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In recent years, the complex evolution of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) situation reflects a change in the eco-epidemiology of the causative agent which, among other demands, renews the need for better understanding of the connectivity between countries through the main virus reservoirs to improve prevention, early warning and mitigate the associated risks. Our objective was to determine migratory connectivity of Blue-winged Teal and evaluate the risk of AIV introduction to Cuba by this species. The stable hydrogen isotope (d2H) value in flight feathers was analyzed. Individuals were sampled during the migratory season of 2021 (N=126) and winter residence of 2020 (N=152), in western and central Cuba, respectively. Based on banding records from 1955 to 2018, the transition probabilities from 3 breeding areas in North America to 9 wintering areas was estimated with a Burnham's live-recapture dead-recovery modeling framework. A map of likely origin in North America of the individuals sampled for each season was generated, combining the isotopic information and transition probabilities. Evidence of an age-related and phenological pattern in migratory origins was identified. Individuals harvested in the migratory season in western Cuba were most likely from molt or natal areas in the prairies and forest regions from United States and southern Canada. Alternatively, individuals harvested in winter in the center of Cuba had the most likely origin in the U.S. prairie region. The spatial-temporal pattern of AIV prevalence in the estimated region was analyzed and suggestions are made to assist the Cuban system of active AIV surveillance of wild birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many threatened species require ongoing management, which is often funded through short project cycles. Evaluating whether the management is effective in protecting a species is important to inform future management investments. For migratory species, management may affect only part of a species' annual cycle, and reversing a population decline is challenging to achieve and demonstrate. Here, we evaluate whether conservation management projects funded by the European LIFE programme to safeguard a migratory vulture population achieved their major objective of stabilizing the target breeding population. Between 2012 and 2022, an international alliance of conservation organizations implemented multiple actions to reduce poisoning, direct persecution, and electrocution and collision with power lines along the Eastern Mediterranean flyway. We monitored breeding territories of the Balkan population of the globally endangered Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus between 2006 and 2022, and tracked 60 young birds with GPS transmitters since 2010. We used these data to examine whether population growth rate and survival probability had increased since project implementation. The mean annual survival probability of adult territorial birds increased by 1.9% since 2014 from 0.937 to 0.955, and the monthly survival probability of wild juvenile birds increased by 9.7% from 0.833 to 0.914 since 2018. The population growth rate across the Balkans increased by 6.9% from 0.939 before 2018 to 1.005 since 2018. This indicates that the Egyptian Vulture population has remained stable for the past 5 years (2018–2022), but at a population size that is only half (105 adult territorial birds in 2022) than at the beginning of the time series (204 in 2006). We caution that ongoing management along the flyway and reinforcement are required to ensure that the Egyptian Vulture population on the Balkans can recover, but we show that flyway‐scale collaboration of direct conservation actions can have lasting benefits for migratory species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For almost a century, the term ‘flyways’ has been used to order relations over time and space. It has been used to coordinate scientific research and communication as well as monitoring and management efforts for waterbird conservation. In this article, we revisit the concept of ‘boundary object’ (Star and Griesemer 1989) to investigate how this term ‘flyways’ has been central to common efforts while also having multiple meanings for the actors it connects. The article discusses both contemporary and historical achievements of the term by analysing its underlying knowledge infrastructure. We account for the complex assemblages of social, material, natural, and technical systems that shape how the term ‘flyway’ has been functioning as a boundary object and how this has changed over time. By discussing how the term ‘flyways’ as a boundary object and its underlying knowledge infrastructure shape each other, we empower the actors to define, visualise, communicate, and imagine flyways in more purposeful ways. Our analysis contributes to the literature on boundary objects and knowledge infrastructures by expanding their original definitions, arguing for a co-productive relation between them.

