Search results for "Falco tinnunculus"

Kestrels prefer scent marks according to species and reproductive status of voles

1999

We have previously documented that European kestrels (Falco tinnunculus L.) are attracted to the scent marks of small rodents in the presence of ultraviolet light (UV) but not visible light (VL). I...

Predator presence may benefit: kestrels protect curlew nests against nest predators.

1994

We studied whether the presence of breeding kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) affected nest predation and breeding habitat selection of curlews (Numenius arquata) on an open flat farmland area in western Finland. We searched for nests of curlews from an area of 6 km2 during 1985–1993. For each nest found, we recorded the fate of the nest, and the distance to the nearest kestrel nest and to the nearest perch. We measured the impact of breeding kestrels on nest predation by constructing artificial curlew nests in the vicinity of ten kestrel nests in 1993. Curlew nests were closer to kestrel nests than expected from random distribution, eventhough kestrels fed on average 5.5% of curlew chick produc…

Xoriguer comú, Cernícalo vulgar (VER0000169)

Altres noms vulgars: Common kestrel (Anglès), Faucon crécerelle (Francès), Turmfalke (Alemany) Gabinet de Vertebrats (Departament de Zoologia), Facultat de Ciències Biològiques (Campus de Burjassot), C/ Doctor Moliner, s/n, Bloque B. 5é plant, Burjassot (Valencia). Armari: 3-3 MachoMacho Adultos

Xoriguer comú, Cernícalo vulgar (VER0000170)

1935

Altres noms vulgars: Common kestrel (Anglès), Faucon crécerelle (Francès), Turmfalke (Alemany) Gabinet de Vertebrats (Departament de Zoologia), Facultat de Ciències Biològiques (Campus de Burjassot), C/ Doctor Moliner, s/n, Bloque B. 5é plant, Burjassot (Valencia). Armari: 1-2 Machistre/ El Saler 00/00/1935 Hembra Adulto

Xoriguer comú, Cernícalo vulgar (VER0000171)

Altres noms vulgars: Common kestrel (Anglès), Faucon crécerelle (Francès), Turmfalke (Alemany) Gabinet de Vertebrats (Departament de Zoologia), Facultat de Ciències Biològiques (Campus de Burjassot), C/ Doctor Moliner, s/n, Bloque B. 5é plant, Burjassot (Valencia). Armari: 3-2 Alborache Hembra Adulto

Xoriguer comú, Cernícalo vulgar (VER0000225)

Common kestrel (Anglès), Faucon crécerelle (Francès), Turmfalke (Alemany) Gabinet de Vertebrats (Departament de Zoologia), Facultat de Ciències Biològiques (Campus de Burjassot), C/ Doctor Moliner, s/n, Bloque B. 5é plant, Burjassot (Valencia). Armari: 3-2 Machistre (Valencia) Hembra Adulto

Attraction of kestrels to vole scent marks visible in ultraviolet light

1995

IN northern Europe, broad four-year oscillations in small rodent and raptor populations are synchronous over hundreds of square kilometers1–6. Crashes in vole populations can induce wide emigration (> 1,000 km) of their predators7 –9, but almost nothing is known about how predators rapidly detect areas of vole abundance. Here we report on laboratory and field experiments on voles (Microtus agrestis) and kestrels (Falco tinnunculus). Voles mark their runaways with urine and faeces, which are visible in ultraviolet light. Wild kestrels brought into captivity were able to detect vole scent marks in ultraviolet light but not in visible light. In the field, kestrels hunted preferentially near ex…

Delayed maturation in plumage colour: Evidence for the female-mimicry hypothesis in the kestrel

1993

In many sexually dichromatic species, young males have female-like plumage during their first potential breeding year. The female-mimicry hypothesis (FMH) supposes that by possessing female-like plumage young males deceive older conspicuous males into believing that they are females, thus reducing competition from adult males. The status-signalling hypothesis (SSH) supposes that adult males can distinguish sex, but postulates that young males reduce competition from adult males by reliably signaling low status with their dull plumage. We tested these hypotheses in the European kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). Female-like young males settled to breed closer to adult males than did other adult ma…

Do Tengmalm's owls see vole scent marks visible in ultraviolet light?

1997

Scent markings (urine and faeces) of small mammals are visible in ultraviolet (UV) light. Diurnal kestrels, Falco tinnunculususe them as a cue to find areas of food abundance. We studied whether vole-eating, nocturnal Tengmalm's owls, Aegolius funereuscan see vole scent marks using UV-vision. In a laboratory experiment, 14 young (less than 6 months old) and 14 adult (more than 6 months old) owls were individually given a choice between four adjacent arenas: (1) an arena with vole urine and faeces in UV light; (2) an arena with vole urine and faeces in visible light; (3) a clean arena in UV light; and (4) a clean arena in visible light. Owls did not prefer any of the four arenas. Our results…

A test of male mating and hunting success in the kestrel: the advantages of smallness?

1996

We tested female choice for male wing and tarsus length and body mass in the kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), a species in which males average about 10% smaller than females. We also studied how male characters are related to their hunting success. In the laboratory, females preferred lighter males with shorter tarsi as mates, if the difference in those characters between competing males was larger than average. Lighter and shorter-winged males seemed to be better hunters than heavier and longer-winged males. Field observations in a year in which voles were scarce suggested that shorter-winged males were also better food providers in courtship feeding than longer-winged males,although in good v…