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Se presenta la lista de especies de aves registradas en un área de matorral espinoso tamaulipeco del centro-norte de Tamaulipas, México. Se registraron 171 especies pertenecientes a 42 familias, en observaciones realizadas de 1999 a 2005. Las familias con un mayor número de especies fueronAnatidae con 21 especies, Accipitridae con 17 y Emberizidae con 13. Del total de especies registradas, 91 son residentes y 80 migratorias. El matorral espinoso tamaulipeco proporciona zonas de refugio, animación, alimentación, descanso, tanto para las especies de aves residentes como migratorias. El presente estudio es una contribución al conocimiento de la avifauna asociada al matorral espinoso tamaulipeco y para la región noreste de Tamaulipas.

The current study analyses and presents the results of the ten-year establishment phase of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) local re-introduction in Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park, north-western Bulgaria. Between 2010 and 2020, 61 rehabilitated and captive-bred Griffon Vultures from Spain, France and several European zoos were released from an acclimatisation aviary. The first successful breeding in the wild was reported in 2015. Thus, the species has been restored as a nesting species in the area after more than 60 years of absence. In 2020, the local population accounted for some 55–70 individuals, consisting of about 20–23 breeding pairs in three-five separate colonies and two frequently-used roosting sites. Forty-two chicks fledged from 2010 to 2020, at an average breeding success of 0.46 chicks/territorial pair and productivity of 0.62 fledglings/breeding pair. The mortality rate is calculated at 0.34; an additional 0.07 of the released individuals have never been seen or found. The local nucleus of the Griffon Vulture now covers a territory of 1,478.58 km², calculated as a 95% home range, while the 50% core area is 9.07 ± 5.73 km2 (range 2.12–22.89 km2). With these results, we consider the establishment phase of the re-introduction of the species in Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park as completed.

The current work presents the preliminary results of the Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) releases in the Balkan Mountains in 2018–2022, aiming at the species re-introduction in Bulgaria, where it was listed as locally extinct since 1985. The first imports and releases of Cinereous Vultures in Bulgaria started in 2018. Until mid-2022, 72 individuals were released in the Eastern Balkan Mountains (Kotlenska Planina SPA and Sinite Kamani Nature Park) and Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park. Of them, 63 immatures imported from Spain were released from aviaries and nine juveniles captive-bred in European zoos were released by hacking (fledging from an artificial nest). We compared the success in survival and establishment between the different release sites and methods used to adjust the ongoing technics and tactics and to support knowledge improvement for future similar projects. From the nine Cinereous Vultures released by hacking, the results were as follows: 1.00 fledging success, but only 0.22 survival in the first six months – combined period of acclimation, first migration and the first winter. All survivors from that period reached maturity into the wild, but all emigrated from the release site and settled elsewhere. Of the 63 individuals released by aviaries, 32 individuals were released in the Eastern Balkan Mountains (18 individuals are still alive – 0.56 survival; 14 individuals settled in the area, which accounts for 0.44 of all released birds and 0.78 of the survivors). Thirty-one individuals were released in Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park (23 individuals are still alive – 0.74 survival; 22 individuals settled in the area – 0.71 of all released birds and 0.96 of the survivors). Based only on aviary method comparison, the settling of the individuals in the release area was alike in the two sites. However, the Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park performed better in survival – both in acclimation and establishment periods. While comparing the release methods – hacking and release from the aviary – the following results were observed: the survival rate during acclimation was 0.86. Due to more considerable losses during the first migration and dispersal in the individuals released by hacking, the survival rate of 0.22 was significantly lower compared to 0.73 for the birds released from the aviary. Additionally, in both methods, a similar pattern in the first winter and spring migration dispersal was observed. Although the survival was equal in the released-by-hacking or aviary birds after the first year onwards, it is essential to note that the emigration of the hacked birds from the release site was 1.00. In comparison, the birds released from aviaries largely remained and settled in the release area (> 0.77 of the survivors). The cost of release and related acclimation, settling, dispersal and the first winter was the greatest: 0.12–0.17 per period, or cumulatively, it was about 0.27. Survival increased and stabilised to > 0.90 after the first year in the wild and reached nearly 1.00 after two years in the wild onwards. Two distinct nuclei of the Cinereous Vulture were established along the Balkan Mountains – the Eastern Balkan Mountains with 18–23 individuals and four formed pairs using a territory of about 642.74 km2 – 95% home range and 85.72 km2 – 50% core area with center being the town of Kotel; and Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park with present 23–29 individuals, of which 2–3 pairs formed so far, using a territory of about 1,143.66 km2 – 95% home range and 22.89 km2 – 50% core area with center being the village of Zgorigrad. The species readily accepted breeding in artificial nest platforms built by professional arborists on different tree species – oak, beech, sycamore and pine. The only naturally built nests were on the ground (n = 2) (unsuccessful) and in Scots Pine (n = 1) (successful). In 2021 and 2022, in each of the two sites, the first successful reproductions were recorded, which marked the return of the Cinereous Vulture as breeding species – 28 years after the last occasional record of a single breeding pair in the country and 36 years after it was officially listed as locally extinct in Bulgaria.

The diets of raptors are some of the best studied and well-known of all bird groups. Raptors are typically carnivores, hunting and feeding on vertebrates and, for some species, invertebrates. Here, we described instances of the Black Kite (Milvus migrans) and Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) consuming non-native avocado (Persea americana) fruit in commercial orchards in northern Australia, over multiple years. This appears to be the first instance of frugivory by raptors in Australia. We review instances of frugivory for other raptor species globally. This review finds that 29 species of raptor from the families Falconidae, Accipitridae and Cathartidae have been recorded consuming fruit, significantly more than previous reviews.

The harriers (Accipitridae: Circus) represent a unique group of raptorial birds due to their hunting behaviour and their facial ruff and prominent facial disc. During previous studies it was suggested that harrier species may have other convergent features shared with owls like asymmetric or enlarged ear openings related to sensitive hearing capabilities. In this study, cranial asymmetry was done using SAGE (Symmetry and Asymmetry of Geometric Data) software. 32 skulls of 3 species (Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) n=8, Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) n=10, Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) n=14) were photographed, digitized and assigned with 2D landmarks with TpsDig software. The variables were analysed based on Generalized Procrustes analysis. The morphometric data showed cranial asymmetry of harriers. This asymmetry should rather be explained by foraging strategies as the results are corresponding to the exceptionally good hearing of these species among diurnal raptors.

Birds are important components of biodiversity and acts as an indicator of habitat quality, productivity and stability. This study aimed to document species richness and assess the temporal distribution pattern of globally threatened bird species in the Basanta Protested forest, one of the largest corridor forests which connects Dudhwa National Park (India) with protected areas of western lowland Nepal. During study period of ten years from 2010 to 2019, a total of 381 bird species from 78 families of 19 orders were recorded. Order Passeriformes had the highest species richness (180) followed by order Accipitriformes and Charadriiformes. Among the families, the family Muscicapidae had the highest species richness (31) , followed by Accipitridae and Anatidae. Fifteen globally threatened species like Red-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris), Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) and Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) were recorded in Basanta forest. Results reveal decline on abundance of globally threatened species that might be due to anthropogenic factors like encroachment, road expansion, poaching and eutrophication. Extensive avian survey in the study area is important for further exploration of avian community along with its driving factors, which might play a crucial role in developing baseline information and implementing conservation implications.

