A detailed description of the breeding season of a community of birds on the south-east coast of Australia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Guppy ◽  
Anthony Overs ◽  
Sarah Guppy
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Avian Diversity ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
The South ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
The Many

ABSTRACT The details of a breeding season have been investigated and described for many bird species and groups of species, but rarely for an entire breeding community. The collection of such data is the only way of quantifying the number of birds a habitat can support, how many fledglings it can produce, and the avian diversity that can exist in the habitat. Without these quantitative and qualitative measures, the significance of particular habitats for avian conservation is difficult to assess. We have accumulated comprehensive data on a breeding bird community on a 10 ha site for eight seasons, which has enabled us to condense the many aspects of breeding into an ‘average’ breeding season. The breeding community consisted of 44 species, which used all of the site for nesting. Some species bred each season, while others bred as infrequently as once in the eight seasons. Nesting occurred between the beginning of August and the end of January, different species showed markedly different starting and finishing times, and there were different temporal patterns of breeding within the breeding periods of the different species. The number of pairs that bred on the site varied each season, a pattern that we have previously shown to be related to the value of the Southern Oscillation Index before the start of the season. Nest success rates varied considerably between species, but the overall success rate on the site was approximately 50%. We estimate that the spotted gum forest habitat on the south-east coast of Australia (1200 km2) produces approximately 1.5 million fledglings each season.

scholarly journals Novel methods reveal shifts in migration phenology of barn swallows in South Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 279 (1733) ◽  
pp. 1485-1490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Res Altwegg ◽  
Kristin Broms ◽  
Birgit Erni ◽  
Phoebe Barnard ◽  
Guy F. Midgley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Migratory Bird ◽  
Recent Climate ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Barn Swallows

Many migratory bird species, including the barn swallow ( Hirundo rustica ), have advanced their arrival date at Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds, showing a clear biotic response to recent climate change. Earlier arrival helps maintain their synchrony with earlier springs, but little is known about the associated changes in phenology at their non-breeding grounds. Here, we examine the phenology of barn swallows in South Africa, where a large proportion of the northern European breeding population spends its non-breeding season. Using novel analytical methods based on bird atlas data, we show that swallows first arrive in the northern parts of the country and gradually appear further south. On their north-bound journey, they leave South Africa rapidly, resulting in mean stopover durations of 140 days in the south and 180 days in the north. We found that swallows are now leaving northern parts of South Africa 8 days earlier than they did 20 years ago, and so shortened their stay in areas where they previously stayed the longest. By contrast, they did not shorten their stopover in other parts of South Africa, leading to a more synchronized departure across the country. Departure was related to environmental variability, measured through the Southern Oscillation Index. Our results suggest that these birds gain their extended breeding season in Europe partly by leaving South Africa earlier, and thus add to scarce evidence for phenology shifts in the Southern Hemisphere.

scholarly journals Die Entwicklung der Brutvögel in der Waldbrandfläche bei Leuk

2018 ◽  
Vol 169 (5) ◽  
pp. 299-307
Author(s):  
Livio Rey ◽  
Alain Jacot
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Fire Event ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Priority Species ◽  
Species Specific

Temporal changes of the breeding bird community in the burnt forest of Leuk Wildfires and windstorms are dynamic processes that can heavily impact habitats and alter their species compositions. Especially species of open and semi-open habitats can benefit from such disturbances, among them several bird species. In this study, we investigated the species-specific changes of the breeding bird community in the burnt forest of Leuk between 2006 and 2016, starting three years after the wildfire of 2003. Several species increased or decreased significantly in abundance after the fire event. A few species showed a complex reaction, where territory numbers increased after the fire, reaching a maximum after a few years and subsequently decreased. Interestingly, many of these bird species (e.g., Eurasian Wryneck, Common Redstart) are threatened and are priority species for conservation action. They may have benefitted from the first, open successional stages with a high proportion of bare ground, but are expected to decrease in abundance with the ongoing densification of the vegetation layers. Our study demonstrates that a large-scale forest fire can promote threatened bird species of open and semi-open habitats also in temperate regions. To what extent forestry measures, grazing or controlled fires can imitate the positive effects of wildfires is an open question and should be part of future research in the combined fields of forestry and conservation biology.

scholarly journals Monitoring Breeding Bird Populations in Grand Teton National Park: 1995-1997

1997 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 13-25
Author(s):  
Martin Cody ◽  
Stephen Cain
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
National Park ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Breeding Habitat ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
The Impact

