The construction of railway lines usually has a negative effect on the natural environment: habitats are destroyed, collisions with trains cause deaths, and the noise and vibrations associated with rail traffic disturb the lives of animals. Cases are known, however, where the opposite holds true: a railway line has a positive effect on the fauna in its vicinity. In this study, we attempted to define the influence of a busy railway line on a breeding community of woodland birds. Birds were counted using the point method at 45 observation points located at three different distances (30, 280, 530 m) from the tracks. At each point, we determined the habitat parameters and the intensity of noise. In total, 791 individual birds of 42 species were recorded on the study plot. Even though the noise level fell distinctly with increasing distance from the tracks, the abundance of birds and the number of species were the highest near the railway line. Moreover, insectivorous species displayed a clear preference for the vicinity of the line. The noise from the trains did not adversely affect the birds on the study plot. The environmental conditions created by the edge effect meant that the birds preferred the neighborhood of the tracks: the more diverse habitats near the tracks supplied attractive nesting and foraging niches for many species of birds. Trains passing at clear intervals acted as point sources of noise and did not elicit any negative reactions on the part of the birds; this stands in contrast to busy roads, where the almost continuous flow of traffic in practice constitutes a linear source of noise.

Research results on the impact of railway noise on birds show a variety of bird responses. These behaviours are often different from those exhibited by birds occupying habitats along tarred roads. Knowledge of this subject is still incomplete. We attempted to define the influence of a heavily transited railway line on bird communities at stopover sites near the tracks during the autumn migration period. Birds were counted using the point method at 45 observation points located at three distances (30 m, 280 m, 530 m) from the tracks. At each point we determined the habitat parameters and the intensity of noise. A total of 614 individuals from 29 species were recorded on the study plot. The results of our observations indicate that the railway line does not adversely affect woodland birds during the autumn migration. The results showed that the abundance of birds and the species richness were actually the highest near the railway line. Species foraging on invertebrates preferred the neighbourhood of the tracks. The number of the most common species did not differ widely in relation to distance from the tracks. These data may be helpful in planning and managing the environment in the context of bird conservation, protection from railway noise and collisions with trains.

The construction of new railway routes and the modernisation of existing ones usually have an adverse effect on the natural environment in the vicinity of such transport corridors. Negative effects of the construction of the railway line can be observed even at a considerable distance. The high frequency of wildlife-train-collisions (wtc) can lead to the death of many animals. Many groups of animals, including birds, are exposed to noise, which modifies their densities in the neighbourhood of railway lines. The relevant literature reports both positive and negative effects of railway lines on birds. The present study addressed the question of how noise generated by trains affects woodland birds during winter. Birds were counted at 45 observation/ listening points located along three rows running parallel to the railway line (15 points in each row) at different distances from the tracks (30 m, 280 m and 530 m). Each point was described in detail with the aid of a suite of environmental parameters. Three hundred and forty-eight birds from 20 species were recorded during the study. The level of noise decreased with distance from the tracks. The numbers and species diversity of birds were both higher close to the railway line than deep in the forest. The richer structure of the forest edge was an attractive habitat for birds. Birds belonging to different feeding and social guilds were distributed evenly right across the study plot. Passing trains and the noise they generated did not cause a drop in bird density by the tracks. The results of this study may be useful during the planning of new railway routes and the modernisation of existing ones in the context of applying measures to minimise the negative effects of a railway line on the environment through which it passes.

