Volume 29 - N. 1
June 2005

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Volume 29 - N. 1



  1. Caratteristiche del sito di nidificazione, densità e biologia riproduttiva dell averla piccola Lanius collurio in Italia centrale

    Guerrieri G., Castaldi A.

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    34 101
  2. Sex and age ratios of marsh harriers Circus aeruginosus wintering in central-southern Italy

    Panuccio M., D'Amicis B., Canale E., Roccella A.

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    20 72

    In this study we analyse the age and sex ratios of marsh harriers wintering in central Italy and Sicily. Among adults, most individuals were females (88%), whereas males accounted for only 12% of the observations. There was no difference in the proportion of juveniles and adults. The remarkable difference in numbers of males and females seems to support the hypothesis that, at least among adults crossing the central Mediterranean, males show a stronger tendency to migrate over longer distances. Among the proposed hypotheses explaining intraspecific differences in avian migration patterns, the Bergmann’s rule, which predicts that larger individuals (i.e. females in this case) are better adapted to survive in colder climates, appears to be in agreement with our results, whereas other hypotheses based on social dominance are less supported by our data, as suggested by the similar proportion of juveniles and adults.

  3. Distribuzione e consistenza delle popolazioni nidificanti di Forapaglie Comune Acrocephalus schoenobaenus in Italia

    Brichetti P., Grattini N., Lui F.

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    36 129
  4. Autumn migration strategies of honey buzzards, black kites, marsh and Montagu’s harriers over land and over water in the Central Mediterranean

    Panuccio M., Agostini N., Mellone U.

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    24 83

    Observations on the autumn migration of honey buzzards Pernis apivorus, black kites Milvus migrans, marsh Circus aeruginosus and Montagu’s harriers Circus pygargus were made between 24 August and 10 September 2004 at the western slope of the Calabrian Apennines (Straits of Messina) and over Panarea (Lipari Islands). The aim was to compare the post-reproductive migration patterns of these raptors over land and over water along two parallel flight paths, as well as to verify the existence of a migratory movement of the black kite across the southern Tyrrhenian Sea in this period. Atotal of 7738 raptors were counted at both sites, most of which were honey buzzards (73.7%), black kites (9.1%) and marsh harriers (16.0%). Only 838 birds were seen over Panarea, most of which were marsh harriers (75.3%). No black kites were observed on Panarea. Thus, while marsh harriers migrated on a broad front, honey buzzards and black kites migrated over land and approached the Straits of Messina en route towards the Channel of Sicily, between western Sicily and Cap Bon in north Africa. This study shows no indication of a black kite migration across the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Finally, our results confirm that, unlike spring migration, few Montagu’s harriers cross the Central Mediterranean during post-reproductive movements.

  5. A new case of interspecific brood parasitism in the common moorhen Galinula chloropus 

    David A., Vass C., Coroiu I.

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    33 266
  6. Columns

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    44 106

    Popolazioni di uccelli acquatici nidificanti in Italia – Resoconto 2002
    Book Reviews
    Ornitologia italiana su riviste straniere