News from the Strait of Messina

At the Strait of Messina relevant numbers of Marsh Harriers are still moving toward North. Yesterday dozens of individuals have crossed the Strait together with Lesser Kestrels, Pallid Harriers and few individuals of some other species such as the Booted Eagle and the Hen Harrier.

Migrating Raptor Project

After ten years of the "Migrating Raptor Project" led by LIPU (BirdLife Italy), on which we collaborated during the fieldwork, now there are substantial news. First we are analyzing the data collected during the past years in relation to dominant wind patterns with the collaboration of Jost Von Hardenberg from the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of Tourin (CNR). Moreover a new fieldwork has been started with two main aims: the first is to collect systematic data on the early phase of migration over the central Mediterranean using three different areas: the Strait of Messina and the islands of Panarea and Ustica. The second project aims to investigate for the first time the migration at the Strait of Messina using simultaneusly two watchpoints along the ridge of the Peloritani mountains. Observations started on the 10th of March and up to now more than two thousand Marsh Harriers together with hundreds of Black Kites and other raptors have been observed. We are enthusiastic with this new projects as well to reinforce our collaboration with LIPU (BirdLife Italy).

The migration has started

As usual the first species showing mass movements through Italy in spring is the Common Buzzard. In these days the passage of hundreds of buzzards is reported in many sites of the Italian peninsula in particolar in Northern Italy along the alpine valleys.

Untimely Honey Buzzard

Three days ago, the 20th February, a single Honey Buzzard (an adult female) was observed migrating along the south-eastern coast of Sicily close to the town of Siracusa. For Giuseppe Lucia, who is in Sicily studying birds on agricultural fields, it was unbelievable to see an Honey Buzzard moving toward north so early...

New paper on raptor migration in Greece out now!

The results of a research on raptor migration in northeastern Greece has been published on the Journal of Natural History. Data were collected in one of the most important sites for raptors of Southern Europe: Dadia National Park close to the border with Turkey along the valley of Evros river. Lots of research has been carried on there already on the local community of birds of prey, but this is the first migration paper. It reports interesting information on numbers and proportions of species, on species migration phenology, on local migration hotspots and on the movements of birds of prey through this area discussing the results also in relation to Medraptors research. What is peculiar is that the paper deals with spring migration, which is not well covered in litearture compared with the  research about  autumn migration. To read it click on the link below.

• Schindler S., Poirazidis K., Ruiz C., Scandolara C., Cárcamo B., Eastham C. & Catsadorakis G. 2014. At the crossroads from Asia to Europe: spring migration of raptors and black storks in Dadia National Park (Greece). Journal of Natural History dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2013.836760.

Proceedings of the XIV Italian Congress of Ornithology

The proceedings of the XIV Italian Congress of Ornithology are now available on the "Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia". Among them there are two contributions by Medraptors and you can download them (in Italian, with English abstract) at the following links:

• Panuccio M., Agostini N., Mellone U., Lucia G., Booth J.A., Wilson S., Chiatante G. & Todisco S. 2012. Le Serre Catanzaresi: Important Bird Area (IBA) per la migrazione autunnale dei rapaci. In: Benussi E. & Perco F. (eds). Atti del XIV Convegno Italiano di Ornitologia. Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia 82: 239-241.

• Mellone U., Agostini N., Panuccio M. & Gustin M. 2012. La migrazione primaverile dei rapaci Accipitriformi attraverso le isole Eolie: primi dati. In: Benussi E. & Perco F. (eds). Atti del XIV Convegno Italiano di Ornitologia. Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia 82: 235-237.

Bonelli's Eagle: surveillance camps in Sicily

Also this year we invite all of you to support and participate at the surveillance camps in Sicily organized by the Network for the Conservation of Sicilian Raptors (Coordinamento Tutela Rapaci Sicilia). In 2013 it was possible to verify the fledglings of 28 young Bonelli's Eagles and thanks to the monitoring activity, the forest police have found one of the two chicks (the other one has died) that had been stolen in a nest. That young eagle was given back to the wild. Unfortunately there is the risk that other chicks could be stolen in the upcoming spring. For this reason we need the help of all of you. If you would like to partecipate at the surveillance camps write to us: medraptors@raptormigration.org