Happy New Year

Dear friends and colleagues,

we are entering in the new year that is also the 10th year of Medraptors life. We take this opportunity to wish you a happy 2014. With the invitation to go on working for the knowledge and the conservation of raptors and biodiversity (in spite of all the difficulties…).

Seminar of raptor migration - University of Florence

Next week, on thursday the 12th, a seminar on raptor migration will be held at the University of Florence. Michele Panuccio from Medraptors will keep a presentation about research techniques and will show some case studies of migrating birds of prey.

Here following the alert:

Abstracts from the XVII Italian Congress of Ornithology

The abstract book of the latest Italian Congress of Ornithology that it was held in Trento last September is avaliable for download at the following link:

XVII Italian Congress of Ornithology - Programme & Abstracts 

Among the different interesting contributions (almost in Italian) there are four made by Medraptors members (here following the links to download them individually):

• Panuccio M., Agostini N., Lucia P., Chiatante G. & Mellone U. 2013. Priorità di monitoraggio e conservazione per i rapaci migratori in Italia [Monitoring and conservation priorities for migrating raptors in Italy]. Proceedings of the XVII Italian Ornithological Congress: 37, Trento, September 2013.

• Santini M., Catoni C., Panuccio M., Massa B. & Dell'Omo G. 2013. L'uso del radar per lo studio del comportamento negli uccell [Radar applications to study bird behaviour]. Proceedings of the XVII Italian Ornithological Congress: 52, Trento September 2013.

• Mellone U., Limiñana R., López-López P., Lucia G., Mallia E., Romero M. & Urios V. 2013. Tra Europa e Africa: i movimenti di falco della Regina Falco eleonorae, grillaio Falco naumanni e biancone Circaetus gallicus rivelati dalla telemetria satellitare [Between Europe and Africa: movements of Eleonora's Falcon, Lesser Kestrel and Short-toed Snake Eagle as revealed by satellite telemetry]. Proceedings of the XVII Italian Ornithological Congress: 142-143, Trento, September 2013.

• Trotta M., Panuccio M. & Dell'Omo G. 2013. La dieta del gheppio Falco tinnunculus nidificante in un paesaggio agricolo dell'Italia centrale [The diet of kestrel breeding in an agricultural landscape of Central Italy]. Proceedings of the XVII Italian Ornithological Congress: 142-143, Trento, September 2013.

Anti-poaching actions in southern-Italy

This is an interesting video (unfortunately in Italian) showing anti-poaching activity at the Strait of Messina (southern continental Italy) and in Sicily. At the Strait, poachers use to shot against migrating Honey Buzzards and other raptors in particular during spring, but also in autumn. Actions against illegal hunting has been going on from the late '80s and up to now the situation is strongly improved. However there are still few hundreds of poachers shooting raptors from the gardens and roofs of the buildings of the surroundings of Reggio Calabria town.  Giovanni Malara, that is interviewed in this video, is one of the volunteers who has spent tens of years in this struggle.
On the other hand in Sicily, a project, that we support, is monitoring the breeding pairs of Bonelli's Eagles to avoid rubberies of chicks.

The video was made by Luca Verducci for "Repubblica TV".

Flock of Honey Buzzards at the island of Linosa

Last saturday our friends from Ornis Italica observed a large flock of Honey Buzzards, about 60 individuals, roosting at the island of Linosa in southern Italy. It's a bit late for the period but perhaps the bad weather conditions over the Central Mediterranean may have forced raptors to slow the migration. 

A new breeding pair of Egyptian Vulture in Southern Italy

After ten years a breeding pair of Egyptian Vultures has nested in the "Gravina of Laterza". An impressive canion valley located in Apulia, southern Italy. The chick was born in late June while he fledged in September, a bit later for this species that starts the migration in late August. This is a great piece of  news because the italian population of this species is dramatically declining and less than ten pairs are still active. 

This nest was found and monitored from our member Gianpasquale Chiatante who is carrying out a Ph.D. at the University of Pavia on the study of bird communities of the Bari Province in Apulia. Here following three amazing picuters taken by Gianpasquale with the valley of Laterza, the chick in the nest and the two adults.

XVII Italian Congress of Ornithology

Shots from the XVII Italian Congress of Ornithology
Trento 11-15 September 2013

MEDRAPTORS - XVII Italian Congress of Ornithology

In the next days the XVII Italian Congress of Ornithology will be held in Trento. On Friday Medraptors will present an oral communication with the proposal of long term monitoring of migrating raptors in Italy highlighting also some priorities of conservation in relation with the identification of new Important Bird Areas for the migration of raptors in Italy.

