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Individualized markers that allow organisms to be identified without recapture are invaluable for studies of survival, movement, and behavior. Nape tags consisting of brass safety pins with unique combinations of two or three colored plastic beads were used to mark 5,868 American Coot (Fulica americana) chicks and 331 Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), 157 King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) and 664 White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca deglandi) ducklings. These markers allowed for documentation of parent-offspring interactions, post-hatching survival, brood movements and brood-mixing behaviors. Nape tags were inexpensive, easy to make, easy to observe with binoculars or spotting scopes and provided over 100 two-bead or 1,000 three-bead color combinations for individual identification. For coots, there was no evidence of color biases affecting parental care or offspring survival, although some colors (white, yellow) were easier to detect than others (brown). The only observed problem was marker los...

Populations of North American waterbirds, particularly lesser scaup, have been declining due to habitat disturbance, changing food resources, contaminants, bad water quality, and competition. However, epizootic diseases, including parasitism, may also play an important role in further decline. Trematode-associated mortality of migrating waterbirds, mainly American coot and lesser scaup, has been occurring in the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge since 2002. We examined the levels of infective stages of Cyathocotyle bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema globulus in the invasive, intermediate host snail, Bithynia tentaculata, during the fall of 2005 and compared these to infection levels in moribund or dead bird hosts. Our results show different infection levels of these 2 parasites in the 2 bird species; C. bushiensis is found more frequently in coot, and S. globulus is more common in scaup. This result is interesting because both bird species are presumed to forage on the same snail population and thus should be experiencing the same extent of exposure. These differences in infections could be attributed to differences in resources of gastrointestinal tracts of coot and scaup, or host resistance. Alternatively, differences in feeding behaviors of coot and scaup may also contribute to differential infections of the 2 trematodes.

As a consequence of geographical and climate factors, a high percentage of Pakistan’s bird fauna is migratory with a great number of Palearctic winter visitors which come to exploit the improved availability of food. Palearctic winter visitors normally are species, mainly from Soviet Union, represented by non-breeding individuals. The Black Coot, Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758 (Gruiformes: Rallidae), comes to Pakistan from Siberia in winter (October–March) each year. Fulica atra is an omnivore that feeds on pondweeds, invertebrates, seeds, fruit and variety of small live prey, including eggs of other water birds. Birds are found mainly on freshwater lakes, reservoirs, rivers and town park lakes and they have also been found living in man-made ponds in Pakistan. These habitats provide favorable environment for breeding as well as the development of populations of snails, crustaceans and insect fauna, which enhances likelihood of acquiring parasitic infection.

We acquired data on diving times and feeding rates by pecking on three different substrates in a small wetland of central Italy, in order to improve the scant knowledge on foraging behaviour of the Eurasian coot (Fulica atra) in the Mediterranean area. Diving times showed a mean value of 2.59 sec (± 1.81 SD; n = 186). A large proportion of diving times (about 72%) were between 1 and 3 sec, a range corresponding to intrinsic physio-ecological times allowing a coot to search for food items below the water surface. The feeding rate by pecking was significantly higher in muddy soils when compared with either shallow water or rush beds. The data may be explainable in terms of the easier detectability and availability of different food items in muddy soils, which may increase the feeding rate by pecking on this substrate. The lower feeding rate in rush beds, when compared to muddy soils, could also be explained in terms of the spatial arrangement of this terrestrial substrate and, consequently, the higher level...

Southern Mediterranean lagoons are among the more vulnerable systems regarding human activities (e.g. agriculture, tourism, urbanization) leading to eutrophication. We analyse the relationship of waterbirds with locally measured or modelled environmental variables (nutrient load, fish production, jellyfish blooms) related with this process, in the Mar Menor lagoon (Murcia, SE Spain), and discuss the potential value of birds as indicators of the trophic status of the wetland. We use GLMs to relate the biomass of the five most abundant and representative waterbird species to these variables, accounting for the potential influence of external factors affecting their population at higher biogeographical scales. A significant effect of such factors was only found for Great Cormorant, which biased the positive response of the piscivore guild to nutrient load (NLD). Red-breasted Merganser appeared relatively insensitive to nutrient enrichment, although declined in the long term. The remaining species responded positively, NLD being a significant predictor of their biomass when a 2-year lag was allowed, although this variable alone had a low explanatory power except for the Coot. When homogeneous temporal phases were defined, grebes could be identified as early warners of eutrophication, and Coot as late-stage ones. The increase of piscivores along a period of declining fish catches could reflect a shift in fish community composition or structure that favours their feeding preferences. The interactive role of jellyfish, buffering temporally the loading of nutrients, may also be related to these changes.

We analyzed long-term winter survey data (1956–2007) for three endangered waterbirds endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, the Hawaiian moorhen (Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis), Hawaiian coot (Fulica alai), and Hawaiian stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni). Time series were analyzed by species–island combinations using generalized additive models, with alternative models compared using Akaike information criterion (AIC). The best model included three smoothers, one for each species. Our analyses show that all three of the endangered Hawaiian waterbirds have increased in population size over the past three decades. The Hawaiian moorhen increase has been slower in more recent years than earlier in the survey period, but Hawaiian coot and stilt numbers still exhibit steep increases. The patterns of population size increase also varied by island, although this effect was less influential than that between species. In contrast to earlier studies, we found no evidence that rainfall affects counts of the target species. Significant population increases were found on islands where most wetland protection has occurred (Oahu, Kauai), while weak or no increases were found on islands with few wetlands or less protection (Hawaii, Maui). Increased protection and management, especially on Maui where potential is greatest, would likely result in continued population gains, increasing the potential for meeting population recovery goals.

Examining incubation behavior during laying and that behavior's consequences on patterns of hatching can help discriminate among hypotheses competing to explain the evolution of asynchronous hatching. Consequently, I documented nest attentiveness and patterns of hatching of American Coots (Fulica americana) nesting in southwestern Manitoba from 1986 to 1991. Coots gradually increased their nest attentiveness from laying of the first to the sixth egg, and attentiveness to late-season clutches peaked earlier during laying, but it was unaffected by clutch size, first vs. replacement nest, or supplemental food. Nest attentiveness during laying was effective at initiating embryo development, as evidenced by a strong positive correlation between the order of laying of eggs and order of hatching of chicks. These results are most consistent with hypotheses that nest attentiveness during laying evolved to protect eggs or maintain viability of embryos. Clutch-initiation date had the most pronounced effect...

