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In Codex Ambrosianus of the Syro-Hexapla, marginal readings related to the headings of some of the Psalms occur. The importance of these variants for the history of the Greek and Syriac Psalm headings warrants further discussion. To this end, this paper undertakes a comparative study of the marginal notes that accompany the headings of the Psalms in the Syro-Hexapla. These notes do not occur for all headings and only rarely do variants from all three occur (as is the case for Ps 7). These variants are compared to the readings of the headings of the Septuagint (LXX) and the Syro-Hexapla. Three matters are investigated in this paper, namely the rendering of the technical term ַחֵ֥צַּנְמַל in the Three (Aquila, Theodotion and Symmachus), references to the name of David and some instances where the LXX has a substantial plus in comparison to the Masoretic Text (MT), such as in Psalms 98 (97), 104 (103), 43 (42) and 56 (55). Research to date demonstrates that Field did not use these notes in Codex Ambrosianus to their full extent. As far as the three elements under investigation are concerned, this paper demonstrates that the Three frequently differ from the LXX in their rendering of certain aspects of the headings. In some instances, the Three reflect a rendering much closer to the Hebrew. In others, they contain a rendering that is dependent on the Hebrew, but which displays a lack of understanding of especially some of the technical terms in the Hebrew. Contribution: The research shed new light on the variants recorded in the margin of Codex Ambrosianus and their value for the text-critical study of the headings in the Psalms in the MT and the Septuagint. Textual Criticism is one of the core disciplines for the study of the text of the Hebrew Bible and its translation and transmission in different ancient languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of “snapshot” metrics that can serve as reliable diagnostic tools for rapidly assessing population status has great appeal. We used stochastic simulation modeling and recursive partitioning to evaluate the reliability of two proposed snapshot metrics in territorial raptors: the floater/breeder ratio and the rate of nest occupancy by immature subadults. A demographic model, parameterized with field data from an intensively studied population of golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos ), showed that neither metric, alone or together, is a good indicator of population status. However, one snapshot metric, the floater/breeder ratio, can help predict the risk of population decline when considered in combination with other information about the population or environment that may be quickly appraised in the field or literature. Specifically, qualitative knowledge of adult survival and whether the population is limited by prey or habitat availability can help with rapid risk assessment of raptor populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 9-month-old, captive-bred, female tawny eagle ( Aquila rapax) presented with a nonpainful, firm, nodular structure attached to the digital extensor tendon. The mass was surgically resected without complications and was submitted for histopathologic examination. Grossly, cut surfaces of the lesion had chalky-white deposits. Histologically, the resected tissue was identified as calcinosis circumscripta. No recurrence was observed in follow-up after 6 and 12 months. To our knowledge, this is the first case of calcinosis circumscripta in a bird involving a limb extremity, similar to the presentation recognized more commonly in domestic animals. Calcinosis circumscripta should be included in the differential diagnosis list for nodular masses attached to the tendons in birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foraging movements during the breeding season are a poorly studied aspect of booted eagle behaviour. We have investigated the relationship between weather and other abiotic factors and foraging behaviour, and also resource use by a female booted eagle, tagged by satellite-GPS transmitter in central Catalonia, during summer 2012 and spring 2013. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) revealed that the distance travelled from the nest was significantly related to temperature, but also to the time of day and the age of chicks. Temperature also had a significant positive influence on flight altitude and the latter on flight speed. The Resource Utilization Function (RUF) showed significant resource use in locations close to water (rivers and water bodies) and also in agricultural areas, preferably close to urban areas and rivers. On the other hand, unlike in other areas of Spain, the use of the edges between forest and agricultural areas and forest areas themselves showed negative coefficients with values not significant, perhaps related to changes in prey availability in the traditional hunting grounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Sighting of a Ringed Juvenile Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca in Dhofar Governorate, Southern Oman."

