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The increasing urbanization of ecosystems has had a significant impact on wildlife over the last few years. Species that find an unlimited supply of food and shelter in urban areas have thrived under human presence. Wild birds have been identified as amplifying hosts and reservoirs of Campylobacter worldwide, but the information about its transmission and epidemiology is still limited. This study assessed the prevalence of Campylobacter in 137 urban birds admitted at a wildlife rescue center, with 18.8% of individuals showing positive. C. jejuni was the most frequent species (82.6%), followed by C. coli and C. lari (4.3% each). The order Passeriformes (33.3%) showed significant higher presence of Campylobacter when compared to orders Columbiformes (0%) and Ciconiiformes (17.6%), as well as in samples collected during the summer season (31.9%), from omnivorous species (36.8%) and young individuals (26.8%). Globally, Campylobacter displayed a remarkable resistance to ciprofloxacin (70.6%), tetracycline (64.7%), and nalidixic acid (52.9%). In contrast, resistance to streptomycin was low (5.8%), and all the isolates showed susceptibility to erythromycin and gentamycin. The results underline the importance of urban birds as reservoirs of thermophilic antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter and contribute to enhancing the knowledge of its distribution in urban and peri-urban ecosystems., Simple Summary: Wildlife has been described as a sylvatic reservoir for a multitude of pathogens. The interactions between wild birds, domestic animals, and humans in urban areas are high, so monitoring urban birds is key for the surveillance of zoonosis such as campylobacteriosis. This infection is mainly caused by thermophilic Campylobacter spp., and it is the most reported foodborne zoonosis in the European Union. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter isolates and their antimicrobial resistance pattern in urban wild birds. Results showed that 16.8% of birds were positive for Campylobacter, with 82.4% of the isolates resistant to at least one antimicrobial. The taxonomic order of individuals, main diet, age, and season of sampling were significant factors associated with Campylobacter spp. carriage. Although the prevalence of Campylobacter was low, the rate of antimicrobial-resistant isolates is worrying, so similar studies should be included in the antimicrobial resistance surveillance programs., Ministerio de Transición Ecológica (España), Sección Deptal. de Fisiología (Veterinaria), Sección Deptal. de Farmacología y Toxicología (Veterinaria), Depto. de Nutrición y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub

Climate change and its impact can be seen in a multitude of ways. Earlier spring migration is one and has been observed in several bird species. This can be a result of phenological change amongst migrant birds who rely on photoperiod and climatic conditions to time their autumn and spring migration as weather is not a sufficient nor reliable way of understanding the temperature at their summer habitats from their wintering grounds Many birds with breeding grounds in Sweden are known to migrate, either fully (short or long-distance migrants) or partially (partial migrants). Passerine birds are the largest of the avian class, making up approximately two thirds of all bird species. This makes them great study subjects for many different areas of biological studies such as ecology. Among the passerines are the warblers, a group of songbirds whose migration patterns have been studied previously. This study aims to test if there has been an advancement of spring arrival of six warbler species (willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix), sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), lesser whitethroat (Sylvia curruca), and garden warbler (Sylvia borin)) in two regions of Sweden (north and south). Additionally, I compared the regions to each other and discussed if there are possible connections to climate change. The hypotheses are that 1) the date when migratory birds first arrive to Sweden is earlier than 20 years ago, 2) there is a difference in arrival date amongst the chosen species and 3) a spatial difference in spring arrival between the chosen regions. To answer the hypotheses, data was collected from the citizen science database SLU Artdatabanken with the first date of report from each year over a 21-year period between 2003-2023 for all six species. An ANOVA and Post-Hoc tests were performed in SPSS to answer the hypotheses as well as a Kendall tau-b test and independent samples t-test to, Effekten av klimatförändringarna kan ses på många olika sätt världen över. Tidigare vårankomst är en av dem och kan observeras hos flertalet flyttfåglar. Det kan vara ett resultat av fenologisk förändring hos flyttfåglar som använder sig av fotoperioder och klimatet för att tidsanpassa sin migration då vädret vid övervintringsplatserna inte är en pålitlig källa att använda sig av för flytt. Många häckande fågelarter migrerar, antingen långa sträckor (långdistansmigrerande fåglelarter), eller kortare sträckor (kortdistansmigrerande fågelarter). Den största klassen av fåglar är tättingar som uppgör cirka två tredjedelar av alla fågelarter. Detta gör dem utmärkta för diverse biologiska studier, däribland ekologi. Bland tättingarna finns sångare vars migrationsmönster studerats tidigare. Syftet med denna studie är att se om sex arter av sångare som flyttar långa distanser (lövsångare (Phylloscopus trochilus), grönsångare (Phylloscopus sibilatrix), sävsångare (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), rörsångare (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), ärtsångare (Sylvia curruca), och trädgårdssångare (Sylvia borin) återvänder till Sverige tidigare än förut, och se om det finns någon skillnad mellan de nordliga och sydliga regionerna. Hypoteserna är att 1) fåglarna ankommer tidigare nu än vad de gjorde gör 20 år sedan, att 2) det finns en skillnad i ankomstdatum mellan fågelarterna, och att 3) det finns en skillnad i ankomstdatum mellan de olika regionerna. För att besvara hypoteserna användes data insamlad från SLU Artdatabanken. Där valdes den första observationen från varje år under en 21-åring period (2003–2023) för alla fågelarter. En ANOVA och Post-Hoc test utfördes samt Kendall tau-b test och Independent sample’s t-test för att kontrollera resultatet av ANOVA och Post-Hoc testerna. Resultaten visade att fåglarna inte anlände till Sverige tidigare än för 20 år sedan, och noll-hypotesen går därmed inte att förkasta. Resultaten är förvånande då de inte överensstämmer med majoriteten av littera

The phylogenetic relationships of genus Passer (Old World sparrows) have been studied with species covering their complete world living range. Mitochondrial (mt) cyt b genes and pseudogenes have been analyzed, the latter being strikingly abundant in genus Passer compared with other studied songbirds. The significance of these Passer pseudogenes is presently unclear. The mechanisms by which mt cyt b genes become pseudogenes after nuclear translocation are discussed together with their mode of evolution, i.e., transition/transversion mitochondrial ratio is decreased in the nucleus, as is the constraint for variability at the three codon positions. However, the skewed base composition according to codon position (in 1st position the percentage is very similar for the four bases, in 2nd position there are fewer percentage of A and G and more percentage of T, and in 3rd codon position fewer percentage of G and T and is very rich in A and C) is maintained in the translocated nuclear pseudogenes. Different nuclear internal mechanisms and/or selective pressures must exist for explaining this nuclear/mitochondrial differential DNA base evolutive variability. Also, the phylogenetic usefulness of pseudogenes for defining relationships between closely related lineages is stressed. The analyses suggest that the primitive genus Passer species comes from Africa, the Cape sparrow being the oldest: P. hispaniolensis italiae is more likely conspecific to P. domesticus than to P. hispaniolensis. Also, Passer species are not included within weavers or Estrildinae or Emberizinae, as previously suggested. European and American Emberizinae sparrows are closely related to each other and seem to be the earliest species that radiated among the studied songbirds (all in the Miocene Epoch)., Ministerio de Educación, Comunidad de Madrid, Depto. de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL, Fac. de Medicina, TRUE, pub

