Spatial heterogeneity in mortality and its impact on the population dynamics of Eurasian woodcocks

Péron, Guillaume; Ferrand, Yves; Choquet, Rémi; Pradel, Roger; Gössmann, F.; Bastat, Claudine; Guénézan, Michel; Bauthian, Isabelle; Julliard, Romain; Giménez, Olivier

doi:10.1007/s10144-012-0309-6

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…The species has been recently "Red listed" as a bird of conservation concern in the United Kingdom (Eaton et al, 2015). Additionally, it has been demonstrated that shooting may be additive to natural mortality and affect population growth rate (Duriez, Eraud, Barbraud, & Ferrand, 2005;Péron et al, 2012), at a time when woodcock are susceptible to severe winter weather (Tavecchia et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulation of body reserves in a hunted wader: Implications for cold‐weather shooting restrictions

Sánchez-García

Williams

Hoodless

2018

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Severe winter weather can reduce avian energetic reserves. At such times, reducing disturbance, and therefore energy expenditure, through science‐based policy is crucial to mitigating negative impacts on survival. We used allometric equations to examine the energy reserves of Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola, a popular quarry species across most of Europe, in relation to time of winter, location and temperature. We used data from 221 dissected birds, shot in Britain in two winters (2013/14, 2014/15), and 1,689 live birds captured during six consecutive winters (2010/11 to 2015/16). Woodcock are able to store large amounts of energy as fat in mid‐winter and increase energy reserves as night air temperature drops to below 0°C, provided the ground thaws during the day. In the event of cold weather in Britain, the mean potential flight distance of woodcock, based on mobilizable energy estimates of shot birds, is 860 km. If they do not move away, woodcock could withstand frozen conditions without feeding for a mean of 6 days. Synthesis and applications. To reduce the effects of cold weather on Eurasian woodcock S. rusticola, shooting should be restricted before energy reserves are depleted. Current policies vary across Europe, but our results suggest that restrictions should come into force sooner, after 4 days of continually frozen ground at inland sites. Restrictions should cover large regions and remain in operation for 7 days after the end of the cold spell.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulation of body reserves in a hunted wader: Implications for cold‐weather shooting restrictions

Sánchez-García

Williams

Hoodless

2018

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…The breeding areas for most of the wintering Eurasian woodcock analyzed are very large and diverse (from Western Europe to western Siberia); both within and between seasons there is likely to be variation in production of fledged juveniles from one part of the range to another (Harradine 1983). Hunting pressure also has been demonstrated to influence age ratio (Fadat 1981, Duriez et al 2005a, Péron et al 2012. Adult Eurasian woodcock tend to occupy the best sites within wintering areas and are very faithful to them between winters, removal by hunting promotes more frequent replacement by juvenile Eurasian wood-Figure 4.…”

Section: Demographymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The British Isles tend to present lower values. The hunting method (driven shooting is more prevalent) and the lower mortality estimated (Hoodless and Coulson 1994;Tavecchia et al 2002;Péron et al 2012) may partially explain differences between the British Isles and the Swiss-Franco-Iberian and the Swiss-Italian regions. However, we must take into account that our sample size for the British Isles, mainly since the 2009-2010 hunting season, is small.…”

Section: Survey Of Wintering Eurasion Woodcock In Europe • Gonçalves Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Survey of Wintering Eurasian woodcock in Western Europe

Gonçalves

Rodrigues

Pennacchini³

et al. 2019

Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium

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The Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) is a mostly migratory wader (Charadriiformes) that is broadly distributed across the Palearctic. This species winters in or migrates through all European countries and is an important quarry species in many of them. Sustainable management of the species requires information regarding abundance and demographic parameters to be collected regularly. This is a complex task given that different phases of its annual life cycle occur in different countries and, due to the species' secretive behavior, Eurasian woodcock populations cannot be properly evaluated by common bird-census techniques. In Europe, woodcock hunters from different countries have joined in the Federation of Western Palearctic Woodcock Associations (FANBPO), collecting data on hunting activity that can be used to annually evaluate relative abundance and demographic parameters. To investigate variation in Eurasian woodcock relative abundance during and between hunting seasons, we fitted generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) to data collected in France, Spain, and Portugal (Franco-Iberian region;2006-2007to 2015 to analyze the variation in the number of different Eurasian woodcock seen per hunting trip. For these countries and for Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, and Wales, we also analyzed demographic parameters (the ratios of female:male and juvenile:adult) from bagged birds. In the Franco-Iberian region the relative abundance during the autumn-winter period increased from September to the beginning of December, and remained high thereafter with a slight decrease until the end of February; in the last 10 years, relative abundance has remained stable during autumn migration and winter. The sex ratio remained stable in the Swiss-Franco-Iberian and Swiss-Italian regions, but the former had a higher proportion of females. The age ratio varied among hunting seasons and regions. This research is an example of the effective use of data collected through citizen science that aims to maintain a favorable conservation status of the Eurasian woodcock while allowing a rational use of its populations via sustainable and controlled hunting.

