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The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a widely distributed generalist meso-predator implicated in declines of wading bird populations. In the wet grassland habitats where waders breed, wildlife managers work to mitigate fox predation risk to waders during the nesting period through lethal and non-lethal control methods. However, limited knowledge on fox movement ecology in these habitats makes it difficult to design effective management strategies. We used GPS telemetry to understand fox home range size, daily activity and movement patterns, and how these metrics may vary among wet grassland sites with different management. We caught and GPS-tagged 35 foxes in the March–June wader nesting period on two wet grassland sites in central southern England; Britford during 2016/17 and Somerley during 2018/19. We estimated home range areas from location data using local convex hulls, and from these estimates we derived the minimum fox density at each site and year. Daily activity patterns and movement behaviour of each fox were obtained using both telemetry and trail camera data. Mean fox home range area at Britford (0.21 km2, SE = 0.025) was significantly smaller than at Somerley (0.68 km2, SE = 0.067), and estimated minimum densities were around four times higher (Britford = 10.6 foxes/km2, Somerley = 2.4 foxes/km2). Foxes were more active and moved faster during twilight and night hours, but both telemetry and camera data indicate they were also active for one-third of daylight hours. Distances moved per day were variable between foxes but generally smaller at Britford. We also found evidence for dispersal during spring, with movements of up to 19 km per day. Home ranges at both wet grassland sites were smaller than comparable sites elsewhere. These indicated foxes were living at exceptionally high densities at Britford, where there is no fox control, increased food availability and where waders no longer breed. Spatio-temporal movement patterns were closely related to home range metrics, with higher levels of fox activity at Somerley, where home ranges were larger. The movements of itinerant and dispersing foxes during the nesting period suggests that lethal control would need to be very intensive to be effective. The likely anthropogenic food subsidy of fox density at Britford suggests that controlling access to similar food resources would help reduce predation pressure on breeding waders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The nests of ground‐nesting birds rely heavily on camouflage for their survival, and predation risk, often linked to ecological changes from human activity, is a major source of mortality. Numerous ground‐nesting bird populations are in decline, so understanding the effects of camouflage on their nesting behavior is relevant to their conservation concerns. Habitat three‐dimensional (3D) geometry, together with predator visual abilities, viewing distance, and viewing angle, determine whether a nest is either visible, occluded, or too far away to detect. While this link is intuitive, few studies have investigated how fine‐scale geometry is likely to help defend nests from different predator guilds. We quantified nest visibility based on 3D occlusion, camouflage, and predator visual modeling in northern lapwings, Vanellus vanellus, on different land management regimes. Lapwings selected local backgrounds that had a higher 3D complexity at a spatial scale greater than their entire clutches compared to local control sites. Importantly, our findings show that habitat geometry—rather than predator visual acuity—restricts nest visibility for terrestrial predators and that their field habitats, perceived by humans as open, are functionally closed with respect to a terrestrial predator searching for nests on the ground. Taken together with lapwings' careful nest site selection, our findings highlight the importance of considering habitat geometry for understanding the evolutionary ecology and management of conservation sites for ground‐nesting birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the fastest declining pinyon-juniper bird species, the Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) has generated considerable interest and conservation concern. The Pinyon Jay is named for its mutualistic relationship with pinyon pines (Colorado pinyon [Pinus edulis], single-leaf pinyon [P. monophylla]). Pinyon Jays are critical to the establishment and maintenance of pinyon-juniper woodlands impacted by climate-related drought, fire, and insect outbreaks, a role that may be compromised by the birds' declining abundance. Management for Pinyon Jays is an urgent need, and an improved understanding of their habitat ecology is a priority. Although Pinyon Jay social behavior has been well studied for decades, only recently has the habitat ecology of Pinyon Jays been investigated and only in New Mexico, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau. Knowledge gaps remain, and less is known in other areas. Here we assemble and integrate information on Pinyon Jay habitat ecology from a diverse set of sources. Received 23 October 2022. Accepted 11 May 2023. Al ser la especie de ave en asociación con piñones y juníperos que está en declive más pronunciado, la chara piñonera (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) ha generado interés considerable y preocupación por su conservación. La chara piñonera recibe su nombre por su relación mutualista con los pinos piñoneros (piñón de Colorado [Pinus edulis], piñón de una sola hoja [P. monophylla]). Las charas piñoneras son críticas en el establecimiento y mantenimiento del arbolado de pino- junípero impactados por las sequías relacionadas al cambio climático, el fuego y los brotes de insectos, un papel que podría estar en peligro por el declive de abundancia de las aves. El manejo de chara piñonera es una necesidad urgente y mejorar la comprensión de su papel ecológico en el hábitat es una prioridad. A pesar de que el comportamiento social de la chara piñonera ha sido bien estudiado por décadas, no ha sido hasta hace poco que se ha empezado a estudiar el hábitat ecológico de la chara piñonera y este estudio se ha limitado a New Mexico, el Great Basin y el Colorado Plateau. Quedan vacíos de conocimiento y se conoce menos en otras áreas. Aquí unimos e integramos información de la ecología del hábitat de la chara piñonera de diversas fuentes. Palabras clave: ámbito hogareño, colonia de anidamiento, escala, nido, piñón-junípero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Urbanization and its associated impacts on biodiversity are increasing globally. There is a need to enhance our understanding of species responses to inform strategies for sustainable urbanization. Objectives: Three extensive bird monitoring campaigns took place over the last three decades in the city of Naples, Italy, providing a comprehensive longitudinal dataset to analyse occurrence trends of urban birds. We aimed to assess both species-specific and assemblage-level changes in urban birds according to land cover dynamics. Methods: We extracted bird data for the periods 1990–95, 2000–05, and 2014–18, and explored the spatial and temporal relationships between bird presence/avian assemblage composition, and land cover variation. Results: The species richness of breeding birds remained stable over time, despite a notable species turnover, influenced by changes in the species' key land cover classes. Species associated with forest and urban land cover tended to colonise the area, while those dependent on abandoned and cultivated areas decreased or went locally extinct. Birds changed their degree of dependence upon their key habitat type over time, as species from marginal and open habitat types needed larger amounts of habitat to persist within the area, while forest species showed an opposite trend. Conclusions: Habitat-driven changes in avian assemblages within the urban landscape led to an increase in forest-associated species, and a decrease in birds associated with declining habitat types. Our findings may inform urban planning to promote more wildlife-friendly cities, which for our study area should prioritise open and marginal habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, bird communities associated with agricultural systems have declined in Western and Central Europe and in North America, but how widely these dynamics extend to other regions is poorly known. In this study, we assessed the dynamics and the main drivers of the changes in the abundance, richness, and composition of breeding bird communities over a 30-year period in the various types of habitats of southeastern Ukraine (Azov region), a region that has undergone agricultural intensification for several decades. This study was conducted in the valley of the Molochna River during the 1988 to 2018 nesting seasons. The area studied hosted 81 bird species. Species richness varied from three species in salt marshes to thirty-three in reed beds but did not show a general trend over time. However, we identified a decline in bird communities' total abundance over time in all habitats except shelterbelts and meadows. Similarly, species composition changed over time, reflecting the way in which species varied in their abundance changes. Climatic variables contributed to bird community turnover, but with decreasing importance over time. Overall, our results indicate that the recent declines in bird populations in farmland regions also extend to eastern Europe, with land-use effects interacting with climate to shape temporal dynamics of bird communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of agricultural industrialisation, traditionally managed habitats have dramatically declined throughout Europe. As a result, farmland specialists across several taxa have become increasingly threatened. Concurrently, altered farming practices have also contributed to the emergence of novel agricultural habitats, such as Christmas tree plantations, but knowledge of their impact on biodiversity is still scarce. In the following study, we analysed the drivers behind the territory selection of four declining farmland birds—Common linnet (Linaria cannabina), Tree