DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10647322
title: 52100219

description: Mean clutch size of waterfowl Anseriformes and species with similar ecologies.

Background and Metadata

This data-synthesis was conducted on the mean clutch size of waterfowl and similar species. The purpose of this data-synthesis is to combine disparate data on waterfowl to aid in further understanding temporal and spatial trends in changes in clutch sizes. Waterfowl often are species of concern both from a conservation concern and as a pest species for example regarding conflicts with agricultural stakeholders, especially as in some cases species are being seen to be increasing rapidly while others are in decline. This search was limited predominantly to Europe as there has been significant data gathered on this taxonomic group.

Google Scholar was used with the search parameters (swan duck geese “clutch size” “Europe”) in the first instance and then manually sifted through picking out those with the exact phrase “clutch size”. After which these were manually read to ensue there was an actual figure for clutch size as often this was either not in the data or mention only in context. As finding further articles became increasingly time-consuming specific species were then added into the search values such as long-tailed ducks and pink footed geese.

As the data was extracted and compiled species names were corelated with the IUCN to ensure commonly accepted species names was included. Mean clutch size and years of data collection were included, as was standard deviation and total number of nests sampled if these data were available.

Longitudes and latitudes were extracted. If these were not available, they were approximated by cross-referencing the data site maps with gps-cordinates.org website. If this was done it was noted in the approximate long/lat collum with a Y for yes and N for no. This designation was also used to note if the study extracted clutch size from another source or considered the potential for parasitic eggs. The number in the reference collum designates which reference those datum is extracted from in the reference list below.

References

1 Elmberg, J. et al., 2020. Population change in breeding boreal waterbirds in a 25‐year perspective: What characterises winners and losers?. Freshwater Biology, 65(2), pp. 167-177.

2 Filchagov, A. V. & Leonovich, V. V., 1992. Breeding range expansion of Barnacle and Brent Geese in the Russian European North. Polar Research, 11(2), pp. 41-46.

3 Green, A. J., 1998. Clutch size, brood size and brood emergence in the Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris in the Marismas del Guadalqwivir, southwestern Spain. Ibis, 140(4), pp. 670-675.

4 Green, A. J., Navarro, J. D., Dolz, J. C. & Aragoneses, J., 1999. Timing of brood emergence in a duck community in Mediterranean Spain. Bird Study, 46(1), pp. 116-118.

5 Guðjónsson, H. et al., 2015. Annual and large-scale variation in breeding output of Greylag geese Anser anser in Iceland. Bird Study, 62(2), pp. 243-252.

6 Ibáñez, F., Calderón, J. & Amat, J. A., 2023. Breeding biology of the Northern Pintail Anas acuta at the edge of its southwestern Palearctic range. Waterfowl, Volume 73, pp. 134-145.

7 Mineev, O., Mineev, Y., Kochanov, S. & Navakovskiy, A., 2023. Population Status of the Globally Threatened Long-Tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis in the Northeast European Tundra. Diversity, 15(5), p. 666.

8 Patterson, I. J. & Giroux, J. F., 1990. Breeding success of Icelandic Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus and Greylag Geese A. anser in different areas of Iceland in 1987 and 1988. Wildfowl, 41(41), pp. 13-17.

9 Soloveyeva, D. & Vartanyan, S., 2014. Aspects of the breeding biology of Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii nesting in high densities in the Chaun River delta, Chukotka, east Russia.. Wildfowl, 64(64), pp. 148-166.