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The Long-Eared Owl

The Long-Eared Owl– Asio otus

Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Strigiformes
  • Family: Strigidae
  • Gen: Asio
  • Species: Asio otus

Identification characters

The wood thrush is a species of medium-sized night owl. Body length is 31-37 cm, wingspan is 86- 98 cm and mass is 220-305 grams, which is smaller than the woodcock.


On the dorsal side the plumage is cream-reddish, finely mottled, and on the ventral side it is streaked. On the head there are two long tufts or tufts, visible when the bird is in erect camouflage, during courtship or when alarmed. The tufts are not visible when the bird is relaxed, nor when it is in flight. The eyes are orange. The facial disc is uniform and has two white arches in front of the eyes.
The sexes are similar, the female being slightly larger than the male. The male’s plumage is lighter in colour, with fewer striations on the ventral side, and the face is lighter in colour.


The genus name, ⹂Asio⹂ , comes from Latin for a night bird with ‘ears’. Otus is the Latinized form of the Greek otos, meaning “eared or tufted”. It is therefore a night bird with ‘ears’.


The undigested bones of the rodents it consumes are regurgitated as ingluvium. In the winter, you can see them on the ground in the area where the wintering colony has formed. This species has a record longevity in the wild of 27 years and 9 months.

Distribution

The thistle is found in the northern hemisphere, with a wide distribution from the Eurasian region to northern Africa. It is also found throughout the North American continent as far north as Mexico.

In Europe, the breeding population is between 304 000-776 000 pairs, representing
28% of the global population Northern populations are migratory and those in the centre of the continent are partly migratory or dispersive. In the north they move up to sub-arctic areas.

In Romania, the woodcock is found throughout the year, both during the nesting season,
and during the cold season, being present in most regions. There are an estimated 11 389 nesting pairs in Romania.
In addition to the resident birds, in winter there are also birds migrating from other parts of the continent.

The European population is between 7 500 000 and 19 000 000 breeding pairs.

In Romania, the population of magpies ranges from 668,969 to 822,706 breeding pairs and is stable.

Living environment and biology of the species

The wood thrush nests in woodlands and semi-open mosaic habitats, near arable land or in abandoned corvid nests along tree and shrub lines, in parks or plantations, in old orchards, tree and shrub cemeteries, in various wooded areas in or near localities.


In Romania it is widespread in wooded and semi-wooded habitats throughout the country,
from lowland and lowland areas to the high hills.


It nests in the nests of crows, coots and other corvids. In winter it gathers in groups of several dozen or more.
During the day it hides in the trees, and in the evening and at night it hunts in the fields around villages, where it captures field mice or other small mammals, small birds or even insects. Prey is located mainly by sound. It hunts by silently flying slightly above the ground, suddenly swooping down on prey. Sometimes it also hunts by lying in wait on various supports.
It is a monogamous species. It exhibits territorial behaviour, but pairs can often be located quite close together, 50-150 m apart. The male marks its territory with wingbeats that sound like small clicks, but also with vocal emissions. It nests in forest patches in old nests of other species such as crows, coots, other corvids, less often on the ground at the base of trunks or in tall grass. Feeds mostly on mice, the rest of the food is provided by small birds. It is a nocturnal arboreal bird. It does not hunt by day, usually sitting near the trunk of a tree.


In Romania, the wood thrush is often heard breeding on the outskirts of villages or on tree or bush lines.
In winter, several dozen or hundreds of individuals congregate in sheltered, windless places with rich vegetation, usually in tuia or other ornamental conifers in front of buildings, schools, kindergartens or even in people’s yards. At the base of the trees that shelter the thickets, large numbers of English conifers can be seen.
It lays 4-6 eggs at two-day intervals from mid-March, sometimes even earlier, until early April. Eggs are white. elliptical, smooth, with fine pores. The female broods for 27-32 days, during which time she is fed by the male. The chicks are nestlings and are fed by the female on food brought by the male. The chicks leave the nest after about 21 days but remain in the vegetation in the nest area and are fed by the adults. They become capable of flight at about 35 days. Under abundant feeding conditions, the female may also lay her second clutch.

 

It is a monogamous species. The nest is built by both partners in 5-6 weeks. It consists of an earthen cup lined with roots, grass and hairs, held in a structure made of branches. The nest usually has two entrances. It is positioned in a tree or bush, a few feet off the ground. The female lays 4-9 grey-green eggs with brownish spots. Incubation is carried out by the female and lasts 16-21 days, during which time the female is fed by the male. Both parents feed the young, but it is the male that guards the nest. Juveniles fly from the nest after 25-29 days, but the family stays together until autumn.

Threats and conservation measures

The main threat to the woodland bulrush is related to the degradation and loss of suitable habitat, breeding areas and agglomeration through deforestation of trees near agricultural areas and wetlands with land use change. Other threats are the intensive use of pesticides in agriculture, the use of poisons against rodents, leading to the depletion of the main food source, and poaching.


The main conservation measures are: maintaining, creating and promoting uncultivated land with appropriate vegetation, maintaining and prohibiting the burning of stubble, maintaining and emphasising corridors between areas of spontaneous grassland including trees, maintaining appropriate stubble management in areas where it has traditionally been carried out, reducing the use of chemicals in agriculture, applying low toxic and persistent chemicals. In areas where the species is crowded, measures should be taken to ensure quietness. Hunting legislation must be respected, with anti-poaching measures enforced through cooperation between environmental protection organisations, hunting organisations, the gendarmerie and the Environmental Guard. The management of telecommunication or power cables and the laying of new cables to national standards guarantees bird safety.


