<abstract><title style='display:none'>ABSTRACT</title>Ibrahim W.A.L. 2011. <italic>An overview of bird migration studies in Egypt. </italic>Ring 33, 1-2: 55-75. This is an overview of ornithological studies carried out in Egypt since the beginning of XXth century till the present time made on the basis of several more or less general publications. Geographical location and climate descriptions give the background information about the area. The literature overview stresses especially problems connected with the migration of passerines, but wider avifaunistic background is discussed as well. Special attention is paid to the passerines’ strategy of migration through the Mediterranean Sea and Sahara Desert, its direction and timing, as well as to the factors affecting passerines migration and bird ringing in Egypt. In conclusion, it is stressed that the studies on bird migration were done sporadically, from time to time and from one place to another, and there is a dramatic lack of permanent ringing / bird migration study field stations, despite the fact that some suitable and promising localities have been found, in which the studies have been carried out since 2001 by the SE European Bird Migration Network in cooperation with some protected areas managements.</abstract>

An Overview of Bird Migration Studies in Egypt

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> Ibrahim W.A.L., Busse P. 2012. <italic>Migration of passerines through some protected areas in the</italic><italic>eastern part of Egypt. </italic>Ring 34: 69-205.The fieldwork - catching and ringing birds using mist-nets - were conducted at several sites during both spring and autumn migration seasons in 2001-2008. These sites were: Burullus Protected Area, Wadi El Rayan Protected Area, Hurghada, Sharm El Shiekh (Ras Mohamed National Park), Saluga and Ghazala Protected Area and Wadi El Gemal Protected Area. Altogether 21 site/seasons were covered (9 in spring and 12 autumn). In the most cases the work in a season lasted 1-2 months and the timing of work was not standardized. This make the results not exactly compatible, but still this is a first so wide study of the mainly passerine migration over the area. The aim of this paper is to make accessible the basic information on passerine migration there. Some non-passerines, that are more easily caught with mist-nets or that are caught ocassionally are listed too. Altogether 19 748 individuals of 117 species were ringed in spring and 11 238 individuals in autumn. The data are presented in the text as faunistics style lists of birds caught in spring and autumn separately, as tables of birds ringed at stations and those that show relative abundance and dominance of species and in Appendices I and II (for spring and autumn) as maps with average numbers per station and as seasonal number dynamics - total for seasons and yearly, if possible. The data included in the paper are treated as a source information about migration over the area studied, while the more detailed data about migration pattern, measurements, stopover ecology will be evaluated in next papers being under preparation.</abstract>

Nature Conservation Sector, Egyptian Environmental Agency, 30 Misr Helwan El-Zyrae Road, Maadi, Cairo, Egypt

Bird Migration Research Foundation, Przebendowo 3, PL-84-210 Choczewo, Poland

Migration of Passerines through some Protected Areas in the Eastern Part of Egypt

<abstract><title style='display:none'>ABSTRACT</title> Stêpniewska K., El-Hallah A., Busse P. 2011. <italic>Migration dynamics and directional preferences</italic><italic>of passerine migrants in Azraq (E Jordan) in spring 2008. </italic>Ring 33, 1-2: 3-25. Azraq ringing station is located in the Azraq Wetland Reserve in the eastern part of Jordan, on the Eastern Palearctic Flyway. It covers different types of habitat: reedbeds and a dry area with tamarisks (<italic>Tamarix sp.</italic>) and nitre bushes (<italic>Nitraria billardierei</italic>). In total, from 18 March till 28 April 2008, we caught 2767 birds from 64 species. Three species dominated distinctly, constituting 58% of total number of caught birds: the Reed Warbler (<italic>Acrocephalus</italic><italic>scirpaceus</italic>) - 570, the Chiffchaff (<italic>Phylloscopus collybita</italic>) - 535 and the Lesser Whitethroat (<italic>Sylvia curruca</italic>) - 488 birds. The catching dynamics reveals the highest numbers of birds in the beginning of the studied period. The total number constantly decreased till 6 April and then subsequently increased. The first high peak of the dynamics at the end of March was due to intensive migration of Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroats. The second one at the end of April was caused by pronounced migration of Reed Warblers and Blackcaps. High numbers of migrants in the beginning and at the end of the catching period reveal that we did not cover the whole migration season in Azraq, so it is necessary to begin the study much earlier and to finish later there.We performed also 1169 directional preferences tests using Busse’s orientation cage, mostly for the Reed Warbler. Directional preferences of tested birds reveal clear dominance of NW headings - towards European breeding grounds. The NE headings towards Asian breeding grounds were also present. There was a low share of reversed headings, especially SE. We suppose that birds showing NW headings could migrate from wintering grounds in Africa across the most southern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula; these flying to the NE seem to have crossed Egypt and then fly along the Arava Valley. Many species presented in this paper, like the Red-backed Shrike (<italic>Lanius collurio</italic>), could show loopmigration, flying in spring more eastern than in autumn.High numbers of caught and observed birds, including habitat-specialists like numerous <italic>Acrocephalus </italic>warblers, reveal that the Azraq Wetland Reserve is a very important place for Palearctic migrants during their migration through desert areas of the Middle-East.</abstract>