Moreover on Saturday Ugo Mellone will present the results of satellite tracking of three species of raptors and a poster with preliminary data of the diet of kestrels in Central Italy (here following) will be showed. Finally our colleague Mauro Santini from Ornis Italica will present an oral speech showing radar application to study bird behaviour.

Eurapmon on the special issue of Acrocephalus journal

A special number of Acrocephalus journal has been made to publish papers resulting from the Eurapmon network meeting that has been held in Mursia (Spain) in February 2012. 25 papers describe the conservation status and the research state for raptors in 25 European countries. Medraptors research activity is reported in the Italian and Greek papers.  

To dowload the papers click on the picture below.

New paper out now

A new Medraptors paper has been published on Avocetta journal. It is a paper reviewing what it is actually known about the migration of raptors in Greece. In the last ten years different research were made at three watchsite: National Park of Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli, island of Antikythira and Mount Olympus. Moreover a study realized by satellite telemetry was carries out tracking Eleonora's Falcons. All these research showed different migration strategies performed by the different species of raptors. Marsh Harriers and Eleonora's Falcons migrate on a broad front over the Aegean Sea, Honey Buzzards perform a loop-migration being funnelled over the island of Antikythira in autumn but not in spring, Short-toed Snake Eagles (and perhaps Levant Sparrowhawks and Lesser-spotted Eagles) cross the sea at the  Bosphorus performing a long detour, finally Common Buzzards and Sparrowhawks are short-distance migrants wintering almost in Southern Greece and Crete. Some comments on the Egyptian Vulture status highlight the dramatic situation of the Balkan population of this species that is rarely observed migrating at the watchsites. 

If you would like to read the paper click on the link below:

Panuccio M., Agostini N. & Barboutis C. 2013. Raptor migration in Greece: a review. Avocetta 37: 1-7.

Migration of Black Kites in southern continental Italy

In this period our friend Emanuele Guido Condello is collecting preliminary data on the autumn migration of Black Kites in Southern Continental Italy. The area is located between the Tyrrhenian coast and the Calabrian Apennines. This long week-end of mid-August occurs the peak of the migration of kites in this region and several flocks including tens of individuals are moving soutward. 

Migration of Black Kites in Central Italy

In central Italy Black Kites are leaving their breeding territories. Many of their nesting sites are already empty and there are observations of small flocks moving southward. They are going to Africa and in the next weeks they will overcome the Mediterranean Sea at the Channel of Sicily reaching Tunisia.

In the picture below our feeding point for Black Kites. We will be  waiting  them back  next spring.

Movements of Black Kites: new Medraptors paper out now!

A new Medraptors paper has been published on Ethology, Ecology and Evolution journal. The paper is a review of what it is known about the movements of Black Kites in the different seasons of the year. The article makes the point of research made during migration as well as during the breeding season and winter. Different hypotheses are discussed related to the different behaviour of these raptors in relation to different geographic areas. In particular differences discussed concern timing, flyways, the influence of population size and wintering areas. 

You can find the pdf at the following link:

• Panuccio M., Agostini N., Mellone U. & Bogliani G. 2013. Circannual variation in movement patterns of the Black Kite (Milvus migrans migrans): a review. Ethology, Ecology & Evolution dx.doi.org/10.1080/03949370.2013.812147.

Fledgling raptors

In these days chicks of many raptor species are growing fast and in the next days they'll leave their nests. In the pictures below young Kestrels in nest boxes and a nest of Black Kites photographed by Marco Trotta in the coastal area south of Rome (Central Italy).

Passage of Buteo spp. over Marettimo (Sicily)

In the field of the "Raptor Migration Project" coordinated by LIPU BirdLife, our friend Giovanni Cumbo made a whole month of observations at the wonderful island of Marettimo (Western Sicily). Among the observed raptors he counted some individuals of Buteo spp., that are scarce migrants across the Central Mediterranean area. Those birds were Common Buzzards but also Steppe Buzzards and Long-legged Buzzards. Here follow some pictures taken by Giovanni in Marettimo.

