Beszámoló a Pilisben átélt szalonkázásaimról, 1965–2005

Based on 40 years of studies of Woodcock in the Pilis Mountains, the author was able to make the following conclusions: • The annual trends in Woodcock numbers in the areas studied can be attributed to natural fluctuations throughout. No major and permanent declines or increases could be identified. This was the thing that stood out from the European-wide surveys conducted at the same time. However, the consistent and significant increase in the abundant data is encouraging. • The meteorological implications of the Woodcock migration in Hungary were investigated by SCHENK (1924) and PÁTKAI (1951) at the time, in a way that is still valid today. I also experienced this during my own investigations, sensing that the current position of the European Woodcock movements can most likely be drawn from the satellite weather maps shown daily on television. With the help of them, I experienced that the movement of the birds of the Pilis Mountain peaks when the environmental conditions for the journeys are completely favourable, starting from the eastern foot of the Alps and extending far beyond the North-Eastern Carpathians. • The sex distribution of the Woodcocks shot in the Pilis Mountain always showed a significant predominance of males, with only a few females being laid. The proportion of young animals fluctuated strongly from year to year, and this can certainly be attributed to the reproductive results at that time. Hungarian conditions do not play a role in this. • I have dealt with the light conditions of nuptial flights in a separate study (STERBETZ 1982). • In addition to the 81 birds shot in the Pilis Mountain, I also examined the diet of the Woodcock by processing materials from Hungarian collections and the Danube Delta (KISS & STERBETZ 1973, 1979; KISS et al. 1990, STERBETZ 1996). From the stomach contents, which totalled several hundred birds, it was clear that earthworms, worms and small soil-dwelling organisms primarily constitute the diet of our bird. The role of insects, pupae and larva found on the soil surface comes to the fore during droughts, when the Woodcock cannot burrow. I found plant food primarily in specimens collected in frosty, snowy weather. • Our Hungarian Woodcock habitats are sometimes significantly transformed during forest management. The question was how these influence the territorial loyalty of birds traditionally associated with them. At village Tahi, I experienced that the migration is a rather slow and uneven process. It can be assumed that while young birds settle more easily in more suitable habitats, this occurs more slowly in older ones. I assumed this to be probable from shot specimens, but I did not have enough material to prove it. • I am aware of four cases of Woodcock observed in the inner city of Budapest (capital of Hungary), or caught there, or seen flying. These were probably following the Pilis migration route and prove that there is a Woodcock migration over Budapest as well, probably at night. • At village Tahi, I once observed migrating Woodcock at high altitude in late twilight. • With rare luck, I once heard a “Woodcock bark” from a triple Woodcock at Tahi. This bird's sound, which can be mistakenly attributed to a small dog, is currently being researched in real depth in Austria. *The manuscript was obtained from the legacy of ISTVÁN STERBETZ (1924–2012), the former director of the Hungarian Institute of Ornithology. Since it is a real rarity to have 40 years of Woodcock observations available from an area and an evaluative summary, we found it worthwhile to publish it in an edited form. The manuscript was written in 2005 (Editor).