De ’weide’vogelgemeenschap op de Westsiberische bossteppe

In May and June 1995 a studytrip was made to the foreststeppe of West-Siberia. Two studysites were searched for breeding birds, at Lake Ubinskoye waders (meadowbirds) were studied with special attention on the Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa At Lake Chany gulls and terns were studied. Densities of breeding birds are estimated (table 1) for Lake Übinskoye, while estimates for the breeding population of gulls and terns on Lake Chany are presented in table 2. There is a striking similarity in species composition between the forest-steppe and the ancient community as it was in the 1950 in the Netherlands, Research in natural habitats will provide useful data in understanding population dynamics of birds now threatened by habitat degrading due to agriculture and cultivation of suitable habitats in the Netherlands.