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Background: Artificial reservoirs are alternative habitats for bird diversity, and knowledge of the diversity and abundance of bird species contribute to the management of the ecosystem. This study was conducted to investigate the species diversity and abundance of birds in Mai-Nigus reservoir and its surrounding semi-forest from July 2022 to March 2023. Point count method with a total of fifteen count stations at an interval of 50 m radius was used to study the diversity and abundance of bird species in the semi-forest habitat while total count employed on the reservoir. Results: A total of 123 bird species comprising endemic and globally threatened species were identified. Order Passeriformes had the highest number of species followed by Charadriiformes and Pelecaniformes. Family Scolopacidae was the most abundant followed by Ardeidae, Ploceidae and Anatidae. Bird species richness and abundance were not significantly varied across seasons and habitats (P > 0.05). The highest species diversity (H´=3.96) were recorded in the Semi-forest during the wet season, whereas the least was recorded from reservoir during the dry season (H´=2.66). The highest and lowest species evenness of birds was recorded in Semi-forest (E = 0.725) and reservoir (E = 0.448) during the dry season, respectively. Most birds that inhabited the area had frequent relative abundance followed by uncommon and common species. Conclusion: Mai-Nigus reservoir and surrounding habitat host high bird diversity and this requires critical conservation concerns for the long-term survival of birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Simple Summary: Many bird species in the Galapagos Islands are killed on the roads by cars that transport citizens and tourists to their daily activities. This study reports the number of wild bird species killed near roads in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2018 and uses a statistical analysis (PRIDIT) to rank the main intrinsic (avian) and extrinsic (environmental) predictors of mortality. About 250 birds (21 species) were found dead each year on the road. Our results show that for all studied years, small-endemic birds are especially at risk of roadkill during hot days on the main road of Santa Cruz. The Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia aureola is the most affected species, particularly during the hot season. On the other hand, owls are a bigger species than the Yellow Warbler and, therefore, are less affected. However, the impacts of vehicle strikes are important to follow up on because owls are endangered. Although controlling the factors affecting bird mortality is complex, our results can inform management actions to mitigate avian mortality resulting from collisions with vehicles and other human activities. In the Galapagos Islands, the main road in Santa Cruz is one of the elements involved in bird road mortality along with vehicles and the impacted species. This study reports the number of roadkilled birds found on the road from the Itabaca Channel to Puerto Ayora, and the main factors, whether avian or environmental, involved in bird roadkill mortality. We collected individual carcasses in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2018 with a prevalence of 278, 252, 265, and 294, respectively, across 21 species. The endemic Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia aureola was the most affected bird. We used a PRIDIT model to rank the top avian and environmental predictors of road mortality. We found that for the sampled years, bird body size (i.e., 8–35 g) and the endemism status (i.e., endemic/native) were the main predictors of roadkill mortality, along with seasonality (i.e., hot season). Weaker predictors related to the bird (i.e., age and sex) and the environment (ecosystem, road slope, vegetation, or precipitation) are also reported as determinants of roadkill mortality. This study on avian mortality aims to inform conservation strategies to reduce the rate of wildlife avian roadkill on Santa Cruz Island and other islands with similar problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The broiler industry is crucial in Malaysia's agricultural sector, contributing significantly to meat production and the economy. However, the industry faces significant challenges, primarily stemming from high production costs, with feed costs constituting a substantial portion. Therefore, there is a need to improve domestic farm performance and competitiveness by optimizing resources and minimizing expenses to enhance overall productivity. This study aims to estimate the extent of cost efficiency in broiler farming in Peninsular Malaysia and identify key determinants influencing the inefficiency cost. A comprehensive survey involving 241 broiler farms in Peninsular Malaysia was conducted using structured questionnaires and a stratified random sampling technique. Employing the Stochastic Cost Frontier model revealed an operational inefficiency of approximately 5.7% above optimal costs among the surveyed farms, indicating substantial potential for a 5.7% reduction in production costs through enhanced management strategies. Factors such as feed prices, day-old chick prices, price of miscellaneous inputs, production output levels, and capital investment prices emerged as prominent influencers in the broiler cost function. Furthermore, the study indicated that socio-economic factors such as housing system, extension visits, credit access and contract farming are associated with lower inefficiencies, thereby enhancing cost efficiency in broiler farming operations. Conversely, higher bird mortality rates are associated with the increased inefficiency. Gaining insights into these factors is crucial for stakeholders to allocate resources wisely, plan strategically, and enhance competitiveness in broiler farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter is a critical period for the survival of local bird species in temperate regions. Some wintering birds may rely on transient food, such as that provided at birdfeeders, but bird communities around birdfeeders may also attract predators. However, these effects of birdfeeders on interspecific interactions between birds and their predators remain largely unexplored and have so far not been tested experimentally. We hypothesized that birdfeeders indirectly attract predators in winter because of the attraction of small birds, and tested this hypothesis using experimental feeders at 52 different urban and rural sites across western Poland. We found that the number of small birds increased around birdfeeders, particularly those with provided food. We found that birdfeeders that attracted more small birds (regardless of whether they provided food) attracted also more predators, such as sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus and feral cats Felis domesticus. Moreover, birdfeeders in urban habitats attracted relatively fewer small birds but not fewer predators compared to those in rural areas. Altogether, birdfeeders with food provided attracted small prey birds but they attracted also more predators, whose presence may hinder small birds from fully utilizing available resources, potentially impacting their winter survival through direct (mortality) and indirect (increased monitoring and vigilance) effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, a severe outbreak of disease caused by clade 2.3.4.4b Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus resulted in unprecedented mortality among wild birds in eastern Canada. Tens of thousands of birds were reported sick or dead, prompting a comprehensive assessment of mortality spanning the breeding season between April 1 and September 30, 2022. Mortality reports were collated from federal, Indigenous, provincial, and municipal agencies, the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, and other nongovernmental organizations, universities, and citizen science platforms. A scenario analysis was conducted to refine mortality estimates, accounting for potential double counts from multiple sources under a range of spatial and temporal overlaps. Correcting for double counting, HPAI is estimated to have caused 40,391 wild bird mortalities in eastern Canada during the spring and summer of 2022; however, this figure underestimates total mortality as it excludes unreported deaths on land and at sea. Seabirds and sea ducks, long‐lived species that are slow to recover from perturbations, accounted for 98.7% of estimated mortalities. Our study provides estimates of bird mortality, with Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus; 25,669), Common Murres (Uria aalge; 8133), and American Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima dresseri; 1894) exhibiting the highest mortality figures. We then compare these mortality estimates with recent population estimates and trends and make an initial assessment of whether biologically meaningful population‐level impacts are possible. Specifically, we focus on the Northern Gannet, a species that has suffered significant global mortality, and two harvested species, Common Murre and American Common Eider, to inform management decisions. Our analysis suggests population‐level impacts in eastern Canada are possible for Northern Gannets and American Common Eiders, but are unlikely for Common Murres. This study demonstrates a comprehensive approach to assessing mortality and underscores the urgent need for further research to understand the broader ecological ramifications of the HPAI outbreak on wild bird populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenced by climate change, numerous lakes in permafrost regions are draining, showing significant spatial variability. This study focuses on St. Lawrence Island, where over the last two decades, 771 of 3,271 lakes have drained—a rate around 40 times higher than across