135. The idea that captured chicks from other raptor nests in exceptional cases could survive in White-tailed Eagles nests may sound perhaps a bit fantastic, but it seems to be plausible for me. The eagles may raise them up with their own chicks, if they beg for food like the young eagles do. I would take this for the probable cause…”
This assumption is shared by J. Frölich und W. Baumgart (personal message to S. Ernst), bird of prey experts which have been asked concerning this case. Baumgart wrote additional: “Such cases can almost be observed at single pairs, who specialised in nest predation.” W. Spank reported another case to me. He is aware of a White-tailed Eagle pair in Upper Lusatia (Eastern Germany), which used to bring young Buzzards in their nest in several years. In this nest, located at Milkeler Heide/Raudener Teiche, the carcass remains of a one week old Buzzard were found by the side of two eagle chicks at May 5th, 1996. In 2000, early June, there was one young eagle in the nest, and with him – still alive – a Buzzard, about ten days old. (W. Gleichner moved this bird in a buzzard nest.) June 2001: again the remains of a Buzzard besides two young eagles. On June 24th (2002) Buzzard feathers were found in the nest, where also in this year two eagles had hatched. So probably this eagle pair at Milkener Heide specialised in nest predation (see note above, W. Baumgart).
With regard to this, I would like to mention also the Black-breasted Buzzard or Black-breasted Kite (Hamirostra melanosternon), the third largest bird of prey in Australia. This species carries sometimes living prey in its nest, in the majority of cases chicks of the Australian Kestrel/Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) und Brown Falcon (F. berigora). Occasionally these chicks are reared by Black-breasted Buzzard pairs with their own brood. (J. Cupper 1977, L. Cupper 1995).
Thanks for sharing observation results to Friedhard Förster (Förstgen), Ernst-Hartmann Gottschlich (Horka), Werner Klauke (Dauban) und Wilfried Spank (Boxberg); for encouraging discussions and for provide academic literature to Joachim Frölich (Grüna) and Dr. Wolfgang Baumgart (Berlin); for constructive comments concerning the preparation of the manuscript to Peter Hauff (Neu-Wandrum) and Stephan Ernst (Klingenthal).* The local German broadcasting corporation MDR (Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk) sent at July 2nd 2002 in “Sachsenspiegel” a TV report about this case (original title: „Tierliebe zwischen Sachsens größtem heimischen Raubvogel und einem kleinen Verwandten“).Source internet: NABU, Professional Group Ornithologie Niesky
http://www.ornithologie-niesky.de/Berichte/Aufzucht_eines_Mausebussards_i/aufzucht_eines_mausebussards_i.htmlSource print: Mitteilungen des Vereins Sächsischer Ornithologen, März 2003 - Band 9, Heft 2 ISSN 0942-7872
Contact: Jörg Kasper; Ernst-Mirle-Straße 1a; 02906 Klitten, Germany; E-mail:
Joerg.Kasper@web.de Thanks to Jörg Kasper for allowing the translation of his text to be published at The Haliaeetus albicilla Collection, Looduskalender
Translation by Anne
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