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  1. Article ; Online: Prospecting movements link phenotypic traits to female annual potential fitness in a nocturnal predator.

    Becciu, Paolo / Séchaud, Robin / Schalcher, Kim / Plancherel, Céline / Roulin, Alexandre

    Scientific reports

    2023  Volume 13, Issue 1, Page(s) 5071

    Abstract: Recent biologging technology reveals hidden life and breeding strategies of nocturnal animals. Combining animal movement patterns with individual characteristics and landscape features can uncover meaningful behaviours that directly influence fitness. ... ...

    Abstract Recent biologging technology reveals hidden life and breeding strategies of nocturnal animals. Combining animal movement patterns with individual characteristics and landscape features can uncover meaningful behaviours that directly influence fitness. Consequently, defining the proximate mechanisms and adaptive value of the identified behaviours is of paramount importance. Breeding female barn owls (Tyto alba), a colour-polymorphic species, recurrently visit other nest boxes at night. We described and quantified this behaviour for the first time, linking it with possible drivers, and individual fitness. We GPS-equipped 178 female barn owls and 122 male partners from 2016 to 2020 in western Switzerland during the chick rearing phase. We observed that 111 (65%) of the tracked breeding females were (re)visiting nest boxes while still carrying out their first brood. We modelled their prospecting parameters as a function of brood-, individual- and partner-related variables and found that female feather eumelanism predicted the emergence of prospecting behaviour (less melanic females are usually prospecting). More importantly we found that increasing male parental investment (e.g., feeding rate) increased female prospecting efforts. Ultimately, females would (re)visit a nest more often if they had used it in the past and were more likely to lay a second clutch afterwards, consequently having higher annual fecundity than non-prospecting females. Despite these apparent immediate benefits, they did not fledge more chicks. Through biologging and long-term field monitoring, we highlight how phenotypic traits (melanism and parental investment) can be related to movement patterns and the annual potential reproductive output (fecundity) of female barn owls.
    MeSH term(s) Animals ; Female ; Male ; Reproduction ; Fertility ; Feathers ; Phenotype ; Strigiformes
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-03-28
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
    ZDB-ID 2615211-3
    ISSN 2045-2322 ; 2045-2322
    ISSN (online) 2045-2322
    ISSN 2045-2322
    DOI 10.1038/s41598-023-32255-7
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  2. Article: Correction: Influence of prey availability on habitat selection during the non-breeding period in a resident bird of prey.

    Bühler, Roman / Schalcher, Kim / Séchaud, Robin / Michler, Stephanie / Apolloni, Nadine / Roulin, Alexandre / Almasi, Bettina

    Movement ecology

    2023  Volume 11, Issue 1, Page(s) 26

    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-05-09
    Publishing country England
    Document type Published Erratum
    ZDB-ID 2724975-X
    ISSN 2051-3933
    ISSN 2051-3933
    DOI 10.1186/s40462-023-00391-4
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  3. Article: Influence of prey availability on habitat selection during the non-breeding period in a resident bird of prey.

    Bühler, Roman / Schalcher, Kim / Séchaud, Robin / Michler, Stephanie / Apolloni, Nadine / Roulin, Alexandre / Almasi, Bettina

    Movement ecology

    2023  Volume 11, Issue 1, Page(s) 14

    Abstract: Background: For resident birds of prey in the temperate zone, the cold non-breeding period can have strong impacts on survival and reproduction with implications for population dynamics. Therefore, the non-breeding period should receive the same ... ...