It is also recommended to identify and manage areas of increased mortality caused by roads, inventory breeding areas, both actual and potential, identify migration, feeding and agglomeration areas important for conservation, promote studies on various aspects of the biology of the species.

 

For conservation purposes it is recommended to maintain and enhance corridors between areas of spontaneous grassland including scattered trees, tree lines and groups of non-productive trees, to maintain stubble fields and prohibit their burning, to reduce chemicals used in agriculture, to apply less toxic and persistent chemicals, to avoid the use of herbicides during critical periods such as breeding periods. In open agricultural areas it is good to maintain a mosaic of habitats with tree and shrub patches. Illegal bush fires should be prevented and, if committed, penalised. Importance should be attached to maintaining critical breeding areas, controlling and penalising nest destruction, and hunting should be limited.

Studies on various aspects of the species’ biology, especially those concerning demographic parameters, inventorying current and potential breeding areas and identifying important areas for the conservation of the species are useful and should be promoted.

Bibliography

      • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Owls, 164, Chancellor Press, London
      • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation in Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p.228;Radu Dimitrie, 1983, Mic atlas ornitologic, Edit. Ciprian Fountain, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests – Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 306-307 ;
      • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/379/ciuf-de-padure-asio-otus
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Scops Owl

Eurasian scops owl– Otus scops

Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Strigiformes
  • Family: Strigidae
  • Genre: Otus
  • Species: Otus scops

Identification characters

Eurasian scops owl (Otus scops) is a species of small night-owl. For Romania’s fauna, the thrasher is the only species of migrating night-owl. It is smaller than the cuckoo, with a body length of 19 – 21 cm and a wing span of 47 – 54 cm.

It weighs 60 – 135 grams. The sexes are similar. The head and back are brown with white spots. On the belly, the colour is lighter, with dark streaks and vermicules arranged vertically, mimicking the pattern of tree bark. On the head there are two tufts, more conspicuous in the alert state, when the tuft adopts the elongated camouflage posture, but less visible in the resting bird. The eyes are yellow.

The genus name, otus, is the Latinised form of the Greek word otos, which means ⹂eared⹂or even a small owl with tufts. The specific epithet, skops is the name of a small night bird, but the word skopos in ancient Greek also has the meaning of one who watches watching carefully, like a watchman, the owls having eyes very well adapted for seeing in dim light, to spot prey easily, as indeed do all night birds of prey.

At night, being more difficult to see, the thrasher can be spotted by the rhythmic whistling that can be heard in the distance.

Distribution

The Eurasian scops owl nests in all European countries. Europe accounts for 57% of the species’ range. The Thistle is absent from southern Eurasia. In the south, it nests in northern Africa. In Europe, the breeding population ranges from 227 000 to 381 000 breeding pairs.


In Romania, the species is mainly found in hilly areas, but also in lowland areas. It usually avoids mountainous areas, where it can be found less frequently. The population in Romania is between 41 306 and 50 265 breeding pairs.

Living environment and biology of the species

The scops owl nests in lowland and hilly, warm and arid areas at lower altitudes. Common in temperate and Mediterranean areas, but also in steppe and oceanic areas. Occasionally it also occurs in alpine areas between 1400 and 1500 m altitude.
It is a nocturnal, arboreal species that hunts in open areas over large areas covered with trees. These areas also provide suitable resting and nesting sites, in the vicinity of habitats rich in the main food source of various insects. Choose semi-open areas with shrubs and old trees, such as man-made habitats near settlements, orchards, vineyards, parks, gardens, tree lines along roads or paths. Avoid habitats without trees. In winter in Africa, they inhabit a wide range of habitats, such as dense bushes where thistles rest during the day.


In Romania, the thrasher is the only species of migrating night-jar. In August it starts to leave for wintering quarters. Maximum longevity is seven years. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of one year.
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates, but sometimes also on small birds, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals. It usually stalks in high places, from where it launches itself to catch its prey consisting of clawed moths, but it can catch its own cossacks and various beetles by walking on the ground. Small prey are swallowed whole. Larger prey is first shredded and the birds are plucked before being eaten.


The nest is placed quite high up in the branches of old trees, in cavities made by woodpeckers, in holes in walls, in artificial nests, and sometimes the nests of other birds, such as magpies. The female lays 4-6 matt white eggs in May. Incubation is predominantly by the female for 24-25 days. While the female broods, the male feeds her. It is also the male who brings the food to the nest to pass it on to his mate, who will share it with the young. The chicks are white-grey nests. Juveniles become able to fly from the nest 21-25 days after hatching, but for another five weeks the parents continue to care for them. The chick lays a single clutch in a breeding season.

Threats and conservation measures

The main threat to the species is related to the degradation and loss of suitable habitat, breeding areas and agglomeration through the felling of old trees in open, agricultural or mosaic habitats and land use change. Other threats include contamination by agricultural products treated with pesticides in agriculture, leading to a decrease in the food source of insects and rodents. Other threats are caused by poaching and various anthropogenic activities.


As conservation measures it is recommended to maintain, create and promote land with vegetation suitable to the requirements of the species, uncultivated, maintain and prohibit the burning of stubble, maintain appropriate stubble management in areas where it has been traditionally carried out, maintain and enhance corridors between areas of spontaneous grassland including trees, tree lines and scattered groups of non-productive trees. In agricultural areas it is recommended to reduce the use of insecticides and herbicides, or, if necessary, to apply only low toxic and persistent chemicals and only outside the species’ breeding season. Particular attention should be paid to measures to ensure peace in the breeding areas of the species, monitoring and avoiding illegal trapping and nest destruction. A measure that guarantees the safety of the birds takes into account the management of telecommunication or energy transmission cables, with the location of new cables adapted to national standards. Areas where road mortality is high need to be identified so that measures can be taken to limit it.


