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Wildlife management can generate social conflict when stakeholder perceptions of the target species are not considered. Introduced Ring-necked Parakeets (RNP) are established in the UK and have been added to the 'general licence' of birds that can be killed to prevent serious economic damage. We aimed to better understand perceptions of RNPs on a nationwide scale to inform mitigation actions for potential future conflict over RNP management. We surveyed 3,947 UK residents to understand awareness of, knowledge of and attitudes towards the RNP across the UK. We found that most respondents (90.2%) were aware of the RNP. Almost half of respondents (45.9%) held negative opinions, particularly against the RNP in rural areas (64.7%), suggesting landscape contexts influence attitudes. Respondent preference for the RNP was low in local neighbourhoods (7.80%) although the species was considered aesthetically pleasing by most (83.0%). Many respondents knew the species' name (54.9%), but underestimated current population numbers in the UK (82.6%) and few knew its full native range (10.0%). We identified respondents' ecological interest, age, education, preference for, awareness of and knowledge of the RNP as significant factors associated with perceptions. Our findings suggest that the RNP presents a complex socio-environmental challenge, with respondent awareness, knowledge and attitudes each forming an important component of perceptions towards this species. We recommend that wildlife managers utilise our findings and cohesive approach to enhance future RNP perception research in the UK and abroad and towards the success of any proposed management initiatives under the UK general licence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Lipometabolic disorders, such as xanthogranulomatosis, are common diseases in avian medicine. Various manifestations of lipometabolic disorders and risk factors for acquiring lipometabolic diseases have been described in the past years. Xanthogranulomas are usually limited to the skin and supposed to be associated with traumatic or inflammatory injuries in that area. Disseminated xanthogranulomatosis, appearing simultaneously in several internal organs, has been recently described in psittacine birds, the cause of the diseases was not known. Here, we describe a case series of disseminated xanthogranulomatosis in another psittacine species, the Red-crowned Parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) and a possible association with a concurrent psittacine adenovirus 2 (PsAdV-2) infection. Viral infections that trigger lipometabolic diseases have been described in human medicine in some species of small animals and in chickens. PsAdV-2- infections are widely distributed in avian species. A possible association between PsAdV-2- infections and lipometabolic diseases in the Red-crowned Parakeet should be considered. Individual birds and flocks with both or either of these diseases should be carefully examined and monitored. Xanthogranulomatosis is a common dermatological disease in birds. This form of inflammation, possibly associated with lipometabolic disorders, can also be seen in visceral organs, which as yet has only rarely been described in avian medicine. In general, diseases related to impaired lipid metabolism are frequently reported in avian medicine, with hepatic steatosis and atherosclerosis being the most common. In human medicine, infectious agents—especially some strains of adenovirus—were implicated in contributing to lipometabolic disorders; this has also been described for chicken. Here, a case series of six Red-crowned Parakeets (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) is presented, all cases being characterized by psittacine adenovirus 2 (PsAdV-2) infection with or without disseminated xanthogranulomatosis. The affected individuals were examined alive by clinical examination. Total body radiographs were taken of two birds, haematology and blood biochemistry results were achieved in one bird. The birds either died immediately after clinical presentation or within two days, two individuals were euthanized due to worsening of their clinical condition. All birds underwent a post-mortem examination. While four birds were finally diagnosed with disseminated xanthogranulomatosis, all six individuals had large eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the epithelial cells of the collecting ducts of the kidney and tested positive for PsAdV-2. Further examinations are needed to clarify to what extent PsAdV-2 might elicit lipometabolic disease in birds, or psittacines in general, and, in particular, the Red-crowned Parakeet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this clinical retrospective study was to analyse the prevalence of Trichomonas gallinae in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). The role of T. gallinae in budgerigars as the cause of a typical clinical picture (young vomiting budgerigars) is clear; however, the frequency of latent and subclinical diseases in pet birds is unclear. Over the period of 20 years (2000-2019), 16 759 birds were examined, of which 5 256 (31.36%) belonged to the genus Melopsittacus (budgerigars). Within the 5 256 presented budgerigars, 2 547 (48.45%) were examined for trichomonads using a microscopic examination of a crop wash, and, of those, 978 birds (38.39%) were found to be positive for T. gallinae. Only 96 (9.8%) of the positive budgerigars showed typical signs of the disease, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss or anorexia. Unspecific clinical signs were seen in 312 (31.9%), while 570 birds (58.3%) did not show any clinical signs and had been presented for a routine check or other medical problems. Treatment using metronidazole (Anaerobex, Flagyl) was successful in 82-85% of these diseased birds. Trichomonads can be detected in over a third of budgerigars, even if less than 10% of the positive ones show clinical symptoms.