the entire northern permafrost region. The surge in lake drainage began in 2018, coinciding with record low sea ice extent in the Bering Sea and unprecedented bird mortalities. Using satellite imagery and machine learning methods, we analyzed drainage events to identify the climatic drivers and potential climate thresholds affecting the island's lake ecosystems. Our findings indicate that autumn peak temperatures above 6°C more than triple the drainage probability, and warming‐induced permafrost thawing may be the direct driver of lake drainage. This research highlights the vulnerability of Arctic lake ecosystems to climate change and assists in developing predictive models for permafrost response, crucial for mitigating impacts on Arctic communities. Plain Language Summary: St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Strait has experienced a drastic increase in lake drainage since 2018, suggesting that the region may be reaching a critical environmental threshold or tipping point. This study used satellite images to track changes in over 3,000 lakes over two decades, discovering that warmer autumns with temperatures above 6°C greatly increase the chance of lakes draining. This indicates that the region's permafrost is becoming unstable due to higher temperatures. Permafrost thawing happens because the increased warmth causes the ice within the permafrost to melt, leading to the collapse and drainage of lakes. Such changes are important not only because they transform the local landscape but also because they can impact the people and wildlife depending on these lakes for survival. Understanding these patterns helps predict future changes and assists in preparing for and possibly preventing the negative impacts of these environmental changes. This study highlights how global warming can lead to significant changes in Arctic regions, which can have lasting effects on both the environment and human communities. Key Points: Over two decades, a quarter of St. Lawrence Island's lakes have drained, a rate 40 times higher than the entire northern permafrost regionSince 2018, the frequency of lake drainage events has increased tenfold, likely linked to autumn heatwaves and permafrost thawingLake drainage probability more than triples when autumn maximum temperatures exceed 6°C, pushing lake ecosystems beyond tipping points [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bird collisions with buildings are responsible for a large number of bird deaths in cities around the world, yet they remain poorly studied outside North America. We conducted one of the first citywide fine‐scale and landscape‐scale analyses of bird–building collisions in Asia and used maximum entropy modeling (as commonly applied to species distribution modeling) in a novel way to assess the drivers of bird–building collisions in the tropical city‐state of Singapore. We combined 7 years of community science observations with publicly available building and remote sensing data. Drivers of bird–building collisions varied among taxa. Some migratory taxa had a higher relative collision risk that was linked to areas with high building densities and high levels of nocturnal blue light pollution. Nonmigratory taxa had a higher collision risk in areas near forest cover. Projecting our results onto official long‐term land‐use plans, we predicted that future increases in bird–building collision risk stemmed from increases in blue light pollution and encroachment of buildings into forested areas and identified 6 potential collision hotspots linked to future developments. Our results suggest that bird–building collision mitigation measures need to account for the different drivers of collision for resident and migratory species and show that combining community science and ecological modeling can be a powerful approach for analyzing bird–building collision data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Field Ornithology is the property of Resilience Alliance and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The success of avian translocations depends on many factors. Release age is often cited as an influential factor that warrants further study, yet no general guidelines exist to improve the outcome of translocations. We conducted a systematic review of literature on captive‐reared or wild‐caught birds that incorporated >1 age class in their analyses of post‐release survival, dispersal, or reproduction. Fifty‐two studies met our search criteria, and 39 were retained for an evaluation of post‐release survival. For studies reporting at least one trend, more reported higher post‐release survival when birds were translocated at younger ages (68%) than at older ages (32%). This pattern was most pronounced for wild‐caught birds and for captive‐reared birds released within their first year of life. Captive‐reared birds of prey were an exception, with birds released at older ages often having higher survival than birds released at younger ages. We review the authors' hypotheses for why birds released at younger ages are more likely to settle, survive, and breed. More research is needed on the potential effects of release age on dispersal and reproduction. We recommend that future studies incorporate age of release as a covariate and control for the effect of season of release in experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging flavivirus that is maintained in an enzootic cycle with mosquitoes as vectors and birds as amplifying hosts. In Europe, the virus has caused mass mortality of wild birds, mainly among Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) populations. While mosquitoes are the primary vectors for USUV, Common Blackbirds and other avian species are exposed to other arthropod ectoparasites, such as ticks. It is unknown, however, if ticks can maintain and transmit USUV. We addressed this question using in vitro and in vivo experiments and field collected data. USUV replicated in IRE/CTVM19 Ixodes ricinus tick cells and in injected ticks. Moreover, I. ricinus nymphs acquired the virus via artificial membrane blood-feeding and maintained the virus for at least 70 days. Transstadial transmission of USUV from nymphs to adults was confirmed in 4.9% of the ticks. USUV disseminated from the midgut to the haemocoel, and was transmitted via the saliva of the tick during artificial membrane blood-feeding. We further explored the role of ticks by monitoring USUV in questing ticks and in ticks feeding on wild birds in the Netherlands between 2016 and 2019. In total, 622 wild birds and the Ixodes ticks they carried were tested for USUV RNA. Of these birds, 48 (7.7%) carried USUV-positive ticks. The presence of negative-sense USUV RNA in ticks, as confirmed via small RNA-sequencing, showed active virus replication. In contrast, we did not detect USUV in 15,381 questing ticks collected in 2017 and 2019. We conclude that I. ricinus can be infected with USUV and can transstadially and horizontally transmit USUV. However, in comparison to mosquito-borne transmission, the role of I. ricinus ticks in the epidemiology of USUV is expected to be minor. Author summary: Usutu virus (USUV) is a virus primarily circulating between birds and mosquitoes. Other blood-feeding arthropods, such as ticks, feed on birds. However, it is unknown whether ticks can be infected with USUV and transmit the virus to birds or other animals. Therefore, we infected a tick cell line and ticks collected from the field with USUV. We showed that the virus replicates in tick cells, as well as in field-collected ticks. Moreover, we showed that USUV disseminated through the tick body and was excreted with the saliva of ticks during artificial feeding. We further investigated if ticks are infected with USUV while feeding on wild birds and when searching for a host in the vegetation. We found that 7.7% of tick-infested birds carried USUV positive ticks, while USUV was not detected in questing ticks. Our findings provide evidence that ticks can be infected with USUV and might transmit the virus to another host, but the role of ticks in the transmission of USUV is expected to be minor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trematodes of the family Cyclocoelidae are parasites mainly of the respiratory system of birds and present a cosmopolitan distribution. Although infection with these flukes can result in pathological changes and even bird death, information on their life cycles is scarce and almost entirely based on experimental infection data. Thus, the generation of knowledge on the mollusks that act as natural intermediate hosts of cyclocoelids is necessary and can aid control measures against these air sac trematodes. In the present study, gastropod mollusks collected in an urban stream from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were subjected to the compression technique for the detection of non-emerging larval trematodes. Tailless cercariae with confluent ceca were found in 8/30 (26.7%) specimens of Biomphalaria glabrata and 3/33 (9.1%) specimen of Physella acuta. Samples of the cercariae were subjected to morphological characterization and genetic study (28S, Cox-1, and Nad-1). For comparative purposes, adult trematodes previously collected in the air sac of a common gallinule (Gallinula galeata) found dead in another waterbody from the same region were also characterized. The molecular sequences obtained revealed a high degree of similarity (100% in 28S, 99.2% in Cox-1, and 99.5% in Nad-1) between larval stages found in mollusks and adult parasites found in G. galeata and morphologically identified as Cyclocoelum mutabile. The conspecificity with this widely distributed cyclocoelid was also corroborated by phylogenetic analysis and comparison with isolates of this species previously characterized in Peru and the Czech Republic (99.4–100% and 96.7–97.0% of similarity in Nad-1, respectively). Thus, the integrative analysis carried