The aim of this investigation was to characterise the fatty acid composition within intramuscular fat (IMF) of two muscles (breast and thigh) from 28 pheasants, ten wild ducks and 27 black coots from Slovakia. A high variability for all single fatty acids (FA) and the total fat concentration in muscles of wild birds was identified. Black coots deposited the highest fat in breast muscle whereas wild ducks and pheasants accumulated more lipids in thigh muscle. In general, the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the IMF in wild bird muscles was high, and the saturated FA concentration was lower compared with muscles of domestic farm animals. The ratio between PUFA and saturated fatty acids (PSQ) ranked between 0.6 and 1.2, and the ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acid was favourably low in black coot and wild pheasants (3.2 and 2.9, respectively). Farmed pheasants had increased IMF and more saturated and n-6 fatty acids deposited in thigh muscle but not in breast muscle.

The wetland of Chortarolimni is an island, seasonal wetland with brackish waters. Due to a drainage ditch installed in the 1970s the breeding wildfowl of the wetland (Mallard, Common Shellduck, Ruddy Shellduck, Black-winged stilt and Eurasian Coot) suffers from the early seasonal draught. After an ecological assessment of the site, which involved a site visit and analysis of previous reports on the wetland, restorative measures were identified and designed to conserve the breeding waterfowl by enhancing the availability of open water and pond habitats during the waterfowl breeding period. Successful monitoring of the restoration measures will enhance the wetland ecosystem services and the ecotourism potential of the area.

We used next generation shotgun sequencing to develop novel microsatellite markers for two endangered waterbirds; the Hawaiian coot (Fulica alai) and Hawaiian gallinule (Gallinula galeata sandvicensis). The 20 loci polymorphic in the Hawaiian coot displayed moderate allelic diversity (average 3.8 alleles/locus) and heterozygosity (average 59.5 %). The 12 loci variable for the Hawaiian gallinule exhibited lower levels of allelic diversity (average 2.4 alleles/locus) and heterozygosity (average 47.5 %). Loci were in linkage equilibrium and only one locus deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These loci are sufficiently variable to assess levels of genetic diversity and will be useful for conservation genetic studies to aid in the management of these endangered waterbirds.

American Coot (Fulica americana) behavior was observed and Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) cover measured at Lake Chapala, Mexico, to determine whether site selection, habitat use, behavior within habitat types and selection of habitats for foraging were affected by the invasive aquatic plant. Water Hyacinth significantly affected habitat choice within selected sites but not site selection by coots. Coots spent less time in shallow water and more time in Water Hyacinth as site-level hyacinth cover increased. Water Hyacinth did not restrict coot movement and birds foraged significantly more in patch Water Hyacinth (28.7 ± 2.3% of total time) than in open water (9.8 ± 0.9%). Moreover, coots spent less time foraging in shallow water and more time foraging in hyacinths as cover increased. Coots used Water Hyacinth opportunistically and may have preferred it over other available habitat types. The positive relationships between Water Hyacinth and coots were likely attributed to the introduction...

WOS: 000288210900008, Group size influences individual vigilance in different bird species. Most studies have shown that animals spend more time for feeding and less time on vigilance when in groups. Apart from group size, additional factors, such as group density, age, sex, and season, are considered to influence vigilance behaviors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of flock size and human presence on vigilance and feeding in the Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) during the breeding season. This work was performed in Yorukkirka Lake (Eskisehir, Turkey) from March to August 2005. No correlation was found between flock size and vigilance rates during either human absence or presence. On the other hand, when comparing behavioral differences between human presence and absence, humans appeared to have an important negative effect on vigilance rates, vigilance duration, and feeding behavior, regardless of flock size.

POLAK M. 2010. Clutch and egg size variation in the coot Fulica atra breeding on fishponds in eastern Poland – test of the optimal egg dimensions hypothesis. Acta zoologica cracoviensia, 53A(1-2): 35-40. Abstract. Clutch and egg size variation of the coot, Fulica atra, was studied in eastern Poland from 2005 to 2008. The study areas were extensively managed fish farms in the Lublin region. A total 797 eggs from 106 clutches were measured during four nesting seasons. Mean clutch size was 7.52 ± 1.59 (range 5-14), modal clutch size was 7. Average values of the egg dimensions are as follows: egg length – 52.70 ± 2.33 mm, egg breadth – 36.52 ± 1.22 mm and egg volume 35.72 ± 3.44 cm3. Egg dimensions were positively correlated. No significant differences in clutch and egg sizes during the four seasons were found. This suggests that the environmental conditions in the studied fishponds during the study period did not change or had no influence on egg size. There was no significant relationship between egg dimensions and clutch size and the study does not support predictions based on the hypothesis of optimal clutch/egg size.

Helminthic parasites occur at high frequencies in waterbirds, but little is known about their effects on host population dynamics. In 2004–2005, we examined the effect of helminthic parasites on fledging success of semiprecocial American Coot (Fulica americana) chicks by experimentally dosing day-old chicks with the anthelmintic drug fenbendazole (treatments) or sterile water (controls) and measuring their survival to 40 days of age using mark—resighting analyses. In 2005, we also provided anthelmintic (treatment) or plain (control) supplemental food to incubating adults to determine whether chick survival was further influenced by parasite burdens of parents. Treated offspring had approximately half as many helminthic parasites as untreated offspring, but we could not demonstrate a reduction in parasite burdens among treated adults. Chicks that received fenbendazole in 2004 had 0.510 (85% confidence interval [CI]: 0.447–0.588) cumulative survival to 40 days of age, versus 0.387 (85% CI: 0.305–0...

The aim of this study was to monitor accumulation of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic in leg skeletal muscle of some wild birds from selected areas of Slovakia and the correlations among the heavy metals. A total of 160 wild birds representing 3 species-Eurasian coot (Fulica atra) (n = 24), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (n = 68) and pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) (n = 68) were involved for analyses. Concentrations of heavy metals from samples were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Metal concentrations are expressed as mg/kg wet weight. The order of lead and arsenic concentrations in muscles of wild birds were as follows: mallardpheasantEurasian coot; in the case of arsenic the differences were significant (P0.05). Muscle of Eurasian coot accumulated the highest concentration of cadmium and mercury followed by pheasant and the lowest in mallard, but differences were not significant (P0.05). Moderately negative correlations were noted in pheasant between cadmium and mercury (r = -0.39), and between mercury and arsenic (r = -0.45). Moderately negative correlation between cadmium and arsenic (r = -0.31) was found for Eurasian coot.