pipit (Anthus trivialis), Woodlark (Lullula arborea) and Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)—in a landscape dominated by Christmas tree plantations. Our study suggests that Christmas tree plantations provide well‐suited breeding conditions for the species and thus may represent important refuges in human‐modified landscapes. We found that all four species favoured young Christmas tree plantations (<6 years) for territory establishment. In particular, the territories of Tree pipit and Woodlark were characterised by a high proportion of young plantations, which provide open habitat structures rich in bare ground. However, older plantations (>6 years) were also of high importance for some of the model organisms, especially for Common linnet and Yellowhammer. The territory establishment of Yellowhammer was additionally favoured by brushwood plantations, clear‐cut/fringe vegetation and low‐growing shrubland. We attribute the high value of Christmas tree plantations mainly to the coexistence of open habitat structures rich in bare ground and less intensively managed stands, which both represent important foraging sites for the model organisms. At least in intensively used agricultural areas, Christmas tree plantations may represent important refuges for declining farmland birds. Therefore, further measures aiming to promote habitat quality while reducing the use of herbicides in the plantations should be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many longitudinal studies of regional avifaunas have been conducted in Australia, but the majority concern temperate inland regions. We examined changes in the avifauna of the Rockhampton region (10 500 km2) in subtropical, coastal Central Queensland, Australia, over 130 years, comparing accounts from 1888, 1925 and 1973–1974 with survey data from 2000 to 2019. Of the 307 confirmed species recorded until 1975, 11 resident species have since disappeared from the region, while another 11 species appear to have declined. This is the highest number of extinct bird species reported to date in a region larger than 1000 km2, although the annual extinction rate is surpassed by that of Coomooboolaroo, a pastoral property of 454 km2 only 100 km away, which lost 18 species over a similar period. Eleven (50%) of the 22 extirpated or declining species forage primarily on the ground, and 12 (55%) are primarily insectivorous. Eucalypt woodland is the major habitat of 11 species (50%), while another five (23%) are associated with rainforests. Species loss and decline coincided with habitat loss: 63% of the eucalypt woodland and 70% of the rainforest have been cleared since Europeans settled in the region. Livestock overgrazing probably played a role in the extirpation of four species of finches. The decline of at least 11 species since 1975 coincided with three consecutive decades of low rainfall, and an ongoing increase in ambient temperature. Of the 307 confirmed bird species recorded in the Rockhampton region of Australia between 1887 and 1975, 11 species have disappeared, most likely due mainly to clearing of eucalypt woodland and rainforest, and overgrazing. This is the highest number of extirpated species reported for an area of greater than 1000 km2 in Australia to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restoration of riparian habitats aims to provide habitat for birds and other environmental benefits; yet the evaluation of long-term outcomes is rare. To address this knowledge gap, we used bird and vegetation data from Coyote Creek Field Station (CCFS), in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, to assess the progress of two riparian revegetation projects (1987 Revegetation, 1993 Revegetation) over nearly two decades. Restoration success was measured by changes in 1) vegetation structure and composition, and 2) avian abundance, diversity, and community composition. We compared the two revegetated areas to a remnant riparian reference site and a managed floodplain overflow channel in three time periods (1996–1998, 2004–2006, 2012–2014) using ANOVA, Tukey's HSD tests, and beta diversity analysis of avian community composition. Over time, the restored areas became more similar to the remnant riparian reference site in four of seven indices. The avian community became more similar across the habitat areas over time, although differences remained. Migratory birds declined across all habitat areas, while resident and wintering birds declined in one revegetated habitat only. Overall we found that different types of data told different stories, indicating both convergence with the reference site and ongoing differences. Our findings highlight the need for multifaceted approaches to evaluating restoration success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat loss due to increasing anthropogenic disturbance is the major driver for bird population declines across the globe. Within the Eastern Ghats of India, shrubland bird communities are threatened by shrinking of suitable habitats due to increased anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. The development of an effective habitat management strategy is hampered by the absence of data for this bird community. To address this knowledge gap, we examined foraging sites for 14 shrubland bird species, including three declining species, in three study areas representing the shrubland type of forest community in the Eastern Ghats. We recorded microhabitat features within an 11 m radius of observed foraging points and compared these data with similar data from random plots. We used chi‐square to test the association between plant species and bird species for sites where they were observed foraging. We observed significant differences between foraging sites of all the study species and random plots, thus indicating selection for foraging habitat. Using linear discriminant analysis, we found that the microhabitat features important for the bird species were shrub density, vegetational height, vertical foliage stratification, grass height, and percent rock cover. Our results show that diet guild and foraging strata influence the foraging microhabitat selection of a species (e.g., ground‐foraging species differed significantly from other species). Except for two species, all focal birds were associated with at least one plant species. The plant‐bird association was based on foraging, structural, or behavioral preferences. Several key factors affecting foraging habitat such as shrub density can be actively managed at the local scale. Strategic and selective harvesting of forest products and a spatially and temporally controlled livestock grazing regime may allow regeneration of scrubland and create conditions favorable to birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overwintering is a key demographic stage for migratory birds but remains poorly understood, especially among multiple declining grassland bird species. The non‐breeding ranges all 4 species of longspur (i.e., chestnut‐collared [Calcarius ornatus], Smith's [C. pictus], Lapland [C. lapponicus], thick‐billed [Rhynchophanes mccownii]) overlap in Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, USA, making this region ideal to study their wintering ecology. We evaluated the relationship between wintering longspur occurrence and fine‐scale habitat characteristics using a combination of standardized bird surveys and vegetation plot sampling. Our study encompassed large, representative tracts of 3 prairie ecosystems (i.e., shortgrass, mixed‐grass, and tallgrass prairies) that intersect within the Southern Great Plains, during winters of 2018–2019 and 2019–2020. Using randomization tests and classification trees, we characterized longspur habitats and compared these associations across the 3 prairie ecosystems. Fine‐scale winter habitats (horizontal structure, vertical structure, and species compositions) varied among all 4 longspur species, varied at very fine scales, and differed between grassland types. Our findings can be applied to the management of grasslands such as decreasing vegetation height in mixed‐grass prairies for chestnut‐collared longspurs or removing woody vegetation in shortgrass prairies for thick‐billed longspurs to help develop full‐life cycle conservation for longspurs, which have experienced population declines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vultures constitute globally the most rapidly declining group of birds. Across their wide distribution range, they share common ecological functions and unfavourable conservation status while being associated with varying habitats, lifestyles, cultural standing, and threats. We reveal conceptualisations about the emblematic yet critically endangered Egyptian vulture along its migratory flyway from the Balkans through the Middle East to Africa. Information was gathered through interviews, focus group discussions, and market surveys, with 420 people in 11 participating countries contributing overall. Our results showed that all vultures are recognised primarily for the environmental cleaning services, but the level of awareness differs between countries. Τhe Egyptian vulture has some perceptual advantages based on its white color, migratory nature, and endangered conservation status. This underlines its suitability as a charismatic flagship species that can potentially benefit other vulture species and thus enforce broader vulture conservation initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine unprotected wetlands of Ayodhya district, Uttar Pradesh, India were studied to assess the bird species composition and richness from March 2019 to February 2020 using point count method. A total of 105 species of birds belonging to 79 genera, distributed among 35 families and 12 orders were recorded. Passeriformes had the highest diversity with 25 species and 12 families. Anatidae was the most dominant family with 15 species, constituting 14.29% of the wetland bird community in the study area. These wetlands provided habitat for 62 residential species, 42 winter migrants and one vagrant. The carnivore guild was the most dominant with 46 species. The wetland sites under study were continuously used by humans mainly for land encroachment, fishing activities and livestock