La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	[Summer observations of Bewick's Swans Cygnus bewickii at Hellegatsplaten] (2000)
Auteurs :	Gerard L. Ouweneel, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Limosa (73(4) 2000)
Article en page(s) :	147-148
Résumé :	Since 1994 annual observations of Bewick's Swans have been made at the Hellegatsplaten (SW Netherlands) from March to August (Tab. 1). Although Bewick's Swans do occur in this region as a wintering bid, usually all birds have left before March. From 1994 till 1998 there was always one single bird present, and in 1999 and 2000 two birds stayed throughout the summer. It remains unsolved whether these birds also spent their primary moult in the area. As primary moult starts from the end of July onwards, it seems that the birds left Hellegatsplaten before wing-moult, or at least were not observed anymore. Obviously, it concerns swans which have remained in the region after they stay in winter, or which have stopped-over during spring migration from the British Isles, both probably as a result of poor body condition. In addition, it is not clear if the same individuals were involved. The area were the birds stayed, attracts large summer populations of e.g. Barnacle Geese (700-800 birds in 2000, including c. 40 breeding pairs with offspring), Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese and, occasionally, White-fronted Geese.

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