Scientific Journal of the BirdLife Hungary

A Magyar Madártani és Természetvédelmi Egyesület tudományos folyóirata

Ornis Hungarica. vol.7. (1997) p.39-42.

Distinction of solitary and colonial breeding in waders
Z. Hegyi and L. Sasvári

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Abstract:

Distances between neighbouring nests, antipredator attacks, and foraging distances from the nests were recorded in Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Redshank (Tringa totanus) and Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) breeding on 380 ha of meadows in Kiskunság National Park, 50 km south of Budapest. We found a notable low level of simultaneous activities in antipredator behavior when distances between neighbouring nests were longer than 200 in, both in conspecific and heterospecific neighbourhoods and a lower proportion of simultaneous antipredator attacks in non-conspecific neighbourhoods than in conspecific ones. Parents foraged over distances greater than 200 in in most often when they nested closer than 200 in from each other and conversely, parents foraged closer than 200 in when they nested further than 200 in from each other. When the nearest neighbours were closer than 200 in there was a higher proportion of longer foraging distances in conspecific than in non-conspecific neighbourhoods. We suggest that an aggregation of Lapwing, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit nests separated by less than 200 in may be considered as a single or mixed species colony of waders.