vol.13 Supplement
August 2014

Table of Contents
Presidential Address & Plenary Abstracts 	
  ……………… 3
Symposium Abstracts ………………………………………. 14
Oral Presentation Abstracts ……………………………….. 235
Poster Presentation Abstracts …………………………..... 393
Round Table Discussion Abstracts ……………………..... 878
Research Coordination Committee Abstracts …………… 894

Presidential Address&
Plenary Abstracts

Presidential Address

Unravelling migration: routes to genes
F. Bairlein
Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Email: franz.bairlein@ifv-vogelwarte.de
Bird migration is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena, fascinates man since very
long and is thus one of the most studied subject in zoology. But it is only the last 100 years
we are able to unravel its mysteries by marking birds with rings banding and nowadays evenvarious electronic tracking devices, by captive studies understanding the internal mechanisms
controlling bird migration, and by sophisticated field studies demonstrating the effects ofexternal factors, such as food availability, weather, competitors, parasites or diseases, on the
stopover behavior of migrants and migratory flights. However, integrated approaches to study
coherently how the innate migration program interacts with the varying environmental cuesand to estimate the contribution of the innate migration program and the environment torealized migration are almost missing. With the Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) we
started such an integrated approach. The species suits well because of its almost whole
Holarctic breeding range and the fact that all breeding populations overwinter in sub-SaharanAfrica which makes the Northern Wheatear one of the most long-distant migratory songbirds
with extraordinary long non-stop flights across oceans. It is a nocturnal migrant which travels
without parental or social aid/guidance. Thus, young birds rely entirely on endogenous
mechanisms of timing, route selection and fueling on their first outbound migration. By
establishing indoor housing under controlled conditions the endogenous control mechanismsof Northern Wheatear migration could be revealed. At the same time, environmental factors
controlling migration could be investigated in the field. On migration wheatears occur in avariety of habitats with sparse vegetation where their stopover behavior could bequantitatively studied in the light of “optimal migration” theory by the use of remote balances,
radio-tagging and even experimentally manipulated food availability. By combining field andlaboratory studies at various spatial and temporal scales, and linking various sub-disciplines
we are aiming a coherent understanding of the control of bird migration.

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Plenary 2

Evolution of song complexity in Bengalese Finches might mirror the
emergence of human language
K. Okanoya
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Email: cokanoya@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Among vocalizations birds make, a class of sounds that consist of more than two types ofsound patterns arranged in a certain temporal sequence is called as a ‘birdsong’, not only
because of the organization of sound patterns, but also because our musical aesthetics
intuitively allow such an analogy. Scientific investigations of birdsong to date suggest thatcertain properties of birdsong extend beyond the musical to the developmental analogies.
From past 30 years until now, birdsong had been discussed as a useful biological model thatmight provide clues to the evolutionary origin of human speech. Bengalese Finches (BFs) aredomesticated strains of wild white-rumped munias (WRMs) imported from China to Japan
250 years ago. BF songs are composed of multiple chunks and each chunk is a combination of
2-4 song notes. Furthermore, chunks are arranged in a finite-state probabilistic automaton. We
studied how and why BFs sing such complex songs. We found the following facts. 1) The
ancestral strain sing simpler songs. 2) There is high learning specificity in WRMs but not in
BFs. 3) BFs have larger song control nuclei and higher level of glutamate receptor gene
expressions than WRMs. 4) Both BF and WRM females prefer complex songs as measured
by the nest string assay and males with complex songs are physically fitted than the maleswith simpler songs. These results promoted sexual selection scenario of song complexity in
BFs. We further examined factors related with domestication. We examined songs of WRMs
in subpopulations of Taiwan. Where there is a sympatric species to WRMs, songs were
simpler. This leads to a hypothesis that in the wild songs needed to be simple to secure species
identification, but under domestication this constrains was set free. We also examined socioemotional indexes. All indexes suggested that WRMs have higher level of stress and social
shyness, which should be adaptive under natural environment, but could be limiting
opportunities for learning complex songs. Evolution of song complexity involves not only
factors related with strengthen of sexual selection and relaxation of species identification, butalso socio- emotional factors due to domestication. These results on Bengalese Finches must
be useful in discussing possible biological origin of human speech in terms of proximate andultimate factors.

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Plenary 3

Beyond the long list, or four things we (should) know about bird invasions
T. Blackburn
Institute of Zoology, ZSL, London, UK
Email: tim.blackburn@ioz.ac.uk
The most significant event in the study of alien bird invasions to date occurred in 1981, withthe publication of John Long’s seminal book “Introduced Birds of the World”. The
significance of this book derives not just from its content, but also from its timing, coincident
with the 1982 SCOPE programme on the ecology of biological invasions. It was not long
before studies started to appear that exploited the data in Long (1981) to answer questions
posed by SCOPE about alien invasions. As a result, we arguably have a more complete
understanding of the invasion process for birds than for any other taxon. Nevertheless, there
are still some key issues in the study of bird invasions where understanding is not all it shouldbe. I am to highlight four of these issues, by arguing that (1) We don’t know half so muchabout bird invasions as we think, (2) Propagule pressure promotes invasions, (3) Colonizationpressure matters, and (4) There is no evidence that escape from parasites promotes alien (bird)invasions. I expect some of the views expressed to be controversial, and others less so, buteither way I hope this talk will stimulate others to provide better evidence for or against mypositions.

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Plenary 4

Return to the Malay Archipelago: the biogeography of Bornean birds
F. H. Sheldon
Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge, USA
Email: fsheld@lsu.edu
The island of Borneo was central to the studies of Alfred Russel Wallace and, thus, to thedevelopment of biogeography as a scientific endeavor. In the 152 years since Wallace’s returnfrom “the Malay Archipelago”, and particularly in the last 20 years, our knowledge ofSoutheast Asian birds has improved dramatically. It is a good time, therefore, to take stock of
our understanding of Sundaic biogeography and think about where we need to go next in ourefforts to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the region. This presentation describes thecurrent state of ornithological understanding--gathered from phylogenetic, population genetic,
geologic, and paleogeographic studies--and uses this information to build a framework for
future research in the region. The recent production of phylogenetic information on birds,
especially on oscine passerines, is spectacular in content and quality, and helps tremendously
in reconstructing biogeography. But in addition to this phylogenetic output, we need more
population genetic studies in the region. To this end, we desperately require modern specimenmaterial from Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and south Borneo. As withphylogeny, reconstruction of Sundaland’s paleo-environments is also progressing, but
uncertainty is rife regarding the disposition of habitats. This is particularly true for the
Pliocene and early Pleistocene, when most of the diversification responsible for modern
species occurred. We especially need additional paleontological (e.g., palynological)
information on plant dispersion. Despite these needs, recent advances make it possible toestimate with moderate confidence when modern birds groups arrived in Sundaland, when
and why they differentiated from their relatives in Asia and Australia, and when, how, andwhy endemism became so high in the Sunda Islands.

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Plenary 5

Resource selection by parrots: challenges to identifying limiting factors
K. Renton1, and A. Salinas-Melgoza2
1

Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma deMéxico, Mexico
2
Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
Email: krenton@ib.unam.mx
The ecological requirements of nest-sites, food, habitat, and area are among the least
understood aspects of psittacine ecology. Most psittacines are secondary-cavity nesters andare constrained to select nest-sites from available cavities. However, few studies havedetermined nest-site selection by parrots or whether this influences reproductive success. We
found that the Lilac-crowned Parrot exhibits adaptive nest-site selection that predicts nest
success. Mean entrance diameter of nest-sites was also significantly related to body size for
20 Neotropical Psittacidae. This suggests that predation pressure has influenced the evolutionof species-specific nest-cavity selection criteria for Psittacidae. Parrots represent a large
biomass of canopy granivores in tropical forests, yet their ecological function as pre-dispersal
seed-predators is scarcely understood. Nestling diets are also unknown for most parrot species.
Seeds form 82% of the diet of Lilac-crowned Parrots, while seeds of 3 tree species comprise
75% of the biomass of nestling diets. Lilac-crowned Parrots are the principal pre-dispersal
seed predators of Astronium graveolens, with the foraging activity of parrots resulting in a
56% pre-dispersal seed loss. Hence, the reduction of parrot populations in many tropicalforests may have consequences for their functional role as seed predators, influencing
recruitment patterns of canopy trees. Habitat and area requirements are poorly known formany species yet parrots have the ability to fly long distances. The Lilac-crowned Parrot has ahome-range of >8,000 ha, selectively foraging in semi-deciduous forest, and avoiding
disturbed areas. Lilac-crowned Parrots also make long-distance seasonal migrations of 44 km
to the Sierra, and juveniles disperse >60 km from their natal area. This makes it imperative todevelop ecological connectivity between areas and maintain functional ecosystems.
Understanding these ecological requirements of parrots is essential for conservation, andfuture research needs to determine resource selection by parrots that may indicate
characteristics making species vulnerable to human pressures.

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Plenary 6

Perspectives on the functional design of the avian respiratory system
J. N. Maina
Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006,
South Africa
Email: jmaina@uj.ac.za
It is axiomatic that the energetic lifestyle which birds lead should be supported by an
exceptionally efficient gas exchanger. Among the extant air-breathing vertebrates, the avian
respiratory system, the lung-air sac system, is distinctively structurally complex andfunctionally efficient. Separated into two parts, the lungs serve as the gas exchangers and theair sacs as the mechanical ventilators. The lungs are small, compact, and rigid. They arefirmly attached to the vertebrae and the ribs. By synchronized bellow-like activity, the cranialand the caudal groups of air sacs ventilate the lung unidirectionally and continuously incaudocranial direction, creating a highly efficacious gas exchange system. The air sacs arecapacious air spaces which disseminate throughout the coelomic cavity, pneumatising
adjacent bones. The lungs are morphologically and morphometrically highly specialized: gas
exchange occurs through crosscurrent- and countercurrent systems; the blood-gas barrier isvery thin; the respiratory surface area is extensive, and; the pulmonary capillary blood volume
large. Showing how broadly they have been conserved, the molecular factors which regulate
the morphogenesis of the avian lung are the same as those involved in the development of the
mammalian one. Although it has paucity of free (surface) macrophages, the avian lungpossesses different cellular defences which include phagocytic bronchial epithelial cells,
subepithelial macrophages, and intravascular macrophages. In summary, the efficiency of theavian lung can be attributed to many factors of which the foremost are: large tidal volume;
continuous and unidirectional ventilation of the lung, and; large pulmonary morphometricdiffusing capacity of oxygen.

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Plenary 7

The Paleontology of Now: Hawaii’s birds in the Anthropocene
H. F. James
Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution, Washington DC, USA
Email: jamesh@si.edu
At the dawn of the Anthropocene, the Hawaiian Islands hosted an extraordinary array ofendemic birds, most of which are now extinct or threatened with extinction. People firstarrived in the islands only about eight centuries ago, which means that the young fossil,archaeological, and historical records can be studied to understand how an avifauna wastransformed by human influences. Traditional methods in paleontology and paleoecology
combined with the study of ancient biomolecules preserved in these relatively young fossils
provide surprisingly rich data about the past. To start with, ancient DNA and comparative
osteology provide a phylogenetic context for studying extinction, as well as insights into theecological roles of Hawaii’s lost birds. A database of approximately 70,000 identified fossilbones from Hawaii provides information on the prior geographic ranges and habitats ofroughly 130 species of birds. A rich fossil avifauna from the mid-Pleistocene is informative
about turnover rates before the human era. For endangered species that are abundant in thefossil record, such as the Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), ancient DNA andstable isotopes enable us to reconstruct demographic histories and changes in foraging
patterns on a millennial timescale. In my talk I review what we have learned about the historyof Hawaii’s avifauna, with an emphasis on understanding extinction risk in the Anthropocene.
For example, we tend to emphasize population size and geographic range size whenestimating extinction risk for modern species. Does the record of extinction outcomes in the
Hawaiian Islands identify those two factors as important predictors? Additionally, a deadlysynergy of forces is often cited as responsible for continental extinctions in the era of modern
humans. Does the history of Anthropocene extinctions in Hawaii support synergy as an
explanation?

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Plenary 8

The East Asian Flyway - waterbirds in trouble
Cao LeiRCEES, Beijing, China
Email: caolei@ustc.edu.cn
Waterbird species face acute problems in the East Asian Flyway as result of rapid
development pressures affecting their habitat, especially in China and particularly amongst
long distance migratory waterfowl (Anatidae) and shorebirds (Charadriiformes) which
contribute 60% of the populations. Specialist tuber-feeding and grazing wintering Anatidae
species suffer particularly from trophic changes in Yangtze River wetland systems, brought
about through habitat loss, eutrophication, water abstraction, aquaculture, changes in grazing
and many other pressures. Whilst all Anatidae species are threatened by rapid environmental
degradation and habitat loss, some, such as Baer’s Pochard, lie on the verge of global
extinction. Lack of knowledge inhibits our ability to protect some threatened or endangered
species, such as the Scaly-sided Merganser. Such changes in waterbird communities areimportant indicators of ecosystem services and general biological diversity. The most serious
problem facing shorebirds in the East Asian Flyway is the massive and rapid habitat loss
occurring due to land claim of intertidal areas along the eastern China coast, especially in the
Yellow Sea, which are critical staging and refueling areas for a range of species. As intertidal
specialists, shorebirds are most vulnerable to loss of such critical feeding areas, which have
either concentrated in smaller areas or dramatically declined in numbers. Urgent action isrequired to identify and protect key shorebird habitats, and to understand the influences ofhabitat loss on different shorebird species and populations throughout the flyway. The
Chinese central government is making a substantial contribution to site safeguard in marine
and freshwater systems by incorporating more than three hundred key wetland bird areas into
the new plan for defining an ‘Ecological Red line’ to maintain biodiversity in China.

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Plenary 9

Speciation in seabirds: why are there so many species....and why aren’t
there more?
V. L. Friesen
Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Email: vicki.friesen@queensu.ca
Speciation (the multiplication of species through the evolution of barriers to reproduction
between populations) plays a central role in evolution since it enables two or more
populations to adapt and evolve independently. However, mechanisms of speciation arenotoriously difficult to study and poorly understood. According to the classical allopatricmodel (‘speciation without gene flow’), populations become reproductively isolated due togradual genetic divergence during prolonged isolation by an extrinsic (physical) barrier togene flow. That physical barriers to gene flow can lead to speciation is now well established.
However, birds encounter few physical barriers to dispersal, yet have almost twice the species
diversity as mammals. What other barriers to gene flow may promote speciation in birds? My
students and collaborators are using a variety of approaches to test explicitly the factors thatprevent - and promote - gene flow in seabirds. Our work on tropical and subtropical seabirds
revealed that populations can diverge genetically on very small geographic scales, even in theabsence of physical barriers to dispersal (e.g. within archipelagos). Most interestingly, we
found evidence of genetic and ecological divergence of sympatric seasonal populations ofBand-rumped Storm-petrels (Oceanodroma castro), suggesting that differences in breedingtime can disrupt gene flow sufficiently to lead to speciation. Similar effects are being found inother seabirds and non-seabirds. Our meta-analysis of phylogeographic studies of seabirds, aswell as targeted studies of boobies (Sula spp.), pelicans (Pelecanus spp.), auklets(Ptychoramphus aleuticus) and murrelets (Synthliborapmhus spp.), indicate that differences in
non-breeding distributions (e.g. annual residency vs. long-distance migration), foraging
ranges or oceanographic regimes also can inhibit gene flow and so promote speciation. In
contrast, frequent changes in distribution, as necessitated by glacial cycles, appear to promote
gene flow sufficiently to reduce speciation. Large population sizes (e.g. as in auklets, genus
Aethia) and phenotypic plasticity (e.g. as in murres, genus Uria) also may prevent populationdifferentiation and speciation. Recent advances in genome sequencing, especially in
combination with ecological tools such as geolocators and new methods for datainterpretation (e.g. approximate Bayesian computation, ecological niche modeling) are
opening exiting new avenues to test the importance of various behavioural, ecological,
demographic and genomic factors in reducing or promoting gene flow and so affecting
speciation.

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Plenary 10

Conservation and monitoring of birds: a decision science approach
H. P. Possingham
The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
Email: h.possingham@uq.edu.au
The world’s bird diversity is in rapid decline. Conservation research is an applied science
dedicated to minimising the loss of species; bird conservation research is no exception.
Recently, conservation researchers have realised that to achieve the best conservation
outcome with limited resources it is essential that we use decision science tools from
economics and mathematics. These tools demand that the users have a clear objective, a suiteof possible actions, system models that connect those objectives to action andacknowledgement of constraints. The decision science approach means that we typically need
to focus more on the cost and feasibility of conservation actions than ecologists typically do.
I will illustrate the application of decision science thinking to bird conservation through anumber of well-worked examples, some of which are being implemented in the real world
now. I will consider prioritisation of conservation actions for threatened bird species, seabirds,
waders and more. One of the commonest mistakes in bird conservation is to makemanagement and resource allocation recommendations without using decision science tools
thereby wasting resources and/or reducing the benefits of conservation dollars. Some common
mistakes in conservation prioritisation will be discussed.

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Symposium Abstracts

S01 The avifauna of the Sino-Himalayas: history, ecology, (no?) futures01-1kPast, extant and future diversification patterns of Sino-Himalayan
passerines
Martin Päckert, Yue-Hua Sun, Jochen Martens, Dieter Thomas Tietze
martin.paeckert@senckenberg.de
The evolution of extant species richness in the Sino-Himalayan mountains at the southern
and the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is strongly associated withuplift processes and periods of climatic changes at least from the late Miocene on. These
abiotic changes are accompanied by the emergence of extreme elevational gradients oflocal climate and vegetation which facilitated ecological segregation of close congeners instrong or loose parapatry. Forest passerines most likely have colonized the SinoHimalayas in a three-fold scenario starting with a late Miocene subtropical radiation andsucceeded by a more recent Pliocene boreal radiation and Pleistocene range fragmentation.
The alpine habitats of the Plateau region itself are characterized by a much lower species
richness, however they harbour a good number of endemics. In fact, some of the latter
have turned out to be very old genetic lineages and must have acquired relevant adaptive
traits during long time spans of separation. Moreover, not all of the alpine endemics
emerged from typical open-habitat breeders but also from forest passerine ancestors
during times when the Plateau still harboured forested regions in their areas of origin.
Because morphological differentiation among close relatives can remain rather unaffectedby genetic divergence in long-term separation (such as in Old World warblers or
treecreepers), cryptic differentiation was unveiled by molecular and bioacoustic studies.
Consequently, several taxa were recently upgraded from subspecies to species rank and anumber of species were described new to science. Many of these are still poorly studied
with respect to ecology, behaviour and breeding biology. For some flagship species
current breeding and wintering distribution maps are currently compiled on the base ofvouchered field records (specimens, samples, recordings). These databases can also be
used for a projection of future distributions including range shifts and range losses in amodeling approach.

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S01 The avifauna of the Sino-Himalayas: history, ecology, (no?) futures01-2kPhylogeographical patterns of birds in response to the Quaternary
environmental changes on the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions
Fumin Lei 1, Yanhua Qu 1, Gang Song 1
Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. Email: leifm@ioz.ac.cn
1.

The Tibetan Plateau is well known for the great importance in evolution of montane
species because of its unique geological history and landform configuration, climate
complexity, and diversified habitats. Population genetic structure and demography
under environmental changes since the Quaternary can be detected through aphylogeographic approach. Birds are the best studied taxa of all vertebrates
responding to the climatic change through time. Our synthesis focused onsummarizing different phylogeographic patterns of birds and interpreting theirforming processes on the Tibetan Plateau and its adjacent area. Different patterns havebeen revealed by the comparative phylogeographic studies on some species: (1) nodivergence with a single refugium identified in a restricted semi-continuous areaaround the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau; (2) two divergent lineages withseparated refugia located at the south-eastern and north-eastern margins of the Tibetan
plateau; (3) multiple divergent lineages with separated refugia located in thesouth-eastern margins of the Plateau. Glacial sheet movements are considered the key
factors in shaping these patterns. Species mainly distributed in the heavily ice covered
platform regions of the Plateau experienced population expansion following theretreat of the extensive glaciations, while species distributed on the ice-free edges of
the Plateau maintained stable population sizes. Comparing to platform-distributed
counterparts, demographic stresses of edge species might have been mitigated by themilder climate. Various behavioral and ecological characteristics, including dispersal
capacity, habitat preference, and altitude specificity along with evolutionary history
might have helped to shape these different phylogeographic patterns.

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S01 The avifauna of the Sino-Himalayas: history, ecology, (no?) futures01-3

The Sino-Himalayan avifauna (S-HA) as a high power species pool forcolonizing nearby regions, mainly north/eastwards, in the course ofPleistocene glacial/interglacial alterations
A. Nazarenko
Lab of Ornithology, Institute of Biology and Soil Sciences. FEB RAS, Vladivostok,
RussiaEmail: birds@ibss.dvo.ru
We tested the hypothesis that the Sino-Himalayan avifauna area (S-HA s.str.) has acted
as a ‘constellation’ of isolated populations from which peripheral regions might becolonized. To do this we examined the taxonomic ranks of closely-related species andsubspecies (in all senses) in relation to the S-HA, paying particular attention to thefollowing:- The mutual taxonomic ranks (=genetic distances) and distributions of bird species
populations.
- Climate regimes in the past, using, as a well studied “standards”, MIS 1 (Holocene
interglacial), MIS 2 (LGM – stage of “island” forest refugia in east and inner Asia), andMIS 3 (intermediate cool and wet stage, cool-temperate forests expansion throughout
the Region). The MISs 1-3 extent is the last 50 kyr (thousand years).
From palaeoclimatic data for the past 900 kyr (Hao et al., 2012), by analogy to MISs
1-3, we hypothesized chronologies of dispersal events and/or refugial/divergent states inbird populations for four peripheral areas:
1. Northeast Tibet to Altai-Sayan refugium dispersal/divergent events at MISs 3-2 orearlier, followed by long-distant eastward dispersals occurring during MIS 1(Nazarenko, 1982).
2. Southwest China to Taiwan Island reiterated asynchronous dispersal/divergent
events with twin modern taxonomically non-identical isolates (Päckert et al., 2012).
3. The same, along the eastern margin of Asia, from south to north reiterated
dispersal/divergent events. Northern twin taxonomically unidentical isolates are within
Japanese/Korean refugial area. At MIS 1 some suffered long-distant westward
dispersals via Siberia up to Ural Mountains and beyond (Nazarenko, 1990 a, b).
4. In the same area, many species suffered human-induced northward dispersals up to
Amur River basin during the late MIS 1 (Nazarenko, 1990 a, b).

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S01 The avifauna of the Sino-Himalayas: history, ecology, (no?) futures01-4

The drivers of a mid-elevation peak in bird diversity of the eastern
Himalayas, India*Bhoj K Acharya 1 and Lalitha Vijayan2
1

Department of Zoology, Sikkim Government College, Tadong, Gangtok- 737102,
Sikkim, India
2
Sálim Ali Foundation, Kanimangalam, Thrissur - 680 027, Kerala, India*Email: acharya2skm@gmail.com

In the eastern Himalayas, a biodiversity hotspot within the world’s tallest mountains, we
examined species richness patterns, turnover rates, and range size distributions of birds.
We also examined the suite of biotic and abiotic factors (primary productivity, habitat
variables, climatic factors and geometric constraints) that governs diversity along a4500 m elevational gradient. We used point count methods for sampling birds andquadrats for estimating vegetation at 22 sites along the elevational gradient. Based on
rainfall and temperature data obtained from the study area, we estimated potential
evapotranspiration (PET) and actual evapotranspiration (AET) using standard equations.
We used a mid-domain effect null model for testing geometric constraints on species
ranges. We used regression models (simple and multiple) to identify potential
environmental factors that govern bird richness patterns. Finally, we also tested theapplicability of Rapoport’s rule for birds. Species richness of birds followed a
mid-elevation peak in the eastern Himalayas, with the highest diversity at
approximately 2000 m. Species richness patterns deviate from the null model
predictions, showing no evidence that geometric constraints influence the mid-elevation
diversity peak. Among the suite of factors, primary productivity (surrogated by AET)and various habitat variables (plant species richness, shrub density and basal area oftrees) account for most of the variation in bird species richness along the elevation
gradient. We find that ranges of most bird species were narrow (mostly <500 m) along
the elevation gradient with more than 30% of species restricted exclusively to single
elevation sites. Our analysis shows little evidence to support Rapoport’s rule for thebirds of the eastern Himalayas. Turnover rate correlates positively with elevation, andhigh species turnover occurs at habitat transition zones. Strong correlations of bird
richness with productivity and habitat, with a high turnover rate suggest thatconservation efforts should consider the entire elevational gradient rather than just peak
diversity areas.

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S01 The avifauna of the Sino-Himalayas: history, ecology, (no?) future

s01-5

Interactions between climate, competition, and habitat in limiting
Himalayan bird distributions
Paul R. Elsen 1, Morgan W. Tingley 2, David S. Wilcove 1,21

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
Public and International Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University,
Princeton, USA
Email: pelsen@princeton.edu

2

Nearly one thousand bird species breed or winter across the Himalayan range, owing, inpart, to the confluence of multiple biogeographic realms, but also to the extreme
elevational gradients ranging from sea level to over 8,000 m. Effective conservation of
Himalayan bird diversity requires a detailed understanding of the factors that govern
species distributions, especially as we try to allocate conservation investments andpredict how species ranges may shift with climate change. We aimed to use differencesin climate and habitat, as well as the well-documented bird diversity gradient across theHimalayas, to understand the relative importance of these factors in limiting bird
distributions along elevational gradients. We conducted community-wide bird surveys
along five elevational gradients from two locations in the western Himalayas differingin climate and species richness and featuring altered habitat zonation. Bird surveys were
coupled with vegetation surveys at 50 m altitudinal intervals along each of the fivegradients. In addition, locally deployed weather stations simultaneously recorded
temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity at six locations along each gradient.
Many bird species showed displaced elevational distribution patterns both between sites
and between slopes within sites. Shifts in distributions were related to both differencesin local climate as well as displaced habitat zonation. The presence or absence ofcongeneric species on some slopes, but not others, led to range contractions, expansions,or shifts, suggesting competition also plays a role in constraining the distributions ofsome species. While we expect that species ranges may shift with climate change, ourresults suggest that such shifts may be hindered by “boundaries” enforced by habitatand competition.

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S02 Rice fields as a model system for studying bird ecology and conservation

s02-1kA history of ecological studies of birds in rice fields
C.S. Elphick
University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA
Email: chris.elphick@uconn.edu
Birds have been studied in rice fields for over a century. Early studies focused on
species directly linked to crop production, either because they were considered to be
crop pests or because they preyed upon undesirable species found in rice fields.
Starting in the 1970s, research in Europe began to focus more directly on birds
themselves, with studies examining the foraging ecology of herons and egrets in rice
fields, and its links to breeding distributions. Around the same time, researchers in theAmericas began studying waterfowl in rice fields, focusing especially on questions
relating to toxicology and food supply. Research in these regions, in Asia, and more
recently elsewhere, has increasingly focused on how changes in rice farming affect thebirds that use rice agroecosystems, especially from a conservation perspective.
Wading birds and waterfowl have remained a mainstay of much research in rice fields,with a growing body of knowledge from around the world. Studies have becometaxonomically more diverse, although most research remains centred on waterbirds
despite evidence of rice-field use by a wide diversity of passerines, raptors, and otherlandbirds. Research to date has been dominated by descriptive studies, usually with anapplied focus. Increasingly, however, researchers are recognizing the advantages ofrice field systems for studying basic ecological questions. Compared to most natural
habitats, rice fields are simple, uniform, systems that are well replicated across alandscape. This simplicity has facilitated more conceptually-driven research inforaging ecology and provides similar potential in other arenas, such as community
ecology. Growing collaborations between ecologists and rice growers have also
resulted recently in more experimental approaches to studying both the ecology andmanagement of birds in rice fields. Finally, use of radio telemetry and remote sensing
has illustrated the potential benefits of taking a landscape-level perspective whenstudying ricelands.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S02 Rice fields as a model system for studying bird ecology and conservation

s02-2kAvian responses to heterogeneity in rice fields at local, landscape andmacro scales
T. Amano
Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge,
Cambridge, UK
Email: amatatsu830@gmail.com

Rice fields cover approximately 11% of the world’s arable land, providing important
habitats for birds globally. Rice-producing areas in Asia usually consist of a mosaic ofrice fields, fallow fields, forests, ponds and creeks, which provides spatial heterogeneity
to agricultural ecosystems from local to nationwide scales. Moreover, typically in rice
fields, shallow water is retained during the growing period while fields are usuallydrained before harvest, creating both dry and wet habitats at different times. Thus, rice
fields can serve as an excellent model system for studying avian responses toheterogeneity at various spatial and temporal scales. Focusing on avian responses tohabitat heterogeneity created by rice fields, this talk will illustrate an example of how
rice fields can be used to address general questions in ecology. I will first focus on
behavioural responses by Intermediate Egrets (Egretta intermedia) to resource
heterogeneity at a field scale. Using detailed information on movement paths and prey
captures, I will show that egrets adopt both area-restricted and area-avoided search at
different spatial and temporal scales to search for hierarchically-distributed resources.
Second, I will explore population-level responses by birds to spatial and temporallandscape heterogeneity in rice paddy areas in Japan. The results obtained showedvarying responses to landscape components among species and seasons, indicating theimportance of spatial and temporal landscape complementation in supporting bird
species in rice paddy areas. Finally, I will address the role of landscape heterogeneity inshaping bird species assemblages at a nationwide scale. Using nationwide monitoringdata in Japan, I will show that avian responses to rice-forest mosaics differ greatly
between species with broad and narrow geographical ranges, presumably reflecting thehistorical role of Japanese landscapes in favouring species associated withheterogeneous landscapes. I will conclude my talk by discussing potential future topics.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S02 Rice fields as a model system for studying bird ecology and conservation

s02-3

The recent decline of heron populations in Italy and the changes in ricecultivation practice
Fasola Mauro, Cardarelli Elisa, Daniele Pellitteri-Rosa, Luigi Ranghetti
Dipartimento Scienze della Terra e dell’Ambiente, Università, Via Ferrata 9, I-27100 Pavia Italy
Breeding herons and egrets have been monitored annually since 1972 throughout Northwestern
Italy, over an area of 57,591 km2 with the greatest surface of ric cultivation in Europe (about 2,000km2). The total number of heronries increased from 40 in 1972 to 130 in 2013, in pace with anincrease in the number of nests that peaked in 2000 to 23 times the initial number for Grey Herons,
4 times for Little Egrets, and a similar increase for the other species. But since 2000, a decresing
trend has become evident. In order to check whether this decline could be due to a diminishedavailability of prey, in turn linked to the rapidly changing rice cultivation practices, we studied thefollowing topics, and compared the 2013 results with those obtained by identical techniques in 1980,
1990, 1995 and 2000 on the same study areas. 1) Changes in chick diet for each of the 7 breedingherons and egrets; a great reduction occurred in some staple prey that use mainly rice fields forreproduction (amphibians) and an increase in new prey of recent colonization (the invasive
Procambarus clarkii). 2) Changes in the surfaces of rice with little or no submersion, studied using
satellite imagery; compared to almost 100% submersion until 1990, and to 70% submersion around2000, the surfaces of submerged ricefields in 2013 were reduced to <50% at any given time during
the breeding season. 3) Foraging success of the adults in rice fields, and their density in agricultural
versus seminatural foraging habitats. A modeling is under way of the influence of these changes inprey availability, of the climatic changes, and of other factors, on these declining heron populations.
This project was supported by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (PRIN
2010-2011, 20108 TZKHC)”

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S02 Rice fields as a model system for studying bird ecology and conservation

s02-4

Rice farming and duck interactions: looking at possible mutual benefits by
testing post-harvest practices and duck densities
C.A. Pernollet1, M. Gauthier-Clerc2 and M. Guillemain1
1

Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, CNERA Avifaune Migratrice, Arles,
France2Centre de Recherche de la Tour du Valat, Arles, France
Email: claire.pernollet@oncfs.gouv.fr
Rice paddies provide foraging habitat, safe roosts and nest sites for many waterfowl species
during the migration, breeding and wintering seasons. This cereal is cultivated in 114
countries worldwide, with 52 % of the Anatidae (81/155 species) being linked to the presenceof paddy rice fields. The literature on wild ducks in rice fields is disproportionately
represented by studies from Europe and the USA (though only representing 1% of the world’s
rice fields), while studies in Asia (90% of the worldwide rice production) are based on theagronomic benefits of breeding ducks in integrated rice-duck farming systems. To better
understand the interactions between rice farming and ducks, we first performed a literature
review to identify the principal incentives and triggers associated with 1) the management ofrice-production areas as waterfowl habitat, 2) the agronomic consequences of attracting wild
ducks or rearing farm ducks. Secondly, we carried out two field studies in harvested rice
fields in the Camargue (France): we first assessed the influence of post-harvest agricultural
practices (burning, crushing, flooding and their combinations) on seed availability and fielduse by wintering ducks. In a second study, we tested experimentally the effects of foraging
wing-clipped mallards at two different densities (300 ducks/ha like in rice farms in Asia,
versus 5 birds/ha corresponding to the density of wild ducks in Camargue) on weed seed bankand straw decomposition. This helps in analysing the potentially mutually beneficial solutions
that could provide habitat to wintering wild duck populations while simultaneously being
accepted by rice farmers.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S02 Rice fields as a model system for studying bird ecology and conservation

s02-5

Does Alternate Wetting and Drying have an impact on birds in rice fields?
Richard E. Smedley1,2, Colin V. Prescott2, Alexander M. Stuart1, Graham J. Holloway2 and Grant
R. Singleton1
1

International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines, 2University of Reading, UK.

