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Detecting trends in population size fluctuations is a major focus in ecology, evolution,and conservation biology. Populations of colonial waterbirds have been monitoredusing demographic approaches to determine annual census size (Na). We propose theaddition of genetic estimates of the effective number of breeders (Nb) as indirectmeasures of the risk of loss of genetic diversity to improve the evaluation of demographics and increase the accuracy of trend estimates in breeding colonies. Here, weinvestigated which methods of the estimation of Nb are more precise under conditions of moderate genetic diversity, limited sample sizes and few microsatellite loci,as often occurs with natural populations. We used the wood stork as a model speciesand we offered a workflow that researchers can follow for monitoring bird breedingcolonies. Our approach started with simulations using five estimators of Nb and thetheoretical results were validated with empirical data collected from breeding colonies settled in the Brazilian Pantanal wetland. In parallel, we estimated census sizeusing a corrected method based on counting active nests. Both in simulations and innatural populations, the approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) and sibship assignment (SA) methods yielded more precise estimates than the linkage disequilibrium, heterozygosity excess, and molecular coancestry methods. In particular, theABC method performed best with few loci and small sample sizes, while the otherestimators required larger sample sizes and at least 13 loci to not underestimate Nb.Moreover, according to our Nb/Na estimates (values were often =0.1), the wood storkcolonies evaluated could be facing the loss of genetic diversity. We demonstrate thatthe combination of genetic and census estimates is a useful approach for monitoringnatural breeding bird populations. This methodology has been recommended forpopulations of rare species or with a known history of population decline to supportconservation efforts. Fil: Da Silva, Fagner M.. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; Brasil Fil: Miño, Carolina Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina Fil: Izbicki, Rafael. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; Brasil Fil: Del Lama, Sílvia Nassif. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; Brasil

Open landfills seem to be playing an increasing role as target feeding areas for several species, not only in their breeding areas or during the winter, but also during the migration period. Evaluating the extent to which landfill sites are used by migrants is crucial to understanding their role in driving stopover decisions during migration, and in the potential health risks linked to feeding on refuse. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of two open landfills located just before (France) and after (Spain) the East‐Atlantic flyway enters Iberia through the western Pyrenees as potentially important stopover sites for the White Stork populations moving along this route. Overall, we detected that these sites were used by storks that had been ringed from many western European breeding populations, mainly during the migration period, but also in winter. The mean distance between the stork breeding/ringing origin and the landfill sites increased from summer to winter, suggesting that storks breeding further away pass through Iberia later in the season, reflecting population‐specific timing of migration. During the autumn migration period (August–September), the first encountered landfill in France was estimated to be used by c. 1200 storks, and the other in Spain by 4000 storks. Our study hence contributes to a better understanding of the current and potentially hazardous role played by landfill sites in White Stork ecology, which is essential in order to provide management recommendations, and to evaluate the consequences of proposed open landfill closures in Europe.

The natural habitats and potential reservoirs of the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii are poorly defined. Here, we put forth and tested the hypothesis of avian reservoirs of A. baumannii. We screened tracheal and rectal swab samples from livestock (chicken, geese) and wild birds (white stork nestlings) and isolated A. baumannii from 3% of sampled chicken (n = 220), 8% of geese (n = 40) and 25% of white stork nestlings (n = 661). Virulence of selected avian A. baumannii isolates was comparable to that of clinical isolates in the Galleria mellonella infection model. Whole genome sequencing revealed the close relationship of an antibiotic-susceptible chicken isolate from Germany with a multidrug-resistant human clinical isolate from China and additional linkages between livestock isolates and human clinical isolates related to international clonal lineages. Moreover, we identified stork isolates related to human clinical isolates from the United States. Multilocus sequence typing disclosed further kinship between avian and human isolates. Avian isolates do not form a distinct clade within the phylogeny of A. baumannii, instead they diverge into different lineages. Further, we provide evidence that A. baumannii is constantly present in the habitats occupied by storks. Collectively, our study suggests A. baumannii could be a zoonotic organism that may disseminate into livestock.

Wetlands are increasingly threatened by human activities worldwide. Genetic monitoring of associated wildlife provides valuable data to support their conservation. Waterbirds such as the wood stork (Mycteria americana) are good bioindicators of wetland disturbance and destruction. This study investigated past and contemporary levels of genetic diversity, differentiation and demographic processes in 236 wood storks from two major wetlands in Brazil in which breeding colonies are concentrated, using nine microsatellite loci and a 237-bp untranslated fragment of the mitochondrial Control Region. Amapa populations (northern region) showed slightly higher levels of genetic diversity than Pantanal populations (central western region) and both populations had a low number of effective breeders. Results from assignment tests, F-statistics, AMOVA, spatial and non-spatial Bayesian clustering analyses support the hypothesis of gene flow among colonies within regions, but significant differentiation between regions. The better supported Bayesian coalescent models based on both markers indicated that the northern population exchanged migrants with unsampled populations, and that the central western population was founded by individuals from the north. Mitochondrial estimates revealed that the timing of population divergence broadly overlapped the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and that the central western population expanded more recently than the northern population. The results support the hypothesis that the coastal wetlands in northern Brazil remained stable enough to shelter large wood stork populations during the LGM and storks colonized freshwater wetlands in the central western region following deglacial warming. Conservation policies and protective measures should consider Amapa and Pantanal wood stork populations as genetically differentiated units and priority should be given to Amapa populations that represent the source gene pool. Continuous genetic monitoring of wood storks would help detect genetic signs of changes in demographic trends that may reflect alterations or degradation in wetlands.

