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In recent years, several studies have significantly changed our knowledge concerning the use of birds by Neanderthals. However, what remains to be clarified is the geographical and chronological variability of this human behaviour. The present case study provides new information on this topic/debate. The Grotte Vaufrey was discovered during the 1930s and was excavated during different periods. Work carried out by J.-P. Rigaud during the 1980s motivated many multidisciplinary studies in the cave, but accurate studies were not focused on avian remains. In this work, we provide new data on the bird remains from layer VIII (MIS 7), which is the richest among all the sequences and which has an important Mousterian component. Corvids are predominant in the assemblage and are associated with medium-sized birds and small Passeriformes, among others. Most of the remains present modern fractures, which hinder taphonomic interpretation. However, some alterations associated with raptor or mammalian carnivore activities, together with the anatomical representation and age profile, suggest a non-human accumulation of the majority of the bird remains, especially in the case of corvids that naturally died in the cave. However, at least some bones show evidence of anthropic activity, suggesting the occasional use of large- and medium-sized birds by human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harry Pasley Higginson, a railway engineer from Yorkshire, northeast England, is one of the people credited with the first discovery of mid-Holocene dodo (Raphus cucullatus) bones at Mare aux Songes, Mauritius, in 1865. A question still hangs over who could rightfully claim to be the first discoverer of the bones. It could have been Higginson, George Clark (a local schoolteacher) or perhaps someone else. Higginson collected a number of bones and kindly sent three boxes of dodo remains to museums in York, Leeds and Liverpool. The bones he sent are still there. Higginson later set up residence in New Zealand, where he became established as a successful engineer. Two of his achievements, the Kawarau suspension bridge and a dodo, are commemorated in stained glass in the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul in the New Zealand capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The San Diego Presidio, established in AD 1769, was the first European settlement in Upper California. Very little is known about chicken husbandry in colonial America, which makes this study the first comprehensive analysis of chicken remains in North America. Chickens are scarcely mentioned in historical accounts describing early California, and information on their sex, age, or management is rare. The faunal assemblage from the San Diego Presidio yielded 20 avian and 14 mammalian species. Chicken remains were studied through a wide range of zooarchaeological methods, including taphonomy, biometry, medullary bone, epiphyseal fusion, butchering, and body-part representation. Taphonomic analysis indicates good preservation of the bone assemblage. The biometric study points to two breeds of chickens: a smaller (bantam) breed alongside a standard-size chicken. The percentage of juvenile chickens (23%), the rooster/hen ratio (1:8.5), and high proportion of medullary bone point to on-site chicken husbandry focusing on meat and egg production. The historical record suggests that California presidios were not self-sufficient and that they relied on food provisioned from Mexico and nearby missions. We argue that small-scale poultry production, likely managed by women and children, provided California presidios with a form of subsistence independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report a discovery of a bone of the black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius L.) in medieval layers of the rural Savvatiev Monastery (Tver Region, Russia). Deposited in the wooden house, presumably refectory, subfloor, the woodpecker's remains could be associated with an activity of the cat. A complex of bones, associated with the find, characterizes the place as a monastery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of the domestication of chicken Gallus gallus domesticus is still a subject of debate. It principally originates from the red junglefowl G. gallus, which is distributed throughout Southeast Asia and South China. However, the prehistoric exploitation of chicken and red junglefowl in Southeast Asia has remained unclear due to a small number of samples for bone analysis. In this study, we analysed bird remains from four archaeological sites in Thailand: Ban Hua Ud (4,000–3,000 bp), Long Long Rak (1,900–1,600 bp), Ban Non Wat (3,750–1,500 bp), and Keed Kin (fifth–11th Century A.D.). Bones from pheasants/fowls (Phasianidae), storks (Ciconiidae), cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), crows (Corvidae), and passerines (Passeriformes) were found. A small number of stork bones were found at three lowland sites, with none found at Long Long Rak. Cormorant bones were dominant at Ban Hua Ud but were only found at that site. Pheasant/fowl bones were found at all sites except Ban Hua Ud and dominated the number of identified specimens, suggesting that they were the most commonly used bird, at least after the Iron Age. Morphological bone identification criteria for the 24 Phasianidae species in Thailand have not been established; ancient DNA analysis is required to differentiate chicken/red junglefowl bone from other indigenous pheasants/fowls. It is obvious that mitochondrial DNA remained unchanged in the early stages of the domestication process. Further studies combining ancient DNA and morphological analyses are required to judge whether all of the candidate chicken bones are indeed from red junglefowl or chicken. Although these results are regionally and temporally restricted, they give important quantitative information on bird exploitation during the Neolithic and early historic Dvaravadi periods in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst modern avian distributions in Scandinavia are well studied, how past events and processes have shaped modern bird communities in the region remains poorly known. This is mainly due to the fact that work on post-glacial avian assemblages has been done mostly from an archaeological perspective, and on a site-specific basis. Therefore, in order to understand the history of bird species in Scandinavia, there is a clear need to collate data on the past occurrences and abundance of birds within the region. Here we present data on the presence of bird species within 21 Norwegian Medieval (1030-1537 CE) assemblages. Despite climatic fluctuations and the rise of urban centres, our re-examination and compilation of bird bone assemblages from Medieval Norway found no evidence to suggest that the Medieval bird fauna differed from the modern one. The most common birds in Medieval assemblages are Galliformes. In urban sites these are mostly domestic fowl, whereas on rural sites wild species are dominant. Our data indicates an introduction of domestic fowl in the early Medieval period and a slightly delayed introduction of domestic geese, with both species becoming more abundant during the mid to late Medieval period. This appears to be later than other Scandinavian countries. Interestingly, species that are now ubiquitous in urban areas, such as pigeons, corvids and gulls are mostly absent from Medieval urban centres. In addition, we found a bias towards the use of female Accipiter gentilis in falconry, while Falco species may have been exported. This is the first time that data on past avian occurrences for any period are reviewed and collated for Norway. In addition, our work highlights the importance of birds and bird exploitation in Medieval Norway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excavations during November 2013 in the Rising Star Cave, South Africa, yielded more than 1550 specimens of a new hominin, Homo naledi. Four bird bones were collected from the surface of the Dinaledi Chamber during the first phase of the initial excavations. Although mentioned in the initial geological and taphonomic reports, the bird remains have not been formally identified and described until now. Here we identify these remains as the extant barn owl (Tyto alba) which is today common in the region and which is considered to have been an important agent of accumulation of microfaunal remains at many local Plio-Pleistocene sites in the Cradle of Humankind. Based on the greatest length measurement and breadth of the proximal articulation of the tarsometatarsus specimen, it is suggested that a single (female) individual is represented, despite the small sample sizes available for comparison. Although it is unclear how the remains of this female owl came to be accumulated in the remote Dinaledi Chamber, we suggest several possible taphonomic scenarios and hypothesise that these remains are not directly associated with the Homo naledi remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taphonomic analysis of avian remains from Sarakenos Cave reveals that, contrary to previous suggestions, many bird bones excavated there represent food remains of the Eagle Owls rather than humans. The conclusion is based on the presence of traces of digestion, beak and claw punctures, and indirect evidence that includes relative preservation of particular elements, species composition, the lack of cut marks, and the absence of numerous traces of burning. Specimens with medullary bone and traces of digestion indicate that the owls killed breeding females in spring. Since it is unlikely that owls shared the cave with humans at the same time, it supports the notion based on archeological evidence that human groups did not inhabit it permanently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesozoic bird fossils from the Pacific Coast of North America are rare, but small numbers are known from the Late Cretaceous aged sediments of Hornby Island, British Columbia. Most are unassociated fragments that offer little information, but additional preparation of a large coracoid has revealed more details of its structure, as well as three associated wing bones. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Maaqwi cascadensis, gen. et sp. nov. represents a derived crown or near-crown member of Ornithurae, and specifically suggests affinities with Vegaviidae. M. cascadensis is characterized by large size, and regressions based on dimensions of the coracoid suggest a large bird, with an estimated body mass of approximately 1.5 kilograms. The bones are robust, with thick walls, suggesting that M. cascadensis was a bird adapted for diving, similar to modern loons and grebes. The wings are short, while the coracoid is unusually short and broad, similar to modern loons. Along with the Ichthyornithes and Hesperornithes, M. cascadensis and Vegaviidae appear to represent a third clade of bird that evolved to exploit marine habitats in the Late Cretaceous, one specialized for foot-propelled diving and rapid cruising flight over water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification and analysis of bird remains found in archaeological sites can provide information regarding their significance and how they were utilized. Birds used as food, raw material for tools fabrication, and for religious rituals in Pre-Hispanic Mexico. The finding of the left ulna of adult Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, in Los Tanques (circa 800 B.C.) archaeological site at Mascota, Jalisco, Mexico, is commented in this note. The ulna was found in the core of the tightly wrapped bundle burial of a young male aged between 19 and 25 years. Its presence in the burial indicates the high social status of the individual and is a part of mortuary ritual code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only a few years ago, Neanderthals were considered as unable to exploit fast-moving small prey. Several recent studies have reconsidered this matter and shown that in some setting Neanderthals exploited leporids and birds, as did anatomically modern human. However, detailed taphonomic and zooarchaeological analyses are still scarce, and this prevents us from estimating the diversity, the chronological and geographical framework of this behavior. In order to contribute to this debate, we analyzed more than three hundred bird remains from several levels of Les Fieux (Locus 1, Central area) dating to MIS 3. Direct evidence (digestion, gnawing, cut-marks) indicates that large nocturnal raptors, carnivores and Neanderthals were involved in the accumulation and modification of the bird remains. This result shows the importance of such analytical approaches. All the birds used by Neanderthal occupants of Les Fieux are regular