In the paper was presented results of our study about uranium 234U and 238U radioactivity in the marine birds samples, collected in the Polish area of the southern Baltic Sea. We chose 11 species of sea birds: three species permanently residing at southern Baltic, four species of wintering birds and three species of migrating birds. The obtained results indicated that uranium is very irregularly distributed in organs and tissues of marine birds. The highest uranium content is characterized in liver, rest of viscera and feathers, the smallest in skin and muscles. The uranium concentration was higher for carnivorous species (long-tailed duck (C. hyemalis), common eider (S. mollissima), lower for species eating fish (great cormorant (P. carbo), common guillemot (U. aalge), red-throated diver (G. stellata) and razorbill (A. tarda)), but the biggest amounts for herbivorous species [tufted duck (A. fuligula) and eurasian coot (F. atra)]. About 63–67% of uranium, which was located in feathers of two species of marine birds: razorbill (A. tarda) and long-tailed duck (C. hymealis), was apparently adsorbed, which suggests that uranium adsorption on the feathers may be an important transfer from air to water.

Pelecitus bartneri sp. nov. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) is described from the subcutaneous tissues of the leg of a Golden-shouldered Parrot, Psephotus chrysopterygius Gould, 1858 (Psittaciformes) from an aviary in Brisbane, Queensland. It represents the first species of Pelecitus described from an endemic bird in Australia, although P. fulicaeatrae Diesing, 1861, previously known from the Nearctic, Palaearctic and Ethiopian regions, has been recorded from the Eurasian coot, Fulica atra, Linnaeus, 1758. The new species is distinguished from P. fulicaeatrae and P. galli by the presence of granular or hyaline inclusions in the caudal alae of males. It is further distinguished from these species and other species of Pelecitus in avian hosts by the combination of morphometrics of males and females, the presence of only four or five pedunculated pre- and post-cloacal papillae in each caudal ala and the absence of any semi-pedunculate or sessile papillae in the male. It is clearly distinguished from the only...

A BSTRACT. — The Caribbean coot Fulica caribaea is a breeding resident on 15 islands in the Caribbean region. Formerly considered conspecific with American coot F. americana a reappraisal of its conservation status suggests it to be Vulnerable according to IUCN Red Listing threat criteria. Based on a study of 19 sites in the Netherlands Antilles and records of 49 sites (>5 ha) throughout its range I analyze the relationships between numbers of coots and wetland size and the relationships between wetland size, inclusion in the protected area network, and threats to the site and / or the coots. In the Netherlands Antilles there is no relationship between numbers of coots and wetland size, with some of the larger numbers (>200 birds) found on small (

Food-supplementation studies on birds during egg laying have generally manipulated macronutrients and energy. Such studies have shown variable effects on egg size in American Coots (Fulica americana). We determined the relative influences of local environment, food quantity, and food quality on egg size in American Coots by supplementing food and carotenoids at three sites in Saskatchewan. Eggs were collected and analyzed for carotenoid content and stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) in the yolk to determine whether variation in the type of food eaten contributes to egg size. We also report on the isotopic analysis of American Coot tissues and their eggs to assess evidence of endogenous versus exogenous protein and lipid allocations to reproduction. We provide isotopic evidence that American Coots used endogenous lipid, but not protein, reserves for egg formation and that egg size is more dependent on exogenous sources of nutrients. Laying sequence was the only variable across nesting locales that h...

The time between egg laying and chick fledging is of crucial importance for the survival of young birds. I analyzed breeding output at consecutive phases of growth of young Coots (Fulica atra) relative to the clutch size and laying date. Considering the specific breeding biology of the Coot, I tested whether chick survival reveals clutch size-dependent variability. Clutch size did not affect hatching success; it only affected brood size, and that merely temporarily. During the first 20 days after hatching, i.e. during the time of the highest chick mortality, birds with larger clutches lost chicks at a higher rate. As a result, the number of fledged chicks was independent of the initial number of chicks, and pairs with different clutch sizes had a similar number of fledglings. The laying date had no effect. This pattern of age-related chick survival points to the greater role of the type of chick growth (semi-precocial) and behavior in their survival.

Both native and non-native predators should strongly affect resident fauna. Nevertheless, because of a lack of defensive mechanisms in potential prey, the influence of non-native predators should have longer-lasting and more deleterious repercussions. The breeding ecology of the Coot was studied in the Milicz Ponds reserve and compared with data from 20 years earlier. In the meantime, non-native, mammalian predators (American Mink Mustela vison, Raccoon Dog Nyctereutes procyonoides and Raccoon Procyon lotor) turned up in this area, while the numbers of Hooded Crow Corvus cornix, the main predator of Coot nests, decreased. Compared with 1980–1982, the number of Coots in 2002–2003 dropped by more than half and mean clutch size decreased. Breeding success and the number of hatchlings per pair remained unchanged; in the 1980s, however, Coots renested more frequently, there was greater nesting synchrony and breeding seasons were demonstrably shorter. Moreover, although predation still remained the ma...

We tested the cross-amplification of 26 microsatellites developed for passerines and an additional three developed for Gallinula species in eight European Coots from two populations. Sixteen microsatellite markers successfully amplified, of which nine were polymorphic with 2–6 alleles (mean 3.7 alleles) and an expected heterozygosity (He) ranging from 0.375 to 0.805 (mean He = 0.589). On average, we found 2.22 alleles/locus and a mean He of 0.440 in one nest, and 2.56 alleles/locus and a mean He of 0.494 in the other one. These nine polymorphic markers could be of potential use in studies of genetic variability, population structure and reproductive strategy of European Coots.

The Wilderness Lakes system, comprising three estuarine lakes (Eilandvlei, Langvlei and Rondevlei), supports a diverse waterbird community, which includes 12 duck species and the abundant Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata. Biannual counts of waterfowl (ducks and Red-knobbed Coot) and assessments of submerged macrophyte standing crop, undertaken between 1992 and 2005, were used to investigate relationships between the biomass of macrophytes and waterfowl. Large changes in macrophyte biomass occurred during most of the study period in Eilandvlei (decreases) and Rondevlei (increases), whereas changes in Langvlei were small with no apparent long-term trends. Significant positive correlations existed between duck biomass and macrophyte biomass in Rondevlei and Eilandvlei, and between Red-knobbed Coot biomass and macrophyte biomass in Eilandvlei. Trends in the biomass of Red-knobbed Coot and macrophyte biomass were similar in Rondevlei and Langvlei, although statistically significant correlations could not be de...

