The populations of many farmland birds have severely declined during the past years. Even (formerly) common species such as the Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) and the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) are strongly affected. The declines were mainly caused by agricultural intensification. In response to the declines, agri-environmental schemes (AES) that integrate protection objectives into agricultural practices are a promising strategy. Until 1992 all EU member states were obliged to develop agri-environment programmes and since this time, AES are widely used. AES are often criticised for being ineffective and expensive. However, good results have been achieved with measures targeted on one bird species and used in projects advising farmers where and how to apply AES. Despite legitimate criticism, AES can help to slow down the declines of farmland bird populations, at least for a transitional period until sustainable agriculture has been established. This requires species-specific AES which are easy to implement and work well for the target species. In the German federal state of Saxony, such AES were developed and tested from 2009 to 2013 in a state-wide conservation project for ground-nesting farmland birds. Two of the studies with AES for the Skylark (study 1) and the Lapwing (study 2), which were part of scientific research, are presented here. For the Skylark, Skylark plots were tested at conventionally managed fields with winter cereals (n=10) or winter oilseed rape (n=10). Each field was divided in a test site with skylark plots and a control site without treatment. Skylark plots are unsown plots about 20 m² in size and applied in a density of about two plots per hectare. Further ten fields with winter cereals were in the same way equipped with additional tramlines that were not used for crop management. Both measures aimed to open the otherwise closed crop canopy to allow Skylarks to reach the ground and improve habitat conditions. Skylark territory mapping was carried out to reveal effects of the treatment. For the Lapwing, 61 lapwing plots were established within conventionally managed winter wheat and winter oilseed rape fields. These unsown fallow plots, mostly 1-2 ha in size, were created during autumn tillage and left bare until next summer. They were meant to provide a breeding site and a habitat for rearing the young. Lapwings and other bird species were mapped at the lapwing plots and nearby control sites. Factors influencing the success of the plots were modelled to obtain information on the design of a well-working AES. All three measures proved to be working well for the target species. At sites with skylark plots or additional tramlines, Skylark territory densities were about twice as high as at untreated control sites. The lapwing plots were also used about twice as likely as the untreated control sites. The hatching success was significantly higher, too. Particularly successful were large (>2 ha), sparsely vegetated lapwing plots at damp sites traditionally used for breeding. Other species also benefitted, especially from lapwing plots. The measures are therefore promising to provide positive effects on Skylark or Lapwing populations. They are relatively easy to implement and were repeatedly applied by the farmers involved in the project. Furthermore, synergy effects for other bird and plant species as well as for the biotope network can be expected by establishing lapwing plots at damp sites. The measures are suitable AES which, if widely adopted, have the potential to slow down, stabilise or even reverse the negative population trends. To promote these and to ensure their correct implementation, advise of farmers seems to be necessary, particularly for lapwing plots. / Bei vielen Agrarvögeln waren in den vergangenen Jahren starke Bestandsrückgänge zu verzeichnen, wobei mit Kiebitz (Vanellus vanellus) und Feldlerche (Alauda arvensis) zwei der ehemals häufigsten Arten am stärksten betroffen sind. Hauptursache hierfür ist die Intensivierung der Landwirtschaft. Eine mögliche Gegenstrategie sind nutzungsintegrierte Artenschutzmaßnahmen, mit denen versucht wird, die Belange des Artenschutzes eng in den landwirtschaftlichen Produktionsprozess einzubetten. Bedeutendstes Umsetzungsinstrument sind hierbei die EU-geförderten Agrarumweltmaßnahmen (AUM), die es seit 1992 in allen Mitgliedsstaaten gibt. Diese erwiesen sich in der Praxis jedoch oft als teuer und wenig erfolgreich. Vielversprechende Resultate wurden meist dann erzielt, wenn die Maßnahmen eng auf die Erfordernisse der Zielart(en) zugeschnitten waren und die Landwirte Beratung und Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung erhielten. Trotz aller Kritik an den AUM können diese zumindest für eine Übergangsphase auf dem Weg zu einer tatsächlich nachhaltigen Landwirtschaft helfen, die drastischen Bestandsrückgänge vieler Agrarvogelarten zu vermindern. Dazu werden aber zielartenspezifische und einfach umsetzbare Maßnahmen benötigt. Im sächsischen Bodenbrüterprojekt wurden von 2009 bis 2015 nutzungsintegrierte Artenschutzmaßnahmen entwickelt und erprobt. Zwei der projektbegleitenden wissenschaftlichen Studien zu AUM für Feldlerche (Studie 1) und Kiebitz (Studie 2) sind in der vorliegenden Arbeit zusammengefasst. Für die Feldlerche erfolgten Siedlungsdichteuntersuchungen auf konventionell bewirtschafteten Feldern mit Wintergetreide (n=10) oder Winterraps (n=10), die jeweils etwa zur Hälfte mit Feldlerchenfenstern bestellt waren, während der Restschlag als Vergleichsfläche diente. Zehn weitere Felder, ausschließlich in Wintergetreide, dienten in gleicher Weise der Erprobung der Anordnung zusätzlicher, für die Bewirtschaftung nicht benötigter Fahrgassen. Feldlerchenfenster sind ca. 20 m² große Saatlücken, die in einer Dichte von etwa zwei Fenstern je Hektar, ebenso wie die zusätzlichen Fahrgassen, die ansonsten dichten Kulturbestände öffnen und dadurch die Besiedlung durch die Zielart erleichtern. Für den Kiebitz wurden 61 Kiebitzinseln in konventionell bewirtschafteten Wintergetreide- und Winterrapsfeldern angelegt. Dies waren selbstbegrünte, meist 1-2 ha große Brachen, die bei der Herbstbestellung zwar bearbeitet, aber nicht gesät wurden. Im folgenden Frühjahr sollten die Flächen der Brut und Jungenaufzucht dienen. Die Untersuchungen beinhalteten Erfassungen der Zielart und weiterer Vogelarten auf den Kiebitzinseln und Vergleichsflächen sowie die statistische Modellierung verschiedener Faktoren für den Erfolg der Flächen. Im Ergebnis erwiesen sich alle drei Maßnahmen als erfolgreich. Auf Flächen mit Feldlerchenfenstern und zusätzlichen Fahrgassen war die Territoriendichte der Zielart etwa doppelt so hoch wie auf den Vergleichsflächen ohne Maßnahme. Die Kiebitzinseln wurden gleichfalls annähernd doppelt so oft von Kiebitzen besiedelt wie die Kontrollflächen. Der Schlupferfolg war signifikant höher. Besonders erfolgreich waren große (ca. >2 ha), spärlich bewachsene Kiebitzinseln an traditionell als Brutplatz genutzten Nassstellen. Insbesondere im Falle der Kiebitzinseln profitierten auch andere Arten. Die untersuchten Maßnahmen sind daher grundsätzlich geeignet, positive Effekte auf die Bestände von Feldlerche oder Kiebitz zu entfalten. Sie sind zudem vergleichsweise einfach umsetzbar und wurden von den am Projekt beteiligten Landwirten wiederholt realisiert. Mit der Anlage von Kiebitzinseln an Nassstellen lassen sich zudem Synergieeffekte für andere Tier- und Pflanzenarten sowie für den Biotopverbund erzielen. Die untersuchten Maßnahmen stellen damit geeignete AUM dar, die bei hinreichender Anwendung das Potenzial haben, die derzeit negativen Bestandstrends der Zielarten zu verlangsamen, zu stabilisieren oder sogar umzukehren. Zur Förderung der Umsetzung erscheint insbesondere im Fall der Kiebitzinseln eine fachliche Beratung der Landwirte unabdingbar.

