The Structure and Spatial Distribution of the Raptor Community in the Urban Landscapes of Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan

Comments 1: what do ypou mean by development? Is it abundance increase?

Response 1: Thank you for pointing this out. evolution of life in an urban environment

Comments 2: I would start writing on the effects of anthropogenic changes on raptor communities, because some species can increase their abundances, but many others can be negatively affected

Response 2: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. The effects of urbanization on predator communities are described in detail in the Introduction (P2-3, L75-94)

Comments 3: please rewrite regarding the effects of urbanization on phyloegentic characteristics of raptors

Response 3: Corrected to ". Here, we can clearly see the continuity and phylogenetic succession of the processes of synanthropization and urbanization of birds, which follow the development of humanity and evolve with it" (P1, L17-18)

Comments 4: it lacks an introductory sentence about the urbanization effect on raptors, the novelty of the study, and objective.

Response 4: In order to determine the impact of urbanization on raptors in the semi-desert conditions of south-western Kazakhstan, an analysis of the spatio-temporal distribution of the fauna of raptors is presented for the first time based on the results of surveys of the avifauna of Kyzylorda.

Comments 5: please replace by "adequate"

Response 5: Corrected to "adequate" (P1, L37)

Comments 6: presence?

Response 6: Thank you for pointing this out. corrected, changed the sentence structure (P1, L33-35)

Comments 7: did you measure feeding ecology?

Response 7: Thank you for pointing this out. Of course, during the surveys we repeatedly recorded feeding of barrows with wastes at landfills. It is important to take into account what it (predator) gets from it and what it does not get? Sequestration of feed of natural origin and adaptation of feeding to anthropogenic wastes at dumps, we believe, is a subject for more detailed study and deserves a separate scientific work.

Comments 8: separate in two sentences to improve clarity

Response 8: corrected, changed the sentence structure (P2, L52-55)

Comments 9: What implications does this have on birds of prey?

Response 9: As for the consequences of this process, in the literature there is a concept called the predation paradox, when urbanization increases the number of predators, while the level of predation decreases [22] (P1, L58-60)

Comments 10: have conducted research in

Response 10: Thank you for pointing this out. Added (P3, L96)

Comments 11: please replace this part by predictions of your study area, related to other studies

Response 11: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. 1. Such studies exist in modern world practice. 2. This part presents a forecast for future work on our research area. Corrected, changed the sentence structure (P2, L108-112)

Comments 12: please clarify this

Response 12: Accordingly, the area of undeveloped urban territories is decreasing, and the intensity of recreational load on them is increasing significantly [52].

Comments 13: please add coordinates, scale, North arrow, and city location within Asia

Response 13: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment and added all the items you specified to the map.

Comments 14: please explain which kind of migrators are in the area; from where they come and what they do (nesting, nonbreeding period, etc.)

Response 14: Most of the registered raptors, except for the Marsh Harrier and Eurasian Hobby (which migrate to southeast Asia) winter within southern Kazakhstan, all nest in the territory of Kyzylorda region, some migrate to the north for nesting

Comments 15: how many observers were involved in each point count session?

Response 15: Bird surveys were conducted by 1-2 observers in each session

Comments 16: from the rooftop? In how many buildings?

Response 16: During the entire period of bird surveys, observations were made from the roof of 50-60 buildings

Comments 17: how do you define attachment?

Response 17: The attachment of birds of prey to a particular site may be related to food or nesting habits, e.g., urban dumping sites, which are feeding grounds for some raptors, are located in a stationary manner

Comments 18: Did you recorde every raptor seen (flying high, perching, feeding, etc)?

Response 18: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. That's right, the enumerator recorded all the birds marked on the point.

Comments 19: what time of the day were the surveys carried out?

Response 19: The main raptor surveys were conducted in the morning hours after sunrise during the spring-summer (P5, L174-175)

Comments 20: did the surveys conduct on week and weekend days?

Response 20: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment, bird surveys were conducted on both weekdays and weekends

Comments 16: please specify the spatial resolution

Response 16: It all depends on which satellite images were used in Google Earth on a particular date. For example, QuickBird (Maxar Technologies) - 0.61 m, WorldView-3 - 0.31 m, etc.

Comments 17: Did you make a supervised classification? If this is correct, please give details of the procedure.

Response 17: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. In describing the distribution of raptors in Kyzylorda, we used the classification of urban landscapes proposed by B. Klausnitzer [61] and adapted it to our conditions (P6, L233-234).

