Habitat structure modulates nestling diet composition and fitness of Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus in the Mediterranean region

Abstract

ABSTRACTCapsule: The nestling diet of Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus is influenced by parental effort and habitat type, and consequently has an impact on breeding success.Aims: In a three-year study, we compared the nestling diet of Blue Tits in two Mediterranean forests (pinewood and oakwood) and tested its implications for breeding success.Methods: Adults were captured at the nest to obtain morphological measurements, and provisioning behaviour was recorded when chicks were 11 days old. Nestling tarsus length and body mass were measured on day 13 after hatching.Results: Caterpillars constituted the largest proportion of nestling diet in both habitats, however, higher numbers and biomass of noctuid, as well as higher numbers of tortricid larvae, were provided to nestlings in the pinewood. Furthermore, females provided tortricids more often than males, whereas males supplied more geometrid larvae and spiders. We found a more generalist diet for nestlings raised in the pinewood. Also, a greater number of young fledged when their diet included more tortricids and was more generalist, and Blue Tit nestlings raised on a diet with a higher number of spiders were in better body condition.Conclusion: Differences in nestling diet between habitat types contribute to explain variance in breeding performance and therefore demonstrate diverse foraging behaviour strategies among populations.