François Chiron

Responses of Songbirds to Magpie Reduction in an Urban Habitat

Abstract Bird communities change in response to urbanization, which poses a challenge for conservationists. We examined the consequences of the recent increase in European cities of black-billed magpie (Pica pica), which has become the main bird nest predator in many urban parks, yet its impact remains disputed. We tested predator role in the limitation of postfledging and adult numbers of 10 common songbird species. We conducted before–after, control–treatment experimental magpie removal in the suburbs near Paris, France, during our 3-year study. We also compared the productivity and the relative densities between urban and rural habitats for 14 songbirds. We found that magpies had very limited effect on songbird productivity, even for species sensitive to predation by corvids. In addition, impact of the magpie on population levels of passerines would also be minimized because we found no relationship between productivity of prey and their densities. Thus, the recent colonization of urban parks by magpies should not threaten persistence of local songbird populations. Yet, there was evidence that a small number of non-territorial bird species were attracted to places where magpies were removed. Magpie densities may have modified habitat selection for foraging that might be explained by predator avoidance. But overall, characteristics of urban habitat explain variations of productivity and densities of songbirds better than did magpie predation. In France, conservationists widely use the control of predators, aiming at increasing levels of prey populations. Despite very high densities of magpies in urban parks, we gave evidence that removal of this predator was ineffective to preserve populations of common passerines. This would suggest that the risk induced by the presence of magpies is independent of its density, and conservationists must carefully assess its impact. In the future, we recommend management policies include long-term monitoring of magpie–prey interactions during breeding season to detect potential changes in songbird responses to magpie presence.

How Many Aquatic Warblers Acrocephalus paludicola Stop Over in France during the Autumn Migration

Abstract. The autumn world population of the endangered Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola probably numbers between 23 000 and 69 000 individuals, including 5 000 to 44 000 first-year individuals, depending on variation in breeding success and post-fledging survival. After breeding, the species migrates as early as August along a westerly route along French coast to reach its African wintering grounds. In 2009, French ringers have carried out targeted mist-netting to enhance the capture of the species, using tape luring in suitable habitats. Overall, 874 different individuals were captured in France in that year. In 2010 similar ringing effort allowed the capture of 646 different individuals. From this ringing information, we propose a simple method to estimate the number of individuals which stopped in the country during the autumn migration, considering all birds or first-years only. Splitting the country in two parts (northern and southern), the method uses the total number of captures and the number of southern recaptures of birds first ringed in the north. Overall, we estimated that between 24 000 and 30 000 individuals — most of them in their first calendar year — stop in France each year during the fall migration. These estimates suggest that probably all first-year Aquatic Warblers migrate by this western flyway and stop in France to refuel, while adults may partly use a different flyway or may stop in France, but for shorter times or at fewer sites. The proposed figures highlight the importance of maintaining suitable refuelling habitats for the species all along coastal France.