{"title":"Breeding biology of the Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus: an analysis of Polish nest records","authors":"J. Płóciennik","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2023.2242053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2023.2242053","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Citizen-science projects have been remarkably valuable in studying biology of many bird species. Here, I present the analysis of the data on various aspects of breeding biology of the Common Reed Bunting which were collected by volunteer citizen scientists in the Polish Nest Record Scheme. Data from each nest were recorded in form of a card which provided the following parameters: nesting habitat, nesting location, nest structure, nest height, breeding phenology and brood survival. Overall, 420 nest cards collected over the period of 53 years (1969–2022) were analysed. Most nests were found in meadows and pastures. Late April and early May were identified as the peak of the breeding season, with the highest number of initiation dates recorded in nest cards. The most frequent clutch size was five, with a mean of 4.71 eggs. Daily survival rate for nests at the egg stage was 0.95, and at the nestling stage 0.99. The results were consistent with the findings of other authors. In conclusion, nest record schemes provide insight into the breeding biology of many bird species on a scale that would not be achievable in systematic studies.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"37 1","pages":"73 - 77"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45623105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A pilot study for satellite-tracking Gadwalls Mareca strepera wintering in the Lea Valley, UK","authors":"R. Spencer, Paul Roper, T. Hill, S. Scott","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2023.2242050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2023.2242050","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A pilot study monitored four overwintering Gadwalls fitted with satellite trackers in November 2018 at Rye Meads Nature Reserve, Hertfordshire. The research assessed the feasibility of a larger study investigating the range, movement and habitat preference of Gadwall utilising the Greater London wetland areas, and the suitability of fitting trackers using a glue-attachment method. Tracked birds varied in extent of movement. Two male Gadwalls remained largely sedentary, making use of the freshwater gravel lakes in the Lee Valley Regional Park. A pair-bonded male and female moved together, spending a number of weeks in the Lea Valley before moving 20 km to Hatfield Forest, Essex. This represented a change of habitat to a mature woodland with established lakes and ponds. We speculate that differences in movement between the male–female pair and other males may be attributable to mating effort and individual differences in migratory strategy. Considerable variation in the retention of trackers was seen, with one bird believed to have gradually removed the device through preening. Retrap data for one male showed overwinter weight loss that was higher than in any of 14 Gadwalls recorded previously. The cause of weight loss was unknown and we recommend further investigating the energetic costs of having a tracker fitted. Glue attachment may be unreliable for studies that require monitoring of Gadwalls for more than a few weeks, due to a high likelihood of attachment failure.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"37 1","pages":"13 - 25"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47062262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Villanúa, David A. Campion, M. M. Elósegi, J. Arizaga
{"title":"Wing-feather moult of the White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos lilfordi","authors":"D. Villanúa, David A. Campion, M. M. Elósegi, J. Arizaga","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2021.1974526","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2021.1974526","url":null,"abstract":"Determining the age of specimens is of great help in wildlife management, especially for rare or threatened species in which each individual has a high value. In birds, differences in moulting pattern between juveniles and adults may in some cases allow determination of a bird’s age from the examination of its plumage. In the present study, we analyse the moult of 19 breeding individuals of White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos lilfordi captured for GPS tagging in the Pyrenees, in order to describe, for the first time, the moulting pattern of this endangered woodpecker. Two well-differentiated groups of adult birds were identified: those that underwent a partial moult, and were classified as second-calendar-year birds, and those that performed a complete one and were classified as older. The first group had renewed most lesser and median coverts, all primaries and the innermost greater coverts, thus showing clear moult limits between the primaries and secondaries and within the greater coverts. Some individuals also replaced up to two more greater coverts (GC5–6). Individuals classified as older birds showed all feathers to be of a single generation, indicating that they had undergone a complete moult. A few individuals in this category retained a few unmoulted secondaries and primary coverts, however. A recapture of a bird with a complete moult, which had been captured a year before showing a partial moult, would confirm these moult sequences to be age dependent. This moulting pattern is very similar to that described for other spotted woodpeckers, and allows researchers to determine the ages of breeding individuals during the nesting season. ARTICLE HISTORY Received 7 December 2020 Accepted 11 March 2021 Feathers are structures that wear due to the action of external agents, such as weather and ectoparasites (like mites or lice), so must be periodically replaced. This renewal of feathers is called moult and it is, together with breeding and migration, one of the most energydemanding events in a bird’s life cycle (Newton 2009). To prevent the demand for energy becoming unsustainable, moult has little or no overlap with the other two processes in small and medium-sized birds (Jenni &Winkler 2020 a, b). For this reason, moult patterns vary between species, even between populations, depending on their migratory behaviour and reproductive strategy (Ginn & Melville 1983). Furthermore, moult patterns can also vary among individual