Diurnal raptor community wintering in an extensively used farmland

Abstract

The raptor community wintering in an extensively managed farmland was studied in Western Poland during seven winters (20062013). Data on raptor presence and numbers was obtained by point count method. In the presented paper we focus on the variance in abundance and habitat selection of diurnal predators: Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus), Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) and Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor). Study species were governed by two major habitat gradients in farmland: from amount of mowed meadows towards increasing coverage of arable fields and from non-mowed meadows and shrubs towards increasing coverage of forests. Par-ticular species differed in response to habitat variables: plots with large coverage of mead-ows and high heterogeneity were preferred by Rough-legged Buzzard and Common Kes-trel. Great Grey Shrike and Northern Goshawk selected linear habitats, mostly shrub lines, and non-mowed meadows while Eurasian Sparrowhawk was associated with fo-rests and urban areas. Rough-legged Buzzard avoided arable fields, while Common Buz-zard had broader preferences and was more associated with arable fields. We also found that Common Buzzard and Great Grey Shrike abundance was positively related with win-ter temperature, while Rough-legged Buzzard showed a negative relationship. Our study shows the importance of heterogeneity in farmland as well as meadows as optimal habi-tats for wintering raptors, and we underline the role of extensive agriculture in conserva-tion of raptors.