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Urban areas provide a constant and predictable supply of anthropogenic processed food. The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus Linnaeus, 1758), a declining urban bioindicator species, has recently been reported to have a high level of oxidative stress, with urban diet or pollutants proposed as the potential cause. In this study, we aimed to experimentally determine the effects of two urban trophic resource types (bar snack food leftovers and pet food) on sparrows' physical condition, plasma biochemical nutritional parameters, and blood oxidative status in captivity. To exclude the potential previous effect of urban pollutants, 75 House Sparrows were captured from a rural area in SE Spain and kept in outdoor aviaries. Individuals were exposed to one of three diet treatments: control diet (fruit, vegetables, poultry grain mixture), bar snack diet (ultra‐processed snacks), or cat food diet (dry pellets) for 20 days. Blood samples were collected before and after diet treatments to analyze the relative change rates of 12 variables, including physical condition, nutritional status, and oxidant–antioxidant status. A principal component analysis was run to identify gradients of variables covariation, and Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used to determine the effect of diets on each selected PC and on raw variables. The bar snack diet led to signs of anemia and malnutrition, and females tended to lose body condition. The cat food diet increased oxidative stress indicators and protein catabolism. Unbalanced urban diets can affect the body condition and nutritional physiology of House Sparrows and may also induce oxidative stress despite the absence of environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young animals often solicit care from their parents using behaviors and morphologies collectively termed begging. Many nestling altricial birds add to their familiar postures and vocalizations by displaying colorful mouthparts, hypothesized to enhance their visual conspicuousness and/or be favored by choosy parents. We evaluated these two hypotheses with experimental manipulations of the flange tissue of house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings. We allowed parents to interact with nestlings that appeared to have either carotenoid-rich or carotenoid-poor flanges, and then with nestlings that appeared similar in carotenoid-richness but differed in either brightness (total light reflected) or ultraviolet (UV) richness. These three features of flange color comprise much of the variation observed both within and among species. None of our three manipulations shaped parents' ability to transfer prey efficiently to nestlings, a proxy for how visually detectable nestlings were. Parents preferentially allocated prey to nestlings that appeared carotenoid-rich, but did not bias allocation when we manipulated brightness or UV reflectance. These patterns suggest that nestlings displaying carotenoid-rich flanges benefit from parental favoritism, but that variation in brightness and UV reflectance do not independently shape parental care, at least within the range a house sparrow parent might encounter in nature. Efforts to understand mouth color in the context of offspring-parent communication and visual signal evolution may benefit from considering the component parts of color, as they may function, be constrained, and evolve independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The gut microbiome influences its host in a myriad of ways, from immune system development to nutrient utilization. However, our understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiome and behavior, especially in wild species, is still poor. One behavior that potentially interacts with the gut microbiome is exploratory behavior, which animals use to acquire new information from the environment. We hypothesized that diversity of the gut microbiome will be correlated with exploratory behavior in a wild-caught bird species. To test this hypothesis, we captured wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and collected fecal samples to measure the diversity of their gut microbiomes. We then introduced individuals to a novel environment and measured their exploratory behavior. Results We found that birds with higher alpha diversity of the gut microbiome exhibited higher exploratory behavior. These results suggest that high exploratory birds encounter more types of environmental microbes that contribute to their diverse gut microbiome compared with less exploratory birds. Alternatively, increased gut microbiome diversity may contribute to increased exploratory behavior. We also found differences in beta diversity when comparing high and low exploring birds, indicating differences in microbiome community structure. When comparing predicted functional pathways of the birds’ microbiomes, we found that the microbiomes of high explorers contained more pathways involved in biofilm formation and xenobiotic degradation than those of low explorers. Conclusions Overall, we found that the alpha and beta diversity of the gut microbiome is correlated with exploratory behavior of house sparrows. The predicted functions of the gut microbiome from high explorers differs from that of low explorers. Our study highlights the importance of considering the gut microbiome when investigating animal behavior.

