Journal articles on the topic 'Birds – Nests – Great Britain'

The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) reaches its highest abundance in the northern Great Plains, but much of our understanding of cowbird ecology and host-parasite interactions comes from areas outside of this region. We examine cowbird brood parasitism and densities during two studies of breeding birds in the northern Great Plains during 1990–2006. We found 2649 active nests of 75 species, including 746 nonpasserine nests and 1902 passerine nests. Overall, <1% of nonpasserine nests and 25% of passerine nests were parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. Although the overall frequency of cowbird parasitism in passerine nests in these two studies is considered moderate, the frequency of multiple parasitism among parasitized nests was heavy (nearly 50%). The mean number of cowbird eggs per parasitized passerine nest was 1.9 ± 1.2 (SD; range = 1–8 cowbird eggs). The parasitism rates were 9.5% for passerines that typically nest in habitats characterized by woody vegetation, 16.4% for grassland-nesting passerines, 4.7% for passerines known to consistently eject cowbird eggs, and 28.2% for passerines that usually accept cowbird eggs. The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) was the most commonly parasitized species (43.1% parasitism, 49.6% multiple parasitism, 71.2% of all cases of parasitism). Passerine nests found within areas of higher female cowbird abundance experienced higher frequencies of cowbird parasitism than those found in areas of lower female cowbird abundance. Densities of female cowbirds were positively related to densities and richness of other birds in the breeding bird community.

Abstract Birds as the Feeders of Ticks (Acari, Ixodida) in Megalopolis of Kyiv. Nebogatkin, I. V. - Data about ticks parasitizing on birds in the city of Kyiv were summarized. 117 birds and 27 nests were examined. Ticks were found on six species collecting food on the ground level: Great Tit (Parus major), White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), Rook (Corvus frugilegus), blackbird (Turdus merula), and Nuthatch (Sitta europaea). 56 Ixodidae specimens of four species from two genera were collected from the birds and their nests: Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758); I. arboricola Schulze et Schlottke, 1930; I. lividus (Koch, 1844), Haemaphysalis concinna Koch, 1844. Th e role of birds as feeders of all developmental stages of ticks not only increases under conditions of urban landscape, but also becomes leading in the places with low population of small mammals. Ectoparasites of birds of the other taxonomic groups along with the ticks can play an important role in maintaining the circulation of pathogens of various aetiologies in the urban landscapes.

Livestock grazing is a major driver of ecosystem change, and has been associated with significant declines in various bird species worldwide. In Britain, there is particular concern that severe grazing pressure is deleteriously affecting vegetation and birds in upland regions. However, the mechanism by which grazing affects birds is unclear. Here, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, that sheep grazing pressure affects the egg size of a common upland passerine: the meadow pipit Anthus pratensis . We manipulated sheep stocking densities in a replicated field experiment, and found that plots with the highest stocking density contained nests with the smallest eggs, and that plots with low stocking density contained nests with the largest eggs. However, eggs laid in ungrazed plots were also small, suggesting that either too many sheep or their removal from upland areas might have a detrimental effect on pipit egg size. We found no significant effect on fledging success but the reduced post-fledging survival of young from smaller eggs, as seen in other studies, could partly explain declines in upland birds.

Neotropical birds’ nests have received a great deal of attention because sylvatic species of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) and parasitic flies of the genus Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) were discovered inside them. Those insects known in birds’ nests from Argentina, the chacoan region of Bolivia, and the southern portion of Brazil and Uruguay were extensively but not completely summarized by Turienzo & Di Iorio (2007). The present contribution summarizes all insects known to occur in birds’ nests from the Neotropical Region (except for Argentina and the Antarctic Region of adjacent countries), updating Hicks’ catalogues for this part of the world. Regarding birds, the list comprises 172 taxa identified to species (in 38 families), 8 to genus (in 6 families), 6 to family (in 4 families), and 27 birds´nests not identified. Regarding insects of the Neotropical region, 123 were identified to species (13 Blattaria; 5 Coleoptera; 26 Diptera; 34 Hemiptera; 15 Hymenoptera; 23 Psocoptera; 6 Siphonaptera; 1 Thysanura), 96 to genus (5 Blattaria; 8 Coleoptera; 48 Diptera; 4 Hemiptera; 6 Hymenoptera; 25 Psocoptera), 63 to superfamily, family or subfamily (1 Blattaria; 21 Coleoptera; 10 Diptera; 7 Hemiptera; 14 Hymenoptera; 1 Isoptera; 3 Orthoptera; 5 Psocoptera; 1 Thysanoptera), and 34 to order (6 Blattaria [including 1 Mantodea]; 6 Coleoptera; 3 Diptera; 3 Embioptera; 2 Hemiptera; 3 Hymenoptera; 1 Thysanoptera; 2 Isoptera; 4 Lepidoptera; 1 Orthoptera; 1 Phthiraptera; 2 Psocoptera). Associations of Neotropical insects with birds´nests were extracted from 392 references including original and posterior citations. Some North American species of insects that are neotropical immigrants are discussed, while a few other had been accidentally introduced in both directions. Synonymies, old combinations, misidentifications, original localities, amounts of insects, and repositories when they were stated, are provided.

In order to increase the integrated protection of horticultural ecosystems by using the biological fight, the installation on artificial nests, is an important measure to help the insectivore birds. In a research program, a number of 166 artificial nets for Passeriformes birds were installed in different ecosystems as parks, botanical gardens and orchards in the South-Eastern part of Romania. During the nests monitoring period an interesting, but in the same time warring phenomenon, was noticed: a certain number of artificial nets were prayed by woodpeckers, especially by Dendrocopos major (Great Spotted Woodpecker). In Romania, all the ten European woodpecker species are nesting, nine being sedentary and one (Jynx torquilla) migratory, leaving the country in autumn. Woodpeckers in general, are very useful in woody plant biological protection, having a predominant insectivore nutrition and being the only one to keep under control the insects that are leaving on, inside and under the trees bark. The paper presents some data regarding the woodpeckers ethology in the studied ecosystems. More research are needed to understand the woodpeckers behaviour and to find protection methods of useful birds' nests against the woodpeckers attack. Keywords: useful birds; Dendrocopos major; Dendrocopos syriacus; Passer montanus; Picus viridis.

Great Indian Bustard (GIB), Ardeotis nigriceps is a threatened bird species and listed as critically endangered. Presently, GIB is found only in six states of India i.e. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. During the last 20 years the GIB population has crashed in many areas and presently the population could be as low as 500 birds in India. In Maharashtra, as per survey conducted during 2005-06, about 30 to 36 GIBs were counted. Out of these, 08 birds were reported from Chandrapur and Nagpur districts in Vidarbha region. Habitat of the GIBs in Chandrapur district is cultivated agriculture lands and grasslands around villages. During 2010-11, conducting regular visits, continuous monitoring and collecting information from foresters, local people we documented a breeding report of GIB from Vidarbha region. Total four nests were sighted in Warora and Bhadrawati talukas of Chandrapur district. Each nest contained a single egg. Out of these four nests, hatching took place in only two nests but only one chick survived; in the third nest the egg did not hatch for 40 days while at the fourth nest the egg was accidentally broken. So, immediate protection to nesting sites is required.

A large multi-species gull colony at South Walney in Cumbria, northwest England, has suffered declines over the past 20 years, and from 2016 to 2020 no gull chicks fledged despite up to 4,000 pairs of adults attempting to breed each year. The primary cause of nest failure was predation. In an attempt to reverse this decline, a predator exclusion fence was erected around the remnant gull colony in March 2021, and population and productivity surveys were carried out over the 2021 and 2022 breeding seasons. In 2021, 53, 27 and 40 chicks fledged from 263 Herring Gull, 186 Lesser Black-backed and 38 Great Black-backed Gull nests, respectively, resulting in reproductive success rates of 0.20, 0.15, and 1.05 fledglings per nest. Following the fence erection, in 2022 numbers of nesting birds increased by 151% overall to 575 Herring Gull nests, 553 Lesser Black-backed Gull nests and 28 Great Black-backed Gull nests, with reproductive success rates of 0.4, 0.61 and 1.21 respectively.

Context We assessed the effects of egg oiling on ground-nesting double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the context of an emerging management strategy for the largest known cormorant colony on the lower Great Lakes. We designed the present study to answer specific questions in response to concerns raised by stakeholders and members of the public regarding this management technique. Aims The aim of the present study was to examine the behavioural response of adult cormorants to egg oiling. Prior work on this issue has focussed on population-response questions rather than the behavioural level. Consequently, detailed observations on how cormorants respond to egg oiling are lacking. Methods Using instantaneous and focal observations to measure behaviours, we compared Treatment nests (n = 24, 23) to Control (n = 24) and Sham (handled, but not treated; n = 24) nests. We observed nest attendance, incubation and mate-presence behaviour, and divided observations into pre-chick and entire-season categories for analysis. Key results Our study determined that egg oiling does not cause immediate nest desertion by adult birds; Treatment birds incubated their nests as long as did Sham and Control birds. We found no difference among the three groups in the proportion of time a mate was present during incubation for Control and Sham nests in the pre-chick period. We found that the total seasonal duration of nest attendance by Treatment birds was shorter than that for the birds in the other groups. Conclusions Both incubation and mate-presence data suggest that egg oiling did not measurably affect the behaviour of adult cormorants in the pre-chick period. Our study also suggests that Treatment birds attended their nest long enough to preclude re-nesting within the breeding season, although this may not apply for regions with longer nesting seasons. Implications Our study indicates that egg oiling, administered judiciously, may be an appropriate management technique for ground-nesting cormorants, although management targets must be clearly articulated.

Abstract The incidence of brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater; hereafter “cowbirds“) within host species typically reflects the continental pattern in cowbird abundance across North America, where parasitism is heaviest in the Great Plains. However, we found considerable variation in cowbird parasitism on Dickcissel (Spiza americana) nests within a subregion of the Great Plains (the Flint Hills), where the highest levels of cowbird parasitism on grassland bird nests had been previously reported. Local parasitism frequencies on Dickcissel nests varied latitudinally across the Flint Hills, ranging from 0% to 92% of nests parasitized. Interestingly, we found no obvious patterns in habitat or host attributes that were associated with this steep geographic gradient in brood parasitism. Cowbird parasitism on Dickcissel nests was not correlated with the vertical density of local prairie vegetation, mean nest distance to edge, proportion of forest to grassland habitat surrounding study sites (≤5 to 10 km), geographic variation in host abundance, or Dickcissel density or nest initiation dates. Parasitism frequencies and intensities (number of cowbird eggs per parasitized nest) on Dickissel nests were only significantly related to variation in local female cowbird density. Dickcissel clutch size and apparent fledging success were negatively correlated with local cowbird parasitism levels. Geographic patterns in cowbird abundance within and among regions should be considered when establishing conservation areas for grassland birds or other cowbird hosts of concern.

Alien predators are known to potentially strongly affect their prey populations. We studied the impact of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) on waterbird breeding success in eight semi-urban wetlands in Finland. We manipulated raccoon dog density in two wetlands by removing individuals (2002 protection year, 2003 and 2004 removal years). We additionally performed nest predation experiments. We monitored raccoon dog density, estimated hunting bag size and observed waterbird breeding success. Our hypothesis predicts that the omnivorous raccoon dog plays a role in waterbird breeding success by depredating nests. Our experiments shown that the raccoon dog hunting bag in eutrophic wetlands may be large, as we removed 8.6–20.0 animals per km2. Both our nest predation experiment and field data indicated that raccoon dogs affect the breeding success of waterbirds. We found a significant relationship between raccoon dog density index and predation rate of the artificial nests, but not between red fox (Vulpes vulpes) density and predation on artificial nests. We did not find an association between raccoon dog abundance and the breeding success of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and great crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus). However, our study shows that birds species with different breeding strategies – e.g. great crested grebe, mute swan (Cygnus olor), mallard, Eurasian wigeon (Mareca penelope), coot (Fulica atra), lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) and marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) – when considered together showed higher breeding success both in 2003 and 2004 when compared to breeding success before removal. There was, however, variation in how strongly the species responded to raccoon dog removal. Our results indicate that the removal of alien raccoon dogs can be an important tool in wetland management. Keywords: ducks, invasive species, lapwing, nest predation experiment, Nyctereutes procyonoides, predator removal

The great bustard is a globally-threatened species needing conservation action across Europe. This paper discusses key issues in the case for reintroducing the bird to Britain. Great bustards became extinct as a breeding species in Britain in 1832 probably as a result of hunting, agricultural change and inclement weather. The factors that caused the loss are no longer thought to operate. Suitable habitat exists in pockets across England and especially on Salisbury Plain where a large area is protected for military training and conservation purposes. The Plain combines short grass areas for lekking, long grassland for feeding and adjacent arable land for nesting. Pilot studies on arthropods in long grassland suggest that their density is sufficient for chick-rearing but the precautionary creation of additional food-rich areas among arable crops is recommended. Genetic studies indicate that Britain's bustards probably belonged to the central European group and that restocking should not use birds from Iberia. Only Russia has sufficient birds to supply a reintroduction project and losses there through nest destruction are high. By rescuing eggs, artificially incubating them and transporting chicks to Britain, the project should have zero detriment to the donor population. Modelling indicates that 40 chicks will need to be brought to Britain for 5–10 years to build a founder population of 100 birds. Although focused on direct action in Britain, the project will promote grassland conservation across Europe and serve as a model for translocating bustards elsewhere.

