Search

Ten new observations of the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Podravje region are presented. One observation is fairly old, while the others have been made in the last six years. Most of the data are just random observations and do not give a complete overview of the species distribution in the Podravje region. New data suggest that the European pond turtle is more abundant in the Drava River basin than previously known. Distribution and population size of the species in the Drava River basin still remain to be investigated in detail and not only at the Natura 2000 Drava site, especially in the areas of potential habitats prior to planning any new activities. V prispevku navajamo deset novih podatkov o pojavljanju močvirske sklednice Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) v Podravju. Eno opazovanje je starejšega datuma, ostala pa so iz zadnjih šestih let. Večina podatkov je bila zbrana ob naključnih opazovanjih, zato ne omogočajo celostnega vpogleda v razširjenost močvirske sklednice v Podravju. Novi podatki nakazujejo, da je močvirska sklednica v porečju reke Drave bolj pogosta, kot je bilo znano doslej. Zato bo treba ugotoviti njeno dejansko razširjenost in velikost populacije ne samo na območju Natura 2000 Drava, temveč v celotnem porečju reke Drave, še posebej na območjih, kjer so načrtovani posegi v njen potencialni habitat.

In summer 1997 on the island of Pag in Croatia, we studied a selection of perching sites of the Turkish gecko Hemidactylus turcicus. With the transect sampling of 1 hour in 2 days we found 102 geckos. Adults as well as juveniles were founds mostly on vertical walls.

Morphometric characters (snout-vent length, tail length, head length, head width, and number of ventrals and gulars) were analysed in 58 male and 44 female Italian Wall Lizards, Podarcis sicula campestris, from the Adriatic coast of Slovenia. The Italian Wall Lizard is significantly dimorphic in most characters analysed. Males were significantly larger than females. No differences between sexes were found in the number of gulars, whereas the number of transversal rows of ventrals was significantly higher in females (27-30) than in males (24-27).

On Mt. Pohorje in NE Slovenia breeding birds in 30 traditional orchards with total area of 22.4 ha were studied in 1993 and 1994. Among the most frequent trees was apple-tree which was found in all studied orchards. The most frequent breeders were Tree Sparrow Passer montanus, Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis and Greenfinch Carduelis chloris. Average breeding density was 46 pairs/10 ha. Breeding communities were also analyzed in relation to their nesting site, feeding and migratory habits. The number of species increased with the size of the traditional orchards and the number of trees. Na Pohorju so bile v tridesetih travniških sadovnjakih popisane ptice gnezdilke. Raziskani sadovnjaki so v celoti merili 22,4 ha, najpogostejše drevo na njih je bila jablana. Na gnezditvi je bilo ugotovljenih 22 vrst. Najpogostejše gnezdilke so bile poljski vrabec Passer montanus, lišček Carduelis carduelis in zelenec Carduelis chloris. Povprečna gostota je znašala46 parov/10 ha. Ugotovljeno je bilo, da se število vrst veča z velikostjo senožetnega sadovnjaka, pa tudi s številom prisotnih dreves.

During 1992-1999, the author registered only 2 owl species in the Lower Savinja valley (Central Slovenia), i.e. Tawny Owl Strix aluco and Long-eared Owl Asio otus. The first is here a rare species, while the latter is rather common. Tawny Owl can be found primarily on the fringes of the valley with predominating woodlands. In the 9.25 km2 large area with its characteristic valley pattern (woodland and shrubs - 4%, orchards and gardens - 3%, tilled fields, meadows - 40%, hop fields - 40%, settlements - 7%, other: roads, ditches, embankments - 6%) the Long-eared Owl was registered, in 1999, to the density degree of 1.6 pair/10 km2. Dolinar (1951) who carried out, in this area, a general bird census more than half a century ago stated utterly different proportions between owls: Tawny Owl and Little Owl were common, while Long-eared Owl did not even get a mention. Such different species structure was most certainly influenced by intensive Farming, particularly hopgrowing. V spodnji Savinjski dolini (osrednja Slovenija) je avtor med letoma 1992 in 1999 registriral samo dve sovji vrsti, in sicer lesno sovo Strix aluco in malouharico Asio otus. Lesna sova je v dolini redka vrsta, mala uharica pa običajna. Prva je precej pogostejša na obrobju doline, to je na okoliških hribih, kjer prevladuje gozd. Na površini 9,25 km2 z značilnim vzorcem doline (gozd in grmovje - 4%, sadovnjaki in vrtovi - 3%, orane njive, travniki - 40%,hmeljišča 40%, naselja - 7%, drugo: ceste, jarki, brežine 6%) je bila malauharica v letu 1999 ugotovljena v gostoti 1,6 para/10 km2. Dolinar (1951),ki je tukaj ptice popisoval pred dobrimi petdesetimi leti, navaja povsem drugačno razmerje med sovami: lesna sova in čuk sta pogosti vrsti, medtem ko male uharice sploh ne omenja. Na drugačno vrstno sestavo sov je pravgotovo vplivala intenzifikacija kmetijstva, predvsem gojenje hmelja v dolini.

