Szymon Beuch, Bartosz Smyk, Tadeusz Stawarczyk
Ornis Polonica 2024, 65: 1–29
https://doi.org/10.12657/ornis.2024.1.1
Abstract: This paper presents the results of a survey of 48 selected breeding bird species in Silesia on 184 randomly selected plots (2 × 2 km squares). The study was carried out in the years 2015–2020 throughout the whole area of the Silesian Ornithological Region. The most widespread and most numerous species was the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio, recorded on almost all controlled plots (97.3%), with an average number of 8.2 pairs per square. The next most frequent species were: the Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos (71.6%), Whinchat Saxicola rubetra (63.9%), Stonechat S. rubicola (63.6%) and Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus (60.5%). Among the 5 woodpecker species surveyed, the Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius was the most widespread (54%), while the Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocoptes medius was the most numerous. The Quail Coturnix coturnix was more common and more numerous than the Grey Partridge Perdix perdix, while the Stock Dove Columba oenas and Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur had similar prevalence and abundance. The least frequently recorded and least abundant species were the Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris (2.2%), Thrush Nightingale L. luscinia (2.2%), Crested Lark Galerida cristata (1.1%) and Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva (0.6%). The total abundance of these species on all surveyed plots did not exceed 5 breeding pairs. The study provides values of prevalence, mean abundance and density of breeding pairs per 100 ha of total area and per 10 ha of optimal habitats for all surveyed species. In addition, the most densely inhabited areas are discussed with a characteristics of the share of optimal habitats for the species concerned.
Keywords: abundance, density, moderately abundant breeding bird species, prevalence, Silesian Ornithological Region