out in the present work enabled us to identify C. mutabile in mollusks in South America for the first time. The finding of B. glabrata and P. acuta as new intermediate hosts corroborates the importance of freshwater gastropods in the transmission of C. mutabile, as well as the low specificity to the mollusk group, as previously characterized through experimental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feathers are complex integument structures that provide birds with many functions. They are vital to a bird's survival, fundamental to their visual displays, and responsible for the evolutionary radiation of the avian class. Feathers provide a protective barrier for the body; their water repellency is a key feature. Despite hundreds of years of ornithological research, the available literature on how feathers repel water is both limited and puzzling. Most hypotheses from the early 1900s suggested uropygial gland oil provided feathers with a hydrophobic coating. Subsequent studies showed that the feather's hierarchical structure creates a porous substrate that readily repels water with or without oil. Numerous studies and methods have been published attempting to explain, quantify, and compare the water repellency of feathers. Many overlook the role of barbules and the effect of their variation, which both likely play a crucial part in water repellency. The goal of this paper is to synthesize this research to better understand what has been done, what makes sense, and more importantly, what is missing. Previous reviews on this subject are mostly over 30 years old and did not use modern methods for systematic review. Here, we performed a systematic review to capture all relevant published papers on feather water repellency. We emphasize the crucial role of barbules in feather water repellency and why their morphological variation should not be ignored. We answer the question, what do we really know about the water repellency of feathers? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "Studying Interspecific Synchrony in Bird Survival Using Constant Effort Sites Mist‐Netting Scheme," explores the synchrony in annual adult survival among songbird species across France. The researchers used a constant effort sites mist‐netting scheme to capture and study the birds without causing harm. They found that the survival rates were largely synchronous among species, despite their different ecological niches, life histories, and migratory strategies. However, the causes of this synchrony remain unclear, and further monitoring is needed to investigate the factors driving interspecific survival at a national scale. [Extracted from the article]

Seabirds interact with fishing vessels to consume fishing discards and baits, sometimes resulting in incidental capture (bycatch) and the death of the bird, which has clear conservation implications. To understand seabird–fishery interactions at large spatiotemporal scales, researchers are increasing their use of simultaneous seabird and fishing vessel tracking. However, vessel tracking data can contain gaps due to technical problems, illicit manipulation, or lack of adoption of tracking monitoring systems. These gaps might lead to underestimating the fishing effort and bycatch rates and jeopardize the effectiveness of marine conservation. We deployed bird‐borne radar detector tags capable of recording radar signals from vessels. We placed tags on 88 shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea, Calonectris borealis, and Calonectris edwardsii) that forage in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem. We modeled vessel radar detections registered by the tags in relation to gridded automatic identification system (AIS) vessel tracking data to examine the spatiotemporal dynamics of seabird–vessel interactions and identify unreported fishing activity areas. Our models showed a moderate fit (area under the curve >0.7) to vessel tracking data, indicating a strong association of shearwaters to fishing vessels in major fishing grounds. Although in high‐marine‐traffic regions, radar detections were also driven by nonfishing vessels. The tags registered the presence of potential unregulated and unreported fishing vessels in West African waters, where merchant shipping is unusual but fishing activity is intense. Overall, bird‐borne radar detectors showed areas and periods when the association of seabirds with legal and illegal fishing vessels was high. Bird‐borne radar detectors could improve the focus of conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive use of rodenticides poses a severe threat to non-target species, particularly birds of prey and scavengers. In this study, a GC-MS/MS-based method was used to unlock the cause of bird deaths in Poland. Organs (liver, heart, kidney, and lungs) collected during autopsies of two rooks (Corvus frugilegus) and one carrion crow (Corvus corone corone), as well as fecal samples, were analyzed for the presence of anticoagulant coumarin derivatives, i.e., warfarin and bromadiolone. As for warfarin, the highest concentration was found in crow samples overall, with concentrations in the feces and lungs at 5.812 ± 0.368 µg/g and 4.840 ± 0.256 µg/g, respectively. The heart showed the lowest concentration of this compound (0.128 ± 0.01 µg/g). In the case of bromadiolone, the highest concentration was recorded in the liver of a rook (16.659 ± 1.499 µg/g) and this concentration significantly exceeded the levels in the other samples. By revealing the reality of the threat, these discoveries emphasize the need to regulate and monitor the trade in rodenticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Field Ornithology is the property of Resilience Alliance and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Collisions with windows cause millions of bird deaths per year, these events are because birds are unable to recognize glass as a physical barrier. Some studies mention that some families and behaviors make some species more susceptible to collisions. The objectives of the present study were to determine the composition of species that collide against building windows, to know the glass that generates the highest degree of mortality, and to analyze the characteristics of the species such as migratory habits, feeding habits, and conservation status of the affected species. The study was carried out in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Three areas were selected with buildings that presented the highest amount of glassware and were monitored three times a month from January to December 2019. A total of 270 carcasses belonging to 44 species were obtained, of these, Zenaida asiatica (Linnaeus, 1758) was the one with the highest number of accidents, the reflective glass generated a high mortality rate, and each season of the year is different in terms of the composition of birds affected. These structures are generating a decline in species with conservation status (Passerina ciris Linnaeus, 1758) and endemics of Mexico (Corvus imparatus Peters, JL 1929 and Periporphyrus celaeno Deppe, W 1830). The findings show a problem for the conservation of species, and for this reason, the buildings should continue to be investigated to know the real impact on bird populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates how incorporating olive leaves (OLs) (Olea europaea) into turkeys' (Meleagris gallopavo) diets affects their performance, welfare, blood biochemical parameters, and oxidative status of those reared in intensive farming conditions. The potential of this ingredient was assessed by comparing two dietary incorporation rates of olive leaves, 3 % and 6 %, in three commercial feeds corresponding to three growth phases over 15 weeks where feed was provided ad libitum. A total of 270 animals (broiler medium strain) were used. They were divided into three groups: the OL0, OL3, and OL6 regimens with OL incorporation rates of 0 %, 3 %, and 6 %, respectively. Animals were allocated to three pens of approximately 15 m 2 of surface area; each pen had 30 animals, with a density of three turkeys per square meter. Throughout the rearing period, the diet had no effect on bird mortality. Olive leaves boosted growth rates. Indeed, after the experiment, the OL3 group had significantly higher weights than the OL6 and OL0 groups, which had the lowest feed conversion ratio. Furthermore, after bleeding, the weights and evisceration was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the OL3 and OL0 groups compared to the OL6 group. However, OL0 turkeys had significantly higher spleen, heart, and abdominal fat weights than OL3 and OL6 turkeys. The three experimental groups had no significant differences (p>0.05) in carcass yield or gizzard or liver weights. OL supplementation improved oxidative status but had no effect on animal welfare or blood biochemical parameters, with the exception of the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), which was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the OL3 group than in the OL0 and OL6 groups. Except for the mean cholesterol level, which was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the OL3 and OL6 (1.29 g L -1) groups compared to the OL0 group, and the albumin level, which was higher in the OL0 group compared to the OL6 group, no significant effect was observed on biochemical serum parameters. Thus, a 3 % OL supplementation in the turkey diet appears promising for improving the bird's growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification has affected wildlife across Europe, triggering steep declines and regional extinctions of farmland birds. Effective conservation activities are essential for the preservation of biodiversity in an agricultural landscape, but current efforts have not succeeded in halting these declines. Here we investigate a ground-nesting shorebird, the collared pratincole Glareola pratincola , which has