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Crows, a group of corvid songbird species, show superb behavioral flexibility largely stemming from their advanced cognitive control functions. These functions mainly originate from the associative avian pallium that evolved independently from the mammalian cerebral cortex. This article presents a brief overview of cognitive control functions and their neuronal foundation in crows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of urbanisation are increasingly pervasive across landscapes, and this has implications for animals and the ecological functions they support. Differences in ecological attributes and assemblages between ecosystems means we cannot assume that different ecosystems within the same landscapes are affected by urbanisation in the same trajectory or over the same spatial scales. We test whether and how ecosystem type can modify ecological responses to urbanisation, contrasting beaches, estuaries, rocky headlands and coastal lagoons impacted by a range of urbanisation intensities on the Sunshine Coast in eastern Australia. We sampled coastal vertebrates and measured carrion scavenging, a key ecological function in all ecosystems, using baited camera traps at 85 sites distributed among five beaches (25 sites at five sites per beach), three estuaries (15 sites at five sites per estuary), four coastal lagoons (20 sites at five sites per lagoon) and five headlands (25 sites at five sites per headland). Coastal vertebrate assemblages were best predicted by the additive effects of ecosystem type and the extent of urbanisation within 5 km of each site, and this was typically characterised by increases in synanthropic species abundance at sites with high to intermediate extents of urbanisation nearby. However, two key indicator species had opposing relationships with the extent of urbanisation, and four varied only between ecosystems and not with urbanisation. Urbanisation substantially depressed rates of carrion scavenging, with some variation in species‐specific consumption rates among ecosystems. While native crows, raptors and water rats accounted for 2/3 of carrion consumed, invasive black rats and free‐ranging domestic dogs were significant consumers of carrion. Our results not only stress the pervasive effects of urbanisation on species distributions and abundance across multiple ecosystems in landscapes, but highlight that pivotal ecological functions can be compromised across multiple ecosystems embedded within the same landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) is registered as bait poison for the humane control of red foxes and wild dogs in Australia. To classify the relative hazard of poisons, regulatory bodies have historically demanded LD50 values (the dose lethal to 50% of an animal population) to define the comparative sensitivity of pest and wildlife species. Instead, we developed a replacement assay that used non-lethal dose-response methods to assess the sensitivity of 12 wildlife species and laboratory rats to PAPP that did not require death to be used as an experimental outcome. By establishing the relationship between non-lethal doses of PAPP and the formation of methaemoglobin (MetHb), we found that we could accurately predict doses likely to be lethal. Our estimates very closely approximated existing LD50 values determined for PAPP. We argue that laboratory-based lethal-dose bioassays are unsuited to assessing the comparative hazard of toxicants to wildlife species. In contrast, non-lethal assays that use biologically relevant measures can provide much more robust and meaningful indications of relative hazard even in species of high conservation value, where lethal experimentation can rarely be justified. Para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) is a potent methaemoglobin (MetHb) forming agent used for the lethal control of exotic carnivores and mustelids. To assess the sensitivity of Australian wildlife to PAPP we developed an in vivo assay that did not use death as an endpoint. Sub-lethal dose-response data were modelled to predict PAPP doses required to achieve an endpoint set at 80% MetHb (MetHb80). The comparative sensitivity of non-target mammals referenced to this endpoint was found to be highly variable, with southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus) the most sensitive species (MetHb80 = 6.3 mg kg−1) and bush rats (Rattus fuscipes) the most tolerant (MetHb80 = 1035 mg kg−1). Published LD50 estimates were highly correlated with PAPP doses modelled to achieve the MetHb80 endpoint (r2 = 0.99, p < 0.001). Most dose-response data for native mammals were collected in the field or in semi-natural enclosures, permitting PAPP and placebo dosed animals to be fitted with tracking transmitters and transponders and released at their point of capture. A protracted morbidity and mortality was observed only in Australian ravens (Corvus coronoides). The combination of sub-lethal dose-response assay and survival data collected in the field provided more relevant information about the actual hazard of pest control agents to non-target wildlife species than laboratory-based lethal-dose bioassays. We discuss the need to replace lethal-dose data with biologically meaningful insights able to define a continuum of toxicological hazards that better serve the needs of conservation and veterinary scientists and wildlife managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult sexual interest in dependent young, such as lactating pups or nestlings, has been reported in a few species, with copulations with related dependent young being, at best, extremely rare. Here we document two events of copulations on a nestling by an adult caregiver in a group of kin-living and cooperatively breeding carrion crows Corvus corone. Copulations, as well as other unusual rough actions toward the nestling, occurred within a short time-span characterized by intense conflict among adult group members, suggesting that stress could trigger such behaviours toward the brood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