Background: The gut microbiome influences its host in a myriad of ways, from immune system development to nutrient utilization. However, our understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiome and behavior, especially in wild species, is still poor. One behavior that potentially interacts with the gut microbiome is exploratory behavior, which animals use to acquire new information from the environment. We hypothesized that diversity of the gut microbiome will be correlated with exploratory behavior in a wild-caught bird species. To test this hypothesis, we captured wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and collected fecal samples to measure the diversity of their gut microbiomes. We then introduced individuals to a novel environment and measured their exploratory behavior. Results: We found that birds with higher alpha diversity of the gut microbiome exhibited higher exploratory behavior. These results suggest that high exploratory birds encounter more types of environmental microbes that contribute to their diverse gut microbiome compared with less exploratory birds. Alternatively, increased gut microbiome diversity may contribute to increased exploratory behavior. We also found differences in beta diversity when comparing high and low exploring birds, indicating differences in microbiome community structure. When comparing predicted functional pathways of the birds' microbiomes, we found that the microbiomes of high explorers contained more pathways involved in biofilm formation and xenobiotic degradation than those of low explorers. Conclusions: Overall, we found that the alpha and beta diversity of the gut microbiome is correlated with exploratory behavior of house sparrows. The predicted functions of the gut microbiome from high explorers differs from that of low explorers. Our study highlights the importance of considering the gut microbiome when investigating animal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence of social information transfer about predation risk in foraging animal groups. However, little is known about whether individuals also acquire such information from non-members of their own group. We experimentally manipulated the perceived threat and heterospecific cues about low predation risk in the house sparrow, Passer domesticus, by presenting stuffed dummies of the Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus, and the Eurasian tree sparrow, Passer montanus, at the feeder. Data were collected during winter 2016/2017 in two private yards in south-west and north Slovakia, where 1677 individuals in 83 flocks were observed at two feeders. We found no evidence for heterospecific information use in foraging single-species flocks of house sparrows. We suggest that strong bonds created among flock members may explain the observed pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mapping of the nests of house sparrows was carried out in 14 sampling areas in Western and Central Siberia. Quantitative assessments of nest interpositions were analyzed using the distance to the nearest neighboring nest. Cartographic visualization showed a cluster distribution of the nests. The average cluster size in different areas varied from 2.7 to 8.1 nests per cluster. No correlation was found either between their size and geographical location or their population density. No aggregations of higher rank were identified. The clusters recognized were defined as individual colonies. The distribution patterns of the frequencies of the distances to the nearest neighbor were found to be strongly exponential. Slightly more than half of all nests were located closer than 10 m to the nearest neighboring nest, and about three-quarters were located closer than 20 m. The maximum distance to the nearest neighbor inside a single colony did not exceed 80 m. No reliable indicators of isolated nesting in the house sparrow were identified. Colonies were distributed independently of one another, the distance between adjacent colonies being less where the population density was higher. Territories with closely spaced colonies could alternate with unpopulated, but suitable areas (sometimes of significant sizes). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the northernmost tip of Scandinavia to the southernmost corner of Patagonia, and across six continents, house sparrows (Passer domesticus) inhabit most human-modified habitats of the globe. With over 7,000 articles published, the species has become a workhorse for not only the study of self-urbanized wildlife, but also for understanding life history and body size evolution, sexual selection and many other biological phenomena. Traditionally, house sparrows were studied for their adaptations to local biotic and climatic conditions, but more recently, the species has come to serve as a focus for studies seeking to reveal the genomic, epigenetic and physiological underpinnings of success among invasive vertebrate species. Here, we review the natural history of house sparrows, highlight what the study of these birds has meant to bioscience generally, and describe the many resources available for future work on this species.

Birds invest time and resources in escape behaviors, thus changing their foraging strategies, habitat selection, and even reproduction. Flight initiation distance (FID) and the distance at which birds detect a threat, alert distance (AD), have been used as indicators of the ability of birds to detect potential predators. In this study we compared the two aforementioned measures of risk reaction for the House sparrow and the Orange-breasted bunting, two bird species inhabiting the same urban areas, and assessed if they were related with sex, flock size, and environmental factors. We performed generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) to explore the relationships between environmental factors and ADs and FIDs. Both behavioral responses were significantly lower for House sparrows. Although we did not find significant relationships between the assessed variables (sex, flock size, environmental factors) and bunting ADs and FIDs, we did find House sparrow males to be bolder (showing shorter ADs and FIDs), as well as larger ADs and FIDs for sparrows with increasing flock size. House sparrow ADs and FIDs were positively related with herbaceous plant cover and negatively related with minimum building height. In general, House sparrows showed to be bolder than Orange-breasted buntings, with differential responses of the sparrow related with sex, flock size, and different environmental factors. Having recorded bolder House sparrow males could be due to increases in aggressiveness related to the breeding season. Our results add to the lacking behavioral information available for the endemic Orange-breasted bunting and provide insights on the variation of the behavior of House sparrows in small urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasites have the capacity to affect animal populations by modifying host survival, and it is increasingly recognized that infectious disease can negatively impact biodiversity. Populations of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) have declined in many European towns and cities, but the causes of these declines remain unclear. We investigated associations between parasite infection and house sparrow demography across suburban London where sparrow abundance has declined by 71% since 1995. Plasmodium relictum infection was found at higher prevalences (averaging 74%) in suburban London house sparrows than previously recorded in any wild bird population in Northern Europe. Survival rates of juvenile and adult sparrows and population growth rate were negatively related to Plasmodium relictum infection intensity. Other parasites were much less prevalent and exhibited no relationship with sparrow survival and no negative relationship with population growth. Low rates of co-infection suggested sparrows were not immunocompromised. Our findings indicate that P. relictum infection may be influencing house sparrow population dynamics in suburban areas. The demographic sensitivity of the house sparrow to P. relictum infection in London might reflect a recent increase in exposure to this parasite.