We report on differential movement of adult and juvenile cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) in the northeast Asia. Adult vultures remain in Mongolia throughout the year, whereas many juvenile vultures migrate from their breeding grounds in Mongolia to wintering grounds in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). We trapped adult and juvenile Cinereous Vultures in Mongolia and Korea to attach wing tags (n = 270 fledglings and 10 adults) and, for some, global positioning system telemetry units (n = 31 fledglings, 18 juveniles, and 10 adults). While adult birds never left Mongolia, fledglings and juveniles wandered more widely into Russia (rarely), China, and the Korean Peninsula. Most telemetered fledglings and juveniles for which we obtained data migrated seasonally between Mongolia and South Korea. Juvenile vultures used larger summer home ranges than adults. Juveniles used much smaller winter than summer home ranges. Over the course of the year, adult and juvenile vultures moved similar amounts that differed seasonally. How juvenile vultures learn the migration route between Mongolia and Republic of Korea remains unknown. Our results have important conservation implications, as factors influencing the survivorship of migratory birds can strongly impact populations.

Scavengers can provide ecosystem services to people by removal of dead animals that could become sources of disease. From such point of view, it seems appropriate to evaluate these benefits in Azerbaijan in quantitative terms. To this end, in 2013, an extensive monitoring was organized in the Turyanchay Reserve, which covers six regions and neighboring territories (the total population here is 640 thousand people). A high level of animal mortality in the Turyanchay Reserve is supported by the concentration of 24 species of wild mammals and 700 thousand domestic animals in the surrounding environment. The difficult terrain area is another factor leading to the death of animals. Animals grazing on hillsides often break down and die. The bodies of domestic and wild animals killed by wolves also often remain lying on this territory. In addition, vehicles traveling along the Agdash-Gabala highway cause the death of many domestic and wild animals. During the two months of the study (from June to July), 62 dead animals were found. Ten kinds of diseases were identified in 38 undecomposed bodies of these animals. Scavengers eat animal bodies in one-three days (without bones), preventing them from becoming a source of infection. The role of necrophages in minimizing of epizootic cases and improving sanitary conditions is important for ecosystems, because the blood of most animals is a carrier of diseases and most of the parasites present in it are common to both humans and animals. Scavengers can be used by veterinary organizations as indicators to simplify the identification of animal bodies and the subsequent disposal of their remains. Keywords: ecosystems; scavenger birds; animal corpses; disease; indicators; Azerbaijan References Beasley, J. C., Olson, Z. H., De Vault TL. (2015). Ecological role of vertebrate scavengers. In: Benbow M E, Tomberlin JK, Tarone AM. (Eds.). Carrion ecology, evolution and their applications (pp. 107–127). Boca Raton, Fl: CRC Press. Borisov, B. A., Moroz, B. V. (2003). Clinic, diagnosis and toxoplasmosis. Moscow, Russia, Kolos (In Russian). Cross, M. L., Buddle, B. M., Aldwell, F. E. (2007). The potential of oral vaccines for disease control in wildlife species. Vet J. 174, 472-480. Frolich, K. (2002). A review of mutual transmission of important infectious diseases between livestock and wildlife in Europe. Annals the New York Academy of Sciences, 969(1), 4-13. Grass, J. E., Gould, L. H., Mahon, B. E. (2013). Epidemiology of food borne disease outbreaks caused by Clostridium perfringens, United States, 1998-2010. Foodborne Pathog. Dis, 10, 131–136. Grilli, M. G., Bildstein, K. L., Lambertucci, A. L. (2019). Nature's clean-up crew: Quantifying ecosystem services offered by a migratory avian scavenger on a continental scale. Ecosystem Services 39 (October):100990. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.100990 Inger, R., Per, E., Cox, D. T., Gaston, K. J. (2016). Key role in ecosystem functioning of scavengers reliant on a single common species. Scientific Reports, 6, 29641. Karimov, A. M. (2001). Diagnosis of liver echinococcosis. Synopsis of thesis. Dushanbe, Tadjikstan, 2001, 26 (In Russian). Karimov, T. A. (2011). About the roles of scavengers as nature’s orderlies. Materials of the conference on veterinary medicine and food security, problems and perspectives. Materials of international conference. Nakhchivan. 23-24 October: 58-61 (in Azerbaijani). Margalida A, Donazar JA, Carrete M, Sanchez�?�Zapata JA. 2010. Sanitary versus environmental policies: Fitting together two pieces of the puzzle of European vulture conservation. Journal of Applied Ecology, 47, 931–935. Markandya, A., Taylor, T., longo, A., Murty, M. N., Murty, S, et al. (2008). Counting the cost of vulture decline an appraisal of the human health and other benefits of vultures in India. Ecological Economics, 67, 194–204. Morales, R. Z., Perez�?�Gar�?ia, J. M., Moleon, M., Botella, F., Carrete, M, et al. (2015). Supplanting ecosystem services provided by scavengers raises greenhouse gas emissions. Scientific Reports, 5, 7811. Mundy, P., Butchart, D., Ledger, J., Piper, S. (1992). The vultures of Africa. London, UK: Academic Press. Peisley, R. K., Saunders, M. E., Robinson, W. A., Luck, G. W. (2017). The role of avian scavengers in the breakdown of corpses in pastoral landscapes. J. Emu, 117(1), 68-77. DOI: 10.1080/01584197. 2016.1271990 Roggenbuck, M., Baerholm, I., Blom, N., Baelum, J., Bertelsen, M. (2014). The microbiome of New World vultures. Nature Communications, 5(1), 5498. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6498 Schlacher, T. A., Weston, M. A., Schoeman, D. S., Olds, A. D., Huijbers, C. M, et al. (2015). Golden opportunities: A horizon scan to expand sandy beach ecology. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 157, 1–6. Van Immerseel, F., De. Buck, J., Pasmans, F., Huyghebaert, G., Haesebrouck, F, et al. (2004). Clostridium perfringens in poultry: an emerging threat for animal and public health. Avian Pathol, 33, 537–549. Wilson, E. E., Wolkovich, E. (2011). Scavenging: How carnivores and carrion structure communities. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 26, 129–135. Zharov, A. V., Ivanov, I. V., Strelnikov, A. P. (2000). Autopsy and pathological diagnosis of animal diseases. Moscow (In Russian).

