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During the last days of May and the month of June, Urdaibai Bird Center has reached the planned objectives of this year for the campaign of location and survey of the territories of the Red-backed Shrike and marking and monitoring of this species in Biscay in 2012 and 2013.
For this spring of 2012, the aim was the detection and surveillance of a minimum of 50 nesting territories and the ringing and putting GLS geolocators on 30 males, for the monitoring of the special migration of this bird.
Example of the surroundings of one of the terrirories
The collaboration of the volunteers of the center have been particularly important for the task of territory location, because they have examined a lot of areas and found a great number of territories. For this reason, Urdaibai Bird Center appreciates especially the help of Luis Betanzos (that took also part with the research team in the capture), Jose Luis Luzarraga, Alicia Lizaso, Endika Arcones, Ander Areitioaurtena, Josu Castro, Aiala Zaton, David Henderson, Juan Zugazabeitia, Jose Ángel Antxia, Aritz Atela, Leire Martinez, Iratxe Uriguen, Joseba Irazabal, Luis Mª Larrabe, Josu Rubio, Emilio Dilla, Gabriel Telleria, Iñaki Markuerkiaga, Jesus Manuel Etxebarria, Alexander Zabala, Julen Arana, Alberto Unamuno, Asier Rosado, Kepa Intxausti, Juan Angel and Lina.
Altogether, 60 different territories were located and monitored with the help of the collaborators of the center, and most of them were inside of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.
The couples selected for carrying the geolocators were concentrated in the rural landscapes of Urdaibai where there has been and confirmed, at least, tree breeding areas, for this reason the 30 male Red-backed shrikes that the research team of Urdaibai Bird Center marked, are distributed among the valleys of Gautegiz Arteaga, Arratzu, Ajangiz, Foru-Murueta, Ereño-Nabarniz and certain areas of countryside of Bermeo y Busturia.
Ringing of one male Red-backed Shrike.
In the same way, the Bulgarian research team that is working in the same project has almost reached the objectives, because they have marked at this moment more than 20 Red-backed Shrikes.
Device for the geolocation located on the back of the bird.
This has been first stage of the project, now there will be an exhaustive monitoring of those Red-backed Shrikes and their territories and, above all, the study of the breeding parameters and the characterization of the habitat selected by these birds for the reproduction.
And finally, we have to be witness of their depart for doing their special migration to the Southeast of Africa and after that, be looking forward to their return journey on the next spring for knowing the important information they will give us about their travels.
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