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Birds select breeding territories by assessing territory quality and considering predation pressure. However, in many small passerines, brood parasitism may also play an important role in territory occupancy. Settlement decisions are made under time pressure, especially for late migrants. An example of late migrants is the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio, a species wintering in sub-tropical Africa, which serves as a host for the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus and arrives in territories a few days later than their brood parasite. We expected that arriving red-backed shrikes avoided territories with common cuckoo presence. Then, we tested how experimentally provided artificial playback calls of the common cuckoo and woodpigeon (treated as control) affected the probability of red-backed shrike settlement. In the breeding season 2021, we observed 279 red-backed shrike territories to assess the effect of playback of common cuckoo calls on their host presence. Moreover, we adopt information on shrike territories collected in previous years to establish territory quality, measured by occupancy pattern over years. Each of these places was also checked for the presence of corvids, which are predators of shrike nests. We did not find difference with lower preference of shrikes towards cuckoo calls and to pigeon calls Columba columbus, what suggest the human presence and manipulation in the territories during experiments with recorders should be incorporated as an important factor to understanding shrikes’ settlement behaviour. What is interesting we found no negative effect of corvids (jay Garrulus glandarius) in control territories. However, shrike territories where cuckoo calls were emitted and where the presence of corvids was found were less likely to be inhabited by shrikes. Therefore, territory quality, human presence enhanced by nest predators, is an important factor affecting host–parasite interactions.

Water is crucial for birds, especially during hot weather. However, the availability of water, and its use by birds in modern anthropogenic habitats, is far from understood, especially outside arid regions. Here, we analyze a large nationwide dataset collected in the temperate zone and present an overview of small water resources used by birds in urban and rural habitats in Poland. We investigated the proportion of birds using free-standing water, preferences for various water sources, and factors and threats influencing drinking and bathing behaviour. Birds using water resources are represented by various taxonomic and ecological groups. Species composition differed slightly due to environmental conditions in the vicinity of the water resource and the background species composition. In total 51 species were observed using water, representing 64% of the 80 species recorded in the vicinity. The probability of water usage was positively related to temperature, which further emphasizes the importance of water under future climate-warming scenarios. We show that small water resources, including those provided by people, were less likely to be used by birds than resources resembling natural waters (puddles, ponds, fountains). This novel finding may have particular importance for avian conservation planning, including appropriate behaviour for nature lovers (providing water sources and reducing stress to birds due to predation risk). Finally, we assessed potential threats to bathing and drinking birds, such as moving cars, risk of drowning, and the presence of predators. Any kind of surface water is currently beneficial for wild birds inhabiting human modified landscapes. During heatwaves and droughts access to water can be crucial for many birds. Unfortunately, such extreme events are predicted to become more frequent and more severe under climate change. Therefore, we would encourage further research in the use by birds of free-standing water, similar to the many studies of birdfeeders in winter, and to consider the maintenance of diverse sources of accessible water in environmental management.

Abstract Climate and land use are rapidly changing environmental conditions. Behavioral responses to such global perturbations can be used to incorporate interspecific interactions into predictive models of population responses to global change. Flight initiation distance (FID) reflects antipredator behaviour defined as the distance at which an individual takes flight when approached by a human, under standardized conditions. This behavioural trait results from a balance between disturbance, predation risk, food availability and physiological needs, and it is related to geographical range and population trends in European birds. Using 32,145 records of flight initiation distances for 229 bird species during 2006–2019 in 24 European localities, we show that FIDs decreased with increasing temperature and precipitation, as expected if foraging success decreased under warm and humid conditions. Trends were further altered by latitude, urbanisation and body mass, as expected if climate effects on FIDs were mediated by food abundance and need, differing according to position in food webs, supporting foraging models. This provides evidence for a role of behavioural responses within food webs on how bird populations and communities are affected by global change.

