KLAASSEN R,KLAASSEN H, BERGHUIS A, BERGHUIS M, SCHREVEN K, HORST Y. VAN DER, VERKADE H & KEARSLEY L (2014) Migration routes and wintering areas of Dutch Common Swifts Apus apus revealed using geolocators. LIMOSA 87 (2): 173-181.

In 2010-2012 12 individual Common Swifts Apus apus were tracked using light-level geolocators from three breeding colonies in the Netherlands, in Groesbeek, Noordhorn and Noordwijk. Four individuals were tracked for two subsequent seasons (hence we obtained 16 tracks in total). General migration patterns were very similar to Swedish Swifts (Tab. 1, Åkesson et al. 2012), with two notable exceptions: (1) Dutch Swifts did not remain in the Congo Basin in winter but made long and far winter excursions to southeastern Africa (Malawi and Mozambique) (Fig. 2). By making these winter movements the swifts might track seasonal rains. (2) Timing of the annual cycle of Dutch swifts is about two weeks earlier than Swedish swifts. In order to establish a year-round protection of Dutch Common Swifts it would be valuable to learn about the habitat preference and feeding ecology of the birds in Mozambique and Liberia.

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