HOMING PERFORMANCES OF ADULT AND IMMATURE DUNLINS CALIDRIS-ALPINA (AVES SCOLOPACIDAE) DISPLACED FROM THEIR WINTERING AREA

The existence of possible differences in homing performances between a dult and juvenile Dunlins was investigated at the beginning of two win tering seasons, when 49 adults (1992) and 51 first-year birds (1993) w ere caught in the Lagoon of Venice and displaced to Cervia Salines. Bo th sites (133 km apart) are important winter resorts for the species a t the Italian and Mediterranean level. In a previous season, a control series of 47 birds belonging to both age classes were caught and rele ased at Cervia Salines. The patterns of return at the capture site by the displaced birds did not statistically differ between the two age g roups and the estimated percentage of homed birds after 50 days in the Lagoon of Venice was similar to the resighting rate of control birds in Cervia. Juvenile Dunlins seem to have developed a wintering site at tachment by early December, i.e. 1-2 months after their arrival on the wintering grounds.