<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Hoopoe is a widespread species in Hungary with the strongest populations on the Great plains. The fact that in 2015 it became ‛The Bird of the Year’ in Hungary offers the possibility to summarise the information about the distribution, population size, dispersion, migration as well as the nature conservation status of the Hoopoe population breeding in Hungary. In the period of 1999–2014 the number of breeding pairs and trend of population level was estimated based on the Common Bird Census database. The population size was estimated as 13,500–17,500 pairs with a stable trend (slope=−1.3%, SE=2.5%) over 1999–2014. There is very limited information on migration from bird ringing, only 8 recoveries between 1928–1963 indicate, that the Hungarian population is migrating on a south-southeast direction in autumn, wintering in the eastern parts of the Sahel, possibly in Chad and Sudan and migrates back in spring following a loop migration pattern further to the east. The main conservation issues are agricultural intensification impacting feeding possibilities, lack of nesting cavities and hunting during migration.</abstract>

MME/BirdLife Hungary, 1121 Budapest, Költő utca 21., Hungary

Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Nyíregyháza, 4400 Nyíregyháza, Sóstói út 31/b, Hungary

The status of the Hoopoe <italic>(Upupa epops)</italic> in Hungary: a review

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Very little is known about Pied Flycatchers crossing the Carpathian Basin. We give a comprehensive picture about its migration based on the data collected during the past 26 years (1989–2014) at a stopover site in Hungary: (1) sex and age related phenological changes over the years, (2) sex, age and size dependent migration patterns during and (3) between migration periods, (4) sex and age composition in spring and in autumn and their change over years.The timing of spring migration shifted to earlier dates in the case of males, while that of females did not change implying an increasing rate of protandry. In autumn the timing did not change, but juveniles leave the area earlier than adults. The average wing length increased during the past decades in spring in the case of both sexes. In autumn, wing length did not change significantly during the years, but it increased during the seasons in all age and gender groups.The proportion of males is about 60% in spring and among juveniles in autumn, and it is around 39% in the adult group in autumn. The male ratio diminishes during spring, but it does not change during the autumn season. The average wing of adults is shorter in spring than in autumn. Based on this fact and the different sex ratios in the two seasons we may hypothesize that Pied Flycatchers are loop migrants on this area, and even the sexes of the same population take different routes.</abstract>

Department of Biomathematics and Informatics, Szent István University, Faculty of Veterinary Science, 1078 Budapest, István u. 2., Hungary

Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, 1088 Budapest, Baross utca 13., Hungary

Department of Anatomy, Cell- and Developmental Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Hungary

Sex and age dependent migration phenology of the Pied Flycatcher in a stopover site in the Carpathian Basin

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">In this paper, a complex morphological comparison of four Common Nightingale groups <italic>(Luscinia megarhynchos)</italic> is demonstrated. In total, 121 territorial nightingales were mist-netted and measured individually on four study areas called ‘Bódva’, ‘Felső-Tisza’, ‘Szatmár-Bereg’ and ‘Bátorliget’ in the North-Eastern part of Hungary in 2006–2013. To distinguish groups by morphology, C<italic>lassification and Regression Trees</italic> (CART), <italic>Random Forest</italic> (RF) and <italic>Linear Discriminant Analysis</italic> (LDA) methods were used. Comparison of the four studied Common Nightingale groups shows substantial morphological differences in the length of the second, the third and the fourth primaries (P2, P3, P4), in bill length (BL) and bill width (BW), while other characteristics showed greater similarities. Based on the results of all the applied classification methods, birds originated from Szatmár-Bereg were clearly distinguishable from the others. The differences in morphology can be explained by interspecific competition or phenotypic plasticity resulting from the change of ecological, environmental parameters. Our case study highlights the advantageous differences of the classification methods to distinguish groups with similar morphology and to choose important variables for classification. In conclusion, broad application of the classification methods RF and CART is highly recommended in comparative ecological studies.</abstract>

Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., Hungary

Department of Biomathematics and Informatics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Szent István University, 1078 Budapest, István utca 2., Hungary

Morphological classification of conspecific birds from closely situated breeding areas – A case study of the Common Nightingale

