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Circannual variation movements of Black Kite
they tend to follow the Italian Peninsula, avoiding were observed (Bijlsma 1983, Welch and Welch
to cross the Tyrrhenian sea (Panuccio et al. 2005). 1988); however 610 individuals were recorded
At watchsites located along the mountain chains during one day count on a mountainous site of
inland of southern continental Italy (Serre and Yemen, located about 100 km NE to the Strait
Aspromonte mountains) hundreds of Black of Bab-el-Mandeb (Zalles and Bildstein 2000).
Kites were observed with a daily peak in the late Information concerning migration of Black Kites
afternoon-evening when many birds, apparently entering Africa from Asia are incomplete and
coming from the coastal area, were seen roosting further research should verify if Black Kites use a
(Panuccio et al. 2005, 2007). Once reached eastern broad or a narrower migrating front through the
Sicily, Black Kites concentrate on the western side Red Sea. In east Africa birds moving from Bab-
of the island crossing the Mediterranean Sea via el-Mandeb Strait continue inland following the
the Channel of Sicily and flying over the islands Rift Valley perhaps until Burundi (Fig. 2); at Lake
of Pantelleria and Marettimo; in doing so they Langano (Ethiopia) the passage of about 1000
form huge flocks (Fig.1; Max. 3600 counted over Black Kite moving south-west has been reported
Marettimo between 24 August and 14 September (Zalles and Bildstein 2000).
1998; max. 1100 seen together; Agostini et al. Feeding behaviour
2000, 2004). In September few kites, mostly At the end of their breeding season kites belonging
juveniles, are recorded (Agostini et al. 2000); since to the same colony tend to aggregate in roosts and
in Central Italy some juveniles are not yet fledged they often leave breeding sites together; moreover
in August (Panuccio and Canale 2003), it has their flocks grow during migration when they meet
been suggested that migrating flocks of juveniles other migrants along the way or at stopover sites
Black Kites reported in September at the islands of like rubbish dumps or firing fields (Blanco 1994,
Marettimo and Pantelleria, are probably juveniles 1997, Panuccio and Canale 2003, Panuccio et
belonging to these later breeding pairs (Agostini al. 2005, Panuccio 2005a). For this reason large
et al. 2000, Panuccio and Canale 2003). Unlike concentrations of Black Kites were reported in
southern Italy, in north-western Italy few hundreds August in different areas of Italy: more than 1
Black Kites are observed migrating through the 000 at the rubbish dump of Turin (Northwestern
Marittime Alps en route to the Strait of Gibraltar Italy), 135 in a rubbish dump of Latium (central
(Toffoli and Bellone 1996, Giraudo and Toffoli Italy), hundreds in western Sicily around the fields
2003). on fire (Panuccio et al. 2005, Panuccio 2005a).
Along the eastern corridor, movements of Black In addition, when kites are moving southwards
Kites are reported at the Bosphorus (maximum along the Italian peninsula they are expected to
of 2707 individuals were counted in 1971). fly mostly onto flat areas close to the Tyrrhenian
At this site the passage starts in mid-August coast where they found suitable areas for feeding
and lasts until October (Kirwan et al. 2008). (Panuccio et al. 2005). Conversely, at the Strait of
More East, individuals belonging to the Russian Gibraltar the Black Kites that are forced to stop
population are, at least partially, funnelled along their migration due to bad weather apparently do
the eastern coast of the Black Sea: at Batumi not take advantage of these periods to feed (Bernis
recent observations estimated the passage of about 1980 quoted in Finlayson 1992).
100000 Black Kites mostly during the second and Water-crossing behaviour
third decades of September (median date: 19/9; During autumn, Black Kites migrate along narrow
Verhelst et al. 2011). In Israel the main passage is corridors to reduce the amount of time flying
recorded during the first half of September with a over water. Migration outside of the main bottle-
yearly average of 676 at Kfar Qassem (1982-1987) necks is virtually absent: at the islands of Cabrera,
and 1574 in the Northern Valleys (1988-1998; Malta and Cyprus only few migrating individuals
Shirihai et al. 2000). At the Channel of Suez and
at Bab- el-Mandeb only 579 and 106 individuals
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