Species fact sheet by Global Register of Migratory Species - www.groms.de

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All populations migratory. Spanish and French birds fly via Strait of Gibraltar down Moroccan Atlantic coast into W Africa, and Italian and Sicilian birds probably cross to Tunisia and, with NW African populations, head for W African wintering grounds; ringing returns show that with NW African populations, head for W African wintering grounds; ringing returns show that Balkan and Caspian birds pass through Cyprus and the Levant and head up R Nile and through Uganda to SE African wintering grounds; birds from Ryazan, Russia, pass through Georgia and Cyprus; Asiatic populations either follow the Nile route or cross Arabia and Red Sea on broad front. Family parties are thought to remain together on autumn migration. Flocks fly mainly by day, usually high up, often with M.persicus, and congregate at oases, on islands and along leading topographic features. In Cairo, Egypt, particular clumps of trees are used for roosting might after night by different flocks of migrants in succession, in both autumn and spring. 90% of migrants cross from Gibraltar to Morocco in 18-25 days, in Aug- Sept, with peak passage in second week Sept. Numerous passages in E Africa in Sept-Nov and Zambia in Oct- Nov; birds arrive in SW Cape in Sept-Oct and depart in Feb. South African birds are breeding at that time, and emigrate N to spend austral winter in Angolan and Zairean savanna at same time as European populations are returning through E Africa to Europe. In Ryazan, Russia, over 80% of birds return in spring to site of previous year's colony. Species recently recorded in Madagascar, late Nov 1996.   (del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds), 2001)

• digitised by GROMS, after del Hoyo J A Elliott; J Sargatal (eds) (2001) - www.hbw.com,
• Copyright: GROMS/BfN - www.groms.de
  
  (A digitised version of this map is published in GIS shape format on the GROMS CD).