IBIS: Featured commentary article

Cathrine Glosli

Professor Svein Dale's article about reproductive challenges within a declining population of the Ortolan Bunting in Norway is the featured commentary article in the July edition of IBIS.

The article ‘Lonely males and low lifetime productivity in small populations’ is a detailed study of a rapidly declining population of Ortolan Bunting in Norway. Specifically, Svein Dale assesses the lifetime mating success of males in this population, which has a strongly male-skewed adult sex ratio.

Through a long-term study of ringed birds, Dale shows that in this population, mating success by males is rare and that even long-lived birds might only attract a mate in one or two breeding seasons during their lifespan. The majority of birds either spend their entire lives unmated or at best get one opportunity. This work has profound implications for the management of small populations.

The article is free to view at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1474-919X.2011.01144.x/full

Ibis, subtitled the International Journal of Avian Science, is the peer-reviewed journal of the British Ornithologists' Union. Topics covered include ecology, conservation, behaviour, palaeontology and taxonomy of birds.

Ortolan Bunting (Emberiza hortulana)

Updated: 02.08.11
Printerfriendly version

Del med en venn:

Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management

Phone: +47 64 96 58 00
Fax: +47 64 96 58 01
E-mail: ina@umb.no

Postal Address:
P.O.Box 5003
NO-1432 Aas

Visiting/delivery addresses:
Sørhellinga
Høgskoleveien 12,
1430 Ås