Scientific Journal of the BirdLife Hungary

A Magyar Madártani és Természetvédelmi Egyesület tudományos folyóirata

Ornis Hungarica. vol.8 Suppl. 1.. (1998) p.145-152.

Autumn migration of Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina) in the Carpathian basin
Szalai Kornál, Csörgő Tibor és Bank László

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Abstract:

We studied the autumn migration of the Icterine Warbler in the Carpathian Basin on the basis of data taken from the bird-ringing camps in Ócsa and Sumony (1983-1994). During this period, 620 individuals were captured at the two study sites. We analysed the dynamics of migration and morphometrical characteristics (wing-length, body mass) according to age groups in both areas. The Icterine Warbler starts its autumn migration in mid-July and ends it in mid-September. The migration peak is found in the middle of August. Juvenile birds migrate 7-10 days later than the adult ones. On the basis of the comparison of wing-length data between the captures in Ócsa and Sumony, we found the same migratory population at the two areas. The 4-5 days difference between the migration peaks corresponds well with the distance of 200 km between the two areas. Different regions of the Carpathian Basin play different roles in the autumn migration of the Icterine Warbler. Most of the data (stopover times, changes in body mass conditions, migration route fidelity) supported the expectation that the birds only pass through the Ócsa territory, while Sumony can be a more important stopover- and refuelling site for this species.