Range use of a Eurasian black vulture (Aegypius monachus) population in the Dadia‐Lefkimi‐Soufli National Park and the adjacent areas, Thrace, NE Greece

Abstract

Primary goal of this study was to facilitate the management and conservation of Eurasian black vulture (Aegypius monachus) population on a larger scale than the Dadia‐Lefkimi‐Soufli National Park (Dadia NP). Range use pattern of this population was studied using an integrated radio‐tracking methodology. Various home range (HR) parameters were estimated for the breeding (BS) and non‐breeding (NBS) season using minimum convex polygon and fixed kernel estimators and incremental cluster polygon analysis. Various comparisons were made within and between the two seasons and between the different age classes. More activity centres were detected during the BS than the NBS. The overall area used by the vultures was bigger in the NBS than in the BS and the adult individuals used HRs and core areas larger in size than the juveniles. During their foraging the vultures prospected a much wider area than Dadia NP and all showed fidelity to the colony while the juvenile individuals were attached to the natal area. The vultures' foraging behaviour has not been affected by supplementary feeding. Measures have to be taken to preserve the foraging areas that were identified and to prevent rural depopulation and the abandonment of traditional stock‐raising practices.

Keywords:

• Aegypius monachus
• telemetry
• range use
• home range
• foraging areas
• core areas
• Greece

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Theodora Skartsi for her support and advice. We are indebted to C. Ruiz, S. Schindler, B. Carcamo, L. Pomarede, R. Rodriguez, R. Alvarez, M. Serrano, F. Raoux, A. Knochel, P. Babaka, A. Alexiou, M. Olympia and N. Papamattheakis for help during the fieldwork and methodological discussions. We are thankful to V. Matarranz and J. de La Puente (Birdlife/SEO) for their participation in trapping and sharing of ideas. Dr G. Catsadorakis and two referees provided valuable and constructive comments on the manuscript. This paper is based upon work conducted under the WWF Greece project for the conservation of the Dadia Forest Reserve, and especially during the implementation of the LIFE Nature project “Conservation of Birds of Prey in the Dadia Forest Reserve, Greece” (LIFE02NAT/GR/8497) funded by 60% by the EU Commission and 40% by WWF Greece.