Cell-based models in avian species have historically focused on virology due to the demands of animal agriculture and vaccine production industries. Recent years have witnessed a gradual rise in the use of these models (in ovo, cell lines, primary cell cultures, organ slices, and organ-on-a-chip) in ecotoxicological studies as scientists and governments begin the shift to new approach methodologies

Brain size is a key factor determining the performance and fitness of an organism; birds with relatively larger brains might have advantages in the utilization of resources and dispersal. Bite force is another important indicator of fitness, and plays an essential role in intra- and inter-specific competition. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted on the head size and bite force of the

The nest-selection process of many birds can be affected by traces of potential predators. However, it remains debatable if birds are capable of recognizing and responding to chemical cues of predators when selecting their nest sites. To investigate this, I installed a pair of nest boxes at 12 sites in 2013 and 2014 and 24 sites in 2015 and 2016, each with nest conditions that differed for two variables

The ashy-throated parrotbill (Paradoxornis alphonsianus) is a sexually monomorphic species with high abundance in Southwest China, which has been widely used as a fighting bird across Guizhou Province, leading it to become one of the most coveted and heavily hunted wild birds in the region at present. Information on the sexes is a fundamental requirement for a wide variety of avian studies. From a

Northern bobwhite populations are dwindling across their range. Accordingly, in areas with bobwhite habitat restoration and no nearby populations, effective population restoration techniques are needed. Here, we evaluated three bobwhite restoration release strategies: (1) release of captive-reared bobwhites on sites with and without resident populations, (2) translocation of wild-trapped bobwhites

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different dietary supplementations (fish or shrimp) on the growth, bone development and beak pigment disappearance in scarlet ibis kept in captivity. One-day-old scarlet ibis (n = 20) were assigned to one of two diets, where 10 birds were fed a diluted commercial diet supplemented with shrimp broth, and 10 were fed a diluted commercial diet supplemented with

Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are highly monogamous birds that maintain lifelong pair-bonds. Females make the mate choice based on the quality of males who initiate pair-bond formation by courting the female. A mate separation-reunion paradigm can help to evaluate the adaptive value of social affiliation of male finches and their affinity to new females in absence of mated females which can manifest

The European honey buzzard Pernis apivorus is a summer visitor in Europe, wintering mostly in West-central Africa. Previous studies concerning timing of autumn migration in relation to sex groups provided contrasting results. In particular, a field survey made in southern Sweden did not report differences in timing, while a satellite study via GPS tracking on six adults, three males, and three females

The methods used to preserve bird skins in museums have a potentially crucial impact on the feasibility and use of these specimens as a source of biological knowledge, although this subject is rarely broached. Study skins of birds are usually prepared with folded wings and straight legs to facilitate storage in the collection; yet, this method can hamper the measurement and examination of certain important

We describe seasonal changes in the physiology of reproductive organs of Saker Falcons electrocuted on an electricity power line in Mongolia. Macroscopic examination of the gonads revealed asymmetr...

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) plays a pivotal role in food intake and body weight regulation in both birds and mammals. Unlike imported broilers and layers, native Thai chicken, a tropical non-seasonal bree...

Conspicuous coloured displays from ultraviolet to bright red have been documented in many species throughout the animal kingdom. These colours often occur as sexual signals and can be incorporated into different types of integuments (e.g. scales, feathers, skin). Two main mechanisms are known to produce coloured integuments: pigmentation and tissue structure. Although pigmental and structural coloration

Among the most ornate animal traits in nature are the angle-dependent (e.g. iridescent) structural colors of many fishes, damselflies, birds, beetles, and butterflies. Though we now have a solid understanding of the mechanisms that create angle-dependent coloration in several groups, we know little about whether pigmentary colors reflect light in an angle-dependent fashion or if similar or different

Many avian species are in danger of extinction due to anthropogenic activities and climate change. Human activities have led to eradication of many natural habitats and climate change has altered s...

The diversity, distribution, and relative abundance of avifauna were studied at and Around Ansas Dam, Debre Berhan Town, Ethiopia, from early September 2018 to early February 2019, covering both we...

Animals with a slow pace of life and high mass-specific metabolic rates are expected to invest less in innate immune responses. We measured skin inflammation and the resting metabolic rate (RMR) of...

