Nestling Diet and Parental Provisioning Behaviour in the Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

Abstract Investigating how Mediterranean wetlands respond to adjacent land use conversion, is an important first step in mitigating the impact of human encroachment and other environmental stressors. We monitored the composition and structure of waterbird assemblages, in a Mediterranean urban marsh, subjected to severe anthropogenic pressures. Remote sensing indicated that in the last two decades Boussedra Pond was subjected to landfill, resulting in a substantial reduction (~ 50%) of the marsh, while due to a lack of urban planning urban built-up and agriculture areas expanded considerably in its surroundings. Seasonal changes in the diversity of waterbirds, including the globally Endangered (EN) White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala and the Near-Threatened (NT) Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, reflected the importance of the site as a staging and wintering area for many migratory species. The long-term study also suggested that breeding waterbirds species respond differentially to the loss and degradation of habitats, as highlighted by the resilience of the synanthropic Moorhen Gallinula chloropus and the disappearance of several breeding marsh specialists, like the Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus and the Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus. The study points out the need for both a coordinated cross-sectorial land use planning and an immediate, affordable and sustainable wetland conservation action.

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Circus aeruginosus Western Marsh Harrier Busard des roseaux

The Birds of Africa : The Malagasy Region ◽

10.5040/9781472927040.0124 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Marsh Harrier ◽

Circus Aeruginosus

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Western marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus

Migration Strategies of Birds of Prey in Western Palearctic ◽

10.1201/9781351023627-15 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 134-141

Author(s):

Nicolantonio Agostini

Keyword(s):

Marsh Harrier ◽

Circus Aeruginosus

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How hazardous is the Sahara Desert crossing for migratory birds? Indications from satellite tracking of raptors

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2009.0785 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 297-300 ◽

Cited By ~ 81

Author(s):

Roine Strandberg ◽

Raymond H. G. Klaassen ◽

Mikael Hake ◽

Thomas Alerstam

Keyword(s):

Migratory Birds ◽

Satellite Telemetry ◽

Satellite Tracking ◽

Sahara Desert ◽

Annual Cycles ◽

Marsh Harrier ◽

Circus Aeruginosus ◽

Course Changes ◽

Carry Over ◽

Migrating Birds

We investigated the risk associated with crossing the Sahara Desert for migrating birds by evaluating more than 90 journeys across this desert by four species of raptors (osprey Pandion haliaetus , honey buzzard Pernis apivorus , marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus and Eurasian hobby Falco subbuteo ) recorded by satellite telemetry. Forty per cent of the crossings included events of aberrant behaviours, such as abrupt course changes, slow travel speeds, interruptions, aborted crossings followed by retreats from the desert and failed crossings due to death, indicating difficulties for the migrants. The mortality during the Sahara crossing was 31 per cent per crossing attempt for juveniles (first autumn migration), compared with only 2 per cent for adults (autumn and spring combined). Mortality associated with the Sahara passage made up a substantial fraction (up to about half for juveniles) of the total annual mortality, demonstrating that this passage has a profound influence on survival and fitness of migrants. Aberrant behaviours resulted in late arrival at the breeding grounds and an increased probability of breeding failure (carry-over effects). This study also demonstrates that satellite tracking can be a powerful method to reveal when and where birds are exposed to enhanced risk and mortality during their annual cycles.

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Changes in the waterbird community of the Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, 1980–2017

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270919000431 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 618-633 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

