Distraction Displays in Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) Females in Central and Northern Europe

Abstract

Distraction displays to a human were studied in the Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) females in Central (Jeseníky Mountains–Czech Republic; 50°N 17°E) and Northern European mountains (Tydal area–Central Norway; 63°N 12°E) between 1995 and 1998. Three risk‐dependent variables were scored and we found that flushing and settling distances of pipit females decreased with increasing intensity of display both in the Central and the Northern Europe locations. Parental risk taking did not markedly differ between studied populations, although, in particular, larger brood size and reduced opportunity to re‐nest should contribute to a higher intensity of nest defence in the Northern than in the Central European mountains. Moreover, the level of risk taken was not significantly dependent on the air temperature, age of brood and brood size in both study areas, when compared separately. These results do not support the findings of most previous studies on nest defence in birds. Possible causes of our contradictory results are discussed with respect to the reproductive value and the feedback hypotheses.

Nest defence in the meadow pipit Anthus pratensis: the influence of renesting potential

“…There is time for only one breeding attempt at Tydal, while two breeding attempts during the breeding season are common at the Czech mountain localities ( Fig. 1; see also Pavel et al 2000). Fig.…”

“…Fig. 1 The seasonal distribution of hatching dates (5-day histograms) of meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) nests at Jeseníky (1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999; 103 nests), at Krkonoše (2001 and2002;103 nests), andat Tydal (1996 and1998;60 nests) We systematically searched for meadow pipit nests during the breeding season, and regularly checked them until the nestlings fledged (details are given in Pavel et al 2000). To study parental nest defence we exposed a stuffed stoat (Mustela erminea) close to the nests when the nestlings were older than 6 days (nestlings that are fed but not brooded by the parents).…”

Sex differences in nest defence by the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio : effects of offspring age, brood size, and stage of breeding season

“…The intensity of display was ranked (separately for females and males) on a subjective scale depending on the risk taken by the bird during nest control from 0 (minimum risk, no calling by parents) to 2 (maximum risk, a parent attacked an observer) (cf. Pavel et al 2000). The sum of distraction displays for both sexes were used as the intensity of parental care of the pair.…”

Parental Investment and Avian Reproductive Rate: Williams’s Principle Reconsidered

“…shift investment from growth to reproduction in organisms with indeterminate growth and the optimum level of investment in offspring as a function of age as individuals approached their maximum potential life spans (Gadgil and Bossert 1970;Charlesworth and Léon 1976;Tershy et al 2000), although the principle has also been applied to the optimization of clutch size (e.g., Ghalambor and Martin 2000) and parental risk (e.g., Pavel et al 2000).…”