Timing plays a crucial role in the survival and reproductive success of migratory birds. Studying the timing of their seasonal movements, known as migration phenology, is thus crucial for managing and conserving migratory bird populations. This is particularly important for migratory game bird populations because, according to Art 7(4) of the EU Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/CE), migratory birds should not be hunted during their breeding season or during return movements to breeding grounds (pre-breeding or pre-nuptial migration). To effectively protect these species during these critical periods, it is vital to employ reliable methods for studying migration phenology. Citizen science, which involves the participation of skilled volunteers in scientific data gathering, is a valuable resource for migration studies. It allows the collection of large amounts of data across extensive geographic areas, overcoming some limitations of other datasets and analytical methods. In this study we analysed pre- and post-breeding migration phenology of 23 game bird species in Italy, using citizen science data from the Ornitho.it portal. We then compared our findings with migration timing data from ringing records. Our analysis revealed a close match between the pre-breeding migration onset we obtained from citizen science data and that derived from ringing data. Additionally, we compared our results with the pre-breeding migration onset determined for Italy in the “Key Concepts Document” (KCD) published by the European Commission to comply with provision of Article 7(4) of the EU Birds Directive. For 19 species (83%), we estimated an earlier pre-breeding timing compared to that reported in the last KCD for Italy (2021, amended in 2025 for four species). These findings highlight the reliability of citizen science data in obtaining migration timing and the importance of employing multiple methods to estimate it. This approach is particularly valuable for species subject to hunting, which require well-informed management.

Timing plays a crucial role in the survival and reproductive success of migratory birds. Studying the timing of their seasonal movements, known as migration phenology, is thus crucial for managing and conserving migratory bird populations. This is particularly important for migratory game bird populations because, according to Art 7(4) of the EU Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/CE), migratory birds should not be hunted during their breeding season or during return movements to breeding grounds (pre-breeding or pre-nuptial migration). To effectively protect these species during these critical periods, it is vital to employ reliable methods for studying migration phenology. Citizen science, which involves the participation of skilled volunteers in scientific data gathering, is a valuable resource for migration studies. It allows the collection of large amounts of data across extensive geographic areas, overcoming some limitations of other datasets and analytical methods. In this study we analysed pre- and post-breeding migration phenology of 23 game bird species in Italy, using citizen science data from the Ornitho.it portal. We then compared our findings with migration timing data from ringing records. Our analysis revealed a close match between the pre-breeding migration onset we obtained from citizen science data and that derived from ringing data. Additionally, we compared our results with the pre-breeding migration onset determined for Italy in the “Key Concepts Document” (KCD) published by the European Commission to comply with provision of Article 7(4) of the EU Birds Directive. For 19 species (83%), we estimated an earlier pre-breeding timing compared to that reported in the last KCD for Italy (2021, amended in 2025 for four species). These findings highlight the reliability of citizen science data in obtaining migration timing and the importance of employing multiple methods to estimate it. This approach is particularly valuable for species subject to hunting, which require well-informed management.