grazing apart from other minor uses. Out of the nine selected wetlands, three wetlands (<2 ha) had very few bird species (≤3), therefore were excluded from further calculations. But the rest of the six selected wetlands (<5 ha) provided habitat for 12 bird species of conservation importance (one Endangered species, five Vulnerable species, and six Near Threatened species) according to the IUCN Red list. These wetlands also supported 39 species of birds having a declining population trend globally. These findings highlight the role of medium and large-sized unprotected wetlands in providing critical habitat to the birds throughout the year in Ayodhya district. Future research must concentrate on understanding the key factors influencing the presence and absence of birds in such unprotected wetlands so that these wetlands can be managed effectively to secure the potential habitat of birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reed belt around Lake Neusiedl is one of the largest connected reed areas in Europe, and thus bears crucial importance for the conservation of species depending on this habitat. In the last decades, a decline of reed harvesting has led to the formation of very old reed areas. Here we investigate how age and structure of degraded reed affect breeding bird species. We related extensive bird counts of eight species at 111 points to habitat measurements and reed age. Species differed in their preferred age class; for example, Great Reed Warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus are found mainly in up to 4-year-old reed stands, while Little Crakes Zapornia parva prefer to settle in more than 14-year-old vegetation. We expected some species to be more common in older age classes, but our results demonstrate that large parts of the reed stands become too degraded even for these "old reed" specialists. Several bird species showed an inverse u-shaped relationship to habitat characteristics associated with reed die-back, e.g. accumulation of broken reed stems, occurrence of matted reed, low vegetation height or open water areas. At present, harvested areas are small and burning of reed is prohibited, and in the future, we expect more reed die-back with declining bird numbers. Missing ice cover in wintertime because of climate warming prevents sustainable cutting of these very old reed stands. We thus recommend a cautious introduction of fire management as a measure to secure this unique bird habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 60 years, Arctic goose populations have increased while many sympatric tundra nesting bird populations have declined. Hyperabundant geese have well-documented effects on tundra habitats, which can alter habitat use by sympatric bird species. These habitat changes may also alter invertebrate communities and abundances, with potentially important, but as of yet, undocumented effects on insectivorous birds such as shorebirds. Here, we determined the effects of goose-induced habitat alteration on invertebrate communities and relate the observed changes to shorebird diet. At sites and habitat types representing a gradient of goose influence, we identified goose-related changes in ground cover and linked these factors to variation in invertebrate communities. We then used DNA metabarcoding to characterize the diet of six shorebird species across sites and identify inter-site variation in abundance, biomass, and timing of emergence of dominant shorebird prey items. Invertebrate diversity and richness did not vary either among sites or habitat types. However, for prey items identified as part of the shorebird diet, we found significantly higher abundances and biomasses at a moderately goose-influenced site than at either low or high goose-influenced sites. Biomass of Tipulidae, the dominant prey taxon for shorebirds at the study sites, was 7.5 times higher at the moderately goose-influenced site compared to the site where goose influence was minor. We attribute this enhancement of prey biomass to both the fertilizing effect of goose fecal pellets and the moderate grazing pressure. Many studies have documented adverse effects of overabundant geese, but here we show that a moderate degree of goose grazing can lead to enhanced biomass of invertebrates, with the potential for improved shorebird foraging success and chick growth. These benefits, however, might be outweighed by negative effects of goose-induced habitat alteration and predation pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced food availability during chick raising is a major driver of farmland bird declines. For the Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis), food availability is determined by various factors (i.e., arthropod abundance/diversity, accessibility of the vegetation, distance to foraging sites). In modern farmland, it is supposed to decrease over the breeding season due to less penetrable vegetation. We explored foraging habitat selection by chick‐raising Skylarks with a focus on the seasonal dynamics of habitat use and food availability. We investigated (i) habitat selection concerning prey biomass/diversity, vegetation cover, and distance to foraging sites, (ii) the overall and seasonal habitat use, and (iii) seasonal developments of foraging parameters (e.g., the feeding frequency) as indicators of food availability. We collected data on foraging habitats and foraging parameters of chick‐raising Skylark pairs at 51 nests from a Central European population in 2018 and 2019. Prey biomass/diversity and vegetation cover were measured for all habitats around 42 of these nests. As revealed by multivariate and compositional analyses, Skylarks mainly selected foraging habitats based on the proximity to nests. The most frequent habitats within home ranges could not be ranked according to an overall importance for foraging and their use partially changed over time. The feeding frequency increased throughout the breeding season, while other foraging parameters did not show significant changes. In contrast to our expectations, our data indicated therefore an increase, not a decrease in food availability in the late breeding season. This also implies that the way in which Skylarks used habitats was constantly suitable to raise offspring. We interpret this to be a consequence of the heterogeneous farmland composition of the study area that enabled Skylarks to establish a diverse home range and to benefit from the synergetic effects of neighboring habitat types. Thus, our findings provide support for the high importance of crop diversity in Skylark conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As many as 500,000 waterfowl reside in California, USA, during summer, but little is known about the availability or quality of their habitats. Wetland size and distribution serve as proximate cues for habitat selection by breeding waterfowl in other parts of North America such as the Prairie Pothole Region. In heavily modified landscapes such as California's Central Valley, disturbance from factors like crop cultivation and urban development may limit access, affect survival, and decrease reproductive success. Water limitations due to recurring seasonal droughts pose another potential threat to breeding waterfowl. Spatial and temporal disparities in environmental resources may provide clearer indications of ultimate habitat selection. We addressed waterfowl habitat selection in 9 regions surveyed annually by California's Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine relative importance of drought severity, wetland area, and habitat quality on mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and other waterfowl population dynamics from 2007–2019. High‐quality habitat supports long‐term population persistence of waterfowl. This study period included an extended drought (2012–2015) and flooding (2016–2017). Statewide, habitat quality was the best predictor of mallard and other waterfowl population fluctuations. The model that included intermediate habitat quality, which accounted for influence of adjacent land‐use, outperformed models that included wetland area alone. At the regional level, drought severity out‐ranked other variables in most regions, suggesting management at regional scales must account for climate. Drought accounted for bird declines in some regions and possible increases in others. This information could be used to identify areas for conservation priority based on projected drought frequency and severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across Australia’s Wet Tropics region, populations of rainforest-dependent birds have declined because of climate change. Reforestation and regenerating secondary forest on abandoned agricultural land may help bolster species’ populations by expanding and connecting habitat. However, little is known about the value of these habitats for rainforest birds, or the impacts of climate change on secondary forests and their fauna compared with primary forests. At a 62-ha, mid-elevation property with primarily secondary forest cover on the Atherton Tablelands, in the Wet Tropics region, Queensland, we examined changes in bird species reporting rates on weekly lists between 2000–2005 and 2014–2019. Reporting rates of grassland and eucalypt-forest species decreased as expected because the area of ungrazed pasture was reduced over time, while the area occupied by tree plantings and naturally regenerating forest increased and matured. Reporting rates of most mixed-forest (61%) and nearly half (47%) of rainforest-dependent bird species also decreased significantly between the two time periods, despite the quality of rainforest habitat improving at the site. We infer that climate change is the cause of these declines. Five of the rainforest-dependent bird species whose reporting rates decreased in this study are known to have moderately increased in abundance in mid-elevation primary forest. Hotter, drier secondary forests may not be as well buffered as primary forest from the impacts of climate change, reducing their suitability as habitat for many bird species such as these. However, further studies are needed in secondary forests to investigate this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, bird populations have been