Predictive models for lesser kestrel Falco naumanni distribution, abundance and extinction in southern Spain

Abstract

Abstract

Assessing the importance of High Nature Value farmlands for the conservation of Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni

“…Cereals have little demand for pesticides and are, mostly, nonirrigated in Greece (EEC 2007). The results agree with the findings of other lesser kestrel studies in the Iberian Peninsula where the species occurrence is associated with extensive cereals, a habitat related with the abundance of preferred prey, mainly during chick-rearing period that is crucial for the species reproductive success (Doňazar et al 1993;Parr et al 1995;Bustamante 1997;Tella et al 1998;Rodríguez et al 2006;De Frutos & Olea 2008;Catry et al 2013;Rodríguez et al 2014;Hernán-dez-Pliego et al 2017). Thus, Lesser Kestrels could stand as a biodiversity surrogate and as an umbrella species for delivering farmland biodiversity conservation in the agro-ecosystems of Greece.…”

“…Cotton is identified as a poor habitat for wildlife because of the use of toxic agrochemicals (EEC 2007) and prey density is lower in cotton fields than in other habitats such as cereals and field margins (Rodríguez & Bustamante 2008). Philopatry of birds for building colonies in areas previously covered by suitable habitats could explain the selection of this habitat despite its low foraging quality (Bustamante 1997). As birds do not have territorial restrictions, they can fly long distances to forage when there are no suitable habitats close to colonies or food is insufficient García et al 2006;Bonal & Aparicio 2008;Catry et al 2013).…”

“…The spatial distributions of biodiversity surrogates and umbrella species can be integrated with environmental information through predictive models to identify priority sites in conservation planning, particularly across large spatial scales (Guisan & Thuiller 2005). In recent decades, lesser kestrel habitat studies have related its occurrence with low-input farming systems and heterogeneous landscapes with cereals, uncultivated patches, fallow land and pastures, that is, typical HNVf, also revealing the negative impact of CAP on those agricultural areas and the species' survival in its breeding areas (Bustamante 1997;De Frutos et al 2007Rodríguez et al 2014).…”

Modeling Habitat Selection of the Red-Footed Falcon ( Falco Vespertinus ): A Possible Explanation of Recent Changes in Breeding Range Within Hungary

“…The analysis of habitat use and selection is important for adequate, well founded planning of species based conservation management (Pearce et Source: 1 Keve & Szijj 1957, 2 Haraszthy 1981, 3 Haraszthy 1998, 4 Tóth & Marik 1999, 5,6 Bagyura & Palatitz 2004, 7 Palatitz et al, 2005, 8 Palatitz et al 2006 The conditions for the colonial nesting of red-footed falcons are primarily provided by rookeries (Horváth 1964). The rook used to be a wide-spread, common species from the 1940's (Vertse 1943) to the 1980's (Kalotás & Nikodémusz 1981, Kalotás 1984), but as a consequence of an intensive eradication campaign in the mid 80's, the population rapidly decreased throughout the country (Kalotás 1987, Solt 2008) from As the result of the rook population decline, the number of rookeries suitable for the colonial nesting of red-footed falcons also decreased.…”

Habitat- and density-dependent demography of a colonial raptor in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems

“…The lesser kestrel is an appropriate model for the study of species-habitat relationships because of its role as biological indicator for the monitoring of population dynamics of pseudo-steppe avian species (Bustamante, 1997). The demography of lesser kestrel populations was first investigated in Spain (Hiraldo et al, 1996) with the aim of estimating the probability of species extinction and evaluating different management actions.…”