For almost a century, the term 'flyways' has been used to order relations over time and space. It has been used to coordinate scientific research and communication as well as monitoring and management efforts for waterbird conservation. In this article, we revisit the concept of 'boundary object' (Star and Griesemer 1989) to investigate how this term 'flyways' has been central to common efforts while also having multiple meanings for the actors it connects. The article discusses both contemporary and historical achievements of the term by analysing its underlying knowledge infrastructure. We account for the complex assemblages of social, material, natural, and technical systems that shape how the term 'flyway' has been functioning as a boundary object and how this has changed over time. By discussing how the term 'flyways' as a boundary object and its underlying knowledge infrastructure shape each other, we empower the actors to define, visualise, communicate, and imagine flyways in more purposeful ways. Our analysis contributes to the literature on boundary objects and knowledge infrastructures by expanding their original definitions, arguing for a co-productive relation between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migratory connections in waterfowl in the northern part of Western Siberia are discussed as based on ring recoveries from the database of the Bird Ringing Center of Russia, Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences. Altogether, 3531 recoveries from waterfowl of 29 species were used. The waterfowl in the region are characterized by exceptionally wide migratory connections, occurring in different seasons in most regions of the Old World within the Northern Hemisphere: from Iceland to the Japanese Islands and from West Africa to the Indian Subcontinent and the Yangtze River basin. The long-distance flights of birds to molting sites, the interannual change of nesting grounds and wintering regions, and the distribution on wintering grounds are discussed. Ten wintering regions have been identified. The available material on the migration of waterfowl is evaluated from the viewpoint of completing the description of their seasonal distribution and its significance in the study of the ecological connections of the territory of Western Siberia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, migratory phenology and movement of many bird species is shifting in response to anthropogenic climate and habitat changes. However, due to variation among species and a shortage of analyses, changes in waterfowl migration, particularly in the fall, are not well understood. Fall migration phenology and movement patterns dictate waterfowl hunting success and satisfaction, with cascading implications on economies and support for habitat management and securement. Using 60 years of band recovery data for waterfowl banded in the Canadian Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), we evaluated whether fall migration timing and/or distribution changed in Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Pintail (A. acuta), and Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) between 1960 and 2019. We found that in the Midcontinent Flyways, Mallards and Bluewinged Teal migrated faster in more recent time periods, whereas Northern Pintail began fall migration earlier. In the Pacific Flyway, Mallards began fall migration earlier. Both Mallards and Northern Pintails showed evidence of short-stopping in the Midcontinent Flyways. Indeed, the Mallard and Northern Pintail distribution of band recovery data shifted 180 and 226 km north, respectively, from 1960 to 2019. Conversely, Bluewinged Teal recovery distributions were consistent across years. Mallards and Northern Pintails also exhibited an increased proportion of band recoveries in the Pacific Flyway in recent decades. We provide clear evidence that the timing and routes of fall migration have shifted over the past 6 decades, but these phenological and spatial shifts differ among species. We suggest that using community-science data collected by hunters themselves to explain one of the group's major concerns (changes in duck abundance at traditional hunting grounds), within the environmental lens of climate change, may help lead to further engagement and two-way dialogue to support effective waterfowl management for these culturally and ecologically important species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hunting and illegal bird killing are major concerns for avian conservation globally. Unsustainable bird hunting in wetland habitats, particularly those located along important flyways, has contributed to avifauna defaunation and species endangerment. Since wetlands are primary habitats for migratory birds and are associated with anthropogenic landscapes, a comprehensive understanding of bird harvesting, and its drivers is fundamental to reduce threats to current avifauna. In this study, we examined the distribution of illegal bird hunting and its socioecological drivers in the Indawgyi wetland ecosystem in Myanmar by integrating data from bird surveys, household surveys, and market surveys. We found that illegal bird hunting using nets, traps, and poisonous substances is prevalent in areas close to water and during the migration season. People who had negative attitudes toward avian species were more likely to engage in bird hunting, primarily because of the conflicts between bird conservation and crop production. Socioeconomic needs were not the major driving factors of bird killing. We therefore suggest sustainable management interventions promoting coexistence by integrating bird conservation and agricultural production, accompanied by increasing awareness to improve avian conservation in an internationally important wetland in Myanmar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Hunting and illegal bird killing are major concerns for avian conservation globally. Unsustainable bird hunting in wetland habitats, particularly those located along important flyways, has contributed to avifauna defaunation and species endangerment. Since wetlands are primary habitats for migratory birds and are associated with anthropogenic landscapes, a comprehensive understanding of bird harvesting, and its drivers is fundamental to reduce threats to current avifauna. In this study, we examined the distribution of illegal bird hunting and its socioecological drivers in the Indawgyi wetland ecosystem in Myanmar by integrating data from bird surveys, household surveys, and market surveys. We found that illegal bird hunting using nets, traps, and poisonous substances is prevalent in areas close to water and during the migration season. People who had negative attitudes toward avian species were more likely to engage in bird hunting, primarily because of the conflicts between bird conservation and crop production. Socioeconomic needs were not the major driving factors of bird killing. We therefore suggest sustainable management interventions promoting coexistence by integrating bird conservation and agricultural production, accompanied by increasing awareness to improve avian conservation in an internationally important wetland in Myanmar.

