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Spring migration and breeding biology of Stone-Curlews Burhinus oedicnemus on the north-west Atlantic coast of Morocco

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Pages
163 – 166

Published
1 December 10

Authors
Saâd Hanane

Correspondence
Saâd Hanane
sd_hne@yahoo.fr
Centre de Recherche Forestière, Avenue Omar Ibn El Khattab, BP 763, Rabat-Agdal 10050, Morocco.

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This work describes the migration and breeding biology of the Stone-Curlew along the coast of NW Morocco. Spring departure occurred in the first half of April. Stone-Curlews established their nests in banks of soft sand, soft sand with blocks of sandstone and meadows covered with stones. Clutch-size was similar to that of European populations but not egg-volume. No significant differences were found in egg-volume between years. Laying took place between the second half of March and the end of May. Clutch desertion (40%) and trampling (20%) were the main causes of nest-failure. Average hatching success over the whole study was 70.6% (n=17) and the average number of chicks hatched per nest was 1.82±0.09. In the Moroccan Atlantic shore study area, Stone-Curlews are affected by significant disturbance from human activities, mainly leisure and tourism; therefore conservation measures need to be taken in order to maintain the population.