Bats are particularly susceptible to environmental changes because of their low reproductive rate, longevity, and high metabolic rates, which lead to relatively high food requirements. Thus, bat populations take a relatively long time to recover from increased mortality rates, and monitoring schemes should cover long time periods. In this work, we analyzed the population trajectories of two bat species, Rhinolophus hipposideros and Myotis myotis, the most numerous in five caves in southern Poland, which are known as important bat hibernacula on a continental scale. Data were collected by regular counts in 1985–2020, depending on the particular cave; in addition, previous data on the number of hibernating bats in these caves, available since 1951, were taken from existing publications. We analyzed time-series data using average locality indices and TRIM (TRends and Indices for Monitoring data) methods, and both produced similar results. Generally, the populations of the two studied bat species showed recent increasing trends, especially visible as an effect of recovery after years of decline. The situation recorded in southern Poland is very similar to that described in other places in Europe, where recoveries of bat populations have also been observed in the last decades. Although it is difficult to present results from formal analyses, because of the lack of good data, at least some factors—less exposure to contaminants (pesticides, heavy metals), improving food availability due to climate change, and a lower predation rate (including human pressure), both in the breeding season and during wintering—positively affected both species.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and respective shutdowns dramatically altered human activities, potentially changing human pressures on urban-dwelling animals. Here, we use such COVID-19-induced variation in human presence to evaluate, across multiple temporal scales, how urban birds from five countries changed their tolerance towards humans, measured as escape distance. We collected 6369 escape responses for 147 species and found that human numbers in parks at a given hour, day, week or year (before and during shutdowns) had a little effect on birds escape distances. All effects centered around zero, except for the actual human numbers during escape trial (hourly scale) that correlated negatively, albeit weakly, with escape distance. The results were similar across countries and most species. Our results highlight the resilience of birds to changes in human numbers on multiple temporal scales, the complexities of linking animal fear responses to human behavior, and the challenge of quantifying both simultaneously in situ.

Ticks are common ectoparasites of animals; they also carry many tick-borne pathogens that are often detrimental for the health of both animals and humans. These parasites have been found in subcutaneous tissue, mainly in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), but the reason for this is unknown. In this study we report the first occurrence of the tick in an unusual location in the subcutaneous tissue of the raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides. The study was carried out on two adult male raccoon dogs, hunted in Western Poland. After the necropsy, one was found to have a partially decomposed tick, a female Ixodes ricinus, in the groin region.

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

Rhipicephalus microplus is one of the most important ectoparasites of cattle in tropical and subtropical regions. In ticks collected from cattle the pathogens Babesia bovis, Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia spp. can be detected. Here, we report the first detection of the pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Madagascar from ticks infesting cattle. Furthermore, we report for the first time Anaplasma ovis, Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia ewingii and Ehrlichia muris in both R. microplus and in Madagascar. We show no correlation between the detection of B. bovis, Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. DNA within the same tick. Previous reports have demonstrated strong interactions between A. marginale, A. centrale and A. ovis in the same tick, as well between these pathogens and A. phagocytophilum. A strong correlation also existed between the occurrences of Ehrlichia species within the same tick. Our findings suggest that R. microplus ticks are potential vectors and reservoirs of many tick-borne diseases of cattle.

This study aimed at investigating the species composition and richness of the flora of abandoned sheep pens in comparison to their immediate neighbourhood. Field research was conducted in the Wielkopolska province of western Poland on 25 circular plots (20 m2) located in the middle of abandoned pens within sheep farms, paired with 25 reference plots established in nearby grasslands. Physicochemical properties of the topsoil were modified considerably by sheep in the past, so some effects continue to this day. Abandoned sheep pens did not differ significantly in plant species richness from control plots, but Urtica dioica, Galium aparine and Rumex obtusifolius, were significantly associated with sheep pens. Similar values of Shannon index and the low Jaccard index of similarity between plot types indicate that although these habitats are not richer in plant species, they are refuges of some characteristic plant species, which are absent or infrequent in neighbouring habitats. Moreover, the changes in physicochemical properties of the soil (higher average ammonium NH4+-N and nitrate NO3--N content) and vegetation structure are very deep, as they have persisted for 25 years.