Sparvugglan (Glaucidium passerinum) är en invasionsfågel som uppvisar årliga fluktuationer i sina invasioner vid Hammarö Fågelstation. Invasioner av denna art utlöses vanligtvis av brist på föda tidigt under hösten, vilket kan orsaka att hundratals fåglar migrerar på ett oförutsägbart sätt. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vilka ekologiska faktorer som ligger bakom detta beteende, och om invasioner vid Hammarö Fågelstation sker samtidigt som invasioner i övriga Sverige. Hypoteserna var att 1) sparvugglefångst uppvisar ingen årlig trend vid Hammarö Fågelstation, 2) sparvugglans populationstrender sammanfaller inte med andra ugglors trender, 3) det finns en korrelation mellan sparvugglans populationstrender vid Hammarö Fågelstation och övriga Sverige, och 4) det finns ett samband mellan sparvugglors populationstrender vid Hammarö Fågelstation och årliga fluktueringar i sorkpopulationer samt andra ekologiska faktorer såsom årlig temperatur och snötäcke. Data samlades in från Hammarö Fågelstations årsrapporter över fångst och ringmärkning av migratoriska fågelarter, och data som uppskattar populationstrender över hela Sverige inhämtades från Svensk Fågeltaxering. Korrelationstester utfördes på dessa parametrar mot sorkpopulationer och andra ekologiska faktorer. Studien fann en positiv korrelation mellan sparvugglefångst på Hammarö och populationstrender från hela Sverige under vintermånaderna. Det fanns även en positiv korrelation mellan årliga fluktuationer i sorkpopulationer vid Vindeln och fångst av sparvuggla i Hammarö. Inga korrelationer hittades när sparvugglefångst mättes mot miljömässiga faktorer. Dessa resultat stämmer överens med tidigare litteratur över området, och öppnar för möjligheter till ny forskning gällande miljö- och beteendemässiga aspekter av invasionsmigratoriska mönster, som ännu är en dåligt förstådd aspekt av fågelbeteende. / The Eurasian pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum) is an irruptive migrant that shows yearly fluctuations in its invasions at Hammarö Bird Station, Värmland, Sweden. Invasions in this species are usually triggered by a shortage in food supply during early autumn, which can cause hundreds of birds to migrate in an unpredictable manner. The purpose of this study was to explore what ecological factors cause this behaviour, and if invasions at Hammarö Bird Station occur during the same years as invasions in the rest of Sweden. The hypotheses were that: 1) Eurasian pygmy owl captures at Hammarö Bird Station show no inter-annual trend, 2) Eurasian pygmy owl invasions are not correlated with captures of other owl species, 3) there is a correlation between population trends of the Eurasian pygmy owl at Hammarö Bird Station and trends in the rest of Sweden, and 4) there is a correlation between Eurasian pygmy owl captures and annual fluctuations in vole population as well as other environmental factors such as yearly temperature and snow cover. Data was collected from Hammarö Bird Stations annual review of capture and ringing of migratory bird species, and data approximating population trends nationwide were collected from “Svensk Fågeltaxering”. Correlation tests were conducted on these parameters against vole populations and other ecological factors. The study found a positive correlation between owl captures at Hammarö and population trends from all of Sweden during the winter. A positive correlation was also found between annual vole population fluctuations in Vindeln, Västerbotten and owl captures at Hammarö. No correlations were found when measuring owl captures against environmental factors. These results coincide with previous literature on the subject, and open up possibilities for future research regarding the environmental and behavioral aspects of irruptive migration patterns, which is still a poorly-understood aspect of bird behaviour.