The mostly neotropical genus Philornis Meinert is associated with a variety of birds, where larvae can be free-living coprophagous, free-living semi-hematophagous, or subcutaneous hematophagous. The genus is taxonomically complicated because characters of some species are variable while others are more constant. Although most described Philornis species are taxonomically well known, larval biology and ecological associations with birds are less so. Here, during a study of cavity-nesting birds, we removed and collected subcutaneous larvae from young birds and pupae from nesting material in the nest boxes, that were then reared in the lab, from which we describe the adult male, larva, and puparium of Philornis obscurinervis Couri, 1984 and the puparium of Philornis diminutus Couri, 1984, and some associations of P. diminutus , Philornis falsificus Dodge & Aitken, 1968, and P. obscurinervis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this clinical retrospective study was to analyse the prevalence of Trichomonas gallinae in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). The role of T. gallinae in budgerigars as the cause of a typical clinical picture (young vomiting budgerigars) is clear; however, the frequency of latent and subclinical diseases in pet birds is unclear. Over the period of 20 years (2000-2019), 16 759 birds were examined, of which 5 256 (31.36%) belonged to the genus Melopsittacus (budgerigars). Within the 5 256 presented budgerigars, 2 547 (48.45%) were examined for trichomonads using a microscopic examination of a crop wash, and, of those, 978 birds (38.39%) were found to be positive for T. gallinae. Only 96 (9.8%) of the positive budgerigars showed typical signs of the disease, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss or anorexia. Unspecific clinical signs were seen in 312 (31.9%), while 570 birds (58.3%) did not show any clinical signs and had been presented for a routine check or other medical problems. Treatment using metronidazole (Anaerobex, Flagyl) was successful in 82-85% of these diseased birds. Trichomonads can be detected in over a third of budgerigars, even if less than 10% of the positive ones show clinical symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous tumors are rarely described in avians, and are frequently of viral origin. Solid tumors of vascular origin are seldom reported and usually result in a difficult management by surgery alone. We describe the outcome of a subcutaneous low grade epithelioid hemangioendothelioma treated with the combination of surgery and electrochemotherapy. Case Description: A ten-year-old male budgerigar parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus) was referred for evaluation of a 2-month nonhealing exophytic mass on the left wing. The bird was bright, alert, and responsive, with a 2 X 1 cm proliferative lesion on the wing. Signs of discomfort were elicited by the clinical manipulation of the wing; no other abnormalities were detected during physical evaluation. Following hematological and imaging analysis, the parakeet was anesthetized and the mass was surgically removed. The histopathology report came back with a diagnosis of incompletely excised subcutaneous low grade epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. A surgical revision was not feasible due to the anatomical location and tumor extension. Adjuvant electrochemotherapy was chosen to increase the chance of tumor control. Two sessions of electrochemotherapy were performed with a 2-week interval between treatments using intralesional bleomycin followed by trains of permeabilizing electric pulses. Side effects were not observed and the parakeet was disease free for 12 months, when he died of acute renal failure. Conclusion: In lieu of the incomplete surgical excision of the tumor, electrochemotherapy resulted in good local control and cosmetic appearance and should be added to the standard oncological therapies for avian.

