The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123 ( 4 ): 734 — 740 , 2011 
MORPHOMETRIC VARIATION AND POPULATION RELATIONSHIPS 
OF KROPER S NUTHATCH (SITTA KRUEPERI) IN TURKEY 
TAMER ALBAYRAK, 14 AURELIEN BESNARDr AND ALI ERDOGAN 3 
ABSTRACT.—We studied the population relationships of Kriiper's Nuthatch (Sitta krueperi) by capturing »: 
individuals using mist nets in six different areas in Turkey during the breeding season, from March to June 2005-200$ 
Forty-one different morphometric characters were measured. Morphometric characters measured (x ± SD) were: Ko 
mass - 13.11 ± 0.88 g. wing length - 74.79 ± 2.35 mm. hill length = 17.65 ± 0.76 mm. and tarsus length = 19.10 = 
0.93 mm. respectively. A stepwise discriminant analysis of four populations retained seven statistically significant 
measurements: body mass, wing length, length of P 8. alula, bill height, back nail, and left nail. These analyses allnwd 
discrimination among populations. The population in the Aladaglar Mountains differed from others even though it 
overlapped with the population in the Ltitfi Btiyiik Y.ldinm Research Forest, and marginally with the population at 
Kartalkaya Mountain. Cross validation for the other three populations confirmed large overlap in morphometre 
characteristics although the population at the LUtfi Biiyiik Yild.nm Research Forest seemed to be intermediate berc*i 
populations a. Aladaglar Mountains and in the Kazdaglan Moun.ain-Kartalkaya Mountain complex. Received 12 Febn,- 
2011. Accepted 12 June 20! I. 
The Anatolian Peninsula of Turkey exhibits 
important biodiversity due to high climatic- 
diversity, topographic variation, and habitat 
fragmentation. Anatolia is considered to be one 
of the most important refugia in southern Eurasia 
during glacial periods (Ciplak 2004). The distri¬ 
bution of sensitive species changed during both 
the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and contracted 
during the following interglacial period due to 
changes in climate (Ciplak 2004). Successive 
retreats and expansions of glacial ice may have 
resulted in complex genetic structuring of species 
isolated m multiple refugia and by postglacial 
colonization (Howes et al. 2006). Forest vegeta¬ 
tion may have survived in several Quaternary 
glacial refugia in the northern and southern parts 
of the Anatolian Peninsula (Hughes et al. 2006) 
Anatolia exhibits substantial altitudinal variation 
ranging trom 0 to 5.137 m asl (1,100 m asl 
average elevation), which resulted in extensive 
habitat fragmentation. This topographic relief had 
an important role in Pleistocene changes b V 
constraining distribution corridors for latitudinal 
dispersal and providing suitable habitats during 
altitudinal shifts (Ciplak 2008). Anatolian forests 
are mainly composed of fragmented areas of 
Meh^rSt° f B u 0,0gy ' FaCUlty 0f Science and Art. 
■’ppurf c ErSOy Univers,t y- Burdur. Turkey. 
d’EcolopiV p 8,e Ct Bi °p°S ra P hie des Vertribrris, Centre 
France 8 • F ° nC,l ° nnelk ’ ct Evolutive. Montpellier. 
ofBiohw - 
Corresponding author: e-mail: ‘ ‘ 
albayraktamer@gmail.com 
734 
Pious spp., Abies spp., Cedrus spp., and Pim 
spp. (Akman 1995, Albayrak et al. 2010). 
Kriiper’s Nuthatch {Sitta krueperi) is .ifl 
endemic species strictly confined to coniferous 
forests (Lohrl 1988. Cramp and Perrins 1993 . 
Harrap and Quinn 1996. Hagemeijer and Blair 
1997, Matihysen 1998, Albayrak and Erdogan 
2005a) whose range is mainly restricted to 
Anatolia. Lesvos Island, and the Caucasian region 
(BirdLifc International 2004; Albayrak and 
Erdogan 2005a. b; Albayrak et al. 2006)! Knlper s 
Nuthatch populations, like those of many forest 
bird species, have been declining in Turkey and 
Lesvos Island (BirdLife International 2004). The 
species is categorized as a species of European 
conservation concern. SPEC 2 by BirdLife 
International (2004), and near threatened by the 
IUCN (2010). It is mostly sedentary with limited 
post-breeding dispersal and seasonal altitudiiu' 1 
movements (Cramp and Perrins 1993. Harrap and 
Quinn 1996. Handrinos and Akriotis 19971. 
We hypothesized this species would be expect¬ 
ed to have isolated populations. Our objective? 
were to: (I) explore potential population diversity 
and characteristics at the morphometric level in 
Anatolia, and (2) characterize the little known 
morphometry of the species. 
METHODS 
Study Site .—We selected six different area? 
(Fig. 1) locally occupied by Kriiper's Nuthatch in 
Turkey: Aladaglar Mountains (ALA. 930 m ask 
red pine [Finns bmtia] forest), Alanya (ALY. 
1.300 m asl; red pine forest), Lutfi Biiyiik 
YiJdmm Research Forest (BUK, 650 m asl: red 
