GOOSANDER. ANOTHER FIRST FOR EXTREMADURA

Goosander (Mergus merganser), first winter female. La Torrecilla, Plasencia, Cáceres. 09-01-11. Top, resting on land among a small flock of Teal (Anas crecca); Bottom, swimming next to a female Shoveler (Anas clypeata). Photographer: Javier Prieta. See more photographs.

Extremadura clocks up another first, the third new species since this blog came online eight months ago in May 2010. The species this time is Goosander (Mergus merganser), joining the Pied Billed Grebe and Buff-Breasted Sandpiper, which featured in earlier blog entries.

The sawbills are fish-eating diving ducks that take their name from the serrated edges of their thin beaks. A solitary female Red Breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), spotted by Santiago Villa in Brozas back in March 1997, was hitherto the only sawbill previously seen in Extremadura. Now another young female, this time of its cousin species the Goosander, found by Sergio Mayordomo in Plasencia on 9 January 2011, can be added to this meagre list (other observers: Ricardo Montero and Javier Prieta; on 11 Jan was found by SM, JP, Miguel Ángel Muñoz y Eva Palacios).

The Goosander breeds in the Taiga of North America and Eurasia, wintering further south but without reaching Spain, where it is classed as a rare vagrant. From 1984 to 2008 there were only 28 accepted records involving 62 birds, all on mainland Spain (CR-SEO, 2006-2010). In Portugal it has been recorded only twice (Catry et al. 2010). According to De Juana (2006) it turns up in Spain only when driven further south by cold spells on continental Europe, so some years there are no records at all. Until 2003 only one bird among 28 records turned up in an inland province (Navarre) and only two were in the southern half of the country (Albufera de Valencia and Odiel, Huelva). All the birds were recorded between November and March, with 83% of the birds being seen in only three winters, females clearly outnumbering drakes (2:1). In the 2004-2008 period only five single birds were accepted (CR-SEO, 2006-2010); these records were atypical since three of the birds turned up inland (Huesca, Ciudad Real-Toledo and Granada) and two of them were in spring (one in May and the other in June). In 2009, a year for which the rarity report has not yet been published, there were several typical records in Galicia and Asturias and another in Zamora (Rare Birds in Spain).

The cold snap that hit the centre and north of Europe in December 2010 produced a considerable influx of Goosanders into Spain. To find something similar we need to go right back to 1984-1985, with 6 records involving a total of 22 birds. The first bird appeared on 04/12/2010 with over 30 birds then being observed in 20 different sites in 15 provinces by 10/01/2011. As well as the sheer number, this wave of observations is also notable for the total lack of drakes, only females being seen, and also because over half of the provinces involved, 8, were inland (sources: Rare Birds in Spain and Reservoir Birds).

Spanish provinces with Goosander (Mergus merganser) records between 04/12/2010 and 10/01/2011 (sources: Rare Birds in Spain and Reservoir Birds).

References: - De Juana, E. 2006. Aves raras de España. Lynx Edicions. Barcelona. - Catry, P., Costa, H., Elias, G. and Matias, R. 2010. Aves de Portugal. Ornitologia do território continental. Assírio & Alvim. Lisbon. - CR-SEO (SEO Rarities Committee). 2006-2010. Observaciones de aves raras en España. 2004-2008. Ardeola 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57.

DECEMBER 2010: Notable bird sightings in Extremadura

Black Kite (Milvus migrans). Mérida Landfill Site, Badajoz, 03-12-10 (Ángel Sánchez).

A list of the most notable records sent to the GOCE forum in December 2010 (compiled by Sergio Mayordomo). Click here for backdated months.

