Movements and habitat use by ring ouzels in El Teide National Park: Conservation implications for a relict plant-frugivore system

Ring ouzels play a critical role in seed dispersal for Canary junipers within El Teide National Park, primarily moving short distances (95% under 1.2 km) that facilitate seed spread among juniper remnants. Their habitat use is strongly tied to juniper cover and proximity to water sources, avoiding unvegetated flat areas. The study combined GPS tracking of individual ouzels with high-resolution habitat data to reveal their movement patterns and habitat preferences, highlighting the importance of both active juniper woodland restoration and the provision of water sources for supporting ouzel activity and enhancing seed-dispersal services in this relict plant-frugivore system.

Rumeu, B., Illera, J. C., Nogales, M., Bracho-Estévanez, C. A., Acevedo-Limón, L., Tarifa, R., & González-Varo, J. P. (2025). Movements and habitat use by ring ouzels in El Teide National Park: Conservation implications for a relict plant-frugivore system. Global Ecology and Conservation, 62, e03704. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03704