200 years ago, the little spotted eagle may still have lived in large parts of what is now Germany. There were breeding pairs in the south and southwest of the Federal Republic. Today, the last 130 or so pairs are found in the far northeast in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. They are the rest who are still resilient here on Earth, but are at increasing risk. Small numbers and a negative trend make the lesser-spotted vulture one of Germany’s most threatened species, as Thomas Krumenacker wrote in his impressive and much-requested pictorial book “König der Lüfte”: Thanks to strict precautions, white-tailed vultures, eagles or golden eagles are on the rise or on the Least remain stable in stock.
Theoretically, this protection also applies to the less patchy eagle, but the bird of prey is more sensitive and demanding of its relatives. They are at more risk: While white-tailed or golden eagles remain in the site somewhat year-round, lesser spotted eagles migrate south in the winter. By the millions, hunters on the way bring migratory birds from the sky with guns or catch them with nets and pebbles. Dozens of less patched vultures were also affected, as The Chapter describes Diether’s ‘last flight’ using a bird with a transmitter.
When describing the risks, Krumnaker isn’t shy about touching a hot iron. For example, wind turbines are dangerously close to the remaining breeding pairs, contrary to the recommendations of ornithologists: less patchy eagles abandon their nesting sites or are killed by rotors. The author is not opposed to this renewable energy source per se, which he considers essential to mitigate climate change. But here it should also apply to following the flag and keeping a sufficient distance for nests or not setting up roundabouts at important choke points on the migration routes of birds. Younger spotted eagles also need a diverse landscape arrangement: old forests with nesting trees are suitable next to open cultivated ground, preferably with wet meadows. But these habitats are under pressure. Growing corn or rapeseed in large fields that are fertilized and treated with pesticides deprives the vulture of opportunities to hunt and prey.
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