Recoveries by Condition for Ferruginous Duck

Before 1990, recoveries are of very scarce (roughly between 0 and 5 per year), and concern almost only dead birds. Since 2012, colour marking of wild and released individuals increased dramatically the number of recoveries, which concern 94% of live birds. This huge discrepancy between numbers and condition indicate that most information coming from ringing recoveries concern recent times and live birds.

Annual Movements for Ferruginous Duck

The first post-breeding movements are noted in July, for example from Central Europe to the SW and SE. However, most movements to southern wintering grounds are occurring in October and November, the southernmost wintering recoveries, along the Mediterranean, being obtained from December to February. The spring migration peaks in late April in Siberia, while it peaks at mid-September in autumn (Tucakov 2005).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Ferruginous Duck

Birds from Central Europe, including Germany, are present year-round in the region, though some are moving to the SW, with most recoveries e.g. in France from October to March. These movers are back on breeding grounds in April.

Recoveries by Condition for Pine Grosbeak

Overall, most recoveries (88%) are due to birds seen alive, identified by ringing activities. The proportion of dead recoveries, overall, represent 10%, and are due to birds found dead (other than shot), sick or wouinded. The recovery condition category distribution had a great change over time. Before 1960, there were no recoveries of birds seen alive. In 1961-1990 ringing recoveries already represented 77%, and from 1991 to present these recoveries reach up to 90% of the total.

Annual Movements for Pine Grosbeak

Pine Grosbeak has a sedentary or partially migratory life strategy. Depending on the year, just a few birds leave breeding ranges, while in other years whole populations may move hundreds of km (95% of recorded distances <750 km), caused by food shortage. Departure from breeding quarters late Sep-Oct, and return to breeding sites from late Feb to Mar (Clement 2010).No mapped data available from Jul to Sep.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Pine Grosbeak

See ‘Annual movements’.

Recoveries by Condition for Demoiselle Crane

Most encounters are obtained after 2000. They come mainly from Jul – ca. 42%. Most encounters in late Jun and Jul are based primarily on juveniles. The overall sample size of recoveries after 1991 is 17 – in 41% of them the metal ring was read in the field, 29% belonged to the category “bird found”, 24% - to ringing encounters and in one case (ca. 6%) a bird was found shot. Shooting is responsible for a single encounter in mid-1980s close to the Caspian Sea in S European Russia.

The sample of ringing encounters based on the European population is extremely small.

Annual Movements for Demoiselle Crane

Tracking data only are available to show the species’ long-distance movements in S-SW direction to its African wintering grounds.

Birds breeding in the Azov/ Black Sea region start their migration in late Aug. After crossing the Black Sea and Asia they fly over the E Mediterranean, Egypt and finally reach their wintering grounds in C Chad in early Sep. Spring migration starts early Mar, Nile River Delta is an important stopover on the way back (mid- to late Mar). Some birds stopover in Cyprus (mid-Mar), Asia Minor is crossed between late Mar and late Apr, and the breeding sites are reached as early as late Mar (Andryuschenko et al. (Movebank data).  

Caspian Sea Lowland breeders migrate first S, crossing the Caucasus, then continue via Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea and finally reach their wintering grounds in E Sudan (Ilyashenko et al. (Movebank data).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Demoiselle Crane

Autumn migration in the Azov/ Black Sea region population begins in late summer. The birds fly S over the Black Sea, some of them use stopovers in C Asia Minor. The birds cross the E Mediterranean and via Egypt finally reach the wintering sites in C Chad in early autumn where they stay until early spring. In spring, most birds are located in the E Mediterranean region and Asia Minor early to mid-spring. Breeding sites are occupied mostly in mid-spring (Andryuschenko et al. (Movebank data).

A secondary migratory route used by this population passes along the W coast of Black Sea (Ilyashenko 2019).

Birds breeding in the Caspian Sea Lowland take S routes over the Caucasus, passing through the E Turkey/ NW Iran region and reaching C Iraq where they turn SW. They continue via Saudi Arabia and Red Sea to their wintering sites in E Sudan (Ilyashenko et al. (Movebank data).

