Project Objectives

The project aims to facilitate Falco eleonorae adaptation to the ongoing and future climate change by the implementation of a series of conservation actions.

Specifically, the objectives of the program relate to:

1. improvement of breeding performance of the species, by (a) reducing egg losses and mortality rates of nestlings (b) improving the quality and increasing the availability of nesting sites and (c) improving prey availability and quality.
2. improvement of the species’ conservation status at its foraging areas both within its breeding and wintering range by (a) identifying foraging areas utilized by the species, (b) assessing the quality and impact of land use in these areas, (c) networking among experts and organization of workshops to help design and promote efficient mitigation measures.

According to the results of long term studies, mainly in colonies of the species in Greece, the situation of the Eleonora’s falcon populations depends largely on the quality of the habitats where it feeds and reproduces and the availability of food. Although classified as an insectivore, the species’ breeding period is synchronized with the autumn flux of migratory passerines over the colonies constituting its main energy. Recently, valid indications have come to light for a northwards shift in the species distribution in the Aegean, a pattern consistent with the predictions of the Climatic Atlas of the European Birds (Huntley et al. 2007). The reasons for this shift remain unclear, but are possibly related with (a) the constant raising of maximum summer air temperatures in the Eastern Mediterranean, affecting egg thermoregulation and leading in increased egg infertility, (b) the predation of eggs and nestlings by rats in colony islets and (c) in a possible mismatch of the its breeding period with the changing passerine migratory flux over its colonies.