Bird Migration Research Station, University of Gdañsk, Al. Marszałka Józefa Pi³sudskiego 46, PL-81-378 Gdynia, Poland

Shoumary Wild Life Reserve, The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, North Azraq, Zarqa, Jordan

Bird Migration Network, Przebendowo, PL-84-210 Choczewo, Poland

Migration Dynamics and Directional Preferences of Passerine Migrants in Azraq (E Jordan) in Spring 2008

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The Wicie ringing station was one of several stations which cooperate within the SEEN organization (SE European Bird Migration Network). The station was located west of the small village of Wicie located in northern Poland on the central part of the Baltic Sea coast. The station was situated on a narrow spit between Kopañ Lake and the Baltic Sea and has operated since 2010. Data were collected during three spring and five autumn seasons. Birds were caught in mist-nets, which were placed mainly in bushes and reed beds. Over 55 000 birds of 113 species were caught and ringed during eight migratory seasons. Many of them were also tested for directional preferences in Busse’s cages.</abstract>

The Wicie Bird Ringing Station (N Poland) – Ringing Results And Seasonal Bird Migration Dynamics In 2010–2014

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>This paper focuses on field practice using different types of orientation cages. The two orientation cage designs most commonly used in field work, i.e. Emlen’s funnel and Busse’s flat orientation cage, are described in detail and compared for compatibility of results, simplicity of use and time effectiveness. Apart from cage designs and field procedures (60-min nocturnal tests in Emlen’s funnel vs. 10-min diurnal tests according to Busse’s procedure), the standard data evaluation procedures are compared and discussed. The data used in the discussion were collected for four species of nocturnal migrants (the Reed Warbler, the Sedge Warbler, the Willow Warbler and the Whitethroat) at the Kalimok Bird Station (Bulgaria): altogether 141 individuals were tested in Emlen’s funnel in 2001 and 788 in Busse’s cage in 2001-2007.The following conclusions were drawn: (1) Busse’s flat cage design and its standard procedures yield results fully compatible with those obtained using Emlen’s funnel and the associated procedures; this means full compatibility in terms of the directionality of tested birds in the diurnal and nocturnal tests; (2) the procedures compared have distinct differences in terms of constraints on the methods:
<list list-type="simple"><list-item>– Emlen’s cage is extremely stressful for the bird and should be avoided as much as possible in practice due to animal welfare concerns;</list-item><list-item>– Emlen’s standard procedure of testing the bird for 60 minutes is completely useless, as this is inefficient in terms of quality of results and causes more stress to the bird than is necessary;</list-item><list-item>– Busse’s 10-minute standard makes it possible to collect a vast amount of data (12 birds per hour and person) in real field work, even performed in wilderness areas;</list-item></list>(3) At the stage of evaluation of raw data it is essential to use evaluation tools which take into account the fact that raw data items show a high percentage of multimodal distributions, and therefore tools assuming unimodal distribution are unsuitable.</abstract>

Busse’s flat orientation cage vs. Emlen’s funnel – compatibility, differences and conclusions