The main focus of this work was to study the use of freshwater wetlands by 12 waterbirds (4 resident species and 8 Palearctic migrant species) during the wintering period in West Bengal, India. From morning to evening hours, the time budget of waterbirds changed significantly. The differences in diurnal activities between migrants and residents were statistically significant. Foraging niche overlaps were calculated based on foraging habitats and techniques; five migrant species had exceedingly high niche overlaps (habitats 0.80–0.99; techniques 0.79–0.99). Overlap among resident birds or migrant species was much lower (habitats 0.01–0.56; techniques 0.01–0.66). Niche dimensions like the foraging habitats (1.26–3.47) and foraging techniques (1.13–4.54) and these two dimensions together (1.64–8.63) calculated the niche breadths. A mean Euclidean distance of 5.63 in Cluster analysis constructed on two niche dimensions reliably defined four distinct guilds. The post hoc test highlighted significant differences between the intra-guild niche breadths. Proportional differences in the uses of foraging habitats and techniques and temporal variations in foraging activities accommodated residents and winter migrants in the study sites. Such information would be crucially important for the conservation and effective management strategies of Indian waterbirds and their habitats, situated along the East Asian-Australian and Central Asian Flyways, which are significant tropical wintering grounds for migratory waterbirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lakes and wetlands provide top-priority hotspots that play a key role in maintaining and protecting threatened and migratory waterfowl. Identifying seasonal and spatial variations in aquatic bird communities and their responses to environmental factors is vital conservation efforts. However, there is a lack of information on waterfowl in Mongolian lakes and their associated wetlands. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial–seasonal changes in waterfowl assemblage structures in Mongolian lakes, as well as to determine how they respond to various environmental factors (lake surface area, elevation, and geographical distribution). Statistical analyses were performed using seasonal data (May, July, and September) for 28 waterfowl collected from 54 lakes across the country between 2016 and 2018. Seasonal heterogeneity in species richness and abundance was observed in lakes in each geographical region (Eastern, Central, and Western Mongolia). The composition of waterfowl in the lake was also relatively similar between May and September compared to July. This was due to the overlapping migration seasons in spring and autumn. Regionally, the number of waterfowl was much higher in the Eastern Mongolian lakes, followed by Central Mongolian lakes and then Western Mongolian lakes. This is likely due to differences in habitat availability and water levels between the regions. Eastern Mongolian lakes tend to have more wetlands and shallow water habitats, while Central and Western Mongolian lakes tend to have deeper open-water habitats. These differences in habitat types could contribute to the observed differences in waterfowl abundance among the regions. Additionally, some small lakes and the group of small lakes supported a greater abundance and diversity of waterfowl compared to some medium-sized and large lakes, suggesting that they are important for conservation. Indices of diversity (H') and species dominance (D') showed positive and negative correlations with lake surface area, respectively. Perhaps the increased surface area of the lake decreases the habitat overlap for designated waterfowl due to habitat heterogeneity. Accordingly, the indices (H' and EH) increased as the waterfowl species composition became relatively equivalent in large lakes. Overall, spatial variations among the lakes were primarily attributable to the individual features of the lakes (shallowness, small lake groupings, and surface area), and seasonal variation in the lakes depended majorly on the compositional changes of the waterfowl due to migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European turtle dove Streptopelia turtur (hereafter turtle dove), is a widespread species in the Palearctic. Due to a large and rapid decline in its abundance, it was classified as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List in 2015 and is now regarded as a globally threatened species. The objective of this study was to provide new information on the flyways of this turtle dove population by analyzing available ring recoveries and citizen science sightings data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. A new flyway (possibly stretching through the Black and Caspian Seas, Turkey, the Middle East, and Egypt toward the Eastern Sahel) is suggested for turtle doves breeding in Northern and Eastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the years 2017–2020, 104 young or adult Demoiselle Cranes (Anthropoides virgo) were tracked with GPS-GSM transmitters in Ukraine, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Eight flyways from different parts of the Demoiselle Crane distribution range were specified, with key areas for each flyway identified. In the European part of the range, cranes from different breeding groups followed two flyways using the same route in the fall and spring. The Azov–Black Sea breeding group wintered in Chad, while the Caspian, Volga–Ural, and Cis-Ural breeding groups spent winters in Sudan. Demoiselle Cranes from the Asian part of the range excluding the Trans-Urals carried out a circular migration. In the fall, they used six main flyways to northwestern India arriving there from the north, northeast, and east. In the spring, they flew firstly in a narrow front to the western tip of the Tien Shan Mountains, and then flew out like a fan to the north, northeast, and east. At wintering grounds and summer gatherings, gene flow can occur between cranes of different breeding