AVOCETTA Journal of Ornithology Founded by Sergio Frugis

AVOCETTA Journal of Ornithology founded by Sergio Frugis

Volume 41 - N. 2 - dicembre 2017

Proceedings of First conference on Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos population in Italy. Population, Trend and Conservation

B. Massa – Foreword. The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Italy ...... 33 Fasce P, Fasce L., Bergese F. – Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the AVOCETTA Western Alps ...... 35 Journal of Ornithology founded by Sergio Frugis Bionda R. – Status of the population of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the province of Verbano Cusio Ossola ...... 39 Bassi E. – Estimate of breeding pairs distribution and seasonal abundance patterns of floating Golden Eagle population in the Italian Central Alps through field surveys and contemporary censuses ...... 41 Pedrini P., Volcan G. – Current status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the province of Trento (central and eastern Alps) ...... 47 Bliem K., Clementi T., Kantioler M., Gerstgrasser L. – The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Alto Adige. Knowledge status and activities undertaken ...... 49 Tormen G., De Col S. – Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Veneto . . . . . 55 Borgo A., Genero F. – Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia ...... 59 Nardelli R. – Trend and status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos breeding population in the northern Apennines: Results from 20-years of monitoring ...... 63 Angelini J., Armentano L., Gambaro C., Magrini M., Perna M. – The Golden Eagle AVOCETTA – Vol. 41 – N. 2 2017 – Vol. AVOCETTA Aquila chrysaetos in the Umbria-Marche Apennines ...... 69 Ceccarelli P.P., Agostini N. – Unprecedented nesting activity by the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna Na- tional Park ...... 71 Borlenghi F. – The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Apennines of the Lazio region (Central Italy): updates on its status ...... 73 Artese C., Allavena S., Baliva S., Bernoni M., Borlenghi F., Carfagnini M., Cirillo M., Da- miani G., Di Benedetto S., Lalli G., Morini P., Pellegrini M., Pinchera F., Ricci F. – Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Abruzzo ...... 77 Martino G., Siclari A., Tralongo S. – The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the A spromonte National Park: first surveys on its status and ecology ...... 81 Sarà M., Bondì S., Giardina G., Saitta G., Surdo S., Zanca L. – Status of the Golden Ea- Poste Italiane S.p.A. – Spedizione in abbonamento postale D.L. 353/03 70% LATINA Aut. C/LT/30/2014 Poste Italiane S.p.A. – Spedizione in abbonamento postale D.L. 353/03 70% LATINA gle Aquila chrysaetos in Sicily ...... 85 Ruiu D. – Status of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos nesting pairs in Sardinia ...... 89 CISO Fasce P., Fasce L. – A comment about the meeting`s results ...... 93 Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici

ISSN 0404-4266 Volume 41 - N. 2 - 2017

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CISO Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici

ISSN 0404-4266 Volume 41 - N. 2 - 2017 Proceedings of First conference on the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos population in Italy. Population, Trends and Conservation

Paolo Fasce, Laura Fasce, Marco Gustin (eds)

Recommended citation for the Proceedings:

Fasce P., Fasce L. & Gustin M. (eds), 2017. Proceedings of First conference on the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos population in Italy. Population, Trends and Conservation. Avocetta 41 (2): 33-98.

Recommended citation for the articles, example: Tormen G. & Del Col S., 2017. Status of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Veneto. In: Fasce P., Fasce L. & Gustin M. (eds), 2017. Proceedings of First conference on the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos population in Italy. Population, Trends and Conservation. Avocetta 41 (2): 55-58.

Associate editors: Bruno Massa and Toni Mingozzi Foreword

The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Italy

his volume contains the proceedings of a workshop on the Golden Eagle in Italy, held at Corte Giarola (Collecchio, Parma) on 10th December 2016; the workshop allowed the gathering of most raptor spe- T cialists from many Italian regions, who have been able to trace the history of the Italian Golden Eagle’s population increase in the last decades. The Golden Eagle was the power icon for emperors and kings, eagle statues are present in all of the Ital- ian municipalities, as well as in other countries. When the Golden Eagle forms part of a conversation subject, the collective imagination resuscitate some kind of respect for this magnificent bird. People generally believe that this predator, at the highest level of the food web is generally rare. In fact, Arrigoni degli Oddi (1929) reported that in Italy the Golden Eagle was a scarse species, sedentary on the highest mountains, islands included. However, since 1980’ something has changed when an increase of the alpine population was noted (Brichetti & Fracasso 2003). This rise in population is objective and does not depend only on the investigation growth: the estimate of 475 known pairs and 544 possible pairs recorded by Fasce & Fasce (2003), following the new data collected for the present volume, has increased to 622 known (increase of 24%) and 724 pairs (increase of 25%), respectively. Table 1 shown by Fasce & Fasce (this volume) is impressive. In the Alps known pairs have increased by 18%, possible pairs by 22%, while in peninsular Italy known pairs have increased by 50% and possible pairs by 39%. With regards to the islands, the population growth in Sicily was in the order of only 2-3 pairs, while in Sar- dinia known pairs have increased by 28%, and possible pairs by 25%. This remarkable population increase in rather different landscapes through the Italian territories deserves some comments. Raptor protection in Italy has regularly grown in the last decades; nowadays, in most regions the illegal hunting of raptors, mainly of large raptors, is a very rare event. Also private collections of stuffed birds have declined for many reasons which in this place we cannot argue out. In addition, at least in the northern regions of Italy, thanks to the protection of wide areas through regional and national parks and reserves, the most preferred prey of the Golden Eagle have increased. This is also shown by the high fledging success in most regions of Italy. The remarkable population increase in the peninsular Italy could mean that today this species is covering all potential territories, from where in the past it was disturbed and removed. The increase in Sardinia is also interesting. Already Aresu et al. (1995) and Schenk (1995) reported about 50 pairs of Golden Eagles in Sardinia; thus, the increase should have occurred before, probably in the 1980’. Some explanations are needed, because we can presume that, the Sardinian population is a closed one, changes between Sar- dinian and populations from mainland Italy have rarely occurred. Schenk (2015) recorded at least 34 specimens of Golden Eagle hunted down in Sardinia between 1970 and 1975, but he also highlighted that in the last twenty years the situation had improved. According to Ruiu (this volume), due to the abandonment of mountains by farmers, the Golden Eagle’s population increased, territories and historical nests that had been abandoned for several decades have been re-occupied, and some pairs were also able to rear two chicks; paradoxically today irresponsible photographer-naturalists are among the main threats for this raptor, in some cases they are not able to hold the urge to approach and take a shutter release too close to the nest. The Golden Eagle is considered Near Threatened in Italy (Peronace et al. 2012). The power icon of hu-

33 manists and scientists, the conservationism symbol now has a very good status; this may be considered as the combined result of the success of habitat and species protection and of the change in the landscape use, mainly by farmers. In summary, we could conclude that relationships between man and eagle in Italy have changed to the eagle’s advantage.

Acknowledgements – I thank very much John J. Borg for the English revision of the present volume and all the contribu- tors for their involvement.

References Aresu M., Fozzi A., Marras N. & Schenk H., 1995. An annotated Checklist of Sardinian Birds of Prey, 1900-1994. Pp. 83-84. In: Abstracts Int. Conf. on Holarctic Birds of Prey. Adenex, Badajoz. Arrigoni degli Oddi E., 1929. Ornitologia italiana. U. Hoepli Ed., Milano. Brichetti P. & Fracasso G., 2003. Ornitologia italiana. 1 Gaviidae-Falconidae. A. Perdisa Ed., Bologna. Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2003. L’Aquila reale Aquila chrysetos in Italia: un aggiornamento sullo status della popolazione. Avo- cetta 27: 10-13. Peronace V., Cecere J.G., Gustin M. & Rondinini C., 2012. Lista Rossa 2011 degli Uccelli nidificanti in Italia. Avocetta 36: 11-58. Schenk H., 1995. Status faunistico e di conservazione dei vertebrati (Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia) riproducentisi in Sardegna, 1900-1993. Pp. 41-95 in: Atti 1° Conv. Reg. Fauna selvatica Sardegna. Schenk H., 2015. Lista Rossa dei Vertebrati che si riproducono in Sardegna (Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia) 2000- 2009. Pp. 127-220. In: Aresu M., Fozzi A. & Massa B., Una vita per la Natura. Omaggio a Helmar Schenk. L’unione Sar- da, Cagliari.

34 Avocetta 41: 35-38 (2017)

Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Western Alps

Paolo Fasce1, Laura Fasce1, Franco Bergese2

1 Via G. d’Annunzio 2/112, 16121 Genova, Italy 2 Via Piccona 18, 12100 San Rocco Castagnaretta (CN), Italy

A survey on the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the ries, whilst the occupation of marginal areas was less fre- Italian Western Alps (Liguria to Aosta Valley) was initiat- quent: density has consequently considerably increased. ed in 1972. Since 1983, one of the authors (FB) started col- The population growth is surely attributable to a re- lecting data and since 1986 has been monitoring the whole duction of human persecution and, above all, to habitat im- population in the Cuneo province (Fasce et al. 2011). provement. The creation of numerous protected areas, al- Every year the highest possible number of the known lowing for a remarkable increase in the prey population pairs was monitored in different periods, as recommend- and, therefore, in food resources also were of importance. ed by Fasce (1982), i.e. at least three times: before laying, In the valleys of the Gran Paradiso National Park, during brooding and rearing and after fledging. Further- where 31 pairs are present, some of which having territo- more, new potential territories have been explored. ries extending over the park limits, density is of one pair We collected data about pair composition, nests used per about 32 km2 (31 pairs in about 1000 km2), a density and reproduction. which is among the highest in the world (Fasce & Fasce Whenever it was not possible to carry out monitoring 2009). during the breeding period, one or more visits were carried A total of 976 nests were found, with heights ranging out post fledging (in August and September), following the from 250 m a.s.l. (in the Ligurian Alps) up to 2650 m a.s.l. methodology suggested by Fasce (1982), consisting in at (in the Aosta Valley), 96% of which are located on cliff least three long observations of the pair, without the young faces and the remaining 4% on trees (fir Abies alba and Pi- interacting with them. cea excelsa, larch Larix decidua, Arolla pine Pinus cem- The number of known pairs has progressively in- bra, pine Pinus spp., and Juniper Juniperus spp.). Remark- creased and is now 168. We evaluated the population at ably a pair in the province of Cuneo had 8 nests located on the beginning of the study to be between 70 and 90 pairs in trees and only two on a cliff (for details see Table 1). the study area (Fasce et al. 2011): therefore the population During 45 years of surveys, also thanks to the help of has almost doubled. The increase was progressive (Fig. 1): some co-operators, a total of 4010 records on breeding in 1984 the number of known pairs was 82 (Fasce & Fasce were collected. 1984); in 1992 it had increased to 91 (Fasce & Fasce 1992), Data collected in 2016 are summarized in Table 2, to- in 2003 to 129 (Fasce & Fasce 2003), in 2008 to 144 (Fasce gether with the totals for the period 1972-2016. et al., 2011), in 2013 to 160 (Fasce & Fasce 2013). The number of pairs monitored during incubation is This growth was due, besides the refining of the re- lower than the total of reproductions, due to time con- search methods and wider field efforts, to an actual popu- straints by PF and LF, but FB has always monitored all the lation increase: in many cases we could ascertain the set- pairs in the province of Cuneo also during this the incubat- tlement of new pairs in territories that were previously de- ing period. serted. During the last 20-25 years we observed the settle- The percentage of pairs formed by adult partners was ment of at least forty new pairs, with a 2% yearly increase about 94% and has not changed significantly during the (Fasce et al. 2011, Fasce & Fasce 2013). whole study period. This high, and almost constant, per- Often a new pair settled between two occupied territo- centage suggests a good healthy level of the population.

It was impossible to determine precisely adult mortal- Considering only the 1985-2016 period (see further for ity: we could in some cases observe a change in partners the reason), productivity (i.e. number of fledged young per (possible only when an immature or sub-adult bird replac- monitored pairs) ranged from a minimum of 0.22 in 2009 es an adult one); this allowed us to define the adult mortal- (32 young/146 monitored pairs) to a maximum of 0.57 in ity as a very low value: 213 changes were observed for the 1990 (49/86). Mean value of productivity is 0.42 (1698 3532 pairs, whose composition could be analysed. young raised/ 4010 monitored reproductions).

180

160

140

120

100

0 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Figure 1. Increase in the known population.

Table 1. Reproductive data for 2016 and summary for the whole period 1972-2016.

2016 Ligurian Cuneo Torino Aosta Western Western Alps Alps Alps (1972-2016) known pairs A 7 44 58 59 168 168 checked pairs B 6 44 51 56 157 4010 pairs checked during incubation C 4 44 40 52 140 3111 pairs having laid eggs* D 5 27 34 29 95 2190 pairs not having laid E 17 10 25 52 1172 failures during incubation F 10 12 15 37 670 pairs having fledged young** G 5 16 21 13 56 1489 pairs having fledged 1 young H 5 12 19 12 48 1288 pairs having fledged 2 young I 0 4 2 1 7 228 n. of fledged young J 5 20 23 14 62 1699 young observed only after fledging V 1 0 5 2 8 268 chicks dead before fledging K 0 1 1 1 3 48 pairs for which age of partners has been checked Q 3 44 24 32 104 3532 adult pairs R 3 38 21 29 92 3330 non-adult pairs S 6 3 3 12 202 % of adult pairs T = R/Q 100% 86% 88% 91% 88% 94%

* The number of pairs having laid eggs (D) + the number of pairs not having laid eggs (E) can be greater than the number of pairs checked during incubation (C), because some young have been observed only after fledging. ** The number of pairs having fledged young (G) + the number of failures during incubation (F) do not correspond to the number of pairs having laid eggs, because the young died before fledging in one pair in the province of Turin, one in Aosta Valley and one in the province of Cuneo: it is not therefore an incubation failure, but a reproduction failure.

36 Status of the Golden Eagle in the Western Alps

Table 2. Reproductive parameters for 2016 and summary for the whole 1972-2016 period.

2016 Ligurian Cuneo Torino Aosta Western Western Alps Alps Alps (1972-2015) % of pairs having laid eggs L = D/(C+V) 100% 61% 76% 54% 64% 65% % of hatched chicks M = G/D 100% 59% 62% 45% 59% 68% % of pairs having fledged young N = G/B 83% 36% 41% 23% 36% 37% productivity O = J/B 0.83 0.45 0.45 0.25 0.39 0.42 fledging rate P = J/G 1.00 1.25 1.10 1.08 1.11 1.14

The fledging rate (number of fledged young per suc- trend of the prey populations, as productivity is higher in cessful pairs) has slightly declined, whereas the number of territories where food resources are larger, even when in broods with two fledged young was about constant, with a these same territory density is higher, like for instance in mean 18% value every year. the Gran Paradiso National Park. Considering the size of the region surveyed, during the Limiting factors have to be identified in the pre-laying first years of research the number of known pairs was cer- phase, because, as shown in Fig. 3, the trends of productiv- tainly lower than the real population size, but we think that ity and of brooding pairs have similar variations. The most data collected since 1985 are homogeneous enough (Fasce important limiting factor could be the presence in the ter- & Fasce 2011); since 1985 the annual monitoring covered ritory of young birds from the previous year still present on average 92% of the known population, with the excep- during the pre-laying phase. However there are many ex- tion of the Cuneo province, where FB has monitored 100% ceptions, like high reproductive pairs successfully breed- of the known pairs since 1986. Together with the increase ing for several years in a row. in the number of occupied territories, we could ascertain a In our study region, threats to the species are sporad- progressive reduction in productivity, which is evidently in ic and localized: disturbances are mostly caused by hobby close relation with the increasing density. and sport activities, such as rock climbing, paragliding, eli- Productivity, even if globally declining, maintains an sky and others. Unfortunately, disturbance caused by irre- oscillating trend: years with high productivity values al- sponsible nature photographers is more and more frequent: ternate with years having lower values for this parameter this hobby has almost exponentially increased, but precau- (Fig. 2). In our opinion, this trend does not seem to be de- tion behaviours are often lacking, potentially causing fa- pendent on climatic conditions: indeed we could verify talities by young or desertion of nesting areas. that low productivity is not necessarily associated to bad Aknowledgements – We wish to thank all who have contributed climatic conditions, during both incubation and raising of to data collection during all these years: Franco Bianchi, Massi- young. Probably, the same is true for factors linked to the mo Bocca, Dino Bruzzone, Massimo Campora, Guido Cattaneo,

60 max: 1990 = 0,57 50

min: 2009 = 0,22 20

0 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Figure 2. Productivity between 1985 and 2016.

37 Fasce et al.

100

70 % laying

50 % productivity 40

0 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Figure 3. Laying and productivity.

Table 3. Data and distribution of the known nests.

Ligurian Province Province Aosta Italian Alps of Cuneo of Torino Valley Western Alps n. of known nests / n. of known pairs 28/7 305/44 283/58 360/59 976/168 mean n. of nests / pair 4 7 5 6 6 maximum n. of nests per pair 9 15 12 16 16 n. nests on trees 1 27 4 9 41 max n. of nests on trees for a single a 1 (5) 8 (10) 1 (12 e 11) 2 (13) 8/10 pair (n. of nests of such pair) maximum height a.s.l. 1700 2350 2400 2650* 2650 minimum height a.s.l. 250 1250 850 970 250

* Also a nest at 2700 m a.s.l. is known in Gran Paradiso National Park, but we never saw it to be used for reproduction.

Daniele Chianea, Maurizio Chiereghin, Massimo Ferrier, Battista nelle Alpi occidentali italiane: metodologia e problemi. In: Gai, Bruno Gentile, Paolo Jaccod, Robi Janavel, Paolo Massara, Pandolfi M. & Frugis S. (eds). Atti del I° seminario italiano Toni Mingozzi, Mauro Ottonello, Walter Pieretti, Renzo Prefu- sui censimenti faunistici, Urbino, pp. 246-249. mo, Daniele Reteuna, Luciano Ruggieri, Fabiano Sartirana, Er- Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1984. L’Aquila reale in Italia. Ecologia e nesto Sommani, Paolo Tordella. Moreover we thank the rangers conservazione. LIPU Serie scientifica. of the following parks: PN Alpi Marittime, PN Val Pesio, PN Val Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1992. Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos. In: Troncea (in special way Silvia Alberti), PN Orsiera Rocciavré (in Brichetti P., De Franceschi P. & Baccetti N., Fauna d’Italia. special way Enrico Boetto, Beppe Ferrero, Gianfranco Ribetto), Uccelli I: 601-611. PN Mont Avic (in special way Gianna Bosio, Roberto Facchini, Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2003. L’Aquila reale Aquila chrysetos in Ita- Anna Foieri), PN Gran Paradiso (in special way Riccardo Bor- lia: un aggiornamento sullo status della popolazione. Avoc- ney, Stefano Borney, Piero Borrettaz, Piero Contratto, Bartolo- etta 27: 10-13. meo Giono, Marco Grosa, Paolo Guglielmetti, Martino Nicolino, Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2009. La population d’Aigle royal Aqui- Paolo Orso Fiet, Luciano Ramires). Finally the foresters of Corpo la chrysaetos du Parc National du Grand Paradis (Italie du Forestale Valdostano (expecially Paolo Bois, Angelo Bracchi, Ti- Nord). Nos Oiseaux 56: 3-17. ziana Favre, Dario Gerbelle, Manuelita Perini, Rudi Rivelli, Fran- Fasce P., Fasce L., Villers A., Bergese F. & Bretagnoille V., 2011. co Treves, Eraldo Vuillermoz). Long-term breeding demography and density dependence in an increasing population of Golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos. Ibis 153: 581-591. REFERENCES Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2013. 40 ans de suivi de l’Aigle royal dans les Alpes occidentales italiennes. Rapaces de France 15: 54- Fasce P., 1982. Censimento dell’Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos 56.

38 Avocetta 41: 39 (2017)

Status of the population of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the province of Verbano Cusio Ossola

Radames Bionda

Aree protette dell’Ossola - Viale Pieri 13, Varzo (VB), Italy; [email protected]

The province of Verbano Cusio Ossola (VCO) lies in the then used as index of population density, and this was cal- northern part of the Piedmont region. It covers a surface culated by means of the nearest neighbour distance method of 2223 km2 and its altitudes ranges from 193 to 4599 m (Newton 1979). Territories for each pair were based on the a.s.l.; 64% of which lies over 1000 m a.s.l. The climate distance away from the only known nest or alternatively on is shaped by abundant rainfalls (1200-2500 mm/year) and the centroid of the polygon drawn connecting all nests be- typical continental winter temperatures, which tend to be longing to that pair. The above surveys recorded the pres- milder in the Eastern part of the province thanks to the ence of 23 territorial pairs, 5 of which defended territories mitigating presence of Lake Maggiore. Woodland cov- that partially overlapped the Italian-Swiss border: 4 terri- ers a major part of the VCO province (38%), consisting tories stretched over the eastern boundary (Tessin Canton) mainly of deciduous trees. Colonizing woods and shrubs and 1 over the western boundary of the province (Valais (14%), alpine pastures (11%), moors and shrubs (9%), Canton). The mean distance between two adjacent territo- rocks, scree and river beds (8%), pastures and cultivated ries was 7.15 km (min 4.7; max 13.8; SD 1.96). A total of lands (7%) and sparsely vegetated lands (6%) follow in 49 nests were recorded, ranging from 1 to 6 per pair (mean decreasing order of surface extent. Water covers approxi- 2.3; SD 1.4). When comparing the status of the Golden Ea- mately 4% of VCO surface, whereas urban and suburban gle population with that of ten years ago, at least one new areas stretch over 3%. Less than 1% is covered by per- territory has been recorded since then, along with 8 further manent snowfields and glaciers (CORINE Land Cover; nests, one used by a new pair and seven used by known C.E.C, 1993). Available data for the Golden Eagle in the pairs. In the last ten years, two attempts of gaining new ter- VCO province are not recent and substantially date back to ritories along the eastern (near Lake Maggiore) and south- surveys carried out more than a decade ago (Bionda 2003, ern (Mount Mottarone) boundaries of the province were Bionda & Bordignon 2006). Since then, the present author recorded. In both attempts, territorial activities were regu- did not continue to monitor intensively the Golden Eagles. larly observed, but no nests were found. Both territories This study covers the period from 1996 to 2005 and cen- were defended for one single season. suses were primarily carried out in March and April, when reproductive activities are taking place (Fasce 1982). After Acknowledgements – Many thanks are due to Fabio Casale, Fa brizio Clemente and Manuel Piana for providing me with recent mapping the potential territories, pairs’ core areas were de- information. I also thank Lucia Pompilio for revising and trans- fined by means of observations made from vantage points, lating this text. usually in valley bottoms. Recording sessions were con- centrated in the first part of the day. One aim was to record the starting point of pairs’ daily activities, marking and REFERENCES territory-defence flights (undulating flight, circling pairs), Bionda R., 2003. Censimento di aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos along with matings, transport of twigs and green matter nella provincia del Verbano Cusio Ossola. Avocetta 23: 34. to add to nests or exchanges of adults at nest during the Bionda R. & Bordignon L. (eds), 2006. Atlante degli uccelli nidi- brooding period. Suitable cliff faces for nest building were ficanti del Verbano Cusio Ossola. Quad. Nat. Paes. VCO, 6. Provincia del VCO, Verbania. checked by means of binoculars and telescope. Surfaces Fasce P., 1982. Censimento dell’Aquila reale (Aquila chrysaetos) of single pairs’ territories were estimated by defining their nelle Alpi occidentali italiane: metodologia e problemi. Atti I° sem. ital. cens. faun. boundaries on the basis of searching, marking and terri- Newton I., 1979. Population Ecology of Raptors. T. & A.D. Poy- tory-defence flights. The distance between territories was ser, Berkhamstead.

