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Rime Y, Osinubi ST, Liechti F, Helm B, Nussbaumer R. Small intra-tropical long-distance migratory birds track rainy seasons across hemispheres. Proc Biol Sci 2025; 292:20242633. [PMID: 39837524 PMCID: PMC11750394 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 12/09/2024] [Accepted: 12/23/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2025] Open
Abstract
The main features of long-distance migration are derived from landbirds breeding in the Northern Hemisphere. Little is known about migration within the tropics, presumably because tropical species typically move opportunistically and over shorter distances. However, such generalizations are weakened by a lack of solid data on spatial, temporal and behavioural patterns of intra-tropical migrations. To start filling the research gap, we provide comprehensive data for small-sized intra-African migrants, woodland kingfishers. We inferred stationary locations, migration timing, flight behaviour and wind experienced en route from multi-sensor loggers recording atmospheric pressure, light and acceleration. After breeding in South Africa, all tagged individuals migrated 4000 km to South Sudan, spending their non-breeding period within 100 km of each other. Thereby, woodland kingfishers tracked their climatic niche, using two rainy seasons in open woodland across the Equator. Migratory flights were strictly nocturnal, reaching 2890 m.a.s.l. Flights were unusually short, but lengthened when crossing rainforests, a behavioural adjustment similar to barrier-crossing along well-described flyways. These results suggest that long-distance intra-tropical migration displays patterns that are surprisingly similar to other flyways. Pending confirmation in other species, intra-tropical migrations might be more extensive and less flexible than assumed, underlining the importance of further research guiding conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Rime
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Sciences Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Temidayo Osinubi
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Felix Liechti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Helm
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Raphaël Nussbaumer
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA
- A Rocha Kenya, Watamu, Kenya
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2
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García-Loor J, Gallego-Abenza M, Katsis AC, Puehringer-Sturmayr V, Colombelli-Négrel D, Akçay Ç, Kleindorfer S. Aggressive behavior as a predictor of home range size: findings from both range-restricted and widespread Darwin's finch species. JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 2024; 166:247-261. [PMID: 39897460 PMCID: PMC11779779 DOI: 10.1007/s10336-024-02215-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2025]
Abstract
Information about an animal's home range (the geographical area in which it accesses resources for survival and reproduction) is vital broadly for understanding animal behavior and specifically for developing conservation management plans. Although personality traits-consistent individual differences in behavior across time and contexts-may affect an animal's home range size, we still lack a breadth of empirical studies across systems to fully appreciate this influence. Here, we tested the relationship between behavioral responses and home range size in two Darwin's finch species on Floreana Island: the critically endangered and range-restricted Medium Tree Finch (Camarhynchus pauper) and the common and widespread Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa). Using a combination of rapid-assessment assays during both short-term captivity and in the field, we measured exploration and aggressiveness in males from both species. We then used radio telemetry to measure each bird's home range size over a week-long period. We predicted that (1) fast-exploring individuals would have larger home ranges, and (2) more aggressive individuals would have smaller home ranges. We found that Medium Tree Finches had smaller home ranges than Small Ground Finches, that exploratory behavior was positively correlated with home range size only in Small Ground Finches, and that, in both species, individuals' aggressiveness was negatively correlated with home range size, whereby the more aggressive individuals occupied smaller home ranges. We conclude that behavioral responses that align with major personality traits can predict home range size, which may provide an important tool for the conservation and management of endangered species when, for example, selecting individuals with different personality profiles for reintroduction. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10336-024-02215-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jefferson García-Loor
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behavior and Cognition, University of Vienna, 4645 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mario Gallego-Abenza
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behavior and Cognition, University of Vienna, 4645 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew C. Katsis
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behavior and Cognition, University of Vienna, 4645 Vienna, Austria
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, 5001 Australia
| | | | | | - Çağlar Akçay
- School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sonia Kleindorfer
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behavior and Cognition, University of Vienna, 4645 Vienna, Austria
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, 5001 Australia
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3
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Bekele BK, Uwishema O, Nazir A, Kaushik I, Wellington J. Addressing the challenges of prevention and control of West Nile virus in Africa: A correspondence. Int J Surg 2023; 109:186-188. [PMID: 36799846 PMCID: PMC10389590 DOI: 10.1097/js9.0000000000000188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bezawit K. Bekele
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Olivier Uwishema
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Clinton Global Initiative University, New York, USA
- Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Abubakar Nazir
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ikshwaki Kaushik
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- David Tvildiani Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Jack Wellington
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Krüger SC, Botha A, Bowerman W, Coverdale B, Gore ML, van den Heever L, Shaffer LJ, Smit-Robinson H, Thompson LJ, Ottinger MA. Old World Vultures Reflect Effects of Environmental Pollutants Through Human Encroachment. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1586-1603. [PMID: 35673892 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
