Sandgrouse, Pigeons and doves, Cuckoos, Nightjars, Swifts, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Hoopoe of Saratov region

Report on

Zavyalov, E.V. et al. (2002): Sandgrouse, Pigeons and doves, Cuckoos, Nightjars, Swifts, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Hoopoe of Saratov region (Russian), Berkut 11: 61-78

(APUSlist No. 3341)

by IGOR FEFELOV

The paper resumes the development of 14 species of 6 bird orders in the Saratov area from 1871 – 2002, whereas the information on Black or Common Swifts were from 1971 onwards only.

The Common Swift (Apus apus) is distributed everywhere across the region and nests in suitable habitats. It prefers to nest in the buildings or in shore cliffs of Volga and Chagra Rivers. In the city of Saratov, the species’ density in the breeding time is 88.7 ind./sq.km (12.2 % of total bird number) in newer parts of the city, and slightly higher by 89.0 (13.2%) in older parts. The population in the region tends to increase; in several settlements including Saratov this increase is rapid and influences the House Martin's number negatively, which decreases. The Common Swift arrives in the region in middle May, more rarely in the first days of May (for example, on 4 May in 2002). The clutch size is 2-4 eggs. The fledglings leave their nests middle of July. The autumn migration goes southward in the Volga valley and lasts from middle August to 2nd decade of September.

ISSN 1438-2261