Breeding biology of the Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher,Terpsiphone mutata,with special reference to plumage variation in males

This study was undertaken to understand the migratory strategies of the Dunlins (Calidris alpina) caught in Eilat, Israel, before and after they accomplish the crossing of the combined ecological barrier of the Sinai, Sahara and Sahel deserts. Between 1999–2001, a total of 410 adults and 342 juveniles were banded. The significant difference in mean wing length between birds caught in autumn and spring reflects the degree of abrasion of the outer primaries during over-wintering in Africa. Dunlins caught in Eilat in autumn and early winter had a mean wing length 1.4–1.9mm longer than in the spring. The rate of body mass increase was comparatively high and the mean body mass of the heaviest 10% of Dunlin at Eilat was 56.2g (SE ± 0.6, N = 80). The heaviest birds from Eilat carried on average about 10g of fat with a lipid index (fat mass as a percentage of total body mass) of 18%. These reserves allow a flight of approximately 1 000km, which is probably sufficient for continued migration to more southerly wintering grounds.     

The Breeding Distribution and Habitats of the Pied Flycatcher (Muscicapa Hypoleuca) in Britain

Examination of the plumage of Palaearctic warblers as migrants or wintering birds at Kampala, Uganda, provided useful material for a consideration of moult in relation to the timing of spring and autumn migration. Reasons are suggested for observed interspecific differences in the moult pattern, and for the variation reported from different wintering areas in the African continent.     

Demographic Divergence History of Pied Flycatcher and Collared Flycatcher Inferred from Whole-Genome Re-sequencing Data

Profound knowledge of demographic history is a prerequisite for the understanding and inference of processes involved in the evolution of population differentiation and speciation. Together with new coalescent-based methods, the recent availability of genome-wide data enables investigation of differentiation and divergence processes at unprecedented depth. We combined two powerful approaches, full Approximate Bayesian Computation analysis (ABC) and pairwise sequentially Markovian coalescent modeling (PSMC), to reconstruct the demographic history of the split between two avian speciation model species, the pied flycatcher and collared flycatcher. Using whole-genome re-sequencing data from 20 individuals, we investigated 15 demographic models including different levels and patterns of gene flow, and changes in effective population size over time. ABC provided high support for recent (mode 0.3 my, range <0.7 my) species divergence, declines in effective population size of both species since their initial divergence, and unidirectional recent gene flow from pied flycatcher into collared flycatcher. The estimated divergence time and population size changes, supported by PSMC results, suggest that the ancestral species persisted through one of the glacial periods of middle Pleistocene and then split into two large populations that first increased in size before going through severe bottlenecks and expanding into their current ranges. Secondary contact appears to have been established after the last glacial maximum. The severity of the bottlenecks at the last glacial maximum is indicated by the discrepancy between current effective population sizes (20,000–80,000) and census sizes (5–50 million birds) of the two species. The recent divergence time challenges the supposition that avian speciation is a relatively slow process with extended times for intrinsic postzygotic reproductive barriers to evolve. Our study emphasizes the importance of using genome-wide data to unravel tangled demographic histories. Moreover, it constitutes one of the first examples of the inference of divergence history from genome-wide data in non-model species.     

Home ranges and habitat vegetation characters in breeding season of Narcissus Flycatcher and Yellow-rumped Flycatcher

The home ranges of the Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina elisae) and the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (F. zanthopygia) are measured by radio telemetry in a subalpine forest near Beijing, China. The home range is calculated by 100% Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP), and the area varies from 2,000 to 5,000 m². The majority of flycatchers can be found in the bottom of valleys and the underside of mountains. It is fairly rare for both Flycatcher species to leave their nests more than 70 m. Individuals of the species in pair-banding and nest-detecting periods have larger home ranges than those in incubation and rearing periods. The levels of canopy coverage in the home ranges of Narcissus Flycatchers are significantly higher than that of Yellow-rumped Flycatchers. There are also more tall trees and stumps in the home ranges of Narcissus Flycatchers than in that of Yellow-rumped Flycatchers. The dominant tree species in the home ranges of Narcissus Flycatchers is Dahurian Birch (Betula dahurica), whereas Manchurian Walnut (Juglans mandshurica) is the dominant tree species in the home ranges of Yellow-rumped Flycatchers. Translated from Journal of Beijing Normal University (Natural Science), 2006, 42(3): 295–299 [译自: 北京师范大学学报 (自然科学版)]     

