К орнитофауне памятника природы «Урочище "Буданова гора"» (Саратовская область, Россия)

Приведены сведения о гнездовой фауне птиц памятника природы регионального значения «Урочище "Буданова гора"» (Саратовская область, Россия). В течение 2011–2021 гг. обследованы два кластерных участка этой охраняемой территории: эрозионный останец с окружающими степными участками и овражно-балочная сеть из пяти оврагов. Выявлены преобладающие виды птиц, обобщены и актуализированы данные о редких видах, в том числе включенных в Красные книги Саратовской области и России: филине (Bubo bubo), сизоворонке (Coracias garrulus), обыкновенной горлице (Streptopelia turtur). Оценены изменения в составе гнездовой орнитофауны за 10 лет, а также проведено сравнение с более ранними данными, опубликованными в литературе. Наибольшее разнообразие птиц характерно для овражно-балочной сети второго кластерного участка, благодаря наличию здесь склерофильных видов, гнездящихся в обрывах: золотистой щурки (Merops apiaster), сизоворонки, каменки-плешанки (Oenanthe pleshanka), удода (Upupa epops).

Linking migratory performance to breeding phenology and productivity in an Afro-Palearctic long-distance migrant

Understanding the relationship between migratory performance and fitness is crucial for predicting population dynamics of migratory species. In this study, we used geolocators to explore migration performance (speed and duration of migratory movements, migratory timings) and its association with breeding phenology and productivity in an Afro-Palearctic insectivore, the European bee-eater (Merops apiaster), breeding in Iberian Peninsula. Bee-eaters migrated at higher travel speeds and had shorter travel duration in spring compared to autumn. Individuals that departed earlier or spent fewer days in-flight arrived earlier to the breeding areas. Our results show overall positive, but year-specific, linkages between arrival and laying dates. In one year, laying was earlier and productivity was higher, remaining constant throughout the season, while in the subsequent year productivity was lower and, importantly, declined with laying date. These results suggest that arriving earlier can be advantageous for bee-eaters, as in years when breeding conditions are favourable, early and late breeders produce high and similar number of fledglings, but when conditions are unfavourable only early breeders experience high productivity levels.

Copying nesting attempts in a new site may be the wrong choice. A case in the European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

Insistent nesting attempts by a group of European Beeeaters in a new site, a pebbly bank of the middle course of Trebbia River, northern Italy, mostly failed because of the unmovable pebbles encountered during tunnel excavation. The birds later nested in an artificial sand heap, with full success that time. Various considerations suggest that birds insisted in the unsuitable site because they copied the nesting activity of model conspecifics. Finding social attraction and “public information” from conspecifics in a place where no breeding attempt was previously made would allow disentangling social philopatry from spatial philopatry.