or occasional scavengers. It is suggested that Neanderthals took advantage of this feeding habits and of the local setting for the procurement of edible and non-edible bird resources. In one of the levels, Neanderthals exploited a Common Raven, probably as food item. In 4 levels, Neanderthal looked for large diurnal raptor talons. This interest appears to be a persistent element throughout the Mousterian analyzed levels from Les Fieux, recalling similar findings from other European sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the musical performance of the most complete Gravettian aerophone recovered at the site of Isturitz, two experimental replicas were reproduced from the ulna of a griffon vulture ( Gyps fulvus ), each with a different way of elaborating their holes (boring and scraping). The operational chain that involves their manufacture is a sequence of single and simple actions that does not require the use of specialized tools. Its acoustics are explained by performing sound in three different ways in both replicas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a detailed taxonomic and taphonomic study of the bird assemblage from all excavated Middle Stone Age (MSA) layers from Sibudu Cave (Wadley's excavations), a rock shelter in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, are presented here. Throughout the sequence, the assemblage is characterised by the richest taxonomic diversity observed in MSA deposits from southern Africa. While pigeons and doves clearly dominate the bird assemblage, the presence of several previously unidentified taxa associated with evergreen and deciduous forest such as woodpeckers, turacos, hornbills and parrots (Picidae, Musophagidae, Bucerotidae, and Psittacidae) in the pre-Still Bay, Still Bay and Howiesons Poort layers are useful to document the habitats surrounding Sibudu Cave from >75,000 to 60,000 years (ka) ago. Birds associated with fresh water, namely waders (Charadriidae and Scolopacidae) and kingfishers (Alcedinidae) are present throughout the layers and are consistent with the proximity of the uThongathi River. A study of the general bone preservation implies a shift in the modes of introduction of the birds into the archaeological sediments, from a predominantly natural origin (accumulation by a bird of prey, most likely a falcon) in the pre-Still Bay layers to a greater anthropogenic contribution in the Still Bay and Howiesons Poort layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The avifaunal assemblage from unit A9 of Grotta di Fumane provides clear evidence of the human consumption of birds and contributes to an understanding of the role of avifaunal resources in the subsistence strategies of Middle Palaeolithic hominids. In the course of these analyses, some new species of birds were identified along with the most common species already recorded in other cultural layers of Fumane. The exploitation of these resources is testified by taphonomic indicators, which are recognized on 6.5% of the total assemblage, and by a non-random spatial relationship among the bone elements, the morphology of the cave and the hearths. Further, evidence for the exploitation of feathers from various raptors and other birds backdates, although by a few millennia, the acquisition of valuable elements of avian plumage, strengthening the growing body of data that demonstrates the appearance of modern behavior in extinct autochthonous populations of Europe well before the immigration of modern humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sites of the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain) are renowned for providing a complete Quaternary record, both archaeological and paleontological. The record consists of cave filling sediments in a karst system, developed in carbonate rocks. The Sima del Elefante site is divided into three units, in accordance with its geological features: the lower red unit (TELRU) (Early Pleistocene), the middle white unit, and the upper red unit (TEURU) (Middle Pleistocene). In this work we present the first results of a study of the bird association from the lowest level of the TELRU, TE7. A first analysis of the avian remains from level TE7 shows sixteen avian taxa: Anseriformes indet., Anas crecca , Haliaeetus albicilla , Galliformes indet., Coturnix coturnix , Passeriformes indet., Galerida cristata , Lullula arborea , Anthus campestris , Motacilla cinerea , Turdus pilaris/viscivorus, Turdus iliacus/merula/philomelos, Muscicapa sp., Corvus frugilegus, Corvus frugilegus/corone, and Corvus corax antecorax . The present work represents the first paleontological record of Motacilla cinerea and Corvus frugilegus , and the first record in the Iberian Peninsula of Anas crecca , Haliaeetus albicilla, Galerida cristata, Anthus campestris, the genus Muscicapa, and Corvus corax antecorax . Unlike in other papers published on the Aves of Sima del Elefante, all the specimens studied were obtained by concentrating the sediment by a process of washing and sieving the sedimentary materials acquired from excavations of the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Central Rhineland Magdalenian sites Gönnersdorf and Andernach-Martinsberg produced an extremely rich corpus of diverse archaeological finds, including some 14,500 faunal remains at Gönnersdorf and some 4000 at Andernach. Faunal studies have focused on the large game, mainly horse, however favourable conditions of preservation at both sites provide an opportunity to examine not only smaller mammal taxa, but also for detailed analyses of the avifauna. Here we present results of these analyses focussing in particular on the economical and social role of birds in Magdalenian life. In view of the large numbers of horse hunted at both sites, the relatively small number of bird remains show that they did not play a major role as a food resource. Selection for wing elements of swan and goose suggests these large birds may have been primarily of interest in terms of their pinion feathers or wing bones. In contrast the skeletal representation of ptarmigan or willow grouse suggests that complete carcasses were brought to the site for processing/consumption. Our holistic approach combines zooarchaeological analysis with e.g. spatial patterning, allowing us to assign bird remains deriving from individual carcasses processing to specific locations within the site area, information of relevance