Abstract
The breeding performance of the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) in relation to the territory characteristics was investigated. The study was conducted in an area of high agricultural land use, characterised by small field size, a more mosaic habitat and low use of mineral fertilisers in comparison to Western European countries. The influence of habitat structure and composition in the territory on the date of clutch initiation, nest predation and clutch size in the Red-backed Shrike was not found, but such an influence on the number of nestlings was shown. The minimum adequate model explained 18.3% of the variation between territories in nestling’s number. The number of fledglings was positively correlated with the area of pastures, meadows, orchards and fallows within territories, and negatively correlated with length of overhead transmission lines. The number of fledglings was correlated with food abundance within territories, based on to the results from pitfall traps. There was no correlation between territory food abundance and the size of clutch. The presence of pastures, meadows and fallows, which are foraging places, thus seems to be crucial for the protection of the Red-backed Shrike.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arcese P, Smith JNM (1988) Effects of population density and supplemental food on reproduction in song sparrows. J Anim Ecol 57:119–136
BirdLife International (2004) Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. BirdLife International, Cambridge, pp 253
Block WM, With KA, Morrison ML (1987) On measuring bird habitat: influence of observer variability and sample size. Condor 89:241–251
Brandl R, Lübcke W, Mann W (1986) Habitatwahl beim Neuntöter Lanius collurio. J Orn 127:69–78
Brickle NW, Harper DGC, Aebischer NJ, Cockayne SH (2000) Effects of agricultural intensification on the breeding success of corn buntings Miliaria calandra. J Appl Ecol 37:742–755
Cramp S, Perrins CM (1993) Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. Handbook of the birds of Europe the Middle East and North Africa, vol. VII. Oxford – New York
Diehl B (1971) Productivity investigation of two types of meadows in the Vistula valley. Ekol Pol 19:235–248
Dombrowski A, Goławski A, Kuźniak S, Tryjanowski P (2000) [Status and threats of the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio population in Poland]. Notatki Ornitologiczne 41:139–148
Donald PF, Pisano G, Rayment MD, Pain DJ (2002) The Common Agricultural Policy, EU enlargement and the conservation of Europe’s farmland birds. Agric Ecosyst Environ 89:167–182
Goławski A (2006a) [Breeding biology of the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio in the extensive agricultural landscape of eastern Poland.]. Notatki Ornitologiczne 47:1–10
Goławski A (2006b) Comparison of methods for diet analysis and prey preference: a case study on the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. Ornis Fennica 83:108–116
Goławski A (2006c) [Diet of the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio in the agricultural landscape of eastern Poland.]. Notatki Ornitologiczne 47:208–213
Goławski A (2006d) Impact of weather on partial loss of nestlings in the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio in eastern Poland. Acta Ornithologica 41:15–20
Goodburn SF (1991) Territory quality or bird quality? Factors determining breeding success in the Magpie Pica pica. Ibis 133:85–90
Harris T, Franklin K (2000) Shrikes and Bush-Shrikes. Christopher Helm, London
Hart JD, Milsom TP, Fisher G, Wilkins V, Moreby SJ, Murray AWA, Robertson PA (2006) The relationship between yellowhammer breeding performance, arthropod abundance and insecticide applications on arable farmland. J Appl Ecol 43:81–91
Hernández A, Purroy FJ, Salgado JM (1993) Seasonal variation, interspecific overlap, and diet selection in three sympatric shrike species (Lanius spp.). Ardeola 40:143–154
Högstedt G (1980) Evolution of clutch size in birds: adaptive variation in relation to territory quality. Science 210:148–1150
Kinnunen H, Tiainen J (1999) Carabid distribution in a farmland mosaic: the effect of patch type and location. Ann Zool Fennici 36:149–158
Krooss S, Schaefer M (1998) The effect of different farming systems on epigeic arthropods: a five-year study on the rove beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of winter wheat. Agric Ecosyst Environ 69:121–133
Kuźniak S (1991) Breeding ecology of the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio in the Wielkopolska region (western Poland). Acta Ornitholog 26:67–84
Lefranc N (1997) Shrikes and the farmed landscape in France. In: Pain DJ, Pienkowski MW (eds) Farming and birds in Europe: the Common Agricultural Policy and its implications for bird conservation. Academic Press, London, pp 236–268