Recoveries by Condition for Gull-billed Tern

Unlike many other species, ringing started early in the 20th century, in late 1920s. Since then, the numbers of encounters fluctuated, the largest “wave” started after 2000. Most encounters are obtained during the breeding season, peaking in Jun-Aug (78% in total). The bulk of encounters come from SW, N & W Europe holding 34, 24 & 15% respectively. The encounters based on dead birds decreased over time: from 90% pre-1960 to 39% after 1991; those based on alive birds considerably increased from 7% before 1960 to 60% after 1991. The latter is mostly due to ringing recoveries, and especially to colour ring resightings; nowadays about 4% of the resightings come from metal ring readings in the field. Shooting as а factor has been reduced from 42% pre-1960 to ca. 1% after 1991.

Annual Movements for Gull-billed Tern

Juveniles from the small breeding population around the North Sea (Germany, Denmark) disperse mainly SW, with encounters as early as Aug in W Europe and the W Mediterranean. Autumn migration is more prominent in Sep. Encounters from W Africa exist from Nov-Feb. Most spring records (Apr-May) are from Italy. The abnormal vagrancy to Barbados has been recorded in late Sep.

Similarly, post-breeding dispersal in the Iberian Peninsula breeders starts in Aug (encounters locally or in NW Africa); wintering records exist from in W Africa (Dec-Feb) & NW Africa (Feb), and return movements in Mar (Algeria).

Birds breeding in the N Black Sea region are encountered in Aug in Romania and some of them reach Spain in early Sep (Ilichev, Zubakin, 1988). Spring migration takes place mainly in Apr.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Gull-billed Tern

Dispersal movements after the breeding season start in late summer, migratory movements being more evident in early autumn. By early or mid-autumn most North Sea region breeders have already dispersed in W Europe and W Mediterranean. Encounters from the wintering grounds in W Africa of both W & SW European breeding populations exist between late autumn and late winter. Danish birds – during their first three years, roam away from their natal colonies, mostly in S Europe (Bønløkke et al. 2006).

N Black Sea region breeders are encountered wintering in W Africa (Senegal, Mali), as well as Caucasian Black Sea Coast (Ilichev, Zubakin, 1988). In general, the species is rarely encountered in winter in S Europe. Return migration is mostly in mid-spring.

Long-distance recoveries connecting SE Europe with African wintering grounds are scarce.

Recoveries by Condition for Velvet Scoter

There is a large majority of live ring recovery, as the species is largely wintering at sea and not hunted in most countries. Shot recoveries still represent over 10% in recent time. So most information comes from live recoveries obtained during June-July in the North, and before 2000.

Annual Movements for Velvet Scoter

Tracking data illustrate some late winter movements in the Baltic Sea, with a short northeast shift between February and April. It is however difficult to time and describe precisely the movements along the year from ringing data because of the paucity of winter recoveries, but the general progress of migration is described above, and major connectivities too. The phenology of the autumn migration has changed, with a delay since the 1970s (Lehikoinen and Jaatinen 2012). More efforts are needed to document the migration strategy of Siberian and Caucasian populations, especially given the bad conservation status of the species.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Velvet Scoter

Atlantic wintering sites are still occupied in March, but in April Nordic birds have moved to seas around Denmark, before moving to their breeding grounds in May. Estonian breeders are mainly resighted in June and have left by September, providing few winter recoveries mostly at coasts between southern Sweden and eastern Denmark. Siberian breeders tracked with GPS left the Baltic states around mid-May, arriving on the breeding grounds in early June, to leave in July and move to moulting areas in the Pechora sea, where they can stay until October, though some birds were back in the Baltic by early October (Žydelis et al. 2022).

Recoveries by Condition for European Honey Buzzard

39% of the recoveries concerned birds that were shot, hunted or intentionally taken, 30% was found dead and 5,6% road casuality. Until 1960 86% of the recoveries were dead birds, including 62% shot birds. From 1961 to 1990 92% concerned dead birds, including 38% shot birds. From 1991 66% concerned dead birds, about 10% was shot.
Most birds were shot in France and Italy. Also in Georgia and along the Mediterranean east-coast. Other birds shot in Finland, C and E Europe, the Low Countries, Greece and Nw Africa.

