Blackbird Turdus Merula Research Articles

Architecture differentially affects thermal properties of Song Thrush Turdus philomelos nest walls

ABSTRACT Thermistors embedded on and within the nest wall were used to measure the changes in temperature between different parts of the architecture of the wall of Song Thrush nests as heat from a light bulb was conducted across the wall. The wood pulp forming the nest cup provided the greatest resistance to heat loss across the nest wall. Despite differences in nest mass and architecture, thermal conductance for Song Thrush nest walls were not statistically different from values previously reported for Common Blackbird Turdus merula nests. Song Thrush nests constructed over many years in the same geographical location exhibited an increase in the thickness of the wood pulp cup and a reduction in thermal conductance, i.e. the most recent nests were better insulated. However, nest mass or thermal insulation did not affect reproductive success between years.

Vertebrate damage to Azorean vineyards: the role of the endemic Azores Woodpigeon Columba palumbus azorica.

In the Azores, complaints about grape loss to birds have become recurrent. Although winegrowers frequently blame the endemic Azores Woodpigeon Columba palumbus azorica, data about the magnitude of grape damage and the species responsible for them are lacking. This study provides detailed information about grape damage caused by vertebrates on Pico Island, home to the main wine-growing area of the region. Vineyards were monitored during the ripening period in 2017 and 2018. Damage was assessed by determining the number of plucked, pecked and bitten grapes for a total of 850 bunches. Camera traps were placed in 113 enclosures providing detection and consumption rates of vertebrate species. GLM analysis was performed to test the effect of grape variety, distance to the woods, year and time before harvest on grape damage and consumption events. Damage was estimated at 10.3% (± 0.9) in 2017 and 8.7% (± 0.9) in 2018 and mostly consisted of plucked grapes. Ten vertebrate species were detected consuming grapes. Overall, 524 consumption events were registered. The Madeira lizard Teira dugesii, the Azores Blackbird Turdus merula azorensis and rodents (rats Rattus sp. and the house mouse Mus musculus) were responsible for most of those events. The Azores Woodpigeon accounted for three consumption events. GLM analysis showed that damage was greater in vines adjacent to woods and lower in traditional white varieties. This study constitutes an important baseline for the implementation of efficient measures to mitigate grape predation and sheds light on the minor role of the Azores Woodpigeon in grape damage.

Breeding success of passerine birds in the forest steppe of European Russia

In the period from 1985 to 2023, the breeding success of 15 bird species was studied in the Voronezh Nature Reserve (50°21ʹ-52°02ʹ N, 39°21ʹ-39°47ʹ E), where there has been no economic activity for 100 years. The plant cover consists of pine (32.3% of the total area), oak (29.3%), aspen (19.3%), birch (5.7%) and alder (5.2%) forests. 2004 nests were monitored. Low breeding success (25.4-27.9%, determined by the modified Mayfield method) was found in the Blackbird Turdus merula , the Song Thrush T. philomelos , the Finch Fringilla coelebs and the Greenfinch Chloris chloris. From 1.6 to 1.8 fledglings fly out for one breeding attempt. The average level of breeding success (38.7-50.4%) was found in the Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita , the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio , Redwing Turdus iliacus , Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla , Garden Warbler S. borin and Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes . From 2.1 to3.4 fledglings fly out for one breeding attempt. A high level of breeding success (60.6-82.5%) was found in the Great Tit Parus major , the Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus , the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca , the Collared Flycatcher F. albicollis and the Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata . From 3.7 to 7 fledglings fly out for one breeding attempt. Due to the increased pressure of nest predators, the breeding success of birds in the Voronezh Nature Reserve is often lower than in other areas. The greatest breeding success is typical for birds that place nests in hollows and other shelters. Breeding success is significantly lower in openly nesting species, especially in birds that begin nesting before the leaves bloom on trees and shrubs.

