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1 ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ 2011, ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺ0609 Eagles1 7of1 7the1 7Aral-Caspian1 7Region,1 7Kazakhstan ｧｰｧｲｧｭｧｽ ｧ ｧｲｧ ｧｭｧｰ-ｧｬｧ ｧｳｧｱｧｪｧｫｧｳｧｬｧｰｧ ｧｰ ｧｲｧｦｧ ｧｪｧｰｧｯｧ, ｧｬｧ ｧｩｧ ｧｷｧｳｧｴｧ ｧｯ Karyakin1 7I.V.1 7(Center1 7of1 7Field1 7Studies,1 7N.1 7Novgorod,1 7Russia) Kovalenko1 7A.V.,1 7Levin1 7A.S.1 7(Institute1 7of1 7Zoology,1 7Ministry1 7of1 7Education1 7and1 7Sciences,1 7 Almaty,1 7Kazakhstan) Pazhenkov1 7A.S.1 7(The1 7Volga-Ural1 7ECONET1 7Assistance1 7Centre,1 7Samara,1 7Russia) ｧｬｧﾑｧ筴ｧﾜｧﾚｧﾟ ｧｪ.ｧ. (ｧｸｧﾖｧﾟｧ荅 ｧ皎爰ﾝｧﾖｧﾓｧｧ ｧﾚｧ罘罘ﾝｧﾖｧﾕｧ爰ﾓｧﾑｧﾟｧﾚｧﾛ, ｧｯ.ｧｯｧ爰ﾓｧﾔｧ爰筴爰ﾕ, ｧｲｧ爰罘罘ﾚｧ) ｧｬｧ爰ﾓｧﾑｧﾝｧﾖｧﾟｧﾜｧ ｧ.ｧ., ｧｭｧﾖｧﾓｧﾚｧﾟ ｧ.C. (ｧｪｧﾟｧ罘荅ﾚｧ荅蟋 ｧﾙｧ爰爰ﾝｧ爰ﾔｧﾚｧﾚ ｧｸｧ ｧｪ ｧｮｧｰｧｯ ｧｲｧｬ, ｧ ｧﾝｧﾞｧﾑｧ荅, ｧｬｧﾑｧﾙｧﾑｧ遘罘荅ﾑｧﾟ) ｧｱｧﾑｧﾘｧﾖｧﾟｧﾜｧ爰ﾓ ｧ.ｧｳ. (ｧｸｧﾖｧﾟｧ荅 ｧ罘爰ﾕｧﾖｧﾛｧ罘荅ﾓｧﾚｧ 00ｧ ｧ爰ﾝｧﾔｧ-ｧｵｧ筴ﾑｧﾝｧｧ罘ﾜｧ爰ﾛ ｧｧﾜｧ爰ﾝｧ爰ﾔｧﾚｧ鬧ﾖｧ罘ﾜｧ爰ﾛ ｧ罘ﾖｧ荅ﾚ03, ｧｳｧﾑｧﾞｧﾑｧ筴ﾑ, ｧｲｧ爰罘罘ﾚｧ) 0806ｨｪｨｰｨ ｨｺｨｰ: ｨｹ 08ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪ 0002ｨｪｨｰ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｦ , ｨｨ07, 01ｨｨ03ｨｪｨｨｨｦ , ｨｮ ｨｪｨｺ06, 17aｨC17 ｨｰ0205.: ikar_research@mail.ru 08ｨｪ010802ｨｦ ｨ 0502ｨｪｨｺ , 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪ, 0805ｨｬｨ ｨｰ04, ｨｮ05. 00ｨ 01ｨｰｨ ｨｪ000609ｨ, 1109ｨC3 ｨｰ0205.: akoval69@mail.ru 08ｨｪｨ ｨｰ0605ｨｨｨｦ ｨｨｨｪ 06ｨｪ09ｨｰｨｨｨｰｨｮｨｰ ｨｨｨｨ 00ｨｨｨｪｨｨ09ｨｰ020809ｨｰ09ｨ 06ｨ 08ｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ07 ｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｮｨｺｨｨ 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪ, 0805ｨｬｨ ｨｰ04 ｨｰ0205.: levin_saker@mail.ru ｨｺ0902ｨｦ 03ｨ 0302ｨｪｨｺ ｨｪｨｰ ｨｦ09ｨｰ09ｨｨ ｨ 05ｨｹ09ｨｺ06ｨｦ 05ｨｺ ｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺ06ｨｦ 0902ｨｰｨｨ , ｨｨ07, 05ｨ ｨｬｨ 08ｨ, ｨ / f_lynx@mail.ru ｨｬ02 05ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨｹ07 06ｨ 06ｨ ｨｴｨ 02ｨｰ 01ｨ ｨｪｨｪ0402 ｨ 09ｨｰ , ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｪ ｨｺ ｨｨ02ｨｨｨｦ 2003ｨC ｨ ｨｪ06 08ｨ 0909ｨｬｨ ｨｰ08ｨｨ09ｨ 02ｨｰ ｨ ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｪ02ｨｪｨｨ02, ﾂｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ, 00ｨｪ ｨ 07 ｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ07 ｨｨ 07ｨｨｨｰｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ (Aquila chrysaetos), ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺｨ (Aquila heliaca) ｨｨ 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ ｨ (Aquila nipalensis) ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺ06ｨｬ ｨｨ06ｨｪ02. ﾁｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ ｨｪｨ ｨC800 07ｨ 08, ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺｨ ｨC 360ｨC580 07ｨ 08, 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ ｨ ｨC 2936ｨC ｨ ｨｺｨｮｨｰ 00ｨｪ020401ｨｨｨｰ ｨ ｨｺｨｰｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ09ｨｺ0506 ﾂｨｨｨｰ0205ｨｹｨｪ06 ｨｪｨ ｨｺｨｨ01 06ｨ ｨ 01 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ0609, ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺ ｨC ｨｪｨ ｨｹ0701 ｨｨ ｨ , 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ06ｨｦ ｨC ｨｪｨ 0402ｨｬ0502, ｨｺｨｮ09ｨｰｨ 01, ｨ ｨｨ 06ｨ ｨ 01 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ ｨｺｨ 01 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ 06ｨｰ ｨｰ02ｨｪ020609, ｨｪ02ｨｬ (n=56) 1,86 ﾀ0,48 07ｨｰ02ｨｪ02ｨ, ｨｺｨ 01 ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺｨ ｨC 1ｨC3, ｨｪ02ｨｬ (n=15) 2,27 ﾀ0,59 07ｨｰ02ｨｪ02ｨ, ｨｺｨ 01 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ ｨ 1ｨC4, ｨｪ02ｨｬ (n=14) 2,36 ﾀ0,84 07ｨｰ02ｨｪ02ｨ. 0209ｨｪ0609ｨｮ 08ｨ 02ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ ｨｰｨ ｨｰ ｨｪ02ｨ 04ｨｨｨ ｨｰ09ｨｺｨ 07 ﾂ ｨ 01ｨ (Testudo horsfieldii) ｨｨ ｨｰ04ｨｦ 09ｨｮ0905ｨｨｨｺ (Spermophilus fulvus), 0609ｨｪ0609ｨｮ 08ｨ 02ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺｨ ｨｰ04ｨｦ 09ｨｮ0905ｨｨｨｺ ｨｨ 04ｨｬ02ｨｨ, 0609ｨｪ0609ｨｮ 08ｨ 02ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ ｨ ｨC ｨｰ04ｨｦ ｨｨ ｨｬｨ 0504ｨｦ (Spermophilus pygmaeus) 09ｨｮ0905ｨｨｨｺｨｨ ﾂ ｨ : ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺｨｨ, 01ｨｨｨｴｨｪ ｨｰｨｨ0204, , ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ, ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺ, 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ06ｨｦ , Aquila chrysaetos, Aquila heliaca, Aquila nipalensis, 08ｨ ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｪ02ｨｪｨｨ02, ﾂｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ, 00ｨｪ ｨ 07 ｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ07, 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪ ｨｰｨｮ07ｨｨ05ｨ ｨ ｨｺ02ｨｨ ｨｨｨｪ07ｨｰｨ ｨｺ 07ｨｮｨ 05ｨｨｨｺｨ 02ｨｨｨｨ Abstract The paper is based on authors ｯ data obtained during surveys in 2003ｨC2006. It presents distribution, number, breeding biology and diet of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) and Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) in the Aral-Caspian region in detail. The Golden Eagle population is estimated as 600ｨC800 pairs, Imperial Eagle ｨC 360ｨC580 pairs, Steppe Eagle ｨC 2936ｨC3866 pairs. The Golden Eagle breeds almost only on high cliff-faces, the Imperial Eagle ｨC on trees and electric poles, the Steppe Eagle ｨC on the ground, bushes, electric poles and cliff-faces. The average brood size for the Golden Eagle is 1.86 ﾀ0.48 nestlings (n=56; range 1ｨC3), for the Imperial Eagle ｨC 2.27 ﾀ0.59 nestlings (n=15; range 1ｨC3), and for the Steppe Eagle ｨC 2.36 ﾀ0.84 nestlings (n=14; range 1ｨC4). The main prey for the Golden Eagle is the Russian Tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) and Yellow Souslik (Spermophilus fulvus), for the Imperial eagle ｨC also the Yellow Souslik as well as snakes, the diet of the Steppe Eagle consists generally of Yellow and Little Sousliks (Spermophilus pygmaeus). Keywords: raptors, birds of prey, eagles, Golden Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, Aquila heliaca, Aquila nipalensis, distribution, population status, breeding biology, Kazakhstan. Received: 26/02/2011. Accepted: 23/03/ ｨｪｨｨ ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺｨｨｨｦ ｨｨ06ｨｪ, ｨｪ0209ｨｬ06ｨｰ0807 ｨｪｨ ｨｮｨｪｨｨｨｺｨ 05ｨｹｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 05ｨ ｨｪ0103ｨ 00ｨｰ0609, ｨｰｨｮ08ｨｨ09ｨｰｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺｨｮ ｨｨ090502ｨｺｨ ｨｰ0205ｨｹｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｺｨｰｨｨ09ｨｪｨｮ06 ｨｪ0200ｨｰ02- ｨｨ 00ｨ ｨ 04 ﾂｨｮ, ｨｨ ｨｰ ｨｪｨｨｨｬ ｨｨ ｨ ｨ 06 ｨｨ04ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｪ ｨｪｨｨｨｰ ｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺ06ｨｬ 0705ｨ ｨｪ02. 03ｨｮｨ 05ｨｨｨｺｨ 02ｨｨｨｨ ｨ ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｪ02ｨｪｨｨ06, ﾂｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ, 00ｨｪ ｨｦ ｨ ｨｨ ｨｨｨｨ ｨｨ 07ｨｨｨｰｨ ｨｪｨｨ ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ 0708ｨ ｨｺｨｰｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺｨｨ 06ｨｰ09ｨｮｨｰ09ｨｰ09ｨｮ06ｨｰ. 03ｨｮ09ｨｰ04ｨｪｨｨ 0308ｨｨｨｺｨ 0907ｨｨ07 ｨｨ 0308ｨｨｨ 08ｨ 05ｨｹ07 06ｨ ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨ 09ｨｰ0608ｨ ｨｬｨｨ 09 08ｨ ｨｬｨｺｨ ｨｰ0207ｨｪ06ｨｦ ｨ ｨｬｨｬ ｨｪｨｰ08ｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｦ ( , ｨｨ07) ｨｨ 0002ｨｪｨｰ08ｨ ｨｦ09ｨｰ09ｨｨ ｨ 05ｨｹ09ｨｺ06ｨｦ 05ｨｺ ｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺ06ｨｦ 0902ｨｰｨｨ03 (05ｨ ｨｬｨ 08ｨ, ｨｨ07), ｨｺｨｰｨ 0009ｨ 0506ｨ ｨ ｨｪ ｨｨｨｨ ｨｨ 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪ ｨｪ09ｨｰｨｨｨｰｨｮｨｰｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ ｨｺ (Falcon Research Institute, Carmarthen, Introduction During surveys in the Aral-Caspian region authors of the paper paid the special attention to the eagles as a species determining distribution of many other raptor species in a territory and being a precise indicator of feeding conditions in a region. Extensive data were obtained and results of data processing are presented in the paper. Methods The region under consideration occupies the extensive area in the Western Kazakhstan (within the state borders) between Caspian and Aral Seas with a territory of 250 thousands km 2 (fig. 1). That territory was surveyed in 2003ｨC2006.

2 13Raptor Research Raptors Conservation 2011, Contact: Igor Karyakin Center of Field Studies Korolenko str., 17aｨC17, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia, tel.: Andrey Kovalenko Vahtangova str., 11bｨC3, Almaty, Kazakhstan, tel.: Anatoliy Levin Institute of Zoology Ministry of Education and Sciences Almaty, Kazakhstan tel.: Aleksey Pazhenkov The Volga-Ural ECONET Assistance Centre P.O. Box 8001, Samara, Russia, UK) ｨｨ ｨｺｨｰｨ ｨｪｨｨ ﾂ ｨｪｨｨｨｰ ｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺｨｨ01 ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｦ 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｨｨ 02ｨｨｨｨ ｨ ｨｪ02ｨｪｨｨ07 ｨ ｨｨ0608ｨ 04ｨｪ0606ｨ 08ｨ 04ｨｨ07 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪｨ (0805ｨｬｨ ｨｰ04, 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪ) ｨ ｨ 06ｨｰ ｨ ｨｬ ｨｮ ｨｹ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｬｨ ｨｪｨｨ02, ｨｺｨ ｨｺ 09ｨｨ01ｨ ｨｬ, ｨｴｨｨｨｬ 08ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｬｨｪ0600ｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｨ, ｨｴｨｨ ｨｰｨ 09ｨｴｨｨｨｺｨ ｨｬｨｨ ｨｰ080602ｨｺ ｨｺ , ｨ ｨｰｨ ｨｺ0302 ｨｨｨｪ01ｨｨｨｺｨ ｨｰ0608ｨ ｨｬｨｨ ｨｺ0608ｨｬ060906ｨｦ 09ｨｨｨｰｨｮｨ 02ｨｨｨｨ ｨｨ06ｨｪ ｨｮ05ｨｹｨｰｨ ｨｰ02 ｨ ｨ 08ｨ ｨｪ ｨｹｨｪ06 06ｨ 03ｨｨ08ｨｪ04ｨｦ ｨｬｨ ｨｰ0208ｨｨｨ 05, ｨｮ05ｨｹｨｰｨ ｨｰ04 06ｨ 08ｨ ｨ 06ｨｰｨｺｨｨ ｨｺ06ｨｰ ｨｰｨ ｨｪ04 09 ｨｪｨ 09ｨｰ0607ｨｴ02ｨｦ 09ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨｹ ｨｰ0601ｨｨｨｺｨ 04ｨ 0909ｨｬｨ ｨｰ08ｨｨ09ｨ 02ｨｬ04ｨｦ 09 09ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨｹ ｨｨ06ｨｪ 04ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｬｨ 02ｨｰ 06ｨ 03ｨｨ08ｨｪｨｮ06 ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨ ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ06ｨｬ 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪ02 (09 ｨ 01ｨｬｨｨｨｪｨｨ09ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｰｨｨ09ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02ｨ ｨｮ01ｨ 0809ｨｰ09ｨ ) ｨｬ020301ｨｮ 08ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺｨｨｨｬ ｨｨ 0808ｨ 05ｨｹ09ｨｺｨｨｨｬ ｨｬ060807ｨｬｨｨ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｹ06 250,0 ｨｰ0409. ｨｺｨｬ 2 ｨｨ ｨｨｨｰ, ｨｨｨｬｨｮｨｴ0209ｨｰ0902ｨｪｨｪ06, ｨｪ02 07ｨｮ09ｨｰ04ｨｪｨｹ, ｨｮ07ｨｮ09ｨｰ04ｨｪｨｹ ｨｨ 0607ｨｮ09ｨｰ04ｨｪ02ｨｪｨｪ ｨｰ020702ｨｦ (08ｨｨ09. 1) ｨ ｨｬｨｺｨ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ 09 01ｨ ｨｪｨｪ06ｨｦ 09ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨｹ02 ｨｬ04 ｨｪ02 08ｨ 0909ｨｬｨ ｨｰ08ｨｨ09ｨ 02ｨｬ 00ｨｮ ｨ 0804 ｨｨ 0708ｨ 0906ｨ ｨｹ02 06ｨｬｨ 04, ｨｰｨ ｨｺ ｨｺｨ ｨｺ 05ｨｰｨｨ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｨ 09ｨｮｨｴ0209ｨｰ0902ｨｪｨｪ06 06ｨｰ05ｨｨ ﾂｨ 06ｨｰ ｨｰ08ｨｮｨｺｨｰｨｮ ｨ ｨｪ0103ｨ 00ｨｰ ｨｰ 07ｨｮ09ｨｰ04ｨｪｨｹ ｨｨ ｨｮ07ｨｮ09ｨｰ04ｨｪｨｹ 00ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺｨ, 0709ｨｰ0608ｨｰｨ ｨｨ 0308ｨｨｨ 08ｨ 05ｨｹ ｨｪｨ ｨｺ06, 0908ｨ 09ｨｪｨｨ09ｨ ｨｮ050702ｨｨｨｨ , ｨｬ ｨｨ090601ｨｨｨｬ 01ｨ ｨｪｨｪ0402 ｨｨ ｨｰｨｨｨｬ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨ07ｨｬ, ｨｨ 06ｨｪｨｨ ｨｨｨｬ0206ｨｰ ｨｨ06ｨｪ 06ｨ ｨ ｨ ｨCｨｬｨ 02 04ｨｨ ｨ 08ｨｰｨ 0708ｨｨ080601ｨｪ ｨｪ 0808ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ. Fig. 1. Nature zones of the Aral-Caspian region. A total length survey routes was km. For 4 years of research 31 study plots with a total area of km 2 were set up (fig. 2). Breeding territories of the eagles were discovered during vehicle and pedestrian routes which were planned in habitats preferred the species ｨC usually along different cliff-faces, along narrow ravines, power lines, and sand edges. The activity was aimed at the search of nests and registration of birds. The territories where nests of the eagles (either living or empty but occupied) or pairs have been recorded, were recognized as breeding territories. As the possible breeding territories we considered the registrations of the displaying adult birds. Discovered breeding territories of the eagles were mapped. The population calculation was performed using GIS-software (ArcView 3.2a, ESRI, CA, USA) (Karyakin, 2004) based on the map of typical habitats (cliff-faces) obtained through the verification of Landsat ETM+ satellite images and analysis of 1: scale topographic maps. A total length of cliff-faces in the region is km as well as in study plots is km. Following the geographical location and the dominating type of rock (chalky, limy or clay), all cliff-faces of the region were divided into 10 groups: clifffaces of the Shagyray Plateau, northern cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau (including the Donyz-Tau cliff-faces), western cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau, southern (chalky) cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau and calck cliff-faces of Aktau, the Aral cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau, cliff-faces of the Aral Sea, cliff-faces of Mangyshlak Peninsula, cliff-faces of depressions of the Kinderli- Kayasanskoe Plateau (Karagie, Kaundy, Basgurly, Zhazgurly Northeastern clifffaces of the Kinderli-Kayasanskoe Plateau, Kolenkeli and Zheltau Cliffs. The diet studies were based on an analysis of remains of preys in nests and pellets. A total of 880 prey remains and 125 pellets were analyzed. The cameral treatment of the nonspatial data was carried out using MS Excel 2003 and Statistica 6.0 software. The factual data were represented as ｰthe mean ﾀ standard deviation ｱ (00 ﾀSD). The normality tests for the parameter distribution were performed using the ShapiroｨCWilk ｯs W test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov & Liliefors test for normality.

