Abstract
A stable group of birds has been formed at water treatment facilities. Sewage treatment sites are a well-known nesting place for long-legged waders. Black-winged stilts are included in the Bonn (Appendix II) and Berne (Appendix II) conventions, the AEWA agreement. Listed in the Red Book of Ukraine (1994, 2009) (status – vulnerable). In Ukraine, it is under protection on the territory of the natural reserve fund. The arrival of black-winged stilts waders at the nesting sites was recorded in the second-third decade of April (April 23, 2020; April 17, 2021). Immediately after returning to the nesting areas, the birds begin to build nests and lay eggs. The first eggs in this population were seen on 01.05.2020, 07.05.2021. The process of laying eggs lasted until the end of the first decade of July (08.07.2020). The average clutch size in the nests of Himantopus himantopus decreased from 3.8 ± 0.1 (2020) to 3.5 ± 0.1 (2021). The average egg sizes and their limits have been determined for long-legged waders. The chicks hatched from late May (30.05.2020), throughout June to the first decade of July (02.07.2020). The chicks were able to fly in a month – 29.06.2020. The muddy site of the wastewater treatment ponds of Kharkiv supported Black-winged Stilts until early August. Later, the birds started post-breeding movements. The last adults with juvenile birds were observed on 13.08.2020. Stilts in some years may stay until early October. The reproductive success of the black-winged stilt increased from 35.6% (2020) to 38.8% (2021). On average, 1.3 ± 0.2 (2020) and 1.4 ± 0.3 (2021) chicks fledged from the nests. In 2021, the number of nesting stilts increased, which is apparently due to rainy weather at the beginning of the reproductive period. For the purpose of more effective protection, the nesting settlements of the stilt should be protected and the appearance of people in the nesting places should be prohibited.
Highlights
Wetlands are known to be one of the most productive world ecosystems (Perennou et al, 2020)
The biodiversity of stable bird groups supported by these wastewater facilities in some parameters exceeds such of natural water bodies (Dranga et al, 2016; Fedun, 2017). These areas are valuable for the conservation of rare bird species such as the black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus L., 1758), a representative of the Recurvirostridae family included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine
We described 21 nests of stilts at the sewage treatment plant of Kharkiv city
Summary
Wetlands are known to be one of the most productive world ecosystems (Perennou et al, 2020) They provide plenty of ecosystem services including flood and erosion protection, water treatment, nutrient storage, conservation of biodiversity, food and fuel production, and carbon sequestration. The biodiversity of stable bird groups supported by these wastewater facilities in some parameters exceeds such of natural water bodies (Dranga et al, 2016; Fedun, 2017). These areas are valuable for the conservation of rare bird species such as the black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus L., 1758), a representative of the Recurvirostridae family included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine
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