threatened for several decades. The authors consulted the indices available to the public from the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS), a project that collects data on European common bird species from national monitoring schemes and calculates European common bird indices and indicators to help demonstrate that common birds are decreasing in Europe. According to the PECBMS, between 1980 and 2019, common bird species declined by 18%, agricultural birds by 59%, and forest birds by 7%. Although some bird species have recovered in number and even came back from the break of extinction (e.g., Red Kite, Milvus milvus), not the species that were considered common in the last decades. Many factors are associated with this decline as pesticides or the destruction of habitats. Measures are being taken in many countries to reduce this decline. However, information and education of the public could be crucial to saving the decline of common birds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human settlements represent important year-round habitats for many declining farmland birds; however, detailed knowledge of species-specific habitat associations is crucial for effective conservation of individual species. In this study, we examined the effect of environmental factors on the occurrence, population density, and habitat associations of three sedentary granivorous farmland bird species (house sparrow Passer domesticus, tree sparrow Passer montanus, and Eurasian collared dove Streptopelia decaocto) during the breeding season within an urban environment and compared the results with a previously published study carried out during winter. To fulfil our aims, we used a comprehensive dataset from a nation-wide monitoring program focused on the studied species in the Czech Republic covering the period 2010–2016 and including a total of 162 human settlements (330.3-km length of transect). House sparrow was the most numerous and common species recorded on the studied transects, followed by tree sparrow and Eurasian collared dove. The population density of house sparrows and Eurasian collared doves was positively correlated with the proportion of farmsteads, and the population density of tree sparrows was positively correlated with proportion of grasslands. The occurrence of house sparrows and Eurasian collared doves increased with higher proportion of buildings and small-scale farms, whereas occurrence of tree sparrows increased with higher proportion of small-scale farms and woody plants. Habitat preference analyses demonstrated that house sparrow and Eurasian collared dove primarily preferred buildings, and tree sparrows preferred small-scale farms. Arable habitats were generally avoided by all studied species. Based on species-specific occurrence and habitat associations, several management measures may be adopted to support declining populations of the studied species, as well as whole bird communities inhabiting urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is a major ecological driver in many Australian ecosystems, and large‐scale wildfires can impact on faunal assemblages at a landscape scale. Monitoring the response of the avian community and individual bird species following a 92 039 ha wildfire in the Pilliga Forest, in temperate inland south‐eastern Australia, showed an initial decline in species richness and changes in community composition, followed by gradual recovery. Recovery was not complete by the end of the seven‐year study. Eighteen species (including Speckled Warbler Chthonicola sagittata and Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis) were identified as likely to be fire sensitive and nine species (including Australian Magpie Cracticus tibicen and Red‐capped Robin Petroica goodenovii) as likely to respond positively to fire at the time scale of this study. Another 11 species (including Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus and Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans) appeared to favour burnt areas close to the fire edge. Guild‐level patterns included an overall negative response to fire by insectivores, granivores/frugivores and declining woodland birds and a positive response by predators. The avian community recovered more quickly at burnt sites close to (within 2 km of) the fire edge compared to more remote sites more than 4 km from unburnt habitat, suggesting that proximity to unburnt areas (and therefore fire extent) is likely to be a key consideration in understanding the post‐fire recovery of birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central tenet of European farmland ecology is that agricultural intensification during the 20th century was largely responsible for dramatic declines in species abundances. However, during this time, human rural settlements were also undergoing radical changes through modernization, with undocumented biodiversity impacts in this important wildlife habitat. We performed the first ever large‐scale study to disentangle the impact of these simultaneous processes on farmland bird diversity in 104 Polish villages. We show that modernized villages and their surrounding agricultural fields had 50–60% fewer birds than those in and around comparable older villages. The relative contribution of modernization versus agricultural intensification to predicted bird declines was 88% versus 12% for bird communities in villages and 56% versus 44% in surrounding croplands, with considerable variation among ecological species subgroups. These results challenge our current understanding of agricultural ecosystem ecology and how best to implement conservation measures costing billions of euros annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present paper provides information on the impact of climate changes on diurnal rhythms of the four passerines viz, house sparrow (Passer domesticus Linn.), rosy starling (Pastor roseus Linn.), tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor Hirun.), and brown shrike (Lanius cristatus Linn.) for two years period in the four major agricultural habitats viz. Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Toba Tek Singh and Khanewal of Central Punjab, Pakistan. Effects of climate catastrophe have been seriously recognized as important inhibitory factors for birds' sustainable existence and conservation. Among the four habitats, present within 120 kilometre radius from Faisalabad district, observations were conducted weekly on active and passive foraging, and the roost exits and returns throughout the day. Weather changes viz. temperature, precipitation and relative humidity were critically recorded. Impacts of temperature were significant and resulted in decline of the active foraging for the four designated birds (ß= -2.36, -1.93,-2.15 and -1.64) whereas, precipitation due to its lowered frequency, exerted negative influence on the house sparrow and brown shrike, but was non-significant for rosy starling and tree swallows. Overall, temperature and relative humidity (RH) were the foremost climate factors and largely reduced the foraging and roosting movements of the four passerine birds'. Nonetheless, effects of lowered rainfall for the four habitats throughout this study were non-significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification promoted by the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has driven the decline of farmland and steppe bird populations. Policy tools to improve the environmental performance of the CAP—including Agri‐Environmental Schemes (AES) and Greening—have often failed, and the new EU agricultural reform (CAP post‐2020) offers a new opportunity to integrate effective measures addressing farmland bird declines. Fallow land and its management have proven beneficial for endangered steppe bird species by providing good quality habitat, and therefore has potential to become an effective conservation measure.We used a Hierarchical Distance Sampling community model to evaluate the ability of different conservation regimes to increase the abundance of 37 bird species including endangered steppe birds and other farmland birds in 13,309 ha of fallow land in north‐eastern Spain. The conservation regimes were based on different management prescriptions associated with AES, Greening and a local conservation measure promoting extensive fallow management targeting seven steppe bird species (Targeted Fallow Management, TFM).The positive effect of conservation measures increased as their design was more targeted to specific species. TFM increased the abundance of target and other farmland species, while AES and Greening had either no effect or negative effects on bird abundance, respectively. Effects of other Greening conservation measures related to landscape heterogeneity such as crop richness and field size were variable across the community.Policy implications. The success of Targeted Fallow Management as a conservation tool—in contrast to Agri‐Environmental Schemes and Greening—highlights the value of applying 1–2 agricultural practices just before the breeding season in fallows situated in optimal locations for target steppe bird species, to increase the abundance of these and other farmland bird species. We translate our findings into specific guidelines that we recommend including within the new eco‐schemes and AES present in the CAP post‐2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In human-dominated landscapes, roads are known to negatively influence birds causing decline in species richness, as well as reduction in the number of avian species. However, linear stretches of green spaces formed by roadside plantations in urban streetscapes can support diverse avian communities. In spite of being an integral habitat feature of urban areas, there is a clear paucity of studies on avian diversity in urban streetscapes. The present study was carried out in Kolkata, where data on avian species richness and abundance was collected from 16 randomly placed belt transects (replicates), each of 500 m length and 20 m width, on different major roads throughout the study area keeping a minimum gap of 200 m between adjacent transects to avoid data overlapping. Each of these transects were traversed on foot twice in a month from January to March 2017 