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Résumé :
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Cirl Buntings (Emberiza cirlus) settled at the Upper Middle Rhine in the vineyards between Rüdesheim und Assmannshausen (Lower Rheingau) from 2010 onwards. This settlement in the traditional areas of the Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) and the Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) got so remarkable in year 2012 that an inventory of the territorial E. cirlus males was made. Singing birds were counted, along with the use of tape luring to prove the territorial behaviour. Eleven males were recorded. This unexpected high population density alongside 5 km of vineyards between Rüdesheim and Assmannshausen and the hillside distance of 80-300 m between river Rhine and the upper border of the wood was suspicious. Possible double counting as an effect of using tape luring could not be excluded. Therefore in year 2013 a new inventory was performed. All territorial E. cirlus were caught using tape lure and mist nets and all were colour ringed. In the same area of the previous year, 13 territorial E. cirlus could be caught and colour ringed, and additional two males NW of Assmannshausen (location Höllenberg). This result confirmed the counted males of year 2012. The counts for E. cia were 21 males and together with the site Höllenberg 26 males. The population of E. cia in this area has been observed since centuries and is nearly stable. The counts for E. citrinella added up to 11 males, with an additional male on the site Höllenberg. A very high population density of E. cirlus in the Palatinate (Pfalz) north and south of Bad Dürkheim probably could be a source for the immigrants at the Upper Middle Rhine. Small blood samples taken from males of the Rhine- and Palatinate-population will be analysed by means of microsatellite markers to get possibly information were the immigrants came from. The population figures of all three species could be a basis to follow the future inventory development of E. cirlus and possibly arising interferences with E. cia- and E. citrinella-populations in this area.
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