Pub Date : 2023-11-10DOI: 10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.004
Paulo S. Amorim, André C. Guaraldo, Mariana F. Rossi, Pedro Diniz
The way an animal uses the home range and territory often vary in time according to its breeding state and habitat complexity. Adult dispersal can follow partner replacement, however little is known about seasonal/sex variation in partner replacement in tropical passerines. Here we tested if home range and territory size of the Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus varies between the breeding and non-breeding seasons and if this variation is consistent across three distant populations in Brazil (UFJF, UnB, and MT). In addition, we described the frequency of partner replacements in relation to sex and breeding state in two of those populations (UFJF and UnB). We observed a decrease in 33% and 38% of home range size in the non-breeding season for two sites (UFJF and MT). Territory size decreased by 50% in the non-breeding season in UnB, but this could be due to a lower sampling effort during this season. Nevertheless, the home range expansion is consistent with a higher demand for resources during the breeding season. Home range sizes, but not sizes of territories, varied across sites. We also recorded 26 partner replacements, with no sign of sex or seasonal bias. Most replaced birds disappeared, suggesting that both sexes are under similar mortality risks, a usual main driver of partner replacement. Pair bonds lasted three or more years in 25% of the studied pairs. Altogether, these results provide insights for future studies on underlying mechanisms shaping home ranging, territoriality, and partner replacement in tropical birds that defend year-round territories.
{"title":"Home Range, Territory, and Partner Replacement in the Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus","authors":"Paulo S. Amorim, André C. Guaraldo, Mariana F. Rossi, Pedro Diniz","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.004","url":null,"abstract":"The way an animal uses the home range and territory often vary in time according to its breeding state and habitat complexity. Adult dispersal can follow partner replacement, however little is known about seasonal/sex variation in partner replacement in tropical passerines. Here we tested if home range and territory size of the Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus varies between the breeding and non-breeding seasons and if this variation is consistent across three distant populations in Brazil (UFJF, UnB, and MT). In addition, we described the frequency of partner replacements in relation to sex and breeding state in two of those populations (UFJF and UnB). We observed a decrease in 33% and 38% of home range size in the non-breeding season for two sites (UFJF and MT). Territory size decreased by 50% in the non-breeding season in UnB, but this could be due to a lower sampling effort during this season. Nevertheless, the home range expansion is consistent with a higher demand for resources during the breeding season. Home range sizes, but not sizes of territories, varied across sites. We also recorded 26 partner replacements, with no sign of sex or seasonal bias. Most replaced birds disappeared, suggesting that both sexes are under similar mortality risks, a usual main driver of partner replacement. Pair bonds lasted three or more years in 25% of the studied pairs. Altogether, these results provide insights for future studies on underlying mechanisms shaping home ranging, territoriality, and partner replacement in tropical birds that defend year-round territories.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-10DOI: 10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.006
Rafael de Oliveira Fratoni, Lilian Tonelli Manica
Birds defend territories by engaging in potentially costly behaviours, such as vocalizations and aggressive interactions. Songs are usually good proxies of individual quality, thus could help guarantee access and exclusivity to food, sexual partners and nesting sites. We described territorial and vocal behaviours of the Riverbank Warbler Myiothlypis rivularis, a year-round territorial wood-warbler (family Parulidae), and tested for relationships between territory size and individuals' vocal attributes. From October 2018 to April 2019, we banded 14 males and 9 females in the Atlantic Forest of south Brazil. We estimated territory sizes of nine pairs and recorded 10 and 5.4 h of 9 males and 6 females vocalizations, respectively. In male songs, a tradeoff between trill rate and frequency bandwidth indicates mechanical vocal constraints in the production of both parameters. Territory size did not relate to male song parameters, which could signal individual, rather than territorial, quality. However, females with broader bandwidth songs occupied smaller territories. Although the reduced sample size, which precludes generalization, this result may be a first indication of female song acting on territoriality in this species. Overall, this work presents new data on Riverbank Warbler and contributes to the knowledge on vocal tradeoffs in male songs and both male and female territorial behavior for wood-warblers. In addition, we highlight the need for further studies focused on female song, which like male song could be associated with territory defense.
