Breeding Ecology of the Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis) at Akiad Pond, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt.

Abstract

Characterizing the breeding ecology of birds is important for understanding their population dynamics. One of the most common small resident birds in Egypt that acts as a biocontrol agent of insects is Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis). Despite its importance, there are few studies on its breeding ecology in Egypt. Accordingly, this study is the first in investigating the population density and the breeding ecology (including the clutch size, incubation period, fledging period, hatching success, fledging success, and breeding success) of P. gracilis at Akiad Pond, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt during 2019. Results of the current study showed that P. gracilis followed the pattern spring > summer > autumn > winter in abundance during 2019. Regarding its breeding ecology, P. gracilis laid from 2 to 5 eggs/clutch with an average of 3.75±0.25 eggs. 42 young hatched from 60 eggs recording a 70% hatching success rate throughout the study period at Akiad pond. Moreover, about 37 chicks fledged and 5 died recording 88 % fledging success rate. Clutches of two and three eggs had higher fledging success than the other clutches because of the inability of parents to meet the basic feeding needs in large broods. The incubation period was 12.56±0.20 days/nest to produce 2.6 hatchlings/nest, while the fledgling period was 14.62±0.27 days/nest to produce 2.315 young fledged/nest. The breeding success was 61.6% in relation to the number of eggs laid. The main threats to birdlife are human activities (as burning for regrowth, cattle grazing, fishing, and in some way desiccation to some patches around the pond in summer) that destroy its food and nests requirements.