Mechanisms regulating colour polymorphism remain largely unknown and detailed investigation is required to explore the biological consequences on population dynamics. This paper presents the first study of the possible connection between colour polymorphism and productivity in aBooted Eagle (Aquila pennata) population breeding in southeastern Spain. To that end we used 19 years of data of non-marked individuals. Atotal of 738 pale (91.6%) and 68 dark (8.4%) adult Booted Eagles were observed in our study area, including 57 territories. Our results suggest that colour morph of both sexes remained stable in the population over the study period. Although we found a higher number of offspring produced by parents exhibiting the dark morph than those of the pale morph, statistical differences were not significant. Hence, ourmodels showed that colour polymorphism was not a good predictor of Booted Eagles'productivity, although further research by capture-recapture analysis would be needed to explore the influence of colour variation on fitness components at individual level and its consequences at population level of long-lived species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterotopic ossification is the process of pathologic bone formation in soft tissue structures that usually do not form bone. An immature golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) was examined 2 months after a gunshot wound in the right wing. A solid oval mass with a gun pellet at its core was found attached to the ulna by a bony pedicle and was surgically excised. Heterotopic ossification secondary to gunshot and fragment wounds in the right ulna was diagnosed based on clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic findings. This report is the first to describe heterotopic ossification occurring around a gun pellet in a bird. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanisms that shape animal population dynamics is of fundamental interest in ecology, evolution and conservation biology. Food supply is an important limiting factor in most animal populations and may have demographic consequences. Optimal foraging theory predicts greater consumption of preferred prey and less diet diversity when food is abundant, which may benefit key fitness parameters such as productivity and survival. Nevertheless, the correspondence between individual resource use and demographic processes in populations of avian predators inhabiting large geographic areas remains largely unexplored, particularly in complex ecosystems such as those of the Mediterranean basin. Based on a long-term monitoring program of the diet and demography of Bonelli's eagle Aquila fasciata in western Europe, here we test the hypothesis that a predator's diet is correlated to its breeding productivity and survival at both the territorial and population levels, and ultimately to its population growth rate. At the territorial level, we found that productivity increased with greater consumption of European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus, the Bonelli's eagle's preferred prey, and pigeons, an important alternative prey for this predator. The survival of territorial pairs was negatively affected by higher diet diversity, which probably reflected the inability to find sufficient high quality prey. Diet effects at the population level were similar but more noticeable than at the territorial level, i.e. a greater consumption of rabbits, together with lesser consumption of small-to-medium avian species ('other birds'; non-preferred prey), increased productivity, while greater diet diversity and lower consumption of rabbits was associated with reduced survival and population growth rate. Overall, our study illustrates how the diet of a predator species can be closely related to key individual vital rates, which, in turn, leave a measurable fingerprint on population dynamics within and among populations across large spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The way in which environmental conditions determine the distribution and abundance of species is a crucial topic in ecology, biogeography and conservation. It is especially important to understand the nature of this relationship regarding threatened species. The ability to forecast local densities over the geographic range of species provides a way to link population ecology and biogeography. Particularly, our aim was to test whether predictions derived from species distribution modelling data provide useful information on spatial patterns of abundance and, consequently, may act as surrogates for local density estimates. Location Andalusia (southern Spain). Methods Logistic regression and the favourability function were applied as modelling tools to presence-absence data to compare the predicted results with current abundance. This approach is useful in the identification of local priorities for the target species whenever broad-scale surveys need to be performed. Results The model included variables related to topography, vegetation and spatial location to explain the presence of Bonelli's eagle. A positive relationship was found between both probability and favourability and the density of this species, but a triangular fit only with favourability, suggesting that the physiological and ecological requirements of this species in the study area are better reflected in the favourability model. Main conclusions We suggest that favourability models derived from presence-absence data provide insights into abundance data and valuable information on carrying capacity over large scales. To minimize costs, maximize output and optimize results, priority could be given to detecting the presence of the species, instead of investing resources aimed at estimating abundance, which is more expensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is understood about the dispersion and movements of Palaearctic migrant raptors while wintering in southern Africa. The high temporal and spatial resolution of GPS telemetry data provided the opportunity to describe how