Fidc - ACMA: satellite telemetry to monitor teals

A NEW SCIENTIFIC CERTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY PROMOTED BY ACMA AND OFFICE AVIFAUNA MIGRATORY ON THE RISER BY SATELLITE TELEMETRY

A poster with the results of a two-year study on the migration of wintering teals in Italy presented at the European Ornithologists' Union Congress in 2015

Satellite telemetry is increasingly affirming itself as an innovative and winning choice for understanding the migration strategies of wild birds and the identification of reproductive sites.

The working group, made up of researchers from the University of Pisa and CIRSEMAF together with ACMA and the Migratory Birdlife Office of the Italian Hunting Federation, presented the results of two years of study at the Congress of the European Ornithologists' Union, held in Badajoz in Spain from 24 to 28 August last.

The poster, entitled “Spring migration of European teals Anas crecca wintering in Italy” by authors Dimitri Giunchi, Natale Emilio Baldaccini, Alfonso Lenzoni, Paolo Luschi, Michele Sorrenti and Lorenzo Vanni, demonstrated the breeding areas reached by wintering teals in three Italian locations, identifying both central Europe and areas of Arctic Russia.

Migration strategies have also been described precisely, demonstrating for the first time that teals make stops shortly after the start of migration, which can last for a very long time, and then head decisively towards the nesting sites.

Of utmost importance for management and hunting purposes is the precise determination of the start of the pre-nuptial migration, which always occurred after the beginning of February, i.e., later than currently established by Key Concepts , which establishes the third ten days of January as the start of the migratory movement towards the breeding grounds. This data was obtained only thanks to the satellite technology used, which allows for precise and extremely rapid determination of the tagged animal's location.

The study will continue in the coming years, extending the investigation to other species as well.

Thanks to all those who believed in this research, in particular to the funders, without whose contribution it would not have been possible to carry out this work.

A further step forward was taken towards the recognition of the world of hunters in scientific contexts, with evident applications for the definition of hunting seasons that comply with the European Directive without penalizing Italian hunters.

All updates, along with the list of funders, are available on the website www.progettoanatidisatellitare.com , while the poster is attached to this press release.

Rome, 7 September 2015 - Fidc Bird Migration Office - ACMA