Distribution, breeding phenology and time budget of Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea during the annual cycle in the Hauts Plateaux, north-east Algeria

SummaryThe Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow was thought to have become extinct early in the 17th century due to a combination of hunting by human colonists and predation by introduced rats, cats, dogs and pigs. However, single individuals were found on four occasions during the first half of the 20th century, and in 1951 a small population was discovered breeding on several rocky islets in north-east Bermuda. Recovery actions began in 1962 when the population numbered just 18 pairs, dispersed among five small islets. Although rats extirpated one of these five colonies in 1967, the population has grown steadily to 56 breeding pairs in 2000. We investigated the breeding phenology, productivity and population size of the Bermuda Petrel between 2000/2001 and 2007/2008. Each year, the birds began arriving in Bermuda around mid-October. They departed on a pre-breeding exodus between 19 November and 14 December, returning after 32–56 days to lay a single egg between 31 December and 31 January. Eggs hatched from 16 February to 26 March after a mean (± SD) incubation period of 53 ± 2 days, and young fledged from 15 May to 25 June after a mean fledging period of 91 ± 5 days. Between 2000/2001 and 2007/2008, reproductive output ranged from 29 to 40 fledglings per annum. Mean annual breeding success (62%) was reasonably high relative to other Procellariiformes, largely due to the provision of artificial (concrete) nesting burrows. In 2008, the population numbered 85 breeding pairs. Monitoring since 1961 indicates the population has been increasing exponentially, doubling approximately every 22 years. This rate of increase, together with the increased incidence of storm damage, is making it progressively more impracticable to construct sufficient concrete burrows on the current nesting islets to accommodate all breeding pairs. The vulnerability of these sites to accelerating storm damage and erosion as a result of anthropomorphic climate change is now the greatest threat to the Bermuda Petrel.

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Breeding phenology and nest survival of Cinereous (Circus cinereus) and Long-winged (C. buffoni) Harriers in the agricultural landscapes of north-east Patagonia, Argentina

Emu - Austral Ornithology ◽

10.1080/01584197.2017.1404431 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 118 (2) ◽

pp. 218-223 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luciano N. Segura ◽

María S. Bó

Keyword(s):

Nest Survival ◽

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Breeding Phenology ◽

North East

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Time budget patterns and complementary use of a Mediterranean wetland (Tonga, North-east Algeria) by migrant and resident waterbirds

Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia ◽

10.4081/rio.2016.268 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 86 (1) ◽

pp. 55 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elafri Ali ◽

Halassi Ismahan ◽

Houhamdi Moussa

Keyword(s):

Coastal Wetlands ◽

Time Budget ◽

Quantitative Description ◽

Late Summer ◽

Open Water ◽

Feeding Time ◽

Time Budgets ◽

North East ◽

Species Specific ◽

Open Water Body

We carried out a quantitative description of the use of a Mediterranean wetland (Tonga, North-east Algeria) by 22 waterbirds species (11 residents and 11 Palaearctic migrants) during late summer-wintering period, also analyzing their species-specific diurnal time budgets and the main related features of the landscape. The analyses of similarity in time budgets across birds (Hierarchal Cluster Analysis) showed four clusters of species associated with four major activities: day time mostly feeding (11 species), sleeping (6), swimming (3) and resting (2). Residents (Herons and Rails) showed a higher feeding time when compared to migrants (diving ducks, Gulls and Cormorants). From late summer to winter the time budget activity change in migrants; in contrast residents behave uniformly among daytime and at the course of the season. The use of this natural wetland in a complementary way by a high number of waterbirds (residents and migrants), is principally promoted by the existing of numerous habitat types. We found that 3 main ecological units, open water body, mudflats, and flooded meadows were the most utilized as foraging habitats among grebes, rails, ducks, gulls, and herons. In contrast, floating-leafed vegetation, and tall emergent vegetation were the commonest habitat categories used in resting activities especially by cormorants and herons. Data on behaviour requirements of these waterbirds can be used for conservation and correct management of this and other Mediterranean coastal wetlands.

