Abstract
Common buzzard is the most abundant bird of prey in Europe, and its population has undergone serious changes. In this study, we focused on a population in Central Poland (study area 105 km2, forests around 24 km2, seven forest complexes) to analyze how certain environmental factors influenced population abundance, breeding parameters, and diet composition. The study was undertaken from 2011 to 2018, and the results were compared with data from two study periods (1982–1992; 2001–2003). Current population density was 3.5 pairs/10 km2 of total area and 14.3 pairs/10 km2 of forested area, it was negatively correlated to the abundance of northern goshawk, and it grew in the last few decades. Mammals were dominant prey (72.6% prey items, 38.6% of biomass), but their share in diet changed following rodent availability. A decrease in the share of voles was recorded, reflecting drop in their abundance and dampening of abundance cycles. Breeding parameters were similar to those in the past, and the number of offspring depended on small rodent availability. Buzzards adapted to changes in the stand structure, i.e., when share of Scots pine decreased, they chose it as their nesting tree less frequently. All this showed that buzzard is a very adaptable species.
Highlights
IntroductionCommon buzzard Buteo buteo is the most abundant bird of prey in Poland and in Europe [1,2,3]
Common buzzard Buteo buteo is the most abundant bird of prey in Poland and in Europe [1,2,3].In most countries, its abundance decreased between the second half of the 20th century and the 1970s.The main reasons for this were deforestation, persecution, and usage of organochloride pesticides in the1950s and 1960s [4,5,6]
The number of breeding pairs increased when compared with the two previous study periods (Kruskal–Wallis test, H = 16.58, p < 0.0005; post hoc Mann–Whitney test, p < 0.05 for all comparisons between the three study periods) and was observed in all forest complexes
Summary
Common buzzard Buteo buteo is the most abundant bird of prey in Poland and in Europe [1,2,3]. 1950s and 1960s [4,5,6] In most cases, those factors have been eliminated, which allowed the population to grow in the last few decades [7,8,9,10]. In Poland, cases of a dynamic population growth were recorded. In the farmland of Eastern Poland (sampling area of 343 km2 ), the population increased from 18 to 58 pairs in the years 1983–1996 [11]. A similar trend was noted in Western Poland (study area of 150 km2 ), where 16 breeding pairs were recorded in 1971, while 30 pairs 14 years later [12]
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