Mapping the migratory routes and wintering areas of Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni: new insights from satellite telemetry

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1474-919x.2011.01210.x
• Publication Date: 2012-01-19T11:00:56Z
• Authors: RUBEN LIMIÑANA; MARTA ROMERO; UGO MELLONE; VICENTE URIOS
• Keywords: Kestrel; Satellite Tracking; Home range

Recent improvements in satellite tracking, such as the miniaturization of transmitters, have enabled study movements an increasing number bird species. The Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni has been subject numerous studies but detailed information on its migration routes and wintering areas is still lacking. Here, we provide a description routes, timing Kestrels. Five adults fitted with transmitters southeastern Spain were tracked during autumn spring journeys their grounds. overall duration was longer than autumn, although birds also showed stopovers this season hence travelling days lower. Kestrels covered daily distances due to higher frequency nocturnal migration, rather differences flight speed, which did not differ between seasons. Wintering from same breeding colony widely spaced throughout western Sahel along borders Mauritania, Mali Senegal, approximately 2800 km sites. derived recent using geolocators underestimated compared that recorded by telemetry. Given current rapid habitat loss Sahel, better understanding migratory other populations species would be important assess influence population trends.