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Background: The protection of urban biodiversity plays a critical role in maintaining urban ecological security. As a unique taxon of urban wildlife, birds have been intensively used as an indicator of our surrounding environment. Although the diversity of urban bird species has received increasing attention, present studies are mainly focused on urban parks. As one of the important components of the urban ecosystem, the university campus also plays a critical role in maintaining bird diversity. Due to the lack of observation data, it is a challenge to evaluate the impact of the environmental conditions on campus bird diversity. Given the most concentrated higher education resources in China, Nanjing has a large number of universities, covering a wide area of the urban landscape. The landscape of these universities usually has a high percentage of green space as well as waterbodies, which is conducive to attracting various bird species to inhabit. Here, we conducted a one-year bird survey from January 2019 to December 2019 in 12 universities in Nanjing and provided an occurrence dataset containing detailed species and geographical information, providing a good source to study the ecological and anthropogenic factors on urban bird diversity on a local and larger scale. New information: This dataset represents the first annual record of birds publicly released by 12 universities in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. It includes classification information, population, distribution and survey details. All data have been published on GBIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors such as the Andean uplift, Isthmus of Panama, and climate changes have influenced bird diversity in the Neotropical region. Studying bird species that are widespread in Neotropical highlands and lowlands can help us understand the impact of these factors on taxa diversification. Our main objectives were to determine the biogeographic factors that contributed to the diversification of Euphoniinae and re-evaluate their phylogenetic relationships. The nextRAD and mitochondrial data were utilized to construct phylogenies. The ancestral distribution range was then estimated using a time-calibrated phylogeny, current species ranges, and neotropical regionalization. The phylogenies revealed two main Euphoniinae clades, Chlorophonia and Euphonia, similar to previous findings. Furthermore, each genus has distinctive subclades corresponding to morphology and geography. The biogeographic results suggest that the Andean uplift and the establishment of the western Amazon drove the vicariance of Chlorophonia and Euphonia during the Miocene. The Chlorophonia lineage originated in the Andes mountains and spread to Central America and the Mesoamerican highlands after the formation of the Isthmus of Panama. Meanwhile, the ancestral area of Euphonia was the Amazonas, from which it spread to trans-Andean areas during the Pliocene and Pleistocene due to the separation of the west lowlands from Amazonas due to the Northern Andean uplift. Chlorophonia and Euphonia species migrated to the Atlantic Forest during the Pleistocene through corridors from the East Andean Humid Forest and Amazonas. These two genera had Caribbean invasions with distinct geographic origins and ages. Finally, we suggested taxonomic changes in the genus Euphonia based on the study's phylogenetic, morphological, and biogeographic findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian region known as Triângulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba (TMAP) has some areas of high bird diversity. Yet, the region has not been systematically surveyed despite the large transformations its original vegetation has suffered over the past few decades. We report on the most comprehensive bird inventory of the TMAP region, in which we surveyed in 353 sites. For this, we used point transects (11,120 sampling hours) and mist nets (41,920 net-hours). We recorded 469 species belonging to 27 orders and 73 families. Forest-associated species represented 49.04% of the total, grassland and savanna species 38.81%, and aquatic species 11.73%. We found 44 endemic species and 37 species that are threatened at some level. An annotated list of the rare, endemic, and threatened species is provided. This study may serve as a baseline for future studies within the region, including those designed to identify areas of conservation priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The dataset covers bird observation occurrences in Russia and neighbouring regions (ex- USSR countries and some other countries of Eastern and Western Europe) from 2001- 2021. It is based on the internet platform "Online bird observation diaries" (ru-birds.ru), which allows professional ornithologists and amateur bird lovers to exchange their results and to jointly build a common collection of data. The taxonomic backbone of the occurrence dataset follows the standardised GBIF checklist dataset to ensure correct cross-linking of the names. Currently, the database contains 541,900 records of occurrences of 713 bird species, which makes it the largest dataset on birds of Russia and neighbouring regions published in GBIF. New information The occurrence dataset contributes to filling gaps in the bird distribution in Russia and Eastern Europe. It can be used for a deeper look at their populations, phenology and migrations over this area. The availability of special tools for verification of the entered information makes the database a valuable tool for analysing occurrences of non-native species, studying vagrancy, immigration, invasions and range dynamics. The dataset is regularly updated. Over the 11 months of 2021, it has increased by 98,165 occurrences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Himalaya is recognised for its biological diversity and ecological values. An attempt was made to understand the avian diversity distribution in Forest, Agriculture and Water stream habitats of Dehradun (Western Himalaya) Uttarakhand. A total of two hundred and thirty one species belonging to 54 families were encountered during the survey. Out of these, one endangered species (Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus) and