Lebedeva:Waders in agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia

Wadersin agricultural habitats of EuropeanRussia E.A. Lebedeva

Lebedeva,E.A. 1998. Wadersin agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia. International Wader Studies 10: 315-324.

Analysisof dataon the occurenceof waderspecies in varioustypes of agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia shows that 63% of all waderspecies and 41%of breedingwaders in this area inhabitagricultural landscapes. Waders prefer natural meadows, used for hay-harvesting,various kindsof openpastoral habitats, and ricefields (in southernRussia). In recentyears many waders havepopulated other arable lands, especially cereal crops and varioustypes of fallowlands. Due to the abilityof wadersto useagricultural areas for breeding,some species have expanded northwardsin recentdecades following an increasein the extentof agriculturalareas in the northernpart of EuropeanRussia. Crude indices of vulnerabilityfor waderspecies breeding in agriculturalareas of EuropeanRussia has made it possibleto identifythree broad groups of species requiringdifferent types of attentionfrom ornithologistsand agriculturalworkers. Specieswhose occurenceon farmlandis mostimportant in termsof conservationinclude: Great Snipe Gallinago media,Sociable Plover Chettusia gregaria, Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola, Curlew Nurnenius arquata,Stone Curlew Burhinusoedicnernus (Group I), with Black-tailedGodwit Lirnosalirnosa, Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnalis, Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni, Lapwing Vandlus vanellus, CommonSnipe Gallinago gallinago and RedshankTringa totanus in Group2.

E.A. Lebedeva,Russian Bird Conservation Union, Shosse Entusiastov, 60, building1, Moscow,Russia.

Ae0e/;esa,E.A. t998. Ky.•srs na cea•,croxo3s•cTsenm•x yro/•,sx EBponefic•ofi Poccss. Interrational Wader Studies 10: 315-324.

Introduction The majorpart of non-forestedEuropean Russia is analyzethe role of agriculturalhabitats in currentlyused for agriculture.Given the extentof supportingpopulations of wadersfor European human activitiesin suchareas it is extremely Russia.As wadersare typical open-nesting birds, importantto evaluatetheir effecton natureand on theycan be consideredas good models for the birdsin particular.For suchpurposes, however, the studies of interrelations between birds and necessityof large-scalegeneralizations concerning agriculture.Owing to ecologicalpeculiarities of this speciescomposition, numbers, responses to group,one can observedifferent effects of agriculturalactivities etc. is obvious.Unfortunately agriculturalchange on birds:whilst somewaders no suchsummary data have yet beenpublished for sufferfrom drastichabitat changes and continuous our country. disturbanceby human activities,others can benefit from the appearenceof new typesof openareas In thispaper we havemade the first attemptto whichincrease ecological possibilities.

315 International Wader Studies 10: 315-324

Study areasand methods Extent and typology of agriculturalhabitats in European Russia Agriculturalhabitats occupy approximately half of the whole territoryof EuropeanRussia and coverin total about 114 m hectares(data for 1986;Kibalchich 1991). They havebeen traditionally separated by agriculturalistsinto the followingtypes: arable lands (c. 78.5m ha), hay meadows(c. 8.1 m ha) and pastures(c. 27.3 m ha). Within arablelands we have separatedsix different subtypes for thisanalysis:

- barefallow - ploughedareas, left unsowedin summer; - other kinds of fallow lands, such as fields, left for oneor moreyears unploughed after harvesting; - winter cereals; - springcereals; - rice fields; - variouscultivated crops, such as potatoes,sugar beet,other vegetables, maise, sunflowers etc., - fieldswith perennialcrops, i.e. alfalfa, clover, medical herbs etc.

The extentof the first two subtypes(bare fallow and otherfallow) in 1986was 7.98m ha; all cerealcrops (winterand springcereals with rice)occupied 38.0 m ha with winter cerealbeing most abundant; variouscultivated crops and perennialcrops were plantedrespectively on 22.45and 9.66m ha (Kibalchich 1991).

