The globally endangered Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) was an extremely rare species in Romania, two decades ago. To strengthen the population, between 2010 and 2014, 83 artificial nestboxes were installed on high-voltage pylons as part of an international project involving 4 countries. If at the beginning of the LIFE project only one breeding pair was known, as a result of the conservation measures, the number of pairs started to increase to 8 in 2015, 15 in 2016, 20 in 2017 and 26 in 2018. Each year, more and more pairs have taken up the nest boxes.

Twice a year we visit these places where these boxes were mounted. Every spring we check the occupancy rate of the nests and in the second part of May we return to these sites to check the success of the nesting.

During the March inspection, 45 artificial boxes occupied by Sakers were recorded and, encouragingly, a pair of Sakers also occupied a wooden box, this being the first pair to nest in Satu Mare County.

The good news is that the expansion continues both northwards and southwards and there are currently occupations in Bihor, Timis, Arad counties and now also Satu Mare County.