We explored the influence of habitat structure on bird density and species richness in the poorly known bird communities in the steppes of Eastern Morocco, along a 200 km long N–S gradient of increasing aridity. The birds were surveyed, and habitat structure was measured in 44 transects regularly distributed along the gradient and during the winter and spring seasons in two consecutive years. After applying a principal component analysis (PCA), five axes were identified, including one related to the latitude–altitude–soil-type gradient and another describing the development of herbaceous vegetation. Generalized linear models were used to explore the relations between bird density and species richness with PCA axes in each season, considering both the entire community and groups of granivorous, insectivorous, and mixed-diet species. More than 90% of the birds were year-round residents, with larks dominating the community in both seasons. We conclude that a distinct multifactorial response can be identified for each functional group of species. In the winter, the community is mainly affected by the structure of the habitat, while aridity (and its assumed relation to primary production) is less influential. In the spring, habitat structure continues to have the greatest explanatory power, but location along the aridity gradient becomes more relevant. These findings reveal the interaction of the negative effects of climatic and anthropogenic changes in the habitat available to these bird communities, with a greater impact expected on birds with diets that include seeds, as well as a general shift of optimal breeding conditions toward more northerly latitudes., Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub, Pagado por el autor

As species' ranges shift in response to human‐induced global changes, species interactions are expected to play a large role in shaping the resultant range dynamics and, subsequently, the composition of modified species assemblages. Most research on the impact of species interactions on range dynamics focuses on the effects of trophic interactions and exploitative competition for resources, but an emerging body of work shows that interspecific competition for territories and mates also affects species range shifts. As such, it is paramount to build a strong understanding of how these forms of behavioural interference between species impact landscape‐scale patterns. Here, we examine recent (1997–2019) range dynamics of North American passerines to test the hypothesis that behavioural interference impacts the ease with which species move across landscapes. Over this 22 year period, we found that fine‐scale spatial overlap between species (syntopy) increased more for species pairs that engage in interspecific territoriality than for those that do not. We found no evidence, however, for an effect of reproductive interference (hybridisation) on syntopy, and no effect of either type of interference on range‐wide overlap (sympatry). Examining the net effects of species interactions on continent‐scale range shifts may require species occurrence data spanning longer time periods than are currently available for North American passerines, but our results show that interspecific territoriality has had an overall stabilising influence on species coexistence over the past two decades.

We explored the influence of habitat structure on bird density and species richness in the poorly known bird communities in the steppes of Eastern Morocco, along a 200 km long N–S gradient of increasing aridity. The birds were surveyed, and habitat structure was measured in 44 transects regularly distributed along the gradient and during the winter and spring seasons in two consecutive years. After applying a principal component analysis (PCA), five axes were identified, including one related to the latitude–altitude–soil-type gradient and another describing the development of herbaceous vegetation. Generalized linear models were used to explore the relations between bird density and species richness with PCA axes in each season, considering both the entire community and groups of granivorous, insectivorous, and mixed-diet species. More than 90% of the birds were year-round residents, with larks dominating the community in both seasons. We conclude that a distinct multifactorial response can be identified for each functional group of species. In the winter, the community is mainly affected by the structure of the habitat, while aridity (and its assumed relation to primary production) is less influential. In the spring, habitat structure continues to have the greatest explanatory power, but location along the aridity gradient becomes more relevant. These findings reveal the interaction of the negative effects of climatic and anthropogenic changes in the habitat available to these bird communities, with a greater impact expected on birds with diets that include seeds, as well as a general shift of optimal breeding conditions toward more northerly latitudes.

[Resumen] En este Trabajo de Fin de Grado se estudia la estructura de la comunidad de paseriformes de dos bosques de ribera de diferente edad, un bosque joven (río Mero) y un bosque maduro (río Eume), durante la estación invernal, en la Galicia costera (NO España). Los muestreos se realizaron mediante estaciones de escucha a lo largo de 6 transectos lineales (de 600 m de longitud) en cada bosque de ribera. Se censaron un total de 434 y 299 individuos en el bosque joven y maduro, respectivamente. La abundancia y densidad medias de paseriformes fueron mayores en el bosque joven que en el maduro. La riqueza específica, diversidad y equitatividad también fueron mayores en el bosque joven. Por lo que respecta a la tipología, se encontró que en el bosque joven tuvo proporcionalmente más aves no insectívoras, de talla grande y migratorias e invernantes. Los resultados del estudio han confirmado las expectativas a priori, pero, aunque se encontró una mayor abundancia y diversidad en el bosque joven, las diferencias no fueron tan grandes como se esperaba. Se concluye que el bosque de ribera del río joven (Mero), con 18 años de historia, probablemente ya tiene una edad suficientemente madura como para tener características parecidas al bosque de ribera maduro del río Eume, ubicado en el interior de un espacio natural, protegido legalmente desde 1997., [Resumo] Neste Traballo Fin de Grao estúdase a estrutura da comunidade de paseriformes de dous bosques de ribeira de diferentes idades, un bosque novo (río Mero) e un bosque maduro (río Eume), durante a época invernal, no litoral galego (NON España). As mostraxes realizáronse a través de estacións de escoita ao longo de 6 transectos lineais (600 m de lonxitude) en cada bosque de ribeira. Un total de 434 e 299 individuos rexistráronse no bosque novo e maduro, respectivamente. A abundancia e densidade medias de paseriformes foron maiores no bosque novo que no maduro. A riqueza de especies, a diversidade e a uniformidade tamén foron maiores no bosque novo. En canto á tipoloxía, comprobouse que no bosque novo había roporcionalmente máis aves non insectívoras, de gran tamaño, migratorias e invernantes. Os resultados do estudo confirmaron as expectativas a priori, pero, aínda que se atopou unha maior abundancia e diversidade no bosque novo, as diferenzas non foron tan grandes como se esperaba. Conclúese que o bosque de ribeira do río novo (Mero), con 18 anos de historia, probablemente teña una idade suficiente para presentar características similares ao bosque de ribeira maduro do río Eume, situado no interior dun espazo natural protexido legalmente dende 1997., [Abstract] In this End-of-Degree Thesis, I studied the passerine community structure of two riparian forests of different ages, a young forest (Mero river) and a mature forest (river Eume), during the winter season, in coastal Galicia (NW Spain). Sampling was carried out by listening stations along 6 linear transects (600 m long) in each riparian forest. A total of 434 and 299 individuals were counted in the young and mature forest, respectively. The mean abundance and density of passerines were higher in the young forest than in the mature forest. Specific richness, diversity and evenness were also higher in the young forest. In terms of typology, it was found that the young forest had proportionally more non-insectivorous, large-sized, migratory and wintering birds. The results of the study confirmed a priori expectations but, although higher abundance and diversity were found in the young forest, the differences were not as large as expected. The riparian forest of the young forest (river Mero), with 18 years of history, is probably already mature enough to have quite similar characteristics to the mature riparian forest of the river Eume, located within a natural area, legally protected since 1997.

Extra-pair paternity (EPP) is the consequence of the interactions between a social pair and extra-pair males during the female's fertile phase in a specific social context and ecological environment. Although EPP occurs in many avian species, there is a lack of understanding of how environmental factors may impact its frequency. Accordingly, the relative importance of individual characteristics on the one hand, and of their immediate social environment on the other, may affect EPP repeatability and thereby the capacity of this trait to respond to selection. If EPP is an individual genetically based trait that may respond to selection, we expect it to be repeatable across breeding seasons. To check this possibility, we analysed the within-individual repeatability in EPP of breeding males and females in two natural populations of Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca in central Spain during three field seasons. We then studied the relationship between EPP and individual male and female traits (only some of which were themselves repeatable), as well as key context variables such as breeding synchrony and population density. Our results showed no repeatability for EPP in either sex. We found a positive association with laying date and stronger associations of EPP with male plumage and morphological traits than with female characteristics. We suggest that the variable social environment is an important modulator of EPP patterns, and that differences between field EPP studies in this respect may explain contradictory results in the same species, even in the same populations in different years.