From 1985 to 1995, the Common Pochard was monitored during its passage throughRački ribniki - Požeg Landscape Park in NE Slovenia. The Park encloses ten larger standing waters covering some 76 ha, currently used for fish farming. The Common Pochard does not breed in the Park, although it periodically occurs there even in the breeding period (June). It has never been seen during the moulting period (July-August)...

The article deals with the occurrence and passage of the Ruff Philomacus pugnax at Dravsko polje (NE Slovenia) in the 1984-1997 period. This wader is in this area a regular although a sparse passage migrant, for it occurs almost exclusively in the spring months. The peak of its passage is achieved in April. During the migration the Ruff most often frequents the emptied fish ponds (89%). It is much rarer along running waters (75) and in fields (4%). The bird's sex was in spring determined in 212 individuals. During the spring period the sex ratio was 1:5.1 in favour of the females ..

El febrer de 1996 es va observar una fotja a l'embassament de Vrbje (vall de la Baixa Savinja, Eslovènia) menjant excrements d'aus aquàtiques, probablement de cigne mut o oques. Aquest comportament alimentari inusual podria estar relacionat amb la duresa de l'hivern i la dificultat de trobar menjar que els ocells haurien tingut durant aquest any en aquesta zona.

Es compara la mida de l'ou de la merla entre hàbitats urbans i rurals a Eslovènia. En general, les dimensions de l'ou van ser similars a les dades d'altres treballs. No es va trobar variació significant en la llargada, amplada i volum dels ous entre els hàbitats urbans i rurals. No obstant això, la forma de l'ou va diferir de manera significativa entre localitats: a l'hàbitat rural la longitud i amplada de l'ou va tendir a créixer conjuntament mentre que això no va ocórrer a l'hàbitat urbà. Addicionalment, la forma de l'ou es va correlacionar negativament i significativa amb la longitud de l'ou en àrees urbanes però no a les rurals.

The explicitly negative detrimental influence of man on his natural environment is becoming increasingly greater and more aggresive. General decrease in numbers of bird species and even their complete disappearance is talking place at an ever faster rate, and such is also the case in the territoty of Slovenia. The Red List of Endangered Breeding Species in Sloveniahas been prepared on the basis of historical ortnithological documentation and the data gathered in the last twenty years, especially thosepublished in the Ornithological Atlas of Slovenia and Acrocephalus, the journal of the Bird Watching and Bird Study of Slovenia. Comparisions with theprevious Red List (Gregori, Matvejev 1992) have also been made. Of the 364 species established in Slovenia so far, 219 were breeders. In the current Red List, 130 species appear in various threat status categories and subcategoriesor 59.4% of all Slovene breeding species. Nine (9) appear in the category of insufficiently known species (K 5). Due to the great geographical and ecological resemblance between Slovenia and Austria, the Slovene Red List is very similar to the one prepared by our neighbour. In spite of seemingly complicated categoties and subcategories, the basic threat status categories are in concurrence with the IUCN scheme. Arrangement of species in different categories seems revelant for the following reasons: because it exposes various causes due to which the breeders of Slovenia are endangered and at thesame time stipulates conservation guidelines for each separate species; becaused the definitions of subcategories are at the same time the criteria according to which the species are included in the List, and because the List is in this way adjusted to the specific biogeographical conditions of Slovenia. To preserve the species appearing in category a, conservation withinnature reserves (protected areas) should be sufficient. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters.)