Data from: The impact of weather conditions on avian breeding performance: Insights from a long-term study

Here, we present an analysis based on a 40-year dataset from a nest-box
population of the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). Our objective
is to examine the impact of weather conditions during the incubation and
nestling period on key indicators of individual fitness, including
offspring production and local annual recruitment rate. Our findings
provide compelling evidence that climatic conditions experienced during
both incubation and nestling periods significantly impact the number of
fledglings and recruits. Specifically, we observed that higher
precipitation during the nestling period negatively affects the number of
fledglings and increases brood failure. Interestingly, higher
precipitation during the incubation period is linked to increased
recruitment numbers. Moreover, we found that warmer weather during both
the incubation and nestling periods decreases brood failure, and more
importantly, higher temperatures during the nestling period are positively
associated with the number of recruits. These results underscore the
complex interplay between weather patterns and avian reproductive
strategies, highlighting the importance of long-term ecological studies in
understanding the impacts of climate change on bird populations. By
addressing the variability of climatic influences across different life
stages, future research can help develop more comprehensive models for
predicting the resilience of avian species in the face of ongoing climate
challenges.