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Supplementary methods, results and JAGS code

In the view of the sexual selection research, the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), and its European subspecies (Hirundo rustica rustica) in particular, belongs to the most detailed studied bird species all over. The males of the European subspecies have in general markedly longer outer tail streamers than the females have and, based on research in several European populations, this tail ornamental trait plays an important role in sexual selection in this subspecies. The length of the tail streamers was found to be related to several main parameters that are connected to individual attractiveness in socially monogamous pairing systems, such as early partner acquisition and earlier nesting initiation date, the probability of repeated nestings in a breeding season or the number of successfully raised young. The main aim of the presented diploma theses is to assess to what extend is the length of the tail streamers a determinative trait related to male attractiveness in a South Bohemian population of the European barn swallow. The results of this thesis imply that the tail streamer length of males is, indeed, an attractive trait in this population, connected to multiple mating advantages. KEY WORDS Sexual dimorphism, sexual selection, barn swallow, nesting initiation, attractivity, reproductive success,...

Wetlands, the essential ecosystems, contain plenty of animal and plant species. Due to their various types and characters, wetlands support very different organisms, especially birds. Animals are thanks to their adaptation made for life in water, and some species are water-dependent - they use wetlands to forage and as breeding sites or nesting sites. Birds, and mainly waterbirds, require var- ious habitat characteristics because some of these habitats are due to bird diverse ecology suitable just for a few bird species. Wetlands drying and overgrown is a major threat for these ecosystems, and they are influencing birds in different ways. The efficiency of hunt or food availability may be affected by both changes in water depth and the density and extent of vegetation. These variables have a diverse effect on nesting birds, firstly on habitat selection for nesting and secondly on nesting success and survival mainly because of predators, because predation tends to be increasing with decreasing both water depth and nest cover. In terms of possible wetland management and restora- tion, we have to remember that we cannot generalize these effects for all bird species. Possibilities are creating new wetlands or restoration, such as vegetation cutting, burning, and livestock grazing. These options bring...

Mountain passes situated in mountains of east-western orientation serve as important bird and bat migration corridors. Due to the increased concentration of migranting individuals in both groups, mountain passes can be used to study various aspects of migratory ecology. Within the Czech Republic, the most important site of this type is Červenohorské sedlo in Jeseníky. In this thesis, selected aspects of autumn migration (composition of the migratory population, phenology, factors influencing its intensity) of birds and bats during the autumn season were compared. In addition, data usability was compared for a reliable determination of autumn phenology in selected model bird species based. The comparison was between standardized mist netting in the mountains and set of data obtained from faunistic observations throughout the Czech Republic. Data from mountain mist netting has proven to be a more reliable indicator of the timing of bird migration, mainly because most species fly directly and quickly over the mountains, while in low-level observations there is a risk of mixinglocal and migratory populations. Also the number of observed individuals in some cases reflects the interest in extreme late occurrences in many species, which are generally given more attention and are more frequently recorded...

The variability of egg-size within a bird species reflects different reproductive investments and, besides the intrinsic constraints and particular female quality, it can be affected by environmental factors, too. Moreover, the egg-size predetermines the chick performance. The knowledge of factors influencing precocial chick survival is crucial for better understanding of life-history strategies as well as for endangered species conservation. The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) represents a suitable model species for investigation of climate variables effects on egg-size and also to study factors influencing chick survival. Eggs in a total of 714 nests were measured during 13 breeding seasons over period 1988-2014 in South Bohemia and 293 lapwing chicks from 100 broods in 37 localities were monitored in 2013-2014. The mean egg-size through the whole season is positively affected by March precipitation, March clutches also negatively by minus temperatures in March. The higher intensity of rainfall there is during March, the bigger eggs are laid in March and the steeper is slope of decline in mean egg-size during season. This decline is more profound with lower rainfall in April. The effect of habitat is not significant. The body mass and condition of hatchlings is positively correlated with the...

Precociality has large energy demands on a freshly hatched chick which must start to feed itself and face environmental factors more than altricial nestlings. The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) is a suitable model species for presenting the precocial problems of shorebirds (Charadrii), a typical precocial group of birds. A better understanding of the lapwing chick's problems in different habitats will deepen our knowledge about ecological constraints and adaptations of precocial shorebirds and, at the same time can be very helpful for determining the rules of effective conservation of endangered species. The chick size, growth, condition and survival are influenced by egg volume but also by the quality of the parents during the 35 day period that the chick needs to achieve fledging. A Lapwing chick's mortality is highest during the first 10 days of its life due to all of the further mentioned factors, which are even stronger in the critical and delicate period of the chick's life after hatching. Lapwing chicks forage non-selectively on the most abundant and available types of prey found on the soil surface, in soft mud or shallow water. Their diet consists of various types of invertebrates, particularly earthworms, beetles and other groups of insects. The proportion of particular food...