space is used by one such migratory raptor in its wintering range, the lesser spotted eagle Aquila pomarina. Kernel density estimation was used to map the distribution of three individuals at various spatial scales. In addition to their extremely large overall wintering range (up to 112 000 km2), three finer levels of spatial concentration were identified: favoured activity zones where the birds spent much of the winter, smaller core areas to which the birds returned each year, and tiny intensive foraging clusters. Philopatry was demonstrated by one bird which revisited core areas over eight wintering seasons. The same core areas, particularly the Waterberg, Grootfontein (Namibia) and the eastern and western sides of the Okavango Delta (Botswana), were visited by two other eagles in 2012/2013, although not simultaneously. Such results potentially provide important information on areas where conservation activities might be focused to mitigate human degradation of habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation management of species distributed across fragmented habitats requires consideration of population genetic structure and relative levels of genetic diversity throughout the relevant geographical range. The Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos is monitored within Scotland to ensure its survival in the face of land-use pressure, persecution and future climate change. In this study we constructed DNA profiles for 271 individual birds using a collection of over 1600 moulted feathers collected from 148 territories, representing 34% of known Scottish territories in the largest population genetic study of Golden Eagles undertaken to date. The results, based on data from 10 nuclear microsatellite loci, revealed previously unreported genetic structure between the islands of the Outer Hebrides and the rest of Scotland ( FST = 0.03), together with evidence of reduced genetic diversity in the Outer Hebridean population compared with mainland Scotland. Analysis of gene flow supports a hypothesis of limited, predominantly male-mediated, dispersal from the Outer Hebrides to mainland Scotland. The persistence of this pattern is discussed with respect to variation in population density and persecution pressure across Scotland. A finding of non-random mating within the Outer Hebrides is interpreted as evidence of natal philopatry that was revealed by more intensive sampling in these islands, and is likely to be accentuated by the apparent degree of isolation of the islands from the rest of Scotland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Accipitridae is one of the largest groups of non-passerine birds, including 68 genera and 243 species globally distributed. In the present study, we determined the complete mitochondrial sequences of two species of accipitrid, namely Aquila fasciata and Buteo lagopus, and conducted a comparative mitogenome analysis across the family. The mitogenome length of A. fasciata and B. lagopus are 18,513 and 18,559 bp with an A + T content of 54.2% and 55.0%, respectively. For both the two accipitrid birds mtDNAs, obvious positive AT-skew and negative GC-skew biases were detected for all 12 PCGs encoded by the H strand, whereas the reverse was found in MT-ND6 encoded by the L strand. One extra nucleotide‘C’is present at the position 174 of MT-ND3 gene of A. fasciata, which is not observed at that of B. lagopus. Six conserved sequence boxes in the Domain II, named boxes F, E, D, C, CSBa, and CSBb, respectively, were recognized in the CRs of A. fasciata and B. lagopus. Rates and patterns of mitochondrial gene evolution within Accipitridae were also estimated. The highest dN/dS was detected for the MT-ATP8 gene (0.32493) among Accipitridae, while the lowest for the MT-CO1 gene (0.01415). Mitophylogenetic analysis supported the robust monophyly of Accipitriformes, and Cathartidae was basal to the balance of the order. Moreover, we performed phylogenetic analyses using two other data sets (two mitochondrial loci, and combined nuclear and mitochondrial loci). Our results indicate that the subfamily Aquilinae and all currently polytypic genera of this subfamily are monophyletic. These two novel mtDNA data will be useful in refining the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary processes of Accipitriformes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La toxicosis ocasionada por la ingestión de plomo (Pb) es una preocupación creciente para las poblaciones de Aquila chrysaetos a lo largo del oeste de América del Norte. Analizamos muestras de sangre para Pb, mercurio (Hg) y compuestos organoclorados (COs) de 17 individuos adultos de A. chrysaetos capturados entre 2005 y 2013 en la Cuenca de Columbia, en el este de Washington. La mayoría (65%) de las águilas presentó niveles elevados de Pb, incluyendo un 24% con niveles que indican una exposición crónica al Pb que podría producir efectos clínicos. Se detectaron niveles bajos de Hg y COs. Sugerimos que existen motivos de preocupación sobre los posibles efectos de la ingesta de Pb en esta población reproductora de A. chrysaetos y sospechamos que la fuente más probable de Pb en esta región es la carroña generada por cacería con balas que se encuentra ampliamente disponible para las águilas que buscan alimento. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existen numerosos métodos y dispositivos disponibles para la captura de especies de rapaces de gran tamaño, pero la efectividad relativa de estas metodologías está pobremente documentada en la literatura. Como parte de varias propuestas de desarrollo de proyectos de energía eólica en el norte de Suecia, intentamos capturar individuos adultos de Aquila chrysaetos dentro de sus territorios de cría para colocarles transmisores. Nuestros intentos de captura se realizaron a finales de otoño y comienzos de invierno en el norte de Suecia, cuando los individuos de A. chrysaetos se alimentan a menudo de despojos dejados por cazadores y de cadáveres producto de colisiones con vehículos. Debido a las restricciones en Escandinavia respecto del uso de animales vivos como cebo, la selección de trampas se limitó a aquellos tipos de trampa que funcionan exitosamente con carroña. Por este motivo, utilizamos redes de arco basados en la existencia de experiencias previas exitosas con carroña, la facilidad de su transporte y la rapidez de su armado. Normalmente operamos de dos a tres trampas en 2010 y de tres a cuatro trampas en 2011, totalizando 120 días-trampa (54 en 2010 y 66 en 2011) en escondites durante un total de 993 horas (400 en 2010 y 593 en 2011). Capturamos 30 (8 en 2010 y 22 en 2011) individuos adultos de A. chrysaetos en 16 territorios. La mayor tasa de captura ocurrió en septiembre, previo a la dispersión de los jóvenes y antes de que algunos adultos se dispersaran de sus territorios de cría. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the result of monitoring conducted on nests built by Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, at Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. The observation includes territory occupancy and breeding activities of the eagle, rate of nesting success and production. The types of tree and plant branches used, the estimated age of the nests and the relations of egg with the nest are also monitored.

Assessing whether conservation management actions are effective requires a good understanding of the demographic parameters that contribute to the population growth rate. Among the key demographic parameters influencing a population, immigration is one of the most difficult to measure empirically but may mask or accentuate the effects of conservation measures. We use an integrated population model to assess whether a population increase of a large raptor species can be explained by high fecundity and survival resulting from local conservation measures, or whether immigration may have contributed to population growth. We monitored the Eastern Imperial Eagle ( Aquila heliaca) population in Bulgaria from 1998 to 2014, and tracked juveniles using satellite transmitters to estimate survival probability over the first three years of life. We used intensive territory monitoring of breeding birds to estimate survival probabilities and fecundity of birds older than 3 years. The Imperial Eagle population in Bulgaria increased by about 11 % per year between 1998 and 2014 (λ = 1.111, 95 % credible interval 1.076-1.156). While local conservation measures have succeeded in reducing nest loss and the mortality of adults (adult survival = 0.924; 0.887-0.955), high mortality of juveniles during their first year of life resulted in only 12 % of fledglings surviving to adult age. Based on these survival probabilities and the estimated fecundity of breeding pairs in Bulgaria (1.063; 0.932-1.203), some immigration may have contributed to the population growth in Bulgaria. Because the integrated population model accounts for all the uncertainty associated with disparate data sources, the estimated immigration rate was too imprecise (0.143-2.862 young birds per breeding pair) to quantify the relative importance of immigration. Future conservation measures for Imperial Eagles need to focus on improving the survival of juvenile birds, particularly the reduction of electrocution risk in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The L'Aquila seismic swarm culminated with the mainshock of April 6, 2009 ( M L = 5.9). Here, we report and analyze the Large Volume Detector (LVD, used in neutrinos research) low energy traces (∼0.8 MeV), collected during the early-mid stages of the seismic sequence, together with the data of a radon monitoring experiment. The peaks of LVD traces do not correlate with the evolution and magnitude of earthquakes, including major aftershocks. Conversely, our radon measurements obtained by utilizing three automatic stations deployed along the regional NW–SE faulting system, seem to be, in one case, more efficient. In fact, the timeseries collected on the NW–SE Paganica fracture recorded marked variations and peaks that occurred during and prior moderate aftershocks (with M L > 3). The Paganica monitoring station (PGN) seems to better responds to active seismicity due to the fact that the radon detector was placed directly within the bedrock of an active fault. It is suggested that future networks for radon monitoring of active seismicity should preferentially implement this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The breeding performance of birds of prey is often related to changes in rainfall, which affects the productivity of the environment and the availability of food and may thereby affect chick survival. We investigated the influence of rainfall on the productivity of two populations of Booted Eagle Aquila pennata in two Spanish Mediterranean regions-central Catalonia and Murcia-at 29 and 28 breeding sites, respectively, from 2008 to 2012. During the study period, we found significant interannual differences in all of the weather variables, but these did not translate into interannual differences in the high productivity achieved in either area. We modelled the effects of rainfall on productivity through a linear mixed model procedure. This regression model revealed that precipitation did not cause any response in the productivity of the two populations studied. The results were then compared with data available on a Booted Eagle population in Biscay with a reported nest failure of 65 %-attributed by the authors to heavy and prolonged spring rainfall. Although total precipitation during breeding was slightly higher in Catalonia during our study period than that reported for Biscay, the more than 60 % difference in the number of rainy days in Biscay suggests that persistent rainfall is the main cause of nest failure at the latter location. Therefore, we conclude that our model indicates that rainfall has no significant effect on Booted Eagle productivity in Mediterranean environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies suggest that migratory birds are expected to travel more quickly during spring, when they are en