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The waterbird community structures of two sub-Himalayan wetlands (Nararthali and Rasomati) situated in forested areas were compared during the wintering period. These wetlands had similar geophysical features but were subject to different conservation efforts. Sixty species of waterbirds, including four globally threatened species, were recorded during the study. Nararthali was found to be more densely inhabited (116.05±22.69 ind./ha) by birds than Rasomati (76.55±26.47 ind./ha). Density increased by 44.6% at Nararthali and by 59% at Rasomati over the years of the study, from 2008 to 2015. Winter visitors increased considerably at Nararthali (66.2%), while a 71.1% decrease at Rasomati clearly indicated degradation of habitat quality at that site during the later years. Luxuriant growth of <italic>Eichhornia crassipes, siltation, poor maintenance and unregulated tourist activities were the key factors leading to the rapid degradation of Rasomati. Nararthali, on the other hand, a well-managed wetland habitat, showed an increasing trend in bird densities. Therefore, poor</italic> habitat management and rapid habitat alterations were observed to be the main reasons for depletion of bird density in the wetlands of eastern sub-Himalayan forest regions.</abstract>

Community Structure of Migratory Waterbirds at Two Important Wintering Sites in a Sub-Himalayan Forest Tract in West Bengal, India

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Presentation of a general pattern of migration is very difficult in the case of small passerines, especially nocturnal migrants, as the few accepted methods are inefficient here. It is difficult to follow migration visually (by visual field observations or moon watching). Classic ringing must be extremely intensive due to low or very low recovery rates, especially in Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia, which additionally rule out any reasonable estimation of the intensity of migration towards different destinations. Radar studies tell us nothing about the migration of individual species. Even the most modern methods, such as geolocation and radio tracking, are of very limited use for population studies. For these reasons, in most cases our knowledge in this area is fragmentary and insufficient for a satisfactory description of migration. In many cases only the breeding areas have been faunistically described in detail, while the winter-quarters and areas where the species is observed during migration are frequently described with less precision. The introduction of an effective method for studying local headings of migrants, using ‘orientation cages’, has made it possible to study the migration patterns of small passerine nocturnal migrants. The presented work is a case study on the migration pattern of the Blackcap, using data from orientation tests collected in autumn as part of the work of SEEN (SE European Bird Migration Network), consisting of 5,392 tests performed at 28 ringing sites in Central/Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The paper continues the discussion of the problem of applying the method to presentation of migration patterns in a geographically wide territory (Busse 2018, 2019, 2020).
The hypothesis put forth by Busse (2019) that the arrival/departure heading axes are generally linear is accurate to within about one 10° sector was confirmed earlier. Here it was confirmed at the level of local patterns for the study sites. In general, the average deviation from the straight line is below 1°. However, there is some geographical variation, and this problem could be discussed when many more results of this kind become available for a few more species. Eight headings/streams of migrants are defined for the Blackcap within the area. Southward and south-eastern streams dominate in most of the study area. However, a very special, nearly longitudinal heading was found in southern Europe and the Middle East, which requires further study. Comparison of the patterns obtained from three different procedures strongly suggests that the general picture of Blackcap migration in Central/Eastern Europe and the Middle East is clear and coherent. Some variation in migration stream parameters (linearity and reversed heading share) suggests that further research in this direction should be conducted using data from other species.
</abstract>

The European Autumn Migration Pattern of the Blackcap, <italic>Sylvia atricapilla</italic> – From Faunistic Observations to a Basic Analysis of Orientation Cage Field Data

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The introduction of an effective method for studying the local headings of migrants using ‘orientation cages’ has made it possible to study the migration patterns of small passerine nocturnal migrants. Numerous papers have been published on varied samples of local data collected using this method. A rough generalization was presented at the 2019 Meeting of the European Ornithologists Union and subsequently published in <italic>The Ring</italic>. Case studies on data collected for the Blackcap have already been published, and further studies on other species were suggested. The presented work is the next study of this kind, on the migration pattern of the Garden Warbler, using data from orientation tests collected in autumn as part of the work of the SEEN (SE European Bird Migration Network). The data comprises 2,593 tests performed at 31 ringing sites in Central/Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The paper continues the discussion of application of the method to present migration patterns in a geographically wide territory. The general data evaluation methods in this work are exactly as described in the earlier papers. The paper discusses azimuths of arrival and departure tracks at every ringing site, their linearity, number relations between departing and arriving headings, and the general pattern of migration streams followed by different groups of migrants.
The hypothesis put forth earlier, stating that the arrival/departure heading axes shown in studies using orientation cages are situated linearly, is once again confirmed and can be used as a general assumption in this type of study. The average deviations are very small and are negligible for drawing general migration patterns. In some cases, however, there were deviations caused by the geographic location of the study site. This problem should be discussed in more detail when more species data become available. Nine migration streams are defined in the study area, which are presented, for simplicity, using different names and colours on maps. Southward and south-eastward streams are dominant and distributed similarly to the streams of the Blackcap. The most pronounced is a stream shown in yellow (<italic>YELLOW stream</italic>), which is directed from the wide area of central and eastern Europe to the Arabian Peninsula. The <italic>BLACK</italic> and <italic>NAVY</italic> streams are the most intriguing (running nearly longitudinally) and require a great deal of attention in further analyses of migration in the Mediterranean. Two styles of presentation of the species migration pattern are discussed, of which the location style of presentation seems to be more precise. The simpler presentation style that shows only general heading axes could be used to compare the general patterns of different species.
</abstract>

