First record of Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana for southern Africa, in Namibia

SummaryEffective conservation measures for any bird species across their distribution ranges require detailed knowledge of landscape-specific differences in habitat associations. The Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana is a farmland bird species, which experienced massive population declines during the recent decades and has become a conservation priority in many European countries. Thus, identification of the key habitat features is an important prerequisite for the conservation of the species. Here we investigate habitat associations of the Ortolan Bunting for the remaining breeding population of the species in the Czech Republic. This population is remarkable by its distribution in two markedly different environments – farmland and post-mining landscapes. The main objectives of this study were to identify habitat features associated with Ortolan Bunting occurrence within the two contrasting landscapes and at two spatial scales. Our results reveal a high degree of habitat plasticity by Ortolan Buntings in the Czech Republic which was revealed by the landscape- and scale- specific habitat associations. Habitat heterogeneity, in terms of compositional and configurational diversity, and the cover of bare ground were the most important predictors of Ortolan Bunting occurrence in both landscape types. In farmland, the species occurrence was positively associated with shrub and woody vegetation, poppy fields and set-asides, and negatively associated with grasslands, gardens/orchards, seedlings and urban habitats. In the post-mining landscape, the cover of herb vegetation and greater slope steepness and terrain ruggedness were most important habitat features. Ortolan Buntings in the post-mining landscape appear to avoid patches with a higher cover of shrub and woody vegetation, forests, seedlings and urban areas. We propose that conservation measures for Ortolan Buntings should focus on enhancing farmland habitat heterogeneity, but also on regulating the rate of succession in disturbed environments, such as post-mining landscapes.

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New species and subspecies of Babiana, Hesperantha, and Ixia (Iridaceae: Crocoideae) from southern Africa; range extensions and morphological and nomenclatural notes on Babiana and Geissorhiza

Bothalia ◽

10.4102/abc.v42i2.13 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 137-145 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

P. Goldblatt ◽

J. C. Manning

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Southern Africa ◽

New Record ◽

First Record ◽

Winter Rainfall ◽

Late Flowering ◽

Typical Form ◽

Northern Cape ◽

Rainfall Region

Babiana rivulicola from stream banks in the Kamiesberg in Namaqualand and terete-leaved Ixia teretifolia from the Roggeveld, both in Northern Cape, are new species of these two largely winter-rainfall region genera. Late-flowering populations of Hesperantha radiata with crowded spikes of smaller flowers are segregated from the typical form as subsp. caricina. We also document the first record of B. gariepensis from Namibia, correct the authority for B. purpurea Ker Gawl., discuss morphologically aberrant populations of B. tubiflora from Saldanha, provide an expanded description for B. lapeirousiodes based on the second and only precisely localized collection of this rare Namaqualand species, and expand the circumscription of Geissorhiza demissa to accommodate a new record from the Kamiesberg, including revised couplets to the existing key to the species.

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Unravelling migration connectivity reveals unsustainable hunting of the declining ortolan bunting

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.aau2642 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

pp. eaau2642 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Frédéric Jiguet ◽

Alexandre Robert ◽

Romain Lorrillière ◽

Keith A. Hobson ◽

Kevin J. Kardynal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Extinction Risk ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Population Viability ◽

The European Union ◽

Migration Strategy ◽

Illegal Hunting ◽

Emberiza Hortulana ◽

Ortolan Bunting ◽

The Impact ◽

Stable Populations

In France, illegal hunting of the endangered ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana has been defended for the sake of tradition and gastronomy. Hunters argued that ortolan buntings trapped in southwest France originate from large and stable populations across the whole of Europe. Yet, the European Commission referred France to the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) in December 2016 for infringements to legislation (IP/16/4213). To better assess the impact of hunting in France, we combined Pan-European data from archival light loggers, stable isotopes, and genetics to determine the migration strategy of the species across continents. Ortolan buntings migrating through France come from northern and western populations, which are small, fragmented and declining. Population viability modeling further revealed that harvesting in southwest France is far from sustainable and increases extinction risk. These results provide the sufficient scientific evidence for justifying the ban on ortolan harvesting in France.

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The genetic structure of the European breeding populations of a declining farmland bird, the ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana), reveals conservation priorities

Conservation Genetics ◽

10.1007/s10592-018-1064-9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 909-922 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Caroline Moussy ◽

Raphaël Arlettaz ◽

José Luis Copete ◽

Svein Dale ◽

Valery Dombrovski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Structure ◽

Conservation Priorities ◽

Breeding Populations ◽

Farmland Bird ◽

Emberiza Hortulana ◽

Ortolan Bunting

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What are the important landscape components for habitat selection of the ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana in northern limit of range?

European Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1515/eje-2015-0003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 13-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jaanus Elts ◽

Kunter Tätte ◽

Riho Marja

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Power Lines ◽

Population Declines ◽

Habitat Features ◽

Crop Density ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Emberiza Hortulana ◽

Ortolan Bunting ◽

Overhead Power Lines ◽

Positive Effect

AbstractOrtolan buntings Emberiza hotulana have undergone one of the most severe population declines of any European farmland bird over the last thirty years. The aim of this study was to find out which habitat features, including crop characteristics, ortolan bunting prefers in Estonia in breeding areas. This study compared currently occupied and unoccupied ortolan bunting territories. Occupied areas contained significantly more tall broadleaf trees, crop types, structural elements (trees, bushes, roads, overhead power lines and buildings) and spring wheat, but also had lower crop drilling densities. Ortolan bunting territories were best described by a logistic regression model containing six variables: amount of structural point elements, length of power lines, amount of tall broadleaf trees and number of different crops had a positive effect, whereas crop density and area of autumn-sown crops had a negative effect. Based on the findings of this study, the following conservation measures can be recommended: lower crop densities; spring rather than autumn-sown crops; small-field systems containing a variety of crops; scattered scrub preserved or planted; habitat patches of permanent grasslands, hedges and tall broadleaf trees retained within the agricultural landscape.

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Breeding range, population size and population trend of the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana in Slovenia between 1979 and 2016

Acrocephalus ◽

10.1515/acro-2017-0001 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (172-173) ◽

pp. 3-20

Author(s):

Domen Stanič ◽

Primož Kmecl ◽

Jernej Figelj ◽

Andrej Sovinc

Keyword(s):

Field Work ◽

Distribution Maps ◽

Breeding Range ◽

The Status ◽

Breeding Grounds ◽

Steep Decline ◽

Marked Decline ◽

Emberiza Hortulana ◽

Ortolan Bunting ◽

Number Of Males

AbstractIn this work we investigated the historical and present breeding range of the Ortolan Bunting in Slovenia and studied one of its last remaining breeding grounds in the country. Its range has suffered a marked decline in the last few decades, bringing the species on the brink of extinction in Slovenia. Firstly, we gathered all the available data and field records regarding the species in Slovenia and created several distribution maps outlining the status of the Ortolan Bunting in Slovenia. Thus we were able to confirm the drastic reduction in the species range, now confined to only two larger breeding grounds on the Karst (Kras). Field work was then concentrated on studying and monitoring one of the two last known populations of Ortolan Buntings in Slovenia. We paid special attention to the study of the males’ singing territories. Our main discovery was the presence of a lek in the central part of the study area, where several different male Ortolan Buntings shared their song-posts. In 2013 we counted a total of 18 Ortolan Buntings and found 5 nests, whereas in 2014 we counted 16 individuals, with 4 pairs probably breeding there. The number of breeding pairs is thus significantly lower than the total number of males holding territory. In the period from 2005 to 2016, the population of Ortolan Bunting in Slovenia was in steep decline.

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Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana at Kvismaren, central Sweden – breeding studies and suggested management

Ornis Svecica ◽

10.34080/os.v21.19600 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 21 (2–4) ◽

pp. 167-178

Author(s):

Jan Sondell ◽

Craig Brookes ◽

Magnus Persson

Keyword(s):

Bare Soil ◽

Management Plan ◽

Small Population ◽

Autumn Migration ◽

Northern Sweden ◽

Swedish Population ◽

Open Ground ◽

Emberiza Hortulana ◽

Ortolan Bunting ◽

Spring Sowing

The only remaining Ortolan Buntings in the province of Närke are about 15 singing males in the Kvismaren valley. We studied this small population intensively during May–June, 2011. We found that the birds depend on bare soil of two kinds: potato fields turning green only in early July and open ground underneath birch and elder vegetation in an old bog. Thus spring sowing may be a “trap” as fields that look optimal when the Ortolans arrive in early May will in a few weeks turn green and become less suitable for breeding. In 2011, 6 pairs likely raised young and this result seems normal. Possibly this very small population persists due to recruitment from the much larger population in northern Sweden, that passes through Kvismaren during spring and autumn migration. The central Swedish population is only about 100 pairs and will probably disappear if a management plan is not implemented rapidly. New potentially suitable areas must be identified, and optimal breeding conditions must be provided at sites where Ortolan Buntings still occur.

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