Abstract
Two hundred and seventy Reed Buntings were colour-ringed at five fishponds in South Bohemia, the Czech Republic, in 2000-2009. There is a connection between territory settlement and site fidelity in the early-arriving Reed Buntings.
Site fidelity and territory settlement is probably limited by the occupancy of suitable sites by males and the high mortality in females most likely caused by the extended breeding season in the study area. Moreover, territory settlement, and marginally, site fidelity is associated with the previous experience of males.
Forming pre-breeding flocks probably provides an addition of nutrition reserves after spring arrival. High competition between males and lack of suitable breeding habitats, owing to occupancy by older residents, indicated the crucial importance of small fragmented wetlands to this species in this study area.