Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli

Studying the timing of the seasonal movements of migratory birds, known as migration phenology, is crucial for managing and conserving migratory bird populations. This is particularly important for migratory game bird populations in Europe because, according to the EU, migratory birds should not be hunted during their breeding season or during return movements to breeding grounds (pre‐breeding or pre‐nuptial migration). To effectively protect these species during these critical periods, it is vital to employ reliable methods for assessing their migration phenology. Citizen science, which involves the participation of skilled volunteers in scientific data gathering, is a valuable resource for migration studies. It allows the collection of large amounts of data across extensive geographic areas, overcoming some limitations of other datasets and analytical methods. In this study we analysed pre‐ and post‐breeding migration phenology of 23 game bird species in Italy, using citizen science data from the www.Ornitho.it portal. We then compared our findings on pre‐breeding migration onset with published migration timing data from ringing records and found a close match. Additionally, we compared our results with the pre‐breeding migration onset determined for Italy in the ‘Key Concepts Document' (KCD) published by the European Commission that plays a central role in the regulation of hunting activities in EU countries. For 19 species (83%), we estimated an earlier pre‐breeding timing compared to that reported in the last KCD for Italy (2021, amended in 2025 for four species), highlighting a potential risk of these species being hunted during their pre‐breeding migration. These findings highlight the value of citizen science data in obtaining migration timing and the importance of employing multiple methods to estimate it. This approach is particularly valuable for species subject to hunting, which require well‐informed management.

In this study, we (a) formulated a general hypothesis about how wetland (functional and structural) traits influence avian diversity, (b) turned this hypothesis into a non-parametric Bayesian network, (c) disentangled the direct and indirect effects of the variables influencing waterbird species, and (d) simulated the changes expected to the levels of avian diversity as a result of numerous counterfactual and management scenarios. We applied our framework to the Sicilian wetlands as a whole; then, we downscaled simulations locally to a wetland of particular interest (Pantano Bruno). We found that (1) waterbird species are highly sensitive to wetland traits; (2) wetland traits have both direct and indirect effects upon alpha avian diversity; (3) the direct and indirect effects of wetland traits can be contrasting; (4) water level fluctuations (benefit), diversions (cost), and salinity (cost) are key factors for waterbird conservation; (5) these wetlands have the potential for hosting a level of alpha avian diversity that is double the baseline (from 19 to 38 species); (6) these wetlands are prone to ecological collapse if all traits deteriorate (from 19 to 6 species per wetland); and (7) the ecological information gained at the regional scale can be properly downscaled to the local scale to make inferences on single wetlands.

The Sanderling Calidris alba (J.F. Gmelin, 1788) overwinters along the sandy coasts of Italy with an average of about 546 individuals for the years 2006–2010, showing a positive long-term increase. The species regularly overwinters in Sicily, for which the latest estimate reports 30–130 individuals in the years 2000–2004. Since no further updated estimates are available, new data were collected every winter on the field during the years 2015–2022, monitoring the most suitable stretches of beaches and collecting additional data from birdwatchers and photographers. A wintering regional population with an average of 100 individuals per year (65–136) was recorded, with an estimate of 145 individuals per year (110–180). The sandy coast of the Gulf of Gela hosts 54% of the recorded regional wintering population and about 10% of the whole Italian population and can therefore be considered a “site of national importance”. Other important areas are the Gulf of Catania, which hosts 24% of the regional population and 4.57% of the Italian population, and some sandy coasts of Ragusa’s province. This survey shows an increase of the regional wintering population in the last decades, highlighting Sicily’s role at national level for the wintering of the species. Conservation measures and sustainable management of Sicilian sandy coasts are strongly recommended to support the wintering of C. alba and other species of shorebirds.