-Canada Goose: 2 at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz) on 19/12 (Álvaro Díaz Pastor et al).
-Barnacle Goose: one at Valdecañas Reservoir (Cáceres) on 8/12 (Javier Briz and Vicente Risco) and 11/12 (Ángel Sánchez); 2 at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz), on 19/12 (Á. Díaz Pastor et al).
-Shelduck: 3 at Los Canchales Reservoir (Bajadoz) on 6/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Ruddy Shelduck: 3 at Casas de Hitos, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz) on 4/12 (César Clemente, Javier Mahillo, Martin Kelsey and Sergio Mayordomo) and another 3 birds at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz) on 19/12 (Á. Díaz Pastor et al).
-Wood Duck: one drake in a pond at Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 17/12 (C. Clemente), 20/12 (S. Mayordomo) and 29/12 (Javier Prieta).
-Mandarin Duck: one bird with atypical plumage on Tentudía Reservoir (Bajadoz) on 26/12 (Alberto Pacheco).
-Teal: count of 1000 birds on the pond of Torrecilla, Plasencia (Cáceres), on 11/12 (J. Prieta).
-Tufted Duck: 77 birds on the pond at Brozas (Cáceres) on 29/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Black-Necked Grebe: 3 on the pond at Brozas (Cáceres) on 29/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Glossy Ibis: 2 at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz) on 27/12 (Antonio Ceballos).
-Little Bittern: wintering birds on the River Guadiana: 5 at Badajoz on 1/12 (Juan Pablo Prieto), 4 at Badajoz on 8/12 (Juan Carlos Paniagua) and one at Mérida on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez). One bird on Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 2/12 (S. Mayordomo),
-Black Stork: 2 birds seen at Oliva de Plasencia (Cáceres) on 22/12 (Raúl Guzmán) and on 26/12 (Ricardo Montero). On 26/12 one at Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Cáceres) (Manuel Rodríguez).
-Osprey: one at La Nava de Santiago (Bajadoz) on 8/12 (Á. Sánchez); at Arroyo Guerrero, La Roca de la Sierra (Bajadoz), on 15/12 (Ángel Luis Sánchez); at Ahigal Reservoir (Cáceres) on 17/12 (S. Mayordomo) and at Arrocampo Reservoir (Cáceres) on 30/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Short-Toed Eagle: first December record for Extremadura: one bird seen near El Gordo on the border between Cáceres and Toledo on 7/12 (J. Briz).
-Black Kite: one bird at Mérida Landfill Site (Bajadoz) on 3/12 (Á. Sánchez) and Mirabel Landfill Site (Cáceres) on 15/12 (J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo).
-Egyptian Vulture: one adult at La Roca de La Sierra (Bajadoz) on 15/12 (Á. L. Sánchez) and 3 adults at Canchos de Ramiro (Cáceres) on 26/12 (C. Clemente).
-Griffon Vulture: a pair incubating an early clutch on 19/12 at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres) (Manuel García del Rey and S. Mayordomo).
-Bonelli's Eagle: one juvenile at Montemolín (Bajadoz) on 10/12 (A. Pacheco).
-Imperial Eagle: juveniles at Montemolín (Bajadoz) on 10/12 (A. Pacheco) and at Llera (Bajadoz) on 11/12 (Antonio Núñez).
-Goshawk: one bird in display flight at Pinofranqueado (Cáceres) on 13/12 (A. Pacheco).
-Montagu's Harrier: first wintering record for Extremadura: one adult male at Navas del Madroño (Cáceres) on 29/12 (A. Ceballos)
-Lesser Kestrel: 5 wintering birds seen in December at Acedera (Bajadoz) (Manuel Gómez). One bird seen at Mérida (Bajadoz) on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez) and at Jaraíz de la Vera (Cáceres) on 26/12 (Jaime Collado).
-Purple Swamphen: another bird seen at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 2/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Stone Curlew: 175-bird roost at La Nava de Santiago (Bajadoz) on 8/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Black-Winged Stilt: Biggest ever wintering flock in Extremadura: about 1000 birds on the ricefields of Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Avocet: 3 at Galisteo Lake (Cáceres) on 2/12 (S. Mayordomo); 11 at Laguna Grande de La Albuera (Bajadoz) on 4/12 (J. C. Paniagua); 2 at Lugar Nuevo, Peraleda de la Mata (Cáceres) on 11/12 (Dave Langlois, J. Briz and Samuel Langlois) and one on the ricefields of Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Kentish Plover: 9 at Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 26/12 (Fernando Yuste) and 25 on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez). In both cases some of the birds were in summer plumage.
-Curlew: 5 at Los Canchales Reservoir (Bajadoz) on 6/12 (Á. Sánchez); one at El Ancho, Arroyo de la Luz (Cáceres), on 10/12 (S. Mayordomo); 4 at Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 18/12 (F. Yuste); one at Riolobos (Cáceres) on 19/12 (C. Clemente and J. Mahillo); 8 at Galisteo on 22/12 (R. Montero) and 15 at Casar de Miajadas (Cáceres) on 24/12 (M. Rodríguez).
-Woodcock: one at Dehesa Boyal de Montehermoso (Cáceres) on 26/12 (comment by C. Clemente). One at Santa cruz de Paniagua (Cáceres) on 31/12 (J. C. Paniagua).
-Spotted Redshank: one on ricefields of Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Ruff: 400 on ricefields of Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Knot: one juvenile at Portaje Reservoir on 3/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Mediterranean Gull: 2 at Mérida (Bajadoz) on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Common Gull: One at Mérida (Bajadoz) on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Yellow-Legged Gull: one adult on 10/12 and 29/12 at El Ancho, Arroyo de la Luz (Cáceres) (S. Mayordomo); one at Mérida (Bajadoz) on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez) and another at Valdesalor Reservoir (Cáceres) on 27/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Stock Dove: 40 birds at Riolobos (Cáceres) on 19/12 (C. Clemente and J. Mahillo).
-Long-Eared Owl: one bird at Ribera del Fresno (Bajadoz) on 11/12 (A. Núñez).
-Short-Eared Owl: roost of 3 birds at Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) (F. Yuste and Jesús Porras) and one bird at Casas de Hitos, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz), on 19/12 (Á. Díaz Pastor et al).
-Wryneck: 2 at Arrocampo Reservoir (Cáceres) on 21/12 (Chris Mills) and one bird at Plasencia on 24/12 (Eva Palacios) and on 31/12 (R. Montero)
-Red-Rumped Swallow: one bird at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 24/12 (C. Mills).
-Goldcrest: 2 in Mediterranean woodland at Canchos de Ramiro (Cáceres) on 22/12 (R. Montero). 3 at Valdesalor dam (Cáceres) on 26/12 (A. Ceballos)
-Alpine Accentor: 22 at Monesterio (Bajadoz) on 26/12 (A. Pacheco).