Climatic variation, including precipitation amounts and timing, has been linked to abundance and breeding success of many avian species. Less studied, but also of significance, is the consequence of climatic variability on the exposure and uptake of nutrients and contaminants by wildlife. The authors examined mercury (Hg) concentrations in nestling wood stork feathers in a coastal setting over a 16-yr period to understand the influence of rainfall amounts on Hg transfer by parental provisioning relative to habitat use, assuming differential bioavailability of Hg within freshwater and saltwater habitat types. Coastal Hg uptake by stork nestlings was linked to freshwater habitat use, as indicated by stable carbon isotope (δ13C) analyses. Cumulative rainfall amounts exceeding 220 cm in the 23 mo preceding the breeding seasons resulted in greater use of freshwater wetlands as foraging habitat and greater Hg accumulation by nestling storks. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:2711–2715. © 2014 SETAC

Here we explore the environmental and geographical factors affecting the winter distribution of the black stork Ciconia nigra in the Iberian Peninsula, where an increasing number of individuals have remained to winter in the last two decades. We recorded 179 locations of 54 ringed individuals between 1988 and 2011 to map the species habitat suitability with MaxEnt, a machine-learning technique based on the principle of maximum entropy. The migratory movements of 25 birds equipped with satellite transmitters were used to define the autumnal migratory flyway used by most storks crossing the Peninsula as well as to define the wintering period. The aim was to test if the number of wintering storks was positively correlated to habitat suitability and negatively correlated to the flyway distance. Data provided by an extensive count across Portugal and Spain during the 2012-2013 winter supported the findings that black storks were more abundant in areas of high habitat suitability close to the migratory flyway. This agrees with previous evidence on the role of migratory flyways in determining the distribution of some wintering birds in Iberia. A gap analysis reflected that just 12.3% of the suitable areas and 18.8% of individuals recorded during the 2012-2013 winter were included within the Special Protection Areas network of Portugal and Spain. Most of these birds were crowded in unprotected areas covered by rice fields (68% of individuals), a key habitat for the species.

The reduction of aggressive behaviors can be a concern whenever animals are socially housed, but for some species, such as marabou storks, zoos are still unsure of the best management strategies. To learn more about marabou behavior and how dynamics change as group composition changes, we monitored a total of 3.5 marabous as individuals were added and removed over 2 years. We found that, in mixed-sex groups, males were more likely to be the initiators of displacements and females were more likely to be the recipients. Most contact aggression was intra-sexual, and females engaged in contact aggression more often than males. The highest levels of aggression were seen in our all-female groups, which was unexpected given the high number of male attacks on females reported in zoos. Because females were being added and removed but our males remained the same throughout the study, we are unsure whether this was due to a higher level of instability among females or a true sex difference; regardless, these data highlight the need to monitor aggression even within all female stork groups. Overall, we observed low levels of inter-sexual aggression, suggesting that some fatal attacks may be due, in part, to non-social factors, such as enclosure design. Social birds like marabous may benefit from the same type of group management approach that is commonly utilized with other social taxa. A two-pronged approach of observation and management of marabou social dynamics and some modification of their enclosure structure may limit injurious aggression in the future.

Odense Zoo, Denmark, has built an aviary for large African birds, such as Greater flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus, Pink-backed pelican Pelecanus rufescens, African spoonbill Platalea alba and Abdim's stork Ciconia abdimii. The decision to build the aviary was based on a strategic move that birds at Odense Zoo would no longer be pinioned. The aim was to enhance animal welfare and, at the same time, improve visitor experience. Overall, the aviary has been a success in terms of visitor experience and bird breeding. All species have bred in the aviary, including African spoonbills, Pink-backed pelicans, Greater flamingos and Abdim's stork. No collision damage has been seen in the birds despite the fact that some have had ‘fast forward’ collisions into the side of the aviary. However, the flexible Dyneema netting used means the birds bounce off easily without sustaining any injuries that require veterinary intervention.