Lefranc N, Worfolk T (1997) Shrikes. A guide to the Shrikes of the world. Pica Press, Sussex
Leugger-Eggimann U (1997) Parental expenditure of Red-backed Shrikes Lanius collurio in habitats of varying farming intensity. Gissler Druck AG, Allschwil
Lundberg A, Alatalo RV, Carlson A, Ulfstrand S (1981) Biometry, habitat distribution and breeding success in the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca. Ornis Scandinavica 12:68–79
Martin TE (1987) Food as a limit on breeding birds: a life-history perspective. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 18:453–487
Martin TE (1995) Avian life history evolution in relation to nest sites, nest predation, and food. Ecol Monogr 65:101–127
Matson PA, Parton WJ, Power AG, Swift MJ (1997) Agricultural intensification and ecosystem properties. Science 277:504–509
Moskát C (2001) Changes in the frequency of hunting techniques in the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio during the breeding season. Ornis Hungarica 11:33–36
Müller M, Pasinelli G, Schiegg K, Spaar R, Jenni L (2005) Ecological and social effects on reproduction and local recruitment in the red-backed shrike. Oecologia 143:37–50
Newton I (1998) Population limitation in birds. Academic Press Limited, London
Ricklefs RE (1969) An analysis of nesting mortality in birds. Smithsonian Contrib Zool 9:1–48
Rodenhouse NL, Sheery TW, Holmes RT (1997) Site-dependent regulation of population size: a new synthesis. Ecology 78:2025–2042
Ross S, Pärt T (2004) Nest predators affect spatial dynamics of breeding red-backed shrikes (Lanius collurio). J Anim Ecol 73:117–127
Simons LS, Martin TE (1990) Food limitation of avian reproduction: an experiment with the Cactus Wren. Ecology 71:869–876
Siriwardena GM, Baillie SR, Buckland ST, Fewster RM, Marchant JH, Wilson JD (1998) Trends in the abundance of farmland birds: a quantitative comparison of smoothed Common Birds Census indices. J Appl Ecol 35:24–43
Sőderstrőm B (2001) Seasonal change in Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio territory quality – the role of nest predation. Ibis 143:561–571
StatSoft Inc (2003) STATISTICA (data analysis software system), version 6. www.statsoft.com
Tryjanowski P, Hromada M, Antczak M (1999) Breeding habitat selection in the Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor - the importance of meadows and spring crops. Acta Ornithologica 34:59–63
Tryjanowski P, Karg MK, Karg J (2003a) Food of the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio: a comparison of three methods of diet analysis. Acta Ornitholog 38:59–64
Tryjanowski P, Karg MK, Karg J (2003b) Diet composition and prey choice by the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio in western Poland. Belgian J Zool 133:157–162
Tryjanowski P, Kuźniak S (1999) Effect of research activity on the success of Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio nests. Ornis Fennica 76:41–43
Tucker GM, Heath MF (1994) Birds in Europe: their conservation status. BirdLife Conservation Series no. 3, BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK
Vanhinsbergh D (2000) The ecology of the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. In: Aebischer NJ, Evans AD, Grice PV, Vickery JA (eds) Ecology and conservation of lowland farmland birds. Brit Ornithologists` Union, Tring, pp 182
Van Nieuwenhuyse D, Vandekerkhove K (1992) Caractéristiques et typologie des territoires de la Pie-grièche écorcheur (Lanius collurio) en Larraine belge. Aves 29:137–154
Verhulst S, Tinbergen JM (1991) Experimental evidence for a causal relationship between timing and success of reproduction in the great tit Parus major. J Anim Ecol 60:269–282
Wagner T (1993) Seasonal change in diet composition of the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio). J Ornithol 134:1–11
Whittingham MJ, Bradbury RB, Wilson JD, Morris AJ, Perkins AJ, Siriwardena GM (2001) Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs foraging patterns, nestling survival and territory distribution on lowland farmland. Bird Study 48:257–270
Wirtitsch M, Hoi H, Valera F, Krištín A (2001) Habitat composition and use in lesser grey shrike Lanius minor. Folia Zool 50:137–150
Voivodship Statistical Office (2005) The Mazowieckie Voivodship in 2001–2004. WUS, Warszawa
Yosef R, Grubb TC Jr (1993) Effect of vegetation height on hunting behaviour and diet of Loggerhead Shrikes. Condor 95:127–131
Zar JH (1996) Biostatistical analysis, 3rd edn. Prentice-Hall, London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Goławski, A., Meissner, W. The influence of territory characteristics and food supply on the breeding performance of the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) in an extensively farmed region of eastern Poland. Ecol Res 23, 347–353 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-007-0383-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-007-0383-y