urban population

Seasonal Changes in Burrowing of the Common Hamster (Cricetus cricetus L., 1758) (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in the City

Authors: Katzman E. A., Zaytseva E. A., Feoktistova N. Y., Tovpinetz N. N., Bogomolov P. L., Potashnikova E. V., Surov A. V.

The Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) has been intensively colonizing cities during the last decades. Changes in the burrow numbers and their distribution over an area might be important indicators of the population status for the Common hamster in an urban environment. In this study, we consider the character of the burrow distribution on the experimental plot (2.2 ha) situated in the park of Simferopol City, Russian Federation. The brushwood and tree vegetation on this plot had been previously mapped in detail.

FORAGING BEHAVIOR FEATURES OF THE BLACKBIRD TURDUS MERULA L. AND FIELDFARE TURDUS PILARIS L. (TURDIDAE, PASSERIFORMES)

Authors: Shukshina M. S.

The foraging behavior of the Blackbird and Fieldfare in the city of Kaliningrad was studied. A similarity of the feeding habitats used by thrushes is noted. The main type of fodder stations during the reproductive period are lawns with low vegetable cover, rare-fied as a result of human influence, while these are squares and gardens with fruit bushes and trees during the autumn and winter period. The use of fodder stations and fodder objects of anthropogenic origin is noted for the blackbird out of its period of re-production.