Annual Movements for European Honey Buzzard

In Apr the first birds arrive in Europe but most arrive in May, few birds still in W Africa then. From Jun to Aug the breeding areas are ocupied: most in the Low Countries, C Europe and Finland, fewer in S Scandinavia and few in Spain. In Jul - Aug the first migrants are found in Lebanon, S Spain and NW Africa. In Sep fewer birds in breeding areas, more birds in S Europe, Georgia and Near East, few birds in NW and W Africa. In Oct more birds in W Africa, still many in S Europe, especially Italy and Greece. Recoveries in breeding areas from Oct - Mar are mostly found dead and normally would not be there. From Nov - Mar the sub-Saharan winter areas are occupied. In Mar the first migrators appear in NW Africa and Near East.

Connectivity by Month by Region for European Honey Buzzard

Birds from Finland found Sep Oct in E Europe, C Europe, Greece, Georgia, Near East, Italy, W Europe and S Spain (also Aug). From Mar-Apr reports from E and C Europe, Near East and Italy. Loop migrations for E European birds documented (Agostini et al 2012; Agostini et al 2019). In NW Africa reports in Dec, Mar and May; in sub-Saharan Africa (from Guinea to DR Congo) found from Aug (immature) to Apr. Birds from Scandinavia found in W Europe (Aug - Jan), Spain (Jul and Oct); Ivory Coast and Ghana recoveries in Jan-Mar. From Low Countries birds reported in France (Sep-Nov), Morocco (Sep) and Ghana and Togo (Nov-Mar). C Europe birds found in SW France and Italy (most Sep-Oct, also May), Spain (Aug-Sep), NW Africa (Oct-Dec, May) and between Liberia and Eq.Guinea (Oct-May). One bird found Lebanon (Aug).

Recoveries by Condition for Slavonian Grebe

Protected species in Europe. Most encounters recorded in N & NW Europe (about 75%). The majority of records (84%) for the period 1961-90 pertain to dead birds, incl. shot/hunted (16%); their share largely decreased to just 12% after 1990. Inversely, the share of recoveries from alive birds increased considerably from 16% in 1961-90 to about 87% after 1990 (the ringing recoveries forming 62%). Oil spills are potentially important factor (two oil-victims for the period 1961-90). Known to be susceptible to fisheries by-catch on inland waterbodies and at sea in North America (limited data for Europe, two cases after 1990) (Kirk 2014).

Annual Movements for Slavonian Grebe

Fennoscandian breeders start leaving their breeding sites in late Aug. Their autumn migration is more pronounced in Oct-Nov, the wintering sites along the Atlantic Coast of France, the North Sea and S Baltic Sea are reached in Nov-Dec. Pre-breeding movements are mostly in Mar-Apr, and the arrival on the breeding grounds is in Apr-May.

Autumn movements of E European and SW Siberian breeders well expressed in Oct; spring return from Caspian Sea initiated in late Mar (Ilichev 1978). Birds breeding in Scotland remain on their breeding sites until late Oct, by Nov most have spread along the coast; the spring return takes place in Mar (Wernham et al. 2002). The species undergoes a flightless wing-moulting period in late summer and autumn, either staying on the breeding sites or moving to large lakes where it gathers in flocks.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Slavonian Grebe

Post-breeding movements of Fennoscandian breeders start in late summer, peaking in late autumn. Birds from this population are encountered in late autumn and winter (Nov-Dec) along the coasts/ coastal zones of N Poland, The Netherlands and France. Part of the Norwegian population migrates as far S as the Scottish Coast. Spring migration takes place mostly in Mar and Apr. The breeding sites are reached in mid- to late spring, in the extreme N and E parts of Europe they may not be occupied until late May. Scottish breeders leave their breeding sites towards local sea coasts in late autumn, returning back in early spring. A bird from the Icelandic breeding population has been encountered in Scotland in late Oct.

Recoveries by Condition for Egyptian Vulture

Most recoveries (ca. 70%) are of birds found alive, many of colour-marked birds – increasingly used in more recent years. Only two birds have been reported shot. There are only four recoveries before 1991 three found dead or sick or wounded and one with unknown fate.

