Seasonal Variation of Orthoptera Densities in Lesser Kestrel Foraging Habitats of the Thessaly Plain

This study investigates the seasonal variation of Orthoptera densities across the main crop types of the Thessaly Plain, central Greece, during the 2014–2015 breeding seasons of the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni). A total of 1,820 line transects were conducted in 364 fields, yielding 5,300 Orthoptera individuals belonging mainly to the families Acrididae and Tettigoniidae. Mean densities were highest in fallow land and cereal fields, whereas cotton and maize exhibited consistently low or zero abundances, particularly during early breeding phases. Even though surveys recorded only numerical counts and not species identity or biomass, and thus the results cannot be directly converted to prey biomass, the study demonstrates the critical contribution of semi-natural habitats and crop heterogeneity to sustaining Orthoptera populations in intensively managed agroecosystems. The findings highlight the need for agri-environmental practices that maintain accessible prey throughout the Lesser Kestrel's breeding cycle.