Avocetta 41: 41-45 (2017)

Estimate of breeding pair’s distribution and seasonal abundance patterns of floating Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos population in the Italian Central Alps through field surveys and contemporary censuses

Enrico Bassi

Direzione Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio, ERSAF - Via De Simoni 32, 23032 Bormio (SO), Italy [email protected]

The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Lombardy occu- knowledge about the territory distribution through a more pies a wide range of the whole mountainous sector where accurate field research and the substantial reduction of il- it is present with highest densities in the northern areas legal kills. of Valtellina, Val Chiavenna and Val Camonica. Slightly Despite that, eight poaching acts were recorded in Ber- lower densities occur in the Orobie Pre-Alps chain. At the gamo, Brescia and Lecco provinces in the 1998-2014 pe- regional scale the species usually frequents environments riod; illegal shooting represents 50% of the total causes of from 1200 m up to 3500 m a.s.l. recovery in 16 cases (Bassi et al. 2015; data from Lecco In the peripheral sectors of the western and eastern Province). Pre-Alps it presents a more fragmented distribution asso- However, increasing food supply and decreasing hu- ciated to larger territories characterized by less trophic re- man persecution could disguise current effects of habitat sources and suitable breeding habitats. The Golden Eagle loss caused by land abandonment and afforestation, with is also present south of the Po plain in the Apennines chain consequent decrease of Alpine pastures, i.e. the main for- (Oltrepo, Pavia province). aging habitat for Golden Eagles (Pedrini & Sergio 2001). At the end of 1980s, regional estimates were 25-30 ter- As well as the number of territories, even their mean sur- ritorial pairs (Tosi & Pinoli in Brichetti & Fasola 1990) face areas cannot be entirely estimated in the Lombardy increasing to 61-75 pairs in 2010 in a recent survey that region. combined information available in literature with data col- The regional estimate area is about 9,500 km2 in the lected by local ornithologists (Brambilla et al. 2012). Alps and pre-Alps, where the species breeds on cliffs and, More recently (2016) more new pairs have been found, very rarely, on trees. This area includes all kinds of habi- thus the estimated total number reached 76-89 territories tats comprised from 900 to 4,000 m a.s.l. with the excep- with an increase of 197-204% over the last 27 years (1990- tion of glacier surfaces (data updated to 2001 from the 2016, Tab. 1). Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo). In order to explain this remarkable increase compared Basing on the estimate of 76-89 territories and by to the past, it is necessary to consider the combination of means of a coarse partition of the regional mountainous several hypotheses, one of which is prey abundance-de- sector, each Golden Eagle home range would have approx- pendence, which may also be the main positive factor af- imately a mean size of 116 km2 (min 107 km2, max 125 fecting productivity and quantity of parental cares by both km2). In order to assess the accuracy of this estimate, it re- sexes in the Central Alpine and Pre-Alpine nucleus, espe- sulted useful to compare it with the most recent literature cially within the core area where the population density is about data on densities and pair distributions from some high and increasing (Bassi et al. 2017). regional protected areas. Other main factors that could explain this increase Programmes of intensive monitoring in Lombardy are the larger extent of regional protected areas, the better were mostly carried out only within the Stelvio National

Table 1. Estimate of the distribution of territories in the Lombardy region (updated to 2016).

N. of territories Regional sectors Source (min-max)

6 Orobie valtellinesi Regional Park (Sondrio province) and Bassi & Chemollo in Brambilla et al. 2012 Concarena (Brescia province) 17-18 Orobie Bergamasche Regional Park Chemollo 2010; Chemollo, Zambelli & Ferrari (unpublished) 10 upper Val Camonica (Stelvio National Park, Adamello Leo & Micheli 2002; Borgo 2005, Bassi & Trotti Regional Park and Parco Alto Garda Bresciano 2015 10-16 (estimation) Sondrio province (not included in protected areas) Hunting Office Sondrio Province (Ferlonipers. comm.) and Bassi (unpublished) 4-7 (estimation) Brescia province (not included in protected areas) Bertoli, Brichetti & Micheli (pers. comm.) 16 upper Valtellina from Mazzo di Valtellina to Livigno (Stelvio Bassi 2011, Bassi et al. 2017 National Park and external area in the Sondrio province) 5-6 Lecco province Hunting Office Lecco Province (Facoetti and Bonvicini, pers. comm.) 7-8 Como province Bonvicini (pers. comm.) 1-2 Varese province Saporetti (pers. comm.) 1990: 25-30 Lombardy Tosi & Pinoli in Brichetti & Fasola 1990 2016: 76-89 Present study

Park (620 km2), Adamello (510 km2) and Orobie Berga- ly from the Stelvio National Park, which is one of the most masche Regional Parks (700 km2) totalling 1,830 km2, i.e. ancient protected areas in Western Europe, hunting activ- 19,2% of the regional mountainous surface. In these three ity is allowed here, and this is reflecting in the remarkable areas, the mean size of territory amounted to 67 km2 ± 25.4 difference of trophic resources abundance in the form of (min 34, max 126) (Stelvio, Bassi et al. 2017, N = 17), live prey and carrion (mostly ungulates). 106.9 km2 ± 15 (min 85, max 119) (N = 5, Adamello, Bas- In fact, in the Stelvio NP marmots Marmota marmota oc- si & Trotti 2015) and 99 km2 ± 28.04 (N = 12, Pre-Alps, curred at high densities (6.9 burrows or 56-62 individuals/ Chemollo 2010) respectively, in agreement with the mean km2, Bassi et al. 2017) and a rich wild ungulate community regional estimate shown in the present study (Tab. 2). is present: 6.7 Alpine Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra/km2, In particular, the mean home range, referred to Orobie 15 Alpine Ibex Capra ibex/km2 and 5-25 Red Deer Cervus Bergamasche and Adamello Regional Park and covering elaphus/km2 (Carro & Pedrotti 2010). Within the Stelvio a total area of 1,210 km2, are comparable, albeit higher, NP, especially for this reason and also for the wide avail- to those unknown for the remaining part of the regional ability of suitable nesting cliffs, the Golden Eagle’s terri- mountain sector not included in protected areas. Different- tories show a mean size notably lower than for the entire

Table 2. Comparison of density and nest spacing of the Golden Eagle’s territories in three areas of central Italian Pre-Alps and Alps in Lombardy. n.c. = not calculated.

Area Province N. of NND (km) Mean extent S.D. min-max Source territories (sq. km)

Orobie Bergamo 12 7.2 99 n.c. n.c. Chemollo 2010 Bergamasche RP Adamello RP Brescia 5 8.9 ± 2.3 106.9 15 85-119 Bassi & Trotti 2015 Stelvio NP Sondrio and Brescia 17 5.34 ± 2.3 67 25.4 34-126 Bassi et al. 2017 Lombardy Varese, Como, Lecco, 76-89 n.c. 116 n.c. 107-125 present study Bergamo, Brescia and Sondrio

42 Breeding pair’s distribution and seasonal abundance of floating Golden Eagles in Central Alps regional mountain area, where also poaching versus wild surroundings (mean covered area: 1,076 km2). Each survey ungulates and other species is more frequent. lasted for 5.5 hours from 9.00 A.M. to 14.30 P.M. The aim Furthermore it was confirmed that, besides scavengers of this census was to monitor along a time and space di- like Raven Corvus corax and vultures, prey and carrion mensions the total number of territorial birds, and to quan- abundance can attract an elevated number of floating Gold- tify the floaters that are not associated with a defined terri- en Eagles as observed in Switzerland by Jenny (1992) and tory. Floaters consisted predominantly of juvenile, imma- in the Stelvio NP. ture and sub-adult birds. As the population size, divided by age classes could All flight trajectories of the observed Golden Eagles not be estimated directly by single ornithologists, enlisting (and Bearded Vultures Gypaetus barbatus) were regis- the assistance of 122 observers on average (min 54, max tered, and individuals were identified on the basis of their 190), two contemporary censuses per year (autumn and age and sex. Based on this, the minimal number of indi- winter) between 2004 and 2017 were carried out in Lom- viduals in each age class was determined. Overall, a mean bardy and in the Trentino Stelvio NP including the park`s index of 1.5 floaters/100 km2 (S.D. 0.7) has been record-

Table 3. Golden Eagle’s population counted during 26 contemporary censuses carried out in the Stelvio NP (Lombardy and Trentino sectors) during the 2004-2017 period.

Lombardy N. censused Censused Expected N. % censused % floaters/ % floaters/ % floaters/ Trentino individuals adults adults floaters adults/expected tot. indiv. n. expected n. censused Stelvio NP adults adults adults

2004-05 30 19 28 7 67.9 23.3 25.0 36.8 2004-05 45 28 36 8 77.8 17.8 22.2 28.6 2005-06 33.5 21 34 7 61.8 20.9 20.6 33.3 2005-06 34.5 21 44 7.5 47.7 21.7 17.0 35.7 2006-07 21 13 22 3 59.1 14.3 N.C. N.C. 2006-07 59.5 32 46 15 69.6 25.2 32.6 46.9 2007-08 28 16 20 5 80.0 17.9 25.0 31.3 2007-08 61 30 38 14 78.9 23.0 36.8 46.7 2008-09 51.5 32.5 40 14 81.3 27.2 35.0 43.1 2008-09 63.5 38.5 54 13 71.3 20.5 24.1 33.8 2009-10 56 30 52 16 57.7 28.6 30.8 53.3 2009-10 46.5 28 44 11.5 63.6 24.7 26.1 41.1 2010-11 68 48 52 12 92.3 17.6 23.1 25.0 2010-11 69 43 52 20 82.7 29.0 38.5 46.5 2011-12 47 31 45 10 68.9 21.3 22.2 32.3 2011-12 79 47 52 26 90.4 32.9 50.0 55.3 2012-13 83 49 54 27 90.7 32.5 50.0 55.1 2012-13 75 47 48 22 97.9 29.3 45.8 46.8 2013-14 63 40.5 48 12.5 84.4 19.8 26.0 30.9 2013-14 84 48 51 31 94.1 36.9 60.8 64.6 2014-15 51.5 35 50 10.5 70.0 20.4 21.0 30.0 2014-15 66 43 53 17 81.1 25.8 32.1 39.5 2015-16 63 46 51 11 90.2 17.5 21.6 23.9 2015-16 82 58 55 23 105.5 28.0 41.8 39.7 2016-17 43 28 34 8 82.4 18.6 23.5 28.6 2016-17 75 55 59 18 93 24 31 33 Mean in Autumn 49.1 31.5 40.8 11.0 75.9 21.5 27.0 35.3 S.D. in Autumn 17.9 12.1 12.0 6.0 12.3 5.1 8.4 10.2 Mean in Winter 64.6 39.9 48.6 17.4 81.1 26.1 35.3 42.9 S.D. in Winter 15.2 11.3 6.8 6.9 15.7 5.2 12.2 9.8

43 Bassi ed during 13 contemporary censuses carried out in March vation of this species, and the external areas characterized from 2005 to 2017 over a total surface area of 1,134 km2, by less availability of prey and potentially by more human which differs from the mean index of 1.1 floaters/100 km2 disturbance such as lead poisoning, hunting, poaching and (S.D. 0.5) recorded during 13 contemporary censuses car- outdoor activities like free climbing, photography and par- ried out in October over a total surface of 1,000 km2 from agliding. In particular, recent studies (Bassi et al. 2014, 2004 to 2017. The amount of non-territorial floaters count- Jenny et al. 2015, Madry et al. 2015) have demonstrated ed during concerted surveys in the Stelvio NP ranged from that lead poisoning within the Alps is not linked to excep- 7 to 31 (mean 17.3; S.D. 7.2) in winter and from 3 to 27 tional events, but more likely it represents the ‘tip of the (mean 11; S.D. 6) in autumn (Tab. 3). iceberg’ of a substantial proportion of the Golden Eagle’s It was possible to calculate an effective density index populations affected by sub-lethal levels of lead, thus in- of Golden Eagles standardized to 100 km2 by adding the dicating the need and urgency to replace lead bullets with number of censused floaters to the number of expected ter- other not-toxic metals (most preferably, copper). ritorial birds: this index ranged from 6.1 (S.D. 1.7) in fall In fact, sub-lethal chronic lead assimilation may result to 6.3 Golden Eagles (S.D. 0.9) in winter over an average in higher mortality or reduced reproduction, potentially af- surface area of 1,076 km2 (S.D. 226.6). fecting a much higher proportion of the population than In brief, the number of Golden Eagles floaters has re- evidenced from individuals found with symptoms of acute markably increased during the censuses despite the high lead poisoning (Bassi et al. 2016). territorial eagle density already known for the Stelvio’s area (15.75 pairs/1000 km2, Bassi et al. 2013). Acknowledgments – The Administration of the Stelvio National Park has been supporting this research and monitoring programme It has been proved that in Switzerland, juvenile and since 2004. as well as the management of the contemporary cen- immature floaters interfere with paired adult birds, and suses. In particular thanks to F. Diana, F. Sartirana, P. Trotti, A. can negatively affect reproductive success of sedentary Roverselli, F. Capelli and D. Azzalin for the difficult field work. Many thanks to I. Callovi, F. Sotti, N. Bragalanti, P. Pedrini, L. pairs (Haller 1996, Jenny 1992). Also within the Stelvio Pedrotti, F. Angeli, A. Buffa, L.I.P.U. Parma, I. Armanasco and NP high frequencies of floaters may affect the breeding about 560 observers who participated in the contemporary cen- performance of the territorial pairs, especially during late suses conducted within the Stelvio National Park and its surroundings. I acknowledge R. Facoetti and F. Capelli for their important winter as this coincides with the beginning of the breed- contribution in data processing of contemporary censuses. In ad- ing season. In March, the mean percentage of floaters with dition, thanks to the Sondrio and Brescia provinces, the Adamel- respect to the expected adults is 42.4% (S.D. 13.1) versus lo Regional Park and Fondazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente to have carried out and/or supported specific research programmes 26.6% (S.D. 11.1) recorded in autumn. in these years on the Golden Eagle. Finally thanks also to a large Thus, taking into account the uncertainty, the availa- number of Sondrio and Brescia gamekeepers, Corpo Forestale ble data for Golden Eagles are somewhat equivocal, with dello Stato - CTA of Bormio, GEV Valle Camonica and techni- cians for hundreds of observations and support in the field. I am count data for territorial birds suggesting a stable popu- very grateful to R. Bertoli, P. Bonvicini, A. Borgo, P. Brichetti, M. lation but with demographic data (that includes also the Chemollo, R. Facoetti, M. Ferloni, A. Ferrari, R. Leo, F. Saporetti, E. Viganò and A. Zambelli for sharing data concerning the popu- floaters proportion) indicating a progressive increase over lation size for their respective provinces. time. The winter median number of non-territorial floaters observed in the two periods (2005-2010 vs 2011-2016) REFERENCES during the concerted surveys in the Stelvio NP increased significantly (Mann-Whitney test, U =2, p = 0.0047). Bassi E., Diana F., Sartirana F., Trotti P., Galli L. & Pedrotti L., However, it should be pointed out that the high-density 2013. Analisi del successo riproduttivo dell’Aquila reale (Aq- uila chrysaetos) nel Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio in relazi- values of eagles recorded in March in the Stelvio NP can- one al ritorno del Gipeto (Gypaetus barbatus) sulle Alpi. Pp. not be representative of the situation of the whole regional 27-31 in: Campobello D., Pedrini P., Ciolli M., Carere C., mountain extent, because the high frequencies of floaters Chamberlain D. & Serra L. (eds), Atto XVII Conv. Ital. Orn. Bassi E., Ferloni M., Gugiatti A., Pedrotti L., Di Giancamillo can be heavily influenced by the high availability of ungu- M. & Grilli G., 2014. Il rischio di saturnismo negli uccelli late carcasses that weren’t found elsewhere, at least not in necrofagi in relazione alle attuali modalità di caccia degli un- the abundance present in the Stelvio NP. gulati. Pp. 450-457 in: Tinarelli R., Andreotti A., Baccetti N., Melega L., Roscelli F., Serra L. & Zenatello M. (eds), Atti Similarly these considerations are valid also for the XVI Conv. Ital. Orn., Scritti Studi e Ricerche di Storia Natu- number of territorial pairs hypothesized at regional scale, rale della Repubblica di San Marino. but the mean estimate of 116 km2 for each territory seems Bassi E., Cairo E., Facoetti R. & Rota R. (a cura di), 2015. At- lante degli uccelli nidificanti in provincia di Bergamo. Riv. realistic even if it does not take into account the differenc- Mus. Civ. Sc. Nat. “E. Caffi” Bergamo, 28. Edizioni Belve- es between protected areas, more favourable to the conser- dere, Latina, 600 pp.

44 Breeding pair’s distribution and seasonal abundance of floating Golden Eagles in Central Alps

Bassi E. & Trotti P., 2015. Monitoraggio della popolazione nidi- Brichetti P. & Fasola M., 1990. Atlante degli uccelli nidificanti in ficante di Aquila reale e individuazione delle misure di tu- Lombardia: 1983-1987. Editoriale Ramperto. tela dei siti riproduttivi di altre specie rupicole (Gufo rea Carro M. & Pedrotti L. (eds), 2010. Atlante del Parco Nazionale le, Pellegrino, Nibbio Bruno, Poiana e Corvo imperiale) dello Stelvio. con riferimento ai Siti Rete Natura 2000. Parco Regionale Chemollo M., 2010. Ecologia, demografia e problemi di con- dell’Adamello, Breno (BS). servazione dell’Aquila reale (Aquila chrysaetos, Linneo Bassi E., Ferloni M., Bianchi A., Cannavacciuolo A., Fedrizzi G. 1758) nelle Alpi Orobie bergamasche. Relazione interna Fon- & Facoetti R., 2016. Saturnism in avian scavengers in rela- dazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente. tion to hunting modalities: the tip of the iceberg. Pp. 18-19 Haller H., 1996. Der Steinadler in Graubünden. Langfristige Un- in: Angelici F.M. & Rossi L. (eds), Atti del III Congr. Naz. tersuchungen zur Populationsökologie von Aquila chrysaetos “Fauna Problematica”. im Zentrum der Alpen. Orn. Beob., 9. Bassi E., Trotti P., Brambilla M., Diana F., Sartirana F., Galli L. Jenni L., Madry M.M., Kraemer T., Kupper J., Naegeli H., Jenny & Pedrotti L., 2017. Parental investment in two large raptors H. & Jenny D., 2015. The frequency distribution of lead con- breeding in a high prey density area. J. Orn., 158 (2): 549- centration in feathers, blood, bone, kidney and liver of golden 559. eagles Aquila chrysaetos: insights into the modes of uptake. Borgo A., 2006. Aquila reale. Scheda E.3. (1. Analisi faunistiche). J. Orn., 156 (4): 1095-1103. P. 17 in: Perco F., Borgo A., Mattedi S., Odasso M. & Ragu- Leo R. & Micheli A., 2003. I rapaci diurni (Accipitriformes, Fal- sa M. (eds), Comunità Montana di Valle Camonica Ente Ge- coniformes) del Parco Alto Garda Bresciano. Ann. Mus. Civ. store del Parco dell’Adamello. Piano di Settore Fauna Parco Sc. Nat. Brescia, 33: 111-131. Naturale. Madry M.M., Kraemer T., Kupper J., Naegeli H., Jenny H., Jen- Brambilla M., Casale F,G,, Crovetto M,, Falco R. & Bergero V., ni L. & Jenny D., 2015. Excessive lead burden among gold- 2012. Piano di monitoraggio dei Vertebrati terrestri di inter- en eagles in the Swiss Alps. Environ. Res. Lett., 10: 034003. esse comunitario (Direttive 2009/147 EC e 92/43 CEE) in Pedrini P. & Sergio F., 2001. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Lombardia. Fondazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente. Settore density and productivity in relation to land abandonment and Biodiversità e Aree protette, 638 pp. forest expansion in the Alps. Bird Study, 48 (2): 194-199.

Avocetta 41: 47-48 (2017)

Current status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the province of Trento (central and Eastern Alps)

Paolo Pedrini1,*, Volcan Gilberto2

1 MUSE, Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati - C.so del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy 2 Parco Naturale Adamello Brenta - Via Nazionale 12, 38080 Strembo (TN), Italy * Corresponding author: [email protected]

The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos has been regarded as (Natural and National Parks) cover 16.7% of the total area one of the most representative breeding bird species in the of Trento province. province of Trento, and has been the focus of several re- During the 1983-1990 periods (Pedrini 1992) 46 terri- search projects since the 1980s (Pedrini 1992, Pedrini & torial pairs of Golden Eagles were counted, leading to a to- Sergio 2001a, 2002), as well as several conservation in- tal estimate of 54 territorial pairs. The Golden Eagle’s pop- itiatives (P.A.T. 2011, LIFE11/NAT/IT/000187 “TEN” - ulation in Trentino showed higher densities in the Alpine Trentino ecological Network; www.lifeten.tn.it). sector (7 pairs/1000 km2) than in the pre-Alpine sector (3.8 The Golden Eagle is classified as “vulnerable” in the pairs/1000 km2; Pedrini & Sergio 2002), with an average Red List of birds breeding in Trentino (Pedrini et al. 2005). productivity of 0.61 fledged juveniles per breeding attempt Its conservation status, coupled with the importance of this (n. of pairs equal to 109; Pedrini & Sergio 2001a), a re- species for the Trento province, promoted research pro- productive success of 55.7% (% of successful breeding at- jects in the past (Sergio et al. 2006) and also monitoring tempts) and a fledgling rate of 1.1 (fledged juveniles per activities in several protected areas in Trentino (Adamello- successful pair). The number of established pairs increased Brenta Park, Stelvio National Park) and in other pre-alpine to 56 known pairs (total estimate: 60 territorial pairs; Pe- mountain areas (carried out by Muse, formerly Museo Tri- drini & Sergio in Pedrini et al. 2005), but the productivity dentino di Scienze Naturali). showed an overall decline (0.31 for 66 pairs). This paper provides an update of the conservation sta- A long-term systematic monitoring was initiated in tus of this species in Trentino, on the basis of the ongoing 1996 and continued until 2016 (except for 2007 and 2008) monitoring activities, and compares it with the status of in the Adamello-Brenta Natural Park and in the neighbour- this species at the national level, which is considered “in- ing areas (about 1300 km2). adequate” mostly because of the reduction of high-altitude The Golden Eagle’s population increased in the ar- grasslands (Gustin et al. 2016). ea (from 14 to 19 territorial pairs; 14.6 pairs/1000 km2). The Trento province (6206 km2) is a prevalently moun- During the same period of time, the average productivity tainous area, with several mountain massifs characterized resulted to be 0.37, with a tendency to decrease over the by different geology and elevation ranges, and separated years, whereas the reproductive success was 35.4% and by large valleys. Two main sectors can be identified: the the fledgling rate equal to 1.04 (Volcan, unpublished). ‘true’ Alpine area (in the northern portion of the province) In the most recent period (2000-2016) the systematic and the pre-Alpine sector (in the southern part of the prov- monitoring, coupled with the collection of opportunistic ince). Elevation ranges between 67 m a.s.l. (Benaco, Lake observations, allowed us to update our knowledge about Garda area) and 3769 m a.s.l. (Mount Cevedale). Forests the species distribution and abundance, which now in- cover more than 55% of this area, and are expanding be- cludes 65 known territorial pairs with a total estimate of cause of land abandonment of formerly grazed or cultivat- the current population of about 70 territorial pairs. ed areas. Lowland areas and valley floors are intensive- Overall, the Golden Eagle’s population in Trentino has ly cultivated and partly urbanized. Three protected areas significantly increased over the last 40 years, from 46-54