    Abstract Background: For resident birds of prey in the temperate zone, the cold non-breeding period can have strong impacts on survival and reproduction with implications for population dynamics. Therefore, the non-breeding period should receive the same attention as other parts of the annual life cycle. Birds of prey in intensively managed agricultural areas are repeatedly confronted with unpredictable, rapid changes in their habitat due to agricultural practices such as mowing, harvesting, and ploughing. Such a dynamic landscape likely affects prey distribution and availability and may even result in changes in habitat selection of the predator throughout the annual cycle.
    Methods: In the present study, we (1) quantified barn owl prey availability in different habitats across the annual cycle, (2) quantified the size and location of barn owl breeding and non-breeding home ranges using GPS-data, (3) assessed habitat selection in relation to prey availability during the non-breeding period, and (4) discussed differences in habitat selection during the non-breeding period to habitat selection during the breeding period.
    Results: The patchier prey distribution during the non-breeding period compared to the breeding period led to habitat selection towards grassland during the non-breeding period. The size of barn owl home ranges during breeding and non-breeding were similar, but there was a small shift in home range location which was more pronounced in females than males. The changes in prey availability led to a mainly grassland-oriented habitat selection during the non-breeding period. Further, our results showed the importance of biodiversity promotion areas and undisturbed field margins within the intensively managed agricultural landscape.
    Conclusions: We showed that different prey availability in habitat categories can lead to changes in habitat preference between the breeding and the non-breeding period. Given these results we show how important it is to maintain and enhance structural diversity in intensive agricultural landscapes, to effectively protect birds of prey specialised on small mammals.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-03-07
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2724975-X
    ISSN 2051-3933
    ISSN 2051-3933
    DOI 10.1186/s40462-023-00376-3
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  4. Article ; Online: Home range size and habitat quality affect breeding success but not parental investment in barn owl males.

    Séchaud, Robin / Schalcher, Kim / Almasi, Bettina / Bühler, Roman / Safi, Kamran / Romano, Andrea / Roulin, Alexandre

    Scientific reports

    2022  Volume 12, Issue 1, Page(s) 6516

    Abstract: Life-history theory predicts that parents should balance their limited resources to maximize lifetime fitness, limiting their investment in current reproduction when the fitness value of current progeny is lower than that gained by producing offspring in ...

    Abstract Life-history theory predicts that parents should balance their limited resources to maximize lifetime fitness, limiting their investment in current reproduction when the fitness value of current progeny is lower than that gained by producing offspring in the future. Here, we examined whether male barn owls (Tyto alba) breeding in low-quality habitats increased their parental effort to successfully complete offspring rearing or limited their investment by paying a fitness cost while saving energy for the future. We equipped 128 males with GPS devices between 2016 and 2020 to collect information on home range size, habitat composition, food provisioning rate to the brood and nightly distances covered. We also recorded nestlings' growth and survival, as well as males' body mass variation and future reproductive success. Males living in lower-quality habitats exploited bigger home ranges compared to individuals whose nests were settled in prey-rich habitats. They fed their brood less frequently, while covering longer nightly distance, resulting in a slower growth of late-hatched nestlings and ultimately in a lower fledging success. As males did not differ in body mass variation or future reproductive success our findings suggest that males hunting in home ranges with less prey-rich structures do not jeopardize future reproduction by investing disproportionately larger resources to compensate for their current low home range quality.
    MeSH term(s) Animals ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Homing Behavior ; Male ; Reproduction ; Strigiformes
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-04-20
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
    ZDB-ID 2615211-3
    ISSN 2045-2322 ; 2045-2322
    ISSN (online) 2045-2322
    ISSN 2045-2322
    DOI 10.1038/s41598-022-10324-7
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  5. Article: Behaviour-specific habitat selection patterns of breeding barn owls

    Séchaud, Robin / Schalcher, Kim / Machado, Ana Paula / Almasi, Bettina / Massa, Carolina / Safi, Kamran / Roulin, Alexandre

    Movement ecology. 2021 Dec., v. 9, no. 1

    2021  

    Abstract: BACKGROUND: The intensification of agricultural practices over the twentieth century led to a cascade of detrimental effects on ecosystems. In Europe, agri-environment schemes (AES) have since been adopted to counter the decrease in farmland biodiversity, ...

