Dupont's Lark Chersophilus Duponti Research Articles

Conspecific density and habitat quality drive the defence and vocal behaviour of a territorial passerine

Territorial defence depends on highly interrelated factors such as food abundance and conspecific density. We used Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti as a model species to evaluate the response of a territorial bird to a foreign male playback, examining how conspecific density, habitat quality and male body condition impact responses. The study was conducted in central Spain with variable male density. Response (yes/no), latency time, distance to the playback speaker, and the number of songs and other vocalizations were monitored for 5 min. Habitat quality was estimated using BlueNDVI vegetation index extracted from high‐resolution drone imagery, which is a proxy for arthropod prey biomass. Conspecific density (Kernel Density Estimator) and male body condition were calculated to assess their effect on response and intensity. We applied generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to determine which factors predicted the response and its intensity. There was a greater response probability in areas with a higher density of conspecifics and in areas of poorer habitat quality (i.e. lower BlueNDVI values). In contrast, latency time was longer in areas with lower conspecific density. Intrasexual communication (singing and calling rates) increased with habitat quality. Intraspecific communication (other vocalizations) increased in poorer quality habitats and at a higher density of conspecifics. Body condition was not related to any variables. Our results suggest that male density, sometimes used as an indicator of an area being well conserved for the species, may reflect areas of poorer habitat quality occupied by unpaired floater males, whereas paired territorial males would occupy and defend higher quality areas, leading to lower density.

Dietary niche overlap and resource partitioning among six steppe passerines of Central Spain using DNA metabarcoding

Trophic niche partitioning is a mechanism that facilitates the coexistence of ecologically similar species by sharing their resource use. However, detailed information of the trophic niche in insectivorous birds is usually limited by the lack of accurate identification of consumed food resources. The use of DNA metabarcoding has proved useful for molecular identification of the taxa present in bird faecal samples. Here, we used this molecular technique to study the diets of six steppe passerine species distributed in two Special Protection Areas in central Spain, and to characterize the dietary niche overlap and the prey composition differences between bird species. In total, we distinguished 112 diet items, covering 39 arthropod families of 13 orders. Although significant dietary differences existed in prey species composition, our results indicated a 74% overlap in steppe bird dietary niche, mostly due to high consumption of abundant arthropod prey such as beetles, grasshoppers and spiders in the breeding season by all bird species. The lowest overlap was found for the dietary niches of the Greater Short‐toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla and Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti, a scarce and threatened species, which appeared to be the species with the most distinct dietary niche within the community. Our results make a significant contribution to the knowledge of shrub‐steppe bird diets and their trophic interactions, indicating that some extent of interspecific resource partitioning occurs in the study area, notably between Dupont's Lark and the Greater Short‐toed Lark. Our study demonstrates the value of DNA metabarcoding in the assessment of passerine diets and provides useful ecological results for the design of biodiversity conservation programmes in the increasingly scarce and threatened steppe habitats.

Wind farm noise shifts vocalizations of a threatened shrub-steppe passerine

Wind energy has experienced a notable development during the last decades, driving new challenges for animal communities. Although bird collisions with wind turbines and spatial displacement due to disturbance have been widely described in the literature, other potential impacts remain unclear. In this study, we addressed the effect of turbine noise on the vocal behaviour of a threatened shrub-steppe passerine highly dependent on acoustic communication, the Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti. Based on directional recordings of 49 calling and singing males exposed to a gradient of turbine noise level (from 15 up to 51 dBA), we tested for differences in signal diversity, redundancy, and complexity, as well as temporal and spectral characteristics of their vocalizations (particularly the characteristic whistle). Our results unveiled that Dupont's lark males varied the vocal structure when subject to turbine noise, by increasing the probability of emitting more complex whistles (with increased number of notes) and shifting the dominant note (emphasizing the longest and higher-pitched note). In addition, males increased duration and minimum frequency of specific notes of the whistle, while repertoire size and signal redundancy remain constant. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting multiple and complex responses on the vocal repertoire of animals exposed to turbine noise and unveiling a shift of the dominant note in response to anthropogenic noise in general. These findings suggest that the Dupont's lark exhibits some level of phenotypic plasticity, which might enable the species to cope with noisy environments, although the vocal adjustments observed might have associated costs or alter the functionality of the signal. Future wind energy projects must include fine-scale noise assessments to quantify the consequences of chronic noise exposure.