© 2017 CISO - Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici 47 Pedrini & Volcan to 65-70 pairs. On the other hand, a decrease in productiv- availability of habitats suitable for its prey species and for ity was observed during the same period, with values de- hunting (Pedrini & Sergio 2001b), mainly in the pre-Alps creasing from 0.61 in the 1983-1990 to 0.31 in 1995-2005 where forest upslope shift can be very rapid and boosted period (Pedrini et al. 2005), as also observed in other areas by climate change. in the Alps (Fasce & Fasce 2003, Fasce et al. 2011). Simi- Because of these threats, monitoring of the Golden Ea- larly, in the same period reproductive success decreased gle is still essential, also to accomplish the requirements of from 55.7% to 35.4%. This trend should be interpreted as the Birds Directive. In this view, since 2017 the Province positive outcome of the legal protection of this species, of Trento has identified a set of sampling areas, hosting an guaranteed by the current provincial and national laws overall 20-25 territorial pairs (LIFE T.E.N. A5, www.life. (provincial law 24/1991; national law 157/1992). ten.it), to form part of a long-term monitoring programme. The increased abundance of its main prey (especially, These monitoring efforts should be preferably carried out Marmota marmota), due to the protection assured by laws, simultaneously with similar initiatives in other Italian re- is likely to be another main reason of the positive popula- gions included in the Golden Eagle’s national range, in or- tion trend of this species. der to allow for a accurate definition of its trend. Although the trend is positive, some potential threats remain at a local scale and, at least in some cases, they Acknowledgements – Research and monitoring on the Golden have further increased, such as the disturbance due to in- Eagle in Trentino have been supported over the years by the au- tonomous Province of Trento (Servizio Parchi e Foreste Demania- frastructures close to the breeding sites. Disturbance in fact li, Parks and Forests Service; 1982-1990), by the Adamello-Bren- has generally increased in recent years (1990-2010), be- ta Park and the Stelvio Park in the territories of their competence, cause of the easier access granted to tourists and public in by the Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali di Trento (MTSN, today called MUSE) (1990-2016) and by the Biodiversity Project general, by roads, parkings and paths in mountain areas. (PAT/MTSN, 2000-2005). Nesting disturbance may also come from unethical wildlife photographers, sport climbing and free climbing, as well as from other sporting activities (paragliding, moun- REFERENCES tain-bike competitions), which are very common in the Trentino mountains. Fortunately, awareness and sensitiv- Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2003. L’aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos in ity about potential bird disturbance are on the increase by Italia: un aggiornamento sullo status della popolazione. Avo- cetta 27: 10-13. the general public, including wildlife photographers who Fasce P., Fasce L., Villers A., Bergese F. & Bretagnolle V., 2011. have adopted rules to reduce disturbance, while also con- Long term breeding demography and density dependence in servation initiatives have been implemented within parks an increasing population of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos. Ibis 53: 581-591. to protect nesting sites during the breeding season (e.g., Gustin M., Brambilla M. & Celada C. 2016. Stato di conservazi- Stelvio National Park and Adamello-Brenta Park). one e valore di riferimento favorevole per le popolazioni di Further risks are represented by the installation of re- uccelli nidificanti in Italia. Riv. Ital. Orn. 86 (2): 3-36. Pedrini P., 1992. L’Aquila reale in Provincia di Trento: status, peaters and antennas for telephony communication close ecologia e biologia riproduttiva. Pp. 83-130 in: Atti Conv. to reproductive sites, and by the widespread presence of Nuovi contributi di ricerca su Aquila reale, Gallo cedrone, suspended cables in the hunting territories, which threaten Coturnice alpina, Marmotta alpina, Trento. Pedrini P. & Sergio F., 2001a. Density, productivity, diet and hu- both territorial eagles and young individuals. Lead poison- man persecution of Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in the ing (Bassi present volume) is potentially a serious threat in central eastern Alps. J. Raptor Res. 35: 40-48. Pedrini P. & Sergio F., 2001b. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Trentino as well (E. Bassi pers. comm.). Although it is now density and productivity in relation to land abandonment and much reduced (Pedrini & Sergio 2001a), the illegal killing forest expansion in the Alps. Bird Study 48: 194-199. or injuring of eagles still occurs and may, therefore, rep- Pedrini P. & Sergio F., 2002. Regional conservation priorities for a large predator Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Al- resent a threat to this species (Lipu/PAT Raptor Recovery pine range. Biol. Conserv. 103: 163-172. Center, unpublished data). Pedrini P., Caldonazzi M. & Zanghellini S. (a cura di), 2005. At- An important issue deserving more research and mon- lante degli Uccelli nidificanti e svernanti in provincia di Tren- to. Studi Trentini Sc. Nat., Acta Biologica, 80 (2003), suppl. itoring is the long-term effect of natural reforestation, re- 2: 674 pp. sulting from land abandonment of pastures and fields in Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Servizio Foreste e Fauna, 2011. mountain areas. On one hand, such process can favour Piano Faunistico Provinciale. P.A.T. Sergio F., Pedrini P., Rizzolli F. & Marchesi L., 2006. Adaptive this species by decreasing direct disturbance but, on the range selection by golden eagles in a changing landscape: a other hand, land abandonment can seriously impact the multiple modelling approach: Biol. Conserv. 133: 32-41.

48 Avocetta 41: 49-53 (2017)

The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Alto Adige. Knowledge status and activities undertaken

Klaus Bliem1, Thomas Clementi2,*, Marckus Kantioler3, Lothar Gerstgrasser4

1 Stazione Forestale Silandro, Ripartizione foreste, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, Italy 2 Ufficio Caccia e pesca, Ripartizione Foreste, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, Italy 3 Ufficio Parchi naturali, Ripartizione Natura e paesaggio, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, Italy 4 Associazione Cacciatori Alto Adige, Italy * Corresponding author: [email protected]

The current knowledge on the Golden Eagle Aquila chry ducted in the 2002-2016 period. In particular, for the Val saetos in Alto Adige is the result of several data collection Venosta the monitoring of the last 15 years involved game- work that took place in the last 30 years. However, a com- keepers, forestry staff and retired staff of the Stelvio NP. plete knowledge of this species is not yet available. The The restitution of data collected from the gamekeep- large spread and distribution of this species on the terri- ers’ annual reports in 148 reserves exceeded 80%, but the tory, the difficulties in carrying out observations due to the reliability does not always guarantee certainty of results, topography and the lack of a general plan of continuous thus data had to be carefully weighted. The values present- monitoring, all make it difficult to unequivocally assess a ed in Tab. 1 are the result of the integration and compari- general trend for this species in the Alto Adige territory. son of different sources, compared with the results of indi- To overcome these difficulties, a database composed of vidual researches carried out in recent years. previous knowledge deriving from observations by game- An incomplete picture of the available knowledge keepers, from targeted field monitoring during triennial emerges, mainly with regards to the reproductive trends projects, and from systematic observations by amateur en- in the recent years, which knowledge varies considerably thusiasts has been used. from area to area. The emerging picture confirms the pres- We put together data collected during a three-year ence in Alto Adige of at least 65-67 Golden Eagle’s pairs monitoring project about birds of prey in the Fanes-Senes- (based on information collected by gamekeepers) with Braies and Puez-Odle natural parks (Borgo 2001), data over 250 currently-known nests. from the Italia-Austria 2003-2005 Aquilalp Interreg pro- During more accurate surveys carried out between ject regarding the Fanes-Senes-Braies Natural Parks, Ve- 2005 and 2013, the home ranges of at least 40 territorial drette di Ries-Aurina and Stelvio NP (Bliem et al. 2005), pairs out of these 65-67 pairs have been identified. Among data collected in 2011-2014 on behalf of Markus Kantioler these, 18 home ranges interest the Val Venosta, or the (Ufficio Parchi Naturali) about Alta Val Pusteria, and by western sector of the province of Bolzano. Klaus Bliem (Stazione forestale Silandro) for the Stelvio Young fledged per year range from a minimum of 11 NP (2002-2016) and the entire Val Venosta (2006-2016). (out of 30 checked pairs in 2013) to 38 (out of 28 con- In order to define the current situation of the Golden trolled pairs in 2008), with productivity trends shown in Eagle, a preliminary investigation was carried out at the the Fig. 1. The overall data (originating from a systemat- headquarters of the Associazione Cacciatori Alto Adige, ic monitoring for the 2004-2014 period) about Alto Adige where the annual reports by the gamekeepers are stored and those for the Val Venosta are compared (Fig. 1). for each reserve (in Alto Adige there are 148 municipal The productivity in the Val Venosta resulted lower, or fractional hunting reserves), considering the number of due to an overestimation of the Alto Adige data (repro- pairs present in each reserve, the number of known nests, duction is sometimes estimated by gamekeepers only in the rate of reproductive success, the number of young ob- the take-off phase of the young and, if this does not hap- served. These data were integrated with observations con- pen, the pair is often considered unchecked). However, it

Table 1. Preliminary summary of Golden Eagle’s pairs whose presence has been ascertained in Alto Adige in individual reserves. It shows: available nests, trends (where available) of the 2002-2014 reproductive period with correspondent per-year productivity, i.e. number of fledged young compared to the number of checked pairs.

Pair Nests N. pair Youngs that took off 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1 2 1 ? ? ? ? 1 0 1 2 0 0 2 ? 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 ? ? ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 1 3 7 1 0 0 0 0 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 4 2 1 ? 1 0 1 ? 1 2 0 ? 1 ? ? ? 5 4 1 1 0 0 0 ? ? ? 0 ? ? 1 ? ? 6 5 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 ? 0 1 ? 1 ? 1 7 4 1 1 1 0 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 8 2 1 ? ? ? ? ? 1 ? ? ? ? 1 ? 1 9 4 1 1 ? ? 1 ? 1 1 2 ? ? ? 0 1

10 5 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ? North-East 11 7 1 ? ? 1 ? ? 1 ? 0 2 2 ? ? ? 12 1 1 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 13 4-6 1 ? ? 1 ? 1 ? 1 1 0 1 1 ? 0 14 2 1 ? 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ? 1 1 ? ? 15 2 1 ? ? 1 1 ? 0 ? ? 0 1 ? ? ? 16 9 1 ? ? 1 ? 1 2 ? 1 1 ? 2 ? ? 17 1 1 ? 1 1 1 1 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? 2 18 1 1 ? 1 1 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2 19 1 1 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 20 2-3 1 ? ? ? ? ? 1 ? 0 1 ? ? 1 ? 21 1 1 1 2 1 ? ? ? ? 0 ? ? ? ? ?

22 2 1 (2 in 2007) ? ? 1 ? ? 3 ? 0 0 ? ? ? ? Sarentine 23 2 1 ? 1 1 1 1 1 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? 24 1 1 ? ? ? ? ? 1 1 2 2 2 2 ? 1 25 7 1 ? ? 1 ? 1 ? ? ? ? 1 ? ? ? 26 10 1 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? 0 1 0 ? 0 1 27 9 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 28 12 1 ? 0 1 0 ? ? ? ? ? 1 ? ? ? 29 7 1 ? 0 1 0 ? ? 1 ? ? 0 ? 0 ? 30 3 1 ? 1 1 0 1 ? ? 1 0 ? ? ? ? 31 7 1 ? 0 1 0 ? 1 1 1 1 1 1 ? 1 32 7 1 ? 2 0 0 ? 1 ? ? ? 1 1 ? 1

33 5 1 ? 0 0 1 ? ? 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? Dolomiti 34 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 ? 0 ? ? ? ? ? ? 35 2-4 1 (2 in 2005) ? 0 0 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 36 2 1 1 1 0 1 ? 1 ? ? ? ? 0 0 ? 37 1 1 0 1 ? ? ? ? ? 1 ? ? ? ? ? 38 5 1 0 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 1 0 39 14 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 40 1 1 1 0 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 1 1 ? ? 41 1 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 1 1 1 ? ?

42 4 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 1 ? ? ? Sud 43 2 1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2 ? ? ? 44 5 1 ? 1 ? ? ? 2 ? 1 1 ? ? 1 2 45 2 1 ? ? ? ? 1 ? 1 ? 2 ? 0 2 ? continued 50 The Golden Eagle in Alto Adige

Pair Nests N. pair Youngs that took off 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 46 2 1 1 1 0 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 ? 1 47 4 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 2 1 2 1 0 1 ? 48 2 1 0 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 49 5 1 1 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 - - 0 50 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 51 3 1 ? ? ? ? 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 52 5 1 ? ? ? ? 0 0 0 0 1 - - 0 1 53 1 1 1 54 2 1 ? ? ? ? 0 0 1 0 1 - 0 0 0

55 5 1 ? 1 ? ? 1 0 0 - 0 2 1 0 0 Venosta-Meranese 56 6 1 ? 1 2 2 1 0 - - - 1 2 1 1 57 2 1 ? ? 1 - 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 58 4 1 ? ? ? 1 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 59 5 1 ? ? 1 - 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 60 2 1 ? ? - - 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 61 2 1 1 0 1 1 ? ? ? ? 1 1 0 1 1 62 4 1 ? - ? - ? ? ? ? ? ? 0 0 1 63 4 1 0 0 1 ? 1 ? ? 1 ? ? 2 1 2 64 4 1 1 1 0 0 ? ? ? ? ? ? 0 0 - 65 5 1 0 2 0 0 ? ? ? 1 0 1 0 0 1

66 1 1 Stelvio National Park 251-256 65-67 18 26 30 24 24 28 22 22 28 38 23 11 26

Checked pairs 27 36 41 37 29 37 29 38 32 37 36 29 33 Productivity Alto Adige 0.67 0.72 0.73 0.65 0.83 0.76 0,76 0.58 0.88 1.03 0.64 0.38 0.79

is interesting to note a clear trend, with years of a decline be considered sufficiently precise, an analysis with respect in productivity (2005, 2007, 2009 and 2013). The repro- to elevation a.s.l. and slope exposure was carried out. The ductive year 2011 is particularly relevant; indeed 29 pairs number of nests, expressed as percentage, was compared had young fledged, 9 (31%) had two young in Alto Adige, with the percentage availability of suitable rock cliffs (n = while 4 pairs out of 9 (44%) had two young in the Val 4525) at different elevations (Fig. 2) and exposures (Fig. 3). Venosta. It emerges, as shown in Fig. 2, a more elevated selec- For the 203 nests distributed in the Western and cen- tion of elevations between 1600 and 2200 m a.s.l., as well tral and Eastern districts, whose cartographic location is to as southern and eastern exposures.

1,2 1

0,8 Alto Adige 0,6 Val Venosta 0,4 0,2 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Figure 1. Comparison of Golden Eagle’s productivity detected in Alto Adige (2002-2014; light grey) and Val Venosta (2004-2014; dark grey).

51 Bliem et al.

2400-2450 2200-2400 2000-2200 % nests 1800-2000 % available cliffs 1600-1800 1400-1600 1200-1400 1000-1200 800-1000 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Figure 2. Distribution (%) of nests (n = 203) according to the elevation a.s.l. in relation to the availability of rocky cliffs (n = 4524).

20 % nests % available cliffs 15

0 E SE S SW W NW N NE

Figure 3. Distribution (%) of nests (n = 203) according to slope exposure in relation to the availability of rocky cliffs (n = 4524).

Golden Eagle’s territories in 2011

Territories of Bearded Vulture’s breeding pairs

2011 territory of a Bearded Vulture’s pair

Golden Eagles’ nests

Bearded Vultures’ nests

Bearded Vulture’s nest in 2011

Figure 4. Knowledge status updated to 2015 about the Golden Eagle and the Bearded Vulture in Alto Adige.

52 The Golden Eagle in Alto Adige

For some nests in the Val Venosta, surveys were carried Senales (2013 - attempt to breed) and Martello (2014 - suc- out following the take-off of young through the recovery of cessful nesting) built their nests in the immediate vicinity the prey remains that were still recognizable. The analyses of Eagles’ nests (about 150 m from the nearest nest). of the remains allowed the following reconstruction of the The Ortles pair in 2016 brought its young into the heart trophic spectrum in terms of percentage biomass: of the territory of the Eagle pair at Trafoi. After the initial • pair number 64 in an area with plenty of marmots: difficult interactions, today the two species share peace- 59.8% marmot Marmota marmota, 33.5% other mam- fully the same territories. It should be checked in the near mals (wild + domestic), 6.7% poultry species (Tetrao- future if, in the areas of Bearded Vulture’s occurrence, the nidae, Corvidae); Eagle can limit itself to use only the smaller nesting cliffs, • pair n. 65 in an area with limited availability of mar- as it seems to occur in these first cases of extreme proxim- mots: 26.1% marmot Marmota marmota, 67.2% oth- ity (> 50 m), where the Bearded Vulture has always used er mammals (wild + domestic), 6.7% poultry species the largest cliffs (Fig. 4). (Tetraonidae, Corvidae).

An analysis of the trophic spectrum performed by REFERENCES placing a phototrap at an active nest of the pair number 58 Borgo A., 2001. I rapaci nei Parchi Naturali di Fanes Sennes confirmed the results obtained for the pair No. 64. Braies e Puez Odle. Ripartizione natura e paesaggio, Ufficio In general, it was confirmed that there are “clean” pairs parchi naturali, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano. that had not left remains of prey in their nest, while others Borgo A., 2005. L’Aquila reale nel Parco Naturale Fanes Sennes Braies. Ufficio Parchi Naturali, Ripartizione Natura e Paesag- rear offspring in landfills. gio, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano. In the Val Venosta area, 3-4 Bearded Vulture Gypae Clementi T., 2005. L’Aquila reale nel Parco Naturale Vedrette di tus barbatus pairs are known: since 2011 in Senales (no Ries/Aurina. Ufficio Parchi Naturali, Ripartizione Natura e Paesaggio, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano. further breeding pairs since 2014), since 2012 at Planeil, Winding N. & Lindner R., 2005. L’Aquila nelle Alpi Orientali. In- since 2014 at Martello, since 2015 at Ortles. The pairs at terreg III Italia-Austria.

53 Avocetta 41: 55-58 (2017)

Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Veneto

Giuseppe Tormen1, Silvana De Col1

1 Via S. Cipriano 279, 32024 Castion Belluno (BL); [email protected]

The first investigations on the Golden Eagle in Veneto this raptor in areas where it was not previously present as were started in the second half of the 1980s in the prov- breeding, but also as a result of the division of previously inces of Vicenza (Pedrini & Smaniotto 1993), Belluno and known territories. Treviso (Tormen & Cibien 1991). Another research pro- As already stated, continuous data on reproductive ject was then carried out in a smaller territorial area, in the success are not available for Veneto; in fact data collec- province of Belluno within the Dolomiti Bellunesi Nation- tion took place for scattered periods and different areas, al Park, during the AQUILALP project, Intereg III Italy therefore we consider appropriate to present them sepa- Austria (Tormen et al. 2008). Concerning the province of rately (Tab. 2). These values fall within the average range Verona, where a Golden Eagle’s reproductive population of other populations in the Alps. is known, we are unaware of any specific surveys and there Regarding the characteristics of the breeding sites in are only estimates originating from generic ornithological the provinces of Belluno and Treviso, about 140 nests are publications. In all of these cases, investigations have cov- known, for 129 of which some environmental parameters ered only a short time period, and there are therefore no have been detected, such as altitude a.s.l., slope exposure continuous data series over the years, particularly regard- and coordinates. ing the reproductive success. The average elevation of nests was 1343 m a.s.l. (S.D. Following classic methods for investigating raptors, = 368.8), with a minimum of 550 m and a maximum of the research took place by identifying the territorial pairs and their nesting sites, and collecting information on the structure of the population, the reproductive success, diet, and factors of disturbance and mortality. Veneto is 18,264 km2 in size, however the mountain range suitable for the Golden Eagle is only 26.3% of the entire regional territory, i.e. about 4800 km2, 3000 km2 of which lies in the province of Belluno (excluding Val Bel- luna, about 700 km2) (Fig. 1). The first estimate of the breeding population in Vene- to dates back to 1985 (AA.VV. 1985), and it was more based on the environmental suitability than on an actual census of the pairs present. Over successive decades, this estimate has gradually increased (Tab. 1) (De Franceschi 1991, Tormen & Cibien 1991, Pedrini & Smaniotto 1993, Tormen & Cibien 1995, Tormen & De Col 2011, Mezza- villa et al. 2016). How much of this increase is due to our increase in knowledge or instead to the real expansion of new pairs, is difficult to establish; undoubtedly both causes were important. Particularly in the late 1980s and in mid-1990s, it was possible to document the presence of Figure 1. Study area, Veneto Nord East Italy.

Table 1. Censused and estimated pairs in Veneto in 1985 and 2016.

Pairs/year Belluno Vicenza Verona Treviso Total in Veneto

1985 20-25 2-3 0-1 0 22-29 2016 38-40 5-8 1-3 1-2 45-53

2150 m. In Fig. 2 there are two prevailing peaks at about 1100 m, minimum 750 m, maximum 1400 m (Pedrini & 1100 m and 1700 m; this is to be associated to the dif- Smaniotto 1993). The mean number of pair nests in the ferent altitudes of the mountain groups. There has been a province of Belluno resulted 3.8 (taking into consideration significant correlation (p < 0.001) between the elevation only pairs for which at least one nest is known), the maxi- of the nests and the maximum elevation of the mountain mum number of nests was of 13. groups in which they are located. In the central-southern The slope exposure of the nesting cliffs is as follows: part of the province of Belluno, reliefs have in fact lower N 2.4%, N-E 7.1%, E 13.5%, S-E 23.8%, S 25.5%, S-W elevations than in the northern area where the larger do- 20%, W 15.9%, N-W 7.1%. There is a prevalence of south- lomite groups are located. The average elevation of the ern quadrants, 65.2% between S-E and S-W (Fig. 3). This main peaks (n = 16) in the central-southern area was 2325 could therefore be an important factor for the reproduc- m a.s.l. (S.D. = 253.2) and the average elevation of nests tive success, considering that on the northern slopes, dur- resulted 1160 (S.D. = 268.9). In the northern part (n = ing the incubation phase and the first weeks of the chicks 17), the average value was instead 2912 m (S.D. = 289.1) life, weather conditions are still to be considered as winter. while that of the nests was 1750 (S.D. = 194.3). It is in- All of the known nests are located on rocky cliffs; teresting to note how, in both cases, the altitude difference no nest on trees were found. The prevailing locations are between the mean of the nests and that of the peaks is sim- inside cavities (74.8%), on ledges (9.7%) and on terrac- ilar, respectively 1165 m and 1162 m, with a difference of es/spikes (15.4%). Thus the largest percentage of nests is only 3 m. This correlation between the elevation of nests sheltered from the atmospheric precipitations and from the and that of the adjacent peaks was also found in Trentino sun during the mid-day hours. (Pedri ni 1992). The distance between the centres of adjacent reproduc- In the province of Vicenza the average elevation is tive sites ranges between a minimum of 4.5 km and a max-

Table 2. Reproductive parameters success in Veneto, in 1984-2005 period.

Vicenza Belluno e Treviso Dolomiti Bellunesi 1984-1992 1989-1994 National park 2003-2005 Detected pairs A 5 40 8 Checked pairs B 31 82 19 Nesting pairs D - 47 8 Not nesting pairs E - 28 11 Failed nidifications F - 7 0 Successful nidifications G 15 40 8 Pairs with 1 young that took off H 14 39 8 Pairs with 2 young that fledged I 1 1 0 No. young that fledged J 16 41 8 % laying pairs L = D/B - 57.3% 42.1% % successful hatches M = G/D - 85.1% 100% % chick-rearing pairs N = G/B 48.4% 48.7% 42.1% Productivity O = J/B 0.51 0.50 0.42 Take-off rate P = J/G 1.06 1.02 1 Reproductive success U = J/D - 0.87 1 Bibliographic source Pedrini & Smaniotto 1993 Tormen & Cibien 1995 Tormen et al. 2008

56 Status of the Golden Eagle in Veneto

20 18 16 14 nests (n = 129) 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100

altitude (m a.s.l.)