Summary: European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and rock pigeons (Columba livia) are all wild birds commonly found in large numbers in and around human dwellings and domestic livestock operations. This study evaluated the susceptibility of these species to three strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HP AIV) clade 2.3.4.4 isolated in the U.S.. Experimental infection of European starlings and rock pigeons did not result in any overt signs attributable to AIV infection and no virus shedding was detected from the oral and cloacal routes. House sparrows shed by the oral route and exhibited limited mortality. Individuals from all three species seroconverted following infection. These data suggest that none of these birds are a likely potential bridge host for future HP AIV outbreaks but that their seroconversion may be a useful surveillance tool for detection of circulating H5 HP AIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultimate goal of this study is to find out the most suitable combinations of adjacent crops that reduce house sparrows damage. The experiments were established using single and double combinations of four wintery crops. Namely, soft wheat, hard wheat, sunflower, and barley. The double cultivations were designed by growing varying crops nearby a fixed one crop as follows 1- (soft wheat alone), (soft wheat- near sunflower), ( soft wheat near – barley), and (soft wheat near – hard wheat) 2- (barley alone),(barley- near soft wheat), (barley near - hard wheat), and (barely- near sunflower) 3-(hard wheat alone),( hard wheat- near barley), (hard wheat near – sunflower), and ( hard wheat near – soft wheat). The experimental results revealed the following; the damage percentage of house sparrows to soft wheat was 25.9%, but when grown nearby sunflower, barley, and hard wheat the soft wheat damage reached 5.9%, 25.9%, and 33.3%, respectively. In single cultivation of barley, house sparrows damage was 8.2%, but when grown nearby soft wheat, hard wheat and sunflower, the barley damage reached 13.5%, 1.7% and 1.2%, respectively. Single cultivation of hard wheat house sparrows damage was 0.0%, while when grown adjacent to barley, sunflower, and soft wheat, the hard wheat damage reached 0.0%,0.0% 3.8%, respectively. In single cultivation of sunflower, house sparrows damage was 20.2%, while when grown nearby, barley, soft wheat, and hard wheat, the sunflower damage reached 9.5%, 10.2% and 36.3%, respectively. Results obtaine from this study revealed the following: 1- sunflower could be grown nearby barley and / or soft wheat, but away from hard wheat; 2- barley could be grown nearby sunflower and /or soft wheat, but away from hard wheat; 3- soft wheat could be grown nearby sunflower, but away from hard wheat; 4- hard wheat could be grown nearby barley or sunflower, but away from soft wheat. These concomitant cultivations can be successfully practiced be small growers to protect their main crops from house sparrows attack naturally and effectively without using any pest control compounds and without any extra costs as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, higher attention has been paid to olfactory perception in birds. As a consequence, a handful of avian species have been discovered to use olfaction in different contexts. Nevertheless, we still have a very limited knowledge about the use of odor cues in avian social life, particularly, in the case of songbirds. Here, we investigate if female house sparrows Passer domesticus show any preference for the odor of kin and nonkin conspecifics and we also test a possible role of familiarity based on male scent in female choice. We performed the experiment with captive birds twice, during the nonbreeding and breeding seasons. Our results show that female house sparrows strongly avoided the odor of unrelated familiar (UF) males, both in the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. Our results suggest recognition for olfactory stimuli related to familiarity and kinship. We suggest that avoidance for UF males is associated with previous experience in this species. Also, we provided further evidence to the use of olfaction in passerine species by using a new experimental setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In organisms, DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and its metabolites, DDE (Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) and DDD (Dichlorobischlorophenylethane) are endocrine mimics. They can influence bone density and other bone structural features. This study was conducted on House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) caught from the Free State - and the Limpopo Provinces of South Africa (SA). The sites were chosen based on spraying patterns of DDT for malaria control or non-spraying. The bone mineral densities of the femurs as well as the lengths of the left- and right leg bones were determined using micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (μ-XCT). The concentrations of DDT and its metabolites in the liver were determined with gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry to provide baseline concentrations of DDT in the body, allowing comparison of the various groups of birds. There was no asymmetry between the lengths of the bones of the left- and the right legs. DDT concentrations in the liver did not correlate with bone lengths. In addition, there were no significant differences between the relative densities of the left- and right leg bones with increase of concentrations of DDT. The concentrations of DDT and its metabolites did not have a significant effect on the measured bone parameters of House Sparrows. It is possible that the concentrations of DDT and its metabolites in the environments were too low to be injurious to the birds and/or tolerance to the insecticide has developed in the birds over more than six decades of almost continuous application of DDT. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • Micro-XCT analysis for the examination of DDTs influence on bone features. • DDTs does not influence relative bone density of House Sparrows. • Asymmetry is not associated with environmental DDT exposure of House Sparrows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand horticulturists are experiencing increasing damage to a variety of crops from a number of introduced bird species. With the advent of the increasing problem there is a need for carefully planned control operations most of which, by necessity, will be carried out by the growers themselves. This means that a variety of baits and toxins is currently being evaluated for control purposes. Growers are being trained in the use of those toxins as well as how to get more effective use from a range of bird-scare devices. Control agencies continue to carry out control of certain bird species and monitor bird damage where possible.

