Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Complex associations of weather conditions with reproductive performance in urban population of a common waterbird

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Biometeorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Weather conditions are recognized as one of key determinants of animal reproductive performance; however, the effect of weather on breeding success can be modulated by different features of breeding habitat. Constantly expanding urban areas cause significant changes in land cover and environmental conditions, but whether and how urban landscape mitigates weather impact on animal fitness remains little explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between weather parameters and reproductive performance in a reed-nesting waterbird species, the Eurasian coot Fulica atra. For this purpose, we performed a long-term monitoring of an urban coot population from central Poland, collecting data for over 400 breeding events. The results indicated that temperature may have contrasting effects on coot reproductive output at different stages of chick-rearing period (positive at early chick-rearing and negative at late chick-rearing). Also, contrary to our expectation, we found a positive relationship between mean daily precipitation in early chick-rearing period and reproductive output in our study population. Our study constitutes one of few examples showing how weather may affect fitness in urban wildlife and provides evidence for high complexity of associations between weather conditions and animal reproductive performance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Data available as Electronic Supplementary Material.

References

  • Anctil A, Franke A, Bêty J (2014) Heavy rainfall increases nestling mortality of an arctic top predator: experimental evidence and long-term trend in peregrine falcons. Oecologia 174(3):1033–1043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ardia DR, Pérez JH, Chad EK, Voss MA, Clotfelter ED (2009) Temperature and life history: experimental heating leads female tree swallows to modulate egg temperature and incubation behaviour. J Anim Ecol 78(1):4–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arlettaz R, Schaad M, Reichlin TS, Schaub M (2010) Impact of weather and climate variation on Hoopoe reproductive ecology and population growth. J Ornithol 151(4):889–899

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker PJ, Bentley AJ, Ansell RJ, Harris S (2005) Impact of predation by domestic cats Feliscatus in an urban area. Mamm Rev 35:302–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blair RB (2001) Birds and butterflies along urban gradients in two ecoregions of the United States: is urbanization creating a homogeneous fauna? In: Lockwood JL, McKinney ML (eds) Biotic Homogenization. Springer, Boston, MA, pp 33–56

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bourne AR, Cunningham SJ, Spottiswoode CN, Ridley AR (2020) High temperatures drive offspring mortality in a cooperatively breeding bird. Proc R Soc B 287(1931):20201140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulluck L, Huber S, Viverette C, Blem C (2013) Age-specific responses to spring temperature in a migratory songbird: older females attempt more broods in warmer springs. Ecol Evol 3(10):3298–3306

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chace JF, Walsh JJ (2006) Urban effects on native avifauna: a review. Landsc Urban Plan 74(1):46–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Churcher PB, Lawton JH (1987) Predation by domestic cats in an English village. J Zool 212(3):439–455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ciach M, Fröhlich A (2017) Habitat type, food resources, noise and light pollution explain the species composition, abundance and stability of a winter bird assemblage in an urban environment. Urban Ecosyst 20(3):547–559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clauser AJ, McRae SB (2017) Plasticity in incubation behavior and shading by King Rails Ralluselegans in response to temperature. J Avian Biol 48(4):479–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clergeau P, Croci S, Jokimäki J, Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki ML, Dinetti M (2006) Avifauna homogenisation by urbanisation: analysis at different European latitudes. Biol Conserv 127:336–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coe BH, Beck ML, Chin SY, Jachowski CM, Hopkins WA (2015) Local variation in weather conditions influences incubation behavior and temperature in a passerine bird. J Avian Biol 46(4):385–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox WA, Thompson FR III, Reidy JL (2013) The effects of temperature on nest predation by mammals, birds, and snakes. Auk 130(4):784–790

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox AR, Robertson RJ, Lendvai ÁZ, Everitt K, Bonier F (2019) Rainy springs linked to poor nestling growth in a declining avian aerial insectivore (Tachycineta bicolor). Proc R Soc B 286(1898):20190018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cramp S (1980) "Fulica atra Coot" In: Handbook of the Birds of Europe the Middle East and North Africa. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume II: Hawks to Bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 599–610

  • Dawson RD, Bortolotti GR (2000) Reproductive success of American kestrels: the role of prey abundance and weather. Condor 102(4):814–822

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de la Cruz A, Logsdon R, Lye D, Guglielmi S, Rice A, Kannan MS (2017) Harmful algae bloom occurrence in urban ponds: relationship of toxin levels with cell density and species composition. J Earth Environ Sci 25:704–726

