Migratory Routes and Wintering Behavior of NW-European Montagu's Harriers Revealed by Satellite Telemetry

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[edit] Author(s)

  • Trierweiler, C.
  • Koks, B.
  • Bairlein, F.
  • Exo, K. M.
  • Komdeur, J.
  • Dijkstra, C.

[edit] Journal

Journal of Ornithology 147.5 (2006): 265-65.

[edit] Keywords

connectivity migration and food supply

[edit] Meeting Abstract

Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus breeding in NW Europe are thought to migrate via Gibraltar or on a broader front to their West African winter quarters. Ring recoveries indicate that a large part of the Sahel zone might be used. As the harriers’ main food supply in the winter quarters is thought to be desert locusts, they might follow locust swarms eastward and migrate back in spring via Italy. To test these hypotheses, a satellite telemetry study was started in 2005 with a pilot on two Dutch adult female harriers. Both used different routes in autumn: one via Spain to Morocco, the other via Italy-Algeria to the Sahel zone. Both females spent several weeks migrating through known Montagu’s harrier breeding areas in Germany and France, rising questions about the possibility of fattening up in combination with prospecting for future breeding sites, which may have implications for high connectivity between European breeding populations. One of the females moved to northern Nigeria after a stay of three weeks in Niger. Her locations in both countries showed a pattern of short flights within the same area. Further data from satellite telemetry will have to show which fraction of NW-European harriers might use which flyway, and whether it is common that wintering harriers stay in the same area for longer periods. This information will be complemented with field observations of Montagu’s harriers’ distribution, habitat use, hunting behavior and diet in Niger and Burkina Faso. Conclusions will be drawn on possible threats arising in the winter quarters as well as carry-over effects for the NW European breeding population. Possible dangers might be hunters, food shortage and use of degrading habitat. Consequences for conservation strategies of this vulnerable species will be evaluated.


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