The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is one of the successful animals in adapting themselves to an urban-life environment and broadly distributed bird species in the world. We compared three sparrow populations using morphological parameters in Turkey: unpolluted areas, Antalya (Ciglik village) and Burdur (Yazikoy village), and Mugla (Yatagan) where is polluted by Yatagan Thermal Power Plant. Fifteen morphometrically characters of 131 caught birds from tree populations were compared on the basis of gender. The stepwise discriminant analysis which classified 76.9% of the birds, retained 5 measurements allowing discriminating between populations: bill length, 8th primer, body mass, bill height, and wing length. Wing, 8th primary, tail, and alula measurements of gender were found significantly different by t-tests (p < 0.05) for tree populations. Yatagan female is quite different from the others by function 1 and function 2 in canonical discriminant analyses. I suggested that differentiations between populations depend on ecological conditions of these areas and also Yatagan populations may be affected by Thermal Power Plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental behaviour often exhibits plasticity to factors expected to affect the benefits or costs of care. For example, parent songbirds typically increase their provisioning behaviour as nestlings mature. Several mechanisms exist that could allow parents to track nestling age and provide appropriate care. We performed a short-term experiment on house sparrows, Passer domesticus , in which offspring of different ages were exchanged to assess the level of flexibility parents exhibit and the likely cues they use. We found that a pair's rate of food delivery, an individual parent's visit rate to the nest, the duration of a foraging trip, and both the time a parent was in the nest and how long they perched near the nest after emerging from feeding nestlings changed according to the age of the offspring at the time. This shift in parenting was evident by the second visit after the swap. The amount of food brought per trip did not change with either natural or manipulated age. While females spent more time in the nest than males, there were no sex differences in the responses to the experiment. Food delivery rate increased nestling mass gain during each phase of the experiment, suggesting that parental plasticity in delivery was beneficial to offspring. However, there was an additional effect of the experiment on nestling weight gain, suggesting possible effects of food type brought during each phase of the experiment. Parent sparrows appear to use cues of offspring age over a time span that differs greatly from the natural time course of changes in nestling demand. This extension of plasticity into unnatural conditions has implications for understanding individual differences in plasticity and how at least some organisms might adjust to rapid and unusual environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds frequently signal different qualities by plumage colouration, mainly during mating. However, plumage colouration is determined during the moult, and therefore it would indicate the quality of individual birds during the moult, not its current quality. Recent studies, however, suggest that birds could modify plumage colouration by using cosmetic preen oil produced by the uropygial gland. In this study, I show that bib colouration is related to uropygial gland size and body condition in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Moreover, I conducted an experiment in which a group of sparrows were inoculated with an antigen, mimicking an illness. In control birds, short-term changes in bib colouration were related to both body condition and change in uropygial gland size. Therefore, birds that reduced uropygial gland size showed a greater colouration change. However, bib colouration did not change with the change in uropygial gland size in experimental birds inoculated with the antigen. Given that the experiment did not affect preen oil production or consumption, this finding tentatively suggests that the immune challenge provoked a change in the composition of preen oil, affecting its cosmetic properties. In short, the results of this study suggest that (1) male house sparrows produce cosmetic preen oil that alters the colouration of their bibs; (2) the more change in uropygial gland size, the more change in bib colouration; and (3) in this way, bib colouration has the potential to signal current health status, since less healthy birds showed less capacity to change bib colouration.

The latitudinal gradient in body mass, which many organisms show (Bergmann's rule), is thought to be a response to local environmental conditions varying across latitude. Hence, temporal changes in environmental conditions are expected to lead to a shift in Bergmann's rule. We compared house sparrow Passer domesticus body mass measures taken in 1984/85 with measures in 2009 to show that the mean body mass decreased in eight and nine populations (for females and males, respectively) out of ten Finnish populations. Consequently, the latitudinal cline in body mass shifted poleward. The decrease in body mass was large (1.5 g reduction in a 33-g bird). Temperatures during sampling did not differ between sampling periods, suggesting that at least the immediate effect of temperature did not explain the reduction in body mass. House sparrows have declined in abundance in Finland and worldwide in recent decades. We here suggest that the deterioration of the (unknown) environmental conditions associated with this population decline (which may include climatic drivers) has led to a poleward shift in Bergmann's rule in house sparrows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following an introduction, non-native species are exposed to environments that differ from those found in their native range; further, as these non-native species expand beyond the site of introduction, they must constantly adapt to novel environments. Although introduced species are present across most ecosystems, few species have successfully established themselves on a truly global scale. One such species, the house sparrow Passer domesticus, is now one of the world's most broadly distributed vertebrate species and has been introduced to a great part of its current range. To date, work on four continents suggests both genetic and phenotypic variation exists between native and introduced ranges. As such, house sparrows represent an excellent opportunity to study adaptations to novel environments and how these adaptations are derived. The global distribution of this species and the multiple independent introductions to geographically isolated sites allow researchers to ask questions regarding genetic variation and adaptation on a global scale. Here, we summarize the molecular studies of invasive house sparrows from the earliest work using allozymes through more recent work on epigenetics; using these studies, we discuss patterns of dispersal of this species. We then discuss future directions in techniques (e.g. next