No abstract

No abstract

1. This study investigated the effect of a highway with dense traffic on the quality of adjacent habitats for the willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus. 2. In the zone of 0-200 m from the highway (road zone) the density of territorial males was much lower (2-1 ha-1) than in zones with a comparable habitat at a greater distance (3 3 ha-1). 3. The lower density in the road zone was due to a low presence of older males. As a consequence, the proportion of yearling males in the road zone was about 50% higher than in the other zones. 4. Yearling males occupied their territories in the road zone later than in the other zones. 5. In the road zone the proportion of successful yearling males was about 50% lower than in the other zones. No difference was observed in the number of nestlings per male. 6. In the road zone the total annual output of males per ha wag about 40% lower than in the other zones. The road zone probably acts as a sink for males immigrating from the intermediate and control zones. 7. A possibly important cause of the reduced habitat quality in the road zone is the noise. 8. There is much evidence that the highway reduced the population size of the whole study area (165 ha of which about 20% belonged to the road zone).

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract