Page 78 - Panuccio2012
P. 78
Short paper
Sporadic observations in recent years had on 11th September 2008) and Black Kite
suggested that its location, along the central- (max. 47 on 28th August 2007) were the most
eastern Mediterranean flyway, makes it numerous species overall.
attractive to migrant birds (Kominos unpub-
lished data). Systematic counts were made Discussion
during both spring and autumn, from a Our results confirm that a small but signifi-
single observation point. In spring, counts cant passage of raptors occurs along the
were made from 25th April to 15th May 2007 Peloponnese–Crete flyway during spring and
and from 16th April to 14th May 2008 (a autumn.
total of 410 hours of observation). In
autumn, counts were made from 24th August As expected, few of the broad-winged
to 20th September 2007, 21st August to 20th raptors that use thermals to assist their
September 2008 and 4th September to 20th migration were recorded on Antikythira,
October 2009 (925 hours in total). even though important populations of
several species breed in Greece: Levant Spar-
Other surveys of raptor migration, rowhawk A. brevipes (1,000–2,000 pairs),
including those cited above, show that birds Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus (300–500
using islands as a stopover site are a source of pairs), Long-legged Buzzard B. rufinus
potential bias, so birds seen hunting or in (200–300 pairs), Egyptian Vulture Neophron
‘reverse migration’ were subtracted from our percnopterus (100–150 pairs), Lesser Spotted
counts. We also attempted to distinguish Eagle Aquila pomarina (67–90 pairs) and
adults and juveniles and, where possible, Booted Eagle A. pennata (50–100 pairs)
(adult) males and females. For Marsh Har- (these and other population estimates from
riers, the number of adult females and juven- BirdLife International 2004). Of these, only
iles was estimated by allocating unidentified Booted Eagle was observed on migration in
female/immatures between the two age anything more than a tiny fraction of the
groups according to their proportion among numbers breeding in Greece. For most of
identified birds (Kjellén 1992; Agostini & these species, the few records from
Logozzo 2000). Antikythira may be of short-distance
migrants (birds breeding on the Greek
Results mainland and wintering in Crete) and/or
Spring inexperienced juveniles moving south using
In spring, migrating raptors typically their innate compass.
approached from the southeast, presumably
via Crete, and disappeared towards Kythira to In contrast, good numbers of Common
the northwest. A total of 385 migrant raptors Buzzards were counted on migration (table
was recorded in spring 2007 and 412 in 2008 1) in relation to the resident breeding popu-
(table 1). Fifteen raptor species were logged, lation in Greece (3,000–5,000 pairs). These
of which Common Buzzard Buteo buteo migrants, however, may not originate
(max. 129 on 24th April 2008), Honey- primarily from Greece: movements of this
buzzard (max. 32 on 5th May 2007) and species have been seen over mainland Greece
Marsh Harrier were the most numerous. in both spring and autumn and, of 20 ringed
Adult Honey-buzzards markedly outnum- birds recovered in Greece, 14 were ringed in
bered juveniles, while the reverse was true for Finland (Handrinos & Akriotis 1997).
Common Buzzards (table 1).
The small number of falcons and Ospreys
Autumn Pandion haliaetus recorded on Antikythira
In autumn, raptors arrived from the north- probably reflects the fact that they are less
west and departed to the southeast and a attracted to islands during sea crossings,
total of 1,494 was counted in 2007, 1,789 in being equipped to migrate using powered
2008 and 823 in 2009 (table 1). Seventeen flight and thus across a broad front (Ker-
species were recorded in 2007, 15 in 2008, linger 1989).
and 22 in 2009; Honey-buzzard (max. 387 on
24th August 2008), Marsh Harrier (max. 63 Recent studies in the central Mediter-
ranean have shown evidence of age-
dependent migration behaviour in
Short-toed Eagles. Breeding birds from
British Birds 104 • May 2011 • 266–270 78 267
