Effect of Time of Season and Neighbours on Singing Activity in the Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra

Abstract

The seasonal pattern of singing activity was studied in the Poznań region, W Poland. Males sang from mid-March till late July with a song rate varying between 3.2 and 11.1 songs/min. Song activity peaked at the beginning of the breeding season, in late March and April. In following months males also sang at quite a high rate, but the probability of finding a singing male within the territory was lower. Males sang mainly from tree tops and power lines at a height between 8 and 10 m. Males with larger numbers of neighbours had a significantly lower mean song rate than those with a single neighbour. Most probably, males with more neighbours had to spend more time on more active and direct territorial defence, and/or listening to the song of other males. The pattern we found suggests that song is mainly used in territorial defence against rivals, and that it is used as a first line of defence. Nevertheless, this does not preclude its usefulness for attracting a mate.