Stay or go? Strong winter feeding site fidelity in small woodland passerines revealed by a homing experiment

摘要: Many birds exhibit territoriality, which is vital for obtaining resources survival. Non-migratory maintain larger territories in winter than during reproduction, but the degree of their fidelity to these home ranges less well-known. We evaluated homing success and time return through a field experiment we trapped displaced 1239 individual two tit species, Great Tit (Parus major) Blue (Cyanistes caeruleus), retrapped 267 them over winters (a total 40 trapping sessions). Displacement between sites 7.8 km apart revealed strong range both species; returned on average within 4 weeks. Greater was found Tits (45.7 vs. 32.5 % retraps). More individuals from an ecotone site, included gardens with feeders, forest site (40.9 29.2 %). homed approximately 1 week more quickly Tits, similar mean differences were observed when comparing males females species using Kaplar–Meier survival functions. A parametric regression model indicated that difference not significant, significantly sooner females. Moreover, originated greater food supply quickly, interaction sex also showed significant effect this model. Our evidence suggests territoriality woodland passerines shaped potentially by all tested factors important behavioural characteristic linked ability find limited harsh period year.