{"title":"Song of the Riverbank Warbler Myiothlypis rivularis: Male Constraints and Female Territorial Signaling","authors":"Rafael de Oliveira Fratoni, Lilian Tonelli Manica","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.006","url":null,"abstract":"Birds defend territories by engaging in potentially costly behaviours, such as vocalizations and aggressive interactions. Songs are usually good proxies of individual quality, thus could help guarantee access and exclusivity to food, sexual partners and nesting sites. We described territorial and vocal behaviours of the Riverbank Warbler Myiothlypis rivularis, a year-round territorial wood-warbler (family Parulidae), and tested for relationships between territory size and individuals' vocal attributes. From October 2018 to April 2019, we banded 14 males and 9 females in the Atlantic Forest of south Brazil. We estimated territory sizes of nine pairs and recorded 10 and 5.4 h of 9 males and 6 females vocalizations, respectively. In male songs, a tradeoff between trill rate and frequency bandwidth indicates mechanical vocal constraints in the production of both parameters. Territory size did not relate to male song parameters, which could signal individual, rather than territorial, quality. However, females with broader bandwidth songs occupied smaller territories. Although the reduced sample size, which precludes generalization, this result may be a first indication of female song acting on territoriality in this species. Overall, this work presents new data on Riverbank Warbler and contributes to the knowledge on vocal tradeoffs in male songs and both male and female territorial behavior for wood-warblers. In addition, we highlight the need for further studies focused on female song, which like male song could be associated with territory defense.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135187593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-10DOI: 10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.001
Denis Charles Deeming
Avian nests are crucial to reproduction as they are the site for incubation of the clutch of eggs and, in many cases, it is the location for the rearing of chicks hatched. Despite many years of reports of the characteristics of nests from many species our understanding of their functional properties has been very poor. Over the past few years, interest in the functional properties of nests has increased and this review brings together information regarding how materials used to construct the nest contribute to various functional properties. The review starts with a brief consideration of the various functions of nests but thereafter the focus is on the key roles that it plays during incubation. Details of the variety of materials used in nest construction emphasises the importance of quantitative data on the types and amounts of materials used in nests and how this information allows analysis that can improve our understanding of functional properties. Subsequent sections explore structural and thermal properties of nests in more detail. The roles that a nest can play in maintaining nest humidity and in weather-proofing the contents are also explored. The concept that the nest is an extended phenotype that has a role in niche creation is explored before the review concludes with a consideration of future directions for research.
{"title":"A Review of the Roles Materials Play in Determining Functional Properties of Bird Nests","authors":"Denis Charles Deeming","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.001","url":null,"abstract":"Avian nests are crucial to reproduction as they are the site for incubation of the clutch of eggs and, in many cases, it is the location for the rearing of chicks hatched. Despite many years of reports of the characteristics of nests from many species our understanding of their functional properties has been very poor. Over the past few years, interest in the functional properties of nests has increased and this review brings together information regarding how materials used to construct the nest contribute to various functional properties. The review starts with a brief consideration of the various functions of nests but thereafter the focus is on the key roles that it plays during incubation. Details of the variety of materials used in nest construction emphasises the importance of quantitative data on the types and amounts of materials used in nests and how this information allows analysis that can improve our understanding of functional properties. Subsequent sections explore structural and thermal properties of nests in more detail. The roles that a nest can play in maintaining nest humidity and in weather-proofing the contents are also explored. The concept that the nest is an extended phenotype that has a role in niche creation is explored before the review concludes with a consideration of future directions for research.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135188149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Set aside fields act as potential nesting habitat and play an important role in nest success of ground nesters in farmlands. Asian countries utilize vast areas of their land as rice fields which along with adjoining habitats act as breeding ground for around 3% bird species in the Indian subcontinent. We investigated contribution of post harvested rice fields and associated habitats in nest success of three passerines within a tropical agricultural area. Nesting ecology of 90 pairs belonging to Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula (n = 25 nests), Bengal Bush Lark Mirafra assamica (n = 32) and Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus (n = 33) was studied from February 2016 to June 2017 in a complex of agricultural fields dominated by fallow stubble in the southern West Bengal, North East India. Nests were found in the stubble fields having uncut rice bases, adjacent cropped or uncropped other fields and levees. Location of the nests and their microhabitats seemed to be the most important factors concerning nesting habitat selection. Nest success was 48%, 34.4% and 21.2% in Skylark, Bush Lark and Pipit respectively. Model estimate of constant Daily Survival Rate (DSR) ranged between 0.90–0.95. Nest survival increased between 1–5% at rice bases for the three species. Pipit nests at rice bases showed 6.5% higher survival rate than open habitat. Nests at the open microhabitat had low nest survival irrespective of species. Model goodness of fit suggested that nest survival was affected mostly by combination of microhabitat and species variables. Results suggested that rice bases in post harvested fallow rice fields might play an important role in nest survival for passerines.
