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The influence of laying sequence and ambient temperature on egg size variation in the SwallowHirundo rustica

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Abstract

Intra-clutch egg size variation was studied in SwallowsHirundo rustica in central Poland during two breeding seasons differing very much with respect to weather conditions. No correlation between egg volumes, lengths or breadths and the egg laying order was found. In one season (with high mean temperature and low precipitation) the final egg tended to be larger than the mean size of the preceding eggs in the clutch. Such a difference was not observed in the other season (with low mean temperature and high precipitation). This fact seemed to be connected with a general impact of weather conditions prevailing in each year on the breeding ecology of Swallows. There was no evidence for an expected short-term effect of temperature on egg size. All this suggests that the relation between proximate and ultimate factors affecting egg size variation may be very complex.

Zusammenfassung

In Zentalpolen wurde die Variation der Eidimensionen innerhalb eines Geleges bei der Rauchschwalbe in zwei Brutperioden untersucht. Die beiden Jahre unterschieden sich in den Witterungsverhältnissen stark voneinander. Zwischen Eivolumen, -länge und -breite und der Legefolge wurden keine Korrelationen gefunden. In einer Brutsaison (hohe Mitteltemperaturen und geringe Niederschläge) war das letzte Ei eines Geleges tendenzielll größer als das Mittel der vorher gelegten Eier. Ein derartiger Unterschied ließ sich in der anderen Brutsaison (niedrige Mitteltemperaturen, hohe Niederschläge) nicht feststellen. Dies scheint mit generellen Folgewirkung des jeweils vorherrschenden Wetters zusammenzuhängen. Ein Kurzzeiteffekt der Temperatur auf die Eigröße ließ sich wider Erwarten nicht nachweisen. Die Befunde deuten an, daß für die Variation der Eigröße verantwortlichen unmittelbaren und mittelbaren Faktoren sehr komplex sind.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland

    Jerzy Bańbura & Piotr Zieliński

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  1. Jerzy Bańbura
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  2. Piotr Zieliński
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Bańbura, J., Zieliński, P. The influence of laying sequence and ambient temperature on egg size variation in the SwallowHirundo rustica . J Ornithol 136, 453–460 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651593

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