Vjetruše u umjetnim gnijezdima. Izvor: Facebook, Kopački rit
In Croatia’s Kopački Rit Nature Park, 30 young kestrels – a strictly protected falcon species – have successfully been raised over the past three years thanks to artificial nests. The nests, made of aluminum, were installed on 35 kV power line poles in collaboration with HEP ODS, and nesting is monitored via remote video surveillance.
First Visit from a Saker Falcon Park officials were particularly excited to observe a pair of saker falcons visiting one of the nests earlier this year. From February to mid-April, the pair regularly returned and prepared for egg-laying, but nesting ultimately did not occur. “We hope it will happen in the future,” the park stated.
Saker falcons typically do not build their own nests but occupy existing ones, and in the absence of natural nesting sites, they readily use artificial ones. In Slovakia, nearly the entire saker falcon population nests in such artificial structures.
Video Monitoring of Breeding Behavior Thanks to video surveillance, park staff monitored every stage of kestrel behavior: from occupying nests and courtship feeding, to preparing the nest, egg incubation, hatching, and feeding chicks.
LIFE Danube Free Sky Project This effort is part of the LIFE Danube Free Sky project, which brings together 15 partners from seven Danube countries. The project is valued at over €6.6 million, with €323,000 allocated to Kopački Rit. It runs from 2020 to mid-2026, funded by the EU’s LIFE program and Slovakia’s Ministry of Environment.
Protecting Birds from Power Line Collisions The project’s goal is to reduce biodiversity loss caused by bird collisions with power lines. Over 1,500 bird flight diverters have been installed along 35 km of power lines, while HEP ODS insulated 96 transformer stations and replaced existing conductors with more visible, insulated types.
Live Stork Nest Camera Additionally, a live camera near a white stork nest in Kopačevo allows the public to watch nesting events in real-time on the Kopački Rit website.