:.. Hay meadowsshould be currentlysubdivided into at leasttwo groups,as traditionalnatural meadows are currentlybeing changed to artificiallysown, • t -'t,-'• high-productiveleys; consequently, the areaof natural meadows has decreased in the latest 30 , yearsby 41.7%(Kibalchich 1991). Figure1, •revalenceof different•es of agricul•ral habitatson •e territoryof Europe• Ru•ia accord•g to With respectto pastures,in the northernparts of T•h•ov (1983). EuropeanRussia they are representedmostly by b•s or othercoastal sites; 3) censusesof re•lar or intensivelygrazed tussocky types, while in central tempora• plots (•clud•g re•lar •anse•s) which and especiallysouthern Russia they are either we conside•to be the o•y acceptablemethod for highly overgrazeddry pastures,or moderately wader s•dies. grazedpastures with a mediumheight of grass- cover. Unfortunately,lack of agreementbetween ornithologistsworking on wadersin European Figure1 showsthose areas of EuropeanRussia Russia and elsewhere in Russia as to which kind of whereagricultural habitats prevail over other methods should be used for waders means that the habitattypes. numerousdispersed data on wadernumbers or densitiesare oftenincomparable. For thispaper we Methods used for wader censuses in have selectedonly thoseestimates that were either agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia presentedin the form of densities,or couldbe Several traditional methods have been used in transformedinto similardensity estimates if the Russiafor bird censusesincluding wader counts: authorhas given the total surveyedarea. 1) censusesof regularor temporaryroutes with futher calculationsto give densitiesvalues. The Results and discussion mostwidespread methods are those of Ravkin Statusof different wader speciesin (1967) and Naumov (1963) with some later agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia modifications.Although these methods have been workedout mostlyfor forestbirds, they arewidely A total of 48 wader species,including vagrants, usedin many wader counts;2) countsalong linear havebeen recorded in EuropeanRussia. Thirty- routes, often made in studies of waders on river- nine of thesespecies have been confirmed as breeding(Kozlova 1961-1962;Stepanyan 1990).

316 Lebedeva:Waders in agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia

Table 1. Statusof differentwader speciesin agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia.

Burhinusoedicnemus • OvergrazedBelik & Bakhtadze1982 drypasture Pluvialissquatarola •/ • Zinoviev1980 Pluvialisapricaria •/ Winter • • Belik1990; Zinoviev 1980 Charadriusdubius •/ ß • Kazakovetal. 1984; Butiev & Lebedeva 1990 Charadriusmorinellus •/ • Zin•)viev1980; Tilba 1990 Vanellusvanellus •/ Numerousdata, almost allhabitat types Chettusiagregaria Spring • ModeratelyFornin 1977; Davygora eta/.1989; grazed Khokhlov& Vitovich 1990 pastures Khokhlov1987; Himantopushimantopus •/ • ModeratelyKazakov etal. 1984,1988 grazed pastures Recurvirostraavocetta • • Kazakovet al. 1984 Haematopusostralegus •/ • Belik&Bakhtadze 1982 longipes Tringaochropus •/ • ß Kazakovetal. 1984; Zinoviev 1980;