Extra-pair copulations (EPCs) leading to extra-pair fertilization (EPF) are common in avian mating systems, despite the prevalence of observed social monogamy in many species. Colonially breeding birds are interesting species to investigate the prevalence of EPCs and EPF because they show nesting habits including close proximity of nest sites and sexual partners, which are proposed to promote alternative reproductive tactics. Endemic to Africa, the colonial marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) is one of the most commonly held avian species in North American zoos. The aims of this study were to use genetic information to verify parentage in a population of marabou stork housed at Disney's Animal Kingdom® based on five microsatellite loci and to investigate reproductive behavior. We compared genetic analyses of parents and offspring to studbook data collected through behavioral observations of parental behavior at the nest. Using genetic analyses to reconstruct the pedigree of the marabou stork flock using the program COLONY led to improvement of studbook records by determining parentage of an individual that had previously unknown parentage, and identified one individual that had a sire that differed genetically from studbook records. An important contribution of our analyses was the identification and verification of the most likely parents for offspring hatched in this colony and improving incorrect or undocumented parentage in the studbook. Additionally, the colonial nature of this species makes it difficult to observe and understand reproductive behavior. Gaining better understanding of the mating system of a species is essential for successful breeding and captive management.

1. The timing of bird migration has shifted in response to climate change. However, few studies have linked the potential consequences of any phenological shift on individual fitness and even fewer have disentangled the role of plasticity and microevolution in the observed shifts. 2. The arrival date and breeding success of white storks (Ciconia ciconia) have been recorded since the 1880 s in Slovakia. We used data for two periods (1895-1913 and 1977-2007), which were considered, respectively, as populations before and after the start of climate warming. About 4000 male and 2500 female arrival dates along with 3000 breeding attempts were studied. 3. Mean arrival dates did not differ between the two periods. During 1977-2007, males tended towards a slight delay for most fractions of arrival distribution. Protandry was reduced by 30% (1.44 days). 4. In both sexes, the early percentiles of the arrival distribution arrived later those years with warmer temperatures at the African wintering grounds, while late percentiles advanced their arrival when temperatures were higher in the European areas flown over during migration. 5. Mean breeding success of the Slovakian population has not changed since 1977. However, fecundity selection for arrival date reduced over the years: at the end of 1970s and 1980s, early breeders had more success than late breeders, but this seasonal trend disappeared towards the end of the study period. An early arrival and territory acquisition may have become less of an advantage due to the enhancement of feeding opportunities during the breeding season in recent decades. 6. A century ago, stork arrival varied spatially, with earlier arrivals at low altitudes, southern slopes and warmer and drier regions. This spatial variation mostly vanished, and at present, we found little correlations with topographical and climatic gradients. 7. We showed that long-term temporal changes in the timing of biological events may be complex because each fraction of a population and sex may show different temporal trends in their arrival dates. In addition, the effect of biotic and abiotic factors may change consistently in space and time, and thereby phenotypes' value depends on the circumstances that are expressed due to its variable fitness consequences.

This study was undertaken to investigate the pecten oculi of stork by using macroscopic, light and electron microscopic techniques. A total of 20 eyes that were obtained from 10 storks were used. The eyes were cleaned and isolated by dissection. After various procedures, four of the pecten oculi were examined by light microscope while the other four with an electron microscope. The remaining 12 eyes were assigned for macroscopic investigation. Pecten oculi of the stork were determined as accordion-like structures that originated from n. opticus, consisting of 15–17 plica and projecting up to 2/5 of the diameter of the bulbus oculi. Light microscopic examination revealed two types of blood vessels. Afferent–efferent vessels were larger in diamater (40–45 µm), fewer in numbers, and the capillary vessels were smaller in diamater (2–5 µm) and more in numbers. There were granules including amount of melanin pigment at the apical part of the pleats. These granules were fewer and scattered randomly on the basal part of the pleats. As a result, pecten oculi in the stork, which is a migrating bird, were determined to be similar to those of other diurnal birds. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:963–967, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Theory predicts that optimality of life-long investment in reproduction is, among other factors, driven by the variability and predictability of the resources. Similarly, during the breeding season, single resource pulses characterized by short periods and high amplitudes enable strong numerical responses in their consumers. However, it is less well established how spatio-temporal dynamics in resource supplies influence the spatio-temporal variation of consumer reproduction. We used the common vole (Microtus arvalis)—white stork (Ciconia ciconia) resource—consumer model system to test the effect of increased temporal variation and periodicity of vole population dynamics on the strength of the local numerical response of storks. We estimated variability, cycle amplitude, and periodicity (by means of direct and delayed density dependence) in 13 Czech and Polish vole populations. Cross-correlation between annual stork productivity and vole abundance, characterizing the strength of the local numerical response of storks, increased when the vole population fluctuated more and population cycles were shorter. We further show that the onset of incubation of storks was delayed during the years of higher vole abundance. We demonstrate that high reproductive flexibility of a generalist consumer in tracking the temporal dynamics of its resource is driven by the properties of the local resource dynamics and we discuss possible mechanisms behind these patterns.