groups. The migration period consisted of two stages: trophic, when cranes accumulate energy resources, and transit, when they make a long active flight without replenishing energy reserves. Fall migration took place over a short time. With migration route lengths totaling 2170 to 5600 km, the distance of the transit migration varied from 1900 to 4600 km, and their duration lasted from seven to 13 days. This is obviously a period that the Demoiselle Crane is capable of overcoming without essential replenishment of the energy costs, due to the resources accumulated before starting the transit migration. The spring migration of adults was more extended, with shorter daily flights and a longer rest at transit migratory stopovers, this probably being necessary to save energy before the breeding period. Some young cranes returned to their places of birth with their parents in the spring, while others made a transit flight to the first places of a long trophic migratory stopovers located in the southern part of the steppe zone. Some of them spend the whole summer in these territories, while others gradually move to their birthplaces, arriving 1–1.5 months later than adults do. Some young birds visit their birthplaces only after the second winter. Young birds from Transbaikalia and probably from the Altai and Khakassia made two transit flights with a long rest approximately in the middle of the flyway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last remnants of pristine forests in Europe, especially in the nemoral belt of deciduous and mixed deciduous coniferous trees, are unique for understanding the history, composition and structure of plant and animal communities. This is especially true for the Białowieża forest, NE Poland. The biogeographical history of emblematic forest clades of birds, e.g. woodpeckers, tits and nuthatches, is analyzed from molecular phylogenies which allow to determine their pace and mode of origination and differentiation. The flyways which connect temperate and tropical realms played a major role in the origination and differentiation of many extant lineages. Then, large differences in the structure of bird communities between North American and European forests are discussed and explained in the light of the geographic configuration of major land masses and past climatic changes and upheavals throughout the Neogene. From long term in depth studies in this forest, the composition and structure of bird communities may be used as references for understanding and measuring the processes and mechanisms of change in communities of the western managed forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Waterbirds that travel seasonally between Europe and Africa use wetlands along four major Palearctic‐Afrotropical flyways. However, it is unknown to what extent the overall connectivity of these flyways may be threatened by ongoing habitat loss and degradation. Here, we contrasted the wetland connectivity along these four flyways, applying graph‐theoretic connectivity metrics on an intercontinental scale. We also explored for which flyway connectivity is most at risk. We then identified the most important wetlands by their contribution to connectivity in each flyway. Location: Western Palearctic, Afrotropics. Methods: Based on high‐resolution wetland maps, we calculated directional probabilistic connectivity metrics. Estimates of overall connectivity of each flyway were obtained, as well as the relative importance of wetlands, for birds with different migration strategies: short‐distance hoppers and long‐distance jumpers. Results: The East‐Atlantic flyway and Eastern Mediterranean flyway had higher overall functional connectivity than the two central routes, reflecting the larger barrier represented by the Mediterranean Sea and Sahara Desert. Fewer than 5% of all wetlands supported more than 70% of the total connectivity of the network in each flyway, regardless of the considered migration strategy. These wetlands were either large, strategically positioned or both. Removing non‐protected wetlands from the analysis showed that the connectivity of some flyways could be jeopardized and that the East‐Atlantic and Eastern Mediterranean flyway may be most vulnerable to additional habitat loss. Main conclusions: Our results illustrate (i) the major contribution of unprotected wetlands to flyway connectivity, (ii) the importance of integrating migration ecology into site‐based connectivity analyses and (iii) the utility of graph‐based connectivity metrics to inform conservation prioritization under present and future scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most long-distance migrating passerines that breed in Europe spend their winters in Africa, with only a few species migrating eastward to spend the non-breeding period in South Asia. The use of the Indo-European flyway is rare and has been poorly studied so far. However, it is extremely interesting as within that system we are currently witnessing a recent range expansion of European breeding long distance migrants and thus the lengthening of migration routes. It may therefore conceal a unique migratory strategies and behaviour that can help us to understand the underlying factors and mechanisms determining the evolution of migration routes, strategies and breeding range extinction. Based on light-level geolocator we reveal a first track of the Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) migration, providing insight into the migration pattern, timing and behaviour of the species that recently has extended its migration routes. Unexpectedly, the studied individual did not retrace a recent range expansion that runs north and east from the Caspian Sea but followed a migration route running south form the Caspian sea, suggesting possible presence of an alternative species range expansion. The overall migration distance between the breeding site in Poland and the non-breeding site in Pakistan was about 10,420 km and included two endurance movement phases (920 and 2240 km) covering 30% of the whole journey length, with an average movement speed of 574 km/day. We explain this migration behaviour as an adaptation for crossing the ecological barriers imposed by arid environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lakes and wetlands provide top-priority hotspots that play a key role in maintaining and protecting threatened and migratory waterfowl. Identifying seasonal and spatial variations in aquatic bird communities and their responses to environmental factors is vital conservation efforts. However, there is a lack of information on waterfowl in Mongolian lakes and their associated wetlands. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial–seasonal changes in waterfowl assemblage structures in Mongolian lakes, as well as to determine how they respond to various environmental factors (lake surface area, elevation, and geographical distribution). Statistical analyses were performed using seasonal data (May, July, and September) for 28 waterfowl collected from 54 lakes across the country between 2016 and 2018. Seasonal heterogeneity in species richness and abundance was observed in lakes in each geographical region (Eastern, Central, and Western Mongolia). The composition of waterfowl in the lake was also relatively similar between May and September compared to July. This was due to the overlapping migration seasons in spring and autumn. Regionally, the number of waterfowl was much higher in the Eastern Mongolian lakes, followed by Central Mongolian lakes and then Western Mongolian lakes. This is likely due to differences in habitat availability and water levels between the regions. Eastern Mongolian lakes tend to have more wetlands and shallow water habitats, while Central and Western Mongolian lakes tend to have deeper open-water habitats. These differences in habitat types could contribute to the observed differences in waterfowl abundance among the regions. Additionally, some small lakes and the group of small lakes supported a greater abundance and diversity of waterfowl compared to some medium-sized and large lakes, suggesting that they are important for conservation. Indices of diversity (H’) and species dominance (D’) showed positive and negative correlations with lake surface area, respectively. Perhaps the increased surface area of the lake decreases the habitat overlap for designated waterfowl due to habitat heterogeneity. Accordingly, the indices (H’ and EH) increased as the waterfowl species composition became relatively equivalent in large lakes. Overall, spatial variations among the lakes were primarily attributable to the individual features of the lakes (shallowness, small lake groupings, and surface area), and seasonal variation in the lakes depended majorly on the compositional changes of the waterfowl due to migration.

We aimed to describe the morphologic and isotopic differences of European Goldfinches Carduelis carduelis according to their migratory behaviour or geographic origin. We compared morphologic and isotopic variables between birds caught in two different obligatory migratory pathways (eastern and western border of the Pyrenees) and throughout the post-breeding period (from late summer to winter). The isotopic and morphological traits varied across seasons (from autumn to winter), indicating that birds captured later in the season had traits typical of longer-distance migrants that come from regions situated further north. Moreover, our results suggest that Goldfinches caught in the eastern and western borders of the Pyrenees slightly differ in body size and in one of the two colour patch-associated traits, but not in their flight apparatus or isotopic values, these last being more strongly related to their areas of origin. Such observed regional differences, therefore, may be more strongly related to other selection pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The configuration of the earth's landmasses influences global weather systems and spatiotemporal resource availability, thereby shaping biogeographical patterns and migratory routes of animals. Here, we aim to identify potential migratory barriers and corridors, as well as general migration strategies within the understudied Indo‐European flyway. Location: Europe, Central Asia. Major taxon studied: Common rosefinches. Methods: We used a combination of theoretical optimization modelling and empirical tracking of Common Rosefinches (Carpodacus erythrinus) breeding across a large latitudinal gradient in Europe. First, we identified optimal migration routes driven by wind and resource availability along the Indo‐European flyway. Second, we tracked rosefinches from five breeding populations using light‐level geolocators. Finally, we compared to what extent empirical tracks overlapped with the modelled optimal routes. Results: In autumn, theoretical wind driven migration routes formed a broad‐front corridor connecting Europe and the Indian Subcontinent while the theoretical resource driven routes formed a distinct north‐south divide. The latter pattern also reflected the rosefinch tracks with all but the most southerly breeding birds making a northern detour towards non‐breeding sites in Pakistan and India. In spring, the resource availability model predicted a similar migratory divide, however, the southern route seemed relatively more favourable and closely matched with the optimal wind driven migration routes. Spring tracking data showed larger overlap with the modelled wind driven migration routes compared to the resource driven routes. Main conclusions: Optimal wind and resource driven migration routes along the Indo‐European flyway are seasonally specific and to a large extend do not overlap with one another. Under these conditions, migratory birds adopt seasonally distinct migration strategies following energy minimization strategy in autumn, driven by resource availability, and time minimizing strategy in spring, driven by wind conditions. Our optimal migration models can be applied worldwide