This note reports a trophic interaction of a passerine consuming lichens. On the islet of Daphne Major (Galápagos Archipelago), we made five observations of the Large Ground-Finch Geospiza magnirostris eating the fruticose lichen Roccella gracilis. This is an example of how island birds broaden their feeding niche in resource-poor environments.

Extra-pair paternity (EPP) is the consequence of the interactions between a social pair and extra-pair males during the female’s fertile phase in a specific social context and ecological environment. Although EPP occurs in many avian species, there is a lack of understanding of how environmental factors may impact its frequency. Accordingly, the relative importance of individual characteristics on the one hand, and of their immediate social environment on the other, may affect EPP repeatability and thereby the capacity of this trait to respond to selection. If EPP is an individual genetically based trait that may respond to selection, we expect it to be repeatable across breeding seasons. To check this possibility, we analysed the within-individual repeatability in EPP of breeding males and females in two natural populations of Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca in central Spain during three field seasons. We then studied the relationship between EPP and individual male and female traits (only some of which were themselves repeatable), as well as key context variables such as breeding synchrony and population density. Our results showed no repeatability for EPP in either sex. We found a positive association with laying date and stronger associations of EPP with male plumage and morphological traits than with female characteristics. We suggest that the variable social environment is an important modulator of EPP patterns, and that differences between field EPP studies in this respect may explain contradictory results in the same species, even in the same populations in different years.

SUMMARY: We tracked departures of European Robins Erithacus rubecula stopping over during spring migration at Skagen, Denmark, and facing a sea crossing of more than 50 km. The Robins stopped over on average for 3.8 days (range 1–14 days, n = 15) with departure days being slightly warmer than stopover days (1.5°C warmer, P = 0.003). Departures were concentrated in the evening, on average during astronomical twilight, and toward the northeast (µ = 33.3°, r = 0.499, P = 0.021). The mean northeasterly departure direction is close to the standard migration direction. Most birds probably crossed the sea to Sweden and we observed no obvious reversed departure directions.

Several cryptic avian species have been validated by recent integrative taxonomic efforts in the Sino-Himalayan mountains, indicating that avian diversity in this global biodiversity hotspot may be underestimated. In the present study, we investigated species limits in the genus Tarsiger, the bush robins, a group of montane forest specialists with high species richness in the Sino-Himalayan region. Based on comprehensive sampling of all 11 subspecies of the six currently recognized species, we applied an integrative taxonomic approach by combining multilocus, acoustic, plumage and morphometric analyses. Our results reveal that the isolated north-central Chinese populations of Tarsiger cyanurus, described as the subspecies albocoeruleus but usually considered invalid, is distinctive in genetics and vocalisation, but only marginally differentiated in morphology. We also found the Taiwan endemic T. indicus formosanus to be distinctive in genetics, song and morphology from T. i. indicus and T. i. yunnanensis of the Sino-Himalayan mountains. Moreover, Bayesian species delimitation using BPP suggests that both albocoeruleus and formosanus merit full species status. We propose their treatment as 'Qilian Bluetail' T. albocoeruleus and 'Taiwan Bush Robin' T. formosanus, respectively.

This thesis used molecular markers to examine population genetics of two North American passerines. My study focused on golden-crowned kinglets and red-breasted nuthatches, forest dwelling birds with migratory and resident populations. I used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing to analyse single nucleotide polymorphisms in both species. Additionally, I used microsatellite markers to study red-breasted nuthatch populations. Golden-crowned kinglets show an east-west split caused by their time in multiple glacial refugia during the Pleistocene. I also examined differences between their resident and migratory populations and identified potential candidate genes for migration. In red-breasted nuthatches, I found little population structure despite their large range. However, some differentiation is present in peripheral populations. They likely experienced rapid expansion from one glacial refugium following the Pleistocene and gene flow between populations is maintained by irruptive migrations. My thesis provides an example of how species develop different genetic patterns in response to historical and contemporary processes.

Aim: Urbanization exposes species to novel ecological conditions. Some species thrive in urban areas, whereas many others are excluded from these human-made environments. Previous analyses suggest that the ability to cope with rapid environmental change is associated with long-term patterns of diversification, but whether the suite of traits associated with the ability to colonize urban environments is linked to this process remains poorly understood. Location: World. Time period: Current. Major taxa studied: Passerine birds. Methods: We applied macroevolutionary models to a large dataset of passerine birds to compare the evolutionary history of urban-tolerant species with that of urban-avoidant species. Specifically, we examined models of state-dependent speciation and extinction to assess the macroevolution of urban tolerance as a binary trait, in addition to models of quantitative trait-dependent diversification based on relative urban abundance. We also ran simulation-based model assessments to explore potential sources of bias. Results: We provide evidence that historically, species with traits promoting urban colonization have undergone faster diversification than urban-avoidant species, indicating that urbanization favours clades with a historical tendency towards rapid speciation or reduced extinction. In addition, we find that past transitions towards states that currently impede urban colonization by passerines have been more frequent than in the opposite direction. Furthermore, we find a portion of urban-avoidant passerines to be recent and to undergo fast diversification. All highly supported models give this result consistently. Main conclusions: Urbanization is mainly associated with the loss of lineages that are inherently more vulnerable to extinction over deep time, whereas cities tend to be colonized by less vulnerable lineages, for which urbanization might be neutral or positive in terms of longer-term diversification. Urban avoidance is associ

Annual trait data, location information, and climate data from 86 populations of blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus, n = 31), great tit (Parus major, n = 35) and pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca, n = 20) across Europe. R code for the analyses of temporal variation in trait values, effects of climate variables on trait values, and spatial synchrony in trait values.

Metal contamination can have severe toxic effects in the ecosystems, resulting in loss of biodiversity, reduced abundance of organisms, and loss of ecosystem services. Traditionally, aquatic ecosystems have been regarded as a sink of metal contamination. However, lakes could also act as a source, as metals can be transported by emerging aquatic insects from the aquatic to the terrestrial ecosystem. The consequence of this transport for terrestrial organisms has previously gained little focus. In this thesis, I study metal contamination transport and toxic effects on metal exposed aquatic invertebrates and the terrestrial insectivorous bird, pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), in aquatic and terrestrial environments contaminated by metals from a closed lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) mine. Studied lakes adjacent to the mine all displayed elevated metal concentrations from the start of the mining operation, but with different temporal and spatial patterns with lakes used as part of the mining activity even more affected. Factors affecting metal toxicity, such as organic matter concentration in lakes, varied during the mining and post-mining period, indicating fluctuating toxicity despite similar metal concentrations. The contamination level and toxicity risk are still high 15 years after closure of the mine, but ecosystems are starting to recover. Despite high metal concentrations in lake water and sediment, no effect on invertebrate abundance or composition of aquatic invertebrates was observed. However, when focusing on metamorphosis, proportionally fewer insects emerged from more contaminated lakes. In contrast, in lab mesocosm was no effect on metamorphosis observed of non-biting midges (Chironomus riparus), although larval survival decreased, and emergence was delayed at higher metal concentrations in sediments. Emerging adult insects transported a significant amount of metals to terrestrial ecosystems, observed both in the lab and in the field. Emerging aquatic insect

Torpor is a controlled reduction of metabolism and body temperature, and its appropriate use allows small birds to adapt to and survive challenging conditions. However, despite its great energy conservation potential, torpor use by passerine birds is understudied although they are small and comprise over half of extant bird species. Here, we first determined whether a free-living, small ∼20 g Australian passerine, the eastern yellow robin (Eopsaltria australis), expresses torpor by measuring skin temperature (Ts) as a proxy for body temperature. Second, we tested if skin temperature fluctuated in relation to ambient temperature (Ta). We found that the Ts of eastern yellow robins fluctuated during winter by 9.1 ± 3.9°C on average (average minimum Ts 30.1 ± 2.3°C), providing the first evidence of torpor expression in this species. Daily minimum Ts decreased with Ta, reducing the estimated metabolic rate by as much as 32%. We hope that our results will encourage further studies to expand our knowledge on the use of torpor in wild passerines. The implications of such studies are important because species with highly flexible energy requirements may have an advantage over strict homeotherms during the current increasing frequency of extreme and unpredictable weather events, driven by changing climate.

