Michele Mendi

A long-distance migratory passerine, breeding from W Europe/NW Africa to C Asia, and wintering across the Sahelian belt up to E Africa (BirdLife International 2021). In Europe, it avoids the coldest regions, incl. Scandinavia, the Baltic area, E Europe, Iceland, Ireland and the N half of UK; also some main mountain ranges like the Alps.  

Season of assessment

B

Population trendStable
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		20400000-30700000,24800000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Common Nightingale

Few recoveries S of the Sahara, hampering us to obtain firm conclusions only using ring-recovery data. Recoveries in Europe/N Africa draw parallel migration patterns, with birds breeding in regions further W also passing further W (Iberia, NW Africa) than populations from further E regions (C Mediterranean, or SE Europe). Recent works using light-level geolocators show high connectivity in Africa (Sahelian belt), due to the existence of parallel migration patterns (Hahn et al. 2014), thus confirming what is sensed in Europe/N Africa. Detours in autumn larger for the W population than for the C/E European populations (Hahn et al. 2014). W/C nightingales change more often their wintering sites (>80%) than E birds (18%) (Hahn et al. 2014).

Recoveries by Condition for Common Nightingale

Most recoveries (96%) due to birds captured alive thanks to ringing. Before 1960, however, almost 30% of recoveries were due to birds found dead/sick/wounded. Since then, most recoveries fit to the general pattern show above.

Annual Movements for Common Nightingale

Movements to S patent in Sep in Europe. Already in Oct, the amount of recoveries in Europe drops substantially hence reflecting that most birds would be then in Africa. Recoveries in the Sahelian belt from Nov to Mar (though take this with caution due to low sample size). Return to Europe patent in Mar. Recoveries suggest arrival to breeding quarters mostly in Apr. Few recoveries in Europe in winter. Nightingales wintering in S Europe (e.g. Guadalquivir region in S Spain) is becoming a frequent phenomenon (Morganti & Pulido 2012). Duration of autumn migration estimated to be ca. 70 days, and the spring one 30 days (Hahn et al. 2014).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Common Nightingale

Detailed data only possible if combining ring-recovery data with results from light-level geolocators. Departure from breeding sites in early Aug for the W/E populations, ca. 2 weeks later for the C population (Hahn et al. 2014). Important stopovers in Aug/Sep in: (1) W birds: Iberia, S France, Italy (more rarely), W/E Atlas; (2) C birds: Italy, E Atlas, Lybia; (3) E birds: SE Europe, E Sahara (Hahn et al. 2014). Recoveries in Mediterranean islands very common (e.g., Rubolini et al. 2005; Gargallo et al. 2011). Arrival to winter quarters in Oct. Departure in spring from Africa rather similar across populations, in Mar. Arrival to breeding quarters in Europe in Apr.

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
BirdLife International 2021 . Species factsheet: Luscinia megarhynchos.
Gargallo, G., Barriocanal, C., Castany, J., Clarabuch, O., Escandell, R., López, G., Rguibi, H., Robson, D., Suarez, M.2011 . Spring bird migration in the Western Mediterranean: results from the Piccole Isole Project. Monografies del Museu de Ciències Naturals, 6., Barcelona.
Hahn, S., Emmenegger, T., Lisovski, S., Amrhein, V., Zehtindjiev, P., Liechti, F.2014 . Variable detours in long-distance migration across ecological barriers and their relation to habitat availability at ground. Ecology and Evolution 4: 4150–4160
Morganti, M., Pulido, F.2012 . Invernada de aves migradoras transaharianas en España. In: SEO/BirdLife (Eds.), Atlas de las aves en invierno en España 2007-2010. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medioambiente-SEO/BirdLife, Madrid: 59–64
Rubolini, D., Spina, F., Saino, N.2005 . Correlates of timing of spring migration in birds: a comparative study of trans-Saharan migrants. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 85: 199–210

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