Autumn migration of the Goldcrest ( Regulus regulus ) in western Hungary

Abstract

At a site in Tömörd (W Hungary) in 2000-2001, numbers of Goldcrests peaked on the last days of October and the first days of November (24 Oct. - 10 Nov.). Migration of both sexes was somewhat differentiated - females migrated a little bit earlier than males. Goldcrests arriving in the peak migration periods stored significantly more fat than individuals ringed in the other periods (ANOVA: F 4,305 = 28.6, p < 0.0001). The spatial occurrence of migrating Goldcrests revealed clumped distribution - 83% of the total captures took place in a dense scrubland, 17% in a grassland overgrown by bushes. During the migration there were more males - the average sex ratio in Tömörd was 1.61 : 1. These results are discussed in relation to the species' migration strategies and patterns of occurrence in northern Europe.