{"id":49171,"date":"2025-10-17T10:16:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T07:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milvus.ro\/?p=49171"},"modified":"2025-10-17T10:34:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T07:34:16","slug":"record-number-of-falcons-in-the-carpathian-basin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milvus.ro\/en\/record-number-of-falcons-in-the-carpathian-basin\/","title":{"rendered":"Record number of falcons in the Carpathian Basin"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Red-footed falcon<\/a> <\/strong>is one of those species we have been closely monitoring for many years, as it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Vulnerable Species.<\/strong>

This falcon is a social bird<\/strong>, not only breeding in colonies <\/strong>but also gathering in small or large groups during migration and at its African wintering grounds. Between the breeding season and autumn migration, the falcons prepare for their long journey of several thousand kilometres. During the day, they feed continuously to build up fat reserves for the exhausting trip ahead, while at night they roost in small groups of trees on the steppe\u2014often near breeding colonies, alongside individuals that have not yet departed.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a>
Photo: Attila Nagy<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Monitoring these roosting sites<\/strong> is one of our longest-running programmes, launched in 2006<\/strong> as part of a Hungarian\u2013Romanian LIFE project<\/strong> for the conservation of the Red-footed Falcon. Each year, we visit these traditional roosting sites, many of which are used by the falcons year after year. One such site is a gathering place in the Banat region, where we first counted the birds in the autumn of 2008, and where, 17 years later, the falcons still return\u2014just as we do. Who knows how long they had been using it before we discovered it?<\/p>

The synchronous count of the Red-footed falcons<\/strong><\/em>, covers almost the entire Carpathian Basin<\/strong>. On average, simultaneous counts are carried out at 40\u201350 observation points across Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Serbia. This year, from the second half of August until early October<\/strong>, observers conducted weekly counts at the usual roosting sites for seven consecutive weeks, avoiding possible double-counting caused by the birds\u2019 movements.<\/p>

Results of this year<\/h2>

Across the entire monitored area, a record number of falcons was counted<\/strong>\u2014exceeding 20,000 <\/strong>individuals. In Hungary, the largest concentrations were observed in the Hortob\u00e1gy<\/strong> and Kiskuns\u00e1g<\/strong> regions; at one of the Hortob\u00e1gy roosting sites, observers estimated around 5,000<\/strong> Red-footed Falcons for two consecutive weeks.<\/p>

In contrast, in Romania\u2014particularly in Cri\u0219ana<\/strong> and Banat<\/strong>\u2014the birds gathered in smaller numbers than usual.<\/strong> The most significant result came from a roosting site in Arad County, where during the mid-September peak we counted close to one thousand individuals.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a>
While this year\u2019s data from western Romania (marked with a yellow line) were largely below the average of the past nine years, exceptional records were registered in Hungary.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>

This year also differed from the usual pattern: the northern flocks did not shift towards the southern Banat roosts once migration began, but most likely followed a more westerly route, along the River Tisza and across the area between the Danube and Tisza rivers.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a>
Photo: Nagy Attila<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Next year, we will once again count the Red-footed falcons, but until then we hope that as many as possible will reach their African wintering grounds safely. We also wish our Hungarian colleagues success in their ongoing efforts to protect the species\u2019 major spring gathering sites in Angola. Those who can are encouraged to support their work!<\/p>

We would like to thank all those who assisted the Milvus Group by taking part in this year\u2019s synchronous counts in Cri\u0219ana and Banat: Diana Ardelean, Buslig Johanna, Theodora Chiril\u0103, Ana-Daniela Ciocan, Alexandros Dimcea, B\u0103rbos B\u00e1lint, B\u0103rbos Berce, B\u0103rbos L\u0151rinc, Mircea Br\u0103ban, Karina Bron\u021b, Hanna Diaconescu, Larisa Gavagina, Jazbinszky Erik, Eugeniu Li\u021bcan, Marton Attila, Vl\u0103du\u021b Monenci, Silviu Mure\u0219an, Nagy Attila, Tania Oprin, Milca Petrovici, \u0218tefan Popa, Alexandru R\u0103dac, and Ionela R\u0103dac.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Red-footed falcon is one of those species we have been closely monitoring for many years, as it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Vulnerable Species.This falcon is a social bird, not only breeding in colonies but also gathering in small or large groups during migration and at its African wintering 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