Breeding ecology of the Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) in southern Turkey (Aves: Passeriformes)

Abstract

The breeding season of the Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) begins in southern Turkey in late-March (first clutch on 31 March) and extends over three months (latest start of breeding in mid-June). 78.4% pairs produced a second and 13.5% pairs a third brood. The incubation period lasted 12 to 14 days. The average clutch size was 3.97 eggs/nest (3–5 eggs), with a mean number of hatched eggs of 2.86 in first and 2.93 in second broods. The mean number of fledglings was 2.39 in the first and 1.52 in the second broods. The predation level was very high (25.4% nests and 45.3% hatchlings were predated) and the main predators were Hooded Crow (Corvus corone) and Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis).

Keywords:

• Breeding success
• fledgling
• first brood
• second brood
• predation
• southern Turkey

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Dr Levent Turan for critical comments on the preliminary version of this manuscript.