THE 2010 SPOONBILL BREEDING POPULATION

Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), adults and juvs, and Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), adult and chicks. Mixed breeding colony in the Province of Cáceres. 17-06-2010 (Javier Prieta).

A previous entry of this blog gave a brief account of Spoonbill breeding in Extremadura from 2000, when breeding was first confirmed, to 2009. A best-guess figure was also given for 2010. Now that all the 2010 figures are to hand, we offer the actual info as a worldwide scoop!

The four habitual breeding colonies were visited in 2010. One of them lacked any Spoonbills and the other had succumbed to the rising waters of a reservoir. Happily the birds themselves shifted to a new site, although it was not found until June, when a single count was made. The other two colonies were visited several times. An occupied nest with no clutch was also found in a new locality.

The total 2010 Spoonbill breeding population in Extremadura was 50 pairs, shared out among four colonies: Monfragüe and environs (23), Montijo Reservoir (16), Alqueva Reservoir (10) and Alagón Valley(1). This is the biggest known figure, so the birds are still on an upward trend. Participants: Javier Prieta, Sergio Mayordomo, Emilio Costillo and Agustín Mogena.

Fortnightly monitoring of breeding in the biggest colony showed the following result: 23 nesting pairs, 19 clutches laid and 33 chicks raised by 17 successful pairs. The breeding parameters obtained were: productivity 1.43 chicks per pair, breeding success 1.74 chicks per clutch and fledgling rate 1.94 chicks per successful pair. To our knowledge this is the first time ever that detailed information has been gleaned on Spoonbill breeding in Extremadura. Participants: Javier Prieta and Sergio Mayordomo.
.
Graph. Breeding Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). Trend in Extremadura (2000-2010).

SPANISH IMPERIAL EAGLE: FALSE ALARM

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti). Adult perched next to its nest. Monfragüe, spring 2010. Photograph taken from 2.5 km away (Javier Prieta).

A previous blog entry expressed some alarm at the apparent fall of Extremadura's population of Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) from 49 to 41 pairs in two years. These fears were based on the figures sent up by the Regional Government of Extremadura to the national Environment Ministry. At the time, given the unofficial nature of the information we published this bad news with all due caveats. Happily, this apparent decline turns out not to be true, since Extremadura's actual Spanish Imperial Eagle population in 2009 was 47 pairs. This more up-to-date information comes from regional press reports of a visit by EU officials to assess the results of the EU "LIFE Programme" initiative to help conserve this raptor in Spain [read more here]. While waiting with bated breath for the official 2010 figures, which might be somewhat brighter, at least we know that the species has been holding pretty steady in the region in recent years, with a medium term increase since reliable counts have been made. We publish below new graphs of the Spanish Imperial Eagle to correct the ones previously shown in this blog.