The Eastern Imperial Eagle (EIE) is a top predator exploiting different prey in different parts of its distribution. In this study, we summarise data collected over a long period of time (for 25 consecutive years), identifying key prey species in the different regions, as well as clarifying seasonal preferences in the eagle’s diet. Most studies on the EIE food composition covering different parts of the species distribution range analyse the breeding season, while data about the winter diet are scarce. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study detailing the differences in EIE’s dietary preferences between the breeding and the winter periods. We identified 4891 specimens belonging to 196 different taxa, which represents the most comprehensive study considering the diet diversity of this threatened species. Mammals represented the largest proportion of the diet, followed by birds and reptiles. Northern White-breasted Hedgehog was the most common prey, accounting for 25.7% of the total prey caught and 26.75% of the biomass. The European Souslik was the second most important prey with 14.35% participation in the eagle’s diet, but with a 3.75% contribution to the biomass. As we predicted, prey composition and main prey species varied spatially and seasonally. Modelling differences in the EIE diet, we found that the “territory effect” had the strongest impact on the dietary variations. Diet diversity differed significantly between regions (F = 12.6, df = 4, p = 0.01). During the breeding season, eagles fed mainly on Hedgehogs (29.88%), Sousliks (16.85%) and Storks (7.74%), while the winter diet was predominantly small rodents (44.17%) and songbirds (13.96%). We found that top predators, such as EIE, have successfully adapted to a novel food source, which is abundant in the area. The detected flexibility in the diet of the species and its ability to switch to alternative prey, if available, when the primary prey decreased, should be considered when planning species conservation efforts. Investigating the temporal change of the main prey in the eagle’s diet is also crucial for further species conservation measures.

Background. The analysis of the available data on the study of the polymorphism of the mtDNA control region in the Eurasian populations of burial eagles (1996-2020) indicates their genetic differentiation by geographical distribution. The periodic detection of new haplotypes indicates the relevance of such studies and insufficient knowledge of this issue. The aim of the work is to clarify the level of polymorphism and identify specific genetic features of the Volga population of the imperial eagle (A. heliaca) according to the analysis of the variability of mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA. Materials and methods. The material for genetic research was new collections (n = 22) of linn feathers of burial eagles collected in the Ulyanovsk region (n = 15), the Republic of Tatarstan (n = 4), the Republic Mordovia (n = 2) and the Chuvash Republic (n = 1). DNA was isolated from feathers of adult birds and the pulp and blood of chicks according to the standard method of phenol-chloroform extraction. A fragment (345 pn) of the mtDNA control region (D-loop) and three tetranucleotide microsatellite repeats (IEAAAG09, IEAAAG11, IEAAAG15) were used for genetic analysis. Fragments of the mtDNA control region (n = 22) and microsatellite DNA (n = 171) were sequenced using an ABI 3500 sequencer (Applied Biosystems). Haplotypic and nucleotide diversity were studied using the DnaSP 5.10.01 program. To reconstruct phylogenetic relationships, Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Neighbor-Joining (NJ) methods were used in the MEGA X program. Microsatellite genetic data was analyzed using the Arlequin 3.5.2 and Structure 2.3.4 programs. The obtained nucleotide sequences of newly identified mtDNA haplotypes of the imperial eagle were deposited in GenBank NCBI under the numbers OK504653 (haplotype RE) and OK504654 (haplotype RF). For statistical processing of the results, a significance level of p < 0.05 was set for all tests. Results. Analysis of the distribution of mtDNA control region haplotypes across 5 geographically isolated Imperial eagle breeding groups in the Volga region (ULR-NW – northwest of the Ulyanovsk region, UlR-NE – northeast of the Ulyanovsk region, UlR–C – center of the Ulyanovsk region, UlR-S – south of the Ulyanovsk region, RTat – Republic of Tatarstan) revealed their subdivision. When analyzing the average numbers of nucleotide differences, the isolation of the breeding groups from the Republic of Tatarstan and the Ulyanovsk region is noticeable. The average number of nucleotide differences (k) between all nest groups was 1.606 and was lower than this indicator when comparing the group from Tatarstan with the Ulyanovsk groups (1.739). In the phylogenetic analysis, two haplogroups of the imperial eagle were identified. The first haplogroup (AQH_1) is formed by mtDNA haplotypes characterized by one or two nucleotide substitutions. The second haplogroup (AQH_2) consists of haplotypes having from 3 to 5 nucleotide substitutions. The results of the median test also indicate the existence of 2 genetically close groups of sequences of a fragment of the mtDNA control region corresponding to more or less altered haplotypes. The analysis of microsatellite DNA of geographically isolated breeding groups of imperial eagles in the Ulyanovsk region revealed a low level of internal polymorphism. Conclusion. The conducted studies have shown that the Volga population of the imperial eagle is genetically differentiated. It consists of two subpopulations – Ulyanovsk and Tatarstan, characterized by specific mtDNA haplotypes. These subpopulations are confined to the Volga and Bugulminsko-Belebeevskaya uplands. The analysis of microsatellite DNA, as well as the reconstruction of evolutionary events related to the variability of mtDNA haplotypes show that the level of polymorphism of the Ulyanovsk subpopulation of imperial eagles is low, and the population itself is fairly homogeneous.

The knowledge in the behaviour and movement of endangered species is of key importance for the precise targeting and assessing the efficiency of nature conservation actions, especially considering vultures, which explore vast areas to locate ephemeral and unpredictable food resources. Therefore, a total of 51 Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) from both the re-introduced population and the autochthonous Balkan Peninsula (Balkans) colonies have been tagged with GPS/GSM transmitters in recent years, in order to study their seasonal and spatial distribution. The current study presents the analysis of the high-resolution GPS location data, acquired between January 2016 and March 2021. A total of 1,138,383 locations (an average number of 23,716 ± 18,886 positions per bird, ranged between 2,515 and 76,431 of total fixes per bird; n=48) were used to estimate the home range size and identify the traditional foraging areas and roosting sites of the birds during the wintering, migration/roaming and summering periods. Our results reveal that Griffon Vultures movement activity and home range size varied considerably throughout the annual cycle, especially between their wintering and summering grounds, while exhibiting significant overlapping amongst the tracked individuals. Specifically, immature Griffon Vultures travel long distances across all Balkan Peninsula countries, but always gather with conspecifics, showing strong fidelity to active breeding/roosting sites. The total home range 95% area of the Griffon Vulture population on the Balkans was estimated at 39,986.4 km² and the 50% core area at 1,545.42 km² (n = 48). All tracked birds were found to either visit or frequently use (> 95% of the time) the same seven vulture key zones on the Balkan Peninsula – one in Serbia, one shared between North Macedonia and Bulgaria, one shared between Bulgaria and Greece, two entirely lying in Bulgaria, one in western Greece and one shared between Kvarner Archipelago islands in Croatia and the Julian Alps - Italy, Austria and Slovenia. Several smaller sub-zones were also defined within these general ones. The seven key zones form a coherent network and are used as stepping stones for Griffon Vultures during their migration movements and roaming, but also wintering and summering. The observed concentration tendency of Griffon Vultures on the Balkans and the predictability of their temporal and spatial presence should be used to precisely target, address and substantially increase the efficiency of the conservation measures in this marginal and, thus, still vulnerable meta-population.