Rice crops are globally important for food security, with over 90% of the world’s rice producedin Asia. However, in many Asian rice growing areas, water shortages are a major constraint torice production. To address this issue, management techniques have been developed to produce
rice with less water. One such method is Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), whereby water
is intermittently supplied throughout the crop cycle, allowing the field to dry out between
irrigation events. Using AWD, 15-25% less water is required with no yield implications.
Literature suggests that a wide range of avian species are found in rice fields because they act as
artificial wetland habitats that are maintained throughout the year. Our objective was to identify
whether reducing water input through the practice of AWD decreases bird abundance anddiversity in rice fields.
In Bohol, Philippines, timed spot counts, at different stages of crop growth, were taken during
the rice cropping seasons of 2013 and 2014. Surveys were taken at sites using AWD and at sites
using a traditional community irrigation system (CIS). Sites were chosen at three key locationsof the irrigation network; near the source, middle and lower-end of the system.
We will evaluate how the use of AWD affects avian abundance and diversity and how thisrelates to changes in the dynamics of the rice field habitat. Factors such as crop stage, time ofyear, field location and weather will be analysed. We will conclude by discussing the possibleeffects of AWD on avian richness within the Philippines, as well as possible global conservation
implications, were AWD to be adopted nationwide.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S03 Light in the darkness: how does artificial night lighting influence bird behaviour and ecology?

s03-1kLighting up the forest – what is the impact of artificial light on
breeding birds?
K.Spoelstra1, M. de Jong1, R.A.H. van Grunsven2, E.M Veenendaal2, F. Berendse2 andM.E. Visser1
1

Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW),
P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, the Netherlands
2
Wageningen University, Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, P.O. Box 47,
6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
Email: k.spoelstra@nioo.knaw.nl

Economic growth and the increase in urbanization has led to an increase ofanthropogenic illumination in large parts of the world. Effects of artificial light havebeen reported in different ecosystems, on many species and species groups. With
excellent vision, and – in many species – a dependence on day length information forseasonal timing, birds are potentially strongly affected by disturbances of their naturallight environment. However, relatively little is known about the long-term
consequences of these disturbances, and even less about the effects of light on different
colours. To study this, we set up a large-scale monitoring project in natural habitat in
the Netherlands. At eight study sites we experimentally illuminated 100 m longtransects at the forest edge with white, green and red light, and left one transect dark.
Every year, we assessed the presence, density and activity of many species at these sites
according to rigid protocols. In order to have a dark reference for all sites, we started themonitoring routine a year before the artificial illumination was installed. All nest sites
and song posts of breeding bird species were located. Birds were frequently netted andbanded in order to monitor residence, recruitment and dispersion. We measured timing
and reproductive success in birds breeding in nest boxes at and around all transects, aswell as daily activity patterns in feeding behaviour. Here we present the effects of lighton breeding bird species, including the advance of lay date of great tits (Parus major)
breeding at the green and white illuminated transects. We show effects on territories,
survival, daily and seasonal timing. Experimental, long term studies are essential for thequantification of the impact of artificial light on birds.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S03 Light in the darkness: how does artificial night lighting influence bird behaviour and ecology?

s03-2kThe effects of light pollution on daily and seasonal rhythms of
songbirds: a mechanistic perspective
Davide M Dominoni
Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University ofGlasgow, UK
Photoperiod is the most important environmental factor through which birds in temperateenvironments time their daily and seasonal rhythms. However, light pollution associatedwith increasing urbanization may challenge and alter the photoperiodic response of avian
species. Indeed, avian urbanization has been often associated with an extended daily
activity into the night and with an early onset of breeding, and the presence of artificial
lights has been suggested as one of the environmental factors responsible of such changes.
In recent years, new studies have started to elucidate potential physiological pathways
through which light pollution can lead to altered daily and seasonal cycles. For example,
exposure to dim light at night (LAN) has been shown to reduce melatonin production,
possibly altering photoperiodic time measurement. In addition, LAN can advance theonset of the reproductive physiology and chronic LAN can disrupt regular molting
sequence. I will review the evidence about the physiological effects of LAN that may
underline changes in daily and seasonal timing of birds, and present the results of an
ongoing experiment that aims to elucidate how the expression of key genes involved in
the regulation of daily metabolism (clock genes and stress receptor genes) may be alteredby light pollution, and the metabolic consequences of such effect.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S03 Light in the darkness: how does artificial night lighting influence bird behaviour and ecology?

s03-3

Waterfowl utilize different habitat at night: implications for conservation.
Authors: V. Bywater1, R. Ribot1, B. Buttemer1 and A.T.D. Bennett1
1

Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia.
Email: vbywater@deakin.edu.au

Waterbirds serve as key indicators of habitat health and vitality due to their conspicuousness
and sensitivity to their natural environment. Accordingly, recent declines inwaterbird populations have made conservation of their habitat a high priority in Australia andworldwide. Despite international recognition of the need to classify and conserve water
bodies used by these birds (e.g. RAMSAR), less thought has been given to identifying andconserving nocturnal habitats that are important for waterbirds. Even though some waterbirds
are known to be most active at night, water bodies identified for conservation of waterbird
populations are based almost solely on diurnal observations of behaviour and habitat use.
However, the advent of thermal imaging technologies means that night time monitoring can
now be achieved. In this study we utilised such technology to observe waterfowl at night. We
performed nocturnal population counts and behavioural observations on three species; Grey
Teal (Anas gracilis), Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) and Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta
jubata) at coastal habitats in South Eastern Australia. Our results revealed substantial
differences in abundance between night and day across all three species at different sites. The
habitats utilised and behaviours displayed were also shown to be different between nocturnaland diurnal hours. Environmental factors also predicted abundance of waterbirds and habitat
preferences. Our findings reveal a pressing need to consider nocturnal habitat of waterbirds
when assigning land for conservation. Furthermore, given the high level of activity displayed
by waterfowl during nocturnal hours, future studies that focus on nocturnal habits andhabitats should greatly increase our understanding of waterbird behaviour and ecology.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S03 Light in the darkness: how does artificial night lighting influence bird behaviour and ecology?

s03-4

Effects of artificial night lighting on the timing of dawn and dusk
singing in common songbirds
A. Da Silva 1, J. Samplonius 2, E. Schlicht 1 and B. Kempenaers 1
1

Dept Behavioural Ecology & Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for
Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
2
Animal Ecology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Groningen, theNetherlands
Email: asilva@orn.mpg.de and b.kempenaers@orn.mpg.de

It is well established that artificial night lighting can influence animal movements, butthere is less information about its effects on reproductive behaviour. Previous worksuggested that light pollution affects both seasonal and daily patterns of behaviour. We
investigated the effects of artificial night lighting and other confounding factors such as
anthropogenic noise on the timing of the dawn and dusk song in six common songbirds.
In 2012, we recorded singing behaviour in 11 forested plots: 2 plots with artificial lightat night, but no daytime traffic noise, 3 with light and noise, 3 with noise, but no lightand 3 undisturbed forests. Our results show that artificial night lighting, but not noise,leads to an earlier start of dawn singing in 5 out of 6 songbirds. This effect is strongest
for early-singing species. We further show that dusk song is much less affected; only in
two species does dusk song continue for longer in artificially lit areas. We also
investigated the effects of natural variation in the light environment, and show that thishas minimal effects in comparison to artificial night lighting. Furthermore, the effect of
the artificial night lighting is directly related to the strength of the light source. We
discuss the implications of our findings in the context of sexual selection, i.e. in relation
to the function of dawn and dusk song signaling.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S03 Light in the darkness: how does artificial night lighting influence bird behaviour and ecology?

s03-5

Effect of artificial lighting of roosting female Blue Tits on their breeding
behavior
Lotte Schlicht, Mihai Valcu, Peter Loës, Alexander Girg, Bart Kempenaers*
Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department Behavioural Ecology & Evolutionary
Genetics , Seewiesen, Germany
Increased nightly light levels may alter the daily rhythms of individuals. The resulting
behavioral changes may have consequences for an individual’s fitness especially during thetime of reproduction. Here, we investigate changes in the reproductive behavior of Blue Tit
females due to artificially increased light levels. In two breeding seasons, we exposed BlueTit females roosting in nest boxes at the onset of breeding with one hour of additional lightevery morning until egg laying commenced. We then investigated immediate and long-term
effects of the light supplementation, including effects on emergence times from the roosting
place, extra-pair paternity, clutch size, and survival. We found no clear evidence for anegative effect of the lighting treatment on the fitness of Blue Tit females.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S04 Birds and agroecosystems: experiences from the tropics

s04-1kIdentifying areas of high-value for bird conservation and restoration ofdiversity in the Brazilian Southeastern region
Augusto João Piratelli1*, Alexandre Marco da Silva2, Fatima Pina Rodrigues1, Sílvio Yuji
Onary Alves3 & Lucas Andrei Campos Silva3
1 – Depto. Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos/ Campus de Sorocaba,
SP, Brazil.
2 - Universidade Estadual Paulista “Julio de Mesquita Filho” – Campus de Sorocaba, SP,
Brazil.
3 – Curso de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de São Carlos/ Campus de Sorocaba,
SP, Brazil.
* Corresponding author: piratelli@ufscar.br
This study has been carried out at Sorocaba, southeastern Brazil, a 449km2-municipality,
having nearly 600,000 inhabitants. It is located in an eco-region of transition of Atlantic Rain
Forest and Savannah biomes. The wooded area currently is composed by 616 forest patches
spread along the municipality, corresponding to 28.6% of the total area. Due to the fact ofmost of forest patches are small and structurally disconnected, there is a huge necessity ofidentifying the forest fragments critical for conservation and indicate areas for restoration, inorder to establish a strategic corridor for biodiversity. In this study a one-year survey of birds
was carried out for after supporting the sequential steps of the project. Through fixed point
counts carried out from June of 2012 to June of 2013, 1,688 contacts were established in
fifteen points and 66 species were registered. The four most common species were Pitangus
sulphuratus (163 contacts), Passer domesticus (144), Columba livia (126), and Patagioenas
picazuro (120). The first and the fourth species are native and the other two are exotic. The
number of species per local ranged from 22 to 35 (medium value of 27.1). Whereas first andsecond patch having highest number of species are in riparian fragments, we may assume thatthese may play an important role in conserving bird community, The next step of the projectis cross databases regarding bird community and tree-plant community, in order to generate aconceptual model capable to show the best regions for restore.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S04 Birds and agroecosystems: experiences from the tropics

s04-2kBird functional diversity and ecosystem services in tropicalforests, agroforests and agricultural areas
Cagan H. Sekercioglu
Department of Biology, University of Utah, USA; KuzeyDoga Society, Kars, Turkey
Although most bird species avoid agricultural areas, nearly a third of all birds occasionally use
such habitats, often providing important ecosystem services like pest control, pollination, andseed dispersal. Combining literature review with meta-analyses of the ecological characteristicsof the world’s birds, I compared tropical bird species that prefer forests, agricultural areas orboth, with respect to body mass, diet, range and population size, frequency, conservation status,
habitat and resource specialization. Compared to primary forests, species numbers of large
frugivorous and insectivorous birds (especially terrestrial and understory species) often decline
in agroforests. In contrast, nectarivores, small-to-medium insectivores (especially migrants andcanopy species), omnivores, and sometimes granivores and small frugivores do better, frequently
by tracking seasonal resources. However, changes in guild species numbers do not necessarilytranslate to changes in relative abundance, biomass or function, and more studies are needed toquantify these important measures. These findings indicate that the replacement of forests andagroforests with simplified agricultural systems can result in shifts towards less specialized bird
communities with altered proportions of functional groups. These shifts can reduce avian
ecosystem function and affect the ecosystem services provided by birds in agroforests and otheragricultural landscapes.

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S04 Birds and agroecosystems: experiences from the tropics

s04-3

The conservation importance of agroforests and tree plantations for forest
birds in the Malay Archipelago
C.H. Schulze 1
1

Department of Tropical Ecology and Animal Biodiversity, University of Vienna, Vienna,
Austria
Email: christian.schulze@univie.ac.at
A large number of bird species is threatened by the continuing loss of tropical rainforests.
However, the proportion of forest birds able to survive in land-use systems such as agroforests
and tree plantations remains unclear. The Malay Archipelago, a region characterized by anextremely high number of endemic birds, globally faces the highest rates of forest loss. Basedon a comprehensive study of the available literature, a database was generated containing thefollowing information for all forest species of the Malay Archipelago: colonized islands,
habitat affiliation, feeding guild affiliation and body size. For individual islands, the database
did not consider a bird species as present when it had already gone extinct. Based on this data
the following questions were addressed: (1) Do forest birds occupy broader ecological niches
on smaller islands, perhaps due to a competitive release caused by a lower species richness?
(2) Consequently, do land-use systems such as agroforests and tree plantations have a higher
importance for bird conservation on smaller islands? A preliminary analysis considering a
total of 586 forest species and 18 islands demonstrates that the niche width of forest birds
increases with declining island size. Forest species of smaller islands (e.g. Sangihe, Salayar,
Morotai, Obi) are more frequently able to use secondary habitats than forest dependent
species of larger islands (e.g. Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi). However, further studies areneeded to quantify to what extent the reproductive success of these forest birds differs
between forest and secondary habitats. For a certain proportion of forest birds these habitats
may rather represent ecological sinks (e.g. exclusively used by foraging birds), rather thansuitable habitats for reproduction.

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S04 Birds and agroecosystems: experiences from the tropics

s04-4

Bird functional diversity changes in tropical dry forest: comparison among
a forest patch, silvopastoral systems and pastures
J. Llano-Mejía 1,2, K. Certuche-Cubillos 2,3 and M. J. Gómez-Martínez 1,2,4
1

Grupo de Investigación en Sistemas Agroforestales Pecuarios, Universidad del Tolima,
Ibagué, Colombia
2

Laboratorio de Ecoagricultura, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia

3

Programa de Biología, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia

4

Facultad de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia

Email: mjgomez@ut.edu.co
Fragmentation and habitat loss are the main threats affecting tropical biodiversity. Thosethreats imply a richness species decrease, as well as loss of functionality and provisioning of
ecosystem services. With the purpose of identifying the impact of Tolima’s department cattle
systems on birds’ conservation and functionality, Functional Diversity (FD) in three different
habitats was evaluated (Tropical Dry Forest Patch –TDFP- , Intensive Silvopastoral Systems –ISPS- and low tree density pastures-LTDP-), in order to determine whether there is a change
in FD through the structural complexity gradient shown in the three habitat types. As
functional traits, five morphological and one ecological variable were measured. A complete
community cluster analysis yielded a total of 11 functional groups; all of them present in ISPS
and LTDF, but 2 absent from TDFP. FDiversity Software was used to calculate FDp and
wFDp indices. Results showed higher values in ISPS and lower in TDFP (FDp: TDFP = 4.7,
ISPS = 12.4, LTDF = 10.3: wFDp: TDFP = 3.6, ISPS = 10.0, LTDF = 8.2). Even though thisstudy shows a change in FD, there is no direct relation between structural complexity and FD;
habitats with structurally intermediate complexity between forests and pastures, such as
silvopastoral systems, had the highest FD indices values. Nevertheless, further studies arenecessary to prove the real role of agroecosystems as a source of functional diversity.
Additional studies are needed to evaluate if those functional groups are providing real
ecosystem services.

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S04 Birds and agroecosystems: experiences from the tropics

s04-5

Potentiality of Indigenous Agroforestry Systems with reference to bird
diversity in the Sikkim Himalayas, India
Ghanashyam Sharma, Bhoj K. Acharya1, Kishor Sharma
The Mountain Institute-India“Abhilasha” Development Area, Gangtok Sikkim 737101, INDIA
Email: banstolag@yahoo.co.in/banstolag@gmail.com
1
Department of Zoology
Sikkim Government College, Tadong, Gangtok Sikkim 737102, INDIAThe Indigenous Agroforestry Systems (IAS) in the Sikkim Himalaya are agro-ecologicallydiverse (300-2000 m) and have high biodiversity value. We assessed bird community structure
covering three agroforestry systems viz., cardamom-based, farm-based and mandarin orange
based during 2012-2013 to identify systems of high potential and of high conservation value
considering that birds are bio-indicators and are used as surrogate taxon to predict ecosystem
health. Further, we investigated the management measures to maximise the community structure ofbirds in disturbed ecosystems. We followed the open-width point count method along the 18
predetermined transects (six per system) comprising 180 points.
We observed a total of 2026 birds representing 125 species that comprised around 22% of thetotal avifaunal richness (574 species) of Sikkim. Species richness and abundance of birds werehighest in the cardamom-based followed by farm-based and mandarin orange-based systems.
The number of species per point was also higher in the cardamom-based systems but the result
was not statistically significant (F2,177 = 0.149; p>0.05). The abundance of birds was
significantly higher in cardamom agroforestry systems compared to other two systems (F2,177 =
3.125; p≤0.05). We observed that cardamom-based system harbour a unique assemblage of birds
compared to other two systems. Only 30% species were shared among farm-based andcardamom agroforestry systems. Similarly, cardamom-based and mandarin orange-based
agroforestry system shared only 27% species. The Protected Area Network in the Eastern
Himalayas is mostly located above 2000 m elevation while biodiversity occurs below this which
is attributed to maximum forest cover and agroforestry systems. Thus, the IAS of Sikkim
Himalayas has high potential in conserving biodiversity. Despite the high biodiversity potential,
these systems are under tremendous pressure due to land conversion for non-agricultural
purposes. While the study is ongoing we still recommend promotion and enhancement of theexisting agroforestry systems for their biodiversity value and ecological resilience.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S05 Recent advances in the study of Psittaciformes: breeding biology, population ecology andphylogeographys05-1kBreeding biology and conservation of old world Psittaciformes
Robert Heinsohn
Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra,
Australia
Email: Robert.Heinsohn@anu.edu.au
Psittaciformes has become one of the most endangered orders of birds. Howeverefforts to conserve wild populations of parrots are hampered by the lack of data
concerning breeding biology and habitat requirements for most species. Parrots areamong the most difficult birds to study in the field, including difficulties in catching
the birds, accessing their habitat and nest sites, and following their movements overwide ranges. Even when studies are conducted they often lead to low sample sizes andlow publish-ability of the research. The low productivity of such studies may also be aparticular deterrent for post-graduate students. In recent years, more studies on thebreeding biology of Psittaciformes have been published for both Neotropical and Old
World species. Complementary to the review presented on African parrots in this
symposium I will summarise and critique the recent research on the breeding biology
and habitat requirements of Old World Psittaciformes. I will emphasise a small
number of case studies that illustrate how to overcome logistical difficulties to attainhigh quality data for conservation purposes. These include excellent field studies ofthe breeding biology of highly endangered parrot species together with analyses of
migratory strategies and other evolutionary and ecological aspects of behaviour andlife histories relevant to conservation. I will identify gaps in our knowledge of thebreeding biology and conservation requirements of Old World parrots, and propose
the most productive avenues for future research.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S05 Recent advances in the study of Psittaciformes: breeding biology, population ecology andphylogeographys05-2kPhylogeography: its development in recent years and relevance toparrots
L. Joseph
Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Canberra,
Australia
Email: leo.joseph@csiro.au

Phylogeography has grown from its initial reliance on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
diversity in natural populations to increasing use of multilocus sequence data,comparative studies of multiple, co-distributed species, the application of coalescencetheory and, most recently, the tools of genomics. Nonetheless, surveys of intraspecific
mtDNA sequence diversity remain useful. They define and illuminate questions incurrent and historical population biology. They help direct where more sophisticatedmethods might most usefully be applied. Finally, they help in understanding how the
Pleistocene shaped the present-day genetic diversity and distribution of regional biotas
generally. With these uses in mind, the present paper presents and discusses patterns of
mtDNA diversity with an emphasis on examples drawn from available studies fromparrots, especially to define where further multilocus work will best be focussed.

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S05 Recent advances in the study of Psittaciformes: breeding biology, population ecology andphylogeography

s05-3

Impact of invasive species on parrots – case studies in New Caledonia
and Wallis & Futuna Archipelago
J. Theuerkauf 1, S. Rouys 2 and R. Gula 1
1

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Conservation Research New Caledonia, Nouméa, New Caledonia
Email: jtheuer@miiz.eu
2

As obligate cavity breeders, parrots should be especially vulnerable to predation fromintroduced mammalian predators. According to the IUCN Red List, however, parrot
species reported to be threatened by introduced species mainly occur on the Pacificislands. Most parrot species affected by introduced species occur in New Zealand,
French Polynesia, and New Caledonia and are threatened mainly by stoats (Mustela
erminea), domestic cats (Felis catus) and black rats (Rattus rattus). However, in mostcases where a parrot species is considered to be threatened by predators, this is on thebasis of assumption, and while some are supported by limited empirical evidence, very
few have been supported by systematic study (e.g. Kakapo Strigops habroptilus). Since
2002, we have been studying the impact of introduced mammals on Horned Parakeets
Eunymphicus cornutus and New Caledonian Parakeets Cyanoramphus saisseti to assess
predation rates and the relationship between the abundance of parakeets and of
introduced predators in New Caledonia (Melanesia). We continuously video-monitored
nests during incubation and nestling care and followed fledglings by use ofradio-transmitters until their death or transmitter failure. We also assessed therelationship between rat and parakeet density at 40 different sites throughout New
Caledonia. On Wallis & Futuna Islands (Western Polynesia), since 2008 we have been
studying the impact of recently introduced black rats on the population of Blue-crowned
Lorikeets Vini australis, a species known to disappear from most islands on which blackrats are established. We will present and discuss the results of 12 years of study andpresent possible alternative ways to manage introduced species.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S05 Recent advances in the study of Psittaciformes: breeding biology, population ecology andphylogeography

s05-4

Beak and feather disease virus in a wild parrot species complex (Platycercus
elegans): host predictors of prevalence and effects on breeding biology
Justin R. Eastwood1, 3, Mathew L. Berg1, Raoul F. H. Ribot1, Katherine L. Buchanan1, Ken
Walder2, Andrew T. D. Bennett1.
1

Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University,
Geelong 3217, Victoria, Australia
2
Metabolic Research Unit, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, 3217, Victoria,
Australia
3
Email: jreas@deakin.edu.au
The order Psittaciformes is one of the most threatened with approximately 30 percent of species
at risk of extinction. One widely recognised threat is beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), ahighly pathogenic and transmissible virus that only infects the order Psittaciformes. So far BFDV
has been implicated in several high mortality events in South Africa and Mauritius, and isconsidered a key threat factor to biodiversity by the Australian government. Currently, it is notknown how BFDV interacts with wild host populations and the factors that influence host BFDV
susceptibility, making it difficult for conservationists to prepare for potential BFDV outbreaks.
In an 8 year study we tested for BFDV in the Platycercus elegans species complex which is anabundant species in south eastern Australia. This system includes two phenotypically distinct
subspecies (terminal subspecies) that encircle unsuitable habitat through a series of intermediate
populations including a hybrid zone (WS hybrid). We found that the two terminal subspecies inthis system had both higher prevalence and viral load than the phenotypic intermediate
populations and the WS hybrid. We present microsatellite data that could explain this variation
in host susceptibility because more genetically diverse populations may be less susceptible topathogens, and also discuss how host population divergence can affect viral evolution.
Additionally, we show how age variation in prevalence can potentially influence male andfemale pairing and how parental infection status can influence transmission to offspring, survivaland growth.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S05 Recent advances in the study of Psittaciformes: breeding biology, population ecology andphylogeography

s05-5

Reproduction in Blue-throated Macaws: factors limiting the recovery
of a critically threatened parrot under intense management.
I. Berkunsky 1,2, G. Daniele 2,3, F.P. Kacoliris Federico 1,2,3, J.A. Díaz Luque 2,5, R.M.
Aramburu 3 and J.D. Gilardi 2

1

Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, Universidad
Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Argentina.
2 Proyecto de Conservación de la Paraba Barba Azul, World Parrot Trust.
3 Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Argentina.
Email: igorberkunsky2gmail.com

The Blue-throated Macaw Ara glaucogularis is an endemic Bolivian macaw, and one of
the two critically endangered macaw species that still live in the wild. Until now, theonly available biological information of Blue-throated Macaw came from studies related
to distribution, range, habitat use and population size estimations. Here, we analyse
reproductive parameters in an intensively managed wild population of Blue-throatedMacaws. During the 2007-2012 period we identified 64 individuals in the study area, of
which at least 32 were active breeding birds. The egg-laying season was different fornorth and south subpopulations. Average clutch size was 2.53 and the incubation period
lasted 25 days. Partial losses during incubation were low: two cracked eggs were
removed by parents before hatching date. Average clutch size at hatching was 2.10 andhatching success was 72%. In successful nests, the survival of nestlings was 100 %,average clutch size 2.00 and the nestling period lasted 85 days. Between 2007 and 2012,a total of 26 nestlings of Blue-throated Macaw successfully fledged. Given that the
average total clutch was 2.5 eggs per nesting attempt, and the average of 0.89 fledglings
per nesting attempt, each pair is losing on average 65% of its initial reproductive
investment at each nesting attempt. Fifty-seven per cent of 30 monitored nests failed.
Most failures occurred during the incubation stage. All monitored breeding pairs
showed a high nest site fidelity reusing hardwood-tree cavities and nest boxes. Our
research provides the first data on the breeding biology of this critically endangered
species. We hope our findings will aid conservation efforts by refining current actions
and prompting new approaches towards the conservation and recovery of theBlue-throated Macaw.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S06 Avian reintroductions in changing environments

s06-1kAvian translocations to modified habitats: from Reintroduction toConservation Introduction
P. J. Seddon1
Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Email: philip.seddon@otago.ac.nz
Avian reintroductions, attempts to restore populations in areas from which they havedisappeared, have proceeded under the assumption that historical distribution range isa reliable guide to current and future habitat suitability. However, the properties of ahabitat that allow species to persist may change over time, and the longer the timesince extirpation, the greater the potential for habitat change due to changes in climate,land-use, or community composition. Consequently the new IUCN Guidelines for
Reintroductions and other Conservation Translocations (2013) place great emphasison the evaluation of habitat suitability, so that even a reintroduction within theindigenous range must first assess current habitat suitability in terms of the candidate
species’ total biotic and abiotic needs. This has two implications for species
restorations relying on translocation: (1) even highly modified habitats within theindigenous range could meet a species’ needs, and pristine habitat conditions may not
be necessary; (2) suitable habitat may lie outside the indigenous range of thecandidate species, thus a conservation introduction may be justified. Introductions oforganisms outside their indigenous range have had devastating ecological impacts.
However, there has been growing recognition of the value of introduction as a valid
conservation management tool. Assisted Colonization is the intentional release of anorganism outside its indigenous range to avoid extinction of populations of the focal
species, and may be justified where protection from threats in the current range is lessfeasible than at alternative sites. This talk will place these controversial conservation
approaches within a translocation spectrum and, with an emphasis on birds, will
review the movement of organisms into modified habitats within their indigenous
range, and into suitable habitat outside their indigenous range to protect them fromcurrent or future threats.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S06 Avian reintroductions in changing environments

s06-2kAvian reintroduction into socio-ecological production landscapes:
lessons from case studies
H. Nagata 1
1

Center for Toki and Ecological Restoration, Center for Transdisciplinary Research,
Niigata University, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan
Email: hnagata@gs.niigata-u.ac.jp

Habitat modification by agricultural and urban expansion is an increasingly important
threat to birds globally. So far, almost no reintroductions have taken place in relatively
intact habitat, even though a less modified release site might successfully restore
populations. All bird species do not require intact habitat. Socio-ecological production
landscapes (SEPLs) have been formed and maintained through human activities for longtimes, which support higher species diversity because they contain moderately disturbed
habitats and an ecotone. Some bird species are more adapted for SEPLs than predicted,
since they have historically co-existed with humans. But recent rapid civilization andpopulation explosion have degraded natural habitats and have led to overhunting thosespecies, threatening many bird species to extinction. Crested Ibis, Nipponia nippon, andOriental White Stork, Ciconia boycinia, were such species in Japan. They wereextirpated in 1970s and 1980s, and they have recently been reintroduced into
Socio-ecological production landscapes, so-called Satoyama, which is a modified
ecosystem by interactions between human and nature for a long time. In order to restore
populations of these waterbirds in the Satoyama environment, ecological restoration is
primarily necessary before or during reintroduction, which includes creating biotopes,
management of nesting sites, and promotion of organic farming. Second, it is also
necessary to establish socio-economic consensus between stakeholders and to giveenvironmental education to local people before or during reintroduction. We havelearned many lessons from reintroduction programs in socio-ecological production
landscapes. This talk will review several case studies of population restoration in SEPLs,
which were carried out in Japan and Asian countries, and will discuss required
management for reintroduction in Socio-ecological production landscapes.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S06 Avian reintroductions in changing environments

s06-3

Reintroduction and ecology of the Oriental white stork Ciconia
boyciana - Coexistence between humans and birds in JapanY. Ezaki 1, Y. Ohsako 1 and S. Yamagishi 2
1

INES, University of Hyogo/Division of Research, Hyogo Park of the Oriental White
Stork, Shounji 128, Toyo-oka, Hyogo 668-0814 Japan
2
Director, Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork, Shounji 128, Toyo-oka, Hyogo
668-0814 Japan
Email: ezaki@hitohaku.jp
In Japan, the Oriental white stork (a globally-endangered species) bred commonly up
until the first half of 19th century, but was extinct by 1971 due to human persecution andwidespread pesticide application. With an increase of the captive population size in
1990s, the first releases of captive-bred birds took place in Tajima in 2005, where thelast wild population existed. The first pair was formed in 2006 and the number of birds
in the wild increased to 76 in 2013. The annual survival rate of young after fledging is
as high as 80%. We monitored an almost fully banded population and found that thisspecies has stable pair-territories throughout the year, and immature birds younger than
4 years form an underworld whose social structure has also been clarified. Additionally,
it was found that this species is monogamous with a strong pair-bond. The original
habitat of this species is floodplain where intensive rice cultivation has been taking
place for a long time in Japan. Thus, wild storks in the past naturally foraged within
paddy fields where prey animals, especially fresh-water fish, were abundant due to thehigh bio-productivity there. Although young birds fly long distances and visit various
districts of Japan, they usually return to Tajima after a short stay in each district,possibly suggesting low food availability in rural areas where bio-productivity has
declined due to a change in the water-supply system for paddy fields all over Japan. The
poor natal dispersal increases the risk of kinship mating that is believed to havecontributed much to the extinction 40 years ago. Problems both in natural and social
environment that should be overcome in order to achieve harmonious coexistence
between humans and storks are discussed.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S06 Avian reintroductions in changing environments

s06-4

A lesson for life: is it possible to prepare release candidates in captivity totheir post-release environment? A case study in Grey Partridge
B. Homberger 1, M. Schaub 1, S. Jenni-Eiermann 1 and L. Jenni 1
1

Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
Email: beni.homberger@vogelwarte.ch
Reintroduction of locally extinct animals into their former range has become an important but
controversial tool in conservation biology. Animal reintroductions are complex to conductand often fail for unknown reasons. Nevertheless, there likely will be an increasing number ofreintroduction attempts in the future and hence there is an urgent need to better understand theprocesses that predict reintroduction success and to actively influence reintroduction outcome.
A reintroduction project of Grey Partridge in Switzerland gave us the opportunity to workwith two captive strains of partridges that varied in the duration of their isolation from wildliving populations (thereafter called wild and domesticated strain). We subjected parental
pairs of the two strains and their offspring to periods of unpredictable food supply or control
conditions. We measured behaviour and physiological condition of adolescent offspringcoming from the eight strain x prenatal x postnatal treatment combination groups. Finally, we
released adult offspring into the wild and determined their post-release survival in relation tostrain, prenatal and postnatal treatment and behaviour. Despite physiological advantages, wild
strain birds did not survive substantially longer than birds from the domesticated strain.
However, encountering a phase of postnatal unpredictability enhanced immunity and postrelease survival. Survival was also positively related to bold and independent behaviour. Our
results could have implications for reintroduction projects in general. They suggest that thephysiology of captive animals can be prepared for the post-release environment and theyemphasize the importance of individual behaviour and the social group for post-releasesurvival.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S06 Avian reintroductions in changing environments

s06-5

Using Habitat Suitability Models for conservation translocations: empiricalinvestigations within the reinforcement program of Houbara Bustard
Monnet A.-C.1,2, Hingrat Y.2,3, Jiguet F.1
1

UMR 7204 MNHN-CNRS-UPMC – « Conservation des espèces, restauration et suivi despopulations », Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
2
Emirates Center for Wildlife Propagation, PO Box 47, 33250 Missour, Morocco
3
RENECO Wildlife Consultants LLC, PO Box 61741, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Email: acmonnet@mnhn.fr

In 2012, the new IUCN Guidelines on conservation translocations reaffirmed the importanceof habitat suitability to reintroduction success. Given the increase in anthropogenic pressures,
we need also to take into account environmental change which can occur in habitat, andparticularly climate change. In this context, Habitat Suitability Models (HSM) have become awidely used tool in conservation to predict current and future species distribution. Predictionsof HSM can thus complete the assessment of habitat quality in the field to select priority areas
for conservation translocations. However, we have still little hindsight on the benefit of using
HSM for translocation success, likely because of the weakness in post-release monitoring.
Here we addressed this issue focusing on a reinforced population of the North African
Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) in Morocco. We modelled its potential
current and future distribution using the ensemble forecasting framework BIOMOD. Alongthe whole gradient of habitat suitability, we performed an experimental release of 174
captive-bred houbaras equipped with GPS-transmitters. We tested the benefit of using HSM
predictions to select release sites linking survival and movement analyses of released
houbaras to the habitat suitability of their release sites. Then, from the thorough knowledge
about the spatial distribution of the remnant wild population and the intensive demographic
post-release monitoring of captive-bred released individuals, we also tested if released
houbaras use the same ecological niche as wild houbaras. Taken together, our empiricalapproaches which link habitat suitability with demographic processes (survival, dispersal)
provide a step towards a better understanding of the relevance of HSM for conservationtranslocations.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S07 To understand what birds actually see: toward a newer synthesis of visual perception and methods to study
coloration

s07-1kUnderstanding and Quantifying the Colour Patterns of Birds
Martin Stevens
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus Penryn,
TR10 9EZ. UK.
Email: martin.stevens@exeter.ac.uk
Birds exhibit a stunning variety of colours and patterns, including on their eggs,
chicks, and adult plumage. They are also seen against a wide range of backgrounds inmany habitat types. Such coloration is used for camouflage against predators,
communication with rivals and potential mates, and more. However, analysing animal
markings appropriately, and obtaining measurements that are biologically relevant to
the information an observer would utilize can be difficult. This is especially true forstudies that need to analyse the two-dimensional arrangement of markings, i.e. pattern.
In this talk I will discuss new methods to quantify the coloration and pattern of birds
and other animals, and the types of metrics that we can obtain to answer a range ofquestions in camouflage and communication. In particular, I will focus on the need to
study avian markings from the perspective of the visual system of the natural observer,
and the advantages that digital imaging has over other techniques. I will do so byusing examples from work undertaken by my collaborators and I, including on egg
mimicry in brood parasites and camouflage in ground nesting birds.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S07 To understand what birds actually see: toward a newer synthesis of visual perception and methods to study
coloration

s07-2kColour to birds and to humans: why is it so different?
Keita D. Tanaka
keita.d.tanaka@me.com
It is now widely accepted that the colour vision of birds is different from that of ours, and modellingof avian vision has become almost standard, particularly in studies of bird coloration. The
ultraviolet sensitivity of birds is often solely highlighted as a key difference with human vision, but
the true difference is more than that. Here, I would summarize knowledge of the colour visionsystem of vertebrates, and review how its evolutionary history influences the colour that animals
perceive. A key difference is the number of photoreceptor types present, namely, single-cone cellson the retina. This difference in numbers anatomically underlies the visual performance of animals,
and gives rise to different dimensionalities of colour vision. This is because outputs from different
photoreceptor types are integrated to compose a single colour, and thus the effect of respective
photoreceptor types on perceived colours is indivisible. Most vertebrates are tetrachromatic (with 4
single-cone types), so mammals, which are mostly dichromatic (2 single-cones), are rather
exceptional. Among mammals, some primates, including humans, have an improved colour vision
through the acquisition of trichromacy (3 single-cones) in their evolution, but this still is unlikely toprovide as effective colour discrimination as tetrachromacy. One reason why humans are incapableof seeing UV is probably that the mammalian ancestors were nocturnal, and thus their environment
low in UV light. Mammalian ancestors therefore had reduced colour vision in favour of betterbrightness perception. Overall, the colour vision of birds and humans are divided by the long
history of evolution, which yields substantial differences in the perceived colour between them.
This is why we need visual models to analyze bird coloration.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S07 To understand what birds actually see: toward a newer synthesis of visual perception and methods to study
colorations07-3

Using multispectral imaging to study bird coloration
Takeshi Yamasaki1, Kazuji Matsumoto2, Hiroko Horiguchi3, Gen Morimoto1,
Hiroshi Tsuchiya4, and Takahiko Hariyama3
1

Division of Natural History, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Abiko, Japan
Spectral Application Research Lab. Inc., Hamamatsu, Japan
3
Laboratory of Biology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
4
Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Hamamatsu, Japan
Email: yamasaki@yamashina.or.jp
2

Contact-type spectrometers and digital cameras, which have been widely used as means ofquantifying coloration in studies of birds, have both advantages and disadvantages. Contacttype spectrometers output data of the intensity distribution of reflected wavelengths but
provide only point samples. In contrast, digital cameras enable simultaneous colorimetry of
the entire body of a bird, but usually provide device-dependent and inexplicable RGB values.
There are several excellent methods of transforming RGB values into device-independent anduseful color indices. However, wavelength data are not obtained using these methods. Here
we report that the use of multispectral imaging developed in the discipline of remote sensing
dramatically resolves these flaws of conventionally used colorimetric techniques.
Multispectral imaging is a technique that enables simultaneous acquirement of reflected
wavelength data from the entire body of a bird. Using this technique to quantify coloration is
expected to greatly advance our understanding of birds.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S07 To understand what birds actually see: toward a newer synthesis of visual perception and methods to study
coloration

s07-4

Color characteristics of delayed plumage maturation in the maleRed-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus.
G. Morimoto 1･2, T. Hariyama3, T. Ueta4, G. Fujii5, A. Kosaku6, T. Kuriyama7, K.
Miyamoto6
1

Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan
Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
3
Hamamatsu Medical University, Shizuoka, Japan
4
Jikei University, Tokyo, Japan
5
Shinshu University, Tokyo, Japan
6
Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
7
Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan
E-mail: morimoto@g.nifty.jp
2Some avian species show delayed plumage maturation (DPM). DPM is a phenomenon inwhich individual plumage matures a few years after the first potential breeding season.
Plumage coloration is primarily produced from two types of pigment as well as feather
microstructure, and is classified into three types: carotenoid-based, melanin-based, andstructural-based. Structural coloration commonly reflects short wavelength light (e.g.,
producing violet and blue colors). Dramatic structural color changes in DPM species may
be produced by different plumage structures in individuals of different ages and sexes.
We observed the plumage structure of the Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, aspecies that shows DPM (i.e., the adult male color is blue and the female/1st year
breeding male color is olive-brown). Plumage samples were collected from a breeding
population at Mt. Fuji. There was a slight structural difference between blue andolive-brown individuals, although all individuals had similar internal/external plumage
structure. Barbs have a sponge-like layer and some melanin-like granules. Our findings
suggest that differences in the internal plumage layer produce different colors in the DPM
species.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S07 To understand what birds actually see: toward a newer synthesis of visual perception and methods to study
colorations07-5

A novel method for quantifying egg patterns using HLAC
W. Kitamura 1
1

Faculty of Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University, Japan
Email: kitamura@tcu.ac.jp

Why is there so much variation in egg coloration of birds? This is a simple but difficult
question to answer that arose more than a century ago. Today, there are a large numberof hypotheses which explain the evolution of egg coloration, and interspecificdifferences of egg coloration have been discussed well. However, it is still uncertain
why intraspecific variation in egg coloration exists, and even more problematic is thatsome birds show intra-clutch variation in egg coloration. These two variations are lessunderstood than interspecific variation, because ranges of variation are too small andthere is the difficulty of quantifying egg coloration, in particular the spotting pattern or
maculation of eggs. Old studies often use the man-based methods for quantifying egg
patterns, but sometimes these approaches are too subjective and it is hard to compare
the numbers between studies. This study aimed to develop a novel analytical frameworkfor quantitatively evaluating egg maculation. For this purpose, I used eggs of the Little
Tern as a model subject and tried to apply an image recognition scheme called
Higher-order Local Auto Correlation (HLAC). This method extracts high dimensionalfeatures from one image and this allows to compare the similarity or difference between
images by calculating Euclidean distances. Results were analysed based on the
self-organizing mapping algorithm, which allowed to quantify complex patterns of egg
markings. This method has a potential to reveal other features of colour patterns of birds,
such as feathers, gapes of chicks, and so on.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S08 Why Birds Matter: Birds’ Ecological Functions, Ecosystem Services, and Value to Societys08-1k

An overview of ecosystem services provided by birds
D.G. Wenny1, C.J. Whelan2, and C.H. Sekercioglu3
1

Loras College, Dubuque, IA, USA
University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
3
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Email: harrier2@mchsi.com
2

Abstract - Ecosystem services are natural processes that benefit humans. Birds contribute thefour types of services recognized by the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: provisioning,
cultural, regulating, and supporting services. In this review, we concentrate primarily on
supporting and regulating services as these are the ecological functions of birds and are poorly
quantified in terms of value to humans. As members of ecosystems, birds play many roles,
including as predators, pollinators, scavengers, seed dispersers, seed predators, and ecosystemengineers. These ecosystem services fall into two subcategories: those that arise via behavior(like consumption of agricultural pests) and those that arise via bird products (like nests andguano). Characteristics of most birds make them quite special from the perspective of ecosystemservices. Because most birds fly, they can respond to irruptive or pulsed resources in ways
generally not possible for other vertebrates. Migratory species link ecosystem processes andfluxes that are separated by great distances and times. Although the values (economic orotherwise) to humans contributed by most, if not all, of the supporting and regulating services
have yet to be quantified, they are important to humans. Our goals for this review are 1) tosummarize the ecosystem services provided by birds, 2) to outline methods to quantify theirvalue to humans, and 3) to highlight gaps in our knowledge and suggest directions for future
research.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S08 Why Birds Matter: Birds’ Ecological Functions, Ecosystem Services, and Value to Societys08-2kNutrient dynamics and nutrient cycling by birds: Implications from an
East Asian perspective
K.O. Kameda 1 and M. S. Fujita 2
1

Lake Biwa Museum, Shiga, Japan
Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Email: kameda@lbm.go.jp
2

Large aggregations of birds contribute sizable nutrient fluxes. The impact of birds onnutrient fluxes, represent provisioning services in some cases and supporting services inothers. Guano provided by seabirds became extremely valuable in the 19th century
because of its rich concentration of nitrates and phosphates used in fertilizer, gunpowder,
explosives, and chemical industries. Bird aggregations affect nutrient dynamics andavailability in many other situations, from ocean to near-shore islands and coastal
marine communities, from lakes to terrestrial ecosystems, and from cities to isolated
urban forest fragments. Transportation of nutrients has both direct effects on primary
producers and, by bottom-up cascades, indirect effects on primary consumers or
detritivores. Such functions sometimes supply positive effects for humans in the form of
ecosystem services, but in other cases, produce negative effects such as eutrophication.
In order to enjoy ecosystem services from the nutrient dynamics and cycling by birds,
various efforts and devices would be needed for decreasing the negative effects, and forthe protection of birds from human disturbance. Our goals here are: 1) to highlight thecharacteristics of birds as contributors to nutrient dynamics, 2) to review the positive
and negative effects of birds on ecosystems, including those in East Asia, and 3) todiscuss how to maximize the services from an East Asian perspective.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S08 Why Birds Matter: Birds’ Ecological Functions, Ecosystem Services, and Value to Societys08-3

The role of dabbling ducks in the dispersal of plant seeds
E. Kleyheeg 1 and M.B. Soons 1,21

Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The
Netherlands
Email: E.Kleyheeg@uu.nl
2

The role of waterfowl in passive dispersal of small (aquatic) organisms is increasingly
recognized as an important ecosystem service, contributing to conservation and expansion ofplant and invertebrate populations. As waterfowl transport organisms between isolated
wetlands, negative effects of habitat fragmentation on local biodiversity are limited in
freshwater ecosystems. However, not all organisms are fit for this mode of transportation andlittle is known about the quantitative scale of waterfowl-mediated dispersal. We addressed thethree crucial phases of internal dispersal (endozoochory) of plant seeds: 1) ingestion of seeds
by waterfowl, 2) survival of gut passage, and 3) spatial scale of transportation. For phase 1 wesummarize results of an extensive literature study on diets of seven dabbling duck species.
Seeds of >400 plant species were reported from duck guts, indicating opportunistic foraging
and little discrimination between plant species. For phase 2 we performed experimental
feeding trials with resting and swimming mallards. Seeds of most fed plant species were able
to survive gut passage and seed digestion was less efficient in swimming than resting birds.
Most seeds were retained in the digestive tract for 2-4 hours, but maximum retention times
exceeded 24 hours. Thus, considering the fast flight of ducks, seeds may be transported over
several hundreds of kilometres during migration. For phase 3 we equipped 164 mallards withGPS loggers to reveal high resolution movement patterns. The mallards rarely flew more than
2 kilometres and had a very fixed diurnal movement pattern, returning to the same roosting
and foraging sites. To increase our understanding of the functioning of this ecosystem service
and the importance of the role of mallards, we will discuss the scales at which dabbling ducks
play a role in endozoochorous dispersal in freshwater ecosystems.