Figure 2. Elevation a.s.l. of nests in the provinces of Belluno and Treviso. imum of 22.5 km in the pre-alpine area, with an average by photographers, hikers, abandonment by hunters of car- value of 6.8 km. (S.D. = 3.5). casses of ungulates containing lead, and poaching. The lat- The average size of the territories in the province of ter seems in any case in regression compared to the past Belluno is 78.9 km2 per pair (3000 km2/38 pairs), equiva- decades although, on the basis of news not ascertainable, lent to 12.6 pairs per 1000 km2. Locally, like in the Dolo- the disappearance of a pair in the province of Treviso in the miti Bellunesi National Park, there were higher densities late 1990s seems to be attributable to this cause. with a minimum of 50 km2 per pair, i.e. 20 pairs/1000 km2 The situation of the Golden Eagle in Veneto can be (Tormen & De Col 2013). An approximate assessment can considered overall satisfactory, with the presence of a sta- be made for the entire regional area, where the average ble population tending to a potential increase. Particular- extension of the territories was 106.6 km2 per pair (4800 ly in the province of Belluno, in areas like the Dolomiti km2/45 pairs), i.e. 9.4 pairs/1000 km2. Bellunesi National Park, it holds the maximum density of Individual characteristics for each specimen were de- pairs compared to the current environmental potential, and tected from 1083 observations carried out in the provinces it is conceivable that it can increase only with an increase of Belluno and Treviso (years 1989-2016) and these were of its prey, in particular the Marmot Marmota marmota divided by sex and age class: (Tormen & de Col 2013). a) sex: 590 males (54.5%), 493 females (45.5%); In the provinces of Vicenza and Verona, the situation b) age classes: 771 adults (71.2%), 194 immature/sub-a is less known; however, we believe there are still margins dults (17.9%), 118 first year young (10.9%). for the settlement of new breeding pairs.

The composition of the detected territorial pairs is shown in Tab. 3. N 30 Added information from third parties as well as from 25 NW NE the news media, between 1970 and 2016 it was possible 20 to recover 19 eagles from the province of Belluno, 14 of 15 which found death and 5 injured. It was not always possi- 10 ble to establish the cause of injury, illness or death as only 5 a small number were inspected by us and analyzed in vet- W 0 E erinary laboratories. There is also a lack of specific investigations on saturnism, which could possibly be the main reason of some cases. The following list is therefore only indicative: electrocution 31.5%, poaching 15.7%, territo- NW SE rial dispute with other eagles 21.1%, and unknown 31.5%. The factors of mortality and disturbance are the same S as in other Alpine areas: suspended cables, electrocution, Figure 3. Slope exposures (%) of nests in the provinces of Bel- flights over the breeding areas by helicopters, disturbance luno and Treviso (n = 129).

57 Tormen & De Col

Table 3. Pair composition by age in the provinces of Belluno and Treviso, years 1989-2016.

Checked pairs A 108 Adult pairs B 90 Pairs with adult / immature-subadult C 13 Pairs with both immature-subadult D 5 Pairs with adult male/ immature-subadult female E 4 Pairs with adult female/ immature-subadult male F 9 % adult pairs G = B/A 83% % pairs with adult / immature-subadult H = C/A 12% % pairs with both immature-subadult I = D/A 5% % pairs with adult male/ immature-subadult female J = E/C 30% % pairs with adult female/ immature-subadult male L = F/C 70%

In the pre-alpine area and in lower-altitude areas, the De Franceschi P., 1991. Atlante degli uccelli nidificanti in provin- gradual and steady increase of forests, due to the abandon- cia di Verona 1983-1987. Mem. Mus. Civ. St. Nat., Verona. Mezzavilla F., Scarton F. & Bon M., 2016. Gli uccelli del Veneto. ment of traditional mowing and pasture activities, could Danilo Zanetti Ed., Montebelluna, pp. 126-127. however reduce, in the medium and long term, the trophic Pedrini P., 1992. L’Aquila reale in provincia di Trento: Status, areas of the marginal Golden Eagles’ pairs of the Veneto. Ecologia e Biologia riproduttiva. Pp. 83-130. In: Atti Conv. Aquila reale, Gallo cedrone, Coturnice alpina, Marmotta alpi- The knowledge about this raptor is dated and new in- na. Tipografia Rotaltype, Mezzocorona, Trento. vestigations are needed. It is therefore desirable that young Pedrini P. & Smaniotto R., 1993. L’Aquila reale Aquila chrysae- researchers can be attracted to continue work on the spe- tos in provincia di Vicenza. Pp. 113-116. In: Mezzavilla F. & Stival E. (eds), Atti I° Conv. Faunisti Veneti, Montebelluna. cies, perhaps aided by monitoring activities or projects in- Tormen G. & Cibien A., 1991. L’Aquila reale nelle province di itiated by protected areas, such as regional and national Belluno e Treviso. Gruppo Natura Bellunese, Provincia di Belluno. Tipografia Niero, Belluno, 75 pp. parks present in Veneto. Tormen G. & Cibien A., 1995. Ecologia e biologia riproduttiva dell’Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos nelle province di Belluno e Treviso. Avocetta 19: 103. Acknowledgments – Quoting all the people who have contrib- Tormen G.,Vettorazzo E., Poloniato G., Canal E. & Friz F., 2008. uted to the investigations over the years is impossible; thanks go Stato dell’Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos nel Parco Nazionale to Ivan Farronato and Maurizio Sighele who have provided infor- delle Dolomiti Bellunesi. Pp. 168-171. In: Bon M., Bonato L. mation about the provinces of Vicenza and Verona, to Gianfranco & Scarton F. (eds). Atti 5° Conv. Faunisti Veneti. Boll. Mus. Martignago and Francesco Mezzavilla for the province of Trevi- Civ. St. Nat. Venezia 58 (suppl.). so and especially to Antonello Cibien, Enrico Canal and Fabrizio Tormen G. & De Col S., 2011. Rapaci diurni e notturni della pro- Friz, with whom we shared many days in company of the eagles. vincia di Belluno. Pp. 183-217. In: Gruppo Natura Bellunese (eds), Atti 2° Conv. Aspetti Natur. prov. Belluno. Tipografia Piave, Belluno. Tormen G. & De Col S., 2013. I Rapaci diurni e notturni del Parco REFERENCES Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi. Pp. 7-36. In: Gustin M. & Vettorazzo E. (eds), Studi ornitologici nel Parco Nazionale AA. VV., 1985. Carta delle vocazioni faunistiche del Veneto. Re- Dolomiti Bellunesi. Collana Rapporti 9. Tipografia DBS, Se- gione del Veneto. Industria Grafica Padova, pp. 82-83. ren del Grappa, Belluno.

58 Avocetta 41: 59-62 (2017)

Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia

Antonio Borgo1, Fulvio Genero2

1 Via Lemno 8, 30126 Venezia, Italy 2 Via Montelungo 43, 33100 Udine, Italy

The monitoring of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos to those found in the Central and Western Alps, which population in Friuli Venezia Giulia was carried out at a are characterized by larger availability of grassland habi- regional scale only in the mid 90s (Genero & Caldana tats. In 1997 a total of 27 pairs were estimated to occur in 1997). Since then, regional data was never updated; how- the region (Genero & Caldana 1997). Today, 35-38 pairs ever, since 1999 a systematic monitoring of the species has of Golden Eagle are estimated in Friuli Venezia Giulia, been carried out by the “Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti Fri- with a substantial increase compared to 1997. This posi- ulane” (PNDF), covering almost the whole mountainous tive trend is well documented in the western part of the sector of the Western Friuli (Borgo 2009a), a total area of Region, where the monitoring carried out by the PNDF al- 690 km2. The update of the situation and knowledge lev- lowed for the accumulation of more accurate estimates and el are therefore very heterogeneous, as the PNDF acts as to verify the establishment of three new pairs, with a popu- a sample study area for the monitoring of this species at a lation density increased from 1.33 pairs/100 km² (n = 8), to regional level. The PNDF performs this long-term moni- 1.80 pairs/100 km² (n = 11) (Borgo 2014). toring of the Golden Eagle because some population pa- In recent years, attempts by immature pairs to settle in rameters and diet composition have been identified as in- marginal territories of the foothills have been noticed, with dicators of factors and dynamics affecting the ecosystem frequent observations of individuals hunting in the mead- (fanALP 2010). ows and “magredi” habitats of the high Friulian plain. As Observations, carried out through established method- in the entire Italian distribution range of the species, the ologies, has been focused on the monitoring of pairs, nests density increase has been enabled primarily by the im- localization and determination of the typical parameters provement of trophic resources and therefore, of the carry- used to study the breeding biology of the species. Data col- ing capacity of the territory. The observed density increase lection on the diet was carried out by observing prey trans- seems also to be supported by the end of, or at least by port to the nest or, in rare cases, by collecting prey remains the substantial reduction, of human persecutions registered at the end of the breeding season (Borgo 2009a). The pair over the last 40 years. The new pairs, in fact, often estab- density has been measured using the Nearest Neighbour lish in close proximity to human settlements, in areas pre- Distance method (NNDM). viously avoided by eagles for breeding and where no nests The mountainous area of the Friuli Venezia Giulia were ever found in the past (Borgo 2014). region presents high forest cover and low availability of The study carried out in the PNDF shows a wide food high-altitude meadows, whose abundance is more signifi- niche and the very importantance of carnivores to the cant only in the inner section of the Alpine arc, in the Ju- Golden Eagle’s diet, probably because of the lower avail- lian and Carnic Alps. These features affect the Golden ability of optimal prey, such as the Alpine Marmots Mar- Eagle`s population, influencing the size of the pairs’ home mota marmota and Hares Lepus timidus (Borgo 2013). The ranges (Borgo 2003) and their diet, which is characterized same study has also highlighted that the diet of the Golden by a wide food niche in the pre-alpine and dolomite sec- Eagle changed significantly between 1989-1995 and 1999- tors (Borgo 2013). These environmental factors also ex- 2012, due to the increase in occurrence of the marmot and plain the historically lower productivity values compared the diminution in frequency of reptiles, Falconiformes and

Strigiformes. As a consequence of the diet improvement, data series allowed us to analyze the breeding trends of the the average prey weight in the recent period resulted high- western regional population. Between 2000 and 2008, an er (1841 g, S.E. = 261) than in the past (1348 g, S.E. = increase in both the percentage of egg laying pairs (incu- 351) (Borgo 2013). These results point out the efficacy and bating pairs/pairs checked) and productivity (juv. fledged/ the relevance for the ecosystem of the reintroduction of the pairs checked) was observed, with average triennial val- Alpine Marmot in the area, confirming its importance as ues even higher than 74% (Figs 1 and 2). This is probably management measure for the conservation of the Golden related to the improvement of food availability as a result Eagle in the eastern and southern parts of the Alps (Bor- of the increase in chamois Rupicapra rupicapra and deer go & Mattedi 2003). Information about population breed- Cervus sp. populations (Borgo 2009). Currently, the per- ing biology is only available for the western part of the centage of pairs laying eggs has decreased, with an aver- Region. In 2016 low values were observed, both in terms age value of 50.8% for the last three years (2014-2016). In of pair number and productivity. Breeding failures were spite of the reduction in the percentage of egg-laying pairs, greater than in the previous three years (Fig. 1). Historical productivity remains stable on values significantly higher

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 % pairs laying eggs 10 0 2016 2015 2013 2011 2014 2012 2010 2007 2003 2008 2005 2001 2009 2006 2002 2004 2000 1999 1997 1995 1993 1991 1998 1996 1994 1992

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4

Productivity 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 2016 2015 2013 2011 2014 2012 2010 2007 2003 2008 2005 2001 2009 2006 2002 2004 2000 1999 1997 1995 1993 1991 1998 1996 1994 1992

100

% nesting failure 20

0 2016 2015 2013 2011 2014 2012 2010 2007 2003 2008 2005 2001 2009 2006 2002 2004 2000 1999 1997 1995 1993 1991 1998 1996 1994 1992

Year

Figure 1. Annual trend of the Golden Eagle’s breeding parameters in the Western part of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

60 Status of the Golden Eagle in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia

80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 % pairs laying eggs 10.0 0.0 1991-1993 1994-1996 1997-1999 2000-2002 2003-2005 2006-2008 2009-2011 2012-2014 45.6 40.0 52.3 74.7 59.3 85.7 52.4 49.2

0.50 0.45 0.40 0.35 0.30 0.25 0.20

Productivity 0.15 0.10 0.5 0.0 1991-1993 1994-1996 1997-1999 2000-2002 2003-2005 2006-2008 2009-2011 2012-2014 0.29 0.27 0.32 0.45 0.37 0.42 0.40 0.40

45.0 40.0 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0

% nesting failure 10.0 5.0 0.0 1991-1993 1994-1996 1997-1999 2000-2002 2003-2005 2006-2008 2009-2011 2012-2014 28.2 27.8 38.9 40.8 39.5 35.8 21.7 11.1

Figure 2. Average triennial trend of the Golden Eagle’s breeding parameters in the Western part of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

than those recorded before 2000, with an average value of teorological conditions in late winter and spring may also 0.42 for the last three years (2014-2016) (Figs 1 and 2). play a role in the annual variability of the breeding suc- In spite of the decline in the percentage of pairs that cess (Borgo 2009b). Today, the knowledge of the conser- start breeding, the stability of productivity is maintained vation status of the regional population of Golden Eagle is by the decrease in nesting failures, once a more common adequate, although there is a strong heterogeneity in data factor (Figs 1 and 2). This can be related to both the im- availability for different areas. The species is systemati- provement of food availability and quality (Borgo 2013), cally monitored only in one sector of the western part of and decreased disturbance at the nest sites by irresponsible the Region, thanks to the work carried out by the PNDF, photographers (Borgo 2009a). The decline in the percent- which considers this species as one of the environmental age of egg-laying pairs may be a consequence of the in- indicators of its ecosystem quality. crease in population density, which has led to contraction In the remaining portion of the Region, data have not of the pair territories and to greater defence efforts. been updated after the surveys carried out between 1987 In the western part of Friuli Venezia Giulia harsh me- and 1993 (Genero & Caldana 1997). It is therefore desira-

61 Borgo & Genero ble to invest greater efforts primarily for updating informa- in the Eastern Italian Alps. Atti 1° Conv. Ital. Rapaci Diurni e tion on the number of pairs present in the regional territory. Notturni, Avocetta 27: 81-82. Borgo A., 2009a. L’Aquila reale. Parco Naturale Dolomiti Friula- Consequently, it would be important to increase the sam- ne. I libri del Parco, 5, 191 pp. ple of monitored pairs, in order to better represent the en- Borgo A., 2009b. Influenza delle condizioni meteorologiche sul- tire breeding regional population. Finally, the evolution of la riproduzione dell’aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos nelle Al- pi Orientali. Primi dati. XV Conv. Ital. Orn., Alula 16 (1-2): the major threats, such as reforestation and pressure from 709-711. mountain tourism, should be monitored as they may have Borgo A., 2013. Feeding ecology of the Golden Eagle Aquila significant effects on the status of the Golden Eagle’s pop- chrysaetos in the Dolomites (Eastern Alps). Atti II Conv. Ital. Rapaci Diurni e Notturni, Quaderni Faunistici, 3: 244-253. ulation over the coming years. Borgo A., 2014. Effetti a lungo termine della protezione dell’a quila reale (Aquila chrysaetos): il caso della popolazione del Friuli Occidentale. Pp. 133-135. In: Tinarelli R., Andreotti Acknowledgements – The authors are grateful to the Dolomiti A., Baccetti N., Melega L., Roscelli F., Serra L. & Zenatello Friulane Natural Park for the promotion of the long term study M. (eds), Atti XVI Conv. Ital. Orn., Scritti Studi e Ricerche di about the Golden Eagle’s ecology in Friuli Venezia Giulia, and to Storia Naturale della Repubblica di San Marino. Mita Drius for kind revision of the English version. Borgo A. & Mattedi S., 2003. Effetti della disponibilità di Camo- scio e Marmotta sulla produttività dell’Aquila reale (Aquila chrysaetos) nel Parco Naturale Dolomiti Friulane. Atti XII Conv. Ital. Orn., Avocetta 27: 149. REFERENCES Genero F. & Caldana M., 1997. L’Aquila reale (Aquila chrysaetos) in Friuli-Venezia Giulia: status, distribuzione, ecologia. Borgo A., 2003. Ecology of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Fauna 4: 59-78.

62 Avocetta 41: 63-68 (2017)

Trend and status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos breeding population in the northern Apennines: Results from 20-years of monitoring

Riccardo Nardelli1,2

1 Gruppo Aquila reale Appennino Settentrionale, c/o Ubaldo Ricci (Coordinatore) - Via Martiri della Libertà 46, 19037 S. Stefano Magra (SP), Italy 2 ISPRA, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale - Via Ca’ Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO); [email protected]

The historical occurrence of the Golden Eagle Aqui- the first decade of monitoring to the ones recorded during la chrysaetos in the Northern Apennines is supported by the last decade. Our aim was to test the occurrence of vari- many documentary evidences, and confirmed by several ations in breeding performances in time and space associ- toponyms that include the Italian term “aquila” referred ated to increased intra-specific interactions among territo- to mountainous locations near nesting sites or where this rial pairs. raptor was frequently observed. This raptor was proba- Finally we briefly list further extrinsic factors that may bly more widespread in the past and faced a strong demo- affect demographic variations of the breeding population, graphic decline due to centuries of human persecution until including anthropogenic pressures and threats. 1977, when the killing of raptors was definitively banned The Northern Apennines extend for over 400 km along in Italy. Nevertheless, a number of breeding pairs survived the WNW-ESE direction, dividing the Po river basin from in the wildest locations of the Apennines, most of which the Tyrrhenian valleys. This chain is limited to west by the were gradually included inside protected areas. Pass of Cadibona and to east by the Bocca Trabaria Pass; Studies on the status of the Northern Apennines’s the highest mountain is M. Cimone (2165 m a.s.l). The breeding population date back to the 1980s (Fasce & Fasce study area (Fig. 1) was covered through a 5x5 km2 grid, ob- 1984) when a total of 8-10 breeding pairs was reported. tained by partitioning the ETRS89-LAEA 10 x10 km grid. Updated reports were published some years later by Chia- To better define the study area, we applied the criterion of vetta (1994), Chiavetta (2001) and Fasce & Fasce (2003). including all the cells with ridges above 800 m, so that the An improved collection of standardized data from the late resulting total surface (511 cells, 12,775 km2) is larger than 1990s, achieved through the coordination of volunteers the one estimated by Schiassi et al. 2013 (10,000 km2). We from different regions of the study area (Liguria, Tuscany, divided the study area into four sub-regions (west to east: Emilia-Romagna) resulted in two more recent reports (Ma- Ligurian Apennines Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, Apuan grini & Perna 2007, Schiassi et al., 2013). Currently the Alps, Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines) according to their monitoring of the breeding population is supported by over relative homogeneity in physical and environmental fea- 20 observers through regular controls of known pairs and tures. home ranges, according to a standardized field protocol. Among the study area cells, 125 (24.6%) comprise This paper aims to update the data collected in Schias- ridges above 1400 m, and 23 (4.5%) above 1800 m. The si et al. (2013) by reporting on the last four breeding sea- majority of tops exceeding 1800 m a.s.l. are located in the sons, and to better assess the trend of the Golden Eagle’s central portion of the chain (Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, breeding population and distribution across a period of 20 Apuan Alps), while few ridges exceeding 1400 m. in the years (1997-2016). In order to put in evidence the effects western (Ligurian Apennines) and eastern portion (Tus- due to population increase in time, we compared the breed- can-Romagnolo Apennines). Woodland dominates the ing performance of the known oldest home ranges during landscape. Traditional farmlands and pastures are wide-

with ridges above > 800 m (N = 511) LIGURIAN APENNINES Parma with ridges above > 1400 m (N = 125; 24.5%) with ridges above > 1800 m (N = 23; 4.5%)

Bologna

TUSCAN-EMILIAN APENNINES Genova TUSCAN-ROMAGNOLO APENNINES

La Spezia

APUAN ALPS Firenze

0 15 30 km

Figure 1. Study area, defined by means of a 5x5 km grid. The cells have been classified according to three classes of altitude a.s.l. spread in the less steeper slopes, especially in the north the cells where any breeding site was located, plus the 8 side of the study area, while meadows are restricted to cells around. This method employs the theoretical home ridges over 1500 m. Rocky areas and cliffs mostly occur at range model proposed by McLeod et al. (2002). Time var- medium altitudes along valley sides. iation in the breeding distribution has been calculated as The monitoring protocol of known home ranges re- percent variation of occupied cells. Density refers to the quired a minimum of 3 visits/pair between late winter and number of home ranges per 1000 km2. The mean nearest fledging, according to the methods by Fasce (1988) and neighbour distance (NND) was employed to obtain the Eaton et al. (2007). Unsuccessful visits with uncertain data maximum theoretical density (Watson 1997). were usually repeated. Beyond the breeding period, inves- Means of the breeding parameters for each home tigations on new territorial pairs were carried out by ex- range were calculated for the first (1997-2006) and second ploring suitable sites for the species or cliffs presumably (2007-2016) decade of monitoring. The home ranges were used in the past for breeding, by finding nests on cliff or estimated and then classified as “old” if settled before De- tall trees, or by reporting stable occurrence of adults. Dis- cember 1997, or “new” if settled after. Grouped and paired covery of new breeding pairs close to known home ranges data were compared using a non parametric test (Wilcoxon is usually coupled by simultaneous checks in order to con- Test). firm the occurrence of distinct pairs. Visits to potentially- Monitoring datasets collected between 1997 and 2006 suitable breeding sites were more frequent in the last 15 are summarized in Fig. 2. The number of detected home years as new volunteers were involved in the monitoring ranges gradually increased from 17 in 1997 to 32 in 2016 efforts. (+88.2%; mean yearly increase: +3,38%). One breeding The annual breeding parameters included: productiv- home range has never been detected since 2014. ity, breeding success and mean number of fledged young/ The distribution, computed in terms of number of oc- pair, as defined by Fasce (1988) and Andreotti & Leon- cupied cells, amounts to 212 units with a percentage in- ardi (2007). Data on clutch size was not collected. Indi- crease of 63% from the beginning of the monitoring. Cur- vidual ages were determined according to moult patterns rent values compared to those collected during the 1980’s of the flight feathers into three categories (adult, sub-adult, result in a remarkable increase in distribution, estimable in young). Home ranges of adults that have never bred or at- about +220-300% of population increase and +140-200% tempted to breed with certainty were excluded from the of occupied land. Home ranges of the breeding population analyses. are spaced throughout the whole northern Apennines (G Due to missing data on home range boundaries, the Test = 0.84): 13 are located in the Ligurian Apennines, 11 breeding distribution was roughly estimated by including in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, 5 in the Apuan Alps,

64 Trend and status of the Golden Eagle in the northern Apennines

35 1.2

30 1 youns/breeding pair 25 0.8 (breeding succes) 20 youns/pair (productivity) 0.6 15 0.4 10

5 0.2 N. of detected home-ranges 0 0 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Years