during days with calm weather conditions. We recorded 31 species of birds belonging to 8 orders and 19 families, of which maximum species belonged to the order Passeriformes (13 species). We found that both abundance and species richness of birds in transects with higher number of trees (78±4.1 individuals and 19.55±1.703 species of birds) were significantly higher than transects with fewer trees (53.74±2.5 individuals and 9.5±0.789 species of birds). Amongst various habitat features along these streetscapes, the total number of trees positively influenced both species richness (GLMM: F1, 90=14.485, P<0.05) and abundance of birds (GLMM: F1, 90=8.081, P<0.05). However, the other land use variables (i.e. number of bushes, waterbodies, markets and buildings) neither influenced the abundance of birds nor the species richness. Our findings can be useful for urban development to perceive the importance of various habitat features in urban streetscapes in sustaining avian diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Habitat heterogeneity clearly distinguished in terms of availability of food and habitat resources and landscape features (natural or human-modified) play a crucial role in the avian species composition and population structure. To examine this, a study was carried out in Bhubaneswar, India, to understand the ecological niche distinction in birds based on habitat heterogeneity. Regular sampling was conducted in 30 sampling sites covering six different habitat types in a predominantly urban landscape of Bhubaneswar for understanding the ecological niche in birds. The birds were classified into 11 types of foraging guilds. Results: The insectivorous guild had the highest bird species richness (181 species) and the omnivorous guild had the lowest (11 species). The piscivorous guild and wetland habitat had the strongest linkage, followed by the insectivorous guild and agricultural land. The frugivorous guild was significantly correlated with forest habitats (r = 0.386, p < 0.01) and park and garden habitats (r = 0.281, p < 0.01). This urban area hosted a higher number of bird species in certain habitat types, viz., agricultural lands (52%, 115 species) and forest patches (50%, 111 species). Conclusion: The present study highlights the importance of agricultural lands, forest patches, parks and gardens, and wetlands inside the cityscape for supporting avifauna. It is therefore suggested that such habitats should be conserved inside an urban area to protect native avifauna. Thus, the city development plan must invariably include strategies for conserving the forest patches inside the urban area. Measures must be taken to restrain the degradation of agricultural lands and reduce their utilization for non-agricultural purposes, which will help in further reducing the bird population decline in the urban landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of Arnica montana, a characteristic species of nutrient poor grasslands in Central Europe, have been deteriorating over the last decades, especially in lowland regions. Population size has been declining and signs of sexual reproduction are scarce. To start a long-term regeneration program, we investigated the major habitat specific drivers for the decline in Hesse, Germany. Firstly, we conducted a field study to analyze habitat characteristics of 32 Hessian lowland sites, comparing those on which this species has become extinct during the last 15 years with sites of small and declining, as well as large, stable populations. We compared habitat traits focusing on soil parameters, nutrients, and vegetation characteristics. Secondly, we set up a greenhouse experiment to study the response of A. montana seedlings to competition and nutrient input to assess the effects of competition pressure and fertilization. The results show lower carbon-to-nitrogen ratios and higher Ellenberg nitrogen indicator values on sites with extinct populations compared to existing populations. Both pH and Ellenberg soil reaction indicator values were higher on sites with extinct populations. In the greenhouse, the combination of nitrogen addition and competition resulted in lower seedling numbers. While rosette size was not dependent on fertilization, growth was strongly enhanced in the plots lacking vegetation. Both studies suggest that soil nutrient enrichment followed by competition pressure diminishes the number of safe sites for A. montana seedling recruitment and establishment and negatively impacts the growth of existing rosettes, thus leading to the continuous decline of populations. There is an urgent need for actions to reduce unintentional nitrogen deposition in the remaining nutrient poor areas as well as to modify land use to withdraw nutrients from enriched soils in order to preserve the remaining A. montana populations and to create bare ground for the safekeeping and enhancement of self-sustainable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of birds that forage on aerial insects have been declining across North America for several decades, but the main causes of and reasons for geographical variation in these declines remains unclear. We examined the habitat use and survival of post-fledging Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, using VHF radio telemetry. We predicted that fledgling Barn Swallows hatched in higher-quality natal habitat (pasture) would fledge at higher quality, stay closest to the nest, disproportionately use higher-quality habitat during the post-fledge stage, and have higher survival rates in the region. Contrary to our predictions, we found that natal habitat (crop, pasture, or non-agriculture) had no effect on fledgling quality or movement distance. Barn Swallow fledglings used crop habitat more frequently in relation to its availability than other habitat types, including pasture. Barn Swallows had low post-fledging survival rates (0.44; 95% CI: 0.35–0.57), which could negatively influence the population trend of the species in this region. While natal habitat had only minor effects, crop habitat appears to be important for fledgling Barn Swallows and, therefore, a decline in this habitat type could have further negative implications for an already declining species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Threatened species that exist in small isolated populations are vulnerable to extinction processes, so effectively monitoring the trajectory of such populations will help determine the most appropriate management actions to combat extinction threats. In this study, we aimed to track the population status of the fossorial heath skink Liopholis multiscutata that is listed as threatened in Victoria, south‐eastern Australia, and exists there as a few small and highly disjunct populations, by using an appropriate surrogate population monitoring metric. This secretive lizard is a habitat specialist, is highly localised in Victoria and lives in warrens in semi‐arid heathland or mallee on large dunes. Survey data, which included every warren and their constituent burrows, as well as an assessment of whether each burrow was 'active', were collected for the four known Victorian populations in 2007 and annually during 2014–2018 inclusive. We compared five population indices per monitoring site: number of active warrens (NAW), number of active burrows (NAB), population area for 80% of active warrens (PA80), percentage of warrens that were active (PAW) and average number of active burrows per active warren. The heath skink currently occurs in small populations (8–46 active warrens) and these populations have typically declined over recent years. NAW was the most robust metric; NAB and PA80 did not reveal strong temporal trends. PAW indicated that inactive warrens and burrows persist less than a year and hence may provide information about recent (within months) population changes. It is imperative to establish a material link between the effective monitoring of small, vulnerable populations and the implementation of management actions that benefit such populations. Here, NAW could be used as a long‐term monitoring tool to provide an estimate of the minimum population size of the heath skink at a site. Its use would also ensure continuity in monitoring approaches for the Victorian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I use point-count survey data collected from 171 locations across 11 vegetation conditions in western Mexico to illustrate common patterns of winter habitat use by 97 Nearctic–Neotropical migratory landbird species. A number of bird species are relatively restricted in their habitat use, with some (e.g., Northern Waterthrush [Parkesia noveboracensis], American Redstart [Setophaga ruticilla]) occurring only in relatively undisturbed habitats, and others (e.g., Say’s Phoebe [Sayornis saya], Horned Lark [Eremophila alpestris]) occurring only in relatively disturbed lands associated with agriculture. A large number of bird species (e.g., Cassin’s Vireo [Vireo cassinii], MacGillivray’s Warbler [Geothlypis tolmiei]) use every one of the vegetation types considered, from low-elevation tropical deciduous forests to high-elevation conifer forests. Bird species showing patterns of restricted habitat use deserve conservation attention, but even the more broadly distributed species might become significantly less abundant in human-altered portions of habitats. Identifying the latter will require the inclusion of a wider spectrum of altered vegetation types/conditions than what I included here, or than what is typically considered in wildlife–habitat relationship programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) is a commercially important species; however, its population has declined in recent years. Appropriate conservation management, including habitat protection, is required to reverse this decline. However, their habitat use pattern during the riverine life stage is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the longitudinal distribution and microhabitat of small-sized (<200 mm total length) and large-sized (≥200 mm total length) Japanese eels observed in 83 and 124 quadrats (1 m × 1 m), respectively, placed at seven stations in the Nikkeshi River in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Analysis