Small-scale forest restoration in peri-urban areas provides immediate benefits for birds

Summary Forests of urban/suburban areas are being increasingly restored, but before/after-control/impact studies addressing effects on biodiversity in peri-urban forest restorations are virtually lacking. Using a before/after-control/impact (BACI) design, we explored the effects on birds (commonly used as indicators for restoration impacts) of small-scale restoration interventions in 2019 targeting residual forests north of Milan, in the largest Italian conurbation, with trees and shrub planting around existing patches or in formerly cultivated areas. Birds were surveyed in 2018, 2019, and 2021, at 20 intervention and 20 control sites. We evaluated the short-term effects of restoration by analysing changes in avian communities (i.e. richness, richness and abundance of forest specialists, single species’ abundance), considering the effect of year and intervention (i.e. before/during/after intervention). Species richness of breeding birds was largely unaffected by on-going interventions, while it was positively related to concluded restoration. The abundance of five individual species varied according to restoration: on-going interventions had positive effects on two species, Common Blackbird Turdus merula and Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix, and negative effects on Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica, while concluded restoration positively affected two species, Common Blackbird Turdus merula again, and the forest specialist Marsh Tit Poecile palustris. Even small-scale interventions in peri-urban areas may provide tangible benefits to breeding birds in the short term: peri-urban forest restoration could contribute to biodiversity conservation.

Trace element bioaccumulation in the plumage of common blackbirds (Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758) from Agigea, Romania

The purpose of this research was to establish the baseline concentrations of thirteen trace elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Fe, Mg, Na, K, Sr, Ca, and Zn) in feathers of the common blackbird Turdus merula (n=9) at the Natura 2000 site “Marine Dunes from Agigea” (ROSCI0073). Both remiges and rectrices were pooled, and the quantification of trace elements was accomplished using two spectrometry analysis methods: high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometer with a graphite furnace (HR-CS GF-AAS) and flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FL-AAS). The concentration of Ca was the highest of the thirteen trace elements, registering at 209.9146±192.4098 µg·g-1 w.w., while Cd had the lowest concentration levels in feathers, 0.0243±0.0158 µg·g-1 w.w., respectively. However, the results obtained were significantly lower than those in the relevant literature. These findings suggest that the bioavailability of the analysed trace elements is minimal in our study area. Thus, it is imperative to conduct further research on the impact of these trace elements' accumulation and effects on avifauna in the Natura 2000 site “Marine Dunes from Agigea”.

Factors affecting fledglings survival in urban population of European blackbirds in Szczecin (NW Poland)

The first-year survival alters population growth rates and viability in birds, however this period remains the least-studied of the avian life stages. Here we present results of the 19 years of study of fledglings apparent survival of urban population of European blackbird Turdus merula in Szczecin (NW Poland). We checked for possible influence on survival of several factors, including parental traits, such as parental age, their previous breeding experience, natal brood size, presence of another brood in a given breeding season and the time gap between clutches of a particular pair. Moreover, we incorporate into our analysis fledging’s hierarchy in the brood, its fledging time in the breeding season, temperature and precipitation during the first months of life. We also investigated changes in the apparent survival over 19 years. We found that the individual’s hierarchy in the nest, and the day of fledging had the strongest influence on the apparent survival, with heavier birds fledged earlier in the season surviving better. Increase in parental age and previous breeding experience of the pair could result in enhanced survival. Surprisingly increased precipitation lowered fledglings’ survival. During the 19 years of the study fledglings’ apparent survival dropped about 10%.

