The aim of this study is the monitoring of the Short-toed Eagle population breeding in the Italian Peninsula, through visual
counts performed at the Apuane Alps raptor migration watch-site. The “circuitous migration” performed by the species makes it possible to know the source and destination of the migrating eagles. Total migration counts were collected at the site over a six-year period 2008-2013 in March (max 1845, average 1472) and September (max 1934, average 1459). The total spring and autumn counts are compared to validate the reliability of the observations. Data about Short-toed Eagle population trends are analyzed over a ten-year spring sample period 2004-2013, showing the median date (average on 16 March and 21 September) and the peak passage (on 14 March and 21 September). Two samples of 12-day peak periods in spring and autumn over nine years (2005-2013) are compared to validate the trends and the reliability of the counts. Trends of the mean hourly rate over a nine-year period (2005-2013) in spring and autumn are also analysed. Our results allow us to estimate the population size of Short-toed Eagles breeding in Central-Southern Italy (514-872 pairs) and to provide an updated estimate of the entire Italian population (626-1025 pairs). Our data show that Short-toed Eagle population trends have been positive over the last ten years (+102.5%, +10.25% yearly average) and we recommend that the population trend status of the species in Italy be upgraded to “Increasing”.
This review discusses a hypothesis about the root causes of the increasing trend of the Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus
population in Italy, such as: the high productivity rate of the Italian population, the withdrawal of farming and the agricultural landscapes exploited as hunting areas for the species, the increasing maturity of woods exploited as new nesting sites, and the immigration from other areas due to the expansion of the species. In addition, this paper provides an evaluation of the potential population increase yearly rate (PPIYR = 9.5%) in Italy.
During 2014 spring we studied the breeding bird community of ‘Montagne della Duchessa’ Regional Nature Reserve (Latium,
Italy). In the study area (5870 ha; altitude range: 800-2239 m a.s.l.) we performed 127 point counts (10 min long) among four macro-habitat types (arable crop, oak wood, beech wood, bushes and alpine meadow) distributed proportionally to their respective area. We found 88 breeding species (79 detected during point counts). Most abundant species were: Erithacus rubecula, Sylvia atricapilla and Corvus cornix. Most widespread species were Erithacus rubecula, Fringilla coelebs, Sylvia atricapilla, Turdus merula, Phylloscopus collybita and Cyanistes caeruleus. In arable crops we detected a total of 54 species (Passer italiae, Sturnus vulgaris, Corvus cornix and Passer montanus the most abundant); in oak woods 34 species (Erithacus rubecula, Turdus merula, Cyanistes caeruleus, Sylvia atricapilla, Parus major, Phylloscopus collybita, Poecile palustris and Fringilla coelebs the most abundant); in beech woods 37 species (Erithacus rubecula, Fringilla coelebs, Sylvia atricapilla, Poecile palustris, Cyanistes caeruleus, Sitta europaea and Phylloscopus collybita the most abundant); in bushes and alpine meadows 33 species (Oenanthe oenanthe, Anthus spinoletta, Alauda arvensis, Carduelis cannabina and Anthus campestris the most abundant). In bushes and alpine meadows Richness, Abundance and Diversity were lowest. The collected data showed the important role of this Protected Area for some species of conservation concern.
Few studies on parental care in monomorphic seabirds are available, whether or not differences between sexes are reported.
We studied the Mediterranean subspecies of Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis from 2007 through 2012 to determine the nature of parental care for each sex and to evaluate the birds’ breeding behaviour. We found that parents’ investment is equally divided during incubation and first days after hatching. When chicks grow older females invest more time in taking care of their offspring. The variability in parents effort observed in the five years lead us to conclude that parental care changes from year to year is an adaptation to variability in environmental conditions and food availability balancing long lived species vulnerability.
