Nestling Development of Jackdaws Corvus monedula in Agricultural Landscape

A Jackdaw colony of over 200 nests, built in cavities of old willow trees along 3 km of a small road running through meadows next to the river Narew in an agricultural landscape (15 km southwest of Białystok, NE Poland), was studied to determine nest locations and construction, onset of egg laying, incubation period, egg parameters, clutch size and hatching success, nestling growth and mortality, breeding success as well as predation. The onset of laying and clutch size were correlated with ambient temperature and precipitation (p < 0.001). Hatching success was also determined by these environmental factors as well as by the degree of predation (p < 0,001). There was a statistically significant correlation between clutch size and hatching success (p < 0.001) as well as fledging success (p < 0.001). Nestlings hatching first or second grew faster, reached a higher body weight, and had a lower mortality rate than those hatching last or second to last. There was also a statistically significant correlation between nestling survival and clutch size as well as ambient temperature (p < 0.001 each). Nestling mortality caused by predators, i. e. mainly by martens Martes foina and domestic cats Felis domestica, was high in periods of intensive burning of the meadows surrounding the Jackdaw colony. However, mortality rate of the youngest nestlings was almost 100% lower in periods of high predation compared to times of low predatory activity. Several groups of insects constituted a high amount of nestling food, e. g. 60% of all Orthoptera occurring in the meadows next to the breeding colony. In that area the total dry body mass of phytophagous invertebrates amounted to 1.4-2.0 g per m2, of which 0.3 g were fed to the nestlings. The percentage of zoophagous invertebrates delivered to the offspring was high with about 30-35%. From an economical point of view, Jackdaws during the breeding season are advantageous in an agricultural landscape because they reduce pest insects significantly while consuming only an insignificant amount of all seeds applied.

Observation of an Unusual Nesting Association between Spanish Sparrows Passer hispaniolensis and Lesser Grey Shrikes Lanius minor

We report a case of unusual mixed nesting association of several pairs of Spanish Sparrows Passer hispaniolensis and one pair of Lesser Grey Shrikes Lanius minor near Pepelište village (41° 31′ 11″ N, 22° 7′ 41.43″ E), central Macedonia. All nests were built near the trunk of a Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia at a height of ca. 8 m. Although the nests of both species were in close proximity, we observed no interspecific aggression. Such a mixed colony could be advantageous for both species in a locality with abundant nest predators.

Nestling Of House Sparrow Passer Domesticus In Nest Boxes In Zielona Góra Preliminary Report

The population of House Sparrows in most of European cities declined in the end of the XX century (De Laet & Summers-Smith 2007). One of the presumable reasons of this decline is loss of nest sites. The House sparrow is a secondary hole-nester (Anderson 2006) and places its nest in holes of buildings, shrubs and nest boxes. The rate of nest box occupation depends on the location and competition with other species (Anderson T.R. 2006). The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of nest box occupation by House sparrows in Zielona Góra, Western Poland, which can provide information about the availability of nesting sites.

Synanthropisation And Synurbisation Of Raven Corvus Corax In Poland: A Review

The Raven Corvus corax is one of the oldest synanthropic bird species. Historical development of human settlements and cities was the reason of occupancy by ravens neighborhood of villages and town. Nowadays, suburban areas are, among forest and rural areas, habitats used by Ravens. Since end of middle ages Ravens began breeding in interior of towns in the Great Britain. During 20th century Raven occupied several big cities of Europe and North America. In Poland, the first attempts of colonization of cities took place in the 1950s in Warsaw and Kraków. During next decades Raven came back from centrum of cities and began colonized suburban zone, mainly big forests within the border of towns. Untilnow, Raven in Poland nest only in suburban zones. Observations of non-breeding pairs inside of cities are still rare. The biggest population in cities do not exceed 20 breeding pairs.

Population Size And Nest Site Selection Of The Spanish Sparrow Passer Hispaniolensis In The Region Of The River Krka (Croatia)

The breeding range of the Spanish sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis, in Croatia is rapidly expanding. We studied the size of the nesting population and selection of nest site in an area partially included in the Krka National Park. Our results confirm that between 2004 and 2007 in the wider area of the Krka National Park the Spanish sparrow had occupied new localities, and that the number of 160 pairs recorded in 2003 had more than doubled (300–350) by 2007. In the study area, Spanish sparrows nest most commonly in the canopies of introduced planted trees (e.g. Morus alba, Platanus occidentalis, Populus nigra cv. italica). This strategy, with a good access to and diversity of potential nesting sites, enables a further expansion of the species.

Licking Of Pine Sap By Greenfinches Carduelis Chloris And Goldfinches Carduelis Carduelis

In 2011 and 2012, an unusual and so far not described foraging behaviour of two finch species was observed in the Barycz valley, W-Poland. Several times Greenfinches Carduelis chlorisbroke off fresh shoots of Scots pine (Pinus silvestris) and then licked up the leaking sap. Afterwards, Goldfinches Carduelis carduelis also licked up the sap from the same spot. We hypothesize that both species take advantage of the antiseptic nature of Pinaceae sap.

The Status Of Sparrows In Lesotho, Southern Africa

There are three Passer species in Lesotho: House Sparrow P. domesticus, Cape Sparrow P. melanurus, and Grey-headed Sparrow P. diffusus. The House Sparrow is an introduced species, recorded first in Lesotho in 1954. Today, all three species are very numerous (as dominants or subdominants) in urban and rural areas in all ecozones in the country. With an increase of altitude the proportion of Cape Sparrows in relation to the other sparrow species increases, while the reverse is true for the Grey-headed Sparrow. The proportion of House Sparrows appears to be only slightly affected by altitude. In some areas, the House Sparrow may displace the Grey-headed Sparrow.