    Google Scholar 

  • Dean WRJ, Barnard P, Anderson MD (2009) When to stay, when to go: trade-offs for southern African arid-zone birds in times of drought. S Afr J Sci 105(1–2):24–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn PO, Winkler DW (1999) Climate change has affected the breeding date of tree swallows throughout North America. Proc R Soc B 266(1437):2487–2490

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dunnington EA, Siegel PB (1984) Thermoregulation in newly hatched chicks. Poult Sci 63(7):1303–1313

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eeva T, Lehikoinen E, Rönkä M, Lummaa V, Currie D (2002) Different responses to cold weather in two pied flycatcher populations. Ecography 25(6):705–713

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eggers S, Griesser M, Andersson T, Ekman J (2005) Nest predation and habitat change interact to influence Siberian jay numbers. Oikos 111(1):150–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elkins N (2010) Weather and bird behaviour. Bloomsbury Publishing

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher RJ, Wellicome TI, Bayne EM, Poulin RG, Todd LD, Ford AT (2015) Extreme precipitation reduces reproductive output of an endangered raptor. J Appl Ecol 52(6):1500–1508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuller RA, Warren PH, Armsworth PR, Barbosa O, Gaston KJ (2008) Garden bird feeding predicts the structure of urban avian assemblages. Divers Distrib 14(1):131–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gach K, Janiszewski T, Włodarczyk R, Lesner B, Minias P (2018) Age-and condition-dependent mortality of common tern (Sterna hirundo) chicks during a heavy rainfall event. Waterbirds 41(1):63–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geiser S, Arlettaz R, Schaub M (2008) Impact of weather variation on feeding behaviour, nestling growth and brood survival in Wrynecks Jynxtorquilla. J Ornithol 149(4):597–606

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gering JC, Blair RB (1999) Predation on artificial bird nests along an urban gradient: predatory risk or relaxation in urban environments? Ecography 22(5):532–541

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerstell RC (1936) Precipitation in relation to game crops. Am Wildlife 25:26–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Glądalski M, Bańbura M, Kaliński A et al (2014) Extreme weather event in spring 2013 delayed breeding time of Great Tit and Blue Tit. Int J Biometeorol 58(10):2169–2173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halupka L, Czyż B, Dominguez CMM (2020) The effect of climate change on laying dates, clutch size and productivity of Eurasian Coots Fulicaatra. Int J Biometeorol 64(11):1857–1863

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halupka L, Borowiec M, Neubauer G, Halupka K (2021) Fitness consequences of longer breeding seasons of a migratory passerine under changing climatic conditions. J Anim Ecol 90:1655–1665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haspel C, Calhoon RE (1993) Activity patterns of free-ranging cats in Brooklyn. New York J Mammal 74(1):1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilborn ED, Beasley VR (2015) One health and cyanobacteria in freshwater systems: animal illnesses and deaths are sentinel events for human health risks. Toxins 7(4):1374–1395

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hilden OLAVI, Jaervinen L, Lehtonen L, Soikkeli M (1982) Breeding success of Finnish birds in the bad summer of 1981. Ornis Fenn 59(1):20–31

    Google Scholar 

  • del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (1992) Handbook of the birds of the world (Vol. 3). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona

  • Kennedy RJ (1970) Direct effects of rain on birds: a review. Br Birds 63(10):401–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Luniak M (2004) Synurbization–adaptation of animal wildlife to urban development. In: Proceedings 4th international urban wildlife symposium. University of Arizona, pp 50–55

  • Mainwaring MC, Hartley IR (2016) Local weather conditions have complex effects on the growth of blue tit nestlings. J Therm Biol 60:12–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marcel EV, Adriaensen F, van Balen JH, Blondel J, Dhondt AA, van Dongen S, du Feu Ch, Ivankina EV, Kerimov AB, de Laet J, Matthysen E, McCleery R, Orell M, Thomson DL (2003) Variable responses to large-scale climate change in European Parus populations. Proc R Soc B 270(1513):367–372

  • Mares R, Doutrelant C, Paque M, Spottiswoode CN, Covas R (2017) Breeding decisions and output are correlated with both temperature and rainfall in an arid-region passerine, the sociable weaver. R Soc Open Sci 4(9):170835