Carotenoid-based coloration occurs predominantly in adult birds, yet in some species from the family Paridae, this trait is also present at the nestling stage. One of the factors proposed to affect the expression of this trait in immature birds is hatching date. Here, using the avian tetrahedral colour space model, we examined the influence of hatching date on the breast carotenoid-based plumage coloration of the Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusnestlings. Because Blue Tits are sexually dichromatic, we also investigated the potential interaction between hatching date and sex that could arise from differences in condition dependence of this trait between males and females. We found a positive relationship betweenUVchroma of breast feathers and hatching date. The amount ofUVreflectance is thought to be negatively related to carotenoid content in feathers. The observed increase ofUVchroma through the breeding season might therefore be caused by a seasonal decline in the availability and quality of Lepidoptera larvae - the main source of carotenoids in food of the Tits. We also observed a sex difference in the relationship between brightness of breast feathers (achromatic, structural component) and hatching date, which in males was negative and in females not significant. Our study provides further evidence that the timing of breeding is related to the expression of nestling carotenoid-based coloration, a potentially meaningful element of offspring-parent communication, and suggests a sex-specific effect of hatching date on its structural component.

Costly interactions between species that arise as a by-product of ancestral similarities in communication signals are expected to persist only under specific evolutionary circumstances. Territorial aggression between species, for instance, is widely assumed to persist only when extrinsic barriers prevent niche divergence or selection in sympatry is too weak to overcome gene flow from allopatry. However, recent theoretical and comparative studies have challenged this view. Here we present a large-scale, phylogenetic analysis of the distribution and determinants of interspecific territoriality. We find that interspecific territoriality is widespread in birds and strongly associated with hybridization and resource overlap during the breeding season. Contrary to the view that territoriality only persists between species that rarely breed in the same areas or where niche divergence is constrained by habitat structure, we find that interspecific territoriality is positively associated with breeding habitat overlap and unrelated to habitat structure. Furthermore, our results provide compelling evidence that ancestral similarities in territorial signals are maintained and reinforced by selection when interspecific territoriality is adaptive. The territorial signals linked to interspecific territoriality in birds depend on the evolutionary age of interacting species, plumage at shallow (within-family) timescales, and song at deeper (between-family) timescales. Evidently, territorial interactions between species have persisted and shaped phenotypic diversity on a macroevolutionary timescale.

Many long-distance migratory bird species are in decline, of which environmental changes, such as climate change and land-use changes, are thought to be important drivers. The effects of environmental change on the migration of these birds have often been studied during spring migration. Fewer studies have explored the impacts of environmental change on autumn migration, especially at stopover sites. However, stopover sites are important, as the quality of these sites is expected to change over time. We investigated impacts of local environmental conditions on the migration strategy and body condition of the Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) at an autumn migration stopover site using long-term ringing data (1996–2018) and local environmental conditions. We found that although the arrival and departure dates of birds at the stopover site remained unchanged, the body condition (fat score) of the individuals caught decreased, and the stopover duration increased. This suggests that conditions at the stopover site during the autumn migration period have deteriorated over time. This study emphasizes the importance of suitable stopover sites for migratory birds and stresses that changes in environmental conditions during the autumn migration period may be contributing to the current decline in long-distance migratory passerines.

Costly interactions between species that arise as a by-product of ancestral similarities in communication signals are expected to persist only under specific evolutionary circumstances. Territorial aggression between species, for instance, is widely assumed to persist only when extrinsic barriers prevent niche divergence or selection in sympatry is too weak to overcome gene flow from allopatry. However, recent theoretical and comparative studies have challenged this view. Here we present a large-scale, phylogenetic analysis of the distribution and determinants of interspecific territoriality. We find that interspecific territoriality is widespread in birds and strongly associated with hybridization and resource overlap during the breeding season. Contrary to the view that territoriality only persists between species that rarely breed in the same areas or where niche divergence is constrained by habitat structure, we find that interspecific territoriality is positively associated with breeding habitat overlap and unrelated to habitat structure. Furthermore, our results provide compelling evidence that ancestral similarities in territorial signals are maintained and reinforced by selection when interspecific territoriality is adaptive. The territorial signals linked to interspecific territoriality in birds depend on the evolutionary age of interacting species, plumage at shallow (within-family) timescales, and song at deeper (between-family) timescales. Evidently, territorial interactions between species have persisted and shaped phenotypic diversity on a macroevolutionary timescale.

Sequence-independent amplification techniques have become important tools for virus discovery, metagenomics, and exploration of viral diversity at the global scale, especially in remote areas. Here, we describe the detection and genetic characterization of a novel gyrovirus, named GyV11, present in cloacal, oral, and blood samples from neotropical wild birds in French Guiana. The molecular epidemiology revealed the presence of GyV11 only in passerine birds from three different species at a low prevalence (0.73%). This is the first characterization and prevalence study of a gyrovirus carried out in resident wild bird populations in a remote region, and provides evidence of the fecal–oral route transmission and local circulation of the virus. The molecular phylogeny of gyroviruses reveals the existence of two distinct gyrovirus lineages in which GyV11 is phylogenetically distinct from previously reported gyroviruses. Furthermore, GyV11 is placed basal in the gyrovirus phylogeny, likely owing to its ancestral origin and marked divergence. This study also provides important insights into the ecology, epidemiology, and genomic features of gyroviruses in a remote neotropical rainforest. The pathogenesis of this virus in avian species or whether GyV11 can infect humans and/or chickens needs to be further investigated., En esta publicación se describe la detección mediante análisis metagenómico y la caracterización genómica de un nuevo gyrovirus (GyV11) en muestras cloacales, orales y de sangre de tres especies de paseriformes neotropicales muestreados en la Reserva Natural de Nouragues (Guayana Francesa). La prevalencia del nuevo gyrovirus es baja en la población estudiada (0,73%, n = 406 individuos). GyV11 es filogenéticamente distinto a los gyrovirus reportados previamente, situándose de forma basal en la filogenia de este grupo de virus posiblemente debido a su origen ancestral y marcada divergencia. Este estudio es el primero en caracterizar y analizar la prevalencia de un nuevo gyrovirus en una población de aves silvestres residentes de un área remota y muestra evidencias tanto de la transmisión fecal-oral del virus como de su circulación en la población analizada. Además, pone de manifiesto la importancia de la secuenciación profunda como herramienta para el descubrimiento de nuevos virus en zonas remotas., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO)/FEDER, Center of the Study of Biodiversity in Amazonia (CEBA), Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Mediterranean mountains are biodiversity hotspots where northern species occur surrounded by drier and warmer lowlands. In this context, global warming is pushing these species to higher elevations. This paper assesses whether forest birds have experienced a shift upwards over the elevation gradient in the last 35 years in the Guadarrama Mountains (600–2,400 m asl; central Spain). Alternatively, the paper tests whether the reported shifts are related to changes in forest structure resulting from rural abandonment and/or forest management. To do this, sampling carried out from 1976 to 1980 along the elevation gradient was repeated in 2014–2015. In addition, the habitat preferences of birds were used to test if the elevation shifts were related to changes in forest structure. Results show that the mean range position of birds associated with tree cover shifted downwards, a trend supported by an increase in tree-dependent birds at mid-elevations. These trends suggest that an increase in tree cover has buffered the altitudinal shifts of forest birds predicted by climate warming. Results also suggest that proper forest management may improve the resilience of forest bird communities to the pervasive effects of climate warming., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Sequence-independent amplification techniques have become important tools for virus discovery, metagenomics, and exploration of viral diversity at the global scale, especially in remote areas. Here, we describe the detection and genetic characterization of a novel gyrovirus, named GyV11, present in cloacal, oral, and blood samples from neotropical wild birds in French Guiana. The molecular epidemiology revealed the presence of GyV11 only in passerine birds from three different species at a low prevalence (0.73%). This is the first characterization and prevalence study of a gyrovirus carried out in resident wild bird populations in a remote region, and provides evidence of the fecal–oral route transmission and local circulation of the virus. The molecular phylogeny of gyroviruses reveals the existence of two distinct gyrovirus lineages in which GyV11 is phylogenetically distinct from previously reported gyroviruses. Furthermore, GyV11 is placed basal in the gyrovirus phylogeny, likely owing to its ancestral origin and marked divergence. This study also provides important insights into the ecology, epidemiology, and genomic features of gyroviruses in a remote neotropical rainforest. The pathogenesis of this virus in avian species or whether GyV11 can infect humans and/or chickens needs to be further investigated.