African wildlife face challenges from many stressors including current and emerging contaminants, habitat and resource loss, poaching, intentional and unintentional poisoning, and climate-related environmental change. The plight of African vultures exemplifies these challenges due to environmental contaminants and other stressors acting on individuals and populations that are already threatened or endangered. Many of these threats emanate from increasing human population size and settlement density, habitat loss from changing land use for agriculture, residential areas, and industry, and climate-related changes in resource availability. Environmental chemicals that are hazardous include legacy chemicals, emerging chemicals of concern, and high-volume-use chemicals that are employed as weed killers and in other agricultural applications. Furthermore, there are differences in risk for species living in close proximity to humans or in areas affected by habitat loss, climate, and industry. Monitoring programs are essential to track the status of nesting pairs, offspring survival, longevity, and lifetime productivity. This is important for long-lived birds, such as vultures, that may be especially vulnerable to chronic exposure to chemicals as obligate scavengers. Furthermore, their position in the food web may increase risk due to biomagnification of chemicals. We review the primary chemical hazards to Old World vultures and the interacting stressors affecting these and other birds. Habitat is a major consideration for vultures, with tree-nesters and cliff-nesters potentially experiencing different risks of exposure to environmental chemicals. The present review provides information from long-term monitoring programs and discusses a range of these threats and their effects on vulture populations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1586-1603. © 2022 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C Krüger
- Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Scientific Services, Cascades, South Africa
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
| | - Andre Botha
- Endangered Wildlife Trust, Midrand, South Africa
| | - William Bowerman
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Brent Coverdale
- Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Scientific Services, Cascades, South Africa
| | - Meredith L Gore
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | | | - L Jen Shaffer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Hanneline Smit-Robinson
- BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Applied Behavioural Ecological & Ecosystem Research Unit, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa
| | - Lindy J Thompson
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
- Endangered Wildlife Trust, Midrand, South Africa
| | - Mary Ann Ottinger
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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Cervantes F, Martins M, Simmons RE. Population viability assessment of an endangered raptor using detection/non-detection data reveals susceptibility to anthropogenic impacts. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220043. [PMID: 35223069 PMCID: PMC8864359 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As the demand for carbon-neutral energy sources increases, so does the need to understand the impacts that these technologies have on the environment. Here, we assess the potential consequences of additional mortality on an Endangered raptor recently exposed to wind farms for the first time, the Black Harrier Circus maurus, one of the world's rarest harriers. We conduct a population viability assessment using a Bayesian model integrating life-history information and annual reporting rates from detection/non-detection surveys from the South African Bird Atlas Project. Our model estimates a global population of approximately 1300 birds currently declining at 2.3% per year, and one that could collapse in under 100 years, if an average of three to five adult birds are killed annually. This level of mortality may soon exist, given the current rate of fatalities and the number of wind farms planned within the species' distribution. In addition, we find that the population is sensitive to changes in climate. Our results highlight the critical need for appropriate placement, and adaptive management of wind farms and other infrastructure causing harrier mortality. We also show how detection/non-detection data may be used to infer population dynamics and viability, when population counts are unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Cervantes
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Robert E. Simmons
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
- Birds and Bats Unlimited Cape Town, South Africa
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Olufemi OT, Barba M, Daly JM. A Scoping Review of West Nile Virus Seroprevalence Studies among African Equids. Pathogens 2021; 10:899. [PMID: 34358049 PMCID: PMC8308515 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging and re-emerging zoonotic flavivirus first identified in and endemic to Africa. The virus is transmitted between birds by biting mosquitoes, with equids and humans being incidental hosts. The majority of infected incidental hosts display no or only mild clinical signs, but a fraction develop encephalitis. The aim of this scoping review was to identify and evaluate primary research on the presence of antibodies to WNV among African equids. Three bibliographic databases and the grey literature were searched. Of 283 articles identified, only 16 satisfied all the inclusion criteria. Data were collated on study design and outcomes. The overall seroprevalence reported ranged from 17.4 to 90.3%, with 1998 (35%) of the 5746 horses, donkeys and mules having screened positive for WNV antibodies. Several articles determined that seroprevalence increased significantly with age. Due to co-circulation of other flaviviruses in Africa, in the majority of studies that screened samples by ELISA, positive results were confirmed using a more specific neutralization test. However, only eight studies tested against other flaviviruses, including Potiskum, Uganda S, Wesselsbron and yellow fever virus in one, Japanese encephalitis and Usutu virus (USUV) in one, tick-borne encephalitis and USUV in one and USUV only in three. Equids are regarded as useful sentinel animals for WNV, but variation in study design poses challenges when trying to determine risk factors for, and trends in, WNV seroprevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaolu T. Olufemi
- One Virology—Wolfson Centre for Global Virus Research, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK;
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos, Jos 930003, Nigeria
| | - Marta Barba
- Microbiological Agents Associated with Animal Reproduction (ProVaginBio), Veterinary Faculty, University Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain;
- Innovation Centre in Rural Bioeconomy, Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA), Av. Montañana, 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Janet M. Daly
- One Virology—Wolfson Centre for Global Virus Research, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK;
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Statistical models for the persistence of threatened birds using citizen science data: A systematic review. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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