birds within a population: for example, it is common for adults to undergo different moults from younger birds (Svensson 1992, Baker 1993, Demongin 2013). This difference between age classes is very useful to distinguish age in most birds: hence, plumage examination and the identification of the feathers involved in a given moult process is often useful for ageing. For instance, among small and medium-sized birds like most passerines or woodpeckers, many long-distance migrants have too little time to moult after breed","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48472501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Primary moult of European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur in northern Senegal","authors":"L. Underhill, Tanya Scott","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2022.2098370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2022.2098370","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT We used tabulated data from the literature, collected in northern Senegal, to estimate the parameters of moult of the European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur, a ‘Vulnerable’ species. Moult duration was 177 days, and the estimated average start and end dates were 16 August and 9 February respectively. The results of the moult analysis were compatible with independent studies of migration and residency; coordinated long-term monitoring of the components of the annual cycle would help an understanding of the conservation needs of this species. The European Turtle Dove is the most migratory member of the order Columbiformes; a comparison with three other members of the order, using the Underhill–Zucchini moult model, shows that moult duration of the European Turtle Dove is the shortest, but only by a small margin.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"36 1","pages":"91 - 94"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46234869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Boano, Daniela Casola, M. Cucco, M. Ferri, Pierfrancesco Micheloni, Milo Manica, I. Pellegrino
{"title":"Onset of primary moult in immature and breeding adult Common Swifts Apus apus","authors":"G. Boano, Daniela Casola, M. Cucco, M. Ferri, Pierfrancesco Micheloni, Milo Manica, I. Pellegrino","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2022.2098368","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2022.2098368","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT We studied the primary moult of immature and adult breeding Common Swift Apus apus in Italy. Birds were sampled at breeding colonies, or by attracting them to mist nets with the playback of recorded calls. Our sample of 590 immatures (2cy) assessed that about a quarter (25.6%) of these birds start moulting the inner primaries during their stay in Europe. We find that this moult starts usually in the second half of June, earlier than was observed in other European countries, where individuals begin moulting in July. Interestingly, and in contrast to previous knowledge on the moulting schedules of breeding Common Swifts, we found that more than half of breeding adults (56%, 15 of 27) started their primary moult in July. Moult before the swifts left our study area was limited to the first two inner primaries. Our study showed that breeding Commons Swifts are able to regulate their moult when already engaged in rearing young, and both immature and adult Swifts start their moult before leaving Europe towards their African winter quarters.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"36 1","pages":"116 - 122"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44163283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Marginal-covert moult in the House Sparrow Passer domesticus","authors":"Santi Guallar, J. Carrillo-Ortiz, J. Quesada","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2022.2100455","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2022.2100455","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Marginal coverts are often neglected in passerine moult studies due to their small size and large number. Here, we document eight moult components of this group of wing coverts in a House Sparrow population from Barcelona in 2018–21: timing, growth rate, intensity, speed, duration, sequence, extent and barb density. We also tested the influence of various intrinsic and extrinsic factors on marginal-covert moult. Our adult population started marginal-covert moult on 29 July and finished it on 29 August, with the moult of hatch-year birds delayed 13 days in relation to the moult of adults. Growth rate of the largest marginal covert increased significantly with its size but did not differ between sexes. Intensity of marginal-covert moult replacement was not constant during the moult progress, which took 32 days on average. Moult sequence of marginal coverts started with the proximal feathers, proceeded distally replacing the central rows and was completed toward the front and rear rows. Moult extent was complete except in one case. Size of the largest marginal covert increased with calamus width, but not significantly, and barb density decreased with feather size, but not significantly, and neither measure differed between sexes. Comparison with published results indicated that growth rate is lower in marginal coverts than in primaries and rectrices, whereas barb density is greater. Linear regression of marginal-covert size on both growth rate and barb density can be used to predict growth rate and barb density of flight feathers in the House Sparrow.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"36 1","pages":"95 - 104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44673837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Clewley, A. Cook, J. Davies, E. Humphreys, N. O’Hanlon, E. Weston, T. Boulinier, A. Ponchon
{"title":"Acute impacts from Teflon harnesses used to fit biologging devices to Black-legged Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla","authors":"G. Clewley, A. Cook, J. Davies, E. Humphreys, N. O’Hanlon, E. Weston, T. Boulinier, A. Ponchon","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2022.2151065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2022.2151065","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Biologging is a routine technique for investigating movements and behaviours of birds in ecology, needing harnesses to attach devices to birds when long-term data of high spatial resolution are required. Evaluating the impacts on individuals of those devices and their attachment methods is important to maintain both animal welfare and the validity of data. In two independent trials of harnesses on Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, in Norway and the UK, harnesses were constructed from Teflon ribbon and deployed on breeding adults using two different attachment methods, a leg-loop (UK; n = 3) and thoracic cross-strap harness (UK; n = 3, Norway; n = 2). The birds were later recaptured and the harness fit and bird condition inspected. We found acute impacts from the harnesses of varying extent and severity, including abrasion and small lesions where the device or harness was sitting. Generally, the thoracic harness design caused more severe impacts, but some signs of feather abrasion were also evident on leg-loop individuals. While there was an apparently larger impact of thoracic harnesses on daily mass loss between recaptures compared with untagged or leg-loop individuals, the low sample sizes denied us statistically meaningful results. Continual appraisal in biologging studies is important, especially when studying a novel combination of species and attachment methods, even if those methods have been demonstrated to be safe and effective with similar taxa. Given the degree of abrasion reported here, we would not recommend the use of thoracic harnesses for Kittiwakes. However, leg-loops may be a viable alternative if different materials or design are used, provided that the impacts can be closely monitored and reported.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"36 1","pages":"69 - 77"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48086666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Perrine Lequitte-Charransol, Eric Le Saux, F. Jiguet
{"title":"Sexing first-calendar-year Carrion Crows Corvus corone from biometrics reveals variation between years in post-fledging sex ratio","authors":"Perrine Lequitte-Charransol, Eric Le Saux, F. Jiguet","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2022.2098369","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2022.2098369","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Sex is an important parameter to consider when studying population dynamics and movement ecology, for example, though sex determination is often difficult in young birds of sexually monomorphic species, with large biometric overlap between sexes. We aimed at determining the sex of first-calendar-year (1cy) Carrion Crows, in order to study temporal trends in sex ratio. We performed molecular sexing of a sample of 48 females and 45 males, creating a statistical framework to confidently discriminate sexes using four morphometric variables. Although biometrics overlapped between sexes, we developed a discriminant function which separated the sexes with high accuracy (88%). Then we applied this discriminant function to biometrics obtained from all 1cy individuals captured, to determine their sex. We found a female-biased overall sex ratio of the captures: female Carrion Crows might therefore be more numerous than males, or more prone to enter traps. There were significant variations in sex ratio between years, but not between months.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"36 1","pages":"82 - 90"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48568803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Morgan Hughes, P. Hopwood, Matilda Dolan, Ben Dolan
{"title":"Applications of thermal imaging for bird surveys: examples from the field","authors":"Morgan Hughes, P. Hopwood, Matilda Dolan, Ben Dolan","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2022.2123026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2022.2123026","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The West Midlands Ringing Group (WMRG) have been using thermal-imaging equipment since 2016 to locate elusive birds for ringing by night and by day, to survey roosting birds in reedbeds, to monitor nets at night and to check nest boxes for occupancy. The technique has not only transformed the catch rate for ringing surveys of birds such as Skylark Alauda arvensis, Woodcock Scolopax rusticola, Snipe Gallinago gallinago and Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus but also resulted in an increase in survey efficiency, a reduction in disturbance of birds and an improvement in the accuracy of counts for birds of conservation concern. Here we present case studies from WMRG’s work and an overview of the advantages, constraints and potential applications for the use of thermal imaging in ornithological surveys.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"36 1","pages":"78 - 81"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43535546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Edward J. A. Drewitt, I. Cuthill, L. Sutton, Hamish R. Smith, Sebastian W. Loram, Rob J. Thomas
{"title":"Northerly dispersal trends in a lowland population of Peregrines Falco peregrinus in southwest England","authors":"Edward J. A. Drewitt, I. Cuthill, L. Sutton, Hamish R. Smith, Sebastian W. Loram, Rob J. Thomas","doi":"10.1080/03078698.2022.2150783","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.2022.2150783","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Little is known about the post-natal dispersal of Peregrines Falco peregrinus from lowland areas of England. We used the resighting and recovery data from 66 Peregrine nestlings (34 females, 32 males) colour-ringed in the southwest of England to outline their reported dispersal movements. Our results revealed that Peregrines, in particular females, disperse in a north-northeasterly direction, with females being resighted at greater distances than males. Males were resighted a mean of 44 km from their natal site and females significantly further (mean 117 km). Despite more recent local and regional declines in some areas of their UK range, Peregrines have been increasing at a national level in England and extending their breeding range into new areas. Our results indicate that Peregrines have the potential to continue occupying suitable vacant habitats across the UK. Dispersing birds from the southwest of England are potentially helping to increase the breeding population of Peregrines in other areas where they have been absent or scarce for many years.","PeriodicalId":35936,"journal":{"name":"Ringing and Migration","volume":"36 1","pages":"105 - 115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42558131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}