Hemosporidije kao krvno prenosivi paraziti, veoma su rasprostranjeni u populacijama ptica širom planete. Izazivaju avijarnu malariju ili stanje slično njoj, a prenose se preko insekatskih vektora. Hemosporidije su veoma dobro proučene u severnoj i zapanoj Evropi i Severnoj Americi. S obzirom da su hemosporidije slabije izučavane u Palearktičkom migratornom sistemu zapadnog Balkana, osnovni cilj bio je da se istraži koje su vrste tri ispitivana roda hemosporidija Plasmodium, Haemoproteus i Leucocytozoon zastupljene kod različitih migratornih grupa ptica pevačica u Srbiji. Rasprostranjenje,prevalenca i parazitemija ustanovljene su na dva načina: pregledanjem krvnih razmaza ptica i pomoću molekularne (PCR) metode. Sakupljeno je 202 uzorka krvi sa sedam lokaliteta. Zaraza rodovima Plasmodium,Haemoproteus i Leucocytozoon ustanovljena je kod 66 jedinki, sa ukupnom prevalencom od 32,7%. Najčešći rod hemosporidija bilo je Haemoproteus sa prevalencom od 26,1%. Sve zaražene ptice bile su adultne. Samo je jedna ptica imala ko-infekciju. Ustanovljena je 31 loza, od čega su dve potpuno nove i neotkrivene do sada. Loza CCF25 iz roda Plasmodium, izolovana je kod obične zebe (Fringilla coelebs), a dok ORIORI04 pripada rodu Leucocytozoon i izolovana je kod vuge(Oriolus oriolus). Loza GRW06 (Plasmodium elongatum) izolovana je po prvi put kod obične zebe, dok su loze PARUS20 i PARUS25 (Leucocytozoon sp.) po prvi put zabeležene kod planinske sive (Poecile montanus) i ćubaste senice (Lophophanes cristatus). Većina ptica (29) imala je srednji nivo parazitemije. Ustanovljena je značajna razlika u prevalenci između stanarica i delimičnih selica. Razlika u srednjoj parazitemiji bila je značajna takođe između stanarica i delimičnih selica., Avian haemosporidians are vector-transmitted blood parasites distributed worldwide, abundant in many bird families and well-studied across Europe and North America. Since avian hemosporidians were poorly examined in the Palearctic migratory flyways of the Western Balkans, the goal of this study was to investigate what species of three haemosporidian genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon infect both resident and migratory passerine birds in Serbia. The prevalence, distribution and parasitemia of avian haemosporidian infections were screened using both nested PCR method and microscopy observation. Out of 202 sampled birds at seven localities, 66 were positive for haemosporidians. Total prevalence was 32.7%. Great majority of infected birds (29 individuals) had moderate level of parasitemia. The most abundant haemosporidian genus was Haemoproteus with prevalence of 26.1%. All infected birds were adults, whereas none of tested juveniles were infected. Mixed infection was recorded only in one bird. We identified 31 genetic lineages of haemosporidian parasites. Two new cytochrome b lineages of Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon were identified and found in hosts Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) and Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus). We identified three new host records for previously known lineages. The lineage GRW06 (Plasmodium elongatum) occurred in Common Chaffinch, while the lineages PARUS20 and PARUS25 (Leucocytozoon sp.) were recorded in Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) and Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus), respectively. We found statistically significant differences in the prevalence of three haemosporidian genera among resident and partial migratory birds. The difference in mean parasitemia was significant only between resident and partial migrants.

While urbanization exposes individuals to novel challenges, urban areas may also constitute stable environments in which seasonal fluctuations are buffered. Baseline and stress-induced plasma corticosterone (cort) levels are often found to be similar in urban and rural populations. Here we aimed to disentangle two possible mechanisms underlying such pattern: (i) urban environments are no more stressful or urban birds have a better ability to habituate to stressors; or (ii) urban birds developed desensitized stress responses. We exposed wild-caught urban and rural house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to combined captivity and diet treatments (urban versus rural diet) and measured corticosterone levels both in natural tail feathers and in regrown homologous ones (cortf ). Urban and rural house sparrows showed similar cortf levels in the wild and in response to novel stressors caused by the experiment, supporting the growing notion that urban environments are no more stressful during the non-breeding season than are rural ones. Still, juveniles and males originating from urban populations showed the highest cortf levels in regrown feathers. We did not find evidence that cortf was consistent within individuals across moults. Our study stresses the need for incorporating both intrinsic and environmental factors for the interpretation of variation in cortf between populations.

The mechanisms driving avian patch-size sensitivity in tall-grass prairie are still unknown, but are likely linked to habitat selection. I attempted to determine whether Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) and Le Conte’s Sparrows (Ammodramus leconteii) use conspecific attraction as a means of habitat selection. I played simulated conspecific cues in 7 uninhabited prairie sites in south-central Manitoba in May 2014. I did not detect any individuals of either species during June 2014, indicating that either they did not respond to conspecific cues, that some factor(s) of my sites made them unsuitable, or that there are other stimuli ultimately driving habitat selection in these species. I also found possible evidence of heterospecific attraction in Savannah Sparrows that may warrant further investigation. Patch size and openness are likely the main factors affecting colonization, so conservation efforts should focus on maintaining larger and more open sites, rather than restoring prairie fragments under 5 ha.

Humans are increasingly becoming urbanized. Because a number of bird species readily live in urban areas and birds are relatively easily observed, birds are becoming the largest everyday encounter with wild fauna people will have, globally. Despite, few studies have been made on how visual (or acoustic) bird encounter affects humans. The few existing studies show that birds provide humans with increased self-evaluated well-being when seeing and hearing them. These values provided by birds can be recognized as a cultural ecosystems service. Here we review extant literature to consider why certain species fascinate humans more than others, and some can increase well-being and provide ecosystem services, while others offer disservices through unappealing characteristics. We particularly highlight indications of links between species diversity and well-being. Finally, we discuss possible reasons for variations in our responses to birds and birdsong associated with age, gender, childhood, contact with nature, and the biophilia theory. If interaction with birds truly increases quality of life, then this value should be considered in the planning of sustainable cities. Both conservation and proper management of existing urban green areas are needed to increase possibilities to encounter many bird species. © Springer International Publishing AG 2017.

