The purpose of this study was the research of the avian influenza virus diversity at Moscow waterbodies and comparison of the virology changing pattern to the mallard’s migratory features and wintering capacities at Moscow waterbodies, as well as an attempt to explain shifting in the virus composition and diversity. Mallard droppings were collected in the autumn of 2008–2023 from shores of Moscow and Moscow oblast waterbodies. Avian influenza viruses were extracted from the feces using a standard extraction process with the virus breeding on the chicken embryos. After the breeding the extracted viruses were subtyped by PCR with specific primaries to give type A virus sequences. In 2008–2013 European strains of the virus were prevalent in the mallard samples, whereas in 2014–2019 the prevalence shifted to Asian strains. Correlation of these observations with the changes in mallard migration allowed the assumption that European strains were entered into the Moscow oblast mainly from the southern Europe. The Asian strains were entered from the Western Europe. During 2008–2019 in the mallard feces from the Moscow waterbodies we observed a reduction of the virus strains. The frequency and the diversity of the extracted viruses decreased sharply after 2014. There could be several causes for the decline in the strain diversity, in particular, changes in the ratio of ducks hunted during spring and autumn hunting, increased mallard numbers at winter grounds within the breeding range, as well as reduced numbers of black-headed gulls that are also carriers of the avian influenza viruses.

The atlas was prepared from the data on ring-recovery database of the Bird Ringing Centre of Russia (Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences). We plan to publish an extended version of the atlas on the base of bird ring-recovery data. The Atlas will consist not only description of the migratory routes but a consideration of several population parameters of the focal species, as well as, the spatial distribution characteristics of recoveries and even probable practical use of the obtained population parameters values. More than 42000 ring recoveries of 36 European waterfowl species were used. Besides the standard description of the migratory routes, monthly distribution of recoveries, maps of direct and indirect recoveries, etc., the Atlas contains some additional information. In particular, the population structure of species: geographical populations were revealed. It is known that these populations served as a basement of the flyway conception. Then we elaborated math model allows calculating mean yearly mortality rate for each species, in different periods, males and females, etc. Ring-recovery data of a number of species shows the influence of the global warming on the waterfowl. Wintering sites usually are permanent; however breeding places shift more and more to the north. Therefore, mean distance between wintering and breeding places progressively increasing during 20th and the beginning of the 21th century. In addition, the distribution of recoveries in relation to each other along the area was described: 1) it was possible to calculate the degree of aggregation of recoveries (aggregation) for the species with the most numerous recoveries, specifically – to calculate the mean distance from each recovery to its nearest neighbour (mean minimal distance between recoveries); 2) degree of recovery concentration in groups (concentration) with different number of recoveries that located at not more than some distance (might be called as “key distance”) from each other. The distance between recoveries within such groups is less than the distance between groups (clusters). The distribution of recoveries in connection with ecological capacities of the area where these recoveries are located is described for the first time. The distribution of recoveries by their proximity to the different waterbodies is compared: to small and big rivers, lakes, and to the seashore. The exploratory analysis of the separate and mutual numbers dynamics in the two systematically close waterfowl species was performed.

Migratory connections in waterfowl in the north of Western Siberia are discussed as based on ring recoveries from the database of the Bird Ringing Center of Russia, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Altogether, 3531 recoveries from waterfowl of 29 species were used. The waterfowl in the region are characterized by exceptionally wide migratory connections, occurring in different seasons in most regions of the Old World within the Northern Hemisphere: from Iceland to the Japanese Islands and from West Africa to the Indian Subcontinent and the Yangtze River basin. The long-distance flights of birds to molting sites, the interannual change of nesting grounds and wintering regions, as well as the distribution on wintering grounds are discussed. Ten wintering regions have been allocated. The available material on the migration of waterfowl is evaluated from the viewpoint of completing the description of their seasonal distribution and its significance in the study of ecological connections of the territory of Western Siberia.

