Saker Falcon in Croatia

In 2007, with the support of the IWC, we continued our research on the Saker falcon in the areas of Podravina, Posavina, Slavonia and Srijem (Syrmia). We examined about 3000 electric power poles and more than 1000 km of power transmission lines. We examined 468 active nests (different bird species), and found two Saker falcon nests in eastern Croatia.

Typically, there are three young per nest. However, often before leaving the nest on their own, the young are thrown from the nest by the strong winds that commonly blow in this region in the spring. Parents usually continue to feed the young under the nest. If they are not injured, they often successfully grow and fly. The young falcons leave the nest at the start of June. They remain close to the nest for three to four weeks, and the parents teach them to hunt prey.

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2007. godine uz potporu IWC-a nastavljamo s istraživanjem stepskog sokola na području Podravine, Posavine, Slavonije i Srijema. Pregledali smo oko 3000 električnih stupova i više od 1000km dalekovoda. Pregledano je 468 aktivnih gnijezda (raznih vrsta ptica), a u dva su gnijezdili stepski sokoli. Njihova su se gnijezda nalazila u istočnom dijelu Hrvatske.

U gnijezdu obično bude po tri sokolića, no često puta prije samog napuštanja gnijezda mladi sokoli budu izbačeni jakim vjetrovima koji su uobičajeni na ovim prostorima u proljetnom periodu. Roditelji uglavnom nastave hraniti mladunca ispod gnijezda i ako nije ozlijeđen često uspješno  odraste i odleti. Mladi sokoli napuštaju gnijezdo obično početkom šestog mjeseca. Tri do četiri tjedna zadržavaju se u blizini gnijezda gdje ih roditelji uče loviti plijen.

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The Saker falcon is spotted in part of Croatia year round, meaning that some birds winter here. Croatia lies along the migration path of the Saker falcon, and there is data for the region of Ravni Kotari, lying along the migratory path and as a possible wintering ground. The newest finding in this region is a male found at Dikla near Zadar. Recent satellite monitoring of Saker falcons confirm that birds nesting to the north often pass through this region. Further research was conducted during 2007–2009, confirming that the Saker falcon regularly nests in eastern Croatia.

On picture: Distribution range of Saker Falcon

Number of nesting pairs by country

On picture: Distribution range of Saker Falcon in Europe

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