Animal tolerance towards humans can be a key factor facilitating wildlife-human coexistence, yet traits predicting its direction and magnitude across tropical animals are poorly known. Using 10,249 observations for 842 bird species inhabiting open tropical ecosystems in Africa, South America, and Australia, we find that avian tolerance towards humans was lower (i.e., escape distance was longer) in rural rather than urban populations and in populations exposed to lower human disturbance (measured as human footprint index). In addition, larger species and species with larger clutches and enhanced flight ability are less tolerant to human approaches and escape distances increase when birds were approached during the wet season compared to the dry season and from longer starting distances. Identification of key factors affecting animal tolerance towards humans across large spatial and taxonomic scales may help us to better understand and predict the patterns of species distributions in the Anthropocene.

Biological responses to climate change have been widely documented across taxa and regions, but it remains unclear whether species are maintaining a good match between phenotype and environment, i.e. whether observed trait changes are adaptive. Here we reviewed 10,090 abstracts and extracted data from 71 studies reported in 58 relevant publications, to assess quantitatively whether phenotypic trait changes associated with climate change are adaptive in animals. A meta-analysis focussing on birds, the taxon best represented in our dataset, suggests that global warming has not systematically affected morphological traits, but has advanced phenological traits. We demonstrate that these advances are adaptive for some species, but imperfect as evidenced by the observed consistent selection for earlier timing. Application of a theoretical model indicates that the evolutionary load imposed by incomplete adaptive responses to ongoing climate change may already be threatening the persistence of species.

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

Há muito tempo a singularidade do homem vem sendo enfatizada. Foi mencionado que outras espécies não fazem ferramentas, não produzem cultura, não têm personalidade, e não são capazes de ensinar intencionalmente. Descobriu-se, no entanto, que este não é o caso. Hoje sabemos que os animais conhecem os fundamentos da cultura, da linguagem e até da política. O que significa ser Homo sapiens? Alguns antropólogos e biólogos modernos evitam essas questões. Por outro lado, muitos representantes das ciências sociais ignoram a bagagem evolutiva dos seres humanos. Poderíamos supor que no processo de desenvolvimento das sociedades e adaptação às condições locais, a cultura superou a evolução baseada apenas em fatores naturais? Por exemplo, por que o cristianismo triunfou em Roma, enquanto os gentios sustentavam o culto à força e à saúde? Os cristãos foram perseguidos em um número inimaginável de maneiras, excluídos das suas comunidades, e ainda assim por que o poder de sua influência foi tão imenso? Tais perguntas podem ter sido formuladas por sociólogos da religião ou historiadores, mas um biólogo as formularia? É o que questiona Robert Boyd, professor de Evolução Humana na Universidade do Estado do Arizona, EUA. Boyd não tem medo de controvérsias e, ao mesmo tempo, está muito aberto a críticas. Em um sentido quase literal. Seu livro A different kind of animal. How culture transformed our species (2017) não é apenas um veículo para as ideias de Boyd sobre o papel da cultura na evolução humana, mas também um espaço de debate.

Mobile telecommunications technologies have become an indispensable part of people’s lives of all ages around the world. They affect personal life and social interactions and are a work tool in the work routine. Network availability requirements and the quality of the Internet connection are constantly increasing, to which telecommunications providers are responding. Humans and wildlife live in the permanent presence of electromagnetic radiation with just a minor knowledge of the impact this radiation has. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of a 900 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) on the locomotor behavior of female Ixodes ricinus ticks under laboratory conditions. Experiments were performed in the radiation-shielded tube (RST) test and radiation-shielded circular open-field arena placed in an anechoic chamber. Altogether, 480 female I. ricinus ticks were tested. In the RST arena, no differences in preference for irradiated and shielded parts of experimental modules were observed; in the open-field arena, the time spent and the trajectory passed was significantly longer in the part exposed to the EMF.