Many wild species, like waterbirds, are exploited for their economic interests. At present, the annual western Palearctic duck bag is at least 17 million birds. From a sustainable management perspective, wetland users and managers request predictions of spatial distribution and abundance variations of these bird populations. The objective of this study was to analyze local factors potentially influencing the diurnal distribution and population size of wintering ducks and coots, the main game species, in Camargue (southern France). First, we showed that marshland surface area, salinity and hunting disturbance were the principal variables explaining the duck and coot distribution. Secondly, we tested the hypothesis that hunting disturbance would reduce the carrying capacity of the Camargue with two analyses: the effect of creating a protected area and the change of the hunting closing date. This hypothesis was not validated. Our study therefore led us to reconsider the research orientations on the carrying capacity in this wetland. The surface of protected day roosts seems presently sufficient in the Rhone delta. Consequently, to increase the population size with the same level of hunting disturbance at the scale of the Camargue, alternative strategies should be envisaged, such as the creation of nature reserves on nocturnal feeding ground or the creation of large management units with limited disturbance.

Three Marsh Harrier’s (Circus aeruginosus) nests were monitored during the breeding season at two lakes in the Mazurian Lakeland of NE Poland. Female Harriers visited the nests more often than males and stayed with their nestlings much longer than males. At all nesting sites, the main prey delivered to young Marsh Harriers were Microtus voles (56% of all prey items) and other rodents (12.5%). However, the composition of the Marsh Harrier’s diet differed significantly among the three nests. Waterfowl and the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus) constituted 71% of the biomass consumed. No significant differences were recorded between prey items delivered to the nests by males and females. However, some prey, such as the Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus), Coot (Fulica atra) and young brown hares (Lepus europaeus), were brought to the nests only by females. The overall prey biomass delivered to nestlings by females was approximately five times larger than that delivered by males. The diet composition determi...

