Species fact sheet by Global Register of Migratory Species - www.groms.de

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Migratory. In W Palearctic three major routes: to White Sea, down W European coasts to W Africa; across E Europe via Black Sea and Tunisia to W Africa, following N African coast or flying via Mali; and via Black and Caspian Seas and across Middle East and Rift Valley lakes to E & S Africa. Route through W Europe little used during N migration; instead many fly via Tunisia and Sivash (N Crimea); birds passing S through Sivash winter in E, C & S Africa and probably migrate N via Caspian Sea. Other routes are across Siberia to India, where some continue through SE Asia to Australia, but many winter in S India and Sri Lanka; also overland to E Asia and via Chinese coast to Australia, a route used more on N migration. Migrates long distances non-stop. Males show high degree of site faithfulness. During autumn migration adults precede juveniles and adult males depart early Jul, 3-4 weeks before females; more males than females migrate farther S. On S migration, crosses Europe in Jul, reaching Africa from mid-Jul in N and mainly Sept in S; arrives Australia late Aug to early Sept; juveniles follow 4-6 weeks later. N migration late Apr to May; arrives on breeding grounds from early Jun. Many 1 st-year birds remain on wintering grounds while other non-breeding birds apparently remain just S of breeding grounds, in C Siberia.   (del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds), 1996)

• digitised by GROMS, after del Hoyo J A Elliott; J Sargatal (eds) (1996) - www.hbw.com,
• Copyright: GROMS/BfN - www.groms.de
  
  (A digitised version of this map is published in GIS shape format on the GROMS CD).