The Broad-winged Hawk ( Buteo platypterus (Vieillot, 1823)) (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) is a migratory bird of prey that winters in Central and South America. This note reports two new records of the species in southern Brazil, which are currently the southernmost records in wintering areas. One of the observations represents the first occurrence for Santa Catarina state and the other is only the second for Rio Grande do Sul state, the first one for the central region of the state. Both observations suggest that this species may be more frequent than expected in southern Brazil and neighbouring countries.

This is the first study to describe the mitochondrial genome of the Himalayan Griffon, Gyps himalayensis, which is an Old World vulture belonging to the family Accipitridae and occurring along the Himalayas and the adjoining Tibetan Plateau. Its mitogenome is a closed circular molecule 17,381 bp in size containing 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA coding genes, two rRNA-coding genes, a control region (CR), and an extra pseudo-control region (CCR) that are conserved in most Accipitridae mitogenomes. The overall base composition of the G. himalayensis mitogenome is 24.55% A, 29.49% T, 31.59% C, and 14.37% G, which is typical for bird mitochondrial genomes. The alignment of the Accipitridae species control regions showed high levels of genetic variation and abundant AT content. At the 5 ' end of the domain I region, a long continuous poly-C sequence was found. Two tandem repeats were found in the pseudo-control regions. Phylogenetic analysis with Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood based on 13 protein-coding genes indicated that the relationships at the family level were (Falconidae + (Cathartidae + (Sagittariidae + (Accipitridae + Pandionidae))). In the Accipitridae clade, G. himalayensis is more closely related to Aegypius monachus than to Spilornis cheela. The complete mitogenome of G. himalayensis provides a potentially useful resource for further exploration of the taxonomic status and phylogenetic history of Gyps species.

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Bird eggs can become part of the archaeological record either accidentally or as a result of human activities but, in both instances, they can reveal important aspects of the environment at the site, the ways in which people chose to exploit it, and even the existence of subtle ecological balances between humans and other animals. This is the case for El Mirόn, one of the most important cave sites in Cantabrian Spain, with occupation levels spanning around 40,000 years, from the late Middle Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age. This mountainous area in Cantabria was an ideal environment for hunting medium-sized game and, as such, supported both human and non-human predators, including birds of prey. Here we use a combination of peptide mass fingerprinting (by MALDI-MS) and protein sequencing (by LC-MS/MS) in order to taxonomically identify ninety-five fragments of eggshells recovered from nineteen archaeological layers. We firmly identify these as diurnal birds of prey (Accipitridae) and suggest that the species might have been bearded vulture, based on previous taphonomic studies that highlighted its presence at the cave. The implication is that both species of diurnal predators, humans and birds, inhabited the cave and used the surrounding environment during different periods of the year.

We present new records of Gray-bellied Hawk, Accipiter poliogaster (Temminck, 1824), and Rufous-thighed Hawk, A. striatus erythronemius (Kaup, 1850), from northeastern Brazil and review the occurrence of these species in this region. While A. s. erythronemius occurs in secondary forests in the semi-arid regions of northeast Brazil, A. poliogaster seems to be associated more with mature and wet forests and not in the Caatinga scrub.

The current study presents and analyses the results from the recently completed 11-year-establishment phase, following the start of the local re-introduction of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Kotlenska Planina SPA and Sinite Kamani Nature Park in the Eastern Balkan Mountains of Bulgaria in the period 2010-2020. As a result of the re-introduction efforts and release of 153 individuals, the Griffon Vulture has been successfully reproducing again in the Eastern Balkan Mountains since 2016, after more than 40-50 years of absence. At 2020, the local population consists of some 80 local and up to 80-115 birds, together with sojourn individuals. Amongst them, 23-25 breeding pairs, located in five different colonies and two more frequently used roosting sites. The current average productivity remains relatively low: 0.41 fledglings/territorial pair and fledging success of 0.61 fledglings/breeding pair between 2016 and 2020, but shows a trend to increase with time and the growing experience of the young locally re-introduced population. The mortality confirmed between 2010-2021 accounts for 33%, mostly due to electrocution as a post-release effect in the first six months following their release. Our data show that the newly established population in the Eastern Balkan Mountains mostly forages on feeding sites, having a comparatively small 95% home range: 281.88 ± 91 km2 and 50% core area: 6.6 ± 2.28 km2 (range 4.7–8.5 km2). We, therefore, consider the establishment phase of the re-introduction of Griffon Vulture in this particular site as successfully completed, but management should continue. Furthermore, the area of the Eastern Balkan Mountains can currently be regarded as a "source" for the species within the source-sink population regulation concept in the national and Balkan context.

The analysis of biological diversity at a regional scale is the first step to understand and classify the biological importance of a specific region and therefore the adoption of implementing conservation strategies. We conducted weekly bird counts by using the point count method from January 2015 to December 2017 in Midelt province, Morocco. A total of 130 bird species were observed, among breeding, migrant, and wintering species belonging to 42 families. Accipitridae (15 species), Muscicapidae (9 species), and Alaudidae (9 species) were the most observed families. Order of Passeriformes was the dominant order represented with 16 families and 68 species. Moreover, five species of conservation concern were recorded such as the vulnerable European turtle dove, houbara bustard, and Dupont’s lark; the near threatened ferruginous duck and bearded vulture; and the endangered Egyptian vulture. On the other hand, the results of the diversity analysis (Margalef index, Shannon–Wiener index, and Simpson index) showed the highest diversity in wetlands, forests, steppes, and farmlands, while cliff, landfills, and urban areas were the least diversified habitats. Finally, with its geographic situation between humid Atlas and Sahara desert, as well as the diversity of habitats and avifauna, Midelt region needs advanced analysis in terms of biodiversity and environmental characteristics, in order to provide effective conservation management.

Kites of the Elaninae group are small and medium-sized, mostly tropical raptors traditionally considered as an early diverged subfamily of the Accipitridae. We used nucleotide sequences of three genetic markers (mitochondrial Cyt b and COI, nuclear RAG-1) to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of the Elaninae, other kites, and representatives of different families of diurnal raptors. Our results confirm the basal position of Elaninae, separated the latest in Early Miocene, including Chelictinia riocourii, which was not sequenced before and belongs to this group. Not only DNA data but also cytological, morphological, and ecological data show the singularity of Elaninae. We suggest elevating this group to family level as Elanidae within the order Accipitriformes. It includes Gampsonyx swainsonii as a monotypic subfamily because of distinctive traits and DNA sequence data. Taxonomic implications for other macrogroups of Accipitriformes are discussed.

