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Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus

Between 1 and 8 May 2005, several survey walks were made in the northern part of Lake Vransko (UTM WJ46). Our observations were focused particularly on areas with intensive horticultural activity, with vegetable gardens neighbouring hay meadows reaching out almost to the immediate waterside, i.e. down to the reedbed. Our observation of birds of prey included 3 Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus seen on 1 May. There were in fact a number of them (1 – 5) flying above the reeds almost during every survey walk. At about 11.00 h on 2 May, 1 female Red– footed Falcon was spotted hunting above the meadow. About 5 – 10 minutes, later a male also showed up above the reedbed, and at 11.20 h yet another male joined the birds already hunting there. At 11.20 h on 3 May, while surveying the same area, the two male and one female Red– footed Falcons were still there. Red– footed Falcons in the Croatian seaside region are seen most commonly at the time of spring migration, i.e. around late April, early May [RUCNER, D. (1998): Ptice hrvatske obale Jadrana. – Hrvatski prirodoslovni muzej, Ministarstvo razvitka i obnove, Zagreb]. The Red– footed Falcon is listed in the avifauna of Lake Vransko as a migrating species [LUKAČ, G. (2002): Fauna ptica (Aves). pp. In: Prirodoslovne podloge za izradu prostornog plana Parka prirode Vransko jezero, Zagreb.]. However, no exact observation data are known to have been published so far. On 4 May, no birds of prey other than Marsh Harriers were seen. On 5 May, one female and one male Kestrel Falco tinnunculus were seen. The female was hunting above a mown area, whereas the male was circling higher up in the air. On 8 May, another male Kestrel, and a male Montagu’ s Harrier Circus pygargus were observed.

Red-Footed falcon; Falco vespertinus; Lake Vransko; Croatia

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