Habitat use and diet of skylarks Alauda arvensis wintering on lowland farmland in southern Britain

摘要: Summary 1 The habitat use and diet of skylarks wintering on lowland farms were studied to assess whether changes in agricultural practice could have reduced their most favoured habitats or foods. Faecal samples collected soil seed densities estimated. Skylarks 122 cereal stubble fields Oxfordshire counted monthly examine use. 2 Cereal more likely be occupied than other crops, birds high. Barley stubbles significantly wheat stubbles. Growing cereals weakly selected. Sugar beet held high birds. Rotational set-aside was frequently higher non-rotational set-aside. 3 Field size affected field occupancy independently crop type, with larger occupied. Fields enclosed by hedges trees tended avoided. Cereal that at least 1 month not occupied. 4 Differences between crops explained diet. Birds fed largely grain, whereas those winter leaves. Broad-leaved weed leaves strongly selected as food farmland grass fields. In fields, the proportion made up broad-leaved weeds positively correlated availability. seeds did make a significant dietary component any crop. 5 Our results show shift from spring autumn sowing has led loss skylark’s best source. there selectivity for relatively scarce, probably declining, resources. Our suggest retention weed-rich (particularly barley) sugar through winter, particularly large open blocks, will improve conditions winter. Whole-field rotational set-aside, naturally regenerating stubbles, provides good resources skylarks.