Avifauna of meadow ecosystems in borderland areas of Lviv and Volyn Oblasts

Geo&Bio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (20) ◽  
pp. 117-134
Author(s):  
Ihor Shydlovskyy ◽  
◽  
Oleksii Dubovyk ◽  
Petro Hrynyuk ◽  
Ivan Zahorodnyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Type ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Common Reed ◽  
Great Reed Warbler ◽  
Oxbow Lakes ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Yellow Wagtail ◽  
Sedge Warbler ◽  
Meadow Pipit ◽  
The Common

Meadow ecosystems comprise a significant part of the area of Ukraine, especially in its western regions. Those ecosystems are subjects of concern today because of the active agricultural use and droughts that also threatens the animal population of meadows, including birds. Studies of meadow bird species of western Ukraine are limited to atlases, which results in a lack of precise data. This work was part of an international project on the conservation of the great snipe Gallinago media and allowed us to collect valuable data on the abundance and occurrence of meadow bird species nearby to the Polish and Belarusian borders of Ukraine — territories that are commonly ignored by Ukrainian researchers. The surveys of meadow birds conducted near the Ukrainian-Polish border in 2020 have shown that the general state of the marshes is worse compared to 2019: even close to the Western Bug river, only deep oxbow lakes were wet or contained some water, but minor lakes and wetlands of the valley were found to be dry. In total, we observed 141 bird species belonging to 17 orders. Among them, 26 were common by abundance and frequency, such as the great egret Ardea alba, the white stork Ciconia ciconia, the common quail Coturnix coturnix, the corn crake Crex crex, the northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus, the common redshank Tringa totanus, the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, the Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensis, the meadow pipit Anthus pratensis, the western yellow wagtail Motacilla flava, the sedge warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, the marsh warbler A. palustris, the great reed warbler A. arundinaceus, the common whitethroat Sylvia communis, the whinchat Saxicola rubetra, the thrush nightingale Luscinia luscinia, the common linnet Linaria cannabina, the corn bunting Emberiza calandra, the common reed bunting E. schoeniclus, and 7 more species, which were observed frequently though are not typical marshland species. We have identified the species that can be used as indicators of parameters of marsh ecosystems such as grass height (corn crake, western yellow wagtail, and sedge warbler), moisture (common redshank, common cuckoo, and the sedge and great reed warblers), and habitat type (corn crake, European bee-eater Merops apiaster, sedge warbler, common reed, and corn buntings).

scholarly journals The common cuckoo is an effective indicator of high bird species richness in Asia and Europe

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Morelli ◽  
Anders Pape Møller ◽  
Emma Nelson ◽  
Yanina Benedetti ◽  
Wei Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
The Common

scholarly journals Fast and furious: host aggression modulates behaviour of brood parasites

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Václav Jelínek ◽  
Michal Šulc ◽  
Gabriela Štětková ◽  
Marcel Honza
Keyword(s):  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Nest Defence ◽  
Great Reed Warbler ◽  
Acrocephalus Arundinaceus ◽  
Brood Parasite ◽  
Cuculus Canorus ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Brood Parasites ◽  
The Common

ABSTRACTAvian brood parasites pose a serious threat for hosts, substantially reducing their fitness which selects for the evolution of host defences. A classic example of a host frontline defence is mobbing which frequently includes contact attacking of brood parasites. Here, we investigated how the nest defence of a very aggressive great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) host influences the speed of egg-laying and egg-removing behaviour of its brood parasite – the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). We video-recorded 168 brood parasitic events at 102 active host nests and found that cuckoos avoided host mobbing in only 62% of cases. If hosts spotted the cuckoo at their nests, they almost always attacked it (in 91 of 104 cases), however, such attacks only rarely and temporarily prevented cuckoos from parasitizing (11 additional cases). When attacked, cuckoos parasitized host nests significantly faster and left them immediately. However, when not attacked, cuckoos frequently stayed at or near the nest suggesting that host aggression, rather than the risk of being spotted, influences the speed of brood parasitism in this species. Further, we found that cuckoos performed egg-removing behaviour in all parasitic events without regard to host aggression. As a result, cuckoos removed at least one egg during all brood parasitism events except those when an egg slipped from their beaks and fell back into the nest (in 9 of 73 cases). This indicates that egg-removing behaviour is not costly for the common cuckoo and is an essential part of its parasitism strategy, widening understanding of this currently unexplained behaviour.

scholarly journals Effects of overgrowing at Cerknica Polje (southern Slovenia) on breeding farmland birds/ Vpliv zaraščanja Cerkniškega polja (južna Slovenija) na gnezdilke kmetijske krajine

Acrocephalus ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (162-163) ◽  
pp. 153-163
Author(s):  
Dejan Bordjan ◽  
Ana Bordjan
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Type ◽  
National Level ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Common Reed ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Farmland Birds ◽  
Wet Meadows ◽  
Sedge Warbler ◽  
Scattered Trees ◽  
Impact On Biodiversity