Infections caused by the avian influenza virus have been known for a long time and they are present, to a smaller or greater extent, in both extensive and intensive poultry production in many parts of the world. Epidemiological investigations have established a definite significance of the population of wild birds in maintaining and spreading this infection. Avian influenza is a zoonosis, and the virus has a great potential for causing mortality in humans, in particular its subtypes H5 and H7, which is why it has lately been provoking much attention among scientists and experts, as well as the general public. The objective of the work was to catch a certain number of wild birds in several locations in the Republic of Serbia, to identify them, and to collect samples of their blood serum for the determination of specific antibodies against the avian influenza virus. Birds were caught in ten locations in a manner that was safe for the birds themselves, as well as for the staff that did the catching. The birds were caught in especially produced nets, and in some cases in special traps. The caught wild birds were identified using the methods described in reference literature. All the names of the wild birds were coordinated with the valid Serbian nomenclature of European birds, prepared by prominent ornithologist and bird lover Milan Ružić. Following catching and identification, blood samples were taken from the birds from the wing vein (in bigger birds) or from the leg vein (in smaller birds). In taking blood samples from wild birds, all the principles of asepsis and antisepsis were followed in order to prevent any possibility of infection. After that, the birds were returned to their natural habitat, to the same locations in which they were caught. Serums were isolated from the taken blood samples and they were stored at -20ºC until the final examinations. A total of 46 species of wild birds were identified among a total of 259 birds from which 259 samples of blood serum were isolated. The following were used for the detection of the presence of specific antibodies against the avian influenza virus in blood serum samples of wild birds: agar gel precipitation (AGP), the hemagglutination inhibition test (HI) for subtypes H5 and H7, the cELISA test with antigen for the A type avian infleunza virus, and the cELISA test with antigen for subtype H5 of the avian influenza virus. Due to the fact that about 360 different species of wild birds live in the Republic of Serbia, the number of 46 identified species covered by these investigations account for 12.77% of the total number of bird species present in Serbia, which is considered a good sample. Specific antibodies against the A type avian influenza virus were established in serum samples of only 9 of the 259 birds covered by examinations using the cELISA test. Of the 46 identified wild bird species, 6 belonged to birds that live exclusively in water habitats and are considered a reservoir of the avian influenza virus (white stork, mallard, mute swan, common pochard, common goldeneye, and Eurasian coot). Among the listed species, particular attention was drawn to 4 species of wild birds of the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae (mallard, mute swan, common pochard, common goldeneye) of which there were 30 birds among the total of 259 examined. In the 30 blood serum samples of the listed bird species, specific antibodies against the A type avian influenza virus were established in 9 (30%) serum samples using cELISA. Specific antibodies against the avian influenza virus subtype H5 were established in 3 serum samples of mute swans (one serum sample originated from a mute swan which was tagged in Poland) and in one blood serum sample of a common pochard, or a total of 4 (13.33%) serum samples, using the hemagglutination inhibition test. Specific antibodies against the avian inluenza virus subtype H7 were established in 3 (10%) blood serum samples, in two serum samples from mallards and one sample from a mute swan, using the hemagglutination inhibition test. Specific antibodies against the avian influenza virus type A were not established in any examined bird species using the AGP test. In the population of wild bird species in the Republic of Serbia covered by these investigations, specific antibodies against the avian influenza virus were established only in serum samples of birds of the family Anatidae. Specific antibodies against the avian influenza virus type A established in 3 (6.52%) species of wild birds, and against subtypes H5 and H7 in 2 (4.34%) of the total of 46 examined species. The sensitivity of the cELISA test for the avian influenza virus subtype H5 and the hemagglutination inhibition test for subtype H5 amounted to 100%. Infekcije izazvane virusom avijarne influence, su već odavno poznate i prisutne u manjem ili većem obimu, kako u ekstenzivnoj, tako i u intenzivnoj živinarskoj proizvodnji, u mnogim delovima sveta. Epidemiološkim ispitivanjima je utvrđen nesumnjiv značaj populacije divljih ptica u očuvanju i širenju ove infekcije. Avijarna influenca je zoonoza, a virus ima veliki potencijal da izazove visoku smrtnost kod ljudi, posebno njegovi podtipovi H5 i H7, tako da u novije vreme izaziva veliku pažnju, kako naučne i stručne, tako i najšire javnosti. Cilj ovog rada je bio da se na nekoliko lokacija u Republici Srbiji uhvati određeni broj divljih ptica, izvrši njihova identifikacija i prikupe uzorci krvnog seruma radi otkrivanja specifičnih antitela protiv virusa avijarne influence. Hvatanje ptica vršeno je na deset lokacija na bezbedan način, kako za same ptice, tako i za osoblje koje ih je hvatalo. Hvatanje ptica obavljano je posebnim za te svrhe proizvedenim mrežama, a u nekim slučajevima i posebnim zamkama (klopkama). Za identifikaciju uhvaćenih divljih ptica korišćene su metode koje su opisane u stručnoj literaturi. Svi nazivi divljih ptica usklađeni su sa važećom srpskom nomenklaturom ptica Evrope. Nakon hvatanja i identifikacije, pticama je uzimana krv iz krilne vene (kod većih ptica) ili iz nožne vene (kod malih ptica). Prilikom uzimanja krvi od divljih ptica poštovani su svi principi asepse i antisepse, kako bi se sprečila svaka mogućnost infekcije. Nakon toga, ptice su vraćane u prirodu, na iste lokacije na kojima su i uhvaćene. Od uzetih uzoraka krvi izdvojeni su serumi koji su ostavljani na - 20ºC i čuvani do konačnog ispitivanja. Identifikovano je 46 vrsta divljih ptica sa ukupno 259 jedinki od kojih je izdvojeno 259 uzoraka krvnog seruma. Za otkrivanje prisustva specifičnih antitela protiv virusa avijarne influence u uzorcima krvnog seruma divljih ptica korišćeni su agar gel precipitacija (AGP), test inhibicije hemaglutinacije (IH) za podtipove H5 i H7, cELISA test sa antigenom A tipa virusa avijarne influence i cELISA sa antigenom podtipa H5 virusa avijarne influence. S obzirom na činjenicu da na teritoriji Republike Srbije živi oko 360 različitih vrsta divljih ptica, broj od 46 identifikovanih vrsta obuhvaćenih ispitivanjem, činio je 12,77% od ukupnog broja prisutnih vrsta ptica u Srbiji, što se smatra dobrim uzorkom. Specifična antitela protiv A tipa virusa avijarne influence ustanovljena su u uzorcima seruma samo 9 od 259 jedinki koje su bile obuhvaćene ispitivanjem primenom cELISA testa. U identifikovanih 46 vrsta divljih ptica 6 je pripadalo pticama koje žive isključivo u vodenim staništima i smatraju se rezervoarom virusa avijarne influence (bela roda, patka gluvara, labud grbac, riđoglava patka, patka dupljašica i liska). Od navedenih vrsta posebnu pažnju privukle su 4 vrste divljih ptica iz reda Anseriformes i familije Anatidae (patka gluvara, labud grbac, riđoglava patka, patka dupljašica) kojima je od ukupno 259 ptica pripadalo 30 jedinki. U 30 uzoraka krvnog seruma navedenih vrsta ptica, specifična antitela protiv A tipa virusa avijarne influence utvrđena su u 9 (30%) uzoraka seruma, primenom cELISA. Specifična antitela protiv podtipa H5 virusa avijarne influence su ustanovljena u 3 uzorka seruma labudova grbaca (jedan uzorak seruma je poticao od labuda grbca koji je prstenovan u Poljskoj) i u jednom uzorku krvnog seruma riđoglave patke, ili ukupno u 4 (13,33%) uzorka seruma, primenom testa inhibicije hemaglutinacije. Specifična antitela protiv podtipa H7 virusa avijarne influence utvrđena su u 3 (10%) uzorka krvnog seruma i to u dva seruma pataka gluvara i u jednom serumu labuda grbca, primenom inhibicije hemaglutinacije. Specifična antitela protiv A tipa virusa avijarne influence nisu ustanovljena ni kod jedne ispitivane vrste ptice, primenom AGP testa. U populaciji divljih vrta ptica u Republici Srbiji obuhvaćenih ovim ispitivanjem, specifična antitela protiv virusa avijarne influence ustanovljena su samo u uzorcima seruma ptica iz familije Anatidae. Specifična antitela protiv A tipa virusa avijarne influence su otkrivena kod 3 (6,52%) vrste divljih ptica, a protiv podtipova H5 i H7 kod 2 (4,34%) od ukupno 46 vrsta koje su ispitivane. Senzitivnost cELISA testa za podtip H5 virusa avijarne influence i testa inhibicije hemaglutinacije za isti podtip iznosila je 100%.

Siblings compete for parental care and feeding, while parents must allocate scarce resources to those offspring most likely to survive and reproduce. This could cause offspring to evolve traits that advertise health, and thereby attract parental resources. For example, experimental evidence suggests that bright orange filaments covering the heads of North American coot chicks may have evolved for this fitness-advertising purpose. Could any human mental disorders be the equivalent of dull filaments in coot chicks-low-fitness extremes of mental abilities that evolved as fitness indicators? One possibility is autism. Suppose that the ability of very young children to charm their parents evolved as a parentally selected fitness indicator. Young children would vary greatly in their ability to charm parents, that variation would correlate with underlying fitness, and autism could be the low-fitness extreme of this variation. This view explains many seemingly disparate facts about autism and leads to some surprising and testable predictions.

We used Great Lakes hydrologic data and bird monitoring data from the Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program from 1995–2002 to: 1) evaluate trends and patterns of annual change in May-July water levels for Lakes Ontario, Erie, and Huron-Michigan, 2) report on trends of relative abundance for birds breeding in Great Lakes coastal marshes, and 3) correlate basin-wide and lake-specific annual indices of bird abundance with Great Lakes water levels. From 1995–2002, average May, June, and July water levels in all lake basins showed some annual variation, but Lakes Erie and Huron-Michigan had identical annual fluctuation patterns and general water level declines. No trend was observed in Lake Ontario water levels over this period. Abundance for five of seven marsh birds in Lake Ontario wetlands showed no temporal trends, whereas abundance of black tern (Chlidonias niger) declined and that of swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) increased from 1995–2002. In contrast, abundances of American coot (Fulica americana), black tern, common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), least bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), marsh wren (Cistorthorus palustris), pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), sora (Porzana carolina), swamp sparrow, and Virginia rail (Rallus limicola) declined within marshes at Lakes Erie and Huron/Michigan from 1995–2002. Annual abundances of several birds we examined showed positive correlations with annual lake level changes in non-regulated Lakes Erie and Huron/Michigan, whereas most birds we examined in Lake Ontario coastal wetlands were not correlated with suppressed water level changes of this lake. Overall, our results suggest that long-term changes and annual water level fluctuations are important abiotic factors affecting abundance of some marsh-dependent birds in Great Lakes coastal marshes. For this reason, wetland bird population monitoring initiatives should consider using methods in sampling protocols, or during data analyses, to account for temporal and spatial components of hydrologic variability that affect wetlands and their avifauna.

