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The monitoring of population state of White Stork (Ciconia ciconia L.) in the National Nature Park "Pyriatynskyi" and surrounding area was carried out in 2014–2019. The number of nests in the area was counted and the nest site selection were investigated. A breeding success analysis was also conducted. There were from 86 to 102 nests occupied by storks observed for a six-year study period. The mean number of fledglings in relation to all nest occupying breeding pairs (JZa) was 2,43 ± 0,04 (n = 570), and in relation to breeding pairs with nestlings (JZm) was 2,75 ± 0,04 (n = 502). The percentage of unsuccessful pairs was 10,07 % (%HPo). In different years, breeding success (the proportion of successful pairs with fledglings) ranged from 78,43 % in 2017 to 98,94 % in 2015. The majority of pairs fledged 2 (34,93 %) or 3 (36,92 %) young, that makes 71,85 % of broods for total. Broods of 5 nestlings, which is the maximum value for the study area, are rare and registered not every year. Only 4,44 % of the total number of such nests was identified for six years. During 2015–2016 storks hatched a smaller number of nestlings, but far more successfully fledged them than in the previous year 2014 and subsequent 2018–2019 years. The year 2017 became the most unfavorable for stork breeding in the region of the park – birds raised the smallest number of fledglings, and the proportion of unsuccessful pairs was the largest for the years of observation. All found nests of a White Stork are located singly within the boundaries of settlements. The preferred nest site is on poles (69,29 % of the total nest number), other types of placement are less common (trees, buildings of various types, water towers and artificial nests). 10 or more nests of storks were recorded in the villages Deimanivka, Povstyn, Antonivka, Usivka and Kaplyntsi located in the floodplain of the Udai river. The average density of nests per settlement was 1,7 ± 0,3 km². [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pelvic bone and the proximal epyphisis of the femur bone are the main supporting components of the hip joint, and this is the leading link of the free pelvic limb, which gives it considerable mobility, determines its posi􀆟on in sta􀆟c and locomo􀆟on. In the evolu􀆟on process, these components acquire the value of a kind of central shock absorber against shocks, which gets the mowing limb. On the basis of compara􀆟ve anatomical analysis, the peculari􀆟es of skeletal elements of the pelvic bone and the proximal femoral epyphisis of some storks are presented, as the main elements of the pelvic limb as a whole. It was determined, that ghe morpho-metric features of the skeletal elements of the studied birds caused by specific bipedalism, which is based of posi􀆟on of the axis of the body rela􀆟vely to the pelvic limbs and maintain the body between two limbs. It was determined that the inves􀆟gated structural elements are differ in shape and size. Also, it was determined, that among the inves􀆟gated storcks the shortest femur in rela􀆟on to the total length of the limb of the white heron is 12.1 ± 0.2. The longest femur rela􀆟vely to the total length of the limb of the mower is 35.3 ± 0.5. These indicates that the short femur is characteris􀆟c for birds that are maximally adapted to water locomo􀆟on and most likely it is caused by the need go press the pelvic limb 􀆟ghthly to the trunk in the thigh area in the process of swimming. The longer femur provides more distal fixa􀆟on points for the deep femur, cranial iliac and caudal muscles while increasing their flexural and extensory func􀆟on with respect to the thigh. Among the studied Ciconiiformes, the index of the smallest pelvic length to its width ranges from 31.2 to 68.0 %. This indacates that more wider is pelvis, more larger eggs can lay a female of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]