Control and enforcement of hunting legislation against poaching is adequately done through cooperation between environmental protection organisations, hunting organisations gendarmerie and the Environmental Guard.
It is essential to inventory breeding areas, both actual and potential, to identify migration, feeding and aggregation areas important for conservation, and to promote studies on various aspects of the species’ biology, including demographic parameters.

Bibliography

  • Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests- Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 312-313;
  • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Ghid fotografic al păsărilor din Marea Britanie și Europa, Bufnițe, 190, Chancellor Press, Londra.
  • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation into Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p.232;
  • Radu Dimitrie, 1983, Mic atlas ornitologic, Edit. Albatros, Bucharest, p. 143
  • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/372/cius-otus-scops
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Little owl

Little owl– Athene noctua

Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Strigiformes
  • Family: Strigidae
  • Genre: Athene
  • Species: Athene noctua 

Identification characters

The little owl is a species of small night owl, often found in villages near people’s homes. Body length is 23-27 cm, wing span is 50 – 57 cm. Weighs 162 – 206 grams.

The bird has a compact shape, large, rounded head, flattened crown, long legs and short tail. The sexes are similar, the female being slightly larger. The head and dorsal side are brown with white spots, and the ventral side is white with vertically oriented brown spots. Above the yellow eyes there is a pronounced white eyebrow. The oblique orientation of the white eyebrows above the large yellow eyes, the beak with the hooked tip of the jaw, gives the cuckoo the appearance of an extremely serious man, the cuckoo being a symbol of wisdom. 

Although in the folklore of many peoples the song of the cuckoo is a harbinger of death and various misfortunes, this belief has no basis in fact. Attracted by the insects that swarm in the brightly lit areas, it often makes its appearance in places where people gather for wakes, and thus has attracted this unfortunate fame, which has over time brought it the hatred of people and their attempt to unjustly exterminate this otherwise very well-known and sympathetic bird.

The name of the genus comes from the name of the goddess Athena, represented in Greek mythology accompanied by a cuckoo, symbol of wisdom. It is the emblem of the city of Athens. The goddess of wisdom accompanied by the cucuvea also appears on the logo of the Romanian Academy. It appears on the reverse of many Greek coins. The species name noctua, is the Latin name of the species of night bird of prey, companion of the goddess Minerva, the Roman equivalent of the goddess of wisdom of Athens.

Distribution

The little owl is spread over a very wide area, spanning three continents: from Western Europe and Northwest Africa to Mongolia, China and Vietnam. In Europe it is absent in the north of the continent. The range of the species is bordered to the north by Latvia and to the south by the Sahara Desert and the Arabian Peninsula. In Britain it was introduced in the 19th century and recently in New Zealand.

Living environment and biology of the species

The little owl is a species of night owl frequently found in localities. It is adaptable to windy and rainy climates. It chooses warm, even semi-arid areas, but is also adapted to areas with frequent wind and rain. However, the species is vulnerable to frost and heavy snowfall. It avoids compact forests and dense vegetation, but also swamps or farmland.


It can be found from the seashore and lowlands in the northern and central parts of the range, up to altitudes of 2000 m in Georgia and Armenia, in ravines, valleys, gullies, rocky river walls and dry unforested mountains.


The little owl feeds on insects with crepuscular and nocturnal activity, earthworms, rodents, birds, amphibians, small snakes. It is especially active in the morning, evening and early night, hunting from a high vantage point. It is one of the few diurnal owls, and can often be seen during the day. It stalks prey perched on a perch and swoops down on it, sometimes hovering low above the ground. It also hunts on the ground looking for beetles, earthworms and various larvae. It is not as upright as other owls. When agitated, it bows, flies quickly and undulates over long distances, like a woodpecker. In the wild it has a longevity of three years. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of one.


The cuckoo nests in tree hollows, on rocks, in hollows, ravines and on buildings, sometimes in the attic or even in the chimney of houses. It does not refuse artificial burrows either. In February, at the beginning of the breeding season, the males establish a small territory. The partners court each other by calling, pecking, and the male feeds the female during this period. Monogamous pairs stay together for at least a year. Sometimes they stay together for life. Each year, they return to the same nest. Before settling in, they enlarge the nest and clean it thoroughly.


In late March and early April, the female lays 2-5 whitish eggs measuring 34 x 29 mm. The female incubates them for 27-28 days. The chicks are fed by both parents. They become able to fly 30-35 days after hatching. The female lays two eggs per year.

Threats and conservation measures

Little owls may be threatened by loss and alteration of habitat, breeding areas and aggregation, including land use change, contamination by agricultural products, unavailability of food, poaching.


Conservation measures aim to ensure adequate food resources and maintenance in areas adjacent to breeding sites, prohibit destruction of occupied nests or nesting sites, conserve, create and promote vegetated land appropriate to the requirements of the species, maintain and prohibit the burning of stubble, maintain appropriate stubble management in areas where it has traditionally been carried out, maintain and enhance corridors between areas of spontaneous grassland including trees, reduce agricultural chemicals, apply low toxic and persistent chemicals.


Particular attention is paid to measures to ensure the tranquillity of the species’ breeding areas, monitoring and avoiding illegal trapping and nest destruction. A measure to ensure bird safety takes into account the management of telecommunication or power cables, with the siting of new cables adapted to national standards. Areas where road mortality is high need to be identified so that measures can be taken to limit it.


Control and enforcement of hunting legislation against poaching is adequately done through cooperation between environmental protection organisations, hunting organisations gendarmerie and the Environmental Guard.