Home ranges and habitat vegetation characters in breeding season of Narcissus Flycatcher and Yellow-rumped Flycatcher

The home ranges of the Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina elisae) and the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (F.zanthopygia) are measured by radio telemetry in a subalpine forest near Beijing,China.The home range is calculated by 100% Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP),and the area varies from 2,000 to 5,000 m2.The majority of flycatchers can be found in the bottom of valleys and the underside of mountains.It is fairly rare for both Flycatcher species to leave their nests more than 70 m.Individuals of the species in pair-banding and nest-detecting periods have larger home ranges than those in incubation and rearing periods.The levels of canopy coverage in the home ranges of Narcissus Flycatchers are significantly higher than that of Yellowrumped Flycatchers.There are also more tall trees and stumps in the home ranges of Narcissus Flycatchers than in that of Yellow-rumped Flycatchers.The dominant tree species in the home ranges of Narcissus Flycatchers is Dahurian Birch (Betula dahurica),whereas Manchurian Walnut (Juglans mandshurica) is the dominant tree species in the home ranges of Yellow-rumped Flycatchers.     

The autumn migration records of the Red-breasted Flycatcher

A census of breeding Ringed Plovers in the UK in 1984 revealed 7534 pairs and a further 1083 pairs were estimated, bringing the total to just over 8600 territorial pairs. Two-thirds of these were in Scotland. The Western Isles, particularly the dry machair, supported 2324 of these, 27% of the national total. Estimated numbers in England (2389) and Wales (224) showed, using the comparison of counted areas only, increases over 1973/74 of 19.6% and 21.1% respectively. Elsewhere, however, a similar comparison showed that numbers were stable or decreasing slightly. The large increase in the UK total over 1973/74 was primarily due to improved coverage in Scotland. Of the habitats used, open beaches throughout most of the UK and machair in the Western Isles were by far the most important. A trend was apparent, most clearly in England, for birds to spread to inland sites. The concentration of Ringed Plovers into nature reserves and other protected sites, especially in England, is discussed, along with the implications for the design of access arrangements to such areas.     

Paradise Bent

Paradise Bent. 1999. 51 minutes, color. video by Heather Croall. For more information, contact Beyond Distribution, PTY LTD, 53-55 Brisbane Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Sydney, Australia; or 1875 Century Park East, Suite 1320, Los Angeles, CA 90067.     

Clutch-size variation in the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca

Variation in clutch-size of the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca was studied simultaneously in relation to latitude, longitude, altitude, laying date and habitat, using data from 103 areas from north Africa to north Norway (latitudinal range about 3900 km). Clutch-size variation was significantly related to altitude and habitat, small clutches being laid at high altitude and in coniferous forests. In contrast to some earlier studies, latitudinal or longitudinal clutch-size trends were not found.     

Divergent character displacement in the song of two allospecies: the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, and the Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis

Songs of the three flycatcher forms, Ficedula hypoleuca hypoleuca, Ficedula albicollis albicollis and Ficedula albicollis semitorquata , were distinguishable from one another using a multivariate analysis. F. albicollis semitorquata , which has an intermediate song character, is considered to be a primary allopatric form while the nominate subspecies of albicollis is assumed to be dispersed into sympatry with F. h. hypoleuca . The differences in song between the nominate albicollis and F. hypoleuca are accentuated in their zone of sympatry and are mostly due to divergence in the albicollis song. The song is primarily an epigamic vocalization in the two species and conforms to the pattern characteristic of divergent character displacement associated with reproductive behaviour. Two alarm calls are quite similar in the two species and are the main vocalizations associated with territorial combat. Their interspecific territorial behaviour has apparently not been affected in areas of sympatry.