and used to validate against empirical data to explain large‐scale biogeographic pattern of migratory animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The routes of migratory birds (Africa-Europe) are modelled to capture the risk of introduction of H. marginatum immatures. • The flight of birds into an area and thence the risk of introduction of H. marginatum in Europe is heterogeneous. • The flyway going through western Europe-United Kingdom is one of the earliest that could introduce H. marginatum. • The probability of introduction into Baltic and Nordic countries is still small. • A warmer climate might support permanent populations of H. marginatum if a high number of immatures is introduced. This study modelled the probability of introduction of Hyalomma marginatum into Europe by predicting the potential migratory routes of 28 bird species and the probability to carry immatures of the tick. Flyways were modelled as a spatio-temporal feature, at weekly intervals, using satellite-derived data of temperature and vegetal phenology, together with cost surfaces derived from speed and direction of the wind (years 2002–2018). The expected period of activity of tick immatures defined the probability of ticks being carried by birds along the modelled flyways. The probability of moulting of the engorged nymphs was modelled as a linear relationship of the daily sum of temperatures after tick introduction by birds. Positive probabilities of tick introduction extend the known northern range of permanent populations to central and western France, and large portions of central Europe. The flight of birds into an area and thence the risk of introduction of H. marginatum is very heterogeneous, with sites receiving "waves" of different bird species at diverse times of the year. Therefore, there is not a clear period of time for introduction, as it depends on the modelled behaviour of the bird species. The probability of introduction into Baltic and Nordic countries is small. We hypothesise that conditions of a warmer climate might support permanent populations of H. marginatum if a high number of immatures is introduced. Active surveys in risky territories, where the tick is not yet established, are advisable for rapid intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past two decades have seen the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) infections that are characterized as extremely contagious, with a high fatality rate in chickens, and humans; this has sparked considerable concerns for global health. Generally, the new variant of the HPAI virus crossed into various countries through wild bird migration, and persisted in the local environment through the interactions between wild and farmed birds. Nevertheless, no studies have found informative cases associated with connecting local persistence and long-range dispersal. During the 2016–2017 HPAI H5N6 epidemic in South Korea, we observed several waterfowls with avian influenza infection under telemetric monitoring. Based on the telemetry records and surveillance data, we conducted a case study to test hypotheses related to the transmission pathway between wild birds and poultry. One sedentary wildfowl naturally infected with HPAI H5N6, which overlapped with the home range of one migratory bird with H5-specific antibody-positive, showed itself to be phylogenetically close to the isolates from a chicken farm located within its habitat. Our study is the first observational study that provides scientific evidence supporting the hypothesis that the HPAI spillover into poultry farms is caused by local persistence in sedentary birds, in addition to its long-range dispersal by sympatric migratory birds.

Populations of common quail (Coturnix coturnix) have recently been declining in Europe. This is the first study of common quail in eastern Europe using molecular markers. The mtDNA D-loop genetic diversity of common quails migrating through Ukraine was analyzed and compared with that of birds migrating via northern Spain in 2017-2018. In samples from 77 birds, 32 polymorphic sites and 30 haplotypes (H1-H30) were identified, only 4 of which were common for birds sampled in both Ukraine and Spain. Phylogenetic analysis indicated 2 well-supported clades. Found were 3 haplotypes clustered in 1 phylogenetic clade only in common quails sampled in Ukraine. The results can be used for the identification of different flyways, particularly for common quails of eastern European origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying an organism's migratory strategies and routes has important implications for conservation. For most species of European ducks, information on the general course of migration, revealed by ringing recoveries, is available, whereas tracking data on migratory movements are limited to the largest species. In the present paper, we report the results of a tracking study on 29 Eurasian Teals, the smallest European duck, captured during the wintering period at three Italian sites. The departure date of spring migration was determined for 21 individuals, and for 15 the entire spring migratory route was reconstructed. Most ducks departed from wintering grounds between mid‐February and March following straight and direct routes along the Black Sea‐Mediterranean flyway. The breeding sites, usually reached by May, were spread from central to north‐Eastern Europe to east of the Urals. The migratory speed was slow (approximately 36 km/day on average) because most birds stopped for several weeks at stopover sites, mainly in south‐eastern Europe, especially at the very beginning of migration. The active flight migration segments were covered at much higher speeds, up to 872 km/day. Stopover duration tended to be shorter when birds were closer to their breeding site. These results, based on the largest satellite tracking effort for this species, revealed for the first time the main features of the migratory strategies of individual Teals wintering in Europe, such as the migration timing