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin K, Wiebe KL (2004) Coping mechanisms of alpine and arctic breeding birds: extreme weather and limitations to reproductive resilience. Integr Comp Biol 44(2):177–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin TE, Scott J, Menge C (2000) Nest predation increases with parental activity: separating nest site and parental activity effects. Proc R Soc B 267(1459):2287–2293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin K, Wilson S, MacDonald EC, Camfield AF, Martin M, Trefry SA (2017) Effects of severe weather on reproduction for sympatric songbirds in an alpine environment: Interactions of climate extremes influence nesting success. Auk 134(3):696–709

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McArthur SL, McKellar AE, Flood NJ, Reudink MW (2017) Local weather and regional climate influence breeding dynamics of Mountain Bluebirds (Sialiacurrucoides) and Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor): a 35-year study. Can J Zool 95(4):271–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarty JP, Winkler DW (1999) Relative importance off environmental variables in determining the growth off nestling Tree Swallows Tachycineta bicolor. Ibis 141(2):286–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDermott ME, DeGroote LW (2016) Long-term climate impacts on breeding bird phenology in Pennsylvania, USA. Glob Change Biol 22(10):3304–3319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKinney ML (2006) Urbanization as a major cause of biotic homogenization. Biol Conserv 127:247–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mingozzi T, Storino P, Venuto G, Massolo A, Tavecchia G (2022) Climate warming induced a stretch of the breeding season and an increase of second clutches in a passerine breeding at its altitudinal limits. Curr Zool 68:zoab029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minias P (2015) Successful colonization of a novel urban environment is associated with an urban behavioural syndrome in a reed-nesting waterbird. Ethology 121(12):1178–1190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minias P, Włodarczyk R, Minias A, Dziadek J (2017) How birds colonize cities: genetic evidence from a common waterbird, the Eurasian coot. J Avian Biol 48(8):1095–1103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minias P, Jedlikowski J, Włodarczyk R (2018) Development of urban behaviour is associated with time since urbanization in a reed-nesting waterbird. Urban Ecosyst 21(6):1021–1028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Møller AP, Fiedler W, Berthold P (2010) Effects of climate change on birds. OUP, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreno J, Møller AP (2011) Extreme climatic events in relation to global change and their impact on life histories. Curr Zool 57(3):375–389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison SA, Bolger DT (2002) Variation in a sparrow’s reproductive success with rainfall: food and predator-mediated processes. Oecologia 133(3):315–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newell M, Wanless S, Harris MP, Daunt F (2015) Effects of an extreme weather event on seabird breeding success at a North Sea colony. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 532:257–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Öberg M, Arlt D, Pärt T, Laugen AT, Eggers S, Low M (2015) Rainfall during parental care reduces reproductive and survival components of fitness in a passerine bird. Ecol Evol 5(2):345–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oswald KN, Smit B, Lee AT, Peng CL, Brock C, Cunningham SJ (2021) Higher temperatures are associated with reduced nestling body condition in a range-restricted mountain bird. J Avian Biol 52:e02756

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pal M, Yesankar PJ, Dwivedi A, Qureshi A (2020) Biotic control of harmful algal blooms (HABs): A brief review. J Environ Manage 268:110687

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perrins CM, McCleery RH (1989) Laying dates and clutch size in the great tit. Wilson Bull 101(2):236–253

  • Potti J (2009) Advanced breeding dates in relation to recent climate warming in a Mediterranean montane population of Blue Tits Cyanistescaeruleus. J Ornithol 150(4):893–901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radford AN, McCleery RH, Woodburn RJW, Morecroft MD (2001) Activity patterns of parent Great Tits Parus major feeding their young during rainfall. Bird Study 48(2):214–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reichert BE, Cattau CE, Fletcher RJ Jr, Kendall WL, Kitchens WM (2012) Extreme weather and experience influence reproduction in an endangered bird. Ecology 93(12):2580–2589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez C, Bustamante J (2003) The effect of weather on lesser kestrel breeding success: can climate change explain historical population declines? J Anim Ecol 72(5):793–810

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schöll EM, Hille SM (2020) Heavy and persistent rainfall leads to brood reduction and nest failure in a passerine bird. J Avian Biol 51(7):e02418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seress G, Liker A (2015) Habitat urbanization and its effects on birds. Acta Zool Acad Sci Hung 61(4):373–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sergio F, Blas J, Hiraldo F (2018) Animal responses to natural disturbance and climate extremes: a review. Glob Planet Change 161:28–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shipley JR, Twining CW, Taff CC, Vitousek MN, Flack A, Winkler DW (2020) Birds advancing lay dates with warming springs face greater risk of chick mortality. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 117(41):25590–25594

