Project Start Date: 01.07.2014
Project End Date: 30.06.2015
The Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) is classified as vulnerable and decreasing by BirdLife International. Eastern Georgia’s steppes form an important breeding and wintering site for this species, holding an estimated 35-50 breeding pairs. However the population may saturate due to the lack of nesting sites because of deforestation. Several electric pylons in deforestated but prey-rich areas were used for nesting, showing the dramatical lack of nesting sites. Other pylons in deforestated areas are not suitable for nesting as they do not have any platform on top.
The aim of the project is to install 6 platforms in strategically located pylons and assess their use and breeding success by Imperial Eagles in order to increase the number of plaftorms in an inmediate future if they are successful. Derived outcomes during the season will be the involvement of locals in monitoring in order to avoid nest disturbance and/or robbing and children and authorities awareness. The results of the success of the project will be the improvement of the awareness about the value of the species in the area and its conservation needs. As platforms do not solve the deforestation problem, remaining forested patches will be assessed for their protection.