Elevation represents an important selection agent on self-maintenance traits and correlated life histories in birds, but no study has analysed whether life-history variation along this environmental cline is consistent among and within species. In a sympatric community of passerines, we analysed how the average adult survival of 25 open-habitat species varied with their elevational distribution and how adult survival varied with elevation at the intra-specific level. For such purpose, we estimated intra-specific variation in adult survival in two mountainous species, the Water pipit (Anthus spinoletta) and the Northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) in NW Spain, by means of capture–recapture analyses. At the inter-specific level, high-elevation species showed higher survival values than low elevation ones, likely because a greater allocation to self-maintenance permits species to persist in alpine environments. At the intra-specific level, the magnitude of survival variation was lower by far. Nevertheless, Water pipit survival slightly decreased at high elevations, while the proportion of transient birds increased. In contrast, no such relationships were found in the Northern wheatear. Intra-specific analyses suggest that living at high elevation may be costly, such as for the Water pipit in our case study. Therefore, it seems that a species can persist with viable populations in uplands, where extrinsic mortality is high, by increasing the investment in self-maintenance and prospecting behaviours.

Disentangling the relative influence of the environment and biotic interactions in determining species coexistence patterns is a major challenge in ecology. The zonation occurring along elevation gradients, or at bioclimatic contact zones, offers a good opportunity to improve such understanding because the small scale at which the partitioning occurs facilitates inference based on experiments and ecological modelling. We studied the influence of abiotic gradients, habitat types, and interspecific competition in determining the spatial turnover between two pipit and two bunting species in NW Spain. We explored two independent lines of evidence to draw inference about the relative importance of environment and biotic interactions in driving range partitioning along elevation, latitude, and longitude. We combined occurrence data with environmental data to develop joint species distribution models (JSDM), in order to attribute co‐occurrence (or exclusion) to shared (or divergent) environmental responses and to interactions (attraction or exclusion). In the same region, we tested for interference competition by means of playback experiments in the contact zone. The JSDMs highlighted different responses for the two species pairs, although we did not find direct evidence of interspecific aggressiveness in our playback experiments. In pipits, partitioning was explained by divergent climate and habitat requirements and also by the negative correlations between species not explained by the environment. This significant residual correlation may reflect forms of competition others than direct interference, although we could not completely exclude the influence of unmeasured environmental predictors. When bunting species co‐occurred, it was because of shared habitat preferences, and a possible limitation to dispersal might cause their partitioning. Our results indicate that no single mechanism dominates in driving the distribution of our study species, but rather distributions a

El treball mostra la presència i distribució de l'ornitofauna a la Marjal de Xeresa (València) en censos realitzats en les primaveres dels anys 2014, 2015 i 2016. Els 5.170 m recorreguts cada any de cens han generat una mostra de 1.719 contactes d'individus de 66 espècies que es distribueixen en 11 ordres d'aus. Els Passeriformes són els més abundants seguits de lluny de Ciconiformes, Gruïformes, Charadriiformes, Anseriformes, Pelecaniformes, Apodiformes, Columbiformes, Coraciformes, Podicipediformes i Accipitriformes. Es remarca la presència important d'un grup d'aus lligades al medi aquàtic. Això és, set espècies de passeriformes palustres nidificants: Locustella luscinioides, Cisticola juncidis, Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Acrocephalus melanopogon, Motacilla flava i Cettia cetti; una interessant colònia d'ardeids representats per Egretta garceta, Ardea purpurea, Ardea cinerea, Ardea ralloides, Ixobrychus minutus, Nicticorax nicticorax i Bubulcus ibis. Tres representants de la familia deis ral·lids, Gallinula chloropus, Rallus aquaticus i Porphyrio porphyrio. I també la progressiva presència de Plegadis falcinellus. Líndex de diversitat (H) per a cada any és de 4.7, 4.8, 4.8 respectivament. EIs dequitativitat (E) de 0.84, 0.85, 0.86 i els de dominancia (ID) de 23, 13,20., The study shows the presence and distribution of bird population at Xeresa marsh (Valencia) in spring by censuses conducted in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016. Tbe 5.170 m of census made each year have generated a sample of 1.719 contacts of individuals of 66 species that are distributed in 11 orders of birds. Tbe passerines are most abundant followed by far for Ciconiformes, Gruiformes, Charadriiformes, Anseriformes, Pelecaniformes, Apodiformes, Columbiformes, Coraciformes, Podicipediformes and Accipitriformes. We highlight the important presence of a group of birds linked to the aquatic environment. That is, seven species of marsh passerines: Locustella luscinioides, Cisticola juncidis, Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Acrocephalus melanopogon, Motacilla flava and Cettia Cetti; an interesting colony of herons represented by Egretta garceta, Ardea purpurea, Ardea cinerea, Ardea ralloides, Ixobrychus minutus, Nicticorax nicticorax and Bubulcus ibis. Three representatives of the ralliidae family: Gallinula chloropus, Rallus aquaticus and Porphyrio porphyrio. And, also, the increasing presence of Plegadis Jalcinellus. Tbe diversity index (H) for each year is 4.7, 4.8, 4.8 respectively. The equitaqtivity (E) 0.84,0.85,0.86 and the dominance index (ID) 23, 13,20.

Coelho C.D., Berto B.P., Neves D.M. & Lopes C.W.G. Periodicity and intensity of oocysts of the genus Isospora Schneider, 1881 shedding by passerines birds from wildlife trafficking and held in quarantine. [Periodicidade e intensidade de oocistos do gênero Isospora Schneider, 1881 eliminados nas fezes de passeriformes oriundos do tráfico de animais silvestres e mantidos em quarentena.] Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 38(supl. 3):75-79, 2016. Programa de Pós-Graduação Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação Agropecuá- ria, Pró-Reitora de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro. BR 465 Km 7. Campus Seropédica, RJ 23.897-970, Brasil. E-mail: domingues.cleide@yahoo.com.br Diurnal frequency has been observed in species of intestinal parasites, especially in the genus Isospora Schneider, 1881 in wild birds, which shedding oocysts more often in the late afternoon. This study aimed to evaluate the periodicity and shedding oocysts by passerines birds maintained at the Center for Triage of Wild Animals, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Samples of one droplet of feces were collected from 602 passerine birds, in the morning between 9h and 12h and in the afternoon between 15h and 17h, from May to November 2010. Samples were diluted in potassium dichromate 2.5% 1:6 (v/v) and incubated at room temperature for seven days. Of each sample was also determined an OoPD (number of oocysts per defecation). Fecal samples collected in the morning had a lower number of positive samples (12/2%) in comparison with those collected in the later afternoon that they had a greater number of positive samples (136/23%), likewise OoPDs from birds of the families Cardinalidae, Emberizidae and Thraupidae were also different in intensity. Both results indicated that periodicity and intensity of oocysts shedding by passerine birds were extremely significant (p<0.0001) when they were determined by using late samples., Frequência diurna tem sido observada em espécies de parasitos intestinais, especialmente no gênero Isospora Schneider, 1881 em aves selvagens, que eliminam oocistos nas fezes mais frequentemente no final da tarde. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a periodicidade e a eliminação de oocistos por pássaros mantidos no Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil triagem. Amostras de uma defecação foram coletadas de 602 pássaros, no período da manhã entre 9 e 12h e à tarde entre 15 e 17h, de maio a novembro de 2010. As amostras foram diluídas em dicromato de potássio a 2,5% 1: 6 (v/v) e incubou-se à temperatura ambiente durante sete dias. De cada amostra foi também determinada a OoPD (número de oocistos por defecação), onde observou –se que as amostras fecais coletadas na parte da manhã tiveram um número menor de amostras positivas (12/2%) em comparação com àquelas coletadas no fim da tarde os quais apresentaram um maior número de amostras positivas (136/23%), da mesma forma, que os OoPDs de pássaros das famílias Cardinalidae, Emberizidae e Thraupidae também foram diferentes em intensidade. Ambos os resultados indicaram que a periodicidade e a intensidade de oocistos em passeriformes foram extremamente significativas (p<0,0001), quando eles foram determinados usando amostras coletadas no período da tarde.