shifted its habitat use in Central Europe over the last 20 years from alkaline grasslands to intensively managed agricultural fields. We show that nesting success was different between three agricultural habitat types, with the highest nesting success in fallow lands and the lowest in row crops. Nesting success was also associated with the timing of breeding and breeding density, as nests produced early in the breeding season and those in high-breeding-density areas hatched more successfully than those produced later in the season and at low density. We implemented direct conservation measures including marking nests and negotiating with farmers to avoid cultivating the field between nest markers, controlling nest predators and, most recently, creating suitable nesting sites and foraging areas for pratincoles. As a result of these conservation actions, nest survival increased from 11.2% to 83.5% and the size of the breeding population increased from 13 to 56 pairs during 2012–2021. Thus, we show that agricultural landscapes can continue to provide suitable habitats, and targeted conservation actions have the potential to reverse the declines of farmland species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Field Ornithology is the property of Resilience Alliance and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In an age where catastrophic damage from climate-related events circulates through social and print media, it is important to build communities of hope for our elementary students. Climate justice education is a vehicle for creating hope and building strong, resilient communities where students are empowered to act for themselves and their natural surroundings. Local phenomena can be leveraged to engage elementary students in civic responsibility and science and engineering practices, inspiring students to take action through proposing solutions to their community. We engage urban elementary students in a year-long place-based experiential learning centered on a student-driven local phenomenon. This project situates students as scientists collecting data and evidence to develop claims and argue from evidence regarding bird structures and their survival in built and green environments. Students create authentic relationships with nature, rectifying the unjust relationships from past practices that contribute to environmental degradation of local communities. Climate justice is served as students use their voices for themselves, for the environment, and for the future of the planet they will inhabit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bird population declines are an important ecosystem issue, and mortality from human-derived sources—including collisions with vehicles—is a contributing factor. Current knowledge of bird collisions with vehicles is based on detections of roadside casualties by on-the-ground searchers. We present an estimate of annual vehicle–bird collisions (hereafter collisions) based on counts of collisions by drivers. From 30 December 2020 to 12 January 2022, drivers recorded 125 collisions and 2,265,126 driven km. Nationwide annual collision rates in the USA were estimated by multiplying our modeled per-km collision rates with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s annual vehicle mileage data. The resulting estimated annual collision rate for unpaved rural two-lane and paved rural two-lane roads combined was notably higher than for other categories: 60 collisions per million km driven (95% confidence interval [CI] 42–85) compared with paved rural multi-lane (12 [95% CI 6–25]) and urban/suburban (14 [95% CI 4–44]) roads. The predicted annual collision rate for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regions was highest in the Pacific (95 collisions per million km driven [95% CI 47–195]) and lowest in the Pacific Southwest (eight collisions per million km driven [95% CI 1–61]; no collisions were recorded in the Southeast [limited sampling]). We estimated total number of vehicle–bird collisions in the continental USA to be 96 million birds per year (95% CI 59–200). Our results are based only on light-duty trucks and sedans, and so could be refined with a more representative sample of vehicle types. Nevertheless, our nationwide estimates are useful to help prioritize broad-scale efforts to slow or reverse population declines. Our work suggests vehicle–bird collision risk is highest on two-lane roads and for small birds, and research to identify mitigation measures to reduce vehicle–bird collision rates might be most useful on two-lane roads.

Biopreparations with Lactobacillus salivarius and Bacillus subtilis are used as probiotics in poultry farming due to their beneficial effects on the intestinal ecosystem. Objective. To evaluate the probiotic activity of the biopreparations PROBIOLACTIL®, SUBTILPROBIO® and their mixture on microbiological, productive and health indicators in broilers. Materials and methods. An experiment with a completely randomized design was carried out for 42 days with four treatments: T1. Control diet (control group), T2. PROBIOLACTIL® (bioprepared with Lactobacillus salivarius C-65) + diet, T3. SUBTILPROBIO® (Bioprepared with Bacillus subtilis E-44) + diet and T4. Mixture of both biopreparations + diet. Results. The treatments where the probiotics were applied presented an increase in total lactobacilli and anaerobes (p<0.05) and a reduction in total coliforms. Live weight was higher in birds treated with the mixture, and weight gain, average daily gain, feed conversion and carcass yield were improved. The application of additives reduced mortality and increased viability in birds. Conclusions. The synergistic activity of Lactobacillus salivarius and Bacillus subtilis increases probiotic activity and favors the productive performance and viability of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As demand for renewable energy is rising, wind power development is rapidly growing worldwide. In its wake, conflicts arise over land use changes converting pristine nature into industrial power plants and its associated adverse biodiversity effects, crowned by one of the most obvious and deadly consequences: bird collisions. Most post-construction studies report low levels of avian mortality, but the majority of these studies are conducted primarily on larger birds. However, the diversity and abundance of small passerine birds are rarely reflected in the carcass surveys, although they in numeric proportion to their abundances should be the most numerous. The assumption that surveys find all carcasses seems thus rarely fulfilled and passerine mortality is likely to be grossly underestimated. We therefore designed an experiment with dummy birds to estimate mortality of small-bodied passerines and other small-bodied birds during post-construction surveys, tested in a medium-sized wind farm in western Norway. The wind farm was surveyed weekly during the migration periods by carcass survey teams using trained dogs to find killed birds. The dogs in the carcass surveys were more successful in locating the large than the small dummy birds (60–200 g), where they found 74% of the large dummy birds. Detecting the smaller category (5–24 g) was more demanding and the dogs only found 17% of the small dummy birds. Correcting the post-construction carcass survey outcome with the results from the experiment leads to an almost fourfold increase in estimated mortality rates, largely due to the low detection rate of the smallest category. The detection rates will naturally vary between wind farms, depending on the specific habitat characteristics, the efficiency of the carcass surveys and the search intervals. Thus, implementing a simple experiment with dummy birds to future post-construction surveys will produce more accurate estimates of the wind turbine mortality rates, and thus improve our understanding of the biodiversity effects of conforming to a more sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is continuously causing significant economic losses with massive poultry depopulations. Airborne transmission of HPAI was suspected, as initial bird mortalities were reported near air inlets of poultry houses. In addition, infected farms were distant, indicating that the viruses carried by dust particles might help the viruses travel for long distances in the environment. The objective of this study focused on simulating the airborne transmission of HPAI by using computational modeling to assess the risk of airborne and deposited avian influenza (AI) carried by poultry-litter dust particles. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) modeling was used in this study. Data from 168 infected cases in the Mid-Western area of U.S. were obtained from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Watt Poultry. The concentration simulation modeling was performed to estimate the airborne and deposited AI concentration carried by PM2.5 dust particles. Results showed that concentrations of airborne AI, deposited AI, and combined AI transmitted to other farms in a day were lower than the minimal infective dose for poultry. In most of the scenarios, the predicted probability of infection showed that Iowa-infected farms and turkey poultry houses had the highest infection probability. The findings may provide an understanding of the risk of airborne HPAI virus carried by dust particles and suggest the factors that influence long-distance airborne transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seabird bycatch in fisheries, and the development of effective mitigation to minimize this, have been subject to increasing research attention over the past three to four decades. Trawl fisheries represent a particular challenge, as bird mortalities (especially highly threatened albatrosses and large petrels, Procellariforms) occur primarily through difficult-to-detect collisions with warp and net monitoring cables. Effectiveness of bird-scaring lines (BSLs) as a mitigation measure can be fleet-specific, and studies relating specifically to reducing collisions with the net monitoring cable are rare. To support improved assessment and mitigation of seabird bycatch in trawl fisheries, we studied the mortality associated with mid-water and bottom factory trawl vessels along the southern tip of the Argentine Patagonian shelf, across 2144 trawls from 2012 to 2019, with three specific objectives: (i) inform improved bycatch management in this (and other) trawl fisheries by analysing differences in seabird collision rates and outcomes between net monitoring and warp cables, as well as the effect of mitigation measures in reducing collisions; (ii) explore the effects of key fishing operation variables on seabird impact outcomes; and (iii) estimate the annual seabird mortality in the study fleet. We tested the efficacy of BSLs as a mitigation measure to reduce seabird mortality, on warps and net monitoring cables. Our results show that seabird mortality increases in the presence of a net monitoring cable. Our estimation of fishery-wide mortality without the use of BSLs includes 108 [31–186] Southern royal albatross (Diomedea epomophora) and 279 [108–465] Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) killed annually by the collisions with the net monitoring cable. We demonstrate the efficacy of BSLs in reducing the number of collisions and in combination with no discarding of fishes, seabird interactions fell to c. zero. Our study builds the case for better bycatch data collection in trawl fisheries, the strong influence of discarding, and the feasibility of simple mitigation measures to reduce seabird bycatch, including on the net monitoring cable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Our study is one of the few comparative and within-a-species descriptions of microbiomes in wild non-passerine birds. Particularly, it focuses on red-legged partridges, which are medium-sized gamebirds inhabiting open dry countryside and low-intensity cultivations with a mix of fallow and uncultivated areas in southwestern Europe. We wanted to study microbes living in their gut as their occurrence and diversity may affect both survival and reproduction of these birds. We collected fresh red-legged partridge fecal pellets at different sites located on both the western (two) and eastern (one) sides of Elba Island (central Italy). Although most represented bacteria were the same in all the three sites, we found differences between western and eastern Elban subpopulations in terms of microbiome composition and diversity. This result might be related to locally diverging individual physiological needs and/or to different intensities in past releases of captive-bred birds between the two sides of Elba. Overall, we suggest that the two partridge subpopulations should be managed separately to avoid any loss or significant variation in their microbiome structure. This research is one of the few comparative descriptions at an intraspecific level of wild non-passerine microbiomes. We investigated for the first time the gut microbiome of red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) using fecal pellets in order to provide a more informed management. We focused on a small Italian population consisting of two demes (WEST, EAST) separated by about 20 km on the opposite sides of Elba Island. Given the small spatial scale, we set up a sampling protocol to minimize contamination from environmental bacteria, as well as differences due to variations in—among others—habitat, season, and age of feces, that could possibly affect the investigation of the three Elban sites. We found a significant divergence between the WEST and EAST Elban subpopulations in terms of microbial composition and alpha diversity. Although most represented bacterial phyla were the same in all the sites (Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes), microbiomes displayed a much higher diversity in western than in eastern partridges. This result might be related to locally diverging individual physiological needs and/or to different intensities in past releases of captive-bred birds between the two sides of Elba. We suggest that the two subpopulations should be treated as distinct management units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reptiles are an understudied group in road ecology, despite evidence of their high vulnerability to road mortality. Recently, trait‐based models have been demonstrated to be valuable tools for explaining and predicting road mortality risks for birds and mammals. The present study aimed to apply such models to reptiles for the first time. We fitted eight random forest regression models, controlling for different survey design variables, to explain 782 empirical road‐kill rates for Brazilian reptiles and selected the best‐performing model to predict road mortality risks for 572 continental species. The results showed that species that are habitat generalists, omnivorous, viviparous, cathemeral, and have intermediate clutch or litter sizes are at a higher risk of being road‐killed. The relationships for other traits included in our models were uncertain, but our findings suggest that population density and species‐specific behavioural responses to roads and traffic may play an important role in road mortality risks. Geographical location and survey design variables (especially sampling speed and sampling time) were more important in explaining the variance of the empirical road‐kill rates than any of the tested ecological and functional traits. Besides adding evidence of the vulnerability of the Amazon region to vertebrate road‐kills, this study highlights some similarities between the relationships identified here and those found for birds and mammals (such as with body mass and habitat breadth). We also corroborate that trait‐based models are useful tools to aid in conservation efforts but indicate that they can be biased by the methodologies used to collect empirical data. Future road‐kill surveys should therefore use methods specifically designed for reptiles and estimate both observer efficiency and carcass removal rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collisions between birds and aircraft cause bird mortality, economic damage, and aviation safety hazards. One proposed solution to increasing the distance at which birds detect and move away from an approaching aircraft, ultimately mitigating the probability of collision, is through onboard lighting systems. Lights in vehicles have been shown to lead to earlier reactions in some bird species but they could also generate attraction, potentially increasing the probability of collision. Using information on the visual system of the Canada goose (Branta canadensis), we developed light stimuli of high chromatic contrast to their eyes. We then conducted a controlled behavioral experiment (i.e., single-choice test) to assess the avoidance or attraction responses of Canada geese to LED lights of different wavelengths (blue, 483 nm; red, 631 nm) and pulsing frequencies (steady, pulsing at 2 Hz). Overall, Canada geese tended to avoid the blue light and move towards the red light; however, these responses depended heavily on light exposure order. At the beginning of the experiment, geese tended to avoid the red light. After further exposure the birds developed an attraction to the red light, consistent with the mere exposure effect. The response to the blue light generally followed a U-shape relationship (avoidance, attraction, avoidance) with increasing number of exposures, again consistent with the mere exposure effect, but followed by the satiation effect. Lights pulsing at 2 Hz enhanced avoidance responses under high ambient light conditions; whereas steady lights enhanced avoidance responses under dim ambient light conditions. Our results have implications for the design of lighting systems aimed at mitigating collisions between birds and human objects. LED lights in the blue portion of the spectrum are good candidates for deterrents and lights in the red portion of the spectrum may be counterproductive given the attraction effects with increasing exposure. Additionally, consideration should be given to systems that automatically modify pulsing of the light depending on ambient light intensity to enhance avoidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that is widely distributed in southern and central Europe. The zoonotic virus circulates primarily between birds and mosquitoes, can, however, in rare cases infect other mammals including humans. In the past, USUV has been repeatedly associated with mass mortalities in birds, primarily blackbirds and owls. Birds commonly succumb either due to the peracute nature of the infection or due to severe encephalitis. In Germany, USUV has spread rapidly since its first detection in 2010 in mosquitoes under the presence of susceptible host and vector species. Nonetheless, there is to date limited access to whole genome sequences resulting in the absence of in-depth phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses. In this study, 118 wild and captive birds were sequenced using a nanopore sequencing platform with prior target enrichment via amplicons. Due to the high abundancy of Europe 3 and Africa 3 in Germany an ample quantity of associated whole genome sequences was generated and the most recent common ancestor could be determined for each lineage. The corresponding clock phylogeny revealed an introduction of USUV Europe 3 and Africa 3 into Germany three years prior to their first isolation in the avifauna in 2011 and 2014, respectively. Based on the clustering and temporal history of the lineages, evidence exists for the genetic evolution of USUV within Germany as well as new introductions thereof into the country. Author summary: Usutu virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and has so far