House Crows Corvus splendens are originally from southern Asia and are considered one of the most invasive birds in the world (Meininger et al. 1980, Nyári et al. 2006, Ryall 2010). They are invading parts of South Africa, mostly along the coastal areas in three provinces (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal) (SABAP2). Here we discuss the distribution of House Crows within the eThekwini Municipality, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal from 2019-2023 records collected by the eThekwini Municipality and South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) officials. The record includes the one known roosting site within the Durban Central and most preferred areas within the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic study of the honeyeater family shows that the four insular species of the genus Gymnomyza are polyphyletic, with the largest, the Crow Honeyeater G. aubryana, being a distinct and ancient lineage. The Critically Endangered Crow Honeyeater is a secretive species that lives in the rainforest of New Caledonia. For two breeding seasons (S1 in 2019 and S2 in 2020) we studied its breeding biology in the Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue. In S1, three nests (N1, N2, N3) were found and one nest (N4) in S2. Three dismantled nests (N1, N2 and N4) revealed four distinct layers; detailed measurements showed that Nest N2 consisted of 507 pieces of nest material and weighed 103 g. The female built the nest and incubated the one-egg clutch for 75% of time over a 24-hour period. The female rolled the egg each 33 minutes (n = 50) during the day and 118 minutes (n = 23) at night. The nest was 9.5 m above ground in a small tree (trunk 12 cm in diameter) and the trees and shrubs within 10 m mainly had trunks 10 cm in diameter (n = 4). Laying occurred during the dry season (August-October). The feeding rate of the nestling was 2.6 times/h. Animal prey items accounted for 74.7% by number, of which 66.5% were orthopterans; indeterminate 9.7%, fruit 12.4% and only 3.2% was nectar (n = 1788). Prey items in the size range 21-40 mm in length constituted 59% of the nestlings' food by number. The number of faecal sacs produced per nestling averaged 1.7/h (n = 956). The young fledged at 25.5 days (mean for two nests) and did not return to the nest, but was fed for another 2.6 months. One juvenile, from an unknown nest, remained at least 16.5 months in the adults' territory. The home range of a male during 2.6 months (September to early December) was 24 ha. The Crow Honeyeater has a slow life history for breeding biology, as found also for the Mao G. samoensis. Both species evolved on tropical islands and show a convergent adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mirror self-recognition (MSR) assessed by the Mark Test has been the staple test for the study of animal self-awareness. When tested in this paradigm, corvid species return discrepant results, with only the Eurasian magpies and the Indian house crow successfully passing the test so far, whereas multiple other corvid species fail. The lack of replicability of these positive results and the large divergence in applied methodologies calls into question whether the observed differences are in fact phylogenetic or methodological, and, if so, which factors facilitate the expression of MSR in some corvids. In this study, we (1) present new results on the self-recognition abilities of common ravens, (2) replicate results of azure-winged magpies, and (3) compare the mirror responses and performances in the mark test of these two corvid species with a third corvid species: carrion crows, previously tested following the same experimental procedure. Our results show interspecies differences in the approach of and the response to the mirror during the mirror exposure phase of the experiment as well as in the subsequent mark test. However, the performances of these species in the Mark Test do not provide any evidence for their ability of self-recognition. Our results add to the ongoing discussion about the convergent evolution of MSR and we advocate for consistent methodologies and procedures in comparing this ability across species to advance this discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate bird damage to lotus roots, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Proteales: Nelumbonaceae), we collected 170 damaged roots from eight flooded lotus fields around Lake Kasumigaura. There were 258 samples of feeding marks, so-called "duck damage," and 41 samples of disease damage. The shapes of the feeding marks were categorized into seven types: touch, sharp-peck, shallow-scoop, deep-scoop, boat, cross-section, and eat-up. We experimentally placed the lotus roots in a post-harvest lotus field and confirmed six types, excluding shallow-scoop, from our observation of the leftovers eaten by Eurasian Coots, Fulica atra L. ( Gruiformes: Rallidae), and Mallards, Anas platyrhynchos L. (Anseriformes: Anatidae) . To compare the shape of the damage with bill size, we tested on crows in captivity. While scars caused by numerous pecks impeded the identification of the suspect species, the width of a single sharp-peck by Eurasian Coots or Large-billed Crows, Corvus macrorhynchos Wagler (Passeriformes: Corvidae), matched their bill width. In the mud of the lotus fields, the color around the feeding marks changed to purple-black after a couple of days, but the shapes did not change and differed from disease damage. Therefore, damaged roots claimed as "duck damage" were caused by ducks and coots' feeding, and a single sharp-peck can be identified as being caused by coots' pecking action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salivary corticosteroid measurement, as a surrogate for plasma corticosteroid levels to evaluate an animal's stress or metabolic state, commonly used in mammals. However, the validity of salivary corticosterone (CORT) measurements in birds has not yet been reported. We aimed to measure salivary CORT in crows using a commercially available CORT enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. An adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge experiment using synthetic cosyntropin, an ACTH analogue, was conducted to compare CORT level elevations between the serum and the saliva in a 10-60 min range. Both salivary and blood CORT was significantly elevated 10 min after injecting synthetic cosyntropin. The results supported the validation of salivary CORT as a surrogate for a blood CORT in crows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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As concluded in the previous paper, the order of synurbization of predators (Corvus cornix first of all) and prey species, as well as relatively low or moderate proportions of predated nests in some avian prey species in selected Russian cities, are consistent with the so-called urban predation paradox. The paradox observed for terrestrial vertebrates (mostly birds and mammals) in a number of North American and Western European cities, refers to the predation relaxation of prey species in spite of a simultaneous predator proliferation in urban environments. The most plausible explanation of the paradox is based on the suggestion that the abundance of food for predators is often higher in urban landscapes than in more natural ones. As a result, despite the high densities and considerable species richness of predators, especially generalist mesopredators, the per capita predation pressure (per active nest or individual prey) is hypothesized to be lower in cities than in nonurbanized areas. The food subsidies to predators in urban landscapes are provided (1) in the form of anthropogenic food that can be consumed by predators (especially by generalist predators like corvids, gulls, some carnivores) and/or by their prey species and (2) through those resources and human activities (e.g., application of organic fertilizers) that increase habitat (primary) productivity in urban green spaces. Initially, dense urban populations of fully synanthropic species such as Columba livia f. domestica, Passer domesticus, and Rattus norvegicus that highly dependent on anthropogenic food resources, and also of some partially synanthropic species, e.g., Apus apus and Passer montanus, could have been of prime importance as prey for specialist predators like some birds of prey and owls colonizing cities. By significantly part taking the predation pressure by specialist predators, such prey species might have facilitated the urbanization process for some other prey species. The proportions of some synurbic prey species in the diets of urban predators tend to increase with time as the densities of the former increase. In urban habitats, some predators can also expand the range of the species they prey upon or switch to different prey directly or indirectly due to altered abiotic conditions, such as increased temperatures in winter and early spring (enabling an earlier start of breeding in prey and predatory species), artificial light at night (enabling twilight and nocturnal foraging by diurnal birds of prey), and some structural features of buildings (enabling unusual hunting techniques). There are also reasons to suggest that the synurbization of some avian prey species in some cities could have initially been facilitated by nesting in association with aggressive species, e.g., in urban colonies of Turdus pilaris, thus providing protection against predators. However, in general, the importance of such associations for the establishment and growth of avian prey population, especially in urban environments, is poorly studied. They are estimates of synergistic effects of predation and other interspecific interactions, especially parasitism, on the success of synurbization that deserve the utmost attention in the coming future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities in which the synurbization of some important predators began simultaneously with, or earlier than, the synurbization of prey species are a precious tool for studying the specificity of predator–prey interactions in urban landscapes. The city of Moscow is an excellent example. The following bird species can be considered synurbic in the city: Tadorna ferruginea (introduced), Bucephala clangula (a successfully introduced species, but the breeding population has declined dramatically since 2010), Anas platyrhynchos (reintroduced), Accipiter gentilis, Falco subbuteo, F. tinnunculus, Corvus cornix, Turdus pilaris, Parus major, and Cyanistes caeruleus. Accipiter nisus, Gallinula chloropus, Asio otus, Motacilla alba, Lanius collurio, Sturnus vulgaris, Hippolais icterina, Sylvia atricapilla, Muscicapa striata, Erithacus rubecula, Luscinia luscinia, Turdus philomelos, T. merula, Fringilla coelebs, Carduelis chloris, and C. carduelis are also successful inhabitants of the city, although their maximum breeding densities in urban green spaces