“Soaring is in stages, it progresses as you engage in the very art.”
letters & commentary
Vansteelant W.M.G. 2023. A godwit perspective on rapid wetland loss in Doñana and the Guadalquivir delta. Wader Study. 130(2): 95 – 98. doi: 10.18194/ws.00315
Navedo J.G., T. Piersma, J. Figuerola & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2022 Spain’s Doñana World Heritage Site in danger. Science. 376: 6589. doi: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo7363
first/last author PUBLICATIONS
Vansteelant W.M.G., L. Gangoso, D.S. Viana, J.Z. Shamoun-Baranes & J. Figuerola 2023. A trans-African migrant shows repeatable route choice in males and repeatable timing in females. Journal of Avian Biology [early view] doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.03050
Vansteelant W.M.G., L. Gangoso, W. Bouten, D.S. Viana. & J. Figuerola 2021. Adaptive drift and barrier-avoidance by a fly-forage migrant along a climate-driven flyway. Movement Ecology 9, 37. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-021-00272-8
Vansteelant W.M.G., R. Klaassen, R. Strandberg, K. Janssens, F. T´Jollyn, W. Bouten, B.J. Koks & A. Anselin. 2020. Western Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus from nearby breeding areas migrate along comparable loops but on contrasting schedules in the West African-Eurasian flyway. Journal of Ornithology. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-020-01785-6
Vansteelant W.M.G., J. Wehrmann, D. Engelen, J. Jansen, B. Verhelst, R. Benjumea, S. Cavaillès, T. Kaasiku, B. Hoekstra & F. de Boer. 2020. Accounting for differential migration strategies between age groups to monitor raptor population dynamics in the eastern Black Sea flyway. Ibis, 162: 356-372. doi: 10.1111/ibi.12773
Check out our graphic research summary on the BRC website
Wehrmann J., F. de Boer, R. Benjumea, S. Cavaillès, D. Engelen, J. Jansen, B. Verhelst & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2019. Batumi Raptor Count: autumn raptor migration count data from the Batumi bottleneck, Republic of Georgia. Zookeys, 836: 135-157. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.836.29252
Meyburg B.U., U. Bergmanis, T. Langgemach, K. Graszynski, A. Hinz, I. Borner, C. Meyburg & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2017. Orientation of native versus translocated juvenile lesser spotted eagles (Clanga pomarina) on the first autumn migration. Journal of Experimental Biology, 220: 2675-2776. doi: 10.1242/jeb.148932.
Inside JEB editorial by Kathryn Wright
W.M.G. Vansteelant, J. Kekoonen, W. Bouten & P. Byholm. 2017. Wind conditions and geography shape the first outbound migration of juvenile honey buzzards and their distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. Proc. R. Soc. B., 284: 20170387. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0387
Shamoun-Baranes J.Z., F. Liechti & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2017. Atmospheric conditions create freeways, detours and tailbacks for migrating birds. Journal of Comparative Physiology A., 203: 509-529. doi: doi:10.1007/s00359-017-1181-9
Vansteelant W.M.G., J.Z. Shamoun-Baranes, J. van Diermen, W. van Manen & W. Bouten. 2017. Soaring across continents: decision-making of a soaring migrant under changing atmospheric conditions along an entire flyway. Journal of Avian Biology, 48: 887-896. doi: 10.1111/jav.01298
Vansteelant W.M.G., J.Z. Shamoun-Baranes, J. van Diermen, W. van Manen & W. Bouten. 2017. Seasonal detours of soaring migants shaped by wind regimes in the East Atlantic Flyway. Journal of Animal Ecology, 86(2): 179-191. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.12593
'In Focus' article by subject editor J. Chapman in Journal of Animal Ecology
Read the blog at Journal of Animal Ecology
Vansteelant W.M.G., W. Bouten, R.H.G. Klaassen, B.J. Koks, A.E. Schlaich, J. van Diermen, E.E. van Loon & J.Z. Shamoun Baranes. 2015. Regional and seasonal flight speeds of soaring migrants and the role of weather at hourly and daily scales. Journal of Avian Biology, 46: 25-39. doi: 10.1111/jav.00457
Most cited JAB paper in 2016
Read the blog at Avian Biology
Vansteelant, W.M.G., B. Verhelst, J. Shamoun-Baranes, W. Bouten, E.E. van Loon & K.L. Bildstein. 2014. Effect of wind, thermal convection, and variation in flight strategies on the daily rhythm and flight paths of migrating raptors at Georgia's Black Sea coast. Journal of Field Ornithology, 85: 40–55. doi: 10.1111/jofo.12048
The eastern Black Sea coast in the Republic of Georgia is a major bottleneck for migrating raptors.
