcon in Slovakia is almost extinct, in 2012 ornithologists did not record a single successfully nesting pair. According to Jozef Chavka from the RPS, the population, which is fragile and unstable, was saved thanks to the previous project and its activities. In 2019, they recorded 22 successfully nesting pairs, which produced 74 young.
“As for the great bustard, no nesting was recorded after 2012, with the exception of 2018 and 2021, when only isolated nesting attempts were found.” In 1956, there were 1165 bustards living in Slovakia,“Pointed out Jozef Ridzoň from the Slovak Ornithological Society / BirdLife Slovakia.
Chavko added that the falcon and the drop occur in the Protected Bird Area (CHVÚ) Sysľovské polia. The area is characterized by intensive agriculture. As a result, birds suffer from food shortages, especially small rodents and insects, Chavko described. “Another present offer of the site are illegal entrances to the area, which gains the disturbance of nesting or wintering individuals,” he said.
In Slovakia, the last known locality where both species regularly occur is the Sysľovské polV SPA. The LIFE Steppe on border project will also focus on this area.
“In order to create land nesting and food habitats, as well as to improve overall biodiversity and water retention functions within the SPA, we will be involved with other partners in the purchase, conversion or land in grassland / eel area of almost 112”. hectares of land, placement of new sheds or planting of 3,000 trees and shrubs of native species“Said Radovan Michalka, Director of the Danube Meadow Protected Landscape Area Administration.
According to him, activities aimed at reconciling the interests of nature protection and local inhabitants are important. ŠOP SR will use the traffic in the CHVÚ in the form of renewal and addition of land marking. “We perceive the LIFE Steppe project as groundbreaking and fundamental for the protection and conservation of both species in our country, “Michalka remarked.
The project brought together six partner organizations and two co-financing organizations from Slovakia and Hungary. Implementation began in February and will last until April 2027. Most of the activities will take place in one protected area in Slovakia and in five SPAs in Hungary. The project supported the European Union.