BREEDING ECOLOGY OF FARMLAND YELLOWHAMMERS EMBERIZA-CITRINELLA

Observations of Yellowhammers flying from nests to foraging sites were used to assess use of foraging habitats in relation to availability. Selection of invertebrates by foraging Yellowhammers was studied using analysis of nestling faecal samples in relation to invertebrate sampl es taken from farmland habitats. Both data sets were analysed using co mpositional analysis. Broad-leaved crops and sparsely vegetated areas wee favoured early in the breeding season, but cereal crops were incre asingly used as these ripened. Unripe cereal grain formed a major comp onent of nestling diet, but invertebrates were fed to all broods. Lepi doptera larvae, Araneae and Tipulidae were consumed more than other in vertebrate groups. Nestling mortality was high during cold weather whe n these invertebrates would have been inactive. We suggest that farmin g systems that increase habitat diversity and reduce pesticide applica tion to arable crops will benefit Yellowhammers and other farmland bun tings.