The European Autumn Migration Pattern of the Garden Warbler, <italic>Sylvia borin</italic> – A Basic Analysis of Orientation Cage Field Data

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Annual captures and biometric parameters of the Goldcrest (<italic>Regulus regulus</italic>) were studied at Tömörd, western Hungary. We used records of 4,284 individuals trapped and ringed between August and November within the study period (1998–2020). The Goldcrest was determined to be a regular partial migrant species with highly intensive migration in 2000, 2001, 2008, 2014 and 2019. The catching results showed very high number fluctuations at Tömörd, but the smoothed curves were distinctly wave-like in all age and sex classes. There were significant positive correlations between annual captures of age and sex classes. The average proportion of immature Goldcrests was 90%, the average proportion of male individuals was 63% and both proportions were stable between 1998 and 2020. There were similar decreasing trends in the average annual wing length and body mass of males and females from 1998 to 2020. This may indicate that the migration strategies of females may be modified by global climate change.
</abstract>

Annual Captures and Biometrics of Goldcrests <italic>Regulus regulus</italic> at a Western Hungarian Stopover Site

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>One of the most effective methods of studying the migratory patterns of nocturnal passerine migrants is the use of orientation cages as a supplementary procedure at ringing sites. The most comprehensive studies using orientation cages (Busse’s Flat Orientation Cage) were conducted within the SEEN network (SE European Bird Migration Network), with more than 43,000 tests performed at more than 40 ringing sites in autumn. A number of papers were published based on these data, presenting an overall pattern of passerine migration over SE Europe-Middle East-NE Africa. For more detailed analyses, it was first necessary to solve some methodical problems within case studies. The current work presents details for discussion based on data from 1338 tests of Blackcaps performed during the years 1995–2010 at a single ringing station, Bukowo/Kopań, located on the Polish Baltic coast. The birds were tested according to the standard methodology of the SEEN network (Busse 2000). The problems investigated were (1) the repeatability of heading patterns obtained in different years, (2) the linearity of the estimated arrival and departure headings, and (3) quantitative aspects of the results in the description of the heading pattern when migratory groups are found.It was determined that (1) yearly heading patterns were generally coherent and could be analysed as uniform case data; (2-1) the hypothesis that the arrival/departure heading axes are generally linear is accurate to within about one 10° sector, at least in the case of the Blackcap. This is coherent with impressions from other known data sets, but does not mean that the rule always applies to all species at every location on the migration route. In the future, this problem should be studied on a more detailed scale. It was further established that (2-2) estimating arrival and departure headings makes it possible to define migratory groups (populations) passing the study site. The direct heading estimation procedure seems to be more sensitive in identifying migratory groups than the calculation procedure. Moreover, (3-1) the calculation procedure makes it possible to estimate some quantitative properties of headings of migratory groups and define some interesting, though preliminary, number patterns of local migratory patterns; (3-2) the number relations between birds demonstrating the arrival and departure headings of the migratory group seem to be an interesting parameter for study on the distance of migration of groups within a species and, possibly, between species. This is another interesting problem that cage tests could be used to solve in the future. Finally, (3-3) knowledge about trends of individual populations passing the defined site becomes accessible only using analysis of data from orientation cages. The estimated quantitative indices discussed above could be helpful in presenting the general migratory pattern of the species on a geographical scale.</abstract>

An Analysis of Orientation Cage Field Data – A Case Study of Headings of the Blackcap, <italic>Sylvia atricapilla</italic>, at the Bukowo/Kopań Ringing Site in Poland