Comments 18: what do you mean to higher?

Response 18: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. Corrected words and sentence structure (P6-7, L255-257)

Comments 19: please add scale and North arrow in each panel

Response 19: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. All elements added to the RS images in Figure 2 (P7)

Comments 20: this sentence could be in the Introduction

Response 20: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. It seems to us the proposal is standing still

Comments 21: please explain this in caption

Response 21: We agree with this comment. Corrected to "Native occupancy rate" (Table 3, P9, L327)

Comments 22: please add scientific names

Response 22: Thank you for pointing this out. have added a scientific name

Comments 23: what it means a P value > 0.05?

Response 23: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. Of the entire sample of detection probabilities, the lowest values of p are presented in Section 3.2

Comments 24: these variables should be plotted. I do not understand why only open space was plotted in Figure 3

Response 24: We agree with this comment. Figure 3a shows the probability of occupancy with a 90% confidence interval for any of the five target predator species

Comments 25: please add y and x axes names on the plots to ease figures interpretation

Response 25: The axis names are added in Figure 3a, b, c (P13)

Comments 26: please be consistent with the name of predictor variables

Response 26: Thank you for pointing this out, the word “vacant lots” has been replaced with “wasteland.”

Comments 27: why this association is not plotted in Figre 3?

Response 27: Thank you for pointing this out. Figure 3b shows the negatively associated with floodplain and the commercial sector

Comments 28: this should be plotted in Fg 3

Response 28: Thank you for pointing this out. Figure 3c shows the negatively associated with dense urban development with limited greenery

Comments 29: You could compare the characteristics of the raptors observed with the raptor species commonly seen in the region. See Leveau (2024).

Leveau, L. M. (2024). Urban Parks Are Related to Functional and Phylogenetic Filtering of Raptor Assemblages in the Austral Pampas, Argentina. Birds, 5(1), 38-47.

Response 29: Thank you for pointing this out. We have familiarized ourselves with the content of the article, and tried to give such characteristics of raptors of Kyzylorda

Comments 30: sorry I do not understand  the relationship between trees and harrier detection

Response 30: The Hen Harrier, unlike the Kestrel, was not encountered in areas with trees during the survey

Comments 31: try to explain this relation in biological terms

Response 31: The visibility index was positively correlated with detection probability in the Common Kestrel, but negatively correlated with detection probability in the Hen Harrier, possibly owing to the high amounts of tree cover in survey sites with Hen Harrier detections. Noise level only seemed to affect detection probability with the Hen Harrier.

Comments 32: I did not find these variables in Table 1. Please be consistent with the variables terminology

Response 32: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. "sidewalks and wide streets" changed to "paved and concreted areas" corrected in Table 1 (P6) and Table 2 (P8).

Comments 33: please discuss the common kstrel in a separate paragraph

Response 33: Thank you for pointing this out. Corrected (P14, L446-463)

Comments 34: please mention the kind of relation (negative, positive?)

Response 34: the context of the comment and the place of its use are not clear

Comments 35: separate paragraph

Response 35: Thank you for pointing this out. Corrected (P14, L464-472)

Comments 1: must be raptor community

Response 1: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. Corrected to Raptor Community in P1, L2-3

Comments 2: is this correct

Response 2: it was the name of the department, we changed it to the name of the "Faculty of Natural Sciences" in P1, L10

Comments 3: replace development with increase

Response 3: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. Corrected to "This biological success is achieved by birds adapting to different types of anthropogenic landscape"

Comments 4: rephrase and I hope you have a ref. for this later on

Response 4: corrected

Comments 5: I think you are trying to say similar bird species follow and evolve with human development. Rewrite please

Response 5: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. Corrected to "Here, we can clearly see the continuity and phylogenetic succession of the processes of synanthropization and urbanization of birds, which follow the development of humanity and evolve with it" (P1, L17-18).

Comments 6: Raptors, plural

Response 6: Corrected

Comments 7: the language editing required are too much to indicate on a a PDF file, but must be rectified.

Response 7: We agree with this comment and have used the English language editing service

Comments 8: not very clear "foraging base, nesting flocks"

Response 8: Corrected "foraging base, nesting site" in P1, L37

Comments 9: what is wasteland; dump site, relic buildings?)

Response 9: “wasteland” - open spaces without vegetation cover

Comments 10: rewrite. furthermore grain storage probably refer to the presence of columbids as prey for the raptors?