three near-threatened species Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria), Blacknecked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticu) and River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii) and one vulnerable species Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) were sighted. Three avian species, Mistle Thrush, Sulphur-bellied Warbler and White-rumped Munia. have been recorded as isolates in the study area. The presence of these species indicates the habitats extension in Dehradun District of Uttarakhand. The present study provides significant records in the study site and provides a baseline data for future study with reference to conservation in Dehradun Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urban areas expand, some species of diurnal birds of prey occupy these habitats, and many establish viable populations. The objectives of this study were to: (1) survey the species of birds of prey in the urban area located in the interior of the São Paulo state, Brazil, (2) to verify the proportion of generalist and specialist species in terms of habitat and diet, (3) determine the period that the species are more active during the time period of the point counts, and (4) to evaluate if there is a pattern of seasonality. Samples were collected monthly between October 2014 and September 2016 using the point counts method (four points; 4 hr duration each). We analyzed species richness, habitat and diet, number of contacts and frequency of occurrence, period of greatest activity, and seasonality. We recorded 19 species of birds of prey through 2555 contacts. Most of the registered species (61%) were habitat and diet generalists, and the same percentage of species classified as uncommon or rare. In relation to the period of greatest activity, falconids were more active in the first hour while accipitrids and cathartids were more active in the fourth hour. In addition, we did not observe a seasonal pattern in this community, but Gampsonyx swainsonii showed a seasonal trend. We verified that the urban area of the municipality of Pirajuí has a significant diversity of birds of prey, including specialist species of habitat and diet. This information obtained evidence the importance of urban environments for birds of prey and showed the ability of these species to use this environment. From our results, we suggest that future studies should evaluate the effects of urban areas of different sizes and degrees of urbanization on bird of prey communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species traits affect how a species interacts with the environment and other species and thus determine the role of the species in an ecosystem. They affect not only population dynamics of a species across space and over time, but also community structure and function through their key role in the community assembly processes. Information on species traits is also highly relevant for conservation planning as they determine the adaptive ability of a species in the face of environmental changes. However, information on species traits is usually scarce and sparsely distributed amongst diverse types of literature and sources. Difficulty in accessing comprehensive information on species traits has formed an essential knowledge gap, limiting our understanding of biodiversity patterns and ecosystem functioning and preventing effective conservation. Even for birds, a well-studied taxon, comprehensive trait information is still unavailable or distributed across different sources for many species. In this study, we compiled information from a variety of sources on 23 traits for all breeding birds, including 157 resident and 14 summer visiting species, in Taiwan and surrounding islands. The 23 traits include those related to the movement patterns, morphology, geographic distributions, activity patterns, feeding behaviour, habitat use, and breeding behaviour and strategies of the species. The trait information was obtained, not only from published literature and datasets, but also from unpublished banding records and specimen measurements. The dataset also contains derived traits, including the elevation and temperature boundaries of species distribution ranges in Taiwan. In addition, structured information on nest characters, which is seldom compiled in trait datasets, has been made available, for the first time, for the breeding birds in Taiwan. Therefore, the most comprehensive trait dataset to date on breeding birds in Taiwan will allow trait-based research and applications in diverse topics and thus enhance our understanding of the patterns and dynamics of breeding bird diversity and its functions in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The data presented here come from field observations of Aves between August 2013 and October 2018 as part of a LIFE research project aiming to preserve and restore three coastal wetlands from Praia da Vitória (Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal). Systematic monthly observations were carried out for five years in order to provide a checklist and monitoring of bird species and subspecies observed in three sites: Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP). Main objectives were to determine their ornithological richness while also adding data to the overall knowledge of Azorean Avifauna and to monitor seasonal and between-year variation on species abundance. New information During a five-year observation period (2013-2018), a total of 82,985 birds belonging to 108 species/subspecies were observed. From this, 16,663 were in PPV, 11,793 from PBJ and 54,529 from PPCP. The total richness was 55, 40 and 85, respectively. Three species are first records for the Azores: Aythya americana (Eyton, 1838); Chlidonias leucopterus (Temminck, 1815) and Tringa brevipes (Vieillot, 1816). One species is a new record for Terceira Island: Lophodytes cucullatus (Linnaeus, 1758). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural riverine areas mark ecotonal habitats harbouring a characteristically diverse faunal assemblage, especially birds that also use these habitats as pathways crucial for their movement. Increasingly, riverine systems are subjected to large-scale habitat alterations due to climatic fluctuations and anthropogenic changes. Therefore, it is important to understand broad-scale community patterns for conservation planning and prioritisation for these ecotone habitats. The Bhagirathi river is one of the major headwaters of the river Ganges; despite its rich and diverse fauna, little is known about the bird species that inhabit this montane region. This study presents an extensive list of 281 bird species from 59 families, their seasonal distribution and habitat associations as recorded from field surveys along the riverine areas between April 2013 and May 2018. The present communication simultaneously discusses a few noteworthy sightings for the region and provides a baseline for future research on the distribution of birds in the Western Himalaya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Neotropical Biology & Conservation is the property of Pensoft Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Natural areas within cities are important as they contribute to maintain biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems. In Ceará state, inventories of birds in human-impacted areas are still scarce. Here, we inventory bird species and estimate the species richness at Parque Ecológico Lagoa da Fazenda, an urban park in the municipality of Sobral, in northeastern Brazil. We found 82 bird species, of which 16 breed in the area, three are endemics, and three others are introduced. Despite the moderate species richness detected, richness estimators revealed that sampling was sufficient to detect most species. To maintain or even increase local species richness, we suggest the cessation of urban expansion within the park, sewage dumping, and filling of the wetland, as well as further planting of native vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the second documented record of the Rufous-fronted Antthrush Formicarius rufifrons Blake, 1957 in Brazil. The record was made in Ramal do Riozinho do Rola, 45 km north of Rio Branco municipality, Acre state. The recordings were deposited in the archives of Xeno-canto and Wikiaves. Our record represents a distribution extension of 247 km northeast of the closest known location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Neotropical Biology & Conservation is the property of Pensoft Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A unique aspect of montane birds is the elevational stratification they show in their distribution, but in the Himalayas, a subset of the species show elevational migration, making bird communities on these mountains especially dynamic. Thus, understanding the elevational distribution and movement of species across seasons is important to fully understand broadscale community patterns. In this study, we compile a comprehensive checklist of birds along a 2,300 m Himalayan elevational gradient in the Amrutganga Valley, Kedarnath Wildlife Division, Uttarakhand, India. We recorded 244 species including 34 species new for the area and two new species for the state. Most importantly, we describe the elevational distribution of more than a 200 species and the dates of first sighting for several summer migrants in the season. We also studied changes in species richness and turnover at multiple elevations across seasons. We hope that this study provides a baseline for future research on elevational distribution of birds in the Western Himalayas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present our five years fieldworks' results on the birds' diversity and seasonal presence, including breeding birds' populations on the Jijioara River valley that represent part of ROSPA0042 Ponds of Jijia and Miletin rivers. We recorded 129 bird species, including some rare breeding species in Romania like Platalea leucorodia, Recurvirostra avosetta, Himantopus himantopus, including two globally threatened species Aythya nyroca and Crex crex, all of them being recorded with small number of breeding pairs in the area. During the passage, hundreds of individuals of waterfowls present and waders are present on the suitable feeding areas. In the western part of the site, we found a very high level of habitats' degradation, while the birds' diversity and effectives were presenting a constant negative trend during our study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aramus guarauna (Linnaeus, 1766) (Aves, Aramidae), is a heron that lives in Neotropical America and mainly inhabits swamps and freshwater wetlands from the southeastern United States to central Argentina. However, there have also been a small number of records of the bird in the southern part of Argentina. Here, we report the first documented record of A. guarauna in Chile, on the edge of the Ramsar site, Las Salinas de Huentelauquén (Canela, Región de Coquimbo). The presence of Aramus in this zone could be due to its great ability to colonize new environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remote Nangaritza Valley of southeast Ecuador has high bird diversity, combining Amazonian birds with species typical of eastern Andean slopes and foothills, a small number of taxa endemic to the Cordillera del Cóndor region of southern Ecuador and northern Peru, as well as a few forms from the dry Marañón valley region. Here, we update and review avifaunal records from the Nangaritza Valley, comparing them with the bird fauna of the Cordillera del Kutukú and making a brief assessment of bird conservation in the area. To date, 535 species are known to occur in the Nangaritza Valley, including eight species endemic or near endemic to the outer ridges and adjacent Andean slopes in southeast Ecuador and northeast Peru. Conservation perspectives in the area are not favorable owing to increasing deforestation, expansion of the agricultural frontier and mining concessions, which threaten eight regional endemic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lophornis magnificus (Vieillot, 1817) (Aves, Trochilidae) is a hummingbird species endemic to Brazil. Although some maps include the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, within the range of this species, no previous documented records exist. Here, we report six records and material documentation of the occurrence of L. magnificus in Santa Catarina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]