Butiev & Ezhova 1987 Tringaglareola •/ • • • Arable Kazakovet al. 1984; Zinoviev 1980 Tringanebularia •/ ß • • • Kazakovet al. 1984; Zinoviev 1980, Vinogradov1985 Tringatotanus Zinoviev1980; Kazakov et al. 1984 Tringaerythropus Kazakov et al. 1984 Tringastagnatilis $emagoetal. 1993 Actitishypoleucos Butiev & Lebedeva 1990 Xenuscinereus our data Philomachuspugnax Priklonsky1977; Zinoviev 1980; Belik 1990 Lymnocryptesminimus Ochapovsky1973; our data Gallinagogallinago Kazakovet al. 1984; Zinoviev 1980; ButievEzhova 1987; Konstantinov& Kutjin 1993 Gallinagomedia Kazakovet al. 1984; Zinoviev 1980; Nikiforov & Gibet 1987 Scolopaxrusticola Arable Tilba1990; Kazakov et al. 1984 Calidrisminutus Kazakovet al. 1984 Calidrisalpina ß Belik 1990 Numeniusarquata • Winter, Kazakovet al. 1984,1990;Butiev sprig & Lebedeva 1990 Limosalimosa Kazakovet al. 1984;Zinoviev 1980 Phalaropuslobatus Kazakov et al. 1984 Glareolapratincola Sprig Kazakovet al. 1984; Kazakov 1973 Glareolanordmanni Sprig ModeratelyKazakov et al. 1984;Denisov & grazed Frolov 1991 pastures

Amongthese species 30 (63%of Europeanwader The breedingof somewader speciesin agricultural fauna)use various types of agriculturalhabitats, 16 habitatshas not yet beenproved, but seemsquite (41%of breedingfauna) nest in farmlandhabitats. possible.For example,Ringed Plovers Charadrius Data on the statusof wadersin agriculturalareas of hiaticulawere recordedas breeding in the wet EuropeanRussia are summarisedin Table1. tussockypastures of the Pripyatriver flood-plain, Belarus(the southernmost breeding area of the In somecases waders can also use rather untypical speciesin the whole of the formerUSSR; Nikiforov agriculturalsites, i.e. for StoneCurlew Burhinus et al. 1991),and thereforeit seemsprobable that it oedicnemusnesting in the orchardshas been proved canalso occur in similarhabitats in European in Saratovregion (Mezhnev 1990). Suchunusual Russia. records have not been included in Table 1.

317 International Wader Studies 10: 315-324

Table2. Dataon the densitiesof wadersbreeding in maintypes of farmlandhabitats in differentparts of EuropeanRussia.

Little Ringed Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev& Lebedeva(1990) Arable 0.004 Plover Oka valley Polyakova& Radetsky Springcereals 2.0 (OkskyNature Reserve) (1973) Lapwing WesternManych Lakes, earlyJune Kazakovet al. (1984) Ricefields 9.4-13.7 1974 Western Manych late lune Kazakovet al. (1984) Ricefields 3.04.0 Lakes 1975