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sicurella B, Caffi M, Caprioli M, Rubolini D, Saino N, Ambrosini R (2015) Weather conditions, brood size and hatching order affect Common Swift Apus apus nestlings’ survival and growth. Bird Study 62(1):64–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skagen SK, Adams AAY (2012) Weather effects on avian breeding performance and implications of climate change. Ecol Appl 22(4):1131–1145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skaug H, Fournier D, Nielsen A, Magnusson A, Bolker B (2012) Generalized linear mixed models using AD Model Builder. R package version c0.7.2.12. Available at https://github.com/bbolker/glmmadmb

  • Snow DW, Perrins CM, Hillcoat B, Gillmor R, Roselaar CS (1997) The birds of the Western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun R, Sun P, Zhang J, Esquivel-Elizondo S, Wu Y (2018) Microorganisms-based methods for harmful algal blooms control: a review. Bioresour Technol 248:12–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tryjanowski P, Skórka P, Sparks TH, Biaduń W et al (2015) Urban and rural habitats differ in number and type of bird feeders and in bird species consuming supplementary food. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22(19):15097–15103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van de Ven TMFN, McKechnie AE, Er S, Cunningham SJ (2020) High temperatures are associated with substantial reductions in breeding success and offspring quality in an arid-zone bird. Oecologia 193(1):225–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van den Berg MS, Coops H, Noordhuis R, van Schie J, Simons J (1997) Macroinvertebrate communities in relation to submerged vegetation in two Chara-dominated lakes. Hydrobiologia 342:143–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viera VM, Le Bohec C, Côté SD, Groscolas R (2006) Massive breeding failures following a tsunami in a colonial seabird. Polar Biol 29(8):713–716

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Villa P, Pinardi M, Bolpagni R, Gillier JM, Zinke P, Nedelcuţ F, Bresciani M (2018) Assessing macrophyte seasonal dynamics using dense time series of medium resolution satellite data. Remote Sens Environ 216:230–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vishal R, Meeta B (2020) Algal Indices as a Biomonitoring Tool to Assess Eutrophication in the Urban Ponds: a Case Study. Pollution 6(4):51–757

    Google Scholar 

  • Weytjens S, Meijerhof R, Buyse J, Decuypere E (1999) Thermoregulation in chicks originating from breeder flocks of two different ages. J Appl Poultry Res 8(2):139–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilby RL, Perry GL (2006) Climate change, biodiversity and the urban environment: a critical review based on London. UK Prog Phys Geog 30(1):73–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winkel W, Hudde H (1997) Long-term trends in reproductive traits of tits (Parus major, P. caeruleus) and pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca. J Avian Biol 28(2):187–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winkler DW, Luo MK, Rakhimberdiev E (2013) Temperature effects on food supply and chick mortality in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Oecologia 173(1):129–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yannic G, Aebischer A, Sabard B, Gilg O (2014) Complete breeding failures in ivory gull following unusual rainy storms in North Greenland. Polar Res 33(1):22749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Jeppesen E, Liu X, Qin B et al (2017) Global loss of aquatic vegetation in lakes. Earth-Sci Rev 173:259–265

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerberg B, Ribic CA, McCauley LA (2018) Effects of temperature and precipitation on grassland bird nesting success as mediated by patch size. Conserv Biol 32(4):872–882

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are thankful to the administration of Botanical Garden in Łódź for providing access to the research area. We thank an anonymous reviewer for constructive comments on the earlier draft of the manuscript.

Funding

No funding was received for this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland

    Amelia Chyb, Amelia Chyb & Piotr Minias

Authors
  1. Amelia Chyb
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Piotr Minias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Piotr Minias.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval

The study was performed by the permissions of the Local Bioethical Commission for Experiments on Animals in Łodź (nos 40/ŁB 620/2012 and 15/ŁB/2016) and complied with current laws of Poland.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (XLSX 31 KB)

Supplementary file2 (XLSX 76 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chyb, A., Minias, P. Complex associations of weather conditions with reproductive performance in urban population of a common waterbird. Int J Biometeorol 66, 1163–1172 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-022-02266-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-022-02266-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation