Timing of the Spring Migration of the Song Thrush Turdus Philomelos through Southern Italy

We studied the population trend and movements of the Song Thrush during the winter near the Tyrrhenian coast in the region of Latium, from 2012 to 2014, in order to establish the timing of spring migration.

During standardized mist-netting we captured and ringed 431 birds. The data collected indicate that the study area is mainly visited by wintering thrushes with significant year-toyear fluctuations in the number of birds.

Based on the information gathered during this study, confirmed by the results of other studies carried out in southern Italy and France, we assume that spring migration starts in Latium between the second and third decade of February.