– Migration is commonly understood as the flight of birds. In fact, it is flight as well as stopovers. It takes geese 2.5 months to get from their wintering grounds to our area, but they spend only 2–3 weeks actually flying, and the remaining two months are spent at stopovers. The staging area in the Olonets grasslands plays a crucial role in the lives of geese and brents: it provides high-energy food, necessary not only for the flight as such but also for the females to be able to successfully raise their young. That is why the monitoring we have been conducting here for over 30 years is extremely important, – said Alexander Artemyev, Doctor of Biological Sciences and Leading Researcher at the Institute of Biology KarRC RAS.
Dr. Alexander Artemyev, Leading Researcher at IB KarRC RAS
In recent decades, waterfowl numbers at this stopover site have been declining, especially for the Greater White-fronted Goose. The most pronounced fluctuations occur during the spring hunting season. Ornithologists attribute this to a growing human pressure on night roosting grounds. Previously, with the assistance of scientists, a "nuisance-free area"covering approximately 5,000 hectares was established in the Olonets grasslands, where hunting is prohibited. However, it does not include forested mires, which until recently had been poorly accessible for humans.
– Geese follow a circadian rhythm in their life: in the morning, they come to the grasslands to forage, but at night they absolutely need to go to a forest bog or body of water, whether it’s a lakelet or Lake Ladoga, where they drink, bathe and sleep afloat. Yet, this is also where during the hunting season dozens of hunters wait to greet the birds with gunfire. As off-road vehicles have become common, people can now access not only the fields but also to the previously inaccessible bogs. In these places, there are hardly any safe night roosting sites left, and the birds have to leave the Olonets staging area too early in search for more peaceful locations, – the scientist stated.
Senior Researcher Maria Matantseva watching birds from a tower
The birds’ night roosts had long remained outside the scope of traditional ornithological monitoring. However, starting this year, researchers led by Alexander Artemyev launched a project to establish a methodological framework for identifying, monitoring, and protecting wetlands serving as key roosting areas for Anseriformes migrating via Karelia in spring. The work is supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project #25-24-00784). In addition to their theoretical value, the results are of practical significance in planning spring hunting and biodiversity conservation.
Geese on Olonets grasslands
In this project, the scientists are developing an innovative methodological framework for monitoring and assessing the state of the wetlands. It is expected to include remote sensing, spatial analysis algorithms, and field observation techniques for evaluating the habitat suitability for waterfowl.
The field stage of monitoring requires ornithologists to work both day and evening shifts. Until the sun sets, they must be positioned in the field so as to tally the geese heading towards each roosting site.
– First, we work with cartography: the geese in the grasslands are at the center of the map, and we observe radially which direction they fly for the night roost, identify the corresponding azimuths, and meet the birds as they approach. To this end, we choose a spot, preferably elevated and open. In the evening, we stand there and record how many geese fly by, at what altitude, and along which azimuth. At some locations, we stay until midnight to watch the birds land. The data is then processed using mathematical and statistical methods. We will analyze how consistently birds choose specific directions and roosts, – explained Sergey Simonov, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Biology KarRC RAS.
Senior Researcher Sergey Simonov. Ornithologists use motorcycles to reach remote roosts
The project also involves an experiment with limiting the hunting pressure on night roosting wetlands by banning spring hunting on a portion of the mires with subsequent analysis of the effect. Relevant agreements have been reached with land tenants and regulatory authorities.
– Hunting must be strictly regulated, in particular by creating sanctuaries where birds can feel safe and enjoy both foraging and roosting grounds. There are places where geese can be hunted without disturbing the migration pattern or daily movement dynamics. Last year, Sergey Titov, Director General of the Olonets Sport Hunting Club, accommodated us by banning hunting at some wetlands used as roosts, and the congregations of geese became more stable. I hope this practice will be continued this year, too, – added Alexander Artemyev.
One of the project outputs will be recommendations on hunting zonation taking into account the need to preserve key night roosting habitats, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Karelia.
Geese on Olonets grasslands
This year, pursuing ornithologists’ recommendations, the timing of spring waterfowl hunting in the republic has been shifted. In the southern districts, hunting is permitted from May 6 to May 15. The rationale was to protect a rare subspecies – the Taiga Bean Goose, listed in the Red Data Books of the Republic of Karelia and the Russian Federation. It arrives at the Olonets stopover the earliest among all other geese, and by May 6 most of the birds have left the stopover for their breeding grounds.
Scientists warn however that the threats to geese in the Olonets fields come not only from hunters but also from overly intrusive spectators.
– Tourists and birdwatchers moving through the 'nuisance-free area' flush the geese, causing them to fly out of it into gunfire. Surely, migrating geese are a sight worth seeing. However, we strongly advise against trying to approach or drive too close to the birds grazing in the grasslands. Driving along the Olonets–Aleksala or Olonets–Ilyinsky roads will offer a view of the geese from very short distance. They are closest to people precisely near the road: in Rypushkalitsa, Aleksala, and Zaostrovye. Just stopping on the roadside, without departing from the main route, you can watch the geese and take photos. But under no circumstances should you try to drive into the fields. Geese won’t let you get close anyway, but you’ll likely flush the birds into the air, turning them into targets during the hunting season, – Sergey Simonov cautioned all nature enthusiasts.
Photos: Maria Dmitrieva / KarRC RAS Science Communication Office