Figure 2. Trends in the number of home ranges, productivity and breeding success of the breeding population monitored between 1997 and 2016. and 3 in the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines; 14 are situ- alba, while another pair built its nest on a turkey oak tree ated south of the main watershed, 18 north of it (Tab. 1). Quercus cerris instead of the usual sites on rock-faces Home range density, mean NND and maximum theoretical (Schiassi pers. comm., first report of breeding on decidu- density were 2.51 home ranges/1000 km2, 11.4 km and 8.9 ous tree in the study area, Fig. 3). pairs/1000 km2 respectively. We noticed a higher increase Mean productivity was 0.52 young/pair, ranging be- in number and density of home ranges in the Ligurian Ap- tween 0.23 and 0.70, recorded in 2013 and 2005-2006 re- ennines (+10 pairs, from 0.64 to 2.78 home ranges/100 spectively. Comparing our observations with that of a pre- km2) and Apuan Alps (+2 pairs, from 4.0 to 6.67 home vious report (Schiassi et al. 2013), we likewise also found ranges/100 km2). In the former sub-region the increase is no evidence of an increase in yearly mean productivity and likely to be partly related to a better inspection of suitable negative trend in yearly breeding success. Breeding suc- sites for breeding. cess resulted positively correlated to the yearly mean NND Cells with ridges exceeding 1400 m occupied by the (Spearman, p <0.008). Productivity of old home ranges Golden Eagle account for a higher percent (32.8%) than significantly decreased from the period 1997-2006 (0.63 the total study area (24.5%). In addition, a higher local young/pair, S.D. = 0.25) to the period 2007-2016 (0.46, mean density was recorded in cells having elevated alti- S.D. = 0.20; p <0.023, Wilcoxon Test, N = 17). Similar- tude (0.41 home ranges/100 km2, >1400 m) compared ly, the breeding success significantly decreased from 0.90 to cells with lower altitude (0.23 home ranges/100 km2, young per breeding pair (S.D. = 0.29) to 0.70 (S.D. = 0.22) <1400 m), thus indicating the tendency to select the home (p <0.016, Wilcoxon Test, N = 17). Among these old home ranges mostly close to the main ridges of the Apennines. ranges, stronger significant decreases in productivity from Relatively-clumped home range zones in the study ar- the first (0.73, S.D. = 0.21) to the second decade (0.40, ea gave a local mean density of 0.7-0.8 home ranges/100 S.D. = 0.19, p <0.027; Wilcoxon Test, N = 6) of monitor- km2, particularly in the Apuan Alps, the Ligurian Apen- ing were recorded in 6 home range that reduced their NND nines and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. Conversely, we due to the settlement of new neighbouring home ranges. observed wide zones where home ranges were apparently The Golden Eagle population of the Northern Apen- lacking, such as the western Emilian Apennines, the east- nines experienced a significant increase like in other Ital- ern Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the eastern Tuscany. ian regions located south of our study area (Magrini & In twenty years of monitoring, 320 detected pairs out Perna 2007, Magrini et al. 2013). Similarly, the monitored of 474 were breeding, 231 of which successfully, produc- population is supported by a mean productivity very close ing a total of 244 young (0.76 young/pair/year). Nests with to the value recorded in a breeding population present in two-nestlings were observed 13 times (3 in 2016). All the central Italy (Magrini et al. 2013). A gradual spread on known pairs built their nests on cliffs, with the exception land and the settlement of new home ranges suggest a re- of one pair breeding regularly on a very old silver fir Abies turn to previously occupied locations that were later aban-

65 Nardelli

Table 1. Breeding parameters, number of home ranges and density in four sub-regions and whole study area.

decade Ligurian Apuan Tusco-Emilian Tusco-Rom. TOTAL Apennines Alps Apennines Apennines Northern Apennines 1997-2006 49 30 98 27 204 No. of monitored breeding pairs 2007-2016 93 40 105 32 270 total 142 70 203 59 474 1997-2006 31 23 60 19 133 Breeding pairs 2007-2016 58 30 78 21 187 (laying) total 89 53 138 40 320 1997-2006 25 20 53 20 118 No. of young 2007-2016 45 19 48 14 126 total 70 39 101 34 244 1997-2006 0.23 0.30 0.48 0.57 0.58 Productivity 2007-2016 0.51 0.44 0.45 0.47 0.47 (young/pair) mean 0.51 0.48 0.49 0.45 0.51 1997-2006 0.83 0.75 0.85 1.07 0.89 Breeding success 2007-2016 0.81 0.57 0.61 0.53 0.67 (young/breeding pair) mean 0.80 0.59 0.72 0.67 0.76 1997-2006 1.03 1.00 1.02 1.22 1.05 No. of fledged 2007-2016 1.06 1.00 1.05 1.11 1.06 (young/successful breeding pair) mean 1.05 1.00 1.04 1.18 1.06 Area (km2) 4675 750 4350 3000 12775 % 36.7% 5.9% 34.1% (23.3%) No. of home ranges in 1997 3 3 9 2 17 New home ranges (1998-2016) 10 2 2 1 15 Current N. of home ranges (2016) 13 5 11 3 32 No. of home ranges/1000 km2 2.78 6.67 2.53 1.00 2.50

doned as a consequence of human persecution. Our results cess of the oldest home ranges is matched to the settle- lead to believe that the population trend reflects a true in- ment of new neighboring home ranges. Territorial interfer- crease, although partly biased by a greater survey effort ence among neighboring breeding pairs can reduce breed- in certain zone of the study area (in particular, the Ligu- ing success (Haller 1982). In our study, this kind of intra- rian Apennines). The detected trend is likely to be outdat- specific interactions induced by newly-settled home ranges ed compared to the actual trend, as new pairs were usually could locally affect the breeding parameters of pairs that discovered a few years after their settlement. were settled formerly, but the mechanisms and behaviors The relatively homogeneous distribution of home involved are still unknown. Furthermore, the age of old ranges is coherent with a regular morphological develop- adult birds could have direct or indirect negative effects ment of Apennines, since this raptor can find a number of on their breeding performance. In at least two cases we no- suitable sites for breeding in both sides of the mountain ticed an improvement in breeding performance following chain, especially on slopes located at average altitudes in the change of one of two partners, but at present we can- the more harsh and deep valleys. Nevertheless, higher lo- not support this explanation due to the unknown age of the cal densities were detected in some portion of the study bird and to an excessively scarce sample. area, likely due to the occurrence of particularly suitable At a larger scale, competition is unlikely to be the de- sites for breeding (e.g., high availability of cliffs) as well terminantal factor of variations in breeding parameters, as as the abundance or prey availability. suggested by the detected low density in home ranges, and The breeding performances of the first decade of lower-than-expected density-dependent effects compared monitoring in formerly-settled home ranges compared to to other monitored regions where high density can affect the breeding performances of the second decade suggest breeding performance (Fasce et al. 2011). In addition, we that a marked decrease in productivity and breeding suc- believe that the local population has not yet achieved its

66 Trend and status of the Golden Eagle in the northern Apennines

Figure 3. Peculiar nest built up on a turkey oak growing on a very steep slope (Tuscan-Emilian Apennines). The flying adult has just been replaced by mate during incubation (courtesy of Giorgio Nini). carrying capacity, in consideration of the increasing num- dramatic reduction of officials employed to deter illegal ber of new home ranges during the last decade, the appear- actions against wildlife, mainly due to recent rearrange- ance of new breeding new pairs still incapable of breed- ment of the local administrations. ing, and the occurrence of potentially suitable sites for breeding. Aknowledgements – All the data summarized in this paper have The implementation of the Birds Directive played a been collected and kindly provided by the following volunteers of the G.A.A.S (Northern Apennines Golden Eagle Group): Ubal- key-role in the conservation of the Golden Eagle. The le- do Ricci (coordinator), Michela Adami, Nevio Agostini, Augusto gal protection of raptors in Italy, coupled with the creation Atturo, Angelo Battaglia, Fausta Bertuzzi, Alessandro Biondelli, of parks and protected areas, supported the local popula- Giziano Bonaventuri, Mario Bonora, Fulvio Cambiaso, Massimo Campora, Maurizio Casadei, Pier Paolo Ceccarelli, Carlo Ciani, tion thanks to the introduction, protection and increase of Massimo Colombari, Renato Cottalasso, Lorenzo Del Chiaro, prey species. Moreover prey species benefited from nat- Marianna Del Chiaro, Alessandro Ghiggi, Gabriele Grilli, Gior- gio Leoni, Michele Mendi, Stefano Mortara, Riccardo Nardelli, ural dynamics following the human abandonment of the Giorgio Nini, Alberto Pastorino, Mario Pedrelli, Alfredo Peghi- Apennine during the last century. In light of our monitor- ni, Nicola Rebora, Silvia Salomoni, Stefano Schiassi, Luigi Sesti, ing results, the current status of the Golden Eagle in the Cristiano Tarantino, Francesco Traggiai. We would like to thank all the engaged volunteers for their irreplaceable help in field northern Apennines can be classified as favorable. Possible work. We are grateful to Giorgio Nini for permitting the use of threats to the species’ conservation in the study area are as the image in Fig. 3. follows: illegal killings (shooting, poisoned baits), ingestion of intoxicated prey (e.g. remains or carrion of ungulates killed by lead shot), collision with cables or wind tur- REFERENCES bines, human disturbance near the breeding sites and habitat modification induced by the abandonment of traditional Andreotti A. & Leonardi G., 2007. Proposta per una standardiz- zazione del monitoraggio delle popolazioni di rapaci rupico- pastures. Although killing of raptors does not occur as of- li nidificanti in Italia. Pp. 66-70. In: Magrini M., Perna P. & ten as in the past, a possible relapse could be caused by the Scotti M. (eds), Atti Conv. Aquila reale, Lanario e Pellegrino

67 Nardelli

nell’Italia peninsulare - Stato delle conoscenze e problemi di Magrini M. & Perna P., 2007. Riepilogo ed analisi delle cono- conservazione. scenze sullo status delle popolazioni di Aquila reale Aquila Chiavetta M., 1994. Status dell’Aquila reale nell’Appennino, chrysaetos, Lanario Falco biarmicus e Pellegrino Falco pe- dalla Liguria alla Calabria. Atti Mus. Reg. Sci. Nat. Tori- regrinus nell’Italia peninsulare. Pp. 133-139. In: Magrini M., no, 477. Perna P. & Scotti M. (eds), Atti Conv. Aquila reale, Lanario Chiavetta M., 2001. Sei anni di monitoraggio (1995-2000) del e Pellegrino nell’Italia peninsulare - Stato delle conoscenze e l’Aquila reale dal colle di Cadibona al valico di Colfiorito. problemi di conservazione. Avocetta 25: 43. McLeod D.R.A., Fielding A.H., Howorth P.E., Whitfield D.P. & Eaton M., Dillon I., Stirling-Aird P. & Whitfield D.P., 2007. Sta- McGrady M.J., 2002. Predicting home range use by golden tus of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Britain in 2003. eagles Aquila chrysaetos in western Scotland. J. Avian Sci- Bird Study 54 (2): 212-220. ence 2: 183-198. Fasce P., 1988. Censimento dell’Aquila reale nelle Alpi occiden- Magrini M., Perna P., Angelini J., Armentano L. & Gambaro C., tali italiane: metodologia e problemi Pp. 246-249. In: Atti I 2013. Andamento della popolazione di Aquila reale Aquila Sem. Cens. faun. Vertebrati, Urbino. chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758) in un’area dell’Appennino cen- Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1984. L’Aquila reale in Italia. Ecologia e trale tra il 1979 e il 2012. Pp. 188-196. In: Mezzavilla F. & conservazione. Serie Scientifica LIPU, Parma, 66 pp. Scarton F. (a cura di), Atti 2° Conv. Ital. Rapaci Diurni e Not- Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2003. L’Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos in turni. Quaderni Faunistici 3. Italia: un aggiornamento sullo status della popolazione. Avo- Schiassi S., Battaglia A., Bonora M., Campora M., Cottalasso R., cetta 27: 10-13. Del Chiaro L., Mendi M., Pastorino A., Pedrelli M., Ricci U., Fasce P., Fasce L.,Villers A., Bergese F. & Bretagnolle V., 2011. Sesti L. & Nardelli R., 2013. Monitoring of Golden Eagle Long-term breeding demography and density dependence in Aquila chrysaetos breeding pairs in the northern Apennines an increasing population of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos. (1997-2012). Pp. 179-187. In: Mezzavilla F. & Scarton F. (a Ibis 153 (3): 581-591. cura di), Atti 2° Conv. Ital. Rapaci Diurni e Notturni. Qua- Haller P., 1982. Raumorganisation und Dynamic einer Population derni Faunistici 3. des Steinadlers Aquila chrysaetos in den Zentralalpen. Orn. Watson J., 1997. The Golden Eagle. T&A D Poyser, London, 374 Beob. 79: 163-211. pp.

68 Avocetta 41: 69-70 (2017)

The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Umbria-Marche Apennines

Jacopo Angelini1,*, Luigi Armentano2, Carla Gambaro3, Mauro Magrini3, Paolo Perna4

1 Via Berti 4, 60044 Fabriano (AN), Italy 2 Via Toniolo 8, 06083 Bastia Umbra (PG), Italy 3 Studio naturalistico OIKOS - Via del Duomo 29, 06049 Spoleto (PG), Italy 4 Terre.it s.r.l., spin off di Unicam - L.go Decio Filipponi 30/A, 62028 Sarnano (MC), Italy * Corresponding author: [email protected]

The Golden Eagle’s Aquila chrysaetos population in the pair was 1.12; only since 1987 numbers have been higher Umbria-Marche Apennines has been monitored since than 1.00. 1979. The most recent information covering the period As suggested by Magrini et al. (2013), the increase of up to 2012 was published, in 2013 (Magrini et al. 2013). the Golden Eagle population in the 1990-2016 period is Since then, research has continued for four years, totaling probably due to the higher percentage (from 6.5% to 25%) 38 years of monitoring activities concerning the main pop- of protected areas and the higher amount of wild ungulates ulation parameters considered representative of the whole and other prey species. Italian peninsula. In the study area, the population density reached in The study area is 5000 km2 wide and consists of the 2014 is quite similar to those of other parts of the Italian main mountains, mostly calcareous, of Umbria and Marche peninsula (3.2; Schiassi et al. 2013), but still far from those between 150 and 2476 m a.s.l. A bibliographic research registered, for example, in the Alps (9.2 following Borgo and a collection of testimonies were carried out from the 2001, and 16.7 as reported by Fasce et al. 2011). beginning of the study, with the earliest data available dat- The mean number of fledged young per pair (0.55) ing back to 1912 (Ricci 1929). and the mean number of fledged young per successful pair Each year the pairs breeding activities have been re- (1.12), registered in the 1979-2016 period, showed to be corded through a minimum of three visits to the nesting within the normal range known for this species (Watson territories in the February-August period. Data concerning 1997). the mean number of fledged young per pair (productivity) and the mean number of fledged young per successful pair Aknowledgements – We are grateful to Enrico Cordiner, Nicola have been collected following Cheylan (1981). Felicetti, Sara Marini, Bernardino Ragni. In the first half of the Twentieth century the Gold- en Eagle’s population in the Umbria-Marche Apennines reached its maximum total with about 25 pairs. In the pe- REFERENCES riod 1979-1990 the number of recorded pairs was never Borgo A., 2001. Ecologia ed evoluzione della popolazione di Aq- higher than 9 or 10. Since 2014 the number of pairs present uila reale Aquila chrysaetos nel Parco Naturale Dolomiti Fri- amounts to 18, with an increase of 80% compared to the ulane. XI Conv. Ital. Orn., Avocetta 25: 176. 1979-1990 period. The population density has grown from Cheylan G., 1981. Introduction. Rapaces Méditerranéens, An- 2 2 nales du CROP 1: 3-5. 2 pairs/1000 km to 3.6 pairs/1000 km . Fasce P., Fasce L., Villers A., Bergese F. & Bretagnolle V., 2011. Between 1979 and 2016, 393 pairs have been checked. Long-term breeding demography and density dependence in In total 215 successful pairs and 242 fledged young were an increasing population of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos. Ibis 153: 581-591. counted. The mean number of fledged young per pair was Magrini M., Perna P., Angelini J., Armentano L. & Gambaro C., 0.55. The mean number of fledged young per successful 2013. Andamento della popolazione di Aquila reale Aquila

chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758) in un’area dell’Appennino Cen- Del Chiaro L., Mendi M., Nardelli R., Pastorino A., Pedrelli trale tra il 1979 e il 2012. Pp. 188-196 in: Mezzavilla F. & M., Ricci U. & Sesti L., 2012. Monitoring of Golden Eagle Scarton F. (a cura di), Atti 2° Conv. Ital. Rapaci diurni e not- Aquila chrysaetos breeding pairs in the northern Apennine turni, Quaderni Faunistici 3. (1997-2012). Pp. 179-187 in: Mezzavilla F. & Scarton F. (a Ricci E., 1929. Marche. In: Grande S. (ed.), La Patria. Monografie cura di), Atti 2° Conv. Ital. Rapaci diurni e notturni, Quad- regionali illustrate. UTET. erni Faunistici 3. Schiassi S., Battaglia A., Bonora M., Campora M., Cottalasso R., Watson J., 1997. The Golden Eagle. T & A D Poyser, London.

70 Avocetta 41: 71-72 (2017)

Unprecedented nesting activity by the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park

Pier Paolo Ceccarelli1, Nevio Agostini²

1 Coop. St.e.r.n.a - Via Pedriali 12, 47121 Forlì; [email protected] 2 Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi - Via Nefetti 3, 47018 Santa Sofia (FC); [email protected]

The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos is present with one ly-known for the Casentino area, based on the testimo- pair in the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, where it has ny by Fiorini, cited by Giglioli (1889-91), who detected been regularly monitored since 1993. Between 1993 and Golden Eagle’s nests on old firs in inaccessible places in 1999 it nested on a rock at 900 m a.s.l.; then it built at least Monte di Scalo towards the end of the nineteenth centu- 4 nests on large fir trees along the north slopes with dense forest cover. Tab. 1 summarizes nesting data. Table 1. Nesting results between 1993 and 2016. The nest located on the rock was used 10 times with the fledging of 8 young; confirmed nesting on fir trees was ob- Year nest substrate N. young fledged served on 7 occasions, while in 3 other occasions breeding 1993 A rock 2 could not be confirmed; 5 young fledged from the nests on 1994 A rock 0 fir trees. Two fledglings occurred in 1993 (rock) and again 1995 A rock 1 after 24 years in 2016 (fir). In 2016 a research program 1996 A rock 1 was carried out in the Sasso Frati Nature Reserve, with- 1997 A rock 1 in the National Park of Foreste Casentinesi, M. Falterona 1998 A rock 1 and Campigna, in the Romagna region (province of For- 1999 A rock 1 lì-Cesena, Italy). A 10x binoculars and 20-60x telescopes 2000 ? ? 0 were utilized for direct observations. The reproduction 2001 ? ? 0 phase was followed regularly between March and August. 2002 ? ? 0 The 2016 breeding (after 6 years of apparent failures) 2003 B fir 0 is unprecedented for the great difference in the develop- 2004 B fir 0 ment between the two chicks, the first fledged in mid-July 2005 C fir 1 (between 12 and 18) while the second left the nest in mid- 2006 ? ? ? August (between 13 and 21), with a delay of about one 2007 D fir 1 month compared to its sibling. 2008 A rock 1 At the end of the season, on September 29th 2016, the 2009 ? fir? 1 reproductive site located at 950 m a.s.l. was surveyed. The 2010 A rock 0 2011 ? nest located 25 m off the ground, on a 35 m-high white fir ? fir? 2012 A rock 0 and with a 92 cm diameter, was found to be almost com- 2013 ? fir? 0 pletely destroyed with fragments on the ground. 2014 E fir 0 The use of nesting trees, uncommon in the rest of the 2015 E fir 0 northern Apennines, can be an adaptation to the park’s en- 2016 E fir 2 vironment, mainly forested and with only few rocky cliffs Total 13 suitable for nesting. This behaviour is already historical-

© 2017 CISO - Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici 71 Ceccarelli & Agostini ry (Zangheri 1938). The Foreste Casentinesi National Park REFERENCES shared on its YouTube channel a video that documented this unprecedented nesting activity: www.youtube.com/ Zangheri P., 1938. Primo censimento completo della Avifauna watch?v=wfLtfPbNltE Romagnola. Forlì, c/o author.

72 Avocetta 41: 73-75 (2017)

The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Apennines of the Lazio region (Central Italy): updates on its status

Fabio Borlenghi

Altura (www.altura-rapaci.org); [email protected]

A significant part (about 20%) of the population of the ten visited a rock cavity. From June onwards this pair was Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Central Apennines no longer seen. A few weeks later several dogs and foxes breeds in the mountains of Lazio. The breeding perfor- were found dead from rodenticide poisoning at the top of mance of these pairs has been monitored since the mid- the valley (E. Peria pers. comm.); a correlation between seventies of the last century (Novelletto & Petretti 1980, the disappearance of the eagles and the cases of poison- Allavena et al. 1987, Borlenghi 1992, Zocchi 1992, Zocchi ing is possible. In 2014 and 2015 in another old site in the & Panella 1996, Borlenghi & Corsetti 1996, 2002, 2004, Mt. Giano a pair of eagles, a sub-adult male and an adult Borlenghi 2005, Borlenghi et al. 2014). Since 2014 this female, performed territorial surveys of the rocky system activity was included in the “Monitoring Net of Rupicol- without breeding. Since then this pair was no longer ob- ous Raptors” of the Lazio region, in accordance with the served. Although the causes of this second failure are un- Birds Directive (2009/147/EC). In recent years we have known, it seems important to highlight that this site is not seen the participation by staff members from the protected within a protected area. areas in the monitoring of these birds. The main purpose of Recently (February 2017), outside the period of this the Golden Eagle breeding monitoring project in Lazio is study, one pair was observed in the Sabini Mts (M. Cappel- to obtain all the necessary information to improve the con- li, G. Lauretti pers. comm.); there is no historical literature servation of this species through specific actions. information (Di Carlo 1980) from these mountains. The The area used by this species in Lazio, is estimated at density of the 11 breeding pairs is 2.9 pairs/1000 km². This 3,800 km² (Borlenghi et al. 2014), and corresponds to the value is lower when compared to other values recorded main mountainous systems of the region. Breeding pairs from two areas of the Apennines: 3.4-3.6 pairs/1000 km² are distributed in the Laga Mts, Reatini Mts, Carseolani for the Umbria-Marche Apennines (Magrini et al. 2013, Mts, Lucretili Mts, Simbruini Mts, Ernici Mts, Mt. Cor- Angelini et al. present volume) and 2.5-4.6 pairs/1000 km² nacchia Group, Meta Mts, Mt. Cairo group and Lepini for the Northern Apennines (Schiassi et al. 2013, Nardelli Mts. In four other mountainous systems (Mt. Pozzoni, Mt. present volume). Giano, Duchessa and Aurunci Mts) it’s possible to observe The number of available nests known for the breed- immature pairs, not yet nesting, and/or floaters (Fig. 1). In ing pairs is of 44 (4 nests/pair). Using the geographical all these territories the annual monitoring has been carried distribution of the active nests, the minimum distances on in the January-August period. (NND) between neighboring territories have been calcu- In the first thirteen years of this century the number lated (Watson 2010), obtaining a mean value of 16.2 km ± of breeding pairs in the Lazio Apennines has significant- 5.6 (range: 7-29). This computation takes into account the ly increased, going from 7 to 11 in 2013 (Borlenghi et al. neighboring pairs from the other regions. 2014); this situation persisted unaltered until 2016. From In 2016, the presence of immature eagles within the the last settlement of a breeding pair (2013) no further ter- territorial pairs was 9.1%. Tab. 1 shows data and breeding ritory was occupied. Particularly, there were two failures parameters relative to 2016, of the last five years (2012- of reoccupation in two unoccupied historical sites. In May 2016) and to previous periods or studies. Data from 2016 2015 a pair of adults performed repeated territorial surveys registered a productivity of 0.36 which represents a low of an old breeding site in the Duchessa Mts and also of- value compared to the reference value (0.50) for the Cen-

of this species over different years (Fasce & Fasce 1984, 1992, Watson 2010). * C In Lazio the Golden Eagle is considered “endangered” CC (EN) (Calvario et al. 2011) and the eleven breeding pairs * are particularly threatened and suffer from limiting factors in addition to the ones already known for the species. Two C * pairs (18%) of breeding eagles live in the Reatini Mts (Mt. C Terminillo), for which a project of high environmental im- C pact has been presented, the extension of the ski slopes. Another threat affects another six pairs (55%), i.e. human C C disturbance near the breeding sites: motocross, inconsider- C ate wildlife photography, hang glider, trekking, canyoning, C C climbing etc. One further threat, detected in recent years, is caused by helicopters flying near occupied cliffs; this * threat concerns three pairs (27%). Finally, there is a long- term limiting factor affecting the home range of five pairs Figure 1. Distribution of the Golden Eagle in the Apennines of (45%): caused by spontaneous reforestation. This factor Lazio; C: breeding pairs; *: presence of the species. concerns the eagle`s hunting territories in low or medium elevations (range: 700-1500 m a.s.l.). In conclusion, the status of the Golden Eagle in the tral Apennines (Chiavetta 2001, Borlenghi 2011). The rea- Apennines of Lazio shows a positive trend in the medium sons are due to the large number of nesting failures (50%), period (2000-2016); however no increase was noticed dur- in one case there has been a repeated disturbance by a mil- ing the last three years (Fig. 2), although there are avail- itary helicopter, while for the remaining cases the reasons able territories (4-5) where this species is constantly ob- are still unknown. The average values of the last five-year served. Sometimes the dynamics of occupation or reoc- period, indicating an average productivity of 0.58 (coher- cupation of free sites is not easy to understand, because, ent with the long-period value: 0.54), are even more indic- although the presence of suitable breeding sites and food ative. The same consideration holds for the average num- availability (Newton 1997), a difficulty has been noted, ber of young per successful pair (1.11); this value is a little which is caused through human activities, especially out- higher than the long period one (1.08). The marked dis- side the protected areas, since in Lazio only 47% of the crepancy between annual, medium and long term data con- home ranges are inside protected areas for more than 70% firms the elevated variability of the breeding parameters of their extension. More comprehensive studies on this

Table 1. Breeding parameters.