PREPARING THE WINTERING HERON COUNT: LOOKING FOR ROOSTS

Mixed heron roost on the River Alagón (Montehermoso, Cáceres). In winter 2007-2008 the count was 5281 Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis), 150 Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) and 8 Great White Egrets (Egretta alba). In October 2008 it was occupied anew before being abandoned in November and has never been used since (figures provided by César Clemente and Javier Mahillo).

Every year SEO/BirdLife organises one or more counts of particular bird species or families. In 2011 it's the heron family's turn. A count of wintering birds will be carried out in January before tackling a count of breeding colonies later on. A particular value of this winter count is that it will then be fed into the Spanish Atlas of Wintering Birds, just like the recent coordinated counts of Cranes (December 2007) and gulls (January 2009).

Although several members of the heron family winter in Extremadura, only roost-forming species really lend themselves to systematic counts. The most abundant species in Extremadura is the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), followed by the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and at some distance by the scarcer Great White Egret (Egretta alba). The other heron species have been ruled out of the count, for various reasons. The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), although quite numerous, does not form roosts and is not usually gregarious. The Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), although it forms big roosts in Doñana, is basically a summer visitor in Extremadura (albeit with the odd wintering bird). Other summer visitors that sometimes linger on into winter are the Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) and the Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). Lastly, the Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) and Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), both very shy, have also been left out of this count.

The first step in the project is to find the roosts where the herons congregate each evening. The aim is to sound out the situation before 10 January 2011 and, if possible, by 31 December 2010. The next step will then be to count the birds in all known roosts in January. The ideal situation, volunteers permitting, would be coordinate all counts in the weekend of 14 to 16 January 2011, otherwise the count would have to extended to other dates in January. We therefore need your help: first by communicating any Extremadura heron roosts you may know about and secondly by then taking part in the count (for both purposes send an email to seo.caceres@gmail.com).

The only previous info on wintering herons in Extremadura comes from the Iberian counts carried out in 1992 and 1993 (Fernández-Cruz and Farinha, 1992; Sarasa et al., 1993). The overall results of both counts threw up figures of about 160,000 Cattle Egrets, 10,000 Little Egrets and 1500 Night Herons, with a few Great White Herons, Squacco Herons and Purple Herons thrown in for good measure. The results were broken down by river-catchment areas, so no regional figures are available. Even so, we estimate ball-park figures of 42,000 (1993) and 53.000 (1992) Cattle Egrets in Extremadura, above all in irrigated farmland and more numerous in the Guadiana catchment area (30-35 thousand) than in the Tagus catchment area (13-17 thousand). The Extremadura population is therefore very important (one third of the Iberian total); in 1992 the region also boasted Iberia's biggest roosts (the biggest with 7820 birds in Arroyo Concejo, Cáceres). The Little Egret, with a more coastal range, is less common in the region, accounting for 10% of the Iberian total. Even so the estimated Extremadura winter population is about 1500 for 1992 and 700 for 1993. Once more the Guadiana catchment area comes out tops. The lower 1993 figures for both species can be put down to the drought that hit the area at that time. This information, quite old by now, is only a rough guide for tackling the 2011 count, because many variables might well have changed since then, such as the number and site of landfill sites, new reservoirs, new irrigated farmland and ricefields,...). Prima facie, there now seem to be fewer but bigger roosts than in 1992 and 1993. Anyway, enough chat and let's get down to it!

Distribution maps of Cattle Egret roosts (top) and Little Egret roosts (bottom) in January 1992 (Fernández-Cruz & Farinha, 1992).
.
References:
- Fernández-Cruz, M. & Farinha, J. C. 1992. Primer censo de ardeidas invernantes en la penínsulas Ibérica y Baleares (1991-92). Airo 3:41-54. [PDF]
- Sarasa, C. G., Bartolomé, J., Fernández-Cruz, M. & Farinha, J. C. 1993. Segundo censo de ardeidas invernantes en la penínsulas Ibérica y Baleares (1992-93). Airo 4:41-50. [PDF]

NOVEMBER 2010: Notable bird sightings in Extremadura

Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla). Valdesalor, Cáceres, 29-10-10 (Carlos Fernández Díaz).

