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Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2003 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 8 | Page No.: 688-693
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Research Article

Common Magpie Pica pica, Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula and Hooded Crow Corvus cornix in Some Towns in North-eastern Slovenia (Central Europe)

Milan Vogrin

ABSTRACT

During the breeding season of 1998, the experiment was conducted on the breeding density of Common magpie Pica pica, western jackdaw Corvus monedula and hooded crow Corvus cornix in towns in north-eastern Slovenia. In each town I randomly selected plots.They measured 99 ha in Celje, 65.5 ha and 52.3 ha in Maribor, 46.0 ha in Ptuj, 73.4 in Slovenska Bistrica, 11.4 ha in Slovenske Konjice and 96 ha in žalec. The most common species was common magpie which was present in all seven towns and the rarest western jackdaw which bred only in two towns. Common magpie density in Slovenian towns was approximately the same as in other similar towns in Central Europe and smaller than in other bigger towns. Interestingly,densities of common magpie in towns under study are even higher than density in rural areas in Slovenia and elsewhere. The main reasons for higher densities in towns are probably a result of food availability throughout the year, and lack of predators. Relationship between density of common magpie and number of inhabitants in towns was not significant (r= -0.30, P>0.05, n = 5). Due to lower densities of common magpie in smaller towns I predict that colonization was recent. Based on historic data I predict that Celje was colonized by common magpie about 20 years ago, Maribor some years earlier, whereas colonization of Slovenj Gradec, Slovenska Bistrica and žalec was in recent years. Since densities of hooded crow is lower then common magpie, colonization of this species is probably even later.
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