using generalized linear models revealed that the eel density of both size classes decreased with increasing distance from the river mouth. In addition, the density of small-sized eels, but not large-sized ones, decreased as weir numbers increased. Moreover, analysis using generalized additive models showed that microhabitat uses differed between the size classes. The small-sized eels used near-shore habitats which had low current velocities. Their preferred habitats contained both complex substrates with smaller particle sizes and simple substrates with relatively large particle sizes. In contrast, the large-sized eels used both near-shore habitats with lower current velocities and the center of the river which had high current velocities. They preferred simple riverbed habitats with large particle-sized substrates and no underwater vegetation. These results suggest that there is a size-dependent change in the longitudinal distribution and microhabitat use of Japanese eels during their river life stage. These findings provide valuable information for the conservation and management of Japanese eels in rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For declining wild populations, a critical aspect of effective conservation is understanding when and where the causes of decline occur. The primary drivers of decline in migratory and seasonal populations can often be attributed to a specific period of the year. However, generic, broadly applicable indicators of these season‐specific drivers of population decline remain elusive. We used a multi‐generation experiment to investigate whether habitat loss in either the breeding or non‐breeding period generated distinct signatures of population decline. When breeding habitat was reduced, population size remained relatively stable for several generations, before declining precipitously. When non‐breeding habitat was reduced, between‐season variation in population counts increased relative to control populations, and non‐breeding population size declined steadily. Changes in seasonal vital rates and other indicators were predicted by the season in which habitat loss treatment occurred. Per capita reproductive output increased when non‐breeding habitat was reduced and decreased with breeding habitat reduction, whereas per capita non‐breeding survival showed the opposite trends. Our results reveal how simple signals inherent in counts and demographics of declining populations can indicate which period of the annual cycle is driving declines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responses to climate change by seabirds in the North Pacific may include range restrictions and require colonizing new habitats. To inform conservation actions supporting climate adaptations, we examined the colonization of Año Nuevo Island, a nearshore island in central California, by Cassin's Auklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus). We quantified population growth, reproduction, band returns, mortality, and habitat metrics from 1995-2017 and described habitat management that facilitated colony persistence. Cassin's Auklet breeding population grew to 136 birds by 2014, despite population declines during 2005-2007 and 2016-2017 concurrent with reproductive failures and die-offs that affected Cassin's Auklets regionally. Annual productivity of this small colony was similar to larger populations in the region at 0.72 ± 0.23 SD chicks fledged per pair from 1999-2017 (n = 15 years). Band returns indicated population connectivity with the Farallon Islands, California. Annual rates of burrow damage were 14 ± 8%, with up to 30% damaged a year. Habitat management to prevent erosion damage to nesting burrows included sea lion exclusion, erosion control, and ceramic artificial burrows. Describing conditions that facilitated the colonization and growth of this Cassin's Auklet breeding site can inform actions that support other locations and multiple burrowing seabird species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Islands harbor unique and sensitive wildlife. Little is currently known, however, on how touristic development affects island species. We analyzed how tourism-associated infrastructure impacts wildlife and habitat availability across a representative Mediterranean island landscape (Naxos, Aegean Sea, Greece). Objectives: First, we aimed to quantify how human-built structures (buildings and roads) affect island bird and reptile populations. Additionally, we investigated whether specific factors associated with this development such as cats, water, and food shape these impacts. Second, we mapped and quantified how touristic-dominated development over 33 years has changed landscape habitat availability for wildlife. Methods: We used wildlife field surveys and analyses to elucidate the spatial responses of wildlife to development, and combined this with a compilation of image-derived spatial data of the recent infrastructure expansion. Results: Native birds declined strongly close to buildings and roads, and were replaced there by non-native invasive species. Reptiles also largely disappeared close to human development; appearing to be influenced by predation by pet cats. Over the study period, 1982–2015, human-built structures nearly doubled. Combining the increase in infrastructure numbers with each structure's estimated ecological footprint, 100 m, revealed that only 20.5% of the potential wildlife habitat remains unaffected by development in the study region. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the landscape-level effects of diffuse tourism-dominated development on island wildlife and suggests the existence of cooperative effects between touristic expansion and exotic species. Given the pervasive presence of tourism in island habitats, it raises concerns about its effects on resident biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is an inevitable process in human civilization. When populations expand, socio-economic and political dynamics typically shift from agricultural predominance to one of industry and services. Accordingly, agrarian societies transform from diffuse rural communities to dense urban centers. By 2050, the world's population is projected to reach 9.1 billion, with the urban population growing from 50 to 70%. Inevitably, this ever-expanding urban frontier encroaches along the human-ecological interface, creating a challenge for conservation and biodiversity. For the past 30 years, agricultural cropland area in the USA has remained fairly constant, despite significant population growth over the same time period. Thus, agricultural production in America has more than kept pace with rapid population growth and global export demand without increasing the farmland footprint at the expense of wildlife habitat. This is primarily due to considerable advances made in pesticide development, safety, and regulation, coupled with soil conservation and genetically modified crops. Still, the potential contribution of agriculture to ecosystem impairment remains contentious, particularly with regard to current use of pesticides. Recently, significant focus has been placed on the state of bird populations in the USA. Many species are considered imperiled, and this is often attributed in the popular media to pesticide use. However, focusing solely on the agricultural/chemical story as a significant driver of species viability and ecological risk within the broader biodiversity and conservation narrative lacks context and perspective. Moreover, the hypothesis that pesticides are indirectly affecting bird population status via reductions in food resources should be considered with caution and within the context of other likely causes. This work explores the dynamics between historical land use, human-controlled activity, and bird population trends from a holistic perspective within the USA. The aim is to provide context, developed from a relative comparison of potential contributing factors, in order to help inform discussion and foster dialogue between industry, academia, government, non-governmental organizations, and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) populations are declining rapidly, with no clear indication as to why. Reduced availability of nesting habitat (chimneys) was thought to be a limiting factor for this threatened species, but data from Ontario, Canada did not support this hypothesis. If availability is not limiting, then perhaps habitat quality may play a role. We examined the thermal aspect of chimneys that are used by nesting swifts. To do so, we identified upper and lower thermal limits influencing the selection of chimneys for nesting. Across Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, we deployed temperature loggers in 19 chimneys, 11 of which contained chimney swift nests and 8 that were deemed suitable for nesting but were not occupied. Temperature readings were recorded at 30-min intervals from 23 June to 15 September 2017. We found that chimney occupancy by swifts was negatively correlated with maximum and mean chimney temperature. We did not find a relationship between occupancy and minimum temperature, temperature fluctuations, or chimney material. These results indicate that chimney swifts are preferentially selecting cooler chimneys for nesting. Highlights • Chimney occupancy by chimney swifts influenced by maximum and mean temperatures. • No effect of minimum temperatures on chimney occupancy. • Stable microclimate less important to occupancy than buffering of high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global changes are modifying the structure of species assemblages, but the generality of resulting diversity patterns and of their drivers is poorly understood. Any such changes can be detected and explained by comparing temporal trends in taxonomic and functional diversity over broad spatial extents. In this study, we addressed three complementary questions: How did bird taxonomic and functional diversity change over the past 40 years in the conterminous United States? Are these trends non-linear? Can temporal variations in functional diversity be explained by broad-scale changes in climate and vegetation productivity? We quantified changes in taxonomic and functional diversity for 807 bird