ABSTRACT Extensive research has been conducted to explore adaptive variation in offspring sex ratios, focusing on birds as a model group. However, studies date have not comprehensive scope, limiting our understanding of whether there is substantial within‐ or among‐year which environmental conditions and mechanisms are associated with this variation, when during nesting attempt the fledgling ratio largely determined. To address these gaps, we analyzed 18‐year dataset from 542 sexually...

Summary Camera recording and video analysis have emerged as a successful non‐invasive method for collecting wide range of biological data on many different taxa animals. However, camera monitoring has rarely been applied to long‐term surveillance cavity or box‐nesting species ordinary off‐the‐shelf cameras are employed. We present methodology the effectiveness nest box using system embedded in four ‘smart boxes’ ( SNB oxes). oxes eight Tengmalm's owl Aegolius funereus ) nests Czech Republic...

Animal home ranges typically characterized by their size, shape and a given time interval can be affected many different biotic abiotic factors. However, despite the fact that studies have addressed ranges, our knowledge of factors influencing size area occupied animals is, in cases, still quite poor, especially among raptors. Using radio-telemetry (VHF; 2.1 g tail-mounted tags) we studied movements 20 Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) males during breeding season mountain Central Europe...

In diurnal bird species, individuals breeding at high latitudes have larger broods than lower latitudes, which has been linked to differences in the daily time available for foraging. However, it remains unclear how latitude is with parental investment nocturnal species. Here, we investigate nestling provisioning rates of male Tengmalm's owls two populations different (Czech Republic 50°N; Finland 63°N) help cameras integrated into nest boxes. Clutch sizes were smaller Czech population (CZ:...

Environmental variation across space and time can strongly influence life‐history strategies in vertebrates. It has been shown that the reproductive success of birds prey is closely related to food availability. However, relatively little known about intraspecific differences relation varying ecological conditions environmental gradients. We investigated performance Tengmalm's Owls Aegolius funereus a temperate (Czech Republic, 50°N) boreal (Finland, 63°N) population long‐term variations...

Abstract Based on a long‐term dataset (1999–2010), we investigated how the availability of main prey affects breeding density and food ecology Tengmalm's owl ( Aegolius funereus ) in Czech Republic. In particular, assessed role Microtus voles Apodemus mice diet, based predictions optimal diet theory that composition depends prey. We found (i) exhibited no numerical response to field; (ii) field positively affected their proportion (26 %), despite high owls’ (47 relationship was between diet;...

La infección por Leucocytozoon no influye en la supervivencia de los polluelos mochuelo boreal Aegolius funereus. Se ha observado que afecta ecología y fisiología reproductiva las aves hospedadoras, pero su influencia aún está completamente determinada. investigó el efecto intensidad Leucocytozoon, determinada mediante análisis muestras PCR triplicado, sobre 256 (Aegolius funereus) durante un estudio ocho años. Contrariamente a nuestras expectativas, probabilidad se vio influenciada...

Although population cycles of rodents are geographically widespread and occur in a number rodent species, higher‐order food web interactions mediated by predator–rodent dynamics have primarily been described from boreal arctic biomes. During periods low abundance, predators may switch to alternative prey, which affect other directly or indirectly. Using long‐term dataset, we assessed the frequency Pine Marten Martes martes predation on nests Tengmalm's Owl Aegolius funereus during...

The effects of food abundance, reproductive success and age nestlings on parental care in female Tengmalm's Owls were tested this study. behaviour owls was monitored by a camera system from hatching to fledging at 12 nests 2004 2006 the Ore Mountains, Czech Republic. Food abundance (the latter measured end female's attendance brood) higher than 2006. Females remained for significantly longer time with their (24.8 ± 2.4 days) (22.2 0.9 days). During period, they leaving nest several short...

Sex-specific parental roles of most raptors allow mates to cooperate during breeding; while females incubate and brood, males provide food. If one partner fails in its duties, however, sex-specific can limit the ability each sex carry out role normally performed by partner. We observed effect male food provisioning on female care Boreal Owls Aegolius funereus using cameras at 12 nests western Finland 2005. compared eight with a high feeding rate (successful nests) that four low or zero...