are not obviously higher than those in rural/natural landscapes. A huge and dense population of Corvus cornix, an important nest predator, was formed in Moscow during the 1960s and early 1970s. The urban population of Accipiter gentilis varying during the last decades around 35–40 pairs yearly developed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Currently, some areas within the city support comparatively diverse predator assemblages. For example, the 1.7-km2 initial area of the Lomonosov Moscow State University at Vorob'evy Gory contains at least 18 predatory species of mammals and birds in the breeding season, including Falco peregrinus, F. subbuteo, F. tinnunculus, Accipiter nisus, Asio otus, Garrulus glandarius, etc. At the same time, some important predators, like most mustelids, are lacking or rare in Moscow. The order and approximate timing of the establishment of urban populations of different species indicate that a number of avian prey species have reached or been able to maintain high breeding densities in urban green spaces simultaneously with and/or after the synurbization of important predators. In several prey species studied at some localities of the city over the last decades, the proportion of depredated nests was, on average, relatively moderate for a given species (in Turdus philomelos) or sufficiently low (in Parus major, Cyanistes caeruleus, and Turdus pilaris). In general, these conclusions are supported by published data on the same or other prey species from some other cities located in the European part of Russia (Kaliningrad, Ryazan, Voronezh). Even in the presence of numerous predators, urban environments are more or less successfully occupied by substantial numbers of avian prey species from distant taxa and different ecological groups. These include many open-nesters whose clutches and nestlings are highly vulnerable to such predators as corvids and owls. To conclude, a negative answer, although with some reservations, must be given to the question: are predators a difficult barrier for the synurbization of avian prey species? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention describes the ability to selectively process a particular aspect of the environment at the expense of others. Despite the significance of selective processing, the types and scopes of attentional mechanisms in nonprimate species remain underexplored. We trained four carrion crows in Posner spatial cueing tasks using two separate protocols where the attention-capturing cues are shown at different times before target onset at either the same or a different location as the impending target. To probe automatic bottom-up, or exogenous, attention, two naïve crows were tested with a cue that had no predictive value concerning the location of the subsequent target. To examine volitional top-down, or endogenous, attention, the other two crows were tested with the previously learned cues that predicted the impending target location. Comparing the performance for valid (cue and target at same location) and invalid (cue and target at opposing locations) cues in the nonpredictive cue condition showed a transient, mild reaction time advantage signifying exogenous attention. In contrast, there was a strong and long-lasting performance advantage for the valid conditions with predictive cues indicating endogenous attention. Together, these results demonstrate that crows possess two different attention mechanisms (exogenous and endogenous). These findings signify that crows possess a substantial attentional capacity and robust cognitive control over attention allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egypt is characterized by many deserts associated with cities. The desert raven is considered an ancient one of the most abundant birds in the Egyptian desert and is susceptible to a wide range of ectoparasites. therefore, the present study was to identify the ectoparasites that infect brown-necked raven Corvus ruficollis in Wadi Dara, Eastern Desert, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt. During the two years from 2020 to 2022, several parasites were collected from a brown-necked raven. Sixteen live brown-necked ravens and nine nests in the Red Sea governorate were investigated. The collected ectoparasites were thirteen lice species belonging to two suborders, four dipteran species belonging to two families, ten mite species belonging to two families, also nine tick species belonging to two families. Generally, ectoparasites are considered the primary cause of many dangerous effects for many domestic and migratory bird species, the presence of the brown-necked ravens in the bird migration route in the eastern desert increases the chance of ectoparasites transmission between different species in the same area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted as part of a PhD project to introduce one of Sindh's bird species and helminthic parasites of Passer pyrrhonotus (Blyth, 1845) were examined from Larkana districts of Sindh Province, Pakistan. During present investigation for the helminthic parasites, total fourteen Passer pyrrhonotus (Sindh Jungle Sparrow) were examined from Larkana districts of Sindh Province, Pakistan. Out of fourteen birds, only one was found infected with five nematodes of genus Acuaria Bremser, 1811 (02♂, 03♀) belonging to Acuariidae: Nematoda, obtained from the intestine of Passer pyrrhonotus, were killed and processed in a 70% ethanol and glycerol solution for comprehensive study. The specimens were compared with the different species of genus Acuaria, reported from different birds around the world. The new species is named as Acuaria pakistanensis n.sp. The name