Irregular autumn migration
Newsletter, 05.01.2015
In autumn 2014, twenty migratory Northern Bald Ibises left their breeding areas Burghausen/Bavaria and Kuchl/Salzburg regularly for autumn migration. They grouped together and departed to the South. However, different to previous years, the group remained North of the Alps, most probable due to the extremely mild weather with temperatures well above 0 C°. Permanent monitoring of the group indicated that they found plenty of food.
In the week after Christmas, a drastic weather break happened. The temperature dropped down far below 0 C°. The birds seemingly missed their last opportunity to leave to the south and where caught in a very critical weather situation. In a dramatic rescue operation, 17 birds could be caught. The birds lost up to 20% body weight and were quite hungry, but fortunately without frostbite or other lasting damage. Two birds could not be caught in time, they died due to exhaustion. One further bird is still missing, but probably alive.
On January 3rd, after recovery, the 17 surviving birds where released in Bolzano/South Tyrol. The day after the release, eight birds flew further south, in the direction of their wintering area, a WWF Reserve in southern Tuscany. Currently, on January 5, they are already some 300 km further south, just crossing the Apennines. The remaining birds are still in South Tyrol.
Now, after release, illegal bird hunting in Italy is the biggest threat to these birds. Particularly in Tuscany, in the province of Livorno, there were repeated losses. Therefore, all the birds are equipped with GPS trackers that allow continuous monitoring. Members of the Waldrappteam follow the birds in order to inform local hunters, authorities and stakeholders. We also cooperate with national hunting organizations that provide information about the birds to their members.
These birds belong to the LIFE+ project ‘Reason for Hope’, which aims to reintroduce the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis as a migratory species in Europe. In former years, the birds performed a regular migration cycle between the breeding areas north of the Alps and their wintering area in the Tuscany. The situation this year was extraordinary, most probable as a reaction to climate irregularities. Project leader Johannes Fritz: “We assume that the dramatic situation end of 2014 was due to a lack of experience in this founder population. An adequate response to such irregular situations obviously requires appropriate experience in the population. Meanwhile, permanent monitoring and, if necessary, consistent action are required.”
The journey of the birds can be followed with the freeware App Animal Tracker. For more information, see our homepage www.waldrapp.eu.
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