Comparative range use by three Atlantic Forest understorey bird species in relation to forest fragmentation

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam M. Hansbauer ◽  
Ilse Storch ◽  
Rafael G. Pimentel ◽  
Jean Paul Metzger
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Sensitive Species ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Range Use ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
Pyriglena Leucoptera

Abstract:In this paper, we report on range use patterns of birds in relation to tropical forest fragmentation. Between 2003 and 2005, three understorey passerine species were radio-tracked in five locations of a fragmented and in two locations of a contiguous forest landscape on the Atlantic Plateau of São Paulo in south-eastern Brazil. Standardized ten-day home ranges of 55 individuals were used to determine influences of landscape pattern, season, species, sex and age. In addition, total observed home ranges of 76 individuals were reported as minimum measures of spatial requirements of the species. Further, seasonal home ranges of recaptured individuals were compared to examine site fidelity.Chiroxiphia caudata, but notPyriglena leucopteraorSclerurus scansor, used home ranges more than twice as large in the fragmented versus contiguous forest. Home range sizes ofC. caudatadiffered in relation to sex, age, breeding status and season. Seasonal home ranges greatly overlapped in bothC. caudataand inS. scansor. Our results suggest that one response by some forest bird species to habitat fragmentation entails enlarging their home ranges to include several habitat fragments, whereas more habitat-sensitive species remain restricted to larger forest patches.

scholarly journals Restricted movements and high site fidelity in three East African cloud-forest birds

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Christian Habel ◽  
Jessica Hillen ◽  
Thomas Schmitt ◽  
Christina Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Passerine Bird ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
East African ◽  
Forest Patch ◽  
High Site ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract:Species with specific habitat requirements often remain within their habitat and are characterized by a very sedentary behaviour. We used radio-tracking during a 3-wk campaign to investigate the home ranges and movements of three East African passerine bird species, all adapted to cloud-forest habitats: montane white-eye Zosterops poliogaster mbuluensis, stripe-cheeked greenbul Andropadus milanjensis and white-starred robin Pogonocichla stellata macarthuri. Individuals were observed in a forest-grassland mosaic on top of Chyulu Hills, south Kenya. Based on 15 individuals with a total of 1041 fixes, we found (1) that all three species show a sedentary behaviour restricted to their home forest patch; (2) least activity during the afternoon; and (3) re-colonization into its home patch after translocation into a nearby forest patch. Our findings underline that forest-specialist bird species of the tropics show high site fidelity despite their potential movement ability.

First full annual cycle tracking of a declining aerial insectivorous bird, the Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), identifies migration routes, nonbreeding habitat, and breeding site fidelity

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (8) ◽  
pp. 869-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.W. Ng ◽  
E.C. Knight ◽  
A.L. Scarpignato ◽  
A.-L. Harrison ◽  
E.M. Bayne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Annual Cycle ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Breeding Site ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Migration Routes ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
North American Bird

Over one third of North American bird species are in decline, and for many species, we still lack fundamental biogeographic information such as migration routes and nonbreeding areas. Identifying causes of declines is limited because tracking many species throughout their annual cycle with high precision and accuracy is challenging. Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor (J.R. Forster, 1771)) have declined throughout much of their range and have yet to have their migratory and nonbreeding areas identified and characterized. We tracked Common Nighthawks by deploying a new 3.5 g Pinpoint GPS-Argos tag on adult males. Seven of 10 (70%) tags uploaded locations, providing the first data on migration, nonbreeding habitat, and annual site fidelity to breeding areas. Birds used similar loop migration routes and overwintered in Brazil’s Cerrado and Amazon regions. Nonbreeding season roosting home ranges were 148.22 ± 121 ha (mean ± SE) and included forest, grassland, and cropland. Breeding home-range fidelity was high; all tracked birds returned to within 1.27 ± 0.27 km of original capture locations. Our study is the first tracking of Common Nighthawks throughout their full annual cycle. Continued miniaturization of tracking technology, like the GPS-Argos transmitters used, is critical for identifying the causes of population declines of previously enigmatic migratory species.

scholarly journals Influence of age and sex on winter site fidelity of sanderlingsCalidris alba

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro M. Lourenço ◽  
José A. Alves ◽  
Jeroen Reneerkens ◽  
AH Jelle Loonstra ◽  
Peter M. Potts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Sexual Difference ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Migratory Bird ◽  
Beach Erosion ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
Large Set ◽  
The Individual

