Tryjanowski P., Goławski A., Kuźniak S., Mokwa T. & Antczak M. (2007) Disperse or stay? Exceptionally high breeding-site infidelity in the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. ARDEA 95 (2): 316-320

Nesting in the same breeding area in successive years provides information to help understand the cues used by birds in habitat selection. Moreover such information may also be an important tool for the conservation and management of endangered species. Based on the ringing results of 122 adult and 1245 nestling Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio in the years 1996–2005, we studied philopatry of the species in two different populations: in western and in eastern Poland. Moreover we analysed all Polish Red-backed Shrike ring recoveries since 1996 (n = 3102 ringed birds). We noted that both natal and breeding philopatry in the populations were almost entirely absent. This is surprising in comparison with other studies, especially those including shrikes. Comparisons with other populations suggest that the lack of philopatry is not related to the breeding success of local birds and/or the size of the study area. In contrast we suggest that low philopatry is an effect of and/or an adaptation to a relatively high population density at the landscape scale, where many breeding areas and potential nesting sites still remain vacant.