In summer 1997 our NPS-funded project # CA-1460-5-0010, covering a 3-y period from summer 1995 through summer 1997, was completed. The immediate goals of the project were to instigate a system for monitoring the densities of breeding bird species, by establishment of flxed sites as a basis for a long term monitoring plan and of census protocols that can detect changes of breeding species and their densities over successive years. The monitoring scheme is conducted largely within Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), but covers habitats and an avifauna representative of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) and the central-northern Rocky Mountains in general. The project emphasizes the need for long­term and on-going studies on breeding bird species and densities and their importance as a tool for evaluating the impact of both local and distant influences on breeding bird populations. For residents, species that remain all year in or near the breeding habitat, local effects include those operating on-site during the non-breeding season as well as during the breeding season. For migrant species, those that breed on-site but leave to spend the non-breeding season in other locations, often distant and usually of quite different habitat composition, there are both on-site influences on breeding population densities, such as inter-year changes in vegetation structure and productivity, and off-site or distant influences, including factors that affect over-wintering success in the non­breeding habitat and others that influence a successful transit between wintering and breeding grounds. The assessment of long-term trends in bird densities may be used as a form of bioassay of the state of the local environments. Information from such studies can provide region-wide indicators that, given a sufficiently comprehensive data base, can segregate local from distant influences on populations. Such indicators can be incorporated into management strategies to aid in determining which local strategies may be necessary (and feasible) to help maintain the biota.

Bird community monitoring at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Missouri: Status report 2008–2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Peitz ◽  
Naomi Reibold
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Status Report ◽  
Bird Conservation ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Central Hardwoods ◽  
Community Monitoring

Breeding bird surveys were initiated on Wilson’s Creek National Monument, Missouri, in 2008 to assess temporal changes in the species composition and abundance of birds on the park and to improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and their habitat and the effects of management actions, such as invasive plant species control and tree thinning, on bird populations. Birds were sampled using point counts with 38 variable circular plots located on a systematic grid of 400 x 400-m cells (originating from a random start point). All birds seen or heard on a plot during a 5-min sampling period were recorded. In the 13 years since initiating our breeding bird survey, birds were surveyed on as many of the 38 variable circular plots as possible each year, resulting in 444 cumulative plot visits. Surveys have yielded records for 119 different species of birds. Ninety-eight of the species recorded are classified as permanent or summer residents to the area, 18 are classified as transients in the area, and 3 as winter residents to the area. Eight breeding species recorded are considered species of conservation concern for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region, the bird conservation region in which Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield is located. Of the 98 breeding species recorded, 12 species in grassland habitat and 15 in woodland habitat occurred in numbers large enough to calculate annual abundances with some degree of confidence. Trends in abundance were classified as uncertain for most species, which means that no significant increases or decreases occurred but it is not certain that trends were <5% per year. The Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) population in grassland habitat was stable. The Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) and Eastern Wood-pewee (Contopus virens) populations in woodland habitat were in moderate decline. Comparing population trends on the park with regional trends for the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region suggests that the bird community at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield is faring similarly to that of the region as a whole. Stable diversity, richness, and evenness values suggest that the park’s habitat has remained consistent in its ability to meet the requirements of many of the park’s breeding bird species. Any decline in species richness could reflect habitat management practices, but it could also reflect the influences of larger-scale factors such as weather or climatic conditions on vegetation. Therefore, continued monitoring of birds and their habitats on Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield as management and weather and climatic conditions change is essential for park management.

scholarly journals Breeding avifauna of mature forest stands in the Borki Forest and its dynamics at the turn of the 21st century

2016 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-255
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Rąkowski ◽  
Krzysztof Czarnocki ◽  
Joanna Ukalska
Keyword(s):  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Mapping Technique ◽  
Total Density ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
The Mean

Abstract The composition and structure of the breeding bird community in the Borki Forest in north-eastern Poland were investigated during two separate periods: 1994–1996 and 2012–2014. Bird censuses were carried out in three plots located in mature oak-hornbeam, ash-alder and mixed coniferous forest stands. A standard combined mapping technique for estimating the number of breeding birds was applied. A total of 74 bird species bred at least once within any plot during 1994–1996 or 2012–2014. The structure of the bird assemblages on particular plots displayed a high degree of similarity, exceeding 75%, which means that they represent essentially the same bird community. However, the investigated assemblages have changed substantially over the 20 years. Both, the number of breeding bird species and the population densities on all plots, were much higher in 2012–2014 than in 1994–1996. The mean number of breeding species on all plots was over 50% higher in 2012–2014 than in 1994–1996, whereas the mean total density of breeding pairs increased by more than 60%. Total population densities on the plots increased as a result of an increase in population densities of individual bird species combined with an increase in the number of breeding species. Due to different rates of population growth for certain species, also the composition of dominating species group have changed. The observed changes in the avifauna of the Borki Forest were most probably due to an enrichment of the forest habitats structure, which was caused by natural factors, such as ageing of forest stands, forest succession and a change in water regime by beaver dams, as well as by forest management, including group felling within or in the vicinity of plots and uncovering of the forest edge.

scholarly journals Population density and structure of a breeding bird community in a suburban habitat in the Cuvelai drainage system, northern Namibia

2021 ◽  
pp. 313-320
Author(s):  
G. Kopij
Keyword(s):  
Diversity Index ◽  
Drainage System ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Breeding Birds ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Feeding Guild ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Shannon’S Diversity Index

In a suburb (c. 100 ha) of Ongwediva, a total of 30 breeding bird species were recorded in 2018. Shannon’s Diversity Index was 2.01. Passer domesticus comprised almost half of all breeding pairs (36.4 pairs / 10 ha). Granivores were by far the most numerous feeding guild, comprising 77.5 % of all birds breeding. Birds nesting on/in buildings were represented by two species only, but they comprised almost half (49.9 %) of all breeding birds. In comparison with other southern African towns, the number of bird species breeding in Ongwediva was low. This was compensated by high population densities of some species.

Functional evenness of bird communities varies along the elevational gradient in Europe: Conservation implications

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Morelli ◽  
Yanina
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Large Spatial Scale ◽  
Functional Evenness

ContextThe negative association between elevation and species richness is a well-recognized pattern in macro-ecology. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate changes in functional evenness of breeding bird communities along an elevation gradient in Europe. MethodsUsing the bird data from the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds we estimated an index of functional evenness which can be assumed as a measure of the potential resilience of communities.ResultsOur findings confirm the existence of a negative association between elevation and bird species richness in all European eco regions. However, we also explored a novel aspect of this relationship, important for conservation: Our findings provide evidence at large spatial scale of a negative association between the functional evenness (potential community resilience) and elevation, independent of the eco region. We also found that the Natura2000 protected areas covers the territory most in need of protection, those characterized by bird communities with low potential resilience, in hilly and mountainous areas.ConclusionsThese results draw attention to European areas occupied by bird communities characterized by a potential lower capacity to respond to strong ecological changes, and, therefore, potentially more exposed to risks for conservation.

Evaluating Riparian Restoration Success: Long-Term Responses of the Breeding Bird Community in California’s Lower Putah Creek Watershed

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen E. Dybala ◽  
Andrew Engilis ◽  
John A. Trochet ◽  
Irene E. Engilis ◽  
Melanie L. Truan
Keyword(s):  
Bird Community ◽  
Riparian Restoration ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Restoration Success ◽  
Creek Watershed ◽  
Putah Creek

Die Brutvogelfauna eines Nadelwaldes der nördlichen Voralpen nach dem Sturm Lothar

2017 ◽  
Vol 168 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-66
Author(s):  
Pierre Mollet ◽  
René Hardegger ◽  
Res Altwegg ◽  
Pius Korner ◽  
Simon Birrer
Keyword(s):  
Forest Succession ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Mountain Forest ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Federal Institute ◽  
Central Switzerland ◽  
Bird Fauna

Breeding bird fauna in a coniferous forest in the northern Prealps after storm Lothar In a 70-hectare large coniferous forest located on the northern edge of the Alps in central Switzerland, Canton of Obwalden, at an altitude of 1260 to 1550 metres above sea level, we surveyed the local breeding bird fauna in 2002 and 2013 by means of point counts as well as additional area searches for rare species. In December 1999, hurricane Lothar caused two large windthrow areas and several smaller areas with scattered throws in the survey range. We found a total of 48 breeding bird species, which is a very diverse species composition for a mountain forest. In the eleven years between surveys, a decline in distribution or abundance was recorded for four species, while seven species showed an increase; a further four species showed no change. For the remaining species, the data sets were too small to reliably estimate changes. A comparison with forest structure data provided by the Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL revealed that for five bird species, the changes in distribution or abundance could be explained at least partially by forest succession. In order to obtain realistic distribution and abundance values in this kind of breeding bird survey, it is essential to collect large enough samples and to consider the detection probability of each individual species using appropriate statistical methods.

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