European pseudo-steppes have suffered from extensive changes in agricultural practices during the past decades with the disappearance of field margins and fallow systems and the increase of biocide treat- ments. The negative effect on wildlife has led to the adoption by the European Union of policies more compat- ible with environmental conservation, but decisions about optimal land use are difficult to make because of lack of information. We studied habitat use by the Lesser Kestrel ( Falco naumanni ), a globally vulnerable spe- cies, in a Spanish pseudo-steppe (Los Monegros) where traditional agro-grazing systems are still being prac- ticed, and we compared the results with those of another Spanish pseudo-steppe where modern and intensive agriculture has been implemented. We focused on the use by Lesser Kestrels of habitats subject to changes pro- voked by recent agricultural policies. Habitat availability was determined in a 3-km radius around 11 colo- nies, where 23 Lesser Kestrels were radio-tracked during the chick-rearing stage. Habitat selection was deter- mined through compositional analysis. The rank of selected habitats was similar for all kestrels, considering both habitats surveyed and habitats where kestrels hunted. Kestrels selected field margins and cereal fields and rejected abandoned crops and scrubland. This selectivity seemed to be due to prey availability. In the in- tensively cultivated areas the kestrels selected similar habitats but used only small foraging patches and ob- tained smaller prey than in the traditional agro-grazing systems, probably because of the irregular distribu- tion of prey resources as a result of the intensive biocide treatments. Consequently, in intensively cultivated habitats Lesser Kestrels had larger home ranges (63.65 km 2 ) than in those with traditional systems (12.36 km 2 ). These differences are reflected in the productivity and population trends of both populations. Thus, the best strategy for conserving the Lesser Kestrel seems to be the maintainance of traditional cereal cultures with low biocide treatments and numerous field margins. Both agricultural intensification and marginal land abandonment (with subsequent scrubland invasion) have detrimental consequences for this and probably for other pseudo-steppe species. Positive management steps can be encouraged by recent agro-environmental regulations such as the 2078/92 European Union Reglament, which favors the creation of programs in which agricultural practices accord with wildlife conservation.

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Conflicts between Lesser Kestrel Conservation and European Agricultural Policies as Identified by Habitat Use Analyses

Predictive models for Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) distribution, abundance and extinction in southern Spain

Modelling the foraging habitat selection of lesser kestrels: conservation implications of European Agricultural Policies

Identifying the effectiveness and constraints of conservation interventions: A case study of the endangered lesser kestrel

The lesser kestrel Falco naumanni is a globally threatened species, whose breeding populations seem to have declined due to recent agricultural changes. However, nothing is known about habitat requirements during winter, despite the fact that several populations are overwintering in areas affected by agricultural transformations. We studied population size and habitat selection by wintering lesser kestrels in a Spanish pseudosteppe (Los Monegros), where traditional fallow systems for cereals are rapidly being replaced by intensive and/or irrigated crops. About 15% of the adult population wintered in the study area, as determined by systematic roadside counts compared with accurate censuses made during the breeding season. Wintering lesser kestrels preferred to forage on field margins and stubble, while avoiding abandoned fields, ploughs, scrubland, growing cereals and, mainly, the expanding irrigated crops. This work confirms the need to incorporate the habitat requirements of threatened species over their complete annual cycles; while breeding lesser kestrels scarcely use fallow (ploughed at that time), during the winter, fallow (stubble at that time) is their main foraging habitat. Both fallow land and the present agricultural calendar should be maintained to assure the conservation of wintering lesser kestrel populations.

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Juliette Wilbraham

Papers

A baseline survey of lesser kestrels Falco naumanni in central Turkey