and speed and stopover localization and duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent Ecography article, Bauer et al. (2019) identified the most pressing questions for advancing our understanding of how anthropogenic changes in the environment affect aerial migrants at the macroscale and how these changes consequently influence humans. To surmount the associated challenges, large‐scale networks of weather surveillance radar are the suggested solution because addition to measuring precipitation and wind, they also continuously monitor the aggregated biomass movements of insects, birds and bats over large spatial and temporal scales. As such, they provide essential and unprecedented fundamental information about macroecological patterns (e.g. migration routes, phenologies and navigation strategies) for migratory species. In addition to the simultaneous description of such patterns for all such species at the continental level, long‐term changes in these can be revealed by taking into account existing historical radar data. The combination of these three properties, i.e. cross‐species, continental and long‐term, is unique and provides the much‐needed information regarding migration ecology that the individual‐based approaches cannot provide via tracking, manipulative and genetic studies of single species. Thus, radar aeroecology constitutes a missing piece of the puzzle to answer the grand challenges of migration ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grand-scale laboratory investigation on finding influenza type A virus in wild and synanthropic birds on vast territories of Eastern Siberia was conducted for the first time. Alongside with the ornithological investigations, we also conducted collection of over 17,000 samples of laboratory investigations of 165 bird species. In the south of Central Siberia in 2006-2011, the antibodies to antihemagglutination were found in 484 samples, 179 out of which were from synanthropic birds. During the investigation of PCR of RNA avian influenza 167 samples were isolated, 17 (10,2 %) out of which were from synanthropic species. In 2014, antibodies were isolated from 30 species, RNA avian influenza were isolated from 26 species of the following bird orders: Podicipediformes - 3/1 (in hemagglutination-inhibition reaction/polymerase chain reaction) of species, Ciconiiformes - 0/1, Anseriformes - 12/10, Gruiformes - 1/1, Charadriiformes - 7/4, Passeriformes - 6/8. In the following years the participation in epizootic process of new species/ subspecies were increased. The maximum virus carriage (40.2 %) and birds infection takes place during the period from July 15 till August 28, which is characterized mainly by the presence of a large number of multipleaged young-of-the-year water fowls on the ponds and riparian vegetation. In the process of work, there was compiled not only the list of species/subspecies of avian influenza virus carriers and vectors, but also revealed their connection with wintering areas and the main location of the recombinant subtypes of highly pathogenic virus H5N1. The cases of virus spreading and its influence on the birds of various ecologic groups were described.

ABSTRACT: Waterfowl monitoring, research, regulation, and adaptive planning are leading the way in supporting science‐informed wildlife management. However, increasing societal demands on natural resources have created a greater need for adaptable and successful linkages between waterfowl science and management. We presented a special session at the 2016 North American Duck Symposium, Annapolis, Maryland, USA on the successes and challenges of linking research and management in waterfowl conservation, and we summarize those thoughts in this commentary. North American waterfowl management includes a diversity of actions including management of harvest and habitat. Decisions for waterfowl management are structured using decision analysis by incorporating stakeholder values into formal objectives, identifying research relevant to objectives, integrating scientific knowledge, and choosing an optimal strategy with respect to objectives. Recently, the consideration of the value of information has been proposed as a means to evaluate the utility of research designed to meet objectives. Despite these advances, the ability to conduct waterfowl research with direct management application may be increasingly difficult in research institutions for several reasons including reduced funding for applied research and the lower perceived value of applied versus theoretical research by some university academics. In addition, coordination between researchers and managers may be logistically constrained, and communication may be ineffective between the 2 groups. Strengthening these links would help develop stronger and more coordinated approaches for the conservation of waterfowl and the wetlands upon which they depend. © 2017 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time in the south of the Central Siberia carried out large-scale study of wild and synanthropic birds for the presence of influenza A viruses. Along with the traditional methods of laboratory study of pathogens in Merskey's reaction and. PCR carried out ornithological research in areas of high concentrations of birds and. flyways. Also studied the long-term dynamics of isolation of positive samples containing specific antibody to influenza virus A subtypes H5 and. H7 and. genomic RNA of these subtypes. It was found that infection and. reinfection. of birds by avian influenza doesn't take place only during the wintering grounds, but also the breeding season in the water keepings of the south of the Central Siberia. Chicks are actively involved in the epizootic process in July, when transovarialy transmitted maternal antibodies disappear. Because of the peak interval of positive samples selection in Merskey's reaction and. PCR is 3 years, it is possible to organize an immunological monitoring followed by preventive programs development of birds deaths.