{"title":"Nest Habitat Selection and Nesting Success of Three Ground Nesting Passerines in Post Harvested Rice Fields of North East India","authors":"Pallavi Nath, Santanu Chakrabarti, Supratim Mukherjee","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.008","url":null,"abstract":"Set aside fields act as potential nesting habitat and play an important role in nest success of ground nesters in farmlands. Asian countries utilize vast areas of their land as rice fields which along with adjoining habitats act as breeding ground for around 3% bird species in the Indian subcontinent. We investigated contribution of post harvested rice fields and associated habitats in nest success of three passerines within a tropical agricultural area. Nesting ecology of 90 pairs belonging to Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula (n = 25 nests), Bengal Bush Lark Mirafra assamica (n = 32) and Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus (n = 33) was studied from February 2016 to June 2017 in a complex of agricultural fields dominated by fallow stubble in the southern West Bengal, North East India. Nests were found in the stubble fields having uncut rice bases, adjacent cropped or uncropped other fields and levees. Location of the nests and their microhabitats seemed to be the most important factors concerning nesting habitat selection. Nest success was 48%, 34.4% and 21.2% in Skylark, Bush Lark and Pipit respectively. Model estimate of constant Daily Survival Rate (DSR) ranged between 0.90–0.95. Nest survival increased between 1–5% at rice bases for the three species. Pipit nests at rice bases showed 6.5% higher survival rate than open habitat. Nests at the open microhabitat had low nest survival irrespective of species. Model goodness of fit suggested that nest survival was affected mostly by combination of microhabitat and species variables. Results suggested that rice bases in post harvested fallow rice fields might play an important role in nest survival for passerines.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-10DOI: 10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.003
Nicolantonio Agostini, Marco Gustin, Michele Cento, Jost Von Hardenberg, Gianpasquale Chiatante
Several bird species show differential migration in relation to age and/or sex classes, often associated with morphological and behavioural differences. The Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus is a partial migrant, showing a strong sexual dimorphism in size. This species migrates on a broad front, undertaking long water crossings through the Mediterranean Sea. In this study we carried out a two-year survey on the pre-breeding migration of this species at three sites located in the Central Mediterranean region: the islands of Ustica and Panarea (Tyrrhenian Sea) and the Strait of Messina (Peloritani Mountains). The aim of this study was to analyse the flight strategies of this broad front migrant in relation to wind patterns, such as in relation to different sex and age classes. Our results revealed differential flight behaviours among harriers belonging to different sex classes, with adult females less attracted to islands than adult males during a sea crossing, and adult males reaching higher altitude early in the season along a mountain chain. It is suggested that adult males, thanks to their smaller size, use to a larger extent soaring flight by exploiting even weak thermals en route. Unlike the Tyrrhenian islands, few immatures were seen passing along the Peloritani Mountains, probably because they fly at lower altitudes over mainland, passing over areas where they can eventually find prey and/or rest at stop-over site en route. In conclusion, our study shows that the location of the observation post can affect the result concerning migration survey of both sex and age classes in this species, leading to evident bias.
