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Four Indian ringneck parakeets ( Psittacula krameri; syn. ringneck parrots or rose-ringed parakeets) were submitted by 2 private owners for autopsy following a history of dyspnea and death. Gross findings were varied and included thickening of the left caudal thoracic air sac, white spots throughout the liver, mild dilation of the proventriculus, coelomic effusion, splenomegaly, and pulmonary congestion and edema. Microscopically, the submitted parakeets had significant lesions in the lower respiratory tract, including necrotizing bronchitis, parabronchitis, and interstitial pneumonia with numerous syncytia containing eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions. Electron microscopy of the lungs was compatible with a herpesviral infection and Psittacid alphaherpesvirus 5 (PsAHV5) was detected via PCR and sequencing. There has been inconsistent terminology used with Psittacid alphaherpesvirus 3 and PsAHV5; we attempt here to clarify the reported history of these viruses.

Background: “Avians” often show efficient oxygen management to meet the demands of their metabolism. Hemoglobin, a transporter protein consists of four non-covalently linked subunits contain haem binding hydrophobic pocket serves as a site of allosteric cooperativity. The physiology and anatomy of both mammals and avian are functionally different, in birds, the respiratory system formed by small air sacs that serve as tidal ventilation for the lungs and have no significant exchange across their cells. Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) a tropical and non-migrating species and it is easily adapted to living in disturbed habitat. The sequence analysis reveals that α and β chain of parakeet hemoglobin highly similar grey lag goose and bar headed goose hemoglobin respectively. Thus it has been tempted us to study in to analyzing the sequence and structural comparison of this hemoglobin to find out the physiological capabilities of parakeet hemoglobin. Objective: The structure determination studies of parakeet hemoglobin by X-ray diffraction. The sequence and structure are compared with goose, chicken and human Hb, emphasizing the role of amino acids in the subunit contacts that facilitate survival by low oxygen demand. Methods: The Hb was purified and crystallized by hanging drop vapor diffusion method using poly ethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 and sodium phosphate buffer. X-ray diffracted data set was collected at 3Å resolution, the data was processed in Automar and molecular replacement, refinements, model building was carried out in CCP4i program package. The final refined model was deposited in protein data bank with accession id 2zfb. Results: The tertiary structure of Parakeet Hb is compared with the met form of BHG Hb (1c40) and oxy form of GLG (1faw) and oxy form of human Hbs (1hho). Superimposing parakeet Hb α1β1 subunit with ‘R’ state human Hb shows an r.m.s.d of 0.98 Å and for BHG and GLG Hb, the r.m.s.d shows 0.72 and 0.61 Å. The replacement of α115Asp in parakeet Hb as against the α115Glu in human Hb results in the movement of GH corners. The amino acid proline at α50 present only in Parakeet Hb and Chicken HbD and not present in any other avian family which includes human Hb. The residue α78Thr located in EF corner loop region, which slightly diverge when superimposing with human and BHG Hb and also replacement of α113Asn present only in Parakeet Hb placed near the FG helix corner. Conclusion: The present study describes the structure determination of parakeet hemoglobin and its structural features to understand its oxygen affinity characteristics. The crystals were obtained by buffered low-salt conditions, like those of chicken HbD, carbonmonoxy and cyanomet human Hb. The present study reveals several interesting and unique modifications in the finer aspects of the quaternary structure of parakeet Hb, which are involved in oxygen affinity characteristics and the α1β1 subunit contacts. Crystallization of parakeet Hb with allosteric effectors like Inositol pentaphosphate may bring further understanding of the influence of physiological and environmental factors on the quaternary structure.

Remnant trees are prominent structures in modified and anthropogenic landscapes globally and avian species and remnant trees, together play an imperative role in preservation of forest ecosystem by providing several services such as pollination, seed dispersal and insect pest predators/defender. In addition, these trees act as the refuges in an anthropogenic landscape to provide ecological functions such as maintaining microclimate, soil nutrients and support species richness and diversity of birds, mammals and insects. This study was aimed to investigate the conservation values of remnant flowering trees occur in the fringe villages of Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India in order to highlight their significance in the conservation of avian species through direct observation method. Through regular observations, we estimated a total of 2826 (45.59 ± 16.02) numbers of bird’s individuals from 56 species belonging to 28 families and 9 orders in five flowing tree species, viz. Bombax ceiba (Simolu), Moringa oleifera (Sojina), Erythrina indica (Modar), Cassia renigera (Radhachura) and Bauhunia purpurea (Kanchan) found in the village land. The utmost richness (n = 28 species) of avifauna were recorded in Bombax ceiba. A maximum number of the bird species was recorded from order Passeriformes. Pycnonotus cafer (Red vented bulbul: 31.2%) was recorded as dominant bird species followed by Acridotheres fuscus (Jungle Myna: 11.9%), Saroglossa spilopterus (Spot winged starling: 9.9%), Acridotheres grandis (Great Myna: 8.4%), Zosterops palpebrosus (Oriental white eye: 5.4%) and Sturnia malabarica (Chestnut tailed starling: 5.1%) and remaining bird species were recorded less than 5% during the entire study period. Out of 56 recorded avian species, 55 species recognized as least concern species and one species Psittacula alexandri (Red-breasted Parakeet) which belongs to near threatened (NT) under IUCN categories of conservation. The present findings showed that remnant trees have similar competence to conserve bird species as natural forest of Pakke. Thus, the remnant trees with flowering and fruiting in human modified landscape plays a mutual relationship with surrounding bird diversity and help to support the ecosystem and therefore, plantation of flowering and fruiting trees should be encouraged in fringe villages for not only to increase the aesthetic value of landscape but also to provide quality welfare factors for the avian species conservation.

