Recoveries by Condition for Curlew Sandpiper

Most recoveries are during autumn migration (85% Jul-Sep): mostly adults in Jul-early Aug, primarily juveniles in late Aug-Sep. Most recoveries (77%) are in C, N & SW Europe (33, 27 and 17% respectively). The percentage of recoveries of dead birds has decreased considerably from 80% pre-1961 to 4% after 1991, while recoveries of live birds has increased from 9% before 1961 to 95% after 1991 (mostly recaptures by ringers). Shooting was an important factor in the past (71% of all pre-1961 recoveries) but currently raccounts for just over 1% of all cases. The majority of distant (>=50 km) recoveries are less than 3,000 km away (some are more than 8,000 km). Most recoveries are generated by ringing sites in W Norway, SE Sweden, N Poland, SW Spain and Ukraine.

Annual Movements for Curlew Sandpiper

Post-breeding dispersal and autumn migration start as early as late Jun, adults being ahead of juveniles and males preceding females. The timing of migration is largely dependent on the Arctic breeding conditions (Barshep et al. 2012). In Europe, autumn migration is concentrated in Aug-Sep. Encounters in NW Africa are mostly Oct-Dec. Birds reach the S African wintering grounds as early as Aug (Underhill et al. 1999), but the earliest ringing encounters from W Africa are in late Sep. Some immature birds remain in the non-breeding areas during their second calendar year (Elliott et al. 1976, Van Gils et al. 2020). Return migration starts late Apr-May, birds are in the Mediterranean region (S Europe, N Africa) in May, reaching breeding sites from early Jun and make shorter stopovers at fewer sites on their northward migration (Delany et al. 2009).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Curlew Sandpiper

There are three major routes in the W Palearctic: to the White Sea, then W European coasts to W Africa; across E Europe via the Black Sea and N African coast to W Africa; and via the Black and Caspian Seas, across the Middle East to E & S Africa. Some birds perform a loop migration and the W European route is little used in spring, when birds migrate via N Africa and S Ukraine, as well as via Caspian Sea (Wilson et al. 1980, Khomenko 2006, Van Gils et al. 2020). An 'opposite direction' loop has also been suggested as birds marked in the Azov-Black Sea region in autumn are subsequently encountered in spring along the coasts of W Europe (Diadicheva & Khomenko 2006). Autumn migration is evident from early- to mid-summer, the birds stay in their African wintering sites mostly between early autumn and mid- to late spring. Spring migration lasts until early summer.

Recoveries by Condition for Leach's Storm Petrel

Recoveries are concentrated in the 2000s, during the breeding season, and concern live birds moving short to medium distances between breeding colonies. Long -distance recoveries concern dead birds.

Annual Movements for Leach's Storm Petrel

The main interesting information for the species has been obtained with geolocators deployed on Canadian Leach's Storm Petrels: low migratory connectivity and use multiple stopover areas and overwintering destinations (Pollet et al. 2019). Birds with stopover areas at higher latitudes overwintered in the North Atlantic Ocean, either in areas associated with the North Equatorial Current or in waters off Newfoundland and Labrador.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Leach's Storm Petrel

The information obtained by tracking Canadian birds might not apply to European birds, if their breeding periods differ, but Canadian birds reach their wintering region by December, after stopovers that can be in Macaronesia. In Europe, recoveries between Scotland and Norway, of live birds moving between breeding colonies, have all been obtained between July and September, when birds attend burrows. The recoveries of Canadian birds in Europe are from October and January.

Recoveries by Condition for Arctic Skua

Ringing effort has significantly increased since 1991 and number of encounters doubled after 2014. Most recoveries are reported from N and NW Europe, especially from the Faroe Islands, Shetland and Finland where colour ring projects are ongoing. Encounters are most likely between May-Sep. The recovery conditions are about 60% alive, 30% dead and 5% shot. The number of shot birds had decreased greatly since 1991. The distribution of dead birds is equal across the range. The age groups are also equally distributed between different regions.