Numbers of ectoparasitic blow fly (Protocalliphora azurea) larvae (Diptera: Calliphoridae), adult and larval hen fleas, Ceratophyllus gallinae (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae), and other nest-dwelling insects were counted from the nests of the great tit, Parus major, and the pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca, in southwestern Finland around a factory complex emitting large quantities of sulphuric oxides and heavy metals. Protocalliphora azurea larvae were more frequently found in the nests of P. major than in those of F. hypoleuca. The prevalence of P. azurea larvae tended to be lower in polluted areas. The number of P. azurea larvae correlated positively with nest size and brood size of P. major. This may be caused by difficulties in sanitation of large and crowded nests. The numbers of fleas and their larvae were negatively affected by moisture in the nests. Nests of F. hypoleuca contained more adult fleas in polluted areas. This may indicate reduced resistance of birds exposed to heavy metals, but other possibilities are also discussed. We found a detrimental effect of P. azurea larvae on the growth of P. major nestlings, and an effect of fleas on mortality of F. hypoleuca nestlings, but these effects were not enhanced by air pollution. We conclude that the ectoparasites studied, at densities observed in our study area, are of minor importance in determining the breeding success of these two bird species.

Abstract A Great Grey Owl population on the territory of Polisskiy Nature Reserve (Olevsk and Ovruch District, Zhytomyr Region, Ukraine) was investigated in 2006–2008, 2013–2016. The main breeding locations were mesotrophic mires, where the lack of Birds of Prey nests made owls to breed on artificial constructions. Reproductive indexes of mean clutch size were similar to such indexes achieved in 1985–1996, and indexes of mean number of fledglings on active nest and breeding success decreased reliably.

Evolutionary selection pressures, and species-specific ecology and behavior, promote a great variability in the size and composition of nests. However, it would be expected that phylogenetically close species, with similar ecological needs, breeding at the same time in the same place, would also build similar nests. In contrast with this, previous studies have found differences in nest mass and composition among closely related sympatric species. These differences have been attributed to small differences in body size (smaller species building larger and/or more insulated nests), or to the different ways in which species perceive the environment (e.g. perceived predation risk). In this study, for the first time, we searched for differences between nest mass, composition, and importance of the different functional parts of the nest between Blue ( Cyanistes caeruleus), Great ( Parus major) and Coal tits ( Periparus ater) breeding under the same conditions. We found that smaller species built larger nests and/or include more thermoregulatory materials, probably having greater insulating capacity, which agrees with previous hypotheses. In particular, Blue Tits made greater use of bark, feathers and vegetable fiber, while Great Tits used wild boar hair in greater proportions. In addition, for the first time, we described in detail the nest composition of Coal Tits, which contained large amounts of fluff compared to the other two species. All these results are in line with previous hypothesis linking nest size and composition to the size of the birds, and the existence of species-specific characteristics in the selection of materials for nest building.

The effects of ectoparasites on host reproductive success have been studied in a variety of bird species. Most of these studies concern either colonial or hole-nesting birds, which have been suspected of being particularly susceptible to parasites because of their social habits and (or) reuse of old nests. The effects of a horizontally transmitted flea, Ceratophyllus gallinae, on the reproductive success of hole-nesting great tits,Parus major, were experimentally studied over 3 years. Leaving nests in nest boxes in the intervals between breeding seasons does not result in a significant increase in parasite abundance in comparison with nest boxes cleaned between seasons. Flea abundance was reduced by spraying random nests with an insecticide during host egg laying. There were no significant effects of ectoparasite removal on clutch size, number of fledged young, hatching success, or fledging success in any of the 3 years, although a significant interaction between year and treatment in nestling body mass was observed. Thus, in 1 of the 3 years, body mass of nestlings in the sprayed boxes was, on average, significantly greater than that of controls. There was also a negative correlation between flea abundance and mean body mass of the brood. In addition, nestlings produced in flea-free boxes had a significantly higher probability of recruiting locally than nestlings from control nests. The effects of ectoparasites seem to vary over time and also among host populations, which implies that the effects of parasites may interact with other environmental factors.

Sixty percent of the breeding great blue herons (Ardea herodias) in a colony at Pender Harbour, British Columbia, were individually marked to test three hypotheses concerning the benefits of colonial breeding. (i) Most herons fed near the site of the colony, but neighbours or members of a pair did not tend to choose adjacent feeding sites, as predicted by the information center hypothesis. Food supply was predictably distributed in time and space, and birds that did most of their feeding outside Pender Harbour bred less successfully than locally feeding birds. (ii) Nests that failed because of predation were nearer to the edge of the colony in 1978 but not in 1979. The colony was abandoned in 1980 after 2 years of high predation. Predation may, therefore, select for colonial breeding in herons, but heavy predation may force colony abandonment. (iii) Most herons chose new nest sites and new mates each year. The colony site may therefore serve as an assembly site for mate finding. Mate finding and avoidance of predation are therefore more likely to explain coloniality in great blue herons than are advantages associated with finding food.

Abstract Birds are of great cultural importance to the Qaqet-Baining people of East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. In this paper, we investigate whether there are differences in people’s ability to name common birds in the local environment, and focus primarily on the variables gender and location. We showed pictures of local birds to small groups of Qaqet speakers in two villages—one located in an area of significant deforestation—and asked them to name them. Overall, men were able to name more birds, as were people from the village associated with greater forest cover. Our results show that gender, environmental degradation and shift to the local lingua franca Tok Pisin may all be responsible for the variation in Qaqet people’s ethno-ornithological lexicon.

SUMMARYA total of 6593 serum samples from birds, received for diagnostic testing or surveys between 1974 and 1983, were titrated by direct complement fixation (CF) test against Chlamydia psittaciantigen. The percentage of positive reactions found was variable for domestic poultry, ranging from 1·5 in chickens to 22·2 in geese, and was highest in pigeons Columba livia (47·3) and collared doves Streptopelia decaocto (51·4). A moderate incidence was found for game birds (29·0), wild ducks (23·3) and imported birds of the order Psittaciformes (15·9). The highest titres were found in pigeons, collared doves and psittacines, confirming that infection is both frequent and active in these birds in Britain. Results of isolation of chlamydia from similar sources will be reported subsequently.

In this study, we analyze changing patterns of pesticide use in agriculture in Great Britain over the 1990–2016 period, with respect to the risk they pose to birds. The weight of pesticides applied decreased by 51% between 1990 and 2016, but the area treated increased by 63% over the same period. Over this period, there has been considerable turnover in the pesticides used. The European Union (including Great Britain until 2020) has restricted or banned many pesticides for agricultural use, including organophosphates and carbamates. However, new generations of active substances have been introduced, such as the neonicotinoids, some of which have since been banned. In this analysis, we estimate the annual ‘toxic load’ of agricultural pesticide use in Great Britain for birds, measured as the total number of LD50 doses for corn buntings, Emberiza calandra. We have previously performed similar analyses for bees, for which the total toxic load increased six-fold during this period. In contrast, for birds the total toxic load fell by 80.5%, although still correspond to 8.3e+11 corn bunting LD50 doses in 2016. The decrease in toxicity is largely due to declining use of highly toxic organophosphates in recent years. We identify the pesticides in current use that may pose the highest risk to birds, which include a mix of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, molluscicides, acaricides and plant growth regulators. The insecticide ethoprop was ranked highest in 2016, with a toxic load of 71 billion potential corn bunting kills. Some of the other chemicals presenting a high toxic load, such as the herbicide chlormequat, are not highly toxic to birds (in terms of LD50) but are used in very large quantities. However, it is important to stress that, in reality, only a tiny proportion of pesticides applied will be ingested by birds, and this will vary according to timing and method of application, persistence of the active substance and many other factors. We further note that impacts of pesticides on birds might often be indirect, for example via depleting their food supply, and that sublethal impacts may occur at much lower doses than the LD50, neither of which do we investigate here. Nonetheless, we suggest that this is a useful approach to highlight pesticides that might be worth closer study with regard to possible impacts.

We briefly review the literature on social learning in birds, concluding that strong evidence exists mainly for predator recognition, song, mate choice and foraging. The mechanism of local enhancement may be more important than imitation for birds learning to forage, but the former mechanism may be sufficient for faithful transmission depending on the ecological circumstances. To date, most insights have been gained from birds in captivity. We present a study of social learning of foraging in two passerine birds in the wild, where we cross-fostered eggs between nests of blue tits, Cyanistes caeruleus and great tits, Parus major . Early learning causes a shift in the foraging sites used by the tits in the direction of the foster species. The shift in foraging niches was consistent across seasons, as showed by an analysis of prey items, and the effect lasted for life. The fact that young birds learn from their foster parents, and use this experience later when subsequently feeding their own offspring, suggests that foraging behaviour can be culturally transmitted over generations in the wild. It may therefore have both ecological and evolutionary consequences, some of which are discussed.

SUMMARYA total of 1531 diagnostic submissions from birds were examined by culture for the presence of Chlamydia psittaci between June 1976 and December 1984 by growth in NCTC 929 clone L mouse fibroblast cells, pretreated with an inhibitor of cell division, followed by direct immunofluorescence microscopy. Of these, 196 were found positive. The continued importance of psittacine birds as potential sources of infection was shown by the high number of positives (139) obtained from birds of that order. The percentage of submissions found positive was highest in parakeets (30·1) and was fairly high in psittacines as a group (16·6), but the latter figure was exceeded by the group ofcollared doves (Streptopelia decaocto) and wood pigeons (Columba palumbus) (25·0). Domestic poultry generally gave low rates, turkeys being the highest.Both the numbers of submissions and their rates of positives increased between 1980 and 1984.Comparing the isolation rates from the various organs sampled, the intestines gave the highest rate (20·4 per cent positive), closely followed by the other internal sites. The superficial swabbed sites (eye, nasal cavity, cloaca) gave lower rates.

SUMMARYWest Nile virus (WNV) is a zoonotic arthropod-borne pathogen with continued geographical expansion in Europe. We present and evaluate data on the temporal, spatial and bird species focus of the WNV surveillance programme in dead wild birds in Great Britain (2002–2009). During this period all bird samples tested negative for WNV. Eighty-two per cent of the 2072 submissions occurred during the peak period of vector activity with 53% tested during April–July before human and equine infection would be expected. Samples were received from every county, but there was significant geographical clustering (nearest neighbour index=0·23, P<0·001). Over 240 species were represented, with surveillance more likely to detect WNV in resident bird species (92% of submissions) than migrants (8%). Evidence indicates that widespread avian mortality is not generally a reported feature of WNV in Europe and hence additional activities other than dead bird surveillance may maximize the ability to detect WNV circulation before the onset of human and equine infections.

Abstract Mercury, a common wetland pollutant, can affect wildlife populations through acute toxicity or through physiological effects that modify behavior and negatively influence reproductive success. We compared body-feather mercury concentrations of free-living male and female adult White Ibises (Eudocimus albus) during three breeding seasons in the Florida Everglades and examined the relationships among mercury, hormone concentrations, and body-condition scores. Female White Ibises consistently had lower mercury concentrations than males. Prebreeding females' estradiol concentrations were negatively correlated with mercury concentrations. However, we found no relationship between mercury and female testosterone, progesterone, and corticosterone concentrations. Incubating male White Ibises showed a significant positive relationship between testosterone and mercury concentrations, but no other significant hormonal correlations with mercury concentrations. We used a seven-year standardized data set of Great Egret (Ardea alba) chick-feather mercury concentrations as a measure of temporal changes in mercury bioavailability in the Everglades and related that measure to annual numbers of White Ibis nests. White Ibis nesting was negatively correlated with the mercury exposure index. Low numbers of nesting White Ibises may have been the result of fewer birds nesting or high abandonment rates. Our results suggest that mercury exposure may cause fewer birds to nest or more birds to abandon nests because of subacute effects on hormone systems. However, the results are correlative; they call for further investigation in free-living populations and in the laboratory. Relaciones entre las Concentraciones de Mercurio, Hormonas y el Esfuerzo de Nidificación de Eudocimus albus en los Everglades, Florida

It was the early 1980s on a warm summer’s evening on North West Island, located in the Capricornia Bunker Group towards the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. I had some time to myself and was wandering along the beach at sunset. Looking up, I realised there were thousands and thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of birds — wedge-tailed shearwaters, in fact — circling the island as they returned to their underground nests and their mates and chicks after a day of feeding and cruising the air currents. What was so special about this? After all, it happens every summer’s evening on many Reef sand cays. It was special for me because I suddenly realised that this huge sweep of birds was flying past in total silence … the only sound was an occasional wing dipping into the sea.