Parakeets (Melopsittacus undulates) are classified parrot order Psittaciformes. Parakeets are monomorphic birds whose sex is difficult to be distinguished. Sex identification is very important for breeding efforts in order to increase the parakeet population. External morphology was determined to identify the sex of the birds. This research was conducted to determine the sex of parakeets (male and female). This study used five male and five female parakeets aged 4 months as the study objects. This study used the quantitative and qualitative method. Results of this study was verified by performing surgery to determine the sex of parakeet based on their reproductive organs. The t-test results of morphometric characteristics showed no significant different in the length of body, upper bill, lower bill, wing, tail, femur, tibial-tarsus, tarsometatarsus and digits as well as the body weight between male and female parakeets. The color of the cere was useful to accurately determine sex in parakeets (blue in males and white in females). This research provided information to the public about the differences between male and female parakeets for the selection of good broodstock in order to increase their population in captivity.

Copyright of Boletín Científico Centro de Museos de Historia Natural is the property of Universidad de Caldas 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.)

The ring‐necked parakeet Psittacula krameri is one of the best‐known invasive species in the UK. It is also arguably the species whose origins as an invasive have been the subject of the greatest speculation, with explanations ranging from birds escaping from the set of the film 'The African Queen' to animals being released in Carnaby Street in London by Jimi Hendrix in the 1960s. Here, we use geographic profiling – a statistical technique originally developed in criminology to prioritise the large lists of suspects typical in cases of serial crime such as murder, rape and arson, but more recently applied to ecology and conservation biology – to analyse the spatial patterns of the ring‐necked parakeet, from the first detailed records in the 1960s to the 21st century and ask whether spatial analysis supports these hypotheses. We show that, despite the undoubted appeal of the different hypotheses concerning their origin, spatial analysis provides no support for any of them, leading us to conclude that the birds' establishment in Britain is more likely to be a consequence of repeated releases and introductions, a view supported by a detailed search of the British Newspaper Archive. More generally, our study shows how geographic profiling can be used to understand the spatial patterns of biological invasions over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of captive-raised parrots to create or supplement wild populations has been critiqued due to variable survival rates and unreliable flocking behavior. Private bird owners free-fly their parrots in outdoor environments and utilize techniques that could address the needs of conservation breed and release projects. We present methods and results of a free-flight training technique used for 3 parrot flocks: A large-bodied (8 macaws of 3 species and 2 hybrids), small-bodied (25 individuals of 4 species), and a Sun Parakeet flock (4 individuals of 1 species). Obtained as chicks, the birds were hand-reared in an enriched environment. As juveniles, the birds were systematically exposed to increasingly complex wildland environments, mirroring the learning process of wild birds developing skills. The criteria we evaluated for each flock were predation rates, antipredator behavior, landscape navigation, and foraging. No parrots were lost to predation or disorientation during over 500 months of free-flight time, and all birds demonstrated effective flocking, desirable landscape navigation, and wild food usage. The authors conclude that this free-flight method may be directly applicable for conservation releases, similar to the use of falconry methods for raptor conservation.