{"title":"Differential Flight Strategies of Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus in Relation to Sex and Age Class during Spring Migration in the Central Mediterranean","authors":"Nicolantonio Agostini, Marco Gustin, Michele Cento, Jost Von Hardenberg, Gianpasquale Chiatante","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.003","url":null,"abstract":"Several bird species show differential migration in relation to age and/or sex classes, often associated with morphological and behavioural differences. The Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus is a partial migrant, showing a strong sexual dimorphism in size. This species migrates on a broad front, undertaking long water crossings through the Mediterranean Sea. In this study we carried out a two-year survey on the pre-breeding migration of this species at three sites located in the Central Mediterranean region: the islands of Ustica and Panarea (Tyrrhenian Sea) and the Strait of Messina (Peloritani Mountains). The aim of this study was to analyse the flight strategies of this broad front migrant in relation to wind patterns, such as in relation to different sex and age classes. Our results revealed differential flight behaviours among harriers belonging to different sex classes, with adult females less attracted to islands than adult males during a sea crossing, and adult males reaching higher altitude early in the season along a mountain chain. It is suggested that adult males, thanks to their smaller size, use to a larger extent soaring flight by exploiting even weak thermals en route. Unlike the Tyrrhenian islands, few immatures were seen passing along the Peloritani Mountains, probably because they fly at lower altitudes over mainland, passing over areas where they can eventually find prey and/or rest at stop-over site en route. In conclusion, our study shows that the location of the observation post can affect the result concerning migration survey of both sex and age classes in this species, leading to evident bias.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135187943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-10DOI: 10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.007
Michał Korniluk, Przemysław Chylarecki
In bird species with a lek mating system, male mating success is usually correlated with time spent at the lek, suggesting strong selection for lek attendance. We studied the lekking of Great Snipe Gallinago media males over 5 breeding seasons in Poland and found that, in apparent contradiction, 75% of males changed leks, often several times, within a single breeding season. GPS-tagged individuals tracked for an average of 31 days visited up to 9 different leks, often visiting 2–3 leks in quick succession within a few hours. Transitions between leks were entirely nocturnal, peaking before midnight. The majority of males that changed leks moved to sites within 50 km of the original lek, but 10% of males dispersed more than 100 km. Lek-switching males typically made several transitions between leks during the breeding season (median = 4), with most mobile birds changing display sites more than 20 times. Lek-switching probabilities showed seasonal variation, with no males changing leks early in the breeding season and frequent changes thereafter. The daily probability of lek change showed large inter-individual variation, allowing two groups of males to be distinguished, those who never or rarely changed leks (mean daily probability of lek change 0.02) and those who frequently changed leks (mean daily probability of lek change 0.23). This type of heterogeneity in male lekking behaviour is consistent with the hot-shot scenario of lek evolution. Here, lekking males with low mating chances should benefit from lek-switching — in contrast to top-ranking males — because changing display site may allow them to find leks with higher mating chances. Furthermore, regardless of its immediate success or failure, lek-switching can be seen as a form of prospecting behaviour that will pay off in future breeding seasons. Consistent with this, many of our lek-switching males moved in a way that suggests informed dispersal. The prevalence of intraseasonal lek switching in different Great Snipe populations across Europe should be assessed using the modern tracking devices, as this behaviour is likely to be much more widespread than reported in many previous studies.
{"title":"Intra-Seasonal Lek Changes of Great Snipe Gallinago media Males in the Northeast of Poland","authors":"Michał Korniluk, Przemysław Chylarecki","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.007","url":null,"abstract":"In bird species with a lek mating system, male mating success is usually correlated with time spent at the lek, suggesting strong selection for lek attendance. We studied the lekking of Great Snipe Gallinago media males over 5 breeding seasons in Poland and found that, in apparent contradiction, 75% of males changed leks, often several times, within a single breeding season. GPS-tagged individuals tracked for an average of 31 days visited up to 9 different leks, often visiting 2–3 leks in quick succession within a few hours. Transitions between leks were entirely nocturnal, peaking before midnight. The majority of males that changed leks moved to sites within 50 km of the original lek, but 10% of males dispersed more than 100 km. Lek-switching males typically made several transitions between leks during the breeding season (median = 4), with most mobile birds changing display sites more than 20 times. Lek-switching probabilities showed seasonal variation, with no males changing leks early in the breeding season and frequent changes thereafter. The daily probability of lek change showed large inter-individual variation, allowing two groups of males to be distinguished, those who never or rarely changed leks (mean daily probability of lek change 0.02) and those who frequently changed leks (mean daily probability of lek change 0.23). This type of heterogeneity in male lekking behaviour is consistent with the hot-shot scenario of lek evolution. Here, lekking males with low mating chances should benefit from lek-switching — in contrast to top-ranking males — because changing display site may allow them to find leks with higher mating chances. Furthermore, regardless of its immediate success or failure, lek-switching can be seen as a form of prospecting behaviour that will pay off in future breeding seasons. Consistent with this, many of our lek-switching males moved in a way that suggests informed dispersal. The prevalence of intraseasonal lek switching in different Great Snipe populations across Europe should be assessed using the modern tracking devices, as this behaviour is likely to be much more widespread than reported in many previous studies.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Individual differences in cognition widely exist in diverse animal taxa. Such cognitive variance is supposed to be influenced by animal personality. While the relationships between various personality traits and performances in diverse cognitive tasks are not consistent, few studies have examined the effects of a particular personality trait on different cognitive abilities. We measured the exploratory behaviour of 35 individuals lab-reared Java Sparrows Lonchura oryzivora with a novel environment test and a novel object test. Three cognitive abilities of birds, for discrimination learning, reversal learning, and inhibitory control, were quantified in three classic cognition tasks (a colour association task, a colour reversal task, and a detour-reaching task). We found no correlation between the exploration and the trials required to pass the colour association task or the detour-reaching task. The slow explorers, however, needed less trials to reach the criterion in the colour reversal task. Our results suggest that slow explorers hold higher reversal learning ability. Slow-exploring style would be advantageous to birds when facing unpredictable environmental changes.
