<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Between 1984 and 2017, 1,388 Black Kites were recorded, mostly in lowlands with 70% of observations made at Dravsko polje. They were observed from sea level to around 1,600 m a.s.l. with an average elevation of 271 m a.s.l. The species was present in Slovenia from mid-March to early December with indistinct spring and autumn migrations. The highest number of observations was recorded in May. The Black Kite was observed in 71 out of 238 10x10 km grid squares in Slovenia (29.8%), with more observations around known breeding sites and at sites with higher observer effort. Both the number of observations and the number of probable and confirmed breeding pairs increased. In 2011–2018, 10 breeding pairs were found at 7 sites (3–7 per year). Additionally, 11 probable breeding pairs at 9 sites (0–6 pairs per year) were found. The breeding population in 2011–2018 is estimated at 10–21 pairs with an average breeding density of 0.3–0.9 breeding pairs per 100 km2. The highest density was recorded at Dravsko polje with 0.6–2.2 breeding pairs per 100 km2. If possible breeding (breeding attempts) were also taken into consideration, the estimate would be up to five breeding pairs higher. The species was recorded at known breeding sites in most years after the breeding was confirmed. Black Kites were observed closer to larger water bodies and to rubbish tips than expected by chance. More Black Kites were recorded in areas with a lower percentage of forest and arable land and a higher percentage of meadows, settlements and wetlands.</abstract>

Black Kite <italic>Milvus migrans</italic> in Slovenia – its distribution, phenology, breeding and habitat

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Here we present the results of candling 258 eggs from 50 nests of Common Eiders <italic>Somateria mollissima</italic> in a colony in the central Baltic. Of these, 223 (86%) had a developing foetus. Among the 35 (14%) failed eggs, 15 were unfertilized and 20 contained a dead embryo. The prevalence of failed eggs is similar to the average proportion of failed eggs reported previously by the Christiansø Scientific Field Station during 1998–2014. The reason for the high percentage of failed eggs is unknown; however, low pre-incubation body mass and energetic stress is likely to be the main factor. In addition, we incubated 8 eggs in the laboratory from day 0 to hatch in order to follow the development and foetal morphology. This resulted in a field atlas from which it is possible to estimate date of incubation start using candling in early incubation (days 1–12). The atlas is a new possibility for field biologists to estimate the first day of incubation of breeding eiders and the prevalence of unfertilized and rotten eggs, which is important for studying their biology and population dynamics.</abstract>

Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC)

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences

Candling and Field Atlas of Early Egg Development in Common Eiders <italic>Somateria Mollissima</italic> in the Central Baltic

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Here we present the recording of body mass change and weight loss during incubation in a Common Eider <italic>Somateria mollissima</italic> colony at Christiansø in the Central Baltic (55°19’N 15°11’E). The study was conducted during April and May 2015 and a total number of four birds were followed (two were lost due to predation and three due to power outages). Body mass and nesting behaviour was recorded electronically over a period of 26–27 days using automatic poultry scales and a surveillance video camera. During incubation, the eiders underwent a 28–37% loss in body mass and left the nest on average 13 times (range: 7–17 times) for a period of 7–70 min. In general, birds with high initial body mass left their nest for a shorter total time than birds with lower initial body mass. The recorded daily changes in body mass indicate that the eiders foraged during the incubation period, not just leaving the nest for rehydration or in response to disturbance, which improve our current understanding of eider incubation behaviour. Such information is important to fully understanding of eider breeding biology in order to better conserve and manage the species during its breeding seasons where individual birds undergo extreme stress that may affect reproductive outcome and adult survival.</abstract>

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology

Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Center for Materials Crystallography

National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment Canada

Incubation Behaviour of Common Eiders <italic>Somateria Mollissima</italic> in the Central Baltic: Nest Attendance and Loss in Body Mass