Positive reinforcement training utilizes operant condi- tioning through intentionally pairing a reward with a desired behaviour. Despite frequent use in the husbandry of mammals in captivity, these techniques are rarely incorporated in avian husbandry protocols. Marabou stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus managers are encouraged to use husbandry training to combat frequently encoun- tered management problems. Marabous can be aggres- sive in captivity, requiring careful management during introductions, flexibility when choosing individuals to house together and a sound understanding of Marabou stork behaviour. Susceptibility to foot problems means that Marabou storks need indoor housing during cold weather and their feet should be monitored.At the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh Zoo, a train- ing programme was incorporated into the daily care of a pair of Marabou storks. This programme included clicker training and stationing, pair introduction, house training, health checks (including scale training) and crate training. Here, training experiences relating to this programme are presented, with additional reference to a similar programme run at Disney's Animal Kingdom, FL, USA. Through training, we were able to ease the process of moving birds, reduce aggression and regularly monitor health in a low-stress manner. We demonstrate that husbandry training can be effective without exces- sive time or staff costs, and can be rewarding for both birds and trainers.

Anthropogenic changes have strongly influenced the biodiversity of Europe. In the last 50 years electric power-line networks have become a conspicuous part of the European landscape, and have strongly influenced the survival of some bird species. When they were constructed it was known, at least locally, that these lines and their support structures would cause fatalities in the white stork Ciconia ciconia. Annually thousands of white storks die in collision with, and through electrocution by, power lines, and these are important causes of their mortality. Using data collected in central Poland we show that technical modifications to electricity poles are an effective way to assist stork conservation and may, at least locally, reduce mortality by electrocution to zero. Because the white stork is an icon of nature conservation, we believe that public utilities and power-line companies will more readily focus on protecting this species; while indirectly aiding wider bird conservation. Furthermore, since contact with power-lines results in a break in energy transmission, these modifications also positively benefit both energy consumers and power companies.

Logistic regression was applied to develop a morphometric sexing method of two closely related stork species that were previously sexed through amplification of the CHD gene. Tarsus length (TL) and bill length (BL) measurements were recorded from captive populations of adult Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea) (n = 60) and Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) (n = 58) at Zoo Negara Malaysia. Despite having monomorphic plumages, both stork species exhibited normal sexual size dimorphism in which males were significantly larger than females in the tested variables. Based on logistic regression analysis, BL correctly classified the sex of sampled individuals from Painted and Milky stork with an overall predicted accuracy of 94.8 and 90.0%, respectively. However, TL measurements generated a lower predicted accuracy level of 86.2% and a same accuracy level of 90% on the sex classification of individuals from Painted and Milky stork, respectively. By comparing the measurements of both species, only the average BL measurements of the Milky storks were significantly lower than that of Painted storks (t-test, P80.001). The logistic regression equation in this study may serve as a simple and more practical option for sexing Milky and Painted storks for their breeding and conservation programmes.

The synthesis of perhydronaphthacenes, by Stork enamine annelation of cis-2,7-decalinedione, is described. Stereochemical detail is discussed.

Avian influenza viruses are a possible threat to human health as they may cause an influenza pandemic. Asian open-bill storks are migratory birds that brought H5N1 viruses into Thailand during the 2004-2005 epidemic. However, to date, there are no reports of direct transmission of stork-derived H5N1 viruses to Thais. Therefore, we questioned whether or not H5N1 viruses secreted in the feces of infected storks could directly infect cells derived from the human respiratory tract. To answer this question, we used primary NHBE cells as a model. We found that H5N1 viruses from two of the three cloacal swabs rapidly replicated and caused severe structural damage to the infected NHBE cells within the early phase of infection. Viruses from the remaining swab replicated poorly and caused no damage to the infected cells. The rapid-replicating viruses were able to replicate efficiently even in the presence of a high level of type I IFN production and stimulated a high level of IL-6 production but not the immunosuppressive cytokine, IL-10. The genotypic study revealed that the major genotypes of the two rapid-replicating viruses present in stork feces were the best-fit genotypes for replication in the primary NHBE cells. In contrast, the major NA-based genotype found in the cloacal swab containing slow-replicating viruses could not survive in the primary NHBE cells. Altogether, the data suggested that those stork-derived H5N1 viruses that preferentially replicated in human airway epithelial cells may exist in nature, and may not require additional mutations in order to defeat the species barrier.

