Ecology of Bird Migration

The article shows the need for the introduction of protective devices for the birds on poles of power lines. Set a large scale of the problem, as it is Biosphere Reserve is located in the intercontinental flyway of birds. However, there is a lot of power lines that run perpendicular to the main migration routes. Compiled ptan undertake the necessary measures. It is indicated that this problem can be solved if there is adequate funding Projects.

The abnormal behaviour of a group of Barn Swallows roosting in a maize field is described in detail. Approximately 700 individuals forming a spherical flock performed spectacular manoeuvres over a maize field for several minutes. After sunset, individuals plunged verticallyin small groups into the maize field in very fast flight. Observed behaviour agreed largelywith previously reports, although some peculiarities were recorded such as an attempt to roost on sparsely grassed ground, attacks by Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava on landing swallow sand loud twittering during all the aerial manoeuvres. The bad weather conditions are the most likely cause for the roosting of these migrating individuals.

Key words: Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, roosting, behaviour, maize field, autumn migration, NE Spain

Deuterium composition of feathers has been widely applied to establish provenance of birds. Surprisingly, little attention has been paid to the potential sources of unwanted hydrogen isotopic variability that may affect the comparability and replicabil-ity of deuterium measurements. Feathers may exhibit hydrogen isotopic differences between distal and proximal sections, as well as between rachis and vane. For this reason, it is recommended to always analyse ground vane from the same section of the feather. However, this protocol may be seriously limiting when working with songbird feathers, which are usually small and light. In this paper, intra-feather hydrogen isotopic variability was studied in four species of songbirds by comparing four sections of the same feather. No difference in hydrogen isotopic composition was found between distal and proximal sections of the vane. This was expected as songbird feathers grow rapidly and individuals avoid geographical movements during moult, favouring a homogeneous source of hydrogen during keratin synthesis. Conversely, as previously demonstrated for other avian species, rachis showed systematically c. 11‰ δ 2 H more negative values than vane. This is probably a result of their biochemical and ultrastructural differences, which seem strongly conserved across taxa. Such differences imply that we need to describe which feather part was used in the methods of our reports to ensure full comparability and replicability among studies. Nevertheless, vane and rachis δ 2 H were strongly correlated, demonstrating that rachis can be also used in isotope analyses because its δ 2 H can be accurately rescaled. This is useful since rachis represents an important fraction of feather mass in songbirds. Values of δ 2 H from ground and non-ground samples from the same feather were also compared. There was no effect of the processing protocol, suggesting that grinding is unnecessary when working with passerine feathers.

The circular distribution of the willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus around the Baltic Sea shares many features with the classic examples of ring species; however, the system is much younger. It has previously been shown that a secondary contact zone is located in central Scandinavia, where there are narrow clines for several morphological traits coincident with a migratory divide. Here we analyse multiple traits and genes from> 1700 males captured on breeding territories at 77 sites spread around the Baltic Sea to ...

Population declines among migratory Arctic-breeding birds are a growing concern for conservationists. To inform the conservation of these declining populations, we need to understand how demographic rates such as breeding success are influenced by combinations of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. In this study we examined inter-annual variation and long-term trends in two aspects of the breeding success of a migratory herbivore, the Bewick's swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii, which is currently undergoing a population decline: 1) the percentage of young within the wintering population and 2) mean brood size. We used an information-theoretic approach to test how these two measures of productivity were infl uenced over a 26 yr period by 12 potential explanatory variables, encompassing both environmental (e.g. temperature) and intrinsic (e.g. pair-bond duration) factors. Swan productivity exhibited sensitivity to both types of explanatory variable. Fewer young were observed on the wintering grounds in years in which the breeding period (May to September) was colder and predator (Arctic fox) abundance was higher. Th e percentage of young within the wintering population also showed negative density-dependence. Inter-annual variance in mean swan brood size was best explained by a model comprised of the negative degree days during the swan breeding period, mean pair-bond duration of all paired swans (i.e. mean pair duration), and an interaction between these two variables. In particular, mean pair duration had a strong positive effect on mean brood size. However, we found no long-term directional trend in either measure of breeding success, despite the recent decline in the NW European population. Our results highlight that inter-annual variability in breeding success is sensitive to the combined eff ects of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