An analysis of the data of the ring recoveries from bean geese ( Anser fabalis ), ringed from 1960 to 2013 on wintering grounds in the Netherlands, where a subspecies was indicated for a significant part of the birds ( A. f. fabalis or A. f. rossicus ), is given. Most of the finds were registered on the territory of the former Soviet Union, mainly in the Russian Federation. The hypothesis is tested that the subspecies A. f. fabalis is exposed to more hunting pressure than A. f. rossicus . To test this, a comparison is made of the survival periods of birds of the two subspecies and an analysis of the seasonal distribution of finds of ringed birds. The average life expectancy of A. f. fabalis (compared to A. f. rossicus ), a long-term shift in the timing of production in the direction of spring hunting, and the possible change in wintering regions of the bean goose (increase in the importance of Eastern European wintering) as another reason for the sharp decrease in the number of wintering A. f. fabalis in the Netherlands are discussed.

A total of 702 recoveries of Bean Geese ringed on the wintering sites in the Netherlands since the 1960's have been analysed. For most of the ringed birds in this analysis the subspecies Anser fabalis fabalis or A. f. rossicus was identified at the time of ringing. The majority of recoveries are from the territory of the ex-USSR, primarily the Russian Federation. We have tested the hypothesis that hunting pressure is higher on Taiga Bean Geese, the subspecies A. f fabalis, compared to Tundra Bean Geese, the subspecies A. f rossicus. This has been checked by comparing the lifespan of the two subspecies and analysing the seasonal distribution of ring recoveries. On average, the lifespans of A. f fabalis are shorter compared to A. f rossicus, and there is a shift in the hunting periods towards spring. The reported drastic decrease in the numbers ofA.ffabalis wintering in the Netherlands could be caused by a possible change in Bean Goose wintering regions (the Eastern-European wintering sites becoming more important), but also by an overall decline in the numbers of this subspecies. According to the current analysis ofring recoveries from harvested birds, Taiga Bean Geese live on average shorter than Tundra Bean Geese do, apparently because the former are exposed to a higher hunting pressure. The Taiga Bean Goose subspecies is most vulnerable in western Siberia during the spring hunting season and, during the autumn hunting season, in the central parts of European Russia, starting from the Urals. This points to the need for additional protection measures in key seasonal staging areas and in all breeding areas, as well as for the need for a regional approach including both subspecies into the Red Data Books. Moreover, it is important to change the time of opening the spring hunting on waterfowl. Additional studies are required to more accurately determine the flyways, as well as the winter distributions of Anseriformes. This is primarily important to test the hypothesis whether there is a change in the wintering grounds of Bean Geese nesting in the Russian Federation.

Linking spring migratory itineraries of individual Arctic-breeding geese to their eventual breeding success has provided evidence that accumulation of body stores (protein, fat) at stop-over sites is crucial. We show that this is because geese nesting in the Arctic depend at least in part on these stores for synthesis of eggs and supporting incubation (for the female, a phase of starvation). Estimates of the body stores needed for successful reproduction (eggs + incubation) in relation to measured rates of accumulation of these stores make clear that meeting the demands solely by feeding at the breeding grounds is not an option for geese. The time constraint does not allow this, because early laying is a necessity in the Arctic to ensure survival of the progeny. Although the parents can exploit the early spring growth along the flyway, they get ahead of the wave of growth when they arrive on the breeding site and hence the parental timetable can only be met by drawing on body stores. Results from tracking studies in six goose species underline the conclusion that egg formation commences along the flyway before arrival at the nesting colony. In some cases, signatures of stable isotopes in egg components and parental body tissues in relation to the signature in forage plants support the notion of a mixed endogenous/exogenous origin. The close match between migratory timing and the spring flush of plant foods makes geese particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change. There is an increasing mismatch along the NE Atlantic Flyway, where a warming trend in NW Europe conflicts with stable or even cooling trends in the Arctic target areas.