The conservation research–practice gap: a case study of a threatened bird

AbstractConservation research is less often applied in practice than is desirable for the optimization of conservation outcomes. We evaluated this conservation research–practice gap for a threatened passerine, Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti. We reviewed the literature and classified the conservation interventions proposed by scientists as regulation and legislation, monitoring and research, or management. We sent a questionnaire to managers responsible for species conservation, to gather information about the reasons for implementing, or not, each conservation intervention. We found 16 conservation interventions proposed in the literature, of which 13 (81.2%) had been applied by managers at least once. We found a disparity between the frequency of scientific recommendations and the actions implemented by managers: some measures with high scientific consensus were rarely adopted, whereas approaches less frequently proposed by scientists were more often implemented by managers. Regulatory and monitoring/research interventions were applied more often than management interventions, probably because of legal obligations. Management interventions were less frequently implemented, mainly because of time and budget limitations. There was a negative correlation between the number of interventions implemented and the population trend of the species in each region, which suggests that conservation interventions were more commonly implemented when the species was facing local extinction. Our results indicate a mismatch between science and practice for the conservation of Dupont's lark, the reasons for which seem to be diverse and include factors such as financial and time limitations, legal obstacles and managers' perception of extinction risk. An iterative dialogue needs to be initiated between scientists and managers to evaluate the efficacy of interventions implemented, and facilitate evidence-based conservation.

Cost-Effectiveness Assessment of Five Audio Recording Systems for Wildlife Monitoring: Differences between Recording Distances and Singing Direction

Audio recording systems coupled with automated song recognition are commonly being used for monitoring wildlife. Recorders usually differ in cost and effectiveness, and their performance may vary with source distance, wind speed and acoustic source direction, among other factors. We here assess the cost-effectiveness of five audio systems considering such factors as distance and singing direction. We developed field tests using playback of Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti songs from nine fixed locations at distances of 1 to 256m, played towards or away from the recorders' position. We selected this species because its very characteristic song should be easily identified by automated signal recognition software. Field tests were carried out during March 2016 in level dwarf-shrub steppe (mean height < 40cm) in NE Spain. We found large differences in effectiveness between recorders. The number of songs detected by an automated signal recognition algorithm significantly decreased with distance and when playback was angled away from the recorder position, a factor never previously tested. Finally, we give the design of a cost-effective Autonomous Recording Unit, based upon the most effective recorder. We recommend researchers working with acoustic recorders to evaluate the performance of several devices before making a selection for long-term monitoring programmes, and to consider such factors such as singing direction in their analyses. —perez-Granados, C., Bota, G., Giralt, D., Albarracin, J. & Traba, J. (2019). Cost-effectiveness assessment of five audio recording systems for wildlife monitoring: differences between recording distances and singing direction. Ardeola, 66: 311-325.

Vocal activity rate index: a useful method to infer terrestrial bird abundance with acoustic monitoring

Autonomous recording units have been widely used in a large number of bird studies in recent years, but challenges remain in estimating abundance based on acoustic monitoring. We tested whether vocal activity rate index (VAR; the number of songs per unit time for a species), recorded using autonomous recording units, was related to population abundance in two terrestrial bird species, the European Bee‐eater Merops apiaster and the Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti. We took recordings at sites where censuses were also carried out to estimate local populations around recorders. We found a positive and significant relationship for the two monitored species. Although our results are not conclusive, the strong and significant relationship found for both monitored species suggests that VAR may be used to infer bird abundance around recorders in terrestrial species. We describe five logical steps for using the VAR with autonomous recording units in other species to guide future studies.

Prevalence of ectoparasite arthropods in Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti – a seriously threatened passerine

ABSTRACTA full survey of the ectoparasites of 77 individual Dupont's Larks Chersophilus duponti, from the Iberian High Plateau, detected three species of chewing lice, one of louse flies, and one identified species of mite.

Autonomous Recording Units as Effective Tool for Monitoring of the Rare and Patchily Distributed Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti

Monitoring programmes are needed to assess the conservation status of species and to quantify the effectiveness of conservation effort. Rare species are usually poorly studied due to difficulties in monitoring. We evaluated the use of autonomous recording units (ARUs) coupled with automated song recognition for monitoring the presence of Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti, a rare and patchily distributed species. We surveyed 49 potential habitat patches for the species in central Spain never censused before, from May to June 2017. In each habitat patch we deployed an ARU that recorded one continuous hour during two consecutive nights. In addition, we also performed line transect censuses in 22 out of the 49 potential habitat patches, to evaluate the efficacy of ARUs. Audio analyses revealed the existence of eight previously unrecorded Dupont's Lark populations. Line transect censuses always confirmed the presence or absence of the species in agreement with audio analysis results. ARUs required 44 fewer working days than human-based surveys for monitoring the presence of Dupont's Larks in potential habitat patches. Our results suggest that the use of ARUs coupled with automated song recognition can provide an effective alternative to human-based surveys for monitoring the presence of bird species in large-scale surveys. We conclude that a combined methodology using ARUs and field censuses, in order to estimate densities or spatial patterns, may be considered the most effective method for monitoring large numbers of potential occupancy sites.