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Forests have an important role during migration. They act as ecological corridors and provide resting and feeding places for birds. In our study, we sought to determine whether migratory birds prefer secondary forest or canal vegetation during migration. The study was carried out in Southeast Hungary, in an oleaster forest and in a canal. We used 12 mist nets and the ringing method. The study period lasted from August to October 2016–2018, covering approximately the entire migration period. According to our results, the canal has a significant effect on the species assemblage, as it functions as a migration corridor during migration, most likely not only for diurnal migrants, but for nocturnal migrants as well. Our results showed that the presence of both woody and berry plants had some influence on the species composition. Interestingly, the presence of berries had a positive effect on the presence of insectivorous birds.</abstract>

The Role of a Water Canal and Secondary Forest for Migrants

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The Citrine Wagtail has been gradually expanding its breeding range from Asia westward into Europe since the middle of the last century. New breeding records of this species further to the west of Europe have emerged during the last several decades. The distribution of the Citrine Wagtail in Western Ukraine began at the end of the last century. A total of 48 Citrine Wagtails were ringed in August 1995–2016 at the Cholgynskyy ornithological reserve (West-Ukrainian Ornithological Station). The birds were recorded mainly in the first half of August, peaking from the beginning of the second decade to the middle of the month. At the beginning of August there were wagtails in different stages of moult. Adult moulted birds were recorded from the beginning of the second decade of August, while juvenile birds underwent partial moult during the first part of the month. The mean weight of adult moulted birds was higher than that of juveniles. At the beginning of August many Citrine Wagtails were lean, without fat reserves, with the mean fat class increasing by the end of the month. The autumn passage of <italic>M. citreola</italic> took place in W. Ukraine. Birds stay in the shallow waters, pastures, and reed beds to feed, overnight, moult and gain fat reserves for migration.</abstract>

The Autumn Migration of the Citrine Wagtail, Motacilla Citreola, in the Lviv Region (W. Ukraine) During its Range Expansion

<abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>Migrations and Wintering of the Kestrel (<italic>Falco tinnunculus</italic>) in Poland</title>In Poland, the Kestrel is an uncommon bird during the winter time. It rarely winters in the eastern part of the country; however, the reported numbers of regular wintering cases increase towards the south-west. The aims of this study were: to analyse the wintering area of Kestrels nesting in Poland, to compare distances covered by the birds migrating for the first time in their life to their movements in the following years, and to determine the origin of Kestrels wintering in Poland. The material for the analysis comprised 171 recoveries of the birds ringed in Poland or recorded in Poland but ringed abroad within the years 1931-2001. Out of 48 adult Kestrels ringed or recovered during both migration periods (autumn and spring), the great majority were recorded in Poland; only 2 birds were found as adult ones in France and 1 in Ukraine. We obtained 32 recoveries of Kestrels ringed in Poland as chicks or as individuals in their first year of life and recorded again during their first migration season (autumn-spring). Five of them were recorded outside the country. In Poland, there were reported 94 Kestrels that had been ringed abroad. Those birds came from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Ukraine. These data show that mainly Kestrels nesting in the north of the continent migrate across Poland and some of them winter here as well. A great majority of recoveries referred to Kestrels ringed in Finland. These birds also came to Poland from Germany and from the areas located to the south-west of Poland.</abstract>

PTOP "Salamandra", Szamarzewskiego 11/6, PL-60-514 Poznań, Poland

Museum and Insitute of Zoology PAS, Wilcza 64, PL-00-679 Warszawa, Poland

Migrations and Wintering of the Kestrel (<italic>Falco tinnunculus</italic>) in Poland

<abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>Crossing the sea en route to Africa: autumn migration of some <italic>Accipitriformes</italic> over two Central Mediterranean islands</title>Observations were made on the autumn migration of <italic>Accipitriformes</italic> over the islands of Marettimo and Pantelleria, located between western Sicily and Tunisia (Central Mediterranean). A total of 7451 raptors was counted between 24 August and 12 September 2003, mostly adult Honey Buzzards <italic>Pernis apivorus</italic> - 4045, and Black Kites <italic>Milvus migrans</italic> - 2489. Mixed-age flocks were regularly reported for the Black Kite (1956 adults and 533 juveniles estimated) confirming information transmission concerning orientation behaviour in this species. Although in the Honey Buzzard juveniles tend to migrate later than adults, crossing the Mediterranean on a broad front mostly after mid-September, we observed some mixed-age flocks, estimating the passage of 3830 adults and 215 juveniles. In particular, over Pantelleria we recorded in seven cases juveniles in flocks of adults heading towards WNW, presumably learning (similarly to juvenile Black Kites) the shortest route over water to reach Africa from this site. A total of 72 Egyptian Vultures <italic>Neophron percnopterus</italic> - 62 adults, 6 juveniles and 4 sub-adults - was counted over Marettimo confirming that their greatest concentration during autumn migration through Italy occurs at this island. In this species, all juveniles were seen migrating in flocks of adults. Finally, the passage of hundreds of Marsh Harriers <italic>Circus aeruginosus</italic> was reported, mostly over Pantelleria. Among adult harriers, it was possible to estimate the passage of birds belonging to different sex classes; unlike in the previous studies made in central, southern continental Italy and Malta during autumn migration, adult females outnumbered adult males (372 <italic>vs</italic> 298 individuals). Finally, considering the huge number of <italic>Accipitriformes</italic> observed, Pantelleria, so as Marettimo, should be enclosed among Important Bird Areas for the autumn migration of raptors in the Mediterranean basin.</abstract>

