Article
Ornithology
Henk-Jan Van der Kolk, Bruno J. Ens, Kees Oosterbeek, Eelke Jongejans, Martijn Van de Pol
Summary: The study found that birds tend to choose to avoid disturbed roost sites, even at the cost of expending more energy. During busy tourist seasons, birds are less likely to choose disturbed roost sites, and the probability of them moving away from disturbed sites during high tide also increases.
Review
Ornithology
Riccardo Alba, Tim Kasoar, Dan Chamberlain, Graeme Buchanan, Des Thompson, James W. Pearce-Higgins
Summary: Mountain ecosystems are important for biodiversity and are vulnerable to environmental changes. However, few studies have assessed the drivers of change in these areas. In this study, the researchers reviewed existing literature and identified the most consistent drivers of environmental change for European mountain and upland bird species. The results showed that hunting, energy-generation infrastructures, predation, human disturbance, and poisoning had significant negative impacts on bird populations, while management of non-target species had positive effects. More research is needed to understand the ecological mechanisms and population responses to these impacts in order to prioritize conservation actions and further studies.
Article
Ornithology
Alan H. Fielding, David Anderson, Stuart Benn, Roy Dennis, Matthew Geary, Ewan Weston, D. Philip Whitfield
Summary: Research indicates that Golden Eagles in wind farms are more likely to be affected by avoidance of turbines rather than collision, showing no signs of habituation. The operation of turbines significantly leads to eagles moving further away from turbines, but closer within preferred habitat.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Dobromir Dobrev, Rigas Tsiakiris, Theodora Skartsi, Vladimir Dobrev, Volen Arkumarev, Kalliopi Stara, Anton Stamenov, Nikos Probonas, Theodoros Kominos, Antonia Galanaki, Elzbieta Kret, Ben Hallmann, Bratislav Grubac, Goran Susic, Sasa Marinkovic, Irena Hribsek, Stefan Skoric, Hans Jerrentrup, Vedran Lucic, Sven Kapelj, Georgi Stoyanov, Sylvia Zakkak, Hristo Hristov, Stoycho Stoychev, Lavrentis Sidiropoulos, Taulant Bino, Dimitar Demerdzhiev
Summary: The study reveals that over the past 39 years, the population size of the Eurasian Griffon Vulture has slightly increased while its distribution range has halved, concentrating into three source subpopulations. Retaining both current and former core breeding and roosting areas is crucial for the conservation of the species in the Balkans region alongside the implementation of new protective measures.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Ornithology
Esme Hedley, Tim Caro
Summary: This review explores the literature on warning coloration in birds, emphasizing the relationship between signals and prey difficulty, as well as the connections between aposematism and mimicry. The study suggests that broad-sense aposematism can deter predators throughout the predatory sequence in birds and proposes new avenues for promising research in this area.
Article
Ornithology
Eres A. Gomez, Sofi Hindmarch, Jennifer A. Smith
JOURNAL OF RAPTOR RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
John D. Biggins, Robert Montgomerie, Jamie E. Thompson, Tim R. Birkhead
Summary: Bird eggs have varying shapes, and Frank W. Preston's formula from 70 years ago provides the most accurate representation for their shapes. By estimating the parameters using least squares method and using a few measurements, Preston's formula can obtain virtually perfect representations of egg shape. Digital photographs of eggs confirm the effectiveness of Preston's formula, which should be the standard for studying avian egg shapes.
Article
Ornithology
Fraser Bell, Stuart Bearhop, Martins Briedis, Myriam El Harouchi, Sophie C. Bell, Joan Castello, Malcolm Burgess
Summary: Songbird populations are declining globally, with limited understanding of causal mechanisms. Studying the migratory behavior of European Pied Flycatchers reveals gender differences and individual variations, suggesting birds have flexible migratory behaviors to adapt to environmental changes.
Article
Ornithology
Sabah Mushtaq Puswal, Jinjuan Mei, Mei Wang, Fanglin Liu
Summary: The vocal behaviour of birds can change daily and seasonally. Understanding the daily and seasonal acoustic activity patterns of birds helps to understand their behavioural ecology and is crucial for designing effective monitoring protocols. We studied daily and seasonal acoustic activity patterns for a complete annual cycle of three bird species in a nature reserve in Anhui Province, China. We found large temporal variation in singing activity within a day and between seasons.
Article
Ornithology
Daniel S. Cooper, Allison J. Shultz, Cagan H. Sekercioglu, Fiona M. Osborn, Daniel T. Blumstein
Summary: As the world becomes more urbanized, studying the traits of species that thrive in cities is crucial for predicting common species and those that need conservation attention. This study analyzed 127 species of raptors in 59 cities using community science records, and found that urban raptor communities are likely dominated by smaller, ecological-generalist species. The study also identified correlations between urban occurrence and body mass, habitat breadth, and nest substrate breadth.
