Seasonal dynamics of avian traffic casualties in Central Spain: age and number of individuals and species richness and diversity

Full article

Published:

Volume 46(1), June 1999. Pages 23-30.

Language:

Spanish

Original title:

Estacionalidad de los atropellos de aves en el centro de España: número y edad de los individuos y riqueza y diversidad de especies

Keywords:

age, central Spain, diversity, mortality, number of individuals, richness, road, seasonal variation.

Abstract:

On the basis of information collected over 1237 km of a road traversing a pseudosteppe environment in central Spain, seasonal variation, abundance, richness and diversity of birds dead or injured due to traffic casualties were analyzed. 590 birds of 53 species were found (Appendix). The period of highest incidence of traffic casualties was breeding time (Fig. 1), presumably due to both the lack of experience of young as compared to adult birds (young birds were found dead more frecuently than adult birds; Table 1) and the increased road traffic. The richness of species found dead peaked during breeding, whereas the diversity of bird traffic casualties was highest during the postbreeding migration period (Figs. 2 and 3). This fact was due to the increased importance of casualties affecting dispersing young birds and tropical migrants. Little Owls Athene noctua, Red-legged Partridges Alectoris rufa and House and Spanish Sparrows Passer domesticus and P. hispaniolensis added up to 41.5% of casualties.