Page 80 - Panuccio2012

Short paper

central Italy reach African

wintering grounds via the

Strait of Gibraltar, while

juveniles head south in the

opposite direction via the

Sicilian Channel. The

interpretation here is that

inexperienced birds use

the shorter, but more

costly (in terms of the

energy needed for a sea

crossing) and/or hazard-

ous route (Agostini et

al. 2002, 2004, 2009;

Premuda 2004). Our

results from Antikythira

suggest that most broad-

winged raptors from FFiigg. .11. .TThehelolcoactiaotnion
central and southern ooffAAnntitkikytyhtihriara
Greece, both adults and (KPKP(AA======PKPAKeAyelnytolnhttopihtikproiiykaront,yanhnt,einhrsaeiur,ssau),.s).
juveniles, opt for the more
conservative route. To
avoid the long sea crossing

to Africa via Antikythira

and Crete most prefer the (longer) eastern lation of 1,000–2,000 pairs. More generally, it

flyway via the Bosporus and/or the Dard- is likely that most of the raptors recorded

anelles, where they can minimise energy migrating through Antikythira are from

expenditure by exploiting thermals. (A spring Greek breeding populations and we assume

survey at Dadia National Park, c. 80 km that the entire Greek population of Black

northwest of the Dardanelles, reported 2,030 Kites (some 5–20 pairs) uses this flyway.

raptors of 23 species in three seasons As in other studies, we found that adult

(2003–05), including 136 Short-toed Eagles, male Marsh Harriers outnumbered adult

and it was assumed that these migrants females in autumn (table 1). Although the

crossed into Europe at the Dardanelles; majority of males are thought to winter in
Schindler et al. 2009.) It is interesting to note
that Short-toed Eagles were seldom recorded Africa, many females winter in western and
on Antikythira. In autumn 2009, easily the southern Europe, including Greece (Agostini
best of the five study seasons, 28 were seen, & Panuccio 2010). This may reflect the fact
all in October; 27 were juveniles and the that the larger females are better able to
remaining bird was not aged, intimating that survive in colder latitudes in winter (Agostini
there may be age-related differences in & Logozzo 2000; Panuccio et al. 2005).

migration strategy of this species among the Acknowledgments

Greek population too, at least in some years. We thank Theodoros Kominos, Rafael Romero,
The higher overall numbers of migrants Christos Barboutis, Colin Turvey, Jakob Pohacker, Joris
Driesen and Costa Karouta for their help during
recorded on Antikythira during autumn is observations.This is contribution No. 3 from Antikythira
almost entirely due to the passage of adult Bird Observatory/Hellenic Ornithological Society.
Honey-buzzards, which peaked in late

August. These birds probably cross the References

Mediterranean between Crete and Libya (c. Agostini, N., & Logozzo, D. 2000. Migration and
300 km), then continue on to wintering sites wintering distribution of the Marsh Harrier (Circus
in central-western equatorial Africa. We aeruginosus) in southern Italy. Buteo 11: 19–24.
assume that most if not all of these Honey-
buzzards are from the Greek breeding popu- — & Panuccio, M. 2005. Analysis of the spatial
migration patterns of adult Honey Buzzards (Pernis
apivorus) during spring and autumn in the Central

British Birds 104 • May 2011 • 266–270 80 269