Press release on EU "Science for Environmental Policy"

The work by Rosanna di Maggio et al.  on lesser kestrel demography has been mentioned in "Science for Enviornmental Policy" of the European Commission.

The study found that early-spring harvested crops, such as artichokes, offer a positive alternative habitat compared to those crops harvested in late spring.  Form the press note: "[...] Intensive activities in artichoke fields, including field preparation, planting, and fertiliser and pesticide applications, occur during the winter when lesser kestrels are in Africa. Artichoke fields are abandoned after mid-April harvesting, when birds come back to breed. Prey availability in the abandoned fields is usually high and sustains lesser kestrels during breeding [...]"


You can read the Press Release here and the original work by Rosanna, here.