Abstract

Predation rates on artificial wader nests, solitary curlew (Numenius arquata) and lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) nests and lapwing nests in colonies were studied on a farmland site in central Sweden. Predation rates were highest on artificial wader nests, intermediate on solitary curlew and lapwing nests and lowest on lapwing nests in colonies, probably because of active defence of adults at real nests and/or because of selection of nest sites with lower predation risk by breeding birds. A comparison of nests close to (≤50 m) and far away from (≥200 m) forest edges revealed no increased predation risk close to edges for any of the studied nest types. Predation risk changed during the season for artificial nests (highest in the middle of May), while predation rates on lapwing and curlew nests were more stable. Artificial nests seem to be inappropriate for measuring actual predation rates and temporal differences in predation rates on real nests, but they might be suitable for use as an index of spatial differences.

Keywords

Nest predation; Artificial nests; Curlew nests; Lapwing nests; Nest aggregation

Published in

Oecologia
1996, Volume: 107, number: 3, pages: 343-346

SLU Authors

• Berg, Åke

  • Department of Wildlife Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328450

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/39499