Food habits of the American mink Mustela vison were studied based on the analysis of 2364 scat samples, collected at three lakes in Northeastern Poland. The mink preyed on a wide range of prey, but two types of prey, amphibians and fish, dominated in the diet of the mink during all the seasons. Frogs, and first and foremost, the common frog Rana temporaria, were hunted by the mink, mainly from the late autumn until the early spring, and comprised up to 83.9% of the prey biomass (the multiannual average for November–December at the Majcz Wielki Lake). The most frequently eaten fish were cyprinids and percids. Seasonality of fish consumption by mink was not as well pronounced as in the case of amphibians. At the first two lakes, fish were hunted mainly in the winter and in the early spring, whereas at the third lake in the summer. The highest multiannual average share of fish in the diet of the mink was recorded in March–April at Lake Tuchlin (69.2% of the prey biomass). Crayfish, which were recorded in the diet mainly in the late spring and in the summer, comprised up to 59.6% of the prey biomass for May–June at the Majcz Wielki Lake. Birds, mammals and insects were supplementary food for the mink. During the breeding season, mink predation on waterfowl and their broods was correlated with the abundance of crested grebe Podiceps cristatus and coot Fulica atra nests in the area. The diet of individual mink varied considerably and the share of birds in the diet of the mink was related to the distance from individual mink dens to the colonies of waterfowl. In May–June, adult birds, chicks and eggs comprised up to 73.6% of the prey biomass of a female mink that inhabited a den located 100 m from the colony's edge. At all three lakes, the diet of the mink was the most diverse in the late spring and in the summer. In May–August, the values of the mink food niche breadths were about twice those noted in winter months.

This study investigates the importance of avian species in the diet of Shapwick Heath's otter population. The frequency occurrence of prey items was recorded from spraints collected between July 2006 and January 2007. Bird feathers extracted from otter spraints were investigated under a microscope. Where possible, feathers were identified to species level. The presence of fish scales in spraints was recorded, but not quantified. Bird feathers were recorded in 41% of all spraints, compared with 4.6% on Slapton Ley in 1981 and 4.7% on the Somerset Levels in 1975. The highest proportion of bird feathers was recorded in July 2006, at 61%. Ralliformes were more frequently recorded than any other family of birds. Coot Fulica atra L. were more frequently recorded then any other species; 15 spraints were found to contain coot feathers. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos feathers were recorded in six spraints. Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo feathers were found in three spraints and Water rail Rallus aquaticus feathers were found in two spraints. Pintail Anas acuta, teal Anas creca, moorhen Gallinula chloropus and little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis feathers were found in one spraint each. Two spraints contained feathers from both mallard and coot, respectively. The high proportion of birds in the otter's diet, in comparison with past studies suggests that otters are substituting birds for part of their traditional diet of fish. It is recommended that studies into the nature of the fish stock and the development of the aquatic ecosystem on Shapwick Heath be undertaken.

Summary The Giant Coot is generally a local and sparse bird in Andean lakes at 3100–5000 m. One of the localities found by the author, Lake Lagunillas in southern Peru, contained 600–650 nesting pairs increasing the known population markedly. The enormous offshore nests are completely open to view. They begin as floating structures but as they increase in size, rest on the bottom like islands. Since the central parts of large nests turn into compact peat, they are probably used for years in succession. Thriving breeding populations may require extensive shallows with dense weeds such as Myriophyllum and Potamogeton at the water surface. New materials are added to the high nest-rim as long as pairs have young and this serves as a continuing food supply for the chick, permitting them to stay dry and sheltered during bad weather. The threat behaviour differs markedly from that of other coots studied. The main breeding season is in the austral winter when there is intense cold every night, with second broods in spring and some laying at other seasons. Development appears very slow. Territorial adults seem sedentary and flightless. It is assumed that the species disperse through nocturnal flights, probably by immatures which have not yet obtained full weight.

Summary The young of 41 species of Anatidae, mainly from the Anserini, Tadornini, Anatini and Cairinini were tested for colour preference. For comparison, two species of gull, two of rails and three of pheasants were tested in the same experimental apparatus—a small closed box in which gelatine filter spots, red, orange, yellow, green, blue-green and blue, could be placed before a source of indirect light. A preference for green was general throughout the ducks and geese, and some species and individuals also pecked selectively at yellow. The tribes and genera differed in the extent of their avoidance of other colours; geese of the genus Branta and the sheldgeese tended to ignore blue, while Anser geese, the Anatini and Cairinini markedly ignored red and orange. Members of the Phasianidae showed a similar preference for green. It was confirmed that gulls and the Moorhen, which normally peck at red on the adult's bill to obtain food, select red spots, as also does the Coot, although here the parent's bill is white. It is concluded that there are certain broad correlations between feeding habit and the birds' unlearned colour preference in the pecking response, but more importantly, that closely related species tend to show similar preferences even when their food is quite different.

Summary. Several hypotheses as to the function of the head-coloration of nestling Coot are discussed with reference to the behaviour of the young. The evidence presented supports the view that the bright coloration serves to emphasize the signal-movements employed by the young in obtaining food from adults. A review of the literature on the colouring of sixty other species and subspecies of the family Rallidae reveals the prevalence of bright bill-colours and the occurrence of bright head-markings in several genera. It is suggested that bright bills represent the first stage in the development of emphatic coloration such as is highly developed in the Coot. Several intermediate stages have been described. Bright head-markings are limited to those species in which the need for procryptic coloration is no longer paramount.

