ARISTOTLE
UNIVERSITY OF
THESSALONIKI
Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Management
in School of Forestry and Natural Environment
visitors
Long-term monitoring (1999-present)
A great concern has arisen in mid 90's over widespread declines of Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) populations along their southern European range. In 1999, the lab of Wildlife and Freshwater Fish of the Dept. of Forestry & Natural Environment (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) began a long-term study designed:
(a) to improve our understanding of the status and trend of Lesser Kestrel population, and
(b) to identify the factors influencing and/or limiting its vital rates.
Monitoring of these paramaters helped us to reverse its population decline and to establish a health and increasing Lesser Kestrel population the last decade. Furthermore, in an attempt to improve the conservation status of Lesser Kestrel in Greece, we first established a network of artificial nesting sites in Central Greece.
Within this monitoring scheme, different research and conservation activities have initiated, including nest-boxes establishment (since 1999), breeding success and prey species abundance monitoring, ringing, home-range estimation and foraging habitat selection, agrochemicals monitoring, nesting competition, foraging habitat assessment, etc.
Breeding biology
The lab has monitored the breeding biology of the Lesser Kestrel in natural sites (old buildings, barns, etc) in four villages (Megalo Monastiri, Stefanovikeio, Niki and Armenio) in Central Greece since 1999. Since then, we visited more than 100 natural nests every year (at least 4-5 times per year) recording more than 1,700 breeding attempts and counting more than 6,800 Lesser Kestrel chicks.
Artificial nesting sites (nest-boxes)
In order to provide safe nesting sites, more than 200 nest-boxes have been established in three villages (Megalo Monastiri, Stefanovikeio and Armenio) since 1999. Nest boxes were distributed in the three villages and were established mainly in old buildings. In addition, a large artificial colony (150 nest boxes) was created in a copse of Calabrian pines at the edge of Armenio village.
Ecotoxicology
During the monitoring of breeding performance, all unhatched eggs were collected from 1999. A sample of 124 eggs, that was collected between 2002 and 2012, was analysed in the Institute of Avian Research, Germany, with the aim of investigating possible effects of organochlorines and heavy metal concentrations on the Lesser Kestrel breeding success. Our study demonstrates a declining temporal trend of pollutant concentrations in Lesser Kestrel eggs, and no negative effects on its reproduction.