A list of the most notable records sent to the GOCE forum in November 2010 (compiled by Sergio Mayordomo).

-Alpine Accentor: 3 at Monesterio (Badajoz) on 27/11 and 6 flocks with 40 birds on passage at Ladrillar, Las Hurdes (Cáceres) (A. Pacheco).
-Osprey: one at Arrocampo Reservoir (Cáceres) on 1/11 (Jaime Collado), at Mérida (Badajoz) on 21/11 (Á. Sánchez) and at Gabriel and Galán Reservoir (Cáceres) on 25/11 (A. Pacheco).
-Booted Eagle: pale phase bird seen at Plasencia (Cáceres) on 3/11, at Montehermoso (Cáceres) on 13/11 (J. Mahillo) and at Mérida landfill site (Badajoz) on 28/11 (Á. Sánchez).
-Egyptian Vulture: 2 adults and one juvenile in the centre of Cáceres province on 1/11 (E. Palacios and M. Á. Muñoz).
-Pink Footed Goose: 2nd record for Extremadura (pending acceptance): one bird on 27/11 feeding on rice stubble at Casas de Hitos (Cáceres/Badajoz) with about 500 Greylags (J. M. Salazar, J. Vilches, J. Arias and Fran).
-Little Bittern: wintering birds on the River Guadiana: one bird at Mérida (Badajoz) on 12/11 (Á. Sánchez) and 3 birds at Badajoz on 12/11 and 2 on 28/11 (J. C. Paniagua).
-House Martin: 15 at Valcorchero, Plasencia (Cáceres) on 11/11 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo) and on 12/11 (M. García del Rey).
-Avocet: 9 at La Albuera on 7/11 (J. C. Paniagua) and on 26/11 (J. P. Prieto). 6 birds on ricefields between Palazuelo (Badajoz) and Madrigalejo (Cáceres) on 14/11 (M. Kelsey). 10 on the River Alagón at Riomalo de Abajo (Cáceres) on 23/11 (A. Pacheco).
-Goshawk: one at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres), on 10/11 (J. L. Rivero).
-Short-Eared Owl: one in the open countryside called Campiña Sur (Badajoz) on 21/11 (A. Núñez).
-Purple Swamphen: one at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 12/11 (S. Mayordomo). Late breeding record: adult and fledgling on 14/11 at Arrocampo (Cáceres) (J. Briz).
-Garganey: one female at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) from 1/11 to 15/11 (J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo).
-Kentish Plover: 3 on ricefields between Palazuelo (Badajoz) and Madrigalejo (Cáceres) on 14/11 (M. Kelsey).
-Dotterel: one juvenile at Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 2/11 (J. Prieta) and on 3/11 (S. Mayordomo).
-Red-Billed Chough: one at Mirabel landfill site (Cáceres) on 7/11 (S. Mayordomo) and at San Vicente de Alcántara on 28/11 (J. Gordillo).
-White Stork: first birds at nest on 18/11 zt Zafra (A. Núñez), on 27/11 at San Vicente del Alcántara (J. Gordillo) and on 28/11 at Badajoz (J. C. Paniagua).
-Black Stork: wintering birds at Oliva de Plasencia (Cáceres): one on 10/11 (R. Montero), three on 14/11 (R. Vicente) and six on 17/11 (J. Prieta). Two birds at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz) on 27/11 (Á. Sánchez).
-Quail: one bird in an olive grove at Mohedas de Granadilla (Cáceres) on 16/11 (A. Pacheco).
-Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse: three flocks with 250 birds at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) on 10/11 (M. Kelsey).
-Squacco Heron: one on ricefields at Palazuelo (Badajoz) on 14/11 (M. Kelsey).
-Mediterranean Gull: one at Mérida landfill site (Badajoz) on 4/11 and two on 7/11 (Á. Sánchez).
-Common Gull: one first-winter bird at Mérida landfill site (Badajoz) on 4/11 and two on 7/11 and 28/11 (Á. Sánchez).
-Yellow-Legged Gull: several at Mérida landfill site (Badajoz) on 7/11 and two on 28/11 (Á. Sánchez).
-Black Kite: two at Navalmoral de la Mata (Cáceres) on 1/11 (J. Briz, M. García del Rey and V. Risco) and a juvenile at Cáceres on 10/11 (M. Kelsey).
-Tufted Duck: 71 birds at Charca de Brozas (Cáceres) on 28/11 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo).
-Goldcrest: two in Mediterranean woodland at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 6/11 (S. Mayordomo). Abundant in the pinewoods of Las Hurdes (Cáceres) during the 2nd week of November (A. Pacheco). Three at Cabezabellosa (Cáceres) on 9/11 (R. Montero).
-Shelduck: 3 at Valdecañas Reservoir (Cáceres) on 25/11 and 12 at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz) on 27/11 (Á. Sánchez).
-Black-Necked Grebe: 2 at Charca de Brozas (Cáceres) on 28/11 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo).