The loss of wetlands and semi-natural grasslands throughout much of Europe has led to a historic decline of species associated with these habitats. The reinstatement of these habitats, however, requires spatially explicit predictions of the most suitable sites for restoration, to maximize the ecological benefit per unit effort. One species that demonstrates such declines is the white stork Ciconia ciconia, and the restoration of habitat for this flagship species is likely to benefit a suite of other wetland and grassland biota. Storks are also being reintroduced into southern Sweden and elsewhere, and the a priori identification of suitable sites for reintroduction will greatly improve the success of such programmes. Here a simple predictive habitat-use model was developed, where only a small but reliable presence-only dataset was available. The model is based on the extent and relative soil moisture of semi-natural pastures, the extent of wetlands and the extent of hayfields in southern Sweden. Here the model was used to predict the current extent of stork habitat that is suitable for successful breeding, and the extent of habitat that would become suitable with moderate habitat restoration. The habitat model identifies all 10 occupied nesting sites where breeding is currently successful. It also identifies similar to 300 km(2) of habitat that is predicted to be suitable stork habitat, but that is presently unused; these sites were identified as potential areas for stork reintroduction. The model also identifies over 100 areas where moderate habitat restoration is predicted to have a disproportionate effect (relative to the restoration effort) on the area of suitable habitat for storks; these sites were identified as priorities for habitat restoration. By identifying areas for reintroduction and restoration, such habitat suitability models have the potential to maximize the effectiveness of such conservation programmes.

The foraging technique and prey-handling time of the black-necked stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) was studied in Dudhwa National Park, India, from January 1996 to June 1997. The habitat in which the storks foraged played an important role in selecting a particular technique to procure food. Black-necked storks mostly foraged using a tactile technique (>90%), but sometimes foraged visually. When the water level was estimated to be less than 60 cm, the storks foraged using tactile techniques. There was no difference in the feeding techniques of male and female storks. Foraging attempt rates varied between the sexes in summer (May) and during late winter (February) in 1997. The search time for prey increased when the water level was high and fish were widely distributed. Decreases in water level resulted in concentration of fish in certain areas and this contributed to high fish-catching rates by black-necked storks. Males had a higher success rate of fish capture than females. However, females captured longer fish than males. Prey-handling time increased in both sexes as fish length increased. Fish 4–6 cm long were most frequently taken by the foraging storks.

The African Odyssey project focuses on studying the migration of the black stork Ciconia nigra breeding at a migratory divide. In 1995� 2001, a total of 18 black storks breeding in the Czech Republic were equipped with satellite (PTT) and VHF transmitters. Of them, 11 birds were tracked during at least one migration season and three birds were tracked repeatedly. The birds migrated either across western or eastern Europe to spend the winter in tropical west or east Africa, respectively. One of the juveniles made an intermediate route through Italy where it was shot during the first autumn migration. The mean distance of autumn migration was 6,227 km. The eastern route was significantly longer than the western one (7,000 km and 5,667 km respectively). Important stopover sites were discovered in Africa and Israel. Wintering areas were found from Mauritania and Sierra Leone in the west to Ethiopia and Central African Republic in the east and south. One of the storks migrating by the eastern migration route surprisingly reached western Africa. Birds that arrived early in the wintering areas stayed longer than those arriving later. On the average, birds migrating via the western route spent 37 d on migration compared to 80 d for birds migrating via the eastern route. The mean migration speed in the autumn was 126 km/d and the fastest stork flew 488 km/d when crossing the Sahara. The repeatedly tracked storks showed high winter site fidelity.

Storm's Stork Ciconia stormi is one of the rarest of the storks, regarded as globally endangered and found only in parts of western Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Prior to this study, its breeding biology was unknown and the population status in Indonesia was not well understood. Its breeding habitat, prey, behaviour, voice, eggs and the development of the young are described here for the first time. Breeding biology was studied in 1989 at a nest in south Sumatra, Indonesia. The nest was in the transition zone between mangrove and freshwater swamp forest. Incubation took less than 29 days, and two eggs hatched. Fish 2–7 cm long comprised 67% of the prey for feeding young. The chick was fully feathered at 52–57 days and was seen flying when 57–62 days old. The species is rare in south Sumatra. It occurs in low numbers and flocks of up to seven birds were observed. The density is estimated at 20–40 birds within 110,000 ha of primary swamp forest. At this density, the population would be below 100 birds in south Sumatra and between 100 and 300 in Indonesia. The species is threatened by development and conversion of primary swamp forest.

Summary. 1 A summary of breeding records for Kenya Colony, Uganda, Tanganyika Territory and Italian Somaliland is given in the following table. 2 The table shows that the main breeding area is the great lowland plain that stretches from the Tana River north-eastwards into Italian Somaliland. The actual nesting quarters seem to centre around the lower middle courses of two rivers—the Tana and the Juba—and the finish of a third—the Waso. A fourth river, the Webi Shebelli, deserves investigation. 3 The breeding season over the whole of this area begins in October-November (i. e., during the short rains). Conversely, the scanty records from the highlands of Kenya Colony and Uganda, and from the semi-high country of Tanganyika Territory, show that the season here may begin in July, at the end of the long rains. 4 Most colonies are beside rivers, but others are several miles from water. 5 Either tall forest trees or thorn acacias are chosen. With forest trees, birds normally build in the highest branches, but lower forks are sometimes employed. With acacias it is the flat tops that are utilized. 6 A clutch of three eggs, now in the Coryndon Museum, Nairobi, measures 76·5–71 × 53·5–50 mm. 7 Either one or two young are normally reared. The plumages of a half-grown nestling and of a newly-fledged juvenile are described, possibly for the first time.