The increase of antimicrobial resistance in companion animals has already been reported worldwide; however, there is a deficiency of data and studies focusing on the resistance profiles of Escherichia coli isolates from Passeriformes and Psittaciformes which regarded to be among the most common and popular pet/companion bird species. For this reason, the current research was aimed to evaluate the presence of E. coli isolates from apparently healthy companion birds and their antimicrobial resistance profiles. Two hundred sixty-five cloacal swab samples collected from apparently healthy companion birds (116 parakeets, 59 canaries, 56 parrots, 30 Indian nightingales, 3 finches, and 1 Golden finch) were examined by conventional bacteriological procedures for the identification of E. coli. Susceptibilities against 16 antimicrobials from 8 different classes and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production was also determined. Moreover, all isolates were analysed by PCR assays for ESBL, Metallo-β-lactamases, serin-carbapenemase, AmpC beta-lactamase, plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR), and aminoglycoside resistance genes. E. coli were isolated from 37.7% of the samples. Majority of the isolates were found resistant to tetracycline (84%) followed by sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (46%), streptomycin (34%), and kanamycin (25%). Eleven parakeet and 2 parrot isolates were found resistant to all quinolone class antimicrobial agents, and three parakeet isolates showed resistance to all aminoglycosides. Additionally, 67% of the isolates exhibited multi-resistance, defined herein as 3 or more antimicrobial classes. PMQR determinants (qnrB and qnrS) were determined in 3 E. coli isolates from a parrot and two parakeets. Furthermore, seven aminoglycoside resistance genes [aac(3)-IIa(aacC2), strA, strB, aadA (aadA1 or aadA2), aphA1, aphA2, and ant(2")-Ia(aadB)] were found in 3 parakeet isolates. Also, the most promising result of this study is that ESBL production was not determined phenotypically and genotypically. Here, we present the first report that various aminoglycosides and quinolone resistance genes of E. coli isolates from parakeets, and a parrot was present in Turkey. In summary, the consequences of the current research emphasise that the companion birds may act as substantial reservoirs carrying antimicrobial resistance and estimate the potential risk for humans, it is critical to define their role as reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous tumors are rarely described in avian and are frequently of viral origin. Solid tumors of vascular origin are seldom reported and usually result in difficult management by surgery alone. We describe the outcome of a subcutaneous low-grade epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) treated with the combination of surgery and electrochemotherapy. Case Description: A 10-year-old male budgerigar parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus) was referred for evaluation of a 2-month non-healing exophytic mass on the left wing. The bird was bright, alert, and responsive, with a 2 × 1 cm proliferative lesion on the wing. Signs of discomfort were elicited by the clinical manipulation of the wing; no other abnormalities were detected during physical evaluation. Following hematological and imaging analysis, the parakeet was anesthetized and the mass was surgically removed. The histopathology report came back with a diagnosis of incompletely excised subcutaneous low-grade EHE. A surgical revision was not feasible due to the anatomical location and tumor extension. Adjuvant electrochemotherapy was chosen to increase the chance of tumor control. Two sessions of electrochemotherapy were performed with a 2-week interval between treatments using intralesional bleomycin followed by trains of permeabilizing electric pulses. Side effects were not observed and the parakeet was disease-free for 12 months when he died of acute renal failure. Conclusion: In lieu of the incomplete surgical excision of the tumor, electrochemotherapy resulted in good local control and cosmetic appearance and should be added to the standard oncological therapies for avian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parakeets (Melopsittacus undulates) are classified parrot order Psittaciformes. Parakeets are monomorphic birds whose sex is difficult to be distinguished. Sex identification is very important for breeding efforts in order to increase the parakeet population. External morphology was determined to identify the sex of the birds. This research was conducted to determine the sex of parakeets (male and female). This study used five male and five female parakeets aged 4 months as the study objects. This study used the quantitative and qualitative method. Results of this study was verified by performing surgery to determine the sex of parakeet based on their reproductive organs. The t-test results of morphometric characteristics showed no significant different in the length of body, upper bill, lower bill, wing, tail, femur, tibial-tarsus, tarsometatarsus and digits as well as the body weight between male and female parakeets. The color of the cere was useful to accurately determine sex in parakeets (blue in males and white in females). This research provided information to the public about the differences between male and female parakeets for the selection of good broodstock in order to increase their population in captivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeledonia is the property of Asociacion Ornitologica de Costa Rica 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.)

