Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE

In Poland, the Golden Eagle inhabits a limited area including the Tatra Mts, Pieniny Mts, Beskid Niski Mts, Beskid Sądecki Mts, Bieszczady Mts, Góry Sanocko-Turczańskie Mts and Pogórze, as well as the Słowiński National Park and Biebrza River valley. The species occurrence is uneven and limited to low-populated territories, ecosystems which are to a small degree transformed by man, and areas of extensive farming.

Currently, Golden Eagles live mainly in the Carpathians, where ca 85% of the Polish population is concentrated. Within these mountains there are 22 confirmed and 3 probably occupied breeding territories, which yields a density of 0.33-0.38 pairs/100 km2 of total area.

However, taking into consideration observations of birds not displaying territorial behaviour, one can assume abundance of the species in the Carpathians amounting to at least 25-30 pairs, which gives a density of 0.38-0.45 pairs/100 km2. In 14 territories one or more nests were localized, i.e. in the Beskid Niski Mts - 4 territories with 6 nests, Beskid Sądecki - 1 territory with 1 nest, Tatra Mts - 1 territory with 2 nests, Pogórze Przemyskie - 1 territory with 1 nest, Góry Sanocko-Turczańskie - 3 territories with 6 nests, Bieszczady Zachodnie - 4 territories with 4 nests. The Golden Eagle is the most frequently recorded in the East Carpathians, where a half of the Polish Carpathian population occurs, and the densities are double those of the External West Carpathians.

Beyond the Carpathians, 3 confirmed and 1 probably occupied territory occur in the northern and north-eastern part of the country (table 1). Besides, single adult birds have been observed at several other sites (Lasy Lublinieckie, Równina Radomska, the environs of Ełk, Lake Oświn neighbourhood). The Golden Eagle inhabits only areas difficult of access, forest complexes abundant in old-growth stands, situated close to extensive water-logged meadows or swamps.

At present the whole Golden Eagle population in Poland is estimated at 35-40 pairs, which is the highest number in the past half-century. This picture seems to be a result both of better knowledge of the population and the actual increase in abundance having recently taken place. It is assumed that in the 50s and 60s there were 20-30 Golden Eagle pairs in Poland. In the second half of the 70s the species numbers started to decrease: the estimates for 1980-1985 mention 15 pairs, and those given in the second half of the 80s - only 5-10 pairs. Lately, however, a real increase in the species number has been noted. The highest (from 1 do 6 pairs) concern the Beskid Niski Mts. In the Bieszczady Mts this increase is assessed at ca 75%. Also in the neighbouring countries, particularly the Slovakian section of the Carpathians, the number of the Golden Eagle territories has been growing - in 1996 as many as 69 pairs were known there. This can also be conducive to a further development of the species population in the Polish Carpathians.

On the other hand, in north-eastern Poland a distinct regression of the Golden Eagle population is recorded. Although as recently as the 50s and 60s a half of the Polish population of this species inhabited this part of the country, nowadays it is merely 10-15%. The reasons behind this decline, which started already in the 60s and 70s, are unclear.

MONITORING

The results of the Golden Eagle breeding sites are available in the table below.

Table 1. Results of controls to the Golden Eagle breeding 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 erritory with nest (6) 2001 2002	New territory without nest (7) 2001 2002
Małopolska	23 27	26 34	21 22	- 3	1 5	1 1	2 1
Pomorze Środk.	1 2	1 1	1 1	- -	- -	- -	- -
Total	24 29	27 35	22 23	- 3	1 5	1 1	2 1

REPRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS

The Polish population of the Golden Eagle (at least its part inhabiting the Carpathians) can be regarded as thriving. This is evidenced by the fairly high reproductive parameters that the species attains in the Polish Carpathians, which approximate to the ones of other European populations, even exceeding the nest success of the populations from the Czech Republic and Slovakia or that from the Alps.

The results of the Golden Eagle broods in 1999, 2000 and 2001 are as follows: