Ecological segregation of Thrushes of genus Turdus in terms of Volyn Polissia

Abstract

An ecological segregation of five species of thrushes (Turdus pilaris, T. merula, T. iliacus, T. philomelos, T. viscivorus) in Volyn Polissia was studied. For the overwhel­ming majority of ecological characteristics, the most similar are Song Thrush and Blackbird (DE = 38.36). They have similar biotopical preferences in forest and forest edges habitats, almost the same nesting height (1.58 and 2.00 m, accordingly), similar feed rations. All this gives us the reason to conclude minimal ecological segregation of Song Thrush and Blackbird in the forest ecosystems of Volyn Polissia. At the same time, they avoid high ecological competition due to different ratios in thrushes complexes in the certain territories [22, 23], structure of nesting habitats [23]. Fieldfare often settled near open habitats by meadows and forest edges, build the nests on the prevailing tree species within the habitat. Food preferences associated primarily with the composition of the feed, the majority of which is produced out of the forest habitats. Mistle Thrush prefers medieval pine forests without undergrowth (73 % of all habitats) with poor forest floor, that made different strategy of food use and obtaining among all presented thrushes species. It was established that among the five studied species of thru­shes Redwing and Mistle Thrush has the highest value of ecological specialization and segregation.

Keywords

• Thrushes
• ecological segregation
• interspecific differences
• Volyn Polissia