Many migratory bird species show high levels of site fidelity to their wintering sites, which confers advantages due to prior knowledge, but may also limit the ability of the individual to move away from degrading sites or to detect alternative foraging opportunities. Winter site fidelity often varies among age groups, but sexual differences have seldom been recorded in birds. We studied a population of individually colour-marked sanderlings wintering in and around the Tejo estuary, a large estuarine wetland on the western coast of Portugal. For 160 individuals, sighted a total of 1,249 times between November 2009 and March 2013, we calculated the probability that they moved among five distinct wintering sites and how this probability is affected by distance between them. To compare site fidelity among age classes and sexes, as well as within the same winter and over multiple winters, we used a Site Fidelity Index (SFI). Birds were sexed using a discriminant function based on biometrics of a large set of molecularly sexed sanderlings (n= 990). The vast majority of birds were observed at one site only, and the probability of the few detected movements between sites was negatively correlated with the distance among each pair of sites. Hardly any movements were recorded over more than 15 km, suggesting small home ranges. SFI values indicated that juveniles were less site-faithful than adults which may reflect the accumulated knowledge and/or dominance of older animals. Among adults, females were significantly less site faithful than males. A sexual difference in winter site fidelity is unusual in shorebirds. SFI values show site-faithfulness is lower when multiple winters were considered, and most birds seem to chose a wintering site early in the season and use that site throughout the winter. Sanderlings show a very limited tendency to explore alternative wintering options, which might have implications for their survival when facing habitat change or loss (e.g., like severe beach erosion as can be the case at one of the study sites).

scholarly journals Different response of the taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of birds to forest fragmentation

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Bełcik ◽  
Magdalena Lenda ◽  
Tatsuya Amano ◽  
Piotr Skórka
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Patch Size ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Taxonomic Diversity ◽  
Forest Stand ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Forest Patches

AbstractHabitat fragmentation is considered as major threat to biodiversity worldwide. Biodiversity can be described as taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity. However, the effect of forest fragmentation on taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity is barely understood. We compare the response of taxonomic (species richness), phylogenetic and functional diversity of birds to forest fragmentation. We hypothesised that with increasing forest patch isolation and/or decreasing patch size the diversity of birds decreases but only if certain thresholds of fragmentation metrics are reached. Specifically, we hypothesized that out of the three diversity components the taxonomic diversity is the most sensitive to forest fragmentation, which means that it starts declining at larger patch size and higher connectivity values than phylogenetic and functional diversity do. We compared the three biodiversity metrics of central European bird species in a large set of forest patches located in an agricultural landscape. General additive modeling and segmented regression were used in analyses. Habitat fragmentation differentially affected studied biodiversity metrics. Bird taxonomic diversity was the most responsive towards changes in fragmentation. We observed an increase in taxonomic diversity with increasing patch area, which then stabilized after reaching certain patch size. Functional diversity turned out to be the least responsive to the fragmentation metrics and forest stand characteristics. It decreased linearly with the decreasing isolation of forest patches. Apart from the habitat fragmentation, bird taxonomic diversity but not phylogenetic diversity was positively associated with forest stand age. The lower share of dominant tree species, the highest taxonomic diversity was. While preserving a whole spectrum of forests (in terms of age, fragmentation and size) is important from the biodiversity perspective, forest bird species might need large, intact, old-growth forests. Since the large and intact forest becomes scarcer, our study underscore their importance for the preservation of forest specialist species.

scholarly journals Efficiency of playback for assessing the occurrence of five bird species in Brazilian Atlantic Forest fragments

2006 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 629-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo Boscolo ◽  
Jean Paul Metzger ◽  
Jacques M.E. Vielliard
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Bird Songs ◽  
Forest Reserve ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
One Year ◽  
Pyriglena Leucoptera