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Weekly counts of roosting cranes were conducted between 2006–2014 in all significant stopover sites of Common Cranes <italic>(Grus grus)</italic> in Hungary, as an extension of the survey programme performed in Hortobágy National Park since 1994. As a result, I detected consistently asymmetrical migration phenologies in Hortobágy, indicating a superposition of several migration waves. Cranes used nearly 60 roost sites in Hortobágy with the largest ones situated in extensive fishponds. In contrast, cranes migrating in Körös-Maros National Park started to overwinter regularly, increasingly roosting in dry wetlands. In Kiskunság cranes tended to stage for shorter periods than in Körös-Maros, with the largest flocks to be observed in Lake Fehér of Szeged fishponds and additionally in a number of alkali lakes. Cranes observed in the Borsodi Mezőség region are considered satellite flocks staging in Hortobágy, as shown by irregular fluctuations.As a probable result of climatic variability, cranes migrating in Hortobágy have shown the advancement of first arrival dates and exhibited significant, positive relations with local mean monthly temperatures. Additionally, we detected a positive relationship between the Julian date of autumn migration peak and winter mean of the North-Atlantic Oscillation, indicating later autumn arrivals during warmer periods.</abstract>

Autumn crane migration and climate change in the Carpathian Basin

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Because of the worldwide distribution of the Barn Owl <italic>(Tyto alba)</italic> and the easily way to find its pellets, it is often used to diet studies. To investigate the eco-geographical impact of mountainous areas on its diet, we conducted studies in the Jura, Alpes, Central and Pyrénées mountains and we also did pellet analysis from 8 sites in the Jura mountains. Analysis of the tooth and skull content of pellets allowed us to draw up two types of change in the diet of <italic>Tyto alba</italic> in correlation with mountain elevation. The first one concerns the Jura, Alpes and Central mountains, where the diversity of the diet declines with the increase in elevation. The second one concerns the Pyrénées mountains, where there is no change in the diversity of the diet, perhaps because of the higher diversity of small mammals caused by mediterranean influence. Thus, it seems that elevation cau ses a decrease in diet diversity of <italic>Tyto alba</italic> in continental mountains (Jura, Alpes and Central mountains) probably because of more homogeneous landscapes dedicated to grass production. However, in Mediterranean mountains (Pyrénées), a more diversified small mammal guild provides a constant level of diet diversity.</abstract>

Chrono-Environnement Laboratory, University of Franche-Comté/CNRS – 16 route de Gray, France

Universitary Group of Naturalists of Franche-Comté – 16 route de Gray, France

Eco-geographical variation in the diet of the Barn Owl <italic>(Tyto alba)</italic> in mountainous areas of France

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Scops Owl <italic>(Otus scops)</italic> is one of the least studied owls in Europe and its loud and monotonous calls are not well documented. This paper summarises published alarm-like calls and presents data on daytime calling recorded in Lesencetomaj, Hungary between 9th and 17th September 2012. Calls were similar to the sound of an alarm on a reversing truck. The bird was most active around midday (11–13 hrs) and in the afternoons between 15–17 hrs. No calling occurred before 09.00 or after 19.15 o’clock. Weather affected the intensity of calls and particularly high autumn temperatures are suggested as a possible reason for this unusual activity.</abstract>

Voice and daytime calling of Scops Owls <italic>(Otus scops)</italic>

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Ornithofauna of the island of Žirje has not been explored yet. During an early and late survey in September of 2013 and 2014 altogether 50 bird species were recorded, 34 and 41 species was noted including both migratory and resident species in the two parts of the month, respectively. Nine species appeared only at the first half, while 16 species were registered only at the second half of the mouth. The results of this preliminary survey showed the obvious need for more intensive research of the island’s bird fauna, with special attention on nesting and wintering birds.</abstract>

The first detailed ornithological description of the island of Žirje (Croatia)