generation sequencing) and how they will provide new insight into questions that are fundamental to invasion biology. Finally, we discuss how continued research on the house sparrow in light of these genetic changes and adaptations will elucidate answers of adaptation, invasion biology, range expansion, and resilience in vertebrate systems generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency of bringing food for chicks was recorded in 24 breeding pairs of House Sparrows (totaling 102 hours of observation) and in 19 pairs of Tree Sparrows (totaling 91 hours of observation). The control group consisted of 9 pairs of House Sparrows that fed their 3-5 chicks and 9 pairs of Tree Sparrows, that fed their 4-6 chicks. In both species studied the rate of feeding of chicks by the parents was determined by the number and age of chicks present in the nest and the time of day. Both House Sparrows and Tree Sparrows showed a biphasic activity of feeding chicks. Based on the survey, it was found that the periodic lack of access to food for chicks following a specific stimulus response stressor (e.g. the presence of a predator) was not compensated by increased parental frequency of feeding the chicks after cessation of the stimulus response stressor. Knowing the impact of disturbance on the feeding behavior of adult birds would support the active protection of nests of House Sparrows and Tree Sparrows during the breeding season, and should require better planning by scientists during the investigation of these birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds serve as reservoirs for at least 10 arthropod-borne viruses, yet specific immune responses of birds to arboviral infections are relatively unknown. Here, adult House Sparrows were inoculated with an arboviral alphavirus, Buggy Creek virus (BCRV), or saline, and euthanized between 1 and 3 days postinoculation. Virological dynamics and gene expression dynamics were investigated. Birds did not develop viremia postinoculation, but cytopathic virus was found in the skeletal muscle and spleen of birds 1 and 3 days postinoculation (DPI). Viral RNA was detected in the blood of BCRV-infected birds 1 and 2 DPI, in oral swabs 1-3 DPI, and in brain, heart, skeletal muscle, and spleen 1-3 DPI. Multiple genes were significantly upregulated following BCRV infection, including pattern recognition receptors (TLR7, TLR15, RIG-1), type I interferon (IFN-α), and type II interferon (IFN-γ). This is the first study to report avian immunological gene expression profiles following an arboviral infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Temperate zone birds are highly seasonal in many aspects of their physiology. In mammals, but not in birds, the pineal gland is an important component regulating seasonal patterns of primary gonadal functions. Pineal melatonin in birds instead affects seasonal changes in brain song control structures, suggesting the pineal gland regulates seasonal song behavior. The present study tests the hypothesis that the pineal gland transduces photoperiodic information to the control of seasonal song behavior to synchronize this important behavior to the appropriate phenology. House sparrows, Passer domesticus, expressed a rich array of vocalizations ranging from calls to multisyllabic songs and motifs of songs that varied under a regimen of different photoperiodic conditions that were simulated at different times of year. Control (SHAM) birds exhibited increases in song behavior when they were experimentally transferred from short days, simulating winter, to equinoctial and long days, simulating summer, and decreased vocalization when they were transferred back to short days. When maintained in long days for longer periods, the birds became reproductively photorefractory as measured by the yellowing of the birds' bills; however, song behavior persisted in the SHAM birds, suggesting a dissociation of reproduction from the song functions. Pinealectomized (PINX) birds expressed larger, more rapid increases in daily vocal rate and song repertoire size than did the SHAM birds during the long summer days. These increases gradually declined upon the extension of the long days and did not respond to the transfer to short days as was observed in the SHAM birds, suggesting that the pineal gland conveys photoperiodic information to the vocal control system, which in turn regulates song behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses a study that examined the immune response of wild House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccination. Within-individual cell-mediated and humoral responses were evaluated in birds kept in outdoor aviaries over a 6-week period. Findings found specific humoral response in adult wild House Sparrows immuno-challenged with inactivated NDV vaccine.

The article offers information on a study which describes the parasites and related pathologic observations in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). It informs that 48 birds were examined and 41 sparrows were found to be infected with one or more endoparasites. The most common parasites identified were liver trematodes known as Brachydistomum microscelis and Brachydistomum gracupicae.

With the advent of next generation sequencing, new avenues have opened to study genomics in wild populations of non-model species. Here, we describe a successful approach to a genome-wide medium density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism ( SNP) panel in a non-model species, the house sparrow ( Passer domesticus), through the development of a 10 K Illumina iSelect HD Bead Chip. Genomic DNA and cDNA derived from six individuals were sequenced on a 454 GS FLX system and generated a total of 1.2 million sequences, in which SNPs were detected. As no reference genome exists for the house sparrow, we used the zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata) reference genome to determine the most likely position of each SNP. The 10 000 SNPs on the SNP-chip were selected to be distributed evenly across 31 chromosomes, giving on average one SNP per 100 000 bp. The SNP-chip was screened across 1968 individual house sparrows from four island populations. Of the original 10 000 SNPs, 7413 were found to be variable, and 99% of these SNPs were successfully called in at least 93% of all individuals. We used the SNP-chip to demonstrate the ability of such genome-wide marker data to detect population sub-division, and compared these results to similar analyses using microsatellites. The SNP-chip will be used to map Quantitative Trait Loci ( QTL) for fitness-related phenotypic traits in natural populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study to see whether European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), common passerine birds associated with domestic animal production facilities, has a potential risk of pathogen transmission between facilities. It inoculated the species with 3 non-avian influenza virus strains consisting of swine H1N1 and H3N2 and Pandemic 2009 H1N1. It showed that the two species pose a negligible risk for transmission between swine production facilities.

