Piotr Dębowski, Marcin Wężyk
Ornis Polonica 2025, 66: 16–24
https://doi.org/10.12657/ornis.2025.1.2
Abstract: In the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 seasons, counts of avifauna wintering in
different types of stands with a predominance of Scots pine in the northern part of the Małopolska Upland were carried out using the transect method. The study area was dominated by mature fir-beech stands and pine-spruce stands with admixture of oak, birch and aspen. Six to nine visits were carried out at a frequency of every 8–12 days. A total of 22 bird species were recorded, with an average of 29 individuals/km (19.2–41.6 indiv./km). The dominant species (>5% participation in the grouping) included the Goldcrest Regulus regulus (27.4%), Coal Tit Periparus ater (18.0%), Great Tit Parus major (8.0%), Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major (7.0%), Nuthatch Sitta europaea (6.8%) and Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus (5.9%). Nine species (Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus, Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus, Treecreeper Certhia familiaris) occurred in 100% frequency. During the counts, numerous occurrences of the Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra and the Great Spotted Woodpecker were recorded, associated with the abundance of spruce seeds.
Keywords: birds community, forest transects, index of density, pine forests, the Małopolska Upland, wintering avifauna