Birdwatching is a very popular and increasing leisure activity, and the study and observation of birds is more popular in the morning due to the greater activity among birds at that time of day. The aim of our study was to find out whether there was a relationship between the circadian preference of observers and their favourite bird species and whether it was influenced by such factors as professional status, age and gender. In an e-mail survey we asked a total of 433 Polish ornithologists (professionals) or birdwatchers (non-professionals) for their morningness–eveningness preferences (four categories) and favourite (open choice) bird species and received 143 responses. The temporal (circadian) preferences of respondents declined from early morning (35.7%) to evening/nighttime (11.4%). Circadian preference categories differed significantly by age, with early morning respondents significantly older. These preference categories did not differ significantly in terms of response time to the survey invitation or in the percentage of their favourite birds that were categorised as daytime birds. A total of 204 species were identified as favourite birds of which 34 species were mentioned by five or more respondents, with only two, the common crane Grus grus and the Eurasian pygmy owl Glaucidium passerinum mentioned by more than 10% of respondents. The white stork Ciconia ciconia was more popular with professionals than non-professionals and the swift Apus apus less popular. A significant gender × circadian preference interaction was detected for the percentage of favourite birds categorised as daytime birds, with fewer daytime birds among early morning female recorders. The presented results are obviously of a correlative nature, but open the door for further, more advanced study and suggest there may be a need to investigate temporal biases when analysing citizen-based data.

Abstract Background Prenatal antibody transfer is an immune-mediated maternal effect by which females can shape postnatal offspring resistance to pathogens and parasites. Maternal antibodies passed on to offspring provide primary protection to neonates against diverse pathogenic antigens, but they may also affect offspring growth and influence the development of an offspring’s own immune response. The effects of maternal antibodies on offspring performance commonly require that the disease environment experienced by a mother prior to breeding matches the environment encountered by her offspring after hatching/birth. However, other circumstances, like postnatal rearing conditions that affect offspring food availability, may also determine the effects of maternal antibodies on offspring growth and immunity. To date, knowledge about how prenatal immune-mediated maternal effects interact with various postnatal rearing conditions to affect offspring development and phenotype in wild bird population remains elusive. Here we experimentally studied the interactive effects of pre-laying maternal immunization with a bacterial antigen (lipopolysaccharide) and post-hatching rearing conditions, altered by brood size manipulation, on offspring growth and humoral immunity of wild great tits (Parus major). Results We found that maternal immunization and brood size manipulation interactively affected the growth and specific humoral immune response of avian offspring. Among nestlings reared in enlarged broods, only those that originated from immunized mothers grew better and were heavier at fledging stage compared to those that originated from non-immunized mothers. In contrast, no such effects were observed among nestlings reared in non-manipulated (control) broods. Moreover, offspring of immunized females had a stronger humoral immune response to lipopolysaccharide during postnatal development than offspring of non-immunized females, but only when the nestling was reared in control broods. Conclusions This study demonstrates that offspring development and their ability to cope with pathogens after hatching are driven by mutual influences of pathogen-induced prenatal maternal effects and post-hatching rearing conditions. Our findings suggest that immune-mediated maternal effects may have context-dependent influences on offspring growth and immune function, related to the postnatal environmental conditions experienced by the progeny.

In agricultural landscapes, the Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura feeds mainly on carcases of domestic animals. In spring 2017, data on 214 flocks of Turkey vultures were collected in a road survey in Cuba (in total 2384 km). Turkey Vultures were found to be common accross Cuba, but flock size varied between habitats, reaching a maximum of 43 in valleys and 31 in agricultural landscapes with domestic animal farms. Vultures were active throughout the day, but the time of day did not significantly affect flock size. This study corroborates previous studies which suggested that carrion resources located in agricultural habitats and river valleys is crucial for the continued survival of this still abundant species. Changes in Cuba’s socio-political system in the near future will likely impact agricultural practices, and this in turn will likely affect Turkey Vultures. Our study may serve as a baseline against which future population changes and flocking behaviour of Turkey Vultures can be compared.

