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Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

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Titre :	Important hunting habitats of Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus in an agricultural region of Central Europe
Auteurs :	Barbara Kracher, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Ornithologischer Anzeiger (47(1) AUG 2008)
Article en page(s) :	51-65
Résumé :	Very few studies are available of the behaviour and especially the habitats used by hunting Montagu's Harriers Circus pygargus. Yet in order to ensure the survival of this rare species, it is essential to identify and maintain their preferred hunting ranges as well as adequate nesting sites. During the breeding season of 2004 1 examined the hunting habitat use of several Montagu's Harriers in a defined area in "Mainfranken" (Bavaria), which holds one of the most important populations of this species in Central Europe. To determine their main hunting sites I mapped all foraging flights encountered in an investigation area of approx. 3,900 ha. The Montagu's Harriers strongly preferred waysides and trackways, as well as lucerne and grassland areas for hunting. Hunting-success, specified as number of prey caught per hour hunting time, was also highest in these habitat types. The harriers also hunted with considerable success in barley stubble fields shortly after harvest.As shown in several other studies I found a strong relationship between vegetation cover, hunting use and hunting success. Lucerne fields, for example, were used as hunting habitats almost exclusively immediately after mowing, because the reduced vegetation density greatly improved the accessibility of potential prey at this time. In grassland areas on the other hand, mowing had no significant effect on hunting activity or hunting success of the Montagu's Harriers. Vegetation cover in these areas was patchy and less dense at all times, therefore prey accessibility was not particularly increased by mowing.The results of this study clearly show a need to preserve plots with grassland and lucerne as well as waysides and boundary strips within agricultural areas in order to provide an adequate food supply for the Montagu's barrier and thus ensure the future survival of this rare species.

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