Unravelling migration connectivity reveals unsustainable hunting of the declining ortolan bunting

In France, illegal hunting of the endangered ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana has been defended for the sake of tradition and gastronomy. Hunters argued that ortolan buntings trapped in southwest France originate from large and stable populations across the whole of Europe. Yet, the European Commission referred France to the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) in December 2016 for infringements to legislation (IP/16/4213). To better assess the impact of hunting in France, we combined Pan-European data from archival light loggers, stable isotopes, and genetics to determine the migration strategy of the species across continents. Ortolan buntings migrating through France come from northern and western populations, which are small, fragmented and declining. Population viability modeling further revealed that harvesting in southwest France is far from sustainable and increases extinction risk. These results provide the sufficient scientific evidence for justifying the ban on ortolan harvesting in France.Peer reviewe

The effect of climate change on avian offspring production: A global meta-analysis

Climate change affects timing of reproduction in many bird species, but few studies have investigated its influence on annual reproductive output. Here, we assess changes in the annual production of young by female breeders in 201 populations of 104 bird species (N = 745,962 clutches) covering all continents between 1970 and 2019. Overall, average offspring production has declined in recent decades, but considerable differences were found among species and populations. A total of 56.7% of populations showed a declining trend in offspring production (significant in 17.4%), whereas 43.3% exhibited an increase (significant in 10.4%). The results show that climatic changes affect offspring production through compounded effects on ecological and life history traits of species. Migratory and larger-bodied species experienced reduced offspring production with increasing temperatures during the chick-rearing period, whereas smaller-bodied, sedentary species tended to produce more offspring. Likewise, multi-brooded species showed increased breeding success with increasing temperatures, whereas rising temperatures were unrelated to reproductive success in single-brooded species. Our study suggests that rapid declines in size of bird populations reported by many studies from different parts of the world are driven only to a small degree by changes in the production of young.This meta-analysis was financed by the grant of the Polish National Science Centre (Narodowe Centrum Nauki) (no. 2017/27/B/NZ8/00465) awarded to Lucyna Hałupka.Peer reviewe

The effect of climate change on avian offspring production: A global meta-analysis

Climate change affects timing of reproduction in many bird species, but few studies have investigated its influence on annual reproductive output. Here, we assess changes in the annual production of young by female breeders in 201 populations of 104 bird species (N = 745,962 clutches) covering all continents between 1970 and 2019. Overall, average offspring production has declined in recent decades, but considerable differences were found among species and populations. A total of 56.7% of populations showed a declining trend in offspring production (significant in 17.4%), whereas 43.3% exhibited an increase (significant in 10.4%). The results show that climatic changes affect offspring production through compounded effects on ecological and life history traits of species. Migratory and larger-bodied species experienced reduced offspring production with increasing temperatures during the chick-rearing period, whereas smaller-bodied, sedentary species tended to produce more offspring. Likewise, multi-brooded species showed increased breeding success with increasing temperatures, whereas rising temperatures were unrelated to repro- ductive success in single-brooded species. Our study suggests that rapid declines in size of bird populations reported by many studies from different parts of the world are driven only to a small degree by changes in the production of young

Timing, Diet and Parental Care in a Spotted Eagle Nest in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Belarus) in 2018 as Revealed by Camera Trap

This article presents the results of using a camera trap on a nest of the Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila [Clanga] clanga) in the Belarusian part of Chernobyl exclusion zone during the full breeding season of 2018 from the time of adult birds’ arrival to the nest until the juveniles’ departure. Data were obtained on: nest building activity; egg laying and incubation; participation of the male in incubation; time of hatching; kainism; the number of prey items and biomass; the diet of the nestling; the dynamics of parental care and negative impact of human disturbance; and fledgling period

Greater spotted eagles (Clanga clanga) pale morph “fulvescens” breeding during five consecutive years

The paper describes the observation in Belarus of an adult greater spotted eagle breeding female pale morph “fulvescens”, which retained the same light colour of plumage for five successive years. The data on the presence of pale morph adult birds in the collections of some zoo museums is also analysed

The bat fauna (Mammalia, Chiroptera) of Stary Zhaden Zakaznik, Southern Belarus

The results of bat research conducted in Stary Zhaden Zakaznik (area 170 km2, 51.9 N 27.6 E, central part of the Pripyat Polesia region, Southern Belarus) during 2015–2016 confirmed the occurrence of 12 species of bats (listed in descending order of occurrence): Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Nyctalus noctula, Vespertilio murinus, Plecotus auritus, Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis brandtii, Nyctalus lasiopterus, Pipistrellus nathusii, Nyctalus leisleri, Myotis nattereri, Eptesicus nilssonii, Myotis daubentonii. The breeding of five bat species in this region, such as B. barbastellus, M. brandthii, M. nattereri, E. nilssonii, and N. lasiopterus, is confirmed for the first time. Research results show the high significance of the Pripyat Polesia region in conservation of bats and biological diversity on both national and European scales

The northern hawk owl Surnia ulula invasions in Europe

The northern hawk owl is a real irruptive species that respond to irregular changes in the food supply. When prey levels are adequate, it breeds and winters within northern forests. Decreased prey availability can start winter invasions, the timing and magnitude of which are the subject of this study. Mainly the citizen data were extracted from the national bird websites to obtain data on the number of northern hawk owls observed in 2010–22. This paper demonstrates that through citizen data large amounts of information can be collected over wide areas, entire Europe in this case

Population Processes of Genetic Divergence in Palearctic Buzzards During the Late Pleistocene: Advance Report

Our study illustrates how complex population processes over the Late Pleistocene have shaped the patterns of genetic divergence in Palearctic buzzards, due to the effects of population expansions and contractions, with hybridization at contact zones leading to admixture, introgression and incomplete lineage sorting. Here we report in advance the study that is being currently ultimated for publication

The genetic structure of the European breeding populations of a declining farmland bird, the ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana), reveals conservation priorities

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