Page 3 - Agostini_alii_1997

84 Short Communications Vol. 31 , No. 1

J Raptor Res. 31(1):84—86
© 1997 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.

Migration of Flocks of Honey Buzzards in
Southern Italy and Malta

Nicolantonio Agostini
Via Carlo Alberto n.4, 89046 Marina di Gioiosa Jonica (RC Italy
'),
Daniela Logozzo

Via A. Oramsci n.26, 89046 Marina di Gioiosa Jonica (RC), Italy

Charles Colero

Birdlife Malta (MOS), P.0. Box 498 Valletta, CMR 01 Malta

Key WORDS: Honey Buzzards; Pernis apivorus; migration; peak numbers of buzzards are observed between the end
flocking behavior, orientation; navigation. of August and the beginning of September.
Adult Honey Buzzards migrate using this route and
Honey Buzzards (Pernis apivorus) frequently migrate in probably use the same route in spring, crossing the cen-
flocks that become concentrated in narrow coastal areas tral Mediterranean between Sicily and Tunisia (Agostini
(Cramp and Simmons 1980, Kerlinger 1989). During mi- et al. 1994a, Agostini and Logozzo 1995b). This assump-
gration over the central Mediterranean, they use mainly tion is supported by observations on the island of Mar-
two routes. One route is from Sicily to Tunisia and the ettimo (western Sicily), where large flocks of buzzards are
second route goes across a larger stretch of sea via the seen between the end of August and the beginning of
islands of Malta (Moreau 1953, Beaman and Galea 1974, September (Zangirolami pers. comm.). Unlike adults,
Brown et al. 1982, Agostini et al. 1994b). In autumn, a young buzzards appear to concentrate on the island of
major concentration of buzzards occurs in the Calabrian Malta (Agostini and Logozzo 1995b) after the second
Apennines (southern Italy), where the distance between week of September (Beaman and Galea 1974) This study
.
the Tyrrhenian and Jonian coasts is narrowest (Agostini was undertaken to determine if flocks of immature buz-
and Logozzo 1995a, 1995b). As at the Strait of Gibraltar zards on Malta result because young birds stopover on
and the Bosphorus Porter and Willis 1968, Bernis 1973), the island during periods of bad weather or if they con-

Figure 1. Seasonal occurrence of migrating Honey Buzzards in the Calabrian Apennines in summer and autumn
of 1995.