Abstract
Abstract The paper describes investigations on the reproduction biology (nesting, clutching, hatching, fledglings` departure) of the Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) in artificial nest boxes (AN) in Northeastern Ukraine. There were three sites of research: Hetman NNP, NPP “Gomilshansky Forests”, and RLP “Feldman Ecopark”. The research was performed during the nesting period from the first week of April to the first week of July in 2015‒2020. Annually, 5‒8 bird counts were conducted at each site. The first complete egg clutches at Hetman NNP were observed from 08.05 to 17.05 (2015‒2020) and at NPP “Gomilshansky Forests” from 02.05 to28.05 (2017‒2020). Dates of the first egg laying, at various conditions, had inter-annual variability because of unstable weather conditions in May. The average parameters of nests in AN at Hetman NNP were the following: diameter of nests (D) ‒ 124.1±6.3 mm; diameter of trays (d) ‒ 61.5±1.7 mm; nest height (H) ‒ 63.5±9.4 mm; depth of trays (h) ‒ 48.6±2.7 mm; nest mass (m) ‒ 43.7±3.8 mm. The size of complete clutches in Northeastern Ukraine was calculated when eggs were incubated. According to the average indicators, during 2015‒2020, the average size of the clutch was 6.9±0.3 (5‒8) eggs at Hetman NNP, 6.2±0.4 (6‒8) eggs at NPP “Gomilshansky Forests” and 8.5±0.5 (8‒9) eggs at RLP “Feldman Ecopark”. Incubation period of Ph. phoenicurus lasted on average for 15‒20 days.
Highlights
Progressive anthropogenic impact, climate change and the subsequent transformation of natural biogeocenoses significantly alter the number of species or whole complexes and affect the restructuring of bird populations, their phenology and reproductive biology (Kuranov 2009, Arikan & Turan 2020)
Its undergrowth consists of Padus avium, C. avellana, A. tataricum, S. racemosa, and its herbal tier contains Festuca beskeri, Centaurea jacea, Knautia arvensis, Hypericum perforatum, Anthericum ramosum, and Euphorbia nicaeensis
The main nesting places are well-lit areas in light or moderately closed tree stands with uneven fragmentary undergrowth
Summary
Progressive anthropogenic impact, climate change and the subsequent transformation of natural biogeocenoses significantly alter the number of species or whole complexes and affect the restructuring of bird populations, their phenology and reproductive biology (Kuranov 2009, Arikan & Turan 2020). Birds are most sensitive to anthropogenic changes during their reproductive period. That is when they must have the most stable topical connections and unlimited opportunities for nesting and feeding (Batary et al 2014, Chaplygina 2015, Shupova & Chaplygina 2016). Insectivorous hollow-nesting birds may be involved in the restoration of transformed areas by administering artificial nests, the number of invertebrates can be regulated naturally (Erdoğan et al 2005). In Northeastern Ukraine, many species of hollownesting birds inhabit artificial nests (Chaplygina 2018). Due to its small numbers and sporadic nesting, the Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) is insufficiently and fragmentarily studied in the region (Matvienko 2009, Savynska & Chaplygina 2016, Knysh 2017, Yuzyk & Chaplygina 2018), as well as in Ukraine in general (Shkaran 2008, Stankevich-Volosyanchuk 2008, Blinkova & Shupova 2018, Kovalska & Parkhomenko 2019, Dubovyk et al 2020)
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