Rare passerines around Ekaterinburg. Part 2
The concluding part of the survey of the passerines of the Ekaterinburg surroundings comprises 21 species reports which contain all the available information on sightings of rare birds in the vicinity of Ekaterinburg from the middle of the XIXth century until now. The list of the rare passerines of the Ekaterinburg surroundings includes 41 species. In some species, hybrids have been recorded. The most numerous is the group of species for whom Ekaterinburg is on the limit of their distribution areas (Wren Troglodytes troglodytes, Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata, Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola, Marsh Warbler A. palustris, Great Reed Warbler A. arundinaceus, Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria, Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope, Blackbird Turdus merula, Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus, Crested Tit Parus cristatus, Blue Tit P. caeruleus, Long-tailed Rosefinch Uragus sibiricus, Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos, Ortolan Bunting E. hortulana). For some species the Middle Urals is not part of their distribution areas, but they visit the region occasionally (Woodlark Lullula arborea, Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes, Bearded Reedling Panurus biarmicus, Marsh Tit Parus palustris, Siberian Tit P. cinctus, Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus, Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera, Pallas.s Rosefinch Carpodacus roseus, Baikal Bullfinch Pyrrhula cineracea) or even make occasional attempts to breed in the region (Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros). The rare transient species group consists of 5 species which inhabit territories north from our research area: Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella, Black-throated Accentor P. atrogularis, Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis, Little Bunting Ocyris pusillus). Some species are few in numbers due to the characteristics of their biology (Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor, Siberian Jay Perisoreus infaustus, Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva, Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus, White.s Thrush Zoothera varia, Azure Tit Parus cyanus, Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes, Rustic Bunting Ocyris rusticus). In the last decades, Blackbird and Long-tailed Rosefinch have been showing increasing population dynamics whereas House Martin Delichon urbica and Yellow-breasted Bunting Ocyris aureolus have been decreasing. For the majority of the rare species, it is impossible to determine the population dynamics trends at the moment as the available actual data are insufficient. Monitoring of the status of the rare species populations in the region (population dynamics control, status and area limit clarification) is the most urgent scientific task in the study of rare species at present.