been detected in various bird species on the African and European continent. The virus was isolated for the first time near the Usutu River in Swaziland, South Africa in 1959. Around the middle of the 20th century, the virus was introduced to Europe by migratory birds. In Germany, the virus was initially detected in 2010 in mosquitoes and in 2011 in birds and was associated with numerous bird deaths in the following years. To better understand the viral genome, several platforms are available to date to generate whole genome sequences. In this manuscript, a portable real-time sequencer was used to obtain Usutu virus genomes from birds sampled from 2017 to 2021 throughout the country. The subsequent phylogenetic analysis of these sequences showed that two Usutu virus lineages are prevalent in Germany and distributed nationwide. These two lineages could in turn be divided into two and three subclusters, respectively. It could be demonstrated that the time lag between the detection of the Usutu lineages in birds and the most recent common ancestor is very short, only a few years long, indicating the success of the stringent surveillance efforts in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power is widely used and creates value worldwide. However, it also poses a threat to the survival of soaring birds. This study focuses on the role of government restrictions in mitigating the adverse effects of wind power on soaring birds. We used an overall research method to identify research questions, selected typical wind farms from different provinces and topographic landscapes in China for descriptive analysis, and supported by data from environmental impact reports, government gazettes, and walk-through surveys, analyzed and concluded that government restrictions can be used as a means of weakening the impacts of wind power generation on soaring birds. And our findings suggest that site control for wind farms that have not yet been established, restrictions on the timing of power generation for wind farms in operation, and ecological restoration of wind farms that have caused environmental damage are effective implementation options for government restrictions. Additionally, the policy strengths of the above government restrictions are guided, recommended, and mandatory, respectively. Government restrictions can serve as an effective means of mitigating the negative impact of wind power on soaring birds, generating economic value while maximizing the protection of soaring birds' subsistence. Based on our findings, we call on governments to pay attention to the negative impacts of wind farms on soaring birds and put forward three concrete and feasible recommendations, expecting countries to enact governmental constraints to find a balance between economic, social, and ecological benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides three different research contributions applied to a Wind Turbine patented in 1606 by the inventor Jerónimo de Ayanz y Beaumont. The windmill under study is the Ayanz Wind Turbine with screw blades. The first contribution consists of an experimental characterization of the Ayanz Wind Turbine, incorporating the enclosure proposed at the patent and showing that the efficiency of the wind turbine is increased between 70% and 90% due to the enclosure being employed. As not many details about the shape of the screw blades are provided at the patent, in this article the nowadays well-studied and commercially available Archimedes Spiral Wind Turbine blade is utilized. It has been observed that by using an enclosure with a cylindrical shape, not only the efficiency of the wind turbine is increased, but the visual impact is reduced as seeing the blades rotating is avoided, which is a very important fact for many potential individual users of this wind turbine. In addition, it also enables the use of a protective mesh for birds, almost totally reducing the probability of bird deaths. The second contribution consists in a simple and low-cost Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) strategy for the wind turbine, which only uses an AC three-phase impedance to capture the maximum energy from the wind, enabling to eliminate the DC-DC converter and microprocessor employed typically for this purpose. Due to this, the cost, complexity, failure rate, and power losses of the electronic power circuit are reduced which is very welcomed for small-scale wind turbines. Finally, the last contribution is a protection electronic circuit that fulfills several objectives: to brake the wind turbine under high winds and to disconnect and protect it when over-currents occur and when the voltage range of the batteries connected to the wind turbine is outside their safety range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although avian hybrid zones in the Great Plains have been studied for almost 70 years, we know surprisingly little about the fitness costs to hybrids that keep these zones narrow. We compare age ratios in grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus and P. melanocephalus) and towhees (Pipilo erythropthalums and P. maculatus), two species pairs that differ in their life histories and molt schedules, to evaluate survival between hybrids and parentals. We then contrast molt and migratory divides as possible sources of selection against hybrids. Hybrid grosbeaks had 27%–33% lower survival relative to their parentals, whereas hybrid towhees had survival rates similar to parentals. Age ratio data for hybrid grosbeaks suggest high mortality in older birds, as expected if selection operates after the first year of life. This pattern is consistent with parental species of grosbeaks having contrasting molt schedules relative to migration, suggesting high mortality costs to hybrids driven by molt biology, which are expressed later in life. Contrasts in molt schedules are absent in towhees. While migratory divides may exist for towhees and grosbeaks, the low adult survival of hybrid grosbeaks suggest that molt may be an important and underappreciated source of selection maintaining this and other narrow avian hybrid zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds can be unintentionally injured or killed by mammal traps. Unfortunately, some birds in Hawai‘i, including puaiohi (Myadestes palmeri), and in New Zealand, have been killed by the widely used Goodnature® A24 rat-stoat self-resetting trap (A24s) during rodent control. To help address this problem, we conducted two sets of aviary trials using (1) barriers and (2) existing A24 excluders with red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), and a single puaiohi. We conducted barrier trials to inform future bird excluder designs by establishing the minimum gap-height beneath a barrier that blackbirds and starlings successfully overcome. During barrier trials, starlings defeated barriers significantly lower (≥ 1.9 cm) than blackbirds (≥ 2.9 cm). We then presented disarmed A24s with no excluder or with one of two excluders (plastic Goodnature, 11 cm length; and metal mesh, 10 cm, or 15–17 cm length for puaiohi) to each bird species. We placed the A24s and excluders low (11–25 cm trap height, 0–10 cm excluder height) and high (50–83 cm trap height, 37–72 cm excluder height) above ground to test bird entry abilities at trap heights used by land managers to control rodents. During the A24 excluder trials, all three bird species entered the trap at low or high heights with no excluder, confirming bird risk of injury when excluders aren’t used. Excluders greatly decreased entry into A24s by blackbirds and puaiohi, but not by starlings. Plastic and metal excluders prevented puaiohi entry at low height only. Based on our trials and recent field uses, the plastic excluder performed best for excluding all three bird species if placed so the lower edge of the excluder is 0–2 cm above ground. However, plastic and metal excluders can clog with dead rodents when positioned low. Future trials aiming to exclude all small birds from A24s while maintaining trap efficacy against target rodents should consider new excluder designs incorporating the 1.9–2.9 cm gap-height thresholds. When deciding whether to use excluders and appropriate trap heights, managers need to consider both the risk of non-target injuries or deaths and the impact of potentially decreasing trap efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of age and productive type on meat production in domestic quail. A total of 240 male and female quail of meat type (n=80), heavy dual-purpose (n=80) and light dual-purpose (n=80) type, sexed at 14 days of age, were fattened to 28, 35, and 42 days of age. Mortality (%), live weight (g), growth (g), feed consumption (g), feed conversion (kg/kg gain) were monitored during the fattening period. At 28-, 35-, and 42-days of age 9 male and 9 female birds from each productive type were slaughtered and the carcasses were analyzed. Live weight and carcass weight were seriously affected by the productive type and sex of the quail, especially at the end of the test period (P < 0.001). The amount of hand-boned meat from the most valuable parts of the carcass were affected by productive type P < 0.001) with statistically significant gender differences at the end of the test period (P < 0.05). The sex and productive type affected the meat yield which increased with slaughter age from 28 to 42 days (P < 0.001). With an increase in the slaughter age from 28 to 42 days, the inter-sex differences in slaughter yield increased (P < 0.001). Increased production costs (up to 75%) and lower efficiency of feed transformation (especially after 35 days of age) into finished products were observed with increasing fattening age in all three productive types. Meat production from a specialized meat-producing line is considered the most efficient and the least efficient - from the light egg-laying line. The study demonstrated that age and