ABSTRACT Translocations are a conservation measure that is increasingly applied to assist the recovery of animal populations threatened with extinction. Long‐distance migrating passerines, however, have been rarely addressed in translocation projects so far. One such species globally Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola , habitat specialist breeding fen mires Central Europe and wintering sub‐Saharan Africa. The global population has severely declined during last decades due loss. Although...

European bee-eaters Merops apiaster forage almost exclusively on airborne insects caught the wing. The availability of this food might be temporally limited due to adverse weather conditions, especially at climatically sub-optimal breeding sites. We determined seasonal variation in diet composition adult and nestling species' northernmost colonies by analysing remains from pellets direct observation. Adult preyed a wide range insect species with more than 97% belonging taxonomic orders...

Summary Corncrakes Crex crex mainly breed in grassland, where they are threatened by mowing. Conservation requires delayed mowing or modified methods. In large fields, it has been suggested that leaving strips of uncut grass may reduce mortality, especially unfledged chicks. We attended operations (2012–2015) the Lower Oder Valley National Park north-eastern Germany, 10-m refuge were introduced. documented escape behaviour adults and chicks their use observations radio-telemetry. Flightless...

The Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola was once a common breeding bird in mesotrophic fen mires all over Central and Western Europe. In the last century large parts of its habitat have been destroyed by wetland drainage agricultural intensification. Besides protecting remaining habitats, it is great importance to preserve suitable migration stopover habitats wintering grounds avert extinction species.We determined home-range size use vegetation associations Warblers on flooded plain...

Summary The Azure-rumped Tanager Tangara cabanisi is a globally threatened species restricted to the Pacific slope mountains of western Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico. We studied habitat use this tanager on southern Atitlán volcano, department Suchitepéquez, Guatemala, applying distance sampling along transects in humid broadleaf forest coffee plantations. was recorded both types, but encounter rates were significantly greater forest. estimated density tanagers at 1,400–1,900 m 33–93 birds km...

Capsule: Forb-rich and diverse, annually mown vegetation is the preferred Corncrake Crex crex breeding habitat in floodplains.Aims: To identify preferences of female Corncrakes characteristics sites floodplain habitats derive recommendations for management.Methods: We tracked six compared at 78 male calling with regard to records diurnal call activity males, because we expect latter indicate occurrence. Additionally, analysed how practice timing land use preceding year affected...

After losing their nests or broods due to mowing of grassland, ground-breeding birds may re-nest disperse from the previous home-range. Breeding corncrakes are frequently affected by grasslands and often over long distances afterwards. We studied effects on departure rates radio-tagged males two river floodplain areas in Germany (LOV) Netherlands. Birds left both study throughout breeding season. Daily probabilities that survived remained varied between within seasons, with lowest values LOV...

Two methods are commonly used to study the diet of nestling passerines: neck collar method and faecal sampling. Most studies apply either method, however, few methodological comparing both exist mainly limited farmland birds. Furthermore, existing only include high-level taxonomic categories. Here, we compared using two wetland species, Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, included family level as a lower prey level. We found no differences between in...

Land management intensification has caused declines in many grassland bird species. Corncrakes breed agriculturally managed meadows and are mainly threatened by nest loss during mowing operations, but may also be affected alternations habitat food availability. We analysed faecal samples to identify the diet composition of a river floodplain north-eastern Germany related abundance ground-dwelling invertebrates, sampled with pitfall traps, practice. The most frequent sources were beetle...