Abstract
The number of small passerine bird territories was determined annually during 57 years (1953–2009) in a 13 ha broadleaf deciduous wood with several grazed glades, surrounded by crop farmland in southernmost Sweden. Only marginal habitat changes occurred. Both number of species and number of territories increased. Resident species and short-distance migrants tended to increase whereas tropical migrants declined. Many of the changes were similar to trends recorded by the national Breeding Bird Survey, suggesting that they were due to regional population trends. Notable changes were: former dominant Willow Warbler now rare but closely related newcomer Chiffchaff now well established, Garden Warblers replaced by Blackcaps, Tree Pipit strong recent decline, increase of cavity-nesting Great and Blue Tits, locally extinct Yellowhammer recovered. Species turnover between adjacent pair of years was without trend but turnover increased with increasing distance between pair of years predicting complete turnover by about 2190. A comparison with a larger oldgrowth wood nearby indicated no obvious effects of the small size and narrow configuration of the study site on its community.
Highlights
The number of small passerine bird territories was determined annually during 57 years (1953–2009) in a 13 ha broadleaf deciduous wood with several grazed glades, surrounded by crop farmland in southernmost Sweden
Many of the changes were similar to trends recorded by the national Breeding Bird Survey, suggesting that they were due to regional population trends
A comparison with a larger oldgrowth wood nearby indicated no obvious effects of the small size and narrow configuration of the study site on its community
Summary
The number of small passerine bird territories was determined annually during 57 years (1953–2009) in a 13 ha broadleaf deciduous wood with several grazed glades, surrounded by crop farmland in southernmost Sweden. We present the results of another seventeen years, through 2009, making the time series fifty-seven years long, the longest breeding bird survey in the world known to us It is most probably unique in having been conducted with the same standardized method through all years. In this paper we describe and discuss the changes that have occurred during the most recent seventeen years, evaluate whether the new data affect the patterns identified by Enemar et al (1994), namely that long distance migrants tended to decline whereas short distance migrants tended to remain stable or increase in numbers, and that species turnover rate tended to increase with increasing distance between pair of years turnover between pairs of adjacent years showed no trend. For a description of the study plot and its history we refer to Enemar et al (1994) where a time series of photographs from selected points of the plot is given
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