We diagnosed disease caused by psittacid herpesvirus 3 (PsHV-3), a novel psittacid pathogen, in rose-ringed parakeets ( Psittacula krameri) housed in an exotic psittacine breeding colony in southern Brazil. The disease affected several adult birds. Clinical signs included apathy, tachypnea, and wheezing. Four birds were autopsied, and sections of lungs and liver were examined histologically and by electron microscopy (EM), revealing pulmonary congestion, bronchopneumonia, or multifocal necrosis of tertiary bronchi, with syncytial cells and eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. Viral particles morphologically compatible with herpesviruses were observed by EM in lung sections. PCR with pan-herpesvirus primers performed on total DNA extracted from paraffinized tissue resulted in a 278-bp product. Sequencing of the amplicon revealed 93% nucleotide identity with a PsHV-3 sequence available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the obtained sequence with the only PsHV-3 DNA polymerase gene sequence available (GenBank accession JX028240) and separated the sequence from psittacid herpesviruses 1 and 2. The clinical, pathologic, and molecular findings support the association of PsHV-3 with pneumonia found in these rose-ringed parakeets in southern Brazil.

The birds and mammals are nature gifted gene banks which differ greatly with variation in altitudes, climates, landscapes, vegetation and availability of food and water The altitudinal variation in Nepal is 60 m to 8,848 m which affects climatic conditions and habitat types within short distance that influence species diversity of wild animals Therefore, the objectives of this study were to reveal species richness, behaviors and luring factors for birds and mammals to attract to an urban area of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the South-central lowland of Nepal The methods applied to record species diversity of birds and mammals were made from a home point (a point of study made at the North-west corner of verandah in first floor of my home) located in Bharatpur-9, Saradpur, Sitalpath, in the coordinates of 27degrees39'55"N and 84degrees26'08"E The animal species were observed thrice daily (at 7 AM, 10 AM and 2 PM) for 2 months beginning from 24 March to 23 May 2020 during the period of lockdown of COVID-19 and were listed in "Observation Data Sheet" The photographs and/or videos were taken except one of the species of bats (i e Myotis formosus) and six species of birds which were flying swiftly over the sky in 70 m in diameter (i e 7,436 square meters or 22 kattha in area) of the home point The results obtained from my study were;83 species, 53 genera and 37 families of wild birds;and 6 species, 5 genera and 3 families of wild mammals Among birds, Dicrurus and Ploceus were recorded the highest 7 54% (4/53);followed by Acridotheres, Megalaima, Merops, Oriolus, Psittacula and Streptopelia with 5 66% (3/53), and remaining twelve genera were found 3 77% (2/53), and thirty three genera were 1 88% (1/53) Similarly, 33 33% (2/6) of Herpestes;and 16 66% (1/6) of each Canis, Vulpes, Pipistrellus and Myotis were recorded among mammals Conclusively, I found that the species of birds and mammals were lured to human settlement area due to availability of food (i e small in/vertebrates, kitchen garbage etc );crops (i e maize, sesame etc );vegetables (i e bean);fruits (litchi, mango, berries etc );nesting places and healthy environment However, there is great chance of transmission of viral (rabies, foot-mouth disease etc ), bacterial (tuberculosis) and parasitic zoonoses (echinococcosis, toxoplasmosis, helminthiasis etc ) to humans and domesticated animals through feces and saliva droppings in addition to the poultry raiding, biting to people and damage of fruits, vegetables and crops creating conflicts

