News from the Strait of Messina

Yesterday  was the first day of observations at the Strait of Messina. However since Monday we were there preparing the fieldwork and the watchsite. Snow, cold and the usual technical troubles did not stop us to start in time to observe the first Marsh Harriers and Eurasian Sparrowhawk crossing the Strait. Here below some pictures of these days.

The spring migration has started!

March arrived and together with it also the migration season has started. The first individuals of Marsh Harriers were observed crossing the Channel of Sicily.

Next week we are going to start the new monitoring season at the Strait of Messina waiting for a massive migration of birds!

If you would like to participate to our count write us an email  (food and accomodation are provided by the project).

News from the Strait of Gibraltar

Our friend Juan Ramirez has observed yesterday the first heavy passage of the season of Short-toed Snake Eagles at the Strait of Gibraltar together with 25 Egyptian Vultures, hundreds of White and Black Storks and other raptor species. Here below the Strait of Gibraltar from Punta Carnero yesterday.

Ornithological meeting - L'Aquila April 2016

Call for volunteers Strait of Messina

This is the third year of activity of our network at the Strait of Messina and now we are working in the view of establishing an ornithological station. 

The next season of fieldwork will start on the 15th of March until the end of May. We are monitoring the effect of a new powerline on the migration of birds as well as collecting data on birds movents and migratory behaviour of raptors with a radar station and from two different watchpoints. It could be the chance to observe good numbers of raptors (Honey Buzzards, Black Kites, Marsh Harriers, Montagu's Harriers, Pallid Harriers, Lesser Kestrels) moving in the area and also to meet friends and colleagues. Up to 20.000 raptors were counted from a single watchpoint last year. If you would like to join us as a volunteer you are welcome and we will provide food and accomodation. 

Write us an email for further information.

Ornis Italica - Medraptors

Happy new year!

Radar and raptor migration: a new paper out now!

The first paper of our radar team has been published on Journal of Ethology. This research shows that migrating Honey Buzzards modulate the compensation of wind drift at different times of the day, showing a highly plastic behavior during migration. Data were collected at the Strait of Messina in southern Italy during spring 2014 with a radar equipment allowing to track flocks of migrating raptors.

Click on the figure below to download it: