The golden
eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
The females
of Golden eagles are significantly larger than males, and can weigh almost 7
kg. These birds are known for their extremely keen eyesight which allows them
to find their prey in hardly accessible places. For example, this species is
able to see a hare at a distance of several km. Golden eagles have to move
their head to look around because their eyes are too big to move in the eye
sockets. The population decline is primarily caused by human activity (illegal
hunting, poison baits, loud noise near the eagles’ nests, and destruction of
nesting habitats).
The Pallas's
cat (Otocolobus manul), also called the manul
The fur of
this species is the most fluffy and thick among cats (9000 hairs per 1 square
cm). The tips of the hair are white which gives the impression that an animal
is covered with snow. The animals are considered to be one of the slowest and
clumsiest among wild cats – when in danger it prefers to hide or climb on top
of a rock. A Pallas's cat is a rare animal, and poaching among other dangers rapidly
decreases the population.
The
gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)
Gyrfalcons
are the most northerly birds of prey and the largest species among falcons.
Gyrfalcons mostly feed on ptarmigans. Gyrfalcons are very strong, they are able
to rapidly fly up and kill their prey even in flight. The main reasons of
decreasing population are poaching and the arctic foxes traps. Illegal trapping
and trade of gyrfalcons are stimulated by their high value as hunting birds.
The
peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the duck hawk
Peregrine
falcons are the fastest birds in the world. The bird is able to exceed 300 km/h
in a dive flight. During the Second World War, the peregrines were used to
intercept the pigeon post. Today they prevent collisions of airplanes with
other birds by dispersing them at the airports. Also peregrine falcons can be
used in guarding architectural monuments by scaring away pigeons and crows.
Peregrine falcons like other large falcons (saker falcons and gyrfalcons) are
one of the most vulnerable birds. They are included in the Red Lists of
Threatened Species of almost all countries where peregrine falcons used to be
very common.
The
red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis)
It is
impossible to confuse the red-breasted goose with any other bird. It has a very
exquisite appearance and became the symbol of international ornithological
congress in Moscow in 1982. The images of red-breasted geese were found on
ancient Egyptian frescoes. Red-breasted geese have been highly valued for a
long time and often were kept in captivity. In the 18th century “the red geese”
were brought from Siberia according to imperial decrees. This species has a
very limited habitat and breeds only in Russia. In 1992 a commemorative coin of
10 roubles nominal value with an image of a red-breasted goose was issued by
the Central Bank of Russia.
The Blakiston's
fish owl (Bubo blakistoni)
Along with
the Siberian tiger this large bird can be called the symbol of the Ussuri
taiga. Blakiston's fish owl prefers to live in hollows of old trees with plenty
of aquatic prey nearby. However old forests and hollow trees are often cut down
which inevitably reduces the area of the original habitat. These birds can hunt in
two different ways: they either lookout for prey, quickly dive into the water
snatching it up, or walk probing the bottom with feet having lifted wings and the
tail.
The marbled
duck, or marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
The bird
got its name due to unusual plumage that looks like marble: sandy-brown color
with light spots. In Russia the species habitat is not varied, it includes the
Pricaspian region and the Volga Delta. This is mainly due to human activity
(agricultural land development, diversion of water for irrigation and drainage
of wetlands). Although marbled duck hunting is prohibited in Russia, these
birds are still endangered because hunters can’t always identify the marbled
duck in flight.
The lesser
white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus)
Poaching is
the main reason for listing this species as endangered in the Russian Red Data
Book. It has a significant difference from the greater white-fronted goose: the
lesser white-fronted geese are smaller and have a large white spot on their
foreheads reaching their crown. These birds often become hunters’ prey. This
species is known for a subtle squeak during the flight. The birds nest in the
Northern mountainous taiga region, and spend winter in the southern regions.
The lesser white-fronted geese spend almost half of their lives in the air,
they can cover almost 8 thousand km per year.
The swan
goose (Anser cygnoides)
The swan
goose also has another name – the Chinese goose because it was domesticated in
China over 3 thousand years ago. The species is the same size as a domestic
goose, but its neck is thinner and longer, so it looks more like a swan on the
pond or in flight. The main reasons of the population decline are the credulity
and curiosity of these birds, as well as their habitat being easy to notice and
access during the breeding season.
The
white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala)
The
characteristic features of these large ducks are a white head with black crown
and a blue beak. White- headed ducks spend most of their life in the water;
they almost never come ashore, because these ducks don’t walk well. They swim
and dive wonderfully. White-headed ducks are reluctant to fly, in case of
danger they prefer to escape by diving or hiding in the reeds. One of the
reasons for the population decline is the destruction of natural habitats
caused by human activity.
The
mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)
This representative of an order of Anseriformes has a strikingly beautiful and
harmonious plumage. The main habitats of these miniature ducks are mountain
rivers with lush vegetation in the coastal zone. Couples prefer building nests
in hollows of trees high off the ground. After hatching chicks leave their
nests. Thanks to the light weight, they glide down like parachutists. Mandarin
ducks live in the Far East. Raccoon dogs often destroy their nests. Hunting
also causes the decrease of population.
The
European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
This
predatory bird has a very unusual name. It reflects the peculiarity of this
bird’s lifestyle which includes feeding on larvae of social hymenopterans,
primarily wasps. A predator rakes a wasp nest, opens its cover and pulls out
cells with delicious larvae. European honey buzzards are rare in all habitats.
Many birds become hunters’ prey during migration period over the southern
Europe.
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