productive type have a serious impact on the fattening and meat-producing characteristics of quail and on the efficiency of quail meat production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nocturnal brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis; BTS) was accidentally introduced to the island of Guam, USA, in the Western Pacific in 1945. The BTS has spread throughout all terrestrial habitats, causing wildlife loss and economic damage. Several tools and techniques have been developed to locally reduce BTS numbers and prevent their spread to other islands. The common analgesic acetaminophen has been registered as a low-risk pesticide to manage BTS in non-residential areas. Prior to a more intensive toxic baiting campaign on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of a larger study to evaluate the effects of BTS control on native bird survival, we conducted a pilot study from May 18 to October 6, 2020, to assess the efficacy and safety of BTS baiting within a residential area. We administered large and small domesticated mouse (Mus musculus) and bird chick (Coturnix japonica and Gallus domesticus) nontoxic carrion baits (without acetaminophen) in bait stations to evaluate BTS and nontarget bait take rates, bait preferences, movements following nighttime bait uptakes, and interactions of humans and domestic animals with baits. We monitored baits with cameras and implanted them with radio-transmitters to verify the species taking the bait and to track BTS to their daytime sheltering locations. Successful BTS bait take rates were low at 20 of 482 baits (4.1%), as were nontarget bait take rates (4 baits; 0.8%). No preference among bait types was discernible, though power to detect differences was limited due to low overall uptake. All first daytime refugia were within vegetation except for 1 location on the roof of a house. No evidence of bait removal or human tampering was found at any of the bait stations. Based on our pilot study, there appeared to be little human or nontarget risk from acetaminophen baiting in this relatively uniform and sparsely vegetated residential area. Because most of the residential areas on Guam are much more variable, similar assessments within a broader diversity of residential areas may be advisable before promoting large-scale use of acetaminophen for managing BTS in close contact with human habitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dumpsites play key role in conservation of birds. A study was conducted to assess the diversity and abundance of birds in dumpsites of Afar region, Ethiopia from August, 2019 to March, 2020, covering both the wet and dry seasons. A total of nine dumpsites that contain domestic wastes found in different towns of Afar region were selected. Point count technique was employed to identify and count the birds. Shannon-Weiner diversity index was used to estimate species diversity and Two-way ANOVA was used to test birds' species richness and abundance variation across dumpsites and seasons. Results: A total of 48 bird species consisting of one endemic and 10 globally threatened species were recorded. Red-billed Quelea, Marabou Stork and Egyptian Vulture were the most abundant species. There was a significant difference in bird species richness and abundance among dumpsites (F = 8.44, df = 8, P < 0.05) and F = 15.507, df = 8, P < 0.05), respectively. Moreover, a significant difference in abundance was also observed between the two seasons (F = 19.339, df = 1, P < 0.05). The highest species diversity (H' = 3.18) was observed during wet season in Abala and Afambo dumpsites and the highest species evenness (E = 0.86) was observed during dry season in Afdera. Conclusion: Bird species diversity and abundance among dumpsites was high, and man-made disturbance are main threats for conservation of birds in the area. Therefore, conservation measures are needed to maintain survival of birds mainly the globally threatened species. Moreover, proper management of dumpsites is vital to support the waste dependent birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selecting a suitable nest site is critical to the survival and reproduction of birds. Prospecting allows individuals to gather information on the local quality of potential future breeding sites, which may help them make the best nest site selection decision. However, few studies have focused on the direct links between the prospecting activity of breeders and subsequent nest site selection. In this study, we investigated the prospecting pattern of Japanese tits Parus minor during the pre‐breeding period of the first breeding attempt and whether nest site characteristics influence their nest box visiting behaviour and occupied nest site. We used radio frequency identification (RFID) to track the movements of Japanese tits visiting nest boxes and compared nest site characteristics between visited and unvisited (control) nest boxes, as well as between visited and occupied nest boxes. We found that Japanese tits started visiting nest boxes approximately 20 days before breeding, visited an average of six nest boxes and eventually chose the most visited nest box for breeding activities. Japanese tits were more likely to visit nest boxes that had less canopy cover and lower shrub density but a greater total number of surrounding trees and ultimately chose breeding nest boxes with a smaller entrance inclination, in nesting trees with a larger diameter at breast height (DBH) which were surrounded by trees with a larger DBH. Our results suggest that Japanese tits visit several potential breeding sites before choosing breeding nest boxes and that nest site characteristics can influence their prospecting activity and nest site selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Food safety is becoming one of the key criteria for consumer choices. More and more importance is being attached to the use of alternatives to classical antibiotic therapy, not only in terms of increasing drug resistance but also because of the risk of residues of substances dangerous to humans. Phytobiotics have become some of the most popular and, what is very important, effective forms of support for the classical antibiotics and their reduction in livestock animals. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the effect of a phytobiotic composition that contained several phytoncides—menthol, trans-anethole, methyl salicylate, 1,8-cineole, organic acids, and metal ions (Zn and Mn) on meat quality and safety. The results showed that different doses of this mixture (D1—0.5 mL/L, D2—1 mL/L, D3—2 mL/L), used 4 times during the rearing, do not have negative impacts on bird health or meat quality. No residues of menthol, eucalyptol, methyl salicylate, or anethol were found above the limit of quantification in the investigated samples. Furthermore, no residues of the used product were found in tissues intended for human consumption. The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of different doses of a phytobiotic mixture on selected production parameters and meat quality and to assess the residue of the preparation in tissues and the possible toxic effects in broiler chickens. Broiler chicks aged 160 days, divided into four equal groups, were supplemented with the phytobiotic mixture at different doses, D1—0.5 mL/L, D2—1 mL/L, and D3—2 mL/L, four times during a 42-day trial. There were no statistically significant differences in weight gain per week of life and mortality in the birds. The study also demonstrated that the use of the mixture of phytobiotics had no significant effect on colour, pH, WHC, and natural leakage. However, a beneficial effect of the additive was found in the group treated with a dose of 1 mL/L, where less thermal leakage from the meat was demonstrated. Furthermore, significant differences in the change in thigh muscle tenderness were also observed. In the histopathological analysis of the liver no significant differences were observed. In addition, no residues of the mixture or its metabolites were found in the tissues analysed. In conclusion, the proposed scheme of administration of the phytobiotic additive, regardless of the dose, does not cause pathological changes in organs and does not carry the risk of residues of the product in tissues intended for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Survival for birds can be challenging during the cold winter months in Northern Europe. Humans often provide food to wintering birds, thus, improving their winter survival. This study shows that excess underskin fat reserves of Great Tits wintering near permanent feeders can make them slow at take-off, which increases their exposure to predators. We suggest that caution should be taken when choosing a proper place to position bird feeders to prevent making birds at feeders easy prey for predators. The optimal body mass hypothesis posits that the body reserves of wintering birds are balanced between the risk of starvation and predation. In this study, we tested whether the body mass of wintering Great Tits (Parus major) was higher under conditions of less predictable food resources. We compared body mass, body mass index, the speed at take-off, and apparent survival of Great Tit adult males wintering in small urban areas either near feeders providing permanent access to food for months or near feeders providing irregular access to food. Body mass and body mass index were greater, while take-off speed and apparent survival were lower, in birds wintering near permanent feeders than birds wintering near irregular feeders. Thus, urban birds, with their predictable access to high energy food, did not follow the fattening strategy predicted by the optimal body mass hypothesis. This study shows that regular excess amounts of high-energy food may affect urban birds' physiological and behavioral strategies in a non-adaptive way. We recommend irregular feeding of wintering birds