Abstract
The fauna of passerines (Passeriformes) and other bird families (Galliformes, Columbiformes, Cuculiformes, Coraciiformes and Piciformes) censused with similar methods, was examined; 132 species of the above families have been observed in the Prespa area. Of these, 19 non-passerines and 77 passerines breed. The composition of avian communities during the breeding season and the relative abundance of their species were studied in nine habitats, namely: reedbeds, croplands, sparse woodland on abandoned fields, hop-hornbeam woodland, oak-juniper shrubland, oak forest, beech forest, mixed deciduous forest and alpine grasslands. Six species made up the avifauna of reedbeds, the Great Reed Warbler being the most widespread. There were nine typical farmland species but Corn Bunting, Black-headed Bunting and Red-backed Shrike comprised more than 65% of the total. The most widespread and numerous species in the National Park were the typical species of temperate forests such as Blue Tit, Jay, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Marsh Tit and Great Tit. Skylark, Whinchat and Ortolan Bunting were the commonest species above the tree line. Very few similarities existed between the avifaunas of croplands, alpine grasslands and reedbeds. Correspondence Analysis was used to analyse the avifaunistic composition of each one of the six woodland habitats along with the floristic composition, seven abiotic features and 21 measures of vegetation structure. The most diverse avifauna was that of the mixed deciduous forest which had the highest horizontal and vertical structural heterogeneity. The avifauna of Juniper shrubland differed from those of all other types of woodland studied. The degree of human influence upon the vegetational features of this habitat is not easy to define, but the existence of endemic plant and animal taxa and relict species of plants and birds suggests that the differences can be attributed not only to its vegetational characteristics but may also have a paleoecological background.
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Catsadorakis, G. (1997). Breeding birds from reedbeds to alpine meadows. In: Crivelli, A.J., Catsadorakis, G. (eds) Lake Prespa, Northwestern Greece. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 122. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5180-1_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5180-1_11
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