The early and mid-Pleistocene avian communities of North America are best known from the Rocky Mountain region and peninsular Florida. In the Appalachian Mountain region, only a small number of avian bones from mid-latitude cave deposits have been attributed to this time period. Here, I enlarge this record by reporting on bird bones from Cumberland Bone Cave in western Maryland, a well-known locality for large and small Irvingtonian mammals and other vertebrates. The taxa identified encompass ground birds, waterfowl, a hawk, two eagles, a vulture, an owl, a jay, a flycatcher, a junco or sparrow, and a finch. No purely boreal elements are confirmed as part of the avian assemblage, and all of the extant species that are positively or tentatively identified in the assemblage still occur in the region today. An immature bone referred to the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus (Bechstein)) represents an Irvingtonian breeding record for the species in Maryland. This record occurs at the northern limit of the current breeding range for the genus. Extinct species in the assemblage include the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius (Linnaeus)), a large screech owl (Megascops guildayi (Brodkorb & Mourer-Chauviré 1984)), and the large goose, Branta dickeyi Miller 1924. It can be argued that none of these represent the extinction of a phyletic lineage during the Irvingtonian. Based on the broad habitat preferences of modern counterparts of the birds in the assemblage, we can expect that Irvingtonian habitats near the site included mixed forest with mast-producing hardwoods and both early and later successional stages represented. There must have been fluvial, wetland, or lacustrine habitat suitable for waterbirds nearby, and probably also open woodland or grassy savannah areas, suitable for vulture foraging, turkey nesting, and booming by Ruffed Grouse.

Despite the increasing numbers of hydrodam worldwide, only a handful of studies evaluated their impacts on biodiversity. Compared to terrestrial animals, birds were thought to be less affected by inundation process, following impoundment. At the Hulu Terengganu Hydroelectric Dam in Peninsular Malaysia, our study compared species assemblages and diversity of birds within the dam area (i.e. the dam reservoir and catchment area) after recent logging and inundation in relation to a nearby forest logged 30 years ago. Using point count and mist-netting techniques, we recorded a total of 64 species (Shannon Index (H’) = 3.827) in the dam area and 91 species (H’=3.99) in historically-logged forests. Insectivore species richness was significantly higher in the historically-logged forests (Mann-Whitney: Z=4.339, N=205, p

We review the distribution of the Ornate Hawk-eagle, Spizaetus ornatus (Daudin, 1800), in the state of São Paulo, reporting localities with records of the species. Most locations where the species has been historically documented have no recent records, especially to the west of the large remnants of forest in the coastal mountain ranges. Most current records come from Serra de Paranapiacaba, southwestern São Paulo, whereas no records exist within the Cerrado domain. Unlike the neighboring state of Minas Gerais, where it is found in fragmented landscapes, in São Paulo, the species occurs exclusively within protected areas in large blocks of Atlantic Forest.

Global urbanization is rapidly increasing, specifically within Africa. However, the effects of these processes on Africa's wildlife are largely unexplored. For many species, the effects are detrimental, whereas others are able to colonize these human-altered environments and can even thrive. Raptors are positioned at the top of the food chain and therefore particularly susceptible to environmental changes, and yet they are increasingly associated with urban areas. Given that adaptations to cope with urban stressors may differ from those occurring in more natural habitats, we might expect that directional selection in urban areas could account for phenotypic divergence between urban and rural individuals. This might include selection for different plumage coloration, which could be facilitated in color polymorphic species because no additional mutations are required to create variation. Color polymorphism is common in raptors, with 22% of the Accipitridae family being polymorphic. In this study, w...

We assessed the abundance and diversity of avian species in two distinct habitats types; main campus area (human inhabited) and adjoining heavily degraded savannah grassland.By employing Jaccard/ Tanimoto Coefficient of Similarity, we tested whether bird species assemblage will differ between the two habitats, while Shannon Weiner Diversity Index was used to determine the level of diversity between sites. Line transect assessment generated a total of 1035 individuals of 69 avian species from 53 genera and 32 families. The most diverse avian family was Estrildidae with nine (9) avian species, followed by Columbidae with six (6), while Falconidae, Nectriniidae, and Turdidae families had a record of four (4) species each. Five families (Ardeidae, Malaconotidae, Ploceidae, Silviidae, Sturnidae) and five families (Accipitridae, Bucerotidae, Capitonidae, Viduidaeand Psittacidae) followed with three (3) and (2) species respectively. Seventeen(17) families were each represented by a single species. Jaccard/ Tanimoto Coefficient revealed that species composition differed between the two habitats with a similarity coefficient of 66.7 %, while Shannon Weiner Diversity Index was 1.56 and 1.67 for human inhabited(HI) and degraded savannah (DS) habitats respectively. The proximity to a natural savannah habitat albeit degraded has positive implications for avian diversity in the study area. We recommend more exclusion of human activities such as fuel wood harvesting and land grab for farming as this has grave consequences for the thriving population of species that are sensitive to human presence and urbanization.

Predation is the main cause of nest failure among birds and, therefore, a strong selective agent. To fully understand patterns of nest predation, determining the identities of nest predators is crucial. Information about nest predators in the Neotropics, however, is largely anecdotal and not easily accessible in the literature. Our objective was to search the literature and compile a list of the known predators of nests in the Neotropics. We identified 256 species belonging to 67 families of birds, reptiles, mammals, and arthropods as nest predators. Families with at least 10 species of identified nest predators included Colubridae, Accipitridae, Corvidae, Ramphastidae, Falconidae, Furnariidae, Icteridae, and Didelphidae. Species in the first five of these families, plus the family Cebidae, predated nests of at least 30 species of birds. Many species not included on our list are also likely nest predators, e.g., 79 species identified as nest predators in the Nearctic that also occur in the Neotropics, but have not yet been confirmed as predators there. Increased use of video technology in the future should lead to an increase in the numbers of nest predators identified, particularly those that are nocturnal. By determining which species on our list occur in a given study area, researchers can now consider the likely nest predators in their study areas when designing hypotheses and conservation plans.

The late-Holocene bird remains retrieved during archaeological excavations on pelagic island of Palagruža, Croatia, were analysed. The results of the analysis revealed presence of representatives of nine families: Procellariidae, Sulidae, Ardeidae, Accipitridae, Phasianidae, Rallidae, Laridae, Strigidae and Corvidae. Among the bird remains, the most numerous were remains of the Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus, which were widely distributed in the Mediterranean during the late Pleistocene. The finding of the Northern Gannet bones on Palagruža represents the first fossil record of this species in the Adriatic Sea and indicates a possible breeding site on the island. The direct Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating on two gannet bones revealed the age of 2878 ± 34 and 2694 ± 45 yr BP. Gannet bones from Palagruža were some 6000 years younger than other fossil records of that species from the Mediterranean. It is possible that during the gannet’s northward distributional shift, probably caused by centennial climatic variability and human pressure, gannet colony on that remote island in the Adriatic lasted longer than in the rest of the Mediterranean and existed until the late-Holocene. Lower sea-surface temperatures compared with the eastern Mediterranean, higher nutritive productivity and remoteness of Palagruža provided adequate breeding opportunities during that period.

The Hook-billed Kite ( Chondrohierax uncinatus ) is a diurnal raptor species that is widely distributed across the Neotropics, but some aspects of its social and ecological behavior are poorly understood. Here, we review and report records of flocking behavior of this species at various locations in South America, mainly in Brazil. We report eight new observations of such behavior, mainly in northern Brazil. It is possible that flocking behavior in this species is more common in northern South America than in the southern part of the continent, but it is perhaps overlooked or goes unreported by observers in these places.

