This page provides information on articles, papers, books and other publications relevant to raptors and raptor workers. It will primarily relate to current material and please Contact Us with any suggestions for inclusion.
 Author(s): Mark W.Wilson, S.Irwin, DWNorriss, S.F.Newton, K.Collins, TCKelly & J.O'Halloran Published by: Ibis 151, pp 332-342, 19th April 2009 ISBN: oo Price: £0 Availability: by subscription from http://www.ibis.ac/uk Summary: Nest site selection was analysed using data gathered during national breeding surveys in 2000 and 2005. The main nesting habitats selected were pre-thicket stage of first and particularly, second rotation plantations, mostly of exotic conifers. The overall effect of plantation forests on breeding Hen Harriers appears to be positive. There was a positive correlation across study areas between changes in numbers of nests between 2000 and 2005 and changes in the area of pre-thicket second rotation plantations over the same period. This extensive use of second rotation plantations has not been found in the UK. |
 Author(s): Richard Evans, Jeremy Wilson, Arjun Amar, Andrew Douse, Alison MacLennan, Norman Ratcliffe & Philip Schofield Published by: Ibis 151 pp 244-254, 01st April 2009 ISBN: o Price: £0 Availability: by subscription from http://www.ibis.ac/uk Summary: This study relates to the reintroduced population in Scotland but makes comparisons with other European populations. Population growth and breeding success has been monitored closely aided by the use of patagial tags to individually mark most released birds as well as a high proportion of wild bred nestlings. Breeding success in the Scottish population has increased over time as the average age and experience of individuals has increased and success tends to be higher where one or both adults are wild bred. Current levels of breeding success are low. Survival rates of released birds are lower than that of wild-bred birds especially during the first 3 years of life. However the recent rate of growth of the Scottish population remains high relative to other recovering populations across Europe. |
 Author(s): DPWhitfield, RReid, PFHaworth, MMadders, MMarquiss, RTingay, AHFielding Published by: Ibis, 151 pp 255-264, 17th March 2009 ISBN: 00 Price: £0 Availability: by subscription from http://www.ibis.ac.uk/ Summary: The full title of the paper is ' Diet specificity is not associated with increased reproductive performance of Golden Eagles in Western Scotland'. Amongst raptor species individuals with specialist diets have higher reproductive output than those with general diets and a suggested cause is that foraging efficiency benefits accrue to diet specialists. Using three insular study areas in Western Scotland, diet specificity and reproductive success was examined. The results failed to support the diet specificity hypothesis but were consistent with a prey availability hypothesis. The authors suggest that variation in prey abundance and availability is an influential factor explaining spatial and temporal variation in breeding productivity in generalist species such as Golden Eagle. Prey abundance and availability are the main driversof variations in reproductive output. |
 Author(s): Chris Wernham et al Published by: AMBIO: a Journal of the Human Environment, 16th February 2009 ISBN: 00 Price: £0 Availability: Published by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and available online at http://ambio.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1579%2F0044-7447(2008)37%5B463%3ATSRMSO%5D2.0.CO%3B2 Summary: This article is written by Chris Wernham and the other partners in the SRMS. It looks at the Objectives and achievements of the first four years of the SRMS and plans for future development. Much of the article is taken up with details of the partner organisations, biographies of their representatives, and the background to the scheme. Further developments and future challenges include improving coverage, enhancing the value of the data that are collected, developing analysis and reporting, and ensuring the long-term success of the SRMS. |
 Author(s): Janusz Sielicki and Tadeusz Mizera (Eds) Published by: Torul, Warsaw, 15th January 2009 ISBN: 83-920969-6-7 Price: £50 Availability: online at www.falconline.eu Summary: This book is based on papers presented at the 2nd International Peregrine Conference in Poland in 2007 and looks at the status and perspectives of the Peregrine in the 21st century. There are 60 papers, around 600 pages with 300 colour figures. There is a preface by Ian Newton and there are several papers from the UK including a presentation by George Smith and Mike McGrady on 'Using passive integrated transporter (PIT) tagsto better understand Peregrine Falcon populations in South Scotland and North East England. The regular price is 59 Euro but there is a special price of 50 Euro valid until the end of January at http://www.falconline.eu/shop/11-28-0-Peregrine-Falcon-populations---status-and-perspectives-in-the-21st-century.html |
 Author(s): Vitali Reif Published by: PhD thesis University of Oulu, Finland, 11th January 2009 ISBN: 00 Price: £0 Availability: The thesis may be found online at http://herkules.oulu.fi/isbn9789514288050/isbn9789514288050.pdf Summary: In the thesis the impact of raptors on grouse and mammals and the relationship between predators and prey is discussed. The buzzards had a fairly small impact on juvenile grouse, which did not correlate with vole density. However, the productivity of goshawks followed the fluctuations of grouse density closely whereas the occupancy rate of goshawk territories did so with a two-year lag. The annual numerical ratio of goshawk to grouse was inversely related to grouse density, suggesting that this predator may be a destabilising factor for grouse population dynamics. However, the goshawks' kill rate of grouse showed no clear relations to grouse density. No strong effect of avian predators on juvenile grouse mortality was found. In boreal forests, predators and other factors of grouse mortality do not operate as one, and there is probably no single factor responsible for the reproductive success of grouse. |
 Author(s): D.Philip Whitfield, Marc Ruddock & Rhys Bullman Published by: Elsevier - Biological Conservation Vol 141 No 11, 17th December 2008 ISBN: ISSN 0006-3207 Price: £0 Availability: through the publisher at http://www.elsevier.com/copyright Summary: Human disturbance can have several adverse effects on wildlife and therefore is increasingly seen as a threat. This study looked at 27 bird species, 12 of which were raptors. A common response is to set up protective regimes or buffer zones to restrict human encroachment. There is an absence of data so the authors surveyed 1000 expert opinions, amongst them SRSG members, on estimates of alert distances (AD) and flight initiation distance (FID) in response to an approaching human during incubation and chick rearing. Although the expert opinions produced realistic results in relation to previously published research, more empirical measures of disturbance distances need to be gathered. The authors recommend that existing monitoring schemes should incorporate protocols to measure disturbance distances. |
 Author(s): Don Scott Published by: Tiercel Publishing - tiercelpublisher@aol.com, 01st December 2008 ISBN: 978-0-9532002-6-9 Price: £38.5 Availability: Tiercel Publishing - Tel/Fax: 01582 832182 http://www.wheathampstead.net/tiercel/index.htm#harriers Summary: Don Scott is well known for his studies of Hen Harrier in his native Northern Ireland. This publication is the culmination of Don's quest to observe and study all 16 of the World's species of Harrier, beginning with the discovery of tree nesting Hen Harriers in Northern Ireland and ending with a visit to the endemic Papuan Harrier in Papua New Guinea. The book not only highlights the sheer majesty of harriers but helps focus our attention to their individual plights which if left unrecognised will result in an uncertain future for many of the species which make up this group of birds. The book has 200 pages and is illustrated by 77 colour photographs and 5 watercolour illustrations. Don is passionate about Harriers and this enthusiasm shines through this publication which is a must for anyone interested in the circus species. Limited Edition of 700 copies |
 Author(s): Ian Newton Published by: British Birds 101 Nov.2008 pp607-623, 03rd November 2008 ISBN: 00 Price: £0 Availability: By subscription from www.britishbirds.co.uk Summary: This paper contains much of the data presented by Ian Newton in the Derek Ratcliffe Memorial Lecture at our annual conference in February. The study is based in the Scottish Borders. The numbers that breed in any landscape depend primarily on the amount of woodland, but within that woodland breeding densities vary with the prey supply. In continuous woodland, pairs space themselves regularly, but more widely in areas where prey are scarce. In particular areas, providing that the environment remains stable, breeding numbers remain fairly stable from year to year, because of density dependent recruitment to a limited number of good territories. Lifetime production of young varies greatly among individuals, depending largely on longevity and age of first breeding. During their lives many individuals moved from poor to good places. The quality of nesting places changed slowly over time, as Sparrowhawks favoured and bred most successfully in conifer stands aged 20-35 years. |
 Author(s): F. Sergio, L. Marchesi and P.Pedrini Published by: Bird Study Vol. 55 Part 3 Nov.2008 pp314-328, 01st November 2008 ISBN: 00 Price: £0 Availability: By subscription from the BTO - www.bto.org Summary: This study was based in the Italian Alps and looked at 32 territories at higher elevations over a six year period. Mean number of fledged young was 0.95 and 2.13 per territorial and successful pair, respectively. Adults and nestlings were preyed upon by Eagle Owls and Common Buzzard. Diet was dominated by Common Voles, complimented by mice and thrushes. . The owls responded numerically to the availability of their main prey, the common vole. |