The role of cultivated versus wild seeds in the diet of European turtle doves (Streptopelia turtur) across European breeding and African wintering grounds

Agricultural intensification is a major driver in species declines, with changes in land use resulting in widespread alteration of resource availability. An increase in anthropogenic food resources, alongside decreasing natural resources, has resulted in species undergoing dietary changes that can have important ecological consequences, particularly for declining species. Here we use high-throughput sequencing to analyze the diet of the migrant European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur), a species that has experienced significant population decline throughout its European range. We analyze the diet of this species on both breeding and wintering grounds to gain an understanding of resource use throughout the annual cycle and compare areas of more and less intensive agriculture in western and eastern Europe, respectively. We examine associations with body condition, spatiotemporal variation and the source of food (wild or cultivated). We identified 121 taxonomic units in the diet, with significant variation across sampling seasons, and very little overlap between the breeding and wintering seasons, as well as high levels of cultivated food resources in the diet of turtle doves in both breeding and wintering grounds, with the highest proportion of wild seeds in the diet occurring in birds caught in Hungary, where agricultural intensity was lowest. We detected no association between body condition and the consumption of cultivated food resources. We demonstrate the importance of wild resources in birds on the wintering grounds as they approach migration, where body condition increased as the season progressed, concurrent with an increased consumption of wild seeds. These findings indicate the importance of habitats rich in wild seeds and the need to consider food availability on the wintering grounds, as well as the breeding grounds in turtle dove conservation strategies

Nesting success and productivity of a declining European turtle dove ( Streptopelia turtur ) population in western France

The European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur is a trans‐Saharan migratory species that has been declining for decades. This study reports nesting habitat, nest‐site characteristics, nesting success (38.6%) and productivity (2.40 young per pair per season) of European Turtle Doves radiotracked in a deciduous forest of western France. A matrix population model based on our results suggests that the average productivity reported would need to be increased by about 0.18 additional young per pair to achieve a population growth rate equal to one. However, elasticity analysis suggests that increasing adult survival would have the highest impact on population growth compared with increased productivity or first‐year survival

Enquete nationale sur les tableaux dechasse à tir en France, saison 1998-1999: Le Pigeon Ramier (Columba palumbus)

En Francia, 5.169.000 (+ 75.000) palomas torcaces fueron capturadas en 1998-99. Con 18,4 % del número total de piezas de caza matadas, la Paloma Torcaz es pues la especie más cazada en nuestro territorio en 1998-99. La mitad de las capturas se realizan en octubre-noviembre, y la mayor parte se efectúan en la mitad Oeste del país, ya que Aquitania acapara 14 % del total nacional. 40 % de los cazadores, la mayoría no especializados, han cazado por lo menos una paloma durante la temporada. Los resultados de esta encuesta están descritos a escala regional y comparados a los de la encuesta realizada en 1983-84. La evolución de las capturas en las diferentes regiones está igualmente discutida a la luz de los conocimientos más recientes sobre la dinámica de las diferentes poblaciones de paloma torcaz que frecuentan el territorio nacional.Frantzian, 5.169.000 (±75.000) pagauso hartu dira 1998-99an. Hildako ehiza xehearen piezetarik % 18,4 izanik, pagausoa gure lurraldean gehien atzemaniko espeziea da. Urria-azaroan harrapatu dira piezen erdia, gehiena gure herrialdearen Mendebaldeko erdian, Akitaniak nazio mailako piezetarik % 14 bildu duela. Ehiztarietarik % 40k, ez espezializatuak gehienak, gutxienez uso bat atzeman dute. Inkesta horren emaitzak eskualde mailan deskribatzen dira, eta 1983-84an egindako inkestak emandakoekin konparatzen dira. Eskualde bakoitzean ehizaturiko piezen kopuruaz ere mintzatzen da, nazio-lurraldea bisitatzen duten pagauso populazioen dinamikari buruzko ezagupen berrienen argitan.En France, 5.169.000 (±75.000) pigeons ramiers ont été prélevés en 1998-99. Avec 18,4 % du nombre total de pièces de petit gibier tuées, le pigeon ramier est donc l'espèce la plus prélevée sur notre sol en 1998-99. La moitié du tableau est réalisé en octobre-novembre, et l'essentiel du tableau est effectué dans la moitié Ouest du pays, l'Aquitaine prélevant à elle-seule 14 % du tableau national. 40 % des chasseurs, la plupart non spécialisés, ont prélevé au moins un pigeon dans la saison. Les résultats de cette enquête sont décrits à l'échelle régionale et comparés à ceux de l'enquête réalisée en 1983-84. L'évolution des prélèvements dans les différentes régions est également discutée à la lumière des connaissances les plus récentes sur la dynamique des différentes populations de pigeons ramiers fréquentat le territoire national.In France, 5.169.000 (+ 75.000) wood pigeons were captured in 1998-99. With 18,4 % of the total hunting bag, the Wood Pigeon became the most hunted species in our territory in 1998-99. Half of the catches were carried out in October - November, and most of them took place in the Western half of the country since the Aquitaine accounts for 14 % of the national total. 40 % of the hunters, most of whom were non-specialised, hunted at least one pigeon during the season. The results of this survey are described at a regional scale and then compared to those of the survey carried out in 1983-84. The evolution of the bag in the different regions is also discussed in view of the most recent knowledge on the dynamics of the various populations of wood pigeons that visit the national territory

Sex-ratio of Skylark Alauda arvensis broods in relation to timing of breeding.

