Lorenzo Fornasari

Red squirrel conservation: The assessment of a reintroduction experiment

Abstract The methods used to assess a red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris reintroduction experiment at Parco Groane, northern Italy, are described. Population size at the removal site was estimated (c. 2400 squirrels) using drey counts, to evaluate the effect of removing animals for reintroduction. Suitability of the release site was investigated in two ways: (1) beforehand, by comparing tree seed abundance with that at the removal site, (2) retrospectively, by comparing drey‐site choice between removal and release site. Increase and dispersion of the reintroduced population were monitored using drey counts and searching for species‐specific feeding signs. Although only eight squirrels could be released (four males, four females), the experiment was successful and by 1996 all wooded habitats at Parco Groane were inhabited by squirrels.

Post-release behaviour, home range establishment and settlement success of reintroduced red squirrels

Abstract The behaviour of eight radiotagged red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758) reintroduced at Parco Groane, northern Italy, was monitored for two months following their release. Both male and female squirrels moved over considerable distances the first two weeks after introduction, exploring the new habitat. Two types of exploring behaviour were observed: (i) gradually expanding the home range, moving only short distances each day; and (ii) making regular excursions of more than 1 km followed by short periods of activity in a small area. The latter behaviour resulted in very large home ranges during the exploring phase. After the initial exploring, home range size decreased and one male and two female squirrels changed their space use by increasing the number of activity centres (core‐areas) within their home range. Post‐settlement home ranges were spaced out over the available habitat and all squirrels used almost completely exclusive core‐areas. Only four red squirrels (two males and two f...

Site fidelity and population structure of the red‐backed shrike lanius collurio in northern italy

Data collected during ringing activities at the Station of Albonico were used to ascertain site fidelity and population structure of the Red‐backed Shrike in the Italian pre‐Alps. Males and females were recorded in equal numbers amongst ringed birds but in the ratio 2:1 among birds recovered. These results suggest a higher site‐fidelity for males than for females.

The migration of the Robin Erithacus rubecula in the central pre‐Alps of Italy

During the Springs of 1984 and 1985 and the Autumns of 1983–1984–1985, 640 Robins were caught and ringed at the S.I.R.O. Bird Observatory of Albonico. In addition, 71 individual birds were recovered locally for a total of 95 times in the course of the same season. The average stop‐over time in Spring was lower than that in Autumn. During these periods, the birds almost invariably stored fat and gained weight but the gain was more marked in the Autumn. These data show that Robins migrating through Albonico make very successful use of the well known strategy of staying at stop‐over sites to refuel before continuing migration.

Population structure, genetics and conservation of the Maltese wall lizard, Podarcis filfolensis, on Linosa Island (Reptilia, Lacertidae)

Podarcis filfolensis is a lacertid lizard endemic to the Maltese and Pelagian archipelagos (Channel of Sicily). In Italy, this species occurs on Linosa and Lampione islands only, where the populations are referred to the endemic ssp. laurentiimuelleri. The Linosa population was studied using capture/recapture methods during two sampling seasons (1993, 2001), in order to analyse various ecological parameters and to assess habitat distribution and overall conservation status. A clear preference to xeric Mediterranean habitats dominated by Pistacia lentiscus was seen. The lizard density of the whole Linosa population, estimated by various methods, is extremely high. Molecular analyses (partial sequencing of mitochondrial tRNAPhe and 12S rDNA genes) and electrophoretic analysis of 26 presumptive gene loci were also carried out on samples representing the three P. filfolensis populations from Malta, Filfola and Linosa islands. Both molecular and allozyme data indicate that the populations of the Maltese Archip...

Autumn movements of Citril Finch Serinus citrinella citrinella in the southern Alps

Autumn movements of the Citril Finch in the Alpine range are known only in a general way. In Lombardy, the winter expansion of the breeding range is documented by the comparison of the breeding and the wintering atlas maps, while the arrival of birds from abroad is indicated by few retraps of ringed birds. The number of Citril Finches ringed in Lombardy was quite small until 1991 (92 birds starting from 1977). In autumn 1992 we set up two new ringing places, in the Orobie Alps, catching and ringing 206 Citril Finches out of a yearly regional total of 221. The pattern of catches, similar in the two places, shows that something like a real migration occurs; the timing of catches and the discovery to the south of two birds ringed in the northern site indicates that the two sites lie on the same migration route. Some indications in favour of this “migration” hypothesis derive also from the analysis of biometrical data (weight and fat variation and wing length).

A method for establishing bird conservation value at a landscape level

Summary To produce conservation indices from bird community data, with the aim of identifying and comparing areas of regional conservation concern, we selected bird community samples randomly over a large study area, without including habitat features a priori in the sampling procedure. Subsequently, we subjected the samples to a cluster analysis to identify a posteriori bird communities to be indexed together with their associated habitat and distribution/abundance on a regional scale. We identified 15 bird community types and were able to characterize each of them by a community conservation index (CCI) taking into account three different components of rarity: habitat selectivity, geographical distribution, and abundance. A cluster of four communities was associated with lowland farmland and woodland; another cluster of five was found at higher average altitudes and degree of urbanization; a third one of six showed a montane distribution. This third cluster showed much higher CCI values in comparison with the first two suggesting that the index here proposed is very sensitive to a high community selectivity and a restricted distribution/abundance.

Criteria for the age determination of the Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Criteria for ageing Hawfinches on a semi‐quantitative basis are analyzed. Age/sex classes can be recognized by scoring rectrix abrasion, width of the outer web of the sixth primary and sharpness of the greater alula feather. Based on these three criteria, age determination appears always possible.

Bird communities and woodland structure in the lowland of northern Italy

Abstract The breeding bird communities of six natural woodlots in the Po valley (northern Italy) were censused during 1986 by means of the point count method. The results suggest that two kinds of woodland bird communities exist, with some differences in common bird species densities. These differences seem to be related with others in vegetation composition and foliage vegetation cover. Bird com munities of northern Italy are similar to those of the central European woodland habitats.