Some effects of inclement weather conditions on the survival and condition of bull-headed shrike nestlings

摘要: Inclement weather struck Japan in 1993, permitting a natural experiment for examining the effect of conditions on nesting success and nestling growth bull-headed shrike, Lanius bucephalus. Aspects breeding biology shrikes relation to timing 1992 1993 were examined. The two seasons divided into periods, early late, each year. While probability nest survival stages during both periods was almost equal, egg stage period significantly lower than that late period. In period; had larger fluctuations precipitation colder same 1992. number ‘disappeared’ nestlings positively correlated with mean per day. greater part disappeared lightest brood. Late breeders fledged lighter young breeders. Although adopted hatching asynchrony, could not surmount unpredictable inclement 1993.