Raptor Migration Project 2013

In the last days the session of fieldwork (Raptor Migration Project) coordinated by LIPU BirdLife Italy on which we collaborate was ended. In particular also this year we made observations at the island of Ustica where it has been recorded the passage of about two thousands Honey Buzzards together with good numbers of Marsh Harriers and Montagu's Harriers.

Sicily 2013 - Raptor Conservation update

Unfortunately two 50-days old chicks of Bonelli's eagle were stolen from a nest in Sicily. This criminal act was made on the 8th of May in one of the daily monitored nest. The activity of poachers in Sicily is still intense against this rare raptors and therefore our commitment must be intense. 

However we have also a good piece of news, yesterday the first young eagle flew away from the nest  while  many others are  following in the next few days. 

New Master thesis!

Some days ago Massimo Sotto discussed his Master thesis at the University of Pavia. This thesis has been realized among the research activities of MEDRAPTORS. In particular, Massimo studied the wintering ecology of the Common Buzzard in northern Italy. Two study areas were compared, the Padana Valley and hilly and mountain territories of northern Apennines. The results of his research showed that the Common Buzzard mostly winters on flat areas and in particular on rice fields. In addition  Kestrels, Hen Harriers, Sparrowhawks and Peregrine Falcons were the other species of raptors recorded but in small numbers.  

Call for volunteers at the Strait of Gibraltar!

There is a great opportunity to partecipate at one of the most important monitoring  project of migrating raptors. The Migres Foundation is looking for volunteers:

Migres Foundation is launching its 2013 call for researchers for the monitoring of migratory birds in the Strait of Gibraltar. Migres is a scientific programme for the long-term study and monitoring of migratory birds through the Strait of Gibraltar. Since 1997, Migres Programme is based on systematic and standardised bird counting which provides comparable results year after year. Furthermore, Migres actively contributes to environmental education and social awareness of bird and habitat conservation. This programme also aims to train those people interested in bird identification, census techniques and migratory bird studies. For this reason, we open this call to all those interested in our studies on migratory birds in the Strait of Gibraltar. 

You can find more information at the Migres Foundation website www.fundacionmigres.org or ask for additional information by email at: colaboradores@fundacionmigres.org

Raptor migration update from Southern Italy

The Italian peninsula is involved in an important migration flow. Lesser kestrels, Red-footed falcons and harriers are moving through southern Italy as observed in several sites of Calabria and Apulia. In the pictures below, taken by Matteo Caldarella, some migrating falcons close the Adriatic cost of Apulia.

Kestrels are laying eggs

April is the month  when many raptors start the breeding activities. In Central Italy Kestrels are occupying nests and laying their first eggs. The pictures below were taken in nest boxes in cultivated fields close to Rome.

Approaching deadline for the Grundtvig scholarship

These are the last days to apply for the Grundtvig scholarship to participate at the training course on raptor migration research tecniques. THE DEADLINE TO SEND THE APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP IS ON APRIL THE 30.  The course will be held next autumn (30 September - 4 October) in Pachino, Sicily. There is the chance to apply for scholarships  provided from the UE (eligible: citizens of the 27 Member States of the EU with the exception of the Italian people, citizens of countries of the European Economic Area-EEA countries and of Candidate countries).  

You can find the call with information about the course and the scholarship at the following link: 

http://www.raptormigration.org/MEDRAPTORS-projects2007.htm

Presentations will range among different topics of animal movement research using different methods (visual observations, long-term monitoring programs, radar tracking, GPS, GSM, GLS) and focusing their study on different aspect of bird migration (ecology, ethology, conservation, influence of climate change). Among the speakers Alejandro Onrubia (Fundacion Migres), Giacomo Dell'Omo (Ornis Italica) and the Medraptors staff. Moreover there will be the chance to visit some Important Bird Areas of south-east Sicily. 

For further information and help in compile the application form write an email to: 

Natalia Carpanzano (legambiente.eu.projects@gmail.com).

New paper out now!

On Bird Study has been published a paper describing the migration and wintering of Booted Eagles belonging to the spanish population. This paper shows data from five eagles that were equipped with satellite transmitters.

To read the paper click on the picture below.

New migration update from the Central Mediterranean

In these days many species of raptors are moving across the Mediterranean area, among them harriers, Kestrels and Lesser Kestrels. The Marsh Harrier shows a peak of migration between the last days of March and the first ten days of April. In particular several adult males are migrating in this moment. Moreover in the Venetian lowland there is still a passage of Common Buzzards moving toward North-East as observed some days ago by our friend Aldo Tonelli.