Lingering summer visitors
-Wheatear: One at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) (Dave Langlois) and 5 at Acehúche (Cáceres) (E. Palacios and M. A. Muñoz) on 1/11. One at Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 2/11 (J. Prieta).
-Willow Warbler: two at Talaván Reservoir (Cáceres) on 1/11 (Antonio Ceballos).
-Alpine Swift: One at Mérida (Badajoz) on 12/11 (Á. Sánchez).

First wintering visitors
-Brambling: One female at Cornalvo (Badajoz) on 12/11 (José Ledo).
-Redwing: One at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 1/11 (D. Langlois).

NORTH-AFRICAN LONG-LEGGED BUZZARD IN EXTREMADURA: THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG?

North-African Long-Legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus cirtensis), adult in captivity. September 2010, Plasencia, Cáceres (J. Prieta). Typical adult with rufous plumage, pale breast and darker thighs ("trousers") and unbarred reddish tail.

The Long-Legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) lives in North Africa (cirtensis subspecies) and in Eastern Europe (rufinus subspecies); it is hard to tell apart from the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo). Check out specialist guides and internet sites (e.g., , here, here and here) to find out more about its complex identification features. As a general rule, however, any particularly pale or rufous buzzards in the field should be checked carefully. The Buzzard is a notoriously variable species but the birds in Extremadura, where it is abundant, are usually dark and fairly uniform.

The Long-Legged Buzzard is classed as a rare vagrant in Spain and observations have to be vetted by SEO's Rarities Committee. Taking only officially accepted records into account, it comes out as extremely rare in Extremadura, where there has only been one confirmed observation: an adult of unknown subspecies seen on 06/12/05 in Regina, Badajoz (J. J. Ramos Encalado, Ardeola 54:419). Possibly the same bird was seen in the same site on 25 and 26/12/05 and in January 2006 (Javier Salcedo et al). The tip of the supposed iceberg is therefore tiny. And to give a good idea of the identification difficulties, this particular bird was considered by some observers to be a Steppe Buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus).

Long-Legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) dark adult. 1-5-2009. Regina, Badajoz (drawing and fieldnotes by Juan José Ramos Encalado). The uniformly red tail tells us it's an adult.

There are now at least three other observations up before the Rarities Committee. One from 01/05/09 in Palomas, Badajoz (Antonio Matador): a 2nd-year bird, possibly of the cirtensis subspecies, casually photographed without the least idea it could be a Long-Legged Buzzard and then confirmed by several experts (Andrea Corso, Ernest García, Javier Elorriaga). Curiously enough, on the same day and only 35 km away an immature was recorded between Usagre and Hinojosa (Xurxo Piñeiro), but we don't know if this record has been sent in to the Rarities Committee.

Buzzard (Buteo sp.). Possible Long-Legged Buzzard (B. rufinus) immature. 1-5-2009. Palomas, Badajoz (Antonio Matador). It shows rufous plumage, pale breast and dark "trousers". The lightly barred tail tells us it's an immature.

Another two were recorded in 2010, once more 2nd-year cirtensis, near Trujillo, which might be two birds or the same bird seen twice: on 11/06/10 in Belén, to the east of Trujillo (Ernest García; ex member of the Rarities Committee) and on 22-23/06/10 in Los Cerralbos, to the west of Trujillo (Martin Kelsey). In this same zone there were other tentative observations in April and May that have not been sent up for acceptance.

Buzzard (Buteo sp.). Possible Long-Legged Buzzard (B. rufinus cirtensis) immature. 11-6-2010. Belén, Trujillo, Cáceres (Ernest García).

Further west there are other uncertain records, including one on 10/4/10 between Cáceres and Santa Marta de Magasca of another possible immature (Godfried Schreur and Jan van Schaik).

