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We explored whether habitat characteristics surrounding the song posts that male Bluethroats (Luscinia svecica) use to attract females and defend their territories might be associated with males' quality, in terms of body condition and age (used here as a proxy of their experience). Data were collected at Sierra de Béjar (province of Salamanca, central- western Spain).Overall,we characterized the habitat and captured 44male Bluethroats at their song posts in 2011 and 2012. The characteristics of male Bluethroats' song posts and their surrounding habitat were associated with both the birds' age and body condition. Second-year Bluethroats were observed to sing in places with higher abundance of spi- ders as compared to older birds. Moreover, Bluethroats surrounded by a higher proportion of grasslands and with more Opiliones/spiders were found to carry more fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of age, sex, subspecies, body size and fuel load in determining the social status of a migratory passerine during the non-breeding period. In particular, it examines which factors determine the dominance in captive Northern Wheaters during the non-breeding season. It mentions that structural body size did not affect the social status. It concludes that social status in the Northern Wheatear was found to be determined by age and sex during the autumn migration period, but not in winter. It notes that adults and males displaced first-year birds and females from the experimental feeding site.

The article discusses research done on the timing of passage of migratory Blackcaps, also known as Sylvia atricapilla, in Iberia, Spain. The researchers examined age variations of flight-associated morphology and analyzed ring-recovery data. Blackcaps with pointed and longer wings were captured during autumn season. The researchers also discovered the higher abundance of Blackcaps from Ireland and Great Britain as compared to those from mainland Europe. Mist nets were used to capture study subjects during the spring and autumn migration period.