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Selection pressure is a constant force in evolution, pushing birds and their wings towards an optimal shape and structure, were increasing performance, and minimizing the costs is central. But even though the science of aerodynamics can provide calculations of the optimal construction for the wing in different situations this rarely directly correspond to what is observed in nature. Since the optima are not the same for all birds due to different specifications and ecology this optimum becomes harder to determine and different functions can even have different optima, resulting in selection conflict. In the genius of birds there is an immense variation between species and their wings in everything from size, shape, and function.  The aim of this study is to investigate how wing morphology over a large phylogeny of bird species correlates to migration and habitat/ecology. Many studies have been done focusing on the effect of migration on the wing morphology, and some have been done focusing on other parameters such as display or daily usage. But by including the bird’s ecology and habitat related information with migration and morphology and looking at the selection from a broad perspective, can we uncover something more? The morphology of the wing cannot provide a perfect optimum for all circumstances since they require different specifications. What then, has the largest impact on the wing’s morphology? And does the relative length of the tail provide any correlations with its habitat and performance?  1185 birds of 137 species were caught at Ottenby, Öland and information on age, weight, sex, and tail length was collected for each individual bird. Photographs were taken of the back of the bird with the left wing outstretched 90 degrees from the body and analyzed in ImageJ to calculate aspect ratio and wing loading. Data on migration distance, foraging behavior, diet, and habitat density was then added for each of the species. Mean values of all parameters was calculated on species level creating a strong dataset with 137 data points. The species mean values dataset was used to test the interspecific effects and the dataset with all individuals was used to test intraspecific effects. ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, correlations tests and random slopes mixed models were performed revealing significant connections between wing morphology, migration, and habitat density. Correlations could also be observed between wing morphology, diet, and foraging behavior. Habitat density revealed the highest correlation with wing morphology, demonstrating a greater significance than migration and the other parameters. Effects that at first sight looked significant could later be excluded as they turned out to be dependent on other variables. The study therefore also highlights the importance of including alternative parameters for reliable conclusions.

The goal of this project is to explore how 23 different bird species respond to 3 climatic attributes. These attributes are lower than average temperatures, wind speed and precipitation level. Information about the bird species and all of the data associated with them is provided by Project FeederWatch (PFW). This is a citizen based survey study that provides key information about bird species abundance through the use of backyard and community feeders. The study volunteers from across the United States and Canada monitor these bird feeders and note important information about the species such as the number of individuals seen. Other standard information is also included such as location data and date. An original data collection pipeline was developed for this study to append climate data from Weather Underground (WU) to the PFW bird feeder data. The final dataset helped to explore how exactly the birds are reacting to winter temperatures, wind speeds and rain levels. Our results indicate that birds species in general visit the bird feeders more often as temperatures dip below average. We found that the body mass of the bird plays no role in the number of visits. Birds don't seem to be significantly affected by precipitation or wind speed as our results indicate no relationship between these climatic factors and abundance at the feeders.

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Appropriate management of mid-rotation pine plantations can improve habitat for early successional and pine-grassland adapted avian species. I tested effects of Imazapyr selective herbicide and prescribed fire on plant and avian communities in thinned, mid-rotation pine stands contracted under the Conservation Reserve Program. Within 12 replicate sites, 2 8.1-ha plots were assigned either herbicide and prescribed fire treatment or control. I described components of vegetation structure and composition in 2006. I tested effects of herbicide and prescribed fire treatment on avian relative abundance, species richness, total avian conservation value, and density of select species during 2003 - 2006. Hardwood midstory decreased and abundances of grasses and forbs increased following treatment. A shift occurred in the bird community from closed-canopy forest species to early successional and pine-grassland species. Treatment stands benefited many avian species exhibiting negative population trends.

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