Wind farms affect the occurrence, abundance and population trends of small passerine birds: The case of the Dupont's lark

AbstractThe assessment of the effects of wind farms on bird populations is commonly based on collision fatality records. This could undervalue the effect of wind farms on small‐sized birds. We evaluate the effect of wind turbines on occurrence, abundance and population trends of a threatened small passerine species, the Dupont's larkChersophilus duponti. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies addressing the effect of wind farms on population trends using time‐series data from multiple wind farms.We estimated population trends by fitting a switching linear trend model with the softwaretrim(Trend &amp; Indices for Monitoring data). We used multiannual data surveys of five populations in the presence of wind farms and nine in their absence (2008–2016 period). Furthermore, we fitted a logistic and a negative binomial regression model to test the effect of wind farm proximity on species occurrence and abundance in 2016, respectively. We incorporated local connectivity and habitat availability estimates in both models as predictors.Results showed a negative trend overall, but that was significantly more regressive in the presence of wind farms: 21.0% vs. 5.8% average annual decline in the absence of wind farms.Dupont's lark occurrence and abundance in 2016 were negatively affected by measures of population isolation and positively affected by the distance to wind farms.These results highlight the negative effect of isolation and wind farm proximity on Dupont's lark population parameters. Taking into account the metapopulation structure exhibited by the species in the study area, this work established a 4.5‐km threshold distance from wind farms, beyond which Dupont's lark populations should be unaffected.Synthesis and applications. This work highlights the negative impact of wind farms on small‐sized birds and provides a 4.5‐km threshold distance that should be taken into account in the design of future wind energy projects. Moreover, we suggest an analytical approach based on population trends, species abundance and occurrence variation in relation to wind farms, useful for the assessment of wind farm impacts on small‐sized birds.

Assessment of Counting Methods Used for Estimating the Number of Territorial Males in the Endangered Dupont's Lark

Appropriate survey design is essential to estimate population size reliably, especially for endangered species. Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti, one of the most endangered passerines in Europe, has been monitored using diverse counting methods. This variation in the methods employed may have a significant effect on the estimates of population sizes. The present study compares four methodologies cited in the literature as having been used for Dupont's Lark censuses: the Finnish line transect (25 m inner belt width), line transect (500 m inner belt width, a specific application of the transect method developed for the second national census of the species in Spain), mapping and point counts methods. We also determined the adequate number of visits needed to detect a reliable number of territories by the mapping method and analysed the effect of census month on the number of males recorded in line transects. According to our results, we consider that the mapping method, based on four visits, is the most adequate methodology for monitoring the species. However, for surveys in large areas the use of the line transect method during May and June may be more affordable. Although census date did not have a significant effect on the number of males recorded by line transect surveys, a larger number of males were indeed detected during May and June. Thus, censuses carried out in March may lead to greater underestimation of population sizes. Nonetheless, the best date for counting Dupont's Lark may differ for populations located at lower altitude. Point counts and Finnish line transects should not be used for counting the species, since both overestimate population sizes by about 35%, according to the mapping method and line transect results.

Short-Term Effects of a Wildfire on the Endangered Dupont's LarkChersophilus dupontiin an Arid Shrub-Steppe of Central Spain

In Europe, Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti is a threatened open-habitat bird. Prescribed burning has sometimes been proposed for its conservation, but without evidence of its effectiveness. To evaluate the short-term effects of a summer wildfire on this species, we performed several transect counts in the burnt and unburnt parts of a shrubsteppe in central Spain. The same transects were counted within a three-year interval prior to the fire and were repeated during the first two springs after the fire. We also measured the vegetation during the first two springs after the fire. In the burnt area, we observed a decrease of about 85–100% in Dupont's Lark abundance, and about 7–15% in the control area. The disappearance of the scrub cover after fire and its slow regeneration, as well as the large increase in grass cover during the second year, may explain the decrease in this habitat-specialist bird species. Fire should be avoided in areas occupied by the Dupont's Lark, as its negative effects in the short-term may cause local extinctions. However, prescribed burning may be used in neighboring areas to create new open habitats that may be subsequently colonized by this species.

