ИСТИНА

We present the results of a ten year study (2005-2014) investigating demographic parameters of Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava, Whinchats Saxicola rubetra and Booted Warblers Iduna caligata in abandoned fields at the central part of Vologda region, Russia. We explored the relationship between reproductive success and adult apparent survival. To calculate apparent survival rates we constructed a multistate model where the states reflect different classes of reproductive success. Predation was the main cause of nest mortality for all three species. Reproductive success had a strong impact on their apparent survival. Apparent survival after successful breeding was higher than after unsuccessful breeding, because unsuccessful breeders probably moved to new breeding sites the following year. Apparent survival rate for males was slightly higher than for females for both classes of reproductive success. Differences in apparent survival rates of three species were negligible. Thus predation was the main factor limiting apparent survival of passerine birds breeding in abandoned fields. Our investigations have received financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (13-04-00745-a).