Motacilla Flava Research Articles

JENIS DAN PENYEBARAN BURUNG PADA KAWASAN BANDAR UDARA INTERNASIONAL SULTAN BABULLAH KOTA TERNATE

This research aims to determine the types and distribution of birds in the Sultan Babullah International Airport area, Ternate City. The research was conducted on January 9-20 2023. Data analysis used the IPA method (Index Pontualle de'Abondance). The research results showed that the types of birds found during the research were 9 species from 7 families. The movement patterns of birds that use grass habitats either in groups or solitary and often in the runway area cause bird strikes in the afternoon. The types of birds found were 235 birds from 2 observation routes with different levels of dominance. Line 1 is dominated by the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) 33.30%, Swamp Bondol (Lonchura malacca) 31.46%, Garden Fan (Rhipidura leucophrys) 12.34%, Fire Kite (Hirundo rustica) 7.30%, Buffalo Swallow (Motacilla flava) 4.92%, Maluku Swallow (Collocalia infuscata) 4.30%, Eurasian Sparrow (Passer montanus) 4.30%, Cow Swallow (Collocalia esculenta) 1.20% and Eagle (Accipitridae) 0.78%, with a total of 162 individuals. Lane 2 is dominated by Garden Fan (Rhipidura leucophrys) 28.37%, Rawa Bondol (Lonchura flava) 25.68%, Maluku Swallow (Collocalia infuscata) 16.22%, Fire Kite (Hirundo rustica) 13.53%, Eurasian Sparrow (Passer montanus) 9.46%, Buffalo Songbird (Motacilla flava) 6.75%. Eagle and Cow Swallow 0% because they were not found on the second observation route, with a total of 74 birds.

Heterogeneric Diversity and Richness of Avifauna in a Degraded Landscape of Arial Beel in Bangladesh

Bird diversity and richness reflect the habitat quality of ecosystems. The species composition, diversity, and richness of birds were studied at Shologhar Union, a degraded landscape of Arial Beel, from March 2016 to February 2017, using line transect and point count methods. A total of 75 species of birds belonging to 14 orders and 35 families were recorded; most of them were residents (83%). Non-passerine birds were predominant (40 species, 53% of total species), with 18 families and 38 genera. Only one near-threatened species (Yellow Wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus) was recorded. Among resident birds, Baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus) was dominant, and the Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) was predominant among migratory birds. Most species were terrestrial (51 spp., 68% of total birds), contributing only 23% of the population. The individual rarefaction revealed the highest species richness in March and the lowest in May and June. The highest population was recorded in winter (38%), and insectivore species (40%) were the highest. No significant seasonal variation occurred in the richness of birds (Kruskal-Wallis test: K = 0.05 df = 2, p = 0.971) and in different feeding guilds (Kruskal-Wallis test: K = 0.86, df = 5, p = 0.65). Ardeidae and Sturnidae represented the highest diversified families (6 species in each, RDi = 8), and Baya Weaver contributed the highest (26%) population. The presence of different species of birds suggests that this site could provide a suitable habitat for wild birds, and restoration management of this part of Arial Beel should require conserving the habitat of avifauna. Jagannath University Journal of Life and Earth Sciences, 9(1): 19-44, 2023 (June)

Factors shaping insectivorous farmland bird abundance in intensively cultivated arable fields: Insights through the former Iron Curtain

The decline of farmland bird populations is a well-documented phenomenon that has primarily been attributed to agricultural intensification. However, the specific mechanisms that make intensively used farmland unsuitable for breeding birds have not yet been satisfactorily elucidated, particularly for insectivorous ground-nesting species. To bridge this knowledge gap, we studied the breeding abundance, invertebrate food supply and habitat characteristics of the Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) in arable fields in the lowlands of south-western Slovakia. This region is characterized by the largest field sizes in the European Union, with conditions that are typical for high-intensity farmland areas in parts of Central and Eastern Europe where farmland underwent collectivization. Since Central and Eastern European farmland is considered one of the strongholds of the Yellow Wagtail in Europe, we tested the capacity of winter wheat, rapeseed and maize to support its local population. The Yellow Wagtail abundance was best predicted by habitat characteristics: birds chose fields without woody plants in their surroundings and with suitable crop height and coverage, while the effect of invertebrate food supply was insignificant. Focussing on individual crops, we found that the birds did not prefer the maize and rapeseed fields despite these having a richer food supply, likely because these crops had an unsuitable vegetation structure. The low overall abundance of the studied species indicates that farmland consisting of large fields creates unsuitable conditions for breeding. Therefore, agricultural policy instruments leading to a reduction of field size or the creation of herbaceous field edges should be supported.

