Luis Barrios, Gonzalo Munoz, Alejandro Onrubia,
Andres de la Cruz & David Cuenca
Fundacion Migres
aonrubia@fundacionmigres.org
The MIGRES PROJECT is a monitoring programme for studying bird
migration through the Straits of Gibraltar. This project is financed by Regional
Government (Consejeria de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucia). The general
objectives of the program are:
o To estimate both qualitatively and quantitatively the importance of bird
migration through the Straits of Gibraltar.
o To detect long-term population changes of several groups of birds, both
in Spain and in the rest of Western Europe, by obtaining population
index of species during migration that will allow in the future following
population trends.
o To study the migratory pattern of birds when passing throughout the
Straits of Gibraltar (phenology, migratory strategies, etc.).
o To spread the value of bird migration as a resource for local
development.
The MigreS Programme started in 1997 with the survey of autumn
migration of Soaring Birds, coordinated by Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO)
(1997-2005). In 2003, the University of Cadiz designed the monitoring scheme
for seabird migration (2002-2004).
The MIGRES Foundation has assumed in 2006 the responsibility for
coordinating and performing the MigreS Program. During 2006 and 2007 the
programme includes the survey during spring and autumn of soaring birds,
seabirds and passerines combining different methodologies (visual observations
?diurnal and nocturnal-, surveillance radar and catching methods ?ringing-).