Playback of bird songs is a useful technique for species detection; however, this method is usually not standardized. We tested playback efficiency for five Atlantic Forest birds (White-browed Warbler Basileuterus leucoblepharus, Giant Antshrike Batara cinerea, Swallow-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia caudata, Whiteshouldered Fire-eye Pyriglena leucoptera and Surucua Trogon Trogon surrucura) for different time of the day, season of the year and species abundance at the Morro Grande Forest Reserve (South-eastern Brazil) and at thirteen forest fragments in a nearby landscape. Vocalizations were broadcasted monthly at sunrise, noon and sunset, during one year. For B. leucoblepharus, C. caudata and T. surrucura, sunrise and noon were more efficient than sunset. Batara cinerea presented higher efficiency from July to October. Playback expanded the favourable period for avifaunal surveys in tropical forest, usually restricted to early morning in the breeding season. The playback was efficient in detecting the presence of all species when the abundance was not too low. But only B. leucoblepharus and T. surrucura showed abundance values significantly related to this efficiency. The present study provided a precise indication of the best daily and seasonal periods and a confidence interval to maximize the efficiency of playback to detect the occurrence of these forest species.

Influence of land development on home range use dynamics of female elk

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Webb ◽  
M. R. Dzialak ◽  
S. M. Harju ◽  
L. D. Hayden-Wing ◽  
J. B. Winstead
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Land Development ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Range Use ◽  
Adaptive Kernel ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
One Year

Context Many ungulate species exhibit strong site fidelity to previously established areas, particularly females. However, development of the landscape may cause animals to shift their distribution to more secure areas. Aims To determine range use dynamics (i.e. size and overlap of core areas and home ranges) of female elk (Cervus elaphus) relative to land development features (e.g. roads, well pads, buildings, developments, towns, etc.) after controlling for environmental features (i.e. forest cover). Methods During the four-year study, we fitted elk (n = 165) with GPS collars annually and programmed collars to attempt one location fix every 3 h (eight locations per day) for one year. Females (n = 18) were subsequently recaptured and refitted with GPS collars to provide range use dynamics of individual elk over two to three years. We calculated sizes of core areas and home ranges using adaptive kernel estimators, overlap between annual ranges, and establishment of ranges relative to land development. Key results Overlap of annual core areas (48.6%) and home ranges (67.9%) was high despite annual increases in land development. Sizes of core areas and home ranges and annual overlap (i.e. site fidelity) were negatively influenced by land development after controlling for forest cover. Conclusions These data reveal that female elk show high levels of site fidelity even in the presence of increasing annual land development. Females did not appear to abandon previously established areas, but used ranges in a manner that minimised interaction with development within these areas based on reductions in range use size and fidelity as land development increased. Implications To help mitigate impacts on elk, land development should be minimised and large areas of forest protected so elk can avoid areas associated with human activity.

Wintertourismus beeinflusst das Verhalten und die Stressphysiologie des Auerhuhns | Winter tourism influences the behaviour and the stress physiology of the capercaillie

2009 ◽  
Vol 160 (10) ◽  
pp. 311-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Mollet ◽  
Dominik Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Home Ranges ◽  
Stress Hormone ◽  
Recreational Activity ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Recreational Facilities ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Winter Tourism ◽  
Middle Europe ◽  
Sporting Activities ◽  
High Level

The present study investigated whether the flushing distance, the territorial use and the stress hormone physiology of the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) were influenced in the winter by the presence of a large number of people engaged in sporting activities. In most cases flushing distances were greater, and higher concentrations of stress hormone were found in the blood serum, in areas having a high intensity of sporting activities than in forest stands relatively undisturbed by tourists. During the ski season capercaillie avoided forest patches within their home ranges where there was a high level of recreational activity. The results lead to the conclusion that intensive winter tourism can be a serious threat to the remaining capercaillie populations in middle Europe. It is recommended that the construction of new recreational facilities and new developments should be avoided in the most important habitats for capercaillie. The important habitats which today already lie in the immediate vicinity of areas intensively used by tourists could clearly receive enhanced status, according to each situation, either as tranquility areas for wildlife where entrance is forbidden or with regulations requiring winter tourists to stay on trails.

scholarly journals Spatial Analysis of the Drivers, Characteristics, and Effects of Forest Fragmentation

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3246
Author(s):  
Zoe Slattery ◽  
Richard Fenner
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Agricultural Expansion ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Remote Imaging ◽  
Landscape Characteristics ◽  
High Level

