Influence of Faming Practices on Habitat Use by Two Typical Floodplain Bird Species of North-eastern France: Whinchat Saxicola Rubetra and Curlew Numenius Arquata.

27 Mar Influence of Faming Practices on Habitat Use by Two Typical Floodplain Bird Species of North-eastern France: Whinchat Saxicola Rubetra and Curlew Numenius Arquata.

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Abstract

English Abstract

The decline of Alluvial grassland birds is usually
linked to recent changes in farming. In this study,
we explore how agricultural practices affect habitat
use by two typical bird species, Whinchat
Saxicola rubetra and Curlew Numenius arquata.
We investigated to what extent agricultural intensification
is harmful to both species. Results suggest
that Whinchat and Curlew habitat use depends on
faming practices: agricultural management type,
fertilisers and pesticides use, mowing date and
presence of a fence. Whereas Whinchat seems to
benefit from extensive practices, the initial assumption
of a negative effect of farming intensification
was not fully verified in the case of Curlew. Some
functional explanatory hypotheses are discussed in
light of known resource requirements by birds.
Finally, the relevance of agri-environment schemes
is examined in the view of the conservation of
grassland birds.