Migratory birds play an important role in the eco-epidemiology of tick-borne diseases due to their ability to carry ticks for long distances. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and factors influencing the intensity of tick infestation in migratory birds. The study was conducted in a locality situated in the Vistula River valley, eastern Poland, during autumn, when the high migratory activity of birds is registered in the region. The birds were captured using ornithological nets and identified at the species level. In the next step, they were carefully inspected for attached ticks. Tick infestation was observed in 4.43% of the captured birds. The highest mean intensity of tick infestation was observed in birds foraging on the ground or in low shrubs and by long- and medium-distance migrants, i.e., Turdus merula (2.73), T. philomelos (2.04), and Erithacus rubecula (1.58). Ixodes ricinus was found to infest the birds most frequently. However, other tick species, i.e., I. trianguliceps, I. crenulatus (synonym I. canisuga), and I. apronophorus, rarely found in eastern Poland, were also found parasitizing birds. The occurrence of I. persulcatus, I. frontalis, and I. acuminatus (synonym I. redikorzevi) was confirmed in the region for the first time. The results of the study suggest that captured bird species are susceptible to tick infestation and could play an important role in the circulation of some tick-borne pathogens. They also play a significant role in the spread of ticks. The ecology and ethology of birds, including their foraging styles and migratory habits, are factors determining the risk of exposure of birds to tick attacks.

Stable isotope analyses can detect interactions between different stages of the annual cycle in migratory animals. We used carbon (δ 13 C), nitrogen (δ 15 N) and sulphur (δ 34 S) isotopes to identify non-breeding environments, the strategy of nutrient allocation to eggs, and potential carry-over effects from wintering areas in Red-necked Grebes Podiceps grisegena breeding in eastern Poland. Strongly positive isotopic signatures in adult grebe feathers compared to freshwater food webs and feathers of locally fledged young suggested that most adults had moulted in marine areas. Enriched isotopic values in the breast muscles of spring-arriving grebes pointed to transfer of marine-derived nutrients to freshwater breeding sites. Isotopic mixing models revealed that egg nutrients were mainly acquired locally. Endogenous nutrients were to some extent mobilised for the formation of albumen (25-26%, 95% credible interval, three-isotope model) and lipid-free yolk (17-18%, two-isotope, δ 13 C and δ 15 N model) in early laid clutches, but were little mobilised, if at all, in clutches of females that delayed laying. The non-breeding trophic feeding level, as indexed by δ 15 N in feathers of grebe females, was related to laying initiation date (greater enrichment, earlier egg production), indicating cross-seasonal effects on reproduction. Both endogenous nutrient transfer to eggs and a high-quality non-breeding diet may facilitate early breeding, which is advantageous in species constrained by short breeding seasons. Keywords Carry-over effects • Ecological connectivity • Mixing models • Moult • Reproductive investment Zusammenfassung Stabile Isotope zeigen Zusammenhänge zwischen marinen Überwinterungs-und limnischen Brutgebieten beim Rothalstaucher (Podiceps grisegena). Anhand von Analysen stabiler Isotope kann man Wechselwirkungen zwischen den unterschiedlichen Stadien des Jahresrhythmus von Zugvögeln aufspüren. Wir benutzten Kohlenstoff-, Stickstoff-und Schwefel-Isotope, um Gebiete außerhalb der Brutzeit, die Strategie der Nährstoffzufuhr in die Eier und mögliche Übertragungseffekte aus den Wintergebieten bei in Ost-Polen brütenden Rothalstauchern (Podiceps grisegena) herauszufinden. Ausgeprägt positive Isotopensignaturen in den Federn adulter Rothalstaucher im Vergleich zu den Süßwasser-Nahrungsketten und Federn der vor Ort geschlüpften Jungvögel legten nahe, dass die meisten adulten Vögel in marinen Gebieten gemausert hatten. Angereicherte Isotopenkonzentrationen in den Brustmuskeln der im Frühjahr eingetroffenen Rothalstaucher wiesen auf einen Transport von Nährstoffen aus dem Meer zu den Süßwasserbrutgebieten hin. Isotopische Misch-Modelle zeigten, dass die in den Eiern vorkommenden Nährstoffe in erster Linie lokalen Ursprungs waren. Körpereigene Nährstoffe wurden bei frühen Gelegen zu einem gewissen Anteil zum Aufbau von Eiweiß (25-26%; 95%-Vertrauensintervall, Drei-Isotopen-Modell) und fettfreiem Eigelb mobilisiert (17-18%, Zwei-Isotopen-Modell, δ 13 C und δ 15 N). Bei spät begonnenen Gelegen wurden körpereigene Reser...