{"title":"Slow-Exploring Java Sparrows Lonchura oryzivora Hold Higher Reversal Learning Ability","authors":"Qiu-Yang Chen, Meng-Yao Shao, Yuan-Xiu Wu, Jia-Yu Wang, Dong-Mei Wan, Jiang-Xia Yin","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.005","url":null,"abstract":"Individual differences in cognition widely exist in diverse animal taxa. Such cognitive variance is supposed to be influenced by animal personality. While the relationships between various personality traits and performances in diverse cognitive tasks are not consistent, few studies have examined the effects of a particular personality trait on different cognitive abilities. We measured the exploratory behaviour of 35 individuals lab-reared Java Sparrows Lonchura oryzivora with a novel environment test and a novel object test. Three cognitive abilities of birds, for discrimination learning, reversal learning, and inhibitory control, were quantified in three classic cognition tasks (a colour association task, a colour reversal task, and a detour-reaching task). We found no correlation between the exploration and the trials required to pass the colour association task or the detour-reaching task. The slow explorers, however, needed less trials to reach the criterion in the colour reversal task. Our results suggest that slow explorers hold higher reversal learning ability. Slow-exploring style would be advantageous to birds when facing unpredictable environmental changes.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135187935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-10DOI: 10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.009
Roberto Sanchez Mateos, Freddy Gallo-Viracocha
The reproductive ecology of the Andean Condor Vultur gryphus is poorly known. This note describes reproductive events of individual breeding pairs. We describe the minimum distances between nest sites, breeding success, elevation and the use of nesting cliffs of different breeding pairs of Andean Condors in the north-central Andes of Ecuador. We undertook 840 hours of observations of eight nesting events in areas on an elevational gradient from 2500 m to 4500 m during 2018 and 2019. Nesting events in Ecuador since 1996, were also reviewed which provided us a total of 21 breeding attempts at 16 nest sites. Minimum distances between the sites of breeding attempts were 25 m (since 1996) and 310 m (during the fieldwork). The nearest neighbour distance of Andean Condors simultaneously sharing the same cliff during partially overlapping breeding was 550 m and in different cliffs 2720 m. Breeding success was 0.75 and higher in reused nests. The results present previously unknown information that contributes to reproductive ecology and emphasizes the importance of the cliffs as critical areas for the conservation and permanence of the Andean Condor where management actions are urgent.