The Brazilian endemic species Pyrrhura lucianii Deville, 1851, was found on private property in the municipality of Senador Guiomard in Acre State, Brazil. This is the first record of this parakeet species in the state, expanding its distribution in 219 km to the south of Pauini, the nearest location. The species was observed consuming salt, used as a cattle feed supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psittaciformes (parrots, cockatoos) are among the most endangered birds, with 31% of Neotropical species under threat. The drivers of this situation appear to be manifold and mainly of anthropogenic origin. However, this assessment is based on the last extensive consultation about the conservation situation of parrots carried out in the 1990s. Given the rapid development of anthropogenic threats, updated data are needed to strategize conservation actions. Using a population approach, we addressed this need through a wide-ranging consultation involving biologists, wildlife managers, government agencies and non-governmental conservation organizations. We gathered up-to-date information on threats affecting 192 populations of 96 Neotropical parrot species across 21 countries. Moreover, we investigated associations among current threats and population trends. Many populations were affected by multiple threats. Agriculture, Capture for the Pet Trade, Logging, each of them affected > 55% of the populations, suggesting a higher degree of risk than previously thought. In contrast to previous studies at the species level, our study showed that the threat most closely associated with decreasing population trends is now Capture for the local Pet Trade. Other threats associated with decreasing populations include Small-holder Farming, Rural Population Pressure, Nest Destruction by Poachers, Agro-industry Grazing, Small-holder Grazing, and Capture for the international Pet Trade. Conservation actions have been implemented on < 20% of populations. Our results highlight the importance of a population-level approach in revealing the extent of threats to wild populations. It is critical to increase the scope of conservation actions to reduce the capture of wild parrots for pets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigaram-se as diferenças morfológicas da siringe do periquito Touist sp, cinco machos e cinco fêmeas. A traquéia e a siringe foram dissecadas com o auxílio de uma lupa estereoscópia e avaliaram-se o número de anéis, o comprimento da traquéia e da siringe e o comprimento e espessura do músculo traqueolateral. A traquéia do macho apresentou maior número de anéis e maior comprimento que a das fêmeas. O músculo traqueolateral dos machos é mais vigoroso e origina-se no 43º anel traqueal enquanto o das fêmeas origina-se no 30º anel traqueal e se insere no primeiro anel bronquial. A siringe do piriquito é constituída por anéis craniais, cinco nos machos e três nas fêmeas, anéis intermediários, com formato semelhante a uma bolha sulcada ventralmente, anéis caudais, quatro em ambos os sexos, e pessulo. O dimorfismo sexual está presente na morfometria da musculatura e das cartilagens, o que reflete no canto mais vigoroso dos machos.The morphologic differences of the trachea and syrinx of five male and five female Touist sp. parakeets were studied. Trachea and syrinx were dissected with the aid of a stereoscopic magnifying glass and the number of rings, the length of trachea and syrinx were evaluated, as well as the length and thickness of the tracheolateral muscle. Trachea of male parakeets had larger amount of rings and was lengther than the female. Tracheolateral muscle of the males was more vigorous and arised in the 43rd tracheal ring while in the females it originated in the 30th tracheal and inserted in first bronchi ring. The syrinx was constituted by cranial rings (five in males and three in females), intermediate rings (resembly a bubble furrowed ventrally), caudal rings (four in both sexes) and the pessule. Sexual dimorphism directly influenced on the syrinx, concerning the morfometry of the musculature and cartilages, making males sound more vigorously.

Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is sub-divided in 4 sub-species (P. krameri krameri, P. krameri parvirostris, P. krameri manillensis and P. krameri borealis). Identification of the sub-species is an intricate chore. This study aimed to genetically identify and classify the indigenous wild Rose-ringed Parakeet of Pakistan using Cytochrome b (Cytb) gene polymorphism. Mitochondrial DNA of 24 unrelated Pakistani wild Ring-rose Parakeets was isolated and utilized for amplification and DNA sequencing of Cytb gene. The Phylogenetic analysis of the Cytb gene indicated that the Pakistani wild Rose ringed Parakeet was mono-phyletically claded with P. k. manillensis with a sequence similarity of 99.37%. Comparative analysis indicated 4 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) sites in the Pakistani wild Rose-ringed parakeet's Cytb gene which tags the peculiarity to the Pakistani wild Rose-ringed parakeet. This is the first report that lays bare the molecular classification of Pakistani wild Roseringed Parakeet at sub-specie level using novel Cytb gene polymorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pure-tone thresholds of three budgerigars were determined from 8 Hz to 10 kHz. At a level of 60 dB sound pressure level (re 20 μN/m), their hearing range extends 6.6 octaves from 77 Hz to 7.6 kHz, with a best sensitivity of 1.1 dB at 3 kHz. Unlike pigeons and chickens, budgerigars do not have better low-frequency hearing than humans. This difference implies anatomical, physiological, and ecological differences between birds that hear infrasound (so far, pigeons and chickens) and those that do not (budgerigars). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A captive 4-year-old female red-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) presented with anorexia, diminished activity and thick, beige, crusted lesions over the cere, legs, wings and cloaca. Deep skin scrapings from various lesions identified Knemidokoptes pilae as the causative agent. For treatment, the crusts were debrided, and the lesions were topically treated with ivermectin, chlorhexidine and silver sulfadiazine. The parakeet died the day after treatment. Previous studies examining K. pilae have focused primarily on the morphologic characteristics of adult female mites. This study presents a more comprehensive morphologic analysis, with examination of K. pilae at different stages of development (eggs, larvae and adult males and females). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanoramphusparakeets are a key biogeographic element of the Pacific. Many of these parakeets are, however, endangered, with ongoing conservation management hampered by the unresolved taxonomic status of some populations. We used modern and ancient DNA (mitochondrial DNA control region) to assess the taxonomy of the Auckland Islands populations of red-crowned (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae novaezelandiae) and yellow-crowned (Cyanoramphus auriceps) parakeets. Our analyses show that both red-crowned and yellow-crowned parakeets on the Auckland Islands are nested within the mainland New Zealand diversity of the two species. However, we also found an orange-fronted parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi) mitochondrial DNA lineage within the genome of both of these species in the Auckland Islands population. Further sampling of historic orange-fronted parakeet museum skins showed that the orange-fronted morphotype is paraphyletic with respect to mitochondrial haplotype, which is probably caused by hybridisation or incomplete lineage sorting. In light of this, we review and critically assess the taxonomic history of the orange-fronted parakeet, and address whether the species was historically present on the Auckland Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article focuses on tibiotarsal fracture in choroy parakeet bird (Enicognathus leptorhynchus), and refers to treatment by fast setting epoxy putty, polymerization , and external skeletal fixation with cerclage wire.

Information on species' abundances of members of the Family Psittacidae (parrots) is scarce. We determined relative abundances of parrots in nine areas of the Yucatan Peninsula; six sampled during the years 2011-2012, and three during 2008-2010. We counted parrots on 360 plots, calculated relative abundance, and constructed dominance - diversity graphs. Six species were identified in the study areas: Amazona albifrons, Eupsittula nana, Amazona xantholora, Amazona autumnalis, Amazona oratrix and Pionus senilis. The southern Yucatan Peninsula harbored the highest number of species. Overall, E. nana was the most abundant species, although in the southern portion of the peninsula A. albifrons was dominant. Using the abundance values obtained in this research, we can begin to identify and establish new priority sites for parrot conservation within the Yucatan Peninsula and develop new proposals for conservation and sustainable management practices in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parrots belong to a group of behaviorally advanced vertebrates and have an advanced ability of vocal learning relative to other vocal-learning birds. They can imitate human speech, synchronize their body movements to a rhythmic beat, and understand complex concepts of referential meaning to sounds. However, little is known about the genetics of these traits. Elucidating the genetic bases would require whole genome sequencing and a robust assembly of a parrot genome. Findings: We present a genomic resource for the budgerigar, an Australian Parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus) -- the most widely studied parrot species in neuroscience and behavior. We present genomic sequence data that includes over 300× raw read coverage from multiple