Assistance to the rare birds that nest in the large hollows

Some species of birds have become rare not so much as a result of hunting and anxiety, but through the destruction of the living conditions. Such are the average size species that nest in the large hollows. The total destruction of the hollow trees and old forests in Europe has led to the corresponding disappearance of many previously common species, such as the tree duck garrot, stock dove, roller.

The results of the previous studies indicate that they are present in the Exclusion Zone, but very rare. Meanwhile, in the world there have been attempts to remedy the situation by attracting birds to the artificial nest boxes, and this gives a positive result.

The specialists of the Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology decided to try to make 10 nest boxes for each species and hang them on in the sites that meet their biological needs. The work was carried out in March 2018 jointly with the Ukrainian Center for the Study of Carnivores Birds (G. P. Gera). Apart from the actual support of birds in the case of nesting, this will be an additional proof of their habitation in the Exclusion Zone.

Researches are conducted in the frame of UNEP-GEF project “Conservation, Optimization and Management of Carbon and Biodiversity in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone“.