Introduction .................................................... 7
First part ...................................................... 9
Factors influencing passerine bird communities breeding in
a changing marshland
A. BÁLDI .................................................... 11
1 Introduction ................................................ 11
2 Study area and methods ...................................... 12
3 Results ..................................................... 14
3.1 Changes in the community structure parameters .......... 14
3.2 Changes in the community composition ................... 15
3.3 Differences between areas and periods .................. 17
3.4 Changes in species and abundances ...................... 19
3.5 Nest predation experiments ............................. 21
4 Discussion .................................................. 22
4.1 Effects of census time ................................. 22
4.2 Effects of inundation and habitat selection by birds ... 22
4.3 Nest predation ......................................... 23
5 Conclusions ................................................. 23
6 Acknowledgements ............................................ 23
7 References .................................................. 24
Factors influencing nest depredation in European Reed
Passerines
H. HOI, A. DAROLOVA & J. KRISTOFIK .......................... 27
1 Introduction ................................................ 27
2 Methods ..................................................... 28
3 Results ..................................................... 29
3.1 Seasonal variation in nest depredation ................. 29
3.2 Between year variation in nest depredation and the
role of nest availability .............................. 30
3.3 Effect of habitat size (fragmentation) for nest
depredation ............................................ 32
4 Discussion .................................................. 33
5 Acknowledgements ............................................ 35
6 References .................................................. 35
Reed bed quality and decline of some breeding bird populations
G.H.J. De KROON ............................................. 37
1 Introduction ................................................ 37
2 Methods ..................................................... 38
3 Study area .................................................. 39
4 Results ..................................................... 40
4.1 Bankside reed for breeding and non-breeding habitats ... 40
4.2 Reedland for breeding and non-breeding habitats ........ 41
4.3 Reedstem return-elasticity ............................. 42
5 Discussion .................................................. 42
6 Acknowledgements ............................................ 43
7 References .................................................. 43
Second part .................................................... 47
Food resources and territory quality in the polygynous Great
Reed Warbler
S. BENSCH, D. HASSELQUIST, B. NIELSEN, C. NIHLÉN &
P. FRODIN ................................................... 49
1 Introduction ................................................ 49
2 Methods ..................................................... 51
2.1 Study area, field work and data sets ................... 51
2.1.1 Choice of study territories ...................... 51
2.2 Emerging insects ....................................... 51
2.3 Aquatic fauna .......................................... 54
2.4 Reed quality ........................................... 55
2.5 Territory characteristics .............................. 55
2.6 Statistical methods .................................... 56
3 Results ..................................................... 56
3.1 Territory attractiveness ............................... 56
3.2 Differences between marshes ............................ 57
3.3 Insect abundance within marshes ........................ 58
3.4 Territory parameters and attractiveness ................ 61
4 Discussion .................................................. 63
4.1 Relationship between territory attractiveness and
food resources ......................................... 63
4.2 Differences between the marshes ........................ 64
4.3 Territory attractiveness based on other resources? ..... 65
4.4 Conclusion ............................................. 66
5 Acknowledgements ............................................ 67
6 References .................................................. 67
Habitat selection and habitat use of the Bearded Tit (Panurus
biarmicus)
H.HOI & CH. HOI ............................................. 73
1 Introduction ................................................ 73
2 Methods ..................................................... 74
2.1 Field study ............................................ 74
2.2 Aviary experiments ..................................... 75
3 Statistical analyses ........................................ 77
4 Results ..................................................... 77
4.1 Nest site characteristics of Bearded Tit nests ......... 77
4.2 Habitat characteristics separating nest and foraging
sites .................................................. 78
4.3 Seasonal variation in habitat use ...................... 79
4.4 Use of different reed heights .......................... 81
4.5 Habitat use and reed density ........................... 82
5 Discussion .................................................. 83
6 References .................................................. 85
The function of inter- and intraspecific territoriality in
warblers of the genus Acrocephalus
H. LAUßMANN & B. LEISLER .................................... 87
1 Introduction ................................................ 87
2 Study area and methods ...................................... 88
3 Characterisation of the warbler populations at Lake
Neusiedl .................................................... 91
3.1 Population density ..................................... 91
3.2 Phenology of territory occupation ...................... 91
3.3 Breeding period ........................................ 92
3.4 Coexistence of the species ............................. 92
3.4.1 Moustached Warbler - Great Reed Warbler ......... 92
3.4.2 Moustached Warbler - Reed Warbler ............... 92
3.4.3 Reed Warbler - Great Reed Warbler ............... 94
4 Results of the playback experiments ......................... 94
4.1 Marsh Warbler .......................................... 94
