Fauna of birds of the flown meadows of the Pinega river (Arkhangelsk region)

Исследования, проведенные на лугах северо-востока Архангельской области в долине реки Пинеги, показали изменения фауны и численности некоторых видов птиц, связанные со значительным сокращением или прекращением сельскохозяйственного использования лугов. Следствием стало сокращение численности или отсутствие полевого жаворонка Alauda arvensis и чибиса Vanellus vanellus на некоторых лугах, ранее используемых как выпасы или сенокосы. Исчезновение дубровника Ocyris aureola не связано с прекращением сельскохозяйственного использования лугов. В то же время, в связи с зарастанием лугов древесно-кустарниковой растительностью, относительно высока численность лугового чекана Saxicola rubetra, камышовой овсянки Schoeniclus schoeniclus, пеночки-веснички Phylloscopus trochilus, чечевицы Carpodacus erythrinus, фифи Tringa glareola, большого улита Tringa nebularia и др. Studies conducted in the meadows of the northeast of the Arkhangelsk Region in the valley of the Pinega River, showed changes in the fauna and abundance of some bird species associated with a significant reduction or cessation of the agricultural use of the meadows. The effect was a reduction in the number or absence of the Skylark Alauda arvensis and the Lapwing Vanellus vanellus in some meadows previously used as pastures or hayfields. At the same time, due to the overgrowing of meadows with tree-shrub vegetation, the numbers of Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, Reed Bunting Schoeniclus schoeniclus, Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus, Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola, and Greenshank Tringa nebularia became relatively high. The disappearance of Yellow-breasted Bunting Ocyris aureola is not related to the termination of the agricultural use of the meadows.

Trends and synchrony in fluctuations of the numbers of Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) and European Stonechat (S. rubicola) in chalk steppe of North-eastern Ukraine

The problem of coexistence of related species within the same communities poses a question of how similar are the fluctuations of their numbers. Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) and European Stonechat (S. rubicola) is an example of such a pair of phylogenetically related bird species, which are members of a foraging guild of sit-and-wait insectivores in open habitats. In Ukraine both species are quite common in meadows, steppes, fallow lands and other grassland habitats including undisturbed areas in nature reserves. In North-eastern Ukraine Whinchat and European Stonechat are characteristic of the bird communities of hills with chalk outcrops where they represent a group of species linked to chalk steppe. The trends in numbers and synchrony in fluctuations in the numbers of both species in this habitat were studied in national nature park ‘Dvorichanskyi’, Kharkiv region, North-eastern Ukraine for 9 years’ period (2010–2018). The data were retrieved from the results of yearly monitoring bird counts in chalk grassland habitats. The total-area census method was used on 3 plots of unequal size (17.8, 33.2, and 41.0 ha). The trends were analysed in programme TRIM (TRends & Indices for Monitoring data) vers. 3.53. The extent of synchrony was estimated by means of zero-lag cross-correlation between the time series of log-transformed growth rates. Additionally, the coincidence of the direction of changes and the coincidence of peaks in series were checked. The trend in Whinchat abundance is characterised as significant steep decline (multiplicative slope 0.840, standard error 0.03; p<0.01). The trend in European Stonechat abundance is classified as non-significant uncertain (multiplicative slope 0.909, standard error 0.06). The trends in both species correspond to general trends in Europe evidenced in PanEuropean Common Bird Monitoring Scheme for 1980–2016 and 1989–2016 for Whinchat and European Stonechat accordingly. The synchrony in fluctuations of the numbers of Whinchat and European Stonechat in chalk steppe habitats proved to be weak. Time series of both species abundances run in different directions almost in all cases where the comparison was possible that indicates probable differences in the causes of the dynamics of their populations. The study prompts to launch new or extend existing monitoring schemes in nature reserves and national parks in Ukraine to get reliable estimates for the trends in numbers of both rare and common bird species.