The overwhelming majority of Palaearctic birds have now completed breeding and are both heading south, dispersing regionally or going into moult. Lots of the birds now heading south are in a horrible state, able to drop the outdated feathers and exchange them with new ones. Some begin the moult, then pause it to be able to migrate and full it within the winter quarters. All this is smart. Migrate south as the times begin to get shorter and don’t go away it till it’s too late. Shorter days imply much less feeding time and also you definitely don’t wish to have to lift a brood in these circumstances. One mouth is sufficient to feed with the shortening days.
However there may be one hen that goes completely towards the grain and exactly begins breeding proper now. I’m referring to the Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae). The hen derives its title from Queen Eleonor of Arborea, Sardinia. In 1392 she grew to become the primary ruler in historical past to guard the nests of those falcons towards unlawful hunters. Sardinia, at the moment, stays a significant island for this species, with a really giant colony on San Pietro Island (simply off the SW coast), that holds 115 breeding pairs in simply 7 km of shoreline.
This hen arrives to the Mediterranean and adjoining islands (e.g. Lanzarote within the Canaries) in late spring from wintering grounds in Madagascar. Eleonora’s is admittedly a big, long-winged passion, which spends a lot of the yr looking bugs within the air. The truth is, that’s what they do after they arrive. Many then will go to inland websites the place they dedicate their time to catching dragonflies and different giant airborne bugs. This side of their behaviour shouldn’t be typically identified and it’s stunning to seek out that among the greatest websites to see this species within the early a part of the season are, actually, nicely away from the coast.
Come August and it’s time to go for the breeding colonies on islands. As September approaches, Eleonora’s Falcons change their feeding habits. Now they focus nearly completely on looking small passerines, which they catch within the air, ideally over the ocean the place the prey has little likelihood of escape. What they’re doing is capitalising on the waves of migratory birds that are leaving the Palaearctic breeding grounds and heading for winter quarters in tropical Africa. This is a chance like no different and Eleonora’s has taken it when no different raptor has performed so.
Right here we now have a tremendous instance of specialized adaptation to a selected meals useful resource. A variety of research on the breeding colonies have revealed the vary of birds which Eleonora’s will take. In Essaouira (Mogador), off the Atlantic coast of Morocco, the principle prey species had been Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator), Whitethroat (Sylvia communis), Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and Frequent Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus). On the jap finish of the Mediterranean, in Crete, it was Crimson-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), Noticed Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), Whinchat (Saxiola rubetra), and Whitethroat.
Because the chicks fledge, in direction of the tip of October and into early November, adults and juveniles head off for Madagascar to spend the winter catching giant bugs within the air. Current monitoring research have revealed that, opposite to what had been as soon as thought, these birds will make a quick, diagonal, crossing of the Sahara to succeed in jap Africa and the shores of the Indian Ocean, earlier than the ultimate push to Madagascar. However, for now, they’re right here with us and we should always profit from having fun with these fantastic birds.