Effects of Dutch agri-environmental field margins and bird plots on cropland birds

Agri-environmental measures (AEMs) are the main instrument of the Common Agricultural Policy to protect farmland biodiversity, but their effectiveness is questioned. In the Netherlands, AEMs have been implemented by farmers’ collectives since 2016, with the goal to improve the spatial targeting and coordination of measures, and thereby increase their effectiveness. The objective of this paper is to assess the effects of two AEMs, bird plots and field margins, on the abundance of seven cropland bird species targeted by the Dutch agri-environmental policy, and on their total abundance and species richness. The study was carried out in four farmers’ collectives in the provinces of Groningen, Drenthe and Flevoland in the Netherlands. We assessed how bird abundance and species richness measured on AEM plots and control plots were related to management and landscape factors. Furthermore, we assessed whether bird abundance and species richness measured on AEM plots were related to the spatial concentration of other AEM plots in landscapes surrounding AEM plots. With regard to plot management, we found a significant positive effect of field margins on skylarks, yellowhammers, common linnets, common kestrels, total bird abundance and species richness. Bird plots had a significant positive effect on skylarks and total bird abundance. However, western yellow wagtails, northern lapwings and Eurasian oystercatchers did not benefit from the two studied measures, likely because the vegetation in the bird plots and field margins is too high and dense for these species. Landscape factors, such as landscape openness, had contrasting effects on the analysed species, due to their different habitat requirements. Hence, there are no optimal landscapes for all target species, which underlines the need for a fine scale spatial targeting of measures based on species habitat requirements. Furthermore, the spatial concentration of other AEM plots in the landscape surrounding AEM plots had a significant effect for only two species (yellowhammer and western yellow wagtail), and this effect was negative. Thus, our results suggest that - for the studied species and landscapes - the type of measures and landscape in which they are taken are more important than their spatial concentration.

ВЫСОТКА МГУ КАК МОДЕЛЬНЫЙ ОБЪЕКТ ИЗУЧЕНИЯ ОРНИТОФАУНЫ КРЫШ

It is proposed to use the 24th floor balcony (135-140 m from the ground) of the Main Building of Moscow State University as a model object for studying the roof avifauna of urban buildings. 5 bird species (~10% of all birds nesting in the vicinity of Moscow State University) were recorded there during their nesting period in 2021-22. These were Columba livia, Motacilla alba, and Phoenicurus ochruros. Falco peregrinus and occasionally Corvus corax nested above the 24th floor balcony. Erithacus rubecula and Motacilla flava periodically and occasionally fly onto the balcony during the warm season, and Parus major does it in winter. Caprimulgus europaeus was seen on the balcony during its autumn migration. Thus, there is a peculiar roof avifauna in multi-storey urban buildings, which is proposed to be included in ground counts of bird species.

Многолетняя динамика фауны и населения птиц аэропорта Челябинск (Баландино)

Over 30-year study period (1990–2021), 144 bird species, including 54 nesting species, were registered on the territory of the Chelyabinsk International Airport Balandino. Total bird population density varied from 147 ind./km² in 1990 to 215 ind./km² in 2020. In different years, dominant species in this area were Alauda arvensis, Motacilla flava, Saxicola rubetra, S. torquata, and Passer montana. In the first years of research, a significant decrease in the number of the most widespread species (Corvus frugilegus, C. monedula, Columba livia, Larus barabensis, L. canus, and L. ridibundus), crossing the airfield during seasonal and diurnal (forage) migrations, was revealed. This was caused both by decrease of population of some species (C. frugilegus) in the European and Ural-Siberian parts of their range, and by the deterioration of the state of forage lands on the airport territory after the elimination of solid waste landfills and a decrease of farmland areas nearby.

