Under the program for protection of nestlings, nests and feeding grounds of lesser spotted eagle, we are trying to better understand their habits, in particular those related to feeding of adult and young birds. To that end we have designed two types of investigation on alimentary resources and their availability within particularly commonly used feeding grounds of birds. The first type, completed by our partners from Natura International Poland, consists in assessing the quantity and availability of food for lesser spotted eagle at locations, where those birds, wearing GPS trackers, were observed hunting. At locations determined based on last-year's telemetrics, phytosociological photos were taken, illustrating species composition and vegetal structure of feeding grounds preferred by lesser spotted eagle, and small mammals, which are the main prey of those predators , were caught.

As regards the subject-matter of the study, investigations were also completed at LTO order. Their goal, however, was not to analyze preferences of birds with regard to feeding grounds, but determination of the efficiency of actions taken by us to restore feeding grounds of zone species. To that end we carried out the phytosociological monitoring and the monitoring of small mammals on unused meadows and grazing grounds, which were purchased or leased by the Ornithological Society of Lublin (LTO) from local farmers. Said areas shall be soon subject to shrub removal and biomass cutting operations, and comparative monitoring of the structure and alimentary potential of such restored meadows and grazing land shall be carried out over following years.

Photo 1 One of the planned areas of surface restoration, where the investigations were held.

Photo 2 A live trap used in catching mammals

Photo 3 Common vole – a potential prey of lesser spotted eagle.