assemblages over the past four decades (1970-2011) considering a suite of 16 ecological traits for 435 species. We found increases in local bird species richness and taxonomic equitability that plateaued in the early 2000's while total abundance declined over the whole period. Functional richness, the total range of traits in an assemblage, increased due to the rising prevalence of species with atypical life-history strategies and under-represented habitat or trophic preferences. However, these species did not trigger major changes in the functional composition of bird assemblages. Inter-annual variations in climate and primary productivity explained the richness of bird life-history traits in local assemblages, suggesting that these traits are influenced by broad-scale environmental factors, while others respond more to more local drivers. Our results highlight that a comparative analysis of the multiple facets of functional diversity can raise novel insights on processes underlying temporal trends in biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of grassland birds in north america have declined greatly in the past five decades. hypothesized drivers of decline include habitat loss, fragmentation, and adverse impacts from human activities. at a remnant fescue grassland in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan numbers of Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus), and Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) have been stable. numbers of clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) have increased since the 1960s. Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii), Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), and Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) are no longer present. Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii), Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), and horned lark (Eremophila alpestris) have become irregular visitors. In the past 50 years, 91 species have been observed displaying territorial behaviour, feeding, nesting, or migrating at this remnant native grassland. With encroaching urban development and increased human influence at the prairie and surrounding area, the impacts on the bird communities at the site in the future are unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unsown fallow plots, commonly referred to as ‘lapwing plots’, are widely promoted within the English agri-environmental programme, but remain unstudied outside of England. We tested Lapwing plots in an industrialised agricultural landscape in Central Europe from 2010 to 2015. Lapwings ( Vanellus vanellus ) and other birds as well as plant species were mapped. Factors influencing the success of the plots were modelled to obtain information on how to design a well-working agri-environment scheme (AES). Lapwings were present at 65% of the 61 lapwing plots studied, whereas colonisation of untreated control sites was significantly lower (37%). 64 lapwing pairs bred at 26 lapwing plots, but only 18 pairs at nine untreated sites. Hatching success was significantly higher than without treatment (24 pairs at 11 lapwing plots vs. 3 pairs at 2 control sites). Other species which benefitted from the measures were Eurasian Skylark ( Alauda arvensis ) and Yellow Wagtail ( Motacilla flava ). The modelling of key factors showed that a successful lapwing plot should be: (1) large (at least about 2 ha); (2) located at a traditional breeding site; (3) sparsely vegetated; and, (4) equipped with a shallow pool of water. Placing them in winter cereals improved hatching success. Lapwing plots at damp sites are a promising AES for lapwing conservation in industrialised agricultural landscapes in Central Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Conservation research often focuses on individual threats at a single spatial scale, but population declines can result from multiple stressors occurring at different spatial scales. Analyses incorporating alternative hypotheses across spatial scales allow more robust evaluation of the ecological processes underlying population declines. Objectives: Populations of many aerially insectivorous birds are declining, yet conservation efforts remain focused on habitat due to an absence of data on changes in prey availability. We evaluate the potential for prey and habitat availability at multiple spatial scales to influence a population of eastern whip-poor-wills ( Antrostomus vociferous). Methods: We assess relationships between landcover (topographical map and satellite imagery) and insect abundance (moths and beetles from blacklight traps), and whip-poor-will distribution and abundance within eastern Canada using Ontario breeding bird atlas data (1980s and 2000s), acoustic recordings (regional), and point counts (local). Results: Whip-poor-will occurrence in both atlas time periods was positively associated with forest area and fragmentation, but only a delayed effect of urban area explained reductions in detection. Contemporary regional whip-poor-will presence was positively related to moth abundance, and local whip-poor-will abundance was best predicted by area of open-canopy forest, anthropogenic linear disturbance density, and beetle abundance. Our finding that bird presence and abundance were associated with human activity and insect abundance across spatial scales suggests factors beyond habitat structure are likely driving population declines in whip-poor-wills and other aerial insectivores. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of examining multiple hypotheses, including seasonally and locally variable food availability, across a range of spatial scales to direct conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demographic value of existing habitat can be affected by changes in predator populations. In Finland, wader populations increased when the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) declined, due to poisoning by agricultural chemicals during the 1960-1970. Following regulation of DDT usage, nesting Peregrine numbers have increased more than tenfold, while wader populations concurrently declined. The "protection" hypothesis states that although top predators may negatively affect populations of primary prey species, they may benefit other species populations by suppressing activities of mesopredators, such as egg and chick predation. We studied diet preferences of Peregrine Falcons in south-west Finnish Lapland during a period of falcon population growth, based on indices of species consumption versus availability. Preferred and optimal sized prey species, excluding ducks, were equally abundant on bogs with and without Peregrines, and neither did the abundance of non-preferred or non-optimal sized birds differ between bogs with and without Peregrines. Thus, the protection hypothesis was supported for ducks. We found that preferred prey species significantly declined in numbers over time, while populations of non-preferred and non-optimal sized prey species declined less or remained stable, as expected if Peregrines would have direct negative effects on prey species. However, local effects were apparent when comparing local versus national trends of suitable and less suitable sized prey for the Peregrines. While the raptors' role in the population declines of wetland species must have increased after their recovery in the 1970s, this effect might be difficult to separate from other concurrent effects of habitat loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a consequence of extensive habitat loss and fragmentation, grassland bird populations have declined substantially across much of North America. To assess management strategies for restoring and maintaining suitable habitat for grassland birds, we conducted a four-year survey of grassland-breeding passerines in the restored tallgrass prairies of the Carleton College Cowling Arboretum in Northfield, Minnesota. Between 2010 and 2013, we sampled bird populations weekly during the breeding season in ten adjacent management units that differed in size and spatial configuration. We used principal components analysis (PCA) to compare avian community composition among the units and to examine the association between habitat properties and makeup of the community. The size of a management unit had no effect on the bird community, but there was a strong impact of forest edge on community composition. Management units with less exposure to forest edge had greater abundance of grassland-obligate but not grassland-facultative birds. Management units that were less exposed to forest edge also had greater overall grassland bird diversity. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining grassland patches far from forest edges to increase habitat suitability for a diverse assemblage of grassland avifauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canaan Valley contains important habitat for Scolopax minor (American Woodcock) in the mid-Atlantic states, especially in West Virginia. Throughout the eastern United States, however, this species has experienced significant population declines since the US Fish and Wildlife Service began monitoring its populations in 1968. Losses of early successional habitats through urbanization and forest-stand maturation have been identified as probable causes for the decrease in population. During 1995-1997, we sampled American Woodcock presence and measured microhabitat and landscape characteristics in a variety of early successional habitats on plots located in and around Canaan Valley. Habitat characteristics related to soil moisture differentiated sites in and outside of Canaan Valley. Sites used by American Woodcock in Canaan Valley generally occurred in or near shrubby wetlands. To identify long-term changes in quality and quantity of American Woodcock habitat, we also compared current availability of appropriate habitat to similar data collected by researchers in the 1970s. We found that almost all of the sites in Canaan Valley that were originally classified as exceptional were still good American Woodcock habitat. Land development and succession, however, have reduced the quality of habitat. Active management and protection are needed, particularly because Canaan Valley is the only