Abstract Agriculture has a great impact on biodiversity in Europe. Populations of farmland birds are declining due to both intensification and abandonment of agriculture. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of overgrowing on the diversity of birds at Cerknica Polje. Six vegetation types were identified on eight survey plots (15.2-31.6 ha each): Short grass - regularly mown wet meadows; Tall herbs - stands of Common Reed Phragmites australis and Reed Canary Grass Phalaris arundinacea; Sparse bushes - stands of low woody plants; Dense bushes - dense stands of bushes; Meadows with trees - mown meadows with scattered trees; Bushes with trees - hedges, trees and dense stands of bushes. In total, 34 species were registered. The heterogeneity of vegetation types correlated positively with the heterogeneity of bird species. The highest density of breeding territories and species was established in Bushes with trees, the lowest in Short grass. No species were registered in all vegetation types, and only Tree Pipit was recorded in five out of six types. Twelve species were registered in only one vegetation type. Cerknica Polje is an important breeding locality for species with the highest breeding density at the national level (e.g. Corncrake Crex crex, Curlew Numenius arquata, Skylark Alauda arvensis, Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus). These species breed in specific habitats with different stages of succession. A managing plan for the area should therefore combine abandoned plots in different stages of succession and large regularly mown areas. Abandonment of agriculture at Cerknica Polje has led to the emergence of areas with bushes in different succession stages. Efforts should be directed at preserving large complexes of mown wet meadows.

ADAPTATIONS BY GREAT REED WARBLERS TO BROOD PARASITISM: A COMPARISON OF POPULATIONS IN SYMPATRY AND ALLOPATRY WITH THE COMMON CUCKOO

Behaviour ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 139 (10) ◽  
pp. 1313-1329 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Rejection Rate ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Greek Population ◽  
Great Reed Warbler ◽  
Reed Warbler ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Egg Colour ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
The Common

AbstractEgg rejection behaviour, as an antiparasite defence against brood parasitism was compared in two great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus populations. In central Hungary the host population lives in sympatry with the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, and it is heavily parasitised (ca 66%). In central Greece the great reed warbler occurs in allopatry with the cuckoo, so it is not parasitised at all. Experimental parasitism with poorly mimetic (often called 'non-mimetic') artificial cuckoo eggs revealed a 100% rejection rate towards the foreign eggs in the Greek population, but the Hungarian hosts accepted 29.4% and rejected 70.6% of the model cuckoo eggs. No other rejection type than ejection was observed. The significantly higher level of rejection in Greece than in Hungary suggests that the Greek great reed warbler population is an abandoned host population of the cuckoo, which kept its egg recognition ability. A computer-based image analysis of host's clutches revealed that interclutch variation in egg colour was greater than intraclutch variation in the Hungarian population, but not in the Greek population. Spottedness of eggs were similar in both populations. Generally, a tendency for a higher interclutch variation was found in Hungary. Intraclutch variation was more similar in the two populations, but for the colour variables it showed a lower value in Hungary than in Greece. The heavy cuckoo parasitism in Hungary is suggested to be the main cause for the increased interclutch variation in relation to intraclutch variation in egg appearance among great reed warbler clutches. The high interclutch variation reduces the chance that the parasite egg's appearance matches that of the hosts', which facilitates hosts' egg discrimination.

Great Reed Warbler singing behavior and conspicuous song structures are not nest-location cues for the Common Cuckoo

2017 ◽  
Vol 158 (4) ◽  
pp. 925-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroslav Capek ◽  
Tereza Petrusková ◽  
Zuzana Šebelíková ◽  
Jesús Campos Serrano ◽  
Petr Procházka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Reed Warbler ◽  
Reed Warbler ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Nest Location ◽  
Singing Behavior ◽  
The Common

scholarly journals Sve raniji povratak kukavice (Cuculus canorus L.) sa zimovanja u šume sjeverozapadne Hrvatske

2017 ◽  
Vol 141 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 576-576
Author(s):  
Zdravko Dolenec
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Cuculus Canorus ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Arrival Date ◽  
Spring Temperature ◽  
First Arrival ◽  
The Common ◽  
First Time