Verhelst B., J. Jansen & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2011. The Batumi Raptor Count: an important bottleneck for raptor migration during autumn. Ardea, 99: 137-146. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5253/078.099.0203
co-author papers
de Boer A., W.M.G. Vansteelant & T. Piersma. (accepted). Primary moult of Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia leucorodia in the Wadden Sea in relation to age, breeding and migration. Ardea.
Lopez-Ricaurte L., W.M.G. Vansteelant, J. Hernández-Pliego, D. García-Silveira, S. Casado, F. Garcés-Toledano, J. Martínez-Dalmau, A. Ortega, B. Rodríguez-Moreno & J. Bustamante. PRE-PRINT (in press). Itinerant lifestyle and congregation of lesser kestrels in West Africa. Journal of Avian Biology. e03063. doi: 10.1111/jav.03063
Brønnvik H., K. Safi, W.M.G. Vansteelant, P. Byholm & E. Nourani. 2022. Experience does not change the importance of wind support for migratory route selection by a soaring bird. R. Soc. Open Science, 9: 220746220746. doi: 10.1098/rsos.220746
Gauld J.G., J.P. Silva, P.W. Atkinson, P. Record, M. Acácio, V. Arkumarev, J. Blas, W. Bouten, N. Burton, I. Catry, J. Champagnon, G.D. Clewley, M. Dagys, O. Duriez, K-M. Exo, W. Fiedler, A. Flack, G. Friedemann, J. Fritz, C. Garcia-Ripolles, S. Garthe, D. Giunchi, A. Grozdanov, R. Harel, E.M. Humphreys, R. Janssen, A. Kölzsch, O. Kulikova, T.K. Lameris, P. López-López, E.A. Masden, F. Monti, R. Nathan, S. Nikolov, S. Oppel, H. Peshev, L. Phipps, I. Pokrovsky, V.H. Ross-Smith, V. Saravia, E.S. Scragg, A. Sforzi, E. Stoynov, Chris Thaxter, W. Vansteelant, M. van Toor, B. Vorneweg, J. Waldenström, M. Wikelski, R. Žydelis, A.M. A. Franco. 2022. Hotspots in the grid: Avian sensitivity and vulnerability to collision risk from energy infrastructure interactions in Europe and North Africa. J. Applied Ecology, doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.14160
Nourani E., G. Bohrer, P. Becciu, R.O. Bierregaard, O. Duriez, J. Figuerola, L. Gangoso, S. Giokas, H. Higuchi, C. Kassara, O. Kulikova, N. Lecomte, F. Monti, I. Pokrovsky, A. Sforzi, J.-F. Therrien, N. Tsiopelas, W.M.G. Vansteelant, D.S. Viana, N.M. Yamaguchi, M. Wikelski, K. Safi. 2021 The interplay of wind and uplift facilitates over-water flight in facultative soaring birds. Proc. R. Soc. B. 288: 20211603. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1603
Lopez-Ricaurte L., W.M.G. Vansteelant, J. Hernández-Pliego, D. García-Silveira, A. Bermejo-Bermejo, S. Casado, J. G. Cecere, J. Javier de la Puente, F. Garcés-Toledano, J. Martínez-Dalmau, A. Ortega, B. Rodríguez-Moreno, D. Rubolini, M. Sarà & J. Bustamante. 2021. Barrier crossings and winds shape daily travel schedules and speeds of a flight generalist. Scientific Reports 11, 12044 ). doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-91378-x
Nourani E., W.M.G. Vansteelant, P. Byholm & K. Safi. 2020. Dynamics of the energy seascape can explain intra-specific variations in sea-crossing behaviour of soaring birds. Biology Letters, 16(1). doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0797
Agostini N., L. Baghino, W.M.G. Vansteelant & M. Panuccio. 2016. Age-related timing of short-toed snake eagle Circaetus gallicus migration along detoured and direct flyways. Bird Study, 64: 37-44. doi: 10.1080/00063657.2016.1264362
BOOK CHAPTERS
Lopez-Ricaurte, L., García-Silveira, D., Vansteelant, W. y Bustamante, J. 2023. La migración del cernícaloprimilla. In, Lopez-Ricaurte, L., D. García-Silveira y J. Bustamante (Eds.) 2023. Migración y ecología del movimiento de la población española de cernícalo primilla, pp. 73. Monografía n.º 7 del programa Migra. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid. DOI: 10.31170/0083
Vansteelant W.M.G. & N. Agostini. 2021. European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus. In Panuccio, M., U. Mellone & N. Agostini (Eds.) 2021. Migration Strategies of Birds of Prey in Western Palearctic, pp. 35-48. CRC Press. Boca Ratton.
