| Abstract: | The ecology of passerines using saltmarshes in winter is poorly known. The distribution and abundance of passerines on the Taff/Ely saltmarshes were studied between October 1983 and March 1984. Twenty-two species of passerine were recorded. Their numbers fluctuated irregularly throughout the winter. The four most abundant species, Skylark, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting, showed preferences for certain plant communities. Skylarks shifted from the Asteretum community to Spartinetum, and Chaffinches from the Asteretum to a mixed-species community as winter progressed. Faecal analysis showed that both species consumed seeds from similar plants but took them in different proportions. |
