First evidence of widespread nocturnal activity of Lesser Kestrel in Southern Italy/Evidens for utbredd nattlig aktivitet hos rodfalkar i sodra Italien

We report here the first description of recorded nocturnal activity of the Lesser Kestrel in Italy. Using accurate GPS data-loggers on nine birds, we registered widespread nocturnal flights with distances from nests up to 19 km. At night, Lesser Kestrels were active even in areas with no artificial illumination. When comparing night-time and daytime periods, we found significant differences for 5-minute flight length and instantaneous flight speed, whereas distance from nest did not significantly differ. We conclude that the need for food during the reproductive period imposes also nocturnal activities to this typically diurnal species. Our study suggests that the Lesser Kestrel might not be a strictly diurnal species. Our findings are now considered by the Alta Murgia National Park and local municipalities in order to refine their conservation strategies by assigning higher conservation priority to areas used by Lesser Kestrels during both daytime and night-time. I denna artikel redovisar vi for tidigare odokumenterad nattlig aktivitet hos rodfalkar (Falco naumanni) i sodra Italien. Vi monterade exakta GPS dataloggrar pa nio rodfalkar och m.h.a. dessa registrerade vi utbredda flygturer, som utstrackte sig upp till 19 km fran boplatsen. Pa natten var rodfalkarna aktiva aven i omraden utan artificiell belysning. Vid jamforelse av dagtida--och nattlig flygaktivitet fann vi signifikanta skillnader i bade flyktstracka och momentan flykthastighet, men inte betraffande falkarnas avstand fran boplatsen. Vi drar slutsatsen att ett okat behov av foda under hackningsperioden far denna vanligtvis dagaktiva rovfagel att uppvisa regelbunden aktivitet aven pa natten. Saledes visar vi att rodfalken inte ar en strikt dagaktiv art. Vara resultat beaktas nu av Alta Murgia nationalpark och vid kommunal planering, sa att omraden som anvands av rodfalkar under bade dag--och nattetid prioriteras vid atgarder med naturskyddssyfte.