Most species of migrating birds use a combination of innate vector-based orientation programs and social information to facilitate accurate navigation during their life. A number of various interspecies hybridisations have been reported in birds. The traits of parents are expressed in hybrids in typical ways which are either intermediate, combined or heterotic. Here, we analyse the different migration behaviours of medium-sized raptors, i.e., Red Kites Milvus milvus, Black Kites Milvus migrans, and their hybrids. We chose six well-established parameters to compare the behaviour of Kite hybrids with those of both parental species. When comparing 16 quantified behavioural characteristics between Red Kites and F1 hybrids and between Black Kites and F1 hybrids, significant differences were found in 10 characteristics between Red Kites and F1 hybrids but only one of the 16 characteristics between Black Kites and F1 hybrids. Hence, F1 hybrid individuals showed behaviour much more similar to Black Kites than Red Kites. It implies that the basis of the migratory behaviour of Kites is an innate program with the dominance of genetic determinants supplemented by the use of social learning from individuals of the parent species.

Biota Conservation Hub Foundation No 15 Opposite Abattoir Market Jos Plateau State Nigeria

BirdLife Hungary Raptor Conservation Group Budapest Hungary

CEITEC University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Brno Czech Republic

Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Palackého tř 1946 1 61242 Brno Czech Republic

TB Raab GmbH Quadenstraße 13 2232 Deutsch Wagram Austria

Ukrainian Birds of Prey Research Centre and West Ukrainian Ornithological Society Lviv Ukraine

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