The quality of people's knowledge nature has always had a significant influence on their approach to wildlife and conservation. However, direct interactions people with are greatly limited nowadays, especially because urbanization modern lifestyles. As result, our isolation from the natural world been growing. Here, we present an example state-of-the-art Citizen Science project its educational, scientific, popularizing benefits. We conclude that media new forms education offer effective...

Relatively little information exists on the effects of mercury terrestrial wildlife populations. We analyzed 38 free-living small rodent females (Myodes glareolus, Microtus agrestris, and Apodemus flavicolis), which 11 were pregnant, for total concentrations in combined liver kidney samples. Using a single-purpose atomic absorption spectrometer determination, measured values ranged from 0.006 to 0.079 mg/kg. Pregnant had significantly (P<0.041) higher levels than did nonpregnant females. Our...

In altricial birds, the nestling period is an important part of breeding phase because juveniles may spend quite a long time in nest, with associated high energy costs for parents. The length can be variable and its duration influenced by both biotic abiotic factors; however, studies this have mostly been undertaken on passerine birds. We studied individual 98 Tengmalm's owl chicks (Aegolius funereus) at 27 nests during five seasons using camera chip system radio-telemetry. found nestlings...

During a two-year study in Central Europe, we used combination of pellet analysis and camera recordings to assess the diet composition Tengmalm’s owl during breeding season, with regards availability main prey components field. The owls consisted mainly voles (Arvicolidae), mice (Muridae) shrews (Soricidae), their proportion reflected local abundances Pellet allowed us determine 40.2 ± 6.9 % (2004) 46.4 14.7 (2006) all delivered items recorded by cameras, while it was 77.1 17.1 80.2 12.5 for...

Incubation is an energetically demanding process during which birds apply heat to their eggs ensure embryonic development. Parent behaviours such as egg turning and exchanging the outer central in nest cup affect amount of lost environment from individual eggs. Little known, however, about whether how surface temperature cooling rates vary among different areas arrangement within clutch influences loss. We performed laboratory (using Japanese quail eggs) field (with northern lapwing...

Vocal activity is one of the main attributes that enables assessment presence and abundance animal populations. However, factors affecting vocal are rarely studied, especially in owls. We studied Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) using acoustic monitoring relation to environmental Central Europe (Czech Republic), over an area 100 km2. analysed a total 1,310 hours sound recordings collected two years (2015 2016) at turn March/April April/May. The frequency sampling points which we recorded...

In altricial birds, energy supply during growth is a major predictor of the physical condition and survival prospects fledglings. A number experimental studies have shown that nestling body mass wing length can vary with particular extrinsic factors, but between-year observational data on this topic are scarce. Based seven-year study in central European Tengmalm's owl population we examine effect year, brood size, hatching order, sex length, as well prey abundance parameters curve. We found...

The behaviour of the nestlings nocturnal cavity-nesting species has relatively rarely been studied in detail because problems connected with use technical devices required to provide long-term monitoring individuals. However, observation nestling is crucial order identify different types which may be caused by sibling competition at end nesting period. We 43 Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) 14 nests using a camera and chip system. perched nest box entrance from an average age 28 days...

Abstract While networked sensors are becoming a ubiquitous part of many human lives, their applications to the study wild animals have been largely limited off‐the‐shelf and stand‐alone technologies such as web cameras. However, purpose‐designed systems, applying features found in Internet‐of‐Things devices, enable more efficient gathering, managing, disseminating diverse array data needed life histories animals. We illustrate these claims based on our development system nest boxes that we...

Due to mainly opportunistic hunting behaviour of Barn owl can be its diet composition used for assessing local structure small-mammal community. We evaluated the communities in Mediterranean region by analysing using own pellets and literature data (85 localities comprising 182,343 prey individuals). Contrary widely accepted macroecological theory, we found a latitudinal increase alpha diversity, less distinct west-east lower diversity on islands. The mean weight decreased with increasing...