Hybridization as a result of spatial and reproductive interactions between species within the group of ‘yellow’ wagtails (Aves, Motacillidae) in areas of sympatry

The area of overlapping ranges, contact and relationships of two closely related species—the western yellow wagtail Motacilla flava Linnaeus, 1758 and the yellow-headed wagtail Motacilla lutea (Gmelin, 1774)—in the Volga region are the subject of the present study. At present, under conditions of wide sympatry, there is spatial and reproductive interaction between these closely related species—the western yellow and yellow-headed wagtails. Crossbreeding of species of ‘yellow’ wagtails gives a light-headed form of hybrids, which is a marker of the hybrid zone in the Volga region. As a result of the study of the interaction between M. flava and M. lutea in their contact zone in overlapping areas of species ranges, the following was revealed. The concept of a system of traits of the light-headed hybrid form (M. f. beema × M. lutea), marking the hybridization zone of the model species M. flava and M. lutea, is postulated. The population characteristics of this system have been determined and the possibility of their use in population and evolutionary studies of a group of species of ‘yellow’ wagtails has been shown. As a result of the spatial and reproductive interaction of species in populations, the light-headed hybrid form (M. f. beema × M. lutea) is formed, which integrates the characters of the two original species and has its own, peculiar traits, which can mark the boundaries between the western (left-bank) and eastern (right-bank) groups of populations and the boundaries of their distribution. On the basis of this, differences are formed and divergence of these groups of populations occurs, which may reflect the processes of sympatric speciation. The revealed tendencies in the variability of groups of characters in the space of the ranges of model species have a clinal character and may indicate the directions of microevolution of species. The identified hybrid zones within the boundaries of species ranges have a central position. The results of spatio-temporal divergence are M. flava, M. lutea, and their hybrid light-headed form M. f. beema × M. lutea, which may later become an independent species. In the contact zone of M. flava and M. lutea, there is an unlimited hybridization of these species.

Composition of nests constructed by species in the Motacillidae, Sylviidae and Prunellidae

Bird nests can be complex bio-engineered structures constructed from a range of materials to provide a site for incubation, and in many species chick rearing. Reports of the materials used in nest walls and cup linings are typically qualitative and do not assist in understanding the functional properties of the structure as a whole. This paper provides size and composition data for nests from four species of the Motacillidae family: the meadow pipit ( Anthus pratensis), pied wagtail ( Motacilla alba), grey wagtail ( Motacilla cinerea), and the yellow wagtail ( Motacilla flava), three species of the Sylviidae family: willow warbler ( Phylloscopus trochilus), Eurasian reed warbler ( Acrocephalus scirpaceus) and Eurasian blackcap ( Sylvia atricapilla), and the dunnock ( Prunella modularis) of the Prunellidae family. Three hypotheses were tested: do nest dimensions correlate with body mass? Is it possible to distinguish among species based on their nest composition; and for individual species? Is it possible to distinguish between the cup lining and outer nest wall based on the materials used in construction? Nest composition and size varied among species although the degree of intra-specific variation was different. Size of a nest was unrelated to average female adult body mass. Composition relied on similar types of materials but in differing quantities between species. It was possible to distinguish among species in terms of nest construction, and between the cup lining and the outer nest, on the basis of at least one of the component materials. By providing quantitative data on composition, it may be possible in the future to understand better the structural, insulative and hydrological properties of the nest. Such information will be invaluable as we begin to develop an understanding of the factors that have driven evolution of nest architecture.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis and Western Yellow Wagtail M. flava in Sri Lanka with comments on their status in South Asia

