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Review the Precipitous Decline of the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza Hortulana: Time to Build on Scientific Evidence to Inform Conserv

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Review the Precipitous Decline of the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza Hortulana: Time to Build on Scientific Evidence to Inform Conserv Review The precipitous decline of the ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana: time to build on scientific evidence to inform conservation management M yles H. M. Menz and R aphae¨ l A rlettaz Abstract In recent decades there has been a marked decline ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana is the only long- in most ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana populations in distance trans-Saharan migrant among old world buntings temperate Europe, with many regional populations now (Cramp & Perrins, 1994; Glutz von Blotzheim & Bauer, extinct or on the brink of extinction. In contrast, Mediter- 1997). The species has undergone the second most pro- ranean and, as far as we know, eastern European popula- nounced decline of any bird species in temperate Western tions seem to have remained relatively stable. The causes of Europe in recent decades, with an estimated 82% popula- decline remain unclear but include: habitat loss and degra- tion reduction between 1980 and 2008 (Klvanova et al., dation, and related reduction in prey availability; climate 2010), although the decline began earlier in some places change on the breeding grounds; altered population dynam- (Conrads, 1977; Lang et al., 1990; Meier-Peithmann, 1992; ics; illegal captures during migration; and environmental Dale, 1997). Ortolan bunting populations have recently change in wintering areas. We review the current knowledge crashed across northern Europe and Scandinavia (van of the biology of the ortolan bunting and discuss the pro- Noorden, 1991, 1999; Vepsa¨la¨inen et al., 2005; Ottvall posed causes of decline in relation to the different population et al., 2008) and the species has effectively become extinct trends in temperate and Mediterranean Europe. We suggest as a breeding species within the last decade in Belgium, The new avenues of research to identify the factors limiting Netherlands (van Noorden, 1991, 1999; Vieuxtemps & ortolan bunting populations. The main evidence-based Jacob, 2002; van Dijk et al., 2005) and Switzerland (Revaz conservation measure that is likely to enhance habitat et al., 2005; Menz et al., 2009b), with mostly unpaired quality is the creation of patches of bare ground to produce singing males remaining in these populations. The species sparsely vegetated foraging grounds in invertebrate-rich has apparently remained stable in Eastern Europe (BirdLife grassy habitats close to breeding areas. International, 2004), and the only notable increase has been 2004 Keywords Agricultural intensification, Emberiza hortulana, in Catalonia, in the Mediterranean (Pons, ; Brotons 2008 farmland birds, habitat degradation, migration, ortolan et al., ). bunting, species decline, threatened species Although the life history of the ortolan bunting is generally well resolved we lack consolidated information about the species’ key ecological requirements and most con- servation action for the species is based on expert opinion Introduction rather than scientific evidence. Thus, there is uncertainty igratory birds, in particular long-distance migrants, about the optimal conservation measures to implement. Mare vulnerable to environmental change in multiple Given the challenges of integrating research programmes regions (Sanderson et al., 2006; Both et al., 2010). The across regions and countries clear direction is required for appropriate conservation research for the ortolan bunting. In this review we: (1) synthesize existing knowledge of the biology 2 y of the ortolan bunting, ( ) discuss the proposed causes of the MYLES H.M. MENZ* (Corresponding author) and RAPHAE¨L ARLETTAZ 3 Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, species’ decline, ( ) propose priorities for future research to University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. E-mail inform conservation action, and (4) provide preliminary [email protected] evidence-based management recommendations from the in- *Also at: Kings Park and Botanic Garden, The Botanic Gardens and Parks formation currently available (Pullin & Knight, 2001). Authority, West Perth, Western Australia, Australia, The School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Literature searches were primarily on the ISI Web of Australia, and Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School Science, the Ornithological Worldwide Literature database of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital (OWL, 2010), and reference lists from published articles. Territory, Australia y The review of threatening processes considered