Vologdaregion 1970-1985 Butiev & Ezhova (1987) Natural meadows 0.5 Vologdaregion 1970-1985 Butiev& Ezhova(1987) Tussockypastures 3.6 Vologdaregion 1993 our data Tussockypastures 3.6 Vologdaregion 1983-1985 our data, Winter cereals 0.41 Vologdaregion 1983-1985 our data Bare fallow 0.3 Vologdaregion 1983-1985 our data Perennialcrops 0.17 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 our data Natural meadows 3.2 Vologdaregion Butiev & Lebedeva (1990) Arable 1.5 Lapwing Tver region, 1983-1984 V'mogradov(1985) Perennialcrops 0.2-2.0 Kyandasettl., Butiev (1973) Arable 0.6-1.0 OnegaPeninsula Kyandasettl., Butiev (1973) Natural meadows 2.0-3.0 OnegaPeninsula Kyandasettl., Butiev(1973) Tussockypastures 0.2-2.0 OnegaPeninsula Oka valley Polyakova& Springcereals 2.0-18.0 (OkskyNature Reserve) Radetsky(1973) Black-winged WesternManych Lakes June 1974 Kazakov et al. (1984) Rice fields 2.9-3.2 Stilt WesternManych Lakes June 1975 Kazakov et al. (1984) Rice fields 0.6-0.8 GreenSandpiper Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Natural meadows 0.26 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Arable 0.11 WoodSandpiper Tver region 1983-1984 V'mogradov(1985) Perennialcrops 0.02-0.20 Tver region 1983-1984 V•mogradov(1985) Tussockypastures 0.21-2.0 Redshank WesternManych Lakes late June Kazakov et al. (1984) Rice fields 2.1-2. 1974 WesternManych Lakes late June Kazakov et al. (1984) Rice fields 0.2-0.3 1975 Vinogradovo, 1981-1982 Morozov(1990) Tussockypastures and 0.5-0.72 Moscowregion, natural meadows Sheredarfloodplain, 1987-1988 Morozov(1990) Tussockypastures and 0.34 Moscowregion natural meadows MarshSandpiper Moscowregion, 1980-1982 Garushantset al. (1990) Tussockypastures 0.1-0.12 Kirzhach district V'mogradovo, 1981-1982 Zubakinet al. (1988) Tussockypastures 1.0-1.1 Moscowregion Sheredarfloodplain, 1980-198Z Morozov(1990) Tussockypastures 0.2-0.24 Moscowregion 1988 Common Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Natural meadows 0.41 Sandpiper Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Arable 0.001 TerekSandpiper Vologdaregion our data;Butiev & Tussockypastures 1.2-4.0 Lebedeva(1990) Oka valley Polyakova& Radetsky Springcereals 4.0 (OkskyNature Reserve) (1973) V'mogradovo, 1982-1985 Morozov(1990) Vegetatedfallow land 0.4-0.88 Moscowregion, & tussockypastures Ruff Tver region 1983-1984 V'mogradov(1985) Tussockypastures 0.21-2.0 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Natural meadows 0.07 CommonSnipe Vologdaregion 1970-1985 Butiev & Ezhova (1987) Tussockypastures 0-3.2 Vologdaregion 1970-1985 Butiev & Ezhova (1987) Natural meadows 0.01-0.1 Tver region 1983-1984 Vinogradov(1985) Perennialcrops 0.02-0.2 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Natural meadows 0.2 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Arable 0.05

318 Lebedeva' Wadersin agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia

Table2.(continued) Data on the densitiesof wadersbreeding in main typesof farmlandhabitats in differentparts of EuropeanRussia.

.. -....:...,c: :..:....;c...... :.:...•..::,...:...... , GreatSnipe Vologdaregion 1970-1985 Butiev & Ezhova (1987) Tussockypastures 0.1-4.1 Vologdaregion 1993 our data Tussockypastures 3.0 Moscowregion, 1980-1982 Garushantset al. (1990) Tussockypastures 0.1-0.20 Kirzhach district, Sheredarfloodplain, 1981-1982, Morozov (1990) Natural meadows 0.08-0.25 (males) Moscowregion 1987-1988 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Natural meadows 0.69 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva(1990) Arable 0.21 Curlew Vologdaregion 1970-1985 Butiev& Ezhova(1987) Tnssockypastures 0.5-0.8 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva (1990) Natural meadows 0.48 Vologdaregion 1970-1987 Butiev & Lebedeva (1990) Arable 0.26 Vologdaregion 1983-1985 our data Springcereals 0.2-5.0 Vologdaregion 1983-1985 our data Perennialcrops 0.1 Kostromaregion 1984-1989 Balandin & Kuznetsov Natural meadows 0.6 (1990) Moscowregion, 1980-1982 Garushantset al. (1990) Tussockypastures 0.06-0.08 Kirzhach district Sheredarfloodplain, 1980-1983, Moscowregion 1987-1988 Morozov(1990) Tussockypastures 0.12-0.2 Black-tailed Godwit Vologdaregion 1993 our data Tussockypastures 0.80 Vinogradovo, 1980-1982 Zubakinet al. (1988) Tussockypastures Moscowregion and natural meadow 1.4-1.44 otherparts of the Moskva and Klyazmaflood-plains 1980-1982 Morozov (1990) Tussockypastures 0.1-0.13 and natural meadows

