Suffolk Bird Report 2019
The breeding ecology of Breckland Tree Pipits Anthus trivialis Report for 2019 Niall H.K. Burton (niall.burton@bto.org) British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU Report to the Forestry Commission East England Forest District Bird Group Meeting, Santon Downham February 2020
This report presents the latest results of a continuing study of the breeding ecology of Tree Pipits Anthus trivialis undertaken in and around Thetford Forest. The study has encompassed five main elements: • • • •
Territory mapping to assess habitat preferences and monitor numbers; Nest finding to monitor breeding success; Colour-ringing to monitor adult survival rates and movements; Acoustic recording to assess individual variation in song and so also monitor adult survival rates; • A geolocator study to determine the species’ migration routes and wintering areas. Monitoring breeding success Year 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Nests found 7 27 28 29 27 24 20 16 19 20 33
Young ringed 11 83 104 121 110 87 61 45 53 66 80
Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 TOTAL
Nests found 30 23 28 24 18 24 37 28 30 34 32 558
Young ringed 93 67 70 77 42 107 116 95 71 109 114 1782
Nest totals include nests found by Ashley Banwell, Gavin Chambers, Greg Conway, Paul Dolman, John Dries, Allan Hale, Ron Hoblyn, Mark Hulme, Simon Pickett, John Secker, Kerry Skelhorn, Mike Toms, John Walshe and Lucy Wright, and data from the BTO’s Nest Record Scheme. Monitoring survival – colour-ringing and acoustic monitoring A colour-ringing project was begun in 2009, to look at within- and between-year site-fidelity and survival. To date, 200 adult birds have been colour-ringed: 177 males and 23 females. 36