It was studied the long-term dynamics of influenza A viruses circulation in the Southern Central Siberia. Also, we studied of birds population dynamic as the main carriers of viral infection, as well as spatial and temporal distribution of positive samples containing specific antibody to influenza viruses subtypes H5 and. H7 and. genomic RNA of these subtypes. It was considered the cases of mortality wild. and. synanthropic birds in the region. It was shown a correlation between the identified centers of the virus influenza, the deaths of birds and. human disease with significant excess seasonal epidemic threshold, including a subtype Н1NЫЦ.

Knowledge about flyways, breeding and overwintering sites is important for conservation efforts, but little is known about migration patterns and population connectivity of declining European Turtle Doves Streptopelia turtur. EURING ring-recovery data were used to estimate directions and proportional usage of flyways. The timing of migration was compared along these routes and breeding origins of shot individuals were determined. Ring recoveries of Czech, Hungarian, British, German and French birds suggested three main flyways with westerly, central and easterly directions. The proportional usage was estimated by multinomial mark-recovery models. Major parts of French (62%), German (92%) and British (94%) Turtle Doves followed a western flyway. Czech birds used the central route (56%) and 55% of Hungarian birds followed the eastern flyway. Thus, a migratory divide between the Czech Republic and Germany could be suggested. The timing of migration showed a similar latitudinal pattern of migration along all flyways. Birds were at the breeding grounds in June and July and from September to April in their southernmost distribution ranges. Outward migration started in August. Return migration was still evident in May. The majority of reported hunted doves were from the 1960s and 1970s. High hunting numbers were present in September, April and May. France and Spain mainly shot birds from the UK and France. In Italy predominantly Italian birds were shot. Doves shot in Greece mostly came from the Czech Republic. Given the decreasing population numbers, large ringing numbers seem unlikely in the future. Thus, low recovery numbers in recent decades parallel both, the population decrease and a lower ringing activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migratory behavior of waterfowl populations in North America has traditionally been broadly characterized by four north-south flyways, and these flyways have been central to the management of waterfowl populations for more than 80 yr. However, previous flyway characterizations are not easily updated with current bird movement data and fail to provide assessments of the importance of specific geographical regions to the identification of flyways. Here, we developed a network model of migratory movement for four waterfowl species, Mallard ( Anas platyrhnchos), Northern Pintail ( A. acuta), American Green-winged Teal ( A. carolinensis), and Canada Goose ( Branta canadensis), in North America, using bird band and recovery data. We then identified migratory flyways using a community detection algorithm and characterized the importance of smaller geographic regions in identifying flyways using a novel metric, the consolidation factor. We identified four main flyways for Mallards, Northern Pintails, and American Green-winged Teal, with the flyway identification in Canada Geese exhibiting higher complexity. For Mallards, flyways were relatively consistent through time. However, consolidation factors revealed that for Mallards and Green-winged Teal, the presumptive Mississippi flyway was potentially a zone of high mixing between other flyways. Our results demonstrate that the network approach provides a robust method for flyway identification that is widely applicable given the relatively minimal data requirements and is easily updated with future movement data to reflect changes in flyway definitions and management goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The Eurasian crane ( Grus grus) is an iconic and sensitive species. It is therefore necessary to understand its landscape ecology in order to determine threats. Objectives: (1) To map the distribution of cranes and then model their habitat requirements in Estonia, linked to the current level of protection. (2) To determine the environmental characteristics of, and the habitats present in, sites utilized by the birds, and their sensitivity to change. Methods: (1) The distribution of cranes was recorded by observation and by tracking individuals. A model of potential breeding sites was compared with the occurrence of the bird in Estonia and then linked to protected sites. (2) The seasonal distribution of the bird was overlaid with a European environmental classification and the CORINE land cover map. A model of climate change was also utilized. Results: (1) A new map of European migration routes, wintering and stopover sites is presented. (2) The bird requires a habitat network, with wetlands being essential for nesting and roosting. The composition of habitats used for feeding varies according to geographical location. (3) In Estonia not all potential breeding sites are occupied and many existing sites are not protected. (4) Climate change could threaten populations in the south but could be beneficial in Estonia. Conclusions: (1) The existing ecological network in Estonia is adequate to maintain a viable breeding population of the Eurasian crane. (2) Climate change could support the breeding of cranes but complicate their migration and wintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the prevalence of avian influenza in migratory waterfowls in the U.S. during the period of 2007-2009 that included ducks, geese and swans. Flyaway and functional groups were studied for avian influenza virus (AIV). The study concluded that mallards show highest incidence along with American teals, northern pintail and northern shoveler.