Intensification of farming practices is a key factor in population declines of many species, including aerial insectivores. Of these species, Tree Swallow populations have been declining rapidly in Canada, likely in response to increased pesticide use (depleting insect prey) and destruction of marginal habitats (limiting cavity-nesting opportunities). Agricultural intensification may however be favourable to other species. House Sparrows for instance could benefit from abundant nesting sites (farm buildings) and food resources (grains) in intensive landscapes. Competition for nesting sites between these two species has been observed, and could be another factor in the decline of Tree Swallows. In a 400 nest-box study system embedded along a gradient of agricultural intensification of Southern Québec, Canada, we first assessed effects of intensification on abundance of House Sparrows by analysing 5,200 min of point counts. From these results, we modeled influence of competition and habitat on Tree Swallow nest site selection. Density of sparrows and proximity to buildings reduced the nest-box occupancy of swallows. Therefore, agricultural intensification had opposite influences on these two species, directly affecting House Sparrow abundance, but indirectly exacerbating competition pressure on swallows through competitor abundance. These results provide evidence of interspecific competition between these species, highlighting the indirect role of anthropogenic alterations on agro-ecosytems and illustrating a landscape-mediated avian competition pressure that has, to our knowledge, never been documented in farmscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two adaptationist hypotheses have been proposed to explain why stress, particularly elevation of stress hormones (i.e. glucocorticoids), tends to suppress immune functions. One is that immune suppression represents efforts to minimize autoimmune responses to self-antigens released as organisms cope with stressors (i.e. the autoimmune-avoidance hypothesis). The other is that immune suppression occurs to promote a shunting of resources to life processes more conducive to survival of the stressor (i.e. the re-allocation hypothesis). Here In wild-caught house sparrows (Passer domesticus), we tested the second hypothesis, asking whether sustained elevation of baseline glucocorticoids, due to captivity, caused a greater rate of decline in immune functions than flight performance. A greater decline in immune functions than flight performance would support the re-allocation hypothesis. As in previous studies, we found that captivity tended to alter baseline corticosterone, suggesting that house sparrows experience captivity as a stressor. Captivity also affected several constitutive and induced innate immune metrics: bacterial (Escherichia coli) killing activity of blood and oxidative burst of leukocytes both changed in a manner consistent with immune disregulation. In contrast, breast muscle size and vertical flight (hovering) duration improved over captivity. Collectively, these changes provide indirect support for the re-allocation hypothesis, although within individuals, changes in immune and physical performance were unrelated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recorded the responses of free-ranging house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to various concentrations of primary repellents and a secondary repellent. Wheat treated with either lime or neem oil was consumed by sparrows at the same rate over 24 hours as plain wheat at all doses. d-pulegone significantly reduced wheat consumption from day 1 onwards throughout the 4 days. Avex™ (containing the secondary repellent anthraquinone) did not significantly reduce wheat consumption on day 1 of exposure, but sparrows ate progressively less repellent wheat over the following days. For both d-pulegone and Avex™, there was a negative relationship between wheat consumption and repellent concentration. In experiment 2, the highest concentrations of Avex™ + d-pulegone combined reduced daily wheat consumption significantly more than Avex™ alone and the effect lasted throughout the 10-day test. These results demonstrate the potential of primary and secondary repellents, presented alone or in combination, for modifying the feeding behaviour of sparrows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Repellents may prevent bird pests from eating crops or protect non-target birds from eating harmful substances. The feeding behaviour of free-ranging house sparrows ( Passer domesticus) presented with wheat treated with the secondary repellent anthraquinone (AQ), paired with visual and/or olfactory and taste cues, was recorded in a series of trials. The aim was to determine the suitability of repellent combinations for preventing birds from consuming pest baits. RESULTS: Anthraquinone significantly reduced wheat consumption. The addition of cinnamon oil did not reduce consumption further, but the addition of either a blue colour or d-pulegone enhanced repellency. Green wheat was consumed more than blue wheat. In a multichoice test, the sparrows did not differentiate between low and high concentrations of AQ on blue-dyed wheat. With treatments on separate tables, the higher concentration was more repellent. Additional olfactory/gustatory cues palatable to pest mammals did not make the AQ-treated wheat more or less acceptable to sparrows. AQ-treated blue wheat with/without cinnamon oil was more repellent than green wheat with cinnamon oil, a colour/odour combination typically used for pest baits in New Zealand. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the potential of combining the secondary repellent AQ with additional salient cues for modifying the feeding behaviour of sparrows. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the seasonal variation and age-related correlates of Buggy Creek virus (BCV) Togaviridae infection in nestling house sparrows in Western Nebraska from 2006-08. Results showed no significant difference in the prevalence of BCV between years for sites sampled in two different seasons. The researchers observed a decline in average viremia titers with age and determined the length of viremia for nestlings in the field.

Bioindicators are useful for environmental monitoring in ecosystems with pollution loads. We compared concentrations of selected 10 metals in 42 samples of House Sparrow in a polluted by thermal power plant and reference sites. We found mean tissue concentrations of some metals to be significantly higher in sparrows from the polluted area when compared to tissues from the reference site. In liver mean concentrations of Cu (35.85 ± 17.22 mg kg) and Zn (101.76 ± 26.38 mg kg) were significantly higher and concentration of Ni (0.43 ± 0.49 mg kg) were significantly lower in sparrows from the polluted area ( p < 0.05). The concentration of Cu was significantly higher in muscle and liver at the polluted site. Gender did not seem to influence residue levels, of the elements studied, among sparrows with the exception of kidney cobalt concentrations; which were higher in female sparrows than in males ( p < 0.05, t = −2.409). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most host species of obligate interspecific brood parasites are under strong selection because such parasitism, e.g., that involving evictor nestmates, is highly costly. Egg rejection is one of the most efficient host defences against avian brood parasites. Many hosts have thus evolved egg-recognition ability and rejection behaviour. However, this defensive mechanism has not evolved in most species where only intraspecific brood parasitism occurs, probably because (1) the eggs of conspecific females are very similar in appearance, making egg rejection less likely to emerge, and (2) such parasitism is frequently less costly than interspecific parasitism. Using a captive population of house sparrows ( Passer domesticus) with a low breeding density, we here provide new evidence showing that this species actually has a fine capacity to discriminate conspecific eggs and to eject them (44.2% of foreign eggs ejected) while incurring very low rejection costs (4.2% of own eggs ejected). This result contradicts those previously found in high-density house sparrow populations in which very high rejection costs and very high clutch desertion rates were reported, probably as a consequence of intraspecific competition and infanticide provoked by the high breeding density. The house sparrow has only rarely been reported as the host of an interspecific brood parasite, which implies that it is a newly described example of an altricial species in which egg ejection has evolved and is maintained in response to intraspecific brood parasitism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of the host response in systemic isosprosis Atoxoplasmosis in a colony of captive American goldfinches Spinus tristis and house sparrows Passer domesticus. Histological results revealed severe lesions in the proximal small intestines and histological changes showed infiltraes of lymphocytes, and atypical cells. Immunohistochemical findings suggest T-cell lymphoma.

