The Eagles of Tilos
Bonelli's Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus)
The Bonelli Eagle is a medium-large, powerful eagle with broad wings, which has been classified by the European Union as an endangered species with a breeding population numbering only 862-1072 breeding pairs. The global range of the Bonelli Eagle extends from the Iberian Peninsula and NW Africa across southern Europe, the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula through Afghanistan to India, south China and Indonesia. Tilos hosts three pairs of this wonderful bird of prey, which represent 30% of the Bonelli Eagle population in the Southern Aegean.
The Bonelli Eagle stick nest is usually located on rocky cliffs and over the years it can reach a huge size. Laying extends from early January to mid April but most clutches are laid between mid February and mid March. Normally two eggs are laid. Incubation is mainly by the females and lasts 37-40 days. The fledgling period is 61-77 days and the juveniles stay in the parental territory for 12-16 weeks before reaching independence. Breeding birds are sedentary but juveniles and immature ones may wander over large distances, and are frequently found on low altitude plains with high prey density which normally lack breeding pairs.
The Bonelli Eagle preys on medium-sized mammals and birds of a wide range of species. Rabbits and partridges are the preferred prey but it also preys on rodents, pigeons and lizards.
In an upcoming issue of our newsletter we will present to you the Golden Eagle.
Sparrow Song
According to a recent report in "Proceedings of the Royal Society of London", male sparrows that learned songs well when they were young are more successful at attracting mates than males that don't remember how to hit all the right notes. And the slackers can forget about trying to make up for their learning deficit with new and original songs. It turns out that female sparrows prefer songs that come closest to those they heard when they were chicks.
The study also suggests that song-learning abilities reflect a bird's nutritional history, which, in turn, affects its brain development. So the female sparrow's ear is discerning those time-honored, most faithfully rendered songs as a way of selecting the best-fit males for mating.
Faces of the Tilos Park
The true wealth of any organization lies in the minds and hearts of those individuals whose efforts contribute to the achievement of its goals. This section of the newsletter will be devoted to acquainting you with people from around the world who are helping to make our dreams come true.
Last week Dr. Susan Hannon, a Founding Member of our Association, arrived in Tilos from Canada brimming with enthusiasm to explore the island and offer her assistance in this nascent stage of the park development.
Her stellar credentials reflect the quality and value of her gracious contribution of ideas which included a special focus on the character of the island’s indigenous aviary population and natural habitat. With a composite view of the interdependence of man and nature on this small island, their surprising ability to thrive and not just survive on Tilos due to the abundance of natural spring water, and the existence of essential components for a successful park, she drew from her global consulting experience in identifying important tasks to be completed for the creation of a Natural Park that will benefit, and not diminish, the quality of life for man as well as nature on Tilos.
One special feature of her approach to the protection of nature is her recognition of the importance of human culture including its pleasures and pastimes in the development of protected areas. Her view is to reasonably incorporate, rather than prohibit, previously existing lawful activities in a park setting that is in the midst of human habitat. Experience has shown that respect for human values and traditions in concert with the protection of nature against a backdrop of compromise and moderation for mutual benefit ensures the best chance of long term success for the park. It is with our deep appreciation and gratitude to Dr. Hannon that we are so pleased to share with our readers her valuable contributions to our island. We hope to see her again very soon.
Susan Hannon, PhD., is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta, Director of the Meanook Biological Research Station, and a member of the NSERC advisory panel for CWS/University Research Chairs, American Ornithologists Union, WISEST Committee (Women in Science), International Ornithological Congress, Steering Committee of the Boreal Bird Centre, Scientific Advisory Committee of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, Space Committee of the Biological Sciences Dept. of the University of Alberta, Animal Behavior Society, British Ecological Society, Canadian Nature Federation, Cooper Ornithological Society, Society of Canadian Ornithologists, Society for Conservation Biology and Ecological Society of America. Dr. Hannon has been awarded the Killam Annual Professorship, the McCalla Professorship, and the NSERC University of Alberta Research Fellowship.
We Need Your Help
Please, consider becoming a Member of the Tilos Park Association. Your membership will add strength to our voice in the preservation of the natural heritage of Tilos. To receive a membership application package, please respond to this e-mail by filling out and returning the following form. Thank you for your consideration and your support.
First Name: …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Last Name: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Are you 18 or older (Yes or No)? ………………………………………………………………….
Profession: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Address: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
City: ……………………………….......................................................................
Region/State: ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Postal Code: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Country: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
E-mail: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Telephone: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Fax: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
I find this information very useful. Great work! We study this article on the regular basis :-). And we recommend this to every body.
Posted by: dissertation writing service | August 18, 2009 at 06:23 AM