Colony fidelity and interchange in the Sand Martin

Mead, C. J.

doi:10.1080/00063657909476625

Cited by 36 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…A high degree of site fidelity has been found in Sand Martins (Mead 1979) and the possibility of an influx of small birds can be ruled out from direct analysis of the ringing data. Twenty-one birds ringed in 1983 were controlled at Rarbush in 1984.…”

Section: S H O R T C O M M U N I C a T I O N S I B I S 1 2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection against large size in the Sand Martin Riparia riparia during a dramatic population crash

Jones

1987

Ibis

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In 1984 breeding Sand Martins declined to 27% of their 1983 numbers at a large colony in Scotland. A population crash of similar magnitude occurred over much of central Scotland and over Britain as a whole.T h e decline in numbers was probably attributable to severe drought conditions experienced overwinter in the Sahel zone of Africa. There was a significant reduction in the mean keel-length of Sand Martins captured at the main study colony in 1984 compared with individuals measured in both 1982 and 1983, suggesting that selection for small body-size had occurred during the period of high overwinter mortality.Few studies have reported natural selection acting on body-size in bird populations during periods of high mortality (Bumpus 1899, Boag & Grant 1981, Johnston & Fleischer 1981. Exceptional climatic conditions (Johnston & Fleischer 1981)) such as droughts (Boag & Grant 1981, may increase avian mortality rates substantially: one study of body-size changes in a bird population after drought conditions revealed selection for large individuals (Boag & Grant 1981. This paper reports a dramatic population crash of Sand Martins Riparia riparia breeding in central Scotland, the decrease in numbers probably being caused by drought conditions encountered overwinter. A reduction in mean body-size occurred over the period of high overwinter mortality, and plausible selective advantage of small body size during a drought is proposed. MethodsDuring an investigation into the evolutionary significance of body-size in breeding Sand Martins in central Scotland between 1982 and 1984, about 900 individuals were ringed at Barbush sand quarry near Dunblane (Grid Reference N N 787026). Measurements of wing-length (maximum chord, measured to the nearest 0.5 mm), keel-length (measured to the nearest 0.1 mm), and body-mass (to the nearest 0.1 g) were made on 423 adults over the three years. Keel-lengths were measured three times upon each capture of an individual by the author alone, and a mean value recorded. During the study period, Sand Martin breeding colonies in the Stirling area were surveyed, counts of occupied burrows being made in late June and early July, the time when most pairs were rearing first broods. Details of the study area and counting methods are outlined in Jones (1986). Eight sites counted in all three years of the study, which were relatively undisturbed by quarrying activities or by river flooding, were used to estimate population changes in the Stirling area between 1982 and 1984. ResultsOf the two potential measures of body-size used, keel-length was judged to be a better indicator of size than wing-length. Keel-length reached its maximum size at or soon after fledging: there was no significant difference between mean keel-lengths in a sample of fledgling and adult carcasses ( t 3 4 = 0.65, P > 0.5). Wing-length continued to increase after fledging, however, and over adult life (of 27 birds controlled in two *Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1 UG.

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Section: S H O R T C O M M U N I C a T I O N S I B I S 1 2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection against large size in the Sand Martin Riparia riparia during a dramatic population crash

Jones

1987

Ibis

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“…It is shown elsewhere (Mead 1979a) that Sand Martins, especially adults, exhibit marked fidelity to their natal colony or its vicinity, so that colony-to-roost and roost-to-colony data are comparable.…”

Section: Autumn Movements Through Passage Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adult movements between colonies are more difficult to interpret, and are largely dealt with elsewhere (Mead 1979a), but some show clearly that other colonies are visited on migration. The information for juveniles is summarised in Figure 14, which shows all the inter-regional movements recorded; two sets of histograms are shown for each region (Western on the left, Eastern on the right).…”

Section: Autumn Movements Through Coloniesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sand Martin movements within Britain and Ireland

Mead

Harrison

1979

Bird Study

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“…These are difficult to distinguish from extreme cases of colony interchange (see Mead 1979a), but twelve recoveries are plotted in Figure 14. Ten of them were ringed as juveniles in British roosts, and indicated that a few young birds from the continent reach• southeast Britain during the exploratory phase of post-fledging dispersal.…”

Section: Passage Of Continental Birds Through Britainmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also included are birds ringed abroad and recovered in Britain and Ireland: 238 records, mostly recaptured by ringers here. Recoveries which seem to indicate infidelity to natal or previous breeding colony are dealt with elsewhere (Mead 1979a). Since the distribution abroad of active Sand Martin ringers was very discontinuous, recoveries from that source were considered separately from those reported abroad by members of the public.…”

Section: This Paper Analyses the Ringing Recoveries In Continental Eumentioning

confidence: 99%