3 ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ 2011, ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺ ｨｨ ﾂ00ｨｰｨｪ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨｨ ( ｨｮ) ｨｨ ｨｬｨ ｨｮｨｰ04 (09ｨｪｨｨ04ｨｮ). Fig. 2. Study plots (upper) and transects (bottom). 2003ｨC ｨ ｨｴｨ ｨｰ070300ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 05ｨｺ ｨｨ02ｨｨ06ｨｪｨｪ0401 ｨｬｨ ｨｮｨｰ ｨｰｨ 09ｨｨ05ｨ ｨｺｨｬ (3832 ｨｺｨｬ ｨC , 5975 ｨｺｨｬ ｨC , 977 ｨｺｨｬ ｨC ｨｨ 4870 ｨｺｨｬ ｨC ) ｨｮ01ｨ ｨｹ 06ｨ ｨ ｨｰｨｹ ｨｴｨ 0106ｨｺ 06ｨ ｨｴ02ｨｦ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｹ ,95 ｨｺｨｬ ｨｴｨ ｨｹ ｨｴｨ 0106ｨｺ ｨ, 3 ｨｨ04 ｨｺ06ｨｰ ｨ 0405ｨｨ ｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ06 06ｨ ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨ ｨｬ06ｨｰ0802ｨｪ ｨｴｨ 0106ｨｺ (09 ｨｮ ﾂ00ｨｰ06ｨｬ ｨｪ ) 06ｨ ｨｴ02ｨｦ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｹ ,70 ｨｺｨｬ ｨｨｨ 08ｨ 05ｨｹ02 ｨ ｨ ｨｪ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨｨ 06ｨ ｨｴ02ｨｦ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｹ06 196,43 ｨｺｨｬ ｨｮ01ｨ ｨｹ 06ｨ ｨ ｨｰｨｹ ｨｴｨ 0106ｨｺ 06ｨ ｨｴ02ｨｦ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｹ06 905,32 ｨｺｨｬ 2. 05ｨ ｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｦ ｨ 0405ｨ 06ｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ 31 ｨｪ ｨｺ080409ｨ 06ｨｴｨ ｨｮ ﾂ00ｨｰｨｪｨ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨ 06ｨ ｨｴ02ｨｦ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｹ ,49 ｨｺｨｬ 2 (08ｨｨ09. 2). 01ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨ 09ｨｰ06ｨｬ06ｨ ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪ0401 ｨｨ ｨｨ01 ｨｬｨ ｨｮｨｰ0609, ｨｺ06ｨｰ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ080609ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨｪ ｨｨ000601ｨｪ04ｨｬ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｨ06ｨｰ0607ｨ ｨｬ ｨC ｨｨｨｬｨｮｨｴ02- Results Status of species Only three species of eagles ｨC the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) and Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) are proved as breeding species in the Aral-Caspian region. Data about the Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) breeding (Zaletaev, 1968) have been recognized as an error, because Zaletaev confused the Spotted Eagles with Steppe Eagles (Karyakin, Levin, 2008). Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Distribution and Population Numbers In the Aral-Caspian region, the Golden Eagle is recorded only in rouged terrains mainly in the regions near the Caspian Sea ｨC Mangistau mountains, Mangyshlak peninsula, and cliff-faces of the Usturt plateau. Unfortunately despite of many surveys carried out in the Aral Sea region we have not recorded the Golden Eagle breeding. We found it breeding to the north of the Shagyray plateau in the Mugodzhary mountains (Karyakin et al., 2007), in flood forests in the or and Ural river basins, however separate breeding pairs are recorded far apart up to the Guberlya upland, and the species breeding in the steppe zone seems to be occasional. A total of 187 adults (older than 2 years) in 123 territories were recorded during our surveys in the Aral-Caspian region. We found 115 breeding territories (105 ｨC on the model plots, including 100 ｨC on cliff-faces), nests were discovered in 100 breeding territories (186 nests including old nests) (fig. 3). Pairs were registered in 10 breeding territories, single adults ｨC in 3 territories (displaying males ｨC in 2 cases and the alarmed female in one territory) and the fledgling bad flying ｨC in one territory (the nest was not being searched due to lack of time). Thus, the breeding was proved in 82.11% cases in a total number of bird records (n=123). The census of eagles has shown that in different types of cliff-faces the density varied from 1.90 to 6.94 pairs/100 km, averaging 6.0 pairs/100 km of cliff-faces throughout the region. The highest values of density are noted for the chalk cliff-faces of the Mangyshlak peninsula ｨC 3.41ｨC11.80, averaging 6.94 pairs/100 km of cliff-faces, and the Kinderli-Kayasan plateau ｨC 1.44ｨC13.93, averaging 6.76 pairs/100 km of cliff-faces (table 1). Such high density is connected with the territory having an abundance of sites suitable for eagles nesting ｨC many

4 13Raptor Research Raptors Conservation 2011, ﾁｨｨｨｪｨｺｨｨ 00ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺｨ ｨｨ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪｨ. Cliff-faces of the Mangyshlak Peninsula and Kinderli-Kayasan Plateau. Photos by I. Karyakin. 09ｨｰ0902ｨｪｨｪ ｨｹ 06ｨ ｨ 0405ｨｨ ﾂｨｪ ｨｰｨｨ07ｨ ｨｨ, 09 ｨｬ02ｨｪｨｹ0302ｨｦ 09ｨｰ020702ｨｪｨｨ, ｨｹ 09ｨ 0209 (ｨｮ04ｨｺｨｨ ｨ ), ｨｺ0806ｨｬｨｺｨｨ ｨｺ0609 ｨｨ 05ｨｨｨｪｨｨｨｦ ｨｺｨｰ ｨ ﾂｨｨ (090603). 04ｨ ｨ 06ｨｰｨ ｨ 0405ｨ ｨｪｨ 0708ｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｪｨ 0706ｨｨ09ｨｺ 00ｨｪ ｨｨ ｨｨ09ｨｰ08ｨ 02ｨｨ06 07ｨｰｨｨ ｨｰｨ, 0708ｨｨ000601ｨｪ ｨｮ09ｨｰ0806ｨｦ09ｨｰ09ｨ ｨ ｨｬｨｨ 00ｨｪ000401, 0609ｨｬｨ ｨｰ08ｨｨ09ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨｰｨｨｨｺｨｮ (ｨ ｨｨｨｪ06ｨｺ05ｨｨ 8 ﾁ30, 12 ﾁ50) ｨｹ06 06ｨ ｨｪｨ 08ｨｮ0302ｨｪｨｨ07 00ｨｪ ｨｰ080602ｨｺ ｨｨ05ｨｨ 07ｨｰｨｨ02 ｨｪｨ 0708ｨｨ09ｨ 01ｨ ｨｨ01 ｨｬｨ ｨｮｨｰ ｨｬｨ ｨｰ08ｨｨ09ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨｰｨ ｨｺ ｨｪ0603ｨｨ07 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ0609 ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｬ02ｨｰ 06ｨ ｨｪｨ 08ｨｮ0302ｨｪｨｨ ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨｺ ｨｨｨｴｨｨ ｨｨ ｨ 0106ｨｺ ｨｬｨｪ0600ｨｨ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 0701 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ05ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨｺ06ｨｬ ｨｮ ｨｨ05ｨｨ 0706ｨｪｨｨ04ｨｮ, 05ｨｨｨ 06 ｨｨ ｨｮ, ｨｨ 0706ｨｪｨｨ04ｨｮ 0008ｨｮ070706ｨｦ ｨｨ ﾂ ｨｺ ｨｪ ｨｬｨｨ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨ ｨｬｨｨ ｨ 04ｨｮｨｬ0209ｨ 06ｨｰ0907 ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｨ, ｨｪｨ ｨｺ06ｨｰ ｨ ｨｪｨ 08ｨｮ0302ｨｪ04 00ｨｪ000401ｨ (05ｨｨｨ 06 03ｨｨ050402, 05ｨｨｨ 06 07ｨｮ09ｨｰｨｮ06ｨｴｨｨ02, ｨｪ06 ｨ ｨ 06ｨｪｨｨ08ｨｮ02ｨｬ ｨｰｨｨ02ｨ ｨｬｨｨ), 0909ｨｰ0802 ﾂ02ｨｪ04 ｨｰ06ｨｺｨｮ06ｨｴｨｨ ｨｰｨｨ ｨｬ0603ｨｪ04ｨｬ 00ｨｪ ｨｬ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨ ｨｬ ｨｬ ｨｨ08ｨ 09ｨｪｨｨ09ｨ 02ｨｬ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨｹ09ｨｺｨｨ ｨｰ0802 ﾂｨｨ ｨｰｨｨ02, ｨｪ020601ｨｪ06ｨｺ08ｨ ｨｰｨｪ ｨｨ09ｨｰ08ｨｨ080609ｨ 0903ｨｨ ｨｪｨ 0601ｨｪ06ｨｦ ｨｨ ｨｰ06ｨｦ 0302 ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｨ ｨｬ ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨｨ ｨｺｨ 08ｨｰｨｨ080609ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ, 01ｨ ｨｪｨｪ ｨｪ0609ｨｨ05ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨｮ (ArcView 3.2a, ESRI, CA, USA), ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨ 09 ﾂ00ｨｰ 06ｨ ｨｴ02ｨｦ ﾂｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ high sheer cliffs with numerous niches and ledges. The average nearest neighbour distance is 6.44 ﾀ4.23 km (n=86; range 1.5ｨC23.8 km; E x =3.17, median=5.48; mode=3.55 km) (table 2). In the Mangistau mountains the breeding density was 3.52 pairs/100 km 2 while the nearest neighbour distance was 3.13ｨC 8.42 km, averaging 5.84 ﾀ2.65 km. Taking into account the average density (6.0 ﾀ1.1 pairs/100 km of cliff-faces) and the total length of cliff-faces in the Kazakhstan part of the Aral-Caspian region ( km) we can project at least 395ｨC573 pairs, on average 484 pairs of eagles to breed in the region. Similar values (363ｨC503, on average 433 pairs) have been obtained as a result of calculations for different types of cliff-faces (table 3). In the Mangistau mountains, with the density being 3.52 pairs/100 km 2 and the total area of 956 km 2, about 33ｨC34 pairs of eagles are projected to breed. Apart cliff-faces we can only project eagles breeding, but no more than 20 pairs. Considering the mentioned above, we can state that at least 416ｨC557 pairs of Golden