Yellow wagtails Motacilla sp. observed in Sri Lanka in November 2019 had the ‘rasping’ voice characteristic of Eastern Yellow Wagtail M. tschutschensis. DNA confirmed two individuals as M. t. tschutschensis / plexa, whilst plumage characters suggested one was M. t. plexa and the other M. t. tschutschensis, the first records of the species in Sri Lanka. Field observations in Colombo, during November 2019–January 2020 yielded 106 yellow wagtail records. Vocalisations of 57 were recorded; all had ‘rasping’ calls, and none had vocal or plumage features diagnostic of Western Yellow Wagtail M. flava. A review of material in Colombo and Tring museums yielded no specimens of Eastern Yellow Wagtail from Sri Lanka, and the species’ status in South Asia is unclear. Seventy-one photographic records of yellow wagtails in Sri Lanka from varied sources revealed seven records of M. f. lutea based on plumage characters. The rest could not be assigned to either Eastern Yellow or Western Yellow Wagtails. Eastern Yellow Wagtail is probably a common winter visitor to Sri Lanka and presumably also numerous on passage further north in South Asia. Birds in this region not identified to species using at least voice should be recorded as the species pair. Further research is required to clarify any previous specimen records of Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Sri Lanka, the status of the subspecies, the migratory routes involved, and the status of both species across South Asia.

Does the expansion of the species' breeding range also involve the establishment of new migratory routes and new wintering ranges? The case of the citrine wagtail <em>Motacilla citreola</em> (Pallas, 1776)

From the second half of the 20th century, some Asian or Eastern European species expanded their breeding range westward. These include red-flanked bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, black-headed bunting Emberiza melanocephala, common rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus, and citrine wagtail Motacilla citreola. All of these species are long-range migratory species that historically have their own wintering ranges concentrated in Southern Asia. Although migratory behavior is mainly controlled by genetic factors, there is evidence of a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. Therefore, in the event of specific environmental changes, the genetic basis for a rapid and diverse micro-evolutionary development that affects the future migration patterns of birds is already in place. Possible adaptations also include changes to migratory directions and the choice of new and closer winter quarters. It is therefore prudent to ask whether the long-range migratory species that have expanded their breeding range westward in Europe have also established new migration routes and wintering ranges. This research shows that over the last few decades, the wintering area of Motacilla citreola has expanded westwards, including significantly the Middle East and, to a lesser extent, Africa and Europe. Especially in the activation of the most western routes, a fundamental role was played by the phenomenon of post-fledging dispersal, manifested by young who, as also observed in other Asian passerines (e.g., Pallas's warbler Phylloscopus proregulus, yellow-browed warbler Phylloscopus inornatus, pine bunting Emberiza leucocephalos), in autumn moved in different directions than the typical migratory route of their species. The Middle East and the neighboring Horn of Africa are progressively increasing in relevance as an additional area for the wintering of the species as a whole. Similarly, if in Europe the expansion of the breeding range towards the west continues in the future, West Africa, reached through Gibraltar, could become important as additional wintering ranges. In analogy with what is being observed for the western yellow wagtail Motacilla flava, Europe itself is also becoming part of the wintering range of the species. In fact, there is an increase in cases of wintering not only in the south of the continent, but there is also a progression towards the north.

Taxonomic status of grey-headed Yellow Wagtails breeding in western China

BackgroundField studies from 2011 onwards have demonstrated the presence of a breeding population of Yellow Wagtails (Motacilla flava) in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China that is phenotypically distinct from known subspecies occurring in Asia. Here we describe the plumages and vocalisations of this population and discuss its taxonomic status.MethodsThe analysis of plumage is based on field studies and photos available online. Recordings of vocalisations are compared with recordings from other Yellow Wagtail populations, and differences are analysed based on sonograms. Mitochondrial DNA from one individual is compared to other Yellow Wagtail taxa.ResultsUnlike M. flava subspecies breeding in or near Xinjiang, males in the studied population show a blue-grey head without prominent white supercilium, being most similar to the widely disjunct M. f. cinereocapilla. They differ from the similarly widely allopatric M. f. thunbergi, which might occur as a migrant or vagrant in Xinjiang, by on average cleaner yellow breast and more extensive white on the throat, and from the widely disjunct M. f. plexa and M. f. macronyx, which might also occur on migration in that area, by softer contact calls and slower pace of song. Females are similar to female M. f. feldegg in plumage. The mitochondrial ND2 tree shows the single sample from Xinjiang to be nested in the clade of western Yellow Wagtail taxa.ConclusionWe discuss whether the Xinjiang breeding population could represent an intergrade between subspecies breeding nearby, or whether it is better regarded as a separate as yet unrecognized subspecies. We argue that the localization of its apparent range in relation to other subspecies along with fairly consistent male and female plumages suggest that it is more likely to represent an undescribed taxon, but conclude that more research is needed to firmly establish its status.

