Mongolian Artificial Nest Project

Saker Falcons are popular with Arabian falconers as they are excellent hunters and are well adapted to desert climates. Arabian falconry creates a significant demand for Saker Falcons, which is largely met by international trade.

Numbers of Saker Falcons exported from Mongolia over the period 1997-2008 (source CITES trade database).

The Mongolian government now sets an agreed quota for the number of Saker Falcons that it exports each year. However, over the years the scientific basis for this quota was unclear and the trade has been subject to review and suspension by CITES because the Mongolian government has not been possible to demonstrate that its export quotas would not have a detrimental impact on the Saker population. CITES have now withdrawn their suspension on condition that Mongolia maintains a export quota of 300 birds in 2009 and 2010, whilst establishing a system of sustainable harvesting based on productivity of artificial nests.

The Artificial Nest Project is the culmination of seven years research undertaken by International Wildlife Consultants (UK) Ltd and their Mongolian research partners, the Wildlife Science and Conservation Center. This research has been undertaken within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the governments of Mongolia and Abu Dhabi (UAE), and has been funded by Abu Dhabi. The aim of the research is to establish a programme whereby Saker Falcon conservation can be achieved through sustainable use. The establishment of such a system requires sound scientific data on Saker productivity combined with a rigid and transparent system of regulation for the harvesting.

The Mongolian steppe has vast areas of flat or undulating grasslands with abundant prey but very few nest sites for Saker Falcons. This habitat is occupied by Sakers but they do not breed. By erecting artificial nests we can provide nesting sites, enabling these non-breeders to breed and produce young i.e., we can artificially increase the breeding population in the steppe zone by providing nesting sites.

Initially we erected a grid of 100 artificial nests of four different nestbox designs, spaced at 2 km intervals to determine which design best suited Saker Falcons. Data on occupancy levels and breeding success was collected over four breeding seasons, during which time rodent prey was in very low numbers across the whole grid area. The results showed that Saker Falcons preferred the closed-box designs and bred at a density of 5 bp/100 km².

We created a second series of artificial nests, all using the the closed box design, but placed them at much closer intervals of 1 km in six separate blocks of 25 nests (150 in total). These blocks were distributed across an area of steppe with high rodent densities. Data was collected on occupancy and breeding success over three field seasons. In these grids Sakers were able to breed at high density (17 bp/100km²) and their nests were very productive, producing an average of 3.5 fledglings per nesting attempt.

The findings of the research program were discussed with the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism in Mongolia and it was decided that artificial nests could form the basis of a sustainable harvest of Saker Falcons in Mongolia. Subsequently, with funding from Abu Dhabi, we have decided to expand the program and to erect an extra 5,000 artificial nests, in 20 blocks of 250, distributed across the central steppe of Mongolia in 2010. This field-scale trial will involve monitoring to determine occupancy levels and productivity rates from 2011 onwards.

We predict that by 2015 these 1500 artificial nests can be occupied by 500 breeding pairs and produce at 1500 chicks. At present the Mongolian Saker Falcon export quota is fixed at 300 birds until 2011. In the future the Mongolian government could, use the artificial nest productivity rates to set their annual export quotas. In order to achieve conservation through sustainable use of Saker Falcons it is necessary to establish a scientifically sound methodology for establishing harvest quotas, that take into account the age and sex ratio of falcons caught for trade together with information their natal origin (only a proportion of birds caught are expected to actually come from the artificial nests themselves). We are working closely with the Mongolian government on the development of their policy in relation to the Saker trade.

Work started In October 2009 with the aim of erecting 5,000 artificial nests by November 2010.

The artificial nests are made from secondhand orange juice barrels which are purchased in Ulaanbaatar. In our workshop, barrels are cut in half and a hole cut in the side. The bottom lip of the entrance holes are bent under to give the birds a rounded edge to perch on and a blunt frame is created to prevent damage to the bird's wings.