5 ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ 2011, ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺ ｨｨ01ｨ (08ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪ, 2004). 01ｨ 0609ｨｪ ｨ 09ｨｰ ｨｺｨ 08ｨｰ 00 1: ｨｨ ｨｺ0609ｨｬ0609ｨｪｨｨｨｬｨｺ0609 Landsat ETM+ ｨ 0405ｨｨ ｨｰ ｨｪ ｨｺｨｰ0608ｨｪ ｨｨ 06ｨ , ｨｪｨ 06ｨ ｨｴｨｮ ｨｰ070300ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ ｨｺ06ｨｰ ｨｬ06 05ｨｺ09ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｨ080609ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ 01ｨ ｨｪｨｪ ﾂｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ , ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｪ0402 ｨｪｨ ｨｮ ﾂ00ｨｰｨｪ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨ ｨ ｨｴｨ ｨｰ070300ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 06ｨ ｨｨ06ｨｪ ｨｰｨ 09ｨｨ05ｨ 8065,02 ｨｺｨｬ, ｨ ｨｰ070300ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 06ｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｮ ﾂ00ｨｰｨｪ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨ 01 ｨC 1768,9 ｨｺｨｬ ｨｬｨｮ ｨ 00ｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺ06ｨｬｨｮ 08ｨ ｨｪｨｨ06, ｨ ｨｰｨ ｨｺ ｨｬｨｨｨｪｨｨ080609ｨ ｨｪｨｨ06 ｨｰ ｨｨ05ｨｨ ｨｨｨｪ ｨｰｨｨ07ｨ 06ｨ ｨｪｨ 0302ｨｪｨｨｨｦ (ｨｬ , 08ｨ ｨｺｨｮ0302 ﾂｨｪｨｨｨｺ ｨｨ05ｨｨ 0005ｨｨｨｪ07ｨｪ0402), ｨ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ ｨｪ04 ｨｪｨ ｨｮ0707: 06ｨ ｨ ｨｰ06 01ｨ ｨ ｨｦ, ｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ (09ｨｺ0506 ﾂｨ 07 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0206ｨｪ ｨ ｨｮ), 04ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ, 0603ｨｪ04ｨｦ (ｨｬ ｨｦ) ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ ｨｨ ｨｬ ｨ ｨｺｨｰｨ ｨｮ, 0808ｨ 05ｨｹ09ｨｺｨｨｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ, 06ｨ ｨｨｨ 08ｨ 05ｨｹ07, 06ｨ ｨｮ0609ｨｰ080609ｨ 00ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺ, 06ｨ ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ06 (08ｨ 08ｨ 00ｨｨ02, 08ｨ ｨｮｨｪ0104, 09ｨ 0900ｨｮ080504, 04ｨ 0400ｨｮ080504), ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ06, 06ｨ ｨｪｨｺ0205ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｹｨｰｨ ｨｮ. 07 ﾂ00ｨｰｨｪ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨｨ ｨC ｨ ｨｺ05ｨ ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨｰｨ ｨｺｨｨｨｬ 06ｨ 08ｨ 0406ｨｬ, ﾂｨｰ06ｨ 04 ｨｺ ｨｺ06ｨｪ02ｨｮ ｨｪｨ ｨ ｨｰｨｨｨｰｨｹ ｨｮ ｨ ｨｨ06ｨｪ02. 06ｨｺ09ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｨ07 ﾂｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ ｨ 09ｨｹ ｨｨｨｬ02ｨｪｨｪ06 ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｮ ｨ , ｨｪｨ ｨｺ06ｨｰ ｨｮ ﾂｨｨｨｰ0409ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ. 05ｨ ｨ ｨｬｨｨ 06ｨ ｨｮ ﾂｨｨｨｰ0409ｨ 05ｨｨ09ｨｹ ｨｪｨ ｨ 09ｨｰ06ｨｬ06ｨ ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪ0401 ｨｬｨ ｨｮｨｰｨ 01, ｨｪｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｪ06ｨｦ (08ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪ, 2004), 05ｨｨｨ 06 ｨｪｨ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨ ｨｺ09ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｨ07 09 ｨｰｨ ｨｺｨｨ01 Eagles breed in the Aral-Caspian region within the administrative borders of Kazakhstan, that is similar to our previous estimations at 400ｨC500 pairs (Levin, Karyakin, 2005). The number of entire population of the Golden Eagle including cliff-faces in the territory of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan can be estimates as 600ｨC800 pairs. Basing on the analysis of distribution of breeding pairs between Aral and Caspian Seas two large breeding groups have been distinguished ｨC ｰMangyshlak ｱ and ｰNorth Usturt ｱ (fig. 6), which in addition were different in main prey species and dates of breeding. The post-breeding population number is estimated as 2000ｨC2500 individuals in the Aral-Caspian region. Breeding As mentioned above, the main nesting habitats for the Golden Eagle in the Aral- Caspian region are different types of cliffs and precipices, generally within the zone of the Usturt plateau cliff-faces (mostly in the Caspian Sea region), as well as the rocky gorges of the Mangistau mountains (Western and Eastern Karatau). Among the discovered nesting sites (n=115) the sites on the chalk cliff-faces predominated ｨC 60.0%, alternative sites were on shell cliff-faces ｨC 27.83% and the least number of sites (6.09%) were recorded on the clay cliffs (fig. 7). Also we found 3.48% pairs breeding in the rocky gorges of the Mangistau mountains, 1.74% pairs ｨC in a flat clay semidesert close to the zone of cliff-faces and 04ｨ 0405ｨｨ ﾂｨｪ0402 ｨｰｨｨ ｨｨｨｪ07ｨｪ0401 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ0609 ｨｪｨ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ06ｨｬ 0705ｨ ｨｰ06, 00ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺ02 ｨｨ 0709ｨｰ0608ｨｰ ｨｰ ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪｨ. Different types of clay cliff-faces distributed in the Mangyshlak Peninsula, Kinderli- Kayasan and Usturt Plateaus. Photos by I. Karyakin.

6 13Raptor Research Raptors Conservation 2011, ｨｰ0601ｨｨｨｺｨ ｨｪｨｨ07 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺ0506 ﾂｨ 02ｨｰ ｨｬ06ｨｰ ｨｴｨｨ ｨｨ01 ｨｮ09ｨｰ0806ｨｦ09ｨｰ09ｨ ｨｬ0209ｨｰ ｨｰｨｨ ｨｪ0401 ｨｰ06 ﾂ02ｨｺ ｨｪｨ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ02 ( ｨｮ) 05ｨｨｨ 06 ｨｨ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ (09ｨｪｨｨ04ｨｮ). 0806ｨｰ ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪｨ. The technique of nest searching is based on the survey of suitable for nesting habitats from different places on clifffaces (upper), or from under cliffs (bottom). Photos by I. Karyakin. 0905ｨｮ ﾂｨ ｨｮｨｴ0209ｨｰ ｨ 09ｨｹ ｨｪｨ 06ｨ ｨｴｨｮ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｹ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｨ, 0706 ｨｺ06ｨｰ060806ｨｦ ｨ 05ｨｨ ｨｬｨ ｨｮｨｰ04, 05ｨｨｨ 06 ｨｪｨ ｨｰ02 ｨ ｨｨ06ｨｰ060704, 09 ｨｺ06ｨｰ ｨ 0405ｨｨ 04ｨ ｨｪ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨｨ. 03ｨｨｨｰｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｨ04ｨｮ ﾂｨ ｨｹ 07ｨｮｨｰ00ｨｬ ｨｪｨｨ07 09ｨｨ ｨｦ 0708ｨｨｨｪｨ ｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ 0609ｨｰｨ ｨｪｨｺ ｨｰ ｨｪ000401ｨ 01 ｨｨ 08ｨ 04ｨ 0608ｨ ｨ 0106ｨｺ ｨ ｨｴ02ｨｦ ｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ 08ｨ 0406ｨ 08ｨ ｨｪ ｨ 0106ｨｺ ｨｨ 0609ｨｬ06ｨｰ0802ｨｪ ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨｺ ｨｨｨｴｨｨ, ｨｪ ｨ ｨｲ02ｨｺｨｰｨ 07ｨｨｨｰｨ ｨｪｨｨ07. 