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Oystercatchers of the Azov-Black Sea coast of Ukraine

Info

Pages
52 – 63

Published
1 April 23

Authors
Joseph Chernichko, Svetlana Vinokurova

DOI
10.18194/ws.00305

Correspondence
Joseph Chernichko
j.chernichko@gmail.com
Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, NAS of Ukraine, B. Khmelnytskogo Str., 15, Kyiv, 01030, Ukraine

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This article summarizes the population status of the longipes subspecies of the Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus along the Azov-Black Sea coast of Ukraine. Our assessment suggests that the area currently has 220–250 breeding pairs of longipes Oystercatchers, and hosts 500–900 individuals in early August. Analysis of the habitat use of breeding pairs suggests preferences for natural habitats: depositional islands, sandy and muddy coasts and, less frequently, salt marshes adjacent to halophyte meadows. Compared to the number of breeding pairs counted in 1998, counts in the same wetlands in the last ten years showed a decline in breeding numbers. This decrease is confirmed by the trend in breeding numbers during the censuses of key wetlands, showing that the reduction in the numbers only became apparent in recent years. There was a decreasing trend in August in twelve wetlands, while numbers remained relatively stable in seven wetlands. We conclude that 15 wetlands in the Azov-Black Sea Region of Ukraine are important for Oystercatchers during the breeding and/or post-breeding period. Eastern Syvash, Dzharylhachskyi Bay, Tendrivskyi Bay of the Black Sea, and Biriuchyi Island in the Azov Sea are the most important of them. All the important wetlands, except Biriuchyi Island, are Ramsar sites. Dzharylhachskyi Bay and Biriuchyi Island are included in national parks and Tendrivskyi Bay is protected as a biosphere reserve.