4.2 Reed Warbler ........................................... 95
4.2.1 Intraspecific response .......................... 95
4.2.2 Interspecific response .......................... 95
4.3 Moustached Warbler ..................................... 97
4.3.1 Intraspecific Response .......................... 97
4.3.2 Interspecific response .......................... 97
4.4 Great Reed Warbler ..................................... 97
4.4.1 Intraspecific response .......................... 97
4.4.2 Interspecific response .......................... 97
5 Discussion ................................................. 100
5.1 How informative are playback experiments? ............. 100
5.2 Interspecific territoriality .......................... 100
5.3 The functions of territorial behaviour ................ 101
5.3.1 To what extent does a territory serve to
attract females? ............................... 101
5.3.2 To what extent are food resources defended? .... 102
5.3.3 Does territorial behaviour restrict the
occurrence of extra-pair copulation (ЕРС)? ..... 103
5.3.4 What is the role of predation pressure? ........ 103
6 Acknowledgements ........................................... 105
7 References ................................................. 105
The role of simple song in the Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus
palustris)
R. ILLE & H. HOI ........................................... 111
1 Introduction ............................................... 111
2 Methods .................................................... 112
3 Results .................................................... 113
3.1 The occurrence of complex and simple song during
different breeding stages ............................. 113
3.2 Simple song and reproductive parameters ............... 114
3.3 Simple song and male investment ....................... 115
3.4 Simple song and territory quality ..................... 115
3.5 Context dependent occurrence of simple song ........... 115
4 Discussion ................................................. 116
5 References ................................................. 118
Intrasexual selection in Bearded Tits: Beard length -
a reliable predictor for dominance rank
C.H. HOI & H. HOI .......................................... 121
1 Introduction ............................................... 121
2 Methods .................................................... 123
2.1 Capturing and housing ................................. 123
2.2 Experimental procedures ............................... 124
2.2.1 Seasonal and age dependence of male-male
competition .................................... 124
2.2.2 Importance of beard size in male-male
competition .................................... 124
2.3 Morphological measurements ............................ 125
2.4 Hierarchy assessment .................................. 126
2.5 Statistical analyses .................................. 126
3 Results .................................................... 127
3.1 Age and seasonal dependent variation in male-male
competition ........................................... 127
3.2 Dominance within same aged males ...................... 128
3.2.1 Within one year males .......................... 128
3.2.2 Within older males ............................. 130
3.2.3 Dominance among different aged males ........... 130
4 Discussion ................................................. 131
4.1 The occurrence of male-male aggression ................ 131
4.2 The role of male beard length in status signalling .... 132
4.3 Why should such a signal remain stable? ............... 133
4.4 Why do dominant adult males not have bigger beards
than subordinates ..................................... 135
5 Acknowledgements ........................................... 135
6 References ................................................. 135
Do female Moustached Warblers Acrocephalus melanopogon
choose complex song? - A mate choice experiment
B. FEßL & H. HOI ........................................... 139
1 Introduction ............................................... 139
2 Methods .................................................... 140
2.1 Birds ................................................. 142
2.2 Tapes ................................................. 142
2.3 Experimental protocol ................................. 143
3 Statistical Analyses ....................................... 143
4 Results .................................................... 144
5 Discussion ................................................. 145
6 Acknowledgements ........................................... 147
7 References ................................................. 147
The role of tail length for flight performance in the
Bearded Tit (Panurus biarmicus): A tail elongation
experiment
M. ROMERO-PUJANTE, H. HOI & H. WINKLER ..................... 151
1 Introduction ............................................... 151
2 Methods .................................................... 152
2.1 Statistical analyses ................................... 155
3 Results .................................................... 155
4 Discussion ................................................. 158
5 Acknowledgements ........................................... 159
6 References ................................................. 159
An experimental study of short-term parental feeding
adjustment in Acrocephalus warblers
S. KLEINDORFER, R. ILLE, M. HOI-LEITNER & H. HOI ........... 161
1 Introduction ............................................... 161
2 Methods .................................................... 163
2.1 Study site and species ................................ 163
2.2 Experimental brood size manipulation .................. 164
2.3 Experimental control treatment ........................ 165
2.4 Weather parameters .................................... 165
2.5 The importance of male feeding care ................... 166
2.6 Statistical analyses .................................. 166
3 Results .................................................... 167
3.1 Parental feeding adjustment to manipulated brood
sizes ................................................. 167
3.2 Male feeding adjustment and weather condition ......... 170
3.3 The importance of male feeding care ................... 170
4 Discussion ................................................. 171
5 Acknowledgements ........................................... 174
6 References ................................................. 174
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