Summary

Key words

Authors

The Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus is a widespread breeding species in the southern Palaearctic (Sackl 1997). It commonly nests in caves (Cramp & Perrins 1994). In Bosnia and Herzegovina it has been recorded and nesting at all seasons (Reiser 1939, Obratil 1967, Matvejev & Vasić 1973, Mulaomerović et al. 2002). However, apart from general facts concerning the habitat and time of nesting, very little is known about the breeding habits of the Alpine Chough in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  There are numerous caves and crevices with names suggesting a connection with the species (e.g. Vranjača, Vranovica, Čavljak, Vrana pećina cave, Čavčija jama hole, Čavkarica, Golovranjka, Vranovina, Gavranjača, Vranova jama hole, Vranska jama hole, Čavče jama hole, Vranovica, Čavčarica, Čavka, etc. [respectively from vrana = crow, or čavka = jackdaw]).  There was no evidence so far, however, linking the nesting of the Alpine Chough with these sites (Mulaomerović et al. 2002).

Much work has been devoted over the past few years to observing the nesting habits of this species in holes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  As a result of these efforts, this species was confirmed breeding in holes on Mt. Vranica in 2000 and 2001 (Mulaomerović et al. 2002).This paper sets out our findings to date on the nesting habits of the Alpine Chough in holes on Mts Vranica and Visočica.

2. Study area and methods

During the period 2002-2004 we conducted speleological studies on Mts. Vranica and Visočica (Figure 1). We checked the holes, if they are occupied by Alpine Choughs. We also gathered information from the inhabitants of alpine summer settlements who spend the whole of the summer months on Mts. Vranica and Visočica. We have received confirmation from several local people living in the summer cattle-rearing mountain villages that certain crevices are occupied by the Alpine Chough.
 

       Figure 1: Position of the mountains Vranica and Visočica

3. Results and Discussion

We have recorded presence of the Alpine Chough in four holes on Mt. Vranica.The holes in which the Alpine Chough was observed were in limestone formations and are found solely in this zone.

The holes known as Ptičije jame are at approximately 2000 m a.s.l., above Sarajevska vrata in the direction of Krstac (2069 m a.s.l.). There are two holes, one of which has three entrances, standing about 100 m apart. In each case the entrance holes are quite small. The hole with three entrance holes is in an open-cast mine, and the entrance to the other is surrounded by Pines. We have found entrance holes by observing the birds swooping earthwards. Both holes are on a south-facing slope.

In late July 2000, we saw birds only in the hole with three entrance holes (Table 1). We registered four birds.  As we came closer to the hole, the birds stopped entering it. There were some quite well-grown fledglings below the entrance, at a depth of about 2.5 to 3 m, on a small natural ledge in the rock; they continued to perch there without flying away the whole time we were there.

Table 1: Breeding locations of Alpine Choughs Pyrrhocorax graculus in caves of Mts. Vranica and Visočica ( from 2002 to 2004)

Mountain	Cave	UTM	Altitude	Found evidence of Alpine Chough presence
				Birds	Vocalisation	Nest	Eggshell
Vranica	Ptičije  jame	YJ27	2000 m	+	-	+	-
Vranica	Hole near Krstac	YJ27	2000 m	+	+	-	-
Vranica	Hole near Loćika	YJ27	?	+	-	-	-
Vranica	Hole on Vodičke strane	YJ27	?	+	+	-	-
Visočica	Hole near Puzim cemetery	BP72	1650 m	+	-	-	-
Visočica	Čavkarica (Hotanj spring)	BP72	1600 m	+	-	+	+
Visočica	Čavkarica (Dolovi)	BP72	1410 m	+	-	-	-
Visočica	Siljevača hole	BP73	1650 m	+	-	-	-

During subsequent speleological investigations (August 2000), once again four birds flew out of the hole, and one nest was observed on the wall of the hole, which was about 25 m deep (Habul 2000). The bottom of the hole and the rocks around the entrance holes were covered with dark-blue droppings. The colour is presumably caused by the birds’ feeding on bilberries (Cramp & Perrins 1994). Another site where the presence of the Alpine Chough was confirmed (in 2001) is an unnamed hole alongside the mountain track leading to Nadkrstac below Krstac (Table 1).  This hole at the altitude of approximately 2000 m a.s.l.  Admittedly the birds were not observed, but their calls could be heard. According to the locals, there is one other hole where the Alpine Chough had been found. This one is on the western facing slopes of Loćika, not far from a small clearing between the Pine trees (Table 1). We did not check this site.

There is a hole on the Vodič side, on the western slopes of Rosinje, the furthermost summit of Vranica in the direction of Gornji Vakuf. The hole has yet to be studied speleologically because of its extremely awakward position, but when approaching the entrance to the wide karst valley speleologists saw 10 to 15 Alpine Choughs flying in and out of the hole (Table 1). An unnamed hole alongside the road between the Puzim cemetery and Poljice was checked. When passing by, two birds were observed flying out of the hole. The hole is surrounded by alpine pastures, at an altitude of approximately 1650 m a.s.l. Small stream disappears underground in the hole.

The Čavkarica hole, the cave with a small hole-like entrance, is not far from the summer cottages at Hotanj spring, on a hill named after the cave, at an altitude of 1600 m a.s.l. The local people occupying the summer houses confirmed that they had often seen Alpine Choughs. There were no birds in the hole when we visited it, but we observed a nest on a stone ledge at a height of about 2.5 m (Figure 2). There was also one broken egg on the ground, about 2 m from the nest (Figure 3).
 

Figure 2: Nest of the Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus,
                 Čavkarica hole by Hotanj spring,mountain Visočica

                  Photo by J. Mulaomerović

The second Čavkarica hole is on the summit of a lower hill (1410 m a.s.l.), directly above the meadow below the summer houses of Dolovi. The depth of the hole was roughly estimated at 10-12 m. We did not have seen birds, but the local people told us that Alpine Choughs are present there. A Siljevača hole occupied by a fair number of birds, also known only from local accounts, is located at an altitude of about 1650 m a.s.l. in the Voloderača (1728 m a.s.l.) region. Further systematic ornithological surveys would provide a better view in the species’ nesting habits, not only on Mts. Vranica and Visočica, but also on other Bosnian mountains,  e,g, Bjelašnica, Čvrsnica, Vran, etc. 

                                                                                                       References 

Cramp, S. & Perrins, C	Handbook of the Birds of Europe the Middle East and Nort Africa, Vol. VIII , Crows to Finches, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1994
Habul, A.	Speleological camp “Vranica 2000” – Report, Records of speleological society  “Speleo dodo”, Sarajevo, 2000
Matvejev, S.D. & Vasić, V.F.	Catalogus faune Jugoslavie, IV/3, Aves, Slovenian Academy of Science and the Arts, Ljubljana, 1973
Mulaomerović, J. et al.	Dodatak poznavanju gnježđenja žutokljune galice na području planine Vranice, Naš krš 22, Sarajevo, 2000
Obratil, S.	Pregled istraživanja ornitofaune Bosne i Hercegovine (I dio), Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja Bosne i Hercegovine, 1967
Reiser, O.	Materialien zu einer Ornis Balcanica I.,  Zemaljski muzej Bosne i Hercegovine, Wien, 1939
Sackl, P.	Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus., The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds, T & AD Poyser, London, 1997