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“…Indeed, winter survival estimated for the areas with high hunting opportunities, if confirmed in further studies, could reflect that populations there are unsustainable without annual recruitment of first-winter birds (Perón et al 2011b). Right now, populations seem stable (BirdLife International 2016), but it appears strongly necessary to continue monitoring both hunting pressure and survival rates to identify which places could act as a sink and to be able to adjust management if necessary to allow population sustainability (Péron et al 2011b(Péron et al , 2012.…”

Section: Winter Survival Ratementioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, survival rate in game species may be strongly influenced by hunting pressure itself, if mortality associated with hunting is additive instead of compensatory (Péron 2013). Indeed, a study in France has described spatial differences in annual survival of woodcock in relation to hunting pressure (Péron et al 2011b(Péron et al , 2012, with woodcock annual survival being lower in those areas with higher hunting pressure. Considering that breeding areas and migration routes are similar for woodcock wintering in different areas in France (Bauthian et al 2007), and therefore that any mortality effect in winter is not likely compensated by density dependent survival later in the year, this finding supports that in certain circumstances hunting pressure represents an additive source of mortality to those found at different times in the annual cycle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing mobility and survival of Eurasian Woodcock wintering in Spain

Guzmán¹,

Caro²,

Arroyo³

2017

ACE

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ABSTRACT. Survival and mobility have important implications for population management for game species. These parameters are influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. We describe movements (commuting flights between diurnal refuges and nocturnal feeding places; and escape flights during cold spells) and winter survival rate of Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) wintering in Spain. We also evaluate factors influencing these variables, using 51 radio-tracked birds over three winters (2008/2009, 2009/2010, and 2010/2011). Commuting flight distances were estimated at 961.5 ± 1041.9 m, and variations were mainly explained by age and temperature (they decreased with lower temperatures and were lower for first-winter birds). Three cold spells occurred in 2009/2010; 80% of woodcocks monitored that winter showed escape flights, moving > 20 km, and went back to their previous wintering place when the effects of cold spells finished (about 8 days later). Of monitored woodcocks, 54.9% survived the winter. The most frequent cause of death was hunting, affecting mainly first-winter birds. Woodcock survival was lower in areas with more hunting days per week, and in Mediterranean than in Atlantic climate regions. Our results highlight the importance of monitoring survival and factors affecting it. Also, these results underline the importance of developing future studies to understand the importance of Mediterranean regions, the use of refuge places during cold spells, and hunting pressure there. Facteurs agissant sur la mobilité et la survie de la Bécasse des bois hivernant en EspagneRÉSUMÉ. La survie et la mobilité sont des paramètres importants dans la gestion des populations pour les oiseaux gibier. Toutes deux sont influées par des facteurs tant intrinsèques qu'extrinsèques. La présente étude nous a permis de décrire les déplacements (vols quotidiens entre les refuges diurnes et les sites d'alimentation nocturne, et vols pour s'éloigner d'épisodes de froid) et la survie hivernale de la Bécasse des bois (Scolopax rusticola) hivernant en Espagne. Nous avons aussi évalué les facteurs qui agissent sur ces variables, au moyen de 51 oiseaux équipés de radio durant trois hivers (2008-2009, 2009-2010 et 2010-2011). La distance des vols quotidiens a été estimée à 961,5 ± 1041,9 m et les variations s'expliquaient principalement par l'âge et la température (la distance diminuait quand les températures étaient plus basses et était plus courte chez les oiseaux dont c'était le premier hiver). Trois épisodes de froid sont survenus en 2009-2010; 80 % des bécasses suivies au cours de cet hiver ont effectué des vols pour s'éloigner, se déplaçant > 20 km et revenant au site occupé précédemment lorsque les effets du froid ont été terminés (environ 8 jours plus tard). Parmi les bécasses suivies, 54,9 % d'entre elles ont survécu durant l'hiver. La cause la plus fréquente de mortalité était la chasse, laquelle touchait surtout les oiseaux dont c'était le premier hiver. La survie des bécasses était plus faible dans les endroits où l...

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Spatial heterogeneity in mortality and its impact on the population dynamics of Eurasian woodcocks

Cited by 17 publications

References 35 publications

Regulation of body reserves in a hunted wader: Implications for cold‐weather shooting restrictions

Regulation of body reserves in a hunted wader: Implications for cold‐weather shooting restrictions

Survey of Wintering Eurasian woodcock in Western Europe

Factors influencing mobility and survival of Eurasian Woodcock wintering in Spain

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