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The IBA network is being regularly updated, based on new data and their better quality. There have been three previous stages of the marine IBA identification in Slovenia and the Mediterranean Shag has been included as the qualifying species only in the most recent stage in 2011. However, the sites were limited to inshore coastal roost-sites and thus insufficient to cover the foraging areas of the species. To fill this gap in the Slovenian territorial sea, new marine IBAs have been identified for the Mediterranean Shag within the scope of the SIMARINE-NATURA (LIFE10NAT/SI/141) project in the 2011–2015 period. The new sites were identified following standardized methodology for the identification of marine IBAs from BirdLife International. The data on the Mediterranean Shag distribution and population size were collected using four field methods: (1) monthly monitoring at in-shore communal roost-sites, (2) monthly monitoring at sea following the standardized ESAS method, (3) GPS telemetry, and (4) unsystematic census of in-shore floating groups. Based on these data, one new site, the IBA Osrednji Tržaški zaliv, and one extension to the existing IBA Debeli rtič were identified, covering 8,218 ha and 155 ha, respectively. The new sites cover 39.2% of the Slovenian territorial sea.</abstract>

New Marine IBAs For the Mediterranean Shag <italic>Phalacrocorax Aristotelis Desmarestii</italic> in Slovenia

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">In 2017, the Slovenian bird ringing scheme concluded 90 years of continuous ringing in the country. In 2017, we collected data on 176 bird species. We ringed 79,886 birds of 164 species, recorded 177 recoveries of birds ringed in Slovenia and found abroad, 295 foreign recoveries in Slovenia and 2,209 local recoveries. The most ringed species were the Blackcap <italic>Sylvia atricapilla</italic> and Great Tit <italic>Parus major</italic> and, among pulli in the nest, the Great Tit, White Stork <italic>Ciconia ciconia</italic> and Barn Swallow <italic>Hirundo rustica</italic>. In 2017, 12 colour ringing schemes were active in Slovenia. In the 2012-2017 period, the number of recoveries of birds ringed in Slovenia and found abroad increased significantly due to colour ringing, especially regarding the waterbirds. With colour ringing, the likelihood of recoveries is considerably greater (75.20 ± 91.36 recoveries per 100 ringed birds) than with metal ringing only (0.11 ± 0.08 recoveries per 100 ringed birds). Among local recoveries, the most frequent were the Mute Swans <italic>Cygnus olor</italic> and Common Terns <italic>Sterna hirundo</italic>, and among foreign recoveries the Black-headed Gulls <italic>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</italic> predominated. In 2017, the first Broad-billed Sandpiper <italic>Calidris falcinellus</italic> was ringed in Slovenia (Sečovlje salinas), and additional three rare species were ringed as well: the Yellow-browed Warbler <italic>Phylloscopus inornatus</italic> (Ljubljansko barje), Paddyfield Warbler <italic>Acrocephalus agricola</italic> (Ljubljansko barje) and Little Bunting <italic>Emberiza pusilla</italic> (Šentrupert).</abstract>

Bird ringing report for Slovenia in 2017 and short overview of colour ringing in the period of 2012–2017

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Between 29 Mar and 10 Apr, 2015, a Little Owl <italic>Athene noctua</italic> survey was carried out using the playback method in the southern part of Montenegro. The study area was situated between the town of Ulcinj and the Bojana River delta. A total of 55 calling males were registered at 26 survey points with a maximum of 4 calling males per survey point. Considering the low response rate of the Little Owl, its local population was estimated at be 55–110 calling males. This study presents the first systematic survey of the Little Owl in Montenegro.</abstract>

Oddelek za gozdarstvo in obnovljive gozdne vire, Biotehniška fakulteta

Little Owl <italic>Athene noctua</italic> survey in the area of Ulcinj (S Montenegro) in 2015