Who are we sampling? Apparent survival differs between methods in a secretive species

Survival is a fundamental parameter in population dynamics with increasing importance in the management and conservation strategies of wildlife populations. Survival probability in vertebrates is usually estimated by live‐encounter data obtained by means of physical mark–capture–recapture protocols. Non‐invasive acoustic marking relying on individual‐specific features of signals has been alternatively applied as a marking technique, especially in secretive species. Nevertheless, to date no research has compared survival rate estimates obtained by acoustic and physical marking. We estimated half‐yearly and annual survival and recapture rates of a secretive and threatened passerine, the Dupont's larkChersophilus duponti, using two separate live‐encounter data sets of males collected simultaneously by physical and acoustic marking in the same study area. The separate analysis of both methods led to different model structures, since transient individuals had to be accounted for in the acoustic marking but not in the physical marking data set. Furthermore, while reencounter probabilities did not differ between methods, survival estimates employing physical marking were lower than those obtained acoustically, especially between the postbreeding and the breeding period when the apparent survival of colour‐banded birds was twice as low as for acoustic marking. The combination of marking methods suggested the existence of different subsets of individuals differentially sampled within the population: whereas colour‐banded males seemed to represent the territorial fraction of the population, both resident and floater individuals were probably detected by acoustic marking. Using traditional mark–recapture methods exclusively could have misled our estimates of survival rates, potentially affecting prospective predictions of population dynamics. Acoustic marking has been poorly applied in mark–recapture studies, but might be a powerful complement to obtain accurate estimates of fundamental demographic parameters such as survival and dispersal.

Social determinants of songbird vocal activity and implications for the persistence of small populations

AbstractConspecific attraction is an important aspect of animal behaviour and several avian studies have shown that vocalizations may be used as an inadvertent cue to locate areas of suitable habitat. By studying the metapopulation system of a territorial passerine, the Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti, we analysed the demographic correlates of population vocal activity, and the relationships between the occurrence of immigration and the availability of social information (e.g. vocal activity, population size, density and productivity) in 22 local populations. We found that the proportion of active singing days in spring and territorial call advertisement after breeding were positively related to the number of males within local populations. In turn, the intensity of vocal activity was associated with the likelihood of receiving immigrants, better explaining immigration than other kinds of social or public information. Because of depressed signalling, small local populations could experience reduced rescuing from others, thus compromising population persistence. In such cases, habitat management alone may not be enough to overcome this behavioural constraint. Because we found that the occurrence of inter‐patch movements also depended on the size of nearby local populations, understanding regional processes may be as important as controlling social and environmental factors for the maintenance of small populations.

CHARACTERIZING THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF SONGBIRD CULTURES

Recent advances have shown that human-driven habitat transformations can affect the cultural attributes of animal populations in addition to their genetic integrity and dynamics. Here I propose using the song of oscine birds for identifying the cultural spatial structure of bird populations and highlighting critical thresholds associated with habitat fragmentation. I studied song variation over a wide geographical scale in a small and endangered passerine, the Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti, focusing on (1) cultural population structure, to determine a statistical representation of spatial variation in song and identify cultural units, and (2) the minimum patch size needed for an individual to develop a stable repertoire. I found that overall song diversity depends on variation among populations (beta-cultural diversity). Abrupt thresholds occurred in the relationships between individual song dissimilarity and geographic distance, and between individual song diversity and patch area. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that populations located as little as 5 km apart may have independently evolved their song traditions. Song diversity stabilized in patches as small as 100 ha supporting as few as 8-20 males. Song repertoires of smaller patches were significantly poorer. Almost one-quarter of the study populations inhabited patches <100 ha, and their cultural traditions appear to have eroded. The analysis of spatial patterns in birdsong may be a useful tool for detecting subpopulations prone to extinction.

