Fig. 1: Map showing sampling localities for lesser kestrel genetic data were obtained and the geographic distribution of occurrence records.

a Localities (coloured circles; n = 16) from which we obtained double-digest Restriction-Site Associated DNA (ddRAD) or mitogenome data; acronyms and sample size for each locality are reported in Supplementary Table 1. b Map of breeding (dark-shaded circles) and non-breeding (light-shaded circles) occurrence records (original occurrence data pooled for 2.5 arc-minute grid cells) used for species distribution modelling of Western (orange circles) and Eastern (blue circles) evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). Lesser kestrel breeding and non-breeding distribution ranges are shown in brown and blue, respectively³⁰. Background maps were obtained from the rnaturalearth v.0.3.2 R package. Lines delimiting countries are shown to facilitate map interpretation and do not necessarily represent accepted national boundaries. The lesser kestrel illustration (male) is used with permission from Martí Franch ©. Data underlying all components of Fig. 1 are provided at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14988067.