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S08 Why Birds Matter: Birds’ Ecological Functions, Ecosystem Services, and Value to Societys08-4

Estimation of pest control by Great Tits with application of a nest
finder system at artificial nestboxes in Hongneung Experimental
Forest, Korea
Chan-Ryul Park and Jiwon Kim
Division of Forest Ecology, Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul 130-712, Republicof Korea
Email: park@forest.go.kr
Urban forests have a good role in provisioning good habitats for forest birds, however
there is little study on the quantification of pest control by forest birds. In urban forests,
artificial nestboxes can enhance the number of secondary cavity nesters such as tits andnuthatches due to the presence of a few large-sized trees. We set up the artificial
nestboxes at a density of 10/ha in Hongneung Experimental Forest located in Seoul city,
Korea. We installed one nestbox with a nest finder system to estimate pest control byGreat Tits (Parus major) during the breeding season of 2008. We obtained fullyrecorded videos and analyzed time budgets of prey transfer by the parents. We
postulated the number of nestlings as 10 juveniles per nestbox, and we selected a valueof 0.15 value as the ratio of pest prey to total preys, and designated controlling time ofpests as the pests’ density of 200,000/ha. We utilized the costs of pest control reported
by Korea Forest Services of 2009. As a result, parents transferred a number of preyranging from 30,000 to 75,000 to nestlings per year, and we estimated the averagemonetary value of pest control as 700$ value per nestbox per year. This estimation canbe utilized to assess the relative value of nestboxes in urban forests, and can be linked toecosystem services of urban birds.

39

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S08 Why Birds Matter: Birds’ Ecological Functions, Ecosystem Services, and Value to Societys08-5

Input of ornithogenic nitrogen into paddy fields near a breeding colonyof the great cormorants, and its contributions for rice crops
K. Kazama1,2, H. Murano1, Y. Niizuma1 and C. Mizota3
1

Faculty of Agriculture, Meijo University, Aichi, Japan
Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
3
Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Iwate, Japan
Email: kntkzma@gmail.com
2

Terrestrial ecosystems near breeding colonies of piscivorous seabirds can receive alarge amount of marine-derived nitrogen in the form of bird feces. It is welldemonstrated that nitrogen input from seabirds strongly affects plant productivity inforests or coastal grasslands. However, the effects of nutrient input on plant productivity
in agricultural ecosystems near seabird colonies have rarely been evaluated. We
examined those effects on rice plant productivity in paddy fields irrigated by a pond
system located near a colony of the great cormorants (Pharacrocorax carbo) in Aichi,
central Japan. Soils and rice plants in the fields closer to the irrigation pond containedlarger amount of cormorant-derived nitrogen (higher δ15N‰), indicating that said
nitrogen could be inputted into the fields via irrigation waters. Rice yields for the paddy
fields enriched only by the cormorants (without any fertilizers) did not differ from thoseof the fields enriched by synthetic fertilizers. The amounts of nitrogen provided by the
cormorants were estimated over tens of kg in dry weight per year per ha of the paddy
field. The amount of avian-derived nitrogen present, could save tens of thousands JPY
of synthesis fertilizers per year per ha of the paddy field.

40

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S09 Vocal communication and vocal control in sub-oscine and oscine passerines

s09-1kVocal control regions of sub-oscine passerines
Manfred Gahr, Muriele Lobato, Silene da Lima, Albertine Leitao, Maria Luisa da Silva
gahr@orn.mpg.de
Oscine passerines (songbirds) possess a distinct neural circuit, the song control system thatappears to be missing in the closely related sub-oscine passerines. In relation to thisneuroanatomical difference, oscines learn their songs during development, while sub-oscines
have innate songs. However, only a few species of sub-oscine taxa have been studied
neuroanatomically in detail. Here we give an overview of brain areas potentially involved in thesong control of a cotinga, a manakin, a flycatcher and an antbird species. Vocal areas were either
identified by retrograde tracing from the syrinx muscles or by molecular homology (e.g. singing
related ZENK expression, androgen receptor expression) with features of two songbird species,
the Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and the Canary (Serinus canaria). Further, we compare
the structure of some key genes expressed in forebrain song control regions of songbirds between
sub-oscines and oscines, with the focus on hormone regulatory sites. The results so far indicatethat the species of the above sub-oscine taxa do not develop forebrain song control regions, butthat their brainstem song control regions share similarities with those of songbirds. Thus, it islikely that the forebrain song regions of songbirds evolved after the evolutionary split of the
songbird and sub-oscine lineages. Further, since the investigated cotinga (lek based singing, seepresentation of T. Aubin) and flycatcher (male-female duetting) show complex vocal
communication, such vocal performance does not require forebrain vocal areas typical of
songbirds.

41

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S09 Vocal communication and vocal control in sub-oscine and oscine passerines

s09-2kVocal communication in two sub-oscine species from Amazonia, Brazil
M.L. Silva
Federal University of Pará, Laboratory of Ornitology and Bioacoustics, e-mail –mluisa@ufpa.br and silva.malu@uol.com.br

Sub-oscine passerines are widely distributed in the Neotropical region and they are known forpresenting stereotyped song and consequently smaller repertoires compared with oscine
passerines and hence there appears to be no evidence of vocal learning, except for Bellbirds
Procnias spp. which show imitations and dialects in their vocal communication. In the present
study, we have chosen two very common sub-oscine species in the Amazonian region, Pará State,
Brazil to investigate the magnitude of variation of song and calls. We performed playback
experiments to define the call repertoire of Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis, acommon species in forest edges and secondary forest which has a complex repertoire of 14
different vocalizations, including a complex duet song. We also studied another Amazonian
suboscine species, Lipaugus vociferans, abundant in the Amazon forest. It has a grey
homogenous inconspicuous colour and is a lekking bird, in which males perform conspicuous
vocalizations in aggregations. The vocalizations were recorded at the Ecological Park of Gunma(PEG), Santa Bárbara/PA. We analysed songs of individuals from six leks, considering thephysical parameters of duration/time of the notes, minimum and maximum frequencies. The
results showed that it is possible to differentiate the individuals by song, because there weresignificant differences in at least one of the physical parameters analysed. These differences may
represent an important function in individual recognition inside or between leks. These results
provide a basis for more studies on the ecological and behavioural characteristics of lekking
birds. The diversity in tropical environments and within suboscine passerines provides anopportunity to study more species for behavioural and neural investigations to define the vocal
patterns in this group.

42

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S09 Vocal communication and vocal control in sub-oscine and oscine passerines

s09-3

Pattern and neural control of unlearned vocalizations in the Zebra Finch
Taeniopygia guttata.
D’AMELIO1 P.B., TROST1 L., ADREANI1 M.N, TER MAAT 1 A.
1

Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology. Behavioral Neurobiology Department.
Email: pdamelio@orn.mpg.de

To compare vocalizations of Suboscines and Oscines, it is important to study the unlearned
vocalizations of the latter. Bird vocalization research has principally focused on songs, whereas
the study of unlearned calls has not been given adequate attention. To understand avian vocal
communication a thorough comprehension of call usage is necessary. Zebra Finches emit
thousands of calls daily. However, the exact number of call types, their functions and their interindividual interaction patterns are not fully described and understood. We developed and usedminiaturized backpack microphones to record all daily vocalizations of Zebra Finch pairs. We
quantified the calling behaviour and, using synchronized video and audio recordings, we
correlated the calling patterns and the social behaviours. We described the call repertoire of the
Zebra Finch with high precision and found that it is similar among individuals. Throughquantitative analysis of the timing of calls of mated pairs we discovered that these are used inbidirectional communication. Pairs established precise patterns of alternated calling: an actual
duetting that uses calls. Quantitative description of calling behaviour allows us to describe andfurther elucidate the role of different regions of the brain involved in vocal communication. We
first investigated the role of the telencephalic areas of motor pathway needed for songproduction in Oscines, HVC and Nucleus Robustus of the Arcopallium (RA). Lesion of this area
showed that these are not fundamental for duetting with the partner. We then showed throughbehavioural experiments and electrophysiological recordings that Zebra Finches are able torecognize the individual vocal signature of unlearned calls. Together these findings shed light on
the calling usage and its neural control in Zebra Finches, and open up possibilities forcomparative studies.

43

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S09 Vocal communication and vocal control in sub-oscine and oscine passerines

s09-4

Integrating song and radio telemetry tracking with playback
experiments, to infer intra- and inter-sexual relationships in a
Neotropical terrestrial insectivore, Formicarius moniliger.
Alexander N.G. Kirschel, Zachary T. Harlow, Martin L. Cody, Luke L. Powell,
Edgar E. Vallejo, Charles E. Taylor
kirschel@ucy.ac.cy
Birds sing as they move through their territories to signal to rivals that theirterritory is occupied. Typically it is males that sing to defend their territory, but
female birds in some species also sing, particularly in the tropics. We recorded songsof Mexican Antthrush (Formicarius moniliger), a monomorphic species where female
song appears indistinguishable from male song. Because antthrushes are very difficult
to see and identify to individuals while vocalizing, we used recordings and songclassifications, as well as radio telemetry, to identify individuals and to map territory
occupancy. We used playback experiments and radio telemetry to determine thefunction of song in intra- and inter-sexual interactions. Males sang more than females
and responded indiscriminately to male and female song, but females appeared to
distinguish between male and female playback and responded accordingly. Whilefemales responded more to female song than male song, results show that whenfemales responded to male song, it was females with low frequency song responding
to those males with high frequency song. We consider the importance of a negative
correlation between song frequency and body mass in this species in explaining thisresult, compare song responses with movements tracked in response to playbackusing radio telemetry, and discuss our findings in the context of the hypotheses ofmate and territory defence.


44

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

S09 Vocal communication and vocal control in sub-oscine and oscine passerines

s09-5

Individual, population, and geographical variation in advertisingsong of some passerine bird species
I.M. Marova, I.M. Malykh, A.L.Ivlieva, D.A.Shipilina and V.V. Ivanitskii
Department of Biology, Moscow Lomonosov State University, Moscow, Russia
Email: collybita@yandex.ru
Bird song variation within the species range is often discussed in relation to the concept of vocal
dialects. No less intriguing then dialects is the persistence of vocalization elements or evencomplex vocal constructs (songs) over extensive ranges. We studied geographical and populationdifferentiation of advertising song in birds with discrete and continuous types of songorganization, different repertoire size and range configuration. Blyth’s Reed Warbler(Acrocephalus dumetorum) had a compact range. Individual vocal repertoires include 30 to 104
song types. The similarity of song repertoires between populations was related to the distance
between them, but we failed to reveal such relationship for the repertoires of individual males
within the same population. Many song types were widespread, almost throughout the species
range from the Moscow region to the Ural Mountains. Studying of secondary contact zones of
Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) - a species with simple song and huge range - showed thateven essential distinctions in its song did not prevent hybridization. Greenish Warbler(Phylloscopus trochiloides) is a classical example of an avian ring species, but we revealed thatin the zone of sympatry in the West Sayan, convergence of acoustic characteristics of the eastern
and western forms takes place. For a sample of Siberian and Sakhalin populations of Dusky(Phylloscopus fuscatus), Radde’s (Ph. schwarzi) and Pallas’s (Ph. proregulus) Warblers wecompared vocalization on opposite (western and eastern) parts of their extensive ranges. Factors
and mechanisms that can contribute to the formation of vocal dialects in populations ofnightingales (Luscinia luscinia and L. megarhynchos) are discussed.

45

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS10 Physiological factors influencing migratory strategies

s10-1kThe stress of stopping over: oxidative stress associated with longduration flights and its implications for the ecology of migrants atstopover sites
Scott R McWilliams
srmcwilliams@uri.edu
During migration, birds primarily use fats to fuel their long-duration flights and this highrate of fat metabolism during exercise substantially increases the bird's oxidative stress.
Birds may avoid the cellular damage associated with this oxidative stress during exercise
by up-regulating their endogenous antioxidant capacity (e.g. liver antioxidant enzymes)
and by consuming more dietary antioxidants in preparation for migration and during
stopovers while migrating from wintering to summer sites. I present the results of testinga series of hypotheses related to how the physiology of migratory birds changes during
endurance flights to cope with enhanced oxidative stress, and how this relates to theecology of birds at stopover sites.

46

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS10 Physiological factors influencing migratory strategiess10-2kHormonal regulation of the fuel metabolism in migrating birds
Susanne Jenni-Eiermann
Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
Email: susi.jenni@vogelwarte.chDuring migratory flight birds rely on endogenous fuel stores. Currently, little is known about
the hormonal regulation of energy metabolism during migration, and findings so far were
often conflicting. During the last several years, the glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone has
been discussed as a candidate that might play a central role in regulating energetic needs
during migration. We measured plasma corticosterone levels in free-ranging passerines
caught during migratory flight. We compared the plasma corticosterone concentrations ofbirds with different migration strategies, namely long-distance, short-distance and irruptive
migrants. During migratory flight slightly elevated corticosterone concentrations seem topromote the mobilisation of energy stores. We also measured oxidative stress and compare
birds caught in flight with resting birds, as well as birds with different migration strategies.

47

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS10 Physiological factors influencing migratory strategies

s10-3

Corticosterone and migratory fueling in Northern Wheatears facing
different barrier crossings
C. Eikenaar, A. Fritzsch and F. Bairlein
Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
Email: cas.eikenaar@ifv-vogelwarte.deCorticosterone, at baseline and moderately elevated levels, is thought to regulate energy
mobilization during the predictable life-history cycle. In birds, corticosterone is known to bemoderately elevated during migration, and some experiments on captive, but it was found in
migratory active birds that exogenous corticosterone can positively affect fat deposition, i.e.
fueling. We present observations that indicate that, in wild birds, endogenous corticosterone
does not promote refueling during migratory stopovers. We compared two subspecies ofNorthern Wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) during their simultaneous spring stopovers on
Helgoland, a small island some 50 km off the German coast. In spring O.o.oenanthe travel
relatively short distances from Helgoland to their next stopover or breeding sites, whereas
O.o.leucorhoa face a lengthy overseas journey. Consequently, for their next flight boutO.o.leucorhoa deposit more fuel, more rapidly than O.o.oenanthe. Corticosterone levels,
however, were lower in O.o.leucorhoa than O.o.oenanthe, contradicting the idea thatcorticosterone promotes migratory refueling. This finding was solidified by the observationthat actual fuel deposition rate was negatively correlated with corticosterone level. We also
observed a positive correlation between corticosterone level and fuel stores. In an additional
experiment on captive wheatears, we found that the negative relationship between fueling andcorticosterone is driven by a reduced food intake with increasing corticosterone levels. Ourfindings suggest that, rather than promoting migratory refueling, corticosterone may function
as a readiness cue, with levels increasing towards departure from the stopover site.

48

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS10 Physiological factors influencing migratory strategies

s10-4

Physiological strategies for stopover in migrating songbirds after barriercrossing in spring
I. Maggini 1,2, C. Carere 3, W. Goymann 4, M. Cardinale 5 and L. Fusani 1
1

Dept. Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London ON, Canada
3
Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
4
Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie, Abteilung für Verhaltensneurobiologie, Seewiesen, Germany
5
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute ofMarine Research, Lysekil, Sweden
Email: imaggini@uwo.ca
2

Knowledge of the physiological mechanisms that regulate migration in songbirds is crucial forunderstanding evolutionary changes, plasticity, and the ability to cope with climate change andother human induced effects on the ecosystem, yet little attention has been given to these aspects. In
spring, songbirds migrating from African wintering grounds need to optimize their speed of
migration in order to reach their breeding grounds in Europe, as early arrival is linked to increased
reproductive success. In order to achieve faster migration, the routes include high-risk flights over
several ecological barriers, such as the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean Sea. Optimal fuelmanagement is therefore a crucial determinant of overall migration time. Here we present theresults of a series of studies on the stopover physiology of several species of passerines immediately
after the Mediterranean crossing. The studies were conducted on the island of Ponza, off thewestern coast of central Italy. Work on both long-distance and short-distance migrants showed that
their migratory disposition is strongly correlated with the physiological condition, in particular with
fat reserves. A telemetry study done on the neighbouring island of Ventotene confirmed theseresults. In the latter study, lean birds had larger decreases in body temperature at night than thoseobserved in birds in better body condition. Nocturnal hypothermia may therefore reduce metabolic
costs and optimize fuel management, e.g. by reducing body mass loss in those individuals thatshifted to protein catabolism. This could be regulated by the hormone melatonin, which participatesin thermoregulation in birds and has a direct influence on their migratory programme.

49

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS11 Invasive species and Pacific island bird conservations11-1k

The Endemic Amami Jay (Garrulus lidthi), invasive Small Indian
Mongoose, and other alien organisms : a 21st century investigation ofisland aliens for improved ecosystem management
K. Ishida 1,5, K. Murata 2, I. Nishiumi 3, Y. Takahashi 4 and M. Takashi 5
1

the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

2

Nihon University, Fujisawa, Japan

Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan

4

Ueno Zoo, Tokyo, Japan

3

National
5

Amami

Ornithologists’ Club, Naze, Japan
Email: ishiken@es.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp
The Amami Islands in southern Japan host many endemic species, including the Amami Jay(Garrulus lidthi). These islands are in a major corridor for bird and butterfly migrations, andalso for international trade and tourism. These natural and anthropogenic conditions for species
introductions have provided many opportunities for organism invasions including the Small
Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus), which was introduced to Amamioshima Island in
1979. Following the mongoose invasion, populations of endemic species, including the Amami
Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi), the Amami Woodcock (Scolopax mira), the Amami Ishikawa’s
frog (Odorrana splendida) and others dramatically decreased in the 1990’s, while theMongoose population expanded. Since 2000 the Japanese government has implemented a
Mongoose control project resulting in the Mongoose population being suppressed to a very low
density by 2010. This suppression has resulted in the initial recovery of severely affected animal
populations.

The Amami Jay, which was thought to be less affected by mongoose predation,

was removed from Japan’s endangered species list in 2008. However the population and rangeof the Amami Jay is still small (ca. 700 flocks), and other invasive species, such as cats, blackrats and goats continue to damage the native ecosystem. Additionally there is also a constantthreat of new invasions to the Amami Islands. Our research shows that Amami Jay breeding
success currently depends on the super-dominant acorn production of Castanopsis sieboldii asmuch as predation. Therefore conservation plans should consider both short- and long-term
effects and potential interaction by both invasive species and other natural factors. We are
currently studying Amami Jay genetic diversity, disease ecology, and other factors, together
with ex-situ conservation efforts. Understanding Amami Jay population dynamics as they relate
to invasive species demands sophisticated ecosystem research and management. We discuss thisendeavor as a model for maintaining biodiversity under threat from multiple invasive species.

50

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS11 Invasive species and Pacific island bird conservations11-2kPopulation Viability Analysis for Swinhoe’s Storm Petrels on
Chilbal-do Islet, Korea
C.Y. Choi1,2, H.Y. Nam2 and K.G. Lee3
1

Lab of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul
National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
2
Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service,
Republic of Korea
3
Shinan County Office, Shinan County, Jeonnam Province, Republic of Korea
Email: subbuteo@hanmail.net
Approximately 12,000 breeding pairs of Swinhoe’s Storm Petrels (Oceanodroma
monohris) breed on Chilbal-do Islet, Korea. The population has been probably stable forthe past 20 years, but rapid expansion of introduced plants threatens the breedingcolony; introduced tall shrubs replace the available nesting areas, and Achyranthes
japonica entangled the storm petrels to death. To identify the effects of each threat, a
population viability analysis was performed by Vortex 9.98 software based on field data
in 1987-1988 and in 2008-2009. In 2009, we estimated that 424 adults and 59 fledged
juveniles were killed by A. japonica and that the total area of native vegetation had
decreased by 0.3% annually since 1987. Because the control of introduced plants may
affect the mortality (harvest) as well as the nesting area (carrying capacity), we tested
four scenarios: 1) no management, 2) tall shrub controls, 3) A. japonica controls, and 4)
intensive management for both. When the intensive managements are adopted (scenario4), more than 70% of the current population may survive by 2110. Control of A.
japonica also may secure 50% of the current population (scenario 3). However, unlessurgent control is taken of direct mortality by A. japonica, the total population is
expected to be extirpated within 60 years according to the worst-case scenarios(scenario 1 and 2). Although most variables were based on rough estimations due to thelack of life history information of this species, this result indicates that control of
introduced A. japonica is most required on Chilbal-do Islet. Considering the occurrence
and rapid expansion of A. japonica in all known breeding colonies of the storm petrels
in Korea, this study suggests that urgent development of action plans and its
implementation to control A. japonica in breeding colonies are essential to secure thelong-term survival of Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel.

51

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS11 Invasive species and Pacific island bird conservation

s11-3

Impact of invasive predators on Okinawa and Guam Rails
Kiyoaki Ozaki 1, Suzanne Medina 2
1
Bird Migration Research Center, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan
2
Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources, Department of Agriculture, Guam
Email:ozaki@yamashina.or.jp
Rails on many Pacific islands have lost the ability to fly, possibly to eliminate the unnecessaryenergetic costs of maintaining flight muscles in an environment lacking natural predators. Of the
130 species in the family Rallidae, 17 are flightless island species. Ten of these 17 species are
already extinct. The Guam Rail (Gallirallus owstoni) has been extirpated from the wild on Guamdue to predation by the introduced brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) and extinction has been
prevented by captive breeding.
In 1981, the Okinawa Rail (Gallirallus okinawae), a close relative of the Guam Rail, wasdiscovered in the northern area of Yambaru on Okinawa, and was described as a new Japanese
endemic species. This species has limited flight and nests on the ground. Distribution of the
Okinawa Rail was studied using playbacks in 1996-1999, 2000-2001, and almost every year
from 2004. Results indicate the distribution area and estimated population size have declined byalmost half until 2005.
The Okinawa Prefectural Government and the Ministry of the Environment implemented aneradication program to control the introduced mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) in the
Yambaru area utilizing traps since 2000. As of March 2013, over 5,000 mongooses have beencaught. The majority of captured mongooses are from the southernmost range of known
Okinawa rail habitat. As Okinawa Rails have disappeared from the southern range in recent
years, the high capture rate of mongoose in these areas imply that mongoose are responsible forthe loss of the rails.
Strong conservation measures such as habitat preservation, predator control, a captive breeding
program and effective re-introduction are required to prevent the extinction of both the Okinawa
Rail and Guam Rail.

52

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS11 Invasive species and Pacific island bird conservations11-4

Behavioural changes in an invasive parasitic fly and its avian hosts, theDarwin’s finches.
A. Cimadom1, S. Tebbich1, B. Fessl and R. Hood-Novotny2
1

Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Department of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Email: arno.cimadom@hotmail.com
2

The parasitic fly Philornis downsi is an obligate parasite of bird nestlings. In its larval stage it
lives in birds’ nests and sucks blood from the nestlings. This recently introduced parasite has
a dramatic impact on the unique bird community of the Galápagos. Observational as well as
experimental studies showed that especially the Darwin’s finches suffer a high brood loss due
to Philornis parasitism and this contributes to the dramatic decline of several species. Ourdata suggest that behavioural changes have evolved in both the host and the parasite in thisrecently established host-parasite interaction. The parasite has changed its oviposition
behaviour: while previously it probably laid its eggs only in nests where chicks had alreadyhatched, its larvae are now found in incubated nests. At least one host species seems to reactby abandoning the parasitized nests during the incubating stage and several host species haveshown a new form of tool use. They take leaves of an endemic plant species with repellent
properties and rub them into their feathers.

53

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS11 Invasive species and Pacific island bird conservation

s11-5

The spread of the Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus miles novaehollandiae) in
New Zealand
D. L. Fraser1, D. Blanchon1, N. Adams1 and M. Galbraith1
1

Department of Natural Sciences, Unitec, Private Bag 92025, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Email: dfraser@unitec.ac.nz
The southern Australian sub-species of Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles novaehollandiae) s
elf-introduced to New Zealand as early as 1886. However, the first breeding pair was record
ed in the Invercargill area of South Island in the 1932. Known as the Spur-winged Plover in
New Zealand, it is classified as 'native', due to its establishment prior to the introduction of t
he Wildlife Act 1953. Over the last 90 years, probably due to human modification of the Ne
w Zealand environment, the Spur-winged Plover has established and spread rapidly across the whole of New Zealand. The spread of this species was assessed using presence or absence
data on a country wide grid compiled from national surveys conducted from 1930 to 2004.
An increase in range was seen over time and shows a high level of agreement with a logistic
regression growth curve model for both South and North Islands. This range expansion was
found to be similar to the general principle of a lag and exponential growth phase exhibited in the establishment and spread by many other invasive species. A shorter lag phase was obs
erved for the establishment and spread of this species across North Island compared with So
uth Island, which is likely to be due to the propagule pressure of introduction to these novel
environments. This spread and occupation of a potential 'vacant niche' is expected to continu
e until all suitable habitats are occupied at which time the growth curve is expected to level
off at its asymptotic value. Potential future areas of study include impacts of ground nesting
native bird species in relation to range expansion and abundance and genetic profiling of this species from its native range in Australia and New Zealand populations, as an indication of
propagule number and contribution to the genetic diversity of the species within New Zealand.

54

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS12 Evolution and behavioral adaptation of waterbirds flying in the air and in the waters12-1kLocomotor transitions in birds: the evolution of wing propelled diving
as a case study in parsing patterns of character evolution associatedwith acquisition of a novel locomotor mode
J.A. Clarke 1
1

Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas, Austin, USA
Email: Julia_Clarke@jsg.utexas.edu
Fossil data informing the evolution of morphology and mechanics associated with theorigin of avian flight have been the subject of intense research. However, changes
associated with the co-option of the flight stroke for underwater propulsion have only
recently been addressed in light of new data on extinct taxa. Recent discoveries ofextinct parts of the lineages containing extant wing propelled divers have both shed key
insights into the pattern of morphological change and prompted the identification of
new questions. Use of the forelimbs in underwater propulsion is exhibited almost
exclusively within two major clades, Charadriiformes and a large waterbird clade that
includes the traditional contents of Pelecanifomes, Ciconiiformes, Procellariformes andSphenisciformes. Of the extant parts of these two clades, puffins and penguins exhibit
the most modifications in response to “flight” in a medium ~800 times denser that air.
Investigations of the phylogenetic relationships of fossil stem taxa reveal bothsimilarities and marked differences in the pattern and sequence of character acquisition
related to the locomotor system in these clades. Combining these analyses with focused
new anatomical data collection for extant parts of these lineages, analysis of theevolution of wing propelled diving can provide a case study for considering locomotortransitions more generally. Relevant fossil and dissection data are synthesized, and areas
necessitating further nuanced insight from studies of extant locomotor behaviors areproposed.

55

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS12 Evolution and behavioral adaptation of waterbirds flying in the air and in the waters12-2kComparative analyses of swim speed in marine vertebrates
Y. Watanabe
Biology Group, National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan
Email: watanabe.yuuki@nipr.ac.jp
Swim speed is an ecologically important parameter for marine vertebrates, as it
determines population dispersal, migration pattern, prey capture success, and predator
avoidance. The recent advance of bio-logging and bio-telemetry approaches allowed
us to record their swim speed in the wild; nevertheless, comparative analyses of thosedata are lacking, and how swim speed is determined by morphology, physiology, or
swimming style is poorly known. In this study, I compiled the mean and maximum
swim speed of a range of fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals (from 0.2-kg herring to a
100-t blue whale) recorded under natural conditions, and examined how theseparameters can be explained using phylogenetically-informed statistical methods. I
show that (1) swim speed is roughly equal across taxa and body size whentemperature-corrected metabolic rate is accounted for, and (2) swim speed per bodylength is nearly equal across taxa and body size when stroking frequency is accountedfor. My analyses show that there are common mechanisms underlying the swimming
behaviour (i.e., aerobic metabolic-power production, oscillatory lift-based propulsion)of fishes, penguins, whales, etc.

56

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS12 Evolution and behavioral adaptation of waterbirds flying in the air and in the waters12-3

Is the evolution of avian locomotion driven by biomechanics orphysiology?
K. H. Elliott 1 and G. W. Kaiser 2
1

Department of Biology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, Canada
Email: urialomvia@gmail.com
2

Birds have solved the problem of locomotion in air and water in diverse ways, resulting
in much of the stunning diversity of bird taxa present today. Moving in either air orwater (or both) creates both biomechanical and physiological challenges. Most attempts
at quantifying flight and dive costs have focused on biomechanical costs—variation in
the cost of flying or swimming based on external morphology, such as body mass andwing area. Nonetheless, only ~20% of available energy is converted into useful work,and alterations in the efficiency at which chemical energy is converted into mechanicalenergy could be as important as alterations in the variation of biomechanical costs. To
examine the relative importance of biomechanics relative to physiology, we collated
flight costs for 37 bird species and swimming costs for 19 bird species. Estimates ofoxygen consumption during both flying and diving were closely correlated with bodymass. After accounting for phylogeny and body mass, 30% of the variation in flightcosts was predicted by biomechanical models derived from morphology, whereas 40%
was associated with apparent variation in efficiency of converting oxygen intomechanical work. Similarly, after accounting for phylogeny and body mass,
biomechanical modeling correctly predicted dive costs in foot-propelled but notwing-propelled diving birds. For both flight and dive costs, physiological efficiency was
more conserved among phylogenetically-close groups than morphology. Using amorphological space including 424 extant and extinct birds and modeled flight and divecosts using biomechanics (derived from morphology) and physiology (derived fromphylogeny), we demonstrate the adaptive valleys (high energy costs) that were crossed
during the evolution of major avian lineages. We argue that the remodeling ofphysiological systems that convert oxygen into mechanical work was as important asalterations in biomechanics for the higher evolution of birds.

57

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS12 Evolution and behavioral adaptation of waterbirds flying in the air and in the waters12-4

Why do penguins inhale before diving?
K. Sato 1
1

International Coastal Research Center, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute,
University of Tokyo, Chiba, JAPAN
Email: katsu@aori.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Numerous authors have suggested that marine mammals dive on exhalation. Thisappears to be true for Phocid seals. For example, Weddell seals dive with a small air
volume to facilitate a shallower depth of lung collapse. Exhalation of air decreases lungvolume, contributes to the avoidance of decompression sickness (bends) and makes thenet buoyancy neutral in the water. On the other hand, penguins inhale before diving.
This is an important difference between mammals and birds in regard to diving because
birds have rather large volumes of air in the air sacs of their respiratory systems. Air sac
oxygen partial pressure was recorded in voluntary dives of Emperor Penguins(Aptenodytes forsteri) and the record showed the respiratory oxygen store was depleted
during dives, which indicates that pulmonary gas exchange was maintained during dives.
This raises two questions: how do penguins avoid the bends and how do they avoid
excess buoyancy caused by the air. The first question is not solved yet, but penguins do
control the air volume according to dive depth. They reduced air volume inhaled before
shallow dives and increased it in deep dives. Flipper movements were substantial during
the early descent in dives, especially in deep dives. However, the movements decreased
as descending because the air was compressed by water pressure and total buoyancy ofthe body became nearly neutral. In the case of shallow dives, penguins reduced theinhaled air volume to facilitate a shallower depth of neutral buoyancy. Buoyancy can act
as a resistance to downward movement but contribute to energy saving during ascent.
Penguins actually stopped flipper movements and glided during the latter part of ascent.
A theoretical study first suggested a possibility of energy saving in negatively buoyant
fish by prolonged gliding during gradual descent and active swimming upward to theoriginal depth. However, recent theoretical models predicted that saving in the aided
direction do not fully offset the increased cost of transport in the opposite direction. And
an experiment, in which the body densities of seals were manipulated using detachable
weights and floats, indicated that seals had smaller stroke efforts to swim when they
were closer to neutral buoyancy. Small body sizes of seabirds including penguins mightforce them to inhale the air in order to increase oxygen stores for deep dives: they are
obliged to swim less efficiently in view of cost of transport between the surface and thedepths. On the other hand, in case of larger animals such as marine mammals, they
benefit from their large body sizes and have enough oxygen stored in blood and muscle.
They can exhale before diving to avoid excess buoyancy, thus reducing the cost oftransport.