In the 70s of the XXth century, the nesting of the Eurasian spoonbill in Ukraine was known only in the lower reaches of the Danube and Dniester, and at the beginning of the XXIst century, it began to spread to the East and the Eurasian spoonbill began to nest on the Tiligulskiy Liman, Karkinit Bay, Western and Eastern Sivash. Since 2016, the Eurasian spoonbill has been observed during the breeding season in the upper reaches of the Utlyukskiy Liman and the estuarine areas of the Bolshoy and Maly Utlyuk Rivers. According to observations that were held in 2016-2020, first there were: a pair with unproven nesting (2016), then flocks of up to 17-26 individuals (2018-2019). In 2020, both individual pairs with nesting behavior and flocks were found near a mixed colony of the Gray heron and the Great egret. Finally, on 24.05.2020, the Eurasian spoonbill nests were found in this colony. Among the 8 nests, one contained 2 eggs and two chicks, four nests contained 4 eggs and the other three - 3 ones. Nests are located on the periphery of the heron colony on clump of reeds. The height of the nesting platforms is about 4-70 cm above the water level, the minimum distance between the nests is about 4 m. It is possible that the flock of 26 adult and young individuals, that was observed on 2.08.2018, consisted of local nesting birds. Thus, another nesting location was found in the South of Ukraine.

Three generations of Ward taxidermists practised their craft both in Britain and abroad. The grandfather, John, had a daughter Jane Catherine, and two sons, James Frederick and Edwin Henry, both of whom went to North America to collect birds (Henry with John James Audubon). Edwin Henry's own two sons, Edwin and Rowland, became two of the best known taxidermists in Great Britain. Edwin emigrated to California, where he taught his skills to his three sons. Rowland was the most famous, successful and wealthy member of the family, becoming world-renowned as a taxidermist.

Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) are known to occasionally nest in mixed colonies, even though the former is one of the primary predators of the latter. I observed the two species in four heron colonies near Lake Simcoe, Ontario during two field seasons to assess whether rates of heron chick mortality or nest abandonment were greater in a colony that supported a nesting pair of Bald Eagles than in three nearby single-species colonies. I assessed the effects of eagle presence on heron behaviour using heron movement rates, the number of heron sentries left in colonies during the nesting period, heron nest mortality rates, and the average number of successfully fledged herons per nest. There was no statistically significant difference in movement rate among the four colonies, proportion of birds remaining as sentries, nor nest mortality rates. However, nests in the mixed colony successfully fledged significantly more heron young per nest than did nests in the single-species colonies. The mixed colony was located in a wetland and open lake system that provided extensive foraging habitat and an abundance of the preferred fish prey species of both Great Blue Herons and Bald Eagles, thus reducing predation pressure on the herons.

Introduced livestock may indirectly affect bird species by decreasing vegetation structure and affecting the selection of nesting sites. This is especially true for birds that use shrubs as the raw material for nest construction or for nest placement. Nesting in inadequate supporting structures or the use of inadequate raw material for nest building may increase nest vulnerability (e.g. increasing structure weakness, falling and nest exposure to predation). Accordingly, bird species show a great variation in the selectivity of nesting sites and the raw material they use. Furnariidae family members exhibit an extraordinary diversity in nest placement and structure, which allows them to survive in different arid environments. I report here on a study of nest site selection of two common furnariid species, Leptasthenura aegithaloides and Pseudoseisura gutturalis, across a grazing gradient composed by nine independent paddocks within the same arid habitat. These species use large closed-nests (&gt;40 cm long) built with thorny branches, placed on spiny shrubs. I measured nest abundance and supporting plants characteristics, vegetation structure, browsing intensity and compared the plants selected by the birds with the surrounding vegetation. These bird species used only few plant species for nest building and location. Livestock significantly reduced vegetation cover of the species used to build and place the nests, affecting nest site selection and reducing nest abundance. As livestock density increased, both species selected aggregated plants and the tallest plants for nesting, which may increase nest exposure. Therefore, livestock may indirectly affect nest-site selection of birds ultimately affecting their nesting ecology. This work illustrates how domestic livestock, through decreasing plant cover, may affect native biota with consequences on key species within an ecosystem.

Nature oversees a vast array of amazing shapes formed by organisms such as plants, fungi and animals. Some of these manifest as intricate patterns in structures like coral and the nests of insects and birds. Associate Professor Ayae Sugawara-Narutaki, from the Department of Materials Chemistry at Nagoya University, Japan has a particular interest in these patterns. Sugawara-Narutaki's team focuses on research inspired by these self-organised nanostructures to develop nanomaterials for a variety of health-related applications. The ability of these nanomaterials to self-assemble and self-organise in a liquid phase has attracted a great deal of interest from materials scientists the world over.

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between flock health and Campylobacter infection of housed commercial broilers in Great Britain. Thirty ceca were collected at slaughter from batches of broilers from 789 flocks, at either full or partial depopulation, between December 2003 and March 2006 and examined individually for Campylobacter by direct plating onto selective media. Management and health data were collected from each flock and included information on mortality or culling during rearing, the number of birds rejected for infectious or noninfectious causes at slaughter, the proportion of birds with digital dermatitis (also termed hock burn), and other general characteristics of the flock. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 280 (35%) flocks. The relationship between bird health and welfare and Campylobacter status of flocks was assessed using random-effects logistic regression models, adjusting for region, month, year, and rearing regime. Campylobacter-positive batches of ceca were associated with higher levels of rejection due to infection (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI95%], 0.98 to 2.30) and digital dermatitis (OR, 2.08; CI95%, 1.20 to 3.61). Furthermore, higher levels of these conditions were also associated with the highest-level category of within-flock Campylobacter prevalence (70 to 100%). These results could indicate that improving health and welfare may also reduce Campylobacter in broilers.

