NESTING DYNAMICS OF CORVIDS (CORVIDAE) IN MOSCOW CITY AND THE MOSCOW REGION
Long-term (1978-2017) observations of the nesting dynamics of three corvid species, i.e. the gray crow, the magpie and the rook, were analyzed. Inhabited nests were recorded at the beginning of the reproductive period of these Corvidae species in the northwest of Moscow City and the Moscow Region along railways and highways. Since the late 1970′s to the late 1980′s, gray crows actively penetrated the urban landscape and increased the number of breeding pairs in the study areas. Nevertheless, over the next 25 years there was a decrease in breeding density. Currently, the number of breeding pairs has stabilized at 54-55 pairs per observation trek (from the Leningradsky Railway Station to Kryukovo Station), which is lower than at the beginning of the observation period. Magpies have failed to move into the urban environment, but the breeding success of the species has increased in the recent years. Rooks use the urban environment solely for hibernation and this species does not nest in Moscow.