00ｨ ｨｰ02ｨｬｨ ｨｰｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｺｨ 07 06ｨ 08ｨ ｨ 06ｨｰｨｺｨ 01ｨ ｨｪｨｪ ｨｮｨｴ0209ｨｰ ｨ 09ｨｹ 09 MS Excel 2003 ｨｨ Statistica ｨ ｨｺ ｨｹ ｨｪ0202 ｨｨ 09ｨｰｨ ｨｪ01ｨ 08ｨｰｨｪ ｨｰｨｺ0506ｨｪ02ｨｪｨｨ02 (M ﾀSD), 0708ｨｨ 0908ｨ 09ｨｪ02ｨｪｨｨｨｨ 0904ｨ ｨｺ 08ｨ 0909 ﾂｨｨｨｰ0409ｨ 05ｨｨ ｨｺ ｨｨ02ｨｨ02ｨｪｨｰ ｨｺ ｨｨｨｨ 03ｨｨ080906ｨｪｨ, 09 ｨ ｨｪｨ 05ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ07 ｨｨ ｨｹ040609ｨ 05ｨｨ ｨｺ08ｨｨｨｰ0208ｨｨｨｨ ｨｬ ｨ -05ｨｬｨｨ08ｨｪ0609ｨ ｨｨ 01ｨ 07ｨｨ ｨｨ05ｨｺ09ｨ ｨｮ05ｨｹｨｰｨ ｨｰ04 ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｦ 05ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨｮ09 09ｨｨ ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ 09 ｨｺｨ - ﾂ0209ｨｰ ｨｪ ｨｴｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｰｨｹ ｨｨｨｪ ｨｰ060502ｨｰｨｨ ｨｨ090601ｨｨ05ｨｨ09ｨｹ % ｨC in sands. It should be noted, that eagles inhabiting cliff-faces of Western and Northern Usturt, which is mostly clay, prefer to nest on cliff-faces with outcrops of shell cliffs, even if they occur as a very narrow layer above the clay stratum and form the overhangs. We are analyzing only 112 nests (100 active and 12 old nests) of 186 nests discovered. It is connected with the fact that on suitable cliff-faces (often in the specific cirques) the nests of Golden Eagles of different ages are located close to each other in adjacent niches and/or ledges of different levels (usually no far than 50 m from each other). During filling in the database the old nests in such nest aggregations were recorded, but their parameters were ignored, and the information only about active nest was input in the database. Among 112 nests 110 (98.21%) were located on cliffs and rocks and only 2 (1.79%) ｨC on metal electric poles (fig. 8, 9). Analyzing the nest locations on cliffs (n=110) we have revealed that nest built in the upper part of a cliff predominated ｨC 70.0%. Alternative nest location is in the middle part of a cliff ｨC 23.64%, and the least number of nests (6.36%) was located in the bottom part (fig. 10). At the nesting on open ledges, the wall behind the nest always dominates, but its height may be only 1ｨC1.5 ｨｬ. Generally cliff-nesting eagles (n=110) built their nests in niches ｨC 71.82% (fig. 11). Also birds place their nests on open ledges (18.18%), ledges protected by overhangs (7.27%), and very seldom on a bush growing on the open ledge (2.73%). The height of nest placed on cliffs depends on a height of cliff-faces, which are used as a nesting site, and ranges from 2 to 120 m above the bottom of a cliff. Generally eagles prefer to nest at a height lower than 50 m, and about a half of surveyed pairs (52.73%) were recorded to nest at a height ranging between 10 and 30 m (fig. 12). The average height of nest location is ﾀ20.52 m (n=110; E x =5.49, median=20; mode=20 m). As a rule, the Golden Eagle ｯs nests are rather large constructions made from branches and twigs of saxaul, tamairisk and caragana, however we found rather small nests: in the Mangyshlak peninsula the sizes of nests varied very much ｨC from 1ｨC1.5 at height on the open ledges to almost complete absence of nest construction on niches (only several twigs symbolized such nest). In the Aral-Caspian region Golden Eagles

7 ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ 2011, ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺ ｨｨ01ｨ : ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ (Aquila chrysaetos), ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺ (Aquila heliaca) ｨｨ 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ06ｨｦ (Aquila nipalensis), 0708ｨｨ ﾂ00ｨｬ, ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺｨ ｨｨ 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ ｨ 0603ｨｪｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02ｨ 00ｨｪ ｨ 0802ｨ 05ｨ ｨｨ05ｨ 09ｨｹ ﾂ ｨｰ0608ｨｰｨ ｨｨ ｨｪ02 04ｨ 0109ｨ ｨｰ0409ｨ 05ｨ 00ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺ (0202ｨｬ02ｨｪｨｰｨｹ0209, 1951; , 1962) ｨ 0502ｨｰｨ 0209 (1968) 09ｨｪ ｨｨ0906ｨｺ 00ｨｪ ｨｴｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨ ｨｨ ｨ 0605ｨｹ ｨｨｨｺｨ (Aquila clanga) ｨｪｨ 0609ｨｪ0609ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｨ 0909ｨｰ0802 ﾂ ｨｨ 0106ｨ 04 ﾂｨｨ 07ｨｰｨｨ02 ｨｪｨ 05ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ06ｨｬ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ ｨｰ0608ｨｰｨ , ｨｪｨ 0609ｨｪ0609ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｨ 05ｨｰ06ｨｦ ｨｨｨｪ000608ｨｬｨ 02ｨｨｨｨ, 0709ｨｰ0608ｨｰ 09ｨｺ0506 ﾂ00ｨｪ 09 ｨ 0802ｨ ｨｨｨｺｨ 09 08ｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｰｨ ｨｪ ｨ 0908ｨｨ ｨｬ (01ｨ 0908ｨｨ050609, 1999; Gavrilov, Gavrilov, 2005). 0201ｨｪｨ ｨｺ06 ｨｮｨｺｨ 04ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｪｨ 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ ｨｨｨｺｨ ｨｪｨ 0709ｨｰ0608ｨｰ ｨｰ ｨｪ ｨｨｨ 06 ﾂｨｪ04ｨｬ. 06ｨｮ03ｨｺｨｨ 07ｨｰｨｨ02, 0106ｨ 04ｨｰ ｨｺｨｬ 06ｨｰ 00ｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ04, ｨｪｨｪ ｨ 0502ｨｰｨ ｨｬ ｨｺｨ ｨｺ ｨ 0605ｨｹ03ｨｨ ｨｨｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ 0108ｨ ｨｪｨｨ0903ｨｨ ｨｬｨｮ ｨｪ06ｨｬ0208ｨ ｨｬｨｨ R-79651, ｨｨ 79649, ｨｪ ｨｮｨｪ060906ｨｦ ｨｺｨ ｨｺ 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ (08ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪ, ｨｨｨｪ, 2008). 01ｨ ｨｬｨｨ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨ07 05ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ ｨｰ0608ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨ ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ ｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ ｨC ｨｨ ｨｨｨｺ ｨｹ 0909ｨｰ0802 ﾂ02ｨｪ 05ｨｨ03ｨｹ 0601ｨｪｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ02 ｨｪｨ 01 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ ｨｬｨｨ ｨｹｨｰｨ ｨｮ 22 ｨｬｨ , 09 ｨｰ ｨｬ07 ｨｺｨ ｨｺ 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ06ｨｦ ｨｰｨｹ ｨｨ ｨｺ06, ｨｪ ｨｪ020401ｨｨｨｰ0907 ｨｪｨ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ ｨｬｨｮ 05ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ06ｨｬｨｮ 0709ｨｰ0608ｨｰｨｮ ｨｨ 09 ｨ 0605ｨｹ0306ｨｬ ｨｺ0605ｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｰ0902 ｨｬｨｨ0008ｨｨ08ｨｮ02ｨｰ ﾂ ｨ ｨｰ06 (090209ｨｨｨｪ, 08ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪ, 2005) ｨ ｨｰ0205ｨｹｨｪ06, 09 ｨｪｨ 09ｨｰ0607ｨｴ ｨｬ07 ｨｬ0603ｨｪ ｨｨｨｰｨｹ ｨｰ ｨｪ06ｨｬ 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｨ ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺ06ｨｬ ｨｨ06ｨｪ02 ｨｰ0605ｨｹｨｺ06 ｨｰ ｨｨ ｨC ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ, ｨｬ0600ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪｨｨｨｺｨ ｨｨ 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ ｨｺｨｮｨｰ (Aquila chrysaetos) 04ｨ ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｪ02ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｨ ﾂｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺ06ｨｬ ｨｨ06ｨｪ02 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ 08ｨ ｨｰ08ｨ ｨｪ00ｨｪ 05ｨｨ03ｨｹ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨ ｨｰｨ ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ06 09ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪ ﾂ00ｨｪｨｪ04ｨｬ ｨｹ020006ｨｬ, ｨｨｨｬｨｮｨｴ0209ｨｰ0902ｨｪｨｪ ｨｨｨｺｨ 0907ｨｨｨｨ ｨC ｨ ｨｪ00ｨｨ09ｨｰｨ ｨｮ ｨｪｨ 00ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺ02 ｨｨ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨｨ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨ 08ｨ 05ｨｹ02, ｨｪ0209ｨｬ06ｨｰ0807 ｨｪｨ ｨｺ ｨｨ02ｨｨｨｦ, ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ ｨｪｨ 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｬｨｨ ｨｪ02 06ｨ ｨｪｨ 08ｨｮ0302ｨｪ ｨｪｨｨ ｨｪｨ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ ｨｪ ｨ 05ｨｹ09ｨｺ ｨｬ060807, ｨｪｨｨ ｨｪｨ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ ｨｹ ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ ｨ ｨｹ ｨ 05ｨｹ09ｨｺ ｨｬ ｨｰ07 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ 00ｨｪ020401ｨｨｨｰ0907 ｨｪｨ 0705ｨ ｨｰ06 01ｨ ｨ ｨｦ, 08ｨ ｨｪｨｪ06ｨｬ ｨｨ03ｨｹ ｨｺｨｬ 04ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ0202 (03ｨ 0302ｨｪｨｺ0609, , 2006). 01ｨ 0808ｨ 05ｨｹ09ｨｺ06ｨｬ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ ｨ ｨｨ ｨｰｨｪ ｨ 02ｨｺｨｨ09ｨｰｨ ｨｪ02 09 ｨｪｨ ﾂｨ ｨｰ060502ｨｰｨｨ07 ( ﾂｨ ｨｪ0609, 1912; 05ｨ 08ｨｮ01ｨｪ04ｨｦ, 1916), 0601ｨｪｨ ｨｺ ｨｬ02ｨｪｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｪ ｨｰ06ｨｦ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｨ ｨｨ09ｨｮｨｰ09ｨｰ09ｨｨ06 09ｨｨ01ｨ 06ｨｰ09ｨｮｨｰ09ｨｰ09ｨｮ06ｨｰ (00ｨｨｨｰ ｨｹ09ｨｺｨｨｨｦ ｨｨ 0108., 1987; 2009). 