ABSTRACT
The Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) is colonial species showing a delayed breeding season, taking place in summer/autumn. It is a trans-equatorial migrant breeding in the Mediterranean ecoregion and wintering mainly in Madagascar. Therefore, twice a year it migrates across the African continent on a broad front, showing also long no-stop flights involving nocturnal migration, especially over ecological barriers like the desert and the sea. The post-breeding journey of juveniles may even entail a double duration in comparison with adults, as these inexperienced individuals slow down their migration speed, especially in the Sahel, in order to replenish their energy stores. The spring routes lies more in the east than autumn ones, shaping thus a loop migration pattern, promoted mainly by differences in the seasonal distribution of trophic resources, with Eleonora's falcons stopping-over for some days in Ethiopia/Somalia. This species shows stunning orientation capabilities, since, after a complex route, juveniles are able to reach alone their restricted wintering grounds in the island of Madagascar.
