10 research outputs found
Regional variation in the composition and structure of mixed-species bird flocks in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
Get PDFMixed-species bird flocks are attractive models for the
investigation of geographical variation in animal communities,
as they represent a subset of the avifauna in
most forested regions of the world. Yet studies of the
regional variation in flock size and the composition of
flocks are few, due to the predominance of studies
carried out at single study site. Here, we review nine
studies of mixed-species flocks conducted at 16 sites
along the Western Ghats in India and in Sri Lanka.
We find that flock size varies as much within this
region as it does globally, with observation time being
a confounding variable. Flock composition, however,
is predictably related to elevation. Flocks at high elevations
(>1200 m) in the Western Ghats strongly resemble
flocks at high elevations in the mountain
ranges of Sri Lanka in their composition, especially at
the family level. We compare these flocks to flocks of
other regions and make recommendations on study
methodology that can facilitate comparisons across
studies
Regional variation in the composition and structure of mixed-species bird flocks in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
Get PDFMixed-species bird flocks are attractive models for the investigation of geographical variation in animal communities, as they represent a subset of the avifauna in most forested regions of the world. Yet studies of the regional variation in flock size and the composition of flocks are few, due to the predominance of studies carried out at single study site. Here, we review nine studies of mixed-species flocks conducted at 16 sites along the Western Ghats in India and in Sri Lanka. We find that flock size varies as much within this region as it does globally, with observation time being a confounding variable. Flock composition, however, is predictably related to elevation. Flocks at high elevations (>1200 m) in the Western Ghats strongly resemble flocks at high elevations in the mountain ranges of Sri Lanka in their composition, especially at the family level. We compare these flocks to flocks of other regions and make recommendations on study methodology that can facilitate comparisons across studies
Does mixed-species flocking influence how birds respond to a gradient of land-use intensity?
No full textCarbon stock assessment of mangrove ecosystems in Batticaloa Lagoon, Sri Lanka, with different degrees of human disturbances
No full textThe effect of land-use on the diversity and mass-abundance relationships of understory avian insectivores in Sri Lanka and southern India
No full textEdge effect and structure of mixed-species bird flocks in an Afrotropical lowland forest
No full textDrivers of bird beta diversity in the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot are scale dependent: roles of land use, climate, and distance
No full textUsing intra-flock association patterns to understand why birds participate in mixed-species foraging flocks in terrestrial habitats
No full text
