First satellite-tracked migration of an Eurasian Thick-knee (Burhinus oedicnemus) in the Middle East ends in human-caused mortality. Issue 2 (3rd April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kittelberger, Kyle D.; Buechley, Evan R.; Ford, Michael; Ağırkaya, Kayahan; Hakkı Şekercioğlu, Çağan
• Is Part Of: Zoology in the Middle East. Volume 67:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 119
• Page End: 125
• Publication Date: 2021-04-03
• Subjects: Falconry -- hunting -- satellite telemetry -- movement ecology -- Stone-curlew; Zoology -- Middle East -- Periodicals; 591.95605
• DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2021.1918183
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0939-7140

Abstract

Abstract : Eurasian Thick-knee ( Burhinus oedicnemus ) is a widespread wading bird that occurs throughout much of Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa. We captured a juvenile specimen at the Aras River Ornithological Research Station, Turkey in October 2019, fitted it with a GPS-GSM transmitter, and tracked its migration. The bird migrated from Turkey in late October, made an eight-day stopover in northern Iraq, and then flew southwest to the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. The bird was killed in early November by a falcon being flown for falconry near Yanbu Al Sinaiyah, Saudi Arabia. The thick-knee migrated more than 2100 km in 36 days between tagging and death. This study provides the first description of Eurasian Thick-knee migration in the Middle East, as well as the first description of autumn migration of this species from satellite-tracking data.