30-Year-Long Changes in Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna of Niebieskie ŹródłA (Blue Springs) Nature Reserve in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Central Poland

The article focuses on changes in terrestrial vertebrate fauna of Niebieskie Źródła (Blue Springs) Nature Reserve that occurred between two censuses carried out in the area. The first census was carried out in the period of 1968-1970, and the second census in the period of 1998-1999. In 1998-1999 the occurrence of four species of amphibians, 41 of birds and 15 of mammals was recorded. In comparison with investigations from 1968-1970 two species of amphibians, two species of mammals, and nine species of birds were found to have disappeared from the reserve. In the census carried out in 1998 and 1999 we recorded 22 new species of vertebrates: one new species of amphibian, five species of mammals, and 16 species of birds. The recent observations showed a decline in the abundance of amphibian species in the reserve, especially in the closest vicinity to the urban development around the city of Tomaszów Mazowiecki. The quantitative data on birds showed an increase in the numbers and abundance, which was mainly pronounced in the group of forest species, especially cavity and shrub nesters. We suggest that these changes are directly related to the succession of forest vegetation and its developing vertical structure, as well as to an increase in the forestation of the reserve area

Pattern of Post-Juvenile Moult in Common Snipe (Gallinago Gallinago) and Its Implications for Ageing of the Species

External ageing of Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) still engenders considerable problems. To improve precision of age determination on the basis of plumage characteristics a scheme of post-juvenile moult was investigated in approximately 1200 first-year Common Snipes caught during autumn migration in central Poland. Post-juvenile moult was commenced from body feathers followed by moult of rectrices, lesser/median wing coverts and tertials. Moult sequence showed high inter-individual variability and was started in rectrices (36.9%), wing coverts (25.3%), tertials (8.4%) or simultaneously in several of these tracts of feathers (29.4%). Moult of rectrices was finished before completion of moult of wing coverts and tertials. Moult of tertials finished as the last from all age-indicative tracts of feathers. Consequently, tertials were suggested as the most useful for ageing of first-year Common Snipes in an advanced stage of moult. There was no case of moult of the outermost tertial in first-year birds. The second tertial from distal side of wing was moulted as the last one within this tract of feathers and thereby should be of special interest during plumage examination

Breeding avifauna of Prince Joseph Poniatowski Park in Łódź in 1966-2009

During 1966-2009, in 13 seasons, breeding avifauna were counted in Prince J. Poniatowski Park (Łódź). The increase of species richness from 25 (1966) to 35 species (2009) was observed. The species started to breed in the Park were: Mallard Anas plathyrynchos, Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, Coot Fulica alra, Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus, Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia, Song Thrush Turdus philom elos, Nuthatch Sitta europaea, Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothrausles, Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis, Serin Serrinus serinus. Some species disappeared as breeder: Cuckoo Cuculus canorus, Pied Wagtail Molacilla alba, Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, Marsh Tit Poecile palustris. The significant increase of breeding pairs was observed for: Blackbird Turdus merula. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, Great Tit Parus major. Blue Tit Cyanistes caeivleus, Finch Fringilla coelebs.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Variability of clutch size in Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) at the Jeziorsko Reservoir (Central Poland) in 2004

The analysis of the clutch size variability in Cormorant (P. carbo sinensis) was based on study results in colony at the “Jeziorsko Reservoir” (central Poland) in 2004. There were used 328 broods controlled 3-5 times in the season. Number of eggs in a single clutch ranged from 1 to 7, although Cormorants mostly laid 3 to 5 eggs. Mean clutch size was 3.80 (SD = 1.0 0). The size of clutch depended on time of laying eggs and the part of colony where the nest with brood was localised. The clutch size was bigger for pairs that started laying eggs earlier and lower for birds bred in the part of colony where the number of nests and their density were low.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Breeding raptors in Łagiewniki forest in 2009-2010

Three breeding species of raptors were observed in Łagiewnicki Forest in 2009-2010 (number of breeding pairs): Common Buzzard Buleo buteo (5-6 pairs), Goshawk Accipiter gentilis (5 pairs), Sparrowhawk A ccipiter nisus (6 - 8 pairs). In the paper, the changes in raptor’s number during last 50 years are described and possible reasons of the changes are discussed.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