sequencing technologies and chromosome optical maps from a single male animal. The reads and optical maps were used to create three hybrid assemblies representing some of the largest genomic scaffolds to date for a bird; two of which were annotated based on similarities to reference sets of non-redundant human, zebra finch and chicken proteins, and budgerigar transcriptome sequence assemblies. The sequence reads for this project were in part generated and used for both the Assemblathon 2 competition and the first de novo assembly of a giga-scale vertebrate genome utilizing PacBio single-molecule sequencing. Conclusions: Across several quality metrics, these budgerigar assemblies are comparable to or better than the chicken and zebra finch genome assemblies built from traditional Sanger sequencing reads, and are sufficient to analyze regions that are difficult to sequence and assemble, including those not yet assembled in prior bird genomes, and promoter regions of genes differentially regulated in vocal learning brain regions. This work provides valuable data and material for genome technology development and for investigating the genomics of complex behavioral traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive birds that nest in cavities can monopolise cavity resources and limit breeding opportunities for cavity-breeding native species. Robust ecological information on the factors influencing selection and patterns of use of nesting sites, and a comprehensive multi-scale framework for the collection and analysis of nesting data, are essential for assessing the effects of introduced cavity nesters on communities of native cavity nesters. The native avifauna of New Zealand lacks primary cavity-excavators, and is now host to a suite of introduced cavity-nesting birds that may compete for suitable nesting sites. For most of these introduced species, however, data on nesting-site use are lacking. We studied the nesting ecology of the most successful psittacine invader, the Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius), in the North Island. Rosella nest-site use was investigated at the microhabitat, macrohabitat, and landscape scales. The number of potential nesting sites available in an area and proximity to fresh water were important determinants of occupancy of nest sites by Rosellas. In urban areas where mature, cavity-bearing trees were rare, Rosellas were observed using alternative nesting sites in tree ferns. This apparent flexibility in nesting behaviour may have contributed to the success and spread of Eastern Rosellas within New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A novel Gram-negative, non-haemolytic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium was discovered in the lungs of a dead parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus) that was kept in captivity in a petshop in Basel, Switzerland. The organism is described with a chemotaxonomic profile and the nearly complete genome sequence obtained through the assembly of short sequence reads. Results Genome sequence analysis and characterization of respiratory quinones, fatty acids, polar lipids, and biochemical phenotype is presented here. Comparison of gene sequences revealed that the most similar species is Pelistega europaea, with BLAST identities of only 93% to the 16S rDNA gene, 76% identity to the rpoB gene, and a similar GC content (~43%) as the organism isolated from the parakeet, DSM 24701 (40%). The closest full genome sequences are those of Bordetella spp. and Taylorella spp. High-throughput sequencing reads from the Illumina-Solexa platform were assembled with the Edena de novo assembler to form 195 contigs comprising the ~2 Mb genome. Genome annotation with RAST, construction of phylogenetic trees with the 16S rDNA (rrs) gene sequence and the rpoB gene, and phylogenetic placement using other highly conserved marker genes with ML Tree all suggest that the bacterial species belongs to the Alcaligenaceae family. Analysis of samples from cages with healthy parakeets suggested that the newly discovered bacterial species is not widespread in parakeet living quarters. Conclusions Classification of this organism in the current taxonomy system requires the formation of a new genus and species. We designate the new genus Basilea and the new species psittacipulmonis. The type strain of Basilea psittacipulmonis is DSM 24701 (= CIP 110308 T, 16S rDNA gene sequence Genbank accession number JX412111 and GI 406042063). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian malaria is recognised as a potential threatening factor for endangered New Zealand birds; nevertheless, analyses of its prevalence are few and often retrospective, following outbreaks in managed species. We conducted an opportunistic polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based survey for Plasmodium on a remnant population of red-fronted parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) on Little Barrier Island alongside an analysis of haematology profiles as a first assessment of the effects of this parasite on parakeets. We sampled 22 parakeets and detected Plasmodium relictum DNA in nine samples (prevalence 40.9%; 95% CI = 20.49-61.51%). One successfully amplified sequence corresponded to P. relictum haplotype GRW4. Lymphocyte and heterophil to lymphocyte counts did not differ between PCR-positive and PCR-negative parakeets. However, it is unclear which state of the infection cycle the parakeets experienced during our sampling scheme. From a management perspective, our results indicate that translocation of parakeets from Little Barrier Island to sites where introduced reservoirs of P. relictum occur is a sound management option given the current exposure to this microorganism at the source site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]