First arrival dates (FAD) of 45 migratory bird species recorded in Moravia (Czech Republic, c. 49º N) in 109 spring seasons between 1881 and 2007 were correlated with the preceding winter (December to March) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. The arrival of birds occurred significantly earlier following high NAO winter index values (those result in spring warmer than normal in central Europe) in all short-distance migratory species with a European or North African winter range, whereas the arrival timing did not correlate with the seasonal NAO index in long-distance migrants having sub-Saharan winter range. When the values of Pearson coefficient between NAO and FAD were correlated with the migration distance of all 45 bird species, the correlation was remarkable and significant (p<0.001): r = 0.848 for the distance to central locations of winter range, and r = 0.822 for the northern limits of the wintering area. The migration distance was thus responsible for 68-72% of variation in the regression of birds' arrival on NAO winter index in central Europe. The data are robust (this is the longest avian phenological record analyzed for correlation with NAO in Europe), and indicate different mechanisms that govern timing between short-distance and long-distance migrants in their departure from wintering areas.

Many shorebirds exhibit within- and among-year site fidelity during their annual cycle. Little is known, however, about the migration ecology of Red Knots (Calidris canutus) that migrate along the Pacific Flyway and occur in Washington in numbers that exceed counts elsewhere on the flyway. At two large estuaries in coastal Washington, Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay, we searched for and recorded the locations of Red Knots (N= 547) that had been individually marked with leg flags at their wintering grounds in Baja California Sur, Mexico, during the period from October 2006 to April 2009. In 2010, we resighted 43 Red Knots at Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay that had been observed at these sites in previous years, primarily in 2009. We found a high degree of site fidelity between years, with birds observed in 2010 more likely to return to the same stopover site used in 2009 than to switch stopover sites. For knots that did not switch estuaries between years, the median nearest distance between locations where individuals were observed between years was 1.4 km at Grays Harbor and 0.6 km at Willapa Bay. Our results provide the first evidence of stopover site fidelity by Red Knots of the roselaari subspecies. Fidelity occurred at three spatial scales: coastal Washington, the two estuaries where we conducted our study, and specific mudflat areas within the estuaries. Because our study sites support high populations of bivalves, Red Knots may be returning to the same areas in subsequent years to exploit what we suspect is a predictable food resource. The abundance of Red Knots and high degree of site fidelity suggest that our study sites in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay are important for the conservation of this species on the Pacific Flyway.

Over the period of 2015-2020, and during the series of the field surveys arranged and conducted by the Iraqi Organization for Conservation of Nature (IOCN) in various locations and habitats in Iraq, IOCN team had the opportunity to survey various areas within Iraq in different seasons where new observations of bird species were made as the first records for Iraq; additionally, the team have also discovered new breeding evidences and expansions within different habitats in Iraq. During one of these surveys is central Iraq, specifically at the Middle Euphrates region, an individual of Shikra Accipiter badius was observed in the extreme north of Al-Qadisiyah province, Ad-Daghara sub-district. This paper confirms, through the details of the observation and description provided below, the first confirmed record of this species for Iraq.

The impact of climate change on the bird communities of Asia is poorly understood. Since the 1950s, the Japanese Meteorology Agency has recorded first arrival (i.e. first sighting) and first singing for a selection of resident (Alauda arvensis, Cettia diphone, and Lanius bucephalus) and migratory species (Hirundo rustica and Cuculus canorus) in more than 300 bird populations. First records (i.e. first sighting or singing) show a delay of 5.4 d since the end of the 1970s. Nevertheless, there is a marked heterogeneity in the temporal trends among populations in each species. Most populations of A. arvensis, C. diphone and H. rustica show a negative relationship with local temperature (i.e. first records were earlier in warmer years) and this sensitivity to temperatures has increased in recent decades. Exploration of the possible causes of variability in phenological trends among populations demonstrated that greater delays were observed in those populations subjected to smaller increases in local temperature and a greater increase in human population (a surrogate for the conservation status of bird populations). Therefore, declining bird populations are the most probable cause of the observed delay in the phenology of first individuals. Migratory species were affected by climate in their wintering and passage areas. Overall, first sightings of H. rustica were earlier, while the onset of singing by C. canorus was delayed in response to warmer temperatures in southeastern Asia. However, there was a noteworthy variability among populations, with no discernable regionalization or spatial organization. This suggests that there is no clear connectivity between breeding and wintering populations.