0602ｨｬ ｨｪ02 ｨｬ02ｨｪ0202, 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 start to breed in January, this period is characterized by active courtship display. Dates of it are very protracted due to asynchronic breeding of different pairs, that is a common feature for a desert population of eagles. The egg laying is spread across the period since 15 January in the south part of the region (Kinderli-Kayasan plateau, Mangyshlak) and 1ｨC5 February ｨC in the north (Northern Usyurt, Shagyray). Clutches are recorded in March up to late April in the south part of the region and up to late May ｨC in the north. The latest clutch, consisting of only fresh egg was seen on the north cliff-faces of the Usturt plateau on 5 May, Such large difference in dates of egg laying depends on spring and local food conditions in the breeding territories. Taking into account that the main part of the Aral-Caspian population is located in the Mangyshlak peninsula, South Usturt and Kinderli-Kayasan plateaus, in the Aral-Caspian region the most egg laying seems to be in the period between 26 January and 14 February. Eggs of first clutches are being hatched in the south of the region since the beginning of Mart (1ｨC3 March), in the north ｨC in late March (21ｨC23 March). The most hatching is recorded at the period between 12 and 30 March. The fledging period may be spread up to the beginning of August, in the north ｨC up to 20 August. In 2004, we surveyed the earliest fledglings in Mangyshlak on 5 May and in the northern cliff-faces of Usturt ｨC on 25 May. The end of the fledging period in the main part of population in Mangyshlak, Souther Usturt and Kinderli-Kayasan plateau is recorded in dates 16 May ｨC 3 June. About 50% broods fledge in late May. Nestlings in latter broods fledge in June ｨC August, until late August. But so latest dates are seldom. Depending on weather conditions dates of breeding may be different across the years, and the egg laying may start earlier for 2 week or later for 2ｨC3 weeks comparing with the average dates (3ｨC5 February). We surveyed 112 active nests in 2003ｨC 2007 (including nests visited repeatedly the next year): lost clutches or broods were recorded in 6 nests (5.36%), 21 nests (18.75%) were repaired and occupied, but the breeding was not recorded at the moment of survey and 85 nests (75.89%) contained living clutches and broods, 64 of them were visited to determine the clutch and brood size. A total 8 nests with clutches were surveyed (4 nests with living clutches and 4 ｨC

8 13Raptor Research Raptors Conservation 2011, ｨｰ010205ｨｹｨｪ ｨ ｨｪ ｨｬ0603ｨｪ06 ｨｪｨ ｨｺｨ 04ｨ 0109ｨｺ06ｨｦ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｨ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ, , ｨ 05ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ ｨ 02ｨｺｨｨ09ｨｰｨ ｨｪ06ｨｬ, ｨｪｨ ｨ ｨ 05ｨ 09ｨｹ 07ｨ 08ｨ 07ｨｰｨｨ02 ( ｨｺｨｨｨｪ, 05ｨｨ ﾂｨｪ ｨ ｨｴ02ｨｪｨｨ02). 01ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ ｨｪｨ 06ｨ 03ｨｨ08ｨｪ ｨ 09ｨｪｨｨｨｪｨ ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ ｨｰｨ ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ ｨｦｨｪ06. 04ｨ ｨｪ0202 ｨ ｨｮ09ｨｰｨ ｨｪ ｨｪ06 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨ 05ｨｨ04 ｨｺ ｨ 07 ﾂｨｺｨｮ01ｨｮｨｺ (080609ｨｰｨｨｨｪ, 1956). 00 ｨｪｨ 09ｨｰ0607ｨｴ ｨｬ07 ｨｪｨ 0709ｨｰ0608ｨｰ02 07ｨ 0804 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ ｨｪ ｨｰ0907 ｨｪｨ ｨ ｨｺ ｨｹｨｰｨｪ ｨｨｨｪｨｨｨｦ ｨｺｨｰ ｨ ﾂｨｨ (090603), 0601ｨｪｨ ｨｺ ｨｪｨｪ06 ｨｪ0208ｨ 09ｨｪ06ｨｬ0208ｨｪ06 (08ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ 0108., 2004) ｨｬ0603ｨｪ06, 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ ｨｪｨ ｨ ｨC ｨｪ ｨｰ0608ｨｰｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｨ 0708ｨｨ09ｨｪ020902ｨｪ06 07ｨｰｨｨ02ｨ ｨｬｨｨ 09 ｨ ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ ｨｨ06ｨｪ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ, ｨｺｨｮｨｬｨ 01 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ ｨｪｨ ｨ ｨｰｨ ｨ 04 ﾂｨｪ04ｨｬ ｨｪｨｨ02ｨｬ ｨｮ ｨｺ06ｨｪ ｨC ｨｪｨ ﾂｨ ｨｰ060502ｨｰｨｨ07 (09ｨ ｨｪ060902ｨｪｨｺ06, 08ｨ 01ｨｮ05ｨｪｨ 04ｨ , 1983) ｨｪ ｨ ｨｰ06 01ｨ ｨ ｨｦ 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｮ09ｨｰｨ ｨｪ ｨｪ ｨｮ ｨ 08ｨ 01 (08ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ 0108., 2007), ｨｦｨｬ02ｨｪｨｪ ｨ 01 ｨｬ0205ｨｺ ﾂｨｪｨｨｨｺ0609 ｨ ｨ ｨｦｨｪｨ 0208ｨｨ ｨｨ 0708ｨ 05ｨ, 0601ｨｪｨ ｨｺ ｨｰｨｹ ｨｮｨ ｨｨｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨｬ0205ｨｺ ﾂｨｪｨｨｨｺｨ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ 00ｨｪ020401ｨｨｨｰ ｨｰ010205ｨｹｨｪ04ｨｬｨｨ 07ｨ 08ｨ ｨｬｨｨ, ｨｮ01ｨ 0500ｨｪｨｪ04ｨｬｨｨ 0108ｨｮ00 06ｨｰ 0108ｨｮ00ｨ ｨｪｨ ｨ 0605ｨｹ03ｨｨ02 08ｨ 0909ｨｰ0607ｨｪｨｨ07 ｨｨ ｨｬ 09 09ｨｰ0207ｨｪ06ｨｦ 0406ｨｪ ｨ 04ｨｬｨｪ060302ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｪ0609ｨｨｨｰ 0905ｨｮ ﾂｨ ｨｦｨｪ04ｨｦ 01ｨ 08ｨ ｨｺｨｰ ｨ ｨｨ0601 ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｦ ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺ06ｨｬ ｨｨ06ｨｪ02 ｨ 09ｨｰ0608ｨ ｨｬｨｨ 0909ｨｰ0802 ﾂ02ｨｪ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ ｨｰｨ ｨｰ ｨｪｨ 123 ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨ0701, ｨｪ ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺ0609 (105 ｨC ｨｪｨ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨ 01, 09 ｨｰ06ｨｬ ﾂｨｨ ｨC ｨｪｨ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ 01), ｨｪｨ ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨ 01 06ｨ ｨｪｨ 08ｨｮ0302ｨｪ04 00ｨｪ000401ｨ (186 00ｨｪ000401, 09 ｨｮ ﾂ00ｨｰ06ｨｬ 09ｨｰｨ , 04ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｬｨ 0903ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪ0202) (08ｨｨ09. 3). 01ｨ 10 00ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨ ｨｰ0802 ﾂ02ｨｪ04 07ｨ ｨｨ ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨｨ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ0609 (Aquila chrysaetos). Fig. 3. Breeding territories of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) ｨｺｨｮｨｰ (Aquila chrysaetos). 0806ｨｰ ｨ 0807ｨｺｨｨｨｪｨ. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). Photo by I. Karyakin. with lost ones), the average clutch size was 1.75 ﾀ0.71 eggs (range 1ｨC3). Unfortunately these data are not valid for the region because the most found clutches were late. A total of 56 nests contained broods (54 living and 2 lost); the average brood size was 1.86 ﾀ0.48 nestlings (range 1ｨC3). We found the third unfertilized egg in four nests with broods comprised of 2 nestlings and the second unfertilized egg in 5 nests with broods consisted of only nestling. Considering those data we can project the average size of early clutches as 2.02 ﾀ0.49 eggs. Almost all the living broods (n=54) consisted of 2 eggs (75.93%) (fig. 13). All the broods comprised of 3 fledglings were observed for 7ｨC12 days before they flying out the nest, then we can assume the breeding to be successful. We have observed no cases of cannibalism in the Golden Eagle broods and not recorded nestlings died through starvation. The lost broods seemed to be a result of death of an adult in the pair. Unfortunately we have no sufficient data on the breeding success and can estimate it on the base of the ratio of successful and empty nests during the period of 2 weeks before the fledglings flying out the nest. Depending on food and spring conditions up to 90% pairs can not breed in some regions, that were observed in the Norther Usturt in and in the Souther Usturt in However throughout the region more than 50% pairs were noted to breed. And the main reason of the Golden Eagle non-breeding is the decrease in numbers of the Great Gerbil (Rhombomys opimus)

