Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 42(3) 1999

Issue:

VOL 42(3) 1999

Keywords:

Passer montanus saturatus, breeding ecology, South Korea

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Selected aspects of breeding biology in the Tree Sparrow Passer montanus saturatus (Stejneger, 1886) in South Korea

• Barbara PlNOWSKA
• Jan PlNOWSKI
• Kyu-Hwang HAHM

Abstract:

The breeding biology of the subspecies of Tree Sparrow living in South Korea, Passer montanus saturatus, was compared with that of the subspecies montanus inhabit­ing Poland. Of the two, P. m. saturatus was the more closely associated with human settle­ment in the breeding season. In the monsoon period and during heatwaves, P. m. saturates sought shelter and food within farm buildings in a way that montanus individuals do not. P. m. saturatus also made greater use of plant food (rice and barley) in the rearing of nes­tlings. After fledging, the young of both subspecies spend a similar amount of time near their place of birth (40 days in the case of first broods and 25 in the case of second). Subse­quently, individuals of subspecies montanus join flocks within a radius of c. 5 km, while saturatus individuals were not to be found within such a distance after this period of time.