Marabou storks Leptoptilos crumeniferus obtained as yearlings in 1979 and kept in a mixed-species aviary at Jacksonville Zoo, first displayed courtship and nesting behaviour in 1985 but the eggs were infertile. Three eggs removed for artificial incubation in 1987 produced one chick; it was hand-reared but did not survive to maturity. Between 1990 and 1993 six chicks were hatched and successfully reared by the parents. The paper reports hand-rearing diet and behavioural observations of the breeding birds and notes participation of juvenile in rearing the following year's chick.

Although commonly kept in captivity the Marabou stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus has been recorded as a breeding species in only eight institutions. Details of Marabou management at the Zoological Center Tel Aviv and Noorder Zoo, Emmen, present contrasts related to climatic differences. Noorder Zoo's experience includes successful multiple clutching, incubation and hand-rearing. Some notes on management at the other successful zoos are included.

Reaction between dimesityl(vinyl)phosphane (I) and enones (II) gives the cyclobutanes (III) diastereoselectively.

The Storm's stork Ciconia stormi is an Endangered Ciconiiforme from the inaccessible peat swamp forests and undisturbed freshwater habitats of Borneo, Sumatra, peninsular Malaysia and Thailand. The species is secretive so there are few published references describing its natural history. Two Storm's storks in 1993 and a further two in 1995 (four in total) were transferred from Zoo Negara, Malaysia, to the Zoological Society of San Diego, California, USA. One pair bred over a 4 year period and produced 34 eggs in 12 clutches: 12 chicks hatched, eight of which survived. This article describes the husbandry techniques and courtship for adult Storm's storks, and incubation (both by parents and in incubator), growth and development of chicks.

In the mid 1970s, the breeding populations of the migrant White Stork Ciconia ciconia were close to extinction in the northeastern region of France (Alsace). A re-introduction project was implemented, resulting in the year-round settlement of some individuals in the region, which rely on additional food supplied by humans during the winter. Today, both resident and migrant birds breed in the same areas and take food from rubbish dumps and humans (farmers). The effects of these anthropogenic influences, altering Stork behaviour, on Stork reproductive success are not known. The aim of this study was to test the influence of bird status (resident vs. migrant) and food availability (control nests vs. nests that benefit from high food supply) on reproductive success. In control nests, the mean laying date was earlier in resident than in migrant White Storks. There was also a clear seasonal decline in clutch size. For all nests, the numbers of eggs and hatchlings were higher in resident birds than in migrants, which can be attributed to the earlier breeding of resident Storks. The large broods of resident birds showed a high mortality rate, leading to the same fledgling success (fledglings/hatchlings) and number of fledglings as in migrants. Fledgling success and the number of fledglings were higher for nests close to a reliable food supply. In summary, although resident birds can breed earlier and produce more eggs than migrants, we found no advantage in terms of number of fledglings. The higher mortality rate of chicks found in pairs with a large brood could be caused by the deterioration of their habitat. Thus, the year-round settlement of Storks may not present a biological advantage if the quality of their habitat is not guaranteed by the conservation of their grasslands.

We studied environmental sensitivity and mortality related to weather inclemency in white stork nestlings Ciconia ciconia in their southern European boundary (Don˜ ana, SW Spain). The study of homeothermy acquisition and fault bars (i.e. a measure of stress on feathers) revealed that stork nestlings were specially sensitive to environmental conditions occurring before 20 d of age. Accordingly, most of nestling mortality concentrated during this sensitive period: 91% of deaths corresponded to nestlings younger than 20 d, 73% concentrating on nestlings up to 10 d-old. Nestling mortality and total breeding failure were highly variable among years, being especially high when rainy periods coincided with the early live of nestlings (between 1 April and 15 May). Maximum temperatures had a positive correlation with breeding success and nestling survival but this effect disappeared when controlling for rainfall. Our results are in agreement with previous studies conducted in other white stork populations in other latitudes. We suggest that this could be the result of a low homeothermy capacity of young nestlings jointly with an early breeding phenology that expose white storks to rain, but not to high temperatures. In the context of global climate change we suggest that the current decrease on spring rainfall could increase nestling survival while punctual rainy springs could have a negative effect on the reproduction of white storks

Data from Berlin (Germany) show a significant correlation between the increase in the stork population around the city and the increase in deliveries outside city hospitals (out-of-hospital deliveries). However, there is no correlation between deliveries in hospital buildings (clinical deliveries) and the stork population. The decline in the number of pairs of storks in the German state of Lower Saxony between 1970 and 1985 correlated with the decrease of deliveries in that area. The nearly constant number of deliveries from 1985 to 1995 was associated with an unchanged stork population (no statistical significance). However, the relevance of the stork for the birth rate in that part of Germany remains unclear, because the number of out-of-hospital deliveries in this area is not well documented. A lack of statistical information on out-of-hospital deliveries in general is a severe handicap for further proof for the Theory of the Stork.