A preliminary study of the winter roosting behaviour of four woodland passerines

ABSTRACT Capsule Radio-tracking of four woodland passerine species reveals variation in winter roost site selection within and between species. Aims To evaluate methods for studying winter roosting behaviour in woodland passerines and to collect preliminary data on intra- and inter-specific differences in roost site characteristics and spatial arrangement. Methods Ten woodland birds (three Eurasian Blackbirds Turdus merula, three Dunnocks Prunella modularis, two Great Tits Parus major and two European Robins Erithacus rubecula), were fitted with a tail-mounted Lotek PicoPip AG337 VHF radio tag (January to March 2022). Tagged birds were located by triangulation, and nightly winter roost locations identified and characterized. A geographic information system was used to quantify roost site fidelity, roosting height and types of habitats used. Results Manual tracking of birds with radio tags is a cost effective and appropriate method for studying passerine winter roosting behaviour. Sample sizes were too small to allow exploration of significant differences between sites, age and sex. European Robins showed the greatest site fidelity in relation to between-night roost positions, with Eurasian Blackbird, Great Tit and Dunnock being more variable in the sites chosen between nights. Eurasian Blackbird and Great Tit roost sites were generally higher above the ground (up to 6 m), compared to European Robins and Dunnocks (all sites less than 4 m above the ground). Eurasian Blackbirds varied the most in the number of habitats used for roost sites, and European Robins showed the least variation. Only three out of 11 habitat types (bramble Rubus sp, laurel Prunus sp. and Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus with Ivy Hedera helix) were used by more than one species as a roosting habitat. Conclusion Further research should focus on: (1) habitat use in relation to relative availability; (2) increasing samples sizes to allow comparison of factors such as age, sex and sites; (3) the impact of supplementary feeding on roosting behaviour; (4) quantifying the thermal properties of roost sites.

Internal Architecture Differentially Affects Thermal Insulation in the Walls of Common Blackbird Turdus merula Nests

Nest construction may result in niche creation by the bird, i.e., modification of the immediate environment in terms of temperature or humidity. Here thermal insulation of nests of the Common Blackbird Turdus merula was investigated using a heat source placed inside the cup. The temperature profile of the nest wall was recorded using thermistors placed at different positions in the nest wall. Temperatures were affected by the layers in the wall with the grass cup lining and mud cup offering more insulation than the outer wall. Thermal conductance of the wall of Common Blackbird nests was relatively high compared to other reports for this variable in other passerine species from Australia. Variation among Common Blackbird nests in terms of temperature differences across layers, and thermal conductance overall, correlated with the thickness of the grass cup lining. Thermal insulation provided by a nest wall is dependent on the thicknesses and types of materials used in each part of the wall. Previous studies using nest deconstruction have demonstrated that the various layers in a wall have differing thermal characteristics. This is the first report of clear differences in the temperature profile across the different parts of the intact nest wall. Whether this pattern is also observed in nests of other species requires further investigation. The placement of different materials within the nest wall by the bird is not a random process and the results support the idea that the avian nest is involved in niche creation.

Host Cells of Leucocytozoon (Haemosporida, Leucocytozoidae) Gametocytes, with Remarks on the Phylogenetic Importance of This Character.

Leucocytozoon parasites remain poorly investigated in comparison to other haemosporidians. The host cell inhabited by their blood stages (gametocytes) remains insufficiently known. This study aimed to determine the blood cells inhabited by Leucocytozoon gametocytes in different species of Passeriformes and to test if this feature has a phylogenetic importance. We microscopically analyzed blood films stained with Giemsa from six different bird species and individuals and used PCR-based methods for parasite lineage identification. The DNA sequences obtained were applied for phylogenetic analysis. Leucocytozoon parasite from the song thrush Turdus philomelos (cytochrome b lineage STUR1), the blackbird Turdus merula (undetermined lineage), the garden warbler Sylvia borin (unknown lineage) inhabited erythrocytes, a parasite from the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus (PARUS4) infects lymphocytes, while in the wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix (WW6) and the common chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita (AFR205) they were found inhabiting thrombocytes. Parasites infecting thrombocytes were closely related, while the parasites infecting erythrocytes were placed in three different clades, and the one found in lymphocytes was placed in a separate clade. This shows that the determination of host cells inhabited by Leucocytozoon parasites can be phylogenetically important and should be considered in future species descriptions. Noteworthy, phylogenetic analysis might be used for the prediction of which host cells parasite lineages might inhabit.

Bird’s blood and feathers as bioindicators for the oxidative stress induced by metal(loid)s in polymetallic contaminated areas

Toxic metal(loid)s in polymetallic mining areas are very prominent environmental stressors and may lead to undesirable oxidative stress responses in wild birds. Finding an effective nondestructive bioindicator to monitor the toxic effects of oxidative stress induced by metal(loid)s exposure is vital for bird conservation in these areas. In this study, the contents of six metal(loid)s (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr and As) in feathers and plasma and the levels of seven oxidative stress biomarkers (MDA, SOD, GST, GPX, CAT, GSH and GSSG) in plasma were measured and their correlations were investigated for three resident bird species (turtledove Streptopelia chinensis, sparrow Passer montanus and blackbird Turdus merula) in Tongling, a polymetallic contaminated mining area in eastern China. The contents of most metal(loid)s were high in our samples and they were positively correlated with each other in both feathers and plasma, except that the Cd content was negatively correlated with Zn in plasma. Also, the activity levels of oxidative stress biomarkers (MDA, SOD, GST, GPX and CAT) in plasma were positively correlated with each other. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the first principal component of metal(loid)s in feathers was positively correlated with that in plasma. The canonical correlation analysis (CCA) indicated that the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers had positive correlations with the contents of As, Cr and Cd in feathers, and with the contents of As, Cr, Pb, and Zn in plasma. Compared with those in feathers, the metal(loid)s in plasma explained more of the total variance of the levels of oxidative stress and should be a good bioindicator. Due to the sampling convenience and no damages, we suggest that feathers may possibly be used as an auxiliary bioindicator for monitoring oxidative stress induced by metal(loid)s. This study supplements the information about selecting the bird-related nondestructive bioindicators as environment monitoring tool in polymetallic mining areas and provides a reference for bird conservation in similar areas.

New records of feather mites of the genus Proctophyllodes (Acariformes: Proctophyllodidae) in China

A new feather mite species Proctophyllodes gracilitus sp. nov. is described from the mountain bulbul Ixos mcclellandii (Horsfield) (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae) in China. The new species belongs to the mecistocaulus species-group and differs from the most similar species, P. stenophyllus Gaud & Mouchet, 1957, by having the following characters: in males of P. gracilitus, the terminal lamellae are thinner and longer (45–49×4–5) and the posterior part of the hysteronotal shield has circular lacunae; and in females setae h1 are situated at the level of posterior margin of supranal concavity, setae h2 are longer than terminal appendages, do not have enlargement in base, and setae h3 are about 2/3rds the length of terminal appendages. In addition, Proctophyllodes weigoldi Vitzthum, 1922 has been collected from the willow tit Poecile montanus (Baldenstein) (Passeriformes: Paridae) that is a new host record for this species. This species is redescribed, because it was found that specimens from Po. montanus have some minor morphological differences from specimens of the common blackbird Turdus merula Linnaeus (Passeriformes: Turdidae) (a type host) and eyebrowed thrush Turdus obscurus Gmelin (Passeriformes: Turdidae).

An Assessment of the Relationship Between Individual Farmland Bird Species Abundance and the Field Boundary Evaluation and Grading System

ABSTRACT: Field boundaries, including hedgerows, are important semi-natural habitats for many Irish farmland birds. There is a need for proactive conservation measures targeted towards common species. An investigation was conducted into the relationship between the Field Boundary Evaluation and Grading System index (FBEGS) and individual farmland bird species in Ireland. FBEGS is a tool that can be used to assess the ecological quality of field boundaries and is a useful predictor of total farmland bird communities. Here, we used data collected during 2005–06 to evaluate the relationship between field boundary quality (using FBEGS) and the abundance of a range of individual bird species recorded in the winter and breeding seasons. Blackbird Turdus merula and robin Erithacus rubecula had positive relationships with FBEGS in winter, and blackbird T. merula , wren Troglodytes troglodytes and woodpigeon Columba palumbus had positive relationships with FBEGS in the breeding season. This indicates that FBEGS can be used to predict the abundance of particular bird species within hedgerows. However, there are limitations to this predictive ability, likely due to species-specific preferences in terms of the ecological quality of hedgerows.

Ecological role of the Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra (Mustelidae, Carnivora) as a seed dispersal species for riparian vegetation in Iberian fresh waters

Endozoochory is a mutualistic interaction between plants and animals. Such a relationship has rarely been examined in the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra. This study aimed to assess the use and electivity of fruit by this carnivore, along with the viability of ingested seeds. Otter spraints and fruit were collected from the River Bullaque (Guadiana River basin, central Spain) in June and September 2018-2019. A high occurrence of fruit (> 40%) was found in spraints during September. Otters ingested fruit in June from only one plant species: Iberian bushweed Flueggea tinctoria (Phyllanthaceae); whereas seeds ingested in September belonged to four plant species: apple mint Mentha suaveolens (Lamiaceae), common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, dog rose Rosa canina and elmleaf blackberry Rubus ulmifolius (three Rosaceae species). According to the environmental availability, otters displayed avoidance for mint and rose, neutral selection for hawthorn and preference for blackberry. Germination was unsuccessful for mint seeds, whereas germination was the highest for blackberry (37%; 49% for blackbird Turdus merula, a well-known frugivorous species). Otters appear to display an ecological role as seed dispersers for riparian vegetation in Iberian fresh waters. These findings provide insights into this endozoochorous co-evolution between plants and Carnivora.

Heterospecific eavesdropping of jays (Garrulus glandarius) on blackbird (Turdus merula) mobbing calls

Heterospecifics eavesdrop on mobbing calls and respond with appropriate behavior, but the functional aspects are less studied. Here, I studied whether jays (Garrulus glandarius) eavesdrop on blackbird (Turdus merula) mobbing calls in comparison to blackbird song. Furthermore, it was studied whether jays provided with extra information about predators differ in their response. Three different experimental designs were carried out: (1) control playback of blackbird song to control for the species’ presence, (2) experimental playback of different mobbing events of blackbirds towards different predators, (3) experimental playback similar to (2) but combined with different predator models. In the combined experiments, mobbing calls were tied to the respective visual stimuli. Comparing the experiments with and without predator presentation, a similar number of jays occurred during the playback-only experiment (n = 7) and the playback combined with model presentation (n = 6). However, during the playback-only experiment, jays approached the speaker closer and stayed for longer time in the nearer surrounding. These results show that jays need extra information to make an informed decision.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ГНЕЗДОВАНИЯ ЧЕРНОГО ДРОЗДА (TURDUS MERULA) В УСЛОВИЯХ ГОРОДСКИХ ДРЕВЕСНЫХ НАСАЖДЕНИЙ Г. МИНСКА

Synurbic populations of birds are characterized by specific features that differ from those of wild populations of the same species, which is the result of adaptation to living in cities. The paper analyses some parameters of breeding of the Blackbird (Turdus merula) in two park in Minsk and compares them with the breeding biology of wild Blackbirds in natural habitats. During the years 2015-2017 and 2019-2021, 74 nests of urban Blackbird were obtained. For comparison, data on 245 nest of this species in natural landscapes were used.As a result, it was found that the nest selection in urban Blackbirds remains similar to wild Blackbirds in forests, and the differences are explained by the peculiarities of forestry activities carried out in urban parks. More than 74 % of all nests were built in the undergrowth layer, while most of the nests were located on the Norway spruce (59.72 %). A majority of urban Blackbirds started laying first eggs relatively later (from 21.04 to 10.05) than forest birds (from 11.04 to 30.04), which most likely results from the adaptation of birds to a significant recreational load from humans during the period when the trees have not come into leaf yet. Nevertheless, no differences were found in the average clutch size between urban (4.17 ± 0.72 eggs) and forest (4.51 ± 0.64 eggs) birds. The low breeding success of the Blackbird (39.4 %) in the urbanized area testifies to the fact that the homeostasis of the relatively high number of the urban Blackbird population in Minsk is most likely maintained due to the constant influx of individuals from local suburban forests.