Breeding parameters Values for the Mean values for the last Historical 2016 season five years (2012-2016) values controlled pairs (a) 11 / / laying pairs (b) 8 / / successful pairs (c) 4 / / fledged young (d) 4 / / two fledglings (e) 0 / / productivity (d/a) 0.36 0.58 0.54* breeding success (d/b) 0.50 0.82 0.77 ** young per successful pair (d/c) 1.00 1.11 1.08* % two fledglings (e/c) 0% 11% 8%* % laying pairs (b/a) 73% 71% 63%** % successful pairs (c/a) 36% 52% 50% *

* thirty-year ** previous studies

74 The Golden Eagle in the Apennines of the Lazio region

0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Figure 2. Trend in the number of the Golden Eagle’s pairs in the Apennines of Lazio in the 2000-2016 period. subject could contribute to improve the status of conserva- paci nel Lazio: status e distribuzione, strategie di conservazi- tion of this species. one. Ed. Belvedere, Latina. Calvario E., Brunelli M., Sarrocco S., Bulgarini F., Fraticelli F. & Sorace A., 2011. Lista Rossa degli Uccelli nidificanti Acknowledgments - I thank Marina M. Cianconi for her support nel Lazio (2010). Pp. 427-435. In: Brunelli M., Sarrocco S., in this study and all the assistants in the field: Stefano Allave- Corbi F., Sorace A., Boano A., De Felici S., Guerrieri G., na, Carlo Artese, Massimo Brunelli, Emanuela Castelli, Ciro Ca Meschini A. & Roma S. (eds), Nuovo Atlante degli Uccel- stellucci, Michele Cento, Michael Ceruti, Ettore Cervelli, Laura li nidificanti nel Lazio. Edizioni Agenzia Regionale Parchi, Confaloni, Luigi Corsetti, Alfredo Cristallini, Bruno D’Amicis, Roma. Gaetano De Persiis, Emiliano De Santis, Tommaso Folchetti, Fa Chiavetta M., 2001. Sei anni di monitoraggio (1995-2000) del brizio Giucca, Paolo Greco, Roberta Latini, Gianni Lauretti, Ro l’Aquila reale (Aquila chrysaëtos) dal Colle di Cadibona al berto Lippolis, Carlo Maniccia, Giorgio Marini, Luigi Marozza, Valico di Colfiorito. P. 43. In: Tellini Florenzano G., Bar- Tommaso Marsella, Gabriele Mastropietro, Marco Panella, Ema- bagli F. & Baccetti N. (a cura di), Atti XI Conv. Ital. Orn., nuela Peria, Andrea Pieroni, Emanuela Pucci, Annunzio Puglia, Avocetta 25. Roberto Ragno, Domenico Rossetti, Pietro Santarelli, Silvia Scoz- Di Carlo E. A., 1980. Indagine preliminare sulla presenza passata zafava, Stefano Sarrocco. ed attuale dell’Aquila reale, Aquila chrysaëtos, sugli Appen- nini. Uccelli d’Italia, 5: 263-283. Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1984. L’Aquila reale in Italia. Ecologia e conservazione. LIPU, Parma. REFERENCES Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1992. Aquila reale. In: Brichetti P., De Fran ceschi P. & Baccetti N. (a cura di), Uccelli. I. Ed. Calderini, Allavena S., Panella M., Pellegrini M. & Zocchi A., 1987. Status Bologna. e protezione dell’Aquila reale nell’Appennino centrale. Pp. Magrini M., Perna P., Armentano I. & Angelini J., 2013. Anda- 7-15 in: Baccetti N. & Spagnesi M. (a cura di), Rapaci Medi- mento della popolazione di Aquila reale Aquila chrysaëtos terranei III. Atti IV Conv. int. Rapaci Mediterranei, Suppl. (Linnaeus, 1758) in un’area dell’Appennino centrale tra il Ric. Biol. Selv. 12. 1979 e il 2012. Pp. 188-196. In: Mezzavilla F., Scarton F., (a Borlenghi F., 1992. Riproduzione di tre coppie di Aquila reale, cura di). Atti II Conv. Ital. Rapaci Diurni e Notturni, Quad- Aquila chrysaëtos, nell’Appennino centrale in confronto con erni Faunistici 3. alcuni fattori antropici e di disturbo. Riv. Ital. Orn. 62: 29-34. Newton I., 1997. Population Ecology of Raptors. Poyser, Berk Borlenghi F., 2005. Productivity of the Golden Eagle, Aquila hamsted. chrysaëtos, in Central Apennines over 21 years. Riv. Ital. Novelletto A. & Petretti F., 1980. Ecologia dell’Aquila reale negli Orn. 75: 17-22. Appennini. Riv. Ital. Orn. 50: 127-142. Borlenghi F., 2011. L’Aquila reale, biologia, status e conservazi- Schiassi S, Battaglia A., Bonora M., Campora M., Cottalasso R., one. Ed. Belvedere, Latina. Del Chiaro L., Mendi M., Nardelli R., Pastorino A., Pedrelli Borlenghi F., Cianconi M. & Ranazzi L., 2014. Evoluzione tren- M., Ricci U. & Sesti L., 2013. Monitoring of Golden Eagle tennale, status e parametri riproduttivi delle coppie di Aqui- Aquila chrysaëtos breeding pairs in the northern Appennine la reale Aquila chrysaëtos nell’Appennino laziale (Italia cen- (1997-2012). Pp. 179-187. In: Mezzavilla F., Scarton F. (a trale). Alula 21 (1-2): 3-16. cura di), Atti II Conv. Naz. Rapaci Diurni e Notturni, Quad- Borlenghi F. & Corsetti L., 1996. L’Aquila reale (Aquila chrysaë- erni Faunistici 3. tos) nel Lazio meridionale (Italia centrale): status, protezione Watson J., 2010. The Golden Eagle. Poyser, London. e conservazione. Alula 3: 37- 47. Zocchi A., 1992. Dinamica della popolazione di Aquila reale nel Borlenghi F. & Corsetti L., 2002. Densità e fattori limitanti del l’Appennino centrale nel periodo 1982-1991. Alula 1: 5-10. l’Aquila reale, Aquila chrysaëtos, nell’Appennino centrale. Zocchi A. & Panella M., 1996. Monitoring of the Golden Eagle Riv. Ital. Orn. 72: 19-26. (Aquila chrysaëtos) population in the Central Apennines (Ita- Borlenghi F. & Corsetti L., 2004. L’Aquila reale, Aquila chrysaë- ly) in 1982-1991. Proc. World Conf. Birds of Prey and Owls tos, nel Lazio. Pp. 33-38 in: Corsetti L. (a cura di), Uccelli ra- (WWGBP): 495-503.

Avocetta 41: 77-80 (2017)

Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Abruzzo

Carlo Artese1,*, Stefano Allavena2, Siro Baliva1, Mauro Bernoni1, Fabio Borlenghi2, Maurizio Carfagnini2, Marco Cirillo1, Gino Damiani1, Simone Di Benedetto3, Giorgio Lalli3, Paola Morini4, Massimo Pellegrini1, Francesco Pinchera5, Filomena Ricci1

1 Stazione Ornitologica Abruzzese 2 Altura, Associazione per la Tutela degli Uccelli Rapaci e dei loro Ambienti 3 Gruppo Ornitologico Snowfinch, L’Aquila 4 Parco Regionale Sirente-Velino 5 CISDAM, Centro Italiano di Studi e di Documentazione sugli Abeti Mediterranei * Corresponding author: [email protected]

The knowledge about the presence and the distribution of oppo mountains). In addition, also SPAs (Special Protec- the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Abruzzo Region tion Areas under the 2009-147-EC Directive “Birds” are- up to the end of ‘900 is probably partial and not exhaustive. as) are listed within the protected areas. All the monitored In the paper “Birds of Abruzzo and Molise” by the ornithol- pairs live within protected areas (national parks, regional ogist Nicola De Leone, with observations from 1908 up to or state or regional reserves) or SPAs. 1932, this species is frequently reported as present in sev- The known territorial pairs were followed for several eral municipalities (De Leone 1933). In more recent papers years through direct observations and monitoring. The op- the number of known pairs is between 8 and 14. Presence erative protocol required at least four annual surveys: one and distribution data have been further analyzed in “Cen- between February and March to observe the presence of tral Apennines” (Chiavetta 1978, Zocchi 1992, Allavena et pairs in the nesting area; a second one in April to check al. 1997, Spinetti 1997, Borlenghi & Corsetti 2002). the egg laying, another one in May and June to check for In 2003, the Abruzzo ornithological station promoted the presence of chicks, and a final survey between July a full survey over all of its territory, revealing the presence and August to check fledging. Each survey took at least of 16 territorial pairs, confirmed through nests in the ad- four consecutive hours (Pellegrini 2003). The observations ministrative boundaries of the region (Magrini et al. 2007). were made with optical magnification telescope and binoc- Other breeding pairs were present in Abruzzo but they ulars from vantage points at distances that did not involve were found nesting just outside the administrative borders any alteration of the reproductive activity in progress. (Artese pers. obs.). Since 2003, monitoring continued un- Each observer always covered the same assigned pairs. interruptedly for the entire population, although some pairs The survey included the collection of both morphological were not studied. (nest type, exposure, cliff height), biological parameters The Abruzzo region covers 10795 km2, 7029 of which (estimated age of the pair, feeding, behaviour) and envi- are classified as mountain. Excluding the urbanized areas ronment characteristics. All known nests were georefer- of Aquilana, Peligna and Fucino planes, the remaining ter- enced with coordinates UTM -WGS 84 -33N and mapped ritory foothills and mountain is suitable for this species. at 1: 25,000 scale using the GIS program Arcmap 9.2. The The study area incorporates about 6.750 km2 includ- DB contained also all the information related to each sin- ing three National Parks (Gran Sasso and Monti della La- gle pair provided by the field collaborators. ga National Park, Maiella National Park, Abruzzo, Lazio This paper uses the following definitions: and Molise National Park) the Sirente-Velino Regional - observed population consistency: the number of terri- Park and four Regional Nature Reserves (San Venanzio torial pairs censused in the breeding season; canyon, Sagittario canyon, Genziana and Zompo lo Schi- - probable population consistency: the number of terri-

torial pairs whose presence was detected in at least one breeding season in the past; - population consistency: the number of territorial pairs observed pairs (2016) whose presence was observed but not yet ascertained; probable pairs - estimated population size: the number of territorial possible pairs pairs which are estimated to be currently present in the protected areas study area, including those that are considered to likely live in areas recently surveyed or not. - average productivity: the ratio between fledged young and monitored pairs. - fledging rate: the ratio between fledged young and pairs that bred. - reproductive success: the ratio between fledged young and pairs that laid eggs (Fig. 1).

In 2016 a total of 24 pairs were counted in Abruzzo, 17 of which were observed by our working group, while other 6, present in the P.N.M., were monitored by the park`s staff. Although they occupied a stable territory, 3 out of 17 pairs never bred. Of the remaining 14 pairs, only 10 laid Figure 1. Distribution of Aquila chrysaetos’ pairs in 2016. and from 7 nests only one chick hatched. The reproductive parameters for the 2016 season (excluding pairs of the Maiella National Park) were: average shown in Fig. 2, in several areas the distribution areas were productivity: 0.50 (+0.20 compared to the 2015 average partially overlapping, while other large areas remained un- productivity); fledging rate: 1 (stationary if compared to occupied. the 2015 rate fledging). The densities detected in 2016 (number of individuals In the 2003-2016 period, the following reproductive present every 100 km2) were calculated with the exclusion parameters were measured: of the presence of floaters and considering only those of ascertained pairs 212 the pairs present in the area and the fledged young. Con- 2 breeding pairs 135 (63.68%) sidering an area of 6,750 km with 24 pairs present and 7 2 fledged young 121 fledged young, it resulted to be 0.81 units per 100 km and 2 fledging rate 1.04 3.55 pairs per 1,000 km . This is a very low density com- average productivity per pair 0.57 pared to that found in the Alps (Fasce et al. 2011, Bassi reproductive success 0.90 this volume). However, it must be taken into consideration average number of nests per pair 3.13 (range 1-8) that non territorial or floating birds were excluded from known nests on trees 0 the count (further six pairs were present), thus density in average share of the nests 977.5 m Abruzzo is among the highest in the Apennines. (n = 46; range 480-1475 m) The trend of the Abruzzo population, however, is average minimum distance 14.269 km slowly increasing thanks to a rediscovered natural balance among nests (S.D.: 4.011; n = 20) through food availability and suitable protection. The positive effect of the institution of protected areas could be In order to define the home range in Abruzzo, as no negatively counterbalanced by negative legislative chang- specimens were tracked by satellite loggers nor observed es. The turn-over of pairs is still little known but it is very by multiple groups of contemporaneous observers within frequent in several areas (Pellegrini pers. obs.). This leads the study area for the determination of territorial bound- to the issue of the most usual causes in mortality; i.e. col- aries, a cartographic analysis was performed. It was per- lisions with electricity pylons and wind turbines, hunting formed by attributing to each pair a circular buffer. The ra- and the widespread use of helicopters. dius of the buffer, from the most used nesting site of each Reproductive success is affected instead by the non- pair in the last years, was equal to half the average mini- regulated sports activities such as hang-gliding, rock mum distance between contiguous pairs nests, i.e. 7.135 climbing, mushroom hunters, photographers and hikers km. The average area occupied was about 160 km2. As near the breeding sites. The quantification of these prob-

78 Status of the Golden in Abruzzo

probable pairs (outside Abruzzo)

probable pairs

possible pairs

floating pairs

7.5 km buffer of pairs dwelling in Abruzzo

7.5 km buffer around pairs observed in 2016

protected areas

Figure 2. Hypothesized distribution areas. lems cannot be easily determined in absence of specific cent decades, suggests a satisfactory survival trend. The studies, and in the Abruzzo region it has been computed increase of wind farms remains one of the major risk fac- only for a few areas (Antonucci pers. comm.). tors (De Sanctis & Allavena 2009). All the listed issues Even the presence of floaters and the dispersion of may find a proper solution in the careful management of young birds is poorly investigated. The positive trend in the areas, with greater exchange of the data collected by the areas neighboring Abruzzo, with many cases of re-col- the local contexts through a single national database and onization of old sites and occupation of new areas in re- greater attention by the public office Abruzzo Region.

18 0.8

16 0.7 14 0.6 12 0.5 10 n. of pairs 0.4 8 take-offs 0.3 6 productivity 0.2 4

2 0.1

0 0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Figure 2. Trends of No. of pairs and productivity of the Golden Eagle in Abruzzo region.

79 Artese et al.

20 l’Aquila Reale Aquila chrysaetos nell’Appennino Centrale. Riv. Ital. Orn. 72: 19-26. 18 Chiavetta M., 1978 I falconiformi nidificanti nel Parco Naziona- le d’Abruzzo e nelle aree limitrofe con particolare riferimen- 16 to all’Aquila Reale. Contributi scientifici alla conoscenza del Parco nazionale d’Abruzzo, 14. De Sanctis A., Allavena S. & Artese C., 2009. What is the quality 14 standard of the “EIA” process for wind farms in the Abruzzo Region, central Italy? Alula 16: 41-46. 12 De Leone N., 1933. Uccelli d’Abruzzo e Molise. Cogecstre ed., Penne. 10 Di Carlo E.A., 1980. Indagine preliminare sulla presenza passata ed attuale dell’Aquila Reale sugli Appennini. Uccelli d’Ita- lia 5: 263-283. 8 Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1984 L’Aquila reale in Italia. Ecologia e con- 1980 1997 2000 2003 2014 2016 servazione. LIPU. Fasce P., Fasce L., Villers A., Bergese F. & Bretagnolle V., 2011 Figure 4. Trend of the number of pairs from 1980 to 2016 in Long-term breeding demography and density dependence in Abruzzo region. an increasing population of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos. Ibis 153: 581-591. Novelletto A. & Petretti F., 1980. Ecologia dell’Aquila Reale negli Appennini. Riv. Ital. Orn. 50: 127-142. REFERENCES Magrini M., Perna P. & Scotti M., 2007. Pp. 107-108. In: Atti Conv. Stato delle conoscenze sullo status delle popolazioni di Allavena S., Panella M., Pellegrini M. & Zocchi A., 1987. Status Aquila reale, Lanario e Pellegrino. e protezione dell’Aquila reale nell’Appennino centrale. Pp. Spinetti M., 1997. L’Aquila Reale. Biologia, etologia e conserva- 7-15. In: Baccetti N. & Spegnesi M. (a cura di), Rapaci Me- zione. Cogecstre ed. diterranei III. Atti IV Coll. int. Rapaci Mediterranei, Suppl. Zocchi A., 1992. Dinamica della popolazione di Aquila rea- Ric. Biol. Selv. 12. le nell’Appennino centrale nel periodo 1982-1991. Alula 1: Borlenghi F. & Corsetti L. 2002., Densità e fattori limitanti del 5-10.

80 Avocetta 41: 81-84 (2017)

The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Aspromonte National Park: first surveys on its status and ecology

Giuseppe Martino1,*, Antonino Siclari2, Sergio Tralongo2

1 Ci.Ma. G.R. e C.A. (Gestione Ricerca e Consulenze Ambientali) - Via Temesa 16, 89131 Reggio Calabria, Italy 2 Ente Parco Nazionale dell’Aspromonte - Via Aurora 1, 89057 Gambarie di S. Stefano in Aspromonte (RC), Italy * Corresponding author: [email protected]

In recent decades, the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos ed into seven research zones, with field activities covering population in Italy has been negatively affected by numer- the period December 2015 up to August 2016. For the hab- ous environmental transformations determined through itat analysis, a vegetation map (Spampinato et al. 2008) anthropogenic actions: the gradual abandonment of tradi- was used, by dividing the territory into four environmental tional agricultural practices, together with the remarkable typologies (unsuitable areas, open areas, woods and refor- decline in pasture activity, mainly at higher altitudes, rep- estation) in order to calculate composition and percentages resent some of the threats that directly affect the species of the environmental typologies for each home range. (Mathieu & Choisy 1982, Huboux 1984, Esteve & Materac This research, carried out during the reproductive sea- 1987, Fasce & Fasce 1992, Pedrini & Sergio 2001, 2002). son, allowed to effectively monitor an area of approxi- In an unfavourable context, especially in regions such mately 310 km2, which is reduced slightly when consider- as Calabria, where these negative factors have had consid- ing the overlap between some observation points and the erable intensity, the role of protected areas has proved to be “shadow zones”. fundamental for the preservation of many species at risk: Three pairs have been identified; this area shows high the Aspromonte National Park, in collaboration with Fed- environmental heterogeneity, mainly resulting from the di- erparchi, has thus decided to carry out a systematic study versified morphology that strongly influences the present on the Golden Eagle, a species so far never investigated in vegetation and the human activities present in this territory. this area. The research, still ongoing, is aimed at obtain- The environmental analysis of the range occupied by ing the ecological knowledge about the local population, the three pairs (Fig. 1) shows that 53.4% of the territory useful for planning, and where necessary, interventions (woods, reforestation and other unsuitable areas) is inade- aimed at protecting and preserving this important predator. quate for hunting activities of this species. However 40.1% In Calabria the Golden Eagle is sedentary, nesting and ir- is potentially eligible, although several types of vegetation regularly migratory (Scebba et al. 1993): the bibliographic (e.g. Spartium junceum shrubs and Pteridium aquilinum surveys indicated a stable presence in the Pollino National ferns) tend to vary widely the level of soil coverage over Park with 4 pairs (Viggiani 1999, Pandolfi et al. 2007) and time, usually forming sparse populations that, in some in the Aspromonte National Park, with at least one pair cases, may become excessively dense. Finally, it should (Malara 1999). The historical presence of this species in be stressed that the category “empty areas” (6.4%) stems the Aspromonte territory is, on the other hand, reported by from the new perimeter of the protected area and includes Moschella (1891), who reports two killings near Reggio surfaces not covered by the vegetation map by Spampina- Calabria and a stationary pair near Africo. to et al. (2008). The study area, located on the ionic side of the As- The population density, computed as relationship be- promonte massif, which is warmer and more arid than the tween the number of territorial pairs and the extension of Tyrrhenian one, was chosen and the information available the territory (Magrini et al. 1987) is 7.40 pairs/1000 km2 so far about the presence of species was obtained. The sur- (Tab. 1). vey covered 11 observation points with an average buffer The population is composed of 66.6% adults (n = 6); of 3.5 km on a total area of approximately 405 km2, divid- only one pair is formed exclusively by adults, while in the

Unsuitable areas 6.4 5.9 N 5.2 Afforested areas Forests Open areas Empty areas 40.1 Apromonte National Park 42.3

Unsuitable areas Afforested areas Forests Open areas Empty areas

3 0 3 Km

Figure 1. Study area and correspondent environmental analysis.

other two pairs only the females are mature. In these cases, al agricultural practices, in particular after the floods of the the males, both sub-adults, are in between their fifth and 1950s, favored a general increase in the pioneer and suc- sixth year. Tab. 2 shows the composition of these three cessional vegetation stages, such as shrubs, pre-forest cov- pairs, associated with the extension of their respective ter- ers and low-density woods, resulting in a negative effect ritories. through the gradual disappearance of floral and faunal spe- In total, four nests were located at an average altitude cies linked to open environments, resulting in a decrease of 755 m a.s.l. (S.E. = 19.94; n = 5). Three nests were ex- in environmental heterogeneity (Spampinato et al. 2008). posed to S-SE, one to N-NW and one to N-W. The increase of areas with arboreal and shrub vegetation From the first surveys, carried out in pre egg laying pe- by pioneer species is particularly remarkable at elevations riod (December), it was found that in the 2015 season all between 800 and 1700 m a.s.l., and determines the gradual the pairs had raised at least one young to the age of fledg- and continuous reduction of open areas that, albeit mod- ing; in 2016, however, all pairs had laid, but only two have est in size and with their patchy distribution, diversify the successfully completed the reproduction phase (Tab. 2). only-wooded environment where they are present, thus ac- It should also be noted that at a later stage of the study, quiring the fundamental role of ecotones, and so constitute during surveys carried out in the post-reproductive period, important hunting areas for the Golden Eagle. a further pair was identified, thus bringing to four the total The spontaneous or artificial reforestation of aban- number of pairs for the park area; in this case the territory, doned mountainous land is known to determine significant unlike others, is located on the Tyrrhenian side. It is again loss of habitat for the Golden Eagle (Watson 1997, Pedrini a pair consisting of an adult and a sub-adult. & Sergio 2001), such as reducing the most suitable hunt- In the Aspromonte area, the abandonment of tradition- ing territories, causing a subsequent numerical reduction of its prey, which in turn could negatively affect its reproductive rate. Apart from these aspects, the Aspromonte is Table 1. Composition of the checked pairs and extensions of their certainly an area of extreme interest for this species, for territories. its location to the extreme south of the Italian peninsula. The density of territorial pairs found in Aspromonte ap- 2 Pair Sex Territory (km ) pears significantly lower than in the alpine sectors where M F this species reaches its highest densities (Bassi 2011, this volume), but a comparison with the values detected in the 1 Ad Ad 68.7 Mean = 80.33 central regions of our peninsula (Borlenghi 2011, this vol- 2 Sub Ad 134 (S.E. = 28.23; n = 3) ume), as well as in other localities in Calabria (Pandolfi et 3 Sub Ad 38.3 al. 2007), would point out for the massif a high density of

82 The Golden Eagle in the Aspromonte National Park

Table 2. Reproductive parameters of pairs checked during the ries could therefore be the factor allowing for the presence 2016 reproductive season (n = 3). of territorial pairs with restricted home ranges compared to the rest of the Apennines. Legend 2016 In absence of any confirmed information about the Known pairs 3 number of pairs present in the past, it is not possible to Checked pairs 3 draw conclusions on the status of this species in this ter- Checked pairs during the bood 2 ritory: in the light of current knowledge, it is likely that, Laying pairs 3 at least in part, the abandonment of many traditional ac- Hatch failed 1 tivities in the internal areas, especially in a small moun- Pairs with 2 young fledged 2 tain massif like Aspromonte, has triggered evident recolo- Pairs with 1 young fledged 2 nization of open areas by woodland and reduced favorable Total young fledged 2 habitats (Perna et al. 2007). For territorial individuals, this Young checked only after that took off 1 loss seems to be partially compensated in the Aspromon- Pairs with composition checked 3 te area by the occurrence of several herds of goat Capra Pairs of adults 1 hircus scattered throughout the territory. In fact the Gold- Pairs not adults 2 en Eagle takes advantage of the herd movements along % adults pairs 33% the paths crossing several rocky cliffs, where each year it % laying pairs 100% preys on many goats (Mammoliti pers. comm.). This hunt- % hatch success 67% ing technique is carried out also on wild goats, present with % pairs that have raised young 67% at least five groups in the park territory. The threat fac- Productivity 0.67 tors associated with the presence of electricity cables and Take-off rate 1.00 structures represent, in three out of four territories, a real Reproductive success 0.67 danger. It is therefore appropriate to intervene by adapt- ing these structures to the new criteria for the protection of wild birds from electrocution and collision, as defined also Golden Eagle, among the highest in the Apennines. This is in the technical reports by the Council of Europe (Hass et a significant fact that needs to be deepened and confirmed al. 2005). during the next seasons. In Aspromonte, 37.5% of individuals are sub-adults The comparison between the average extension of the and this could mean that the change-over by the adult ea- currently-known home ranges along the peninsula (Fasce gles are more frequent than one might believe. 1984, this volume, Magrini et al. 2001, this volume, Pe- Finally, with regard to phenology, the only informa- drini et al. 2002, this volume, Bassi 2011, this volume, tion available is for the pair whose reproductive phase has Borlenghi 2011, this volume) and the density of pairs in been followed at all stages (Fig. 2). More precisely, egg Aspromonte indicates that eagles tend to maximize the use laying took place between 4th and 8th April, hatching be- of the potentially suitable areas, the ionic one in particular, tween 19th and 22nd May and finally fledging between 28th thus contracting the entire distribution area in the province July and 1st August. of Reggio Calabria. On the Pollino massif, where the suita- This study, due to its preliminary character, can be ble environment for the Golden Eagle are much larger than considered only partially exhaustive; in the next years, in in Aspromonte, the four territorial pairs under study had fact, knowledge on the many aspects concerning the ecol- territories with an average extension of 333 km2 (Viggiani ogy of the species in Aspromonte should be deepened, 1999). A good amount of prey in the Aspromonte territo- and in particular more data on the reproductive parame-

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Bridal parades Breeding display Deposition and hatching Chick rearing

Figure 2. Steps of the reproductive phase.

