Migration and wintering patterns of a central European population of Common CranesGrus grus

Capsule German breeding birds wintered mainly in southwest Spain and some in France. Aims To describe migration routes and phenology, and the interannual fidelity to staging and wintering sites. Methods A total of 93 cranes were colour-banded, and 67 of them radiotagged, at their breeding territories in northern Germany and later located at their wintering areas in Spain. Results After a migratory trip lasting 3–28 days, most cranes arrived at Gallocanta in northeastern Spain, where they staged for 1–44 days. Some families stayed there the whole winter, but most continued to southwestern Iberia, where they dispersed over at least 13 wintering areas. Site fidelity was more marked in adult pairs than immatures, half of which used different areas in their second and third winters from those used by their parents. Conclusions Most German cranes wintered in southwestern Spain, with smaller numbers in France. Some immatures remained in France as second- or third-year birds, after having spent their first winter in Spain with their parents, whereas none of them shifted southwards. This suggests that immatures have probably contributed more than adult pairs to the northward shift in the winter range observed during the last decades.