Black Kite Milvus migrans

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE

At present the main breeding grounds of the Black Kite in Poland are made up by the regions of Warmia, Mazurskie (Masuria), Pomorze (Pomerania), Ziemia Lubuska, Wielkopolska and Dolny Śląsk (Lower Silesia), which abound in forests and waters. Besides, some nest-sites are situated within the eastern part of the country - in the Lublin region and eastern Małopolska. In the central and southern parts of Poland the Black Kite is a rare bird or not occurring at all.

A traditional breeding refuge of this species has for long been the region of Warmia and Mazury. The largest concentrations of Black Kite breeding pairs here have been discovered in Puszcza Napiwodzko-Ramudzka - 15-20 pairs and in the Landscape Park of Pojezierze Iławskie - 7-9, where, however, a critical drop in the numbers has lately been reported. Based on 35-45 nest-sites known from this region in the late 90s, the total numbers of the species can be estimated at 45-60 pairs.

In Pomorze Zachodnie the Black Kite breeding sites are concentrated in the lower Odra River valley. The Black Kite is significantly less abundant in this region than the Red Kite, the present abundance assessed at ca 30-40 pairs in total. Other sites have been discovered in the former Bydgoszcz Province and in the region of Kaszuby.

The most important breeding ground of the Black Kite within Wielkopolska is Pojezierze Międzychodzko-Sierakowskie (covering ca 800 km2), where in 1995-1998, 35-39 pairs were observed. A substantial part of this population inhabits the middle Warta River valley. In many environments, is spite of potentially favourable conditions for breeding, the bird is very scarce or absent. The Wielkopolska population of the Black Kite is currently assessed at ca 90 pairs, in the eastern part of the region the numbers showing a tencency to decrease and the sites to disppear. In the neighbouring Ziemia Lubuska, since the late 80s, 11 confirmed and 13 probable sites of the species have been known. They are concentrated in the Odra valley, Puszcza Rzepińska, by the lakes in the Obra River valley, and also in the valley of Warta. In Pojezierze Lubuskie Red Kites are comparatively sparce.

In Śląsk (Silesia), in the 80s the numbers of this species were estimated at 50-60 pairs. An assessment of 60-70 pairs for the second half of the 90s might indicate a negligible increase or at least the population remaining at a stable level. This growth, however, results mostly from new nest-sites having been discovered on the hitherto poorly explored areas of Bory Dolnośląskie and the Nysa Łużycka River valley (5-10 pairs). The main Silesian region inhabited by the Black Kite is the Odra valley, and the largest local concentration, e.g. composed of up to 8 breeding pairs, occurs between Malczyce and Ścinawa. In some areas, the Odra and Barycz River valleys as well as Opole Province, a clear decline in numbers has recently been noted.

In the remaining part of the country the species is very rare. It can hardly be found in Kujawy, Mazowsze (Masovia), Górny Śląsk (Upper Silesia), northern and western Małopolska. Absence of Black Kites from the valleys of big rivers in the eastern part of Poland is particularly astounding. Within the entire Podlasie Północne region, 3-5 breeding pairs were recorded in 1984-1994.

A small (composed of a dozen or so pairs) - and displaying a decreasing tendency - population of the Black Kite occurs in Lublin Province. In 1986-1993, certainly or probably breeding pairs were lokalized in Polesie Lubelskie, Pojezierze Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie and Chełmskie Bagna Węglanowe.

Within Małopolska, the species is observed mainly in the eastern part of the region. Single pairs were found in Lasy Janowskie and on the fish ponds in Buda. The Black Kite is more numerous Przemyśl Province, where in 1985-1990 7-10 pairs were discovered. Jointly, the numbers most probably reach the level of 10-20 pairs.

Data from the late 19th and early 20th century allow to draw a conclusion that in this period the Black Kite did not suffer such a drastic population decline as this was the case with the Red Kite, the present distribution of the species discussed having probably not changed considerably. As late as the early 80s the Black Kite Polish population was assessed at ca 500 pairs. At the beginning of the next decade the abundance was estimated at as many as 500-700 pairs, and the situation of the species was defined as stable. Taking into account more recent data, this estimate should be recognized as too optimistic - numbers approximating 300-400 pairs seem to be more realistic. It is characteristic that the Black Kite abundance was not found increasing in any of the longer studied plots, whereas for some a decrease in the number of pairs or the species complete disappearance has been documented (among other regions, in Śląsk, Wielkopolska and Pojezierze Pomorskie). The situation agrees with the downward trend of the species numbers in the countries situated in the eastern part of Europe.

Table 1. Estimated numbers of the Black Kite occurring in different regions of Poland in the second half of the 90s.

Region	Liczba par
Pomorze Zachodnie	30-40
Pomorze Środkowe i Gdańskie	25-35
Płn.-wsch. Polska	45-60
Nizina Północnopodlaska	3-5
Wielkopolska i Ziemia Lubuska	110-120
Śląsk	60-70
Małopolska	10-20
Lubelszczyzna	10-20
Liczebność szacunkowa	300-400

MONITORING

The results of the Black Kite monitoring performed in 2001 and 2002 are shown in table 2. In 2001, 65 nests were controlled; no violation of zone protection was recorded. In 2002, the pertinent law was disobeyed in the case of 8 nests out of 71 controlled (11.3 %).

Table 2. Results of controls to the Black Kite nest-sites in Poland in 1999 and 2000. (1) - Total number of controlled sites, (2) - total number of controlled nests, (3) - number of sites where birds were recorded, (4) - number of nests at which zone protection regulations were found violated, (5) - number of nests newly found in the territories known from previous years, (6) - number of newly found territories with a nest, (7) - number of newly found territories without a nest

Region	Controlled sites (1) 2001 2002	Controlled nests (2) 2001 2002	Sites with birds (3) 2001 2002	Regulations violated (4) 2001 2002	New nests in territory (5) 2001 2002	New territory with nest (6) 2001 2002	New territory without nest (7) 2001 2002
Wielkopolska	84 85	82 75	33 48	- 5	19 13	- 8	- 1
Polska NE	3 22	2 26	2 17	- 3	- 4	1 6	- 1
Polska Centralna	2 1	2 1	2 1	- -	1 -	- -	- -
Razem	89 108	86 102	37 66	- 8	20 17	1 14	- 2

BREEDING PARAMETERS

The results of the Black Kite broods in 1999, 2000 and 2001:

*data collected in the region of Wielkopolska, where the number of fledglings was determined by entering the nests