THOMAS OUDMAN ◽

HANS SCHEKKERMAN ◽

AMADOU KIDEE ◽

MARC VAN ROOMEN ◽

MOHAMED CAMARA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

East Atlantic ◽

The Past ◽

Marsh Harrier ◽

Circus Aeruginosus ◽

Atlantic Flyway ◽

Banc D’Arguin ◽

East Atlantic Flyway ◽

Red Knot ◽

Made In ◽

Banc D'arguin

SummaryThe Parc National du Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania hosts the largest concentrations of coastal waterbirds along the East Atlantic Flyway. In spite of this importance, a review of the changes in the numbers of waterbirds in the area is lacking since the first complete count in 1980. Here we analysed the seven complete waterbird counts made since then, and the additional yearly counts made in one subunit (Iwik region) since 2003. We present evidence for changes in the community composition of waterbirds over the past four decades. Total waterbird numbers showed a decrease between 1980 and 2017, with only Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus showing a significant increase in numbers. Five species showed significant declines: Long-tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus, Red Knot Calidris canutus, Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, and Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus. In the remaining species, the variation in numbers between counts was too large, and the number of complete counts too small, for trends to be detected. The yearly counts at Iwik region also showed sharp decreases in the numbers of Red Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Marsh Harrier, but not of Long-tailed Cormorant and Eurasian Curlew. A multivariate analysis revealed a significant change in species composition over time, which was caused mainly by changes in the species depending on the intertidal mudflats for feeding (generally in decline) vs. the species depending on fish and crustaceans in the sublittoral and offshore zones (often showing increases).

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Polychlorinated biphenyls in raptor and owl eggs in the Czech Republic

Veterinární Medicína ◽

10.17221/5791-vetmed ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 48 (No. 12) ◽

pp. 363-368 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

I. Kustova ◽

M. Vavrova ◽

ILiterak

Keyword(s):

Czech Republic ◽

Tyto Alba ◽

The Czech Republic ◽

Pcb Congeners ◽

Milvus Migrans ◽

Marsh Harrier ◽

Black Kite ◽

Circus Aeruginosus ◽

Lipid Weight ◽

Aquila Heliaca

In 2001, raptor and owl eggs were collected for the purpose of detection of contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at 15 sites in the southeastern area of the Czech Republic. In total 31 unhatched eggs of 4 raptor species and 3 owl species were examined. PCB determination was carried out by high-resolution gas chromatography. PCB content was expressed in μg per 1 kg of lipid weight for the major PCB congeners 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180, serving as indicators. In all examined eggs the indicator PCB congeners were found. The ranges of total values of indicator PCB congeners found in different raptor and owl species were as follows: kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) 37.0 and 44.3 (n = 2), black kite (Milvus migrans) 28.3–40.5 (n = 3), imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) 66.4 (n = 1), marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) 45.1 (n = 1), barn owl (Tyto alba) 20.6–46.1 (n = 17), long-eared owl (Asio otus) 32.0–41.9 (n = 6) and tawny owl (Strix aluco) 47.5 (n = 1) μg/kg of lipid weight. PCB congener 153 was the one most frequently found.

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Parental provisioning behaviour plays a key role in linking personality with reproductive success

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2013.1019 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 280 (1764) ◽

pp. 20131019 ◽

Cited By ~ 68

Author(s):

A. Mutzel ◽

N. J. Dingemanse ◽

Y. G. Araya-Ajoy ◽

B. Kempenaers

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Path Analysis ◽

Strong Support ◽

Multivariate Approach ◽

Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽

Behavioural Syndromes ◽

Behavioural Phenotypes ◽

Parental Provisioning ◽

Blue Tits ◽

Provisioning Behaviour

Repeatable behavioural traits (‘personality’) have been shown to covary with fitness, but it remains poorly understood how such behaviour–fitness relationships come about. We applied a multivariate approach to reveal the mechanistic pathways by which variation in exploratory and aggressive behaviour is translated into variation in reproductive success in a natural population of blue tits, Cyanistes caeruleus . Using path analysis, we demonstrate a key role for provisioning behaviour in mediating the link between personality and reproductive success (number of fledged offspring). Aggressive males fed their nestlings at lower rates than less aggressive individuals. At the same time, their low parental investment was associated with increased female effort, thereby positively affecting fledgling production. Whereas male exploratory behaviour was unrelated to provisioning behaviour and reproductive success, fast-exploring females fed their offspring at higher rates and initiated breeding earlier, thus increasing reproductive success. Our findings provide strong support for specific mechanistic pathways linking components of behavioural syndromes to reproductive success. Importantly, relationships between behavioural phenotypes and reproductive success were obscured when considering simple bivariate relationships, underlining the importance of adopting multivariate views and statistical tools as path analysis to the study of behavioural evolution.

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