Structure of breeding bird assemblages of three parks in the centre of the Town of Zvolen (Slovakia)

Based on number of previous studies, urban parks are considered important biocentres for bird diversity in urban ecosystems. The objective of this study was to describe species composition and basic cenotic measures (abundance, density and dominance) of three breeding bird assemblages of parks in the Town of Zvolen situated in central Slovakia. Birds were censused by the combined version of the mapping method during the breeding season from April to beginning of July in the period 2014–2018. In total, I detected 32 breeders in three parks during the five–year period (18–28 breeders per park). The higher species richness, 28 breeders (18–25 per year) was detected in Park of Ing. Š. Višňovský, followed by Park of prof. A. Priesol with 27 breeders (20–22) and Park of Ľ. Štúr with 18 breeders (9–14). Parks were important for other non–breeding species (transmigrants, food searchers, and random visitors) that were estimated on 13–15 species per park during the breeding season. Five to nine dominant (≥ 5 %) species were described from each park based on mean abundance values, out of which three species – Fringilla coelebs, Turdus pilaris and Turdus merula were found as dominants in all sites. The mean total density of breeding bird assemblage was estimated from 130.6–212.5 pairs/10 ha from three sites (Park of Ľ. Štúr: 171.0–250.7 p/10 ha, Park of prof. A. Priesol: 118.0–187.4 p/10 ha and Park of Ing. Š. Višňovský: 109.3–142.1 p/10 ha). Importance of studied parks for preserving bird diversity in the town is highlighted and future directions of research and monitoring of these ecosystems are presented.