b. Migration flyways at the Mediterranean

Bird migration from the Palaearctic region to Africa occurs on a vast scale. ‘About 200 species migrate annually from Eurasia to Africa. Moreau estimated that these migrations involved over 5 billion individuals'⁶. That is the equivalent of 5/6ths of the world’s human population! For many of these birds, the Mediterranean represents an obstacle on their migration route. Hundreds of thousands of birds concentrate twice a year at the three main routes leading across or around it.

Fig.2. The main migration routes across/ around the Mediterranean.

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The Eastern Flyway (via Bosphorus and the Middle East): this is a large-scale crossing used by raptors, soaring birds and passerines alike.

The Central Flyway (southern Italy, Malta, Tunisia): a narrow but longer crossing, mainly favoured by birds that use flapping flight including swallows and goldfinches as well as smaller raptors such as the honey buzzard, kestrel and red-footed falcon.

The Western Flyway (southern Spain, Gibraltar, Morroco): this is a large-scale crossing, and the only narrow crossing point for soaring birds from western Europe e.g. buzzard, lesser spotted eagle.

c. Tarifa: a key Mediterranean crossing

The Siren reserve lies on the southernmost tip of Spain, near Tarifa. It is the last stopover for many birds in the autumn before crossing to their feeding grounds in Africa. It is the first place many will land in the spring having crossed the Mediterranean, and possibly the Sahara too e.g. yellow wagtails.

Tarifa is said to mean ‘windy’ in Arabic. Strong winds can blow over the Strait for 87% of all days in the summer and autumn! On the hills Northeast of Tarifa, wind farms take advantage of these winds, generating enough electricity to supply the whole of Tarifa and with surplus to export to Morocco. The wind can make the crossing difficult for birds, which often birds struggle to reach the other shore and can also drift off target8’. It is vital that birds time their crossing well, and many birds use the cork forests and grasslands near Tarifa to wait for the right conditions.

The rich productivity of the waters in the Strait, and its position in a chain of wetlands also make this area crucial for bird-life. In recognition of all these factors, the area has been designated a European Important Bird Area (IBA). More information on IBA’s can be found at: www.birdlife.net/action/science/sites.