The Earth is getting warmer at its surface and this global warming can be linked to numerous different phenomena worldwide and it has great impact on ecosystems. Responses to climate change vary interspecies, intraspecies and among different area. Most of the birds in the temperate regions arrive earlier from their wintering places and it is believed that this is a response to the significantly higher spring temperatures. The main aim of this work is to describe changes in spring arrival dates of Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) in the period between 1989 and 2016, and also, to identify relationship between dates of arrival and mean spring temperature in the researched period. The Common Cuckoo is an obligate brood parasite and common bird species in study area. In this research, mean April temperature is used as the mean spring temperature because April is the month when this bird species returns from wintering. First arrival date is the common type of data in investigation of connections between climate change and timing of migration. In research of the most bird species this is when the birds are observed for the first time that year, but in the Common Cuckoo, noting the first time hearing them sing is more usual method. Results of this study suggest that climate changes cause earlier arrival of the Common Cuckoo from the wintering place to the breeding area. Their first arrival date in northwestern Croatia has advanced (significantly) by seven days over the past 28 years. Correlation between first arrival date and average April temperature is also significant. Mean spring temperature increased significantly from 1989 to 2016. This result indicates that mean spring temperature has an influence on the date of the Common Cuckoo first arrival. For the Common Cuckoo, it is important that climate changes don’t cause significant differences in the timing of breeding between them and their host bird species.

Break-down of arms race between the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) and common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

Behaviour ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Csaba Moskát ◽  
Péter Lovászi
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Arms Race ◽  
Great Reed Warbler ◽  
Egg Recognition ◽  
Cuculus Canorus ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Lanius Collurio ◽  
High Aggression ◽  
The Common ◽  
High Level

AbstractThe red-backed shrike Lanius collurio once was parasitised by the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus in low frequency until the late 1960s in Hungary, but no case of parasitism is known from the last three or four decades. The cuckoo most probably abandoned this host species because its arms race had defeated, which may be indicated by the high level egg recognition and rejection ability of shrikes. However, mimicry of the cuckoo eggs in the last known cases of parasitism was significantly lower than between cuckoo eggs and host eggs collected from great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus nests within the same period. This suggests that red-backed shrikes won the arms race leaving no chance for cuckoos to develop better mimicry for their eggs. We tested these findings with experimentally induced parasitism using two types of real eggs: red-backed shrikes rejected 57.6% of the foreign conspecific eggs, but rejected 93.3% of the real cuckoo eggs transferred form nests of great reed warblers. This high level of rejection against real cuckoo eggs shows that there is no chance for presently occurring cuckoos to reparasitise red-backed shrikes in Hungary. Experimental eggs rejected by shrikes had lower mimicry than the eggs which were accepted, but intraclutch variation did not differ between accepters and rejecters. Hosts' aggression was significantly higher against the stuffed cuckoo than against the control species, the collared dove Streptopelia decaocto, and it was the least against female red-backed shrikes. Red-backed shrikes high aggression against cuckoo dummies also showed a highly developed antiparasite adaptation.

scholarly journals Habitat-dependent call divergence in the common cuckoo: is it a potential signal for assortative mating?

2007 ◽  
Vol 274 (1622) ◽  
pp. 2093-2097 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tibor I Fuisz ◽  
Selvino R de Kort
Keyword(s):  
Assortative Mating ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Host Specialization ◽  
Brood Parasite ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Main Host ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
The Common ◽  
Reed Bed ◽  
Potential Signal

The common cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus ) is an obligate brood parasite that mimics the eggs of its hosts. The host-specific egg pattern is thought to be inherited matrilinearly, creating female-only host-specific races. Males are thought not to be adapted to their host and they maintain the species by mating arbitrarily with respect to host specialization of females. However, recent results suggest that male cuckoos may also show host-specific adaptations and these may require assortative mating with respect to host. The calls males produce on the breeding grounds could provide a potential mechanism for assortative mating. We tested whether male cuckoo calls differ more between nearby populations that parasitize different hosts than between distant populations that parasitize the same host. We recorded the calls of geographically distant pairs of populations in Hungary, with each pair consisting of a forest population and a nearby reed bed population. Each habitat is characterized by one main host species for the common cuckoo. Our results show that calls of distant cuckoo populations from the same habitat type are more similar to each other than they are to those of nearby populations from a different habitat. These results suggest that cuckoo calls differ sufficiently to allow recognition of habitat-specific individuals.

Cuckoo chicks evicting their nest mates: coincidental observations by Edward Jenner in England and Antoine Joseph Lottinger in France

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spencer G. Sealy ◽  
Mélanie F. Guigueno
Keyword(s):  
Royal Society ◽  
Cuculus Canorus ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Cuckoo Chick ◽  
The Common ◽  
Made In ◽  
Royal Society Of London

For centuries, naturalists were aware that soon after hatching the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) chick became the sole occupant of the fosterer's nest. Most naturalists thought the adult cuckoo returned to the nest and removed or ate the fosterer's eggs and young, or the cuckoo chick crowded its nest mates out of the nest. Edward Jenner published the first description of cuckoo chicks evicting eggs and young over the side of the nest. Jenner's observations, made in England in 1786 and 1787, were published by the Royal Society of London in 1788. Four years before Jenner's observations, in 1782, Antoine Joseph Lottinger recorded eviction behaviour in France and published his observations in Histoire du coucou d'Europe, in 1795. The importance of Lottinger's and Jenner's observations is considered together.

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