Via Carlo Alberto 4, 89046 Marina di Gioiosa Jonica (RC), Italy

Via G. Pierluigi Da Palestrina 20, 40141 Bologna, Italy

Via Provinciale 69, 24022 Alzano Lombardo (BG), Italy

Via Ruffini 12, 41010 Piumazzo (MO), Italy

Crossing the sea en route to Africa: autumn migration of some <italic>Accipitriformes</italic> over two Central Mediterranean islands

<abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>Analysis of the Spatial Migration Patterns of Adult Honey Buzzards (<italic>Pernis apivorus</italic>) During Spring and Autumn in the Central Mediterranean</title>In this paper we analyse the spatial migration patterns and the water crossing tendency of adult Honey Buzzards during spring and autumn migration in the Central Mediterranean region. In this area, during spring, these long-distance migrants wintering in western-central Equatorial Africa, concentrate crossing the sea between Africa and Europe through the Channel of Sicily, about 150 km wide, at least part of them <italic>via</italic> the islands of Pantelleria and Marettimo. When they reach western Sicily most of them fly east, along the mountain chain of northern Sicily, towards the Strait of Messina. Nevertheless, thousands of birds use a more direct route to reach the continental mainland undertaking the crossing of the Tyrrhenian Sea <italic>via</italic> Ustica and the Lipari Islands. During autumn the migration of adult Honey Buzzards is less consistent. They tend to follow the Italian Peninsula and northern Sicily reaching Africa through the Channel of Sicily while very few cross the Tyrrhenian Sea. On the contrary, during their first migration, large numbers of juveniles, moving about two weeks later than adults, cross the Central Mediterranean region on a broader front presumably along NE-SW innate axis. It is supposed that larger numbers of adult Honey Buzzards choose the central Mediterranean route during spring migration to reach earlier their breeding areas in eastcentral Europe. During post-reproductive movements most of them would circumfly the Mediterranean Sea crossing at the Strait of Gibraltar and at the Bosporus. In this picture the discovery of more direct routes between breeding and wintering areas made by juvenile birds during their first migration may have the adaptive value.</abstract>

Analysis of the Spatial Migration Patterns of Adult Honey Buzzards (<italic>Pernis apivorus</italic>) During Spring and Autumn in the Central Mediterranean

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Avian communities are very good indicators of any ecosystem. Despite the alarming consequences of rapid urbanization, studies of avian diversity in the human-dominated landscapes of India are very few. Therefore, we studied the avian assemblage of Bongaon in southern West Bengal, India, a suburban area whose avifauna has thus far remained undocumented. Bird surveys were carried out from June 2015 to May 2016, following the fixed-radius (25 m) point count method together with opportunistic observations. We recorded 119 avian species belonging to 53 families. <italic>Ardeidae</italic> was the most diverse avian family in the study area (RDi value = 5.882). Among the recorded avifauna, 89 species were resident, 26 species were winter visitors, three species were summer visitors, and one species was a passage migrant. Species richness of the resident and passage migrant species did not vary seasonally, while the winter and summer visitors displayed significant seasonal variation. In this suburban area, the species richness of feeding guilds varied significantly. Most birds were insectivorous (41.2%), followed by carnivorous (24.4%), omnivorous (18.5%), granivorous (7.6%), frugivorous (3.4%), nectarivorous (3.4%) and herbivorous species (1.7%). Maximum species richness was recorded in November and minimum species richness in July. Black-headed Ibis <italic>Threskiornis melanocephalus</italic> and Alexandrine Parakeet <italic>Psittacula eupatria</italic> are two near-threatened species found in this region. Interestingly, six species having a globally declining trend are still very common in the study area. Long-term studies are required to monitor any change in the avian communities of this suburban landscape resulting from urbanization.</abstract>