for a synthetic interpretation of settlement organisation and site formation. A complete praemaxilla and dentary of a raven from a pit in Gönnersdorf K II were probably deposited originally as a complete head. Its location, together with the overall representation of raven bone, perhaps suggest non-utilitarian motives for the presence of entire feathered skins of ravens within Gönnersdorf dwelling structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dolní Vĕstonice I and Předmostí I, two large and important Pavlovian sites in Moravia (Czech Republic), have yielded extraordinary assemblages of lithic artefacts as well as animal remains. In this paper, the bird remains from both these sites are analysed in terms of their species, anatomical representation and bone fragmentation. The large share of tetraonid and raven ( Corvus corax ) remains, and the overrepresentation of ulnas among the raven bones, are similarities shared by both sites included in the study, and by the other sites from Pavlovian times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iberian lynx ( Lynx pardinus ) is a significant taphonomic agent in Iberian ecosystems. Its diet is based almost exclusively on rabbits and it is complemented mainly with birds from the Phasianidae , Anatidae and Corvidae families. We present here the results of actualistic taphonomic research conducted to assess modifications produced by Iberian lynx on non-ingested red-legged partridge ( Alectoris rufa ) remains. Through anatomical representation, breakage patterns and bone surface modifications we were able to establish the main characteristics of the taphocoenosis of the Iberian lynx regarding one of their complementary preys. The results revealed low survival of entire carcasses, remains mainly of offal and feathers – that are barely preserved in archaeological fossil records –, and some skeletal remains. Anatomically there was greater evidence of thoraxes, especially pelvis/synsacrum and adjoining ribs, and distal portions of wings and legs. Breakage was nominal with a high survival of whole elements, but none of the major long-bone remains were complete. The bones in the meaty parts (wings/humeri, drumsticks/femurs and tibiae and breasts/sternums), were very fragmented. Tooth marks were rare and occurred mainly in the form of notches on fractured edges none of which had opposite tooth marks. A comparison of our results with those obtained for the main prey of lynxes – rabbits – indicated a lower survival of bird remains. This differential taphonomic pattern must be related to the anatomy of the prey and the anatomical distribution of meaty parts which are the main interest of the predator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number of quantitative assessments of homogenization using citizen science data is particularly important in the Neotropics, given its high biodiversity and ecological peculiarity, and whose communities may react differently to landscape changes. We looked for evidence of taxonomic homogenization in terrestrial birds by investigating patterns of beta diversity along a gradient of human-altered landscapes (HAL), trying to identify species associated with this process. We analyzed bird data from 87 sites sampled in a citizen science program in the south Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Regional-scale taxonomic homogenization was assessed by comparing beta diversity among sites in different HALs (natural, rural or urban landscapes) accounting for variation derived from geographical distance and zoogeographical affinities by georeferencing sites and determining their position in a phytogeographical domain. Beta diversity was calculated by multivariate dispersion and by testing compositional changes due to turnover and nestedness among HALs and phytogeographical domains. Finally, we assessed which species were typical for each group using indicator species analysis. Bird homogenization was indicated by decreases in beta diversity following landscape changes. Beta diversity of rural sites was roughly half that of natural habitats, while urban sites held less than 10% of the natural areas’ beta diversity. Species composition analysis revealed that the turnover component was important in differentiating sites depending on HAL and phytogeography; the nestedness component was important among HALs, where directional species loss is maintained even considering effects of sampling effort. A similar result was obtained among phytogeographical domains, indicating nested-pattern dissimilarity among compositions of overlapping communities. As expected, a few native generalists and non-native urban specialists were characteristic of rural and urban sites. We generated strong evidence that taxonomic homogenization occurs in the south Brazilian Atlantic Forest as a result of a directional and nested species loss, with the resultant assemblages composed of few disturbance-tolerant birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dorset sites of Tayara (KbFk-7) and KcFs-2 have yielded a rich assemblage of common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) and thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia). This study examines the role of birds and treatment of avian remains in the subsistence practices of Paleoeskimo groups along the southern coast of the Hudson Strait through the analysis of element representation, patterns of breakage, and bone-surface modifications. Our results demonstrate that although birds played a secondary role when compared with marine and terrestrial mammals, their economic importance cannot be understated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ideal indicator of domestic individuals is the presence of traits that must appear in the first generation of the domestic lineage. Most wild geese are migratory, breeding in the subarctic zone and wintering in the temperate zone. If goose remains from archaeological sites in a non-breeding region are from individuals shown to have died during the breeding season, the bones are likely to be from domestic birds. Medullary bone is secondary woven bony tissue formed in the marrow cavity of breeding female birds. It develops 1 or 2weeks before the first egg is produced and disappears 1 or 2 weeks after egg production. As wild geese remain in their breeding regions for about 3months after egg production, medullary bone would be expected to disappear