9 ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ 2011, ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺ ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｪｨｪ ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺ0609 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ ｨｰ070300ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ06 ｨｬｨ ｨｮｨｰ ｨ 04ｨｪ0401 ｨｰｨｨ07ｨ 01 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｨ06ｨｰ Fig. 4. Correlation between known breeding territories of the Golden Eagle and lengths of routes across breeding habitats. 07ｨｰｨｨ02, ｨｪｨ 3-01 ｨC 0601ｨｨｨｪ06 ﾂｨｪ ｨｰｨｨ0204 ( ｨｮ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 0701 ｨｰ06ｨｺ0609ｨ 0903ｨｨｨｦ 09ｨ ｨｬ0202 ｨｨ ｨｪｨ 0601ｨｪ06ｨｬ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺ02 ｨC ｨ ｨｺ06ｨｨ0903ｨ ｨ ｨｬｨｺｨ ) ｨｨ ｨｪｨ 0601ｨｪ06ｨｬ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺ02 ｨｪｨ ｨ ｨ ｨｰｨ 06ｨｴｨｨｨｦ ｨｰ06ｨｺ (00ｨｪ ｨｰ06ｨｬ ｨｬ0209ｨｰ02 ｨｪ02 ｨｨ09ｨｺｨ 05ｨｨ ｨｨ04-04ｨ 05ｨｨｨｬｨｨｨｰｨ ｨｬ02ｨｪｨｨ). 06ｨ ｨｺｨｨｨｬ 06ｨ 08ｨ 0406ｨｬ, 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ ｨｰ ｨｪ ｨｨ 0909ｨｰ0802 ﾂｨ ｨｰｨｨ02ｨ ｨｬｨｨ (n=123) 09 82,11% 0905ｨｮ ﾂｨ ｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｰ ｨｪｨｪ ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺ0609 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ ｨｰｨ ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ06 ﾂ00ｨｰｨｺ06 ｨｺ ｨｨ08ｨｮ02ｨｰ ｨｰ020702ｨｪｨｹ06 06ｨ ｨ ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｨ06ｨｰ (r=0,92, p<0,08). 08ｨｪｨ 05ｨｨ04 00ｨｪ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ 09 08ｨ 04ｨｪ0401 ｨｰｨｨ07ｨ 01 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｨ06ｨｰ ｨｺｨ ｨ 02ｨｰ ｨｰｨ ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ06 08ｨ 09ｨｪ06ｨｬ0208ｨｪｨｮ06 ｨｺｨ 08ｨｰｨｨｨｪｨｮ 0909ｨｰ0802 ﾂ ｨｪｨ ｨｰｨｨ07ｨ 01 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ0609, 04ｨ ｨｨ09ｨｺ0506 ﾂ02ｨｪｨｨ02ｨｬ 0005ｨｨｨｪ07ｨｪ0401 (08ｨｨ09. 4) ｨ ｨｪ06 05ｨｰ06, ｨｮ06 06 ﾂ ｨｹ, 09 ｨｰ02ｨｬ, ﾂｨｰ06 ｨｪｨ 0005ｨｨｨｪ07ｨｪ0401 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ 01 ｨｬ02ｨｪｨｹ ｨｰ090209ｨｪ ｨｰ02ｨｪ, 0708ｨｨ000601ｨｪ ｨｮ09ｨｰ0806ｨｦ09ｨｰ09ｨ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ ｨｬｨｨ 00ｨｪ ﾂ00ｨｰ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ ｨｺｨ 04ｨ 05, ﾂｨｰ06 ｨｪｨ 08ｨ 04ｨｪ0401 ｨｰｨｨ07ｨ 01 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ0609 ｨｨ ｨｰｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 09ｨ 08ｨｹｨｨ08ｨｮ02ｨｰ 06ｨｰ 1, ,94 07ｨ 08/100 ｨｺｨｬ, ｨｰｨ ｨｪ02ｨｬ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨｮ 6,0 07ｨ 08/100 ｨｺｨｬ 06ｨ ｨ ｨｺ09ｨｨｨｬｨ 05ｨｹｨｪ ｨｺｨ 04ｨ ｨｰ0205ｨｨ ｨｰｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ 01ｨ 08ｨ ｨｺｨｰ0208ｨｪ ｨｬ ｨ ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺｨ ｨC 3,41ｨC11,80, ｨｪ02ｨｬ 6,94 07ｨ 08/100 ｨｺｨｬ 06ｨ ｨｨ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ06 ｨC 1,44ｨC13,93, ｨｪ02ｨｬ 6,76 07ｨ 08/100 ｨｺｨｬ 06ｨ (ｨｰｨ ｨ 05. 1) ｨｺｨ ｨｰｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ ｨｪｨ 0506ｨｺｨ 05ｨｹｨｪ0401 ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｬｨｮ ｨｺ06ｨｦ 09ｨｰ020702ｨｪｨｹ06 00ｨｪ ｨｨ000601ｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｨ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｨ ｨC ｨｬｨ 0909ｨ ｨｺｨｨ01 06ｨｰ090209ｨｪ ｨｰ02ｨｪ 09 ｨ 0605ｨｹ03ｨｨｨｬ ｨｺ0605ｨｨ ﾂ0209ｨｰ0906ｨｬ ｨｪｨｨ03 ｨｨ ｨｺ, ｨｮ0106ｨ ｨｪ ｨｮ09ｨｰ0806ｨｦ09ｨｰ09ｨ ｨ ｨｬｨｨ 00ｨｪ ｨ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ ｨｪｨ ｨｪ0209ｨｺ0605ｨｹｨｺｨｨ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨ 01 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ ｨｪ02 06ｨ ｨｪｨ 08ｨｮ0302ｨｪ ( ｨｪ0609ｨｪ06ｨｬ ｨｰｨ ｨｬ, ｨｰ09ｨｮｨｰ09ｨｰ090609ｨ 05ｨｨ ｨｴｨｨ02 06ｨ ). 06ｨ ｨｬ 0302, ｨｪ ｨ 0405 ｨｪｨ ｨｦ0102ｨｪ ｨｪｨ 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｨ, ｨｰｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 09ｨ 08ｨｹｨｨ080609ｨ 05ｨ 06ｨｰ 2, ,14, ｨｰｨ ｨｪ02ｨｬ 6,05 07ｨ 08/100 ｨｺｨｬ 06ｨ ｨｨ05ｨｨ 6,65 07ｨ 08/100 ｨｺｨｬ 06ｨ ｨ 0204 ｨｮ ﾂ00ｨｰｨ ｨｰ020808ｨｨｨｰ0608ｨｨｨｦ, ｨｪｨ ｨｺ06ｨｰ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ ｨｪ02 ｨｪｨ ｨｦ0102ｨｪ ｨｪｨ 00ｨｪ ｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｨ ｨｪｨｨｨｦ 0706ｨｺｨ 04ｨ ｨｰ0205ｨｹ 0708ｨｨｨ 05ｨｨ03ｨ 02ｨｰ0907 ｨｺ ｨｰｨ ｨｺ060906ｨｬｨｮ ｨｪｨ 00ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺ02 ｨｨ and Yellow Souslik (Spermophilus fulvus) in those regions, where the Russian Tortoise (Testudo (Agrionemys) horsfieldii) and Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) are absent or their numbers are little, however insignificant part of the population breeds in those regions. Diet The analysis of remains of prey species in the Golden Eagle nests in the region (n=478 in 32 nests) has shown the Russian Tortoise (41.21%) predominating. It is connected with the fact that the tortoise shells remain in and under the nest for a long time unlike the remains of small mammals. However the analysis of remains and pellets collected in 12 nests have shown another results ｨC see table 4 and fig. 14. In this case (n=420) the Russian Tortoise also predominates (27.38%), but another significant prey species in the diet is the Great Gerbil (22.38%), bones of which are numerous in pellets, but its carcasses are infrequent in the nests. Another alternative prey species are the Yellow Souslik (16.9%), Chukar Partridge (12.4%), East-Four-lined Ratsnake (5.48%) (Elaphe sauromates) and Tolai Hare (3.33%) (Lepus tolai) Thus, the Golden Eagle diet in the Aral- Caspian region consists primarily of the Russian Tortoise, East-Four-lined Ratsnake, Chukar Partridge, Yellow Souslik, Great Gerbil and partly Hares. Tortoise, Great Gerbil, Yellow Souslik and Chukar Partridge are the main prey species, and East-Four-lined Ratsnake and Tolai Hare may be recognized as alternative prey. The diets of eagles in the north and south parts of the region have some differences (fig. 15). In the Northern Usturt (n=102) tortoises are not recorded in the diet, which consists of the Yellow Souslik (48.04%) and Ratsnakes (21.57%) ｨC mainly the East-Fourlined Ratsnake ｨC 14.71%. In the south of the Aral-Caspian region (Mangyshlak, Southern Usturt, Kinderli-Kayasan plateau) (n=318) the dist consists of tortoises (36.16%) together with the Great Gerbil (29.56%) and Chukar Partridge (15.41%), while the portions of the Yellow Souslik and Ratsnakes are insignificant, however are recorded almost in all surveyed nests. The Mangistau mountains Western and Eastern Karatau) is the unique territory, where the Chukar Partridge dominates in the diet of eagles ｨC up to 53.57% (n=28). The diet depends also on the season. The Great Gerbil and Chukar Partridge seem to