Composition, diversity and foraging guilds of avifauna in a suburban area of southern West Bengal, India

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The scientific knowledge available in many detailed studies needs, from time to time, some generalization that allows to provide a synthesis or at least presentation of certain problem to both, scientific community and wide public interested in the topic. This article presents evolution of the presentation style of spatial course of the passerine migration in the Western Palaearcic. According to developing knowledge in the topic the style of presentation of general migration pattern evolved from a “line–arrow ” style suggesting that the birds use narrow “corridors” to more adequate to the phenomenon “carpet” style with called as “bottle-necks” concentrations being local and temporal effects of existing migratory barriers and guiding lines as maritime coasts, mountains and deserts. These details of migratory flyways are less visible in nocturnal passerine migrants than diurnal movements of both of passerines and gliding big birds. Generally, according to spatial relations between breeding and wintering areas of the bird populations living in Western Palaearctic four main flyways are defined and presented on maps: Western (Atlantic), Central (Apennine), South- Eastern (Balkan) and Eastern (Indian). Their background lies in the post-ice age history of distribution changes of the bird species, but details still evolve.</abstract>

Evolution of the Western Palaearctic Passerine Migration Pattern Presentation Style

<abstract><title style='display:none'>ABSTRACT</title> We compared avian community structure of six contrasting habitat types at Patlakhawa Protected Forest of Dooars of West Bengal. During three weeks of the mid-winter studies 154 bird species representing 41 families were recorded. Of the 154 recorded species, 22 were observed in grasslands, 22 in swamp forest, 46 in riverine forest, 52 at miscellaneous plantation areas, 43 at forest edges and 51 at wetlands. The Shannon-Wiener general diversity indices varied among the habitats and ranged from 2.323 to 3.458. Richness (5.813-11.410), evenness (0.406-0.641) and dominance (0.042-0.128) indices also varied considerably among the study locations. The highest diversity, the lowest dominance and a very high evenness were characteristics of miscellaneous plantations. Grasslands showed highest evenness and considerably high species diversity. The lowest avian evenness and diversity were recorded in wetlands and swamp forests. Insectivorous birds were most numerous (53), followed by carnivorous (40), omnivorous (29) and frugivorous (15) birds. Winter appeared to be the best time for niche occupancy at the Himalayan foothills for assemblages of either winter migrants and visitors or altitudinal and passage migrants, as about 30% of all encountered species were migrants. 96 bird species were observed to occur at any one of these habitat types showing high habitat fidelity. Mixed avian foraging assemblages that varied in species number and compositions were observed and they contain 11 to 17 species. Avifaunal niche diversity and richness in different habitats of Patlakhawa Protected Forest during mid-winter envisaged its importance from conservation point of view.</abstract>

Office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Coochbehar Division, Coochbehar-736101, West Bengal, India

School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur Univesity, Kolkata-700 032, India

Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Burdwan, Burdwan-713 104, India

Department of Zoology, Hooghly Mohsin College, Chinsurah, Hooghly-712 101, India

The Mid-Winter Assemblage And Diversity Of Bird Populations At Patlakhawa Protected Forest, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India

Preparation and submission

The Ring

The Journal of Polish Zoological Society and Bird Migration Research Foundation

 The on-line version of the journal is a primary one to the printed edition. The Ring is an international journal dealing with problems of bird ringing,...

 The on-line version of the journal is a primary one to the printed edition. The Ring is an international journal...

The Ring

The Journal of Polish Zoological Society and Bird Migration Research Foundation

Migrations and Wintering of the Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) in Poland

Crossing the sea en route to Africa: autumn migration of some Accipitriformes over two Central Mediterranean islands

Analysis of the Spatial Migration Patterns of Adult Honey Buzzards (Pernis apivorus) During Spring and Autumn in the Central Mediterranean

Composition, diversity and foraging guilds of avifauna in a suburban area of southern West Bengal, India

Evolution of the Western Palaearctic Passerine Migration Pattern Presentation Style

The Mid-Winter Assemblage And Diversity Of Bird Populations At Patlakhawa Protected Forest, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India