{"title":"Minimum Nest Distances, Breeding Success and Use of Shared Cliffs for Andean Condor Vultur gryphus Breeding in Ecuador","authors":"Roberto Sanchez Mateos, Freddy Gallo-Viracocha","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.009","url":null,"abstract":"The reproductive ecology of the Andean Condor Vultur gryphus is poorly known. This note describes reproductive events of individual breeding pairs. We describe the minimum distances between nest sites, breeding success, elevation and the use of nesting cliffs of different breeding pairs of Andean Condors in the north-central Andes of Ecuador. We undertook 840 hours of observations of eight nesting events in areas on an elevational gradient from 2500 m to 4500 m during 2018 and 2019. Nesting events in Ecuador since 1996, were also reviewed which provided us a total of 21 breeding attempts at 16 nest sites. Minimum distances between the sites of breeding attempts were 25 m (since 1996) and 310 m (during the fieldwork). The nearest neighbour distance of Andean Condors simultaneously sharing the same cliff during partially overlapping breeding was 550 m and in different cliffs 2720 m. Breeding success was 0.75 and higher in reused nests. The results present previously unknown information that contributes to reproductive ecology and emphasizes the importance of the cliffs as critical areas for the conservation and permanence of the Andean Condor where management actions are urgent.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135187717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-10DOI: 10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.002
Ala-Eddine Adamou, Mohamed Kouidri, Anna Bańbura-Nowak, Jerzy Bańbura
Despite its hyperarid climate, the Sahara Desert encompasses some large oases with extensive but rather fragile wetlands that are inhabited by Charadriforms. In this study we analyse the reproductive ecology of two species of Recurvirostridae, Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus (more numerous) and Pied Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta (less numerous), nesting in an unstable habitat of the Saharan wetland of Chott Ain El Beida, Algeria, North Africa. The onset of egg laying was more stable and similar between years in Black-winged Stilts (15–19 April, on average, N = 315) than in Pied Avocets (13–21 April, on average, N = 73). Black-winged Stilts and Pied Avocets showed opposite yearly trends in egg laying dates. Clutches composed of 4 eggs dominated in both these species. They did not differ in hatching success of complete clutches (on average 73% and 77%, respectively). Average weights of eggs decreased from year to year during 2005–2007, suggesting that the individual quality of breeding birds decreased over the study years, probably corresponding with the progressive deterioration of the habitat. In the Black-winged Stilt, but not in the Pied Avocet, egg sizes decreased with the progress of the laying period. Another difference between egg-related aspects of the breeding ecology of these species was that only in Black-winged Stilts egg shape tended to affect hatching success of clutches, so that clutches of more elongated eggs had higher hatchability. To conclude, some aspects of breeding performance of waders may have a different form even in closely related species, depending on changing ecological conditions.
尽管气候极度干旱,撒哈拉沙漠仍有一些大型绿洲,其中有大片但相当脆弱的湿地,栖息着翼形兽。本研究分析了在北非阿尔及利亚Chott Ain El Beida撒哈拉湿地不稳定栖息地筑巢的黑翅高脚鸟Himantopus Himantopus和斑翅高脚鸟Recurvirostra avosetta两种黑翅高脚鸟的繁殖生态学。黑翅高脚鸟(4月15-19日,平均N = 315)的产蛋开始时间比彩翅高脚鸟(4月13-21日,平均N = 73)的产蛋开始时间更稳定,年份相近。黑翅高跷和斑翅翅高跷在产卵日期上呈现相反的年趋势。在这两个物种中,由4个卵组成的一窝占多数。它们在完全卵窝的孵化成功率上没有差异(平均分别为73%和77%)。2005-2007年期间,蛋的平均重量逐年下降,表明在研究期间繁殖鸟类的个体质量下降,可能与栖息地的逐渐恶化相对应。卵的大小随产蛋期的延长而减小,而斑梨则没有。这些物种繁殖生态学中与卵相关方面的另一个区别是,只有在黑翅高跷中,卵的形状倾向于影响卵的孵化成功率,因此卵越长的卵的孵化率越高。综上所述,涉禽繁殖性能的某些方面,即使在密切相关的物种中,也可能有不同的形式,这取决于不断变化的生态条件。
{"title":"Egg-Focused Aspects of the Reproductive Ecology of Black-Winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus and Pied Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta Coexisting in an Unstable Wetland in the Sahara (Algeria)","authors":"Ala-Eddine Adamou, Mohamed Kouidri, Anna Bańbura-Nowak, Jerzy Bańbura","doi":"10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454ao2023.58.1.002","url":null,"abstract":"Despite its hyperarid climate, the Sahara Desert encompasses some large oases with extensive but rather fragile wetlands that are inhabited by Charadriforms. In this study we analyse the reproductive ecology of two species of Recurvirostridae, Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus (more numerous) and Pied Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta (less numerous), nesting in an unstable habitat of the Saharan wetland of Chott Ain El Beida, Algeria, North Africa. The onset of egg laying was more stable and similar between years in Black-winged Stilts (15–19 April, on average, N = 315) than in Pied Avocets (13–21 April, on average, N = 73). Black-winged Stilts and Pied Avocets showed opposite yearly trends in egg laying dates. Clutches composed