Mediterranean house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) are not used to freezing temperatures: An analysis of survival rates
1995; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 22; Issue: 5-6 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/02664769524829
ISSN1360-0532
AutoresJuan Carlos Señar, José Luís Copete,
Tópico(s)Bird parasitology and diseases
ResumoIt has been suggested that house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) are adapted to the mean local weather conditions, and that sudden and severe departures from these conditions (e.g. persistent subfreezing temperatures) can exert an important mortality in the population. Here we test this at a Mediterranean locality in NE Spain, where the typical very mild climate was disturbed in 1984-1985 by a very severe winter. The capture-recapture data were recorded from 1980 to 1986 ( n = 2021 marked individuals, 309 associated recaptures). Using program SURGE, we examined the relationship between annual survival and number of days when temperature fell below freezing, total precipitation from October to March (i.e. winter) and from April to September (i.e. breeding), sum of the low monthly minimum temperatures from October to March, and sum of the high monthly maximum temperatures from April to September. Number of freezing days accounted for most of the variation in survival rates, which declined from 0.50-0.40 in mild and normal years, respectively, to 0.17 in 1984-1985 when January temperatures dropped below 0 degrees C for 12 days.
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