In spite of its small area, Palestine (27,000 km2) is home to more than 500 species of ornithofauna, inhabiting all types of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The Gaza Strip (365 km2), which represents 1.5% of Palestine, has a considerable number of ornithofaunistic species as well. Al-Mawasi ecosystem (14 m2), which lies in the far south-west of the Gaza Strip, has never been orinthologically studied. Thus, the current study comes to survey the ornithofauna prevailing at Al-Mawasi ecosystem as a natural to semi-natural environment. Ornithofauna were monitored using direct observations and binoculars for the lasted ten years (2009-2018). A total number of 135 ornithofaunistic species, belonging to 45 families and 17 orders were encountered at Al-Mawasi ecosystem. Passeriformes was the largest order and comprised 57 (42.2%) of the recorded species, while the non-passerines constituted the remaining 78 species (57.8%). Muscicapidae was the largest among the recorded families; represented by 13 species (9.6%), and followed by 10 species of Scolopacidae, (7.4%), 8 species of Ardeidae and Fringillidae (5.9%) for each and 7 species of Accipitridae (5.0%). Aquatic ornithofaunistic species represented 44 (32.6%) of the total species recorded, while the terrestrial ones represented 91 (67.4%). The Palestine Sunbird (Nectarinia osea) is a common endemic Palestinian species in Al-Mawasi ecosystem. The Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) has become an actual source of financial income for its catchers, and as a result, it is extensively hunted in vast areas of the Gaza Strip. Finally, the study recommends carrying out more research on ornithofauna inhabiting the natural, agricultural and urban environments of the Gaza Strip. The establishment of a specialized center dealing with bird surveys and conservation is very essential in the Gaza Strip, which is an actual hot spot experiencing an escalating environmental degradation. In spite of its small area, Palestine (27,000 km2) is home to more than 500 species of ornithofauna, inhabiting all types of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The Gaza Strip (365 km2), which represents 1.5% of Palestine, has a considerable number of ornithofaunistic species as well. Al-Mawasi ecosystem (14 m2), which lies in the far south-west of the Gaza Strip, has never been orinthologically studied. Thus, the current study comes to survey the ornithofauna prevailing at Al-Mawasi ecosystem as a natural to semi-natural environment. Ornithofauna were monitored using direct observations and binoculars for the lasted ten years (2009-2018). A total number of 135 ornithofaunistic species, belonging to 45 families and 17 orders were encountered at Al-Mawasi ecosystem. Passeriformes was the largest order and comprised 57 (42.2%) of the recorded species, while the non-passerines constituted the remaining 78 species (57.8%). Muscicapidae was the largest among the recorded families; represented by 13 species (9.6%), and followed by 10 species of Scolopacidae, (7.4%), 8 species of Ardeidae and Fringillidae (5.9%) for each and 7 species of Accipitridae (5.0%). Aquatic ornithofaunistic species represented 44 (32.6%) of the total species recorded, while the terrestrial ones represented 91 (67.4%). The Palestine Sunbird (Nectarinia osea) is a common endemic Palestinian species in Al-Mawasi ecosystem. The Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) has become an actual source of financial income for its catchers, and as a result, it is extensively hunted in vast areas of the Gaza Strip. Finally, the study recommends carrying out more research on ornithofauna inhabiting the natural, agricultural and urban environments of the Gaza Strip. The establishment of a specialized center dealing with bird surveys and conservation is very essential in the Gaza Strip, which is an actual hot spot experiencing an escalating environmental degradation.

SMALL birds increase their fat reserves in winter as insurance against reduced or unpredictable food supplies1: fat is accumulated daily from feeding and utilized overnight2. Field observations indicate that birds often maintain smaller reserves than expected2, which implies that there is a cost of being fat3. One such cost could be that an increased fat load reduces manoeuvrability, thus increasing the risk of predation3,4. Here we demonstrate a link between fat reserves and predation risk by describing changes in body mass (roughly equivalent to fat reserves) that have occurred in British populations of the great tit, Parus major since 1950, a period when the numbers of its principal predator, the spar-rowhawk Accipiter nisus, changed markedly. Furthermore, these changes resulted from individual tits adjusting their mass, rather than from the selection of heavier great tits by hawks.

International audience; Understanding how and why diversification rates vary through time, space, and across species groups is key to understanding the emergence of today's biodiversity. Phylogenetic approaches aimed at identifying variations in diversification rates during the evolutionary history of clades have focused on exceptional shifts subtending evolutionary radiations. While such shifts have undoubtedly affected the history of life (1),identifying smaller but more frequent changes is important as well. We develop ClaDS, a new Bayesian approach for estimating branch-specific diversification rates on a phylogeny, that relies on a model with changes in diversification rates at each speciation event. We show using Monte-Carlo simulations that the approach performs well at inferring both small and large changes in diversification. Applying our approach to bird phylogenies covering the entire avian radiation, we find that diversification rates are remarkably heterogeneous within evolutionary restricted species groups. Some groups such as Accipitridae (hawks and allies) cover almost the full range of speciation rates found across the entire bird radiation. As much as 76% of the variation in branch-specific rates across this radiation is due to intra-clade variation, suggesting that a large part of the variation in diversification rates is due to many small rather than few large shifts.

The White-collared Kite (Leptodon forbesi) is an endemic and threatened raptor of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Here we present the known records of the species, describe the vegetation types where it was found and show Ecological Niche Models generated using Maxent algorithm. Most of the presence data were recorded in open ombrophilous forest and seasonal semideciduous forest in the states of Alagoas and Pernambuco. Maxent model had a good performance (AUC=0.982±0.004SD), showing higher suitability for the species from Paraíba to Alagoas states. Maxent average model revealed a distribution range of 20,344km² and an area of occupancy of 1,636.89km². The most suitable areas for the species are those near watercourses and streams. We suggest the creation of protected areas, including private ones, and possible restoration actions to connect the most suitable forest fragments, along with the captive breeding, as the most appropriate strategies for the conservation of the White-collared Kite. O gavião-de-pescoço-branco (Leptodon forbesi) é uma ave de rapina endêmica e ameaçada de extinção da Mata Atlântica Brasileira. Apresentamos aqui uma compilação dos registros sobre esta espécie, bem como o tipo de vegetação onde ele ocorre. Foram gerados modelos de nicho ecológico com o algoritmo Maxent, sendo estimada a área potencial com adequabilidade para o táxon através da medida da extensão da ocorrência e da área de ocupação. A maioria dos registros da espécie está concentrada nos estados de Alagoas e Pernambuco, principalmente na floresta ombrófila aberta (15 registros) e na floresta estacional semidecidual (12 registros). O modelo Maxent apresentou um bom desempenho (AUC = 0,982 ± 0,004 DP), mostrando alta probabilidade de ocorrência nos estados da Paraíba a Alagoas. Com base no modelo, a área de distribuição geográfica foi estimada em 20.344 km2 e a área de ocupação em 1.636,89 km2. As áreas com maior adequabilidade para a espécie estão próximas aos cursos d’água e córregos, sendo favorecidas principalmente pelas variáveis relacionadas à pluviometria. Como estratégia de conservação nós recomendamos a criação de novas Unidades de Conservação, principalmente RPPNs.