A partial migrant relies upon a range-wide cue set but uses population-specific weighting for migratory timing

BackgroundMany birds species range over vast geographic regions and migrate seasonally between their breeding and overwintering sites. Deciding when to depart for migration is one of the most consequential life-history decisions an individual may make. However, it is still not fully understood which environmental cues are used to time the onset of migration and to what extent their relative importance differs across a range of migratory strategies. We focus on departure decisions of a songbird, the Eurasian blackbird Turdus merula, in which selected Russian and Polish populations are full migrants which travel relatively long-distances, whereas Finnish and German populations exhibit partial migration with shorter migration distances.MethodsWe used telemetry data from the four populations (610 individuals) to determine which environmental cues individuals from each population use to initiate their autumn migration.ResultsWhen departing, individuals in all populations selected nights with high atmospheric pressure and minimal cloud cover. Fully migratory populations departed earlier in autumn, at longer day length, at higher ambient temperatures, and during nights with higher relative atmospheric pressure and more supportive winds than partial migrants; however, they did not depart in higher synchrony. Thus, while all studied populations used the same environmental cues, they used population-specific and locally tuned thresholds to determine the day of departure.ConclusionsOur data support the idea that migratory timing is controlled by general, species-wide mechanisms, but fine-tuned thresholds in response to local conditions.

Bactericidal activity of avian complement: a contribution to understand avian-host tropism of Lyme borreliae

Complement has been considered as an important factor impacting the host–pathogen association of spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, and may play a role in the spirochete’s ecology. Birds are known to be important hosts for ticks and in the maintenance of borreliae. Recent field surveys and laboratory transmission studies indicated that certain avian species act as reservoir hosts for different Borrelia species. Nevertheless, our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms determining host tropism of Borrelia is still in its fledgling stage. Concerning the role of complement in avian-host tropism, only a few bird species and Borrelia species have been analysed so far. Here, we performed in vitro serum bactericidal assays with serum samples collected from four bird species including the European robin Erithacus rubecula, the great tit Parus major, the Eurasian blackbird Turdus merula, and the racing pigeon Columba livia, as well as four Borrelia species (B. afzelii, B. garinii, B. valaisiana, and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto). From July to September 2019, juvenile wild birds were caught using mist nets in Portugal. Racing pigeons were sampled in a loft in October 2019. Independent of the bird species analysed, all Borrelia species displayed an intermediate serum-resistant or serum-resistant phenotype except for B. afzelii challenged with serum from blackbirds. This genospecies was efficiently killed by avian complement, suggesting that blackbirds served as dead-end hosts for B. afzelii. In summary, these findings suggest that complement contributes in the avian–spirochete–tick infection cycle and in Borrelia-host tropism.

Effects of stress exposure in captivity on physiology and infection in avian hosts: no evidence of increased Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. infectivity to vector ticks.

Exposure to environmental stressors, an increasingly recurring event in natural communities due to anthropogenic-induced environmental change, profoundly impacts disease emergence and spread. One mechanism through which this occurs is through stress-induced immunosuppression increasing disease susceptibility, prevalence, intensity and reactivation in hosts. We experimentally evaluated how exposure to stressors affected both the physiology of avian hosts and the prevalence of the zoonotic bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), in two model species-the blackbird Turdus merula and the robin Erithacus rubecula captured in the wild, using xenodiagnoses and analysis of skin biopsies and blood. Although exposure to stressors in captivity induced physiological stress in birds (increased the number of circulating heterophils), there was no evidence of increased infectivity to xenodiagnostic ticks. However, Borrelia detection in the blood for both experimental groups of blackbirds was higher by the end of the captivity period. The infectivity and efficiency of transmission were higher for blackbirds than robins. When comparing different methodologies to determine infection status, xenodiagnosis was a more sensitive method than skin biopsies and blood samples, which could be attributed to mild levels of infection in these avian hosts and/or dynamics and timing of Borrelia infection relapses and redistribution in tissues.

