Fuel load and flight ranges of blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla in northern Iberia during autumn and spring migrations

Fuel accumulation, mainly as fatty acids, is one of the main characteristics of migratory, birds. Studying to what extent each population or species manages fuel load and how it varies along routes of migration or between seasons （autumn and spring migrations） is crucial to our understanding of bird migration strategies. Our aim here was to analyse whether migratory blackcaps Sylvia atrieapilla passing through northern Iberia differ in their mean fuel loads, rate of fuel accumulation and ＇ potential＇ flight ranges between migration seasons. Blackcaps were mist netted for 4 h-periods beginning at dawn from 16 September to 15 November 2003 - 2005, and from 1 March to 30 April 2004 - 2006 in a European Atlantic hedgerow at Loza, northern Iberia. Both fuel load and fuel deposition rate （this latter assessed with difference in body mass of within-season recaptured individuals） were higher in autumn than in spring. Possible hypotheses explaining these results could be seasonal-associated variations in food availability （likely lower during spring than during autumn）, the fact that a fraction of the migrants captured in spring could breed close to the study area and different selective pressures for breeding and wintering

High philopatry rates of Yellow-legged Gulls in the southeastern part of the Bay of Biscay

Background:Philopatry rate is one of the main factors shaping population dynamics in colonial seabirds.Low rates of philopatry are linked to populations with high dispersal,while high rates are linked to populations with a very high spatial structure pattern(i.e.,metapopulations).The Cantabrian Yellow-legged Gull(Larus michahellis)population is considered to be resident,with relatively low dispersal rates.Precise estimations of its philopatry rates are however still lacking.Here,we aimed to estimate philopatry rates in the main Yellow-legged Gull colonies of the province of Gipuzkoa,in the southeastern part of the Bay of Biscay.Methods:We analysed 734 resightings,during the breeding season at the colonies of Getaria,Santa Clara and Ulia,relative to a total of 3245 individuals ringed at birth in these same colonies during a period of 13 years.These data were analysed using Multi-State Recapture models in MARK.Results:After controlling survival and resighting probability,the average dispersal rate among colonies was 4%(±SD=2%)when individuals are immature,decreasing to 1±1%)for adult breeding gulls(i.e.,philopatry rate was 99%).Annual survival rates were assessed to be 0.27±0.02 for birds in their first year of life and 0.87±0.01 for older individuals.The probability of observing immature birds in the colonies was 0.08±0.01,as compared to 0.21±0.02 in adult birds.Conclusions:We obtained evidence of extremely high local philopatry rates,clearly within the upper limit found in gulls.A high philopatry favour a speciation in these species who are vulnerable to obtain the main food source(land-fills and fishing discard)which are transforming under new ecological process.

Yearly variation in the structure and diversity of a non-breeding passerine bird community in a Mediterranean wetland

Background:The dynamics and structure of many bird communities are changing due to the global warming and changes in the land use and management.The Ebro Valley constitutes one of the chief wintering areas for several passerine species in Iberia,and the reed beds spread across this Valley concentrate huge numbers of birds that use them to roost,while the surrounding agricultural areas serve as main foraging habitats.The aims of this work are(1)to quantify how variable a non-breeding passerine bird community associated to a reed bed area in the Ebro Valley is,and,(2)to test for the effect of weather on possible annual fluctuations in species’proportions at a regional/local scale.Methods:We used for that ringing data collected at Badina de Escudera lagoon(Navarra)over a 12-year period.Results:Though,overall,the assemblage did not vary strongly among years(most similarity values were>0.8),we still found a significant linear effect of year on the proportion of captures of Reed Buntings(Emberiza schoeniclus),i.e.,the dominant species detected in our passerine community.The increasing loss of weight of Reed Buntings in the community was due to a progressive decrease in its abundance.Conclusions:The structure and diversity of passerine community in Badina Escudera was not influenced by meteorological conditions at a local scale,suggesting that local weather would not have an impact on numbers of Reed Buntings in winter.

Bigger or long-winged male common crossbills exhibit redder carotenoid-based plumage coloration

Carotenoid-based ornaments are often considered reliable(honest)individual condition signals because their expression implies physiological costs unaffordable for low-quality animals(handicap signals).Recently,it has been suggested that efficient cell respiration is mandatory for producing red ketocarotenoids from dietary yellow carotenoids.This implies that red colorations should be entirely unfalsifiable and independent of expression costs(index signals).In a precedent study,male common crossbills,Loxia curvirostra,showing a red plumage reported higher apparent survival than those showing yellowish-orange colors.The plumage redness in this species is due to ketocarotenoid accumulation in feathers.Here,we correlated the male plumage redness(a 4-level visual score:yellow,patchy,orange,and red)and the body morphology in more than 1,ooo adult crossbills captured in 3 Iberian localities to infer the mechanisms responsible for color evolution.A principal component analysis summarized morphometry of 10 variables(beak,wing,tarsus length,etc.).The overall body size(PC1)and the length of flight feathers regarding body size(Pc3)showed significant positive relationships with plumage redness.Plumage redness was barely correlated with bill shape measures,suggesting no constraint in acquiring carotenoids from pine cones.However,large body sizes or proportionally long flying feathers could help carotenoid acquisition via social competition or increased foraging ranges.Proportionally longer flight feathers might also be associated with a specific cell respiration profile that would simultaneously favor flying capacities and enzymatic transformations needed for ketocarotenoid synthesis.Such a phenotypic profile would agree with the hypothesis of ketocarotenoid-based colors acting as individual quality index signals.