Low first-year apparent survival of passerines in abandoned fields in northwestern Russia

Abstract

First-year survival probability of migratory passerines during the period between fledging and first reproduction is a highly variable parameter that has a major effect on population dynamics. We used a long-term mark–recapture dataset (2002–2018) to examine first-year survival of 3 passerine species breeding in abandoned agricultural fields of northwestern Russia: Booted Warbler (Iduna caligata), Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra), and Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava). We banded 3,457 nestlings, including 1,363 Booted Warblers, 1,699 Whinchats, and 395 Western Yellow Wagtails, and resighted 12 Booted Warblers, 29 Whinchats, and 13 Western Yellow Wagtails in the year after fledging. We evaluated first-year apparent survival rates using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models in MARK program within the multispecies approach. We tested effect of fledge date on the first-year apparent survival. In all focal species, first-year apparent survival rates were low and reached the lower limits known for migratory passerines. We found no differences in first-year survival rates among the 3 species: the estimated average first-year apparent survival rate of all species was 0.05 ± 0.01. The fledge date had a considerable impact on first-year survival rate: later fledge dates negatively affected first-year survival. We suggest that first-year apparent survival rates in our study were low due to low natal philopatry and high mortality in the post-fledging period. Low apparent first-year survival may be a specific feature of open-nesting birds breeding in abandoned fields that are low-quality habitats because of high predation pressure.

Breeding dispersal movements of Dupont’s Lark Chersophilus duponti in fragmented landscape

“…However, our results should be taken with caution since only one bird ringed as a nestling was recaptured and we have no data about post-fledging mortality neither about the survival of immatures during their first year, which may have had a considerable impact (e.g. Naef-Danzer et al 2001, Cox et al 2014, Shitikov et al 2020). Although the adult recovery rate (30%) may also seem low it is arguably related to the difficulty of trapping that elusive bird species.…”

A seasonal shift in offspring sex ratio of the brood parasitic brown‐headed cowbird (Molothrus ater)

“…Because seasonal data on cowbird chicks’ recruitment probability is lacking from our study population (and, in general, from the published literature), it may still be possible that late‐hatched (male) cowbirds have a better survival and recruitment chance into the adult breeding population compared to earlier‐hatched (female) cowbirds, although this would be contrary to the seasonal pattern seen in fledgling recruitment of the prothonotary warbler hosts at our study site (Hoover and Reetz , McKim‐Louder et al ) and of other temperate songbird species in general (Maness and Anderson , Perlut and Strong , Shitikov et al ). This alternative needs to be assessed in future, large scale banding and monitoring studies of fledgling cowbirds’ recruitment into this and other parasitic breeding populations.…”

Clinging to the top: natal dispersal tracks climate gradient in a trailing-edge population of a migratory songbird

“…First year survival is very low for many passerines [ 42 , 44 ], with apparent survival estimates as low as 5% for some species [ 63 ]. While our apparent survival estimate of 10% for first-year birds is similar to estimates of neotropical migrants reported elsewhere [ 44 ], we were unable to separate long-distance dispersal from mortality.…”