Annual Movements for Egyptian Vulture

First movements after breeding start in Jul; and continue Aug-Sep, with recoveries in and around Gibraltar showing passage to Africa. Birds leave Africa from Feb (up to Mar), (García-Ripollés et al. 2010, Phipps et al. 2019) nd arrive in Europe from Mar.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Egyptian Vulture

With only four recoveries in Africa, there is little to conclude. Recoveries in Morocco in Oct and Mar reflect autumn and spring passage, a bird in W Africa in Jan was presumably wintering. A recovery in W Africa in Jun suggests an immature bird spending the summer in winter quarters. Recoveries in Europe show similar pattern for the SW/W European populations. Many are of juvenile dispersal, mostly in Jul-Aug; there is no clear direction, but movement can be over several 100 km. Other movements show a NE-SW axis, towards Gibraltar to cross to Africa, with recoveries in SW Spain from Jul onwards. Recoveries in Gibraltar in Dec/Jan may suggest wintering within the region.

Recoveries by Condition for Red-crested Pochard

Game species in Spain, France, Russia and Azerbaijan (Defos du Rau, Perennou, 2007). The recoveries based on alive and dead birds have almost equal share over time (48 vs. 49.4%). However, dead bird recoveries (mostly shot) heavily predominated in the past (73% pre-1960 and about 85% during 1961-1990), while they formed only 18.4% after 1991. Inversely, during the last three decades about 81% of all recoveries are based on alive birds – mostly identified from a distance (nasal tags and metal rings read in the field). Most alive bird recoveries come from Switzerland, France and The Netherlands.

Three regions are responsible for ca. 75% of all encounters – C, SW and W Europe.

Most encounters obtained in three “waves” – early 1960s, mid-1980s and mid-2010s, depending on the running projects.

Annual Movements for Red-crested Pochard

Some populations undertake post-breeding moult migrations to places distant from the breeding sites (Madge, Burn, 1988). The species undergoes a flightless wing-moulting period in late summer, females moulting a month later than males and non-breeders (Scott, Rose, 1996). Timing of migratory movements is rather consistent across migratory populations within Europe. In autumn some movements take place in Sep-Oct, but the main migration occurs mostly in early Nov and the wintering grounds are usually reached by Dec. Spring migration takes place in Feb-Mar, most breeding sites are reached by Apr (or early May in the northernmost parts of the range – SW Siberia).

The resident populations in SW and C Europe, as well as in the UK, are locally dispersive; the latter is considered feral.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Red-crested Pochard

Weather conditions determine strong fluctuations and dynamic movements between breeding, moulting and wintering sites (Keller et al. 2020). During winter the species could either form big concentrations or be highly dispersed (Scott, Rose, 1996).

Breeding birds from C, N & W Europe are encountered from late autumn until early spring mostly in the W Mediterranean region, less often – along the Atlantic Coast and the big pre-alpine lakes. Local breeders on the Iberian Peninsula undertake short within-region movements to coastal waters or inland wetlands for wintering. Post-breeding dispersal of the birds from the Black & Caspian Sea regions starts in late summer, later on they are found wintering locally or in the E Mediterranean. Birds ringed in late summer at the Caspian Sea have been found in SW Siberia during breeding season.

Recoveries by Condition for Common Scoter

Almost only dead recoveries for this species, mostly beach wrecks, including oiled birds, but also hunted (8%), with anecdotical live ring recoveries (1%), all obtained before 1960. Dead recoveries mainly obtained since the 1990s, with half of them obtained in 1996, the year of the Sea Empress oil spill off Pembrokeshire (but oil victims represent ‘only’ 8% of all recoveries). Dead ring recoveries means that GPS tracks provide a different appraisal of the migration schedule because they provide multiple sightings for each individual, while dead recovery provide only singles, definitely.

Annual Movements for Common Scoter

Only few tracking projects undergone, tagging birds off the Baltic states and in the North Sea. Interesting track for an individual arrived on the breeding grounds, east of the Pechora river, at the end of May and left in the first decade of August. Most of May and August spent at stopovers in the Barents Sea and in Estonia. The departure from the Danish wintering ground occurred in the first week of April, the return in autumn in the last decade of September.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Common Scoter

First resightings on breeding grounds noted in May in Scandinavia, in Jun in Far East Russia. Still ring recoveries in Finland and the Baltic Sea from Oct to Dec, but Jan-Mar records mainly restricted to the North Sea and British Isles.  Some birds summer down to NW Europe where ring recoveries are scattered along the year. A few extralimital records in Croatia and S Spain. More precise information can be obtained from recent GPS tracking efforts on the species.