Psittacula krameri krameri (Scopoli, 1769) LITERATURE. — Bannerman (1931); Green & Sayer (1979); Holyoak & Seddon (1989); Thonnérieux et al. (1989); Aimassi & Levi (1993); Dowsett (1993); Balanca & de Visscher (1997); Mauvais (1998); Borrow & Demey (2001, 2014); Portier (2002c); Söderström et al. (2003); Thiollay (2006a); Balanca et al. (2007); Sinclair & Ryan (2010); Pavia et al. (2012); Dowsett et al. (2013); Williams et al. (2014). MUSEUM MATERIAL. — ISFC 030, 031. FIELD DATA. — eBird; GBIF; WABD; XC. STATUS. — Resident; Breeding., Published as part of Boano, Giovanni, Belemsobgo, Urbain, Silvano, Fabrizio, Hema, Emmanuel M., Belemsobgo, Aristide, Dimobe, Kangbéni & Pavia, Marco, 2022, An annotated checklist of the birds of Burkina Faso, pp. 27-107 in Zoosystema 44 (2) on page 70, DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2022v44a2, http://zenodo.org/record/5999691, {"references":["BANNERMAN D. A. 1931. - Liste des oiseaux observes en 1928 par M. G. - L. Bates pendant son voyage du Nord de la Nigerie au Senegal, a travers le Soudan Francais et les territoires du Haut-Niger et de la Haute-Volta. L'Oiseau et la Revue francaise d'ornithologie NS 1: 594 - 617.","GREEN A. A. & SAYER J. A. 1979. - The birds of Pendjari and Arly National Parks (Benin and Upper Volta). Malimbus 1: 14 - 28.","HOLYOAK D. T. & SEDDON M. B. 1989. - Distributional notes on the birds of Burkina Faso. Bulletin of the British ornithologists' Club 109: 205 - 216. https: // doi. org / 10.25226 / bboc. v 139 i 2.2019. a 7","THONNERIEUX Y., WALSH J. F. & BORTOLI L. 1989. - L'avifaune de la ville de Ouagadougou et ses environs (Burkina Faso). Malimbus 11: 7 - 39.","AIMASSI G. & LEVI L. 1993. - Catalogo della collezione ornitologica di Villa Brea (Chieri, To). II. Specie non europee. Rivista Piemontese di Storia Naturale 14: 217 - 230.","DOWSETT R. J. 1993. - Afrotropical avifaunas: annotated country checklists, in DOWSETT R. J. & DOWSETT- LEMAIRE F. (eds). A Contribution to the Distribution and Taxonomy of Afrotropical and Malagasy birds Tauraco Research Report 5, Tauraco Press, Liege: 1 - 322.","BALANCA G. & DE VISSCHER M. - N. 1997. - Composition et evolution saisonniere d'un peuplement d'oiseaux au nord du Burkina Faso (Nord-Yatenga). Malimbus 19: 68 - 94.","MAUVAIS G. 1998. - Recensement des especes d'oiseaux de Bois de Boulogne a Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) en saison de pluie. Alauda 66: 324 - 328.","BORROW N. & DEMEY R. 2001. - Birds of Western Africa. Christopher Helm, London, 832 p.","BORROW N. & DEMEY R. 2014. - Field Guide of the Birds of Western Africa. II edition. Christopher Helm, London, 592 p.","PORTIER B. 2002 c. - Liste de l'avifaune du Ranch de Gibier de Nazinga. http: // environnement. wallonie. be / projet _ nazinga / PDF / Liste _ oiseaux _ Nazinga. pdf.","SODERSTROM B., KIEMA S. & REID R. S. 2003. - Intensified agricultural land-use and bird conservation in Burkina Faso. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 99: 113 - 124. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / S 0167 - 8809 (03) 00144 - 0","THIOLLAY J. - M. 2006 a. - Large Bird Declines with Increasing Human Pressure in Savanna Woodlands (Burkina Faso). Biodiversity and Conservation 15: 2085 - 2108. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 10531 - 004 - 6684 - 3","BALANCA G., CORNELIS D. & WILSON R. 2007. - Les oiseaux du complexe WAP. ECOPAS. Cirad, Montpellier.","SINCLAIR I. & RYAN P. 2010. - Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. II edition. Struik Nature, Cape Town, 768 p.","PAVIA M., BOANO G., SILVANO F. & MAMADOU K. 2012. - New bird records from southwestern Burkina Faso. Malimbus 34: 57 - 81.","DOWSETT R. J., ATKINSON P. W. & CADDICK J. A. 2013. - Checklist of the birds of Burkina Faso: 1 - 12. https: // www. africanbirdclub. org / [accessed 14 October 2013].","WILLIAMS V. L., CUNNINGHAM A. B., KEMP A. C. & BRUYNS R. K. 2014. - Risks to Birds Traded for African Traditional Medicine: a Quantitative Assessment. Plos One 9: e 105397. https: // doi. org / 10.1371 / journal. pone. 0105397"]}

This study describes a case report in captive rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri) that developed clinical signs and eventually died after introducing new birds without quarantine. Bronchopneumonia and airsacculitis with syncytial cells associated with intranuclear inclusion bodies were found. Herpesvirus was detected in lungs and liver by PCR, and a nearly complete genome sequence of a Psittacid alphaherpesvirus 5 was obtained from the lung of a bird. Metagenomic analysis also identified beak and feather disease virus in the same samples. The study also highlights the importance of quarantine for avoiding the introduction of new diseases in captive aviaries.

Study of population genetic structure is essential for insight in species biology, but mechanisms of its formation and factors influencing it remain insufficiently understood. Here we analyzed differentiation among populations in small colonial seabird of North Pacific, the Parakeet Auklet Aethia psittacula, which was previously considered as a monomorphic species. We compare our results with data on congeneric species to investigate the most important factors affecting the process of population differentiation in Aethini. We analyzed morphometric measurements, mitochondrial DNA control region fragment and microsatellite loci from six Parakeet Auklet colonies spanning the breeding range. Although results of microsatellite variability analysis did not reveal differences between birds from different colonies, results of control region variability and morphometric analyses testified for a slight but significant differentiation between birds from the Aleutian Islands and other parts of their range. They were significantly smaller in most linear parameters measured and had higher body condition (expressed as the scaled mass index). The results of mtDNA analysis and discrepancy between different types of genetic markers indicated that birds from Aleutian Islands and from the other parts of their breeding range probably originated from different refuges and the differentiation of mitochondrial lineages between them took place around 100 000 years ago. Our results and conclusions from the comparison with congeneric species indicated that foraging and migration patterns seem to determine population structure in small planktivorous alcids, with panmixia in highly mobile species, clear population differentiation in resident species and intermediate population differentiation in more dispersive species.