articles Also at: Swiss Ornithological Institute, Valais Field Station, Nature Centre, 1950 Salgesch, Switzerland published after as this is believed to be the year in 1990 Received 21 August 2010. Revision requested 4 November 2010. which many population declines began (Lang et al., ; Accepted 4 January 2011. First published online 2 December 2011. Meier-Peithmann, 1992; Dale, 1997). ª 2011 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 46(1), 122–129 doi:10.1017/S0030605311000032 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.35.76, on 01 Oct 2021 at 12:10:18, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605311000032 Conservation of the ortolan bunting 123 Ecology of the ortolan bunting 3–4 years after fire (Pons & Clavero, 2010). This relation- ship is particularly strong in Mediterranean and, to a lesser Habitat requirements extent, sub-Mediterranean biomes, where occurrence of fires is still commonplace, and it is also noticeable in In Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean Europe the temperate Europe where the species also nests on historic species breeds primarily in open shrubland and steppe-like burns (e.g. Dale & Olsen, 2002; Revaz et al., 2005). This habitat, particularly on south-facing slopes (Cramp & indicates that the ortolan bunting behaves like a pioneer 1994 1997 Perrins, ; Glutz von Blotzheim & Bauer, ;Fonderflick species, typically colonizing the early stages of vegetation 2005 2008 et al., ; Brotons et al., ). Here, the species favours succession. areas with shrub and tree cover of c. 20–30% (Ko¨lsch, 1959; Keusch, 1991; Menz et al., 2009a) and rarely occurs Diet where tree cover exceeds 30–50% (Fonderflick et al., 2005; 2006 Fonderflick, ). In temperate Europe the species breeds The ortolan bunting has a varied diet, including both plant primarily in agricultural habitats, particularly areas of small- (seeds) and animal matter (Cramp & Perrins, 1994; Glutz scale cultivation, set-asides, short-rotation coppice and von Blotzheim & Bauer, 1997), although the diet of the shrublands in historically burnt habitats, with these habitats chicks is restricted to a few dominant prey orders: Lepi- 1994 often co-occurring (e.g. Berg & Pa¨rt, ; Dale & Hagen, doptera, particularly Tortricidae larvae, and Coleoptera in 1997 2002 2002 ; Berg, ; Dale & Olsen, ;Go1awski & the north of its range (Conrads, 1968, 1969;Ha¨nel, 2004), 2002 2005 Dombrowski, ; Revaz et al., ). In farmland the and Orthoptera, particularly Tettigoniidae, in the south species favours field margins with structural elements such (Kunz, 1950; Keusch & Mosimann, 1984). In Switzerland, as isolated trees, hedges and nearby forest margins (Meier- Tettigoniidae made up nearly 70% of the total items Peithmann, 1992; Gru¨tzmann et al., 2002), a characteristic provisioned to nestlings, a much higher percentage than shared by several farmland bunting species (Brambilla et al., in the sympatric rock bunting Emberiza cia, which has 2008, 2009). a more diverse diet (Keusch & Mosimann, 1984). In the north Within both natural and agricultural landscapes the of the range caterpillars are fed to nestlings in the early stages ortolan bunting breeds primarily in relatively warm, dry of development, with diet switching towards larger prey in areas, with well-drained soils and an annual rainfall below later developmental stages until post-fledging (Kunze, 1954; 600–700 mm (Cramp & Perrins, 1994; Gru¨tzmann et al., Knoblauch, 1968; Conrads, 1969;Ha¨nel, 2004). 2002), avoiding wet habitats (e.g. Nævra, 2002; Dale & Manceau, 2003;Ha¨nel, 2004; Deutsch, 2007). Exceptions Foraging ecology include populations occurring in areas with extremely well- drained soils and steep, sloping topography (Conrads, 1977). Ortolan buntings forage primarily in patches of Ortolan buntings nest on the ground, typically producing bare ground within sparsely vegetated habitats (Stolt, only one brood per season, with exceptional replacement 1974; Gnielka, 1987; Boitier, 2001; Menz et al., 2009b). clutches and second broods (Garling, 1943; Conrads, 1969; However, prey such as caterpillars are also collected from Ha¨nel, 2004). fields (Conrads, 1969), or gleaned from tree crown foliage, Ortolan bunting populations typically consist of loose particularly oaks Quercus spp. (Knoblauch, 1968; Conrads, aggregations of breeding pairs (Vepsa¨la¨inen et al., 2007). 1969; Stolt, 1974; Gnielka, 1987), which harbour a relatively Local colonization, extinction, and population fluctuations high density of caterpillars compared to other tree species are often observed (Glitz, 1967; Dale & Steifetten, 2011), (Naef-Daenzer, 2000). Adult males sometimes forage in the with areas seemingly isolated from other populations also same oaks used as song posts (Ha¨nel, 2004). Consequently, colonized (van Noorden, 1991, 1999; Revaz et al., 2005). This song post selection may function as a signal of territory could indicate the existence
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