Population trend and conservation of Saker Falcon <i>(Falco cherrug)</i> in Austria (2012–2021)

Abstract We present data on the population trend and nesting success of Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) in Austria in the period of 2012–2021. 339 active nests were recorded, 262 of them were successful, resulting in a total of 726 fledglings. The 10-year average breeding success is 2.14 fledglings per monitored active nest and 2.77 fledglings per successful nest. The average breeding success per successful nest is 3.1 fledglings for nest boxes, 2.7 fledglings for natural nests on trees, 2.4 fledglings for both stick nests and artificial platforms on pylons. Our most recent data shows that in 2021, a total of 53 territorial Saker pairs were reported in Austria, 41 of them successfully bred, resulting in a total of 111 fledglings (2.71 chicks/successful nest). The Saker Falcon population in Austria exhibits a marked increase (concerning the number of breeding pairs, fledged chicks, and breeding success) in the period studied. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between the number of available artificial nesting structures and the number of successful nests. Since the population has shown a steady increase for the past years, as opposed to rather stable or more moderately increasing nearby populations in Central Europe, it is important to better understand the underlying causes and contemporary threats to keep the positive trend and ensure effective conservation.