of the new species relates to the name of the country from which it was obtained. However, this genus and host Passer pyrrhonotus (Sindh/Jungle Sparrow) is reported first time from Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The house crow (Corvus splendens) is globally recognised as a pest. It is an invasive species that can populate Malaysia's urban landscape and urban coastal areas. C. splendens was imported from Sri Lanka to Klang, Malaysia, in the 1890s to control caterpillars on coffee plantations. After a few decades, crows are able to adapt and co-exist with humans as a result of significant growth in the human population and urbanization. These urban pests are important due to the large volume of faecal droppings on buildings and near human dwellings. In other parts of the world, house crows can transmit pathogens and diseases such as chlamydiosis, salmonellosis, colibacillosis, and avian tuberculosis. They also carry human pathogens such as Salmonella spp., Shigella serotypes, Vibrionaceae spp., Newcastle disease virus (NDV), avian influenza virus (AIV) and West Nile virus (WNV) that can be transmitted to humans through their faeces. The first AIV transmission from birds to humans that caused a pandemic was alarming because of the risk of AIV and other avian virus transmission from birds. This prompted investigations into crow populations in urban centres. This review details the potential of C. splendens to spread AIV, NDV and WNV in Malaysia's highly urbanized areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing use of conservation breeding and translocations in conservation, many translocation efforts fail due to predation post-release. Released animals often lack appropriate behaviors for survival, including anti-predator responses. Anti-predator training—a method for encouraging animals to exhibit wariness and defensive responses to predators—has been used to address this challenge with varying degrees of success. The efficacy of anti-predator training hinges on animals learning to recognize and respond to predators, but learning is rarely assessed, or interventions miss key experimental controls to document learning. We present an experimental framework for designing anti-predator training that incorporates suitable controls to infer predator-specific learning and illustrate their use with the critically endangered Hawaiian crow, 'alalā (Corvus hawaiiensis). Our training aimed to increase anti-predator behavior towards a natural predator, the Hawaiian hawk, 'io (Buteo solitaries). In addition to running live predator training trials, we included two control groups, to determine if responses could otherwise be due to accumulated stress and agitation or to generalized increases in fear of movement. We could not verify that the training induced anti-predator learning because responses were similar across all experimental groups. Therefore, without these control groups, we may have wrongly concluded that predator-specific learning occurred. Additionally, despite generations in human care that can erode anti-predator responses, 'alalā showed high levels of predatory wariness during baseline assessments. We discuss the implications of a learning-focused approach to training for managing endangered species that require improved anti-predator competence and the importance of understanding learning mechanisms in diagnosing behavioral problems. Significance statement: Knowledge of animal learning has the potential to improve skills training for animals prior to release in the wild but only if animals learn from the stimuli provided in survival-relevant ways. Here, we test whether a setup used for anti-predator training actually leads to learning when applied with the critically endangered 'alalā (Corvus hawaiiensis) that struggle to survive alongside their native predator. We found that various experimental controls (e.g., capture net and live chicken) produce similar responses to the training itself, which questions the efficacy of training for inducing anti-predator learning. Such investigations are an important tool for improving the effectiveness of conservation behavior interventions that rely on learning outcomes to improve survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How people relate to biodiversity and whether they are supportive of conservation programs and policies has implications on global and local biodiversity conservation efforts. Nature experiences in childhood has been shown to be strongly correlated to positive attitudes towards nature and wildlife in adulthood. In this study, we examined wildlife experience, attitudes and willingness to coexist with 26 vertebrates and invertebrates amongst residents in a highly urbanized tropical city, Singapore. A total of 1004 respondents were surveyed and their childhood nature experience and various socioeconomic variables were obtained. The animals were grouped by their likeability and preferred habitat from the respondents' answers. Three main groups of animals were discerned – unfavorable animals, mammals, and favorable animals. Singapore residents generally had high direct experiences of animals that are common in urban settings, for both favorable and unfavorable animals, such as butterflies, dragonflies, crows and bees, but low direct experiences of forest-dependent wildlife. Animals that were well-liked and acceptable near homes include the common urban ones and some forest-dependent ones, while animals that were disliked included stinging insects (bees and hornets) and reptiles (snakes and water monitors). Structured equation modelling showed that both childhood nature experience and wildlife experience had strong effects on