Building on the existing literature, this study examines whether specific drivers of forest fragmentation cause particular fragmentation characteristics, and how these characteristics can be linked to their effects on forest-dwelling species. This research uses Landsat remote imaging to examine the changing patterns of forests. It focuses on areas which have undergone a high level of a specific fragmentation driver, in particular either agricultural expansion or commodity-driven deforestation. Seven municipalities in the states of Rondônia and Mato Grosso in Brazil are selected as case study areas, as these states experienced a high level of commodity-driven deforestation and agricultural expansion respectively. Land cover maps of each municipality are created using the Geographical Information System software ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension. The resulting categorical maps are input into Fragstats fragmentation software to calculate quantifiable fragmentation metrics for each municipality. To determine the effects that these characteristics are likely to cause, this study uses a literature review to determine how species traits affect their responses to forest fragmentation. Results indicate that, in areas that underwent agricultural expansion, the remaining forest patches became more complex in shape with longer edges and lost a large amount of core area. This negatively affects species which are either highly dispersive or specialist to core forest habitat. In areas that underwent commodity-driven deforestation, it was more likely that forest patches would become less aggregated and create disjunct core areas. This negatively affects smaller, sedentary animals which do not naturally travel long distances. This study is significant in that it links individual fragmentation drivers to their landscape characteristics, and in turn uses these to predict effects on species with particular traits. This information will prove useful for forest managers, particularly in the case study municipalities examined in this study, in deciding which species require further protection measures. The methodology could be applied to other drivers of forest fragmentation such as forest fires.

scholarly journals Bird communities in a degraded forest biodiversity hotspot of East Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moses Mulwa ◽  
Mike Teucher ◽  
Werner Ulrich ◽  
Jan Christian Habel
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Natural Forest ◽  
Tree Plantations ◽  
Agricultural Fields ◽  
Degraded Forest ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Small Forest

AbstractTropical forests suffer severe habitat destruction. Thus, tropical forests frequently consist today of only a few small remnants that are often embedded within a matrix of agricultural fields and tree plantations. Forest specialist species have experienced severe population declines under these circumstances. We studied bird communities based on census plots set up in a near-natural forest block, as well as degraded forest patches, tree plantations, and agricultural fields, across the Taita Hills in southern Kenya. We classified each bird species according its ecology and behavior. We quantified the land cover and landscape configuration around each census plot. Typical forest species were mainly observed in the near-natural forest block, and to a lower extent in degraded forest patches. Plantations were almost devoid of birds. Bird communities of small forest fragments were more similar to that of agricultural land than the near-natural forest block. Most frugivorous, insectivorous and nectarivorous birds occurred in forest habitats, while granivorous bird species dominated the bird communities of agricultural land. The surrounding landscape had a marginal impact on bird species composition at local sites. Our study showed that the preservation of near-natural cloud forest, including small forest patches, is essential for the conservation of forest-dependent species, and that plantations do not serve as surrogate habitats.

scholarly journals Changes in surface water drive the movements of Shoebills

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Acácio ◽  
Ralf H. E. Mullers ◽  
Aldina M. A. Franco ◽  
Frank J. Willems ◽  
Arjun Amar
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Optimal Foraging ◽  
Animal Movement ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Water Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Water Index ◽  
Conservation Actions

AbstractAnimal movement is mainly determined by spatial and temporal changes in resource availability. For wetland specialists, the seasonal availability of surface water may be a major determinant of their movement patterns. This study is the first to examine the movements of Shoebills (Balaeniceps rex), an iconic and vulnerable bird species. Using GPS transmitters deployed on six immature and one adult Shoebills over a 5-year period, during which four immatures matured into adults, we analyse their home ranges and distances moved in the Bangweulu Wetlands, Zambia. We relate their movements at the start of the rainy season (October to December) to changes in Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), a proxy for surface water. We show that Shoebills stay in the Bangweulu Wetlands all year round, moving less than 3 km per day on 81% of days. However, average annual home ranges were large, with high individual variability, but were similar between age classes. Immature and adult Shoebills responded differently to changes in surface water; sites that adults abandoned became drier, while sites abandoned by immatures became wetter. However, there were no differences in NDWI of areas used by Shoebills before abandonment and newly selected sites, suggesting that Shoebills select areas with similar surface water. We hypothesise that the different responses to changes in surface water by immature and adult Shoebills are related to age-specific optimal foraging conditions and fishing techniques. Our study highlights the need to understand the movements of Shoebills throughout their life cycle to design successful conservation actions for this emblematic, yet poorly known, species.

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