58

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS12 Evolution and behavioral adaptation of waterbirds flying in the air and in the water

s12-5

Functional morphology of wing musculature of extinct flightless
Mancalline Auks (Alcidae, Mancallinae)
J. Watanabe and H. Matsuoka
Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Kyoto University, Japan
Email: watanabe-j@kueps.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Auks were classically viewed as a northern counterpart of penguins, representing acompromise stage between aerial and aquatic flights, although this view has beenchallenged by some recent studies showing differences in anatomical details and aquatic
flight modes between the two. Mancalline Auks are the extinct flightless relatives ofmodern auks that were once distributed along the North Pacific, whose specialized
morphology prompted speculations about their resemblance to penguins. However, little
attention has been paid on functional aspects of their wings. Here, based on anatomical
observations of modern auks and other birds, the wing musculature of Mancalline Auks
was reconstructed from muscular/ligamental attachment scars preserved on fossilmaterials, and its functional significance were investigated. First, the development of
thick, broad articular ligaments of elbow and wrist joints, associated with narrow
articular surfaces of bones, indicate that these joints were braced tightly with reduced
mobilities. The absence of bony pulleys for some mucles at the wrist suggests that thisjoint was kept in a straight position. Second, a unique conformation of osteologicalfeatures of the humerus were likely to support narrow and stiff propatagium that was
hardly deformed by external forces. Last, muscular scars indicate increased mechanicaladvantages of major wing elevators, which enabled powerful wing elevation. In
conclusion, wings of Mancalline Auks were powered by powerful actions of bothdepressors and elevators, and resistant against undesired deformation, thus could act asefficient flippers in aquatic flight. Although anatomical details in mancalline wings
suggest that they might act in a different manner than those of penguins, the overall
condition shows a clear convergence as a functional unit. These observations illustratethat the two distinct lineages of birds share the evolutionary potential to attain similarfunctional traits when released from the selection of retaining the ability to fly in the air.

59

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS13 Avian dispersal: Implications for speciation, community build-up and migrations13-1k

A movement ecology approach for studying avian dispersal processes
and patterns and their evolutionary and biogeographical consequences
R. Nathan
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life
Sciences, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Understanding and predicting the dynamics of complex ecological, evolutionary andbiogeographical systems are best accomplished through the synthesis and integration of
information across relevant spatial, temporal and thematic scales. Recent advances inmechanistic modeling and tracking technology have enriched our capacity todisentangle the key parameters affecting dispersal and other movement processes and toaccurately quantify movement patterns. In lieu of this favorable background, movement
ecology has recently emerged to facilitate the unification of movement research, by
elucidating the links between the internal state, the motion and the navigation capacitiesof the individual, the external environmental factors affecting its movement, and theresulting movement pattern. As such, movement ecology provides a natural platform for
examining the mechanisms underlying dispersal processes and patterns. However, amajor challenge remains to link these insights at the individual level to their long-termlarge-scale consequences for various evolutionary and biogeographical processes. In
this talk I will present the basic principles of the movement ecology approach, and will
illustrate its application to avian dispersal research, focusing on long-term studies onlong-range movements of three vulture species, and lifetime tracks of long-distancemigrants such as White Storks. I will aim to highlight the links among dispersal,
foraging and migration phenomena, and to propose possible ways to assess theevolutionary and biogeographical consequences of some emerging insights and new
discoveries on dispersal and other movements at the individual level.

60

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS13 Avian dispersal: Implications for speciation, community build-up and migrations13-2kIndividual responses of trans-equatorial migrants to seasonal variationin regional resources across continents
K. Thorup 1
1

Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate; Natural History Museum of
Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Email: kthorup@snm.ku.dk

Studying the underlying drivers of movement has long been hampered by difficulties infollowing birds over longer distances. This has limited our understanding of how andwhy birds move, not least on an inter-continental scale, and the possible relationships
between dispersal and migration. Furthermore, it restricts our ability to predict how
birds will react to global change. Recent technological developments allow us to map
the long-distance migratory travels needed to potentially track resource peaks across therotating earth. The seasonal changes in regional resource abundance across continents,
potentially drives movement and dispersal even over larger scales. For smaller land bird
species of trans-equatorial migrants, we show that vegetation greenness remains highand relatively constant throughout the year for Cuckoos migrating between the
Palearctic and South-central Africa, whereas Thrush Nightingales migrating between
the Palearctic and Southern Africa track regional vegetation peaks irrespectively of thegreenness of the vegetation. Red-backed Shrikes showed an intermediate strategy. The
ability of the complex inherent spatio-temporal travel programme to track theconsiderable changes in local and regional differences expected from global changes
and resulting considerable mismatch is a matter of much uncertainty.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS13 Avian dispersal: Implications for speciation, community build-up and migrations13-3

Dynamic migration, drought and drones
1

1

Saunders, Debra L. , Cunningham, Ross , Wood, Jeff1

1,2

and Heinsohn, Robert

1

The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way,
2

Australian National University, Canberra, 0200, Australia. The Statistical Consulting Unit, John
Dedman Building, School of Mathematical Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra,
0200, Australia.
E-mail: Debbie.saunders@anu.edu.au
For effective conservation of migratory species we must understand each phase of their annual
migration cycle. This is particularly challenging for facultative migrants that use habitats across thelandscape in spatially and temporally dynamic ways depending on environmental conditions eachyear. Information on such habitat use is lacking for most facultative migrants limiting our capacity
to effectively understand and manage these species. In this study we investigated spatial andtemporal dynamics of winter habitat use by an endangered facultative migrant, the Swift Parrot
Lathamus discolor. Data on winter habitat use was collected over a broad geographic range byhundreds of volunteers biannually over seven years from 1998-2004. Swift Parrots were detected in
19% of the 4140 surveys and this data was modeled to examine variation in winter habitat use inrelation to climate variables. We provide the first demonstration of large-scale drought related
movements by a population of small migratory birds throughout their winter range. Variable spatial
and temporal patterns of winter habitat use, as well as repeated use of sites, were also demonstrated.
In order to better understand the linkages between these wintering areas and subsequent phases of
the annual cycle we are currently adapting and testing robotic Unmanned Aerospace Vehicle (UAVor drone) technology for aerial-tracking of small migratory birds. By addressing these significant
knowledge gaps we aim to improve conservation management of the endangered Swift Parrot andprovide a sound basis for the development of more effective conservation strategies for facultative
migrants.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS13 Avian dispersal: Implications for speciation, community build-up and migrations13-4

Combining GPS tracking with genotyping techniques to study connectivityof Mediterranean Osprey populations.
F. Monti 1-2, J-M. Dominici 3, D. Grémillet 1, C. Montgelard 1, V. Arnal 1, A. Sforzi 4, L.
Fusani 2, R. Triay 5 and O. Duriez 1.
1

Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE-CNRS), University of Montpellier 2,
Montpellier, France.
2

Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.

3

Parc Naturel Règional de Corse, Galeria, France.

4

Maremma Natural History Museum, Grosseto, Italy.

5

Institut Menorquí d’Estudis, Ciutadella de Menorca, España.

The study of exploration and dispersal behaviour is a key component of conservation-related
research on any animal species. This is especially true for populations living in fragmented
habitats that are isolated or too small to be self-sustainable. In this framework the case of theOsprey Pandion haliaetus in the Mediterranean basin is of notable interest. Despite its
favourable conservation status at a global scale, counts indicate fewer than <80 breeding
Osprey pairs in the Mediterranean area. Basic information on the spatial ecology of thispopulation is still lacking, limiting the implementation of conservation measures for the
species at a regional scale. In this context, we tackled the following three questions: are there(still) exchanges among populations in the Mediterranean basin? What is the genetic distance
between individuals and between populations? At this regional level, is there a metapopulation system between the four Mediterranean Osprey populations? We studied metapopulation connectivity by combining ringing and GPS tracking (as direct methods for
tracking movements) and population genetic methods (both mitochondrial DNA andmicrosatellite analyses, as an indirect method to investigate genetic distance between
populations).
Since 2013, >20 Mediterranean Osprey (both adults and juveniles) were tracked with
GPS/GSM tags. Data showed that connectivity between populations is potentially possible
and can take place via both adult and juvenile dispersal. Individuals from Corsica have been
tracked while travelling through Balearics, Spain, Morocco and Sardinia. In order to assess
whether populations are also interconnected by gene flow we performed microsatellite
analyses at different loci. Combining such direct and indirect methods improves basic
knowledge about adult and postnatal osprey dispersal, and will help implementing adequate
management actions and planning common and coordinated conservation measures.

63

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS14 Neural plasticity and the waxing and waning of cognition in birdss14-1kSeasonal change in the avian brain: energy, trade-offs, andremodellingDavid F. Sherry
Departments of Psychology & Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research,
University of Western Ontario, London ON, Canada
Email: sherry@uwo.ca
Birds show recurring seasonal variation in the neural resources committed to cognitiveand behavioral functions. Change in the hippocampus of food-storing birds is correlatedwith seasonal change in food storing. The song control nuclei change seasonally withvariation in song production, and the brains of long-distance migrants undergo annualchange. Why this occurs is not well understood. Neural structures can be expensive tomaintain and operate and so these changes may serve to reduce energy expenditure. Anyenergetic saving, however, must exceed the cost of restoring the full operation of thestructure at a later time. Another possibility is that maintaining the hippocampus or songcontrol nuclei at a high level of performance interferes with the operation of other brain
regions. There may thus be trade-offs in the assignment of neural resources tocompeting cognitive and behavioural functions. Finally, some neural structures may
undergo remodelling that improves their operation. Both the hippocampus and the songcontrol nuclei serve memory functions. Reduction in structure size, seasonal
neurogenesis, and other changes may improve the functioning of the hippocampus andsong control nuclei by discarding neural circuitry that is no longer current or thatinterferes proactively with the acquisition of new memory. Recent research withfood-storing birds, songbirds, and long-distance migrants will be used to criticallyevaluate these three accounts of recurring seasonal change in the avian brain.

64

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS14 Neural plasticity and the waxing and waning of cognition in birdss14-2kVariation in cognitive ability: causes and confounds
Susan D. Healy
School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
Email: susan.healy@st-andrews.ac.uk
Perhaps one of the most convincing examples that evolution has shaped cognitive abilities
comes from the relationship between variation in food storing, spatial cognition, andhippocampal volume in birds. The success of that work in correlating variation in cognitive
abilities with an adaptive context has led to increased effort to understand a greater variety ofcognitive abilities and for more species of birds. For example, the spatial and temporal
cognition of foraging hummingbirds are being increasingly well characterised. There is, asyet, no evidence, however, that having a better spatial ability (food storers) or better
spatial/temporal abilities (hummingbirds) lead to greater fitness. It is, therefore, exciting that
there has recently been an upsurge in enthusiasm to investigate and quantify cognitive
abilities of animals (especially birds) in the wild and to associate that variation with either
fitness and/or variation in brain size. Because some of that effort is being directed atvariation in ‘problem solving’, however, it seems timely to consider how cognition isquantified, how to associate that variation with its underlying neural bases and what
alternative explanations for apparent variation might need to be considered. I will use thework on spatial cognition as a model to develop a framework for directing investigations into
the causes of variation (within and among) species in cognition.

65

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS14 Neural plasticity and the waxing and waning of cognition in birds

s14-3

Transient transcriptomic profiling of pre-singing adult female Canarybrain at the onset of testosterone treatment
M-C. Ko1,2, C. Frankl-Vilches1, A. Bakker1 and M. Gahr1
1

Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
IMPRS for Organismal Biology, Germany
Email: mcko@orn.mpg.de2

Brain neuroplasticity is one of the unique phenotypes of songbirds that provide an
excellent opportunity to study hormone modulation in the brain, hence the stimulationof behavior. In the domestic Canary, a sex dimorphic species, mainly male birds sing in
nature. Nevertheless, singing behavior can be induced in adult female canaries 3-5 days
after subcutaneous testosterone implantation. The key genes and biological pathways
that mediate this, however, remain to be elucidated. In order to shed light on the initial
phase of this event, we microdissected brain nuclei HVC (center of song control
system) and entopallium (visual control region; Ento) from adult female canaries treatedwith testosterone for 8 hours or 3 days, and from untreated animals, subsequently
performed exon-level microarray analyses (Affymetrix). We found a strong andconsistent response to testosterone in HVC compared to that in Ento during the courseof treatment, which correlates with the androgen receptor expression pattern in the songcontrol system previously demonstrated by in situ hybridization. In addition, thedifferentially regulated genes in the HVC differed temporally. Thus, we categorized the
HVC-specific differential genes according to the transient expressions and followed byfunctional pathway analyses. From 2076 continuously up-regulated HVC-specific genes,
we observed an enrichment of GO-terms related to a number of metabolic processes, aswell as processes related to neuroplasticity such as cell differentiation, growth, andsurvival, synapse development, and angiogenesis. Our results indicate adult female
Canary HVC is highly sensitive and specific to testosterone and is tightly controlled in a
dynamic fashion.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS14 Neural plasticity and the waxing and waning of cognition in birds

s14-4

Changes in preferential response for a mate’s call in the budgerigar,
a monogamous parrot (Melopsittacus undulatus)
H. Eda-Fujiwara 1,2, A. Watanabe 2, R. Satoh 3 and T. Miyamoto 2
1

Dept of Human Arts Sciences, University of Human Arts & Sciences, Saitama, Japan
Dept of Chemical & Biological Sciences, Japan Women's University, Tokyo, Japan
3
Dept of Physiology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: hiroko_fujiwara@human.ac.jp
2

The budgerigar is a monogamous parrot that has been suggested to use acoustic
recognition for pair-bond maintenance. Parrots, unlike the majority of birds, learn toproduce sounds into adulthood. During pair-bond formation, male budgerigars imitate
the calls of females, while females learn to recognize the calls of their mates and show
preference to mate calls, responding by calling to their mates’ calls more than to thosefrom other males. This preferential response to mate call changes in the same
individual: females retain preference to mate calls at one month after separation fromtheir mates but cease to prefer their mates’ calls at 6 months after separation, indicatingthat the preference of females is eventually extinguished (Eda-Fujiwara et al. 2011,
Anim. Behav. 82, 971-979). We examined whether the preferential response to matecalls changes in males. Each of 11 males was paired with a female for 5 weeks, andsubsequently separated (without auditory/visual stimuli from the mate) for 5 weeks. The
male isolated in a test chamber responded to the call of its mate significantly less than toa call from an unfamiliar female at 5 weeks after separation, but did not show any
preference upon separation from the mate. Auditory memory is a crucial prerequisite for
vocal recognition learning. The male preference for an unfamiliar call suggests thatmales acquired auditory memory of their mate call during the 5 weeks of pairing period
and retained the memory for 5 weeks after separation. This was supported by ouradditional experiment. The male accompanied by its audience in a chamber (a normal
male-female pair in a breeding cage) showed preference to mate call on separation. We
discuss the possibility that changes in the preference may be explained by an underlying
neural mechanism other than the auditory memory of mate call.

67

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS14 Neural plasticity and the waxing and waning of cognition in birds

s14-5

Gonad-dependent and gonad-independent regulation of neural andbehavioural plasticity in songbirds
Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton1,2, Zachary J. Hall2, Caitlin L. Vandermeer2, Michael
R. Hasstedt2, Brian D. Robertson1
1

Department of Psychology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University ofWestern Ontario, London, Canada
2
Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western
Ontario, London, Canada
Email: smacdou2@uwo.ca

Most birds exhibit tremendous variation in phenotype over their annual cycle.
For example, transitions from breeding, to moult, to migration, to overwintering require
coordinated changes in a number of physiological systems, the brain, and behaviour.
These changes are orchestrated by endogenous rhythms and entrainment to externalcues, primarily photoperiod. In many species photoperiod drives changes in
reproductive physiology, and gonadal steroid hormones are often the principal driversof changes in neural anatomy and behaviour. However, some effects of photoperiod
appear to occur independently of gonadal hormones. Here we review recent researchdemonstrating both gonad-dependent and gonad-independent effects of photoperiod on
seasonal neural plasticity and behaviour. In European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) andWhite-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) photostimulation can drive changes inthe size of song control brain regions independent of testosterone and its steroid
metabolites. In both species, photostimulation can result in an increase in the size of,and number of neurons within, the song-control brain region HVC even when gonadal
steroids are eliminated through castration and treatment with androgen blockers andaromatase inhibitors. However, androgens and estrogens can modulate neuron
recruitment to song-control brain regions in region-specific and sex-specific ways.
Androgens and estrogens modulate neuron migration (as assessed by the marker
doublecortin) in Starlings, but not in White-throated Sparrows. Vernal migratory
restlessness can similarly be induced in White-throated Sparrows throughphotostimulation, even in castrated birds treated with androgen blockers and aromataseinhibitors. These studies build on prior research demonstrating many effects ofphotostimulation can occur independently of gonadal steroids, and that these steroids
may best be thought of as modulators, rather than drivers, of seasonal changes in brain
and behaviour.

68

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS15 Social complexity, vocal communication and cooperations15-1kLearn for life: teaching predator recognition boosts survival of
inexperienced individuals in a group-living bird species
M. Griesser 1
1 Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Email: michael.griesser@uzh.ch
Teaching, where naïve individuals acquire knowledge or skills through the active
involvement of a role model, occurs in a range of social species. Given that teachingallows cultural transfer of knowledge between individuals, it has been suggested thatteaching is a critical component of human evolution. A shortcoming of all studies
investigating teaching is that it has been tacitly assumed, rather than shown, thatteaching has long-term fitness consequences. Here I use field experiments to assess theeffect of acquired predator recognition on survival in a group-living bird, the Siberian
Jay (Perisoreus infaustus), where mortality is solely driven by predation. I exposed jay
groups to a range of perched predator models varying in their perceived threat level tothe jays. In the presence of predator models, some juveniles visited the feeder, butsought safety upon hearing warning calls, and when they observed breeders mobbing
the models. Subsequent to the experiments, non-breeders that had observed breeders
mobbing the main predator species (Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis) had 8.6 higher
survival odds than non-breeders exposed to other predator models, or no model (p =0.006). Consequently, these non-breeders had 5.3 higher odds of successfully acquiringa breeding position (p = 0.003). These results are the first evidence showing thatmobbing facilitates predator recognition, which in turn boosts subsequent survival andthus acquisition of a breeding position, confirming a pivotal, yet hitherto untested
assumption of the effect of teaching.

69

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS15 Social complexity, vocal communication and cooperations15-2kVocal communication and cooperation in socially-complex species
Todd M. Freeberg 1 and Indriķis Krams 2
1

Department of Psychology and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology,
University of Tennessee – Knoxville, USA
2
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Tartu University, Estonia
Email: tfreeber@utk.edu

A traditional view of avian social behavior is that seemingly-cooperative interactions
are motivated only by short-term, selfish rewards. In birds and other non-primate
species, furthermore, cognitive skills may also constrain individuals’ ability to establish
and maintain social relationships and to communicate in complex ways. However,recent evidence suggests that birds have good memory and are indeed capable of acting
according to their future, rather than current, needs. The emerging evidence also shows
the complexity of an individual’s social group can impact the vocal signals used in its
interactions with others. As a result, the complexity of social groups may be a driver ofthe diversity and complexity of vocal signalling systems and cooperative interactions, inboth a proximate and ultimate sense. Here we will review work in our labs and otherlabs in an attempt to use the ‘Social Complexity Hypothesis’ to explain the evolution ofcommunicative systems and cooperative ability in social birds. The Social Complexity
Hypothesis predicts that individuals in more socially complex groups produce a greater
diversity of vocal signals and/or express more diverse cooperative behavior compared toindividuals in less socially complex groups. We will review and discuss what is known
about vocal complexity in birds and make links to different aspects of their sociality,with a focus on two families – parids and corvids. Finally, we aim to discuss theadvances in techniques to record and analyze bird calls, and terminology on how to
describe the existing knowledge.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS15 Social complexity, vocal communication and cooperation

s15-3

Heterospecific responses to mobbing calls
C. Randler1
1Biology, University of Education Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Email: Randler@ph-heidelberg.de
Passerine mobbing calls are, in part, addressed to conspecific and heterospecificindividuals that are potential prey, and may encourage them to join a flock mobbing apredator. Two studies were carried out to investigate these aspects. First we examined
whether conspecific and heterospecific individuals differ in their response to natural andmanipulated contact and mobbing calls. Chaffinch calls (Fringilla coelebs) weremanipulated, and contact and mobbing calls, which differ only slightly in structure (startand maximum frequency and frequency bandwidth) were played back at different
frequencies (number of pink-elements per minute). This study showed that call rate was
the most important aspect – rather than acoustic element structure – to recruit
heterospecific individuals, probably based on the simple rule “more calling represents
higher urgency”. Second, we sought evidence for the possibility that this is a basic,
inherited trait in Paride by using playbacks of an allopatric species in Europe(Black-capped Chickadees Poecile atricapillus). This species alters the number of D
notes of their chick-a-dee call to reflect urgency and threat. These chickadee mobbing
calls and songs from North America were broadcast to European great tits (Parus
major) and compared with conspecific mobbing calls. Great tits responded strongest to
conspecific mobbing calls, followed by heterospecific mobbing calls and response tochickadee song was very weak. The number of D notes was inversely related tominimum distance. Thus, the urgency message encoded in the D notes was perceived
also by an allopatric but phylogenetically related European species.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS15 Social complexity, vocal communication and cooperations15-4

Female counter-singing: complex social networks and song learning
abilities in New Zealand Bellbirds (Anthornis melanura)
D. H. Brunton 1
1

Ecology, Conservation & Behaviour , INMS, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
Email: d.h.brunton@massey.ac.nz

For many Southern Hemisphere passerine species, independent female song is common.
However, the vocal learning abilities of females and the social context of female singing are
effectively unknown. We looked at female song learning and compare the song learning
strategies and social context of song for male and female New Zealand Bellbirds (Anthornis
melanura); a model species for testing cultural evolution theory. More than 200 male andfemale Bellbirds were colour banded on Tirirtiri Matangi Island over a 6 year period. We
show that both sexes are 'open' learners and that, although song crystallises in juveniles ofboth sexes at around 4 months of age, they continue to innovate their song throughout theirlives. We found that females counter-sing with female neighbours thus forming complex
female social networks and that the songs used during these interactions vary over time. We
also compared rates of innovation in individual songs of males and females. Understanding
song learning flexibility and the social context of song behaviour is important and there are
significant ramifications for geographic song dialects when individuals modify their songs
throughout their lives, particularly when they disperse. Our genetic analysis confirms thatfemale Bellbirds are the primary dispersers and we hypothesize that dispersal will have lessof a homogenising effect on female geographic dialects because females are open learners
and that by learning ‘local’ dialects females may be better able to obtain territories and join
local female social networks.

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s15-5

Mobbing calls of Japanese great tits signal predator type to bothparents and offspring
T. Suzuki 1
1

Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for
Advanced Studies, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: toshi.n.suzuki@gmail.com
Individuals of many avian and mammalian species produce anti-predator calls when
they encounter a predator. These calls often vary in acoustic structure depending on thetype or level of predation risk, thereby conveying information about predators toreceivers. Such complexity in communication may also be advantageous in situations inwhich birds approach and mob predators to defend their offspring, because different
risks may sometimes require different anti-predator responses in both parents andnestlings. I tested this idea in Japanese great tits (Parus major minor), which produce
acoustically distinct mobbing calls for two different nest predators: ‘chicka’ calls forjungle crows (Corvus macrorhynchos) and ‘jar’ calls for Japanese rat snakes (Elaphe
climacophora). A playback experiment revealed that adult great tits responded todifferent mobbing calls with qualitatively different behaviors: they scanned the horizon
in response to ‘chicka’ calls and gazed towards the ground in response to ‘jar’ calls.
These two responses help adults search for and detect the corresponding predators since
crows fly to the nest and snakes approach from the ground. Furthermore, older nestlings
also responded to the different mobbing calls with different reactions: they croucheddown inside the nest cavity in response to ‘chicka’ calls and jumped out of the nest in
response to ‘jar’ calls. These two responses help nestlings evade the attacks ofcorresponding predators since crows snatch nestlings from outside of the nest entrancesand snakes invade the nests. These results demonstrate that mobbing calls of Japanese
great tits transmit referential information about predator types and elicit the appropriate
anti-predator behaviors in both adults and nestlings.

73

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS16 Radar Aeroecology

s16-1kStudying ecosystem connectivity with radar – recent findings and future
perspectives.
Felix Liechti
There is an enormous, but vaguely known movement of billions of birds, insects, and batsthrough the free air space, only comparable to animal movements through the open sea. Theselarge scale movements are governed by seasonal climatic fluctuations, dynamics of theatmosphere and the distribution of suitable habitats. Radar is the most common tool to study
these movements. This contribution presents specific findings from radar ornithology aimed
at reviewing the last few decades of radar ornithology. In the past most studies in radar
ornithology used either temporally set up specific radar systems at specific observation points,
or re-analysed data from stationary radar systems for case studies. Such studies investigated
the timing of migration (diurnal and seasonal), flight behaviour in relation to environmental
conditions, and the temporal and spatial pattern of migration by integrating observations frommultiple radar sites. Recently, bird data from routinely operating weather radar systems
increasingly become available to biologists, which provide almost real-time insight in large
scale migratory waves. For applied research studies, dealing with bird collision problems,
radar has become an invaluable tool for model validations. Spatially explicit models for bird
movements are already in use to forecast risk of bird strikes in aviation and wind farms.
Supposedly, general movement patterns of birds across Europe and North-America are freely
available in near real time within the next decade. New tools for radar signal analysis e.g.
automatic target classification based on wing beat patterns, validating mass movements withground observations and location of tagged individuals will hopefully improve target
classification and thus, the significance of radar monitoring. Forecasts of bird movements
similar to the passage of rain fronts will be possible and routinely implemented for measures
reducing collision risks. A continuous long term monitoring will allow identifying hot spots
and concentration ranges for migratory birds.

74

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS16 Radar Aeroecology

s16-2kRecent and on-going advancements in radar aeroecology: A physicist’s
perspective
Phillip Chilson
School of Meteorology & Advanced Radar Research Center
University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
The aerosphere supports a range of animal life both at the Earth’s surface and in the air.
While monitoring the movements and activities of terrestrial animals can be demanding,observation of volant organisms are even more challenging because they require novel
technologies. Here we focus on the analysis of animal movements using radar. It has long
been known that radio waves scattered from flying organisms (bioscatter) can be detected
and processed using radar. Depending on the particular design, radar can be used to track
individuals, observe the movements of organisms over a variety of spatial and temporalscales, and to some extent discriminate between and identify different taxa. These
capabilities are being further enhanced through continuing innovations in radar hardware
and signal processing technologies. Moreover, thousands of radar installations arelocated around the world with many of these already integrated into cohesive networks.
In this presentation we explore the fundamental questions: To what extent can radarobservations be used to investigate questions about ecology, abundance, and airborne
movement of animals over large spatial and temporal domains, and to what extent canthey promote the transdisciplinary field of aeroecology? The presentation focuses on
fundamentals of radio-wave interactions with flying animals using theory, simulations,and observations to address this question. The on-going development of radar and radar
aeroecology (as discussed in the presentation) is particularly timely given the importanceof using such technologies to better understand factors that affect movements of animals
in the aerosphere relative to regional and global climatic variability. As demonstrated
here, weather and biological radar data together with complementary weather
observations provide unprecedented opportunities to observe birds, bats, and insects inthe aerosphere on both local and large scales.

75

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS16 Radar Aeroecology

s16-3

Continental-scale radar monitoring of the aerial movements of animals
Judy Shamoun-Baranes 1, Jason Chapman 2, Adriaan Dokter1, Hans van Gasteren 1,3, Maarten
de Graaf4, Hidde Leijnse4, Felix Liechti5
1 Computational Geo-Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, NL
2Agroecology Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK

3 Air Force Command, Royal Netherlands Air Force, NL
4 Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), NL
5 Swiss Ornithological Institute, Switzerland

Different types of radar are in use for ornithological and entomological research worldwide.
In recent years, due to improvements in bird detection algorithms, the use of operational
weather radar to study aerial movements of animals is increasing, especially in Europe.
Operational weather radars provide information on the spatial distribution, the general speed
and direction of movement and the aerial density of organisms at different altitudes. We
provide a brief overview of recent aero-ecological studies in Europe utilizing operational
weather radar, we describe the new EU - COST Action ENRAM (European Network for the
Radar surveillance of Animal Movement) initiated in October 2013, and use a small casestudy to show the added value of working with a large sensor network.
Weather radars in Europe have been used to study flight altitude selection of nocturnal
migrants, dawn and dusk ascents of swifts during the breeding season, response of birds tohuman disturbance, develop predictive models of migration to improve flight safety andprovide an early warning of insect pest invasions. Currently five radars (2 in the Netherlands
and 3 in Belgium) are being used to continuously monitor migration density and altitude.
This is only the beginning of what may be possible in the very near future. ENRAM wasinitiated with the main objective of merging international and interdisciplinary expertise toestablish a coordinated network of radars to monitor the aerial movement of animals on acontinental scale and for a broad range of stakeholders. Through this action and other related
activities researchers will be improving bird detection algorithms and hence also
meteorological products, using knowledge gained from individual tracking of animals toimprove interpretation of radar data, and simulation models to help fill gaps between sensors
and understand large scale patterns that are observed.

76

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS16 Radar Aeroecology

s16-4

Weather radar observations of bird stopover distributions along the northern
Gulf coast of Mexico during spring migration
Jeffrey J Buler, Jill M Gautreaux, Frank R Moore
jbuler@udel.edu
We used data from six weather surveillance radars to comprehensively quantify stopover
densities of migrating birds during four springs (2009-2012) across the northern coast of
the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) from 96° W to 84° W longitude. We temporally-interpolated
radar reflectivity measures of birds in the airspace for each suitable sampling night to the onset
of nocturnal migratory flight when birds are leaving their stopover sites (sun angle of 5.5° below
the horizon). We adjusted reflectivity measures for bias caused by the tilt angle and spreading of
the radar beam with increasing distance from the radar out to about 80 km from radars using
derived height profiles of bird density and modeled beam heights. Adjusted reflectivity measures
are correlated with bird densities on the ground. We summarized data within 1° bins of longitude
and within 3 km bins of distance from the coast up to 99 km from the coastline. Medianreflectivity values (i.e., relative bird stopover densities) across all years exhibited a bimodal
distribution with respect to longitude; with a western peak in Louisiana (93° W) and an easternpeak in Florida (84° W). Bird densities were lowest just east of the Mobile Bay, Alabama (87°W). Patterns of bird densities with proximity from the coastline varied among longitudes suchthat coastal concentrations of birds were strongest at longitudes where overall densities of birds
were also the lowest. At longitudes with high bird densities, peak bird densities were generally
much farther inland where the peak of hardwood forest cover also occurred. Our study provides
evidence that there may be two main areas where birds make landfall after crossing the GOM
within forested areas inland from the coast, and that birds making landfall in-between these twoareas are likely constrained to land near the immediate coast.

77

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS16 Radar Aeroecology

s16-5

Convergent Patterns of Long-distance Nocturnal Migration in Passerines
and Moths
J.W. Chapman 1, C. Nilsson 2, J. Lim 1, J. Bäckman 2, D.R. Reynolds 1,3 and T. Alerstam 2
1

Agroecology Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK

2

Evolutionary Ecology Department, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden

3

Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK

Email: jason.chapman@rothamsted.ac.uk
Many billions of passerines and insects achieve long-distance seasonal migrations between
summer and winter ranges by undertaking high-altitude nocturnal flights. We have carriedout the first comparative analyses of the nocturnal flight behaviours and migration strategies
of birds and insects, using data collected on thousands of individual passerines and moths by
long-term radar studies in north-western Europe. Spring and autumn migrations of small
passerines (predominantly Old World warblers such as Phylloscopus trochilus, thrushes,chats and flycatchers) were studied with tracking radar situated in southern Sweden between
1999 and 2013. During the same time period, spring and autumn nocturnal migrations of theSilver Y moth (Autographa gamma) were recorded by vertically-pointing entomologicalradars in southern England. Insects such as the Silver Y fly relatively slowly in relation to theairstreams within which they travel, and have airspeeds only one-third of that of thepasserines. Thus we expected the moths to have much slower ground speeds and less control
over their migratory directions than the passerines. Contrary to expectations, nocturnallymigrating Silver Y moths matched passerine migrants for both ground speed and travel
direction during their spring and autumn migrations. This surprise result is due to aconsiderably higher degree of selectivity for the fastest and most favourably directedairstreams among moths compared to passerines in this study. On-going comparative radarstudies are examining individual orientation responses of passerines and insects in relation towind currents to look for similarities and differences in the way the two groups compensate
for drift. We will discuss how comparative radar studies of flight in distantly related taxa canshed light on the evolution of animal migration strategies.

78

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS17 Avian Phylogeography in East Asia

s17-1kAvian phylogeography in East Asia: current status and future
directions
B. D. McKay
Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY,
USA Email: baileydmckay@gmail.com

Over the last half-century, systematic study of East Asian birds has lagged behind
many other areas of the world. However, this is starting to change, and several
recent studies have applied molecular tools to address questions of avian evolution
in East Asia. These studies have revealed remarkably deep and complex patterns ofdiversification that equal or exceed species-level diversification found in other parts of
the world. In this talk, I will review past work with a special focus on identifying thephylogeographic discontinuities that are shared by multiple taxa. Two important
conclusions emerge. First, increasing molecular and morphological evidence
suggests that the East Asian bird fauna is overlumped and that current species-level
diversity is underestimated. This will hinder conservation work that depends on an
accurate assessment of biological diversity for listing and management. Second,
several shared phylogeographic divisions in south China, Taiwan, and the islands ofJapan suggest that the region has experienced an unexpectedly complicatedbiogeographic history that is still poorly understood. Future work should focus on
characterizing species-level diversity, inferring the evolutionary history of taxa, anddetermining the historical factors that contributed to diversification in the region. This
will provide a predictive framework for the conservation of both species and areas ofendemism as well as contribute to our growing understanding of how Earth history
events affect biological diversification.

79

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS17 Avian Phylogeography in East Asia

s17-2kJapanese islands may have contributed to the rich species diversity of
East Asian birds: results of DNA barcoding
I. Nishiumi 1 and C.-H. Kim 2
1

Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan
Environmental Resources Research Department, National Institute of Environmental
Research, Incheon, Republic of Korea
Email: nishiumi@kahaku.go.jp
2

Japanese ornithologists have long been interested in the origins of Japanese populations
and Japanese endemic bird species. The origin of Japanese populations is usuallyassumed to be the adjacent continental area where the phylogenetically closest
subspecies or species occurs (e.g., Sakhalin, Korea or Taiwan). However, a recent
phylogenetic study of the Eurasian Jay demonstrated that the Japanese taxon was basal
to a widespread Palearctic clade, suggesting the possibility that the species originated inJapan. In cooperation with the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology we have almost
finished the DNA barcoding of 233 species of Japanese breeding birds. Results indicatethat only two genera (Larus and Anas; i.e. 1.7% of all 233 species) share identicalbarcodes. Thus, DNA barcoding appears to be an effective tool for identifying bird
species in Japan. 32 species (i.e. 14%) contain two or more distinct clades with over 2%
nucleotide divergence within species. Some of these show divergence between Japanand the mainland. These genetically distinct populations should be further surveyed formorphological and ecological differences to evaluate their species status. Future DNA
barcoding work will make species identification more accurate and stimulate speciesclassifications. These data may also serve in phylogeographical analyses, which may
help clarify the origin of the rich East Asian bird diversity. It will be interesting to see
whether a pattern of basal divergence, such as for the Eurasian Jay, also holds for otherJapanese taxa.

80

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS17 Avian Phylogeography in East Asia

s17-3

Assessing the biogeographic impact of the ‘Tanaka-Kaiyong line’ inSouthwest China: a comparison of avian community compositions andphylogeographic patterns
F. Zou, Y. Wu, D. Su, and Y. Zhang
Guangdong Entomological Institute / South China Institute of Endangered Animals,
Guangzhou 510260, China
Email: zoufs@gdei.gd.cn
Abstract: Southwest China is widely regarded as a world biodiversity hotspot, but
explaining the origins of its high species diversity and endemism is an ongoingchallenge. The Tanaka-Kaiyong line (TKL) is one potentially important driver ofdiversification in the region. Although regarded as a major phytogeographic disjunction
in Southwest China, the role of the TKL in promoting avian diversification is poorly
understood. We analyzed bird community composition as well as phylogeographic
patterns to assess the impact of the TKL on bird diversity. In terms of community
composition, we found that, although babblers dominated avian communities on eitherside of the TKL, bulbuls were more abundant west of the line, whereas thrushes androbins were more abundant east of the line. Avian community composition was
significantly more similar on each side of the TKL than it was across the line. Four
species complexes, white-tailed robin (Cinclidium leucurum), grey-cheeked fulvetta(Alcippe morrisonia), rufous-bellied niltava (Niltava sundara), and snowy-browed
flycatcher (Ficedula hyperythra), were further subjected to phylogeographic study.
Although all species showed deep and complex patterns of phylogeographic structure,no genetic divisions corresponded to the TKL. Therefore, although the Tanaka-Kaiyong
line may be associated with avian community composition differences, it does not seemto have been a major recent barrier to gene flow within species.
Key words: avian community, population genetic, Southwest China, Tanaka-Kaiyong
line

81

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS17 Avian Phylogeography in East Asia

s17-4

The Utility of Microfluidics PCR Libraries and Other Next-generation
Sequencing Approaches in Avian Phylogeography: A Case Study for
Light-vented (Pycnonotus sinensis) and Taiwan Bulbuls (Pycnonotus
taivanus)
Herman Lee Mays, Bailey D McKay, Steven Hoffman, Matthew Spinelli, David
Weisrock, Eric O'Neill, Edward Roualdes
maysher@gmail.com
Emerging sequencing technologies are rapidly changing the field of avian molecularsystematics. Although next-generation sequencing provides easy access to large amountsof data from a single individual, scaling this technology to the needs of phylogenetics andphylogeography, which demand homologous markers drawn from an assortment ofdifferent individuals or species, is an on-going challenge. We describe a PCR-based
method that utilizes next-generation sequencing to target homologous multilocus
sequences from multiple individuals. Specifically, our approach couples multilocus PCRamplicon libraries generated on a Fluidigm microfluidics thermal cycler platform with
454 next-generation sequencing. Using this approach we created a library of 48
conserved nuclear intron loci for 48 individual samples from a recently evolved avian
species complex in East Asia, the Light-vented (Pycnonotus sinensis)/Taiwan Bulbul(Pycnonotus taivanus) complex. We generated 134,205 high-quality reads for 2,304 PCR
products with an average read length of 563 bases. We built a Python program called
Cleaner to identify sequencing errors and utilized the programing pipeline Next Allele toidentify haplotypes for individual loci. We discuss the utility and pitfalls of this approachin a study of species delimitation and phylogeographic history of the Lightvented/Taiwan Bulbul complex. The combination of microfluidics PCR libraries andamplicon sequencing is particularly powerful when moderate amounts of very targetedloci are required, but it remains just one approach in an evolving ecosystem of nextgeneration sequencing tools for phylogenetics. These techniques are opening new
possibilities for high-throughput multilocus, and even phylogenomic, analyses in nonmodel organisms, which should continue to advance our understanding of avian evolution.