and the placing of feeders in places that are safe against attacking predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mature Great Bustard (Otis tarda) female tagged with a satellite transmitter in Dévaványa made four breeding attempts in 2019. A total of seven eggs were laid on the four occasions. None of the breeding attempts were successful, and the bird was killed by a predator, presumably a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), during the fourth breeding attempt. The four egg-laying attempts are a new experience in the reproductive biology of the species. The failure of the nestings and the death of the bird itself confirm that the conservation measures of the species, as emphasised in international and national conservation plans – controlling predators and egg predator populations, ensuring undisturbed breeding conditions – are important conservation biology actions serving for the protection of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the several anthropogenic factors, power lines are increasingly regarded as one of the most significant hazards to bird species, primarily owing to collisions and electrocutions. Nepal has comparatively fewer studies on the impact of power line collisions and electrocution on birds compared with developed nations. From November 2021 to May 2022, we assessed the effect of power line collisions and electrocutions on the mortality of birds in the Putalibazar Municipality of the Syangja district of Nepal. We established 117 circular plots in diverse habitats, including agricultural lands, forests, settlements, and river basins, along a 30.6 km long distribution line. Within 18 plots, we detected 43 fatalities of 11 species (17 individuals of six species due to collision and 26 individuals of eight species due to electrocution). House Swift (Apus nipalensis) and Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) were the primary victims of the collision, whereas House Crow (Corvus splendens) and Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) were frequently observed electrocuted. We also recorded the electrocution of the critically endangered White‐rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis). The total rate of bird power line collisions per kilometer was 0.55 birds, while the total electrocution rate per 10 poles was 2.22. The bird abundance, distance to agricultural regions, and proximity to human settlements were found to have a strong relationship with the mortality of birds caused by power lines. In order to reduce power line collisions and electrocution fatalities, we recommend conducting a detailed bird population study prior to determining the route of distribution lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Nile virus (WNV) is amplified in an enzootic cycle involving birds as amplifying hosts. Because they do not develop high levels of viremia, humans and horses are considered to be dead-end hosts. Mosquitoes, especially from the Culex genus, are vectors responsible for transmission between hosts. Consequently, understanding WNV epidemiology and infection requires comparative and integrated analyses in bird, mammalian, and insect hosts. So far, markers of WNV virulence have mainly been determined in mammalian model organisms (essentially mice), while data in avian models are still missing. WNV Israel 1998 (IS98) is a highly virulent strain that is closely genetically related to the strain introduced into North America in 1999, NY99 (genomic sequence homology > 99%). The latter probably entered the continent at New York City, generating the most impactful WNV outbreak ever documented in wild birds, horses, and humans. In contrast, the WNV Italy 2008 strain (IT08) induced only limited mortality in birds and mammals in Europe during the summer of 2008. To test whether genetic polymorphism between IS98 and IT08 could account for differences in disease spread and burden, we generated chimeric viruses between IS98 and IT08, focusing on the 3′ end of the genome (NS4A, NS4B, NS5, and 3′UTR regions) where most of the non-synonymous mutations were detected. In vitro and in vivo comparative analyses of parental and chimeric viruses demonstrated a role for NS4A/NS4B/5′NS5 in the decreased virulence of IT08 in SPF chickens, possibly due to the NS4B-E249D mutation. Additionally, significant differences between the highly virulent strain IS98 and the other three viruses were observed in mice, implying the existence of additional molecular determinants of virulence in mammals, such as the amino acid changes NS5-V258A, NS5-N280K, NS5-A372V, and NS5-R422K. As previously shown, our work also suggests that genetic determinants of WNV virulence can be host-dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bird‐building collisions are a major source of wild bird mortality, with hundreds of millions of fatalities each year in the United States and Canada alone. Here, we use two decades of daily citizen science monitoring to characterize day‐to‐day variation in building collisions and determine the factors that predict the highest risk times in two North American cities. We use these analyses to evaluate three potential causes of increased collision risk: heightened migration traffic during benign weather, increased navigational and flight errors during inclement weather, and increased errors in response to highly directional sunlight that enhances reflected images. The seasonal phenology of collisions was consistent across sites and years, with daily collision rates approximately twofold higher in autumn as compared to spring. During both migration seasons, collision risk was best predicted by the weather conditions at dawn. In spring, peak collision risk occurs on days with warm temperatures, south winds, and a lack of precipitation at dawn. In autumn, peak collision occurs on days with cool temperatures, north winds, high atmospheric pressure, a lack of precipitation, and clear conditions with high visibility. Based on these results, we hypothesize that collisions are influenced by two main weather‐driven mechanisms. First, benign weather at dawn and winds that are favorable for migration cause an increase in migration traffic in both spring and autumn, creating greater opportunity for collisions to occur. Second, for autumnal migrants, cold clear conditions may cause an additional increase in collision risk. We propose that these conditions may be particularly hazardous in autumn because of the high abundance of naïve and diurnal migrants at that time of year. Our analysis also establishes that a relatively small proportion of days (15%) are responsible for 50% of the total collision mortality within a season, highlighting the importance of targeting mitigation strategies to the most hazardous times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usutu virus (USUV) is an emergent arbovirus in Europe causing mortality in bird populations. Similar to West Nile virus (WNV), USUV is maintained in sylvatic cycles between mosquito vectors and bird reservoirs. Spillover events may result in human neurological infection cases. Apart from indirect evidence provided by a recent serological study in wild birds, the circulation of USUV in Romania was not assessed. We aimed to detect and molecular characterize USUV circulating in mosquito vectors collected in South-Eastern Romania—a well-known WNV endemic region—during four transmission seasons. Mosquitoes were collected from Bucharest metropolitan area and Danube Delta, pooled, and screened by real-time RT-PCR for USUV. Partial genomic sequences were obtained and used for phylogeny. USUV was detected in Culex pipiens s.l. female mosquitoes collected in Bucharest, in 2019. The virus belonged to Europe 2 lineage, sub-lineage EU2-A. Phylogenetic analysis revealed high similarity with isolates infecting mosquito vectors, birds, and humans in Europe starting with 2009, all sharing common origin in Northern Italy. To our knowledge, this is the first study characterizing a strain of USUV circulating in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collisions with building windows are a top bird mortality source, but few studies have evaluated how bird–window collisions are influenced by weather. By monitoring collisions daily at 21 buildings in Minneapolis, Minnesota, over 4 migration seasons, we show that weather influences numbers of window collisions of nocturnal migrants in spring and fall, indicating that collisions may be forecastable based on weather conditions. Collisions increased with weather favoring migration, such as consecutive nights of south wind in spring and even short periods of north wind in fall. We also found evidence that spring and fall collisions increase with weather changes that impede migration, such as changes from fair conditions and tailwinds early in the night to headwinds near sunrise. Our study suggests complex weather effects never before considered in the context of bird collisions, including possible time lag effects of conditions 2–3 nights before collisions occur, effects of multi-day sequences of conditions, and interactions between conditions at different times of night. More research is needed to determine if the accuracy of weather-based collision prediction systems improves by integrating such nuances and to clarify mechanisms through which these complex effects operate, such as influences of weather on migration intensity and collision avoidance behavior. Weather-based forecasts may allow refinement of collision mitigation approaches (e.g., reducing building lighting on certain nights or using temporary glass coverings or treatments). However, because challenges remain to communicating such temporally targeted actions and implementing them in a timely manner, other bird-friendly practices (e.g., season-long lighting reduction and permanent glass treatments) should continue to be prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]