Sicily 2013 - Raptor Conservation Update

In this moment all the monitored pairs of Bonelli's Eagle in Sicily are in the nest and some chicks were already born. Therefore the surveillance activity is intense in particular in the endangered sites. If you want to enjoy the camps write us an email.

Migration update from the Central Mediterranean

The migration across the Central Mediterranean area has greatly started. In the last week hundreds of Short-toed Snake Eagles were observed in the Ligurian Apennines. On the other hand our friends from BirdLife Malta told us that in the last days dozens of Marsh Harriers, Kestrels and Lesser Kestrels are moving through Malta toward Sicily.

Take a look to the sky maybe you can catch the sight of a migrating raptor flight.

New paper out now!

On the latest issue of Journal of Raptor Research has been published a new Medraptors paper. The migration of the Short-toed Snake Eagle is analyzed  in relation with local weather and topography. The fieldwork was carried out both in Italy (Arenzano) and Greece (Mount Olympus) during spring and autumn migration. The results suggest that temperatures had strongly influenced the number of observed individuals probably because with high temperatures in September a proportion of individuals may fly at higher altitudes and, therefore pass out of sight, in particular at midday and early afternoon. Moreover the results suggest that eagles may be able to compensate for drift effect toward the Aegean Sea.

To read the paper click on the link below:

• Panuccio M., Agostini N., Baghino L. & Bogliani G. 2013.Visible Migration of Short-Toed Snake-Eagles: Interplay of Weather and Topographical Features. Journal of Raptor Research 47(1): 60-68.

Migration of Common Buzzards in the Venetian lowland

Our friend Aldo Tonelli has communicated that in these days there is an intense migratory flow of Common Buzzards along the flat Venetian area. Tens of buzzards were observed passing over Pegolotte about ten km inland of Chioggia town (Adriatic Sea). Raptors were moving toward north east through the lowland and bypassing the hilly area located more inland (Euganei hills).

New Ph.D. dissertation!

Last week Nicolantonio Agostini discussed his Ph.D. thesis at the University of Pavia. The title of his dissertation is: "Migration strategies of raptors as revealed by direct visual observation". 

The research was the result of fieldworks made in Italy, Greece and Turkey and compared the migration behaviour of different species of raptors: the Honey buzzard, the Marsh harrier, the Short-toed Eagle, the Booted Eagle and the Lesser-spotted Eagle. 

Conference: Eagles of Palearctic - Study and Conservation

The next 20-22 September will be held in Russia the International Scientific and Practical Conference "The Eagles of Palearctic: Study and Conservation ". The aim of the Conference is to discuss the current situation, negative factors and methods of study and protection of eagles, as well as to propose a strategy of protecting the most endangered of them.

The Conference will consist of several plenary sessions with presentations on key aspects of the study and conservation of eagles in Eurasia, a poster session, workshops on current issues in the conservation of species. In particular, as part of the conference there will be a meeting on the development of national strategies for the conservation of the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) and a meeting on a problem "Birds and Power Lines". At the end of the Conference a resolution will be adopted and recommendations for further programs for the study and conservation of eagles and their populations will be developed.

During the Conference the participants will have a chance to go on organized trips to museums and memorial sites of Yelabuga, as well as visit surroundings interesting from an ornithological point of view: the territory of the "Nizhnyaya Kama" National Park, the Kama river banks, the Nizhnekamsk Reservoir etc. 

After the Conference, on September 23, the Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network (RRRCN) is holding a satellite event in the NP "Nizhnyaya Kama" – workshops on attracting birds into artificial nests and on various methods of tagging and tracking of raptors with participation of leading experts. Details will be announced.

For further information click on the logo below: 

Conservation of birds of prey in Sicily

Medraptors would like to support an important project for the protection of two rare species of Mediterranean raptors. The project is promoted by several NGO and Foundations active in southern Italy (CABS, EBN Italy, FIR, LIPU, MAN, WWF). In particular the two endangered species are: the Bonelli's Eagle and the Lanner Falcon. The main threats for these raptors in Sicily are linked to the illegal trafficking of eggs and chicks from nest. The project is developped to prevent this detrimental activity. In 2012, 75 volunteers have assisted to the fledging of 32 young eagles!

To improve the project is requested the help of everybody. If you want to partecipate or to support the conservation programme you can write us or to the coordinator of the project Giovanni La Grua (lagruagio[at]alice.it). To read more about it, click on the link below:

Raptor conservation in Sicily

On the picture a beautiful young Bonelli's Eagle born in a monitored nest in 2012.