It is essential to inventory breeding areas, both actual and potential, to identify migration, feeding and aggregation areas important for conservation, and to promote studies on various aspects of the species’ biology, including demographic parameters.

Bibliography

    • Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests – Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 310-311;
    • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Owls, 190, Chancellor Press, London
    • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation in Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p.232;
    • Radu Dimitrie, 1983, Mic atlas ornitologic, Edit. Albatros, Bucharest, p. 143
    • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/376/cucuvea-athene-noctua
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Fieldfare

Fieldfare– Turdus pilaris

Classification

  • Kingdon: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Familie: Turdidae
  • Genre: Turdus
  • Species: Turdus pilaris  

Identification characters

The fieldfare is a songbird with a body length of 22-27 cm. It weighs 81-141 g. It can be seen especially in winter, when it is very gregarious and can form large flocks, especially in open areas.

The sexes are similar. The appearance is bony and the tail is long and black. The tit is light grey. The back is reddish-brown and the crown and nape are grey. The ventral is whitish with black spots and the breast has a yellowish-red tinge. In flight the contrast between the dark remiges and the light-coloured underparts is noticeable.

Juveniles are distinguished by the white spots on the supraventral.

The song is simple, consisting of a few notes without a clear structure, with short pauses followed by many trills.s

Distribution

The fieldfare is a species found throughout Europe, Asia and northern Africa. It can exceptionally be seen in the United States, Canada, Japan or the Arab Emirates. Migration is more of a movement to the plains in winter, forming large flocks in search of food.

 

The European population represents 40% of the world population, with between 14 200 000 and 28 600 000 breeding pairs. Between 1980 and 2013 the trend was stable.

 

In Romania, the breeding population of the fieldfare ranges from 259 235 to 516 465 pairs, with a long-term upward trend. The first information on the nesting of the species in our country dates back to 1960, in northern Romania.

Living environment and biology of the species

The fieldfare nests on the edges of forests, groves, plantations, parks and gardens.

In our country, the species nests in Transylvania and locally in Moldova, in hilly and mountainous regions.

Outside the nesting season, this species is the most gregarious of all thrushes.

 

During migration, they gather in their thousands. Many individuals defend their winter feeding grounds. Maximum longevity is 18 years and one month. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of one year.

 

The cockatoo is an omnivorous species. It feeds on invertebrates such as various insects, snails, worms and spiders, but in winter it also eats fruit. It feeds on the ground, in flight, or in the crown of trees. Its plant food is very varied, consisting of fruits of the mistletoe, elderberry, juniper, sorghum, cherries, apples, pears, blackberries, strawberries and various seeds.

The coconut is a monogamous species, but a pair rarely stays together for more than 2 years. It breeds both solitary and colonial, up to 40-50 pairs, especially in northern populations. Breeding season begins in late April. There may be two clutches per year, each consisting of 3-7 bluish eggs with small, brownish spots. It is the female that builds the nest in the trees at the base of thick branches, supported by the trunk, and the male just supervises during construction. The cup-shaped, very strong nest is made of branches and leaves, lined on the inside with soil, moss and sometimes hair or wool. The eggs are incubated for 10-13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fly out of the nest after about 12-15 days. They are cared for and fed by the parents for another 2-3 weeks after leaving the nest.

Threats and conservation measures

Today, the fieldfare is threatened by habitat modification, fragmentation and loss due to agricultural activities or land use change, contamination by agricultural products, hunting and poaching;

 

The following measures should be considered for conservation: correlating forestry work with the biology of the species to avoid disturbance during the breeding season, maintaining undergrowth in logged forests, prohibiting deforestation that leads to a reduction in forest area, maintaining and increasing the extent of native forests, aiming for the highest level of structural and species diversity, promoting management types that favour forest heterogeneity, maintaining a mosaic of habitats with the presence of tree and shrub stands in open agricultural areas, maintaining and emphasising corridors between areas of spontaneous grassland including trees, reducing the use of insecticides and herbicides in agriculture and forestry. Where necessary and in the absence of alternatives, the use of substances with minimal toxicity and persistence should be justified and applied on the breeding grounds of the species only outside the breeding season. Cooperation between conservation organisations, hunting organisations, the gendarmerie and the Environmental Guard aims to ensure compliance with hunting legislation and control poaching.

 

It is important to carry out an inventory of current and potential breeding areas, identify important areas for the conservation of the species, promote studies on various aspects of the biology of the species, including demographic parameters.

Bibliography

  • Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests- Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 430-431;
  • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Passerines p. 250, Chancellor Press, London
  • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation in Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p.294;
  • Radu Dimitrie, 1983, Small Ornithological Atlas – Birds of the World, Albatros Publishing House, Bucharest, p. ;
  • https://pasaridinromania.sor.ro/
  • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/450/cocosar-turdus-pilaris
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River Warble

Savi’s warbler– Locustella luscinioides

Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Sylviidae
  • Genre: Locustella
  • Species: Locustella luscinioides  

Identification characters

It is a songbird species, summer guest, nesting mostly in reeds, It has a body length of 13.5 – 15 cm on average. Weighs 12 – 21 g.

The plumage is relatively evenly coloured, dorsally reddish brown and ventrally rusty grey on the flanks and lighter on the abdomen. The throat is lighter in colour (whitish). Sexes and ages are similar. Given its general appearance, colouring and the presence of a lighter coloured eyebrow, but especially the habitat associated with dense, spreading reeds, the bird can be confused with the Great Crested Plover (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), from which it can be distinguished both by its voice and some morphological features: the underparts are long, reddish-brown of a light hue with tips in lighter shades in most individuals, and unlike the great crested grebe, the wing margin is curved, the breast is dull grey-brown and on the flanks with a grey-brown, reddish tinge, without yellowish tones. The tail is broad, with fine dark stripes on the dorsal side.

