Death of Birds of Prey on Power Lines in Daghestan
A study of avian deaths on power lines in Dagestan was conducted from 2008-2013. Areas with different natural and geographical conditions were selected for this study, namely the Tabasaranski District (foothill and mountain areas) and the Derbent District (coastal and low-lying areas), as well as two sections of the Dagestanian reserve, the Samur reserve and the Sarykum Barchans. Inspections of the power lines by the use of hiking trails were carried out at various intervals. Over the entire observational period the types of birdsof prey killed on power lines were determined. In the Tabasaranski District these birds included the Common Buzzard Buteo buteo (7), the Long-Legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus (6) and Common Buzzard (2), and a Saker Falcon Falco cherrug (apparent) (1). In the Derbent District the deaths of the Common Buzzard (332), Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni (69), Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus (42), Long-Legged Buzzard (25), and the Red-Footed Falcon Falco vespertinus (2) were recorded. In the Sarykum Barchans, the deaths of the Eagle Owl Bubo bubo (2), Common Kestrel (27), Lesser Kestrel (22), Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos (3), and also the remains of large birds of prey, of either the Imperial Eagle, the Golden Eagle or the Egyptian Vulture (6). No electrocuted birds were found in the Samurski Sanctuary. The total size of the damage amounted to approximately 7.5 million rubles for the entire observation period.