82

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS17 Avian Phylogeography in East Asia

s17-5

Phylogeography and population genomics of a wide-ranging bird inEurasia, the Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Y. Liu1, M.Aliabadian2, E. Jelen3, N. Kayvanfar2, Z.W. Zhang4
1. School of Life Sciences and State Key Lab of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University,
Guangzhou 510275, China
2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad,
Mashhad, Iran
3. World Pheasant Association, France
4. College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Email: liuy353@mail.sysu.edu.cn
The Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus is distributed throughout temperateregions in East and Central Asia, and had been widely introduced into Europe andNorth America as a game bird. This species is well adapted to a wide range ofenvironmental and climate conditions. Thirty-one subspecies have been identified
based on substantial variation in male morphological ornaments. We investigated thephylogeography and genetic diversity patterns of Common Pheasant in Asia using two
mitochondrial and nine nuclear genes, and male morphological characters. Our
analyses revealed six highly divergent evolutionary lineages and the affinity ofsubspecies to evolutionary lineages corresponds with five pre-defined morphologicalgroups and a previously undescribed group. The distribution of these lineages reflects
geographical breaks of mountains, plains and deserts, and the estimates for thedivergence times between these lineages probably predate the last glacial maximum.
We further found evidence of extensive genetic introgression between contiguous
subspecies within lineages. Further, genome-wide patterns of population structure andadmixture were assessed by analyzing tens of thousands SNPs derived from
RAD-sequencing approach. Taken together, these results suggest that the divergenceof Common Pheasant has been shaped by ancient colonization events and isolation
during postglacial periods. This study system provides a favorable framework tounderstand the speciation processes under biogeography, local adaptation and sexual
selection.

83

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS20 Avian nest predation: New perspectives

s20-1kNest predation influences on life history strategies
T.E. Martin1, and J.C. Oteyza2
1

U. S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University ofMontana, Missoula, MT USA
2
Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
USA
Email: tom.martin@umontana.edu
Nest predation is often the primary source of nesting mortality and, thereby, exerts
strong selection on traits that can minimize risk. An inter-connected set of traits that canboth respond to selection from predation risk and influence risk are parental carebehaviors and development rates. Predation is generally a time-dependent source ofmortality such that parental care and developmental changes that allow faster growthand development to shorten the nesting period can directly reduce risk. However, we
propose that responses to nest predation risk in both ecological (plasticity) andevolutionary time should be tempered by an interaction of nest predation risk with adultmortality probability. We developed a conceptual framework that predicts that bothparental behavior and developmental strategies vary within and among species related
to their risk of nest predation, but modulated by adult mortality probability. We test
hypotheses with field data collected from a broad diversity of passerine species studied
in north temperate (Arizona, USA), tropical (Venezuela, Malaysia), and south temperate(South Africa) sites over the past 22 years. We will show that long-standing theories ofrelationships between development rates and mortality probability have missed
interactions between major sources of natural selection on parental behavior that havecaused incorrect interpretations. We will further show that nest predation risk interacts
with adult mortality probability to influence parental effort during nestling feeding andpost-natal developmental strategies such as differential growth of locomotor modules
and immune function. All of these responses to nest predation risk and adult mortality
come together to influence clutch size evolution in a set of interactions that werepreviously unrecognized. The differential evolution of offspring versus adult strategies
in response to selection from nest predation highlight evolution, coevolution, andparent-offspring conflict that can exist in life history strategies when considered acrossdiverse species and latitudes.

84

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS20 Avian nest predation: New perspectives

s20-2kAcoustic communication, surveillance and eavesdropping by young
under the risk of predation
Robert D. Magrath & Tonya M. Haff
Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, Australian
National University
Nesting birds provide an excellent model for examining the acoustic ecology of
predation. In common with many signals, nestling calls are vulnerable toeavesdropping by predators, which means that nestlings face a trade-off between
signalling for food and becoming food. Similarly, parents have the dilemma thatalarm calls to warn young of danger might also alert predators to the presence of anest. We consider how nestlings and parents might minimize risks during such
communication, and whether nest design or placement could itself reduce the risk
posed by eavesdropping predators. In addition to interacting with parents, nestlings
can gather information independently through acoustic surveillance of predator cues,
and by eavesdropping on other species' alarm calls. We review studies of acoustic
ecology and how acoustic communication affects nest predation risk, including ourwork on White-browed Scrubwrens, and consider avenues for future research.

85

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS20 Avian nest predation: New perspectives

s20-3

Adaptive breeding site selection in the face of nest predation: Is it forthe birds?
A. Chalfoun 1, K. Schmidt, 2 and M. Hethcoat 1
1

Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, USA
Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA
Email: achalfou@uwyo.edu
2Understanding the factors determining nest predation probability constitutes a uniqueproblem in predator-prey ecology. Nests are sedentary prey sites usually subject to awide array of potential enemies that display variation in local abundance, foraging
strategies, timing of foraging (e.g., nocturnal versus diurnal), and habitat use. Suchcomplexity renders clear explanations for variation in nest predation difficult, especiallyin changing environments. Clear demonstration of adaptive nest site selection in birds
has also been elusive in the literature. Using the results of a literature review and a widearray of empirical and experimental analyses, in both more pristine and human-alteredsystems, we will discuss reasons for apparent mismatches in avian nest site selection
and nest success in systems where nest predation is the main cause of reproductive
failure. In particular, we suggest three categories of explanations for apparent
mismatches in habitat preferences and performance, including anthropogenic,
methodological, and ecological-evolutionary. For example, HIREC, or human-induced
rapid environmental change can tinker with evolved predator-prey relationships and we
provide an example from a shrubland system that has changed due to natural gas
extraction activities. Methodologically, studies often do not disentangle key habitat
variables that may obscure the ones actually related to selection and resulting
performance. Finally, we provide alternative explanations to the oft-mentioned idea thatthe process of nest predation is “random”, and argue that birds are likely behaving
optimally in terms of nest site selection in the face of nest predation, given the suite ofambient proximate constraints in their environment.

86

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS20 Avian nest predation: New perspectives

s20-4

Nest survival in Arctic-breeding shorebirds in relation to activity of predatorsand nest site characteristics
A.B. Popovkina1, M.Yu. Soloviev1, V.V. Golovnyuk2, G.A. Sedash1
1

Dept. Vertebrate Zoology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia“Taimyrsky Reserves”, Norilsk, Russia
Email: tadorna@mail.ru
2

Nest survival in Arctic-breeding shorebirds was studied on south-eastern Taimyr (72°51' N,
106°04' E) in 2011 and 2012 by monitoring the fate of clutches in the nests of the pectoral
sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) [PSN]. To evaluate the role of nest site selection we deployed
quail eggs in artificial nests in random points [ANR] and in the nests used by pectoral sandpipers
in the previous year [ANS]. Abundance of alternative prey (lemmings), activity of predators,
nesting habitat and overhead concealment of nests were considered factors potentially importantfor nest survival. Automatic cameras were installed at the nests of all types to aid predator
identification. Lemming abundance was low in 2011 and extremely low in 2012; avian predators
nested in low numbers both in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) weremuch more active than in 2011 (0.58 encounters per 24 h in 2011 and 2.54 in 2012), and were
the only predators recorded by cameras in 2012. Daily survival rates (DSR ± SE) differedsignificantly between 2011 and 2012 and were, respectively, 0.885 ± 0.020 and 0.606 ± 0.051 for
PSN, 0.845 ± 0.027 and 0.0 for ANS, and 0.789 ± 0.035 and 0.0 for ANR. DSR of PSN did not
differ significantly from that of ANS, but was higher than in ANR, which was consistent withdifferences in concealment between these categories of nests. When alternative prey were at
extremely low abundance, the Arctic fox remained the only confirmed predator of shorebird
clutches; whereas when lemmings were more abundant, avian predators may have contributed toshorebird clutch predation. This was supported by differences in survival of clutches withdifferent concealment. Experiments with artificial nests are useful tools for interpreting impactsof certain factors on nest survival, but cannot be used to obtain an unbiased measure of bird nest
survival.

87

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS20 Avian nest predation: New perspectives

s20-5Blackbird (Turdus merula) nestlings treated with corticosterone or
testosterone fail to respond to the risk of nest predation
J.D. Ibáñez-Álamo 1, L. Arco 1, O. Chastel 2 and M. Soler 1
1

Department of Zoology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UPR 1934, Beauvoir-sur-Niort, France
Email: jia@ugr.es
2

Nestlings of altricial bird species can respond to the risk of nest predation throughseveral behavioural and/or developmental changes. However, little is still known about
the physiological mechanisms behind predator-prey interactions in general, particularly
in relation to the nest environment. Recent evidence suggests that nestlings can show
significant changes in hormonal (corticosterone -CORT- and testosterone -T-) levels in
relation to the risk of nest predation. Nevertheless, plasma levels of these two steroids
can be affected by many other environmental factors such as food availability or
anthropogenic activities. Thus, it is particularly interesting to know how nestlings copewith the risk of nest predation when their hormonal plasma levels are impaired. To
explore this hypothesis, we simultaneously manipulated both hormonal (CORT and T)
plasma levels of BlackbirdCommon Blackbird (Turdus merula) nestlings and theirperceived risk of nest predation through the presentation of predator or non-predator
bird sounds. We found that CORT plasma levels where significantly reduced in thepresence of a potential nest predator only when they were provided with oil (control
treatment for hormones). In contrast, T-treated chicks maintained their CORT plasma
levels independently of the predation risk treatment, while CORT-treated chicks
significantly reduce their CORT plasma levels under the two risk situations (with orwithout nest predator). We will discuss possible adaptive explanations for these results
and the role these steroids could play in mediating antipredator behaviour in developing
birds.

88

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS21 Avian Neurosteroids: Biosynthesis and Biological Action

s21-1kBiosynthesis and biological action of pineal allopregnanolone in birds
K. Tsutsui
Department of Biology and Center for Medical Life Science, Waseda University, Tokyo,
Japan
Email: k-tsutsui@waseda.jp

The pineal gland, an endocrine organ located close to the brain, is known to transduce
photoperiodic changes to the neuroendocrine system by rhythmically secreting
melatonin. However, the formation of neurosteroids in the pineal gland was, until
recently, unknown in birds and other vertebrates. Our recent studies on birds provide
evidence that the pineal gland actively produces neurosteroids de novo from cholesterol.
This is a paradigm shift of neurosteroid formation because it was generally believed thatneurosteroids are produced only in neurons and glial cells in the central and peripheral
nervous systems. In a series of experiments using molecular and biochemical techniques
we have demonstrated that the pineal gland produces a variety of neurosteroids de novo
from cholesterol in the juvenile quail. Importantly, allopregnanolone was far more
actively produced in the pineal gland than the in the brain and only released from thepineal gland. Pinealectomy (Px) decreased allopregnanolone concentration in the
cerebellum and induced apoptosis of Purkinje cells, whereas administration ofallopregnanolone to Px quail chicks prevented apoptosis of Purkinje cells. Furthermore,
Px significantly increased the number of Purkinje cells that expressed active caspase-3,
a key protease in apoptotic pathway, and daily injection of allopregnanolone to Px quailchicks decreased the number of Purkinje cells expressing active caspase-3. These results
indicate that the neuroprotective effect of pineal allopregnanolone is associated with thedecrease in caspase-3 activity during development. We thus provide evidence that thepineal gland is an important neurosteroidogenic organ and pineal allopregnanolone isinvolved in Purkinje cell survival during development. This is a new function of thepineal gland through the action of pineal neurosteroid.

89

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS21 Avian Neurosteroids: Biosynthesis and Biological Action

s21-2kBiosynthesis and biological action of estrogen at the synapse in birds
Barney A. Schlinger
Depts.of Integrative Biology and Physiology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Email: schlinge@lifesci.ucla.edu
Concentrations of estradiol in the avian brain can fluctuate independently of those in the
periphery with studies of songbirds playing a key role for elucidating properties of this localizedneuroestrogen signaling. Using in vivo microdialysis, we find that estrogen levels in the auditory
processing region NCM (but not elsewhere) change rapidly in response to auditory and visualsensory input as well as to certain behavioral contexts. These neuroestrogens then modulate thefiring strength of NCM neural circuits influencing the processing of acoustic signals and the
behavioral responses to song stimuli. The estrogen synthetic enzyme aromatase is expressed
within synaptic terminals in several regions of the songbird brain, including in the NCM. Rapid
regulation of aromatase within synaptic terminals appears to be responsible for at least somelocal changes in neuroestrogen levels. We refer to this localized neuromodulatory steroidal
signaling as synaptocrinology. We have evidence that similar, though not identical, mechanisms
are occurring in the hippocampus of songbirds, likely influencing spatial learning and memory
capabilities Together with work from other labs on neuroestrogen signaling in hypothalamic
regions in the control reproductive behaviors in birds, our results provide evidence forwidespread, highly specific and behaviorally important neuroestrogen signaling within the avian
brain. Supported by MH061994.

90

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS21 Avian Neurosteroids: Biosynthesis and Biological Actions21-3

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone inhibits socio-sexual behaviors byincreasing neuroestrogen synthesis in the male quail
T. Ubuka 1, S. Haraguchi 1, Y. Tobari 1, M. Narihiro 1, K. Ishikawa 1, T. Hayashi 2,
N. Harada 2 and K. Tsutsui 1
1

Department of Biology, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Japan
Department of Biochemistry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake,Japan
2

Email: t.ubuka@aoni.waseda.jp
Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that inhibits
gonadotropin secretion. Previous studies have shown that GnIH inhibits socio-sexual
behaviors of birds. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory mechanism of GnIH on
socio-sexual behaviors of male Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica. Japanese Quail is acommonly used laboratory species for studies of socio-sexual behaviors and its
neurophysiological and neuroendocrine bases. Sexually mature male quail frequently
display a series of stereotyped socio-sexual behaviors. Socio-sexual behaviors of malequail is reduced by castration and restored by androgen treatment. Although it isgenerally thought that the action of androgen on male socio-sexual behaviors requires
its aromatization into estrogen (neuroestrogen) in the brain (the aromatization
hypothesis), the precise mechanism remains unknown. The preoptic area (POA) is
thought to be the critical site of aromatization and neuroestrogen action for theactivation of socio-sexual behaviors of male birds. Abundant GnIH neuronal fibers wereobserved in the vicinity of aromatase cells in the POA and almost all aromatase cells
expressed GnIH receptor mRNA. GnIH stimulated the activity of aromatase bydephosphorylation and increased neuroestrogen synthesis in the POA in vitro and invivo. Aromatase activity and neuroestrogen concentration in the POA were low in themorning when the socio-sexual activities of the birds were high, but aromatase activity
and neuroestrogen concentration gradually increased until the evening when thesocio-sexual activities of the birds decreased. Centrally administered GnIH in themorning increased aromatase activity and neuroestrogen synthesis in the POA anddecreased socio-sexual behaviors. Centrally administered 17beta-estradiol at higher
doses also inhibited socio-sexual behaviors in the morning. These results suggest that
GnIH inhibits socio-sexual behaviors by increasing neuroestrogen synthesis beyond its
optimum concentration for the expression of socio-sexual behaviors in the male quail.
This is the first demonstration of any hypothalamic neuropeptide that directly regulates
neuroestrogen synthesis in any animal.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS21 Avian Neurosteroids: Biosynthesis and Biological Action

s21-4

Delayed onset and irregular cycles of oviposition in female chicken
chimera grafted with male brain
H. Ohki-Hamazaki 1 and F. Maekawa 2
1

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Kitasato University, Kanagawa, Japan
Molecular Toxicology Section, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, National
Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
Email: hamazaki@kitasato-u.ac.jp
2

In chicken, the DMRT1 gene on chromosome Z is critical for gonadal development. In
males having ZZ chromosomes the testis develops, whereas in ZW females the dosageof DMRT1 is not sufficient for the testis differentiation and the ovary develops
consequently. Concerning sexually dimorphic development of the brain and related
sex-specific features, the mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated. To explore thispoint, we constructed male/female brain chimeras in which the brain is switchedbetween chick embryos. The brain primordium was grafted in the embryo, before thegonadal development. Therefore, the brain chimeras have the advantage to examine therole of the brain in sexual development independent of the effect of gonadal hormones.
We found that the female chimeras with male brain showed delayed onset of egg
production as well as irregular estrous cycles. The behavior of chimeras, andconcentrations of plasma sex steroids and luteinizing hormone were not affected. We
also checked neurosteroid concentrations in the brain. In normal chicks at 21 days ofembryonic age (just before hatching) and at 13 months of age, estradiol concentrationsin the brain were significantly higher in males than in females. Surprisingly, thisdifference was maintained in the brains of chimeras: the male brain grafted into females
contained a higher amount of estradiol than the female brain. Elevated concentrations ofestradiol in the male brain might cause the altered phenotype of female chimera withmale brain. These results suggest a new mechanism that controls expression ofsex-specific features.

92

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS21 Avian Neurosteroids: Biosynthesis and Biological Action

s21-5

Neural regulation of seasonality in Palaearctic-Indian night-migratory
songbirds
G. Majumdar1, I. Mishra1, S. Rani2 and V. Kumar1
DST-IRHPA Center for Excellence in Biological Rhythm Research
Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
2
Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, 226 007, India
Email: drvkumar11@yahoo.com
1

Endogenously generated rhythms control seasonal migration and reproduction in many birds.
In close interaction with the environmental day length, these rhythms provide precision in theseasonal timing. Birds, like many vertebrates, distinguish between increasing and decreasing
day lengths, and accordingly show summer and winter physiological responses, respectively.
The molecular cascades underpinning such photoperiodic mechanisms were unknown until
recently when the molecules involved in the induction of responses under long days wereshown in the Japanese Quail. We have measured responses at the brain level using a numberof proteins and gene markers by immuonohistochemical and qpcr techniques in migratory
buntings (Emberiza sp.) in and out of the breeding and migratory seasons, respectively. We
show the expression of photoperiodic effects in the brain at the protein level, and haveidentified molecules that may be induced upstream in response to exposure to long days. We
suggest that the mediobasal hypothalamus in buntings possibly contains the seasonal clock,which is sensitive to changes in the day length, and regulates photoperiod induced changes atvarious levels, including metabolism, when buntings adjust from one life history state to theanother.

93

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS22 Sensory and molecular genetics mechanisms of migratory traitss22-1kSensory mechanisms of long-distance navigation in migratory
songbirds: a recent advance
D. Kishkinev 1, N. Chernetsov 2, D. Heyers 3, and H. Mouritsen 3
1

Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
Biological Station Rybachy, Zoological Institute RAS, Rybachy, Kaliningrad region,
Russia3
AG ‘Neurosensory Sciences’, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
Email: dmitry.kishkinev@gmail.com
2

Displacement studies have clearly shown that birds are able to perform true navigation,i.e. they can find the direction of a destination from unfamiliar sites. The sensory
mechanisms of navigation remain poorly understood. There are two primary hypotheses
explaining the sensory nature of navigation: (1) the magnetic map hypothesis proposesthat birds use parameters of the geomagnetic field which are more or less predictably
distributed on the globe. This hypothesis claims that the magnetic receptor cells used fornavigation reside in the upper beak (the so-called ‘beak organ’), and transmit
information via the trigeminal nerve to the brain; (2) the olfactory map hypothesis
assumes that birds can smell their position by taking advantage of odours distributed in
the atmosphere. The latter hypothesis has been supported for homing pigeons andtubenose birds (Procellariiformes). We tested the former hypothesis usingnight-migratory songbirds, Eurasian Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), by the
combination of a 1,000 km eastward displacement and microsurgery on the trigeminal
nerve to deactivate the beak organ. In addition, we tested whether intact reed warblers
kept at a capture site but exposed to the magnetic field of a displacement site would
respond similarly to the compensation they showed after a real displacement.
Collectively, our results strongly suggest that the trigeminal nerve transmits map-related
information at least in the given species (and likely in other songbirds), and thisinformation is derived from the Earth’s magnetic field. Our work will be discussed in
the context of other relevant studies.

94

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS22 Sensory and molecular genetics mechanisms of migratory traitss22-2kGenomic analyses of a migratory divide between two subspecies of theWillow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
Max Lundberg1, John Boss 2, 3, Miriam Liedvogel1, Björn Canbäck1, Keith Larson1,
Susanne Åkesson1, Mats Grahn3 , Anthony Wright2 & Staffan Bensch1
1Lund University, Department of Biology, Ecology Building, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden

2

Karolinska Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska University
Hospital, SE-14186 Huddinge, Sweden
3
Södertörn University, Department of Biology, SE-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
Email: max.lundberg@biol.lu.se

Every autumn young passerines migrate to wintering areas without the guidance ofexperienced adults. This is made possible by the expression of a genetic program
encoding information on when, in which direction and how far to migrate. Although it has
been established that migratory behaviour has a strong genetic basis, virtually nothing is
known about the underlying genes. Knowledge of specific migration genes would allow
for a much deeper mechanistic understanding of migration. In addition, comparing thegenes in different migratory organisms would shed light on the evolution of thesebehavioural adaptations.
Our research focuses on two subspecies of the Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus inNorthern Europe. The subspecies are morphologically and genetically extremely similar,
but migrate to different wintering areas in Africa. We used next-generation sequencing todetect genetic differences between the subspecies that could potentially be involved in
adaptations to their different migration strategies. The sequence data suggests that a verysmall proportion of coding genes differ between the subspecies and that these genes are
clustered in two regions on different chromosomes. Genetic variation within thesechromosome regions is currently being investigated in a hybrid zone between thesubspecies. Because of the segregation of genetic variation in hybrids, the chromosome
regions could be more independently associated with different migratory strategies andbe linked to migration.

95

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS22 Sensory and molecular genetics mechanisms of migratory traitss22-3

Hierarchy of compass cues in migrating passerines: what is the role of thestellar compass?
N. Chernetsov 1,2 and A. Pakhomov 1, 3
1Biological Station Rybachy, Zoological Institute RAS, Rybachy 238535, Kaliningrad Region,

Russia2

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, 7/9 University Emb., St.

Petersburg 199034, Russia
3

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow

119991, Russia
Email: nikita.chernetsov@gmail.com
Migratory birds are generally believed to have at least three independent, and perhaps
redundant, compass systems; a sun-related compass, a star compass, and a geomagnetic
compass. Apparently, these redundant systems must be integrated following certain rules, thatis, they should have some hierarchy. Several recent studies reported either the use of amagnetic compass calibrated from sun-related polarization cues, or simple domination of themagnetic or stellar compass. However, it is apparent that several species of long-distancesongbird migrants that seem to need to calibrate their magnetic compass from sunset cues
ignore correct stellar information available to them. Garden warblers (Sylvia borin) became
disoriented if they were prevented from calibrating their magnetic compass at sunset byexposing them to vertical magnetic field. This took place even if they had access to correctstellar information during both twilight and deep night. These and other data strongly suggest
that, at least in some cases, stellar patterns are not used for orientation by migrating songbirds,
even if this cue is available and potentially useful. It does not rule out, however, that in thesame species stellar rotation may play a significant role during ontogenesis of their orientation
mechanisms. These findings emphasize the complexity and between-species variation oforientation mechanisms employed by migrating birds.This study was supported by a grant from
Russian Foundation of Basic Research 12-04-00296-a.

96

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS22 Sensory and molecular genetics mechanisms of migratory traitss22-4

Disentangling the behavioural and physiological mechanisms ofmagnetic compass orientation and polarized light sensitivity in birds
R. Muheim

Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Email: Rachel.Muheim@biol.lu.se

Birds are well known for their impressive migrations and their fascinating, and for us
humans almost enigmatic, ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field and see thepolarization pattern of the sky, and use this information for orientation and navigation.
However, despite decades of intense research aimed at unravelling the behavioural andphysiological mechanisms, the question of how birds can perceive geomagnetic fieldand polarized light information belongs to the big unsolved mysteries in sensory biology.
It is well established that skylight polarization patterns at sunset play an important role
when nocturnal migrants determine their departure direction. Also, we demonstrated thatpolarized light cues near the horizon at sunrise and sunset provide primary calibrationreferences for the magnetic compass in some migratory songbirds. However, in spite ofconvincing evidence that birds are able to perceive polarized light, direct experimental
evidence for polarized light sensitivity in birds is still missing. I will present results of anovel behavioural assay that I recently established, where birds are trained to find a food
reward in a particular magnetic direction and/or along a polarization axis, allowing us totest the behavioural and physiological properties of magnetic compass orientation andpolarized light sensitivity in birds either separately or in combination with each other.
Findings from this assay indicate a possible interaction between polarized light andmagnetic compass cues, suggesting a closer relationship between the two senses thanpreviously thought. The results support some intriguing parallels between the functional
and physiological properties of polarized light reception and light-dependent
magnetoreception which could point to a common receptor system. This raises someinteresting new questions regarding the functional and physiological mechanisms of thetwo senses.

97

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS22 Sensory and molecular genetics mechanisms of migratory traits

s22-5

Structure and function of the two avian senses for direction and intensity of
the geomagnetic field
Christine Nießner1,2, Roswitha Wiltschko1 & Michael Winklhofer2
1

FB Biowissenschaften, J.W.Goethe-Universität Frankfurt a.M., Germany

2

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany

Email: C.Niessner@lmu.de

Birds are able to perceive different qualities of the geomagnetic field with two different
sensory systems: they can use the direction of the field lines as a magnetic compass and theintensity of the field as a component of their navigational map.
The avian magnetic compass is located in the eye. It is assumed to be based on spinchemical processes in radical pairs, where the equilibrium between singlet and triplet states isaffected by the alignment of the molecule relative to the magnetic field. Cryptochromes, blue
light absorbing photopigments, have been suggested as receptor molecules (Ritz et al. 2000).
We found Cryptochrome 1a to be located in the outer segments of the UV/V cones in theretinae of domestic chickens and European robins (Nießner et al., 2011). These cones are
distributed all over the retina and thus could form an activation pattern that indicatesdirections. We showed in vivo that Cry1a is sensitive to short-wavelength light from UV togreen-yellow, which is in agreement with the light-sensitivity of the avian magnetic compass
demonstrated in behavioral experiments. This strongly supports the role of Cry1a as a key
receptor molecule of the magnetic compass
The magnetic component of the navigational map is mediated by the ophthalmic
branch of the trigeminal nerve and involves magnetite-based receptors. Candidate receptor
structures here are nerve endings in the skin of the upper beak that contain micron-sizedclusters of magnetite nanocrystals, which can be stained with Perls’ Prussian blue (Fleissner
et al. 2003). In contrast, Treiber et al. (2012) identified similar Prussian blue positive
structures in macrophages, not in nerve endings. We will report on our efforts to map andidentify iron-containing structures in the beak with respect to their neuronal context andanalyze whether they are viable as receptors for the avian magnetic map sense.

98

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS23 Avian brood parasitism - novel findings and new puzzles

s23-1kGeographic morph-ratio cline in a host species with egg color
polymorphism: selection gradient versus gene flow
Jin-Won Lee1
1

Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, Republic of Korea

Email: jwlee99@khu.ac.kr
Coevolutionary arms race between the brood parasite and its host species gives rise toremarkable diversity in avian egg color morphs and often generates polymorphic egg colors
within a species. Some Paradoxornis species, host species of the Common Cuckoo Cuculus
canorus in eastern Asia, show clear egg color polymorphism and are becoming a popularmodel species in the study for the evolution of egg color polymorphism. In Korea, theVinous-throated Parrotbill P. webbianus has polymorphic eggs, in which each female layseither immaculate blue eggs or white eggs in a population. Interestingly, there is a latitudinalcline in egg color ratio, with decreasing frequency of white-egg clutch as the latitudedecreases toward the southern part of the Korean peninsula. However, little is known as towhether this gradient is currently at an equilibrium state or in a dynamic state with a potential
for change. The observed latitudinal cline may result from either selection gradient such as
geographic cline in the strength of cuckoo parasitism or non-adaptive mechanism such as
gene flow. In this study, Mitochondrial (mt) DNA was employed in order to investigate
phylogeographic relationship among the Korean populations of the parrotbills. The
distribution pattern of mtDNA haplotype was then analyzed to infer the direction of geneflow and associated with the observed morph-ratio variation in egg colors. I will also present
some preliminary results showing the probable effect of cuckoo selection gradient on themorph-ratio variation. How the morph-ratio cline in egg color ratio occurs, is maintained andchanged in the Korean population of the Vinous-throated Parrotbills will be briefly discussed.

99

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS23 Avian brood parasitism - novel findings and new puzzles

s23-2kThe evolvability of mimetic egg patterns: a new perspective
Dr. Mary Caswell Stoddard
mstoddard@fas.harvard.edu
Harvard University
The Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is renowned for its ability to mimic the complex
egg colors and patterns of many of its target hosts. But are there physical, mechanistic limits
to the colors and patterns a Cuckoo can evolve? Have some hosts evolved pattern elements,
like squiggles or scrolls, that have so far proven to be unmatchable by Cuckoos? What
imposes these limits on Cuckoos, and what consequences do they have for the acceptance orrejection of Cuckoo eggs? Surprisingly, few studies have explored the overall possibilities
and limits of the Cuckoo’s egg-producing abilities, especially from the perspective ofphysical processes occurring inside a bird’s oviduct. Using a computational model of egg
pigmentation, I will investigate the physical parameters required for Cuckoos to evolve eggs
with certain patterns. I will also analyze the eggs of a wide range of hosts to properly assess
the Cuckoo’s pattern-mimicking abilities. Is the Cuckoo a perfect or imperfect mimic? If thelatter, does imperfect mimicry result from weak selection or from mechanistic limitations in a
Cuckoo’s oviduct? The eggs laid by Cuckoos provide a model system for understanding themechanistic processes underlying egg color and pattern evolution. Overall, I argue that future
research about egg pattern formation will be illuminating not just in Cuckoos but also inmany other brood parasite-host systems in which egg mimicry plays a key role.

100

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS23 Avian brood parasitism - novel findings and new puzzles

s23-3

Absence of host aggression towards brood parasites in a multiple cuckoo parasite system, China
Canchao Yang,1 Longwu Wang1, 2, Wei Liang,11Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Tropical Plant and Animal Ecology,

College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
2

College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China

E-mail: liangwei@hainnu.edu.cn
Host aggression towards adult parasites is widespread in different host-broodparasite systems, and the level of aggression may be indicative of the evolutionary
stage in the arms race between host and parasite. We experimentally tested hostaggression behaviour in nine species towards models of their major brood parasite,
the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), a common predator and a control species
that is neither a parasite nor a predator. Contrary to our expectation, only two hostspecies (Oriental and Black-browed Reed Warblers) showed aggressive behaviour
towards adult cuckoos, and the other seven host species (Ashy-throated Parrotbill,
Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Red-billed Leiothrix, Reed Parrotbill, Barn Swallow,
Brown Shrike and Azure-winged Magpie) showed no response to cuckoo dummies.
We suggest that the anti-parasite strategy adopted by the different host species, indifferent host-brood parasite systems, could be condition-dependent, and it is too
costly for the host to recognize too many parasites in a multiple-cuckoo parasite
system. Non-aggressive behaviour towards adult cuckoos might be strategy blocking,or an alternative defense against cuckoo parasitism in this system.

101

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS23 Avian brood parasitism - novel findings and new puzzles

s23-4

Sex and seasonal differences in cognition in Brown-headed Cowbirds(Molothrus ater)
Mélanie F. Guigueno1, Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton1 and David F. Sherry11Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario,
CanadaEmail: mguiguen@uwo.ca

Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) are obligate brood parasites in which only
females search for host nests and breeding females have a larger hippocampus than males.
As the hippocampus is a region of the brain responsible for spatial memory processing, it
is assumed that the larger hippocampus in female cowbirds is required for spatial
memory associated with nest-searching. To examine whether female cowbirds did,
indeed, have a more accurate spatial memory than males, we investigated sex andseasonal changes in the memory of captive cowbirds as tested using: 1) short-term spatial
and colour memory tasks and 2) a spatial navigation task. We predicted that females
would outperform males on both types of spatial tasks (touchscreen and navigation) inbreeding condition, whereas performance would be similar between the sexes in nonbreeding condition. We did not predict any sex or seasonal changes in colour memory
performance. As predicted, on the spatial navigation task, females made fewer errors thanmales in breeding condition, but performance was similar between the sexes in nonbreeding condition. However, for the spatial touchscreen test, performance did not varywith sex or season. The spatial touchscreen test likely did not tap into the cognitive
mechanisms that cowbirds use in the wild to search for host nests because the cowbirds
did not move through their environment during testing. For the colour test, males
outperformed females in non-breeding condition, but females improved more than males
from non-breeding to breeding conditions. Males, and breeding females, may rely on
colour for distinguishing male quality. Female brood parasites have evolved heightened
spatial navigational skills (when tested on an ecologically-relevant task) that areenhanced in breeding condition, linking ecology with cognition.

102

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS23 Avian brood parasitism - novel findings and new puzzles

s23-5

Do Shining Cuckoos mimic the odours of their host?
J. Rasmussen 1, L. Azzani 1 and J.V. Briskie 1
1

School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

Email: Jim.Briskie@canterbury.ac.nz
The evolution of visual and auditory mimicry of hosts has been well studied in avian
brood parasitic systems. In contrast, mimicry of host odours by brood parasites has notpreviously been investigated. Recent research has revealed that passerines may have welldeveloped senses of olfaction and may use odours to gain spatial and temporal sociobiological information about their environment and about other individuals. One key
source of avian body odour is uropygial gland secretions (preen wax). Preen wax has
been found to vary among species, populations, and between the sexes. We compared the
preen wax composition of the Shining Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus), an avian broodparasite in New Zealand, the Grey Warbler (Gerygone igata), its primary host, and sevenother potentially suitable but rarely used host species. Assessment of gas-chromatography(GC-FID) traces suggest the preen wax composition of Shining Cuckoos is more similar
to the preen wax composition of Grey Warblers than to any of the other seven species
examined. This similarity was present in both adult and nestling Shining Cuckoos andGrey Warblers. These results provide the first evidence for olfactory mimicry in any
avian brood parasitic system.

103

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS24 Fire regimes and bird population responses

s24-1kEffects of fire regimes on bird populations in foothill forests of theGreat Dividing Range in eastern Victoria, Australia.
R.H. Loyn 1,2, E.G. McNabb 1,3 and J.MacHunter 1
1

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, PO Box 137, Heidelberg, Vic
3084, Australia.
2
Zoology Dept., La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic 3086, Australia
3
Ninox Pursuits, PO Box 135, Gembrook, Vic 3783, Australia
Email: Richard.loyn@bigpond.com

The ranges of south-eastern Australia are among the most fire-prone environments inthe world, and can serve as a laboratory for understanding some of the changes that may
be occurring more broadly. Fires and people have helped shape the native eucalypt
forests for millennia but fire regimes are changing in response to climate change andmodern human interventions.
Occasional severe fires can devastate humancommunities and severely impact on natural ecosystems. The challenge is to manage
fire regimes to minimise severe impacts while maintaining the natural character andecological values of the forests. The Victorian Government has implemented a rangeof policies and research projects to meet this challenge, before and after the devastating
fires of Black Saturday in 2009.
Studies of bird populations have proved particularly helpful in understanding some ofthe ecological processes involved in this complex issue. Here we present an overview
on responses of birds to severe fires in 2009 and 1983 and compare them with responses
to planned burning. We describe a retrospective study that examines effects of fire
regimes based on historical records. Spectacular changes in bird abundance andspecies composition followed severe fires, including an exodus of nectarivores fromburnt forests and an influx of aerial insectivores from hundreds of kilometres away.
Many birds survived on site and many species recovered rapidly in subsequent years.
Responses to planned burns were much more subtle. The retrospective study
highlighted the importance of fire frequency while indicating a muted response to timesince fire over medium time-frames (5-40 years). Variations in fire intensity and thequality of historical records may have limited the potential of this approach. The
studies have numerous implications for policy and management, but much more needs
to be learned.