Resource availability, particularly food, can limit the size of bird populations during the nonbreeding season. Resident and short-distance migrant birds, wintering in colder environments, should show strong effects of food limitation on winter survival. Here, we introduce a novel experiment testing for the effect of supplemental feeding on the winter survival of the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Several species of hornbills are known to develop dorsal air sacs after hatching, which present as a pocket of air under their skin. These increase in size as the chicks grow, and gradually disappear as the chicks develop feathers. However, this feature is not well-described, nor do we know the extent it occurs in Bucerotids. Here, it is reported in a clutch of hand-reared Von der Decken’s hornbills

The Algerian Nuthatch (Sitta ledanti) is the only endemic bird species in Algeria. It is located in the Kabylia of Babors (north-eastern Algeria). It is classified as an endangered species by IUCN and its populations are decreasing. In this study, we are interested in the inventory of the number of Sitta ledanti’s individuals in the Tamentout forest, carried out by the EFP method along line-transect

The quality of breeding habitat may directly affect the survival and development of progeny. Therefore, the selection of a suitable nest-site is an important factor affecting the reproductive success of birds. The most important reason for a bird’s reproductive failure is nest predation. Predation may cause birds to change their nest-sites and even nest morphology. Here we investigated the nest-site

The analysis of bird nest parameters is often constrained by the traditional linear measurements. The shape of every nest is unique, and conventional measurements cannot describe all spatial characteristic of these three-dimensional structures. In this study, we used 3D scanning to obtain three-dimensional images of nests and estimate their parameters and compared the results with the values obtained

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

Some passerines incorporate aromatic plants in their nest cups, and several hypotheses have been formulated to explain this behaviour. One of those, the Drug Hypothesis, states that aromatic plants present in nests have positive effects on nestlings’ development through increased immune function. In this study, we aimed to examine if experimental addition of aromatic plants had positive effects on

Nesting success is defined as the percentage of nests that have at least one chick that successfully fledges from them. In this regard, this study was conducted in the Gangetic plain of district Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh), India, to investigate nesting success, resolve factors affecting the probability of nest failure and identify the predominant nest predators of the river lapwing, Vanellus duvaucelii

Tail flicking is a common behavior that can be observed in many bird species. Various studies have investigated this behavior in different contexts such as during foraging, social interactions, or during predator–prey interactions. Nonetheless, there has been no statistical synthesis of results concerning the most commonly hypothesized functions of tail flicking. We conducted meta-analyses of published

Egg rejection is a common and effective defense against avian brood parasitism in which the host either marginalizes or removes the parasitic egg or deserts the parasitized clutch. The ability to recognize and reject a parasitic egg depends on bill morphology, sensory systems, and cognition, all of which are also shaped by other selective processes such as foraging. This begs the question whether specific

Guinea-Bissau is a small country in West Africa, which in spite of its rich biodiversity and the high proportion of protected areas remains under-surveyed in relation to most animal groups, including raptors. The first scientific articles about raptors were only very recently issued. Here, we report raptor occurrence data from eastern Guinea-Bissau. Raptors were surveyed in the dry season along transects

Stable isotopes are well documented as effective intrinsic markers to infer migratory connectivity which provides key information for establishing an effective conservation strategy in migratory birds. However, there are few studies using stable isotopes that have been applied to long-distance migratory shorebirds globally and such studies are especially scarce along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway

Species distribution models have many applications in ecology, conservation, biogeography, and even paleoecology. In this study, we modeled the distribution of the Eastern Rock Nuthatch (Sitta tephronota), a common rock dweller bird in Iranian Plateau, and determined most important climatic variables affecting the distribution of the species. We then projected the species distribution into the past

Domestic pigeons have high polymorphism in plumage morphs and colours. The genes that affect colour and coat patterns can be used to estimate genetic profiles that allow us to deduce the structures of populations, establish whether they are in a population equilibrium and learn the genetic similarity among them. This article tested these population components and the existing relationships among cities

Avian pox is a disease caused by Avipoxvirus spp. that is known to produce self-limiting, proliferative epithelial lesions in over 275 bird species from 70 families. Although generally benign, this emerging disease can sometimes provoke significant outbreaks of mortality. In rallids, there is a single serological record of Avipoxvirus. In this study, we report on field evidence for two avian pox-like