of 4 eggs dominated in both these species. They did not differ in hatching success of complete clutches (on average 73% and 77%, respectively). Average weights of eggs decreased from year to year during 2005–2007, suggesting that the individual quality of breeding birds decreased over the study years, probably corresponding with the progressive deterioration of the habitat. In the Black-winged Stilt, but not in the Pied Avocet, egg sizes decreased with the progress of the laying period. Another difference between egg-related aspects of the breeding ecology of these species was that only in Black-winged Stilts egg shape tended to affect hatching success of clutches, so that clutches of more elongated eggs had higher hatchability. To conclude, some aspects of breeding performance of waders may have a different form even in closely related species, depending on changing ecological conditions.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135188145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-14DOI: 10.3161/00016454AO2022.57.2.006
Shanmugavel Sureshmarimuthu, S. Babu, Nagaraj Kumara Honnavalli, N. Rajeshkumar
Abstract. Understanding the niche differentiation between sympatric species that permit species to coexist and partition resource is the central concept in ecology. In this context, we evaluated the differences in roost site resources between two sympatric Otus species — Andaman Scops-owl Otus balli and Oriental Scops-owl Otus sunia in the Andaman Islands using a multi-scale approach. We measured variables that influence roost site use by owls at three different scales (tree, patch and macro). A total of 38 and 69 independent roost locations of O. balli and O. sunia respectively were recorded. We found that both species showed a high preference for Arecaceae plants at tree scale, possibly for their spiny structures that could offer protection. But both species showed different selection patterns at the patch and macro scales. At the patch scale, O. balli selected roosting sites in patches with relatively mature tree stands (characterised by higher tree height, girth at breast height and canopy cover) with thick understory cover (understory cover, height, and herbaceous elements). In contrast, O. sunia was found to select trees in secondary or highly disturbed forests. Land use and land cover types distinguish both species from their habitat preferences at a macro scale with a very low predicted overlap. The area of potential roost sites is very low for O. balli when compared to O. sunia. Our findings suggest that the two sympatric species' preferences for roost sites are shaped by the characteristics of evergreen forests of the Andaman Islands. Hence, any further changes to this forest type may have adverse effects on the endemic O. balli.
{"title":"Where do the Tropical Owls Roost: Multiscale Habitat Variables Explain Roost Site Selection by Two Sympatric Otus Species in the Andaman Archipelago, India","authors":"Shanmugavel Sureshmarimuthu, S. Babu, Nagaraj Kumara Honnavalli, N. Rajeshkumar","doi":"10.3161/00016454AO2022.57.2.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3161/00016454AO2022.57.2.006","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Understanding the niche differentiation between sympatric species that permit species to coexist and partition resource is the central concept in ecology. In this context, we evaluated the differences in roost site resources between two sympatric Otus species — Andaman Scops-owl Otus balli and Oriental Scops-owl Otus sunia in the Andaman Islands using a multi-scale approach. We measured variables that influence roost site use by owls at three different scales (tree, patch and macro). A total of 38 and 69 independent roost locations of O. balli and O. sunia respectively were recorded. We found that both species showed a high preference for Arecaceae plants at tree scale, possibly for their spiny structures that could offer protection. But both species showed different selection patterns at the patch and macro scales. At the patch scale, O. balli selected roosting sites in patches with relatively mature tree stands (characterised by higher tree height, girth at breast height and canopy cover) with thick understory cover (understory cover, height, and herbaceous elements). In contrast, O. sunia was found to select trees in secondary or highly disturbed forests. Land use and land cover types distinguish both species from their habitat preferences at a macro scale with a very low predicted overlap. The area of potential roost sites is very low for O. balli when compared to O. sunia. Our findings suggest that the two sympatric species' preferences for roost sites are shaped by the characteristics of evergreen forests of the Andaman Islands. Hence, any further changes to this forest type may have adverse effects on the endemic O. balli.","PeriodicalId":50888,"journal":{"name":"Acta Ornithologica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2023-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43681599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}