Our tagged rollers are getting ready for their return journey
2017.03.13. 10:45
Our three tagged birds are currently wintering in the southern countries of Africa, but the approaching dry season signals that they can soon set off. Within a few weeks, they start their spring migration towards their breeding grounds. Let us introduce them to you, so that you can more easily follow their adventures.
Even though the desert looks lush and green for a few more weeks, the 6-month-long dry season will start at the beginning of April. (Source: journeyinstyle.co.za).
A satellite tag was installed on the roller named ’Fehérlófia’ at the beginning of June 2016 in the Borsodi-Mezőség in northern Hungary. Not too far from this bird, ‘Artúr’ was tagged in Tiszacsege. Our thid bird, named ‘Eleven’ headed to Africa from Pest county, from the vicinity of Kisapaj at the end of last summer.
The pictures show the nest site of ’Eleven’ and the process of tagging and releasing the bird. (Fotók: Lendvai Csaba).
The next three maps depict the routes of the three birds based on the information provided by the tags.
Orange (on the left): ’Fehérlófia’, yellow (centre) ’Artúr’, red (on the right) ’Eleven’ (Source: http://satellitetracking.eu/inds/showmap/?check_294=294&check_292=292&check_293=293#).
Interestingly, all three birds spent the winter in national parks. These areas probably provide the best available resting and foraging sites for rollers as well as for African big game.
Gabriella Göcző