Abstract To overcome the human-induced threats impacting on ecosystems, managers should focus on priorities. Here, we applied the expert-based Threat Analysis (TAN) in a forest urban park (Northern Italy), involving experts which ranked local threats, from the more to less impacting and following the IUCN classification. We also evaluated the level of knowledge of operators about these threats. Experts identified five priority target-specific threats: Roads and Railroads; Invasive-Non Native/Alien species; Other Ecosystem modifications; Recreational Activities, and Storms and Flooding. Storms and Flooding and Invasive-Non Native/Alien species appeared the threats with significant highest magnitude. Knowledge of threats is comparable without significant difference among them. However, Storms and Flooding and Roads and Railroads are the threats having both the highest level of knowledge by experts and the highest magnitude. At the opposite, Mowing was the less known threat regarding its regime and showed the lowest magnitude. TAN approach should be routinely used to build conceptual frameworks, ranking threats from the more to less impacting, therefore optimizing the management effort and developing local projects.

The recent paper published by Corso et al. (2021) about the status of the Western Redrumped Swallow, Cecropis daurica rufula (Temminck, 1835) (Aves Hirundinidae), in Sicily was mainly focused on updating the distribution of breeding pairs in the south-eastern part of the region; hence the decision to provide a more complete and up-to-date regional picture of the current status of this species collecting unpublished data and investigating the most suitable locations in the period 2011–2022. This survey highlights as, also in western and central Sicily, the species has been showing an increase in number of breeding pairs, found in 18 new UTM squares (11 of these for which the breeding was ascertained and 7 for which was very probable) in comparison to the last updated data. A new map of the distribution of the Western Red-rumped Swallow in Sicily is therefore presented here.

Several bird species show differential migration in relation to age and/or sex classes, often associated with morphological and behavioural differences. The Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus is a partial migrant, showing a strong sexual dimorphism in size. This species migrates on a broad front, undertaking long water crossings through the Mediterranean Sea. In this study we carried out a two-year survey on the pre-breeding migration of this species at three sites located in the Central Mediterranean region: the islands of Ustica and Panarea (Tyrrhenian Sea) and the Strait of Messina (Peloritani Mountains). The aim of this study was to analyse the flight strategies of this broad front migrant in relation to wind patterns, such as in relation to different sex and age classes. Our results revealed differential flight behaviours among harriers belonging to different sex classes, with adult females less attracted to islands than adult males during a sea crossing, and adult males reaching higher altitude early in the season along a mountain chain. It is suggested that adult males, thanks to their smaller size, use to a larger extent soaring flight by exploiting even weak thermals en route. Unlike the Tyrrhenian islands, few immatures were seen passing along the Peloritani Mountains, probably because they fly at lower altitudes over mainland, passing over areas where they can eventually find prey and/or rest at stop-over site en route. In conclusion, our study shows that the location of the observation post can affect the result concerning migration survey of both sex and age classes in this species, leading to evident bias.

Growing attention is being given to the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) because of its synanthropic behaviour and its potential role in harbouring parasites, viruses, fungi and bacteria and disseminating them to several animals and humans. Salmonella are the most frequently detected zoonotic bacteria that hedgehogs could transmit through contaminating water and food sources with faeces. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and distribution of Salmonella spp. in wild hedgehogs in the Emilia-Romagna region (northern Italy). From 2019 to 2022, 212 European hedgehogs that died naturally were tested for Salmonella spp. through culture isolation. Positive samples were subjected to serological typing. A total of 82 samples tested positive for Salmonella spp., with the overall Bayesian posterior estimated prevalence ranging from 35% (95% CI: 23–47%) to a maximum of 45% (95% CI: 31–59%) during the years considered and with an overall prevalence calculated at 39% (95% CI: 33–45%). Salmonella enterica Enteritidis and Veneziana were the most prevalent detected serovars in 65% and 17% of the positive samples, respectively. Since 2021, S. Typhimurium, S. Typhimurium Monofasica, S. Zaiman, S. Hessarek, S. Muenster, S. Isangi serovars, S. enterica subsp. Diarizonae and S. enterica subsp. Houtenae have been detected. These findings show a high prevalence of Salmonella spp. in tested hedgehogs, suggesting an important role of this animal species in the epidemiology of potentially zoonotic serovars circulating in the Emilia-Romagna region.

