Author(s): Vadász, C., Német, Á., Karcza, Z., Loránt, M., Biró, C. & Csörgő, T.
Title: Study on breeding site fidelity of Acrocephalus warblers in Central Hungary
Year: 2008
Volume: 54
Pages: 167-175.
Abstract: Breeding site fidelity of reed-nesting Acrocephalus warblers was investigated at Lake Kolon in Central Hungary. Sampling was carried out during the breeding seasons of 2001 to 2005 by mist-netting. We analyzed data of more than 20,000 capture and recapture records belonging to four species (Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon, Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus, and Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus), differentiated between age and sex groups. The landscape-scale site fidelity varied significantly between both the four species and the age groups. Of the four species, the Moustached Warbler showed the highest returning rate, which could be explained by the strong habitat preference of this species that may have resulted in lower dispersal rate. Also, in the case of all species, adults showed 4.03 to 6.10 times higher returning rate than juveniles. Adult males were more faithful to their breeding area than females, which is likely to be explained by the higher breeding dispersion rate of females. The natal site fidelity of males was higher than that of females in the case of all species but the Moustached Warbler, which could probably be caused by the higher mortality of males between fledging and their first breeding season. In general, adults showed preference for occupying the same territory or its close neighbourhood in consecutive years.
Keywords: Lake Kolon, natal site fidelity, reedbeds
Journal: Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae
Journal abbreviation:
ISSN: 1217-8837
Publisher: Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest
Editor(s): Bakonyi, G., Mahunka, S., Papp, L., Báldi, A., Csuzdi, Cs., Forró, L., Andrikovics, S. & Kerekes, J.
