Above the borders: conservation of Greater Spotted Eagles at breeding and wintering areas, and on its flyway

Introduction

The aim of the GSELIFEAboveBorders project is to sustainably improve breeding sites’ conditions and increase the Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga, GSE) abundance in the EU. Additionally, the project seeks to reduce threats and secure key GSE staging and wintering sites along its flyway.

Project Goals

The project will contribute to the survival of the Greater Spotted Eagle through various activities, including:

1. Increasing the number of young eagles (rescue of Abel line chicks).
2. Reducing the impact of predation on chicks’ survival.
3. Protecting GSE breeding forests and bird hunting areas.
4. Individual protection of birds tracked using GSM.
5. Combating illegal shooting and poisoning.
6. Setting up secure feeding stations on wintering grounds to improve bird condition.
7. Conducting extensive educational activities.

Conservation Status

The GSE is classified as critically endangered in 27 EU countries and is on the list of EU bird species identified as "priority for LIFE funding." The disappearance of the last large-scale marshes on the edges of the EU, essential for breeding, and population losses on migration and wintering grounds are the main reasons for its poor conservation status.

Experience and Implementation

The 30 years of experience in GSE conservation of the project’s coordinating beneficiary, Poznań University of Life Sciences, along with its experience in other LIFE projects, will allow for the implementation of a set of measures whose effectiveness is widely recognized.

International Cooperation

The implementation of GSE protection is only possible through international cooperation, which is designed in the project and consolidated by the creation of an international network for GSE protection. This is the first such broad, integrated implementation of these methods in GSE conservation on a European scale.

Expected Benefits

Benefits of the project include:

• Protection of nesting and foraging conditions for GSEs (protection of all EU breeding forests, 40 nesting platforms, 14 feeding grounds, 65 observation points - an increase by a minimum of 4 pairs).
• Rearing of chicks (minimum of 8 GSE).
• Protection against marten (an increase of breeding success up to 60%).
• Protection of migration routes (3 stopover sites, 20 insulated power poles).
• Conservation of Greater Spotted Eagles at breeding and wintering areas, and along its flyway.