KEY WORDS: Arrival date · Heat island effect · Long-term study · Migratory birds · Phenology · Singing onset · Temperature · Warming

Recent shifts in phenology in response to climate change are well established but often poorly understood. Many animals integrate climate change across a spatially and temporally dispersed annual life cycle, and effects are modulated by ecological interactions, evolutionary change and endogenous control mechanisms. Here we assess and discuss key statements emerging from the rapidly developing study of changing spring phenology in migratory birds. These well-studied organisms have been instrumental for understanding climate-change effects, but research is developing rapidly and there is a need to attack the big issues rather than risking affirmative science. Although we agree poorly on the support for most claims, agreement regarding the knowledge basis enables consensus regarding broad patterns and likely causes. Empirical data needed for disentangling mechanisms are still scarce, and consequences at a population level and on community composition remain unclear. With increasing knowledge, the overall support (‘consensus view’) for a claim increased and between-researcher variability in support (‘expert opinions’) decreased, indicating the importance of assessing and communicating the knowledge basis. A proper integration across biological disciplines seems essential for the field’s transition from affirming patterns to understanding mechanisms and making robust
predictions regarding future consequences of shifting phenologies.

Key words: bird migration, climate change, phenology, annual life cycle, match-mismatch, endogenous control,
phenotypic plasticity, microevolutionary change, population trends, integrative biology.

ABSTRACT Food availability and acquisition are critical components of a stopover site&amp;#39;s suitability, but we know relatively little about how changes in food availability affect the stopover ecology of migrating landbirds. We examined fruit and arthropod availability in three habitats, studied foraging behavior and diet, and investigated use versus availability for passerines migrating through southwestern Idaho in autumn. Hemiptera dominated foliage-dwelling arthropod communities in all three habitats, whereas Hymenoptera were most numerous among ground-dwelling arthropods. Mountain shrubland had relatively high biomass of both ground-dwelling and foliage-dwelling arthropods, whereas conifer forest had high biomass of foliage-dwelling arthropods only and shrubsteppe had high biomass of ground-dwelling arthropods only. Species&amp;#39; foraging behavior varied, but most species foraged in mountain shrubland more often than expected by chance. Diets of most species included a high proportion of certain Hemiptera and Hymenoptera with smaller proportions of Coleoptera, Diptera, and Heteroptera; Coleoptera and some Hemiptera were consistently preferred by most species. Importantly, all 19 bird species examined consumed some fruit, and this is the first documentation of frugivory for two warbler species. These data point to the importance of several arthropod taxa, especially the Hemiptera and Hymenoptera, and fruits to landbirds migrating in mountain shrubland in autumn. Finally, we found no effect of annual variation of fruit or arthropod abundance on migrants&amp;#39; energetic condition, suggesting that food was sufficient for mass gain in all years of this study and/or that foraging behavior may be plastic enough to allow birds to gain mass despite annual differences in food availability. La disponibilidad y la adquisición de alimento son componentes críticos de la calidad de un sitio de parada, pero sabemos relativamente poco sobre cómo los cambios en la disponibilidad de alimento afectan la ecología de parada de las aves terrestres migratorias. Examinamos la disponibilidad de frutos y artrópodos en tres hábitats, estudiamos el comportamiento de forrajeo y la dieta e investigamos el uso versus la disponibilidad para los paserinos que migran en otoño a través del sudoeste de Idaho. Los hemípteros dominaron las comunidades de artrópodos que viven en el follaje en los tres hábitats, mientras que los himenópteros fueron más numerosos entre los artrópodos que viven en el suelo. El arbustal de montaña tuvo una biomasa relativamente alta de artrópodos que viven en el suelo y en el follaje, mientras que el bosque de coníferas tuvo una biomasa alta sólo de artrópodos que viven en el follaje y la estepa arbustiva tuvo una biomasa alta sólo de artrópodos que viven en el suelo. El comportamiento de forrajeo de las especies varió, pero la mayoría de las especies forrajearon más frecuentemente en el arbustal de montaña que lo esperado por azar. La dieta de la mayoría de las especies incluyó una alta proporción de hemípteros e himenópteros con una menor proporción de coleópteros, dípteros y heterópteros; los coleópteros y algunos hemípteros fueron consistentemente preferidos por la mayoría de las especies. De modo destacado, todas las 19 especies de aves examinadas consumieron algo de frutos y este es el primer registro de frugivoría por parte de dos especies de arañeros. Estos datos señalan la importancia en el arbustal de montaña de varios taxones de artrópodos, especialmente de hemípteros e himenópteros, y de los frutos para las aves terrestres migratorias de otoño. Finalmente, no encontramos un efecto de la variación anual de la abundancia de frutos o artrópodos sobre la condición energética de los migrantes, sugiriendo que el alimento fue suficiente para el aumento de la masa en todos los años de este estudio y/o que el comportamiento de forrajeo puede ser lo suficientemente plástico como para permitir que las aves ganen masa a pesar de las diferencias anuales en la disponibilidad de alimento.

