Submitted by on Wed,
18/05/2016 - 15:54
The timing of great tit
egg-laying can be predicted one year in advance according to new research
published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.
The research team, led by Dr
Shelley Hinsley from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, studied a
temperate woodland bird species, the great tit (Parus major), breeding in
deciduous woodland in eastern England and demonstrated a relationship between
the onset of egg laying and the winter index of the North Atlantic Oscillation.
They concluded that the onset of egg laying can be predicted from the winter
index for the previous year.
Dr Hinsley said, “It is well
known that many bird species, including great tits, begin breeding activity
earlier in warmer springs. However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the
first time that a relationship with climate has been shown to enable prediction
of the likely timing of breeding one year in advance. Although our results are
for the date of egg laying in great tits, the prediction can be applied to
spring phenology in general (in eastern England at least) because earlier
breeding activity in warmer springs is related to temperature-dependent
development of vegetation and invertebrate food supplies.”
The scientists looked at three
areas in Cambridgeshire in eastern England, Monks Wood National Nature Reserve,
Brampton Wood, a Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve, and Wennington Wood (privately
owned), recording breeding using nest boxes. Timing of breeding was recorded
for 23 years from 1993 to 2015.
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