Summer dispersal and survival of juvenile Great Tits in southern Sweden

Summary

Movements and survival of 506 first-brood Great Tit nestlings that fledged in mid-June in an oak wood in southern Sweden were studied by intensive trapping in that wood and in several neighbouring woods between 17 July and 10 September 1977. A total of 1177 captures of 508 individuals was made.

Two periods of summer dispersal can be distinguished: the first period, one to one- and-one-half months after fledging, lasts longer in females and results in females moving farther away from their birthplace than males; and the second period in early September. There was no effect of brood-size, fledging date or size on dispersal movements. There is, however, a ‘nest effect’ in that siblings tend to be more alike in the distance moved than non-siblings.

The summer mortality rate is constant but high (13% per week). It is not affected by brood size or fledging date, but during the first month after fledging large individuals survive better than smaller ones. The summer mortality rate of dispersers (birds moving between woods) is not higher than that of non-dispersers.

The results contradict two hypotheses proposed to explain when and how postfledging mortality occurs. The mortality rate is not higher during the first month after fledging, as Perrins' and Lack's hypothesis predicts. Since only 22% of the young are still alive at the beginning of September, autumn territorial behaviour cannot be the main factor causing juvenile losses, as proposed by Kluyver.

There is some circumstantial evidence that Great Tits compete for food during the summer, and that food therefore could be in short supply, as suggested by Perrins.

The observed differential dispersal of adults and young, and of male and female juveniles, may be the result of the dominance relationships in the family flock and later in the summer flocks, with subordinate individuals moving farthest.