SUMMARYFinch trichomonosis is an emerging infectious disease affecting European passerines caused by a clonal strain of Trichomonas gallinae. Migrating chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs) were proposed as the likely vector of parasite spread from Great Britain to Fennoscandia. To test for such parasite carriage, we screened samples of oesophagus/crop from 275 Apodiform, Passeriform and Piciform birds (40 species) which had no macroscopic evidence of trichomonosis (i.e. necrotic ingluvitis). These birds were found dead following the emergence of trichomonosis in Great Britain, 2009–2012, and were examined post-mortem. Polymerase chain reactions were used to detect (ITS1/5·8S rRNA/ITS2 region and single subunit rRNA gene) and to subtype (Fe-hydrogenase gene) T. gallinae. Trichomonas gallinae was detected in six finches [three chaffinches, two greenfinches (Chloris chloris) and a bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)]. Sequence data had 100% identity to the European finch epidemic A1 strain for each species. While these results are consistent with finches being vectors of T. gallinae, alternative explanations include the presence of incubating or resolved T. gallinae infections. The inclusion of histopathological examination would help elucidate the significance of T. gallinae infection in the absence of macroscopic lesions.

The cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is a bird species that nests sporadically but in colonies, besides larger fishponds and rivers in Hungary. The number of its individuals has been increasing during the last two decades. The species eats solely fish, therefore it can cause serious depredation of the fish stocks in fishponds of intensive system and after the freezing of the ponds, in larger rivers, which are not yet frozen. The aim of our research was to reveal the damages the birds can cause on the studied areas and the extent of the losses the Hortobágy Fish Farm Co. has to realize. Our studies were carried out between April 2012 and November 2014. During cleaning, the investigation of the craw contents of the birds and their biometric studies were conducted. The results revealed the diverse food base of the species. In the samples, we have determined 379 fish individuals; in 368 cases, the exact fish species were determined, too. Significant differences were found between the consumed fish species rations of the units (P=0.05% beside). We have also found significant difference in the fish consumptions of adult males and females. Under the ever harder fish production conditions, the presence and thus the permanent predation of the birds affect the fishermen. In favour of maintaining ecological balance as well as to hold the income of the fish farmers, elaboration of adequate protective and preventive methods will be needed in near future.

The Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) nests across a great swath of Kostanay Oblast. The greatest number and density of nesting pairs is concentrated in to the south. Northernmost nesting points are located in Kamysty, Auliekol and Naurzum districts, located centrally in the oblast. In July 2023 Naurzum Community Environmental Organization initiated a project jointly with Naurzum State Nature Reserve and with the financial support of the Global Greengrants Fund to install nesting platforms for Steppe Eagles. The project area covers the districts of Nauru and southern Auliekol. Naurzum State Nature Reserve is also located here and has great importance for biodiversity conservation in the region. There are 10–12 Steppe Eagle nesting sites located directly within the reserve and its buffer zone, and another 8–10 sites on adjacent territories. Among the threats facing Steppe Eagles, fire is the biggest issue, often burning large areas. Another challenge is periodic decline in food supply, generally resulting from mainly epizootic disease in the Little Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus pygmaeus). To a lesser extent, the Destruction of nests by predators and domestic animals, as well as bird-hazardous power lines also have negative impacts, albeit to lesser extents. 34 nesting platforms will be installed in the reserve’s buffer zone and adjacent areas as part of the project. Installation sites include both active nesting sites for birds and prospective areas to attract new pairs.

Is sea-level rise and (or) climate change responsible for current declines in important coastal bird populations in Great Britain, and how might these processes affect bird populations in future? We review the current status of coastal bird populations in Britain and identify two important species, Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) and Twite (Carduelis flavirostris), whose populations are currently declining. We then review the evidence relating to the causes of these declines. There is evidence that habitat loss, driven by sea-level rise and climate change (e.g., an increase in wind and wave energy reaching the coast due to an increase in the frequency of storms), could have contributed to the decline in Twite. Common Redshank numbers are declining because of changes in grazing management, not sea-level rise. Populations that are currently stable or increasing, such as wintering waders and wildfowl, might in future experience declines in abundance because there is a link between climate, food supply, and bird abundance. There are insufficient reliable data at present to allow us to predict future changes with any confidence. Sea-level rise and climate change are currently important issues facing coastal zone management in Great Britain, and these issues may become even more pressing in future. But, in addition to these environmental processes, coastal bird populations are affected by a range of other anthropogenic factors. Conservationists, therefore, need to identify important bird populations that are (or could be in future) detrimentally affected by any of these activities rather than focusing exclusively on single issues such as sea-level rise. Allowing the sea to breach existing sea defences, thereby creating new saltmarsh, provides a way forward but is not without its practical and political difficulties.Key words: coastal birds, sea-level rise, climate change, population decline, habitat loss, saltmarsh.

Some oystercatchers are less efficient predators than others because of their age or their feeding habits. This lower feeding efficiency may reduce their survival or their chance of migrating to nesting grounds. Do these birds carry more parasites? To address this question, we studied the intestinal parasite load of oystercatchers hibernating in the Exe estuary (Great Britain) in relation to their feeding site, type of prey, and parasite load of mussels, their main prey in the estuary. We show that some birds with lower feeding efficiency carry more parasites, particularly the potentially pathogenic nematode Capillaria sp. The degree of infestation by trematodes through the mussel Ptilostomum brevicolle is not related to the degree of infestation of the mussels themselves. We suggest that some birds are resistant to infestation. [Journal translation]

