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Long distance migrant. Present at SW Palearctic sites from mid-Mar, arriving later farther N; main arrival N Europe early May, with migration persisting to early Jun. Main spring and autumn passage in Egypt late Mar to mid-Aug to mid Oct; records in late Jan to early Feb could indicate local wintering or early migration. Spring migration of nominate race through Israel mid-Jan to mid-Jun, peaking Apr-May; passage S throughout country mid-May to mid-Nov; in spring pekinensis moves mainly in Mar-Apr, occurring primarily in E in autumn. Leaves N Europe from late Jul, mainly Aug, very rare from Nov. Autumn movement over W Turkish migration watchpoints peaks mid-late Aug. Present on African wintering grounds from Sept. Broad-front autumn migration from Europe on SSW bearing, returning by generally more E route. Race pekenensis departs South Africa by early Mar, nominate race leaving somewhat earlier, late Jan early Feb. Winters in small numbers N of Sahara, e.g. Cape Verde Is, with records Aug-Jun, possibly in Egypt among flocks of A. pallidus along Nile, in Israel and Arab Gulf steas. Vagrant to many oceanic archipelagos, including Pribilof Is off Alaska (1 record, Jun) and Prince Edward Is in S Indian Ocean.   (del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds), 1999)

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