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Breeding Biology of a Relictual Maghreb Magpie (Pica Mauritanica) Population in Tunisia Aymen Nefa1*, Ridha Ouni2, Slaheddine Selmi3 and Saïd Nouira1

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Breeding Biology of a Relictual Maghreb Magpie (Pica Mauritanica) Population in Tunisia Aymen Nefa1*, Ridha Ouni2, Slaheddine Selmi3 and Saïd Nouira1 Nefa et al. Avian Res (2021) 12:12 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-021-00249-6 Avian Research RESEARCH Open Access Breeding biology of a relictual Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauritanica) population in Tunisia Aymen Nefa1*, Ridha Ouni2, Slaheddine Selmi3 and Saïd Nouira1 Abstract Background: The Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauritanica) is an endemic North African species. Available knowledge on this species is limited to historic descriptive data with no ecological information provided. Populations continue to dramatically decline in Tunisia, where only one relic population survives. Investigating the breeding biology of this species is essential for conservation purposes. The purpose of this study was to increase our understanding of the Tunisian relic population and provide detailed data on breeding biology over two breeding seasons (2017 and 2018). Methods: This study occurred on a private farm of 650 ha, located 10 km from Dhorbania village at Kairouan Gov- ernorate, in central Tunisia. Active nests were monitored weekly during egg laying period and twice a week during hatching period. The Ivlev’s electivity index was used to assess whether the frequency of use of nesting trees and bushes matched their availability in the study area. We recorded nest measurements and positions, and compared them using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Variations of breeding parameters as number of eggs laid, hatchlings, and fedglings over years were performed using Mann–Whitney U-test and χ2 tests. We used a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) to investigate how egg volume varied with clutch size and laying date. Results: We investigated clutch size, egg size, hatching and fedging success, and evaluated how these parameters varied according to laying date and nest characteristics. Clutch size averaged 5.00 0.19 but was signifcantly greater in 2017. Hatching success was 2.78 0.34 eggs hatched per nest and fedging success± reached 1.69 0.30 young/ nest. Causes of nest failure included± the depredation of nestlings by shrikes, cobras and rats (e.g. Lanius± meridionalis, Naja haje and Rattus rattus), death of parents by the Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus) and nest parasitism by the Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius). Clutch size, brood size and fedgling success were unafected by lay- ing date, nest volume and nest elevation. Egg volume decreased with laying date but was unafected by clutch. Conclusion: Our study provides the frst and only detailed data on reproductive parameters of the Maghreb Magpie in its entire geographic range (North Africa). Information gleaned from this study provides valuable information for monitoring and long-term conservation plans of the endangered Tunisian Magpie population. Additionally, our data provide an avenue of large-scale comparative studies of the reproductive ecology of the magpie complex. Keywords: Clutch size, Laying date, Maghreb Magpie, Nesting habitat, Nest success, Relic population, Tunisia Background Investigating the breeding biology of bird species is an essential step for understanding their population dynam- ics and for focusing on conservation eforts. Tis is par- ticularly important for poorly known species, especially *Correspondence: [email protected] 1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El those showing signs of declining populations. Manar, El Manar II, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia Te Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) is a common bird Full list of author information is available at the end of the article species in the Palearctic area. Until recently, the North © The Author(s) 2021. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http:// creat iveco mmons. org/ licen ses/ by/4. 0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creat iveco mmons. org/ publi cdoma in/ zero/1. 