Sex and age differences in the diet of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) using web‐sourced photographs: exploring the feasibility of a new citizen science approach

Diet differences between the sexes and ages have often been recorded for bird species. Many raptor species show extreme sexual size dimorphism, with females often considerably larger than the males and these differences may be reflected in their diets. Diet studies in raptors most frequently focus on analysing prey remains or pellets collected at nest‐sites. These methods are subsequently limited to breeding birds in the breeding season and are also restricted by their inability to distinguish prey items between the sexes. The use of web‐sourced photographs to examine raptor diet has the potential to overcome some limitations of more traditional methods used to assess diet. We used this approach for the Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus in the United Kingdom, exploring diet between the sexes and ages throughout the entire year. In total, we obtained 843 web‐sourced photographs of Sparrowhawks with their prey items. There were 12 key prey items that had a frequency ≥ 10 in the Sparrowhawk diet: Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus, Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris, Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto, Rock Dove Columba livia, Common Blackbird Turdus merula, House Sparrow Passer domesticus, unidentified ‘small’ and ‘medium’ birds, European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis, European Greenfinch Chloris chloris, Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus and Stock Dove Columba oenas. Several prey species were more often seen in the diet of one sex or age group. Overall, average prey weights of adult females were two and a half times heavier than for adult males and one and a half times heavier for juvenile females. However, this method may be slightly biased towards larger prey items, which should be considered in future studies. Despite this limitation, our method enabled dietary differences between the sexes and ages of this highly sexual size dimorphic raptor species to be explored throughout the year.

The ornithological breeding community in the Oasis of Arcola (Sp)

[The waterways Rivers, especially in lowland areas, often result the elements of highest naturalistic value and play an important role as ecological corridors. Rivers are characterized by high dynamism and biological complexity, and the distribution of several bird species often depends on their physical characteristics and water velocity. During spring 2018, we studied the bird community dwelling in the Arcola Reserve, managed by Lipu, in province of La Spezia (NW Italy), included within the Montemarcello Magra Regional Natural Park (SCZ IT1343502). This site presents a portion of plain woodland with presence of arboreal substrate dominated by Alnus glutinosa, Populus nigra, Populus alba, Salix alba, and a portion consisting of scattered trees, xeric meadows with shrubby formations comprising Rosa canina, Rubus sp., Spartium junceum, Prunus spinosa. Besides, rare reed formations are present. In the 20 hectares of the study area, we carried out field samplings through 8 monitoring sessions since April 23th until June 26th 2018. Overall, we found 62 species of which only 32 were (potentially, probably or certainly) nesting inside the reserve (22 belonging to Passerines and 10 to the non-Passerines species). Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos (16.87 ± 4.37 individuals), Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla (16 ± 1.41 individuals), Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti (13 ± 2.06 individuals), Melodious Warbler (11.88 ± 6.88 individuals), Blackbird Turdus merula (10.75 ± 1.30 individuals) and Great Tit Parus major (9.88 ± 4.04 individuals) were the most abundant species. The density was 62.97 pairs/10 ha, whereas diversity resulted 2.47, this evidencing a considerable degree of complexity, while the evenness value suggests a certain degree of homogeneity in the abundance of the surveyed species. Five dominant species were present. Although the Passerines resulted the most important order in the community, also the non-Passerines showed a value higher than the one reported by other authors, although in less heterogeneous environments. Less than one third of the breeding species resulted to be long migrant species. Results of the present study represent a first step towards the increased knowledge about the avian community of the Arcola Reserve, especially addressed to its administrators as to highlight the need of preserving natural habitats and associated animal and plant species]. [Article in Italian]