Short-Term Effects of Winter Food Supply on the Breeding Performance of the Great Tit (Parus major)
Short-Term Effects of Winter Food Supply on the Breeding Performance of the Great Tit (Parus major)
Hyun-Su Hwang1,2, Jae-Kang Lee1, Tae-Kyung Eom1, Dong-Ho Lee1 and Shin-Jae Rhim1*
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to clarify the short-term effects of a providing winter food on the breeding performance of the great tits (Parus major) in temperate mixed forest in South Korea. In each of two study sites, 45 artificial nest boxes were installed, and food items including peanuts, kidney beans, and brown soybeans were supplied at feeders from November to February of 2017–2019. From March to June of 2018–2021, we examined the breeding ecology of the great tits in the artificial nest boxes. Egg weight, egg volume, hatching success, and fledgling success were significantly higher in food supply than in food non-supply years. Moreover, the weight of chicks and tarsus length of chicks were significantly higher in food supply years. Our results suggest that an artificial winter food supply can have positive effects on the breeding performance of great tits. Wintering food supplied to avian species can be an effective way to increase the quality of habitats impacted by human activities and, therefore, winter food supply could be a useful method for the conservation of wild birds.
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