Vansteelant W.M.G. & A. Aebischer. 2010. Batumi, Adscharien (Georgien). in: Vögel beobachten in Europa: Die besten Plätze vom Mittelmeer bis zum Nordkap (ed: A. Aebischer).
popular scientific articles
Vansteelant W.M.G. 2023. Rascher Verlust von Feuchtgebieten im Doñana- und Guadalquivir-delta: Aus der Sicht der Uferschnepfe. Der Falke. 10/2023: 41:45.
This article is the German translation of a perspective piece previously published in Wader Study.
Zaytseva O., Hoekstra B., J. Jansen, D. Engelen, F. de Boer, R. Benjumea, J. Wehrmann, S. Cavailles, T. Kaasiku, D. Jansen, P. Fetting, A. Aintilla & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2022. Тринадцать лет наблюдений за миграцией хищных птиц в Батуми: наблюдения и их значение для охраны пернатых хищников России. Raptors Conservation 44: 10-42.
Batumi Raptor Count on the cover of Raptors Conservation - the first Russian-language publication on the history and work of BRC.
Tal T., D. Jansen & W.M.G. Vansteelant 2021. Opportunistic in-flight foraging behaviour of Black Kites Milvus migrans during spring migration through the Batumi bottleneck, Georgia. Sandgrouse 43 (2): 247-252.
We discuss seasonal differences in abundance and migration behaviour of Black Kites through the Eastern Black Sea flyway.
Jobson B., T. Allinson, R. Sheldon, W. Vansteelant, E. Buechley, S. Oppel & V.R. Jones 2021. Monitoring of migratory soaring birds in the East African-Eurasian flyway: a review and recommendations for future steps. Sandgrouse 43 (1): 2-23.
This article was part of a BirdLife-lead special issue of Sandgrouse on monitoring soaring bird migration in the East African-Eurasian flyway.
Our article in Natuur.oriolus features a comprehensive migration calendar for most notable species at Batumi Raptor Count.
Hoekstra B., J. Jansen, D. Engelen, F. de Boer, R. Benjumea, J. Wehrmann, S. Cavailles, T. Kaasiku, D. Jansen, P. Fetting, A. Aintilla, W. Bovens, O. Dochy & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2020. Batumi Raptor Count: van roofvogeltrek monitoren tot actieve bescherming langs een trekroute vol bedreigingen. Natuur.oriolus 86(3): 85-103.
Hoekstra B., J. Jansen, D. Engelen, F. de Boer, R. Benjumea, J. Wehrmann, S. Cavailles, T. Kaasiku, D. Jansen, P. Fetting, A. Aintilla & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2020. Batumi Raptor Count: from migration counts to conservation in a raptor flyway under threat. British Birds 113: 439-460.
Long-read summarising the origin story of Batumi Raptor Count, featuring a prosaic description of the autumn migration season, and explaining our approach to monitoring and conservation.
Illustration of avian orientations strategies created by Nigel Hawtin.
W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2020. Van kompas to GPS: oriëntatie en navigatie door trekvogels. Natuur.oriolus 86: 16-23.
Illustration of avian orientation strategies created by Nigel Hawtin.
W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2019. Ornithological masterclass: Navigation. BTO News 332: 16-19.
An invited contribution summarising the state of our knowledge on avian orientation and navigation for the BTO’s member magazine.
We discuss the plumage details of the only 2nd CY Honey Buzzard ever seen during more than 10 years of autumn migration counts at Batumi, Georgia.
Wright J., S. Cavaillès & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2019. Photographic evidence of a 2nd calendar-year female European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus on autumn migration in the Western Palearctic. Sandgrouse 41: 101-104.
Sandor A., J. Jansen & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2017. Understanding hunters´ habits and motivations for shooting raptors in the Batumi raptor-migration bottleneck, southwest Georgia. Sandgrouse 39(1): 2-15.
Raptors are shot for fun, not self-sustencance. Harriers are vulnerable.
Rain and easterly winds over C- Europe caused mass migration of Honey Buzzards over the Low Countries.
Desmet E. & W.M.G. Vansteelant. 2014. Recordaantallen Wespendieven over de Lage Landen in augustus-september 2013. Natuur.oriolus 80(3): 83-90.
Irruptive movements of Rough-legged Buzzards correlate with frost and deep snow over northern Europe.
Vansteelant W.M.G., W. Faveyts & J. Buckens. 2011. Opmerkelijke Ruigpootbuizerdinvasie in de winter 2010-2011: oorzaken in een historische en Europese contex. Natuur.oriolus 77(3): 87-98.
View from a Batumi Raptor Count watch-site along the eastern shore of the Black Sea.
Vansteelant W.M.G., J. Jansen J. & B. Verhelst. 2010. Batumi Raptor Count: Monitoring van geconcentreerde roofvogeltrek aan de OostelijkeZwarte Zee. Natuur.oriolus 76(3): 82-93.