The conservation of threatened species is prevalently oriented towards two management strategies, i.e., habitat-level and species-level approaches. The former is focused on improving the conditions of the habitat of a certain species, whereas the latter is aimed at directly strengthening the species of interest. In this work, we adopted a different solution based on a community-level approach. Firstly, we identified the species (predators, competitors, prey) that interact with the species of interest (the lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni) in Southern Italy and mapped all of the ecological interactions among these species. Secondly, we built a simulation framework of the entire ecological network of the lesser kestrel. Thirdly, we simulated different management strategies that could increase the lesser kestrel population stock by targeting the species that interact with it. We found that the lesser kestrel in Southern Italy can be effectively protected by targeting the species interacting with the lesser kestrel, and that natural changes in the abundance of the interacting species could be used to pro-actively predict the dynamics of the lesser kestrel population. Our study demonstrates that a community-level approach to species conservation is highly appropriate on a local scale. Our methodological framework, based on qualitative modeling and what-if scenarios, can be applied in the absence of quantitative estimations of population stocks and interaction strengths.

Identifying climate refugia is key to effective biodiversity conservation under a changing climate, especially for mountain‐specialist species adapted to cold conditions and highly threatened by climate warming. We combined species distribution models (SDMs) with climate forecasts to identify climate refugia for high‐elevation bird species (Lagopus muta, Anthus spinoletta, Prunella collaris, Montifringilla nivalis) in the European Alps, where the ecological effects of climate changes are particularly evident and predicted to intensify. We considered future (2041–2070) conditions (SSP585 scenario, four climate models) and identified three types of refugia: (1) in‐situ refugia potentially suitable under both current and future climate conditions, ex‐situ refugia suitable (2) only in the future according to all future conditions, or (3) under at least three out of four future conditions. SDMs were based on a very large, high‐resolution occurrence dataset (2901–12,601 independent records for each species) collected by citizen scientists. SDMs were fitted using different algorithms, balancing statistical accuracy, ecological realism and predictive/extrapolation ability. We selected the most reliable ones based on consistency between training and testing data and extrapolation over distant areas. Future predictions revealed that all species (with the partial exception of A. spinoletta) will undergo a range contraction towards higher elevations, losing 17%–59% of their current range (larger losses in L. muta). We identified ~15,000 km2 of the Alpine region as in‐situ refugia for at least three species, of which 44% are currently designated as protected areas (PAs; 18%–66% among countries). Our findings highlight the usefulness of spatially accurate data collected by citizen scientists, and the importance of model testing by extrapolating over independent areas. Climate refugia, which are only partly included within the current PAs system, should be priority sites for the conservation of Alpine high‐elevation species and habitats, where habitat degradation/alteration by human activities should be prevented to ensure future suitability for alpine species.

Abstract Fine‐scale habitat selection modelling can allow a mechanistic understanding of habitat selection processes, enabling better assessments of the effects of climate and habitat changes on biodiversity. Remotely sensed data provide an ever‐increasing amount of environmental and climatic variables at high spatio‐temporal resolutions, and a unique opportunity to produce fine‐scale habitat models particularly useful in challenging environments, such as high‐elevation areas. Working at a 10‐m spatial resolution, we assessed the value of remotely sensed data for investigating foraging habitat selection (in relation to topography, microclimate, land cover) in nestling‐rearing white‐winged snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis), a high‐elevation species highly sensitive to climate change. Adult snowfinches foraged at locations with intermediate vegetation cover and higher habitat heterogeneity, also avoiding extremely warm or extremely cold microclimates. Temperature interacted with other environmental drivers in defining habitat selection, highlighting trade‐offs between habitat profitability and thermoregulation: snowfinches likely adopted mechanisms of behavioural buffering against physiologically stressful conditions by selecting for cooler, shaded and more snowy foraging grounds at higher temperatures. Our results matched those from previous studies based on accurate field measurements, confirming the species' reliance on climate‐sensitive microhabitats (snow patches and low‐sward grassland, in heterogeneous patches) and the usefulness of satellite‐derived fine‐scale modelling. Habitat suitability models built on remotely sensed predictors can provide a cost‐effective method for periodic monitoring of species' habitats both at fine grain and over large extents. Fine‐scale models also enhance our understanding of the actual drivers of (micro)habitat selection and of possible buffering behaviours against warming, allowing more accurate and robust distribution models, finer predictions of potential future changes and carefully targeted conservation strategies and habitat management.