The Altai-Falcon rare bird nursery of Altai State University is gearing for the upcoming breeding season of Red Book saker falcons

The Altai-Falcon Rare Bird Nursery of Altai State University has begun arranging nesting boxes in anticipation of the imminent appearance of the first eggs of Red Book saker falcons. On February 26, 10 cubic meters of expanded clay essential for creating suitable nests were delivered to the nursery.

Unlike most birds, Saker Falcons do not utilize feathers and branches to line their nests. In their natural habitat, these birds typically nest on rocks, laying their eggs directly on the stones. To mimic this natural setting, the specialists of the Altai-Falcon nursery laboratory strive to provide conditions for the falcons that closely resemble their natural environment. Expanded clay is used for this – it has poor thermal conductivity and prevents the eggs from cooling.

“We remove all the eggs laid by our falcons, place them in an incubator, and substitute them with colored chicken eggs in the nests. A female saker falcon's nest can contain from three to five eggs. The laying process is gradual; it is important not to disturb the bird. Therefore, it may take a considerable amount of time before the eggs are removed. To keep them warm, when breeding birds of prey in captivity, they use a bedding of expanded clay, which serves as a nest bedding and protects the eggs from the cold,” said Sergei Snigirev, Director of the Zoological Center of the Institute of Biology of Altai State University, Doctor of Biological Sciences.

Last year, the nursery witnessed the appearance of the first Saker Falcon egg on March 6th, with 22 pairs of birds nesting. This year, they expect several more pairs from the so-called repair group to join this process. A week before the first egg, it is important to provide the birds with peace and create the necessary conditions. Therefore, timely completion of nest arrangements is imperative for a successful breeding season.

“We started preparing for the breeding season in advance. Right after the New Year holidays, we submitted an application to purchase expanded clay, but could not deliver it from the supplier due to abnormal cold weather. Colleagues from the department of material and technical supply of Altai State University, led by Valentina Zakhvatova, demonstrated their understanding. They efficiently facilitated the agreement process, negotiated with the supplier and, as soon as the weather permitted, the materials were delivered to the nursery. Special thanks to OMTS specialist Konstantin Minkovich for his hands-on supervision of the delivery, loading and unloading of expanded clay,” noted Sergey Snigirev.