wildlife likeability and habitat preference. The apparent mismatch between greening policies and people's willingness to coexist with wildlife may be problematic as urban development further encroaches on forest habitats, and this study highlights the importance of preserving forest habitats so that young children and adults have opportunities to be exposed to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors affecting the choice of breeding and non-breeding grounds in migratory birds are important in order to understand the mechanism determining their distribution areas and climate adaptations. The rook, Corvus frugilegus (Passeriformes: Corvidae), predominantly resides in Europe but exhibits migratory habits in the eastern Palearctic region. East Asian populations of rook migrate from breeding grounds in the Eurasian continent around the Amur river basin to wintering grounds in central and south China, the Korean peninsula, and Japan. In Japan, the wintering grounds of C. frugilegus have been gradually expanding since the 1980s. In addition, rook populations that have previously roosted in secondary forests have recently moved to urban areas in several cities, resulting in urban fecal pollution. To clarify the wintering ecology of rooks roosting in urban areas in northern Kyushu, we surveyed seasonal trends in abundance, daily behavior, and dietary habit of rooks in two cities, Saga and Kumamoto. Wintering rooks gradually increased from November to December and decreased from January to March. In the daytime, the rooks foraged at croplands at mean distances of 6.3 and 9.7 km from the roosts, in groups averaging approximately 150 and 90 individuals in Saga and Kumamoto, respectively. Examinations of regurgitation pellets and stomach contents revealed the rooks fed mainly on spilled rice grains, supplemented with wheat and barley grains, Toxicodendron succedaneum and Triadica sebifera fruits, insects (beetles), and the apple snail. The rooks formed communal roosts with carrion crows and large-billed crows in both cities by joining their autumn communal roosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases in livestock not only cause significant economic losses but also affect food security. Although wildlife may be involved in these infectious diseases by serving as reservoirs, research has primarily focused on livestock and related species. Moreover, while these species represent a potential threat in wildlife-borne infectious diseases, comprehensive surveys of the presence of various species are limited. In this study, we aimed to quantitatively investigate the occurrence of various mammals and birds at three pig farms in Japan. We conducted camera trap surveys from October 15, 2020, to March 24, 2022, and determined the relative abundance index inside and outside the sanitary control zone. Wild boar (Sus scrofa), sika deer (Cervus nippon), and Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) were photographed only outside the sanitary control zone. In contrast, small and medium-sized mammals, such as feral cats (Felis catus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), and rodent species (Muridae), and birds, such as the rufous oriental turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis) and crows of the genus Corvus , were photographed both inside and outside the sanitary control zone. This comprehensive quantitative evidence suggests that various mammals and birds may be in indirect contact with livestock, highlighting the need to improve biosecurity at livestock farms. Moreover, while fences are effective against large mammals, they are inefficient against small to medium-sized mammals and birds. Therefore, the results of this study provide important insights into enhancing biosecurity on livestock farms by strengthening physical fencing, disinfecting clothing and equipment, and complying with standards of hygiene management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Liao et al. demonstrated that crows can count out loud, revealing a level of vocal control previously unobserved in nonhuman species. This discovery suggests that rather than being judged by primate standards, birds might represent a new benchmark for vocal and perhaps broader cognitive abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In temperate climates, transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) is detectable rarely during the coldest months (late fall through early spring), yet the virus has reappeared consistently during the next warm season. Several mechanisms may contribute to WNV persistence through winter, including bird-to-bird transmission among highly viremic species. Here we consider whether, under realistic scenarios supported by field and laboratory evidence, a winter bird community could sustain WNV through the winter in the absence of mosquitoes. With this purpose we constructed a deterministic model for a community of susceptible birds consisting of communally roosting crows, raptors and other birds. We simulated WNV introduction and subsequent transmission dynamics during the winter under realistic initial conditions and model parameterizations, including plausible contact rates for roosting crows. Model results were used to determine whether the bird community could yield realistic outbreaks that would result in WNV infectious individuals at the end of the winter, which would set up the potential for onward horizontal transmission into summer. Our findings strongly suggest that winter crow roosts could allow for WNV persistence through the winter, and our model results provide synthesis to explain inconclusive results from field studies on WNV overwintering in crow roosts.