Assessing the distribution, habitat, and population size of the threatened Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti in Morocco: lessons for conservation

Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti was categorized globally as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List in 2005, largely because of reported declines in Spain and an estimated population of 2,000–3,000 breeding pairs in Morocco. However, the range and size of the species' North African populations were still unknown, despite being critical for assessment of the species' global conservation status. Here we report on the breeding distribution of Dupont's lark in Morocco, probably the largest population in its North African range, as well as on its preferred habitat, population density and size. Fieldwork and analysis of satellite images were combined to locate suitable habitat for the species, assess its presence (eliciting territorial calls by broadcasting the males’ songs and calls), and estimate densities using 83 km of linear censuses. Total number of birds located was 461 (305 from song playback and 156 from transects) across an extent of occurrence of c. 11,000 km2, comprising 2,067 km2 of suitable habitat and an effective area of occupancy of 1,645 km2. Mean density was 0.60 ± SD 0.52 birds per 10 ha and was highest in dense stands of Stipa tennacissima. Our estimate of Dupont's lark breeding population in Morocco is c. 15,400 singing males (lower and upper limits 11,220–20,167, respectively). Evidence of habitat loss and degradation was found in one of the main areas of the species' distribution in Morocco, although this does not seem to be a general pattern in the lark's Moroccan range. Further studies are required of the dynamics of suitable habitat for the species to prevent long-term consequences for the conservation of Dupont's lark and other bird species of the steppe.

Testing acoustic versus physical marking: two complementary methods for individual‐based monitoring of elusive species

Individuals of some species differentiate each other on the basis of the acoustic features of their vocalizations, and this can be used in individual‐based population monitoring studies. No research has tested for the effectiveness of individual marking through voice recognition as compared to traditional monitoring methods relying on physical marks. We compared voice recognition and physical marking using the Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti as a study species. This bird needs to be attracted with playback in order to be seen (or captured). We first demonstrated that the territorial calls from a sample of banded males were individually distinctive and constant over time by means of discriminant function analysis, which correctly classified 100% of marked males. Then, we applied similarity techniques on call spectrotemporal features to define a threshold value of similarity within banded individuals, to be combined with qualitative spectrogram inspection for the classification of all recorded birds. Eventually, we compared the voice and the capture samples, to test for differences in relation to re‐location rate, territory fidelity and dispersal movements both within and between years. Voice recognition was less time‐consuming than capture‐recapture method in the field, but it was useless for monitoring yearlings in call development stage. The two methods provided the same results in terms of territory fidelity and dispersal movements, but differed in re‐location rates, which were significantly greater in the case of voice recognition method. By means of physical captures we possibly trapped a large sample of young and silent floaters, with low probability of recapture or recording. This mismatch between methods could bias the estimates of annual survival, which strongly depend on re‐location rates. We suggest considering the two methods as complementary rather than alternatives for monitoring populations. Each technique offers unique information, and the two sources should be combined to provide correction factors that would eventually sharpen our knowledge on bird population ecology.

Fate of unproductive and unattractive habitats: recent changes in Iberian steppes and their effects on endangered avifauna

Steppe ecosystems worldwide are affected by agricultural development and generally unprotected. Spanish shrub-steppes contain endangered avifauna, and this paper analyses their state of habitat conservation, the changes that have occurred in the last decade, primary productivity and its relationship with land exploitation and the richness of threatened birds, and avifauna responses to habitat loss. Fifty steppe remnants distributed throughout Spain and inhabited by Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti, an endangered passerine representative of shrub steppe-like habitat, were studied. The study fragments were generally affected by agriculture exploitation, and steppe cover had significantly decreased in several isolated patches during the period 1991–1999. Steppe habitat recovered slightly in areas with low plant productivity indices, and decreased in extent in the most productive areas, in line with EU (European Union) agricultural policy recommendations to abandon marginal land of low productivity. The low overall primary productivity of Iberian steppes opened the way to industrial activities (mining, waste collection and wind-farming), which in the study areas occurred more frequently in steppe than in other habitat types that are more attractive to the public (woodland) or more productive (farmland). The emerging wind industry little affected the study plots, but the presence of anemometers suggests that the impact is likely to increase in the near future, especially in the largest steppelands. Dupont's lark was sensitive to the fragmentation of its habitat; crowding occurred in isolated and small fragments, possibly as a consequence of habitat constraints and species dispersal dynamics. Fragments inhabited by Dupont's lark also hosted other steppe birds with a high conservation value; the community of endangered birds, mostly adapted to arid conditions, was richest in the less productive sites. Only four shrub-steppe fragments are given some kind of protection throughout Spain, testifying to the limited public awareness about the value of this habitat. Urgent action is required to restore this habitat through abandonment of less productive farmland, and to create a network of protected and connected steppelands, in order to assure the long-term viability of steppe specialists and the preservation of a habitat that is unique in Western Europe. This should be coupled to an effort to increase social consciousness of the ecological value of steppes and arid landscapes in general.

