Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Spring migration stopovers of swans Cygnus sp. in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland. / Zaynagutdinova, Elmira M.; Kouzov, Sergey A.; Batova, Polina R.; Mikhailov, Yuriy M.; Kravchuk, Anna V.
In: Wildfowl, No. 69, 2020, p. 123-138.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Spring migration stopovers of swans Cygnus sp. in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland
AU - Zaynagutdinova, Elmira M.
AU - Kouzov, Sergey A.
AU - Batova, Polina R.
AU - Mikhailov, Yuriy M.
AU - Kravchuk, Anna V.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2019 Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. All rights reserved. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - During spring migration each year swans were counted every 5 days at two of the most important stopover sites for these species in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland near St Petersburg, Russia. Swans were counted on the Kurgalsky Peninsula in 2005-2017 and on the northern coast of the Neva Bay in 2009-2017. The maximum number of swans recorded on the Kurgalsky Peninsula each year during the study varied widely, with Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii numbers ranging from 43-1,310 individuals and Whooper Swans C. cygnus varying from 35-747 individuals, whilst Mute Swan C. olor counts ranged from 68-394 individuals. The seasonal maximum number of swans on the northern coast of the Neva Bay in 2009-2018 also varied markedly, as Bewick's Swan counts varied from 35-460 birds and Whooper Swan counts ranged from 5-65 individuals, whilst the number of Mute Swans did not exceed seven individuals. In 2018, counts were carried out at almost all known stopover sites for migratory swans along the coast of the Gulf of Finland. Most were used by swans in 2018, but swan abundance was low compared to the published data from previous decades, with maximum species-specific counts in 2018 of 68 Mute Swans, 86 Whooper Swans and 103 Bewick's Swans. On comparing our data with previous studies, we consider that the number of swans in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland has decreased since the 20th century, with the large stopovers of ≥ 1,000 swans having largely disappeared. The most likely cause of the decline in numbers, recorded both for Bewick's Swans and for Whooper Swans, is the industrial development of the region. Construction work on the coast in the areas adjacent to the swan migration sites can have a negative impact on birds, primarily due to the reclamation of the wetland habitat and increased water turbidity.
AB - During spring migration each year swans were counted every 5 days at two of the most important stopover sites for these species in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland near St Petersburg, Russia. Swans were counted on the Kurgalsky Peninsula in 2005-2017 and on the northern coast of the Neva Bay in 2009-2017. The maximum number of swans recorded on the Kurgalsky Peninsula each year during the study varied widely, with Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii numbers ranging from 43-1,310 individuals and Whooper Swans C. cygnus varying from 35-747 individuals, whilst Mute Swan C. olor counts ranged from 68-394 individuals. The seasonal maximum number of swans on the northern coast of the Neva Bay in 2009-2018 also varied markedly, as Bewick's Swan counts varied from 35-460 birds and Whooper Swan counts ranged from 5-65 individuals, whilst the number of Mute Swans did not exceed seven individuals. In 2018, counts were carried out at almost all known stopover sites for migratory swans along the coast of the Gulf of Finland. Most were used by swans in 2018, but swan abundance was low compared to the published data from previous decades, with maximum species-specific counts in 2018 of 68 Mute Swans, 86 Whooper Swans and 103 Bewick's Swans. On comparing our data with previous studies, we consider that the number of swans in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland has decreased since the 20th century, with the large stopovers of ≥ 1,000 swans having largely disappeared. The most likely cause of the decline in numbers, recorded both for Bewick's Swans and for Whooper Swans, is the industrial development of the region. Construction work on the coast in the areas adjacent to the swan migration sites can have a negative impact on birds, primarily due to the reclamation of the wetland habitat and increased water turbidity.
KW - Bewick's Swan
KW - Industrial development
KW - Mute Swan
KW - Number
KW - Population size
KW - Water turbidity
KW - Whooper Swan
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096577971&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85096577971
SP - 123
EP - 138
JO - Wildfowl
JF - Wildfowl
SN - 0954-6324
IS - 69
ER -
ID: 49187917