Blossom-headed Parakeet Psittacula roseate is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because of its habitat loss, and declining population. In this study, we first sequenced and described the complete mitochondrial genome and phylogeny of P. roseata. The whole genome of P. roseata was 16,814 bp in length, and contained 14 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosome RNA genes, and 1 non-coding control regions. The overall base composition of the mitochondrial DNA was 31.88% for A, 22.00% for T, 32.88% for C, 13.23% for G, with a GC content of 46.11%. A phylogenetic tree strongly supported that genus Psittacula closely related with genus Eclectus by highly probability.

The jaw apparatus of the parakeet auklet (Aethia psittacula) has been investigated in comparison to that of the crested auklet (Aethia cristatella). The mechanical and biological effects of the distinctive bill structure in the parakeet auklet have been analyzed. The oral slit is concave; therefore, equilibrium is achieved without the need for disabling the posterior or anterior parts of the dorsal adductor of the lower jaw and the adductor can act with the maximal force regardless of the position of the object clamped in the bill. Shearing of large food objects, such as polychaetes and jellyfish, by the parakeet auklet bill is a jaw apparatus specialization unique among birds. Strengthening of the jaw apparatus, which was initially adapted for capturing small planktonic crustaceans, involved the development of additional aponeuroses in the internal adductor, consolidation of the latter, shortening of the bill, and changes of the shape of the oral slit opening.

The daily and seasonal patterns of colony attendance for the parakeet auklet were examined on Buldir and St. Paul islands, where fieldwork was conducted in 2001, 2002, and 2004, respectively. The timing of breeding events for the parakeet auklet was measured by monitoring the productivity plots on Buldir Island, and the timing of chick hatching was determined by observing birds that carried food to chicks on St. Paul Island. On Buldir Island, direct observations of birds on water were used to collect data on parakeet auklet attendance as it was impossible to count the birds directly on land because of lush vegetation covering the slope of the colony. The birds were counted on a designated plot on water below the colony. On St. Paul Island, observations of birds on both the water and the cliffs were used to collect data on parakeet auklet attendance patterns. On each count day, the birds present at the plot were counted every 15 min. Parakeet auklets have two peaks in their attendance pattern on the water near the colony on Buldir Island. As the breeding season progressed, the peak timing of birds moved slightly toward the afternoon. On St. Paul Island, prior to egg-laying, the numbers of parakeet auklets attending the breeding colony peaked in the morning. As the breeding season progressed, the peak of bird attendance at the colony broadened and shifted toward the evening. During the chick-rearing period, birds arrived at the land plot throughout the day, but there was a peak in the numbers attending in the evening. The observations showed that the weather conditions strongly influenced the numbers of birds present at the plot. Strong winds decreased the number of parakeet auklets in the nearshore area. On windy days, the birds left the plot earlier than usual.

Avian pathogens such as bornaviruses, circoviruses and polyomaviruses are widely distributed in captive collections of psittacine birds worldwide and can cause fatal diseases. In contrast, only lit...

Psittacula cyanocephala is a parakeet endemic to the Indian sub-continent, widespread in the illegal bird trade. Previous studies on Psittacula parakeets have highlighted taxonomic ambiguities, warranting further studies to resolve such issues. Since the mitochondrial genome provides useful information about a species concerning its evolution and phylogenetics, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of P. cyanocephala using NGS, validated 38.86% of the mitogenome using Sanger Sequencing and compared it with other available whole mitogenomes of Psittacula. The complete mitogenome of the species was 16814 bp in length with 54.08% AT composition. P. cyanocephala mitogenome comprises of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNAs and 22 tRNAs. P. cyanocephala mitogenome organization was consistent with other Psittacula mitogenomes. Comparative codon usage analysis indicated the role of natural selection on Psittacula mitogenomes. Strong purifying selection pressure was observed maximum on nad1 and nad4l genes. The mitochondrial control region of all Psittacula species displayed the ancestral avian CR gene order. Phylogenetic analyses revealed the Psittacula genus as paraphyletic nature, containing at least 4 groups of species within the same genus, suggesting its taxonomic reconsideration. Our results provide useful information for developing forensic tests to control the illegal trade of the species, scientific basis for phylogenetic revision of genus Psittacula.

