Apparent survival and return rate of breeders in the southern temperate White‐rumped Swallow Tachycineta leucorrhoa

Abstract

Life‐histories and demographic parameters of southern temperate bird species have been little studied. We estimated return rates between years and sexes, and adult apparent survival and recapture probabilities with mark–recapture data on White‐rumped Swallows and found a lower return rate of unsuccessful females. There was little support for influences of sex or year on survival rates. The estimates were equivalent to the lowest value reported for a northern congener, in contrast to the prediction of geographical variation under life‐history theory.

Insights into life history theory: a brood size manipulation on a southern hemisphere species,Tachycineta leucorrhoa, reveals a fast pace of life

“…Males’ return rate was unaffected by treatments, as was earlier determined for both species (Shutler et al 2006, Bulit and Massoni 2011). Even though return rates do not accurately reflect adult survival, the returns rates found on this study agree with previous return rates described for this species in the same field‐site: 43.5% for females (59% for successful females) and 42% for males (Bulit and Massoni 2011). The reduced sample size of the present study did not allow us to estimate apparent survival based on model selection procedures and capture‐recapture data.…”

“…We found no difference in the return rate of males and females exposed to different treatments, as was also described in the case of tree swallows (Murphy et al 2000, Shutler et al 2006). In a previous study we found that successful females were more likely to return than unsuccessful ones (Bulit and Massoni 2011), a frequent pattern described for birds (Greenwood and Harvey 1982, Clark and Shutler 1999, Winkler et al 2004, but see Shutler and Clark 2003). Given that a greater percentage of enlarged nests failed completely, we expected to find smaller return rates in females that had raised those broods; instead, the return rate was similar to that of females who raised reduced broods.…”

“…Given that a greater percentage of enlarged nests failed completely, we expected to find smaller return rates in females that had raised those broods; instead, the return rate was similar to that of females who raised reduced broods. This suggests white‐rumped swallows females may be sensitive not only to complete nest failure (Bulit and Massoni 2011), but also to a discrepancy between their individual clutch size and the brood size they were forced to raise by manipulating their brood (Pettifor et al 1988, 2001). Males’ return rate was unaffected by treatments, as was earlier determined for both species (Shutler et al 2006, Bulit and Massoni 2011).…”

“…This suggests white‐rumped swallows females may be sensitive not only to complete nest failure (Bulit and Massoni 2011), but also to a discrepancy between their individual clutch size and the brood size they were forced to raise by manipulating their brood (Pettifor et al 1988, 2001). Males’ return rate was unaffected by treatments, as was earlier determined for both species (Shutler et al 2006, Bulit and Massoni 2011). Even though return rates do not accurately reflect adult survival, the returns rates found on this study agree with previous return rates described for this species in the same field‐site: 43.5% for females (59% for successful females) and 42% for males (Bulit and Massoni 2011).…”

“…those living close to the tropics) exhibited a great similarity with tropical species but differed from north temperate species. Our previous studies on the white‐rumped swallow Tachycineta leucorrhoa (Massoni et al 2007, Bulit et al 2008, Bulit and Massoni 2011) conducted within the subtropical region (11 degrees south in latitude from the above mentioned studies) showed that life history traits of this species were more similar to those of the northern temperate fast living congener, the tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor (Winkler and Allen 1996, Dunn et al 2000, Ardia 2005), than to those of the tropical or slow living congeners T. albilinea, T. cyaneoviridis, T. euchrysea (Townsend et al 2008) and T. stolzmanni (Stager et al 2012). Given these contrasting results we wanted to further advance our understanding of the breeding biology of Tachycineta leucorrhoa and used an experimental design, based on a brood size manipulation, to test the predictions made by the pace of life hypothesis.…”