10 13Raptor Research Raptors Conservation 2011, ｨ ｨ ﾁｨｨ090502ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ ｨｨ ｨｰｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ (Aquila chrysaetos) ｨｪｨ 06ｨ ｨ 01 ｨｮ ﾂ00ｨｰｨｪ ｨｴｨ 0106ｨｺ. 01ｨｮｨｬ0208ｨ 02ｨｨ ｨｴｨ 0106ｨｺ ｨｰ0902ｨｰ09ｨｰ09ｨｮ02ｨｰ ｨｪｨｮｨｬ0208ｨ 02ｨｨｨｨ ｨｪｨ 08ｨｨ Table 1. Number and density of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) on cliff-faces on the plots. Numbers of plots are similar to ones in the fig. 2. ﾁｨｨｨｪｨｺｨｨ Cliffs ｨ ｨｺｨｰｨ ｨｮ Chalky cliffs of the Aktau range 0703ｨｪ04ｨｦ 08ｨｺｨｰｨ ｨｮ ｨｨ ｨ 00 08ｨｴ04ｨ ｨ 09 Southern Aktau and Aschybas ravine ｨ ｨｺｨｰｨ ｨｮ Chalky cliffs of the Aktau range ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨｨ Plots ｨｰ070300ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 06ｨ (ｨｺｨｬ) Length of cliffs (km) / Year 01ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨｨ Breeding territories ｨｰｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ (07ｨ 08/100 ｨｺｨｬ 06ｨ ) Density (pairs/100 km cliffs) , , ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｺ / Mangyshlak Peninsula ｨC ｨｪ04ｨｦ (ｨｬ ｨｦ) ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ Southern (chalk) cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ Western cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau ｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ Northern cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau , , ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ / Usturt Plateau ｨC ｨｪｨｺ0205ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｹｨｰｨ ｨｮ Kolenceli and Zheltau Cliffs ﾁｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ06 01ｨ ｨ ｨｦ Cliff-faces of the Shagyray Plateau ｨ ｨｰ06 01ｨ ｨ ｨｦ / Shagyray Plateau ｨC ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪｨ 08ｨ 08ｨ 00ｨｨ02 / Karagie Depression ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺｨｨｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ Caspian seaside cliff-faces of the Kinderli-Kayasanskoe Plateau 0007ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪｨ 08ｨ ｨｮｨｪ0104 / Kaundy Depression ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ06 (ｨｮ09ｨｰｨｮ ｨｮ05ｨ ｨｪ0104) Northern-eastern cliff-faces of the Kinderli-Kayasanskoe Plateau (Kulandy cliffs) ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪｨ 04ｨ 0400ｨｮ / Zhazgurly Depression ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪｨ 09ｨ 0900ｨｮ / Basgurly Depression ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ Kinderli-Kayasanskoe Plateau 0808ｨ 05ｨｹ09ｨｺｨｨｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ Aral cliff-face of the Usturt Plateau 02ｨ ｨ 08ｨ 08ｨ ｨｰｨｮ07 Cliff-faces of the Karatup Peninsula ｨ ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪ ｨｪ ｨｨｨ 08ｨ 05ｨｹ07 Cliff-faces of the Northern Aral Sea Region 02ｨ ｨ 01ｨｮｨ ｨ 08ｨｰｨ 08ｨ ｨｮ Cliff-faces of the Shubartarau Peninsula ｨｨｨ 08ｨ 05ｨｹ02 / Aral Sea Region ｨC ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺｨｨｨｦ ｨｨ06ｨｪ (1670.4*) 2003ｨC (6.0*) Aral-Caspian Region * ｨC ｨ 0204 ｨｮ ﾂ00ｨｰｨ 0308ｨｨｨ 08ｨ 05ｨｹ07 / without Aral Sea Region

11 ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺｨｨ ｨｨ ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪｨ 2011, ｨｮ ﾂ02ｨｪｨｨ ｨｪｨ ｨｰ ｨｨｨｴｨｪｨｨｨｺ ｨ ｨ ｨ 0909ｨｰ0607ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｬ020301ｨｮ 00ｨｪ000401ｨ ｨｬｨｨ ｨｪｨｨ01 07ｨ 08 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ0609 ｨｪｨ ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨ 01. Table 2. Nearest-neighbor distances on study plots. 04ｨ 0909ｨｰ0607ｨｪｨｨ02 ｨｬ020301ｨｮ ｨ 05ｨｨ03ｨ ｨｦ03ｨｨｨｬｨｨ ｨｬｨｨ (ｨｺｨｬ) M ﾀSD (lim) Nearest-neighbor ﾁｨｨｨｪｨｺｨｨ / Cliffs ｨｴｨ 01ｨｺｨｨ Plots n distance (km) M ﾀSD (lim) 08ｨ 08ｨ ｨｰｨ ｨｮ / Karatau Mountains ﾀ2.65 (3.13ｨC8.42) ｨ ｨｺｨｰｨ ｨｮ Chalk cliffs of the Aktau range 0703ｨｪ04ｨｦ (ｨｬ ｨｦ) ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ Southern (chalk) cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau 05ｨ 07ｨ 01ｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ Western cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau ｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 0705ｨ ｨｰ ｨｰ0608ｨｰ Northern cliff-faces of the Usturt Plateau 0007ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪｨ 08ｨ 08ｨ 00ｨｨ02 Karagie Depression 08ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺｨｨｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ- 08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ06 Caspian seaside cliff-faces of the Kinderli-Kayasan Plateau 0007ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪｨ 08ｨ ｨｮｨｪ0104 Kaundy Depression ｨｰ06 ﾂｨｪ04ｨｦ ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ ｨ ｨｰ06 (ｨｮ09ｨｰｨｮ ｨｮ05ｨ ｨｪ0104) Northern-eastern cliff-faces of the Kinderli-Kayasan Plateau (Kulandy cliffs) 0007ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪｨ 04ｨ 0400ｨｮ Zhazgurly Depression 0007ｨ 01ｨｨｨｪｨ 09ｨ 0900ｨｮ Basgurly Depression 0808ｨ ｨ 0907ｨｨｨｦ09ｨｺｨｨｨｦ ｨｨ06ｨｪ Aral-Caspian Region 1, ﾀ3.89 (2.93ｨC15.57) 2, ﾀ2.95 (2.04ｨC9.86) ﾀ1.63 (1.68ｨC6.03) ﾀ0.45 (1.52ｨC2.35) ﾀ2.44 (1.68ｨC7.98) ﾀ4.99 (3.55ｨC12.22) 8, ﾀ7.15 (1.58ｨC23.83) , ﾀ4.23 (2.67ｨC16.58) ﾀ3.69 (2.58ｨC12.09) ﾀ2.67 (3.02ｨC8.24) ﾀ2.60 (2.66ｨC7.72) ﾀ4.0 (5.91ｨC15.39) ﾀ3.44 (1.66ｨC8.02) ﾀ0.28 (5.31ｨC5.70) ﾀ4.23 (1.52ｨC23.83) 08ｨｨｨｪ ｨｨ-08ｨ 0709ｨ ｨｪ09ｨｺ06ｨｬ 0705ｨ ｨｰ06, 0708ｨｨ ｨｰ06ｨｬ, ﾂｨｰ ｨｰｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 08ｨ ｨｪｨｨ07 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰｨ 0706 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺｨ ｨｬ ｨｪｨ 0709ｨｰ0608ｨｰ02 ｨ ｨ 09ｨｪ06ｨｬ0208ｨｪｨ ｨ ｨｺ ｨｺｨ ｨｺ ｨ 0605ｨｹ03ｨｨｨｪ09ｨｰ0906 ﾂｨｨｨｪｨｺ ｨｨ05ｨｹｨｪ06 ｨｨ ｨ ｨｪ ｨ ｨｬｨｨ, ｨｰ ｨｰ070300ｨｪｨｪ0609ｨｰｨｹ 06ｨ ｨ 01 00ｨｪ ｨｮ ﾂｨ 09ｨｰｨｺｨ 07ｨ 0804 ｨ 0208ｨｺｨｮｨｰ0609 ｨｬ060302ｨｰ ｨｰｨ ｨｰｨｹ ｨｰｨｺｨｨ ｨｺｨｨ0506ｨｬ02ｨｰ080609, 09 ｨｰ ｨｬ07 ｨｺｨ ｨｺ 01ｨｨ09ｨｰｨ ｨｪ02ｨｨ07 ｨｬ020301ｨｮ 00ｨｪ000401ｨ ｨｬｨｨ ｨｪｨｨ01 07ｨ 08 06ｨ 04 ﾂｨｪ06 ｨｪ ｨ 06ｨｰ 10 ｨｺｨｬ ｨｬ ｨｨ06ｨｪｨｮ 08ｨ 0909ｨｰ0607- dominate absolutely in the Golden Eagle diet in January ｨC March, and their numbers determine the occupancy of breeding territories and further breeding output. The numbers of both species are rather little in the north of Usturt and the main prey is a hare in spring, and Yellow Souslik ｨC since the end of March. It seems that as a result of such poor diet, Golden Eagles inhabiting there are forced to breed with lower density and in latest dates, timing the hatching to the end of hibernation of Yellow Sousliks. Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) Distribution and Population Numbers Until the middle of 0909 century, the breeding range of the Imperial Eagle had not covered the Aral-Caspian region (Dementyev, 1951). Now the Imperial Eagle inhabit the entire Aral-Caspian region, however the most density is observed only in the northern part of the region ｨC Northern Usturt, Shagyray plateau and adjacent depressions, and in the Aral Sea region as well. During our surveys carried out in the Aral- Caspian region we have encountered 128 birds over the age of 2 years in 55 territories, and discovered 51 breeding territories (30 ｨC on the plots, including 28 ｨC in the zone of cliff-faces), nests were found in all the territories (56 nests including old) (fig. 16). Thus, the Imperial Eagle breeding was proved in 92.73% events of birds encountered (n=55). Single birds were observed in 4 cases and were recognized as non-breeding, because encountered birds were under the age of 6 years. We managed to observe both birds in the pair in 40 cases. The age structure of pairs has shown a low mortality rate ｨC both birds in the pair were adult in 37 cases (92.5%), and young birds recorded in 3 cases (7.5%) (3ｨC5 years) (young males were in 2 pairs and female ｨC in the pair). The census of eagles has shown that 56.86% discovered breeding pairs prefer to nest in the zone of cliff-face distribution. Others inhabit semi-deserts mostly in the north part of the Aral-Caspian region. Basing on those data we have calculated the population number in the region for the zone of cliff-faces and other territory separately. The average breeding density on clay and shell cliff-faces ｨ 08/100 km of cliff-faces, ranging from 0.7 to pairs/100 km (table 5). Apart the zone of cliff-face distribution the Imperial Eagle was encountered at 73.17% count transects with the average density