Ecology of nesting Eurasian tree sparrow Passer montanus in the settlements of Tuva and Buryatia

The article deals with the ecology of nesting the Eurasian tree sparrow in Tuva and Buryatia. More than 50-70% of species live in settlements. The results of the research have shown that there are no significant differences in the breeding ecology of the populations of Tuva and Buryatia. During the nesting season Eurasian tree sparrow prefer livestock complexes and small villages more than large settlrments and cities. The main conditions for their nesting in settlements are the availability of convenient places for nesting and feeding stations in a form of open areas with woody and shrubby plants. The nesting season lasts from May to August, first eggs appear in the second half of the first decade of May, the last chicks leave the nest on August 10-15, less in late August - early September. During this period Eurasian tree sparrows bring out nestlings two times. They nest more often in small colonies, rarely in single pairs. Nests are arranged mainly in human buildings (70-90%). There are 3 to 7 eggs in the clutch, an average of 5,1-5,2 eggs. Chicks are fed mainly with animal feed, spiders and insects (over 95%), the share vegetable food is less than 4-5%. Breeding success of Eurasian tree sparrows in settlements is relatively low - 53,5%, in natural conditions it is higher - 63,7%.