The article presents a study concerning the decline of populations of House Sparrow in eastern North America, as a result of competition between the House Finch and the House Sparrow. It examines the evidence of competition at a local aspect during the breeding season by assessing patterns of co-occurrence of the two birds. Moreover, it notes that decrease of populations within the southeastern U.S. was not associated with House Fince abundance.

The article discusses a study completed in 2010 regarding how House Sparrows, Passer domesticus in Latin, deal with parasitic infection. It states that while literature exists on the effects of infection in Domestic Chickens, Gallus gallus domesticus in Latin, little is known about how they affect the passerine species. It reports that researchers compared the humoral immune responses of both captive House Sparrows with those in the wild, also looking into their egg yolks, and found that both had mite-specific antibodies to deal with infection.

Despite rapidly accumulating evidence for the existence of consistent individual differences in suites of correlated behaviours (i.e. ‘animal personalities’), little is known about proximate mechanisms causing such variation. Individual variation in circulating levels of testosterone (T) is often hypothesized to underpin personality traits such as aggressiveness and exploratory behaviour. Here we provide a comprehensive test of this hypothesis. We quantified variation in exploratory behaviour of a novel environment in a captive population of wild-caught male house sparrows, Passer domesticus. We then investigated the relationship between the observed behaviours and circulating levels of T, using two approaches. First, we tested whether measures of exploratory behaviour correlated with (1) point-sampled plasma T levels and (2) T-dependent ornamentation (bill coloration) in 114 males. Neither direct nor indirect estimates of individual variation in T levels were correlated with the assayed behaviours. Second, we experimentally increased plasma T levels of 21 males with T implants, using 21 placebo-implanted males as a control group. Experimentally induced between-individual variation in T levels did not increase the amount of between-individual variation in exploratory behaviour. Our results thus strongly suggest that, in house sparrows, between-individual variation in circulating levels of T cannot serve as a causal explanation for the existence of individual variation in exploratory behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The steroid hormone testosterone (T) plays a central role in the regulation of reproduction in animals. Although seasonal variation in T levels is well-studied, differences between day and night have only been described in relatively few species, and daily within-individual variation has been largely neglected when evaluating the relationship between T and the expression of sexual ornaments or behavior. We measured plasma T levels during day and night in a captive population of House Sparrows, and analyzed their relationship with an important male ornament – badge size. T levels were on average twice as high at night than during daytime. This was true in all seasons, and in both males and females. Disturbance of the birds at night, but not during the day, led to significantly lower T levels, suggesting a rapid drop after an individual wakes up. The relationship between T levels and badge size depended on the time when T was measured. During the breeding season, badge size was strongly positively correlated with night-time, but not with daytime T levels. This suggests that badge size signals information related to an individual’s maximum potential T level such as social dominance. Our study highlights that integrative research on the endocrine control of ornament expression needs to take diel variation in hormone levels into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted on the campus of the regional department of the forestry service, encompassing 2.25 ha in Antalya city center. The area has gardens and is surrounded by trees, providing nesting and feeding opportunities for many songbird species. The study aimed to determine clutch and egg size variation, breeding success, and productivity of the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), in terms of clutch size and breeding attempts, and to evaluate variation in temperature, rainfall, and humidity in terms of breeding attempts and years, and their possible effects on given parameters of the species. In total, 2016 eggs were laid in 393 clutches and clutch size varied from 1 to 11 eggs; the clutches most commonly contained 4-6 egg in the 3 consecutive years. Mean egg length, width, weight, volume, and sphericity index were 21.16 ± 0.03 mm, 14.99 ± 0.01 mm, 2.02 ± 0.01 g, 2.38 ± 0.01 cm3, and 71.01 ± 0.09, respectively. Breeding attempts were affected by temperature (r = 0.97 P < 0.0001) and rainfall (r = -0.84 P < 0.001). Egg length was affected by rainfall (r = 0.60 P < 0.041), humidity (r = 0.59 P < 0.044), and temperature (r = -0.81 P < 0.002), and egg volume was affected by temperature (r = -0.68 P < 0.015). This study shows that the House Sparrow population in the study area exhibited important variation in clutch and egg size, which was affected by changes in temperature, rainfall, and humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study examining the predatory role of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk in the declining population of House Sparrow in Great Britain. Evidence of decline among prey species of sparrows has been reported in the data published by the Garden Bird Feeding Survey (GBFS) of the British Trust for Ornithology. Statistical information illustrating the differences in temporal trends in Eurasian Sparrowhawk incidence and House Sparrow population data between rural and urban sites studied are noted.