83 Martino et al. ters, food preferences and dispersal movements of young Magrini M., Ragni B. & Armentano L., 1987. L’Aigle royal dans should be collected. la partie centrale des Appennins: Pp. 33-36. In: Actes 1er coll. Int. sur l’Aigle en Europe. Maison de la nature, Briançon. Malara G., 1999. Nidificazione dell’Aquila reale, Aquila chrysae- Acknowledgements – For their help in field research, special tos, sull’Aspromonte. Riv. ital. Orn. 69: 137-138. thanks go to Giuseppe Camelliti, Andrea Ciulla, Diego Festa, Car- Mathieu R. & Choisy J.P., 1982. L’Aigle royal dans le Alpes melo Fiore, Stefania Iiritano, Eugenio Muscianese, Manuela Poli- Méridionales Françaises de 1964 à 1980. Essai sur la distri- castrese and Pierpaolo Storino. bution, les effectifs, le régime alimentaire et la reproduction. Bievre 4: 1-32. Moschella G., 1891. Gli uccelli di Reggio Calabria ovvero notizie sull’Ornis locale. Avicula 30-31. REFERENCES Pandolfi M., Tanferna A., Gaibani G., Perna P., Tripepi M., Sto- rino P., Urso S. & Mingozzi T., 2007. L’Aquila reale Aquila Bassi E., 2011. Sintesi del censimento contemporaneo di Aquila chrysaetos, il Lanario Falco biarmicus e il Pellegrino Falco reale (Aquila chrysaetos) e Gipeto (Gypaetus barbatus) nel peregrinus in Calabria e nel Parco Nazionale del Pollino: con- l’ambito dei progetti di monitoraggio delle popolazioni nidi- sistenza e status delle popolazioni. In: Magrini M., Perna P. & ficanti nel settore lombardo e trentino del Parco Nazionale Scotti M. (eds), Atti Conv. Aquila reale, Lanario e Pellegrino dello Stelvio. Anni 2004-2011. Parco Nazionale dello Stel- nell’Italia peninsulare - Stato delle conoscenze e problemi di vio. Relazione interna in collaborazione con Callovi I., Sotti conservazione, 160 pp. F., Diana F., Sartirana F., Trotti P., Bragalanti N. & Pedrot- Pedrini P., Rizzolli F. & Sergio F., 2002. L’Aquila reale (Aquila ti L., pp. 46. chrysaetos) nel Parco Adamello Brenta. Relazione conclusiva Borlenghi F., 2011. L’aquila reale. Biologia, status e conservazio (1997-2001). Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali. ne. Ed. Belvedere, Latina. Pedrini P. & Sergio F., 2002. Regional conservation priorities for Esteve R. & Materac J., 1987. L’Aigle royal Aquila chrysaetos en a large predator: Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Al- Haute-Savoie: bilan et perspectives. Nos Oiseaux 39: 13-24. pine range. Biological conservation 103: 163-172. Fasce L. & Fasce P., 1992. Aquila reale. Pp. 601-611. In: Brichet- Pedrini P. & Sergio F., 2001. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos ti P., De Franceschi P. & Baccetti N., Fauna d’Italia. Aves I: density and productivity in relation to land abandonment and Gavidae-Phasianidae. Ed. Calderini, Bologna. forest expansion in the Alps. Bird Study 48: 194-199. Fasce L. & Fasce P., 1984. L’Aquila reale in Italia: ecologia e Perna P., Angelini J., Armentano L., Cristiani G., Gambaro C., conservazione. LIPU serie scientifica. Parma. Magrini M., Pandolfi M. & Ragni B., 2007. L’Aquila reale Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2003. L’Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos in Aquila chrysaetos, il Lanario Falco biarmicus e il Pellegri- Italia: un aggiornamento sullo status della popolazione. Avo- no Falco peregrinus nelle Marche. In: Magrini M., Perna P., cetta 27: 10. Scotti M. (eds), Atti Conv. Aquila reale, Lanario e Pellegrino Haas D., Nipkow M., Fiedler G., Schneider R., Haas W. & Schu- nell’Italia peninsulare - Stato delle conoscenze e problemi di remberg B., 2005. Protecting birds from power lines. Nature conservazione, 160 pp. and environment, Council of Europe Publishing 140: 1-70. Scebba S., Moschetti G., Cortone P. & Di Giorgio A., 1992/93. Huboux R., 1984. Contribution a une meilleure connaissance du Check-list degli uccelli della Calabria aggiornata a gennaio régime alimentaire de l’Aigle royal Aquila chrysaetos en 1993. Sitta 6: 33-45. période de reproduction pour les Alpes du Sud et de la Pro- Spampinato G., Cameriere P., Caridi D. & Crisafulli A., 2008. vence. Bull. Cent. Rech. Orn. Provence 6: 30-34. Carta della biodiversità vegetale del Parco Nazionale dell’A- Magrini M., Perna P., Angelini J. & Armentano L., 2001. Tenden- spromonte (Italia meridionale). Quad. Bot. Appl., 19: 3-36. za delle popolazioni di Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos, Lana- Viggiani G., 1999. Siti di nidificazione di Aquila reale nel Parco rio Falco biarmicus e Pellegrino Falco peregrinus nelle Mar- Nazionale del Pollino. Avocetta 23: 120. che e in Umbria. Avocetta 25: 57. Watson J., 1997. The Golden Eagle. T. & A.D. Poyser, London.

84 Avocetta 41: 85-87 (2017)

Status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Sicily

Maurizio Sarà1*, Salvatore Bondì1, Giovanni Giardina2, Giuseppe Saitta3, Salvatore Surdo4, Laura Zanca1

1 Sezione di Biologia Animale, Dipartimento STEBICEF - Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy 2 Centro Recupero Fauna Selvatica - Bosco di Ficuzza, Palermo, Italy 3 Vico 3° San Giorgio 5, 98020 Mandanici (ME), Italy 4 Dipartimento SAAF - Viale delle Scienze ed. 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy * Corresponding author: [email protected]

Apart from its wide continental distribution in the Palae- tween the Nebrodi and Peloritani. The Golden Eagle has arctic, Nearctic and, partially, in the African and Indo-ma- never been recorded breeding in the south-east corner of layan regions, the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos occurs the island (Erei and Iblei Mts). also in the largest Mediterranean islands (Ferguson-Lees In the present work, we review all the relevant informa- & Christie 2001). The largest population lives in Sardinia tion since the first Regional Atlas of breeding birds (Massa (57-70 pairs, Ruiu this volume), 32-37 pairs have been re- 1985), and we add field data on the species occurrence and corded in Corsica (Seguin et al. 1998) and 16-22 pairs of site occupancy relative to the period January 2014-Decem- the A. c. homeyeri subspecies in Crete (Xirouchakis 2001). ber 2016, in order to update the species’ status in Sicily. It has been also listed as vagrant in Cyprus and Malta Observations were usually collected during the courtship (BirdLife International 2016), while it became extinct in displays (Dec-Feb), the late brood presence (Jun-Jul), and the Balearics (Viada 2006) and in the Aegean and Ioni- extended until the post fledging period (Aug-Oct). Eagle an islands (Xirouchakis 2001). Presence and breeding in sightings were made either on foot or from a vehicle with Sicily has been recorded since the early XIX century (e.g. a mean travel speed of 30 km/h, stopping at vantage points Palazzotto 1801 in Massa 1985). More recently, research with good view over valleys and cliffs known as breeding on the Golden Eagle in Sicily has been usually focused on sites or potential territories (Andersen 2007). A 10x42 bin- breeding phenology and distribution during fieldwork for oculars and a 30-60x spotting scope were used during ob- Regional Atlases of breeding birds (Massa 1985, Lo Valvo servations. Whenever possible, and according to Forsman et al. 1993, AA.VV. 2008), as well as a subject of a PhD (1999), each sighted eagle was allocated to one of the fol- thesis and post-doc grant (Di Vittorio 2007, 2011). Such lowing age groups: a) juvenile of the year, b) young im- data originating from a specific conservation project in the matures (2nd-4th plumage), c) old immatures and adults (≥ Madonie Regional Park (Sarà et al. 2011) and allowed for 5th and older plumages). Old immatures and adults were some investigation on the species’ habitat preferences in pooled together as they could not be easily distinguished the island (Di Vittorio & Sarà 2009, Di Vittorio & López- from distance. Both productivity (number of produced ju- López 2014). Habitat preference modelling showed how veniles per territorial pair checked) and nesting success mean altitude and slope in the eagles territory are the most (number of produced juveniles per successful pair) have important topographic variables, together with the exten- been calculated by observing chicks in the nest that were sion of open habitats (arable land and grasslands), to pre- about two months old, and/or juvenile birds during their dict the occurrence of the Golden Eagle in Sicily. Actual- post fledging flights accompanied by their parents (Steen- ly, the species occupies most of the northern ridge of the hof & Newton 2007). One of us (GG) scrutinized the data- island from west (Trapani mountains) to east (Peloritani base of the Regional Rescue Centre based in Ficuzza (Ital- Mts). Pairs living in the south-western Sicani Mts are con- ian League for Bird Protection, Lipu) for the 2001-2016 nected to the main range in correspondence to the Palermo period to obtain information about species mortality. mountains, while pairs living on Etna are embedded be- The cross-checking of databases gave 24 breeding ter-

© 2017 CISO - Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici 85 Sarà et al. ritories known since 1979, 13 in western and 11 in eastern 0.05 in Xirouchakis 2001), or the Central West Carpathian Sicily, respectively (Tab. 1). (1984-1991: 0.50 ± 0.28 in Kropil & Majda 1996). Seven In the 2014-2016 period, sixteen of them were stable eagles (4 adults, 3 juveniles) were admitted in the Ficuz- and occupied by territorial and/or breeding pairs, one for- za Rescue Centre from 2001 to 2016, yielding an average mer stable territory was occupied by a single old adult, of 0.44 eagles/year. Assuming that such an indirect rate two were confirmed as abandoned, and five had not been is representative of real mortality occurring in the field, checked carefully (one of which is a possible double count the estimate should have halved with respect to the value due to overlap between two close territories). Excluding of 0.96 eagles/year reported in the 50 years before 1985 the deserted and possible double count, and assuming (Massa 1985). Nevertheless, for such a small population, some occupancy in the unchecked sites, the current Gold- the loss of 4 adults in a relatively short period, and of 5 en Eagle population in Sicily should cover 17-21 active birds from the same area (Palermo mountains) is absolute- territories. This means a slight increase of occupancy with ly alarming. respect to previous estimates, as reported in Tab. 2. A to- In a period of nearly 40 years, only one colonization tal of 215 breeding attempts were recorded, 161 of which has occurred (Campo et al. 2003), and currently the bulk were successful and produced 170 fledglings, thus averag- of the population is 12-14 pairs that reproduce more or less ing 1.09 juveniles produced per successful pair and 0.78 regularly and this would allow for an adequate recruitment. juveniles per checked pair in the 1979-2016 period (Tab. Actually, it is not possible to decide whether the dropping 2). Thanks to some successful pairs that were able to pro- in the population productivity across time is due to intrin- duce two juveniles even in years when most other pairs sic or extrinsic factors (Newton 1998). In the former case, failed (e.g. in 2007-2011), nesting success is > 1 on aver- low productivity would be the regulatory consequence of age. Estimates of productivity based on the number of ju- a density-dependence effect, driven by a territorial be- veniles produced per checked pair is much more informa- haviour mechanism (Rodenhouse et al. 1997); whereas in tive about the breeding performances of the species. The the latter case, prey abundance, possibly interacting with 0.65 productivity value in the 2014-16 period was the low- weather, would be negatively influencing the reproductive est recorded so far, and could be lined up with the decreas- rates of the Golden Eagle (Steenhof et al. 1997). In large ing 1990-2012 trend (Di Vittorio & López-López 2014). territorial raptors, negative density dependence in breeding Nonetheless, productivity values recorded in Sicily are performances often occurs; for instance it has been record- equivalent to those recorded in the central-eastern Alps ed in the increasing population of Golden Eagles in west- (1982-92: 0.61 ± 0.01 in Pedrini & Sergio 2001), in all ern Alps (Fasce et al. 2011). the alpine chain (1978-94: 0.29 - 0.95 in Pedrini & Ser- Together with the Cretan homeyeri, the Sicilian Gold- gio 2001), Spain (2008: 0.80 ± 0.14 in Del Moral 2009); en Eagle currently presents the less abundant island popu- and even higher than values recorded in the western Alps lation of the Mediterranean, and its peculiar state of small (1972-2008: 0.55 ± 0.30 in Fasce et al. 2011) or in con- and isolated population makes it vulnerable despite every cerned populations like the Cretan (1996-1999: 0.52 ± verification about the causes of low productivity.

Mountain Range Pair Single Deserted NC Range Sub-total Madonie 3 1 4 Sicani 2 2§ 4 Palermo 4 4 Trapani 1 1 WESTERN SICILY 10 1 2 0 13

Peloritani 3 1(+1)* 4-5 Etna 1 2 3 Nebrodi 2 1 3 EASTERN SICILY 6 0 0 4-5 10-11

Table 1. Geographic distribution of the Golden Eagle in the Sicilian mountain ranges. NC = not checked during the study period, * possible double count due to territorial overlap with another site; § the known dates of desertion are 1996 in one site and 2005 in another one.

86 Status of the Golden Eagle in Sicily

Table 2. Number of stable territories occupied by Golden Eagle pairs or singles (plus number of possible other territories) in Sicily; together with breeding performances (± standard error) during the 1979-2016 period.

Period No. of stable No. of produced No. of Nesting Productivity Source territories juveniles checked pairs success 1979-1983 10 (+3) 28 37 1.00 0.76 Massa 1985 1984-1992 13 (+2) 31 30 1.15 1.03 Lo Valvo et al. 1993 1993-2006 16 (+1) 91 118 1.03 0.77 AA.VV. 2008 2007-2011 16 (+1) 9 13 1.29 0.69 Sarà et al. 2011 2014-2016 17 (+4) 11 17 1.00 0.65 this study 1979-2016 17 (+7) 170 215 1.09 ± 0.05 0.78 ± 0.07

The combination of human persecution and reduction breeding performance of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos in in prey availability, as a result of habitat degradation and Sicily: implications for conservation. Acta Orn. 49: 33-45. Fasce P., Fasce L., Villers A., Bergese F. & Bretagnolle V., 2011. forest expansion, as a consequence of the abandonment of Long-term breeding demography and density dependence in traditional agro-pastoral practices, have been identified as an increasing population of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos. potential long-term threats in several parts of the distribu- Ibis 153: 581–591. Ferguson-Lees J. & Christie D.A., 2001. Raptors: Birds of prey of tion area (e.g. Pedrini & Sergio 2001, Xirouchakis 2001). the world. A. & C. Black Publ., London. In addition, shooting, poisoning, electrocution and trap- Forsman D., 1999. The Raptors of Europe and The Middle East: A Handbook of Field Identification. T & AD Poyser, London. ping are considered the main causes of non-natural mortal- Kropil R. & Majda M., 1996. Causes of low productivity in the ity (BirdLife International 2016), and most of them have golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the Central West Carpathi- been detected as causes for the birds admitted in the Ficuz- ans. Pp. 489-494 in: Meyburg B.U. & Chancellor R.D. (eds), Eagle Studies. World Working Group on Birds of Prey, Ber- za Regional Rescue Centre. lin, London & Paris. Therefore, even in the case of a potential population in Lo Valvo M., Massa B. & Sarà M., 1993. Uccelli e Paesaggio in equilibrium with the current carrying capacity of the island Sicilia alle soglie del terzo millennio. Naturalista sicil. 17: 3-374. ecosystems, further investigation on post-natal dispersal Massa B., 1985. Atlas Faunae Siciliae - Aves. Naturalista sicil. and mortality and continuous monitoring are necessary to 9: 3-242. prevent any population collapse. Newton I., 1998. Population limitation in Birds. Academic Press, Amsterdam. Pedrini P. & Sergio F., 2001. Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos density and productivity in relation to land abandonment and fo- REFERENCES rest expansion in the Alps. Bird Study 48: 194-199. Rodenhouse N.L., Sherry T.W. & Holmes R.T., 1997. Site-dependent regulation of population size: a new synthesis. Ecology AA.VV., 2008. Atlante della Biodiversità della Sicilia: Vertebrati 78: 2025-2042. Terrestri. Studi & Ricerche Arpa Sicilia, Palermo 6. Ruiu D., 2017. Status of Golden Eagle’s nesting pairs in Sardinia: Andersen D.E., 2007. Survey Techniques. Pp. 89-100 in: Bird Avocetta (this volume). D.M. & Bildstein K.L. (eds), Raptor Research and Manage- Sarà M., Di Vittorio M. & Campobello D., 2011. L’Aquila reale ment Techniques. Hancock House Publ., Washington. (Aquila chrysaetos) nel Parco delle Madonie. Relazione fina- BirdLife International, 2016. Aquila chrysaetos. The IUCN Red le Convenzione di ricerca Ente Parco Madonie. Dipartimento List of Threatened Species. doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016- di Biologia Ambientale e Biodiversità, Università degli Stu- 3.RLTS.T22696060A93541662.en di di Palermo. Campo G., Provenza A. & Lo Valvo M., 2003. Nuovo insedia- Seguin J.F., Bayle P., Thibault J.C., Torre J. & Vigne J.D., 1998. mento di Aquila reale (Aquila chrysaetos) in Sicilia (Aves A comparison of methods to evaluate the diet of Golden Ea- Accipitriformes). Naturalista sicil. 27: 169-70. gles in Corsica. J. Rapt. Res. 32: 314-318. Del Moral J.C., 2009. El águila real en España. Población repro- Steenhof K., Kochert M.N. & McDonald T.L., 1997. Interactive ductora en 2008 y método de censo. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid. effects of prey reproduction and weather on golden eagle. J. Di Vittorio M., 2007. Biologia e Conservazione di cinque specie Animal Ecol. 66: 350-362. di rapaci in Sicilia. Tesi di Dottorato. Dipartimento di Biolo- Steenhof K. & Newton I., 2007. Assessing raptor reproductive gia Ambientale e Biodiversità, Università degli Studi di Pa- success and productivity. Pp. 181-192 in: Bird D.M. & Bild- lermo (tutor: M. Sarà). stein K.L. (eds), Raptor Research and Management Tech- Di Vittorio M., 2011. Rapaci e biodiversità in habitat pseudostep- niques. Hancock House Publ., Washington. pici del Mediterraneo. Relazione finale assegno di ricerca Xirouchakis S., 2001. The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in post-doc. Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale e Biodiversi- Crete. Distribution, population status and conservation pro- tà. Università degli Studi di Palermo (tutor: M. Sarà). blems. Avocetta 25: 275-281. Di Vittorio M. & Sarà M., 2009. La preferenza dell’habitat dell’a- Viada C., 2006. Libro Rojo de los Vertebrados de las Baleares (3ª quila reale Aquila chrysaetos in Sicilia. Alula 16: 219-221. ed.) 2005. Govern de les Illes Balears, Conselleria de Medi Di Vittorio M. & López-López P., 2014. Spatial distribution and Ambient, Mallorca, 281 pp.