before birds arrive at the stopover and wintering areas. Therefore, the presence ofmedullary bone in goose remains found in nonbreeding regions would be a reliable indicator of domestic birds. In this study, we examined goose (Anserini spp.) remains from 15 archaeological sites in Japan (3400 BC to 1912 AD) using binocular observation and histological analysis. We found medullary bone in two femora from the Oranda-shokan-ato site (1650-1850 AD). The results indicate that the two femora were from domestic geese. By using secondary bone as an indicator of the domesticity of geese, knowledge regarding the origins of domestic geese can be expanded, and the morphological and/or genetic changes, as well as the domestication process, can be revealed. According to the literature, domestic geese were kept in Japan from the early eight century AD and were popular after the 17th century AD. The scarcity of medullary bone in the samples can be explained by the small number of domestic geese in Japan and/or by butchering practices that excluded the eating of breeding female geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gambier Islands ( French Polynesia) are noted for their extreme deforestation and low biodiversity in the post- European contact period. We report on the archaeological and palaeoecological investigation of a stratified rock shelter (site AGA-3) on Agakauitai Island, revealing a sequence of environmental transformation following Polynesian colonisation of the archipelago. Radiocarbon dates indicate use of the rock shelter from the 13th to the mid-17th centuries, followed by a sterile depositional hiatus, and then final early post-contact use (late 18th to early 19th century). Zooarchaeological analysis of faunal remains indicates rapid declines in local populations of seabirds, especially procellariids, as well as later increases in numbers of the introduced, commensal Pacific rat ( Rattus exulans). Macro- and micro-botanical evidence documents transformation of the island's flora from indigenous forest to one dominated by economic plants and fire-resistant taxa. A multi-causal model of dynamic interactions, including nutrient depletion due to seabird loss, most likely accounts for this dramatic ecological transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New research affords new data on bird usage in the Pavlovian culture. This is the first article to report on bird remains excavated at Dolní Věstonice II and Pavlov II, and to discuss a small group of bones from Pavlov I. Although the two sites share a number of striking similarities, including the high frequency of Raven ( Corvus corax ), there are also some differences, e.g., in the ratio of the bird taxa. The former may be common for the whole Pavlovian culture; the latter may depend from specific usages of the sites by the Gravettian people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Eocene locality of Eocliff, Namibia, has yielded a rich vertebrate fauna, including mainly mammals, but also a few bird remains. A coracoid and a scapula are ascribed to a new genus and a new species of galliform in the extinct family Paraortygidae. This family was so far known only from the Late Eocene and Early Oligocene of the northern hemisphere. A distal part of tarsometatarsus is ascribed to a new genus and a new species of psittaciform. This tarsometatarsus shows a trochlea metatarsi IV which is characteristic of the crown group Psittaciformes, but, in other features, it is different from extant parrots and corresponds to a stem group Psittaciformes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has long been recognized that the minimum number of individuals (MNI) and the number of taxa identified (NTAXA) are both often tightly related to the number of identified specimens (NISP) in a collection. The relationship between NISP and NTAXA has been suggested to vary between bird remains and mammal remains for three reasons that concern the rate at which identifiable skeletal parts of each are input to the zooarchaeological record. Rigorous testing of the relationship using 59 pairs of assemblages of bird and mammal remains confirms that the NTAXA of birds increases more rapidly per NISP than does the NTAXA of mammals per NISP. Data also indicate that two of the three proposed reasons (bird taxa outnumber mammal taxa on the landscape; each mammalian individual contributes more NISP than each avian individual) are the likely causes for intertaxonomic variability in the relationship between NISP and NTAXA. The third reason (fragmentation reduces identifiability of bird remains more rapidly than it does mammal remains) has yet to be empirically evaluated but is logical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To determine the taxonomic identity of zooarchaeological gadfly petrel ( Pterodroma) specimens from northern Europe, in order to investigate whether an unknown, now-extinct Pterodroma species formerly occurred in this region, or whether extant north-east Atlantic gadfly petrel populations now restricted to the Macaronesian Islands formerly had a much wider Holocene distribution. Location Zooarchaeological Pterodroma material from the Hebrides, Scotland, was compared with modern-day material from the Madeira and Cape Verde archipelagos (Macaronesia) and a global Pterodroma sample. Methods We employed techniques for ancient DNA analysis to amplify mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence data from an Iron Age Scottish Pterodroma specimen. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses were applied to assess the phylogenetic relationship between these ancient sequence data and extant Pterodroma taxa. Results The Scottish Pterodroma sample is phylogenetically distinct from living Macaronesian populations and from all other extant Pterodroma taxa. Although it is phylogenetically placed outside any single Macaronesian taxon, it is most closely related to the P. feae- deserta complex, and the level of sequence divergence between the Scottish Pterodroma and Macaronesian populations is lower than that observed between any two extant global Pterodroma taxa. The extinct north Atlantic gadfly petrels are therefore not distinct at the species level from these surviving populations, and instead form part of the young evolutionary radiation represented today by recently divergent Pterodroma populations on Bugio and Cape Verde, which can all be interpreted as conspecific. Main conclusions Our results suggest that surviving Macaronesian P. feae- deserta populations represent the final remnant of a wider Holocene distribution of this species complex, with the Madeira and Cape Verde archipelagos constituting the final sanctuary of Pterodroma in the north Atlantic following late Holocene extirpation of more northerly colonies possibly associated with human-mediated invasive mammal introduction across northern Europe. Macaronesia may therefore constitute a 'museum' of diversity rather than a 'cradle' of evolution for Atlantic Pterodroma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper presents palaeoecological and taphonomic analyses of bird remains from Late Pleistocene sediments from two caves in southern Istria, Šandalja II and Ljubićeva pećina. Most of the identified species are found today in Istria and along the Adriatic coast, although the presence of ptarmigan ( Lagopus mutus) and willow grouse ( L. lagopus) indicates colder conditions than those characteristic of the region today. Taxa from both sites are characteristic of open, forest-steppe, rocky, forest, and mixed biotopes. These sites differ somewhat in avifaunal composition - aquatic-adapted taxa are only found at Šandalja II, probably reflecting differences in human activities and in their geographic settings. Likewise, only Šandalja's assemblages show an increase in the representation of forest-adapted taxa over time. These data from the bird remains complement reconstructions based on mammalian assemblages from these sites. Different taphonomic agents accumulated the bird bones, and bone surface modifications show that birds of prey, small carnivores, and Late Upper Palaeolithic people helped accumulate these remains. The important Late Pleistocene avifaunal assemblages from southern Istria indicate that a mosaic of habitats was present during the Late Pleistocene and a deep time depth to the rich biodiversity of the region today. Furthermore they suggest that the exposed Adriatic Plain supported a diverse and rich biome. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The large midden site of Offing 2 (southern Chile) has yielded a series of human occupations dating back to 4200-2500 bp. From a very large collection of bird specimens, we sampled over 45 000 bird bones from four taxa ( Diomedea sp., Procellaria sp., Phalacrocorax sp. and Sterna hirundinacea). The distributions of skeletal parts do not contradict the bone density and functional anatomy hypotheses for cormorants and terns, but the observed data for albatross and petrel are less convincing. The presence of most or all elements (except for the terns) indicates that the birds were brought back to the site as complete carcasses. The deficit of some of the long wing bones observed for albatross and petrel is remarkable and may indicate a particular removal for later use as raw material for tools or trade goods. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In 1991-1993, large-scale excavations were carried out at Wijnaldum-Tjitsma, an artificial dwelling mound ( terp) in the north-western part of the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. Several finds of luxury products made clear that in the Early Middle Ages, the site must have been a place of importance. The excavations yielded a huge amount of well-conserved animal remains, among them many bird bones. In this paper, it will be discussed to what extent the special status of the inhabitants is reflected by the assemblages of bird remains, in particular those of waders. Furthermore, the methods of wildfowling will be discussed, with special attention to the development of the clap-net. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The island of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides has a rich archaeological past and a rich ecotonal landscape, which provides access to a wide range of avian resources. Throughout the island's past, these have played an important but sometimes modest role in the subsistence and life of the local populations. This paper explores fowling and avian resource use on South Uist through the analysis of new bone assemblages and their integration with collated existing avian data. The dataset shows that the inhabitants of South Uist made use of a wide range of avian resources year round. Some species were specifically and repeatedly targeted, whereas others were exploited infrequently or in low numbers. A targeted use of seabirds was identified, with period-specific increases in the capture of waders and waterfowl. A range of habitats from sea to moors were utilised for avian resources, and several capture techniques would have been employed. Evidence also suggests that birds were taken from further afield. The introduction of domesticates is traced from initially low numbers in the Iron Age to their increased occurrence in the Norse period. Over time, there is a notable decrease in the presence of great auk ( Pinguinus impennis). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This article presents research findings of bird remains from 22 archaeological sites of the 5th-17th centuries AD from the Middle Volga region of Russia. We identified 53 species: 50 wild species and three domestic. Remains of domestic chickens were most numerous. The predominance of bones of domestic birds and the variety of sizes at most archaeological sites of the 10th-17th centuries AD demonstrated that the people of the Middle Volga region had already developed domestic poultry keeping. Both domestic and wild birds were diverse and played an important role in the economy of the human populations in historic times in the Middle Volga region. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Archaeological excavations at the site of Shahr-i Sokhta yielded many bird remains. The excellent state of preservation allowed for the identification of 2875 specimens attributed to 43 different species. The avifaunal assemblage is mainly characterized by aquatic species, such as the Eurasian coot ( Fulica atra), representing 60% of the identified remains, and the Anseriformes. The presence of cinereous vulture ( Aegypius monachus), see-see partridge ( Ammoperdix griseogularis), black-bellied sandgrouse ( Pterocles orientalis) and spotted sandgrouse ( Pterocles senegallus) suggests that near the urban center there were also some very arid and semi-desert areas. The bird remains of Shahr-i Sokhta confirm the existence of environmental and climatic conditions that can still be found in central and northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea. With the exception of the Suliformes, Pelecaniformes and Accipitriformes, there is evidence that most species were hunted for their meat. Furthermore, eggshell fragments found at the site suggest that eggs were collected and used as food. Taphonomic analysis showed that the Gruiformes and the Anseriformes were eaten, while the other species were exploited for non-food purposes. The use of bird bones as raw material is indicated by the presence of anthropic marks on the ulnae of large birds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT On 31 July 1761, the Utile, a French slave ship from the Compagnie française des Indes, illegally loaded with Malagasy slaves, was shipwrecked on the desert islet of Tromelin. Two months after the disaster, the French crew left the island on a boat constructed from the wreckage and abandoned the slaves. Fifteen years later, Chevalier de Tromelin rescued eight survivors. An archaeological excavation recently conducted by M. Guérout and T. Romon revealed how the forgotten slaves adapted themselves to this hostile environment. The Malagasy survived using natural resources of the islet and material from the Utile. This paper, based on the archaeozoological analysis of almost 18 000 bird bones, focuses on their use of avian resources. The Malagasy survivors captured numerous individuals from a breeding colony of sooty tern Onychoprion fuscatus, as indicated by the presence of medullary bone and immature birds. Cut marks and localised burning at the bone extremities testify to the cooking method used. Under-representation of the bones from the distal extremity of the wing, together with the rare written archives collected after the rescue, give evidence of the utilisation of feathers as raw material. An estimate of the total number of terns and eggs that were collected, compared with historical and modern ornithological observations, allows us to discuss the consequences of human predation on the disappearance of the sooty tern colony from Tromelin Island. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Eggshell is a potentially common archaeological resource, but it tends to be ignored. The recent development of ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) as a rapid and robust system for taxonomic identification of preserved eggshell fragments has facilitated new insights into patterns of egg use in the past. This paper presents a case study of egg use at two sites in Anglo-Scandinavian York (Hungate and Coppergate). The results described below suggest that the relative prevalence of goose eggshell may become a useful indicator of status, consistent with other characteristics of the two sites, and also demonstrate an apparent lack of exploitation of eggs of wild birds in York during the Anglo-Scandinavian period. These results highlight the interpretative potential of eggshell, which can now begin to be more fully explored. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this paper, the avian bones identified from the 11th and 12th centuries settlement of Piatra Frecatei in Dobrudja (Southeast Romania) are presented. The results are put in context with data from other two coeval sites in the region. Among the 86 bird bones representing 3.7% of the total animal bone assemblage, domestic hen was the most frequent species by 61 bones (71%) and 13 specimens (59.3%). The wild species include birds that live in the aquatic environment evidencing that fowling took place in the vicinity of site, and most probably was connected to fishing. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The paper analyses more than 2000 avian remains from four sites that played a crucial role in the formation of the Polish State in the early Middle Ages: a stronghold and suburbium (extra-mural settlement) at Ostrów Lednicki, a settlement at Dziekanowice and a stronghold at Grzybowo. At least 25 taxa were found at all the sites. The domestic chicken clearly dominates among all the avian remains, followed by geese of the genus Anser. Other taxa, recorded in smaller numbers, indicate a mosaic of aquatic, woodland and open habitats. The relatively high percentage of immature domestic chicken (28-38%) suggests that it was kept both for meat and eggs. Hawking at Ostrów Lednicki can be indirectly inferred from the presence of remains of female goshawks and their possible prey. Remains of the peacock, capercaillie and black grouse support the high status of the sites. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Bird bone assemblages from coastal sites in the north and west of Scotland are very diverse. Here, bird bones from 25 assemblages from 15 sites are compared. Many birds were caught for food, but there are also up to 50 incidental species, some of which are represented by one or two bones only. While the principal origin of the birds is seabird fowling, some were also obtained as a bycatch of fishing and others were collected casually. Some may have been collected accidentally with seaweed. Many are non-anthropogenic, from raptor discards and bird pellets, but possibly also from other predators. These diverse origins of the bird bones have important implications for interpreting former avian distributions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the bird bones from a large animal bone assemblage found in the largest pit located on the territory of the Sanctuary of Jupiter Heliopolitanus in Carnuntum-Mühläcker (Austria). Features of the material suggest that the bones result from ritual meals, perhaps from a single event. The bird bone assemblage is characterised by the dominance of domestic chicken ( Gallus domesticus), but the number of (domestic) goose ( Anser cf. domesticus) remains is outstanding. Wild species such as the greater white-fronted goose ( Anser albifrons) and the mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) were represented by smaller numbers of remains. According to the distribution of bones, the birds were slaughtered in the sanctuary. The calculated minimum number of individuals is about 193 fowl. The slaughtering season is proposed to have been in early spring according to the seasonal presence of the greater white-fronted goose and the age at death of the domestic mammals. On the basis of the measurements of sexed tarsometatarsi, two size groups of domestic chicken were identified. Similar results regarding the dimensions of this species could be recognised from a number of civic and cultic Roman localities in Central Europe. The dominance of male over female birds in domestic chicken is notable in our assemblage, and points to an Eastern origin for the feasting habits, especially in the light of the scarcity of pig remains in this context as opposed to urban Carnuntum. Unlike the assemblages unearthed from Mithraea, however, it was mostly beef that was consumed in addition to fowl in the sanctuary of Carnuntum-Mühläcker. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Notwithstanding the fact that few avian osteological remains have been found in the settlements of the Cucuteni-Tripolye cultural complex, birds seem to have played an important role in Cucuteni-Tripolye imagery. The earliest representation dates from the Precucuteni I phase, an ornithomorphic protome (a sculptural ornament in the form of a bird) on a vessel lid. Several vessels, known as askoï, depicting ducks exist from the Precucuteni II-Tripolye A and ornithomorphic askoï, statuettes, figurines, vessels and protomes were used during all the Cucuteni-Tripolye cultural complex phases. Starting with the Cucuteni A-B-Tripolye CI-CII phase, three-dimensional representations are supplemented by painted ornithomorphic images. They became widespread from this moment on, eventually becoming the predominant form of representation. On the face of it, ornithomorphic representations seem to be rare, but the authors managed to identify over 150 statuettes, figurines, vessels, protomes and painted images. Most of them seem to relate to ritual practices or to have cosmogonic significance. Some of the representations, but not many, are realistic enough to permit approximate species-level taxonomic identification. Most of the ornithomorphic representations are fragmentary, but the breakage may be due to deliberate, ritualistic fragmenting. They were also particularly concerned with the meanings of the ornithomorphic imagery. Taking into account the discovery conditions, the fragmentation of the artefacts and the themes depicted, the authors consider that most of the Cucuteni-Tripolye ornithomorphic representations played a key role in certain religious rituals. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Avian remains from a new quaternary site (Marmot Cave) in the NW Altai, Siberia, located very close to the famous Denisova Cave, have been studied. The fauna from Marmot Cave includes 19 extant taxa, three of which were not reported previously from Denisova Cave. Taphonomic analysis of the bird bones from the new site indicates a mixed origin for the material. The largest portion of bones evidently represents remains not eaten by large falcons, while a small part of the sample may be the prey of the Golden Eagle. Bones of the Black Grouse are of anthropogenic origin and apparently were brought to Marmot Cave from the human settlement of Denisova Cave. The faunal composition suggests a Holocene age for the sediments of Marmot Cave, which is in contradiction with data from mammal remains. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is one of the smallest vultures in the Old World. Today, this vulture is seasonal in Europe, spending winter in North Africa and returning to Europe in spring; however, some permanent populations reside in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. These birds feed mainly on carrion but are opportunistic and will prey on small mammals, birds and reptiles. The remains of Egyptian Vultures have been found on archaeological sites dated to the Pleistocene and Holocene, raising the possibility that they may have been active bone accumulating agents in caves and shelters, a practice evidenced by contemporary observation. Taphonomic studies on prey remains consumed by this vulture are very scarce and its role as an agent responsible for bone accumulations on archaeological sites is not fully understood. In this paper, we analyse bone remains recovered from three well known Egyptian Vulture nests situated in cliff rock shelters from Osona and Ripollès regions (Northeast Spain) with the aim of characterising their accumulations. Specifically, we detail taxonomic and anatomical representation, bone breakage, beak marks and digestion damage. Results show that very diverse taxonomic groups can be accumulated in Egyptian Vulture nest assemblages. The anatomical representation pattern varies greatly depending on the size of prey. Skeletal remains show a low degree of fragmentation and digestion, whilst the proportion of beak marked bones is high. Comparisons with other agents of bone accumulation (birds of prey and terrestrial mammalian carnivores) reveal that the taphonomic signature of Egyptian Vultures differs from most predators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article introduces the first pre-Pliocene record of darter (Anhingidae) in Australia. A sole darter relic was located at the Snake Dam locality in South Australia. It states that darters, also recognized as "snakebirds," are expert diving piscivores which survive in tropically freshwater habitats. The discovery of this anhingdae reveals the likelihood of Early Oligocene to Eocene age for the common lineages of anhingids and phalacrocoracids.

This paper explores pre-contact hunting at L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site in Newfoundland, Canada during the Late Holocene. Data from over 40 years of excavations are interpreted in light of recent insights into the subsistence activities of Recent Indian people (2000-500 B.P.) and their historic Beothuk descendants. The site's lithic assemblage is dominated by large bifaces, scrapers, and late-stage reduction debris that appear related to caribou and/or seal exploitation. However, the majority of the small sample of faunal remains consists of bird bone. We utilize historical records of Beothuk subsistence to argue that birds were harvested while mammal hunting tools were prepared for use at other locales. Ethnographic and archaeological examples from other northern regions portray similar seasonal relationships between warm weather bird harvesting and cold weather mammal exploitation with resultant implications for the interpretation of lithic assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]