Response 10: Corrected to " Based on this study, we would recommend that enterprises (grain storage facility, airport) and local executive bodies who are interested in the conservation of raptors and regulating the population of the pigeons around their territories should retain or plant more native vegetation and shrubs and preserve areas with green spaces"

Comments 11: THIS IS HOW IT MUST BE WRITTEN: Rapid urbanization poses a major challenge to biodiversity conservation, as it drives landscape transformation and consequently alters species distribution and abundance.

Response 11: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. Corrected

Comments 12: interesting to know how birds that associate with human development are indicators of environmental health? Waste sites/landfill attract a lot of raptors not?

Response 12: [109] a solid waste landfill, located in the east of the city, and is a gathering and feeding place for many species of birds, including predators, for example, the authors have repeatedly observed the feeding of long-legged buzzards

Comments 13: again language needs a lot of attention

Response 13: Thanks for the comment, we changed the sentence structure

Comments 14: I did not see the second case, fix your language

Response 14: Please refer to the second case related to negative impact - rows 22-26.

Comments 15: this entire paragraph needs more detail , but not more sentences.

Response 15: Thanks for the comment, we changed the sentence structure

Comments 16: make the statement that breeding habitats and reproductive patterns were studied etc, rather than the "concerns"you described- in other words provide sentences with substance

Response 16: Thanks for the comment, we changed the sentence structure

Comments 17: I think you want to state in which most  Kazakh ornithologists conduct research. You have to rephrase and also tell us why you think it is the case?

Response 17: These cities are home to the headquarters or branches of the Institute of Zoology, where a scientific community of ornithologists has been formed, as well as being located close to major Russian scientific centers.

Comments 18: this is a contradiction in terms; grammar needs a lot attention "In the country, the lifestyle of raptors is mostly studied outside of populated areas "

Response 18: Thanks for the comment, we corrected to "In this country, the lifestyle of raptors is mostly studied outside of populated areas"

Comments 19: This introduction could really do with a bit of theoretical themes such as for instance urban ecology, synurbization, and niche theory,  adaptive resilience, coexistence theory, and human-wildlife interface frameworks. I would also like to know whether there is more urbanization expected in the study area and why. Is it not possible that all birds (prey and predators) flock to towns in semi desert areas? Then you must state clearly what your goals are?

Response 19: That's right, the urban agglomeration is expected to expand in the future by incorporating the suburbs and surrounding areas.

The objective of this study is clearly stated in P3, L104-107, and L108-112 define the forecasts for future studies.

Comments 20: this sentence does not mean much if we dont also get a handle on how rapid development took place, sy 20 building s in 1980 and now 2000??

Response 20: Kazakhstan gained its independence in 1991, then followed a period of deep economic crisis, which was resolved and gradual economic growth since 2010. Regarding your comment, I do not see a reason for such an analysis, since the work is devoted to the dynamics that occurred from 2018 to 2024.

Comments 21: is this the study period? How did covid affect the study?

Response 21: The impact of the pandemic on the ecology of birds of prey in cities is a subject for a separate scientific article or research project.

Comments 22: I would rather say to Delineate, to prevent confusion with the previous paragraph

Response 22: Corrected, P3, L138

Comments 23: To create a set of survey points, we created a grid of points that covered the area of the city of Kyzylorda.

Response 23: To create a set of survey points, we created a grid of points that covered the area of the city of Kyzylorda.

Comments 24: I would have like t see line 5 to 18 also on a map. This caption must change to reveal proper explanation. Where is the scale in the map?  Looking at the points it does not seem as if a grid was used, maybe some more clarity. You need a figure which is clearer than this one.

Response 24: I don't quite understand your comment, and what is meant by lines 5-18? About the map, we changed the map, added a regional map, specified scale and related map elements (Figure 1, P4, L159)

Comments 25: so the start of the next count was the start of the project? By the way did your pilot study not show you where survey sites should be?

Response 25: The pilot survey, as well as the beginning of the project, was conducted in July 2018, in the following years from March to the end of June, during the pilot study we selected the main survey points.

Comments 26: so counting was over 14 weeks per year?? How many times  week, a month or what?? was it at regular intervals? What time of day and why a specific time?? How was sampling done precisely and how did you prevent double counting? how many people counted birds?

Response 26: Bird counts were conducted during the week, immediately after sunrise, in 2-3 hours the maximum number of points were examined, each subsequent day new points were studied in another area of the city. In general, bird counts in the period 2018-2024 were conducted in the range from mid-March to the end of June. Bird counts were conducted by 2 counters.

Comments 27: this recording method is not clear. A geo-located reference is just one point, one coordinate/waypoint.

Response 27: Yerlan Shynbergenov: As a cartographer, I can assure you that all the points in Figure 1 - subsequently bird count points, as well as those that were previously removed or shifted, and this is about 500 points for the entire city, were set using geolocation on MapsMe (P5, L184-187)

Comments 28: did you see where the bird landed and then described the microhabitat, e.g. landfill site or whatever?

Response 28: did you see where the bird landed and then described the microhabitat, e.g. landfill site or whatever?

Comments 29: So here we are reading that if a bird flew to a nesting site, it was considered part of a nesting pair, and if it simply flew by, it was considered a vagrant. We also read that when birds went to regular roosting sites, it was interpreted as just that — the use of their usual roosting sites

Response 29: Absolutely right, however, to classify a species as nesting, it is still necessary to verify the presence of a brood.

Comments 30: I think we need a few more lines here, suddenly we are confronted with hunting territories.

Response 30: translation difficulties.

The meaning was not “hunting grounds” but “hunting territory.”

When the owners of the territory appear in sight, the intruders hastily leave the hunting territory; otherwise, attempts to displace and expel rivals from the hunting site can be observed

Comments 31: are these environmental variables, to me they are fixed patterns! My point is that time of day and date are not normally describe as an environmental variable!

Response 31: Of course, there are many different methods, but our work involved the use of environmental variables specific to the study.

Comments 32: predictability?

Response 32: probability (P5, L197)

Comments 33: I though this visibility was already sorted out during the grid reference exercise?

Response 33: This technique was used to determine the level of visibility.

Comments 34: i HAD TO READ THIS A PATAGRAPH A FEW TIMES TO UNDERSTAND IT BUT MORE PUZZLING IS DID THE AUTHORS RECORD THE FOLLOWING: Focal length of the camera lens used to take the photo.

Sensor size (or camera model) — to get the angle of view.

Distance to the visible objects in the landscape.

Image display size on screen (in cm or inches)

Response 34: Canon 600D camera with Canon 70-200 mm lens

Comments 35: meters and m used inconsistently

Response 35: Corrected in P5, L218-219

Comments 36: Did you fix the camera view height above the ground?

Response 36: Currently, on ultra-high-resolution space images, the city of Kyzylorda is represented by a single scene, especially since the city is located on flat terrain and the absolute height of the center is 157 m.

Comments 37: just to make sure each plot was a 500 m radius circle? So if variability is the essence of urban habitat zones for the birds, why then was it so important to average all data in one table?I would have liked to see the variation of all 155 plots as background. You could have used RDA – Redundancy Analysis

CCA – Canonical Correspondence Analysis

NMDS – Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling

Response 37: Thank you for such a detailed review of our work. Naturally, not all areas are perfectly circular with a radius of 500 m, and the authors did not use the types of analysis you listed due to a lack of knowledge.

Of course, the use of various types of analysis would enhance the article and increase its value in the eyes of the scientific community.

Comments 38: DID NOT MENTION TEMPERATURE PREVIOUSLY WITH VARIABLES!

Response 38: “temperature” is presented in the appendices and tables (P10, L352, P11, L362) with detection variables

Comments 39: statistics correct

Response 39: thanks!

Comments 40: language for the statistical section at a much higher level then the rest so far

Response 40: thanks!

Comments 41: it seems to me you use registrations and recordings for the same function, be consistent.

Response 41: thanks!

Comments 42: WERE RECORDINGS DONE AT REGULAR INTERVALS

Response 42: recordings were made at regular intervals

Comments 43: LANGUAGE FINE

Response 43: thanks!

Comments 44: right only when you did surveys across the study areas with regular intervals

Response 44: recordings were made at regular intervals

Comments 45: was this mentioned in the methods section

Response 45: Mentioned in P5, L174-175

Comments 46: you could not find any other international references to compare with?

Response 46: The comparison links were obtained from open sources.

Comments 47: this way of writing cant be good

Response 47: Corrected in P11, L453-457

Comments 48: change to italics

Response 48: Corrected, all Latin names of taxa are brought into line with international standards and are written in italics

Comments 49: should be anchored more scientifically

Response 49: Corrected in P15, L499

Comments 50: strange To have Appendix A and Appendix 1

Response 50: All applications have been brought into a uniform style - consecutive numbering with Arabic numerals in P10, L350