Migration Phenology and Spatial Distribution of Soaring Birds in Greece: From Citizen Science Data to Implications for Monitoring and Conservation Strategies
Timing and spatial distribution patterns of migratory birds are crucial for their conservation, particularly in Greece, which serves as a vital migratory corridor between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Traditional monitoring methods face challenges due to resource limitations and the country’s complex ge...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Birds |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6004/6/1/6 |
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| author | Anastasios Bounas Nikos Tsiopelas Angelos Evangelidis Christos Barboutis |
| author_facet | Anastasios Bounas Nikos Tsiopelas Angelos Evangelidis Christos Barboutis |
| author_sort | Anastasios Bounas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Timing and spatial distribution patterns of migratory birds are crucial for their conservation, particularly in Greece, which serves as a vital migratory corridor between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Traditional monitoring methods face challenges due to resource limitations and the country’s complex geography. This study aimed to determine the migration phenology and spatial distribution of 18 species of raptors and soaring birds in Greece using citizen science data from eBird, analyzed with generalized additive models (GAMs). We processed 15,940 checklists for spring migration and 9131 for autumn migration from 2010 to 2023. GAMs successfully modeled the migration phenology for most species, revealing variable peak migration dates in spring and more synchronized migration in autumn, with most species migrating in early September. A spatial analysis highlighted the importance of coastal areas and islands (particularly the Aegean islands and Crete) as key migratory routes and stopover sites. Validation with standardized counts from the Antikythira Bird Observatory showed some discrepancies, emphasizing the limitations of relying on a single monitoring site and the value of broad-scale citizen science data. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating citizen science data with robust analytical techniques to fill knowledge gaps, providing valuable insights for designing monitoring programs and informing conservation strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e2db9ffc13a24a71a537a08de29fabfa |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-6004 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Birds |
| spelling | doaj-art-e2db9ffc13a24a71a537a08de29fabfa2025-08-20T02:11:09ZengMDPI AGBirds2673-60042025-01-0161610.3390/birds6010006Migration Phenology and Spatial Distribution of Soaring Birds in Greece: From Citizen Science Data to Implications for Monitoring and Conservation StrategiesAnastasios Bounas0Nikos Tsiopelas1Angelos Evangelidis2Christos Barboutis3Hellenic Ornithological Society/BirdLife Greece, 52 Ag. Konstantinou Str., GR-10437 Athens, GreeceHellenic Ornithological Society/BirdLife Greece, 52 Ag. Konstantinou Str., GR-10437 Athens, GreeceHellenic Ornithological Society/BirdLife Greece, 52 Ag. Konstantinou Str., GR-10437 Athens, GreeceHellenic Ornithological Society/BirdLife Greece, 52 Ag. Konstantinou Str., GR-10437 Athens, GreeceTiming and spatial distribution patterns of migratory birds are crucial for their conservation, particularly in Greece, which serves as a vital migratory corridor between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Traditional monitoring methods face challenges due to resource limitations and the country’s complex geography. This study aimed to determine the migration phenology and spatial distribution of 18 species of raptors and soaring birds in Greece using citizen science data from eBird, analyzed with generalized additive models (GAMs). We processed 15,940 checklists for spring migration and 9131 for autumn migration from 2010 to 2023. GAMs successfully modeled the migration phenology for most species, revealing variable peak migration dates in spring and more synchronized migration in autumn, with most species migrating in early September. A spatial analysis highlighted the importance of coastal areas and islands (particularly the Aegean islands and Crete) as key migratory routes and stopover sites. Validation with standardized counts from the Antikythira Bird Observatory showed some discrepancies, emphasizing the limitations of relying on a single monitoring site and the value of broad-scale citizen science data. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating citizen science data with robust analytical techniques to fill knowledge gaps, providing valuable insights for designing monitoring programs and informing conservation strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6004/6/1/6raptor migrationsoaring birdsmigration phenologycitizen scienceeBird datageneralized additive models (GAMs) |
| spellingShingle | Anastasios Bounas Nikos Tsiopelas Angelos Evangelidis Christos Barboutis Migration Phenology and Spatial Distribution of Soaring Birds in Greece: From Citizen Science Data to Implications for Monitoring and Conservation Strategies Birds raptor migration soaring birds migration phenology citizen science eBird data generalized additive models (GAMs) |
| title | Migration Phenology and Spatial Distribution of Soaring Birds in Greece: From Citizen Science Data to Implications for Monitoring and Conservation Strategies |
| title_full | Migration Phenology and Spatial Distribution of Soaring Birds in Greece: From Citizen Science Data to Implications for Monitoring and Conservation Strategies |
| title_fullStr | Migration Phenology and Spatial Distribution of Soaring Birds in Greece: From Citizen Science Data to Implications for Monitoring and Conservation Strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Migration Phenology and Spatial Distribution of Soaring Birds in Greece: From Citizen Science Data to Implications for Monitoring and Conservation Strategies |
| title_short | Migration Phenology and Spatial Distribution of Soaring Birds in Greece: From Citizen Science Data to Implications for Monitoring and Conservation Strategies |
| title_sort | migration phenology and spatial distribution of soaring birds in greece from citizen science data to implications for monitoring and conservation strategies |
| topic | raptor migration soaring birds migration phenology citizen science eBird data generalized additive models (GAMs) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6004/6/1/6 |
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