Analysing prey composition of the Saker Falcon using camera traps in Romania

2017.08.31.  13:30

This year the Saker Falcon breeding success had unexpected results in the Romanian project areas: 17 pairs have bred successfully! Colour ringing went on as well, with 45 chicks marked this way.


Adult Saker Falcon near the occupied nestbox (photo: Zsolt Hegyeli).


Saker chick marked with colour ring (photo: Zsolt Hegyeli).

During the ringing of chicks, we began studying the prey composition of falcons by mounting camera traps to seven nests. After the young fledged, the cameras were taken down, and the pictures will be analysed after the field season. At the same time, we collected a significant amount of prey remains from the nest boxes, which will also be analysed in the autumn period.


Photo trap meant to record prey items, mounted next to a nest (photo: Zsolt Hegyeli).


Saker chicks in one of the nestboxes (photo: Zsolt Hegyeli).

Zsolt Hegyeli 

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