104

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS24 Fire regimes and bird population responses

s24-2kFire and Mediterranean bird communties: the complex role of globalchange in novel forest systems.
BROTONS L.1,2, HERRANDO, S. 1,2
CTFC-CREAF, Ctra. Sant Llorenç km 2, Solsona, Spain, email: lluis.brotons@ctfc.cat

1

2

ICO, C. Girona, Barcelona, Spain, email: ornitologia@ornitologia.org

The current challenge in a context of major environmental changes that will be exacerbatedin the future is to allow a meaningful projection of species distribution to future landscapeand climate scenarios. Species distribution modelling may play a fundamental role in thischallenge but we need to integrate more ecology in model building and develop more
coherent model validation before species distribution modelling may be of use in a dynamic
ecological context.
Mediterranean landscapes are highly dynamic systems. Climate changes are one the mostpowerful driving forces of these dynamics and in the Mediterranean basin its frequency
and impact have markedly increased in recent years. However, climate change impacts
on biodiversity are often indirect through changes in disturbance regimes. Fire is a criticalfactor in the Mediterranean and is likely to drive climate change effects over large areas.
The description and analysis of landscape patterns associated to fire dynamics havereceived some attention, but knowledge about how the temporal and spatial arrangementof habitats, arising from wild fires, affects biodiversity in complex, human dominatedlandscapes is astonishingly poor, with the exceptionn of within habitat succession related
recovery of communities after disturbance event.
In this communication, we present recent advancements on habitat and bird modelling
responses to fire and climate changes in Catalonia (North-east Iberian peninsula) in which
species distribution modelling applications have played a major role. Our study modelin dynamic Mediterranean landscapes has stressed the importance of landscape dynamics,
population connectivity and model building in the accurate prediction of distributionchanges of habitat and biodiversity responses to climate changes, land use changes and fire
dynamics during the last 20 years in the region. We argue that a deep insight on thetemporal and spatial factors that interact in a complex way to determine current landscapepatterns and species responses will be essential if we aim at understanding and managing
Mediterranean systems. The generality of these constraints suggest that successful
application of species distribution modelling to the prediction of species distribution
dynamics in other systems should be developed under a similar integrative, ecologicalsound framework.


105

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS24 Fire regimes and bird population responses

s24-3

Pyrodiversity begets biodiversity: the influence of mosaic burning on bird
assemblages across multiple spatial scales
E. Burgess¹, M. Maron¹, and M. Haseler²¹ The Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group, School of Geography, Planning andEnvironmental Management, University of Queensland. ² Bush Heritage Australia.
Email: e.burgess4@uq.edu.au
ABSTRACT:
Wildfires and altered fire regimes typically lead to changes in bird diversity and community
composition, with evidence of decline under inappropriate fire regimes. Future changes inclimate are predicted to increase the scale and intensity of fires across many regions of theworld, posing an additional challenge for species conservation. This has stimulated muchresearch into effective means of burning to maintain biodiversity focused on the broadly
accepted paradigm that ‘pyrodiversity begets biodiversity’. Much work has been carried out
at the alpha diversity level in relation to the fire event. Uncertainty, however, remains
regarding the relationship between beta diversity and the fire regime mosaic. Controlledburning for conservation outcomes thus remains a controversial topic. We assessed the alphaand beta diversity of birds in the sub-tropical woodlands of Australia. A systematic, nested
hierarchical approach to sampling has been adopted in 28 study landscapes, selected torepresent gradients in fire history. Preliminary results suggest a significant relationshipbetween species richness of birds and the fire history at the site or alpha diversity level.
Species richness at the landscape or beta diversity level was not significantly influenced byfire-mediated heterogeneity. Increasing habitat heterogeneity was associated with landscapelevel species richness of birds. Further analysis will allow insight into the relationshipbetween fire-mediated heterogeneity and bird community composition. These findings will
provide an understanding of the operational minimum level of spatial diversity, at appropriate
spatial resolution for effective ecological fire management.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS24 Fire regimes and bird population responses

s24-4

Wildfire, stable unpredictability, and the evolution of cooperative-breeding in
the Florida Scrub-Jay
J. W. Fitzpatrick1 and R. Bowman2
1

Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA

2

Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL USA

The Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) defends extremely large territories for its
body size, often exceeding 10X the areas defended by larger, closely related scrub-jays ofwestern North America. Its oak scrub habitat is subject to lightning-caused wildfire at irregular
5- to 20-year intervals. Oak shrubs, which are clonal, rapidly re-sprout and return to pre-burnstructure within several years after a fire, but do not produce acorns for 2-3 years. Florida ScrubJays continue to defend burned habitat within their territory, but also must defend enoughunburned scrub to ensure an acorn supply for autumn caching and over-winter recovery andconsumption. Paradoxically, juvenile survival is exceptionally high within territories that containrecently burned scrub, probably because of reductions in the natural predator community. Indeed,
presumably for this reason, dispersing jays strongly prefer to settle in and defend scrub patches
that recently burned. We propose that exceptionally large territories in the Florida Scrub-Jay
represent a life-history response amounting to an “insurance policy” hedging two conflicting
pressures imposed by a fire-prone habitat. Large, permanently defended territories maximize theprobability of retaining unburned oaks (and their all-important acorns) plus significant areas ofrecently burned habitat following a fire. Jays should defend as large a territory as they possibly
can. Such a social milieu favors offspring retention, delayed dispersal, and group defense of
territorial boundaries. Therefore, the stable unpredictability imposed by frequent wildfire may
help explain not just larger territories, but even the existence of cooperative breeding in thisspecies.

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s24-5

How does fire affect bird migration?
W. Heim1,2
1

University of Potsdam, Germany

2

Amur Bird Project (Project coordinator), www.amurbirding.blogspot.com

Email: wieland.heim@uni-potsdam.de
The importance of safe stop-over sites during migration for the survival of bird populations has
recently gained more attention, but the impacts of fires on such sites are poorly studied. Most of theornithological publications connected with wild fires are dealing with the direct impact on breeding
bird populations. In the Amur region fires occur annually during the peak times of bird migration. In
most cases those fires are caused by humans.
Since 2011 a standardized large-scale bird-ringing project is carried out annually during autumn
migration at Muraviovka Park, south-east of the city of Blagoveschchensk at the Amur River in Fareastern Russia. The importance of the Park as a safe site for re-fuelling was proven for a variety of
migratory species. While there was no autumnal fire in two seasons, the area was burned
completely in the third season. The differences of bird occurrence and habitat use between theseasons with and without fire were studied. Furthermore, the differences directly before and after
the fire were examined.
Many species, which have been common during migration in the years without fire, did not occur
after the burning. Some species showed no difference and others were trapped more regularly.
Furthermore, many individuals, which have been ringed before the fire, were re-trapped again
immediately after it, so the fire itself did not chase them away. It can be assumed that the behaviour
depends on the habitat requirements of the species and the intensity of the fire: while most shrubs
and the herb layer were completely destroyed, trees survived in the studied case. Habitat loss causedby fires could have a major impact on threatened migratory species.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS25 Developmental stress beyond bird song: Can early life stressors engineer physiology and behavior for harshenvironments?

s25-1kAdult phenotypes after developmental stress: assessing costs and benefits withfitness metrics
CW Breuner1, OL Crino2, and H Wada3

1

Organismal Biology and Ecology, The University of Montana, Montana, USA
Center for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
3
Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Georgia, USA
2

Animals exposed to developmental stress experience immediate effects with long-term
physiological and behavioral consequences. Developmental stress can track through an animal’s
lifetime affecting its health and performance at multiple life-history stages. In birds, nutritionalor hormonal manipulation during the nestling phase can increase stress reactivity in adults. The
resulting increase in glucocorticoid secretion is linked to decreased song quality, duller
coloration, and reduced attractiveness to females. Developmental stress also programs changes
in adult phenotype independently of adult glucocorticoids. The majority of studies assume
developmental stress will negatively impact fitness: lower quality secondary sex characters willlead to a decline in reproductive success. However, very few studies have evaluated direct
fitness metrics (reproductive success and/or survival). It is possible that lower quality males takealternative reproductive tactics to improve fitness. Recent data from our lab indicate thatdevelopmental stress alters parental investment decisions such that these males raise higher
quality nestlings. We also have data indicating that adults stressed during development performbetter on a novel foraging task. As a result, we suggest a more integrated examination of thefitness effects of developmental stress, accounting for possible benefits in reproductive andsurvival outcomes.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS25 Developmental stress beyond bird song: Can early life stressors engineer physiology and behavior for harshenvironments?

s25-2kUnderstanding developmental stress: integrating brain, physiology andbehaviour
K. A. Spencer1
1School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK
Email: Karen.spencer@st-andrews.ac.uk
There has been great interest in how stressful conditions experienced during development canprogram adult phenotypes, and the extent to which such induced changes may be adaptive.
However, to date few studies have investigated how different developmental stages interact
to influence behavioural traits and the mechanisms that underlie these changes. Exposure to
stress causes complex interactions within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis,
resulting ultimately in the release of glucocorticoid hormones, which act on target tissues tomaintain homeostasis. This response is tightly regulated through classical negative feedback
loops, which include an important role for intracellular receptors (GR/MR) within the HPA
axis and hippocampus. Here I describe an experiment using the Japanese quail (Coturnix
japonica) that aimed to determine the long-term effects of both pre- and post-natal stress on
subsequent behavioural traits and the functioning of the HPA axis. Four distinct phenotypes
were created: pre-natal stress (in ovo elevation of corticosterone); post-natal stress (random
food removal for 14 days after hatching), pre- and post-natal stress (both stress treatments
applied) and Control. In adulthood the following traits were quantified in all groups:
exploration behaviour in a novel environment; physiological response to an acute stressor andGR and MR mRNA expression within the hippocampus, hypothalamus, pituitary andamygdala. Pre-natal stress had significant effects on measured traits at all levels ofcomplexity, with elevated GR expression within the hypothalamus and pituitary, a reduced
MR:GR ratio in the hippocampus, an attenuated acute stress response and increased risktaking behaviour the novel environment. Exposure to any stressor, regardless ofdevelopmental stage, tended to reduce MR expression within the hippocampus, but increase
GR expression within the amygdala. These data facilitate our understanding of developmental
programming of behavioural phenotypes and highlight the neuroendocrine mechanism that
could underlie the effects of early exposure to stress.

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s25-3

Do Telomeres Shorten in Response to Early Life Stress?
Heidinger, B.J., Herborn, K.A., Daunt, F., Monaghan, P.
britt.heidinger@ndsu.edu
In response to environmental stressors, young vertebrates generally show an increase inglucocorticoid stress hormones (CORT), which alters behavior and physiology toprioritize short-term survival over other traits, including growth. A high level of
exposure to CORT in early life can ‘program’ the development of a phenotype that is
generally more stress-responsive, the potential advantages of which come at the expenseof longevity. One mechanism that might produce such trade-offs operating across life
history stages is the effect of stress exposure on telomere dynamics, which are linked toage related deterioration and lifespan. We experimentally manipulated stress exposure
during the early post-natal period (between days 10-22 post-hatching) in a long-lived
seabird, the European Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) and examined the effect on
growth rate, stress-responsiveness at fledging and telomere dynamics. We found clear
evidence that early stress exposure results in shorter telomere length at fledging.

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s25-4

The importance of the postnatal context for the study of prenatal effects
Ton G.G. Groothuis1, Sophie Rettenbacher3, Bin-Yan Hsu1, Rie Henriksen1,2.
1. Ton G.G.Groothuis, Behavioural Biology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
2. Linköping University, Sweden
3. University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
Email: a.g.g.groothuis@rug.nl
In order to study the importance of processes in the prenatal phase, the embryonicenvironment is experimentally manipulated and its effects are often assessed after hatching. In
most studies, the postnatal condition in which the prenatal manipulations are evaluated is notvaried and often consists of standard laboratorial conditions. The postnatal condition is,
however, a crucial player in how the effects of the prenatal manipulation come about.
Disregarding the interaction between the prenatal and postnatal context may lead toincomplete or wrong interpretations. We illustrate this with our studies of prenatal maternal
effects in birds.
First, quail mothers were exposed to either mild heat stress (34 degrees celsius), or moderate
housing temperatures (22 degrees) during egg production and their chicks were, in a split
brood design, housed under both conditions, creating four groups. Under matched conditions,chicks were housed like their mothers (mothers and chicks both housed under heat stress orcontrol temperatures, respectively). In mismatched conditions, chicks coming from heatstressed mothers were themselves housed under control temperatures and vice versa. There
was a clear interaction effect between the prenatal and postnatal condition on both behaviour
and physiology of the chicks. Interestingly, some data suggests that the matched condition,even when chicks were housed under heat stress, was advantageous, suggesting that mothers
anticipate environmental conditions in which their offspring will be reared and adapt theirchicks by maternal effects.
Second, elevation of yolk testosterone within the natural range in eggs of the Rock Pigeon had
positive effects under good food conditions during chick rearing, but detrimental effects underpoor food conditions.
These results not only have important implications for the study of prenatal development andthe evolutionary frame work of maternal effects, but shed new light on existing discrepancies
in the literature and generate new questions about physiological mechanisms.

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s25-5

The physio-behavioral phenotype: hypothalmo-pituitary-adrenal axis
responsiveness and the timid-to-bold continuum in Florida Scrub-Jays
S.J. Schoech, S.E. Bebus, E.K. Elderbrock, and T.W. Small
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN USA 38152
Email: sschoech@memphis.edu
Numerous studies have revealed links between endocrine and behavioral phenotypes. In our
long-term study of free-living Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens), we have examined
the relationship between corticosterone (CORT) and behavioral type. Our finding that baseline
CORT levels of nestlings were positively correlated with fearfulness eight months later (seeSchoech et al. 2009, GCE 163:201-207), prompted follow-up studies. Recently, we found apositive relationship between nestling begging rates and stress-responsiveness (i.e., higher
integrated CORT levels) at one year of age. A related study found that individuals from nests
that received supplemental food had lower stress-responsiveness at one year old indicating thatthe early developmental environment is important in determining an individual’s physiobehavioral phenotype. In neophobia tests in which jays must approach a novel object or cross aring to access a desired food item (peanuts), more stress-responsive individuals were less likely
to complete both tasks. Finally, the physio-behavioral phenotype seems to be fixed within
individuals as the magnitude of the CORT response to a stressor and performance in behavioral
tests are both repeatable throughout an individual’s life. Further, an individual’s phenotype has
long-term consequences as stress-responsiveness is predictive of lifespan in a sex specific manor.
Ongoing and future research will manipulate nestling CORT levels and, when combined withcross-fostering experiments, will allow us to determine the relative roles of environment andgenetics in programming individuals’ physio-behavioral phenotypes.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS26 Plasticity in birdsong production

s26-1kPeripheral mechanisms for birdsong diversity
Roderick A. Suthers
Medical Sciences and Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Email: suthers@indiana.edu

Acoustic diversity is an important feature of vocal communication. It can increase the variety of
vocal signals and optimize their spectral and temporal properties for propagation in different
environments. This talk will focus on the peripheral mechanisms underlying important sources ofsong diversity at three levels: the respiratory system, the syrinx and the supra-syringeal vocal
tract. The source-filter model, initially proposed for human speech, also applies to birdsong andprovides a useful framework in which to consider mechanisms of vocal diversity. In birds, thevocal source is the syrinx, which is capable of operating in different modes. The lateralized,
independent motor control of the bipartite Oscine syrinx has special behavioral significance.
Advances are being made toward a better understanding of the respiratory and syringeal control
of fundamental frequency and the role of superfast syringeal muscles in determining song tempo.
The sound emanating from the syringeal source is modulated by the resonance filter properties ofthe supra-syringeal vocal tract. The bird controls the resonant frequency by using articulatory
movements of the beak, tongue and oro-esophageal chamber to adjust the dimensions of its
supra-syringeal vocal tract. The vocal tract filter is an important source of vocal diversity, which
can increase the salience of tonal whistle-like song (e.g., Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis
cardinalis) or concentrate acoustic energy of broad-band vocal signals (e.g., Zebra Finch,
Taeniopygia guttata ) into formants by filtering out some overtones and reinforcing others.
(Supported by USA grant NIH-NINDS 5R01NS029467)

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s26-2kNeural basis for adaptive adjustment of temporal structure
in song of Bengalese Finches
R.O. Tachibana 1, N.A. Hessler 1 and K. Okanoya1,21Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University ofTokyo, Tokyo, Japan
2
JST, ERATO, Okanoya Emotional Information Project, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan
Email: crotachi@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Song learning and maintenance require precise control of various acoustical properties
in aspects of both spectral and temporal structure. It has been previously demonstrated
that the anterior forebrain pathway (AFP), which is a homolog of mammaliancortico-basal ganglia circuits, is crucial for juvenile learning and adult maintenance ofspectral features of song, such as fundamental frequency and spectral entropy. In thisstudy we examined the capability of adult Bengalese Finches (Lonchura striata var.
domestica) for adaptive adjustment of a local temporal structure, gap duration, and theneural basis for such plasticity. We first developed a real-time signal processing systemthat can monitor various acoustic features in ongoing song. The system detected specificsyllable pairs and measured the duration of gaps between these syllables with 1-ms
temporal resolution. Birds were exposed to a brief noise burst immediately after thesystem detected that a target gap was longer (or shorter) than a threshold level, and were
expected to change duration of the target gap in order to avoid the noise stimulus. The
result showed that birds could adaptively modify their gap durations to avoid the noise
stimuli. Deprivation of an output nucleus of AFP appeared to disable such adaptive
regulation of gap duration. The result suggests that the capacity for temporal regulationof singing is at least partially dependant on neural signals from the nucleus, providing a
new view to understand the plasticity in song control mechanism. Adaptive adjustments
observed in other song features and differences in characteristics of such plasticity at
different developmental stages will be also discussed.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS26 Plasticity in birdsong productions26-3

Lateralization of song production and implications for song plasticity in
Bengalese Finches
B.G. Cooper1 and C.M. Urbano1
1

Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129 USA
Email: Brenton.cooper@tcu.edu
In oscine birds, learned song is produced by a two-voice vocal organ (syrinx) and dual soundproduction gives rise to rich acoustic diversity. Few laboratories integrate central and peripheral
physiology to study song production and plasticity. The Bengalese Finch, a domesticatedsongbird, is an excellent model for exploring central and peripheral motor control, in part
because they show remarkable asymmetry in acoustic production of their learned song. The left
sound source produces higher frequency, lower entropy sounds, and the right sound source
produces lower frequency, higher entropy notes. The vibratory tissues in each syringeal soundgenerator are composed of the medial and lateral labia. A Modified Morris pentachrome stain
was used to study whether there are anatomic asymmetries in the vocal organ. We found a robustmorphologic difference between the left and right lateral labium: the right lateral labium is 2.4x
times larger compared to the left. Microstructural analysis of two proteins involved in regulating
vocal tissue tension and elastic recoil - collagen and elastin - has revealed a clear pattern oforganization along the rostral-caudal extent of the left and right lateral labia. A dense band ofcollagen lines the superficial edge of the most rostral aspect of the tissue and elastin lines thecaudal edge. Bengalese Finches are capable of vocal recovery following disrupted auditory
feedback. We then explored whether the morphologic lateralization constrains song plasticity.
We specifically targeted the production of left-generated, higher frequency notes in the bird’ssong through unilateral syringeal denervation or lesion of the left premotor nucleus HVC (propername). Surprisingly, in some individuals, higher frequency sounds were recovered. This talk will
review our ongoing research exploring central and peripheral mechanisms underlying vocal
plasticity in adult songbirds, focusing on how peripheral constraints guide, but may not limit,
song reorganization.

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s26-4

How vocal plasticity facilitates communication in birds
H. Brumm and S.A. Zollinger 1
1Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology,
Seewiesen, Germany
Email: brumm@orn.mpg.de
Many studies on animal communication investigate what kind of information is encoded in asignal. However, before a signal can be detected and recognized by a receiver, it has to be
successfully transmitted. Signal transmission is not a trivial task since signal exchange in any
modality is crucially constrained by the environment. Physiological, anatomical, andbehavioural studies have revealed how birds change their vocalizations during soundproduction. We will show that this often stunning vocal plasticity can be used to maintaincommunication in fluctuating environments. We do this by combining two lines of evidence
from various groups of birds including tinamous, galliforms, parrots, and songbirds. One line
concerns vocal adjustments in response to different social contexts that impose different
demands on signal transmission. The second line of evidence relates to correlational andexperimental data showing that birds change their songs and calls to mitigate masking frombiotic and abiotic noise. Taken together, the results of these studies show that bird
vocalizations are surprisingly flexible on different levels of signal structure and performance,
including adjustments of vocal amplitude, signal timing and duration, as well as serial
redundancy. The overall picture indicates that birds are sensitive to changes in the biotic andabiotic environment and that they facilitate communication by adjusting the characteristics oftheir vocalizations in response to different environmental factors.

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s26-5

Involvement of the songbird song system in reproductive behaviour
J. Martin Wild
Department of Anatomy with Radiology, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Email: jm.wild@auckland.ac.nz

Since its discovery over 35 years ago, the song system of songbirds has become an importantmodel system for the neurobiological study of vocal learning and performance. A major
function of song in males is to attract a female, and because singing is often correlated withreproduction, singing can be seen as a form of appetitive behaviour that may beconsummated by sexual union in which the male’s sperm is transferred to the female by the‘cloacal kiss’. Here we ask whether the neural basis of consummatory as well as appetitive
aspects of reproductive behaviour can be found in the song system itself. We show that thesame medullary nucleus (retroambigualis, or RAm) that projects upon spinal motor neurons
innervating expiratory muscles – which provide the pressure head for vocalization - and upon
vocal motor neurons for respiratory-vocal coordination, also projects upon cloacal motor
neurons. Furthermore, RAm neurons projecting to sacral spinal levels housing cloacal motor
neurons receive projections from the same premotor nucleus of the forebrain song system(robustus arcopallialis or RA) that projects upon vocal motor neurons and expiratory
premotor neurons in RAm. Thus, by indicating a rather direct form of forebrain control of the
reproductive periphery, these results potentially extend the role of the song system to include
consummatory as well as appetitive aspects of reproductive behaviour.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS27 Non-native birds as natural experiments: ecological and evolutionary change during biological invasions

s27-1kNiche changes during biological invasions: prevalence, drivers andconsequences
D. Strubbe1 and E. Matthysen2
1

Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Email: diederik.strubbe@uantwerpen.be
Numerous examples of rapid adaptation come from the study of non-native species, suggestingthat rapid evolution in response to novel selection pressures may be common during invasions.
Yet, techniques commonly used to assess invasions risk assume that ecological niches are fixedand immutable, allowing to forecast non-native species distributions in the new range based onnative-range niche characteristics. It is thus not surprising that an increasing number of studies
detect a mismatch between potential distributions of non-native ranges derived from native-nichecharacteristics, suggesting a niche shift during the invasion process. However, despite a growing
number of studies, it remains difficult to assess the prevalence of niche conservatism duringinvasions as measures of niche shifts have been shown to vary greatly depending on theunderlying statistical and conceptual assumptions. In this contribution, I will review how niche
conservatism, i.e. the extent to which niches are conserved across space and time, is currently
evaluated. Using birds as a model system, I argue that niche expansion into novel environmental
conditions is rare, and that most niche differences between native and non-native populations are
due to a partial filling of the native niche in the invaded range. This has important implications
for the use of native-range based distribution models, as these techniques may accurately predict
non-native distributions when the native and non-native ranges have comparable environments.
Also, evaluating native and non-native environmental niches allows identifying those species
that exhibit true niche changes. Research efforts can then be focused on these species in order tounderstand the strategies that have allowed these invaders to expand their niches. Although thiscontribution focuses on niche conservatism among non-native birds, the degree to which species
succeed or fail to adapt to novel environmental conditions is important to a range of topics inecology and evolution and I will close by discussing some of these issues as well (e.g.
predictions of bird distributions following climate change).

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS27 Non-native birds as natural experiments: ecological and evolutionary change during biological invasions

s27-2kEffects of contrasting evolutionary life histories on genetic variation andimmune function in birds: a test using populations of endemic and invasive
parakeets on Mauritius.
S. Tollington1
1

Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Email: simon.tollington@gmail.com
Endemic island bird species often face an increased risk of extinction when compared to theircontinental counterparts as a result of small population size and low genetic diversity. The
introduction of non-native species to these already fragile ecosystems can further increase
extinction rates among endemic species which are unable to adapt quickly to the introduction ofnovel competitors, predators, parasites and pathogens. The success of introduced non-native
avian species on islands is well documented. Often dispersed as a result of human intervention
the majority of these species have evolved to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions
on continental systems and therefore have the intrinsic benefits of a greater initial pool of
immunological, genetic and phenotypic variation. Consequently, an island endemic species and aphylogenetically similar continental invasive species can sometimes be present on the sameisland, providing a valuable comparative opportunity to examine genetic and immunologicalrelationships. In this contribution, I will use the apparent contrast in population success between
an endangered Mauritian endemic, the Echo Parakeet (Psittacula echo), and its highly invasive
continental congener, the Ring-necked Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), to review the importanceof and mechanisms behind the interactions between innate immune function and genetic
diversity within and between populations of phylogenetically matched species.

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s27-3

Common Starlings in South Africa: alien, but not invasive?
Adrian J.F.K. Craig
Department of Zoology & Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
Email: a.craig@ru.ac.za

Common Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were introduced to South Africa in 1897, and by
1962 had established themselves in the Eastern Cape region. The relative abundanceand distribution of this species has been assessed by 45 point counts on each of two
urban and two rural routes since 2007. Four indigenous starling species, and a selectionof 15 other species, are counted on each occasion. Common Starlings occur at similarfrequencies in the towns of Grahamstown and Port Alfred, where they are the mostabundant bird species in the count sample. However point-by-point comparisons show
no evidence that Red-winged Starlings (Onychognathus morio), the only common
indigenous starling species in urban areas, avoid sites frequented by Common Starlings.
On the rural routes, Common Starlings are only encountered near farm buildings, which
are also the focal point for the occurrence of three indigenous starling species. Herethey are the least common species. Current data suggest that in this region Common
Starlings are effectively restricted to buildings and heavily modified habitats, avoid
natural vegetation, and occur only sporadically on pastures and farmland. Recent studiesof the occurrence of the Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) in South Africa havearrived at similar conclusions. Nevertheless the possible role of these alien species indisease transmission and in the spread of invasive alien vegetation remains to beassessed.

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s27-4

Feral Greylag Geese – why do they fare so well?
F. Woog 1
1

State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart, Germany
Email: friederike.woog@smns-bw.de

Throughout the world, many introduced or “naturalized” bird species thrive in cities.
Wildfowl, including ducks, geese and swans, are among the most visible. Throughout
Europe, populations of feral geese are increasing, often very quickly. Because they arevery visible, tame and in close contact to humans, they receive a lot of attention andoften are perceived as a “problem”. So to study these rapidly growing populations andwhat factors may govern their success is not only of scientific interest but may also havemanagement implications.
Since 2002, the State Museum of Natural History organizes ringing and monitoring offeral Greylag Geese (Anser anser) in Stuttgart, southwest Germany. Between 2002 and2012, over 500 Greylag Geese have been ringed, allowing individual identification andthus monitoring of movements, breeding success and behaviour.
Within the city, geese use parks that offer plenty of grazing in direct proximity to lakes
for taking refuge. Being an apparently optimal goose grazing habitat, however, birds
also face several limiting factors in urban areas that they do not encounter in natural
habitats (i.e. close contact to people, dogs causing disturbances and mortality, limited
safe nesting sites and overcrowding). What behaviours do geese show in response tothese factors?
Unlike wild Greylag Geese, the Stuttgart birds remain in the vicinity most of the year
even during harsh winters thus saving the potential cost of migration. Although birds’
abdominal profiles decline towards the end of winter, birds develop strategies to copewith ice and snow. Feral geese in urban areas appear to be successful not only becauseof the good habitat but also because of their behavioural plasticity.

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s27-5

Status of an invasive species, the Red-billed Leiothrix
and negative impact on native species in Japan
H. E. Amano1 and K. Eguchi 2
1

Lake Biwa Museum, Shiga, Japan
Department of Biology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
Email: hitoha@lbm.go.jp
2

The Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) has been imported from China to Japan since
1600s, and, recently, its number has been increasing in natural forests in Japan. The
analysis of mtDNA control region sequences supports the notion that Japanese
populations were derived from introduced individuals from China, and suggests thatsome local populations have diverged from each other due to multiple introduction
events and/or bottleneck effect. Range expansion and gene flow were also detected insome local populations. We also suggested nesting and foraging niche segregation
among the Leiothrix and native birds (Amano & Eguchi 2002a, b). The Leiothrix andJapanese Bush Warbler (Cettia diphone) placed nests exclusively in bamboo thickets
and on bamboo stalks, the latter placing nests in denser vegetation than the former.
Segregations in the foraging behavior were also seen mainly in the preference of
microhabitat and technique between the Leiothrix and native species, Japanese Bush
Warblers and parid species, which may has allowed the Leiothrix to colonize Japan. It is
likely that the Leiothrix has successfully established by occupying a vacant niche.
However, a negative affect by the Leiothrix on native species through apparent
competition was also reported (Eguchi & Amano 2008). The reproductive success of theJapanese Bush Warbler decreased as a consequence of predators being attracted by thepresence of numerous nests of the Leiothrix. Control of the Leiothrix is not easy
because of its wide distribution in natural forests, but in recent days, the number of
Leiothrix is decreasing due to overgrazing by Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) on theunderstorey of forests.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS28 Avian cognition in natural populations

s28-1kCognition, ecology, and evolution in wild Great Tits (Parus major)
J. Morand-Ferron1,2
1
2

Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Canada
Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Email: jmf@uottawa.ca
Cognition is defined as the processes by which animals acquire, retain and use informationfrom their environment to guide their behaviour. While cognitive ability has been most often
measured in controlled settings in captivity, the actual costs and benefits experienced by anindividual when using information depend not only on its cognitive ability, but also on theprevailing ecological and social context. In the last years, we have been studying the ecology
and evolution of innovative problem-solving and associative learning in the monitored
population of Great Tits (Parus major) in Wytham, Oxford, UK. Individual tits were found tosolve new problems more efficiently when part of larger flocks, because more companions
reduce the need to invest in anti-predatory vigilance thereby presumably allowing individuals
to devote more attention and time to problem-solving. Moreover, larger flocks are generally
more diverse and therefore more likely to contain individuals with good problem-solving
skills or relevant experience. Individuals who could solve a novel foraging problem inisolation in captivity were not more likely to solve a similar problem in natural settings,
suggesting that alternative foraging options (other food sources, scrounging) impact on theexpression of problem-solving tendencies in the natural environment. Studying the ecologicaland social context of information use in the wild is therefore an important step when
examining the contribution of cognition to survival and fitness. Recently we have taken theoperant learning paradigm to the field by designing portable Skinner boxes and deploying
them in Wytham over the winter months. The experiment was fully-automated and returned
information on several thousands of colour-based associative learning trials by free-ranging
individuals. Great Tits were more likely than other tit species to visit the devices and engage
in trials, but there was no sex or personality biases in the sample of Great Tits landing at thedevices and registering key pecks. However juveniles were more likely than adults to visit thedevices, register trials, and reach the learning criterion. We examine further sources ofindividual variation in learning speed in link with the natural context of the tests, including
the interval at which trials were taken, group size, and the availability of social information.
We discuss how this type of approach could contribute to the aim of bridging evolutionary
ecology and animal cognition by allowing measurements of cognitive performance in thewild on a large number of individuals.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS28 Avian cognition in natural populations

s28-2kDo Mexican Jays choose peanuts by listening to the sounds producedby handling the nuts? – field experiments.
Piotr G. Jablonski1,2, Sang-im Lee1,3, Elzbieta Fuszara2, Maciej Fuszara2 , Jerram L.
Brown4, Esther Brown4
1

Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences,
College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Republic of
Korea
2
Centre for Ecological Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Dziekanów Leśny, 05-092
Łomianki, Poland
3
Institute of Advanced Machinery and Design, Seoul National University, Seoul
151-742, Republic of Korea
4
SUNY, Albany, USA
Email: piotrjab@behecolpiotrsangim.org
In contrast to extensive research on optimal foraging in birds, the proximate
mechanisms by which birds are able to estimate the value of food items have not been
well studied. Previous research showed that birds may be able to collect some
information about the content of a nut before opening it, and that they may be able tochoose nuts of heavier/denser content. In a series of experiments we have previously
suggested that Mexican Jays do not seem to use dynamic touch (feeling of heavinessdue to perception of inertia while handling the nuts in their beaks) in this situation. We
proposed a hypothesis that jays may use the sound produced when they handle peanuts.
The handling may consist of simple lifting, or shaking that may be associated withslight opening and closing of the beak. This may produce sounds when the beak hits thenut shell, or when the nuts move inside the shell. In winter 2013 we conducted
experiments to evaluate the idea that the birds may pay attention to the subtle
differences in sound between peanuts, and whether they also pay attention to theproperties of their natural food – acorns. We compared acceptance of peanuts modified
in the manner that allows for several types of comparisons, including the following:comparison between peanuts that have equal weight but differ in sound produced whenbirds close their beaks to hold the nuts, comparison between peanuts that differ inweight but produce similar sounds when handled, comparison of acorns that differ inthe sound produced while handled. We used spectrograms to analyze the sounds
produced by handling the experimental peanuts. The results will be discussed in thelight of proximate mechanisms that allow animals to acquire knowledge useful for
optimal foraging.

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s28-3

What determines vehicle avoidance behaviour in birds?
Magne Husby1 and Arild Husby2
1. Nord-Trøndelag University College, Røstad, 7600 Levanger, Norway.
2. Centre for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Scienceand Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Email: magne.husby@hint.no

Among the most widespread forms of anthropogenic modification of the natural landscape isthe construction of roads. One effect is road mortality causing major conservation issues
affecting amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. Why some species are more susceptible tovehicle collision than others however is poorly understood. Here we examine how roadsidevegetation patterns, road type, vehicle speed and brain size influence vehicle avoidance
behavior using more than 3700 individuals of eleven different species of European birds. We
found that on larger roads and at higher vehicle speeds birds were more likely to fly awayfrom the road than to cross it. Moreover, species with a larger relative brain size flew awayfrom the road more often than species with a small brain size whose direction of flight was
random. Brain size is generally positively associated with behavioural flexibility in mammals
and birds, and our observation of a link between brain size and vehicle avoidance behaviour
may in part explain inter-species differences in vehicle collision mortality rates and highlightthat brain size can be an important trait for adjusting to anthropogenic changes.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS28 Avian cognition in natural populationss28-4

Sibling Communication in barn owls: role of cognition and social
interaction
Amelie N Dreiss, Alexandre Roulin
Amelie.Dreiss@unil.ch
To resolve the share of limited resources, animals can advertise their motivation and fighting
ability, which reduces the cost of physical confrontation. Animals are expected to constantly
modulate their investment in signalling according to the payoff. The level of signals of anindividual hence often fluctuates to avoid acoustic interferences, to adapt to the presence of an
audience or to the resource holding potential and motivation of opponents. These fluctuations
raise the question of how individuals adjust at each moment their level of investment insignalling to claim a resource. Using the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) as a model species, I will
present recent advances in the understanding of the role of cognition (individual recognition,
memory, counting ability) and social interactions in the dynamics of a communication process.
Nestling Barn Owls adjust their investment according to the number of vocalizing siblings
and the temporal variation in their signals, suggesting they use slight changes in siblings’
vocalization and signal variability as cues to assess siblings’ motivation to compete.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS28 Avian cognition in natural populationss28-5

Physical cognition in wild-caught New Caledonian crows
S. A. Jelbert¹, A. H. Taylor¹ and R. D. Gray¹¹School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, NZ
Email: s.jelbert@auckland.ac.nz
What do birds understand about their physical worlds? Several avian species are capable ofextraordinary behaviours in the wild, such as caching food and manufacturing tools. However,
it is unclear how well birds understand the causal properties of the worlds they live in. My
research examines the physical cognition of an exceptional bird species, the tool-making New
Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides). These crows use and manufacture several different
types of tool in the wild, including hooked stick tools and barbed pandanus tools. They canalso solve complex meta-tool problems, and reason about hidden causal agents. I present
evidence from recent studies with wild-caught New Caledonian crows showing that thesebirds have a sophisticated – although incomplete – understanding of the physical properties
of weight, solidity and water displacement in a naturalistic situation. I propose that themethods used to investigate cognition in this species can be easily adapted to study other wild
populations, to provide a broad picture of avian physical cognition.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS29 The value of long-term ringing data in ornithology

s29-1kPossibilities of long-term monitoring of birds by Rybachy-type funnel traps
Leonid V. Sokolov
Biological Station Rybachy, Zoological Institute RAS, Rybachy 238535, Kaliningrad Region,
RussiaEmail: leonid-sokolov@mail.ru

Interest in the data of long-term monitoring of biological events, birds included, is constantly
increasing due to the global problem of rapid climate change. On the Courish Spit on the Baltic
coast annual monitoring of migrating and breeding birds has been performed since 1957. Largefunnel traps are in operation between late March and 1 November. We monitor: (1) timing ofspring passage in several dozen avian species, on the basis of first, mean and median capture
dates of transients; (2) timing of breeding and postfledging movements in a number of target
species based on first and median captures of locally hatched juveniles; (3) timing of postbreeding and post-juvenile moult in local breeders; (4) timing of autumn passage on the basis ofmean and median capture dates of transients; (5) numbers of several dozen species of avian
migrants on spring passage; (6) numbers of local breeding birds in target species; (7) numbers ofseveral dozen species of autumn transient migrants; (8) numbers of irregular migrants at autumn
and spring passage; (9) physiological condition and fuel stores of migrating birds. Long-termmonitoring using Rybachy-type funnel traps has shown that over the last 50 years the timing ofspring migration and breeding in the Baltic region has significantly fluctuated due to climatechange in both short- and long-distance migrants. However, the timing of autumn passage in thesame species has not changed much. Numbers of local breeding and transient populations ofshort- and long-distance migrants has also undergone considerable fluctuation. The numbers of
irregular migrants was related both to climatic conditions and to foraging situation. Physiologicaland energetic condition of spring avian migrants also showed a tendency towards variation in
respect to the weather conditions in winter quarters and at stopovers. Long-term monitoring by
captures in funnel traps yields much better-quality data on the impact of climate on phenology
and numbers of avian populations than visual survey data (Sparks et al. 2013).