Article
Ornithology
Ron Efrat, Ohad Hatzofe, Ygal Miller, Thomas Mueller, Nir Sapir, Oded Berger-Tal
Summary: Conservation translocations, such as reintroduction, are important for reversing negative population trends of endangered species. Effective monitoring is crucial for assessing the success of such efforts. The study compared different monitoring methods for Egyptian Vulture reintroduction in Israel and found that GPS tracking provided more accurate data compared to color rings and wing tags. The research also showed that survival rates of captive-bred vultures were not lower than wild-hatched ones during their initial years in the wild.
ORNITHOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Xianglong Xu, Jiahu Jiang, Yu Lei, Chao Wang, Baoping Qing, Changqing Ding
Summary: The concept of foraging niche provides insights into the habitat use and dietary information of animals. This study investigated the intraspecific variation in foraging niche and trophic level of wild Crested Ibis in different breeding habitats. Stable isotopic values of eggshell membranes were used to examine the differences between plains and mountains in terms of habitat use, trophic level, and foraging niche width. The results showed high variability in both isotopic values, with birds in mountains consuming higher trophic level prey. The study highlights the importance of protecting foraging grounds in mountains and improving foraging grounds in plains.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cristian Perez-Granados, Pedro Saez-Gomez, German M. Lopez-Iborra
Summary: Understanding the dispersal behaviour of threatened species is important for conservation, and the study on Dupont's Lark in Spain showed a low breeding dispersal rate. Movements between habitat patches were detected, different from previous studies in the Ebro Valley, and the low recovery rate of young birds suggests they may have left the study area. Further research on post-fledging survival rate and natal dispersal movements is needed for effective conservation measures.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Ornithology
Marc Engler, Oliver Krone
Summary: The study analyzed GPS tracking data of juvenile White-tailed Sea Eagles in northeast Germany, revealing that post-fledging excursive behavior was influenced by the natal environment, with migration timing delayed by the quantity of excursive behavior and varying significantly among individuals.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Steffen Oppel, Alazar Daka Ruffo, Samuel Bakari, Million Tesfaye, Solomon Mengistu, Mengistu Wondafrash, Ahmed Endris, Cloe Pourchier, Alex Ngari, Volen Arkumarev, Stoyan C. Nikolov
Summary: The pursuit of providing electricity and preventing desertification in Africa, as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, can inadvertently lead to threats to vulture populations, resulting in electrocution and poisoning deaths. To avoid negative impacts on local vultures and the services they provide, governments should focus on infrastructure designs that minimize the risk of electrocution and assist pastoralists in protecting their livestock and reducing threats to vultures and other wildlife.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Joao Paulo Silva, Ana Teresa Marques, Joana Bernardino, Tris Allinson, Yuri Andryushchenko, Sutirtha Dutta, Mimi Kessler, Ricardo C. Martins, Francisco Moreira, John Pallett, Mattheuns D. Pretorius, H. Ann Scott, Jessica M. Shaw, Nigel J. Collar
Summary: Bustards are highly threatened birds that are particularly susceptible to mortality at powerlines. The most effective solutions to prevent deaths are burying the lines, routing them away from bustard-frequented areas, or making them redundant with local energy generation. Dynamic bird flight diverters may also help reduce mortality.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Ornithology
Carles Carboneras, Lara Moreno-Zarate, Beatriz Arroyo
Summary: The European Turtle Dove is facing a decline in its breeding range due to habitat loss. The abundance of the turtle dove is generally higher in woodland, with increased structural diversity and proximity to farmland playing a role. Nesting occurs most commonly on trees, with thorny bushes more frequently used in the north and open canopy trees in the south. The turtle dove feeds on a wide spectrum of seeds, with a shift from wild to cultivated seeds as the season progresses. Effective habitat management should focus on increasing landscape heterogeneity by mixing farmland and woodland, and ensuring availability of wild seeds.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Ivan Literak, Rainer Raab, Jan Skrabal, Stanislav Vyhnal, Marek Dostal, Hynek Matusik, Karel Makon, Boris Maderic, Peter Spakovszky
Summary: A study on Red Kite dispersal movements in Central Europe found that migration behavior is dependent on age and sex, with females having longer migration routes and males showing higher natal philopatry.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Jonah Gula, M. Clay Green, Sarah Fritts, W. Richard J. Dean, K. S. Gopi Sundar
Summary: This study assessed distribution trends and relationships with protected area extent for six African stork species, finding widespread distribution from East to Southern Africa but highly fragmented ranges in West Africa. It also revealed a positive relationship between occurrence and protected area extent, suggesting the importance of protected habitat for storks.
Article
Ornithology
Joe Wynn, Tim Guilford, Oliver Padget, Chris M. Perrins, Neville McKee, Natasha Gillies, Chris Tyson, Ben Dean, Holly Kirk, Annette L. Fayet
Summary: The study shows that Manx Shearwaters undertake their first migration without parental guidance, following a more direct trajectory than adults, and develop their return migration route iteratively over three years, possibly influenced by genetic information and local environmental conditions.