    Abstract BACKGROUND: The intensification of agricultural practices over the twentieth century led to a cascade of detrimental effects on ecosystems. In Europe, agri-environment schemes (AES) have since been adopted to counter the decrease in farmland biodiversity, with the promotion of extensive habitats such as wildflower strips and extensive meadows. Despite having beneficial effects documented for multiple taxa, their profitability for top farmland predators, like raptors, is still debated. Such species with high movement capabilities have large home ranges with fluctuation in habitat use depending on specific needs. METHODS: Using GPS devices, we recorded positions for 134 barn owls (Tyto alba) breeding in Swiss farmland and distinguished three main behavioural modes with the Expectation-Maximization binary Clustering (EMbC) method: perching, hunting and commuting. We described barn owl habitat use at different levels during the breeding season by combining step and path selection functions. In particular, we examined the association between behavioural modes and habitat type, with special consideration for AES habitat structures. RESULTS: Despite a preference for the most common habitats at the home range level, behaviour-specific analyses revealed more specific habitat use depending on the behavioural mode. During the day, owls roosted almost exclusively in buildings, while pastures, meadows and forest edges were preferred as nocturnal perching sites. For hunting, barn owls preferentially used AES habitat structures though without neglecting more intensively exploited areas. For commuting, open habitats were preferred over wooded areas. CONCLUSIONS: The behaviour-specific approach used here provides a comprehensive breakdown of barn owl habitat selection during the reproductive season and highlights its importance to understand complex animal habitat preferences. Our results highlight the importance of AES in restoring and maintaining functional trophic chains in farmland.
    Keywords Tyto alba ; barns ; biodiversity ; breeding season ; forests ; habitats ; home range ; profitability ; wild flowers ; Europe
    Language English
    Dates of publication 2021-12
    Size p. 18.
    Publishing place BioMed Central
    Document type Article
    ZDB-ID 2724975-X
    ISSN 2051-3933
    ISSN 2051-3933
    DOI 10.1186/s40462-021-00258-6
    Database NAL-Catalogue (AGRICOLA)

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  6. Article: Behaviour-specific habitat selection patterns of breeding barn owls.

    Séchaud, Robin / Schalcher, Kim / Machado, Ana Paula / Almasi, Bettina / Massa, Carolina / Safi, Kamran / Roulin, Alexandre

    Movement ecology

    2021  Volume 9, Issue 1, Page(s) 18

    Abstract: Background: The intensification of agricultural practices over the twentieth century led to a cascade of detrimental effects on ecosystems. In Europe, agri-environment schemes (AES) have since been adopted to counter the decrease in farmland ... ...

    Abstract Background: The intensification of agricultural practices over the twentieth century led to a cascade of detrimental effects on ecosystems. In Europe, agri-environment schemes (AES) have since been adopted to counter the decrease in farmland biodiversity, with the promotion of extensive habitats such as wildflower strips and extensive meadows. Despite having beneficial effects documented for multiple taxa, their profitability for top farmland predators, like raptors, is still debated. Such species with high movement capabilities have large home ranges with fluctuation in habitat use depending on specific needs.
    Methods: Using GPS devices, we recorded positions for 134 barn owls (Tyto alba) breeding in Swiss farmland and distinguished three main behavioural modes with the Expectation-Maximization binary Clustering (EMbC) method: perching, hunting and commuting. We described barn owl habitat use at different levels during the breeding season by combining step and path selection functions. In particular, we examined the association between behavioural modes and habitat type, with special consideration for AES habitat structures.
    Results: Despite a preference for the most common habitats at the home range level, behaviour-specific analyses revealed more specific habitat use depending on the behavioural mode. During the day, owls roosted almost exclusively in buildings, while pastures, meadows and forest edges were preferred as nocturnal perching sites. For hunting, barn owls preferentially used AES habitat structures though without neglecting more intensively exploited areas. For commuting, open habitats were preferred over wooded areas.
    Conclusions: The behaviour-specific approach used here provides a comprehensive breakdown of barn owl habitat selection during the reproductive season and highlights its importance to understand complex animal habitat preferences. Our results highlight the importance of AES in restoring and maintaining functional trophic chains in farmland.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-04-21
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2724975-X
    ISSN 2051-3933
    ISSN 2051-3933
    DOI 10.1186/s40462-021-00258-6
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  7. Article ; Online: Differential fitness effects of moonlight on plumage colour morphs in barn owls.