Superhero Synergies: Comic Book Characters Go Digital James N. Gilmore and Matthias Stork, Editors. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.What once seemed a potential fad-the superhero film-shows no signs of dwindling, with its presence growing even on smaller screens. Scholars in recent years have devoted increasing attention to this popular genre, but Superhero Synergies: Comic Book Characters Go Digital, edited by James N. Gilmore and Matthias Stork, aims to look at the synergistic digital convergence among these films, comic books, video games, and even theatrical events. One form of this synergistic digital convergence is the postcredit tags in Marvel's films, so popular that many theatergoers stay until the end of the credits, expecting a teaser about an upcoming film.The book opens with two chapters on Ang Lee's Hulk (2003), a film that seems to have fared better with scholars than it did with fanboys. The first of these, by Gilmore, analyzes DVD paratexts and online criticism of the film, especially compared to its reboot, The Incredible Hulk (2008). A treatise on Disney's "superhero ization" of John Carter (2012) may seem like an offbeat selection for this collection, considering its literary origins as a serialized "scientific romance" and its lack of superhero tropes, but Andrew James Myers looks at the changes in the story and marketing in "From Scientific Romance to Disney Superhero." Myers examines how previous incarnations (the original 1912 serialized novel, the 1977 Marvel comic John Carter, Warlord of Mars) shaped the material to meet audience expectations and how Disney marketed the film as a superhero film more than the sci-fi film it actually was.Video games also figure prominently in these thirteen chapters, including two alone on Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), which is appropriate considering that it has been called by some the best ludic adaptation. The authors examine how the game fits into the Batman me ta-franchise, showing video game synergy and intermediality. Justin Mack's chapter offers a textual analysis of Arkham Asylum, arguing that its unique gameplay makes it more than a licensed product engineered to create more revenue but an intertextual narrative that works with the films and comics.Besides the chapters on the film texts and video games, there are, appropriately, a handful of essays on the progenitor of this entire phenomenon, the comics themselves. As his title suggests, M. J. Clarke's "From Motion Line to Motion Blur: The Integration of Digital Coloring in the Superhero Comic Book" focuses on changing comic book aesthetics in the digital era. Clarke brings a rigorous approach to comic book aesthetics that has sorely been lacking in much of comics scholarship. …

We isolated 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci for wood stork ( Mycteria americana ). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers and conditions are described for the amplification of five dinucleotide, one trinucleotide and five tetranucleotide microsatellite loci. The PCR primers were tested on two wood stork populations, Fazenda Ipiranga, Mato Grosso, Brazil ( n = 11) and Tamiami West, Everglades, Florida, USA ( n = 20). The primers yielded two to four alleles per locus, an observed heterozygosity of 0.0–0.727 and a polymorphic information content of 0.048–0.604. The low level of polymorphism for these markers is consistent with previous studies of this species.

Foraging behaviour of the black-necked stork (BNS) Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus was studied in 1996 and 1997 in Dudwa National Park (DNP), Uttar Pradesh, India. The storks were observed using tactile and visual techniques to catch fish. Of the 929 fish seen caught in 2 years, 894 (96%) were caught by a tactile mode of feeding and the remaining 35 (4%) by a visual mode of feeding. The rate of foraging attempts by BNS fluctuates with that of season in DNP and coincides with prey abundance. Immediately after the monsoon when the water level was high, BNS had to search for prey more often, as the prey became widespread. Whereas in summer when the water level decreased, the concentration of the fish was higher, which helps BNS to catch fish in quick succession. Prey behaviour and the condition of the wetland determined the selection of the tactile foraging technique among the BNS in DNP. The black-necked storks were more successful in the early hours of the day (06:00–10:00) and they were generally more successful or preferred to feed on medium-sized fish (i.e. 5–10 cm) in DNP. Prey profitability was highest for larger size fish and decreased as the prey size decreased. Principal component analysis showed that prey size, handling time of each prey, the month and water depth determined foraging success in 1996 and 1997.

The efficiency of the Boc-protecting group in the cyclization of O-allyl dichloroacetals to lactols and subsequent hydrolysis/oxidation to functionalized γ-lactones (III)/(IV) is demonstrated.

