Seasonal variation in the apparent abundance of breeding birds in arctic‐alpine habitats in Scotland: implications for their survey and monitoring

Abstract

Capsule Low and variable encounter rates of birds in fragmented arctic‐alpine habitats add difficulty to monitoring their breeding populations. Aims To quantify seasonal variation in the encounter rates (apparent abundance) of breeding birds in arctic‐alpine habitats in Scotland. Methods Birds were sampled from 15 repeated linear transects between April and August in 2005 and 2006. glmms (and for scarcer species glms) were used to investigate how the apparent abundance of different species varied between months and years. Results Three arctic‐alpine specialists (Rock Ptarmigan, Eurasian Dotterel and Snow Bunting) were recorded. The 24 other species recorded included more widely distributed upland species, generalists that also used arctic‐alpine habitats and also some transient species from lower altitude. Overall encounter rates were low (only exceeding 1 bird km−1 in any month for one species; Meadow Pipits) with marked variation between months. The pattern of seasonal variation in encounter rates varied markedly between species. Conclusions Low encounter rates and marked variation in apparent abundance will render more difficult efforts to monitor birds in marginal and fragmented areas of arctic‐alpine habitats. Particularly relevant is the potential for changes in the timing of breeding and seasonal movements to influence encounter rates and be falsely interpreted as changes in actual abundance. Monitoring in arctic‐alpine habitats should include both specialist and non‐specialist birds of that habitat, as the latter may be more numerous and, therefore, provide supplementary evidence of temporal or seasonal change.