Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

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van der Vliet R.E., van Dijk J. & Wassen M.J. (2010) How different landscape elements limit the breeding habitat of meadow bird species. ARDEA 98 (2): 203-209
Meadow bird species in the Netherlands have shown a long-term decline in numbers. This has been generally attributed to agricultural intensification, but in addition an increase of disturbing elements may have played a role in the decline. In this review we compiled data from literature to explore to what extent breeding by meadow birds (Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa) is limited by disturbing landscape elements. We considered elements that can be considered ‘view-obstructing’ (like trees or houses), and those that can be considered ‘flat’ (canal, road or railway). Our review shows that breeding birds keep a distance to both types of landscape elements, with distances ranging over 1 km for highways and village edges. Roads with high traffic intensity caused the largest disturbance. Eurasian Oystercatcher was most tolerant to the presence of landscape elements, and Black-tailed Godwit least tolerant.


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