Distribution of non-breeding Eleonora's falcon Falco eleonorae

Abstract

During spring migration of Eleonora's Falcon the species proceeds by about 300 km per day from the eastern to the western Mediterranean. Old falcons pair and occupy territories after arrival in April/May. As the breeding islands cannot support the population with food during the non-breeding months, the birds have to leave in the early morning to hunt on the nearest large island or mainland. Then they can be seen all over the Mediterranean and occasionally far inland. During the autumn breeding months the immature non-breeders are still distributed all over the Mediterranean. The breeding population and fledglings start their autumn migration in the second half of October via routes which are still unclear. From mid-October to mid-April the falcons can be seen in east Africa and Madagascar.