Effects of landscape, conspecifics and heterospecifics on habitat selection by breeding farmland birds: the case of the Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra) and Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)

Abstract

The aim of habitat selection studies is to understand the effect of the different factors affecting the spatial distribution of individuals. Within this framework, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relative contributions of landscape features and conspecific and heterospecific interactions to habitat selection by two sympatric species, the Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra and the Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra, during the breeding season. During the 2008 breeding season, the population of both species was censused in three Central Spanish locations by means of transects (N = 58). A model-averaging approach was used to determine the weight and effect of landscape and interaction variables in each species' habitat selection using abundance as the dependent variable. Deviance partitioning was used to determine the unique and shared contributions of these two sets of variables to the variation explained by the models. Calandra Lark was positively associated with mean field size, which reflects its preference for relatively simplified landscapes with a low density of field margins and, consequently, small land-use diversity.

Fallow management for steppe bird conservation: the impact of cultural practices on vegetation structure and food resources

“…Previous studies have described the vegetation structure (cover and height range values) and the main food requirements preferred by our targets and other ecologically similar bird species (e.g. Cardador et al 2014;Martin et al 2010;McMahon et al 2010;Sanza et al 2012;Suarez et al 1997;Traba et al 2013). From this information, a range of habitat suitability for the selected species has been defined in terms of vegetation cover and height, and food resources (Table 1).…”

“…Plant material, terrestrial invertebrates and occasionally small mammals (Giannangeli et al 2004;Green et al 2000 ;Traba et al 2015) Not exceed 50% Mainly invertebrates and seeds (Sanza et al 2012) 50-95% (Morgado et al 2009) 10-45 cm (Cardador et al 2014;Morgado et al 2009) Short-toed lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)…”

Geographical generality of bird‐habitat relationships depends on species traits

“…For example, a high population size can increase the importance of competition and lead certain individuals to exploit suboptimal habitats (Morris, ; Jensen & Cully, ; Beest, McLouglin, Mysterud & Brook, 2016). The regional species pool can modulate interspecific interactions and consequently local habitat uses (Sanza, Traba, Morales, Rivera, & Delgado, ). Preference for a habitat can change according to the habitat availability in landscapes and increase when that habitat is rare (Aarts, Fieberg, Brasseur, & Matthopoulos, ; Robinson, Wilson, & Crick, ).…”

Effects of Habitat Type on the Breeding Density of Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

“…A principal aim of habitat selection studies is to understand the roles of the different factors that influence the spatial distribution of individuals [1,2]. The several explanations of habitat selection patterns include the distribution of nestsite and prey [3].…”

“…In this sense, landscape structure may restrict an individual to occupy a habitat [5]. Intraspecific interaction may also limit space (e.g., nest-site) use of individuals and may restrict them to select optimal habitats [2].…”