Annual Movements for Arctic Skua

Encounters are restricted to NW and N Europe, specifically the Faroe Islands, Shetland and Finland and the wintering grounds in Africa and S America. From Nov to Apr most recoveries are in the wintering range: across all Africa except for the central regions and S America. By May, most birds have reached their breeding grounds. In Jun-Aug concentrations are in N and NW Europe with encounters in Greenland and Iceland. Distributions remain stable along the coasts until end Aug with some birds already on their way to wintering grounds, reaching their destination within a month. In Sep a few local, short-distance movements are seen in N and NW Europe and some of these observations remain until late autumn, early winter (McInerny & Griffin 2007).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Arctic Skua

. Both in NW and N Europe, most connections are seen in Jun-Aug. Many of these, especially in Aug, are local movements, possibly indicating local dispersal. Birds from NW also connect to Denmark and the Baltic in the summer months.. Birds in NW and N in Jun-Jul connect to wintering areas in S America during Sep-Nov and Feb-Jun, (N)W Africa in Sep-Feb (Aug-Apr), and S Africa mainly in Nov-Feb. Tracking indicates that Arctic skuas winter over the entire Atlantic, but also the Mediterranean and Arabian Sea (van Bemmelen 2019). Latter possibly indicated by recoveries in Lebanon in Oct and Jan. Connections in Sep-Nov in NW and N mainly local.

Recoveries by Condition for Great Snipe

Most recoveries are after 2000, since the development of ringing on leks, so there are many data from May and Jun, and in the N. Most recoveries are of dead birds in countries where Common Snipe are shot, while live recoveries are scarce and largely from N countries. Most recoveries are of adult birds, as most ringing effort is dedicated to breeders on lekking grounds. Most birds ringed are adult males, hence recoveries document the migration strategy of this age and sex. Recent data are mostly of recaptured birds (~88%), while dead recoveries are now fairly rare (~11%).

Annual Movements for Great Snipe

Data from geolocator studies indicate that in autumn (end Aug) Great Snipes perform long and fast non-stop flights (4,300–6,800 km in 48–96 hrs) over deserts and seas as well as wide areas of suitable habitat.  A strategy that was previously unknown among land birds (Klaassen et al. 2011, Lindström et al. 2021) and explains the rarity of  recoveries and the low reliability of those obtained in Europe in helping to understand migration strategy.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Great Snipe

The phenology of migration is unclear as there are few recoveries in Africa and recoveries along the flyways in Europe are mainly of hunted birds, which are not always obtained during active migration - e.g. late migrants or rare winterers face a higher probability of being recovered than migrants leaving Europe.

Recoveries by Condition for Jack Snipe

Before 1991 most recoveries were of birds found dead, although there are few data in this period compared to the larger samples dominated by live recoveries associated with an increasing effort in ringing the species since 1996. As a gamebird, most dead recoveries are of hunted birds, which are  concentrated in France, Ireland, Denmark, as well as Italy, Iberia and Morocco.

Annual Movements for Jack Snipe

In the British Isles, birds arrive on the wintering grounds mid-Sep to early October, with departures in the second half of Apr (Cooney 2017). In S Sweden, the peak of migration is in the first dekad of Oct, with juveniles passing through a few days earlier than adults (Bergner et al. 2021). Birds wintering in SW Europe migrate NE, while those wintering in SC Europe move N-S.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Jack Snipe

The ringing effort is concentrated in the SW half of Europe, on stopover and wintering sites, and most recoveries are in the same region, providing information on movements there during the non-breeding season (Sep to Apr). There are very few recoveries on breeding grounds, mainly in May, one in Jul. There is active migration in S Scandinavia and tto the S in Sep-Oct and Mar-Apr.

Recoveries by Condition for Eurasian Scops Owl

Protected species in Europe. Majority of encounters recorded in SW & SC Europe (ca. 94%). Most encounters (ca. 75%) obtained during spring migration and breeding season (Apr-Jul). Just couple of encounters prior to 1960. The ratio of recoveries based on dead vs alive birds changed from 37:60% for the period 1961-1990 to 10:89% after 1991. Most of the distant recoveries of birds as a result of shooting come from Italy and NW Africa. The “alive” recoveries after 1991 come exclusively from ringing (ca. 87%).

The bulk of encounters obtained after 2008.

Long-distance ring recoveries from African winter quarters S of Sahara and distant recoveries (>=50 km) from SE Europe apparently lacking.