Scavenging is a key process in the ecosystems. Studying foraging movements of obligate scavengers such as vultures can contribute to a better understanding of the scavenging-related patterns and processes. Here we review methods that can be used to track foraging vultures in the field. Yet, in order to track, vultures need to be trapped and tagged in manner that would ensure their health and normal survival and behavior. GPS telemetry is currently the best tool to track vultures for foraging studies. In a review of recent studies, we highlight the predominance of studies of species from Europe, North America and Southern Africa, and we deplore the lack of knowledge of species from the Tropics. Home ranges vary tremendously between sites, season and species (from a few km2 to >300,000 km2) but also depending on the analysis method used. Daily distances travelled are more repeatable between species, with values ranging between 30 and 40 km. Yet the way that carrion distribution can affect scavenger distribution and foraging behavior is still poorly understood.

We investigated the directions of migration (reversed vs. expected) of raptors approaching a geographical strait in relation to local wind conditions, time of day, flock size and location of the observation post (coastal zone vs. inland zone). Fieldwork was conducted during autumn migration in 2011, 2012 and 2013 at a migratory bottleneck located in the southernmost part of the Italian Peninsula (Calabrian Apennines), using four watch points. In this area, migrating birds face the narrowest water surface between continental Italy and Sicily, the Strait of Messina. The only species showing substantial reverse migration was the short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus). In particular, eagles, mostly first calendar year (cy) birds, showed this behavior when passing closer to the coast (5 km inland of the Strait of Messina). Our results could reflect the reluctance of these birds to head south when approaching this relatively short stretch of sea, even before reaching the coastline. This behavior co...

Populations of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) have been in a decline since the nineteenth century. We used our research, unpublished reports, and scientific literature to identify which predators kill sage-grouse and to assess whether lethal control of these predators benefited the species. We also asked state wildlife biologists and scientists whether they had ever witnessed a predator kill sage-grouse. We identified 266 instances where the predator responsible for depredating nests or killing juvenile or adult sage-grouse could be ascertained. Most adult sage-grouse were killed by eagles (Accipitridae), owls (Strigiformes), coyotes (Canis latrans), or red foxes (Vuples vulpes). Based on nest cameras, most depredated eggs are taken by common ravens (Corvus corax), badgers (Taxidae taxus), or coyotes. There are too few studies to conclude that predator removal increases survival rates of juvenile or adult sage-grouse. No study has been conducted to determine whether badger removal increases nest success of sage-grouse, and the only study on coyote removal produced ambiguous results. Several studies reported that more sage-grouse nests are successful (i.e., >1 eggs hatched) in areas where common ravens were removed or in areas where raven densities were lower than in other areas. The data we reviewed did not indicate predators played a role in the decline during the past century, but increasing numbers of ravens since the 1970s may have contributed to the declining sage-grouse populations in recent decades. We conclude that removing common ravens can increase nest success, although not necessarily sage-grouse abundance. Without a better understanding of sage-grouse and their predators, wildlife biologists will be handicapped in their efforts to prevent sage-grouse populations from continuing to decline. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

BACKGROUND: Rice fields are one of the most important habitats for various bird species. The list of bird species occurred in rice fields in Korean peninsula have been documented. However, information of listed bird species is included not only rice fields but also other wetland habitats such as lakes, tidal flats and rivers. Therefore, the study was conducted to clarify the status of bird observed in rice fields of Korea.METHODS AND RESULTS: Birds using rice fields defined as birds which forage or rest on rice paddies, levees, ditches and farming roads. Birds using rice fields recorded as total 124 species belonging to 40 families. Anatidae and Scolopacidae were the best represented family, followed by Ardeidae, Accipitridae, Motacillidae and Emberizidae; 50% of species belonged to these six families. 18 of 124 endangered wild species, which designated threatened at the national scale, found in this study regions.CONCLUSION: Despite interest in birds using rice fields of Korean peninsula, knowledge of birds and rice fields there is extremely limited. We need more studies to understand and conserve for birds in rice fields of Korea.

Vulture (Accipitridae) poisonings are a concern in South Africa, with hundreds of birds dying annually. Although some of these poisonings are accidental, there has been an increase in the number of intentional baiting of poached rhinoceros (Rhinocerotidae) and elephant (Elephantidae) carcasses to kill vultures that alert officials to poaching sites by circling overhead. The primary chemicals implicated are the organophosphorous and carbamate compounds. Although most poisoning events can be identified by dead vultures surrounding the scavenged carcass, weak birds are occasionally found and brought to rehabilitation centers for treatment. The treating veterinarian needs to make an informed decision on the cause of illness or poisoning prior to treatment. We established the reference interval for serum and plasma cholinesterase activity in the Cape Griffon Vulture ( Gyps coprotheres ) as 591.58-1,528.26 U/L, providing a clinical assay for determining potential exposure to cholinesterase-depressing pesticides. Both manual and automated samplers were used with the butyrylthiocholine method. Species reference intervals for both serum and plasma cholinesterase showed good correlation and manual and automated measurements yielded similar results.

This paper reviews the literature on survival estimates for different species of raptors and owls, examines the methods used to obtain the estimates, and draws out some general patterns arising. Estimating survival usually involves the marking of birds so that they can be recognized as individuals on subsequent encounters. Annual survival can then be estimated from: (1) birds ringed at known age (usually as nestlings) and subsequently reported by members of the public (usually as found dead), the ratio of recoveries at different ages being used to calculate annual survival; (2) marked breeding adults, trapped or re-sighted in subsequent years in particular study areas, with the proportion re-trapped (or re-sighted) in each year being taken as the minimum annual survival; (3) live encounter (trapped or re-sighted) of birds marked either as nestlings or breeding adults analysed using the capture–mark–recapture (or re-sighting) methods to estimate annual survival; (4) a combination of reports of known-age dead birds and re-trapping/re-sighting of live birds; (5) use of radio- or satellite-tracking to follow the fates of individuals; and (6) the integration of these methods with other information, such as change in numbers between years, to derive estimates of survival and other demographic parameters. Studies confined to particular areas usually give estimates of ‘apparent annual survival’, because they take no account of birds that leave the area. However, radio- or satellite-tracking makes it possible to estimate true survival, including survival of prebreeders that have low natal-site fidelity (this usually requires satellite telemetry). As in other birds, the preferred method for estimating survival has changed over time, as new and more robust methods of estimation have been developed. Methods 1 and 2 were the first to be developed, but without statistical underpinning, while methods 3–6 were developed later on the basis of formal statistical models. This difference has to be borne in mind in comparing older with newer estimates for particular species. Published survival estimates were found for three species of Cathartidae, one of Pandionidae, 29 of Accipitridae, 12 of Falconidae, one of Tytonidae and nine of Strigidae, almost all from temperate Northern Hemisphere species. In most of these species more than one estimate was available, and in some separate estimates for different age or sex groups. The main patterns to emerge included: (1) a significant tendency for annual adult survival to increase with body weight, smaller species having annual survival rates mainly of 60–70%, medium-sized species having rates mainly in the range 70–90% and the largest having rates of > 90%, in the absence of obvious human-caused losses; (2) a lower survival in the first or prebreeding years of life than in subsequent years; (3) a lack of obvious or consistent differences in survival between the sexes, where these could be distinguished; and (4) in the few species for which enough data were available, a decline in annual survival rates in the later years of life.

