Page 182 - Proceedings of the State Natural History Museum. Issue 37 (Lviv, 2021)

Наукові записки Державного природознавчого музею. Випуск 37 (Львів, 2021)
Proceedings of the State Natural History Museum. Issue 37 (Lviv, 2021)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36885/nzdpm.2021.37.181-190

UDC 598.241.2+591.543.43:502.4 (477.82)

Khymyn M.V.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VISIBLE AUTUMN MIGRATIONS
OF THE COMMON CRANE GRUS GRUS (LINNAEUS, 1758)
IN NNP "PRYPIAT-STOKHID" IN 2012-2017

The vіsіble mіgratіons of bіrds were study of the terrіtory of national nature park at left bank of
the Prypіat Rіver near Svalovychі vіllage іn Kamin-Kashyrsk dіstrіct, Volyn regіon of Ukraіne іn
September and October 2012-2017. There were 2737 individuals of the Common Crane counted at the
one observation point during this time. Almost all birds migrated in flocks. Several lone birds were
observed also, apparently lagging behind their flocks. There are from 2 to 222 individuals in one flock,
rd
on average – 39,0±5,12 (n=70). The main passage lasted from the 3 decade of September to the middle
nd
of the 2 Decade of October. The majority of them flew in the 5 last hours of observations (77,9% of
all counted birds during 6 years). Most birds of this species were observed on passage at altitudes
above 250 m (61,2%), less – between 100 and 250 m (36,1%), and the predominant directions of their
migration were SW (48,5%) and S (40,7%).
Key words: Common Crane, visible autumn migrations, NNP «Prypiat-Stokhid».

Introduction

The Common Crane Grus grus (Linnaeus, 1758) is breeding and migratory species of birds
on the territory of national nature park «Prypiat-Stokhid» [12]. As rare species of birds, it is
listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine since 1980 [2, 6], and therefore it should be the subject
of priority research in protected areas especially. This is also relevant due to the fact that within
this national nature park there are parts of two Wetlands of International Importance (Prypiat
River Floodolains – Ramsar Site № 777 and Stokhid River Floodplains – Ramsar Site № 777)
[20], one Transboundary Wetlands (Stokhid-Prypiat-Prostyr) and two Important Bird Areas in
Ukraine (River Prypiat valley – IBA № 005 and River Stokhid valley – № 007) [16]. One of
the three main migration routes of the Common Crane in Europe, the Central European or
Baltic-Hungarian Flyway [13-15, 17-19], passes through the NNP «Prypiat-Stokhid» in
particular. During the study of visible autumn migrations of birds in 2012-2017, the Common
Crane was observed annually, the main aspects of the flight of which were analyzed in this
article. Therefore, the study of migrations of birds, in particular rare ones, such as the Common
Crane, is necessary to strengthen the protection of their passage routs through the development
of a species management system in the national nature park and Wetlands.