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">We examined the pellets of the Barn Owl <italic>Tyto alba</italic>, collected in Pisa, Italy, in 2012. Altogether, 219 specimens of small mammals were found in 85 pellets. The Barn Owl diet was composed of ten species of small mammals, representing three different families (Muridae, Cricetidae, Soricidae). The main prey species was the Wood Mouse <italic>Apodemus sylvaticus</italic>, followed by the House Mouse <italic>Mus musculus</italic> and the Savi’s Pine Vole <italic>Microtus savii</italic>. While the smallest of the small mammals from the area, the Etruscan Shrew <italic>Suncus etruscus</italic>, was well represented in the pellets, some larger species of small mammals were not represented at all. The reason for such result may lie in the upper limit for our Barn Owl’s prey size. Results suggest that optimal prey weight for our Barn Owl may be between 26–75 g of body mass, however, the prey can be occasionally as heavy as almost 100 g, represented by adult Rat <italic>Rattus</italic> spp. Nevertheless, our results may not reflect the true hunting strategy of the Barn Owl, but the availability of a certain food item at one point in time.</abstract>

A contribution to the knowledge of diet composition of the Barn Owl <italic>Tyto alba</italic> in the area of Pisa (Italy)

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">This report by the Slovenian Rarities Committee presents records of rare bird species in Slovenia in 2017, with some addenda for previous years. The numbers in brackets refer to the number of records (first number) and individuals (second number) recorded between 1 Jan 1950 and 31 Dec 2016. Since 1 Jan 2013, submission to the Committee has been required for 37 additional species, 17 of which are regional rarities. Records of these species are not numbered, since records from previous years were not collected by the Committee. The Barnacle Goose <italic>Branta leucopsis</italic> was first recorded in Category A, in addition to previous Category D and E records. Other notable observations were the third record of Red-breasted Goose <italic>Branta ruficollis</italic>, fifth records of Lammergeier <italic>Gypaetus barbatus</italic> and Pomarine Skua <italic>Stercorarius pomarinus</italic>, and seventh records of Greater Blackbacked Gull <italic>Larus marinus</italic> and Red Phalarope <italic>Phalaropus fulicarius</italic>. The list of birds recorded in Slovenia (as of 31 Dec 2017) contains 390 species (375 in Category A, 6 in Category B, 9 exclusively in Category C; 4 species are both in Categories A and C). Category D contains 7 species, while Category E contains 39, two of which are classified into Subcategory E*. These two categories are not part of the list.</abstract>

Rare birds in Slovenia in 2017 –Slovenian Rarities Committee's Report

Results of the January 2018 waterbird census in Slovenia

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Acrocephalus

 Original work on all fields of ornithology, without any geographical limitation, is published in Acrocephalus. However, articles covering the south-eastern European and eastern Mediterranean regions are particularly encouraged. Review articles, original articles, points-of-view, specialist and scientific comments (Editorial, Forum), short communications, short notes ('From the ornithological notebook'), diploma abstracts and book reviews (New books) are considered for publication. Contributions can be published in English or Slovene. Why subscribe and read   excellent source of ornithological information from the region (SE Europe)  high quality, peer reviewed papers  appearing quarterly with up-to-date information   Why submit   fair, transparent and quick peer review  promotion of published articles through various abstracting services  wide exchange of the journal with the ornithological community worldwide  regional readership and idea exchange (SE Europe)  language correction for non-English speaking authors  various article formats are available suitable for different levels of scientific research (review articles, original articles, points-of-view, specialist and scientific comments, short communications, short notes, diploma abstracts and book reviews)   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 

Acrocephalus

Volume 39 (2018): Issue 178-179 (December 2018)

Black Kite Milvus migrans in Slovenia – its distribution, phenology, breeding and habitat

Candling and Field Atlas of Early Egg Development in Common Eiders Somateria Mollissima in the Central Baltic

Incubation Behaviour of Common Eiders Somateria Mollissima in the Central Baltic: Nest Attendance and Loss in Body Mass

New Marine IBAs For the Mediterranean Shag Phalacrocorax Aristotelis Desmarestii in Slovenia

Bird ringing report for Slovenia in 2017 and short overview of colour ringing in the period of 2012–2017

Little Owl Athene noctua survey in the area of Ulcinj (S Montenegro) in 2015

A contribution to the knowledge of diet composition of the Barn Owl Tyto alba in the area of Pisa (Italy)

Rare birds in Slovenia in 2017 –Slovenian Rarities Committee's Report

Results of the January 2018 waterbird census in Slovenia

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