Data from: Mechanisms and fitness consequences of laying decisions in a migratory raptor
| Main Authors: | Catry, Teresa, Moreira, Francisco, Alcazar, Rita, Rocha, Pedro A., Catry, Ines |
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| Format: | info dataset Journal |
| Terbitan: |
, 2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://zenodo.org/record/4961033 |
Daftar Isi:
- Seasonal decline in breeding performance is a commonly observed pattern in birds, but disentangling the contributions of environmental conditions ("timing" hypothesis) and individual quality ("quality" hypothesis) to such a pattern is challenging. Moreover, despite the strong selection for early breeding, the individual optimization model predicts that each individual has an optimal breeding window. We investigated the causes and consequences of laying decisions in the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) by combining a long-term dataset on reproductive traits with information on food availability. A marked seasonal decline was found in breeding success, mostly mediated by a decline in clutch size. The "timing" hypothesis, supported by the decline in consumption of mole crickets, key prey for prelaying females, seems to explain the seasonal trend in clutch size, as this pattern was recorded in both higher (adults) and lower (yearlings) quality individuals. Contrarily, the higher proportion of yearlings breeding late in the season, rather than a decay in food availability during chick rearing, seems to drive the decline in fledging success, giving support to the "quality" hypothesis. Advanced breeding and increased clutch size, as proxies of reproductive effort, were not offset by lower survival. Low repeatability in both these traits suggests that individual quality is a dynamic attribute and reproduction costs are minimized by individual optimization. Understanding the mechanisms driving individual breeding decisions is critical to anticipate species' ability to cope with environmental changes. Here, we show that lesser kestrels failing the prelaying food window opportunity compromise reproductive performance, mostly regardless of their individual quality.
- LesserKestrel_breeding_parameters_whole_datasetBreeding parameters of Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) in Castro Verde, Portugal, between 2003-2014.LessserKestrel_breeding_parameters_ringed_birds_datasetBreeding parameters, age and recapture data of Lesser Kestrels (Falco naumanni) ringed between 2003 and 2014 at Castro Verde, PortugalLesserKestrel_chick_dataBiometries (mass and wing lenght) and posterior recruitment in the population of Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) chicks ringed as fledglings between 2003 and 2014 in Castro Verde Portugal. Information on brood (clutch size, laying date) of each chick is also provided.LesserKestrel_female_mass_wingWeight and wing length of female Lesser Kestrels (Falco naumanni) captured during the incubation period between 2003 and 2014 in Castro Verde, Portugal.grasshoppers_transects_abundanceMean number of grasshoppers counted in walked transects in fallow grassland patches around Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) colonies between 2012 and 2015.grasshopper_molecricket_pelletsMean number of grasshoppers (Acrididae and Tetigonidae) and mole crickets (Gryllotalpidae) found in Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) pellets collected in several colonies between 2007-2008 and 2012-2014.