GPS

The last weekend new captures of lesser kestrels took place as part of Action A2 of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN urban. In 2018 50 individuals were fitted with transmitters but given the useful life of the appliances most of them either no longer give off signals or do so inadequately. As the date of the end of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project has been extended it was necessary to fit birds with GPS datalogger transmitters to continue the follow-up of the collaborating estates (Actions B1 and C4).

One of the main factors when establishing the protection criteria for a species such as the lesser kestrel is to know, as accurately as possible, where their main feeding areas are and what environmental characteristics those areas possess.

The lesser kestrels that have been tagged with GPS transmitters are starting to provide information of great interest for the conservation of the species.

Within action A2 of LIFE ZEPAURBAN Study and characterisation of the feeding habitats of lesser kestrels in urban SPAs and roosts in Extremadura, a significant number of individuals have been captured and tagged in three urban SPAs in the region: Acedera (Badajoz), Casa de La Enjarada (Cáceres) and Trujillo (Cáceres).

On Friday 2nd February 2018 a technical meeting was held in the installations of the State Office for the Environment of the Regional Government of Extremadura by the members of the LIFE ZEPAURBAN Project, the State Office for the Environment, and Terra Naturalis together with the company Microsensory SL. This company has been awarded the tender for supplying satellite and GPS transmitters so as to carry out the follow-up of over 50 individuals of Lesser Kestrel in the forthcoming years.