Relative importance of island availability and terrestrial predation risk for nesting habitat selection of colonial Charadriiformes in Sfax salina (Tunisia)

摘要: Salinas are highly valued habitats for the conservation of ground-nesting colonial waterbirds in Mediterranean, yet they often lack islets, preferred breeding these species. In this paper, we evaluated relative importance island availability and terrestrial predation risk nesting habitat selection five species Charadriiformes (Avocet, Little Tern, Common Gull-billed Tern Slender-billed Gull) in the Sfax Salina (Tunisia), one most important areas species along southern Mediterranean coast. We monitored colony settlement pattern, size site features used by birds 2004 and 2005. total, 101 sites were occupied during two years study. These included 19 isolated islets, which represent total number available inaccessible islets studied salina. 92.6% 8277 breeding pairs counted 86.3% 7844 2005 settled on accessible sites. Our results also show that occupation began before ones. propose these should be considered as ecological traps resulting from overall Finally, because dikes an unlimited nesting, identify environmental cues selected Charadriiformes within to develop guidelines construction attractive