<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> We examined ringing recovery data of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in order to analyse its migration patterns and philopatry rates in Eastern Europe. In addition, we extracted counts of migrating birds from online databases and studied the use of the flyway as well as the phenology of both spring and autumn migrations through Greece. Birds appeared to migrate in the same mean direction in spring and autumn through the Italian and Balkan Peninsulas. During spring, movements took place on a broad front from March until mid- May with a peak in mid-April; in autumn, birds migrated through Greece on a narrower front from early August to early October, with most of individuals passing through Greece in mid-September. Finally, philopatry rates were higher for adults, while juvenile birds dispersed more often and at longer distances, up to 974 km away. Our results on migration patterns generally agree with those in other studies, but we found some evidence of long-distance premigratory movements towards mainland Greece that could also shape the narrower front migration in autumn. In addition, long distance dispersal movements of juveniles in southeastern Europe, where Lesser Kestrel populations show a fragmented distribution, could facilitate gene flow between populations, thus avoiding the negative effects of mating with genetically similar individuals.</p></abstract>

We examined ringing recovery data of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in order to analyse its migration patterns and philopatry rates in Eastern Europe. In addition, we extracted counts of migrating birds from online databases and studied the use of the flyway as well as the phenology of both spring and autumn migrations through Greece. Birds appeared to migrate in the same mean direction in spring and autumn through the Italian and Balkan Peninsulas. During spring, movements took place on a broad front from March until mid- May with a peak in mid-April; in autumn, birds migrated through Greece on a narrower front from early August to early October, with most of individuals passing through Greece in mid-September. Finally, philopatry rates were higher for adults, while juvenile birds dispersed more often and at longer distances, up to 974 km away. Our results on migration patterns generally agree with those in other studies, but we found some evidence of long-distance premigratory movements towards mainland Greece that could also shape the narrower front migration in autumn. In addition, long distance dispersal movements of juveniles in southeastern Europe, where Lesser Kestrel populations show a fragmented distribution, could facilitate gene flow between populations, thus avoiding the negative effects of mating with genetically similar individuals.

The Migration of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in Eastern Europe - A Ringing Recovery and Direct Observation Approach

Molecular Ecology and Conservation Genetics Lab, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina,

MEDRAPTORS (Mediterranean Raptor Migration Network), via Mario Fioretti 18, 00152 Rome,

Antikythira Bird Observatory, Hellenic Ornithological Society / BirdLife Greece, Themistokleous 80, GR-10681 Athens,

Acrocephalus

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

We examined ringing recovery data of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in order to analyse its migration patterns and philopatry rates in Eastern Europe. In...

The Migration of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in Eastern Europe - A Ringing Recovery and Direct Observation Approach

Published Online: Feb 08, 2017

Page range: 49 - 56

Received: Apr 14, 2016

Accepted: Jul 05, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acro-2016-0002

Keywords
Lesser Kestrel, Falco naumanni, Greece, bird migration, ringing recoveries

© by Anastasios Bounas

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The Migration of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in Eastern Europe - A Ringing Recovery and Direct Observation Approach

Published Online: Feb 08, 2017

Page range: 49 - 56

Received: Apr 14, 2016

Accepted: Jul 05, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acro-2016-0002

KeywordsLesser Kestrel, Falco naumanni, Greece, bird migration, ringing recoveries

© by Anastasios Bounas

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Lesser Kestrel, Falco naumanni, Greece, bird migration, ringing recoveries