Wader numbersin different types of Development of adaptationsto agricultural agriculturalhabitats in EuropeanRussia activities and effectson population statusand Significantdifferences in methodsof wader range censuseshave in many casesresulted in the Populationstatus and abundanceof a speciesin any incompatibilityof data. Accordinglyin Table2 we habitatis likely to be closelyrelated (amongst other haveincluded only broadlycompatable data. factors),with the time when it first started to Unfortunatel)•numerous census results could not colonisethat habitat. For example,Lapwing, be includedas they were calculatedon the basisof currentlythe commonestfarmland wader, was linearlengths of surveyroutes. numerousin Russiaon variousbogs but only Our review of wader densities in various farmland occasionalon farmland,even at the beginningof the areasshows that the mostimportant breeding 20th century(Biancki 1912 in Nankinov 1973). habitats are: Obviously,its colonisationfor breedinginto hay- meadows,pastures and later to arablelands 1) tussockypastures, where comparatively high happenedin differentparts of EuropeanRussia densitiesare foundof LapwingVanellus vanellus, between the 1920s and 1940s. The northern Wood Tringaglareola and TerekXenus cinereus boundaryof breedingrange in Lapwinghas Sandpiper,Common Gallinago gallinago and Great expandednorthwards as a resultof its colonisation SnipeG. media; of agriculturalareas since the 1950s(Myrberget 1962; Moltoni 1962 in Nankinov 1973; Seinenov 2) naturalhay-meadows supporting rather large 1980). densitiesof Lapwingand, to a lesserextent, of Great Snipeand CurlewNumenius arquata; and This expansionstill continues.The increasein the extentof arablelands in northernEuropean Russia 3) ricefields, where Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt that has occuredsince the 1970s(Kibalchich 1991) Himantopushimantopus and RedshankTringa totanus madeit possiblefor Lapwingto expandits range reachalmost the largest wader densities in into thesenew arableareas (Figure 2). In the north farmland. In many casesrather high breeding of EuropeanRussia it was recordedin 1982in densitiesare alsoobserved in differenttypes of artificiallysown hay-meadows near Vorgashor arableareas, therefore, large numbers of several settlement,Bolshezemelskaya tundra (Morozov speciesin cultivatedcrops are of particularinterest. 1987)and in 1972in naturalhay-meadows near Ust- Ukhta and Kedva settlements in the Pechora basin (Estafiev 1977).

319 International Wader Studies 10: 315-324

• Range of Lapwingin 1950s (from Kozlova1961-1962). • Range of Lapwingin 1970s (from Cramp & Simmons1983). Exact localities,mentioned by Russianspecialists for Lapwing range expansion includingearly 1980s:

O Seinenov1980 O Morozov1987 O Burley,V.T. pers. comm. • Rangeof Redshankin 1950s (fromKozlova 1981-1962). OEstaflev1977 • Burley&Nikeroy 1985 •. Rangeof Redshankin 1970s(from Cramp & Simmons1983) O Zybtsovsky& Ryabitsev 1976 • • • Rangeof MarshSandpiper in 1950s (fromKozIova 1961-1962). .. [] Rangeof MarshSandpiper in 1970s(from Cramp & Simmons1963) = = = Rangeof Black-tailedGodwit in 1950s(fr9m Koziova 1981-1962). Exactlocalities, mentioned by Russianspecialists for Black-tailedGodwit = = = Rangeof Black-tailedGodwit in 1970s (fromCramp & Simmons1983). range expansionincluding early 1980s: • Garushantsetal. 1990: Zubakin etal. 1988: Morozov 1990 range expansionincluding eady 1980s: (• Noskovetal. 1981 (•) Burley1973 (•) Somikovinpress. (•) Sotiknovinpress Exact(• Ourlocalities,data mentionedbyRussianspecialists forBlack-tailedGodwit