Maternal effects are a crucial mechanism in a wide array of taxa to generate phenotypic variation, thereby affecting offspring development and fitness. Maternally derived thyroid hormones (THs) are known to be essential for offspring development in mammalian and fish models, but have been largely neglected in avian studies, especially in respect to natural variation and an ecological context. We studied, for the first time in a wild species and population, the effects of maternally derived THs on offspring development, behavior, physiology and fitness-related traits by experimental elevation of thyroxine and triiodothyronine in ovo within the physiological range in great tits (Parus major). We found that elevated yolk TH levels had a sex-specific effect on growth, increasing male and decreasing female growth, relative to controls, and this effect was similar throughout the nestling period. Hatching or fledging success, motor coordination behavior, stress reactivity and resting metabolic rate were not affected by the TH treatment. We conclude that natural variation in maternally derived THs may affect some offspring traits in a wild species. As this is the first study on yolk thyroid hormones in a wild species and population, more such studies are needed to investigate its effects on pre-hatching development, and juvenile and adult fitness before generalizations on the importance of maternally derived yolk thyroid hormones can be made. However, this opens a new, interesting avenue for further research in the field of hormone mediated maternal effects.

Despite many studies of how male characteristics affect paternity in predominantly monogamous birds, relatively little attention has been given to the traits of females that may influence extra-pair paternity (EPP). However, the occurrence of EPP may be the result of behavioural interactions in which both male and female traits are important for determining the outcome. If EPP is driven mainly by female choice of extra-pair sires, older, more experienced or larger females would be better able to evade mate guarding tactics and more capable of selecting extra-pair mates and resisting unwanted suitors. This would be especially noticeable in females paired with unattractive mates. On the other hand, if EPP is driven mainly by male pursuit, we should expect that young, inexperienced or small females would be more exposed to coercive male approaches independently of social mate traits. In a study of an Iberian population of the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, we found that EPP affected 38% of the broods and 17% of the nestlings. These values are relatively high, allowing a relatively large number of affected within-pair mates to be included. We found that EPP is related to both female and male traits although not to any interaction between male and female traits. EPP was higher at nests tended by both younger and short-winged females and by browner males. Older females may be more experienced and dominant while long-winged females may be faster fliers, these traits enabling them to avoid extra-pair copulations, while brown males are less aggressive towards male intruders. In our study population, EPP appears to be caused by male pursuit, which in some cases may overwhelm female attempts to avoid extra-pair copulations and their social partner's ability to prevent them.

A new feather mite species, Dolichodectes hispanicus sp. n. (Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae), is described from the Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta (Vieillot) (Passeriformes: Acrocephalidae) in Spain. The new species is closest to the type species of the genus, D. edwardsi (Trouessart, 1885) from the Grear Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus (Linnaeus) (Acrocephalidae). Adults of D. hispanicus differ from those of D. edwardsi by dimensional characteristics, in particular, by having shorter aedeagus that does not extend to the anal suckers in males and shorter hysteronotal shield in females. Tritonymphs of D. hispanicus are much more distinctive and differ from those of D. edwardsi by having the prodorsal shield covering all the prodorsum, the hysteronotal shield occupying about three quarters of the hysterosoma, and idiosomal setae h3 being filiform. The morphological description of the new species is augmented by sequence data from the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene fragment (COI).

Songbird migrants use stopovers between flight bouts to rest and refuel for the upcoming flights. Behaviours affecting where, when and how long to stay at stopover sites will affect how successful the overall migration will be, which has significant consequences for the overall fitness and mortality of the birds. The main purpose of this work was to investigate stopover behaviours in free-flying migrants to understand the effects of intrinsic (age and body condition) and environmental (weather) factors on the behaviours that guide birds as they depart from migratory stopovers. I studied some of our most common migratory songbirds using an automated radiotelemetry system at the Falsterbo peninsula, Sweden. Our results show that stopover duration is affected by fuel load and weather conditions, and that they differ between the migratory seasons. Furthermore, timing of departures on nocturnal flights appears primarily determined by ecological factors, and are to a large degree affected by the lengths of the nights. Birds with larger fuel stores departed before lean individuals, indicating that they prepared for a longer flight. We found that reverse movements during migration are slower, take place at lower latitudes and later in the night than movements in the expected migratory direction, and are most common in juvenile or lean individuals. Route choice across the Baltic Sea after departure from Falsterbo is largely affected by wind directions. In cue conflict experiments between magnetic compass and celestial cues at sunset we found no recalibration of the magnetic compass. We suggest that access to stars during calibration is necessary for all compasses to be calibrated when the birds depart for a night’s flight. Comparisons between departure directions and directions of birds in climbing and level flight revealed that birds adjust their directions after take-off, once at cruising altitudes. Winds were the primary factor affecting flight duration for the first 50 k

