As already reported, the autumn migration 2015 started in time mid of August, when the birds left their breeding sites at Burghausen in Bavaria and Kuchl in Salzburg. All birds met near the airport of Salzburg and remained there.
On October 26 we received an email with the information that one of our birds, the juvenile hand-raised male Carlito, was captured by a retired policeman in Tunisia. The location of the bird was on the countryside near the Bou-Hedma-National Park, inland about 300 km from the North Coast.
Yesterday, October 29, a group of three migrating Northern Bald Ibises reached our wintering area WWF Oasi Laguna di Orbetello in southern Tuscany. The group consisted of one experienced adult male migrant, called JAZU, and two juvenile birds.
20 Northern Bald Ibises are currently staying in Salzburg, the majority of them- like last year - near the airport. All birds carry GPS transmitters. During the last few days our Field Manager Daniela Trobe has caught the birds if necessary to recharge the batteries of the transmitters. Now all birds are prepared for their departure to Italy.
Migratory birds undertake arduous journeys. But how can a tiny bird achieve to travel of up to 200 hours in a non-stop flapping flight from Europe to tropical Africa, from Canada to Europe, or across the pacific from Alaska to New Zealand? A new collaborative study of Waldrappteam, Austria, with the Institute of Avian Research in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, the University of Vienna, the Vet-Med University of Vienna, the University of Groningen, The Netherlands just published in the journal PONE, takes us a step further in understanding this extreme endurance behavior.
On August 8 the 10th human-led migration with young Northern Bald Ibises was completed. After 18 days the team and 28 birds arrived at the WWF reserve Laguna di Orbetello in southern Tuscany. In the course of five flight stages a total distance of 794 km has been covered, with a daily mean of 159 km. The mean flight speed was 45 km/h, with tailwind speeds of up to 76 km/h could be reached.
Almost 500 km were covered through three flight stages and the airfield Valle Gaffaro that is located on the southern edge of the Po Delta, was reached. We have been waiting for suitable wind conditions to fly over the Apennines for four days, but now we need to go further. This is why we are planning a small stage of 60 km to the airport Lugo for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, depending on the weather conditions. From there we would be able to reach the wintering area in a further stage of about 220 km.
We have lots of encouraging news regarding the LIFE+ project. The wild NBIs departed from both breeding areas at Burghausen/Bayern and Kuchl/Salzburg. This is consistent with the patterns observed in previous years. Yesterday, the two groups have met and the entire 23 birds stay currently in the surroundings of the breeding area Kuchl.
The annual human-led migration in the context of the reintroduction of the Northern Bald Ibis in Europe approaches. Thereby, young birds descending from zoo colonies and imprinted on human foster parents are led from the northern Pre-Alps to Tuscany with the aid of two microlights. This year, we aim to fly with twice as much birds as before: 31 young Northern Bald Ibises are guided in one formation with two microlights from Seekirchen am Wallersee (Salzburg) across the Alps to Tuscany. Basically, we are ready to set off on Monday, August 17th, as long as the weather conditions fit.
The flight trainings at Seekirchen (Salzburg) are largely completed. There are two groups, one with 16 birds and one with 15 birds (one juvenile unfortunately died in July due to a collision with the ultralight). Until the end of July, we trained both groups separately. Those flights proceeded really fine. With great excitement, we anticipated our first attempt to fly with both groups at the same time.
The hearing of the hunter, which shot two Northern Bald Ibises in 2012, has been postponed to December 2015 due to a change of the judge in the process. Indeed, after 4 years, if the lawsuit is not concluded with a verdict it will be closed due to the prescription terms. However, our Italian partners are doing their best to avoid this and some time is still left.
Today at 09:00 p.m., a second hearing takes place in Livorno/Tuscany, regarding the trial against an Italian hunter, charged with the shooting and killing of two Northern Bald Ibises in 2012. The European Commission asks for maximum attention regarding this trial.