В миграционные периоды 2004 и 2005 годов изучали экологическую структуру орнитофауны "островных" лесов степной Украины (Днепропетровская область). Установлено, что во второй половине сентября насекомоядные птицы покидают кроны деревьев. Затем, в начале ноября, в исследуемых экосистемах появляются мигрирующие растительноядные виды птиц. Данные экосистемы играют важную роль для миграций лесных птиц через степную зону Украины.

We consider the problems of harmonizationinteraction flocks of migratory birds from ruralfarm in southern Ukraine. Based on their research authors suggestquantitative description of the impact of the most common birds found in agrocenoses region. We give materials with spatial distribution, abundance, seasonal dynamics of daily activity intensity of food and other environmental features that allow objectively evaluatethe role of the most common and gruiformes representatives Anseriformes birds. These practical advice on the assessment of harmfulness of migrant birds that are concentrated in the fields.Toolkit is designed for privateland users, farmers, hunters, members of environmental protection facilities and all who desire to live in harmony with nature.

У  роботі  розглядається  проблематика  гармонізації
взаємодії міграційних зграй птахів з сільським
господарством на півдні України. На підставі власних досліджень автори наводять
кількісну  характеристику  впливу  найбільш  поширених  птахів, що зустрічаються в агроценозах регіону. Наводяться матеріали з просторового  розподілу,  чисельності,  сезонної  динаміки, добової  активності,  інтенсивності  харчування  та  інших екологічних  особливостей,  що  дозволяють  об’єктивно  оцінити
роль  найбільш  поширених  представників  Гусеподібних  та Журавлеподібних  птахів.  Наведені  практичні  поради  щодо оцінки шкодочинності птахів-мігрантів, що концентруються  на полях.
Методичний  посібник  розрахований  на  приватних
землекористувачів,  працівників  сільського  господарства, мисливців, працівників природоохоронних об’єктів та всіх, хто має бажання жити в гармонії з природою.

Do Reeves make different choices? Meadow selection by spring staging Ruffs Philomachus pugnax in Southwest Friesland

Each spring Ruffs stop over in large numbers in the northern part of the Netherlands, especially in Southwest Friesland. While staging, Ruffs use meadows for feeding and refuelling. A general believe is that they are attracted by the typical Dutch wet peat grasslands, with a diverse vegetation situated in an open landscape. We wanted to test this idea and to explore whether the assumed different flyways of the sexes could be related to sexual dimorphism, e.g. whether the smaller, shorter-billed females use other habitats than the males. This paper describes which meadow characteristics are correlated with meadow use and how meadow use differs between ruffs and reeves. In April and May 2003, 125 meadows in Southwest Friesland were monitored for five weeks. The total number of Ruffs decreased over the season, which is consistent with published region-wide counts. Relatively few females passed through: only in late April, when total numbers were low, the proportion females exceeded 10%. To find correlations with meadow use, 13 scored meadow characteristics were used in a multiple logistic regression model. Grass height and distance to the nearest roost proved most important (included in the model in four weeks): used meadows were closer to a roost and had shorter vegetation than unused meadows. Vegetation type, soil type, drainage level, openness of landscape and fertilisation freshness correlated with meadow use in two or three weeks. Percent flooding, fertilisation method, presence of grazers, vegetation evenness, relief and meadow size were never included in the model. The expected reference for peat meadows was not found: sand and clay soils were used more. As expected, ‘wet’ meadows and meadows in an open landscape were used more often than heavily drained meadows or meadows near buildings or trees from where predators may launch surprise attacks. Grass monocultures were least used, but the most used vegetation type was not rich but intermediately diverse in herbs. Females seem to be more extreme in meadow choice than males: groups with females used meadows that were drained less deep (thus wetter) and situated closer to the nearest roost than meadows with male-only groups. Groups with females were also more common in peat grasslands. We found indications that the sex-related differences in meadow use may be related to differences in feeding behaviour. Females foraged with higher pacing speeds. more females than males ate insects, but females had lower intake rates. Also when eating buried prey like earthworms and leatherjackets, intake rates in females were lower, although probing rates were equal. Females likely use other flyways: the proportion of females passing through this Dutch stopover site was very low compared with an important eastern European stopover site in Ukraine. At this point we can not yet decide whether this results from a difference in habitat preference induced by the size difference between the sexes or whether competition forces the females out of preferred, rich feeding sites.