route to the breeding grounds, in order to ensure a high-quality territory. Using data recorded by means of Global Positioning System satellite tags, we analysed at three temporal scales (hourly, daily and overall journey) seasonal differences in migratory performance of the booted eagle ( Aquila pennata), a soaring raptor migrating between Europe and tropical Africa, taking into account environmental conditions such as wind, thermal uplift and day length. Unexpectedly, booted eagles showed higher travel rates (hourly speed, daily distance, overall migration speed and overall straightness) during autumn, even controlling for abiotic factors, probably thanks to higher hourly speeds, more straight routes and less non-travelling days during autumn. Tailwinds were the main environmental factor affecting daily distance. During spring, booted eagles migrated more quickly when flying over the Sahara desert. Our results raise new questions about which ecological and behavioural reasons promote such unexpected faster speeds in autumn and not during spring and how events occurring in very different regions can affect migratory performance, interacting with landscape characteristics, weather conditions and flight behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Saffron composition is investigated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. [•] Potentiality of mineral composition for traceability purposes is evaluated. [•] Classification of spices coming from three Italian regions is attempted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses a study which investigated the factors affecting the reproductive success of the subpopulation of imperial eagles, or Aquila Heliaca, in Hungary, based on data collected between 1989 and 2006. Topics include the influence of age of the breeding birds and habitat type on the reproductive success of imperial eagles, the probability of successful breeding and fledging success in the lowland areas, and the change in the habitat selection of imperial eagles in Hungary.

In this paper we provide comments about the potential seismogenic origin of magnetic disturbances that Di Lorenzo et al. (2011) observed from few minutes before to about one hour after the 6 April 2009 L'Aquila earthquake. The coincidence with the earthquake induced the authors to think that the observed magnetic signals were linked to the main phase of the seismic event. Here, we will discuss the unusual polarization in the X-Z plane of the magnetic disturbances observed by Di Lorenzo et al. (2011), the model of source that the authors have proposed for the generation of these signals, and the time length of the magnetic data set shown in their paper. We will also discuss some possible generation mechanisms for electromagnetic seismogenic signals that could support the authors' findings. Finally, we will consider seismic and geodetic data from L'Aquila area just before and after the 6 April 2009 earthquake. We conclude that there is no evidence to support the hypothesis that magnetic disturbances documented by Di Lorenzo et al. (2011) had a seismogenic origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A database of 312 moment tensor solutions for the 2009 L’Aquila seismic sequence (central Italy) is presented. [•] Stress tensors for the study region and selected sub-volumes are computed. [•] A relation between M w and M l properly calibrated for the study area is furnished. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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Climate is one of the main drivers of species distribution. However, as different environmental factors tend to co-vary, the effect of climate cannot be taken at face value, as it may be either inflated or obscured by other correlated factors. We used the favourability models of four species (Alytes dickhilleni, Vipera latasti, Aquila fasciata and Capra pyrenaica) inhabiting Spanish mountains as case studies to evaluate the relative contribution of climate in their forecasted favourability by using variation partitioning and weighting the effect of climate in relation to non-climatic factors. By calculating the pure effect of the climatic factor, the pure effects of non-climatic factors, the shared climatic effect and the proportion of the pure effect of the climatic factor in relation to its apparent effect (r), we assessed the apparent effect and the pure independent effect of climate. We then projected both types of effects when modelling the future favourability for each species and combination of AOGCM-SRES (two Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models: CGCM2 and ECHAM4, and two Special Reports on Emission Scenarios (SRES): A2 and B2). The results show that the apparent effect of climate can be either inflated (overrated) or obscured (underrated) by other correlated factors. These differences were species-specific; the sum of favourable areas forecasted according to the pure climatic effect differed from that forecasted according to the apparent climatic effect by about 61% on average for one of the species analyzed, and by about 20% on average for each of the other species. The pure effect of future climate on species distributions can only be estimated by combining climate with other factors. Transferring the pure climatic effect and the apparent climatic effect to the future delimits the maximum and minimum favourable areas forecasted for each species in each climate change scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on nest use by Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) from 1966 to 2011 to assess nest reuse within territories, ascertain the period between uses of nests, and test the hypotheses that reproduction and adult turnover influence nest switching. A total of 454 nests and individual nests were used by Golden Eagles in 1 to 26 times during observation. The study found that nest switching was not associated with the previous year's nesting success. It was also found that eagles changed nests after turnover of at least one member of the pair.