Darwin Day

Darwin Day is an international celebration of science and humanity held on  February 12, the day when Charles Darwin was born in 1809. Specifically, it celebrates the discoveries and life of Charles Darwin, the man who first described biological evolution via natural selection with scientific rigor.
We celebrate the Darwin Day because we believe it is very important to popularize the scientific method and the basis of the evolutionary science also because of the attempts to go back at level knowledge before Darwin. Or why not, before Newton...

Common buzzard eating a toad

In the Natural Reserve of Decima Malafede (Rome) it has been observed a Common buzzard eating a toad (Bufo bufo). It was a big female toad with eggs inside her, as you can see from the pictures below. Toads are unusual preys for raptors and for other kind of predators because of the secretion of toxic substances produced by skin glands.

New papers out now!

In these first weeks 2013  two new papers have been published relying on raptor migration and wintering. 

The first one is published on Bird Study and shows, through a ringing recoveries analysis, the leap-frog migration patterns of Western Marsh Harriers. Individuals "breeding in Northern and Eastern Europe migrate farther than individuals belonging to the populations within Western and Southern Europe, with no effect of age classes in relation to the latitude of wintering." Moreover "Males show a tendency to migrate longer distances than females" and "when taking into account only birds wintering south of the Sahara desert, juveniles winter further west than adults". The latter result "could be related to the different ability of experienced individuals to compensate for the wind drift of dominant easterly winds during migration over the desert in autumn.".

The other paper compares the autumn migration of Western Marsh Harriers and juvenile European Honey Buzzards through Greece. The paper is published on Journal of Biological Research-Thessaloniki. The results of this study show two different migration strategies, the Western Marsh Harriers "migrate through parallel flyways, while juvenile European Honey Buzzards migrate island hopping being attracted by landmarks and following leading lines of land masses.". The reason of this different migratory behaviour could be related to morphological differences in the two species. "A simulation process demonstrated marked differences in the energy consumption rates between the two species, highlighting that the powered flapping flight is particularly more disadvantageous for the European Honey Buzzard rather than for the Western Marsh Harrier".

Here following the links to read the papers:

• Panuccio M., Mellone U. & Muner L. 2013. Differential wintering area selection in Eurasian Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus): a ringing recoveries analysis. Bird Study http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2012.753399.
• Panuccio M., Chiatante G. & Tarini D. 2013. Two different migration strategies in response to an ecological barrier: Western Marsh Harriers and juvenile European Honey Buzzards crossing the central-eastern Mediterranean in autumn. Journal of Biological Research-Thessaloniki 19: 10-18.

Moreover are available the abstracts of two presentations made at two recent congresses  held in Italy last autumn:

• Panuccio M., Agostini N. & Barboutis C. 2012. Raptor migration in Greece: a review. Proceedings of the II Italian Conference on raptors: 16-17, Treviso, October 2012.
• Catoni C., Santini M., Panuccio M., Massa B. & Dell’Omo G. 2012. Radar applications to study bird behaviour. Proceedings of the XXV Meeting of the Italian Society of Etology: 43, Viterbo, September 2012.

Approaching deadline for the Grundtvig scholarship

These are the last days to apply for the Grundtvig scholarship to participate at the training course on raptor migration research tecniques. THE DEADLINE TO SEND THE APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP IS ON JANUARY THE 16th. The course will be held next May in Pachino, Sicily. There is the chance to apply for scholarships  provided from the UE (eligible: citizens of the 27 Member States of the EU with the exception of the Italian people, citizens of countries of the European Economic Area-EEA countries and of Candidate countries).  You can find the call with information about the course and the scholarship at the following link: 

http://www.raptormigration.org/MEDRAPTORS-projects2007.htm

Presentations will range among different topics of animal movement research using different methods (visual observations, long-term monitoring programs, radar tracking, GPS, GSM, GLS) and focusing their study on different aspect of bird migration (ecology, ethology, conservation, influence of climate change). Among the speakers Alejandro Onrubia (Fundacion Migres), Giacomo Dell'Omo (Ornis Italica) and the Medraptors staff. Moreover there will be the chance to visit some Important Bird Areas of south-east Sicily. For further information and help in compile the application form and write an email to: Natalia Carpanzano (legambiente.eu.projects@gmail.com).