Nest-site fidelity and breeding success in White Stork Ciconia ciconia

• Published in: Ibis (London, England) Vol. 148; no. 4; pp. 672 - 677
• Main Authors: VERGARA, PABLO, AGUIRRE, JOSÉ I., FARGALLO, JUAN A., DÁVILA, JOSÉ A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2006; Blackwell
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal behavior; Animal breeding; Animal reproduction; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Aquatic birds; Autoecology; Aves; Biological and medical sciences; Birds; Breeding success; Ciconia ciconia; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Life history; Site fidelity; Vertebrata; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Reproduction; Vertebrata; Nesting site; Ciconia ciconia; Breeding success; Philopatry; Aves; Breeding site
• ISSN: 0019-1019; 1474-919X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1474-919X.2006.00565.x

Nest‐site fidelity is a life‐history trait of birds that may produce benefits in terms of fitness. We studied the relationship between breeding success and nest fidelity in the White Stork Ciconia ciconia. We also studied how other factors such as age, sex, habitat, colony size and productivity in previous breeding attempts might interfere with this relationship. Our results showed that pairs with higher fidelity rates also have lower failure rates, and that breeding failure and productivity in the previous season influenced the frequency of nest change in the following season. In addition, a curvilinear relationship was found between age and nest fidelity. These results suggest that age is a major factor related to nest fidelity and therefore individual experience could explain this behaviour in the White Stork. Changing the nest involves a reproductive cost for which nest fidelity can be considered as an adaptive strategy to increase fitness.