Russian scientists have completed the first major mid-winter census of diurnal birds of prey in Dagestan, in the Caucasus region. Researchers from the Dagestan Nature Reserve and the Meshchera National Park (Vladimir Region), together with specialists from the Caspian Institute of Biological Resources of the Dagestan Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, participated in this work. This is reported on the website of the Roszapovedtsentr of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia.
"During the expeditionary work, which took place from January 2 to 24, 2025, in the Republic of Dagestan, 2,886 individuals of 19 species of birds of prey were reliably registered. The number of birds of prey wintering in the region in January 2025 is estimated by ornithologists to be from 7,675 to 10,867 individuals," the report says.
The maximum diversity of species of wintering diurnal birds of prey was recorded in the "Sarykum Sands" section of the Dagestan Nature Reserve and the territories adjacent to it. At the same time, more than half of them are species listed in the Red Books of Russia and Dagestan: the cinereous vulture, the black vulture, the imperial eagle, the golden eagle, the white-tailed eagle, the long-legged buzzard, and the peregrine falcon.
"The record holder among all wintering birds of prey in Dagestan was the cinereous vulture, of which 1,125 individuals were counted, and according to expert estimates of ornithologists, at least 1,688 individuals of this red-listed species overwintered in the region this year," the department said.
The largest accumulations of birds of prey - steppe eagles, white-tailed eagles, cinereous vultures, imperial eagles, and black vultures - were recorded in the Karabudakhkentsky district.
"Photographer volunteers from the visiting master class group of photographer Viktor Tyakhta provided great assistance to scientists in conducting research. And the youngest member of this group, Marina Gavrikova, managed to capture a ringed steppe eagle on camera. Now ornithologists are finding out where this rare bird came from to winter in Dagestan," the report quotes the words of the deputy director of the reserve, Gadzhibek Dzhamirzoev.
The data obtained during the research significantly supplements the knowledge about the number and condition of populations of protected species of birds of prey. This information will be sent to the federal and regional commissions on rare and endangered animals, plants, and fungi.
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