The reed warbler is more difficult to spot, being camouflaged in the reeds most of the time.

It can sometimes be seen singing from the tops of reed hairs. If it can’t be seen, it can instead be heard by the high-pitched, metallic, monotonous song that resembles the buzzing of orthopteran insects.

The scientific name of this species is inspired by this specific song. Genus name,

Locustella, is the Latin diminutive of the word locusta – locust, referring to the song similar to that of some orthopteran insects (crickets, grasshoppers, locusts), and the specific epithet luscinioides comes from the Latin word luscinia , meaning nightingale, and from the Greek suffix -ides meaning similar to, alluding to the general appearance of this small songbird, which is similar to that of the nightingale.

Distribution

The Savi’s warbler nests mainly in eastern and south-eastern Europe, with very large populations, especially in Romania. Sporadically it also occurs towards the west and north of Europe, but also in Asia. Some of the Baltic countries have been colonised recently and populations in these regions are increasing. They migrate over long distances. Winters in East Africa. The population in Europe accounts for 65% of the world population, with between 281 000 and 474 000 breeding pairs. Between 1980 and 2011 the trend has been stable.

In Romania, the breeding population ranges from 114 498 to 205 782 pairs. In Romania, the species is distributed throughout the country, from the lowlands to the high hills, especially in the vast reed beds associated with large water courses, particularly in the Danube Delta. The species does not occur in mountainous areas.

Living environment and biology of the species

The Savi’s warbler nests in reedbeds, in marshy meadows with reeds, in reeds, willows, reeds, on the shores of lakes, usually on the plains. In Europe it reaches heights of up to 360 m. In Kazakhstan, however, it has also been found at 1 200 m. Maximum longevity in the wild is seven years and five months. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of one year.

It hunts a variety of small insects up to 4 mm in size. Food consists of small mayflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, lepidoptera, diptera and coleoptera, all of which are caught near water when clinging to reed stems. These are sometimes joined by spiders and snails.

The nesting period begins in mid-May and lasts until early July. The reed warbler can lay two eggs in a breeding season, the first in mid-May and the second in July.

It is a monogamous, solitary species. The male hangs on tall vegetation and sings to mark his territory. The cup-shaped nest is located near water at the base of reed stems. It is made from grass, reeds, and also from reeds or dry reeds. The inside of the nest is lined with leaves and fine grass blades. The clutch consists of 3-6 eggs. The female broods for 10-12 days. The eggs are a dark greyish-grey colour and are completely covered with grey, brown or purple spots and dots. The chicks are fed at first only by the mother, then by both parents. After 11-15 days the chicks are able to fly and leave the nest.

Threats and conservation measures

The species is threatened mainly by habitat loss and alteration, pollution and poor water management.

Conservation measures to be taken include: compliance with building restrictions in

riparian and coastal areas, management measures for wetland vegetation to maintain vegetation at an ecologically optimal level for the species, prohibition of the burning of riparian vegetation, including reed and sedge beds, maintenance and conservation of reed beds with permanent water as a characteristic habitat, appropriate waste and wastewater management around wetlands, measures to avoid eutrophication and sedimentation in wetlands, appropriate management of water levels in aquatic ecosystems in accordance with the ecological needs of the species.

It is recommended to maintain uncultivated strips of at least 1.5 m between cultivated land and wetlands, where the use of chemicals is strictly prohibited, to encourage the use of selective and low-toxicity agrochemicals, to avoid the use of treated seeds on neighbouring land, to encourage organic production;

It is desirable to carry out an inventory of current and potential breeding areas, identify migration, feeding and aggregation areas important for the conservation of this species, promote studies on various aspects of the species’ biology.

Bibliography

  • Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests – Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 436-437;
  • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Passerines p. 210, Chancellor Press, Londra.
  • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation in Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p.318;
  • https://pasaridinromania.sor.ro/ Ornitodata | Greluşel de stuf (sor.ro)
  • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/457/grelusel-de-stuf-locustella-luscinioides
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Reed bunting

Reed bunting – Locustella luscinioides

Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Emberizidae
  • Genre: Locustella
  • Species: Locustella luscinioides  

Identification characters

It is a medium-sized prey with a body length of 13.5-15.5 cm. Weighs 10-28 g.

The plumage is predominantly brown and yellowish-white with black stripes and white tail sides. The cheeks are slightly blackish and the legs are reddish-brown or black.

The species is sexually dimorphic. In summer the male has a black head and throat with a white stripe on the neck and whisker. Males are usually distinguished by a dark or irregularly mottled throat. Females have an unblemished, yellowish-white throat centre with distinct black lines down the sides.

The suralps are small, reddish-brown. The cheeks are slightly blackish. Legs are reddish brown or black.

Although the reed bunting is a discreet species, well camouflaged in the vegetation, in the nesting season the male can easily be seen and heard singing from reed stems or from the tops of bushes.

Distribution

The reed bunting is widespread throughout most of Eurasia and winters in northern Africa. The European population accounts for 35% of the world population and ranges from 4,060,000 to 7,020,000 breeding pairs, with a moderate decline between 1980 and 2013.

In Romania, the reed bunting population ranges from 51 010 to 124 218 breeding pairs. In Romania the distribution of the species is fragmented, conditioned by the presence of reed habitat. It nests from lowland areas and the Danube Delta to hilly areas.

Living environment and biology of the species

The reed bunting inhabits wet reedy areas such as marshes, lakes or slow-flowing waters. In winter, most of the birds that have summer-hatched in Romania head for wintering grounds in north-east Africa and south-west Asia, where they are replaced by populations of a northern subspecies, along with some of the subspecies that has been hatching here. Maximum longevity in the wild is 11 years and two months.

