Geographical, landscape and habitat effects on birds in Northern Spanish farmlands: implications for conservation

摘要: SUMMARY.—Geographical, landscape and habitat effects on birds in northern Spanish farmlands: implications for conservation. Aims: Farmland habitats Spain are local hotspots of bird richness, sustaining various increasingly rare species housing huge numbers migratory winter. This makes them a key However, they being negatively affected by conversion to tree plantations, urban developments infrastructures. Location: Bird communities 67 farmland patches which were immersed matrix shrublands woodlands studied. These distributed along 600 km-long stretch that runs parallel the coast. Methods: During June (2005) January (2006) evaluation was carried out effect patch size, vegetation structure, elevation (a surrogate climate harshness) geographical location farmlands richness abundance means 500 m long transects. Results: with abundant shrub cover scored highest spring. The size predicted occurrence many spring winter, including some declining Europe (e.g. Lanius collurio, Passer montanus, Miliaria calandra, Alauda arvensis, etc.). In increased at low areas decreased increasing distance from main gateway European migrants entering Iberian Peninsula western Pyrenees. Conclusions: Results support idea easternmost particularly important wintering grounds deterioration or reduction lowland may affect populations. Because such negative likely increase near future, general guidelines suggested apply legal budgetary resources Union better preserving biodiversity Northern Spain.