The Golden Eagles are migrating! This article is about how a young Golden Eagle from Buiratau spends the winter in the Chu-Ili mountains

According to literature, Golden Eagles are usually sedentary birds that do not migrate for the winter (Kovshar, 2019). They stay near their nests.

However, Korelov M.N., in his book "Birds of Kazakhstan", published in 1962, wrote that some Golden Eagles may partially migrate to the south. This was confirmed by observations of their flight over Semipalatinsk, near Karaganda, and in the Kokchetav area. In 2024, we were able to experimentally prove this fact.

In the summer of 2024, ornithologists from the Biodiversity Research and Conservation Center (BRCC) and the Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network (RRRCN) tagged a young Golden Eagle for the first time in Kazakhstan using a GPS/GSM tracking device. The tagging took place on the territory of the Belodymovsky branch of the Buiratau State Nature Reserve, in collaboration with park staff. The Eagle was named Kunshalgan.

After the tagging, the Eagle continued to grow and gain strength for several months, learning from its parents and gaining experience. During this time, it learned to fly and mastered the skills of hunting, preparing for an independent life outside of its parents' nest.

On October 31st, Kunshalgan left his native land and headed towards the south of Kazakhstan. His journey took him through the village of Molodezhny, located west of the city of Karaganda. He also flew over a narrow section of Lake Balkhash, before stopping in the Chu-Ili Mountains south-west of the lake.

Unfortunately, not everything is so rosy for birds, as there are increasing threats every year. A wind farm is soon to be built in the Chu-Ili region, and Golden Eagles, along with other predatory bird species, are particularly vulnerable to death in such areas. If a new wind farm is built without proper bird protection measures, like those at the Zhanatasskaya and Shokpar wind farms, it could have a negative impact not only on Golden Eagles nesting in the mountains, but also on migratory birds who have grown up further north.

We are continuing to monitor the first Golden Eagle sighting in Kazakhstan.

We would like to express our gratitude to the staff of the Buiratau National Nature Park for their cooperation and assistance in conducting fieldwork!

The movements of Golden Eagles and other tagged birds can be monitored online on our website: https://www.brcc.kz/key-species/interactive-migration-map-of-raptors-tagged-in-kazakhstan/