LANDSCAPE BIOACOUSTICS ALLOW DETECTION OF THE EFFECTS OF HABITAT PATCHINESS ON POPULATION STRUCTURE

Landscape structure may affect individual dispersal abilities, thus influencing the genotypic and phenotypic composition of populations. We analyzed the interplay among landscape, behavior, and evolutionary processes by correlating habitat patchiness to the variability in vocalizations of Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti, one of the most habitat-selective and rare European songbirds. We tape-recorded males throughout the species distribution in Spain, analyzed the spatial patterns of territorial call variation at different scales (individuals, populations, and broad geographic areas), and related acoustic variability to patterns of isolation by geographic distance and by landscape unsuitability (calculated by building a predictive model of habitat suitability). The differentiation of spectro-temporal call features resulted from both isolation by distance and isolation by landscape unsuitability mechanisms. Landscape connectivity was often a better determinant of call differentiation than simple straight-line distance between individuals, providing the first evidence that call transmission can be limited by the presence and distribution of patches of adequate habitat, which likely mediates bird dispersal. Landscape patchiness resulted in a reduction of acoustic diversity (repertoire size) within populations, and a parallel increase in differentiation among populations. Landscape bioacoustics can represent a promising tool for estimating population structure, although the study of animal communication cannot be viewed as an alternative, but a source of complementary information to genetics, given that it provides evidence of male-male transmission and social and cultural phenomena that are currently undetectable from molecular data.

Habitat fragmentation affects culture transmission: patterns of song matching in Dupont's lark

Summary Males of many bird species match song with neighbours during territorial interactions. Although bird vocal mimicry has received much attention, the relationships between song variation and ecological factors such as landscape geometry and habitat fragmentation are still poorly known, and most previous research has been limited to one or a few populations of a species. In this study we analysed the spatial patterns and ecological determinants of song matching in Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti, a rare and specialized steppe passerine. By recording bird songs from 21 Spanish and Moroccan localities, we analysed the effect of habitat fragmentation and the availability of suitable steppe habitat on the patterns of song matching in Dupont's lark, controlling for other potential determinants such as period in the breeding season, intensity of competition, geographical location and spatial distribution of individuals. Both song‐type sharing (match of song types in the repertoire) and spectrotemporal matching (convergence in the acoustic features of the same song type) were greater between counter‐singing neighbours than between non‐neighbours, and spatial autocorrelation (similarities between singing individuals) only occurred at short distances. The study localities differed in the amount of overall acoustic matching between individuals, seemingly as a consequence of local differences in the intensity of male competition and in the availability of suitable habitat. The levels of song‐type sharing between non‐neighbours tended to increase and those among neighbours to decrease with the increase of steppeland availability. Moreover, the existing differences in sharing between neighbours and non‐neighbours were significantly affected by the presence of elements of fragmentation in the steppe. In fragmented habitats, song sharing among neighbours was enhanced, possibly because of harsher competition for limited resources; conversely, sharing among non‐neighbours dropped, probably because of the lack of interactions among individuals isolated by habitat barriers. Synthesis and applications. Anthropogenic habitat barriers could alter bird perception of the spatial distribution of rivals over distance, leading to a contraction of the spatial range of the individual acoustic niche. We suggest that communication systems of habitat‐sensitive species might be used as a behavioural indicator of anthropogenic environmental deterioration. Because of their rapidly evolving cultural nature, bird vocalizations might become an early warning system detecting the effects of fragmentation over relatively short times and before other indicators (such as genetic markers) show any change.

Current status of the threatened Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti in Spain: overestimation, decline, and extinction of local populations

The European population of Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti, restricted to Spanish steppe, was estimated to be 13,000 pairs in c. 50 populations in 1988. There is, however, recent evidence that this number was overestimated because of the previous use of line transects for estimating population sizes. In 2002–2004 we surveyed 34 previously known local populations in patches of variable size across half of its Spanish distribution. We found 13 (38%) local populations to be extinct, and a total of only 283–339 territories in 17 of the extant populations, seven of which held &lt;5 territories. This census contrasts dramatically with the estimate of c. 3,000 pairs in the same populations in the 1980s. We estimate that the present Spanish population is c. 1,300 pairs. The discrepancy between this and earlier estimates is partly but not entirely due to previous overestimations. Habitat loss due to ploughing, and possibly habitat degradation and the resulting stochastic extinction of small and isolated populations, have contributed to the species' decline. Urgent research is needed to design and manage an adequate network of steppe patches that will ensure the long-term existence of this species. We recommend that Dupont's lark be categorized on the IUCN Red List as Endangered, both globally and nationally within Spain.