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Cross-seasonal weather effects interact with breeding conditions to impact reproductive success in an alpine songbird

10.1101/2021.08.06.455393 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Devin R de Zwaan ◽

Anna Drake ◽

Alaine F Camfield ◽

Elizabeth C MacDonald ◽

Kathy Martin

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Annual Cycle ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Nest Survival ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Breeding Phenology ◽

Early Season ◽

Offspring Development ◽

Clutch Initiation

In alpine habitats, fluctuating early-season weather conditions and short breeding seasons limit reproductive opportunities, such that arriving and breeding earlier or later than the optimum may be particularly costly for migratory species. Given early-season energy limitations, the influence of environmental conditions across the annual cycle on breeding phenology may have pronounced fitness consequences, yet our understanding of cross-seasonal dynamics in alpine breeding organisms is severely limited. For an alpine-breeding, migratory population of horned lark (Eremophila alpestris) in northern British Columbia, Canada (54.8N latitude) we assessed how spatially explicit weather conditions from across the annual cycle influenced clutch initiation date and offspring development. We also addressed how cross-seasonal effects on breeding parameters interact to influence reproductive fitness. With 12 years of intensive breeding data and 3 years of migration data from archival light-level geolocators, we used a sliding window approach to identify critical points during the annual cycle where weather events most influenced breeding phenology and offspring development. Consequences for reproductive success were assessed using nest survival simulations. Average clutch initiation varied up to 11 days among years but did not advance from 2003 to 2019. Colder temperatures with greater precipitation at wintering habitats, as well as colder temperatures upon arrival at the breeding site delayed clutch initiation, independent of arrival time. Extreme cold (sub-zero temperatures) within a staging area just prior to arrival at the breeding site carried over to prolong offspring development rate, potentially by influencing parental investment. Nest survival decreased with both later clutch initiation and prolonged offspring development, such that females that nested earlier and fledged offspring at a younger age were up to 45% more likely to reproduce successfully. We demonstrate pronounced carry-over effects acting through mechanisms that influence breeding phenology and offspring development independently. We also highlight the potential importance of staging areas for alpine songbirds, particularly given that environmental conditions are becoming increasingly decoupled across seasons. Understanding the cross-seasonal mechanisms shaping breeding decisions in stochastic environments like the alpine enables more accurate predictions of future individual- and population-level responses to climate change.

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Population Fluctuation and Diurnal Time Budgeting of White-Headed Duck (Oxyura Leucocephala) During Winter at Garaet Hadj Tahar (Skikda, North East Algerian)

Journal of Bioresource Management ◽

10.35691/jbm.1202.0165 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 46-54

Author(s):

Merzoug Seyf Eddine ◽

Abdi Soumia ◽

Bara Mouslim ◽

Houhamdi Moussa

Keyword(s):

Threatened Species ◽

Time Budget ◽

Population Fluctuation ◽

Biological Conservation ◽

North East ◽

Conservation Plan ◽

And Behavior

This study was focused on the ecology and behavior of the White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) at Garaet Hadj Tahar (Guerbes-Sanhadja, North East of Algeria). Sampling was carried out during two wintering seasons (2017-2018 and 2018-2019). High number of this duck was recorded in 2018/19 (350 individuals). We observed two Oxyura population, the first sedentary, and the second, hosted the Garaet during the wintering season. Diurnal time budget was dominated by the comfort activities the sleeping with a rate of 39.13%. Following by swimming (37.76%), feeding (17.59%) grooming (4.58%), courtship ritual (0.56%) and flying (0.38%). The feeding of white-headed duck is done exclusively by diving. Beside, this waterbird associated between Feeding by diving and grooming in order to minimized energy. The accessory activities such as: courtship ritual, flying were done by this duck at the end of wintering. This results confirm that Garaet Hadj Tahar is considered as wintering site for this threatened species. Biological Conservation plan (BCP) must be applied at level of this wetland in order to manage bioressources and threatened waterbirds.

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Ras al Khaimah: further archaeological discoveries

Antiquity ◽

10.1017/s0003598x00150070 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 50 (200) ◽

pp. 216-222

Author(s):

Beatrice De Cardi

Keyword(s):

United Arab Emirates ◽

The State ◽

Focused Attention ◽

North East ◽

The North ◽

History Of ◽

The City

Ras a1 Khaimah is the most northerly of the seven states comprising the United Arab Emirates and its Ruler, H. H. Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammad al-Qasimi, is keenly interested in the history of the state and its people. Survey carried out there jointly with Dr D. B. Doe in 1968 had focused attention on the site of JuIfar which lies just north of the present town of Ras a1 Khaimah (de Cardi, 1971, 230-2). Julfar was in existence in Abbasid times and its importance as an entrep6t during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries-the Portuguese Period-is reflected by the quantity and variety of imported wares to be found among the ruins of the city. Most of the sites discovered during the survey dated from that period but a group of cairns near Ghalilah and some long gabled graves in the Shimal area to the north-east of the date-groves behind Ras a1 Khaimah (map, FIG. I) clearly represented a more distant past.

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