The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are the largest avian predators in North America, and are thus species of great ecological importance and cultural significance. There is a long history of human use of eagle body parts, and this use continues today: Bald and Golden eagles are among the North American birds most affected by the illegal wildlife trade. Detached eagle talons are often recovered in both law enforcement and archaeological contexts, but data to allow morphological identification of these talons have been lacking. This study documents measureable differences in the morphology of Bald Eagle and North American Golden Eagle talons, which can be used to identify the detached talons of these two species. We measured talon samples of both species from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory and other collections and categorized them according to species, sex, age, and digit number (Digits I–IV). We then...

Background The use of wild birds, for several purposes, is directly associated with cultural, ecological, and conservation issues. This study aimed to inventory the wild birds known and used in three communities in Paraíba state, northeast Brazil, and to investigate the sociocultural context in which these activities occur. Methods A total of 179 people (98 women and 81 men) were interviewed. Data were collected through free interviews, using semi-structured forms, and posing questions about the use of local wild birds. The species were identified by direct observation of the birds, analysis of photographic records, and the use of a scientific guide. Results Each species’ use value (UV) was calculated in three different ways: UVgeneral, UVcurrent, and UVpotential. These UVs ranged from 0.01 to 1.15 for UVg, 0 to 0.21 for UVc, and 0.01 to 1.02 for UVp. A total of 99 species, 81 genera, and 40 families were recorded and classified into the use categories of food, breeding, and medicinal. Thraupidae (12 species), Columbidae, Accipitridae, and Icteridae (8 species each) were the most diverse families. Conclusions The use of wild birds is a widespread activity in the studied areas, where many species are used. This demonstrates the need to conduct studies to assess the pressure suffered by these bird species, as well as the need to create public policies that intervene in the use and conservation of wild birds.

The introduction of alien species could be changing food source composition, ultimately restructuring demography and spatial distribution of native communities. In Argentine Patagonia, the exotic European hare has one of the highest numbers recorded worldwide and is now a widely consumed prey for many predators. We examine the potential relationship between abundance of this relatively new prey and the abundance and breeding spacing of one of its main consumers, the Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus). First we analyze the abundance of individuals of a raptor guild in relation to hare abundance through a correspondence analysis. We then estimated the Nearest Neighbor Distance (NND) of the Black-chested Buzzard-eagle abundances in the two areas with high hare abundances. Finally, we performed a metaregression between the NND and the body masses of Accipitridae raptors, to evaluate if Black-chested Buzzard-eagle NND deviates from the expected according to their mass. We found that eagle abundance was highly associated with hare abundance, more than with any other raptor species in the study area. Their NND deviates from the value expected, which was significantly lower than expected for a raptor species of this size in two areas with high hare abundance. Our results support the hypothesis that high local abundance of prey leads to a reduction of the breeding spacing of its main predator, which could potentially alter other interspecific interactions, and thus the entire community.

Carrion is a pulsed food resource of unpredictable occurrence in space and time that offers a high nutritive biomass, but is not globally widespread across all habitats and territories, and can be considered free because it does not require a large physical investment derived from predation (Ostfeld and Keesing 2000; DeVault et al. 2003; Selva and Fortuna 2007; Barton et al. 2013; Moleón et al. 2014a). As a result of these features, organisms feeding on this resource have developed morphological and behavioural adaptations to optimise its exploitation (Hertel 1994; DeVault et al. 2003; Moreno-Opo et al. 2015a, 2016), establishing guilds of species as in the case of carrion-eating birds (Selva and Fortuna 2007). Among terrestrial vertebrates, only vultures (families Accipitridae and Cathartidae) have evolved into obligate scavengers (DeVault et al. 2003; Beasley et al. 2015; Moleón et al. 2014b). Scavengers exploit carrion at different levels of intensity, and depending on their degree of carrion consumption and their own adaptive traits, they are defined as either obligate or facultative (DeVault et al. 2003; Wilson and Wolkovich 2011). As a result of the unpredictability in the availability of carcasses, the proportion of obligate scavenger species are scarce in comparison with facultative species that scavenge at variable rates but that can subsist on other food resources in the absence of carrion (DeVault et al. 2003; Beasley et al. 2015; Mateo-Tomás et al. 2015)., A. M. was supported by a Ramón y Cajal research contract by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (RYC-2012-11867).

The Neotropical lowlands sustain the world's richest bird communities, yet little that we know about their history is based on paleontology. Fossils afford a way to investigate distributional shifts in individual species, and thus improve our understanding of long-term change in Neotropical bird communities. We report a species-rich avian fossil sample from a late Pleistocene tar seep (Mene de Inciarte) in northwestern Venezuela. A mere 175 identified fossils from Mene de Inciarte represent 73 species of birds, among which six are extinct, and eight others no longer occur within 100 km. These 14 species consist mainly of ducks (Anatidae), snipe (Scolopacidae), vultures/condors (Vulturidae), hawks/eagles (Accipitridae), and blackbirds (Icteridae). Neotropical bird communities were richer in the late Pleistocene than today; their considerable extinction may be related to collapse of the large mammal fauna at that time. The species assemblage at Mene de Inciarte suggests that biogeographic patterns, even at continental scales, have been remarkably labile over short geological time frames. Mene de Inciarte is but one of 300 + tar seeps in Venezuela, only two of which have been explored for fossils. We may be on the cusp of an exciting new era of avian paleontology in the Neotropics.

Here we review the distribution of the Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis) in the Americas, and based on the Brazilian Harpy Eagle Conservation Program (PCGR) database, literature, online databases, zoos, wild and museum records, we provide an updated distribution map with 37 points outside the IUCN map; 16 were recorded close to the border of the map (up to 40 km), and do not expand or contribute to the distribution map. Far from the border (>40 km) we found 21 records, contributing to an expansion of the known range and habitat. At the northernmost extreme of distribution, the range was extended to southern Mexico; in Nicaragua, the range extension was farther south in the north, and two records extend the range to the southern border with Costa Rica. In Colombia, an old specimen is located between Darien Peninsula and the Perija Mountains. In Brazil a record from the ecotone between Cerrado and Gallery Forest, and another in an upland remnant of Atlantic Rainforest, expands the range towards central and southeastern Brazil, and to the Northeast, old records could expand the Atlantic Rainforest distribution towards the interior.