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS29 The value of long-term ringing data in ornithology

s29-2kThe value of long-term ringing data in the light of environmental change
Ommo Hüppop
ommo.hueppop@ifv-vogelwarte.deRinging and other long-term data sets have contributed considerably to our knowledge ofdifferent aspects of avian biology. The mere numbers of caught and ringed birds can be used
to describe migration phenology and its changes e.g. due to climate change (namely atstopover sites without or with low numbers of breeding birds). They also reflect long-termchanges in population sizes or migration routes. In species that are reliably aged and sexed
throughout time, demographic parameters such as the annual reproductive output can bederived from numbers during autumn migration. Data on migration differentiated by age orsex give insight in selection processes during migration. Many environmental data are now
easily available at the internet (including remote sensing data from satellites over the last
decades) and can be used to interpret the data gained at ringing stations sometimes over morethan half a century. In relation to parameters envisaged on route such as temperature, windconditions, precipitation, changes in vegetation and land use, long-term ringing data can help
to understand how climate and land use changes affect birds. Biometric data could reflectassociated long-term changes in morphology. They may also be analysed with regard toselective forces (and there long-term changes) during migration on e.g. wing morphology in
an inter- or intraspecific comparison. Mainly based on the long-term ringing data from theisland of Helgoland (North Sea) the keynote will show how climate and other environmental
changes might effect – besides phenology – body condition, morphology and population
biology of migrants.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS29 The value of long-term ringing data in ornithology

s29-3

Latitudinal differences in long-term migratory change in the Willow
Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
J. Hedlund1, S. Jakobsson1, T. Fransson2, C. Kullberg1
1

Department of Zoology, Stockholm University
The Swedish Museum of Natural History
Email: johanna.hedlund@zoologi.su.se
2

The geographical distribution of populations will make them differentially affected by global
warming and Sweden’s north to south orientation presents a great framework for studying
latitudinal climate change effects. We present a long-term study on the migratory behaviourof two populations of different Willow Warbler subspecies (southern Phylloscopus trochilus
trochilus and northern P.t. acredula). The material covers a 22-31year period and two study
sites; the island of Gotland in southern Sweden (ringing data 1990-2012, breeding data 199293, 2011-13) and in northern Sweden, Haparanda (autumn ringing data 1982-2012). The
Gotland ringing data allow to distinguish between locally hatched and migrating juveniles inautumn and the northern location of Haparanda ensures that only acredula is included in theringing data. The spring passage over Gotland and the arrival of breeding females to theisland have advanced,by 3.9 days and 6 days respectively. Male passage over Gotland is 6.5
days earlier than in the 1990s but has only advanced by 1 day in breeding birds, likely due to
2 years of below-average April temperatures. Egg-laying dates are 5 days earlier than in the
1990s. During autumn the median and individual passage of juveniles and adults in the north
have remained unchanged or almost delayed, in contrast to Gotland where migrating juveniles
pass 8.8 days earlier than in the 1990s. The median passage date of adult birds and appearanceof locally hatched male young on Gotland in autumn has also advanced by 4.84 and 4.3 days
respectively. The conclusion is that trochilus have advanced the breeding period on Gotland
but not prolonged it. No spring migration is recorded at Haparanda, but another study at thesame latitude found that spring arrival of northern acredula was delayed. This suggests that
acredula is also keeping its time spent at the breeding areas constant, but in contrast totrochilus, is slightly delaying its timing.

131

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS29 The value of long-term ringing data in ornithology

s29-4

An ultra-rich, but homogenized, biodiversity hot-spot: a long-term study
using ringing data at Eilat, Israel
Piotr Tryjanowski1*, Reuven Yosef2, Piotr Zduniak3, Michał Żmihorski4
1

Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, 60-625
Poznań, Poland, e-mail: e-mail: piotr.tryjanowski@gmail.com

2

Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University, P. O. Box 272, Eilat 88000, Israel; email: ryosef@bezeqint.net
3

Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz

University, Umultowska 89, 61–614 Poznań, Poland, e-mail: kudlaty@amu.edu.pl
4

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences,Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warsaw, Poland, e-mail: zmihorski@miiz.waw.pl

Biotic homogenization is a world-wide process driven by the replacement of rare andspecialized species by widespread generalists, which results in increased similarity amongneighboring and regional ecosystems over time. We addressed the issue of homogenization on
the basis of a 40-years (1970-2009) bird ringing program of a migratory bird community in arenowned biodiversity hot spot and an important stop-over site for migratory bird populations
at Eilat, Israel. In general, we recorded a decreasing differentiation of the breeding bird
community during this long-term period. With the help of a pair-wise similarity analysis, wefound that the mean similarity of the bird community between study years increased
significantly during the study period. The main outcome of our study is that biotic
homogenization should not necessarily be attributed to urbanization, and that can occur in aplace with extraordinary high beta diversity of a migratory animal community over time.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS29 The value of long-term ringing data in ornithology

s29-5

Combining migration counts from several sites – a way to improve
population monitoring by ringing stations
Sören Svensson
Department of Biology, Biodiversity, Lund University, Sweden
Email: soren.svensson@biol.lu.se
Trapping of birds for ringing is often standardized at bird observatories and used as asurrogate for breeding bird surveys in population monitoring. The method is efficient andcost-effective and large samples can be gathered. This is particularly important for birds thatcannot easily be monitored in their breeding ranges (some rare species or populations in
distant regions with few human settlements). However, migration counts suffer from biases,
mainly due to weather that masks true trends; even when a trend is steep it may take many
years before it is accepted as statistically significant. Hence, an attractive thought is tocombine data from several bird observatories, hoping that this removes some of the variation.
In this paper I use the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca to compare migration counts withdata from breeding bird surveys in Sweden. At two bird observatories, located in the very
south of the country and covering a large part of the migration corridor of the species,
trapping effort has been strictly standardized since 1980. The breeding bird surveys sample
the whole country with both nestbox studies and representative line transects. First, I look attrapping data from one station and one season and then at the pooled data from the twostations. Both the breeding bird surveys and the ringing totals indicate similar population
decline. Whereas the decline estimated by breeding surveys is highly significant, those at thebird observatories are not, or are only weakly significant. However, when data are pooled, thetrend becomes statistically significant. Analysing data from several bird ringing sites may
therefore be an efficient way to draw improved conclusions about population trends in the
recruiting breeding areas.

133

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS30 Ecophysiology of Circannual and Long-term Timing Mechanisms: Recent Advancess30-1kMulti-year consistency of individual migration timing in Bar-tailed
Godwits
P.F. Battley 1, J.R. Conklin 1,2, A. Parody Merino 1,3 F. Prosdocimi 4 and A.E. Fidler 3
1

Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private
Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand2Grote Rozenstraat 84, 9712TK Groningen, The Netherlands
3
Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax Street East, Private Bag 2, Nelson 7010, New Zealand4
Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Cid. Universitária - Ilha do Fundão Cep 21.941-902, Riode Janeiro, Brasil.
Email: p.battley@massey.ac.nz
Photoperiod is thought to be an important synchroniser of circannual cycles inmigratory birds. We have monitored the departure times on northward migration ofindividually-marked Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica baueri) in New Zealand forsix years, and tracked birds to their Alaskan breeding grounds via geolocators. This
population shows very high intra-individual consistency in migration dates: while
departures typically spanned almost 4 weeks, from early March to early April, despite
variation in wind conditions between years individuals typically departed within thesame week (median range of birds monitored for 4-6 years was 6 days), with one bird
leaving on 12 or 13 March for 6 years running. This high level of individual consistency
yet large population variation reflects the geographical range of the breeding grounds.
Breeding sites span >1000 km north to south (70–60°N) and northern sites thaw on
average 3.5 weeks later than southern sites. Southern-breeders generally leave New
Zealand in early-mid March whereas northern breeders depart in late March or early
April. This gradient in departure timing becomes stronger when birds depart their East
Asian staging sites in April/May. Departure “decisions” at both initial fuelling and enroute staging sites therefore anticipate a subsequent breeding schedule. This level ofindividual tailoring of migration dates is not explained by photoperiod per se, as all
birds studied were at the same site so had identical environmental conditions. Instead, it
implies that departure dates of individual birds reflect underlying differences in theinterpretation of environmental signals, in particular photoperiod length. Current work
is directed at using putatively neutral genetic markers (microsatellites) to look for
population structuring associated with departure date. In addition we are assembling andannotating a godwit genomic sequence that will be used as the basis for association
studies between variation in candidate genes and departure time phenotype.

134

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS30 Ecophysiology of Circannual and Long-term Timing Mechanisms: Recent Advancess30-2kEcophysiology of the circannual clock in Spotted Munia, Lonchura punctulata
123Asha Chandola-Saklani , Kiran Negi , Anjana Farswan , Atul Kathait

1,2

1. School of Biosciences, Apeejay Stya University, Sohna Road, Gurgaon, Haryana, India
2. Department of Zoology and Biotechnology, HNB Garhwal University, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
3. Department of Zoology, Govt Degree College, Agastya Muni, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, India
ashachandola@apeejay.edu

The role of day length as a proximate cue for timing seasonal reproduction in temperate zone birds is wellestablished. In the tropics, although almost all bird species investigated were found to be photosensitive,
considering the small amplitude of the annual photocycle, for a long time it was thought inconceivable thatbirds here could depend on this cue. Subsequently, the concept of endogenous circannual mechanisms gained
acceptance in tropical residents as well as in long distance migrants, but, these are not well understood.
Subtropical Spotted Munia, with its clear cut circannual rhythms in ‘information free’ continuous
illumination has emerged as an ideal model and we review our recent researches here. In this bird, circannual
reproductive, molt and fattening cycles were shown to be synchronized by daily increments in light hours
around the vernal equinox. The process of synchronization involves a phase delay. Experimental evidence
was obtained in free running munias held on continuous illumination, that the underlying mechanisms
involve gonado-inhibitory rather than the conventional gonado-stimulatory response to increasing day length
through a temporary check by thyroid hormones on the photo-neuroendocrine locus. Expression profiles ofthyroid hormone receptors are being studied. We also present evidence for a continuum of cue-use, thetropical munia populations, apparently, more photosensitive compared to their temperate conspecifics. The
photoperiodic responses of Spotted Munia are distinctly different from that of any ‘long-day’ birds describedthus far and do not conform to the prevalent ‘circadian coincidence’ model of photoperiodism. Comparisonswith other Indian species indicate that birds in tropics have evolved diverse ways of handling the same
photoperiodic information, both in degree and kind.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS30 Ecophysiology of Circannual and Long-term Timing Mechanisms: Recent Advancess30-3

Do earlier birth dates in Pied flycatchers allow for rapid adaptation oflaying to climate change?
J. Ouwehand 1, C. Burger 1 and C. Both 1
1Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University ofGroningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
Email: janneouwehand@gmail.com

Global change imposes a major challenge for animals to adapt sufficiently fast to the highspeed of habitat changes. A particular challenge in long-distance migrants is to maintain theirannual timing in synchrony with shifts in their food phenology. For example, the timing oflaying in pied flycatchers has not adapted to be in synchrony with the advanced food peaks intheir seasonal breeding habitats, despite advanced egg laying. The major hypothesis to explain
this apparently inadequate response is a rigid mechanism controlling timing of migration: i.e.
an endogenous clock informed by environmental cues (“zeitgebers”). It is unknown if
environmental cues like food or photoperiod during ontogeny also shape timing schedules.
We hypothesised that birth date may causally affect individual timing later in life. In a largescale field experiment (2009-2011) we delayed hatching of 200 Pied flycatcher (Ficedula
hypoleuca) clutches by a week, and monitored arrival and laying dates when these birds
recruited. We compared recruits born from delayed clutches to those from control clutches(not receiving this delay). Female recruits from delayed clutches started laying eggs later thancontrol females in some, but not all years. This effect was not restricted to first-time breeding
females. Variation in the occurrence and magnitude of the effects of timing may be caused byconditions in the year of the experiment or year of recruitment, e.g. conditions en route. Our
results imply that earlier laying brings about an advance in the timing of the annual cycle ofoffspring. This ontogenetic mechanism of quick adjustment could explain observed trends inadvanced laying. Whether this is enough to prevent populations to decline is yet unknown. It
is important to establish what cue is causing this date effect, and whether limits exist in thistype of adjustment to predict the future fate of long-distance migrants.

136

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS30 Ecophysiology of Circannual and Long-term Timing Mechanisms: Recent Advancess30-4

Avian annual temporal organization in a warming world
Barbara M. Tomotani, Sonja V. Schaper, Samuel Caro & Marcel E. Visser
Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O.
Box 50, 6700 AB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Many birds pass through several life-history stages during a year, such as migration,
reproduction and moult. Overlap of these stages may cause reduced fitness, therefore
their annual rhythms must be synchronized not only to the environmental cycles, butalso to one another. For birds, both photoperiod and temperature are considered
important cues to time annual rhythms. However, the relative importance of each cue
may vary with the rhythm in question. So, if temperatures increase according to climatechange scenarios, what would happen with the timing of different annual stages? Could
we expect unequal shifts among life history stages, thereby desynchronizing theirseasonal rhythms? To unravel costs and mechanisms of mismatched stages we do field
and laboratory studies with two model species: the all-year resident Great Tit (Parus
major) and a migrant, the Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). The relationshipbetween termination of reproduction and onset of moult of Great Tits is investigated inaviaries using different temperatures treatments with a naturally increasing photoperiod.
This is also explored using long term data of breeding and moult collected throughout
the years from natural populations. Flycatchers are studied using combined field andlaboratory approaches in which manipulations of timing are made to understand theinteraction of different stages and flexibility of timing mechanisms. Collectively, ourstudies suggest that changes in temperature may have different effects on the timing ofdifferent stages, but this also differs between males and females. Therefore the costs
that birds face in a warming world may not be equal for males and females. Our work
points at the importance of studying how various annual stages may be linked when
predicting the consequences of environmental change for wild animals.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS30 Ecophysiology of Circannual and Long-term Timing Mechanisms: Recent Advancess30-5

Role of photoperiod and circannual rhythms in the control of seasonal
events in food specialists Cardueline finches (Fringillidae)
N.P. Iovchenko
Department of Biology and Soil Sciences, Saint Petersburg State University,
St. Petersburg, Russia
Email: natalia.iovchenko@gmail.com

Availability of food on which the young depend is frequently the most important
ultimate factor controlling the timing of breeding. The subfamily Carduelinae isremarkable for a wide scope of variability in the extent of specialization on eating seeds.
Thus the subfamily is a good model in order to reveal the role of the main proximate
and ultimate factors in regulation of seasonal events. Experimental studies ofphotoperiodic control of breeding, moult and migration have been carried out on 7
model species. They differ from each other in structure of annual cycles, type ofterritory behaviour and food specialization. Unpredictable crop, features and dates ofbearing of the main food plants lead to development of unique features of annual cycles
in some studied species such as: migration and sexual activity overlap, breeding andmoult overlap, moult and migration overlap; change of breeding areas during the same
breeding season; prolongation or recrudescence of sexual activity in moulting birds in
response to high seed crop of the main food plants in late summer or early autumn;
opportunistic winter breeding. The increasing day-length in spring stimulates
development of sexual activity in all studied species and determines the species-specificduration of “conventional reproductive period” but in nature sexual activity is realized
in breeding in conformity with dates and features of bearing of the main food plants.
Some species developed specific earlier unknown features of photoperiodic reaction.
In the only long-distance migrant species of this subfamily, the Common Rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinus, photoperiodic control of autumn migration was found.
Photoperiodic control of moult has been revealed in all studied species. We will discusspossible ways of interactions of environmental photoperiod, circannual clocks and foodsupply in unusual situations in the annual cycles of food specialists.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS31 Birds in space: is individual variation relevant?

s31-1kEvolutionary feedback loops: population cycles as both a cause andconsequence of individual variation in behavior
Renée A. Duckworth1 & Stepfanie Aguillon1
1

Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
Email: rad3@email.arizona.edu
A major problem in evolution is the maintenance of variation within populations, whereas amajor problem in ecology is determining the factors that drive population cycles. These problems
are brought together by the realization that population cycles, through density-dependent fitness
tradeoffs, can maintain distinct behavioral types within a population. In turn, individual variation
in behavior is often a major driver of ecological cycles. Here, we show that, in Western
Bluebirds, changes in competitive and social environment influenced expression of dispersal
behavior in the next generation which drove changes in population density over time. In turn,changes in population density maintained variation in dispersal behavior through densitydependent selection. The interdependence of dispersal, competitive behavior, social environmentand density produced cyclical and intercorrelated changes in each of these components over time.
Together, these amount to a feedback loop in which changes in population density are
simultaneously a causal selective agent in shaping behavior and an ecological consequence of
resulting changes in behavior. We suggest that such eco-evolutionary dynamics may be common
because the fitness consequences of social and competitive behavior are frequently densitydependent, and ultimately this may account for the evolutionary origin and maintenance ofadaptive behavioral strategies.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS31 Birds in space: is individual variation relevant?

s31-2kSpatial behaviour in the Great Tit: exploration, personality anddispersal
E. Matthysen1, L. Arvidsson1 & T. Van Overveld1
1

Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Email: erik.matthysen@ua.ac.be

Exploration of unfamiliar environments is an important component of dispersal andhabitat selection, yet in many bird species we have only limited knowledge on thisprocess. Somewhat paradoxically, the study of exploration behaviour in free-living
populations have received a substantial boost from research on behavioural syndromes(or “personalities”) that originated with captive animals. In several species including theGreat Tit Parus major, activity in a novel environment is now used as a standard score
for a behavioural syndrome involving different correlated behaviours. An increasing
number of studies, on birds as well as other vertebrates, have shown that exploration
scores correlate with individual variation in dispersal. However, the question remains
whether these correlations reflect a direct causal link between exploration and dispersal,
or are due to associations with other behaviours such as aggressiveness or habitat
selection. I will report on our recent and ongoing work on great tits where we addressed
this question using two main approaches. On one hand, we used observational andpedigree data to demonstrate that exploration behavior correlates with dispersal at bothphenotypic and genotypic level, and that exploration score is associated with otherspatial behaviours in the field as well. On the other hand, we are studying how
exploration scores in a small, highly artificial environment can be used to predict
exploration of larger and more complex environments, both in the lab and in the field. I
will discuss results of these tests and their implications for the maintenance of variationin dispersal in natural populations.

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s31-3

Adaptive behavioural variation in social environments
Niels J. Dingemanse1,2* & Yimen Araya-Ajoy1

1

Evolutionary Ecology of Variation Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology,

Seewiesen, Germany; email: ndingemanse@orn.mpg.de2

Behavioural Ecology, Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians University of

Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany

Over the last decades, it has become evident that between-individual differences insuites of correlated behaviours (“animal personalities” or “behavioural syndromes”)
characterize a broad range of animal taxa. Various adaptive hypotheses have beensuggested, and empirically tested, for why natural selection might favour variation at
this level of behavioural organisation. One key hypothesis predicts that personalities arefavoured because social interactions lead to a diverse array of social niches. We use
aggressiveness data of 12 nest box populations of wild great tits (Parus major), to test
whether patterns of between- and within-individual variation are indeed a function of
the social environment. We further document the consequences of personality variation
by asking whether the social environment affects behavioural phenotypes and howsocial environments affect fitness, and thereby reveal how the presence of personality
structure affects evolutionary processes.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS31 Birds in space: is individual variation relevant?

s31-4

Does immobility in a novel environment predict breeding
performance: a study of Great Tits in two different habitats
K. Telve 1 and M. Mägi 1
1

Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu,
Tartu, Estonia
Email: kaisa.telve@ut.ee

Recent studies have shown that animal personality is related to individual fitness.
However, individuals with similar personality traits may perform differently in different
environments as has been shown in studies where individuals living in urbanized andrural habitats were compared. We hypothesized that immobility in a novel environment
as a personality trait is related to birds’ reproductive success and that it varies between
different habitats. To test environmental effects on individual personalities we captured
roosting female Great Tits before the breeding season from nest boxes in coniferous anddeciduous habitats and kept them indoors for less than 24 hours. During this time werecorded their behaviour in an aviary in a novel environment experiment in which theimmobility time of the bird was measured. Birds were released close to the place where
they were captured and later their breeding performance was monitored. Contrary to theconjecture we found no difference in the immobility time between birds captured fromconiferous and deciduous habitats. However, females with shorter immobility time werereproductively more successful with larger clutches and more fledglings than birds that
tended to stay still in a novel environment for a greater amount of time. We also foundthat the immobility time in consecutive tests decreased once the bird was more familiar
with the environment. Our findings suggest that habitat type does not affect the birds’
interest in discovering a novel environment. However, we confirm the variation in
reproductive success in birds with different personality traits. Overall, our results
suggest that immobility measured in a novel environment may reflect the birds’ ability
to estimate local conditions and accordingly adapt their breeding effort.

142

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS33 Departure decisions in nocturnal migrants

s33-1kDeparture decisions in nocturnally migrating songbirds: when, in which
direction, and why?
H. Schmaljohann1 and A. Tsvey2
1

Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Biological Station Rybachy of Zoological Institute RAS, Rybachy, Russia
Email: heiko.schmaljohann@ifv-vogelwarte.de; arseny@bioryb.koenig.ru

2

During long distance migration, birds alternate relatively short periods of endurance flightwith typically much longer periods refueling at stopover sites. The decisions of when to
depart from a stopover site, and in which direction to continue migration, are crucial for
migrants to arrive safe and in time at their migratory goal. We shall review the status of ourknowledge about the daily departure decisions made by songbird migrants. Individual
departure direction plays an important role, as it determines the nature of the landscape to be
crossed. In all major flyways birds must make the decision whether to migrate acrossecological barriers that are devoid of feeding opportunities. To make appropriate decisions
birds must jointly incorporate internal information (body condition) and external information(wind support). Current knowledge of individual nocturnal departure times of migratory
songbirds will be summarized. To date there is a surprisingly wide scatter of nocturnal
departure times in studies from temperate-zone Europe. Though body condition and departure
direction might explain some of the variability in the nocturnal departure time, it is possiblethat the length of the night and remaining migration distance play a part in this variability.
Understanding the mechanisms of how birds decide to set off at a certain time of night
determines the potential nocturnal flight duration. Early take-off and flight until sunrise
should maximize a migrant’s nocturnal travel range, thus defining the overall number ofstopovers it must make. We argue that nocturnal departure time is a crucial variable shaping
strongly the speed of migration that has been sorely neglected in both theory and study of
migration.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS33 Departure decisions in nocturnal migrants

s33-2kNocturnal departure decisions of individuals at ecological barriers
P. D. Taylor1 and C.G. Gugliemo2
1

Bird Studies Canada Chair of Ornithology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada
Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
Email: Philip.taylor@acadiau.ca

2Many long-distance songbird migrants encounter different types of ecological barriers. At thesebarriers, individuals must decide whether to stay, move to another site within the same stopoverlandscape or to resume migration. Upon departure, individuals can either cross or circumnavigate
the barrier. Radar studies have revealed that at a broad-scale, there is considerable complexityand variability in behavior among species, locations, time of night and through the season.
However, much less is known about individual fine-scale nocturnal decisions and movements
prior to departure. We review the current knowledge about these phenomena focusing primarily
on VHF telemetry studies of songbird migrants. These studies provide detailed local information
about departure, but have also been used to track individuals regionally. Fine-scale departuredecisions vary among species, but are related to extrinsic variables such as wind and barometricpressure. For most species, relationships with intrinsic factors (time since arrival, body condition,
refueling rates and physiological state) are less well known. Our aim is to use knowledge aboutfine-scale nocturnal movements and corresponding departure events to develop general models
that will help understand how intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence the departure decision in
migrant songbirds. However, individuals likely trade-off time and risk when making decisions at
ecological barriers, and we know these trade-offs vary considerably among species, time of night
and time of year. Thus, the problem is complex, and becomes even more so when we consider
migratory departure decisions on landscapes that vary in their ecological suitability for stopover.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS33 Departure decisions in nocturnal migrants

s33-3

Departure and flight behavior of migrants facing a large water crossing
R. H. Diehl 1, J. L. Deppe 2, M. P. Ward 3, F. R. Moore 4, T. J. Zenzal, Jr. 4, J. A. Smolinsky 5, A.
Celis-Murillo 3, E. H. Paxton 6, R. T. Bolus1, L. Schofield2, and W. W. Cochran 7
1

Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, US Geological Survey, Bozeman, USA
Department of Biological Science, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, USA
3
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign, USA
4
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, USA
5
Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, USA
6
Pacific Islands Ecosystems Research Center, US Geological Survey, Hawaii National Park,
USA
7
Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
Email: rhdiehl@usgs.gov
2

A large proportion of all migratory birds in the Nearctic-Neotropical migratory system likely
encounter the Gulf of Mexico during migration. These birds respond differently to the prospectof a long water crossing, depending on their ability to weigh a variety of proximate intrinsic andextrinsic factors including experience, morphology, energy stores, local food availability, andweather. The objectives of a continuing study of this system include understanding how thesefactors likely govern departure decisions in a coastal setting and that link stopover sites widely
separated by open water. We deployed automated radio telemetry systems along the northern
Gulf coast and Yucatan peninsula in Mexico during the fall migration period from 2008 to
2013,to track the movements and activity of Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus), Swainson’sThrushes (Catharus ustulatus), Wood Thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina), Gray Catbirds(Dumetella carolinensis), Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds(Archilochus colubris). To date, individuals of all species, except the Ruby-throatedHummingbird, that were radio tagged along the northern Gulf coast, were detected in Mexico,although the proportion detected varied among species. Wood Thrushes and Swainson’sThrushes had the highest detection rates (40% and 30%, respectively). Arrival of Swainson’sThrushes in Mexico was related to departure direction from the northern coast and body
condition, but not age or wing length. Young Swainson’s Thrushes migrating for the first time
had shorter flight times across the gulf than adults. Swainson’s Thrushes’ body condition andwing length were not related to flight duration, although body condition influenced departure
direction. Specifically, lean Swainson’s Thrushes moved inland while fat Swainson’s Thrushes
were more likely to engage in trans-gulf migration. Some individuals of all species madereverse movements inland, although the reasons behind many of these movements remain
unclear.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS33 Departure decisions in nocturnal migrants

s33-4

Optimal wind selectivity and flight orientation on departure among avian
migrants – dependencies on prevailing wind conditions and flight distances
J.D. McLaren, J. Shamoun-Baranes and W. Bouten

Computational Geo-Ecology, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Email: J.D.McLaren@uva.nl

Incident wind conditions often exert a strong influence on departure decisions of migrating birds,
and on their subsequent orientation, including compensation for wind drift. We estimatedoptimal wind selectivity after civil dusk and subsequent flight orientation in three migration
systems using individual-based models together with dynamic wind data, and compared model
results with remote sensing data. Simulated long-distance passerine migration along the western
European flyway indicated that both departing in prevailing unsupportive winds and partiallycompensating for drift on departure are important to maintain fast migration schedules and avoid
the ocean barrier. This behaviour matched radar measurements of passerines departing for
migration after civil dusk. Simulations of mass migration of songbirds across the North Sea,
which were measured by radar, were indicative of selection of supportive winds and flexible andpro-active compensation for upcoming winds. Contrastingly, simulations of endurance flights byGreat Snipes departing Sweden revealed that Africa could be reached reliably withoutcompensating for incident wind on departure, with tailwinds on departure reducing required
departure fuel loads. We conclude that both departure schedules and orientation strategies candepend strongly on both prevailing winds and flight distances. Finally, we discuss possible tradeoffs between departure fuel loads and wind selectivity in light of fitness consequences.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS33 Departure decisions in nocturnal migrants

s33-5

Physiological conditions influence stopover decision in short-distance migrants
Sara Lupi 1, Marco Cianchetti 1, Massimiliano Cardinale 2, Wolfgang Goymann 3, and Leonida
Fusani 1
1

Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Italy
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute forMarine Research, Lysekil, Sweden
3
Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
Email: sara.lupi@unife.it
2

Birds spend more than 80% of migration at stopover sites to rest and refuel. Because stopover has
intrinsic costs in terms of energy and time, birds should try to minimize its duration, which depends
on both external and internal factors such as endogenous programmes and physiological conditions.
In previous studies on free-living long-distance migrant Garden Warblers Sylvia borin, whitethroat
Sylvia communis, and Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, we found a strong correlation between indices ofcondition and migratory disposition, measured as the amount of nocturnal restlessness shown inregistration cages overnight. These results were later confirmed by a whole-island telemetry study
on garden warblers: birds in good conditions minimized actual stopover duration compared to birds
in poor conditions. Here, we present the results of recent studies on the relationship between
condition and migratory behaviour in birds that migrate over shorter distances. We focused on three
short-distance migratory passerines: Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros, Robin Erithacus
rubecula and Stonechat Saxicola torquata, which winter North of the Sahara. The study was
conducted in the spring of 2011-2013 at our Research Station in Ponza, a major stopover site fortrans-Mediterranean migrants. Migratory birds were caught in the morning with mist-nets andhosted overnight in custom-made cages to record the intensity of nocturnal restlessness (Zugunruhe).
We found strong correlations between indicators of condition and Zugunruhe, with a pattern thatwas similar across the three species. In conclusion, our work shows that the physiological signals
regulating the decision to prolong stopover or resume migration are similar in short and longdistance migrants.

147

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS34 Effects of radiation on birds and other organisms: Chernobyl, Fukushima and beyond

s34-1kChernobyl, Fukushima and other hot places: biological consequences ofnuclear accidents for avifauna
T.A. Mousseau1 and A.P. Møller2
1

Biological Sciences and Environment and Sustainability Program, University of South
Carolina, Columbia, USA
2
Laboratoire Ecologie, Systematique et Evolution, Université Paris-Sud XI, Orsay,
FranceEmail: Mousseau@sc.edu
Recent scientific studies of the plants and animals living in Chernobyl, Fukushima andother naturally radioactive regions around the world provide strong evidence that
exposure to radionuclides in the environment can lead to elevated mutation rates, reduced
fertility and longevity, increased rates of developmental abnormalities, tumors andcataracts, reduced biodiversity and population abundances, and even local extinction.
Analysis of these findings indicate that there is no threshold radiation level below whichbiological consequences are not observed and that even very low levels of exposure canmeasurably impact natural populations, particularly following multiple generations ofchronic exposure. A meta-analysis of published studies for populations in naturally
radioactive regions of the world suggests some organisms can evolve resistance toradiation although there is no evidence for hormesis. A comparison of the impacts ofradiation in Fukushima versus Chernobyl on identical passerine bird species suggests that27 years of selection may have reduced population average sensitivity to mutagens.
Curiously, historical mtDNA substitution rates within a taxon predict sensitivity andfitness consequences for a species’ exposure to radiation. These findings will be
discussed in light of recent deliberations concerning acceptable levels of exposure toradioactive materials stemming from nuclear technologies and the long-term ecologicaland evolutionary consequences of nuclear accidents.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS34 Effects of radiation on birds and other organisms: Chernobyl, Fukushima and beyond

s34-2kEffects of radiation exposure on species diversity and population densityof birds at Fukushima
P. Møller 1 and T. A. Mousseau 2
1

Ecologie Systematique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, F-91405 Orsay, France

2

Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC , USA

Email: anders.moller@u-psud.fr
Birds are among the most radiosensitive organisms due to their high metabolic rate andhence high rate of ingestion of food, including radionuclides. The abundance anddiversity of breeding birds at Fukushima were assessed using standard point counts at
400 sites varying in background radiation from 0.2 to 38.1 mSv/h. Both the abundance
and the diversity of birds declined with increasing background radiation independent ofconfounding variables such as habitat, weather and time of day. Abundance and diversity
declined with increasing contamination from 2011 to 2012, and this effect was
independent of whether birds were associated with human habitation. Turnover inabundance of birds at census points between years was mainly explained by radiation andpopulation density. The frequency of juvenile birds decreased at higher levels of radiationconsistent with reduced reproductive success, and the frequency of singing birds
increased at higher levels of radiation suggestive of differential female mortality. Severalof these findings parallel the situation in Chernobyl.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS34 Effects of radiation on birds and other organisms: Chernobyl, Fukushima and beyond

s34-3

Radioactive contamination of nest materials of Eurasian Tree
Sparrows due to the Fukushima nuclear accident
S. Matsui1, S. Kasahara1, G. Morimoto1, 2, O.K. Mikami3, M. Watanabe4 and K.Ueda1
1 Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
2 Tokyo-bay ecosystem research center, Toho University, Chiba, Japan
3 Department of Biology, Iwate- Medical University, Iwate, Japan
4 Conservation Ecology Laboratory, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Email: matsuishin@hotmail.com

The 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident contaminated large areas of eastern andnortheastern Japan, releasing vast amounts of radiation that are likely to have a negative
impact on animal life. Cavity nesting birds may be at higher risk of radiation exposure
because they build nests from materials that may be coated with radioactive particles.
Here we investigated spatial and temporal changes in radioactive contamination of nest
materials in the Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus from the breeding season of2011 directly after the Fukushima nuclear accident to the next breeding season of 2012
in Ibaraki (175 km southwest of the plant) and Tokyo (222 km southwest of the plant).
In Tokyo, γ radiation levels in nestboxes were lower than those in Ibaraki, where thelevels of 2011 were higher than those of 2012. Further, the amount of radioactive Cs ineach nest increased with the increase in nest weight, with a higher increment at Ibaraki
than at Tokyo. These are the first data to suggest that γ radiation levels in nests could behigher in the breeding season directly after a nuclear accident than in later seasons, andthat nest materials of birds can increase the radiation levels to which parents and theiroffspring are exposed in higher contaminated areas.

150

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS34 Effects of radiation on birds and other organisms: Chernobyl, Fukushima and beyond

s34-4

Fukushima radiation exposure & effects in birds
A. Sternalski 1, S. Matsui 1 and C. Adam-Guillermin 1
1 Institute for Rafioprotection and Nuclear Safety, Ecotoxicology Laboratory ofRadionuclides, Cadarache Center, France
Email: Audrey.Sternalski@gmail.com
The effects of acute external gamma-radiations on a wide range of organisms are well known,
specifically under controlled conditions. However, the effects of chronic radionuclide
exposure on wild organisms, living in their environment, are poorly understood. Such studies
were undertaken after the recent Fukushima nuclear catastrophe to assess the effects ofionizing radiations on two wild bird species using nest-boxes (i.e. Varied Tit Parus varius andGreat Tit Parus major). We investigated breeding performance (i.e. laying date, clutch sizeand fledgling size), phenotypic (i.e. body condition and carotenoid-based traits expression)and physiological (i.e. haematology, circulating carotenoid, oxidative stress, hormonal pattern,genotoxicity) individual variations in relation to external radiation level but also internal
individual contamination, which may represent a contribution to total dose rate and thus an
important part of the potentiel effects of ionizing radiations on wild organisms.

151

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS35 Lifelong individual development as an important component of life historys35-1kCauses and consequences of ontogenetic change in birds
S. Bouwhuis, O. Vedder and P.H. Becker
Institute of Avian Research „Vogelwarte Helgoland“, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Email: sandra.bouwhuis@ifv-vogelwarte.de
Evidence that avian life-histories are characterised by within-individual change inphysiology, behaviour, reproductive performance and survival with age is rapidly
increasing. Less is known, however, about the extent to which rates of ageing vary
between individuals within species and populations, and about the causes orconsequences of such variation. Quantifying these links is important for understanding
the constraints and adaptive processes underlying the evolution of ageing andlife-histories. In this talk, we (i) present a detailed case study of determinants ofvariation in rates of ageing in physiology, reproductive performance and survival in thelong-lived Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), (ii) review studies that have similarly
investigated determinants of ageing rates in various traits in birds, (iii) discuss whether
current results comply with predictions from life-history theory, and (iv) suggest
avenues for future ageing research using birds as model organisms.