Mercury concentrations were measured in blood, down, and feathers from approximately 300 wood stork nestlings in one South Carolina, USA, and four Georgia, USA, colonies from 1996 to 1999. Coastal nestlings generally had lower mercury concentrations than those from inland colonies. Interyear differences were also apparent, particularly for coastal colonies, where nestling mercury concentrations were higher in 1998 than in 1997 or 1999. In 1998, a wet winter followed by a dry spring and summer produced ideal freshwater foraging conditions and mercury concentrations in coastal nestlings were higher than during the two dry years. There was little interyear variation in mercury concentrations in nestlings from inland colonies, as parent storks from these colonies forage exclusively in freshwater habitats regardless of rainfall patterns. These results suggest that greater risk of mercury exposure to nestlings is associated with use of freshwater foraging habitats.

1. Ecological rehabilitation of the River Rhine initially focused on the improvement of water quality. Protection and restoration of habitats became a target in the Rhine Action Programme in 1992. 2. In The Netherlands, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) made two visionary plans, ‘Black Stork’ and ‘Living Rivers’, which sketched a riverine landscape structure by dynamic hydrological and morphological processes. These plans have been worked out in several steps and targets for feasible nature rehabilitation have been specified. Targets will be improved by the results of the study ‘Rhine Econet’ an instrument to evaluate ecological networks under various restoration scenarios. 3. In a densely populated country such as The Netherlands every action influences other functions. Therefore, compatible combinations of measures are needed to neutralize undesirable side-effects of restoration measures. 4. Since 1989, theory has been put into practice in pilot projects for nature development. Such ‘learning-by-doing’ projects are intended to provide insight into the physical design principles and ecological perspectives within the context of a strongly regulated river. Ecological monitoring, for which a cost-effective strategy has been developed, is used to evaluate and optimize these projects. 5. Future initiatives will be challenged to bridge the gap between restoration plans on a local level and rehabilitation strategies on a national and international scale. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

We analyzed 30 years of Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data for Florida populations of six species of wading birds: Great, Cattle, and Snowy Egrets; Little Blue and Tricolored Herons; and the Wood Stork, a federally listed endangered species. These species are conspicuous components of wetland ecosystems, and the target of numerous management efforts in the state and region. The nonlinear dynamics of these populations were assessed through time series of birds seen during volunteer-based surveys and the first differences of successive annual counts, autocorrelations, and two new metrics: cor- relation time and a momentum oscillator. CBCs have the advantage of being conducted regularly over a large geographic scale. When properly analyzed, CBCs are among the few available sources of reliable population information for small, dark-plumaged species such as Little Blue and Tricolored Herons. Population trends assessed for all species by CBCs paralleled the known or suspected trends determined by breeding-season aerial and ground surveys, conducted by professional biologists. Cattle Egret populations have declined fol- lowing rapid expansion through the 1960s and 1970s; Snowy Egret and, to a lesser extent, Tricolored Heron populations have declined throughout the study period; Little Blue Heron and Great Egret numbers have been relatively stable. Wood Storks, following a period of decline that lasted into the mid-1970s, slowly recovered through the 1980s. Only Cattle Egrets displayed strongly deterministic population dynamics, indicating that predictions of population trends for the other species will require stochastic models with broad confidence bands.

The Child the Stork Brought Home. Directed by Gillian Goslinga. 2000.59 minutes, color.Distributed by Documentary Educational Resources, (800) 569-6621, 101 Morse Street, Watertown, MA 02472, http://www.der.org.

A young group of Milky stork Mycteria cinerea, a threatened species listed on CITES Appendix I, was acquired by chance by Zoo Negara in 1987 and a captive-breeding and reintroduction project attempted. Two pairs nested and laid eggs in their third year, earlier than expected, and one pair hatched two clutches, both of two chicks. The colony nested successfully in 1990 when some of the earlier clutches were taken for artificial incubation. Among the problems which have been overcome were loss of chicks through incorrect feeding, the collapse of the nest tree, weakening of pair bonds, possibly because of egg manipulation to encourage double clutching, and severe storm damage to the aviary with the total loss of eight storks. Six birds joined the Zoo's free-flying colony of Painted storks Myrteria leucocephala. confirming the Zoo's expectation that released birds would remain near to their release site. and 21 storks were recovered. The Zoo is confident that the original reintroduction plan is feasible if the proposed release site can be secured and sufficient finance found to construct breeding/release cages on site.

A Black stork Ciconia nigra management survey undertaken in 1993 indicated that several variables, including nest type, enclosure mates, cage dimensions, whether the cage is covered and flight status of the birds may be factors in reproductive success. Predation was the primary cause of mortality, with trauma and intraspecific killings also being major causes of death. Reproduction could probably be improved and mortality reduced by taking these factors into consideration when designing Black stork enclosures. A number of Black storks are held singly and are unsexed; sexing and pairing of birds would almost certainly also improve Black stork breeding success in Europe.

A stereocontrolled approach to assymmetric synthesis of Stork's prostaglandin intermediate 3 has been developed which involves the [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement and the Pd(II)-catalyzed allylic acetate rearrangement as the key steps.