Migratory birds are critically dependent on adequate wintering habitats for their long-term survival. Cantabrian farmland, a mixed agricultural landscape extending across the coastal lowlands of northern Spain, constitutes an important wintering area for many short-distance migrants coming from central-western and northern Europe. Unfortunately, the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union and national afforestation schemes have resulted in a massive replacement of farmland by pine Pinus spp. and eucalypt Eucalyptus sp. plantations. This work assesses the importance of Cantabrian farmland as wintering grounds for short-distance European migrants and for wintering species that originate in nearby woodlands. We examined the seasonal changes in passerine bird populations in the Cantabrian region and used winter ringing recoveries obtained in the area to evaluate the contribution made by European migrants to winter populations. Bird communities were surveyed along 299 500-m long transects distributed between 67 farmland patches, 67 lowland forests and 14 upland forests. Winter assemblages were more diverse and species more abundant in farmland than in lowland or upland forests, whereas these differences were smaller in the spring. Bird numbers in farmland tripled in winter, numbers increasing by about 6.9 million birds compared to breeding populations. Most of this increase was accounted for by species that also bred in the region and that considerably increased their abundance (65.6% of all wintering birds, with the Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs responsible for 31.4% of the total increase) and by five exclusively wintering species (34.4%, with the Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis accounting for 25.2% of the total increase). The main bulk of this increase is caused by the influx of European migrants. The importance of halting the current spread of eucalypt plantations (which increased over 400% over the past 30 years) and of applying more effective agri-environment s, La supervivencia de las aves migrantes depende críticamente de hábitats de invernada adecuados. La campiña cantábrica, un paisaje agrícola mixto que se extiende a través de las tierras costeras del norte de España, es un área de invernada importante para muchos migrantes procedentes del centro, oeste y norte de Europa. Desgraciadamente, la Política Agrícola Comunitaria de la Unión Europea y los planes nacionales de repoblación han producido una sustitución masiva de campiña por plantaciones de pinos Pinus spp. y eucaliptos Eucalyptus sp. En este trabajo se evalúa la importancia de la campiña cantábrica como área de invernada para migrantes europeos de corta distancia y para invernantes procedentes de los bosques próximos. Para ello, examinamos los cambios estacionales en las poblaciones de pájaros de la región cantábrica y usamos las recuperaciones invernales (de aves anilladas) obtenidas en el área para estimar la contribución de los migrantes europeos a la poblaciones invernantes. Se censaron las comunidades de aves en 299 transectos lineales de 500 m de longitud, distribuidos entre 67 campiñas, 67 bosques bajos y 14 bosques altos. Las comunidades invernales fueron más diversas y las especies más abundantes en las campiñas que en bosques altos y bajos, mientras que las diferencias fueron menores en primavera. El número de pájaros se triplicó en invierno en las campiñas, incrementándose en unos 6.9 millones de aves con respecto a las poblaciones reproductoras. La mayoría de este incremento se debió a especies que también crían en la región y que aumentaron considerablemente su abundancia (un 65.6% de todos los pájaros invernantes; el Pinzón Vulgar Fringilla coelebs fue responsable del 31.4% del incremento total) y a cinco especies exclusivamente invernantes (34.4%, con la Bisbita Común Anthus pratensis sumando el 25.2% del incremento total). La mayor parte de este incremento es causado por la entrada de migrantes europeos. Se discute la importancia de detener la ex, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Adaptive evolution is the process whereby mutations that provide the carrier with a selective advantage increase in frequency in a population via the process of natural selection. Passerines are widespread, common and long-term targets for field study and they demonstrate a copious diversity in physiological and morphological adaptations to varying habitats, for example, beak size and wing shape, and they are, therefore, an important study system to understand adaptive evolution. Recent technological advancements have made it easier to investigate the mechanistic and evolutionary underpinnings of adaptive evolution by allowing genome sequence data to be generated in almost any species of interest. However, it is important to assess the contribution of neutral forces like demographic events and GC-biased gene conversion before concluding that selection has shaped the patterns observed in genomic data. Initial analyses in passerines have identified candidate genes that might be involved in, for example, song learning, beak morphology, disease resistance, high-altitude adaptation and exploratory behavior, but functional verifications are needed to establish a causative relationship between the identified genes and the traits. Key Concepts:Key Concepts: * Passerines are widespread, generally common and easy targets for field study and they demonstrate a copious diversity in physiological and morphological adaptations to varying habitats and they have, therefore, played an important role in previous studies concerning behaviour, ecology and evolution. * A full understanding of passerine adaptations requires an integrative approach aiming at identifying and characterising both proximate (mechanistic) and ultimate (evolutionary) underpinnings to adaptive traits. * The recent advancements in molecular techniques allows for using both comparative genomics, expression profiling, candidate gene approaches and classical association and QTL mapping strategies to identify the gen

The presence of one of the largest colonies of House Martins in Europe on the small island of Stora Karlso, Sweden, led us to investigate the source of their food by analysis of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Carbon isotopic values of House Martin nestlings were the same as those of Common Guillemot Uria aalge nestlings fed on marine fish, but differed from local Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis nestlings fed on woodland insects. We infer that these House Martins fed their chicks almost exclusively on insects that had used nutrients derived from seabirds, indicating a dependence on the presence of a large seabird colony. We suggest by extension that some populations of island passerines of high conservation importance may also be dependent on nutrient subsidies from seabird colonies., AuthorCount:5

Experimental research on the orientation of migratory songbirds is traditionally conducted using orientation funnels or automatic registration cages that record the directional activity of individual birds on paper or a computer. Most traditionally used funnel and cage designs do not permit investigators to observe detailed behavior of the birds and, therefore, we have gained little insight into the actual behavior of birds while they are exhibiting migratory restlessness and making directional choices. Such behavior can only be studied by direct observation or by video filming. Here, we present BirdOriTrack, a video-tracking program for extracting time-resolved, positional data of birds ( and potentially other animal species) to determine their orientation relative to the center of a circular cage/funnel. With relatively inexpensive cameras, recording equipment, and cages, orientation experiments can easily be conducted and analyzed using BirdOriTrack. The program is designed to be flexible, allowing analysis of orientation behavior of birds of any size in different cage designs and in both controlled laboratory settings and field-based studies. To demonstrate the program's utility, we show the results of preliminary field experiments on several species of migratory birds captured at a migration monitoring station. BirdOriTrack is freely available at http://canmove.lu.se/birdoritrack., AuthorCount:4;Other funding agencies:Swiss National Science Foundation; Crafoord Foundation; Royal Physiographical Society in Lund; Hobart and William Smith Colleges

The passerines are the largest avian order, with over 6000 species. There is strong evidence to suggest that this group arose in Australasia, with most deep lineages located in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The deepest lineage is the New Zealand wrens, which diverged from the main passerine lineage, possibly around 80 mya. The second split between the suboscines (mainly new world distribution) and oscines (Australasian origin) is well established. Within the oscines there are a number of small basal lineages, all located within Australasia, then around 45 mya the large division into the Passerida and the Core Corvoidea occurred. The Core Corvoidea have undergone many rapid radiations early on in their history, which has made resolving the relationships within the group complicated. The Passerida are classified into three main superfamilies, but the relationships of these three are unresolved, and the monophyly of each has been questioned. Next generation Illumina sequencing was used to sequence the mitochondrial genomes of six native passerine species. We report a sequenced mitochondrial genome from a representative of each New Zealand passerine family, apparently a first for any country. For four new species (the fernbird, tomtit, pipit and waxeye) the mitochondrial genomes have been fully sequenced while there is partial mitochondrial genome sequence for two other species (the browncreeper and bellbird). These have been combined with the mitochondrial genome sequences of another 72 passerines including seven previously unpublished genomes. Phylogenetic trees have been produced using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses, and these have been used to address a number of questions surrounding the phylogeny of the passerines. The placements of the native New Zealand species are highlighted, and in many cases it confirms the results of earlier studies. The results suggest consideration needs to be given for formally classifying the Petroicidae, C

Carrion provides energy transfer to food webs as a primary trophic resource for many taxa. Ecological relationships around this pulsed resource are highly complex and are influenced by many factors, including those related to its availability and the management of carcasses by humans. In recent years progress has been made in understanding the scope, implications and value of carrion ecology, mainly using scavenger birds and arthropods as study models. However, carrion is important for other facultative scavengers, and even for other non‐scavenger species, which may be influenced by the onset of the resources generated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the patterns of attendance of passerine birds, including the non‐scavengers, at carrion inputs in order to divulge the importance of this resource, its relationship to other species, and to reveal its ecological implications. Individuals of the Corvidae family, recognized facultative scavengers, showed a similar trophic behavior to obligate scavenger raptors regarding the selection of carcass characteristics (i.e., format, scattering, biomass), the surrounding landscape and spatiotemporal conditions. Furthermore, corvids mismatched their presence with vultures, benefitting through commensalism from the generation of residual small pieces and scraps. The non‐scavenger passerines avoided simultaneous presence with vultures and delayed their attendance to carcasses from the time of input. Non‐corvid passerines profited from carrion opportunistically, especially through predation on scavenger arthropods. Thus, their appearance was linked to seasons and conditions with an increased abundance of invertebrates, and coincided with periods of higher energy demand (migration and wintering). Similarly, inter‐specific competition in carrion exploitation as well as a decrease in abundance of arthropods may determine the segregation between non‐corvid passerines and scavenger raptors.