Habitat selection of Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes), in Bushehr Province.

In this study, which was carried out in the spring of 2022, a total of 20 points including 10 presence (nest) points and 10 absence points of Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes) were investigated in an area of approximately 2000 hectares, in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf in Bushehr and Tangestan townships, Bushehr province, southern Iran. The characteristics of each nest as well as the environmental characteristics were investigated. The large and small internal nest diameters are 8.1±1.19 and 6.55±1.01 cm, respectively. The average large and small external diameter of the nests is 13.60±1.71 and 11.8±1.47 cm, respectively. The average depth of nests is 4.40±1.07 cm. The average distance from the bottom edge of the nest to the ground surface is 17.3±7.04 centimeters. The volume of the nests was 181±68.08 cubic centimeters. The average distance between nests is 1244.88±665.71 meters. Seven out of 10 nest directions are toward north, two is slightly towards the east and one slightly towards the west. Three environmental variables, including the distance to the asphalt road, the number of short shrubs and the percentage of bare land have significant relationship with the nest points. The nest points have a positive significant relationship with the number of short shrubs and the percentage of bare ground and had an inverse relationship with the distance to the asphalt road. The average height of the bushes on which the nests are built is 48.9±9.31 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]