The Important Bird Area (IBA) “Donyz-Tau cliff faces” (KZ019), with an area of 387,110 hectares, has been allocated by I.V. Karyakin (2008) based on survey results in 2003–2006. Survey showed several globally threatened and biome-specific species nesting here, including Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) and Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), 26 breeding pairs of each species (Karyakin, 2008). Condition of large raptor nesting groups in the IBA was then checked (territories were always checked partially) in 2012, 2017, and 2018. IBA “Donyz-Tau cliff faces” is located in the Aktobe, Atyrau, and Mangistau regions of Kazakhstan, with 70% of an area belonging to Aktobe region. “Donyz-Tau cliff faces” is part of escarpments that form the northern border of the Ustyurt mesa plateau. In Aktobe region IBA is extended along the “Donyz-Tau cliff faces” in the latitudinal direction. It includes cliff faces itself with a variety of characteristic relief forms, along with adjacent strips of a watershed mesa plateau and a salt marsh depression along the cliff faces foot. Cliff faces scrap within the IBA ranges in width from 5 to 10 km (about 1100 km2), plateau and depression strips do not exceed 10 km as well. Pelitophytic and hemipsammophytic deserts lead among vegetation at plateau, characteristic petrophytic and gypsophytic desert communities predominate here along with steppe and shrub communities in logs and other shady habitats; in the sub cliff faces depression, halophytic succulent and annual saltwort deserts predominate. IBA survey within the Aktobe region was carried mainly between June 15 and June 25, 2022. Survey route ran along the cliff faces from east to west, from the Aschebulak rise to the border of the Atyrau region (east of the Tamdy massif). Within the IBA, the automobile route was 250 km (+30 km outside of IBA), the length of the inspected cliff faces strip was 150 km, survey went for 10 days (11 overnight stays). Additionally, we used data on bird sightings obtained by a camera trap in August 2022. For Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and Eastern Imperial Eagle, nesting density was assessed not by area, but by the linear extent of favorable nesting biotopes: cliff faces and slopes of erosional ridges, as in previous surveys in the region (Karyakin et al., 2005a; 2005b; 2008; 2009; 2010; 2011). Steppe Eagle nesting density was estimated for the inspected area, which was calculated based on the entire survey route and the effective width of the registration strip, amounting to about 1100 km2 as well. A total of 34 Steppe Eagle nests were found, of which only one was active (occupied). Nine permanent perches were noted. Adult birds were encountered six times (six individuals), including one on the only occupied breeding territory (Fig. 1). Traces of recent (this year) Steppe Eagle visits were noted on seven nests and seven perches. Based on these findings, considering nests locations on the ground, 13 Steppe Eagle breeding territories were found in the examined area, 11 of which had birds or traces of their recent presence (occupied breeding territories), and only one territory had successful breeding. Two breeding territories (five nests) were located outside of IBA, although close to its border. The average frequency of adult Steppe Eagle encounters was around 2.1 birds per 100 km of the route, encounter density in the study area was about 0.5 birds per 100 km2. Nesting density was 1.2 breeding territories per 100 km2, including 0.09 successful territories per 100 km2. Three previously known Steppe Eagle breeding territories were inspected. Two of them were first identified in 2012 and then checked in 2017 and 2018. One was first identified in 2017 and has not been inspected until now. All territories were first identified by an occupied nest. No breeding was detected in all three territories so far, two were occupied (traces of recent bird visits were noticed), one was possibly empty. Nests that were found in 2012 have not been preserved, and no new nests were built instead (first disappeared by 2017 already, the second – between June 2018 and June 2022). The nest that was first described in 2017 continues to exist. The only active nest was located on plateau (about 3.5 km to the edge of the cliff faces slope). When examined on June 15, it contained three nestlings aged from 26–30 to 36–40 days. After 20 days, only one nestling remained in the nest upon the second visit, most likely the eldest (the nest was visited on May 7, 2022, by A.E. Bragin and T. Katzner). Two other nestlings have possibly become prey to Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) or four-legged predators. Among Steppe Eagle pellets and food remains in nests and near perches, Great Gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) and Yellow Gound Squirrel were repeatedly identified, Steppe Agama (Trapelus sanguinolentus) and unidentified snake were found once. Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica) bones were used to build one nest. Nests inspected in 2022 were built on the ground, on the heap or collapse of stones, on the collapse of stone blocks of armored sandstone slabs on ledges, on burial structures, on low bushes (often leaning on a bush with one side on a slope). All nests were in the open and had enough space around them for grown nestlings to leave. Nests on the metal structures of Trigo points were previously known here, but now they have disappeared, and new ones were not built. Nests are built at relatively gentle cliff faces slopes, low gentle elevations on the plateau (behind the upper tier of the cliff faces), slopes, ridges, and remnant mountaintops of the erosion ridges of the lower cliff faces tier and in subcliff faces depression. A total of 23 Eastern Imperial Eagle nests were found, nine of which had broods at the time of the survey, in one nest the brood was possibly destroyed by Eagle Owl (traces of a gored nestling were found near an empty nest on a turanga), and a dead clutch was found in another. Thus, inhabited nests accounted for almost half of all examined nests (48%). Eleven adult birds and at least thirteen nestlings were observed in nests. The average sightings frequency of adult eagles was 3.9 birds/100 km of route, or 7.3 birds/100 km of route; the sightings density in the examined area (1100 km2) was 0.98 birds/100 km2. Virtually all observations of adult Eastern Imperial Eagles were in occupied breeding territories. Bird encounter without a connection to an occupied nest was recorded in a single case (nest most likely remained undetected). Based on the nest findings and bird sightings, 15 breeding territories were localized with certainty, with out counting previously disappeared known territories (three of them), including 12 active ones, out of which nine were successful at the time of the check. Nesting density for the entire surveyed area is 1.34 breeding territories/100 km2, including 0.98 active and 0.80 successful breeding territories/100 km2. For the length of 150 km of the surveyed cliff faces, nesting density per length of the cliff faces strip was 10 breeding territories/100 km of cliff faces, including eight active territories and of them six successful at the time of the survey/100 km. Eight previously known Eastern Imperial Eagle breeding territories (first identified in 2017 and earlier) were surveyed. Two of them turned out to be occupied with successful breeding, one is visited by birds, but no active nests were located. There is still a nest in one territory, but the area is most likely empty. In other four areas, nests have not survived (in two cases nesting trees disappeared as well), and no traces of bird presence were found. In all cases (n=6), when it was possible to examine nest contents in detail, there were two nestlings in the brood. In other cases (n=4), the number of nestlings in the brood remained unspecified (no less than one nestling). Nestlings age varied from 36 (possibly from 31) to 50 days. All found nests were located on low trees or large turanga bushes, willow, saxaul, or tamarisk. Usually, the nests were located in the upper fork of the branches or on the largest branch in the tree crown, with an open approach from above and from either side. However, from other sides the nest is often hidden by the tree crown. Nests were located at the bottom of large valleys on cliff faces or on slopes and bottoms of side logs cut into the sides of such valleys, often at the very top of the log, near the foot of the slope. Five adult Golden Eagles were encountered in the surveyed area (including two pairs) and five breeding areas were localized. Three of these territories were discovered for the first time – all of them occupied by birds, and an active nest found in one. It is possible that the remaining two occupied territories contained successful nests that remained undetected. Two breeding territories that were known since 2017 were checked as well. This year they were not occupied and, judging by nests condition and the absence of visiting signs, they have probably been empty for several years. The only found inhabited nest contained one fully feathered nestling. Other nestlings from this brood probably left the nest already, but it is more likely that at the time of examination the brood consisted of one nestling (Golden Eagle fledglings in Northern Ustyurt stay close to the nest for the first days after departure, but we did not meet any fledglings despite spending a long time at the breeding territory). The nesting density per 100 km of cliff faces was 3.3 breeding territories, including two occupied territories and between 0.7 and 2 territories with successful breeding. In total, 6–8 Golden Eagle nests were identified (some of them were attributed with uncertainty), of which one if residential, the rest are empty. All nests were located on ledges covered with canopies or in niches of high steep slopes of large valleys on cliff faces, on the cliffs of remnant erosion ridges or turtkuls. Typical nest location – at the top part of the slope, on the shelf ledge formed by a cut of the armor plate of the mesa plateau. In 2022, the share of active nests and breeding success of Steppe Eagle in IBA are the lowest for the entire observation period. The state of the nesting group can be confidently characterized as unfavorable. It has worsened significantly when compared to the situation in 2017–2018. In contrast, the state of Eastern Imperial Eagle nesting group is quite good and has undoubtedly not deteriorated in comparison with observations in 2017–2018. Golden Eagle nesting group appears to be prosperous, but its condition is worse than in 2017 and 2018, when occupied nests with successful breeding were found in all identified breeding territories. In addition to true eagles, Short-Toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus, possibly one occupied breeding territory with an active nest), Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus, encounters with adult birds), and Long-Legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) were noted. The latter species is the most numerous: a total of 70 nests of Long-Legged Buzzard were found, of which eight or nine were active: nestlings were found in six of them, one was already abandoned, and in one or two there was unsuccessful breeding (dead clutch, shell remains). 15 adult birds and 11 nestlings and fledglings were accounted. Based on these findings, at least 34 Long-Legged Buzzard breeding territories were located, 14 of which were occupied this year (41%), including 7 (20%) where successful breeding took place at the time of survey. In 2022, geophysical exploration was actively carried out at the IBA in search for hydrocarbons. The production base of the geological party was located right at the eastern border of the IBA. The work benefits Tethys Petroleum Limited (TPL, Tethys Petroleum Ltd), the subsoil user id “Kul-Bas” LLP, a subsidiary of TPL. The western half of the IBA in the Aktobe region (and its entire territory in the Atyrau region) is located in the contract area where exploration and development of the Kosbulak gas field was carried out, territory belongs to KazAzot LLP since March 2016. In 2022 (as well as in 2017–2019), we did not observe any noticeable activity of the company at the IBA. From the time when IBA was identified and until 2020, there were no places for keeping livestock or long-term human settlements in its Aktobe part (they were located in its territory located in the Atyrau region). But later, in 2019, a wintering area and a zhailau appeared here, where horses and camels graze. The number of these animals are small and do not have a negative impact on the ecosystems in the area. In 2020–2021, a large number of livestock was located in IBA (including sheep) – they were temporarily transferred from the Mangistau region, where severe drought happened at the time. Traces of grazing and livestock camps are visible. No other agricultural activity was noted. However, the anthropogenic load on ecosystems has increased significantly compared to the situation before 2020, when there was no agricultural activity. Over the medium term, a great danger is posed by the rapid gas fields development, which is accompanied by the development of linear infrastructure (happening outside of IBA at the time), the emergence and expansion of permanent human presence (people and transport) in the territory.