i•" ""* . . •l rangein1970s \

•, 41:e. e_ • '• ofRedshan I' / 'e•, '• • •, rangein 1950s ß k '•' • • .• -'northernextent %- • •-• • •, ofLapwing ra•e {-ert_ n h.... tent'*ee•.•, (•) • • • • .' in195• IS.a_ ofMarsh •cln •pi_p•er '•,•.• • •,• •utheme•ent • • ß • , • rangein1950s 'e• • • •; • ofBlack-tailed Godw,*• •,t• %,•' ee •ee_ • •nerthemextent • • • rangein1950s •e• = .• • ' •-•#e e• e **ofMarsh Sandpiper 1• • ß• •e •n•hem e•ent I•' ' e#e •4' rangein1970s • • • • • , t - -•'•' • e• ofBlack-tailed Godwit •o•th•mextent •,, {• • -- '• • rangein 1970s •3fMarsh Sandpiper/i t ;'''•l• . ;- . J•_• rangein1950s • •. ! ." ',•.,' ,•' ,..• ...... "'. ', '.' -:

Figure2. Cha•es • •es o• Lap• •d Black-tailed Fiõu•e3. Chanões• •anõeso• MarshSa•dpipe• and Codwff at the te•ffo• o• Eu•ope• •ussia. Reds:haz•

a•o occu•• •y-meadows and tussoc•yp•tu•es. Althoughmost wader speciesthat breed on hay- meadowsor pasturesrequire moderate grazing for The startof a significantperiod in wader maintainanceof optimalvegetation structure (e.g. colonisation of Russian farmlamd was in the 1950s- Redshank,Marsh Sandpiper, Curlew, Black-tailed 1970s. At that time the first nests of Ruff Godwit; Zubakin et al. 1988;Morozov 1990),their Philomachuspugnax (1958; Priklonsky 1977) and nestsare oftentrampled by cattleas well. It is Curlew (1950s;Zhelnin 1962; Leonovich & known that someprotective measures are taken Nikolaevsky1981) were recorded.This was not locally:for examplein the flood-plainpastures of coincidental,as this period was alsoa time of westernManych, breeding Black-winged Stilts are intenseagricultural development in Russia. fairly safedue to the useof electricfences (Kazakov et al. 1988). Factorsinfluencing waders on European Russian farmland Amongthe factorsaffecting breeding success in One of the main negativeeffects on wadersis the waders, the recent use of toxic chemicals should be early time of cultivationand harvesting.In those consideredamong the most important. However, fieldswith perennialherbs in Tver region,the only limited data on thisproblem exist for Russia. mortalityof Lapwingsfrom earlyspring harvesting Khokhlovet al. (1991)reported the directmortality is on average1.1 nest per 100ha, in potatofields of Lapwingand Redshankchicks after treatment of during mid-summermechanical cultivation it is 2.1 arable areaswith chemicals(herbicides and chicksper 100ha (Nikolaev1992). Data on the pesticides),and negativeeffects are knownalso for adverseeffects of earlyhay-harvesting are known StoneCurlew (Mezhnev 1990). from the Moscowregion for severalwader species,

32O Lebedeva:Waders in agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia

Table3. Estimatesof vulnerabilityof wadersbreeding in agriculturalhabitats in EuropeanRussia.

L"::::::::...... ß...... :...... ß...... ß...... Restrictnessto agricultural habitats 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 Rangesize in EuropeanRussia 1 0 0 2 0 2 1 0 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 Rangetrend in EuropeanRussia 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 Relative numbers in EuropeanRussia 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Relative number in agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 Populationtrend in EuropeanRussia 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 I 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 Responseto earlyharvest. 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 I 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 Responseto chemicaluse 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 Responseto pasturing 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 Responseto alterationof natural meadows to artificalleys 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 Possibilityof survivalin other habitats 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 2 2 2

