Activists Build Nests Made of Willow Twigs for Raptors

Bratislava, March 26 (TASR) – Activists from the Raptor Protection of Slovakia (RPS) organisation are creating nests made of willow wicker for the birds of prey during the Easter holidays, TASR learnt on Saturday.

“Nests made of willow twigs are a perfect imitation of a natural nest, but more stable and firm,” explained RPS chairman Jozef Chavko. Even the birds themselves give much trust to these nests, which can be confirmed by an example from the town of Zohor in western Slovakia, where a Eurasian eagle-owl started to nest only few days after it had been created.

The nest, built within the framework of the Life Energy project, was originally reserved for an eastern imperial eagle, which regularly nests in those parts of western Slovakia. “These eagles are wont to build their nests high in the tree-tops, but they’re usually very unstable and dangerous for eagles, as they often fall down from the trees. Such an accident might damage the eggs or injure the nestlings,” warned Chavko, adding that their nests are much more stable and can easily hold adult birds as well as their nestlings.

Activists have so far built 20 nests in western and eastern Slovakia, with additional 20 yet to come. The eastern imperial eagle is endangered species in western Slovakia mainly due to illegal human activities.