87 Avocetta 41: 89-91 (2017)

Status of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos nesting pairs in Sardinia

Domenico Ruiu

Via Arbatax 15, 08100 Nuoro, Italy

This research aims to fill a knowledge gap on the cur- in the Golden Eagle’s population is the direct consequence rent status and distribution of the Golden Eagle’s Aquila of the progressive, and often irreversible, abandonment by chrysaetos nesting pairs in Sardinia. To date, no recent da- farmers of the mountainous regions and other wild areas ta or censuses in the scientific bibliography about the situ- in Sardinia, as well as a result of a larger number of ex- ation of this raptor in Sardinia exist (Fasce & Fasce 1992, perienced researchers involved in the census. This terri- Asuni et al. 2003, 2004-2005, Brichetti & Fracasso 2003, tory abandonment drastically reduced the direct and indi- Grussu 1995-1996). The only scientific reference is that rect retaliations by farmers against the Golden Eagles due by Helmar Schenk, dating back to 1976, who estimated to the damages caused by this raptor to their livestock. In the Sardinian population of Golden Eagle at a minimum of fact, despite the absence of precise estimates on the pre- 25 pairs and a maximum of 38 (Schenk 1976). This spe- dation carried out by the Golden Eagle against livestock, cies was considered to be at risk, mainly because of direct the testimonial evidences collected in the decades of pas- threats by farmers due to the supposed damage caused to ture in mountainous areas do not leave any doubt about their livestock (Fasce & Fasce 1984). this. The favorite prey were piglets and lambs but also old- More recently, several authors documented a much er animals, such as calves or foals that, being terrified by higher number of pairs, estimating 40/50 pairs of Gold- the simultaneous attacks from several eagles near cliff-fac- en Eagles breeding in Sardinia (Schenk 1995, Asuni et al. es, ended up falling and crashing on the rocks below. The 2003, Fasce & Fasce 2003). These estimates are mostly most frequent retaliation by shepherds against this raptor based on generic assumptions, without precise territorial was the shooting or killing of chicks in the nest. In the references, with the exception of some investigations, car- 1980s, following indications by an old farmer at Supra- ried out with rigor and over a period of several years but monte di Orgosolo, I found the remains of a rudimenta- concerning only limited portions of the island territory. ry perch atop a hundred-year-old holm-oak in front of a The most recent report related to a specific geograph- nest from which one could shoot the chick before it flew. ic area is dated 2009 and covers the territory of the for- Sometimes they also lowered into the nest lighted torches mer Province of Olbia Tempio, where 7 nesting pairs were to burn the chick in the nest. At Mt. Albo di Lula, during a censused and 8-10 probable pairs were estimated (Trainito survey in search of food remains in the nest after fledging, 2009). The data provided in this report covers about 80% a half-burnt beam was found trapped in the rock, tightly of the island’s territory, corresponding to perfectly identi- held by steel cables, at least thirty meters long. fied geographic areas, and are the result of direct field re- On the conflicting relationship of farmers with the search about the observation of pairs during the courtship Golden Eagle, particular attention is directed towards an period, the verification of the occupied nests, the success- ancient ritual, “Sos verbos”, a shamanic prayer capable ful outcome of chick rearing, the analysis of the behavior of harnessing the raptor and preventing it from harming of young immediately after their fledging, as well as the es- man. In an archaic mixture of faith and paganism, farm- timation of the occasional groupings of more “families” in ers worried about the presence of the Golden Eagle were the autumn period. Unpublished data originate from direct addressed to an elder farmer, recognized as the depositary observations and from verified testimonies. of “Sos verbos” and to whom an old man had revealed at Compared to 1976 (Tab. 1), the remarkable increase a precise moment the sacred formula which in turn would

Table 1. Censused and probably nesting pairs of Golden Eagle in ranean maquis that covered the bare soils, preparing the North, Central and South Sardinia. advent of the new forest. This meant a remarkable increase in species like wild boars Sus scrofa and red deers Cer- Areas Censused Probable nesting pairs nesting pairs vus elaphus with a consequential marked decrease in those species typical of open areas, like the Sardinian Partridge North Sardinia 13 14 Alectoris barbara, Sardinian Hare Lepus capensis and Central Sardinia 28 34 wild Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. In addition to the dis- South Sardinia 16 22 appearance of the young wild cattle, that represented one Total 57 70 of the most important food sources for the Golden Eagle, even its most common prey drastically diminished. None- theless, the population of this great raptor not only had no be passed on to a person whose trust has been gained. The inflections compared to the supposed estimates, but local- prayer was recited in different ways and required differ- ly it also increased, in some cases in an absolutely unex- ent superstitious rituals, such as tying as many knots on a pected way. This new situation is attributed to the disap- string as the number of animals to be protected, or reciting pearance or significant reduction of direct persecution (al- the prayer with the feet immersed in water and the shoul- though there are episodes of animals shot down, a young ders facing towards the place of birth, or to offer symboli- specimen was recovered injured in November 2016 in the cally the best “new born” from the herd to this raptor. All countryside of Decimopuzzu, near Cagliari), to the radical these different rituals had in common the fact that the man change of attitude by farmers (e.g. farmers proud of host- who used “Sos verbos” had in turn to respect both the eagle ing Golden Eagles in their territories), and especially to and the goods of other people, otherwise the prayer would the progressive adaptation to new food strategies by this be futile (Ruiu pers. obs.). Apart from the fascination of raptor. If in the past the eagle fed predominantly on the this tradition, the most important issue remains the fact that captured prey, and only exceptionally on dead animals, re- many raptors were not slaughtered thanks to “Sos verbos”. cently the observations of eagles feeding on carrion are in- The abandonment of the Sardinian mountains by farm- creasingly frequent; in November 2014 in the Gennargentu ers has reached proportions of real exodus from the 1960s Mts I observed eight eagles around the remains of a goat, until about the mid-1970s, when the last farmers, due to with at least three other individuals flying around. old age, left the ancient sheepfolds without any genera- In the North-west coast, the historical territory of the tional replacement (except for limited exceptions). The only Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus colony remaining in Sar- loss of pressure due to the grazing of herds, together with dinia, the Golden Eagle is increasing its competition with the termination of the wildfires necessary to “keep clean the vultures for the same carrion (Campus 2012). In ad- and renew” the pastures, had as immediate consequence dition, young and immature specimens have taken both a marked change in the environmental characteristics of space and food from the Common buzzard Buteo buteo, the territory, with a considerable increase of the Mediter- and feed on what they find in the countryside. This behav-

80 70 70 Censused nesting pairs 60 57 Probable nesting pairs 50

40 34 28 N. of pairs 30 22 20 16 13 14 10

0 North Central South Total Sardinia Sardinia Sardinia

Figure 1. Status of Golden eagles’ pairs in Sardinia.

90 Status of Golden Eagle in Sardinia

namics. The spasmodic search for the exceptional photo- graph often does not take into account the respect due to animals. In Sardinia, this phenomenon has even led to situ- 7 8 ations of conflict among photographers in the vicinity of 2 2 well-known nests, resulting in considerable disruption of 1 1 3 3 such nests. 2 2 2 3 Even the practice of canoeing and extreme trekking, 3 3 2 2 which in recent years have both experienced a consider- 1 1 able increase in the number of practitioners, can create 4 5 3 4 problems to the Golden Eagle. Double rope-climbing are 6 8 1 1 sometimes held at a short distance from nesting sites, that 4 5 are often unknown to practitioners; in the delicate court- 1 1 ship period this can result in the abandonment of the nest- 1 2 ing site, like what happened in two consecutive seasons at 9 12 a historic nestsite in Mt. Albo, central Sardinia. It is there- 2 3 fore urgent that the Sardinia Regional authority carries out a detailed map of the breeding areas of large birds of prey, 3 4 so as to be able to regulate these activities that can be carried out in these areas.

Acknowledgements – The present research has been carried out Figure 2. Minimum and maximum numbers of censused nesting thanks to the precious collaboration of the naturalists Maurizio pairs of Golden Eagle in Sardinia. Minimum number of censused Medda, Alfonso Campus, head of the naturalistic association nesting pairs: 57; maximum probable number of nesting pairs: 70. “L’Altra Bosa”, nature photographer Mauro Sanna, and Marcello Grussu, director of Aves Ichnusae (Bulletin of the Sardinian ornithological group). The author wishes to thank Egidio Trainito for his help in the final revision. ior has occasionally been observed even by the adults; it is significant in this regard the example of an eagle that carried to the nest a transparent plastic bag containing chicken REFERENCES livers, probably found in a landfill (Ruiu pers. obs.). Important confirmations of the growth of the Golden Asuni V., Fadda A. & Medda M., 2003. Deposizioni precoci Eagle’s population (in more than thirty years of observa- dell’Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos in Sardegna. Aves Ich- tions, this increase is estimable in at least 35-40% of cas- nusae 6 (1-2): 3-11. Asuni V., Fadda A. & Medda M., 2004-2005. L’Aquila reale in es) are given by the occupation of territories and historical provincia di Cagliari. Assessorato Difesa Ambiente Provin- nests that had been abandoned for several decades; by the cia di Cagliari. rearing of both chicks; by the growing attendance of new Brichetti P. & Fracasso G., 2003. Ornitologia italiana. 1 Gaviidae- Falconidae. A. Perdisa Ed., Bologna. areas by young and immature individuals often viewed in Campus A., 2012. www.l’altrabosa.com. “Aquila reale”. the outskirts of villages or even large cities (Sassari-Nuoro) Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1984. L’Aquila reale in Italia. Ecologia e (M. Sanna pers. comm.). In the latter part of this paper we conservazione” Serie Scientifica LIPU, Parma, 34 pp. Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1992. Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos. Pp. will consider the causes that currently can create distur- 601-611 in: Brichetti P., De Franceschi P. & Baccetti N. bance or even threaten the species: the direct killing with (eds), Fauna d’Italia. XXIX. Aves. I. Ed. Calderini, Bologna. Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2003. L’Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos in firearms (four confirmed cases in the last six years) and Italia: un aggiornamento sullo status della popolazione. Avo- death or serious poisoning by toxic baits (about ten cases in cetta 27: 10. the last eight years). Generally poison is not used by farm- Grussu M., 1995, 1996. Status, distribuzione e popolazione degli uccelli nidificanti in Sardegna (Italia) al 1995. Uccelli d’Italia ers against birds of prey, but it is used to eliminate stray 20: 77-85. dogs that locally represent a very serious problem, often Schenk H., 1976. Analisi della situazione faunistica in Sardegna. underestimated or dealt with inappropriate methodologies. Uccelli e Mammiferi. Pp. 502-503. In: S.O.S. Fauna. Animali in pericolo in Italia. WWF-Italia, Camerino. Nature photography near nesting sites can be a prob- Schenk H., 1995. Status faunistico e di conservazione dei verte- lem for this species, especially when carried out irrespon- brati (Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia) riproducentisi in sibly. With the advent of digital devices, many people Sardegna, 1900-1993. Pp. 41-95. In: Atti 1° Conv. Reg. Fau- na selvatica Sardegna. have approached nature photography without the neces- Trainito E., 2009. Provincia Olbia Tempio - Biodiversità 2010 - sary preparation and knowledge of the environmental dy- Habitat e specie. Taphros Ed., Olbia, 312 pp.

Avocetta 41: 93-95 (2017)

A comment about the meeting's results

Paolo Fasce, Laura Fasce

Via G. d’Annunzio 2/112 - 16121 Genova, Italy

We summarize in Tab. 1 the results from the presenta- marks in his communication, due to the lack of a coherent tions of this meeting, and compare them with the results programme of analysis of the whole territory: the appar- from the First Meeting on the diurnal and nocturnal Ital- ent contradiction in data comes likely from that. It seems ian Raptors, held in Treviso (Fasce & Fasce 2003), when a anyway that in this part of the alpine arc the Golden Eagle first estimate about the species consistency in the national does not follow the same rate of increase observed else- territory was attempted. One fact impresses immediately where in Italy. the reader: the Italian population of the Golden Eagle has, In the peninsular Italy, the population seems to en- since then, greatly increased. counter a phase of marked increase: the number of pairs Even outside the Italian borders this population in- has almost doubled, much more than expected. crease is currently ongoing: for instance, in France (Goar Also in Sardinia the population has increased consid- 2004), Scotland (Watson 1997, Eaton et al. 2007, Hayhow erably, whilst in Sicily the increment is undoubtedly low- et al. in press), Sweden (Tjernberg 1990) and Switzerland er. The only Italian region where the Golden Eagle is ab- (Haller 1988, Jenny 1992). In particular, in Scotland the sent is Apulia, most likely due to the absence of suitable population has grown by 15% (Hayhow et al. in press) in habitat. the last 12 years. The reasons for the present higher density of this spe- All the Authors in this volume agree that this increase cies in our country lie, according to all of the Authors, in is not only apparent, i.e. due to better surveying tech- general, higher food availability, in the increase of the pop- niques, but it is an actual increase in territorial pairs. ulations of prey species, in the creation of protected areas In almost every region the number of recorded pairs is and in the reduction of illegal persecution (that in several higher today than the numbers estimated in 2003. regions is almost null). Unfortunately, for several small regions, the compari- Everywhere threats are similar and mostly depend on son of data presented in 2003 is approximative, due to lack human activities, especially hobbies that are more and of monitoring. more widespread: climbing, paragliding, photography and In fact, for example, in the Central Alps, data from the so on. province of Biella and the Sesia Valley are not available Another threat, detected only recently, is lead poison- today, whilst, in 2003, 33-34 pairs were observed in these ing, deriving from ingestion of carcasses of animals killed areas as well as in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. or wounded by lead shot. In some regions, the relevant au- While Bionda (this volume) has confirmed the presence of thorities have proceeded to fix this situation and discour- 23 pairs in the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola areas, we may as- age the use of this kind of ammunitions, encouraging in- sume that at least a further 10 pairs must occupy the prov- stead the use of non toxic metals (mostly copper). ince of Biella and the Sesia Valley. We therefore added The negative effect of afforestation, caused by the these 10 pairs to the number of known and estimated pairs. abandonment of grazing and farming, is controversial: In the Eastern Alps, data for Trentino and Alto Adige some Authors minimize its impact on the Golden Eagle, resulted, in 2003, 115 recorded pairs; today, consistency others think it is a limiting factor. The Golden Eagle is in- amounts to 105 (65 in Trentino and 40 in Alto Adige). The creasing all over our country, in spite of the fact that open complete picture of the distribution and consistency in Al- areas are decreasing: this appears to be in contrast with the to Adige is not available yet, as Clementi (this volume) re- negative effect ascribed to this factor.

The total numerical consistency of the Italian popula- however, the lack of data on mortality and hatching rate tion is questionable, because data on floating individuals make their conclusions quite unproductive. If the fraction are missing from almost everywhere. of floaters amounts to about 30% (Fasce 1984), it is likely In Lombardy a commendable effort has been made to that the Italian population today consists of at least 1500- evaluate the number of floaters (Bassiet al. this volume): 1600 individuals.

Table 1. Known and possible pairs in 2003 and 2016 of Golden Eagle breeding population in western, central and eastern Alps, northern, central and southern Apennines and islands.

Zone 2003 2016 known possible known possible pairs pairs pairs pairs

Ligurian Alps 6 7 7 9 Province of Cuneo 33 34 44 44 Province of Turin 46 48 58 60 Aosta Valley 44 45 59 60 Western Alps 129 134 168 173 Lombardy 25 1 30 1 68 84 Verbano-Cusio-Ossola 21 22 23 24 Sesia Valley and province of Biella 12 12 12 2 12 2 Central Alps 58 64 103 120 Veneto 45 48 45 53 Trentino 56 60 65 70 Alto Adige 59 64 40 3 67 Friuli-Venezia Giulia 25 35 35 38 Eastern Alps 185 207 185 228 Alps 372 405 456 521 Liguria, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna 20 23 32 40 Northern Apennines 20 23 32 40 Umbria and Marche 13 18 25 Latium 7 8 11 13 Abruzzi 23 24 Central Apennines 20 36 52 62 Campania 2 3 3 3 Basilicata 1 3 Calabria 5 6 4 4 Southern Apennines 7 10 8 10 Peninsular Italy 47 69 92 112 Sicily 15 17 17 21 Sardinia 41 53 57 70 Islands 56 70 74 91 Italy 475 544 622 724

1 Data after Tosi & Pinoli in Brichetti & Fasola (1990). 2 Non updated data 3 Census not completed

94 A comment about the meeting`s results

The knowledge of the age classes of the territorial birds not appear to be completely convincing and has not been has much improved, as in many studies the age of part- demonstrated yet. ners of territorial pairs has been evaluated: it emerges that, Also the presence of floaters, disturbing the pairs dur- for instance, in the Western Alps the percentage of mixed ing the breeding period, and causing brood failures (Haller pairs, i.e. pairs formed by an adult bird and a sub-adult or 1982), is questionable (Fasce & Fasce 2003), because in an immature, is about 6% (Fasce et al. this volume); in areas, where the population density is high (for instance the recently-monitored Scottish population, this percent- the Gran Paradiso National Park), productivity is higher age corresponds exactly to the one registered in the West- than in regions with lower density. ern Alps (Hayhow et al. in press). In our opinion, the most convincing hypothesis, but not In the Northern Apennines, this percentage is equal to necessarily the only, is the one we sketched in our study 16% (Nardelli this volume). (Fasce et al. this volume): this alternation originates from It is often debated whether a higher percentage of sub- a density-dependent factor, originated not from the pres- adult/immature partners correspond to a healthy popula- ence of floaters, but by the occurrence during the pre-lay- tion or the opposite: in fact, this value should be consid- ing period of the young of the previous year, which would ered together with the mortality rate (that is unknown for affect egg-laying. Indeed we observed a parallel trend in this population). Indeed, in the presence of a low mortality the number of pairs laying eggs and productivity, thus sup- rate, a high number of mixed pairs could originate from an porting the conviction that the negative factor occurs be- increase in productivity and could also mean an expanding fore the egg-laying period. population; on the contrary, if the mortality rate is high, the presence of a large amount of mixed pairs could mean that the population is crossing a remarkable stress phase, REFERENCES because not enough young birds are reaching the reproductive age to adequately replace the losses of adult birds. Brichetti P. & Fasola M., 1990. Atlante degli uccelli nidificanti in Lombardia 1983.1987. Ed. Ramperto, Brescia. The relatively high number of mixed pairs in the Eaton M.A., Dillon I.K., Stirling-Aird P.K. & Whitfield D.P., Northern Apennines, where productivity is quite high 2007. Status of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Britain in (0.76: Nardelli this volume), could, in our opinion, be actu- 2003. Bird Study 54: 212-220. Fasce P. & Fasce L., 1984. L’Aquila reale in Italia - Ecologia e ally ascribed to the second possibility, i.e. to a population conservazione. LIPU Serie scientifica, Parma, 66 pp. that is remarkably expanding, whilst in the Western Alps Fasce P. & Fasce L., 2003. L’Aquila reale Aquila chrysaetos in 6% of mixed pairs could be ascribed to the normal biology Italia: un aggiornamento sullo status della popolazione. Pp. 10-13. In: Mezzavilla F., Scarton F. & Bon M., Atti 1° Conv. of the species, as this fraction was almost constant during Ital. Rapaci diurni e notturni. Avocetta 27. the 45-year surveys. Goar J.L., 2004. Aigle royal Aquila chrysaetos. Pp. 96-99. In: Productivity (number of fledged young/monitored Thiollay J.M. & Bretagnolle V. (eds), Rapaces Nicheurs de France, Distribution, Effectifs et Conservation. Delachaux et pairs per year) has been evaluated in many regions, even if Niestlé, Paris. with different methodologies, in particular the duration of Haller H., 1982. Raumorganisation und Dynamik einer Popula- tion des Steinadlers Aquila chrysaetos in den Zentralalpen. surveys. Orn. Beob. 79: 163-211. Although it is not possible to directly compare the pro- Haller H., 1988. Long-term trends in the Swiss breeding popula- ductivities reported in this volume with those published in tion of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos. Orn. Beob. 85: 225-244. 2003 (Fasce & Fasce 2003), because the study areas do not Hayhow D., Stuart B., Stevenson A., Stirling-Aird P.K. & Eaton have the same boundaries of the previous surveys and also M.A., in press. Status of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in the duration of monitoring are different, it seems that this Britain in 2015. Bird Study. Jenny D., 1992. Reproduction and regulation of density in an al- parameter has a general negative trend, as registered also pine population of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos. Orn. in Scotland (Hayhow et al. in press). Anyway, it has an os- Beob. 89: 1-43. cillating trend in every region. Tjernberg M., 1990. The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Swe- den: distribution, population and threats. Vår Fågelvårld 49: Explaining this alternation of good and bad productiv- 337-348. ity years with dependence on meteorological factors does Watson J., 1997. The Golden Eagle. T. & A.D. Poyser, London.

Columns - Rubriche Avocetta 41: 97-98 (2017)

Book Reviews - Recensioni

Publishers and Authors are invited to submit a copy of their books for a review in the journal. Books are to be sent to the CISO secretary (Tommaso La Mantia - Dipartimento SAF (Scienze agrarie e forestali), Università di Palermo - Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 4, Ingr. H - 90128 Palermo (Italy) – Editori e Autori sono invitati a sottoporre una copia dei loro volumi per una recensione. I volumi devono essere spediti alla segreteria CISO (Tommaso La Mantia - Dipartimento SAF (Scienze agrarie e forestali), Università di Palermo - Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 4, Ingr. H - 90128 Palermo (Italy).

Cauli F. & Genero F. (eds), 2017. Rapaci d’Italia. Ed. Each species is extensively treated in the following Belvedere, Latina (Italy), 448 pp., € 48,00 (price to 2018 way: on the left page a nice drawing by Federico Gemma CISO members: € 36,00). www.edizionibelvedere.it presents the species, while on the right page a short story on a particular encounter with that species by one of the 30 The editors of this book, Federico Cauli and Fulvio Gen- collaborators to the volume is presented. ero, were able to involve more than 30 hands of select- The coverage of each species is wide and includes eve- ed Italian authors among the most experienced in diurnal ry significant aspect of its life; there are different authors raptor research and their conservation. In this way the au- for each species. thors presented a completely new publication for Italy, Other drawings are scattered in the volume, prepared very well and finely printed; resulting in an important ref- by Luigi Corsetti, Niccolò Falchi, Fabio Perco and Ales- erence book, not only for Italy but also for other European sandro Troisi, among the best Italian bird illustrators. This countries. part of the book covers about 200 pages. F. Genero and F. Cauli present a short annotated list Structure and organization of this volume of non-breeder raptors. After, F. Perco introduces an inter- The first chapter, co-authored by F. Cauli, F. Genero, B. esting subject, raptors in myths and the legends; this long Massa and M. Panuccio, concerns the life style of raptors. chapter (15 pages) is very rich in information, some of The authors present interesting and often little known in- which are difficult to find. formation on etymology, classification, morphology and The last parts of the book are devoted to projects re- adaptations, eyesight, habitats, hunting modalities, migra- lated to raptor protection, conservation priorities, relation- tion, nesting and breeding cycle. ships with man, and past, present and future threats to rap- The title of the second chapter, jointly written by M. tors by J. Cecere and A. Andreotti. Panuccio, G. Dell’Omo, F. Genero and F. Cauli, is “Stu- Raptor conservation projects in Italy include: the re- diare i Rapaci” (studying raptors). The authors give an ex- introduction of the Osprey in Maremma (Tuscany) by G. cellent overview of methods used to estimate populations Sammuri; the return of the Lammergeyer in the Alps by (concerning this subject cf. contents of this issue of Avo- F. Genero; the efforts to reintroduce the Egyptian Vulture cetta, dedicated to the status of the Golden Eagle in Italy), into Tuscany by G. Ceccolini; the long and fearless battle the use of radar and other tools provided by modern tech- to safeguard migrant raptors through the Strait of Messina nology (satellite receivers, webcams, etc), food analysis, by A. Giordano; the reintroduction of the Griffon Vulture biometrics, bioacoustics, marking methods, etc. in some Italian regions by F. Genero; the active protec- Following this wide introduction covering ca. 80 tion against the theft of nestlings of the Bonelli’s Eagle pages, the book regards the 25 species of diurnal raptors by poachers and falconers by M. Gustin; the protection of breeding in Italy, and the other seventeen (some of them Montagu’s Harrier nests in wheat fields by E. Calevi; the rare or occasional) migrating through our country; a sig- reintroduction of the Red Kite in Tuscany by A. Cener- nificant sample of the European avifauna. The original and ini; the installation of nest-boxes to entice the colonization of high caliber color plates of raptors in flight have been by the Lesser Kestrel in Northern Italy by M. Gustin; the prepared by Andrea Ambrogio. recent colonization of the Red-footed Falcon in the prov-

© 2017 CISO - Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici 97 Columns - Rubriche ince of Parma by M. Gustin; the study and the conservation short biographies of the 32 authors of this book. The vol- camps at Carloforte (Sardinia) aimed for the protection of ume is enriched by many colour photographs of very high the Eleonora’s Falcon by G. Pinna and the project to pro- quality. tect the Lanner Falcon in Italy by A. Andreotti. Overall, this is a very nice and original book on rap- Finally, there are 32 pages of selected bibliography, tors, penned by Italian researchers, who demonstrate that divided by arguments, prepared by F. Genero and M. Pa- Italian research on raptors has risen to high levels and that nuccio, and some appendices: a list of nature conservation the conservation of these important and keystone birds in associations involved in raptor conservation, and a list of the food-webs is now in secure hands.

Tommaso La Mantia ([email protected])