Authors: ASENSIO, B., CANTOS, F. J., FERNÁNDEZ, A. and VEGA, I.
Published: Volume 38(1), June 1991. Pages 37-49.
Language: Spanish
Original Title: La migración del Avión Zapador (Riparia riparia) en España
Keywords: distribution, Spain, migration and Riparia riparia.
Summary:
The Sand Martin colonies in Spain settle down preferently near the catchment areas. The adults arrive to breed massively in march and the first young appear in May. They start to leave in July and the last individuals migrate in October. There seems to be a slight exchange between the European colonies and the Iberian ones. Two migratory flows arrive to Iberia. One comes from Great Britain crossing the French Atlantic coasts and entering Spain through the occidental Pyrenees; once here, part of the birds make their way towards the Mediterranean coasts through the Ebro Valley, reaching Africa through Gibraltar. The second flow is a small ramification of the one that comes from the Nordic countries and crosses central Europe towards Italy. It enters in Spain through the oriental Pyrenees and flies ove the Iberian Mediterranean coasts. Both flows migrate through Iberia between late September and early October, with no differences between yearlings and adults nor between different European populations. The energetic cost of the migration is not compensated during its development. This allows them to quickly reach their destiny, but in counterpart may force them to arrive exhausted.
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