The article discusses a study on the reproductive performance of the Golden Eagle or Aquila chrysaetos across 10-55 territories from 1980-2009 in northern Sweden's boreal forest. Indices of their prey (grouse (Tetraonidae) species and mountain hare (Lepus Timiditus)) and cyclic vole (Myodes and Microtus) populations were also studied. The index of annual population production and the percentage of territories with nestlings were found to be associated with the indices of their primary prey populations. Twenty-eight percent of the variation in the index of annual population production was explained by the prey population variables.

Changes in habitat suitable for breeding of two sympatric raptor species ( Haliaeetus albicilla and Aquila pomarina) were analysed along one of the most important breeding sites in Croatia for both species. The habitat suitability modelling was used to assess the influence of forestry practice during 2000-2006 using the known data on nesting places along research area. The four most important variables for lesser spotted eagle were elevation, distance from the nearest pasture, vertical distance to the nearest channel network and broadleaved forest placement (second axis from the principal component analysis of the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) index of MODIS images; November-March). The variables where white-tailed eagles showed greatest shift from overall habitat characteristics in the research area were broadleaved forest (second axis from the principal component analysis of the EVI index), height above the sea level, distance from the small settlements, vertical distance to channel network - all with negative loadings. The results clearly reveal the disproportion of suitable forests for raptors that were cut down in comparison to maturation of suitable forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The spatial resolution of species atlases and therefore resulting model predictions are often too coarse for local applications. Collecting distribution data at a finer resolution for large numbers of species requires a comprehensive sampling effort, making it impractical and expensive. This study outlines the incorporation of existing knowledge into a conventional approach to predict the distribution of Bonelli's eagle ( Aquila fasciata) at a resolution 100 times finer than available atlas data. Location Malaga province, Andalusia, southern Spain. Methods A Bayesian expert system was proposed to utilize the knowledge from distribution models to yield the probability of a species being recorded at a finer resolution (1 × 1 km) than the original atlas data (10 × 10 km). The recorded probability was then used as a weight vector to generate a sampling scheme from the species atlas to enhance the accuracy of the modelling procedure. The maximum entropy for species distribution modelling (MaxEnt) was used as the species distribution model. A comparison was made between the results of the MaxEnt using the enhanced and, the random sampling scheme, based on four groups of environmental variables: topographic, climatic, biological and anthropogenic. Results The models with the sampling scheme enhanced by an expert system had a higher discriminative capacity than the baseline models. The downscaled (i.e. finer scale) species distribution maps using a hybrid MaxEnt/expert system approach were more specific to the nest locations and were more contrasted than those of the baseline model. Main conclusions The proposed method is a feasible substitute for comprehensive field work. The approach developed in this study is applicable for predicting the distribution of Bonelli's eagle at a local scale from a national-level occurrence data set; however, the usefulness of this approach may be limited to well-known species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used an onboard inertial measurement unit, together with onboard and ground-based video cameras, to record the movements of the body, wings and tail of a steppe eagle Aquila nipalensis during wide-ranging flight. The eagle's flight consisted of a more or less continuous sequence of banked turns, interrupted by occasional wing tucks and roll-over manoeuvres, and ultimately terminated by a wing-over manoeuvre leading in to a diving landing approach. The flight configuration of the bird, and its pattern of movement during angular perturbations, together suggest that the eagle is inherently stable in pitch and yaw, and perhaps also in roll. The control inputs used to generate roll moments during banked turns were too subtle to be detected. Control of yaw and pitch during banked turns involved a consistent pattern of tail movement, wherein the tail was spread and depressed immediately before the turn, and then overbanked with respect to the bird during the latter part of the turn. Differential adjustment of wing posture is probably also involved in the control of banked turns, but it was only consistently apparent during more extreme roll manoeuvres. For example, roll-over and wing-over manoeuvres were both accomplished by differential changes in the angle of incidence and spread of the wings. In general, however, the bird appeared to maintain positive loading on its wings at all times, except during extreme flight manoeuvres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many studies have investigated the feeding habits of Palaearctic raptors, few have analysed nonbreeding populations during dispersal. Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata), a threatened species in Western Europe, has a relatively long and critical dispersal period. We studied feeding habits, prey selection, and the influence of prey density on floater abundance in this species during its dispersal period in southern Spain. Differences were found between the diet of floaters and that of the closest breeding populations. Diet diversity was rather low for floaters, with European wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) being the main prey and the only prey positively selected. Moreover, the number of floater Bonelli's eagles observed in the dispersal areas was positively associated with rabbit abundance. Other prey included red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) and pigeons (Columba sp.). We propose measures to match suitable prey availability for floater eagles in settlement areas and the use of such areas as human hunting fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival is a key life-history trait in animals. However, most methods of survival estimation require substantial human and economic investment in the long term, particularly in species occurring in low densities, the case of most endangered species. An alternative to traditional recapture (CR) methods is estimation of adult survival based indirectly on either age ratios (AGR) or turnover rates (TOR) in territorial species. These 2 methods are applicable to bird species in which recruited individuals enter into the breeding population whilst still exhibiting the external traits that distinguish those animals from experienced adults. The main advantages of these methods are that survival can be easily estimated for all monitored individuals after just 1 or 2 breeding seasons and that disturbance to the species is minimized. The main constraints of indirect methods are that the assumptions are more restrictive than in CR methods, and survival estimates, although comparable between sites and years, may be biased. We used data from a long-term monitoring survey of 2 populations of the endangered Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata), one in Catalonia (NE Spain) and the other in Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon (SE France). We evaluated survival estimates using the AGR and TOR methods and compared them with CR methods and provide suitable corrections for refining survival estimates based on indirect methods. In Catalonia (2002-2008), survival was estimated at 0.84 byCR methods (SE = 0.047; n = 25 radio tagged eagles), at 0.86 by the corrected AGR method (SE = 0.011; n = 558 bird* year), and at 0.86 by the corrected TOR method (SE = 0.022; n = 547 bird* year). In France (1999-2008), survival was estimated at 0.88 by CR methods (SE = 0.040; n = 45 darvic banded eagles), at 0.87 by the corrected AGR method (SE = 0.015; n = 443 bird* year), and at 0.87 by the corrected TOR method (SE = 0.015; n = 438 bird* year). All analyses suggest that females survive better than males and that individuals from the French population survive better than individuals from the Catalan population. We conclude that indirect methods, which should not be regarded as a substitute of CR methods, will allow wildlife managers and researchers to estimate accurately adult survival in a territorial species over a short period of time and to monitor survival across populations over large geographic ranges and over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large accipitrine bird of prey is described from the Mid Miocene Camfield Beds, Bullock Creek, Northern Territory, Australia, based on a distal humeral fragment. Comparisons with the larger living Australian eagles show that this bird belongs in Aquila rather than Haliaeetus. It can be differentiated front living species of Aquila by morphology and size, and is here named as a new fossil species. This specimen comprises the oldest record of this genus in Australia, and possibly the oldest in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A seven-month collection of testimonials about the 6 April 2009 earthquake in Aquila, Abruzzo region, Italy, was compiled into a catalogue of non-seismic phenomena. Luminous phenomena were often reported starting about nine months before the strong shock and continued until about five months after the shock. A summary and list of the characteristics of these sightings was made according to 20th century classifications and a comparison was made with the Galli outcomes. These sightings were distributed over a large area around the city of Aquila, with a major extension to the north, up to 50 km. Various earthquake lights were correlated with several landscape characteristics and the source and dynamic of the earthquake. Some preliminary considerations on the location of the sightings suggest a correlation between electrical discharges and asperities, while flames were mostly