The impact of feral domestic cats on native bird populations. Predictive modelling approach on a country scale

Ecological interactions between native species are often disturbed by invasive species. However, to understand their impact on wild native animal populations on a country scale it is necessary to develop a predictive model. Therefore, I followed the species density distribution modelling approach to explore how feral domestic cats (Felis catus) along with environmental predictors determined densities of two bird species, the Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) and the Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) on the whole area of Poland. As a modelling method, I used the Generalised Additive Model to develop two models for each of the two bird species: The first with the feral cat density as an additional predictor, and the second without it. As a result, I demonstrated the negative impact of cat density on native bird populations, illustrated by reduced density of the two studied species in their preferred habitats, in which cats reached a high density. Although it cannot be explicitly asserted that cats lead to a local extinction of the two bird species, these predators should not be underestimated. In many locations feral populations are fed with new individuals, and they do not follow the same internal mechanisms regulating their population as the native bird fauna. Thus, on a large spatial scale species density distribution models of birds should include cats’ population size as an additional predictor when this predator's environmental preferences overlap with preferences of the studied target groups.

To the study of the nesting cycle of yellow wagtail within the Steppe Research Station “Orenburg Tarpania”

Peculiarities of the nesting cycle of Motacilla flava beema Sykes, 1832 (Passeriformes, Motacillidae) within Steppe Research Station “Orenburg Tarpania” are considered in conditions of protected, fallow and pasturable lands in Orenburg region. The role of mutually-useful relations between yellow wagtails and ungulate mammals in steppe communities is underlined. According to preliminary results, we can suppose that the state of the population of model species of yellow wagtail depends on the presence and density of ungulate mammals in the nesting plot. The development of new habitats by M. f. beema is connected with the movement to the south-west of principal vegetation communities and food items of several species of yellow wagtails that, in its turn, are conditioned by climate aridization in the steppe and forest-steppe within Russia and adjacent countries.

A counterfactual approach to measure the impact of wet grassland conservation on U.K. breeding bird populations

AbstractWet grassland populations of wading birds in the United Kingdom have declined severely since 1990. To help mitigate these declines, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has restored and managed lowland wet grassland nature reserves to benefit these and other species. However, the impact of these reserves on bird population trends has not been evaluated experimentally due to a lack of control populations. We compared population trends from 1994 to 2018 among 5 bird species of conservation concern that breed on these nature reserves with counterfactual trends created from matched breeding bird survey observations. We compared reserve trends with 3 different counterfactuals based on different scenarios of how reserve populations could have developed in the absence of conservation. Effects of conservation interventions were positive for all 4 targeted wading bird species: Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Redshank (Tringa totanus), Curlew (Numenius arquata), and Snipe (Gallinago gallinago). There was no positive effect of conservation interventions on reserves for the passerine, Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava). Our approach using monitoring data to produce valid counterfactual controls is a broadly applicable method allowing large‐scale evaluation of conservation impact.

