New M.Sc. thesis!

This week Alberto Pastorino graduated at the University of Pavia. He made a Master thesis analysing individual differences in flight performances of Honey Buzzards migrating in southern Italy. Radar measurements were made on raptors flying singly and in flocks, and for each flock were tracked more individuals. The amazing results showed that faster speed is reached by individuals flying in flocks rather than alone and that there are significative differences among individuals of the same flock.

Strait of Messina - poachers in the '70s

An interesting video document from the '70s that shows the "adorno" festival in a small village inland of the Strait of Messina. The festival was yearly organized by hunters/poachers to celebrate the killing of the Honey Buzzards. The hawk shoother who did not shoot to any raptors in the season was named the mayor of the village and was bringed around the village for derision.

News from the Strait of Messina

Today we observed a good passage of raptors with two beautiful male pallid harriers and tens of male marsh harriers. Moreover we recorded three black storks and the first cuckoo of the season. Follow our count.

News from the Strait of Messina

In these days we observed a passage of hundreds of Marsh harriers together with many other species such as Booted eagles, Black kites, Sparrowhawks, Kestrels and Lesser kestrels, Montagu's and Pallid harriers, Ospreys. As usual in March, most of the Marsh harriers observed were males and they migrated in small flocks or singly.

Raptor migration in NW Turkey: New paper out now!

After some years from the fieldwork I'm really happy to announce that has been published our paper relying on raptor migration in North West Turkey on Ardeola. It was a project totally carried out by MEDRAPTORS and aimed to provide data on the behaviour of migrating raptors in relation to weather conditions. Despite several different raptor counts performed at the Bosphorous there wasn't any published information showing how wind and other weather parameters interact with raptor migration. Moreover no available data from the Dardanelles were available. Therefore our paper fills a gap providing new important results that clearly show species-specific differences among raptors migrating across the straits of Turkey.

To download the paper, click on the link below.

• Panuccio M., Duchi A., Lucia G. & Agostini N. 2017. Species-specific behaviour of raptors migrating across the Turkis straits in relation to weather and geography. Ardeola 64(2): 305-324.

Raptor Migration Camp - Spring 2017

14 March - 25 May

For the fourth consecutive season we are starting a new fieldwork season at the Strait of Messina using visual observations and radar monitoring. If you are interested in participating as volunteer (food and accomodation will be provided) contact us: medraptors@raptormigration.org.

New paper out now

A new paper has been published on Acrocephalus. The paper relies on the migration of Lesser Kestrels in the Balkan area. This analysis shows that this species migrates on a broader front during spring than in autumn while philopatry rates are higher for adults, while juvenile birds disperse more often and at longer distances, up to 974 km away. This research was made by a team of Greek ornithologist with a contribution from MEDRAPTORS activities.

To download the paper click on the link below.

• Bounas A., Panuccio M., Evangelidis A., Sotiropoulos K. & Barboutis C. 2017. The migration of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in Eastern Europe - a ringing recovery and direct observation approach. Acrocephalus 37: 49-56.