Use of Agricultural Fields by Ruffs Staging in Southwest Friesland in 2003–2013

[摘要] IntensivedairyfarminghaschangedtheagriculturalgrasslandareasofTheNetherlandsprofoundly,withnegativeimpactsonthereproductionoftheshorebirdsbreedingthere.Thismodernagriculturallandscapealsoformsastagingsiteformigratingshorebirds,wheretheymoultandreplenishfuelstores,butstagingperformanceintheseareashasreceivedmuchlessattention.WestudiednorthboundmigratingRuffsPhilomachuspugnaxstaginginthegrasslandsofsouthwestFrieslandoveratenyearperiod,duringwhichpeaknumbersdeclinedfrom20,000in2003to3500birdsin2009andthenstabilized.Onthebasisofresightinglocationsofindividuallymarkedbirds,wedescribechangesintheirday-timeforagingdistributionfromspring2006tospring2013.Ruffsprogressivelyretreatedtothecentreofthec.10,000hastudyarea,where,amongintensivegrasslands,establishedandnewlycreatedinlandwetlandsoccurredthatservedasfeedingand/orroostingsites.Toquantifythespatialchanges,in2013werepeatedatransectsurveyofmeadowusecarriedoutearlierin2003.Usingsimilarcharacteristicsofindividualmeadowsintermsofherbrichness(ameasureofagriculturalintensity)andlandscapecharacteristics(distancetotheroost,soiltype),weshowthat,duringspring2013,asin2003,Ruffsforagedpreferentiallyonmeadowsclosetoroostingareas.ThesurveyalsohighlightsthepreferenceofRuffsfortheWorkumerwaard,aparticularlylargeandopenpolderwithasandysoilandshortvegetationborderedbyatraditionalroostingareaontheshoreline.ThisstudyprovidessomeevidencethatinlandwetlandsmayincreasetheattractivenessformigratingRuffsoflandscapesdominatedbymoderngrasslands.

[学科分类] 动物科学

[关键词] Shorebirds