Ecological and genetic characteristics of «yellow» wagtail hybrids

The paper examines ecological and genetic characteristics of hybrids of yellow wagtails: yellow white-eared wagtail Motacilla flava beema and yellow-fronted wagtail Motacilla lutea. At present, in the zone of contact between closely related forms of yellow wagtails, a system of their spatial and reproductive interaction with each other has been formed under conditions of wide sympatry. This interaction is manifested in the existence and maintenance in the population samples of three components of their genetic system: the genotypes M. flava, M. lutea, and the light-headed hybrid form M. f. beema M. lutea. The new data obtained significantly supplement the understanding of the intraspecific interaction of three forms: M. flava, M. lutea, and the light-headed hybrid form M. f. beema M. lutea. Light-headed hybrids M. f. beema M. lutea have their own specific stable characters at different levels: morphological, behavioral, and molecular genetic as confirmation of the genetic interaction existing in natural populations between the two species, which is an interspecies mechanism for maintaining their structure. In the zone of contact between M. flava and M. lutea, unlimited hybridization of these species occurs and mixed pairs are formed. In this case, the isolation of light-headed hybrid forms with a characteristic manifestation of various groups of characters: morphological the color of the plumage of the head; genetic distinguishing light-headed hybrids from the original species (M. flava and M. lutea). This phenomenon can act as a mechanism for maintaining the integrity of the species of yellow wagtails both the yellow wagtail M. flava and the yellow-fronted wagtail M. lutea due to the constantly occurring interspecific hybridization in areas of wide sympatry within a single polytypic complex.

The White-headed yellow wagtail <em>Motacilla flava leucocephala</em> (Przewalski, 1887): migration, movements, and breeding and wintering ranges

The subspecies leucocephala of the western yellow wagtail Motacilla flava is endemic to the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion (Central Asia). The occurrence of leucocephala is associated with saline water bodies and solonchak habitats. Its distribution, especially outside the breeding season, is still uncertain. The aim of this work is to better define the breeding range, migratory movements, and the wintering range of this subspecies and provide guidance to distinguish whiteheaded intraspecific hybrids from the true leucocephala subspecies. The reproductive range of leucocephala is concentrated near lakes and wetlands in the Great Lakes Depression (north-west Mongolia) and in the flat southern part of the Tuva Republic (Russian Federation). The small population uses two separate areas for wintering: the eastern equatorial Africa reached through the Great Rift Valley Flyway and the Indian subcontinent reached along a route that bypasses the great belt of mountains and plateaus of central Asia to the west.

Орнітофауна лучних екосистем у прикордонних районах Львівщини та Волині

Meadow ecosystems comprise a significant part of the area of Ukraine, especially in its western regions. Those ecosystems are subjects of concern today because of the active agricultural use and droughts that also threatens the animal population of meadows, including birds. Studies of meadow bird species of western Ukraine are limited to atlases, which results in a lack of precise data. This work was part of an international project on the conservation of the great snipe Gallinago media and allowed us to collect valuable data on the abundance and occurrence of meadow bird species nearby to the Polish and Belarusian borders of Ukraine — territories that are commonly ignored by Ukrainian researchers. The surveys of meadow birds conducted near the Ukrainian-Polish border in 2020 have shown that the general state of the marshes is worse compared to 2019: even close to the Western Bug river, only deep oxbow lakes were wet or contained some water, but minor lakes and wetlands of the valley were found to be dry. In total, we observed 141 bird species belonging to 17 orders. Among them, 26 were common by abundance and frequency, such as the great egret Ardea alba, the white stork Ciconia ciconia, the common quail Coturnix coturnix, the corn crake Crex crex, the northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus, the common redshank Tringa totanus, the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, the Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensis, the meadow pipit Anthus pratensis, the western yellow wagtail Motacilla flava, the sedge warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, the marsh warbler A. palustris, the great reed warbler A. arundinaceus, the common whitethroat Sylvia communis, the whinchat Saxicola rubetra, the thrush nightingale Luscinia luscinia, the common linnet Linaria cannabina, the corn bunting Emberiza calandra, the common reed bunting E. schoeniclus, and 7 more species, which were observed frequently though are not typical marshland species. We have identified the species that can be used as indicators of parameters of marsh ecosystems such as grass height (corn crake, western yellow wagtail, and sedge warbler), moisture (common redshank, common cuckoo, and the sedge and great reed warblers), and habitat type (corn crake, European bee-eater Merops apiaster, sedge warbler, common reed, and corn buntings).