Summary. 1 Parent Coot treat all young conspicuously unlike their own as territorial intruders. 2 Parents with young less than two weeks old will tolerate, feed and brood young similar in appearance to their own. Three cases of permanent adoption are recorded. 3 Parents with young much over a fortnight old will not tolerate any strange chicks, however similar. This appears to prove that they recognize their own young individually. 4 The reactions of the young are controlled by releasers. Two are cited, viz. releasers of the following, and alarm, reactions. 5 Chicks up to at least eight hours old will follow men, accept food from (hem, and respond to calls made by them. 6 This tameness disappears by the second day (except in the case of hand-reared young). Imprinting is by then complete. 7 At first young will follow and beg from any adult Coot. 8 At 8–11 days young learn to avoid adults in an attitude of attack. 9 Individual recognition of adults develops at about three weeks.

The red-knobbed coot Fulica cristata experienced a dramatic population decline in Spain, where the common coot F. atra does not face conservation problems. This is puzzling because both species have similar ecologies. It has been suggested that habitat alterations affected the quality of food plants, and this impacted differentially both coots. To verify this, we conducted experiments to determine the assimilation efficiency of both species in relation to food quality. Two types of diets differing in fibre content (commercial food and Potamogeton pectinatus) were offered to captive red-knobbed and common coots, during both spring and autumn. We examined variations in faecal particle size among coot species and diets, indicative of the facility with which food can be assimilated, and used the stable isotope technique to study differences between coot species in stable isotope fractionations from consumption to excretion. Faecal particle size was larger in red-knobbed than in common coots when fibre content was high, but was similar when it was low. Faecal particle sizes were larger in autumn, when fibre content was higher, than in spring. In general, δ15N in faeces of red-knobbed coots was greater than in faeces of common coots. These results suggest that the digestive efficiency of the red-knobbed coot was lower than that of the common coot, and that the differences increased when the fibre content in food plants increased. Managers should try to make available to coots wetland habitat with high quality food, which may be facilitated by prolonging the hydroperiods. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Mar Menor, a 135-km 2 saline lake, is the largest water surface on the western Mediterranean coast, and an internationally important bird area. It is surrounded by a large irrigated agricultural plain, with dense tourism developments. Although the impacts of these activities on water quality are locally evident, their effects on waterbird populations are poorly known. In the winter 2004‐2005, we studied the distribution of four waterbird species (Podiceps cristatus, Podiceps nigricollis, Phalacrocorax carbo and Fulica atra) around the main drainage channel that discharges into the lake, where it was feasible to infer spatial patterns of eutrophication (alongshore and shore centre) from previous environmental surveys. Waterbirds were counted along a stretch of undeveloped shoreline extending southwards from the channel outlet, in contiguous sections, and in bands parallel to the shoreline. Linear mixed models (LMM) indicated the population density increased only markedly for grebes (Podiceps cristatus, Podiceps nigricollis) and coot (Fulica atra) in littoral bands qualifying as eutrophic, but not an alongshore response, with their finescale alongshore distribution being apparently unrelated to nutrient sources. Considering the whole lake, however, the temporal trends and distribution of the wintering populations indicated that waterbirds respond numerically, in a guild-specific way, to nutrient inputs. Grebes and coot could be a useful ‘two-stage’ warning signal for potential problem areas affected by similar influences.

with the size of captured crabs, but foraging efficiency decreased. Crab availability affected both the dive duration of the Coots and their foraging decisions with regard to prey-size selection. Two species of gull were observed kleptoparasitizing Coots, especially when the Coot was handling medium or large crabs. Feeding by Coots on Cyrtograpsus angulatus has not been previously documented and may be a feeding innovation. Our estimations suggest that Coots were foraging optimally, since smaller crabs were more energetically profitable.

L’inventaire quantitatif des ectoparasites a ete realise pour la premiere fois chez la Foulque macroule (N = 17), Fulica atra , au niveau du lac Tonga, en Algerie, durant la saison d’hivernage (2004-2005). Les resultats ont montre que les mites ( Grallobia fulicae ) sont les plus abondantes. Elles representent 65,6 % de l’effectif total, suivies par les poux ( Pseudomenopon pilosum , Rallicola fulicae , Fullicofula lurida , Incidifrons fulicae , Laemobothrion atrum ) avec 34,4 % et les sangsues ( Theromyzone sp) avec 0,05 %. Tous les individus etaient infestes par des poux, 82,4 % par des mites et 41,2 % par des sangsues.

Ecological traps, in combination with other factors, can reduce population sizes and even lead to local extinction. Here, we present the first evidence that hunting sites can act as ecolog- ical traps for waterfowl: wintering common coots Fulica atra were preferentially attracted to hunting sites in southern European wetlands, and showed decreasing population trends in these sites, com- pared to non-hunting sites. We demonstrate that the supply of energy-rich supplementary food (grain) triggered the trap. We also show that a behavioural mechanism, acting as an evolutionary load (the tendency to form mixed coot flocks during the winter), decreased population size of a threatened waterfowl species, the crested coot F. cristata. Our results suggest the use of precaution- ary policies regarding supplementary food in coot and associated diving-duck species, if negative conservation impacts are to be avoided.

Birds are among the most important biological components of wetlands. They play a key role in their ecology and are an important cultural resource for the public, in part because some species can be legally hunted. The conservation of waterbirds is especially important in terms of land use planning, in light of their ecological, cultural, and economic value. Here we summarize the results of wintering waterbirds censuses carried out in Lombardy between 2002 and 2013, using the standardized International Waterbird Census methodology. Our goals were to identify priority sites for waterbirds; estimate population sizes; define demographic trends; and provide a technical framework for making administrative and legislative decisions on the management and conservation of wetlands and their bird species. Lombardy hosts substantial numbers of wintering waterbirds, and many of its wetlands qualify as areas of conservation interest under Ramsar Convention criteria, as they host >1% of the Italian population of one or more species. Trends for the 20 species of highest conservation or hunting interest showed stable or increasing populations in most cases, with the exception of Black-necked Grebe, Common Pochard, and Eurasian Coot, which instead decreased in 2002-2013. The favourable population trends for most species suggest that the ecological status of Lombardy’s wetlands is essentially stable, but it could be improved by simple measures to improve the natural value of the shorelines and bottoms of major lakes and flooded gravel pits. Hunting was one of the main factors affecting the distribution and abundance of wintering waterbirds, which concentrate in protected areas - over 50% of all birds, rising to over 70% for species of conservation interest concentrate there, despite the fact that protected areas only account for 43% of sites surveyed. Overall, protected areas hosted bird densities that were almost seven times higher than those managed primarily for hunting, while mixed-use areas hosted intermediate densities of birds. The presence of protected and unprotected areas within the same wetland mitigates the effects of hunting on bird populations and species diversity, and may help maintain adequate conditions for their conservation.

