Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

About: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is a nonprofit organization based out in Sandy, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Biodiversity. The organization has 670 authors who have published 1425 publications receiving 88006 citations. The organization is also known as: RSPB & Plumage League.

Breeding range of the last eastern colony of Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in the Syrian steppe: a threatened area

Abstract: Summary Eight years after the discovery of the last survivors of the eastern population of Northern Bald Ibis in Syria, their breeding grounds within the Palmyra steppe remain threatened by habitat degradation, human disturbance and uncontrolled infrastructural development whilst the ibis colony size has continued to decline. This study is aimed at assisting national and international stakeholders in strengthening the Ibis Protected Area, established in 2004 and still lacking a clear boundary and management zonation, by quantitatively establishing the range used by these birds through use of satellite tracking and field observations collected between 2006 and 2009. The core breeding range used by the ibises is 224–253 km 2 while the full home range is c.1,500 km 2 , encompassing a mountainous area north of Palmyra, ranging from 400 to 1,000 m asl. Locations from satellite tracking also revealed an important unknown post-breeding site. The ibis breeding area is also home to a range of other rare and endangered fauna as well as significant landscape, cultural and recreational assets, establishing it as an area of international importance. The Syrian steppe is a crucial socio-economic asset for the country, not only for the indigenous pastoralist people, but also because Syria seeks to develop and promote ecotourism in the Palmyra region. The steppe is increasingly suffering from damaging desertification. The need for investment in protection and management of key biodiversity and landscape assets is a precondition that needs greater recognition by the authorities. Recommendations are provided for decision makers and conservationists aimed at mitigating threats and making the Ibis Protected Area fully functional.

Sex differences in the behaviour and measurements of Common Snipes Gallinago gallinago breeding in Cambridgeshire, England

Abstract: Observations of behaviour and measurements of the length of the bill and outermost rectrices were collected from Common Snipes Gallinago gallinago breeding at the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire in 1984. The birds were either trapped on the nest during incubation or caught in elastic powered nets when they alighted on prominent perches. They were marked individually with plumage dye or radio‐tags. Perch‐trapped birds were subsequently seen perching and giving drumming and arched‐wing displays and are assumed to have all been males. Only nest‐trapped birds, which are presumed to be females, were subsequently found incubating. None were seen perching or displaying. Birds caught by both methods were found tending chicks. Male Common Snipes had shorter bills and longer outermost rectrices than females. By using a discriminant function incorporating these measurements 82–85% would be sexed correctly.

Dispersal: a matter of scale

Abstract: Population density around the natal site is often invoked as an explanation for variation in dispersal distance, with the expectation that competition for limiting resources, coupled with increased intra-specific aggression at high densities, should drive changes in dispersal distances. However, tests of the density-dependent dispersal hypothesis in long-lived vertebrates have yielded mixed results. Furthermore, conclusions from dispersal studies may depend on the spatial and temporal scales at which density and dispersal patterns are examined, yet multi-scale studies of dispersal are rare. Here, we present the findings of a long-term study examining factors influencing natal dispersal distances for the non-migratory population of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in the British Isles across distinct spatial and temporal scales. Our smallest scale study included Peregrines ringed as nestlings and subsequently recaptured alive in south Scotland-north England, an area that was intensively studied during the time periods 1974-1982 and 2002-2016. Second, we examined dispersal patterns of birds ringed as nestlings in south Scotland-north England, but subsequently recaptured alive or recovered dead anywhere in the British Isles. Finally, we examined the natal dispersal patterns for Peregrines ringed and recaptured or recovered anywhere in the British Isles from 1964 to 2016. Consistent with prior findings, females dispersed farther than males across all scales. However, the patterns of dispersal were strongly scale dependent. Specifically, we found a lack of a discernible relationship between index of density and dispersal distance in the limited study area, but when region-wide recaptures and recoveries were included in the analyses, a negative relationship was revealed. Our results suggest that conclusions of dispersal studies may be scale dependent, highlighting the importance of spatial and temporal scales in examining and interpreting the relationship between population density and dispersal patterns.

The role of fire in UK upland management: the need for informed challenge to conventional wisdoms: a comment on Davies et al. (2016).

Abstract: Davies et al. [[1][1]] argue that prescribed burning is an important ecological management tool with deep, historical roots and that debate about the role of fire in management of the UK uplands should be informed and unbiased. We agree on both counts. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds