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Autumn migration of robins (Erithacus rubecula) in Hungary

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the autumn migration dynamics of juvenile (n = 3075) and adult (n = 596) robin Erithacus rubecula in Hungary. Capturing and ringing of birds took place at five bird ringing stations of Actio Hungarica between 13 August and 27 October, 2004. The number of captured juvenile and adult individuals rated to one net was the lowest in the reeds of Izsák and the highest in the woody areas of Szalonna, where adults were present at a higher proportion. The migration dynamics of the robin showed that the end of September and the beginning of October was the peak time for passing through Hungary. Based on the estimated time of the 10% of daily capture, it can be stated that juvenile birds started their migration as early as the end of August or at the beginning of September while the migration of the adults started later. The migration started earliest in Szalonna and latest in Izsák. The comparison of daily catch dynamics (based on the estimated time of 10% and 50% of daily captures) of juveniles and adults between study sites showed that similarity of daily capture was higher in the case of juveniles. The five study sites had different qualities from the point of view of the robins’ habitat preference. Our results showed that the reed-bed of Izsák had only peripheral importance while the other forest and bushy study areas played a key role in resting and feeding during the migration of the robin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Forestry, University of West Hungary, Ady Endre u. 5, H-9400, Sopron, Hungary

    Zsuzsa Gyimóthy

  2. Department of Zoology, University of West Hungary, Károlyi Gáspár tér 4, H-9700, Szombathely, Hungary

    József Gyurácz

  3. BirdLife Hungary, Költő u. 21, H-1121, Budapest, Hungary

    László Bank & Péter Bánhidi

  4. Aggtelek National Park, Tengerszem oldal 1, H-3758, Jósvafő, Hungary

    Roland Farkas

  5. Kiskunság National Park, Liszt Ferenc u. 19, H-6001, Kecskemét, Hungary

    Ákos Németh

  6. Department of Anatomy, Cell- and Developmental Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary

    Tibor Csörgő

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  1. Zsuzsa Gyimóthy
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  2. József Gyurácz
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  3. László Bank
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  4. Péter Bánhidi
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Correspondence to Zsuzsa Gyimóthy.

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Gyimóthy, Z., Gyurácz, J., Bank, L. et al. Autumn migration of robins (Erithacus rubecula) in Hungary. Biologia 66, 548–555 (2011). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0039-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-011-0039-9

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