Nest Site Selection and Breeding Success in ThreeTurdusThrush Species Coexisting in an Urban Environment

Abstract

Abstract The process of establishing breeding populations of birds in small towns of Central Europe provides a unique opportunity to study them during synurbization in statu nascendi. Over the years 2006–2011, we investigated the breeding ecology of three coexisting thrush species Turdus spp. in the urban habitats of the town of Bardejov (NE Slovakia). We studied nest distribution, nest predation in relation to nest placement and the breeding success of the Common Blackbird T. merula, Fieldfare T. pilaris and Song Thrush T. philomelos. The study species differed significantly in terms of microhabitat characteristics and vertical spatial distribution, expressed as the nest location height (Blackbird < Song Thrush < Fieldfare), the distance from the town centre (Fieldfare < Song Thrush < Blackbird), the distance from the nest tree to human paths and buildings (Blackbird < Song Thrush < Fieldfare) and the average distance between breeding conspecific pairs (Fieldfare < Blackbird < Song Thrush). We also found...