NDLI: Shift in crop preference during the breeding season by Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava flava on arable farms in The Netherlands

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Kragten, Steven
Copyright Year	2011
Abstract	Dutch farmland bird populations are in steep decline as a result of agricultural intensification. The Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava flava) is one of those species, but its decrease has mainly occurred in grasslands, with its population in arable areas remaining more or less stable. In contrast, populations of other typical birds of arable habitats, such as the Skylark (Alauda arvensis) and Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix), are declining strongly in this habitat type. The favorable status of the Yellow Wagtail is probably caused by the crop-mosaic composition of arable farms in The Netherlands, which often includes winter cereals, potatoes, and sugar beet. This study focused on crop preference by the Yellow Wagtail during the breeding season. Early in the breeding season Yellow Wagtails showed a strong preference for winter cereals. However, as the breeding season progressed, their preference gradually shifted to broad-leaved crops, especially potatoes. Measurements of the crop structure as an indication for vegetation height or bare ground, revealed that the Yellow Wagtail strongly preferred crops 20–40 cm high. Higher crops were also used more than expected based on a uniform distribution, but to a lesser extent, and crops <20 cm in heigth were not preferred at all. In terms of ground coverage, Yellow Wagtails preferred crops providing a ground coverage of at least 60%. There was a negative association between Yellow Wagtail numbers and crops providing <20% ground coverage.Durch die Intensivierung der Landwirtschaft gehen die Bestände niederländischer Feldvogelarten stark zurück. Die Schafstelze (Motacilla flava flava) gehört zu diesen Arten, aber ihr Rückgang erfolgte hauptsächlich im Grasland, während die Population im Ackerland relativ stabil blieb. Im Gegensatz dazu gingen dort Populationen anderer typischer Feldvögel, wie Feldlerche (Alauda arvensis) und Rebhuhn (Perdix perdix), stark zurück. Die günstige Lage der Schafstelze auf niederländischen Farmen ist wahrscheinlich auf die Zusammensetzung der Feldfrüchte zurückzuführen, die oft aus Wintergetreide, Kartoffeln und Zuckerrüben bestehen. Diese Studie beschäftigt sich mit der Habitatwahl der Schafstelze in der Brutsaison. Zu Beginn der Brutsaison bevorzugte die Schafstelze Wintergetreide. Später verschob sich diese Präferenz jedoch zugunsten breitblättriger Anbaupflanzen, vor allem Kartoffeln. Um Vorlieben für bestimmte Vegetationshöhen oder bloßen Erdboden zu untersuchen, wurde die Struktur der Anbauflächen erfasst. Schafstelzen zeigten eine starke Vorliebe für Pflanzen mit einer Höhe von 20–40 cm. Höhere Pflanzen wurden auch mehr genutzt, als eine Gleichverteilung vermuten ließe, aber weniger als Pflanzen in der 20–40 cm Höhenklasse. Pflanzen von weniger als 20 cm wurden weniger genutzt. Überdies bevorzugten Schafstelzen Anbaupflanzen mit mindestens 60% Bodendeckung. Es gab einen negativen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Vorkommen von Schafstelzen und Anbaupflanzen mit weniger als 20% Bodendeckung.
Starting Page	751
Ending Page	757
Page Count	7
File Format	PDF
ISSN	00218375
Journal	Journal für Ornithologie
Volume Number	152
Issue Number	3
e-ISSN	14390361
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2011-02-02
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Farmland birds Winter cereals Potatoes Crop mosaic Agri-environment schemes Animal Ecology Zoology Evolutionary Biology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Animal Science and Zoology

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