Comparative Breeding Biology of Three Insectivorous Songbirds in Dutch Dune Grasslands

Ardea

H. Herman van Oosten¹ 

[1] 1Oenanthe Ecologie, Hollandseweg 42, 6706 KR Wageningen, The Netherlands2Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, IWWR, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands; [e-mail]

关键词: Nest Success;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Nederlandse Ornithologische Unie/Netherlands Ornithological Union

【 摘 要 】

Scholarsagreethatchangesinvegetationhavebeeninfluencingpopulationsizesofground-foragingsongbirdsinDutchdunegrasslands.Duetoalackofknowledgeconcerningthebreedingbiologyofthesespecies,themechanismslinkingvegetationchangeandpopulationdevelopmentremainunclear.Here,Idescribethebreedingbiologyofthreeco-occurringinsectivoresinDutchdunegrasslands:MeadowPipitAnthuspratensis,EuropeanStonechatSaxicolatorquatusandNorthernWheatearOenantheoenanthe.ThenestlingdietofMeadowPipitscontainedmanydipterans,suchascraneflies(Tipulidae),butalmostnobeetlesandrelativelyfewnoctuidcaterpillars,whereasbeetlesandnoctuidlarvaewereimportantinthedietsofbothEuropeanStonechatandNorthernWheatearnestlings.MeanbroodsizewassmallestinMeadowPipitandequalinEuropeanStonechatandNorthernWheatear.Nestdepredationwassimilarlyhighintheopen-nestingMeadowPipitandEuropeanStonechat,resultinginlowernestsuccesscomparedtoNorthernWheatear,acavity-breeder.ProvisioningratepernestlingwashighestinNorthernWheatear,thelargestspecies,withnoobserveddifferencesbetweenMeadowPipitandEuropeanStonechat,whichresultedinhigherperbroodprovisioningratesforEuropeanStonechat.SincethemeanbroodsizeofEuropeanStonechatislargerthanthatofMeadowPipit,andsincenestdepredationgenerallyincreaseswithprovisioningrates,onewouldexpectahigherdepredationrateinEuropeanStonechat.ThissuggeststhatdifferencesinnestsiteselectionbetweenMeadowPipitandEuropeanStonechatresultinrelativelylowernestdepredationratesinEuropeanStonechatandsimilarnestsuccesstoMeadowPipit.Isuggestthatfutureworkshouldfocusonhowdifferentvegetationtypesrelatetopreyabundance,foraginghabitatandvegetation-specificnestdepredation,inordertobetterunderstandtheputativerelationshipsbetweenpopulationgrowthandvegetationincoastaldunegrasslands.

【 授权许可】

Unknown