The genetic changes accompanying a relocation of population to the captivity are mostly adverse and usually associated with deterioration of its status. These alterations are greater in small populations in which a loss of genetic variation limits the capability to adaptation. In this work, a status of small-sized guinea fowl and pheasant population relocated to the breeding is presented. These populations

Climatic scenarios for the Mediterranean predict an increase in drought and erratic precipitation, which may affect waterbirds breeding in freshwater habitats. Artificial wetlands may provide an alternative for these species when conditions in natural habitats deteriorate. We studied Little Ringed Plovers Charadrius dubius nesting in natural streams and agricultural ponds in southern Portugal. Based

The non-invasive collection of biological samples has proven useful to study a diverse array of research topics worldwide. Here, we present a systematic bibliographical synthesis exploring how the non-invasive collection of genetic samples has been used to study avian populations in the Neotropics. We searched international online databases for scientific publications, spanning from 2007 to 2017, to

In this study, we describe the nest size characteristics and the breeding attempt of Little Crake (Zapornia parva) in the abandoned nest of Common Coot (Fulica atra) at the small mid-field pond in the Masurian Lake District, northeast Poland. Based on the 6-year study during five breeding seasons, we found 123 nests of Little Crake, but such an instance was observed only once. To the best of our knowledge

WITHDRAWAL - Administrative Duplicate Publication: Influence of habitat composition features on nestling physiological condition and breeding success in Pied Flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca

Overexploitation of resources represents a major factor in biodiversity loss. The illegal capture and trade of wildlife species pose a serious threat to them. Algeria is a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1982, thereby joining the dynamics of wild fauna and flora protection. The list of wildlife species was last updated by Executive

This study examined foraging niche partitioning among coexisting species of shorebirds on a sandy beach dominated by a single food type, Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs, where use of foraging microhabitats of limited variety is temporarily restricted due to tidal cycle. The major goal of the study was to examine whether co-occurring species differed in selection of foraging microhabitats and

Seed dispersal by birds is a pivotal ecosystem function worldwide; yet, the rapid and ongoing global biodiversity loss poses a major threat to this essential ecosystem service. Seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE) is a key outcome of the interaction, represented by the product of seed dispersal quantity (number of seed dispersed) and quality (probability of recruitment of dispersed seeds). Therefore

The Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) is considered an indicator of the naturalness and heterogeneity of the forest environment. This species occurs in various woods and forages on a variety of plants. The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that, in Norway spruce-dominated forest stands, the Hazel Grouse compensates for habitat poverty using non-forest areas and harsh topography, which deliver

Several North African wetlands are classified as wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites and Important Bird Area) because thousands of Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna) winter in these habitats. However, Shelduck’s patterns of habitat use in these protected wetlands during the wintering season are still hindered by lack of information in arid and semi-arid regions regarding population dynamics

The vegetation structure surrounding nest sites is a crucial component of habitat quality and may have large effects on avian breeding performance. Habitat quality reflects the extent to which the environmental characteristics of an area correspond to the preferred habitat characteristics of the species. The concentration of haemoglobin is considered a simple biochemical indicator of nestling body

The Brolga (Antigone rubicunda) is a large Australian crane species with a broad distribution spanning from the tropical north to the south-eastern regions of the continent. Brolga populations throughout New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia have been in decline since the early twentieth century, with the species being listed as vulnerable in each state. To aid future conservation of the species

Sex identification plays an important role in avian production. Hitherto, it is difficult to distinguish the sexes of monomorphic birds based on their external features. The chromo-helicase-DNA-binding genes contain CHD-W gene and CHD-Z gene, which are located on the W chromosome and Z chromosome, respectively. Since CHD-W gene is unique to females, the polymerase chain reaction can be used for sex

The brood size in the Finnish Northern Goshawks seems to be associated with the breeding habitat and the availability of suitable prey. In this study, we examined these relationships in three study areas of different landscape structure in southern Finland, including a recently colonized urban area. The most abundant prey categories found in the food remains of the goshawk included corvids, turdids

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) has been poorly studied in Mexico. Even though it is listed as threatened in this country, partly because of habitat fragmentation and direct persecution, little is known of its distribution. We assessed the potential distribution of this species in Mexico using ecological niche modelling (ecological niche factor analysis, artificial neural network, genetic algorithm