The most important bird areas in the Łódź District

The eight areas of European or/and domestic importance for birds of Central Poland are presented in this paper. Jeziorsko and Sulejów Reservoirs; valleys of Pilica, Bzura, Ner and Grabia rivers; ponds in Walewice and ponds near Łowicz "Okręt” and "Rydwan” as well as Pilicka Forest and Zaięcze Landscape Park are described in the respect of bird communities and their potential risk assessment. Criteria for identification of other areas of local importance are proposed and 10 subsequent areas fulfilling them are listed.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Shortening day length as a previously unrecognized selective pressure for early breeding in a bird with long parental care

Several different selective pressures have been suggested to explain an intense competition for early return to breeding grounds in birds. In this study we hypothesized that shortening day length during summer months may constitute additional selective force acting towards early breeding in avian species with long parental care. To test this hypothesis, we studied time budget and foraging activities of early-nesting and late-nesting white storks Ciconia ciconia from the Central-European population. We found that duration and distance of foraging trips increased significantly over the course of the reproductive season. The relative frequency of foraging trips increased at the expense of other activities, such as resting, plumage maintenance, and nest maintenance. Mean daily foraging duration increased with increasing day length in the early part of the season, with 0.68 h of foraging per individual per 13.16 h of day length in mid-April increasing to 7.42 h of foraging per individual during solstice (16.61 h of day length). Afterwards, mean foraging duration continued increasing in spite of decreasing day length, reaching 11.63 h of foraging per individual per 14.92 h of day length at the end of the season in mid-August, when storks were forced to continue foraging after sunset in order to meet energy requirements of fledglings. The results suggest that shortening day length during summer months may constitute a serious time constraint on food delivery rates to offspring for late-breeding pairs of white storkEuropean Social Fund and the Polish National Budget in the D-RIM project of the Human Capital Programm

Current knowledge of the Łódź Upland avifauna

The authors evaluated the state of the knowledge of the Łódź Upland (about 18 000 km 2) avifauna. The total of 278 bird species was recorded by authors in the study area since the last century. After 1945, the total of 267 species were recorded, including 180 breeding species. According to the authors’ estimates about 11% of the area was investigated more preciously. The best investigated regions are: the Bzura river valley, 219 species were recorded including 165 breeding ones, the Pilica river valley, where the respective values are 211 and 158, region of the Jeziorsko Reservoir - 247 observed species and 152 breeding ones, the vicinities of the locality of Rogów with 118 breeding species and the Łódź city area with 125 breeding species. The Łódź Upland has been the place o f breeding for some rare birds in Poland: Cormorant, Purple Heron, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Hen Harrier, Montague’s Harrier, Curlew, Ruff, Herring Gull, White-winged Tern, Whiskered Tern, Crane, Stonechat, Collared Flycatcher, Aquatic Warbler, Bearded Tit.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Environmental evaluation of Łódź basing on breeding avifauna composition

The evaluation was conducted using the bird species richness and occurrence of the key species. The key species were: 1. Species endangered globally according to IU CN/BirdLife International criteria, 2. Species of European Conservation Concern (C ategory 1-3), 3. Species from Annex I of Council Directive on the Convention of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) 4. Species from Polish Red Animal Book, 5. Species which frequency of occurrence in Poland is < 10% according to Atlas of Breeding Birds in Poland data, 6 . Species which number of Polish breeding population is less than 1000 pairs. The key species breed in all kinds of habitats in Łódź. The most valuable habitats are weakly urbanized areas of river valleys and forest habitats with old tree-stands. Among the habitats the most endangered by changes are: river valleys and farmland areas.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

The effect of intensive and extensive production systems on carcass quality in New Zealand White rabbits

[EN] Forty New Zealand White rabbits weaned at 30 days were divided into 2 groups and reared under intensive or extensive production system till slaughter age (90 days of age). In the extensive production system, rabbits were housed in free-standing cages on straw litter and fed farm-made feed ad libitum. Control rabbits were raised intensively in wire mesh slatted floor cages, indoors and on a commercial pellet ad libitum. Hot carcass weight was 16,6% lower (P0.05). The higher carcass weight of the control rabbits led to heavier primal cuts, including head (P0.05) and the fore part, intermediate part and hind part of the carcass (P0.01). However, expressed as % of carcass weight, a significantly higher ratio was only found for the head (P0.01) and edible offal (P0.05) in intensively produced rabbits. The production systems investigated had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the chemical composition, physicochemical properties and organoleptic characteristics of meat from New Zealand White rabbits.Daszkiewicz, T.; Gugolek, A.; Janiszewski, P.; Kubiak, D.; Czoik, M. (2012). The effect of intensive and extensive production systems on carcass quality in New Zealand White rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 20(1):25-33. doi:10.4995/wrs.2012.945SWORD253320