Food consists predominantly of various seeds. This plant food, especially during the critical brood-rearing period, is supplemented with small invertebrates.

The breeding season lasts from April to July. Males settle at the top of a bush or reed stalk. They sing to attract females. When they sense a potential danger, with a sudden, uneven, bouncing flight, they quickly hide in the reeds. The female builds her nest in a bush or on a clump of reed strands of grass, twigs or reed leaves, very close to the ground and lines the inside of the nest is lined with moss. The clutch consists of 3-6 greenish-brown eggs with dark-brown ornamentation. The female hatches more. Incubation lasts about 14 days. The chicks are fed insects by both parents. If necessary, predators in the vicinity of the nest are chased away from the nest by one of the parents. To ward off danger from the nest, the vigilant parent feigns injury by crawling on the ground or flying with wings partially open. The chicks become able to leave the nest after 9-12 days.

A pair may have two or even three broods per year, depending on environmental conditions.

Threats and conservation measures

The main threat is related to the loss and degradation of reed wetlands and their poor management through intensive reed cutting or drainage, water pollution. An important negative aspect is the burning of reeds, as the species prefers nesting areas with compact, tall reeds left over from previous years.

Conservation measures include: observance of building restrictions in riparian areas, management of marsh vegetation to maintain it at an ecologically optimal level for the species, prohibition of burning of riparian vegetation, maintenance and conservation of reed beds with permanent water as a characteristic habitat, prohibition of harvesting or burning of reeds, proper waste and wastewater management around wetlands, measures to avoid eutrophication and sedimentation of wetlands, management of water levels in aquatic ecosystems to ensure the ecological needs of the species. Uncultivated strips of at least 1.5 m should be maintained between cultivated land and wetlands, where the use of chemicals is strictly prohibited, and the use of selective and low toxicity agrochemicals should be encouraged and the use of treated seeds on neighbouring land avoided, encouraging organic production.

It is recommended to inventory current and potential breeding areas, identify important migration, feeding and aggregation areas and promote studies on various aspects of the species’ biology, including demographic parameters.

Bibliography

    • Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests- Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 576-577;
    • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Passerines p. 278, Chancellor Press, London
    • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation in Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p.392;
    • Radu Dimitrie, 1983, Small Ornithological Atlas – Birds of the World, Albatros Publishing, Bucharest, p. 124;
    • https://pasaridinromania.sor.ro/
    • Ornitodata | Presură de stuf (sor.ro)
    • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/552/presura-de-stuf-emberiza-schoeniclus
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Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella

Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Emberizidae
  • Genre: Emberiza
  • Species: Emberiza citrinella  

Identification characters

Yellowhammer can be seen on tall trees or in bushes. Body length is 15-17 cm.

The mantle, back are olive-brown with black streaks. The beak is small, with light bluish-grey mandible. The tail is long, with much white on the sides.

Yellow elements are present in all plumage. The scientific name of the species comes from the Latin word citrus – lemon, referring to the yellow colour of the plumage.

In summer, the male has a yellowish head with black lines on the crown and margins. Ventrally, the plumage is yellowish-brown, with much greenish-brown and reddish-brown on the breast and with reddish-brown streaked flanks. Dorsally the plumage is yellowish-red with black streaks and reddish streaks. In autumn, the male can be recognised by the intense yellow on the head and ventral sides, and the olive-green and reddish-brown on the breast.

The female has much more muted shades than the male. In summer, the female has the greenish-grey, streaked crest, sometimes with a yellow spot. The sides of the head are greenish-grey, lacking yellow tones. Ventrally, her plumage is light yellowish with greyish-black streaks on the breast and flanks. In the first winter, the female is almost completely brownish-brown, streaked on the head and yellowish-white ventrally, with only a faint tinge of yellow.

The song of the yellowhammer  has inspired various artists over the years. It seems that Beethoven, when composing his Fifth Symphony, was inspired by the song of this species.

Distribution

The yellowhammer is widespread throughout Europe, excluding the Iberian Peninsula, but also in East and Central Asia. In winter, some populations migrate to southern Europe, Turkey and around the Caspian Sea.

The population in Europe accounts for 60% of the world’s area and ranges from 12 080 000 to 19 900 000 breeding pairs.

In Romania, the yellowhammer is widespread throughout the country, with between 909 628 and 1 252 441 breeding pairs.

Living environment and biology of the species

For nesting choose sparse woodland habitats, cultivated shrubland, woodland meadows, roadside trees, parks and orchards and larger gardens. It is a predominantly sedentary species, but there are also migratory individuals. In the warm season it prefers wooded upland and hill areas, where it also nests. In winter it descends to the lowlands, where northern birds also occur. Maximum longevity is 13 years.

Food is mainly obtained from the ground. Mature individuals eat cereals and various seeds, preferring more often clover and clover. The young are fed mainly on animal food, consisting of insects, snails, earthworms and other invertebrates.

Breeding takes place in May-June, sometimes as early as April. The female builds the nest on or near the ground from various sticks and dry grasses and lines it with moss, hair and twigs. A pair has two oviposition per summer, rarely three. The female lays 4-5 eggs at a time, one day apart. The eggs are white with a bluish, greyish or purple tinge, decorated with spots or dashes of greyish-purple or reddish-purple. The female broods for 11-14 days, during which time the male defends the territory. The young are nestlings, with long, thick, greyish down, pink throat and yellowish caul. They do not open their eyes until 5 days after hatching and remain dependent on their parents who feed them intensively until 9-14 days old. Only 16 days after hatching, the chicks are able to fly.

