Post-breeding migration of Reed and Great Reed warblers breeding in southeast Greece

The timing of departure of many migratory passerines breeding in southeastern Europe or the Mediterranean remains relatively little known. In this work, Reed and Great Reed Warbler mist-netting data from a breeding site in Greece are analysed to determine the change in catching rate and the timing of premigratory fattening, both of which are indicators of departure movements. In both species, departure seemed to occur at the same time or earlier than further north in Europe. Adults of both species left the study site earlier than juveniles and Great Reed Warblers slightly earlier than Reed Warblers. This differs greatly from recent findings in the western Mediterranean. One reason for this early departure is the possible early depletion of food caused by the summer drought. Starting as they do from the northern coast of the Mediterranean, birds departing from the study site would be far more advanced in their southward movement than conspecifics leaving from central or northern European breeding grounds.