Buzzard (Buteo sp.). Possible Long-Legged Buzzard (B. rufinus), immature. 10-4-2010. Between Santa Marta de Magasca and Cáceres (Jan van Schalk).

On 18/4/10 a different bird was again seen in Santa Marta de Magasca: an immature female with some rufinus features. This bird was accompanied by a male Common Buzzard, both giving out the characteristic Buzzard mew and showing similar behaviour (John Muddeman and John Cramer).

Buzzard (Buteo sp.). Possible Long-Legged Buzzard (B. rufinus), immature. 18-4-2010. Santa Marta de Magasca, Cáceres (John Cramer).

The Long-Legged Buzzard may well be more common in Extremadura than it seems, especially if we include in our trawl observations that were never sent in for ratification for one reason or another (identification doubts, groups of tourists pushed for time, lack of interest, etc.). Since 2005 there has been a series of possible Long-Legged Buzzard sightings. With all due caveats when working with unratified records, SEO-Cáceres has compiled the following list:

* 2005. At least 6 birds in April-May 2005 in Trujillo (3), Llanos de Cáceres (2) and Vegas Altas (1). In Belén, Trujillo, three birds, two light and one dark, recorded by at least 14 different observers between 17/04 and 29/05/05. First record of a light bird and another dark bird on 17/04/05 (S. Villa, T. Driscoll and B. Driscoll); the light bird was seen on 19/04/05 and 20/04/05 (J. Muddeman); on 20/04/05 a dark bird was seen hard by in Torrecillas de la Tiesa (J. J. Saiz); a bird on 22/04/05 and on 23/04/05 (M. Kelsey); a bird on 1/05/05 (Á. Molina and A. López; J. Portillo and J. Portillo) and on 5/05/05 (S. Villa); a bird was seen on 8/05/05 (A. López and J. Diego Acevedo); the bird was still present on 29/05/05 (K. Parker, G. Dodd); in May two light birds were seen (J Muddeman) and one dark (S. Villa). In Cáceres-Santa Marta de Magasca, 25 km west of Belén: two putative birds of the cirtensis race in late April 2005 (S. Villa, J. Boyes and J. Boyes) and a dark bird in May (S. Villa). In Vegas Altas: one light bird in May 2005 (J. Muddeman).
* 2006 and 2007. No information.
* 2008. One putative juvenile in Belén, Trujillo, on 4/05/08 (S. Villa)

Buzzard (Buteo sp.). Possible Long-Legged Buzzard (B. rufinus). April 2004. Belén, Trujillo, Cáceres (Santi Villa).

Let's hope the picture becomes clearer in the future. At present we have little to go on but the supposed presence of 2nd-year cirtensis birds in Spring in steppeland areas could reflect the dispersal of immature Long-Legged Buzzards from North Africa to southwest Iberia. The species has been breeding in Andalusia at least since 2009 (Elorriaga & Román, 2010), and in 2010 there were cases there of hydridisation with Common Buzzard (J. Elorriaga, pers. comm.); precedents of such crosses are known from Italy. Given the close genetic similarity of both species the hybrids might well be fertile. And if these crosses are occurring unbeknown to us there might be hybrids from more than one generation at large in the field, exacerbating the identification difficulties even more. Moreover, the taxonomy has not yet been well defined, since the morphologically different buzzards from the Western Palearctic are genetically very similar. Some authorities consider them to be subspecies rather than full species; on the other hand other pundits separate "B. cirtensis" as a full species in its own right. To complicate matters even more, a recent study moots the validity of the Iberian subspecies B. buteo hispaniae, morphologically different from other European forms (Kruckenhauser, et al., 2004) and sometimes showing a reddish tail.

Acknowledgements: thanks to Javier Elorriaga for his help in identifying the photos and his input of information. To Sergio Mayordomo for compiling the previous records (2005-2008). To the colleagues of GOCE forum who have swapped observations and opinions.

Sources:
- Elorriaga, J. & Román, A. 2010. Primeros casos de reproducción e invernada del busardo moro en la península ibérica. Quercus, 293:32-34. [read more]. Results on 2010, Quercus 298:15.
- Kruckenhauser, L., Haring, E., Pinsker, W., Riesing, M. J., Winkler, H., Wink, M. & Gamauf, A. 2004. Genetic vs. morphological differentiation of Old World buzzards (genus Buteo, Accipitridae). Zoologica Scripta, 33:197-211. [PDF]