A new study shows that carrion crows use memorized reward associations in a combinatorial way to apply relative probabilistic information to optimize reward outcome. This for the first time shows that a corvid species can flexibly apply statistical inference during decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensely tragic narratives of A Fu on the Marvelous Crow show profound distrust of Confucianism while drawing heavily on ideas from Confucian classics. This reflects both the adorning quality of Confucianism in the Western Han Dynasty and the chaotic social circumstances in the Western Han Dynasty's middle and late periods. The crow in this work represents "Ren" a core principle of Confucianism that means humanity, benevolence, and love, and her death represents the decline of "Ren." The prevalent divination culture of the time serves as the context for this writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a cognitive neuroscience research on recursive sequence generation in crows. Topics include the process of embedding structures within similar structures, is often considered a foundation of symbolic competence and a uniquely human capability; and recursive capabilities are limited to the primate genealogy and have occurred separately from human symbolic competence in different animal taxa.

This article is a summary of the decisions made by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) from 2019 to 2021. The committee evaluates bird species reports in Florida and accepted 81.1% of the 180 new reports reviewed. The article highlights various bird sightings in Florida, including rare species like the Inca Dove and Common Murre. It also provides a list of references for library patrons conducting research on bird species in Florida. The document discusses the expansion of bird populations in certain areas, identification challenges, and the presence of House Crows in Florida. The decisions made by the FOSRC are specific to Florida and have not been considered by other records committees. [Extracted from the article]

I present data on the Mariana Crow for an extensive but previously unavailable set of population and habitat surveys from 1992 to 1993. From these, I (1) compute a series of population estimates from that period during which Mariana Crow numbers were first entering a precipitous decline, (2) quantitatively assess the habitats occupied by individual birds and thereby provide a view of the range of habitats occupied during a time when the species was still widespread, and (3) provide the first direct wet-dry season comparisons of populations and habitat occupancy. Surveys yielded significantly different wet (943) and dry season (459) population estimates, which suggested wet season courtship activity preceding dry season nesting when birds became more secretive. Moreover, they indicated that the critical turning point in population decline was after 1995. Forest was the principal habitat type occupied during both wet and dry seasons, with savanna presentless than half as often as forest, althoughbirds occupied a range of additional habitats. The species was more versatile in habitat use than is often assumed, as rates of habitat occupancy and availability were similar. Versatility is an advantage for populations confined to small islands that periodically suffer catastrophic habitat damage due to typhoons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are members of CANI-Net.1 Sue Porter was pivotal in our efforts to create and sustain the necessary, loosely fashioned spaces to inquire artfully and collaboratively into our fragile existence on this shared and damaged planet. Then suddenly she died. We were grief-stricken. There was a pause. We reconvened, to honor Sue through the ways of working we had accumulated between us over the past decade. We offer you this glimpse into our collaborative mourning for Sue and her ways of sustaining us (including her delight in the company of rolling hills, crows, cormorants, frilly knickers, and red dogs). We talked together. We wrote together. We ate together. We drank together. We made art together. We laughed a lot. We cried. We were altered by the possibilities of collective mourning—finding new ways to carry on being together. We remembered Sue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Also, the density of cookie-cutter shark scars seemed to be noticeably higher in Sato's beaked whales than in Baird's beaked whales (which was also noted by Yamada et al., 2019). We noticed, as also noted by Brownell and Kasuya (2021), that Sato's beaked whales are shyer and less tolerant to the approaching boat than the Baird's beaked whales we observed at the Commander Islands. Beaked whales (Family Ziphiidae, Odontoceti, Cetacea) are one of the least studied groups of cetaceans. [Extracted from the article]

The introduction presents Afro‐Gothic as an aesthetic and theoretical framework for understanding the various works in the special issue, which includes essays, interviews, a playlist, and a roundtable. Taking up Cauleen Smith's Crow Requiem (2015) as its point of departure, the authors discuss how the experimental video illustrates Afro‐Gothic sensibilities in its allegorizing the ambient feeling of precarious and collective vulnerability to gratuitous violence that characterizes our everyday. The introduction considers how theoretical formulations of Afro‐Gothic as mood (Leila Taylor) and aesthetic tool (Kobena Mercer) are especially relevant to the present study before moving on to summarize the contents of the issue. Rather than argue for the originality or definitiveness of this work, the authors propose this special issue as a contribution to a growing body of exciting scholarship by authors in the burgeoning field of black Gothic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avipoxviruses are thought to be restricted to avian hosts and considered significant pathogens that may impact the conservation of many birds. However, reports of avipoxvirus-like viruses from reptiles suggest that cross-species transmission, within birds and other species, may be possible. The vast majority of avipoxviruses in wild birds remain uncharacterised and their genetic variability is unclear. Here, cutaneous pox lesions were used to recover a novel full-length crowpox virus genome from an Australian little crow (Corvus bennetti), followed by the detection of immature and intracellular mature virions using electron microscopy. The CRPV genome was 328,768 bp in length and contained 403 predicted open-reading frames. While 356 of the ORFs of CRPV genome had the greatest similarity with other avipoxviruses gene products, a further 47 ORFs were novel. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses showed that the CRPV was most closely related to other avipoxviruses isolated from passerine and marine bird species and demonstrated the highest sequence similarity with an albatrosspox virus (84.4%). Considering the sequence similarity observed between CRPV and other avipoxviruses and phylogenetic position, this study concluded that the CRPV to be a distinct available candidate of avipoxviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyomaviruses are nonenveloped icosahedral viruses with a double-stranded circular DNA containing approximately 5000 bp and 5–6 open reading frames. In contrast to mammalian polyomaviruses (MPVs), avian polyomaviruses (APVs) exhibit high lethality and multipathogenicity, causing severe infections in birds without oncogenicity. APVs are classified into 10 major species: Adélie penguin polyomavirus, budgerigar fledgling disease virus, butcherbird polyomavirus, canary polyomavirus, cormorant polyomavirus, crow polyomavirus, Erythrura gouldiae polyomavirus, finch polyomavirus, goose hemorrhagic polyomavirus, and Hungarian finch polyomavirus under the genus Gammapolyomavirus. This paper briefly reviews the genomic structure and pathogenicity of the 10 species of APV and some of their differences in terms of virulence from MPVs. Each gene's genomic size, number of amino acid residues encoding each gene, and key biologic functions are discussed. The rationale for APV classification from the Polyomavirdae family and phylogenetic analyses among the 10 APVs are also discussed. The clinical symptoms in birds caused by APV infection are summarized. Finally, the strategies for developing an effective vaccine containing essential epitopes for preventing virus infection in birds are discussed. We hope that more effective and safe vaccines with diverse protection will be developed in the future to solve or alleviate the problems of viral infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds can act as successful long‐distance vectors and reservoirs for numerous zoonotic bacterial, parasitic and viral pathogens, which can be a concern given the interconnectedness of animal, human and environmental health. Examples of such avian pathogens are members of the genus Chlamydia. Presently, there is a lack of research investigating chlamydial infections in Australian wild and captive birds and the subsequent risks to humans and other animals. In our current study, we investigated the prevalence and genetic diversity of chlamydial organisms infecting wild birds from Queensland and the rate of co‐infections with beak and feather disease virus (BFDV). We screened 1114 samples collected from 564 different birds from 16 orders admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital from May 2019 to February 2021 for Chlamydia and BFDV. Utilizing species‐specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays, we revealed an overall Chlamydiaceae prevalence of 29.26% (165/564; 95% confidence interval (CI) 25.65–33.14), including 3.19% (18/564; 95% CI 2.03–4.99%) prevalence of the zoonotic Chlamydia psittaci. Chlamydiaceae co‐infection with BFDV was detected in 9.75% (55/564; 95% CI 7.57–12.48%) of the birds. Molecular characterization of the chlamydial 16S rRNA and ompA genes identified C. psittaci, in addition to novel and other genetically diverse Chlamydia species: avian Chlamydia abortus, Ca. Chlamydia ibidis and Chlamydia pneumoniae, all detected for the first time in Australia within a novel avian host range (crows, figbirds, herons, kookaburras, lapwings and shearwaters). This study shows that C. psittaci and other emerging Chlamydia species are prevalent in a wider range of avian hosts than previously anticipated, potentially increasing the risk of spill‐over to Australian wildlife, livestock and humans. Going forward, we need to further characterize C. psittaci and other emerging Chlamydia species to determine their exact genetic identity, potential reservoirs, and factors influencing infection spill‐over. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about the growing pied crow I Corvus albus i population in southern Africa over the last 30 years (Cunningham et al., 2016) stem from the potential impacts on other species. Routes are displayed over a 30-m resolution raster of normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) ranging from 0.01 (light grey) to 0.15 (dark grey) gl When multiple crows were observed, we only recorded the distance to the first crow spotted, which admittedly may introduce bias that suggests our density values (see results) are underestimated. We conducted road transects in Dronfield and Mokala and first developed a distance density function to determine how the probability of spotting pied crows changes with distance away from the observer along these transects. When a pied crow was detected, we stopped the car and recorded crow frequency and the perpendicular distance (in metres) between the crow(s) and the transect (i.e. distance sampling). [Extracted from the article]