The breeding biology of the parakeet auklet was studied in 1989–2012 on Talan Island, which is located in Tauiskaya Bay in the Sea of Okhotsk. In 2008, its population amounted to 3000–4000 individuals, and 70% of the birds nested on the western slope. In 2008, the average density of nesting on this part of the island was 0.018 pairs/m2. Most of nests were noted along the slope base (5–20 m a.s.l.), while the largest density in these sites was 0.035 pairs/m2. The time of egg laying varied from June 4 to June 14, and the longterm average annual date fell on June 8. The latest date of egg laying (June 12–14) was observed in 1995, 1999, and 2001, which was due to the time of ice crushing nearby the island. Hatching in different years started on July 9–19 and ended in late July–early August. The weight of hatchlings was 20–33 g (on average, 27.9 g). In different years, the maximum weight of 22-to 29-day-old nestlings was 173–263 g. By the time of fledging, their weight had decreased to 168–252 g, while the daily increase in weight for the periods of chicks staying in the nests was 4.06–6.47 g in different years. Young birds left the island in the period from the middle of August to the first ten-day period of September; the average age of fledglings was 31–35 days in different years. The reproductive success of the parakeet auklet varied from 0 to 83.3% (on average, 44.3%) and was mainly determined by the survival of chicks at different stages of their development. The main limiting factor of the reproductive success is the reduction of forage availability and abundance, which is largely due to unfavorable weather conditions (long cyclones with storm winds), as well as various hydrobiological changes in the environment. The influence of anxiety and predation was not significant with respect to adult birds, but these factors can cause death of clutches and chicks, and, being combined with unfavorable weather conditions, their effect increases.

Avian pathogens such as bornaviruses, circoviruses and polyomaviruses are widely distributed in captive collections of psittacine birds worldwide and can cause fatal diseases. In contrast, only little is known about their presence in free-ranging psittacines and their impact on these populations. Rose-ringed parakeets (

A high morbidity, high mortality disease process caused flock deaths in an Indian ringneck parrot (Psittacula krameri) aviary flock in Victoria, Australia. Affected birds were either found dead with no prior signs of illness, or showed clinical evidence of respiratory tract disease, with snicking, sneezing and dyspnoea present in affected birds. Necropsy examinations performed on representative birds, followed by cytological and histopathological examination, demonstrated lesions consistent with a herpesvirus bronchointerstitial pneumonia. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of lung tissue demonstrated typical herpesvirus virions measuring approximately 220 nm in diameter. Next generation sequencing of genomic DNA from lung tissue revealed a highly divergent novel Psittacid alphaherpesvirus of the genus Iltovirus. Iltoviruses have been previously reported to cause respiratory disease in a variety of avian species, but molecular characterisation of the viruses implicated has been lacking. This study presents the genome sequence of a novel avian herpesvirus species designated Psittacid alphaherpesvirus-5 (PsHV-5), providing an insight into the evolutionary relationships of the alphaherpesviruses.

The long-tailed parakeets of the genus Psittacula Cuvier, 1800 have thus far been regarded as a homogeneous and monophyletic group of parrots. We used nucleotide sequences of two genetic markers (mitochondrial CYTB, nuclear RAG-1) to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of Psittacula and closely related species. We found that the Asian genus Psittacula is apparently paraphyletic because two genera of short-tailed parrots, Psittinus Blyth, 1842 and Tanygnathus Wagler, 1832, cluster within Psittacula, as does †Mascarinus Lesson, 1830. To create monophyletic genera, we propose recognition of the following genera: Himalayapsitta Braun, 2016 for P. himalayana, P. finschii, P. roseata, and P. cyanocephala; Nicopsitta Braun, 2016 for P. columboides and P. calthrapae; Belocercus S. Müller, 1847 for P. longicauda; Psittacula Cuvier, 1800 for P. alexandri and P. derbiana; Palaeornis Vigors, 1825 for †P. wardi and P. eupatria; and Alexandrinus Braun, 2016 for P. krameri, †P. exsul, and P. (eques) echo. Additionally, Psittacula krameri and P. alexandri are paraphyletic species, which should be split to form monophyletic species.

Psittacula s.s. Cuvier Type species: Psittacus alexandri Linnaeus Morphology/distribution: no red shoulder patch; medium to large size; sexual dimorphism; yellow patch on wing coverts in most taxa; males with red upper mandibles; unique grey to bluish head pattern with bold black lores and bold black stripe on lower cheeks. Distribution: Southern Asia to Bali. Based on high support values, only three other taxa, P. derbiana Fraser, P. a. abbotti Oberholser, and P. a. fasciata Statius Müller, remain in core Psittacula. Based on morphology, P. caniceps Blyth (for details see Arndt 2008; Forshaw 2010), which was not genetically sampled, should also remain in Psittacula s.s. The taxon fasciata is currently treated as a subspecies of P. alexandri, but based on genetic distance and morphology, separate species status should be considered. The taxon abbotti is also in need of further taxonomic investigation. If only monophyletic groups are considered species, P. alexandri should be split into two distinct species: P. alexandri with completely red bill in both sexes and P. fasciata with black bill in females and red upper and black lower mandible in males. Further investigations using more individuals and sampling of all wild populations are needed for deeper insights into the evolutionary history of this species complex. between the clades alexandri and fasciata / abbotti. CYTB p-distance values are a measure of divergence time (MYA).

Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) are recognised as global extinction drivers of threatened species. Unfortunately, biodiversity managers have few tested solutions to manage them when often the desperate need for solutions necessitates a response. Here we test in situ biosecurity protocols to assess the efficacy of managing Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), one of the most common and emergent viral diseases in wild parrots (Psittaciformes) that is currently affecting numerous threatened species globally. In response to an outbreak of PBFD in Mauritius “echo” parakeets (Psittacula eques), managers implemented a set of biosecurity protocols to limit transmission and impact of Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV). Here we used a reciprocal design experiment on the wild population to test whether BFDV management reduced viral prevalence and viral load, and improved nestling body condition and fledge success. Whilst management reduced the probability of nestling infection by approximately 11% there was no observed impact on BFDV load and nestling body condition. In contrast to expectations there was lower fledge success in nests with added BFDV biosecurity (83% in untreated vs. 79% in treated nests). Our results clearly illustrate that management for wildlife conservation should be critically evaluated through targeted monitoring and experimental manipulation, and this evaluation should always focus on the fundamental objective of conservation.

Comparative studies of the social behavior of nonpasserine birds are rare but useful for understanding the general theoretical issues, such as the evolution of the social behavior of birds. The aim of this work is quantitative comparison of bird behavior on the colony surface and its dependency on different factors such as the phase of the breeding season and the social environment in three auk species. The objects of this research are the crested auklet, parakeet auklet, and horned puffin. All of them are colonial seabirds of the North Pacific. They possess a number of similar biological features, but differ in colonial and club size, nesting density, types of communication, and social activity. We compiled a catalog of postures and displays for the three auk species and found significant interspecies differences in the occurrence of almost all the types of behavior; the crested auklet, compared to the other species, spent the longest time on social interaction, whereas the horned puffin spent the least time. The occurrence of all types of behavior was similar before and after chick hatching in all three species. In the presence of a conspecific neighbor within a radius of two bird corpuses, individuals of all three species spent more time on social interaction, while the number of conspecifics in a radius of five bird corpuses had little or no effect on the occurrence of various types of behavior. Thus, interspecific differences in the time budgets of the species were displayed only in the occurrences of various behavioral types, whereas the tested factors similarly influenced the time budgets of all the species studied.

Speech is an important means of communication. Like human beings, birds also use sounds to communicate their emotions. Harmonic plus noise model (HNM) has widely been used for high-quality analysis/synthesis of human speech. Some species of parrots, particularly, Alexandrine parrots, have been reported as possessing the capability of imitating the human speech. The objective of this paper is to investigate the quality of the speech imitated by Alexandrine parrots using HNM as an analysis/synthesis platform. Spectrographic analysis of the phrases recorded from human speakers and Alexandrine parrots showed that parrot's vocal tract does not remain stable during the production of longer phrases. For fricatives, the parrot's sounds are relatively weak in high-frequency content. The duration of noise burst is slightly larger for parrot sounds as compared to that of human beings. For the laughing sound, the formants of the parrot vocal tract are relatively clearer. The parrots are not able to produce the liquid sound /r/. The parrot is able to imitate most of the vowels to some extent, and imitated consonants are not intelligible. Perceptual evaluation of speech quality scores of the phrases imitated by parrots were around 2.2, when the percentage of voice part was fixed in the range 30---50 and noise part in the range 20---40. These investigations would be useful for extracting the information from their calls, behavior study of the endangered birds, safeguarding the crashes with aero planes, and defense-related activities.

Red-breasted Parakeet is one among the most widespread parakeets of the world. The ‘Near Threatened’ bird has been in pet trade for long and is already known as a feral bird from major cities in India. The biodiversity of India has been threatened by many alien invasive species and some have been of a serious threat to native species pushing them to extinction. Though Red-breasted Parakeet with a limited population in many of the cities is of no immediate threat, an increase in population can be of serious threat to native bird species. In this paper, we report the new sighting of Red-breasted Parakeet from Vellayani-Punjakari wetlands, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and discuss the possible threats this particular species can impart to the native bird diversity.

Avian chlamydiosis is an infection caused by obligate intracellular and Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the family Chlamydiaceae and has been reported in more than 450 avian species distributed in 30 orders. In particular, a high prevalence of infection has been demonstrated in wild passerine populations, including both asymptomatic and clinically ill individuals, suggesting a role of these avian species as important carriers. In May 2018, avian chlamydiosis was diagnosed in a 1-year-old male Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) at the Turlock Branch of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System. The bird belonged to an outdoor aviary with mixed avian species, including Gouldian finches, doves (Geopelia cuneata and Spilopelia chinensis), and psittacines (Aratinga, Psittacula, Pyrrhura, and Trichoglossus sp.). Severe respiratory distress and mortality were noted among the finches. Gross and histopathologic lesions were concentrated in the liver and spleen, with a mild involvement of the upper respiratory tract. Chlamydia spp. were detected in the spleen and kidney by real-time PCR and were further confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Subsequently, Chlamydia psittaci was isolated from the liver and spleen and characterized as a CP3-like strain (genotype B). In addition, viral particles compatible with circovirus were identified in the liver by direct electron microscopy. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of avian chlamydiosis with hepatic viral particles consistent with circovirus infection in a Gouldian finch.