Annual Movements for Eurasian Scops Owl

Spring migration in the W Mediterranean region has been recorded to last about three months, starting in early Mar, with expressed peak in mid-Apr (Barriocanal et al. 2021). Some encounters of birds during spring migration towards SW Europe exist in Morocco and Algeria from Mar-Apr. Return to the breeding grounds takes place in Mar-Apr (or even mid-May in the northernmost part of breeding range in Asia (Gavrilov et al. 1993). Post-breeding movements and start of autumn migration are visible from Aug, by the end of Oct most breeding grounds are already left. Some birds are encountered wintering (Nov-Feb) in the extreme S Europe (primarily Italy and Spain).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Eurasian Scops Owl

Recent study based on ringing showed that in the W Mediterranean region most birds during spring migration move directly across the sea, choosing the shorter, more direct and faster route (Barriocanal et al. 2021). Ringing data from SW & SC Europe suggest start of migration in early spring, which continues to the end of season. Some birds are encountered on their way to SW Europe in early to mid-spring in NW Africa. Breeding sites are reached early- to mid-spring and breeding takes place until mid- to late summer. The first signs of autumn migration are in late summer. Migratory movements continue until mid-autumn, from late autumn onwards primarily wintering birds are encountered in the southernmost parts of Mediterranean Europe.

Recoveries by Condition for Black-winged Stilt

Most encounters are obtained after the early 1990s. They are obtained mainly during the breeding season, peaking in Jun-Jul (56% in total). Majority of encounters are recorded in SC, SW & W Europe (48, 39 and 9% respectively). There are almost no recoveries before 1960. The encounters based on dead birds decreased from 35% in 1961-1990 to 4% after 1991; those based on alive birds markedly increased over time – from 61% in 1961-1990 to 95% after 1991. The latter is mostly due to ringing recoveries, and especially to colour ring resightings. Shooting was an important factor in the past (35% of all recoveries between 1961 and 1990); it is currently responsible for less than 1% of all cases.

Ringing recovery data from SE & E Europe are almost lacking.

Annual Movements for Black-winged Stilt

Post-breeding dispersal and autumn migration in W European birds start in Aug, with encounters in France and Spain until Oct; records from the wintering sites further S exist from Morocco (Jan) and W Africa (Senegal, Dec & Feb). Birds from the SW breeding population are encountered in NW Africa (Morocco) as early as Sep, N Africa (Tunisia) – in Oct, and W Africa (Senegal, Mali) as early as Sep but most encounters from Nov-Feb. Some birds ringed in France and Iberian Peninsula are encountered in spring (Mar-Apr) migrating through C & E Mediterranean. C European breeders are encountered in Aug in Italy.

Spring migration of the SC European population (Italy) is also Mar-Apr, with encounters mainly from C & W Mediterranean; a possibly wintering bird from Tunisia (Jan) has also been recorded.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Black-winged Stilt

Dispersal and autumn migratory movements begin as early as late summer. Birds breeding in W & SW Europe are encountered on the continent mostly until mid-autumn, the African wintering grounds are reached from early autumn (even W Africa) but most encounters are from late autumn to late winter. Winter site-fidelity has been found in a bird marked as juvenile in France and encountered twice, in different years in Mauritania (Yésou et al. 1995). Current departure in autumn of the Hungarian breeders is much later compared to the 1980s (Pigniczki et al. 2019). Apart from C & W Mediterranean, birds breeding in Italy are encountered in S Turkey in late autumn and winter. Return migration starts in early spring and by mid-spring most breeding sites are already reached.

The species shows high dispersal potential, especially during dry springs (Figuerola 2007).

Recoveries by Condition for Common Merganser

Game species in Fennoscandia, Denmark, Iceland, and Russia. Most encounters obtained during the breeding season in late spring and early summer – ca. 65% in May-Jun. In total, the encounters based on alive birds form about 62% of all cases; however, their share fluctuates from 12% pre-1960s, about half (ca. 52%) during 1961-1990 to ca. 77% after 1991. Inversely, the share of recoveries based on dead birds largely decreased from about 74% before 1960 to ca. 21% after 1991. Shooting’s share dropped from ca. 56% of all cases pre-1960 to ca. 6% after 1991.

Drowning in fishing nets can be an important negative factor – ca. 10% pre-1960, 4.5% after 1991 (39% of all dead birds in Finland) (Saurola et al. 2013).

Most encounters obtained between 1975 and 2000, mainly in N Europe (ca. 76%).