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The author provides an osteological guide to songbirds, based on 11 skeletal parts of 51 genera, at the genus level for ornithologists studying owl pellets, paleontologists and archaezoologists. The mandible, the coracoid bone, the scapula, the humerus, the ulna, the carpometacarp, the first phalanx bone of the second finger, the femur, the tibiotars, the tarsometatars and the claw bone are presented.The morphological characteristics and method of measurement of the examined skeletal parts and the photographs of the appropriate bones are illustrated on 52 plates and 17 figures. The measurement data are also provided in 11 size tables. For every discussed bone, 3-6 characteristics are chosen, and their codes consist of 3-6 letters. In case of overlaps, dimensions are the determining factors, and for the humerus and the ulna, the ensemble of the two bone end pairs can be used.</abstract>

Osteological guide of songbirds from Central Europe

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Two new species appeared in the Hungarian avifauna in 2014: the Spanish Sparrow and the Blyth’s Reed Warbler. One pair of Spanish Sparrow was breeding in Bácsborsód between June 13th and July 31st in the side of a stork nest. The Blyth’s Reed Warbler was trapped and ringed near Tömörd on August 15th. With the observations of these species the number of bird species that have ever been proven to occur in Hungary has risen to 411.</abstract>

New species in the Hungarian avifauna in 2014

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Bird ringing datasets constitute possibly the largest source of temporal and spatial information on vertebrate taxa available on the globe. Initially, the method was invented to understand avian migration patterns. However, data deriving from bird ringing has been used in an array of other disciplines including population monitoring, changes in demography, conservation management and to study the effects of climate change to name a few. Despite the widespread usage and importance, there are no guidelines available specifically describing the practice of data management, preparation and analyses of ringing datasets. Here, we present the first of a series of comprehensive tutorials that may help fill this gap. We describe in detail and through a real-life example the intricacies of data cleaning and how to create a data table ready for analyses from raw ringing data in the R software environment. Moreover, we created and present here the R package; <monospace>ringR</monospace>, designed to carry out various specific tasks and plots related to bird ringing data. Most methods described here can also be applied to a wide range of capture-recapture type data based on individual marking, regardless to taxa or research question.</abstract>

Department of Biomathematics and Informatics, Szent István University, Faculty of Veterinary Science, 1078 Budapest, István utca 2., Hungary

Hitchhikers’ guide to analysing bird ringing data

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Ornis Hungarica

 Ornis Hungarica is one of the oldest professional, peer-reviewed ornithological journals in East and Central Europe and unique in the Carpathian Basin. It was first published in 1991 by BirdLife Hungary (Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society - www.mme.hu) and became listed in the largest scientific databases and indexing services over this 30-year period.  The journal publishes original research articles, reviews, and short communications from all regions of the world. Manuscripts from all fields of ornithology are considered for publication, especially focusing on the ecology, morphology, behaviour, evolution, biogeography and conservation of birds. Studies advancing our understanding of living or extinct bird species, populations or assemblages are all welcome.  The journal publishes papers in English, but the abstracts, figure captions and table titles are both in English and Hungarian supporting the dissemination of scientific knowledge to the Hungarian community. For non-Hungarian authors, the translations will be prepared by the editors.  The accepted manuscripts are published in two issues per year, both online and in print. The online version of all articles are freely available for downloading (open access). All volumes and issues are archived on the publisher’s site from 2012 to date. Ornis Hungarica aims to publish as rapidly as possible. Reviewers are assigned to each manuscript within 2 days after submission, on average. The full process, including technical editing and correcting the final proofs, is usually finished within 60 days.  Rejection Rate   50%   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 

Ornis Hungarica

Volume 23 (2015): Issue 2 (December 2015)

The status of the Hoopoe (Upupa epops) in Hungary: a review

Sex and age dependent migration phenology of the Pied Flycatcher in a stopover site in the Carpathian Basin

Morphological classification of conspecific birds from closely situated breeding areas – A case study of the Common Nightingale

Autumn crane migration and climate change in the Carpathian Basin

Eco-geographical variation in the diet of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in mountainous areas of France

Voice and daytime calling of Scops Owls (Otus scops)

The first detailed ornithological description of the island of Žirje (Croatia)

Osteological guide of songbirds from Central Europe

New species in the Hungarian avifauna in 2014

Hitchhikers’ guide to analysing bird ringing data

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