2024/01/02 by W. Szewczuk, Zbigniew Kasprzykowski · 1 voice
Environmental Science · #Avian ecology and behavior #Species Distribution and Climate Change #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/24750263.2024.2312919
openalex publication_date 2024/01/02 · openalex created_date 2024/02/21 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
The warming climate is giving migratory birds new opportunities to extend their breeding ranges.These expansions may have a significant impact on other local bird communities.Here, we investigate the nest site selection of Mute Swan Cygnus olor, and the expanding Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus.The study aims to assess the differences in habitat use by these two swan species in a lowland anthropogenic landscape.It examines the number of breeding pairs and the surface areas of nesting zones in different habitat types.The field procedures involved the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to survey and locate nests, with geotagged photographs taken to map nest locations.Our results show that Mute Swans primarily occupy oxbows, while Whooper Swans predominantly nest in pond complexes.Moreover, GLM models indicate that Mute Swans tend to choose open areas within a radius of 200 m around the nests, whereas Whooper Swans avoid built-up areas, often choosing forested sites within a radius of 500 m of their nests.These findings suggest that the expansion of the Whooper Swan population has led to changes in the breeding behaviour and habitat use of sympatric Mute Swan populations.The territorial behaviour and aggression of Whooper Swan may be driving Mute Swan away from fishpond habitats.We conclude that interactions between the two swan species are dynamic and have not yet stabilized, so this is an issue that needs to be closely monitored.Understanding these dynamics is essential for the effective conservation and management of wetland habitats in the face of ongoing climate change and shifting breeding ranges of birds. Key policy highlights1. Species range shifts: climate change causes shifts in bird breeding ranges, impacting species interactions.The expanding Whooper Swan's competition with Mute Swan exemplifies this process.2. Selection of new habitat types: as it expands, the Whooper Swan competes with the Mute Swan for attractive breeding habitat.3. Differences in habitat choice: Whooper Swan most frequently chooses fishponds surrounded by forests, whereas Mute Swan nests within more open area, closer to human settlements, frequently on oxbows.