The first breeding record of Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus in Croatia

Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus is one of nine bird species categorised as globally threatened or Near Threatened and regularly present in Croatia. Since it is a passage species in Croatia, its breeding has not yet been recorded. The closest breeding grounds are located in northern Italy, northern part of Serbia and Hungary that along with Romania supports the majority of the Pannonian basin population. On 7 July 2018, a breeding pair of Red-footed Falcons was confirmed on the island of Pag. The male exerted territorial behaviour, while the female was observed rearing and feeding 3-4 chicks in an old Hooded Crow’s nest. Twenty days after the breeding had been confirmed, two adult birds and two fledglings were observed in close proximity to the nest. This is the first recorded breeding of Red-footed Falcon in Croatia