Factors affecting fledgling output of great tits, "Parus major", in the long term
- S. Rodríguez 1
- E. Álvarez 2
- E. Barba 1
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1
Universitat de València
info
- 2 Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales–CSIC
ISSN: 1578-665X
Argitalpen urtea: 2016
Alea: 39
Zenbakia: 2
Orrialdeak: 147-154
Mota: Artikulua
Beste argitalpen batzuk: Animal Biodiversity and Conservation
Laburpena
Fledgling production has often been used as an estimator of avian reproductive success, and it is conditioned by factors affecting offspring development and/or survival during the nesting period. We aimed to determine which predictors influenced fledgling output among a set of basic breeding parameters and local temperature data collected over 25 years in a Mediterranean great tit, Parus major, population, using an information–theoretic approach for model selection. Of the studied variables, the number of hatchlings per nest was the single–most important predictor influencing fledgling production, with larger broods eventually yielding more fledglings, although mass prior to fledging may have been compromised. This result suggests an overall good adjustment between brood size and resource availability in the studied population.