The Gmelin’s wagtail <em>Motacilla lutea</em>: breeding range, migratory movements and wintering range

The breeding range, the migratory movements, and the wintering range of the yellow-headed wagtail, called Parus luteus from Samuel Gottlieb Gmelin (now Motacilla flava lutea, or Motacilla lutea for some authors), has always been described in very general terms. Some authors pointed out that a modern and detailed map with the real distribution of the lutea is lacking, especially for evaluating the overlap of breeding ranges with other subspecies of Motacilla flava. The purpose of this study is to fill this gap in information by drawing up an updated map of the breeding range, as well as the wintering range and the migratory movements followed by this wagtail. These same aspects are also considered in perspective terms from 1851 to 2018 in order to assess any changes that have occurred over time. This study is based on data obtained from the consultation of 672 bibliographic sources, 40 travel reports, databases (including 6 relating to museum collections), and some websites. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the breeding range of the lutea is located within the area of the Eurasian steppe and forest-steppe with the greatest abundance occurring in two areas in European Russia: the southern one in the floodplain of the Volga River and the northern one in the floodplain of the Kama River. Similarly to what is happening for the subspecies cinereocapilla and feldegg, from the end of the 20th century the lutea is extending its breeding range west and north. The advancement of the lutea to the western and northern regions of the European portion of Russia became possible due to the westward and northern advancement of key plant communities and food supply facilities of this bird. The lutea mainly uses two migratory routes: the Great Rift Valley Flyway and the Central Asian Flyway. The first is used by birds that nest in European Russia and western Kazakhstan to reach Africa, while the second is probably only used by the minority portion of the population that is present in the central and eastern part of Kazakhstan and in the Asian portion of Russia to reach India and Sri Lanka. Starting from the 21st century, the passage of birds towards north of the Black Sea seems to intensify. East Africa is the main wintering area of the lutea, but starting from the last decades of the 20th century, a small part of the birds traveling towards Africa interrupt their migratory journey and wintering in the Arabian Peninsula.

Wintering range of western yellow wagtail <em>Motacilla flava</em> in Africa and Europe in a historical perspective

Over the past few centuries, some subspecies of the western yellow wagtail Motacilla flava have shown changes in their reproductive ranges. The aim of this research is to verify if changes have occurred also in the wintering range of the species in Africa and Europe from 1848 to 2017. The data, collected through the consultation of over 840 bibliographic sources, 184 travel reports, 38 databases (including 25 relating to museum collections) and some website, shows an expansion of the wintering range to the north. The analysis is also extended to the single subspecies (flava, iberiae, cinereocapilla, flavissima, thunbergi, pygmaea, feldegg, beema, lutea, leucocephala). The factors that can affect the conservation of the species during wintering are examined and the oversummering range of Motacilla flava in sub-Saharan Africa is also discussed.

Declining peatland bird numbers are not consistent with the increasing Common Crane population

The Common Crane (Grus grus) population has experienced an unprecedented increase across Europe during the last decades. Although cranes feed mostly on invertebrates, amphibians and berries during the breeding season, they can also eat eggs and young of other birds. Therefore, conservationists have raised concerns about the potential predatory effect of cranes on wetland avifauna, but the effects of crane predation on bird numbers have so far not been investigated. We here test the relationship between the crane and peatland bird population’ abundances in Finland for five common wader and passerine species, and a set of seven less common waders, using line-transect data spanning from 1987 to 2014. We found that the population densities of two small passerines (Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis and Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava) and one wader species (Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola) were positively associated with crane numbers, probably related to a protective effect against nest predators. For the two other common species and the set of less common waders, we did not find any significant relationships with crane abundance. None of the species was influenced by the (lagged) effect of crane presence (i.e. years since crane was first observed). Peatland drainage was responsible for most species’ negative densities, indicating the need to protect and restore peatlands to mitigate the loss of peatland bird diversity in Finland. In addition, openness, wetness and area size were important peatland characteristics positively influencing most of the studied bird populations. The development in crane and other mire bird numbers in Europe should be monitored regularly to reveal any possible future predatory effects contributing to the shaping of the peatland bird community.