seen along the Aterno Valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hunting methods and hunting success and their associations with some environmental factors were studied in Lesser Spotted Eagle. Birds hunted mostly by patrol-flights (73.6%), secondary by perchhunting (23.8%). In the morning-noon period birds hunted using patrol flights more frequently than in the afternoon, while in the afternoon they more often used perch-hunting. Average hunting success reached 24% (n = 37), but it was much greater on freshly mown meadows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strong motion data of 2009 April 6 L’Aquila (Central Italy) earthquake ( Mw= 6.3) and of 12 aftershocks (4.1 ≤ Mw≤ 5.6) recorded by 56 stations of the Italian strong motion network are spectrally analysed to estimate the source parameters, the seismic attenuation, and the site amplification effects. The obtained source spectra for S wave have stress drop values ranging from 2.4 to 16.8 MPa, being the stress drop of the main shock equal to 9.2 MPa. The spectral curves describing the attenuation with distance show the presence of shoulders and bumps, mainly around 50 and 150 km, as consequence of significant reflected and refracted arrivals from crustal interfaces. The attenuation in the first 50 km is well described by a quality factor equal to obtained by fixing the geometrical spreading exponent to 1. Finally, the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio provides unreliable estimates of local site effects for those stations showing large amplifications over the vertical component of motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The material of pellets and food remains (as bone and shell fragments, hair, and feathers) was collected after the breeding season from below and within one nest of Golden Eagles on rocks at Sarnena Sredna Gora Mts., north-east of Stara Zagora town. Our study was carried out during a three year period (1999, 2000 and 2002). Total 65 specimens from minimum 10 species of preys were identified among the food remains from which the reptiles dominated. Mostly preyed by the Golden Eagles couple were the tortoises (Testudo sp.) with 55.4% from all registered individual preys. The most common prey from mammals was the hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus) with 13.8%. interesting fact was and the relatively high percentage of the cats with 7.7% (possibly most of them domestic ones). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey was carried out for studying some aspects of nest etology of the eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca Savigni, 1809) in Sakar Mountain. The aim of the survey was to determine apportionment of the parental care between partners in the pair. Incubation in the both studied pairs was taken mainly by the female bird, which incubated 90.8% of the time in one of the pairs corresponding to 94.1% in the other one. Male contributed significantly in food provisioning, supplying 59.2% of the food in one of the pairs and 58.3% in the second one. The survey shows similar results as obtained for the Spanish imperial eagle (A. adalberti). This is the first survey done regarding to distribution of parental care between sexes in the eastern imperial eagle in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current publication presents the results of a research on the food spectrum of young Imperial eagles (juvennes, immaturus) (Aquila heliaca, SAVIGNY, 1809) in South Bulgaria. Dispersal sites and temporary settlement areas were identified tracking two young eagles marked with radio-transmitters. The birds were tagged in 2007 by the team of Green Balkans Federation. The feeding and behaviour of over 20 young Imperial eagles was observed in a total of 6 regions, including vulture feeding sites. A total of 32 pellets were collected from the trees used by those birds for roosting. Thus the feeding spectrum of young imperial eagles in their roaming period just after fledgling was identified. A total of 13 feeding components, comprising 101 specimens were identified. These were mainly small mammals, dominated by Ha (Microtus arvalis, P. - complex) (n = 56 specimens, 55,45% and significant presence of House mouse (Mus musculus, L.) - 18 specimens or 17,82 %). The observations prove the presence of carcass among the food items taken by the wintering eagles and the particular use of the existing artificial feeding sites for vultures. The study proves the food opportunism of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which examined the taxonomic status, genetic diversity, breeding density, and nest site characteristics of the population of the Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina in North Caucasus in July 2007. Eagles were observed in ten breeding territories in the region. Mitochondrial DNA analysis showed that the Caucasus region is inhabited by the same subspecies as in Europe, although there is more genetic diversity in the Caucasian population. Eagle nest sites were found to be unevenly distributed and productivity was .71 nestlings per nest. Study findings confirmed the high breeding density of Lesser Spotted Eagle in Kislovodsk.