Threats and conservation measures

Yellowhammer populations are threatened by habitat change, fragmentation and loss, poor forest management, heavy pesticide use, removal of uncultivated strips between arable land.

It is recommended, for conservation purposes, to prohibit new urban development, including scattered settlements in forest habitats important for breeding, feeding and resting of the species, to correlate forestry work with the biology of the species to avoid disturbance, especially during the breeding season, to maintain the undergrowth in logged forests, maintaining and emphasising corridors between areas of spontaneous grassland including scattered trees, lines of trees and groups of non-productive trees, preserving, creating and promoting uncultivated land with vegetation appropriate to the species, maintaining stubble and prohibiting its burning.

In agriculture and forestry the aim is to reduce the use of insecticides and herbicides, and in the absence of alternatives, the use of substances with minimal toxicity and persistence should be justified and applied on the species’ breeding grounds only outside the breeding season.

It is desirable to re-inventory current and potential breeding areas, to identify areas of importance for the conservation of the species and to promote studies on various aspects of the biology of the species, including studies on demographic parameters.

Bibliography

      • Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests- Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 570-571;
      • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Passerines p. 280 , Chancellor Press, London
      • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation in Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p. 398;
      • https://pasaridinromania.sor.ro/
      • Ornitodata | Presură galbenă (sor.ro)
      • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/545/presura-galbena-emberiza-citrinella
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Corn bunting

Corn bunting – Emberiza calandra

Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Emberizidae
  • Genre: Emberiza
  • Species: Emberiza calandra  

Identification characters

It is a large-sized corn bunting with a body length of 16-19 cm. It weighs 32-67 g.

The Corn bunting bird is not sexually dimorphic. The body is massive, the head often appears larger and the bill is thick. The plumage is lark-like, with dark, grey-brownish stripes dorsally and yellowish-white ventrally, with stripes on the sides of the throat, breast and flanks. The scientific name of the species, calandra, comes from the Greek word kalandra/kalandros, which refers to a species of skylark, referring to the southern meadowlark’s resemblance to the lark.

The tail is devoid of white. The sides of the head show no obvious pattern, with blackish streaks on a yellowish-white background, with dark streaks on the sides of the cheeks and lower cheek border, and a dark spot on the back of the ear feathers. On the breast there are streaks which may merge to form an irregular, dark pattern. The legs and sides of the beak are yellowish-pink. On short distances, the flight is heavy, with legs hanging down, but it can also perform long flights with large undulations.

The male can be seen in high places, singing in an upright posture, with its head tilted back and beak wide open. The song is characteristic. A short, repeated stanza begins more hesitantly and ends with an accelerated rattle.

Distribution

The range of the species is mainly southern and central Europe, northern Africa and Asia as far as Kazakhstan, where it is the eastern limit of the species. For most of its range it is a sedentary species, but populations in cold areas may migrate south.

The European population is between 18 300 000 and 31 300 000 breeding pairs, representing 20% of the global population. Between 1980 and 2013, the population experienced a moderate decline.

In Romania, the species has a very wide distribution, being present in open habitats in all regions except mountainous areas. The breeding population in Romania ranges from 4 047 595 to 4 790 635 pairs, with an increasing trend.

Living environment and biology of the species

The corn bunting bird prefers open fields, interspersed with bushes or trees, and is found mainly on agricultural land, especially pastures and cereal fields. When winter arrives, individuals of the species gather in flocks, often together with the yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella).

Longevity in the wild is about 10 years.

About 75% of their diet is plant-based, consisting of seeds, grains, leaves or berries, supplemented by small invertebrates such as various insects, spiders and snails. The chicks are fed almost exclusively on insects.

Males begin to sing in March-April, settled in high places such as trees, bushes, tall trees, telephone or power lines. During the breeding season it defends its territory. Males can be polygynous and mate with up to three females, and some males may be left without a mate. The male does not play a major role in rearing the young and only feeds them after they are older. The nest, built by the female from dry grass, stems and thin roots, is lined with mammal hairs or fine grass hairs and is camouflaged on the ground among the grasses. The female lays 3-5 reddish-brown eggs with fine vermicules and hatches them for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed for the first 4 days after hatching by the female only, then by the father. The chicks leave the nest 9-12 days after hatching and, still unable to fly, hide in nearby bushes and are fed by the parents until they fly and become completely independent. In years with favourable climatic conditions and sufficient food, the female may lay her second clutch.

Threats and conservation measures

The main threats to the species are related to habitat alteration and loss caused by land use change through agricultural intensification, habitat uniformity through the amalgamation of plots and the elimination of natural areas between them, widespread use of pesticides and contamination by agricultural products, plus mortality and other effects caused by predators, and last but not least, the effect of various anthropogenic activities.

A complex of measures is needed to conserve the populations of the brown pressurised duck, consisting of: Prohibition of afforestation of steppe regions, maintenance and development of a mosaic landscape in the dry regions of cultivated grassland areas, taking into account the species’ preference for open fields, maintenance and enhancement of corridors between areas of spontaneous grassland including scattered trees, tree lines and groups of non-productive trees, conservation, creation and promotion of uncultivated land with vegetation suitable for the species, maintaining grassland and prohibiting the burning of grassland, proper maintenance of grassland, reduction of chemicals used in agriculture, application of less toxic and persistent chemicals, regularisation of herbicide use periods according to the phenology of the species, adjustment of the agricultural calendar to the biology of the species, avoidance of industrial and urban sprawl, control of domestic and feral cat and dog populations.

It is desirable to inventory current and potential breeding areas, to identify nesting, migration, feeding and aggregation areas important for the conservation of the species, and to promote studies addressing various aspects of the biology of the species, including demographic parameters.

