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

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Migratory. Nominate race leaves breeding grounds by late Oct or Nov. Regular autumn migrant through Gibraltar, along coast of Morocco and across NW Africa (e.g. W & C Mauritania Oct-Nov). Some may winter in Morocco (e.g. Chichaoua Dec-Jan) but usually winters farther S in W Africa, though exact range unclear. Recorded N Senegal late Nov and Jan, and C & S Mali Oct-Mar, where common and widespread. In spring, return movements on broad front (Mar to early May) across Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco and W Algeria, returning to breeding grounds from late Apr to May. Race desertorum migratory and partially sedentary; movements and wintering range probably similar to nominate race. Recorded N Senegal late Nov, E Gambia Nov, and Mali, Ivory Coast and N Ghana (Gambaga) Mar. Winter records (race unknown) also from Liberia in Dec and Ivory Coast in Nov and Jan. Vagrants recorded in Britain, Denmark, Ibiza, Sicily, Malta, Libya and Madeira and possibly Yugoslavia, Turkey and Canary Is; single record from France during present century, a bird found dead at Bouches-du-Rhône in Jun 1997.   (del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds), 1999)

• digitised by GROMS, after del Hoyo J A Elliott; J Sargatal (eds) (1999) - www.hbw.com,
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