Within an between-year winter-site fidelity of Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita

Catry, Paulo; Catry, Inês; Catry, Teresa; Martins, Teresa

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/1450

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Abstract(s)

Current knowledge concerning between-year winter site fidelity in passerines suggests there might be important inter-specific and regional variations in recurrence rates (the proportion of birds recaptured in years subsequent to marking). However, there are virtually no studies reporting low recurrence rates that show this not to be simply the result of low recapture probabilities. This problem can be particularly acute for partly nomadic and mostly non-territorial species in their winter quarters. The present study shows that, in spite of the apparently nomadic behaviour of wintering Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita, some individuals can become temporarily sedentary. Temporarily sedentary Chiffchaffs have very small linear home-ranges (ca. 200m) and their calculated recapture probability (by re-sighting of colour-ringed birds) is high. In spite of that, recurrence rate of temporarily sedentary birds is very low, suggesting that the majority of the surviving individuals are not site faithful. This is in contrast to what has been found in several detailed studies in other Sylviidae and also Parulidae involving mostly territorial birds. The type of approach developed here should be used in other studies before any comparisons and generalisations involving winter-site fidelity results are attempted.