Habitat selection and polygyny in breeding Corn Buntings Miliaria calandra

Hartley, Ian R. and Shepherd, Michael and Thompson, Des B.A. (1995) Habitat selection and polygyny in breeding Corn Buntings Miliaria calandra. Ibis, 137 (4). pp. 508-514. ISSN 0019-1019

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Abstract

Unlike many other polygynous passerine species, female Corn Buntings Miliaria calandra apparently do not suffer costs by pairing polygynously, yet it is unclear whether this is because polygynous males hold the highest quality territories or because pairing with polygynous males is unimportant in determining female reproductive success. Male Corn Buntings on North Uist, Scotland, consistently defended territories which contained nesting habitat, and females often foraged outside male territories when provisioning nestlings. Females showed strong preferences for nesting in uncultivated land, and 80% of nests were under Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium, possibly because this provided cover against predation and the weather. When provisioning nestlings, females showed strong preferences for foraging in cereal crops, probably because this habitat provided better food resources and/or better cover from predators. Males were unpaired or paired with one to three females per breeding season, but variation in territory size or vegetation composition did not explain differences in the number of females paired with individual males. We suggest that when females neither gain benefits nor suffer costs by breeding polygynously, and males do not differ greatly in the areas of habitat selected, polygyny can arise through random female settlement within the nesting habitat.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Ibis
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105
Subjects:
?? ecology, evolution, behavior and systematicsnature and landscape conservation ??
ID Code:
129264
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
30 Nov 2018 10:22
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
15 Jul 2024 18:40