place in West Virginia that consistently offers exceptional American Woodcock habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insectivorous birds provide key ecosystem services for agricultural production, such as biological pest control. However, habitat loss and degradation by agriculture are among the main causes of biodiversity loss globally, including the recent decline in bird populations. Habitat loss has particularly affected insectivorous birds due to the associated decrease in the availability of suitable nesting sites. Our study assessed a tool of ecological intensification to increase insectivorous bird abundance and biological control in vineyards. We evaluated the effects of nest boxes on prey removal by insectivorous birds in five vineyards in central Chile, using a two-year sentinel prey experimental trial. Our results showed significantly more sentinel larvae removal by birds in plots with nest boxes than control plots. Deploying the nest boxes resulted in a 43% higher consumption of sentinel prey. Therefore, we recommend using nest boxes as an environmentally-friendly method to increase native predators and enhance biological control in agricultural fields. This would have the potential to improve biodiversity conservation and maximize crop yields. • Nest boxes have a positive effect on sentinel larvae removal in vineyards. • Insectivorous birds constitute potential biological control agents in vineyards. • Nest boxes are an efficient and accessible tool to promote biological control in vineyards. • Ecological intensification management promotes the provision of biological control services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Population declines of birds that breed in early-successional shrubland habitat are of great concern to conservationists throughout the northeastern United States. To help increase the efficiency and effectiveness of efforts to conserve these species and their habitats, we studied birds in temporary forest openings created through even-aged timber harvest, and permanent wildlife openings maintained through mechanical treatment and prescribed burning in the Northern Appalachians, USA in 2010 and 2011. We assessed the effects of treatment method, time since last treatment, and retained tree cover on shrubland bird abundance and habitat conditions. Burned and mechanically treated wildlife openings differed only in grass and fern cover. Both types of wildlife openings had more grasses and forbs, and less bare ground than silvicultural openings. Six out of 8 focal bird species were less abundant in silvicultural openings than in wildlife openings. In contrast, abundance of only 1 species differed between burned and mechanically treated wildlife openings. Silvicultural openings supported the same species as wildlife openings, indicating that this management option could be used in place of more costly wildlife opening management. However, because birds were more abundant in wildlife openings, maintaining the current population size of shrubland birds under a management strategy based entirely on silviculture would require a 50-300% increase in the area of silvicultural openings, depending on the species. Individual species peaked in abundance at different times post treatment, indicating that managers must maintain a range of early-successional conditions across the landscape to provide habitat for the entire suite of shrubland birds. Six species exhibited a negative relationship with the basal area of retained conifer cover, and 7 species with deciduous tree cover, indicating that the retention of overstory trees in openings reduced their utility to early-successional birds. © 2014 The Wildlife Society, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas are intended as tools in reducing threats to wildlife and preserving habitat for their long-term population persistence. Studies on ranging behavior provide insight into the utility of protected areas. Vultures are one of the fastest declining groups of birds globally and are popular subjects for telemetry studies, but continent-wide studies are lacking. To address how vultures use space and identify the areas and location of possible vulture safe zones, we assess home range size and their overlap with protected areas by species, age, breeding status, season, and region using a large continent-wide telemetry datasets that includes 163 individuals of three species of threatened Gyps vulture. Immature vultures of all three species had larger home ranges and used a greater area outside of protected areas than breeding and non-breeding adults. Cape vultures had the smallest home range sizes and the lowest level of overlap with protected areas. Rüppell's vultures had larger home range sizes in the wet season, when poisoning may increase due to human-carnivore conflict. Overall, our study suggests challenges for the creation of Vulture Safe Zones to protect African vultures. At a minimum, areas of 24,000 km2 would be needed to protect the entire range of an adult African White-backed vulture and areas of more than 75,000 km2 for wider-ranging Rüppell's vultures. Vulture Safe Zones in Africa would generally need to be larger than existing protected areas, which would require widespread conservation activities outside of protected areas to be successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the expansion of the Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica) westwards in northern Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries, declines have been reported in Fennoscandia. The Norwegian population was 100-500 breeding pairs in 1994. We carried out censuses to detect Rustic Buntings in Norway during 2008-12, and compared these results with previous records to evaluate recent population changes. Transect censuses made along 15km of optimal habitat (swamp forest along rivers) yielded 18 territories during 1972-78, but in 2008 we found only 5 territories, and none since 2011. We also detected Rustic Buntings in 21 of 74 previously-occupied sites (one or more records during 1963-2007).During the study period 2008-12, we recorded Rustic Buntings in 41 sites, with a maximum of 47 territories in 2008. However, from 2008 to 2012 we detected a decline of 82% (yearly decline of 34% ± 9%; 95% CI). Local extinctions occurred in at least 31 sites. The current known population size is 13 territories in 9 sites, and the true population size may be only slightly larger. About half of all territories were associated with beaver dams, but the rate of decline during 2008-12 did not depend on dams. Extinctions could be attributed to habitat loss or change in 9/53 sites (1 logging, 1 cultivation, and 7 loss of a beaver dam). We suggest that the population decline of Norwegian Rustic Buntings is due to factors operating during migration or in wintering areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of shrub-breeding birds are declining in eastern North America, and loss of habitat has been implicated in these declines. Seasonal use of habitat by shrub-breeding birds in the southeastern US remains understudied despite the fact that it is well documented that species resident within a region can shift habitat use dramatically between seasons. To better understand year-round habitat occupancy by shrub-breeding birds, we conducted bird counts and vegetation surveys during summer and winter 2008-2009 within Tuskegee National Forest, Alabama. We used multiseason occupancy models to examine use of habitat and to contrast seasonal occupancy patterns of four species of resident shrub-breeding birds--Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum). Eastern Towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) and Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus). Brown Thrashers and Eastern Towhees are partially migratory--meaning some populations have separate breeding and wintering areas--whereas Carolina Wrens and Northern Cardinals are non-migratory. All four species showed seasonal changes in use of habitat between summer and winter, and all species were associated with both vegetation structure and certain types of cover. Further, partially migratory shrub-breeding species had greater site-turnover and increases in occupancy between summer and winter than non-migratory species. Our results suggest that: (1) management actions based on breeding habitat requirements will likely not create suitable winter habitat, and (2) management of resident shrub-breeding birds will require not only the creation and maintenance of certain types of cover, but also certain structural aspects of vegetation within habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa, Linnaeus 1758, Phasianidae) is a common game bird in Europe and it is classified as SPEC 2 (Species of European Conservation Concern), that is, a species with unfavorable conservation status due to a marked population decline. Loss of suitable habitat and hunting management are considered among the major causes of its decline. Such a decline can be also related to agriculture intensification, changes in agricultural practices and the abandonment of less productive lands. Habitat suitability models are an important management tool to define the potential distribution range of a given species, design a protected area network, and plan appropriate management actions and evaluate their effects. This study was conducted on Elba Island (Tuscany) in spring 2011 to define the habitat factors that affect theA. rufadistribution in a typical Mediterranean landscape. On this island the species is declining, as it is in other areas of Europe. We carried out point counts in a survey stratified according to vegetation. We formulated Resource Probability Selection Functions following a presence vs. availability design by Binary Logistic Regression Analysis to obtain a map of potential distribution of the species. We observed that the red-legged partridge distribution was mainly linked to the natural habitat with garrigue and perennial meadows, whereas woody landscape had a negative effect. To stop the species decline on the island habitat improvement actions are needed, such as the cutting of dense vegetation to create open areas. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]