    San-Jose, Luis M / Séchaud, Robin / Schalcher, Kim / Judes, Clarisse / Questiaux, Anastasia / Oliveira-Xavier, Aymeric / Gémard, Charlène / Almasi, Bettina / Béziers, Paul / Kelber, Almut / Amar, Arjun / Roulin, Alexandre

    Nature ecology & evolution

    2019  Volume 3, Issue 9, Page(s) 1331–1340

    Abstract: The Moon cycle exposes nocturnal life to variation in environmental light. However, whether moonlight shapes the fitness of nocturnal species with distinct colour variants remains unknown. Combining data from long-term monitoring, high-resolution global ... ...

    Abstract The Moon cycle exposes nocturnal life to variation in environmental light. However, whether moonlight shapes the fitness of nocturnal species with distinct colour variants remains unknown. Combining data from long-term monitoring, high-resolution global positioning system tracking and experiments using prey, we show that barn owls (Tyto alba) with distinct plumage colourations are differently affected by moonlight. The reddest owls are less successful at hunting and providing food to their offspring during moonlit nights, which associates with lower body mass and lower survival of the youngest nestlings and with female mates starting to lay eggs at low moonlight levels. Although moonlight should make white owls more conspicuous to prey, it either positively affects or does not affect the hunting and fitness of the whitest owls. We experimentally show that, under full-moon conditions, white plumage triggers longer freezing times in prey, which should facilitate prey catchability. We propose that the barn owl's white plumage, a rare trait among nocturnal predators, exploits the known aversion of rodents to bright light, explaining why, counterintuitively, moonlight has a lesser impact on the whitest owls. Our study provides evidence for the long-suspected influence of the Moon on the evolution of colouration in nocturnal species, highlighting the importance of colour in nocturnal ecosystems.
    MeSH term(s) Animals ; Color ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Phenotype ; Strigiformes
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-09-02
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
    ISSN 2397-334X
    ISSN (online) 2397-334X
    DOI 10.1038/s41559-019-0967-2
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  8. Article ; Online: The role of wingbeat frequency and amplitude in flight power.

    Krishnan, Krishnamoorthy / Garde, Baptiste / Bennison, Ashley / Cole, Nik C / Cole, Emma-L / Darby, Jamie / Elliott, Kyle H / Fell, Adam / Gómez-Laich, Agustina / de Grissac, Sophie / Jessopp, Mark / Lempidakis, Emmanouil / Mizutani, Yuichi / Prudor, Aurélien / Quetting, Michael / Quintana, Flavio / Robotka, Hermina / Roulin, Alexandre / Ryan, Peter G /
    Schalcher, Kim / Schoombie, Stefan / Tatayah, Vikash / Tremblay, Fred / Weimerskirch, Henri / Whelan, Shannon / Wikelski, Martin / Yoda, Ken / Hedenström, Anders / Shepard, Emily L C

    Journal of the Royal Society, Interface

    2022  Volume 19, Issue 193, Page(s) 20220168

    Abstract: Body-mounted accelerometers provide a new prospect for estimating power use in flying birds, as the signal varies with the two major kinematic determinants of aerodynamic power: wingbeat frequency and amplitude. Yet wingbeat frequency is sometimes used ... ...

    Abstract Body-mounted accelerometers provide a new prospect for estimating power use in flying birds, as the signal varies with the two major kinematic determinants of aerodynamic power: wingbeat frequency and amplitude. Yet wingbeat frequency is sometimes used as a proxy for power output in isolation. There is, therefore, a need to understand which kinematic parameter birds vary and whether this is predicted by flight mode (e.g. accelerating, ascending/descending flight), speed or morphology. We investigate this using high-frequency acceleration data from (i) 14 species flying in the wild, (ii) two species flying in controlled conditions in a wind tunnel and (iii) a review of experimental and field studies. While wingbeat frequency and amplitude were positively correlated,
    MeSH term(s) Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Birds ; Flight, Animal ; Wings, Animal
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-08-24
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article ; Review ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
    ZDB-ID 2156283-0
    ISSN 1742-5662 ; 1742-5689
    ISSN (online) 1742-5662
    ISSN 1742-5689
    DOI 10.1098/rsif.2022.0168
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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