Abstract Background Asymmetry in the wild is a controversial, and to date, unresolved subject. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is the developmental instability (intra-individual variation) while, directional asymmetry (DA) expresses the asymmetry of the population mean. Methods We analysed 63 Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) skins at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. The black markings on the tails were digitized in order to evaluate the symmetry of the two sides of each shrike. Ptilochronology helped understand if nutritional condition affected symmetry. Results ANOVA revealed no significant differences in size of the tail between sexes (F = 1.67, p > 0.05). However, there was significant difference in the shape of the black area in feathers between the sexes (F = 2.14, p

In this article we provide an overview of five case studies of initiatives using the image of White Stork as a focal species. Our case studies are preceded by a short overview of existing approaches to achieve broader environmental goals through species conservation and a review of the social, ecological and social-ecological importance of White Stork. With the use of the above, we investigate linkages, complementarity and friction between the ecological, social and social-ecological perspectives on focal species, and eventually propose a framework for a more multi-targeted approach. The proposed concept of a social-ecological keystone species recognises social-ecological system complexity and goes beyond traditional divisions into ecological and social. Our approach extends the cultural keystone species concept to tie into new spheres – modern societies with more indirect connections to nature as well as indigenous communities, and all forms of human relationships with other species, not just for consumption – and to explicitly include the ecological significance of a species. Apart from serving as a potentially highly useful conservation proxy, a social-ecological keystone species emerges as a vehicle for ecological literacy, expanding from an interest in a species to learn more about the system of which it is part. White Stork, with its long history of coexistence with humans and many linkages with specific cultural practices offers an excellent example for discussing the broader social-ecological relevance of species in establishing meaningful connections to nature.

Hops (mainly Humulus lupulus varieties) are a globally significant agricultural crop, known mainly for their use in the brewing industry. Hop plantations create unique habitats for birds, with structural poles potentially serving as nesting sites for cavity nesting birds. We surveyed 321 hop plantations (inspecting 100 random poles in each) during the 2023 breeding season in Bavaria, Germany, and examined structural poles for the presence of nesting birds. We found 219 breeding pairs of 11 cavity-nesting species. The most frequent nesting species were Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris, Tree Sparrow Passer montanus, and Great Tit Parus major. The most nesting cavities were found in wooden and concrete poles, while metal poles were largely avoided. Nesting sites in metal and concrete poles were often selected due to structural imperfections, whereas wooden poles contained mainly cavities excavated by woodpeckers. We advocate for the retention of wooden poles over concrete/metal poles, as they are crucial nesting sites for birds which are important in pest control in hop plantations. For modern hop plantations with non-wooden poles, we recommend the use of nest boxes which can compensate for the loss of nesting sites and support local breeding bird populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sites containing anthropogenic waste products or dumps are currently treated as refugia by a lot of animal groups, including ants. In this study the population structure of Myrmica rubra (L.) ants was compared between habitats containing and lacking anthropogenic waste products. The density of colonies and individual nests, number of queens and of workers both per colony and per nest, and queen size were analyzed. Twenty plots with waste products and 20 control (natural) plots (paired, each 10×10m in size) were established and compared. Results show a significant increase in colony and nest density on the plots with waste compare to the control plots. However, the number of workers, queens and queen size did not differ significantly between plot types. Overall number, as well as proportion of polycalic colonies was higher on plots with waste products. These results suggest that when M. rubra has more potential nest site opportunities created by human activity, the density of its colonies increases. Moreover, the anthropogenic waste product are strongly preferred nest sites for this species on the human-disturbed plots, as only them were used as nest loci there in contrast to control plots.