A higher incidence of moult–breeding overlap in great tits across time is linked to an increased frequency of second clutches: a possible effect of global warming?
- I. Solís
- J. J. Sanz
- L. Imba
- E. Álvarez
- E. Barba
ISSN: 1578-665X
Year of publication: 2021
Volume: 44
Issue: 2
Pages: 303-315
Type: Article
More publications in: Animal Biodiversity and Conservation
Abstract
The rise of temperatures due to global warming is related to a lengthening of the breeding season in many bird species. This allows more pairs to attempt two clutches within the breeding season, thus finishing their breeding activity later in the season and therefore potentially overlapping these with post–breeding moult. We tested whether this occurred in two Spanish great tit Parus major populations. The proportion of pairs laying second clutches increased from 1 % to 32 % over the study period in one of the populations (Sagunto, 1995–2019), while it did not change in the other (Quintos, 2006–2019; mean 5 %). We did not find any temporal trend for moult start date of late–breeding birds in any population. The proportion of individuals of both sexes that overlapped moult and breeding increased in Sagunto. For this latter population, sex and age, but not clutch type, contributed to the variability in the probability of overlapping in late–breeding individuals, this being higher for first–year males and lower for older femal
Funding information
We wish to thank all the people who collaborated with the fieldwork over these years, and the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) for providing temperature records from our study sites. This study was partially supported by the projects CGL2013?48001? C2?1?P (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation) and CGL2016?79568?C3?1?P (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) thanks to the European Social Fund.Funders
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- CGL2013
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad Spain
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Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Spain
- CGL2016–79568
- European Social Fund European Union