Introduced species represent a threat to native wildlife worldwide, due to predation, competition, and disease transmission. Concurrent introduction of parasites may also add a new dimension of competition, i.e. parasite-mediated competition, through spillover and spillback dynamics. Urban areas are major hotspots of introduced species, but little is known about the effects of urban habitat structure on the parasite load and diversity of introduced species. Here, we investigated such environmental effects on the ectoparasite load, richness, and occurrence of spillback in two widespread invasive parakeets, Psittacula krameri and Myiopsitta monachus, in the metropolitan area of Rome, central Italy. We tested 231 parakeets and found that in both species parasite load was positively influenced by host abundance at local scale, while environmental features such as the amount of natural or urban habitats, as well as richness of native birds, influenced parasite occurrence, load, and richness differently in the two host species. Therefore, we highlight the importance of host population density and habitat composition in shaping the role of introduced parakeets in the spread of both native and introduced parasites, recommending the monitoring of urban populations of birds and their parasites to assess and manage the potential occurrence of parasite-mediated competition dynamics as well as potential spread of vector-borne diseases.

In this paper, we first reported the complete mitogenomes of Psittacula derbiana and Psittacula eupatria. Respectively, P. derbiana and P. eupatria mitogenomes are 16,887 and 17,139 bp base pairs l...

Almost 90% of global bird extinctions have occurred on islands. The loss of endemic spe- cies from island systems can dramatically alter evolutionary trajectories of insular species biodiversity, resulting in a loss of evolutionary diversity important for species adaptation to changing environments. The Western Indian Ocean islands have been the scene of evolution for a large number of endemic parrots. Since their discovery in the 16th cen- tury, many of these parrots have become extinct or have declined in numbers. Alongside the extinction of species, a number of the Indian Ocean islands have experienced coloni- zation by highly invasive parrots, such as the Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri. Such extinctions and invasions can, on an evolutionary timescale, drive changes in spe- cies composition, genetic diversity and turnover in phylogenetic diversity, all of which can have important impacts on species potential for adaptation to changing environmen- tal and climatic conditions. Using mtDNA cytochrome b data, we resolve the taxonomic placement of three extinct Indian Ocean parrots: the Rodrigues Psittacula exsul, Sey- chelles Psittacula wardi and Reunion Parakeets Psittacula eques. This case study quantifies how the extinction of these species has resulted in lost historical endemic phylogenetic diversity and reduced levels of species richness, and illustrates how it is being replaced by non-endemic invasive forms such as the Ring-necked Parakeet. Finally, we use our phylogenetic framework to identify and recommend a number of phylogenetically appro- priate ecological replacements for the extinct parrots. Such replacements may be intro- duced once invasive forms have been cleared, to rejuvenate ecosystem function and restore lost phylogenetic diversity.

Summary 1. Infectious diseases are widely recognized to have substantial impact on wildlife populations. These impacts are sometimes exacerbated in small endangered populations, and therefore, the success of conservation reintroductions to aid the recovery of such species can be seriously threatened by outbreaks of infectious disease. Intensive management strategies associated with conservation reintroductions can further compound these negative effects in such populations. 2. Exploring the sublethal effects of disease outbreaks among natural populations is challenging and requires longitudinal, individual life-history data on patterns of reproductive success and other indicators of individual fitness. 3. Long-term monitoring data concerning detailed reproductive information of the reintroduced Mauritius parakeet (Psittacula echo) population collected before, during and after a disease outbreak was investigated. 4. Deleterious effects of an outbreak of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) were revealed on hatch success, but these effects were remarkably short-lived and disproportionately associated with breeding pairs which took supplemental food. Individual BFDV infection status was not predicted by any genetic, environmental or conservation management factors and was not associated with any of our measures of immune function, perhaps suggesting immunological impairment. Experimental immunostimulation using the PHA (phytohaemagglutinin assay) challenge technique did, however, provoke a significant cellular immune response. 5. We illustrate the resilience of this bottlenecked and once critically endangered, island-endemic species to an epidemic outbreak of BFDV and highlight the value of systematic monitoring in revealing inconspicuous but nonetheless substantial ecological interactions. Our study demonstrates that the emergence of such an infectious disease in a population ordinarily associated with increased susceptibility does not necessarily lead to deleterious impacts on population growth and that negative effects on reproductive fitness can be short-lived.

Dekinda Forest Reserve, located close to the historic town of Balana,Sri Lanka (7°16’N, 80°29’E, 525-585m above sea level) consists of rainforest plant species spanning an area of about 40 ha. The forest has been maintained since the colonial times as a watershed reserve for nearby plantations, most of which comprised tea and paddy. The objective of the present study was to measure the avifaunal diversity in Dekinda Forest Reserve, as an indicator of its overall biodiversity, and compare it with those of nearby home gardens. The study was conducted from March to June, 2012. Point counts with unlimited distance were used in conjunction with Distance © software (Release 6) to document the abundance and density of bird species. Peak counting hours were between 0600-0900 h and 1600-1830 h. Counts were made weekly. Despite its small size, the forest reserve is home to 58 bird species. Among the notable species, therewere six endemic species, namely, the Sri Lanka wood pigeon ( Columba torringtoni ) (estimated density 8/km 2 ), Layard’s parakeet ( Psittacula calthorpae ) (19/km 2 ), Sri Lanka lorikeet ( Loriculus beryllinus ) (70/km 2 ), yellow-fronted barbet ( Megalaima flavifrons ) (79/km 2 ), Sri Lanka scimitar babbler ( Pomatorhinus melanurus ) (11/km 2 ), and brown-capped babbler ( Pellorneum fuscocapillus ) (10/km 2 ). In addition, four proposed endemic species were also recorded. Given the importance of this forest as a watershed area and the large number of bird species it supports, Dekinda Forest Reserve is clearly an important site for biodiversity conservation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/cjsbs.v43i1.7283 Ceylon Journal of Science ( Bio. Sci. ) 43(1): 137-146, 2014