Abstract The great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo L.) is a bird species that, due to the peculiarities of its biology, can significantly affect the natural environment. First of all, due to the fact that the species is an obligate ichthyophage and feeds exclusively on fish (causing, in some places, quite significant damage to both the fishery and the natural fish resources of the seas), a large amount of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds accumulates in its feces. Because of this, the caustic excrements of cormorants have a detrimental effect on herbaceous and woody vegetation in the colonies of this species, near them, as well as in the resting places of the birds. Considering the fact that the nesting colonies of the great cormorant can be quite numerous, reaching tens of thousands of nests (such as the settlement on the Obytichna spit in the Berdyansk district of the Zaporizhzhia region), the impact is observed to be very significant. At the same time, tree vegetation suffers from mechanical damage during the construction of nests, and trees die after 2-3 years. Another type of influence of cormorants is their interaction with other bird species in nesting areas. The high number of cormorants leads to a reduction in the number of some other bird species, the impoverishment of nesting bird complexes (herons, terns); in the conditions of a shortage of nesting sites on the islands, only (Larus cachinnans can nest together with the great cormorant (with its high number). We observed a similar situation in most nesting settlements of the species.

Khao Yai National Park, covering an area of 2,168 km2, is very rich in wildlife. The park includes mainly monsoon evergreen forests inhabited by four species of hornbills, namely Anthracoceros albirostris, Buceros bicornis, Ptilolaemus austeni and Rhyticeros undulatus. Among these species, Great Hornbills, B. bicornis, are the largest birds and require the most in terms of quantity and quality of natural resources. They require very large cavity which is in short supply in the wild. The western part of the park supports a high population of Great Hornbills while in the eastern part has low density. From 2009, the study has been expanded to cover the eastern part. Following seven consecutive years (2009‒2015) of nest management, we studied the uses of nests with 4 microsatellites DNA markers specific for each allele of Great Hornbills. This study is to examine non-invasively the 49 DNA samples from mainly tailed feathers. We collected DNA from the shed feathers at or near the nests from Eastern and Western Khao Yai. The population structure analysis revealed by microsatellites markers, showed the inbreeding coefficient (Fis) of the local hornbills of Western Khao Yai improved from 0.45 in 2009 to -0.028 in 2015 with great genetic diversity. In 2014, these hornbills introduced 6 of 9 alleles into the Eastern Khao Yai (locus Bbi 3). Data showed the population connectivity between the two subpopulations. The gene flows potentially increase between the west and the east. Nonetheless, heterozygosity of Great Hornbills in the Eastern Khao Yai significantly improved from HObs = 0.615 to 0.750. Results also showed the availability of suitable nest cavities attracted hornbills from the western to eastern Khao Yai. This molecular approach indicates that the nest cavity management is one of the important strategies to secure the longterm survival of hornbills.

We studied the arrivals of Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) breeding at the Ile Saint-Bernard heronry near Montréal, Quebec. A total of 42 nests were monitored during the daytime. Overall (i.e., for all flight directions), the distance separating the colony from the potential feeding areas seems to have been the single most important factor in the herons' choice of feeding sectors. Date, wind direction, and water level had a slight influence on the use of feeding areas in this riverine system. Flight directions varied slightly according to these variables during the sampling period. Other variables such as wind speed, time of day, cloud cover, and rain had less influence on the distribution of flight directions. Many breeding pairs used only one or two sectors in particular while feeding their brood. We suggest that in natural environment contamination studies, the faithfulness of certain pairs to specific feeding sectors could help to identify the origin of the contaminants found in the tissues of sampled birds.