Annual Movements for Common Merganser

The species undergoes a flightless wing-moulting period in late summer and autumn (Aug-Sep), either moving large distances to secluded moulting/staging sites (mostly males) or staying on/ close to the breeding grounds (Pearce et al. 2020). Tana River mouth and adjacent fjords in N Norway are considered the most important moulting site in Europe – biggest concentrations recorded in Sep (Wernham et al. 2002). The number of birds wintering in the Black Sea region increases from mid-Oct to mid-Dec (Scott, Rose, 1996). Birds breeding in N Europe overwinter mostly in the coastal waters of Baltic and North Seas, which are considered species’ main wintering areas in Europe. Return movements are evident from Jan to Mar and the breeding sites are occupied in Apr-May. Breeding sites in W & C Europe are usually reached back in Mar. Cases of abmigration are known (Bairlein et al. 2014).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Common Merganser

Post-breeding movements of the birds breeding in Fennoscandia and NW Russia start in late summer; they are later on encountered from mid-autumn until mid-winter or early spring (depending on the season) primarily in the region of Baltic and North Seas. Few birds move S to the Black Sea. Local breeders on the British Isles take short within-region movements for wintering; most males undertake long-distance moult migration in late summer and early autumn to N Norway where they form big concentrations joining other males originating from Fennoscandia and Russia. They are back on British waters in late autumn – early winter.

Most wintering sites are left by mid-spring. Breeding sites in W & C Europe are reached back in early spring, while those in N Europe – in mid- or late spring.

Recoveries by Condition for Arctic Redpoll

Overall, most recoveries due to ringing (96%). No data before 1960. During the 1961-1990 time period, 92% of recoveries due to ringing activities. From 1991 to present, 97% of recoveries are due to ringing.

Annual Movements for Arctic Redpoll

Movements to S Scandinavia from Aug to Oct. Outstanding recovery of an individual ringed in Sweden in Oct, then shot in N of Kazakhstan in Dec. Spring movements back to breeding quarters from Feb to Mar (Clement 2010).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Arctic Redpoll

See ‘Annual movements’.

Recoveries by Condition for Eleonora's Falcon

Most encounters are obtained after 2005. They come mainly from the species’ delayed breeding season – peaking in Sep (65%). Majority of encounters are recorded in SW, SE & E Europe – 90% (68, 18 and 4% respectively). Just two marked birds have been encountered prior to 1960, one of them shot.  The encounters based on dead birds decreased from 89% in 1961-1990 to 16% after 1991; those based on alive birds markedly increased over time – from 11% to 82% respectively. The latter is mostly due to ringing recoveries, including colour ring resightings. Shooting was responsible for 37% of all encounters in 1961-1990 but it almost disappeared as a source of recoveries after 1991 (less than 1% of all cases).

Some of the distant (>=50 km) recoveries are more than 8000km away from the ringing site.

Annual Movements for Eleonora's Falcon

Birds breeding in the Canary Is and the Mediterranean are encountered at their wintering grounds in Madagascar and adjacent regions of the Indian Ocean in Nov-Jan. The pre-migratory movements are typical for the species, with encounters in Jun-Aug away from the breeding sites, often farther inland (Spain, Morocco, Turkish Black Sea Coast).

A number of tracking studies revealed species’ migration patterns – both spatial and temporal, in detail. Departure time is rather consistent across the populations and it is usually in Oct.

The routes go through W, C or E Sahara, then the Sahel zone, and after passing through W and/ or E Africa they reach their wintering grounds in Madagascar from late Nov to early Jan (adults usually precede juveniles). Return migration starts in Apr, rarely early May (Gschweng et al. 2008, Lopez-Lopez 2021, Lopez-Lopez et al. 2009, Kassara et al. 2017, Mellone et al. 2013b).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Eleonora's Falcon

Mediterranean and Canary Is breeders are encountered wintering in Madagascar (and the region) from late autumn to mid-winter. The species shows strong winter site-fidelity in Madagascar (Kassara et al. 2017).

The species is known to perform pre-migratory inland movements, taking advantage of high densities of insects, up to hundreds of kilometres from the breeding colonies, like in Spain (Mellone et al. 2013a) and Bulgaria (Iankov & Nikolov 2015). Some of the available summer encounters (Spain, Morocco, Turkey) suggest such movements.

Movements of marked birds from the Canary Is population across the Sahel zone were strongly associated to the Inter-tropical Front position in autumn, but were more individually variable in spring (Vansteelant et al. 2021).

Distant (>=50 km) ringing encounters are generally limited in number.