Temporal and spatial variation in dispersal in the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus)

Abstract

We studied movements of individually marked greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) born in the Camargue, southern France, between their two most important breeding colonies in the western Mediterranean (Camargue and Fuente de Piedra, Spain) from 1986 to 1992. The two sites differ in the frequency with which they offer suitable conditions for breeding. Flamingos have bred each year in the Camargue since 1974, but in only 12 of the past 22 years at Fuente de Piedra. Higher colony fidelity is thus expected in the less variable environment (Camargue), but if dispersal occurs competition might be an important factor causing this dispersal. Following years during which breeding birds in the Camrgue were disturbed (1988 and 1990) a higher proportion of adults changed colonies between breeding attempts (= breeding dispersal, 12.4%), while only 0.4% of flamingos breeding in the Camargue dispersed in the other years. As expected, flamingos breeding at Fuente de Piedra showed a higher rate of breeding dispersal (8.14%). No differences were observed between males and females. The importance of breeding failure as a factor causing breeding dispersal in flamingos was also confirmed by the movements of individual birds. The proportion of young flamingos that moved from their natal colony to start breeding at Fuente de Piedra (= natal dispersal) was independent of sex and age, but increased when breeding access to the Camargue colony was more difficult. However, natal dispersal was also higher in 1988 and 1990 (40.5%) than in the remaining years (1.2%), as was breeding dispersal. We discuss possible ways in which the increased natal dispersal among inexperienced birds could be linked with the increased breeding dispersal of adults in the same year.

Despotic establishment of breeding colonies of greater flamingos, Phoenicopterus ruber , in southern Spain

“…(4) Do owners win because of phenotypic superiority? Our data and those of Nager et al (1996) indicate that older birds usually breed in the best sites. (5) Do breeding skills improve the effectiveness of individuals in their competition for access to habitats of high quality?…”

“…However, such conditions may be easy to find in habitats with little complexity, such as those studied by us or by Ens et al (1995). Breeding greater flamingos exhibit high fidelity to natal colonies (Nager et al 1996). The number of sites at which flamingos may breed in southern Spain is very limited, and individually marked birds are relatively easy to observe, which facilitates documentation of the turnover of individuals between sites (i.e., unequivocal evidence that individuals are omniscient), as well as knowledge of site profitability.…”

“…In colonial waterbirds, this type of interference may affect reproductive success (Inoue and Kawata 1997), as well as settlement decisions. Indeed, Nager et al (1996) found that the proportion of greater flamingos that moved from their natal colony to start breeding elsewhere increased when access to breeding sites at the natal colony was more difficult due to the presence of conspecifics.…”

“…Some of the flamingos from the Camargue have bred in Fuente de Piedra (Nager et al 1996). At Fuente de Piedra, we searched for banded flamingos 4 days per week throughout the 1986-1999 breeding seasons.…”

“…These islands and dikes are used by greater flamingos as breeding sites and are rarely entered by ground predators during the incubation period. Furthermore, some management measures are adopted to prevent ground predators entering breeding sites (Rendón-Martos and Johnson 1996). Indeed, during 16 breeding seasons, we saw dogs during a single day only in each of two seasons.…”