TOTAL INDEX 5 6 6 7 8 10 10 10 11 12 13 13 14 14 15 15

Species:Gmed - GreatSnipe; Cgre - SociablePlover; Gpra - CollaredPratincole; Narq - Curlew;Boed - StoneCurlew; Vvan - Lapwing;Llirn - Black-wingedStilt; Gnor - Black-wingedPratincole; Tsta - MarshSandpiper; Ggal - Common Snipe;Ttot - Redshank;Ppug - Ruff;Xcin - TerekSandpiper; Tgla - WoodSandpiper; Cdub - LittleRinged Plover; Ahip - CommonSandpiper For wader speciesbreeding in naturalhay meadows farmland,1 - abouthalf of the population,2 - breeds within river flood-plainsand in rice fields,a very onlyoccasionally in farmland); importantfactor is a stablewater level. Khokhlovet al. (1991)showed that breedingsuccess in Lapwing ß rangesize of a speciesin EuropeanRussia (0 - and Black-wingedStilt nesting in ricefields, occursonly in extremenorthern or southernparts, 1 drasticallydecreases when the water-tablerises - occursin abouthalf of the EuropeanRussia, 2 - duringegg-laying or incubationperiods. occursin almostall EuropeanRussia);

The adverseconsequences of drainage within ß rangetrend of a speciesin theanalysed area (0 - agriculturalhabitats, can be presumedfor many decreasing,1 - stableor no data, 2 - expanding); waders,but haveonly been demonstrated for Curlew and CommonSnipe in Lithuania ß relativenumbers in the whole of EuropeanRussia (Kurlavicius1986). There,Curlew completely (0 - rare or extremelyrare, 1 - moreor lesscommon, avoidsdrained agricultural areas even after several 2 - rather abundant); (up to ten) yearsafter drainage. CommonSnipe, whichoccur only in theyear following draining also ß relativenumber in agriculturalhabitats of decreasesin numbers(from 6.4 to 5.3 territoriesper EuropeanRussia (0 - rare or extremelyrare, 1 - more kin2). or lesscommon, 2 - rather abundant);

Table 3 summarises data on the status and ß overallpopulation trend in EuropeanRussia (0 - vulnerablityof waderspecies breeding in farmland. decliningat leastlocally, 1 - stableor no otherdata, 2 It includesrank codesfor severalspecific criteria - increasingat leastlocally); (followingSukhanova & Mischenko's(1990) scheme,suggested for rarebird speciesof the ß responseto early harvestingor cultivation(0 - Moscowregion). It canprovide only a crude strongnegative, 1 - responseseems moderate - no estimateof vulnerabilityas it assumesthat the data,2 - no obviousresponse); differentfactors listed have equivalent ecological impact,which is probablynot the case.The ß responseto chemicaluse (0 - strongnegative, 1 - followingcriteria and codeswere used: responseseems moderate - no data,2 - no obvious response); ß degreeof restrictionof a speciesto agricultural habitats(0 - almostall the populationoccurs in

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ß responseto pasturing(0 - strongnegative, I - that requiredifferent types of attentionboth from moderatepasturing is nesessary,2 - no response); specialistsand agriculturalworkers. The most importantis protectionfor breedingin agricultural ß responseto alterationof naturalhay-meadows sitesfor the followingspecies: Great Snipe, Sociable into artificiallysown high-productive ones (0 - Plover, Collared Pratincole, Curlew, Stone Curlew. strong,can cause a decline,1 - moderateor no data, Lessaffected (at least on the recentlevel of our 2 - no response); knowledge)are Black-tailedGodwit, Marsh Sandpiper,Black-winged Pratincoles, and Lapwing. ß possibilityof survivalin otherhabitats of The inclusionof the latterspecies in thissecond EuropeanRussia (0 - othersites are almostnot used groupis closelyconnected with their status,since, by species,1 - possible,although other sites are also for example,Lapwings now breedmainly within decreasingor negativelyaffected, 2 - existsrather agriculturalsites and have almost no possibilityof successfullyin othersites). survival elsewhere.

The crudeindex of vulnerabilityindicates three groupsof waders: Acknowledgements I am very obligedto Dr. Vladimir T. Butievfor 1). a groupof extremelyvulnerable species, that commentson the draft of thispaper, also to Dr. requirespecial protection measures within Pavel S. Tomkovich for some valuable advice. The agriculturalhabitats: Great Snipe, Sociable Plover, collationof datafor thispaper was due to financial Collared Pratincole, Curlew and Stone Curlew; supportthrough participation in the special programme"Biodiversity in agricultural 2). vulnerablespecies, whose conservation on landscapes"of the RussianMinistry of Ecologyand farmlandrequires special attention, and special EnvironmentalProtection which was led by ornithologicalstudies as well (forprobable inclusion ProfessorN.M.Chernova of our Department. in groupI): Black-tailedGodwit, Lapwing, Marsh Sandpiper,Black-winged Pratincole, Common Snipe,Redshank and Ruff; and References 3). waders,that arenowadays rather secure within Balandin, V.O. & Kuznetsov, A.V. 1990. Curlew in agriculturalareas or usethem only occasionally: agriculturallandscape of Kostromalowland. In: Woodand TerekSandpipers, Little RingedPlover Rarebirds of the Nechernozemny Centre: proceedings of andCommon Sandpiper. Although these waders theConf. "Recent state of rare breeding bird population arestill fairly safe,they still require adequate at theNechernozemny Centre of the USSR, pp. 160- 161. Moscow. In Russian. protectionmeasures when breeding in farmland, especiallyas a consequenceof therapid changesin Belik,V.P. 1990. Wadermigration in the steppepart of the agriculturalpractices that are currentlyoccuring in Don river basin. In: N.N. Polivanova (ed.), EuropeanRussia. Migrationand winter quarters of birds of the Northern Caucasus,pp.67-90. Stavropol Publishing House, Stavropol.In Russian. Conclusion Belik, V.E & Bakhtadze, G.B. 1982. Waders at the sand Analysisof dataon the occurenceof waderspecies massifbetween the Don river and Tsymlyansk in varioustypes of agriculturalhabitats of European water reservoir.Ornithology (Moscow) 17: 157. Russia has revealed, that 63% of the total wader MoscowState University, Moscow. In Russian. speciesand 41% of thelist of breedingwaders in Butiev, V.T. 1973. Materials on distribution and numbers this areaare inhabitingagricultural sites. The types of somewaders in theEuropean part of theUSSR. mostpreffered by wadersare natural meadows, In: V.E.Flint (ed.),Fauna and ecology of waders 2: 17- usedfor hay-harvesting,various kinds of open 19. Moscow State Univ., Moscow. In Russian. pastoralhabitats, and rice fields (in southern Butiev, V.T. & Nikerov, Yu.N. 1968. New data on bird Russia).In recentyears many waders populated distributionat the OnegaPeninsula. Ornithology otherarable lands as well, especiallycereal crops (Moscow)9: 338-340. Moscow StateUniversity, and varioustypes of fallow lands. Due to the ability Moscow. In Russian. of waderspecies to useagricultural areas for Butiev, V.T. & Ezhova, S.A. 1988. Structure of bird breeding,some of themhave expanded northwards populationsin agriculturalhabitats at the taiga in the pastfew decades,following the increasein zoneof the Europeanpart of the USSR. sizeof agriculturalareas in thenorthern part of Morphology,systematics and ecology of animals, pp.28- EuropeanRussia. In manycases, for example 38. Moscow. In Russian. Curlew,Black-tailed Godwit, Common Snipe etc. Butiev, V.T. & Lebedeva, E.A. 1990. Materials on the fauna theseare now probablythe main alternativehabitats andpopulation of wadersin Vologdaregion. In: thatcan be usedin placeof naturalbreeding areas N.M. Chernova & G.M. Abdurakhmanov (eds.), whichhave been seriously affected by human Materialsof theAll-Union Conference ofZoologists activities. frompegagogical inst. 2: 35-38. Makhach-Kala.In Russian. Estimatesof vulnerabilityfor wader species breedingin agriculturalareas of EuropeanRussia madeit possibleto separatethree groups of species

322 Lebedeva.Waders m agriculturalhabitats of EuropeanRussia

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