Delayed senescence in a southern population of the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)

We determined age-specific changes in survival probabilities and reproductive performance of female pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca Pallas, breeding in the southern part of the species? breeding range in central Spain. Our aim was to detect evidence of senescence in the course of a long-term st...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sanz, Juan José, Moreno Klemming, Juan
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2000
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/110971
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/110971
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Life history
pied flycatcher
reproductive performance
senescence
survival
Descripción
Sumario:We determined age-specific changes in survival probabilities and reproductive performance of female pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca Pallas, breeding in the southern part of the species? breeding range in central Spain. Our aim was to detect evidence of senescence in the course of a long-term study. A sample of known-age individuals, as well as a larger set of birds of minimum age, was used for analyzing reproductive performance, while only known-age birds were used to estimate age-dependent survival probabilities according to capture-recapture models. Data on laying date, clutch size, number of fledglings, and number of recruits produced were analyzed. Survival probabilities increased from 1-2 years to 3-4 years of age. No decline in reproductive performance was detected before the age of 5 years, and even after that age the evidence for reproductive senescence was weak. Females in our study showed delayed senescence when compared to (i) another population of the species breeding further north, (ii) the closely related collared flycatcher, and (iii) passerines in general. Middle-aged (3-4 years) females in our population seemed to experience a relatively low extrinsic or age-independent mortality, which may favour a delayed ageing process. Low mortality rates may be due to the short migration route and prolonged breeding season of southern pied flycatcher populations.