© 2015 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Distinguishing between interspecific and intraspecific coevolution as the selective driver of traits can be difficult in some taxa. A previous study of an avian obligate brood parasite, the black-headed duck, Heteronetta atricapilla, suggested that egg rejection by its two main hosts (two species of coot) is an incidental by-product of selection from conspecific brood parasitism within the hosts, not selection imposed by the interspecific parasite. However, although both species of coot can recognize and reject eggs of conspecific brood parasites, which closely resemble their own, they paradoxically also accept a moderate fraction of duck eggs (40-60%), which differ strikingly in shape and colour from their own eggs. Here we test the key assumption of the incidental by-product hypothesis that natural selection for egg recognition solely from conspecific brood parasitism can result in intermediate levels of rejection of nonmimetic eggs. We repeated the same egg rejection experiments conducted previously with the two Argentine hosts in a third closely related species that experiences only conspecific brood parasitism, the American coot, Fulica americana. These experiments yielded the same intermediate rejection rates for nonmimetic duck eggs. Our results confirm that selection from conspecific brood parasitism can lead to counterintuitive intermediate rejection rates of nonmimetic interspecific eggs and further support the suggestion that selection from antagonism within species can incidentally affect interactions between species.

A single morphologic type of Sarcocystis cysts found in two out of 43 examined common coots, Fulica atra, is considered to represent a new species for which the name Sarcocystis atraii n. sp. is proposed and its description is provided. Coots were hunted from the vicinity of Brolos Lake located at KafrElsheikh province, Egypt. The structural morphology of the revealed sarcocysts was described using light and transmission electron microscopy. Sarcocysts were found in the leg and thigh muscles. The cysts were microscopic and measured 165−850 μm in length × 50−85 μm in width. Histologically; the sarcocyst wall was wavy and had minute undulations. Ultrastructurally, it measured 1−3 μm in thickness and possessed many mushroom-like villar protrusions sometimes originating from other mushroom-like villar protrusions that measured approximately 0.5−2 μm in length and up to 2 μm in width, with the presence of electron dense ground substance of 300 nm to 1 μm thick. The bradyzoites were elongated, banana-shaped and measured 7.5−14 × 1.5−2.5 μm, with centrally or terminally located nuclei. The ultrastructural features of the cyst wall belonged to type 24. On the basis of sequencing and phylogenic analyses for 18S rRNA , 28S rRNA genes and ITS-1 region; S. atraii n. sp. is considered a genetically distinct species, being most closely related to avian Sarcocystis spp. whose definitive hosts are predatory mammals.

During the studies in 2003, high concentrations of cadmium (Cd) were noted among Mallards and Coots in Poland. Further research, five years later, showed the histopathological alterations in birds from the same area which were probably stimulated by Cd. This paper presents the analysis of Cd in ten different materials collected from these species ( n = 180) in years 2006–2009 in two areas, including southern – Zator and western Poland – Milicz. Similarly high concentrations to those from 2003 were noted only in kidneys of Mallards from the Zator area (up to 56.49 μg g −1 d.w.). Other comparable materials accumulated significantly lower concentration of Cd. Generally, lower concentrations occurred in birds from Milicz. Concentrations varied also between species and age groups. They correlated between liver and kidneys, brain and muscle and brain and spleen. Potential in vivo bioindicators (blood, feathers and excrements) did not seem to be useful as biomarkers in both areas.

American Coots (Fulica americana) are known for laying eggs in the nests of conspecifics, but there is little evidence that they regularly parasitize the nests of other species. I found 13 Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) nests, 2 of which were parasitized by coots. These are the first records of coots parasitizing Least Bitterns, and the first records of any form of brood parasitism on Least Bitterns. Nests of Least Bitterns also were parasitized experimentally with a variety of nonmimetic eggs and 27% were rejected (n = 11 nests). This indicates that Least Bitterns may possess some egg recognition abilities.

Animals frequently interrupt their activity to look up and to scan their surrounding environment for potential predators (vigilance). As vigilance and other activities are often mutually exclusive, such behaviours are at the expense of feeding, sleeping or preening. Authors of many wildlife disturbance studies found that people with free-running dogs provoked the most pronounced disturbances (e.g. greater flushing distances and more birds affected). However, dogs on leash may also negatively affect wild animals, and barking dogs may lead to an increase in vigilance. In this study, I tested this hypothesis in coots (Fulica atra) using three different playback procedures: (1) dog barks, (2) conspecific coot alarm calls and (3) chaffinch song. The trials were conducted in spring and autumn 2005 at three study sites in southwestern Germany. During the dog playbacks, vigilance increased significantly from 17 to 28%. This increase in vigilance is comparable to the presence of a natural predator. As expected, vigilance also increased significantly during conspecific coot alarm calls but not during playbacks of the chaffinch song control. Two main findings result from the study: (1) coots respond to acoustic traits of dogs and may be able to acoustically recognise this predator and (2) this increase in vigilance might have implications for conservation, especially when considering buffer zones around sensitive areas.

The increase of human activities has been extensively changed the breeding habitats of birds directly or indirectly, where the reproductive success of the birds has been seriously reduced. Leisure activities on water, such as fishing, influenced the breeding biology of waterfowls. However, few researches have been done for this in Korea. We examined the effects of fishing activity on nest selection and density of four waterfowl species at Namyang Lake: Coot (Fulica atra), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Little Grebe (Podiceps ruficollis), and Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus). We divided the Namyang Lake into three study areas. Except for the number of anglers, there were no significant differences among the three study areas in the kinds of avian predators, the water depth around study areas measured for possible territorial predatory mammals` passing over, and the values of Relative Importance Percentage of occupying plants. The results showed that waterfowls bred in Namyang Lake preferred the areas with few anglers for the nests. From this study, we recommend that leisure activities including fishing should be prohibited or restricted during the breeding periods of waterfowls for the stable breeding success and that further systematic researches and managements for the species are necessary.

We investigated the relationship between Charophytes and herbivorous waterbirds in the littoral zone of Lake Constance by quantifying their seasonal dynamics. The waterfowl extensively consumed Charophyte vegetation in shallower areas (