Abstract: Many birds exhibit considerable phenotypic flexibility in metabolism to maintain thermoregulation or to conserve energy. This flexibility usually includes seasonal variation in metabolic rate. Seasonal changes in physiology and behavior of birds are considered to be a part of their adaptive strategy for survival and reproductive success. House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) are small passerines from Europe that have been successfully introduced to many parts of the world, and thus may be expected to exhibit high phenotypic flexibility in metabolic rate. Mass specific Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) were significantly higher in winter compared with summer, although there was no significant difference between body mass in summer and winter. A similar, narrow thermal neutral zone (25–28°C) was observed in both seasons. Winter elevation of metabolic rate in House Sparrows was presumably related to metabolic or morphological adjustments to meet the extra energy demands of cold winters. Overall, House Sparrows showed seasonal metabolic acclimatization similar to other temperate wintering passerines. The improved cold tolerance was associated with a significant increase in VO2 in winter relative to summer. In addition, some summer birds died at 5°C, whereas winter birds did not, further showing seasonal variation in cold tolerance. The increase in BMR of 120% in winter, compared to summer, is by far the highest recorded seasonal change so far in birds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Predation cost (Pc) is often regarded as a pivotal component determining foraging behavior. We hypothesized that variations in two of its major constituents, predation risk (μ) and the marginal value of energy (∂Fs/∂e, where Fs is the survivor's fitness and e represents the amount of acquired energy), will translate into variations in patch use behavior of ground-foraging birds. We studied patch use behavior of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), as affected by the proximity to shelter, in two large outdoor aviaries. Proximity to shelter should affect μ. We manipulated the birds' flight performance by clipping primary flight feathers from their wings to increase μ, but the clipping may also increase ∂Fs/∂e. To help distinguish between the birds' response to these confounding effects, we further augmented food in the aviaries to reduce ∂Fs/∂e. Patch use, as measured by giving-up densities (GUD, the amount of food left behind in a resource patch following exploitation) was affected by distance from shelter only slightly and mainly when the birds were feather-clipped and food was not augmented. Food augmentation had a homogenizing effect on foraging costs by increasing GUDs and washing out the effects of distance and feather clipping. We argue that t' increases with distance from shelter but that, for the highly urban House Sparrow, this increase is only slight. Feather clipping then increased μ further to the point at which patch use discernibly decreased with distance from shelter. Our experimental manipulation of feather clipping also acted to increase ∂Fs/∂e and resulted in an overall lowering of GUDs. The seed augmentation counteracted the effect of feather clipping on ∂Fs/∂e, allowing the birds to reduce their foraging efforts and washing out the qualitative effect of μ with respect to distance from shelter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brood parasitism could be a selective pressure on each female to have a type of egg that permits recognition. House sparrows ( Passer domesticus) undergo conspecific brood parasitism and can recognise parasitic eggs. In this study, we analyse the effect of relative size in experimental parasitic eggs compared to the host eggs. We modified egg colour and the spot pattern to determine the influence of these characteristics on egg rejection. Furthermore, we examine whether egg rejection increases with “stimulus summation”. Our results show that egg rejection is not affected by relative egg size. However, changes in the spot pattern proved to exert the highest influence on egg rejection (32.4% of trials), significantly higher than when only egg colour is changed (3.8%). Therefore, our results suggest that parasitism may be a pressure favouring the maintenance of spotted eggs in house sparrow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Songbirds exhibit seasonal plasticity in a broad variety of behavioral and morphological traits associated with reproduction. Changes in song production are well described while changes in song reception are not. In the present study, we test for seasonal variation in auditory processing of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus L.) using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) to tone bursts. We measured amplitude and latency of the first ABA peak in spring, summer and autumn at stimulus frequencies from 0.8 to 6.4kHz and intensity levels from 24 to 80dB SPL. ABA thresholds were determined at each frequency using cross-correlation. Amplitude was greater in spring than in autumn at frequencies from 3.2 to 6.4kHz whereas latency and thresholds exhibited no seasonal variation. The results indicate an increase in the number or temporal synchrony of responses from peripheral auditory neurons during the early breeding season. Changes in peripheral auditory processing may enhance temporal coding of the fine structure and envelope of song; thereby, improving assessment of encoded information in both sexes (e.g. individual identity and dominance status) and auditory feedback during song production in males. Peripheral auditory changes may be mediated by reproductive hormones, and could involve changes in hair cell density on the basilar papilla. Our results suggest that peripheral auditory processing of songbirds changes seasonally in parallel with other behavioral and morphological traits, such as song production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) show distinct serological subtypes or evolutionary lineages, with the evolution of different strains often assumed to reflect differences in ecological selection pressures. Buggy Creek virus (BCRV) is an unusual RNA virus (Togaviridae, Alphavirus) that is associated primarily with a cimicid swallow bug (Oeciacus vicarius) as its vector and the Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and the introduced House Sparrow (Passer domeslicus) as its amplifying hosts. There are two sympatric lineages of BCRV (lineages A and B) that differ from each other by >6% at the nucleotide level. Analysis of 385 BCRV isolates all collected from bug vectors at a study site in southwestern Nebraska, USA, showed that the lineages differed in their peak times of seasonal occurrence within a summer. Lineage A was more likely to be found at recently established colonies, at those in culverts (rather than on highway bridges), and at those with invasive House Sparrows, and in bugs on the outsides of nests. Genetic diversity of lineage A increased with bird colony size and at sites with House Sparrows, while that of lineage B decreased with colony size and was unaffected by House Sparrows. Lineage A was more cytopathic on mammalian cells than was lineage B. These two lineages have apparently diverged in their transmission dynamics, with lineage A possibly more dependent on birds and lineage B perhaps more a bug virus. The long-standing association between Cliff Swallows and BCRV may have selected for immunological resistance to the virus by swallows and thus promoted the evolution of the more bug-adapted lineage B. In contrast, the recent arrival of the introduced House Sparrow and its high competence as a BCRV amplifying host may be favoring the more bird-dependent lineage A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]