MOVEMENTS OF RADIO-TAGGED COMMON BUZZARDS BUTEO-BUTEO IN THEIR FIRST YEAR

The movements of 96 radio-tagged juvenile Common Buzzards Buteo buteo were studied during 3 years in Dorset, southern England. Contrary to p revious studies which implied that Common Buzzards are territorial, we found that 39% foraged within 1 km of the nest during their first win ter, presumably within their parents' home range, Most (72%) of those that did not disperse were recorded making brief excursions during Aug ust and September, before opting for a ''stay-at-home'' strategy, Ther e was no significant difference between the sexes in the tendency to m ake excursions or disperse, but females dispersed further than males, Buzzards which dispersed early tended to settle significantly farther from their nests than did late dispersers. Long-term radio-tracking ha s shown that 72% of the dispersing birds returned towards their natal area in the following breeding season. Such philopatry may be an impor tant hindrance to avian recolonization following local extinctions.