La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	Importance of pre-roost gathering areas for the protection of Crane staging sites
Auteurs :	Hartwig Prange, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Vogelwelt (Die) (120(5-6) 1999)
Article en page(s) :	323-326
Résumé :	The timing of evening descent of Cranes at pre-roost gathering sites and night roosts in autumn is strongly related to habitat. Crane roosts are generally located in shallow water. On average, flights to small roosts with lower safety distance from shore arrive later than those at large roosts with an extensive shallow water area where Cranes can roost at longer distances from shore. On the other hand, most Cranes depart from their daily foraging areas at similar levels of brightness. Even though season and daily weather conditions modify the timing of evening roost flights, the general pattern of behaviour is not principally shifted. For the purpose of demonstration, two surveys at roosts at the Lower Havel (small roost, 1100 birds) and in the Ruegen/Bock region (large roost, 20,000 birds) are shown (Fig. 1, 3). While Cranes flew directly into the latter roost with no pre-roost gathering, at Lower Havel they spent considerable time in meadows near the roost before they finally entered the roost at very low light intensity. Such pre-roost gathering areas are preferably adjacent to the waters used for roosting. These sites are an indispensible requirement for undisturbed Crane staging areas in autumn and require appropriate protection.

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