Bibliography

        • Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests- Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 568-569;
        • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Passerines p. 274 , Chancellor Press, London
        • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation into Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p. 398 ;
        • https://pasaridinromania.sor.ro/
        • Ornitodata | Presura sură (sor.ro)
        • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/554/presura-sura-emberiza-calandra
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Goldfinch

European goldfinch – Carduelis carduelis

Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Fringillidae
  • Genre: Carduelis
  • Species: Carduelis carduelis

Identification characters

The finch is a small finch with a body length of 12-13 and weighs 17-29 g. . It nests in low deciduous forests, pine plantations and orchards. Predominantly a summer visitor, mostly wintering in S and W Europe. Often seen in flocks outside nesting season. Frequently forages for seeds on thistle, brier or shepherd’s crook.

Brightly coloured adults are easily recognised, especially by the red on the forehead and around the bill. The crest is black and the cheeks are white. The beak is relatively long and very pointed, yellowish-white. On the back and chest it has light brown shades, and the belly is whitish. The wing is black-brown with white spots and a wide yellow band. The tit is white, prominent. The tail is black with white spots.

Juveniles may be harder to identify, with heads in shades of grey-brown with fine stripes, lacking the red, white and black pattern of the adult.

The genus and species name, ,,Carduelis, comes from the scavengers of the genus Carduus, in winter large groups of copses can be seen on these plants, whose seeds they consume.

The sound is trisyllabic, bouncy and cheerful. The song consists of rapid trills, mewing notes and chirping sequences.

Distribution

The goldfinch is widespread from Western Europe to the central regions of Siberia, North Africa, Central Africa, Southwest Asia, Australia, New Zealand and some islands in Oceania, where it has penetrated through human intervention. It is a polytypic species with several subspecies.

It is a partially migratory species in Europe, with northern populations spending the winter in central or southern Europe and southern populations wintering in north-east Africa and south-west Asia. The population in Europe represents 55% of the world population and ranges from 27 800 000 to 42 700 000 breeding pairs.

In Romania, the finch  is a sedentary bird. The number of individuals that can be observed in our country is higher in winter, as individuals belonging to northern populations arrive here during this season. The population in Romania ranges from 653 125 to 1 109 338 breeding pairs, with a decreasing trend.

Living environment and biology of the species

The finch birds in Romania are generally sedentary birds. In winter they may move to more southern regions in large numbers if conditions are unfavourable.

The goldenfinch prefer both open areas and forests. Found near settlements, human settlements, in gardens, orchards or parks, where it can find abundant food. It feeds on small seeds, buds, flowers or fruit, which it gathers from bushes, shrubs or meadows. It has a particular appetite for the seeds of plants in the Asteraceae family, such as the Carduus sedges, but it also appreciates the seeds of shepherd’s crocus species (Dipsacus sp.). During the nesting season it also eats smaller invertebrates.

Outside the nesting season, from late summer to spring, it is a gregarious species. Small flocks of non-breeding individuals can be seen during the breeding season. It breeds in the lowlands of the Palaearctic, in the temperate, Mediterranean or steppe zone. In Switzerland it nests at over 1 000 m, arriving in late summer and autumn in alpine meadows above 2 400 m.

In Romania it nests in lowland areas, but also at higher altitudes in the valleys of mountain rivers.

During the breeding season, from April onwards, it settles on dry, bare branches to mark its territory and to be easily noticed by its song and the colour of its plumage. Nests in medium-height trees. The nest is small, built of dry grass, moss and thin roots, with a cup-shaped interior lined with various feathers. The nest is made up of 4-5 bluish-white eggs with reddish-brown spots. The female broods for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents. The young birds reach sexual maturity in a few months. In one breeding season, a female may have 2-3 broods of young.

Threats and conservation measures

Goldfinch populations may be threatened by habitat modification, fragmentation and loss, poor forest management, pollution. The reduction of natural areas with skuas in particular deprives birds of necessary food sources in winter.

Goldenfinch can become victims of poaching, being caught for their pleasant song and beautiful plumage to be sold illegally as cage birds.

For conservation purposes, it is recommended to ban new urban development, including scattered settlements in forest habitats important for breeding, feeding or resting birds, and to link forestry work to the biology of the species to avoid disturbance during the breeding season, maintaining undergrowth in logged forests, maintaining and enhancing corridors between areas of spontaneous grassland including trees, preserving, creating and promoting uncultivated land with vegetation suitable for the species, maintaining and prohibiting the burning of heathland. As far as possible, the use of insecticides and herbicides should be reduced. The use of substances with minimal toxicity and persistence should be justified and applied on the species’ breeding grounds only when necessary and outside the breeding season. It is very important to control the illegal trade in glasshouses.

Breeding areas, both actual and potential, should be inventoried and studies on various aspects of the species’ biology should be promoted.

Bibliography

          • Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests – Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. 552-553;
          • Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Passerines p. 268, Chancellor Press, London
          • Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation in Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p.380;
          • https://pasaridinromania.sor.ro
          • Ornitodata | Sticlete (sor.ro)
          • https://ornitodata2.sor.ro/specii/531/sticlete-carduelis-carduelis
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Green week in Vacaresti Park

Today, 27 February, we received the visit of several groups of students and marked the start of the Green Week project in Văcărești Nature Park.

 

The students learned during the guided tour about protected habitats, bird species living in the park, the habits of each species, but also about protecting nature and the environment.

 

We are very happy for the opportunity to pass on the love and respect for nature to the children participating in this project.

 

Thank you to all our collaborators for their help, but also to the schools that chose Văcărești Natural Park, a place so dear to us!