Abundance of Whitethroats Sylvia communis and potential invertebrate prey, in two Sahelian sylvi-agricultural habitats.

Abstract

Sylviids present in farmland with indigenous tree and shrub species were absent from farmland planted with the alien species, Neem Azadirachta indica. Potential invertebrate prey was significantly less abundant in Neem than in native tree and shrub species. Insectivorous passerines are likely to benefit from attempts to restore the diversity of indigenous tree species on W African dry farmland.