Page 6 - Corso_Cardelli _2004

Migration of Pallid Harrier across the central Mediterranean

compare the results for 1997-98 with those for Pizzari 1998). Of these, 44 (61%) were females,
1999-2000 (fig. 6); these clearly show that adult 3 (4%) were males and 25 (35%) were 2CY
males were migrating later in the latter two-year birds; all males were seen in March, 63% of
period than in the former, although the pattern females were seen in April and 37% in May,
for females and 2CYs is less clear-cut. A similar while 96% of 2CY birds passed through in May
delay in migration in 1999-2000 was noted in (Gustin & Pizzari 1998). Some 20-40 individ-
several other raptor species (Cardelli & Corso in uals have been counted annually between
prep.). March and May in recent years, with 40 in
spring 2001 (Mellone, Premuda, Gustin &
Migration elsewhere in the central Catoni pers. comm.). This site is the eastern-
Mediterranean most point on the Italian coast, and may be
In Sicily, away from the Strait of Messina, Pallid used as a ‘springboard’ by raptors crossing the
Harrier is a scarce but regular migrant, most sea to the east (fig. 7). We presume that many of
often recorded in the east of the island and the Pallid Harriers crossing the Strait of
along the south coast. In fact, on the island of Messina pass through this area en route to
Marettimo, off the west coast of Sicily, none was eastern Europe and Russia or Turkey. Mt
observed during a survey in spring 1998 (Agos- Gargano, in northern Puglia, may also act as a
tini & Logozzo 1998), although one or two have springboard (there have been only occasional
been recorded here during casual observations observations here), while a third site is Mt
in other years (Panuccio et al. in prep.). On the Conero (near Ancona, Marche region) in
island of Ustica, off northern Sicily, 44 were central Italy (fig. 7). Counts here are typically
counted between 22nd March and 20th May much lower than at Capo d’Otranto, and prob-
2002 (Agostini pers. comm.). In general, Pallid ably only a small percentage of the harriers
Harriers migrate on a broad front through migrating through Messina reach as far north as
Sicily between March and May, so that sightings Mt Conero. Around 10-15 birds are estimated
away from our standard observation sites for to use this flyway each spring (although a
the Messina survey are not infrequent. In par- record count, of 33 individuals, was made in
ticular, at Forza d’Agrò, to the south of the 2002; Borioni pers. comm.), most of which are
Strait, over 45 Pallid Harriers (some males, but adult males. This may mean that females/2CY
mostly 2CY birds) were observed on 20th April birds have not been identified on migration,
1998 (D. & I. van den Velde pers. comm.), and and that true passage is greater than suspected;
these were not recorded by the Messina survey. or that the males are heading for northernmost
Away from regular count sites, 2001 was again a breeding grounds, to which few immatures
record year. travel. Farther north, Pallid Harrier is an irreg-
Few Pallid Harriers migrate through Sicily in ular migrant, and in most of northern Italy it is
autumn. There is no organised survey at the a vagrant. In autumn, the situation is similar to
Strait of Messina, but casual observations reveal that in the south, with very few records each
up to five individuals per year between late year.
August and late September, most (c. 90%) of Migrant Pallid Harriers passing Cap Bon, in
these being juveniles (Cardelli unpublished northeast Tunisia, are surely the same as those
data). None was counted at Marettimo Island in using the Strait of Messina flyway (fig. 7). There
autumn in 1997-2000 (Agostini et al. 2000; are no regular surveys here, but (for example)
Agostini pers. comm.). At various sites in Sira- 17 were counted between 26th March and 14th
cusa (southeast Sicily), typically up to five indi- April 1974 (Thiollay 1975), 15 in roughly the
viduals are seen each autumn, again same period in 1985 (Gultier unpublished data)
predominantly juveniles (Corso pers. obs.), and and five on 25th March 1987 (Azafzaf unpub-
occasionally one or two overwinter (Corso & lished data). During a three-year spring survey
Iapichino 1998). at Cap Bon, four were counted in 1990, seven in
In central-southern Italy, Pallid Harrier is 1991 and five in 1992 (Kisling et al. 1994), the
also a regular migrant, though much less abun- timing of which fit well with Messina records in
dant than at the Strait of Messina. The highest the same years. At El Haouaria, on the north
counts are from Capo d’Otranto, in southeast side of Cap Bon, 189 Pallid Harriers were
Puglia (fig. 7), where 72 were counted between ringed between 1953 and 1966, of which seven
10th March and 19th May 1989 (Gustin & were subsequently recovered in Italy, and 12 in

British Birds 97 • May 2004 • 238-246 243