The demography of Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava on abandoned fields in northern European Russia

Abstract

Capsule Apparent survival rates of Yellow Wagtails breeding in abandoned fields in Russia are determined by previous breeding success.Aims To examine apparent survival and its link to previous breeding success in Yellow Wagtails breeding in abandoned fields in the Vologda region, northern European Russia.Methods We ringed and measured apparent survival of Yellow Wagtails at two abandoned agricultural sites over eight years (2005–2012). We modelled the impact of age, nest stage, and time of season on daily nest survival rates.Results Predation was the main cause of nest failure. Nest daily survival rate was highest at the beginning of the breeding season. Overall nest survival probability was 0.40 ± 0.02. Adult apparent survival after successful breeding was 0.42 ± 0.06 and after unsuccessful breeding this was 0.13 ± 0.06.Conclusion Reproductive success can be regarded as the crucial demographic parameter of the local Yellow Wagtail population in northern European Russia. Apparent survival after successful breeding is significantly higher than after unsuccessful breeding, because unsuccessful breeders probably move to new breeding sites the following year. High adult survival may be particularly important to Yellow Wagtail population dynamics in the study region, because second breeding attempts are apparently unusual.