4 pagesInternational audienceCapsule Earlier broods tend to be more male biased than later broods

Parental care in frigatebirds : a comparison between two sympatric species

The participation of both sexes to parental care have been studied in two different frigatebird species : the Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor), exhibiting a clear sexual size dimorphism, and the Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel), with little sexual size dimorphism. Our results show that Great Frigatebirds perform an unequal division of labour during the chick rearing period : males desert the nest around three months after hatching and females undertake alone the long remaining chick rearing period. On the other hand, male and female Lesser Frigatebirds share equally parental duties until the chick is able to fly. These results are discussed in the light of explicative hypotheses of Reversed Sexual Size Dimorphism.La participation des deux sexes aux soins parentaux a été étudiée chez deux espèces de frégates : la Frégate du Pacifique (Fregata minor), présentant un dimorphisme sexuel de taille marqué, et la Frégate ariel (Fregata ariel), présentant un dimorphisme sexuel de taille plus faible. Nos résultats montrent que, chez la Frégate du Pacifique, une participation différentielle des deux sexes aux soins parentaux existe : les mâles désertent le nid trois mois environ après l’éclosion et les femelles prennent en charge, seules, la longue phase d’élevage restante. Au contraire, chez la Frégate ariel, mâles et femelles semblent participer de façon équitable à l’élevage du petit au moins jusqu’à son envol. Ces résultats sont discutés dans le contexte des hypothèses explicatives du dimorphisme sexuel inversé de taille.Lagarde Frédéric, Lormée Hervé, Le Corre Matthieu. Parental care in frigatebirds : a comparison between two sympatric species. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 59, n°3, 2004. pp. 465-474

Population survez of Leach's storm-petrels breeding at Grand Colombier island, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon archipelago

International audienceThe St Pierre and Miquelon Archipelago hosts the only French Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) colony. We conducted a survey during the 2008 breeding season to estimate the breeding population size on Grand Colombier Island. This survey included an estimation of burrow detection probability using a double-observer approach. We estimated that 3% of Leach's Storm-Petrels nests had failed before we started the survey. Nest occupancy probability was neither affected by slope nor vegetation type and was 0.546 6 0.029. Burrow density was positively affected by slope and, consequently, was much lower on the plateau than on island slopes. Burrow detection probability was neither affected by observer nor by habitat and was 0.89 6 0.01. We estimated the population to be 363,787 [95% CI 5 295,502-432,072] breeding pairs, which is among the largest Leach's Storm-Petrel colonies in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean

El impacto de la caza sobre la tórtola europea: qué indican los datos

Resumen del trabajo presentado al XXIV Congreso Español y VII Ibérico de Ornitología, celebrado en Cadiz del 13 al 17 de noviembre de 2019.Peer reviewe

Seasonal Variation in the Home Ranges of Black Curassow, Crax alector , in French Guiana

Cracidae is the most threatened avian family in the Neotropics, mainly because of habitat destruction, heavy hunting pressure and poaching. In French Guiana, Black Curassows are heavily hunted, although basic knowledge of the ecological and demographical traits of the species remains limited. Such a gap prevents any attempt to assess the impact of hunting and to help stakeholders to develop proposals ensuring hunting sustainability. The spatial relationship between animals and their habitat is important for conservation management, being related to population densities through complex patterns. Here, we report on a radio-tracking study of Black Curassows in tropical primary rainforest, in Nouragues National Reserve, French Guiana. The aims of the study were to estimate home range size and its variation across seasons, and to quantify movement patterns of the birds. We captured and fitted VHF tags to four adults, and tracked them for 10 to 21.5 months. Daily movements were recorded, and home ranges estimated using the Kernel Density method, for two consecutive wet seasons and one dry season. Using 95% and 50% Kernel densities, the average annual home range and core area were 96.3± 32.6 ha (SE) and 22.8 ± 2.8 ha respectively. Home ranges appeared spatially stable over the two years, and overlapped between neighbouring groups. During the dry season, Black Curassows did not migrate but tended to enlarge their home range, with greater daily movements and higher home range overlap. Although additional data are still needed, our results can help to improve the knowledge and management of this poorly studied species