0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data. Nefa et al. Avian Res (2021) 12:12 Page 2 of 9 African population of this species was considered as a chick survival to decrease with laying date, in line with subspecies (Pica pica mauritanica). However, Ebels the general trend known in birds (Bengtson 1972; Par- (2003) highlighted morphological and acoustic difer- sons 1972; Newton and Campbell 1975; Hill 1984; Sed- ences between the Maghreb population and those of inger 1992; Christians 2002; Verhulst and Nilsson 2008). Europe. Later, taxonomic and phylogenetic studies (Kry- Tis trend is more likely to occur in our arid study area ukov et al. 2017; Song et al. 2018) illustrated that the because food availability deteriorates rapidly as the North African clade is the most divergent compared to breeding season progresses. Moreover, we expected that other lines. Consequently the mauritanica subspecies is breeding success would be strongly related to nest posi- now considered as a separate species, the Maghreb Mag- tion, especially nest elevation, as this parameter is sup- pie (Pica mauritanica), endemic to North Africa (del posed to infuence nest conspicuousness and accessibility Hoyo et al. 2018). to predators. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Maghreb Magpie was locally widespread in North Africa. In the Methods past century, 12 isolated local populations were recorded Study area in Tunisia (Lavauden 1924; Heim de Balzac and Mayaud 1962; Etchécopar and Hue 1964; Isenmann et al. 2005), Te relic population inhabits a private, 650 ha, farm ′ ″ 16 in Algeria (Etchécopar and Hue 1964; Isenmann and located 10 km from Dhorbania village (35° 58 16 N–10° ′ ″ Moali 2000) and approximately 30 in Morocco (Etché- 01 15 E) at Kairouan Governorate, in central Tunisia copar and Hue 1964; Tévenot et al. 2003; Bergier et al. (Fig. 1). Te climate is semi-arid with annual rainfall of 2017). Nowadays, the distribution of this species in North 290 mm and an average summer (June, July and August) Africa is more fragmented and limited. For instance, temperature of 38 °C (Mougou et al. 2011). Te farm only one relic population still survives in Tunisia, at the comprises a mixture of cultivated land, including 150 ha Sbikha region (Kairouan Governorate) (Ouni et al. 2018; of fruit trees and 50 ha of vegetable crops, and pasture Nefa et al. 2020). However, despite this critical situation area (450 ha) covered with bushy vegetation, includ- and the urgency of adequate conservation measures, the ing Sumac (Searsia tripartita) (76.5% of cover), African ecology and dynamics of this relic population remain Wolfbane (Periploca angustifolia) (10.5%), Deciduous poorly understood due to the lack of detailed studies. Shrub (Ziziphus lotus) (9%), Ephedra (Ephedra sp.) (2%) Indeed, available knowledge on this species is limited to and European Boxthorn (Lycium europaeum) (1%). Other old descriptive data on its morphology and distribution trees [European Olive (Olea europaea), Almond (Pru- (Lavauden 1924; Heim de Balzac and Mayaud 1962; Etch- nus dulcis), Pistachio (Pistacia vera), Atlas Mastic Tree écopar and Hue 1964; Isenmann et al. 2005). (Pistacia atlantica), Wild Olive (Olea oleaster), Cyclops Te breeding biology of the Eurasian Magpie has been Wattle (Acacia cyclops) and Cape Gum (Acacia horrida)] well studied throughout its whole geographic range, par- comprised 1% of coverage. We also recorded White ticularly in the Palearctic region (Sachteleben et al. 1992; Wormwood (Artemisia herba alba), Rosemary (Rosmari- Eguchi 1995; Jerzak 1995; Dolenec 2000; Soler et al. 2001; nus ofcinalis), Conehead Tyme (Tymus capitatus), Antonov and Atanasova 2003; Ponz and Gil-Delgado Crown Friar (Globularia alypum), White Horehound 2004; Tucakov and Kucsera 2008; Wang et al. 2008). (Marrubium vulgare), Esparrago (Asparagus alba) and Overall, these studies showed that egg laying generally Needle Grass (Stipa tenacissima). occurs from mid-March to mid-April. Tey also showed that clutch size varied among populations, with an aver- Nest monitoring age value ranging from fve to six eggs per nest, but fedg- From March to late June in 2017 and 2018, we visited the ing success was always less than two fedglings per nest. study site to locate nests of breeding magpies. Located However, detailed data on the breeding parameters of the nests were visited weekly during the egg laying period (in endemic Maghreb Magpie are still lacking. order to minimize disturbance) and twice a week during Te objective of this study was to increase our under- hatching until 25 days post-hatch. All active and unoccu- standing of the ecology of this relic population and pied nests were geo-referenced using GPS (Garmin Etrex provide detailed data on its breeding biology over two 75049). consecutive breeding seasons. Specifcally, we aimed to: In 2017, we recorded the height (m), diameter (m) (1) describe nesting sites and nest characteristics; (2) and tree species the nest was in. For each nest, we also determine key breeding parameters, notably clutch size, recorded nest elevation (ground to nest distance) (m) and egg volume, hatching success and fedging success, and; nest to tree top distance (m). Nest volume (in liters) was (3) investigate how these parameters varied according also calculated as: V (4/3) (π a b2)/1000, where a to laying date. We expected clutch size, egg volume and = × × × Nefa et al. Avian Res (2021) 12:12 Page 3 of 9 Fig.
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