Modern game birds rearing methods use mechanical incubators to hatch eggs and artificial brooders to intensively rear birds. However, the lack of parental care can have consequences on behavior and welfare of these birds affecting also survival after their release in the wild. In this study, we compared the response of 4-week-old young pheasants (brooded by a foster mother hen and artificially brooded)

We used the chicken embryo at the internal pipping phase (just after the onset of pulmonary ventilation) as a model to quantify the changes in heart rate (fH), breathing frequency (fB) and their variabilities (heart rate variability and breathing rate variability) during air breathing (21% O2) and successive 20-min periods of 15%, 10% and 5% O2 and post-hypoxic recovery. For each condition, and for

Most species of songbirds exhibit biparental care, but, for many taxa and species, little is known about the relative contributions of males and females in brooding and provisioning nestlings. Additional studies of the contributions of males and females in brooding and feeding nestlings are needed to better understand the respective roles of males and females as well as the factors that might contribute

Neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) is a monomorphic species widely distributed along the American Continent. We used a rapid and efficient molecular technique centred on the chromo-helicase-DNA-binding gene in order to differentiate male and female sex chromosomes based on the size of introns. Males presented a Z chromosome with a single band of 664 base pairs, and females presented the

Current rates of climatic change will affect the structure and function of community assemblages on Earth. In recent decades, advances in modelling techniques have illuminated the potential effects of various climatic scenarios on biodiversity hotspots, including community assemblages in the Himalayas. These techniques have been used to test the effects of representative concentration pathways (RCPs)

Avian nests are a unique and sometimes extreme environment in which fungi occur. In this study, a correlation was recorded between the breeding biology and ecology of wetland birds and the biology and ecology of fungi in nests of wetland birds. The abundance of ecophysiologically diversified fungi, i.e. saprotrophs, cellulolytic fungi, and potentially zoo- and phytopathogenic fungi, was shown to be

Desert birds must cope with occasional and unpredictable heat waves, which are slowly becoming more frequent with climate change. Different orders of birds have different physiological and behavioural capacities that may aid survival during a heat wave. To date, the expression of genes related to heat exposure have not been studied across different bird orders. We hypothesised that acutely exposing

When perched, several species of small falcons, including American Kestrels (Falco sparverius), often pump their tails, but the possible function of this behaviour is unknown. Our objective was to use observations and experiments to examine the possible function(s) of tail-pumping by American Kestrels. Fieldwork was conducted from March 2015 to December 2015 at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison

The morphology of the retina of the adult Yellow-legged Gull, Larus michahellis, was examined in transverse sections under light microscopy in order to study the retinal adaptations to their specific photic environment that determines their behaviour. We identified rods, single cones and unequal double cones. Although it is a duplex retina, cones are preponderant and coloured oil droplets are present

Environmental influence on the avian reproductive system is well recognised. This study investigates the effects of ambient temperature on egg quality in the native Thai Chicken (Gallus domesticus). Effects on prolactin (PRL) and ovarian steroids in chickens housed under different temperatures were also elucidated. Sixty female chickens were divided into four groups. Groups 1, 2, and 3 were reared

The Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) in Crete (Greece) is a common agricultural species affected by the recent changes in agro-forestry systems. Concrete studies of habitat selection are needed in order to improve our knowledge of its foraging behaviour in managed rural landscapes. In the present study, we analysed the home range size and habitat selection of 11 Long-eared Owls inside olive groves in the

Experiments were performed in 110 ISA Brown egg production hens (Gallus gallus), kept from 15 to 26 weeks of age in enriched (furnished) housing technology. The present objective was to investigate the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the ATP2B1 gene and their effects on calcium homeostasis in laying hens. The plasma membrane calcium-transporting ATPase 1 gene (ATP2B1) in hens

Gossypol, a secondary plant compound found in cotton (Gossypium spp.), is known to be toxic to a variety of animals, particularly monogastric mammals and birds. Because ruminants are resistant to gossypol, whole cottonseed and cottonseed meal have been used as a feed supplement for many decades. Concerns over gossypol toxicity arise because of its presence in cottonseed products, particularly livestock

During late spring of 2007 and 2015, we observed unusually high mortality of Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) on Christiansø in the Baltic Proper. The number of dead birds (2007: 125; 2015: 110) composed 5–10% of the total colony. In 2015, we collected 15 (12 adult females, three subadult males) of the 110 recently deceased Common Eiders for detailed autopsy. The average body mass of the females