The ring-necked parakeet (RNP), Psittacula krameri, is an invasive species in Great Britain (GB) which is undergoing rapid population expansion in the wild. Although it has been suggested that RNPs could be a potential source of infectious disease, little research has been done on the pathogens infecting this species in GB. Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), is an important infectious disease of psittacines, including captive RNPs, in GB and elsewhere. A wild RNP with marked feather abnormalities observed in an urban garden in London was euthanased and examined post mortem. Plucked contour feathers and pooled liver and spleen were PCR-positive for BFDV DNA. Histopathological examination of affected skin demonstrated BFDV-compatible lesions. A feather from another RNP from a different location also was PCR-positive for BFDV. This is the first report of PBFD in a wild free-living bird in GB. BFDV only affects psittacines; therefore, there is no known risk to native British birds. The presence of BFDV in free-living RNPs, however, could pose a disease threat to captive psittacines. Further work is required to determine the distribution and impact of BFDV infection in free-living RNPs in GB. Whether this case represents sporadic disease associated with established endemic infection or the index case of an emergent disease is currently unknown.

The phylogenetic position of the extinct Mascarene Parrot Mascarinus mascarin from La Reunion has been unresolved for centuries. A recent molecular study unexpectedly placed M. mascarin within the clade of phenotypically very different Vasa parrots Coracopsis. Based on DNA extracted from the only other preserved Mascarinus specimen, we show that the previously obtained cytb sequence is probably an artificial composite of partial sequences from two other parrot species and that M. mascarin is indeed a part of the Psittacula diversification, placed close to P. eupatria and P. wardi.

Enggano Island of Indonesia has Psittacula parakeet bird; namely Psittacula longicauda modesta. Phylogenetically, the position of the bird has not been studied yet. The present study used DNA sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene to analyze phylogenetic relationships within Psittacula parakeet birds; especially to reveal the phylogenetic position of Psittacula longicauda modesta. Blood samples were collected from two Psittacula species; Psittacula alexandri from Jawa island, and Psittacula longicauda (Psittacula longicauda modesta from Enggano island and P. l. defontainei from Natuna island). Blood samples were taken from each bird and DNA was extracted from each blood sample. PCR was performed to amplify a single fragment of cyt b gene, by using a pair of nucleotide primer. The DNA targets were then be sequenced. Totally 868-bp of cyt b was used to calculate genetic divergence within and between Psittacula parakeet, and to construct phylogenetic trees. DNA sequence data from others Psittacula species were taken from GenBank. Columba livia, Accipiter, and Cacatua were used as outgroup species. The mean genetic divergence within Psittacula longicauda was 2.16% for P. l. modesta vs P. l. defontainei, 2.37% for P. l. modesta vs P. l. longicauda, and 1.51% for P. l. defontainei vs P. l. longicauda. The mean genetic divergences within Psittacula were 0.0512 ± 0.0051. Both Phylogenetic (NJ and ML) trees showed that P. l. defontainea (Natuna is.) and P. l. longicauda grouped together and to be sister group, while the position of Psittacula parakeet from Enggano island (P. l. modesta) was distant from and as a sister group of (P. l. defontainei and P. l. longicauda). P. longicauda and P. alexandri group together and appeared to be sister group.

Increased activities of certain biochemical enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], alkaline phosphatase [ALP]) have been associated with blunt liver injury in many species. To evaluate changes in plasma hepatic biochemical parameters in acute avian liver disease caused by trauma and to compare biochemical changes with histologic lesions in hepatic parenchyma, 30 healthy fasted Indian ring-necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri manillensis) were divided into 2 groups, and traumatic liver injury was caused by endoscopic liver biopsy (group 1) or by liver biopsy and crushing injury to the hepatic parenchyma with endoscopic forceps (group 2) in anesthetized birds. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, and 120 hours in alternate groups to compare analyte values after injury with those at baseline. Results showed consistently decreased plasma ALP activity (excluding 1 time point) throughout the study, which was thought to be associated with isoflurane administration. Plasma glutamate dehydrogenase activity initially increased but rapidly declined thereafter and was attributed to acute focal hepatocellular injury. In both groups, increases in plasma AST, ALT, and LDH activities was most likely caused by muscle injury because creatine kinase activity was concurrently increased. Compared with baseline values, bile acid concentration and y-glutamyl transferase activity were not affected by liver biopsy or crush injury. Plasma sorbitol dehydrogenase activity was the most specific indicator of liver injury in both groups. Histologic changes correlated poorly with biochemical results, possibly because the small area of hepatic parenchyma that was damaged did not affect enzyme values substantially.