152

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS35 Lifelong individual development as an important component of life historys35-2kAdaptive responses over the lifetime toecological and social adversity in infancy
H. Drummond and S. Ancona
Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
Email: hugh@unam.mx
Stressful environments encountered by animals early in development are known to havenegative consequences over the long term, prejudicing adult survival and reproduction.
However, most support for these effects in birds comes from experimental challenges tocaptive individuals and we still don’t know how general these effects are in wild birds.
When we tested for such effects in the Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) in two quite
different contexts, we found developmental resilience, life history plasticity andintergenerational effects. (1) Nestlings that grew up submitting to daily aggression froman elder sibling and experiencing elevated circulating corticosterone, as well as reduced
food intake and growth (followed by catch-up growth) performed just as well as their
dominant siblings in terms of annual survival up to age 20 years, recruitment, annual
breeding success up to age 16 years, natal dispersal, aggressive nest defence and immune
responsiveness; but in the first few years of adult life they were slightly underweight andfledged offspring with poor prospects of recruiting. (2) Among 11 cohorts, nestlings thatgrew up in El Niño years, although underweight at fledging, recruited at a younger age
and took more sabbaticals and, in the first 10 years at least, showed no deficit inlongevity or breeding success; and daughters of females that experienced El Niño as
nestlings showed improved breeding success. It may be important that minimization of
costs through resilience, plasticity and intergenerational effects was documented inrelation to environmental and social challenges of the nature and magnitude that thislong-lived species routinely faces in the natural marine environment. Hopefully, we will
also be able to present at the symposium our ongoing analysis of a possible Predictive
Adaptive Response: superior performance in El Niño years of adults that experienced El
Niño early in life.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS35 Lifelong individual development as an important component of life historys35-3

Differences in the rate of improvement in reproductive performance of longlived and shorter-lived Tree Swallows in New York, USA
D.W. Winkler, A. Belmaker, R. Shipley, K. Hallinger, A. Bhole, T. Pegan, K. Lauck, S.
Orzechowski, H.S. Yoon
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
Email: dww4@cornell.edu
We report on patterns in reproductive histories of over 2500 Tree Swallow females in a 28-yearnest-box study near Ithaca, New York. The reproductive careers of females on our study sites
ranged from 1 to 10 years in length. Lay date is the single most important indicator of adultquality in Tree Swallows, and those females that had the longest reproductive careers (6 years ormore) tended to start their reproductive careers in their first year with a later breeding attempt.
By the second year, they were breeding earlier than average and remained earlier than the
population mean throughout the rest of their reproductive histories. Birds with shorter life-spans
improved in their laydates over time, but more gradually and not as strongly as did the longerlived birds. Laydate interacts with many other life history traits, and in this talk we will explore
how long-lived and shorter-lived females differed in their life-long trajectories in clutch size,
chic growth rates, hatching success and fledging success, as well as how their patterns of
movements and those of their offspring varied with age and how birds of different life-spans
coped with inclement weather.

154

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS35 Lifelong individual development as an important component of life historys35-4

How does reproductive effort influence telomere length in the Blue
Tit?
J. Sudyka
Population Ecology Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University,
Kraków, Poland
Email: joanna.sudyka@uj.edu.pl

Ageing constitutes a hot topic among researchers in evolutionary biology. This interest
is not only due to observed variation between organisms but also due to the fact that thisissue can be directly related to humans. There is accumulating evidence that telomeres,protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, shorten with age and this may potentiallyexplain some of the observed variation in longevity. Somatic deterioration reflected in
telomere decay in ageing animals may arise from allocation of resources in reproduction
at the expense of repair and maintenance. Such presumption is based on the idea oftrade-offs, which is essential to understand the evolution of life histories and ageing as apart of it. However, the link between telomere length and reproductive performancereceived surprisingly little attention.
The main question is whether increased reproductive effort impacts telomere loss. I
analysed data gathered throughout a long-term (2003-2013) study of wild Blue Tits
(Cyanistes caeruleus). An experimental brood size manipulation was applied: somebroods were enlarged after clutch completion while others remained unaltered as acontrol. I sampled adults in the year of manipulation and in the subsequent year after
recapturing survivors. This way I investigate the change of telomere length from one
year to another. Preliminary findings show that, indeed, experimental birds suffer
greater telomere shortening, and the outcome of manipulation on telomeres varies
between years. I will discuss possible explanations for these intriguing results.
Additionally, I will outline an impact of deteriorated nest conditions (e.g. increased
sibling competition in experimentally enlarged broods) on telomere shortening bycomparing the young reared in experimental and control nests.

155

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS35 Lifelong individual development as an important component of life historys35-5

Within-individual approach to sex ratio variation in breeding
Common Terns: does experience matter?
M. M. Benito1, J. González-Solís2 and P.H. Becker3
1

tier3 solutions GmbH, Am Wallgraben 1, D-42799 Leichlingen, Germany
Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio) and Dept. Biologia Animal (Vertebrats),
Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
3
Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, D-26386
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Email: mmartinezb@ub.edu
2

Sex allocation theory in bird species is being increasingly studied with long-term data ofsex ratios, which are more robust against sporadic relationships and hint at individual
patterns at the population level. However, the study of variance in brood sex ratios has
limited potential to explain general trends, and so far consistent evidence of adaptive
sex ratio manipulation is lacking. Alternatively, analyses of the variation within
individual birds across years is a powerful method to determine the factors that
influence brood sex ratio, since parents are expected to bias offspring sex according totheir state and particular breeding situation. In the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
previous comparisons at the between-individual level suggest the occurrence of sex
ratio adjustment in relation to parental factors. Specifically, the proportion of daughters
increased with brood size and maternal breeding experience, suggesting that the
reproductive value of sons and daughters may vary and parents benefit from sex-biased
investment under specific circumstances. Whether this is due to a decline in breeding
performance or related to more experience is analysed based on individual trajectories
of female common terns and their partners over an 11-year period. Moreover, analysis
of within-individual sex ratio variation across first and replacement broods of the same
pair and year also allows investigation of the effect of seasonality while removing
effects attributable to individual birds. Thus, this within-individual approach to therelationships between brood sex ratio and parental factors provides valuable insights
into individual investment in offspring of different sex, with likely consequences on
individual fitness and demography.

156

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS36 Colour polymorphisms

s36-1kThe adaptive value of melanin-based color morphs: a role for themelanocortin system.
Alexandre Roulin
Alexandre.Roulin@unil.ch
The maintenance of genetic variation is a long-standing issue because the adaptive
value of life history strategies associated with each genetic variant is usually unknown.
Because in several species heritable melanin-based color morphs show different
physiological and behavioral norms of reaction, color polymorphism is an appropriate
system to investigate the proximate basis of adaptations. A recent genetic model
suggests that pleiotropy could account for covariations between pigmentation,
behaviour, morphology, physiology and life history traits. I will present recently
published and unpublished data from two owl species about the role played by themelanocortin system in covariations between melanin-based color polymorphism andother phenotypic traits. Implications for understanding the adaptive value of color
morphs are discussed.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS36 Colour polymorphisms

s36-2kRedneck wonderland: maintenance of plumage colour diversity in aparrot species complex
Andy T.D. Bennett, Raoul F.H. Ribot, Justin Eastwood, Leo Joseph, Katherine L.
Buchanan, Ken Walder, Mathew L. Bergandy.bennett@deakin.edu.au
Rare cases of ring species, or circular overlaps, offer excellent opportunities to study
speciation because they can reveal how clinal variation across interbreeding populations
may lead to reproductive isolation. In an 8+ year study across southern Australia wemeasured phenotypic traits among multiple subspecies of the species complex
Platycercus elegans. We focused on breeding pairs in two clinally varying
populations/subspecies in order to evaluate the contribution of assortative mating topopulation divergence. Highly variable yellow-red plumage, based on psittacofulvinpigments unique to parrots, has hitherto been the only trait used to define subspecies, but
we found no assortative mating for these pigmentary colours. Instead we found thatvariation in pigmentary colours was associated with climate (average rainfall) and was
discordant with microsatellite variation, indicating a key role for selection inmaintaining diversity. By contrast, the ultraviolet-blue structural coloration based onfeather nanostructure showed assortative mating in both populations, and varied
geographically, but this variation was distinct from the pigmentary coloration. Our
results suggest that structural coloration provides more significant sexual signals thanpigmentary coloration in this parrot, and in parrots in general. The possible role ofdisease in maintaining variability in this species complex is also discussed, along withhow our findings may suggest refinements to Mayr’s ring species hypothesis.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS36 Colour polymorphismss36-3

Amount of variation in multiple colouration traits within populations on a large
spatial scale in the Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)

P.M. Sirkiä 1, 2, P. Adamík 3, A.V. Artemyev 4, E. Belskii 5, C. Both 6, S. Bureš 3, M. Burgess 7, A.V.
Bushuev 8, J.T. Forsman 9, V. Grinkov 8, D. Hoffmann 10, A. Järvinen 11, M. Král 12, I. Krams 13, H.M. Lampe
14, J. Moreno 15, M. Mägi 16, A. Nord 17, J. Potti 18, P.-A. Ravussin 19, L. Sokolov 20 and T. Laaksonen 1, 21
1Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Sweden
3
Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Palacky University, Czech Republic
4
Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Science, Petrozavodsk, Russia
5Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Russian Academy of Science, Ekaterinburg, Russia
6
Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands
7
Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter,UK
8
Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Russia
9Department of Biology, University of Oulu, Finland
10
Harthausen, D-67376, Germany
11
Kilpisjärvi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Finland
12Valšův Důl, CZ-783 86 Dlouhá Loučka, Czech Republic
13
Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, Latvia
14
Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Norway
15
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
16
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Department of Zoology, University of Tartu, Estonia
17
Department of Biology, Section of Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Sweden
18
Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
19
Rue du Theu, CH-1446 Baulmes, Switzerland
20
Biological Station of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Science, Rybachy, Russia
21
Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Finland
Email: pmsirk@utu.fi
2Colour polymorphism with a genetic background provides a visible proxy for genetic differences between
populations and for changes in the composition of populations. Colour polymorphism thus presents an
excellent opportunity to study evolutionary potential and evolution in action. There are relatively few studies
on patterns of colour polymorphism on large geographical scales and even less attention has been paid todifferences in the amount of variation of traits within populations across large scales. Variation around themean within and among populations is nonetheless interesting as it is the raw material for selection. Potential
for evolutionary change is largely dependent on the amount of variation present. On the other hand, variation
within populations can reflect selection history. We analysed standardised data on male plumage colourationof the Pied Flycatcher from 19 populations across the breeding range. In this species males display multiple
apparent ornaments, such as melanin-based dorsal colouration, a white forehead patch, and conspicuous
white wing and tail patches. We were particularly interested in analysing the amount of variation in multiple
phenotypic traits within populations across the breeding area. We studied the relationships between thecoefficients of variation within populations, mean colouration traits and current selection on these traits. In
addition, we investigated associations between the amount of variation in multiple colouration traits andvariation in environmental conditions. We discuss the role of the amount of variation in plumage colourationreflecting evolutionary potential, the underlying processes leading to geographic variation, and what we canlearn from large scale studies on colour polymorphism.
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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS36 Colour polymorphismss36-4

Causes and consequences of plumage polymorphism in the Common
Buzzard Buteo buteo
N. Chakarov 1, M. Boerner 1 and O. Krüger 1
1

Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Germany
Email: oliver.krueger@uni-bielefeld.de
Discovering the mechanisms which maintain genetic polymorphisms in natural
populations is a long-standing challenge for evolutionary biologists. In the common
buzzard Buteo buteo, three plumage morphs exist and individuals with intermediately
melanised plumage can have twice higher lifetime reproductive success than dark andlight morphs. However, the functional cause of this advantage is not known. We havelooked at a number of candidate explanations for these fitness differences. We
demonstrate that morphs cannot be distinguished in their heterozygosity, based on 14
microsatellite loci, and thus inbreeding is an improbable reason for the heterozygote
advantage. Buzzard juvenile dispersal was estimated from wing-tag resightings and is
explained by plumage morph and the allele frequencies of three candidate genes forbehavioural timing. Female buzzards of the intermediate morph also breed earlier thanextreme morphs, and their nestlings had exceptional allele frequencies for one of thephenological candidate genes. Buzzard ectoparasite loads indicate that infestation ishigher in darker plumage morphs. On the contrary, the malaria-like blood parasite
Leucocytozoon exhibited lowest intensity of infection in dark nestlings. However, dark
nestlings had a 15% higher probability of having a Leucocytozoon infection. Two
immune-stimulation experiments show that differences in parasite infestation may becaused by different immune profiles of nestlings of different morphs. Overall, theresults indicate that fitness differences between buzzard plumage morphs may arise
mainly due to physiological differences which put extreme morphs at a disadvantage
under diverse selection pressures, among which parasites may be particularly important.
Such physiological differences may be rooted in the melanin metabolism or in a
potentially complex genetic architecture of discrete morphs.

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The Niche Expansion Hypothesis: a novel hypothesis to explain themaintenance of polymorphism for species with bi-parental care.
Arjun Amar1, Gareth Tate1 and Ann Koeslag1
Percy FitzPatrick Institute for African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence,
University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Email: arjun.amar@uct.ac.za

We propose a novel hypothesis for the maintenance of colour polymorphism for species withbi-parental care. The Niche Expansion Hypothesis postulates that pairs which comprise ofcontrasting morphs would be better able to exploit a wider range of environmental conditions
or prey than pairs containing the same morphs, and thereby have overall greater access toresources and thus higher reproductive output. This hypothesis, therefore, draws on similar
theories which have been proposed to explain sexual dimorphism within raptors. Differencesin resource use between morphs may occur because morphs may have differential foraging
success in different habitats, in different weather conditions, or on different prey types. If so,
we predict that over the course of the breeding season the cumulative prey deliveries would
be higher or more regular for Mixed than Pure pairs and that reproductive output would also
be higher. We test this hypothesis and these predictions using long-term (13 years)
monitoring data from a polymorphic black sparrowhawk population on the Cape Peninsula,South Africa. We contrast reproductive output between Mixed than Pure pairs, and use
remote cameras at nest sites to examine whether prey delivery rates differ between pairs
comprising of contrasting or similar morphs.

161

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS37 Genomes and the evolution of modern birdss37-1kGenerating a bird genome resource: insights in the avian Tree Of Life,
complex traits, and genome evolution.

Erich D. Jarvis1, Guojie Zhang2,3, M. Thomas P. Gilbert4, Jon Fjeldså5, The Avian
Phylogenomics Consortium, and The Avian Comparative Genomics Consortium
1

Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center and Howard Hughes Medical
Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
2
China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
3
Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
4
Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen,Denmark
5
Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, the Natural History Museum of Denmark,
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Email: jarvis@neuro.duke.edu
Here we will present a summary of an international avian genomes project led byinvestigators from BGI and other institutions worldwide. The project’s core aims are to
exploit this data in resolving the avian Tree of Life, characterizing avian genome evolution,
exploring the genetic basis of complex traits and diseases, and to provide a public resource forthe avian genomics community. In the initial phase of our project, we have collected or
assembled the genomes of 48 avian species representing all Neognathae (Neoaves andGalloanseres) and several Palaeognathae orders. We inferred a resolved avian phylogeny that
supports some previous controversial relationships, and reveals new ones. This includes
identification of the initial Neoavian divergences, which was followed by a rapid radiation of
species around the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event for other species 66 million
years ago. We infer that the common ancestor of core (higher) landbirds was a predator, andthis behavior was independently lost in parallel derived lineages. Other Neoavian traits that
underwent parallel evolution in different lineages, two independent gains each of adaptation
to aquatic environments and complex vocal learning. We found convergent sequence andgene regulation changes in the associated brain circuits of vocal learning bird species andhumans, and they were enriched for genes involved in neural connectivity. Even though bird
genomes have all the necessary genetics for these and other complex traits, they have amassive genome size reduction relative to other vertebrates, and this was explained by amassive erosion of repetitive elements, large segmental deletions, and some protein coding
gene loss particularly for those that already had a sister paralogue in the genome. Currently
we are in the second phase of the project, in which we are sequencing the genomes of at least
one species of all avian families. With this data we aim to further resolve outstanding
questions, and present a public resource. Overall, we hope that this project will help scientists
make more rapid advances using avian genomes.

162

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS37 Genomes and the evolution of modern birdss37-2kConserved non-exonic elements: a new class of marker in avian
phylogenomics
Scott V. Edwards1, Alison Cloutier2, Craig B. Lowe3, Allan J. Baker2, Julia A. Clarke4,
David Haussler5

1

Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary
Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

2

Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada

3

Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine,
Stanford, CA

4Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX

5Center for Biomolecular Science & Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz,CA

E-mail: sedwards@fas.harvard.edu
Genome-wide markers in birds have the potential not only to resolve phylogenetic relationships
but also to reveal molecular signatures underlying major adaptive innovations. Conserved nonexonic elements (CNEEs) are similar to ultraconserved elements (UCEs), but, unlike UCEs, they
are identified and delimited by a specific statistical (Hidden Markov) model, rather than by
BLAST searches, and are found entirely in non-coding regions of the genome. CNEEs are
discovered using computational tools involving whole-genome alignments and a Hidden Markov
model to measure patterns of constraint relative to a neutral baseline, suggesting they may containconsiderable phylogenetic and functional genomic information. We used a 19-way vertebratealignment, including new draft genomes from Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) and Chilean
Tinamou (Nothoprocta perdicaria) to describe the evolutionary dynamics of CNEEs in birds andrelatives. We identified over 600,000 CNEEs across vertebrates. Using 3,948 long (> 400 bp)
CNEEs and species-tree methods such as MP-EST, we found that CNEEs gave good resolution ofavian phylogeny and compared favorably to UCEs and introns analyzed across the same genomes.
We then focused on CNEEs as markers for evolutionary innovation, using the evolution offeathers as a test case. To better understand the molecular basis of feather evolution, we surveyed
the literature and found over 200 genes that have been implicated in feather development(feather-related genes or FRGs). We identified 10,983 CNEEs falling in the genomic vicinity of
FRGs and used these to monitor the changes in regulatory innovation associated with these genes
in various vertebrate clades. Our analysis suggests that CNEEs of FRGs have evolved
dynamically throughout vertebrate evolution and experienced a spike in origination rates in thecommon ancestor of birds and also of amniotes. Our results suggest that, quantitatively, genomic
innovations associated with feather evolution have been largely noncoding, and that CNEEs will
be useful as phylogenomic markers.

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Retroposon insertions are genome-wide witnesses of incomplete lineage
sorting during the radiation of Neoaves
A. Suh 1, L. Smeds 1, G. Zhang 2, M.T.P. Gilbert 3, E.D. Jarvis 4 and H. Ellegren 1
1

Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala
University, Uppsala, Sweden
2
Department of Science & Technology, Bioinformatics Center Division, Beijing
Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, China
3
Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of
Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark4
Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University
Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Email: alexander.suh@ebc.uu.se

Adaptive radiations in birds, such as the rapid diversifications of Darwin’s finches or
early Neoaves, are unique circumstances for the occurrence of incomplete lineage
sorting (ILS). ILS is the persistence of a genetic polymorphism during multiple
speciation events and the subsequent fixation of one allele per descending species. This
results in hemiplasy, which is a distribution of homologous alleles violating the species
tree. Insertions of retroposons, transposable elements that copy and paste via an RNA
intermediate, have been previously used to detect ILS in the deep phylogenies ofrodents as well as placental mammals. This is because presence/absence patterns ofretroposon insertions exhibit very low levels of homoplasy and their discordances are
restricted to very short internodes in phylogenetic trees, thus reflecting hemiplasy. Here,as part of the efforts in analyzing the first 48 bird genomes of the B10K project, westudied retroposon insertions on a genome-wide scale and across the breadth of thediversity of Neoaves. Our comprehensive data set of hundreds of retroposon markers
located ILS-affected loci in bird genomes and provide evidence for a high degree of ILS
in those parts of the neoavian tree that are most difficult to resolve in whole-genome
sequence analyses, such as the position of owls. Simultaneously, we show that many
nodes of the neoavian tree are either not or only marginally affected by ILS, which
substantiates the topological findings of sequence-based analyses. Apart from being thehitherto largest retroposon-based phylogenomic analysis, our study provides
unprecedented insights into the temporal and genomic extent of incomplete lineage
sorting during early neoavian diversification, and promises to permit the reconstructionof the demography of the neoavian ancestor during diversification.

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Regulatory mechanisms of the singing-related genome of songbirds
C. Frankl-Vilches1, H. Kuhl2, M. Werber2, M. Ko1, A. Bakker1, B. Timmermann and M.
Gahr1
1

Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology,
Seewiesen-Starnberg, Germany.
2
Sequencing Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin,
Germany
Email: frankl@orn.mpg.de
The evolution of vocal learning among birds is not well understood. It seems that thistrait evolved independently in three avian taxa, the hummingbirds, the parrots and the
songbirds. The appearance of new technologies allows the sequencing of bird genomes
which facilitates the understanding of molecular processes involved in development andactivity of neural circuits controlling learned vocalizations. We compared genomic
regulatory sequences of songbirds and non-songbirds based on genes differentiallyexpressed in the song control area (HVC), by means of RNAseq- and microarray-data.
These analyses show so far that vocal learning of songbirds is not simply explained bywinning or loosing of protein coding genes since most of such genes that are
up/down-regulated in HVC are found in genomes of vocal non-learning species.
However, the appearance of new transcription binding sites of genes expressed in HVC
and the appearance and loss of exons in songbird genomes compared to non-songbird
genomes as well as molecules that are not conserved between species such as lncRNAs
suggest taxa differences in the regulatory mechanisms that might lead to area-specificexpression profiles, which characterize the HVC of songbirds.

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Avian Genomics: Current Status and Future Opportunities
D.W. Burt 1

1

The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of
Edinburgh, UK
Email: dave.burt@roslin.ed.ac.uk
Our knowledge of avian genomes has increased rapidly over the past few years,
culminating in the publication of the chicken genome in 2004, a milestone in avian
genetics and evolutionary biology. This was followed by the Zebra Finch genome, ananimal model for studies in neurobiology. Recent advances in DNA sequencing now
make it possible to produce draft sequences of any vertebrate genome, quickly andcheaply. Using these technologies we have seen the completion of the genome
sequences of the Turkey, Mallard Duck and many other avian species, 57 species
completed so far. The annotation of the chicken genome has also been under continuous
improvement, the latest revision (Ensembl build 71) has taken advantage of hugevolumes of transcriptome data generated by RNA sequencing, in addition to theconventional comparative approaches. This combined approach provides improved genemodels, which were validated by experimental information on expression. So far thishas worked well for the coding genes and further improvements are expected for the
non-coding RNA genes in next few months. Currently access to these genomes andannotations is through a number of international genome databases. However theseadvances in genome sequencing, genome assembly and annotation also bring problems
associated with scalability. How do we assemble so many genomes? Should wecontinue to annotate each genome separately using RNA sequencing and comparative
data? How should we access these data? Should we maintain separate genome databasesfor each species? I will review the current status of avian genome annotation anddiscuss some of these questions.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS38 Evolutionary Morphology of Birds: New Methods and Concepts

s38-1kThe interdependent evolution of theflight, feeding, respiratory and vocalization apparatus in birds: advances in
3D visualization and animation
D.G. Homberger
Dept. of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA
E-mail: zodhomb@lsu.edu
The capacity for flight imposes strict mechanical demands on the body construction of birds and,
therefore, also influences the structure and function of all organs. This structuralinterdependence needs to be analyzed by studying the functional morphology of the variousorgans simultaneously in order to discover emergent properties and multiple roles of individual
elements. This analytical approach has been significantly facilitated by recent advances in 3D
imaging and animation to supplement functional morphological data. A virtual 3D model of theskeleton of a bird can be created from an x-ray CT scan with visualization computer programs
and can subsequently be mobilized with animation computer programs. The configuration ofsuch a mobilized 3D model can be matched to that of individual frames of an x-ray video takenof particular behaviors. The emerging animated 3D model allows the exact analysis of the
movements by individual structural elements relative to each other. By adding the attachments
points of muscles and ligaments to the skeletal elements of such a model, the muscle contraction
pattern can be studied. Furthermore, recordings of various behavioral aspects, such as sound,
EMG, pressure, etc., can be synchronized with the animated 3D model. The analysis of a 3Dmodel combined with functional morphological data of songbirds and parrots revealed that (1)the integument of the neck not only ensures fusiform body contours needed during flight but also
tunes the resonance of vocalizations; (2) the evolution of tonal vocalizations may be dependentof the configuration of the pterylosis of the neck; (3) the movements of the tongue and larynx are
instrumental in adjusting the dimensions of the oro-pharyngo-esophageal cavity to tune thesounds generated by the syrinx; and (4) the evolution of complex vocalizations is dependent on
certain configurations of the feeding apparatus.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS38 Evolutionary Morphology of Birds: New Methods and Concepts

s38-2kAnalysis of morphology and functions of jaw apparatus of Vietnamese
Passerine birds (Passeriformes; Aves) helps us to specify their trophic
adaptations and systematic position
Mikhail V. Kalyakin
Zoological museum of Moscow Lomonosov State University
Bolshaya Nikitskaya Str., 6, Moscow, 125009, Russia
e-mail: kalyakin@zmmu.msu.ru & kalyakin@rambler.ru
The biology of many forest birds of Southeast Asia is still poorly known, requiring extensive
field study. Field data on the trophic features of Vietnamese forest Passerine birds were collated
during ecological investigations of the Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research Centre between
1989–2013. In this endeavour we applied an original method of morpho-functional analysis of
the jaw apparatus that has proven to be extremely useful in interpreting our field data andhypothesize certain features of a bird’s feeding biology in case direct observations were lacking.
Our method includes a detailed description of the morphology of the jaw apparatus, with asubsequent biomechanical analysis of its mechanical properties allowing the investigation of thepossible evolution of trophic adaptations in selected species and groups. A comparison of several
congeneric species provides insight into the feeding adaptations within several genera of
pycnonotid (bulbuls) and timaliid species and – on an even broader scale – between several
families of Vietnamese Passerine birds. Besides data on pycnonotid (16 species) and timaliid (11species) birds, data on selected representatives of “former families” (i.e. Corvidae, Rhipiduridae,
Oriolidae, Campephagidae, Dicruridae, Chloropseidae, Irenidae, Monarchidae, Aegithinidae,
Dicaeidae, Nectarinidae, Sturnidae, Muscicapidae and Zosteropidae) were selected to specify
their trophical adaptations. Our data are used for the prediction of the ecological niches of
species and their preferred habitat types, as well as their reactions to changes in the habitat. The
results also show the degree of species or group specialization to the different trophic strategies,
i.e. insectivory, frugivory, nectarivory, carnivory, granivory and herbivory. These recently
collated data allow tracing the main routes of historical modifications of the basic trophicalstatus of Passerines birds ,which is an adaptation to collecting small but abundant animal food.
Based on these data several conclusions on the systematics of Old World Passerines are alsopresented

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s38-3

The songbird syrinx morphome:a three-dimensional, high-resolution, interactive morphological map ofthe Zebra Finch vocal organ
Daniel N Düring, Coen P.H. Elemans1
1

Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark
Email: coen@biology.sdu.dk
Like human infants, songbirds learn their species-specific vocalizations throughimitation learning. The birdsong system has emerged as a widely used experimental
animal model for understanding the underlying neural mechanisms responsible for
vocal production learning. However, how neural impulses are translated into precise
motor behavior of the complex vocal organ (syrinx) to create song is poorly understood.
First and foremost, we lack a detailed understanding of syringeal morphology. To fillthis gap we combined non-invasive (high-field magnetic resonance imaging andmicro-computed tomography) and invasive techniques (histology and micro-dissection)
to construct the annotated high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) dataset, or morphome,of the Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) syrinx. We identified and annotated syringeal
cartilage, bone, and musculature in situ in unprecedented detail. We provide interactive
3D models that greatly improve the communication of complex morphological data andof our understanding of syringeal function in general. Our results show that thesyringeal skeleton is optimized for low weight driven by physiological constraints onsong production. The present refinement of muscle organization and identity elucidates
how apposed muscles actuate different syringeal elements. Our dataset allows for more
precise predictions about muscle co-activation and synergies and has important
implications for muscle activity and stimulation experiments. We also demonstrate how
the syrinx can be stabilized during song to reduce mechanical noise and, as such,enhance repetitive execution of stereotypic motor patterns. In addition, we identify acartilaginous structure suited to play a crucial role in the uncoupling of sound frequency
and amplitude control, which permits a novel explanation to the evolutionary success of
songbirds.

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s38-4

Peculiarities of deep dorsal thigh muscles in moa (Aves,
Dinornithiformes)
Andrei V. Zinoviev
Department of Biology, Tver State University, Tver, Russia
Email: m000258@tversu.ru

The so-called deep dorsal thigh muscles of birds underwent a number of modifications
over the course of evolution from an archosaurian ancestor. Of five muscles, comprising
the group, only m. iliotrochantericus caudalis is generally well developed. Other
weaker muscles either assist the caudal iliotrochanteric muscle in inward rotation of thefemur (m. iliotrochantericus cranialis and m. i. medius), or have stronger synergists inabduction (m. iliofemoralis externus) and outward rotation (m. iliofemoralis internus) of
femur. The trend to better development of the last four muscles is displayed by large
cursorial flightless birds, such as ratites. M. iliotrochantericus caudalis in Ostrich, Emu,
Cassowary and Rhea is bulky and multipinnate. Moa have surpassed modern ratites inthe development of deep dorsal thigh muscles. M. iliofemoralis externus of these birds
was multipinnate at the origin; mm. iliotrochanterici cranialis et medius, althoughparallel-fibered, had larger bodies. Generally vestigial or altogether absent in modern
birds, m. iliotrochantericus internus of the Moa was not only considerably larger; its
point of insertion shifted from the medial surface of the femoral shaft to its cranial
surface between the greater trochanter and caput femoris. None of the recent or extinct
birds (including Aepyornis), to my knowledge, show a similar shift.

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The pelvic system of birds and the origin of flight
P. Provini 1,2, A. Abourachid1
1
2

Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, UMR 7179, Paris, France
Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France

Email: provini@mnhn.fr

The acquisition of flight is an important step in the evolution of dinosaurs. Twoclassical hypotheses are invoked to explain its origin, the "arboreal" theory and the"cursorial" theory. In the cursorial theory, propulsion during take-off is fundamental,
whereas in the arboreal theory, dampening the impact during landing is the main
constraint. The integration of global kinematic data on the birds’ center of mass, groundreaction forces, and aerodynamic data, allowed the quantification of the relative
contribution of wings and legs during take-off and landing in two species of birds(Taeniopygia guttata and Geopelia cuneata). Our data demonstrated the prominent roleof the legs in the propulsion during take-off and the force absorption during landing. A
more detailed kinematic analysis, using X-ray methods (XROMM) revealed theimportance of not only the legs but also of the trunk during these phases. The trunk isassociated with the femur, highlighting the existence of two functional systems, thetrunk and the femur on the one hand, and the distal part of the hindlimbs on the otherhand. These functional links prompted us to analyze the relative proportions of thedifferent trunk parts, and the correlations between the trunk and hindlimb segments
proportions, among theropods. Morphological measurements were obtained on
mounted-skeletons of modern birds and on paleontological reconstructions of fossils.
The comparison of these two data sets provides new elements on the evolution of flightand of the morphological requirements for the origin of flight.

171

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS39 Ethno-ornithology: Birds, Culture & Conservations39-1kEthno-ornithology and environmental ethics in the southernmost forestsof the world
R. Rozzi
Department of Philosophy, University of North Texas, USA & Omora Ethnobotanical Park,
University of Magallanes - Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Chile
I recorded bird calls, indigenous names and stories of these birds in the southernmost
forests of world. In the Multi-Ethnic Bird Guide of the sub-Antarctic forests of SouthAmerica (2010) a synthesis of these recordings, illustrations, and texts about the Mapuche
and the Fuegian-Yahgan ethno-ornithological knowledge is presented. Based on these texts
and audio-visual materials, I analyze here the ethical implications of these bird stories, fromthe perspective of biological conservation and environmental philosophy. To allow
comparisons between indigenous and scientific ecological knowledge, I focus on two wellknown metaphors: the tree of life and the web of life. The analysis of the tree of life
metaphor allows us to conclude that both modern sciences and the indigenous cosmogonies
affirm a common origin for birds and humans. This notion supports the intrinsic value ofthe avifauna, because birds are regarded as our evolutionary relatives. This implies that, toa certain degree, the life of birds should be subject to moral considerations based on
ontological and ethical judgments commensurable with those involved in assessing thevalue of human life. The analysis of the web of life metaphor also reveals essential
correspondences between scientific knowledge and indigenous Yahgan and Mapuche
traditional ecological knowledge: both highlight the relevance of interactions among birds,
humans, and the whole community of co-inhabitants. The ethical imperatives implicit inthis metaphor are consistent with the notion of instrumental value. According to it, theconservation of birds can be regarded as an indispensable “instrument” for human wellbeing. Ancestral Amerindian ornithological knowledge and contemporary ecologicalsciences provide support for both the instrumental value and the intrinsic value of
biodiversity. At the beginning of the 21st century, South America represents a reserve of
biological and cultural diversity that offers unique opportunities to reorient global society
toward more sustainable and integral lifestyles.

172

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS39 Ethno-ornithology: Birds, Culture & Conservations39-2kOrnithophilia, ornithophobia: encounters and dialogues in the humanlandscapeSole Author: Mark Bonta
mab86@psu.edu
This presentation examines the manifold meanings of encounters between people and avifauna
within human landscapes of significance for conservation. Bird-human relationships ranging
from the purely observational to the purely exploitative, specific to individuals and communities
as well as cultures, present opportunities as well as risks for conservation science and praxis. The
talk draws from ethno-ornithological examples in Honduras, the US, and elsewhere to make acase for adequate, inclusive, but realistic ‘conservation dialogues.’

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The bird people: Jívaro traditional beliefs, ecological knowledge, andconservation of birds in the Peruvian Amazon
N. S. Arcilla, A. Tsamajain-Yagkuag2, S. Tsamajain-Yagkuag2, and O. Tsamajain-Shiwig2, and
R. J. Cooper1
1

Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
USA
2
Comunidad Nativa de Wawas-Anexo Wichim, dept. Amazonas, Perú
Email: nicole.sd.arcilla@gmail.com
The Jívaro people, an Amazonian indigenous group in northern Peru and eastern Ecuador, areperhaps historically best known to outsiders for their traditional practice of shrinking humanheads, but their cultural inheritance also includes extraordinarily rich knowledge of bird ecology,
taxonomy, and behavior that is highly conducive to bird conservation. Birds and bird-humaninteractions are prominently featured in Jívaro traditional mythology and spirituality, as we will
demonstrate through a brief presentation of selected Jívaro legends and stories from thepublished literature. This tradition is significant, as cultural attitudes towards birds may have a
far greater effect on the success or failure of bird conservation than official protection, especiallyin low-income countries where there is a lack of funding or political will to educate people about
the need for conservation or enforce protection. We will also present and discuss recent
collaborative ecological research from the Cordillera de Colán, northern Peru, an area nationallyand internationally recognized for its high bird diversity, which is inhabited and managed by
Aguaruna-Jívaro communities. These communities effectively protect their titled land fromcolonization by immigrants and associated large-scale deforestation and land-conversion, andthey also tightly control commercial hunting and logging. Community leaders have expressedinterest in supporting formal forest and bird conservation efforts, in part by banning the harvestof birds whose populations are perceived to be in decline, and supporting the establishment of aformal protected area, the Santuario Nacional Cordillera de Colán, adjacent to their titledcommunities. The success of these efforts in protecting indigenous land tenure and rights as wellas birds and habitat in a region of high biological importance appears to provide a model of joint
cultural and ecological conservation, as Aguaruna-Jívaro residents perceive the persistence of
healthy forest and forest bird communities and populations as critical to their own well-being.

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The bird trade in Taiwan: an analysis of an Eastern pathway tobiological invasions
S. Su 123, P. Cassey 2 and T.M. Blackburn 13
1

Department of Genetic, Evolution and Environment, University College London,
UK
2
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Australia
3
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, UK
Email: su.shan@ioz.ac.uk
Most comparative studies in avian invasion biology have been carried out in thecontext of European introductions. However, the invasion processes in Eastern
societies may be different from the Western context in terms of the composition, timeand motivation for species translocation and introduction, for example prayer animal
release, bird contests and caged birds culture. Our research aims to help address thisbias by exploring the composition and characteristics of bird species in the exotic bird
trade in Taiwan.
The invasion pathway is composed of a series of stages, each of which must be passed
for an invasion to be successful, and each of which should be studied separately.
Features of the early stages of invasion are key to understanding the whole invasion
process. We therefore investigated the species composition, numbers of birds andtheir prices in pet markets in Taiwan. We identified 247 bird species (within 34
families) for sale in pet markets across the country. We used randomization andmixed-modeling techniques to assess non-randomness in the composition andcharacteristics of these species relative to the global avifauna. We also exploreddeterminants of the prices of birds in the market. I will present the findings of theseanalyses, and discuss their implications in the context of the interaction of species
availability and the unique societal demands.

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Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand: inspiring environmental
stewardship though interactions with birds
M. Galbraith
Department of Natural Science, Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New
Zealand
Email: mailto:mgalbraith@unitec.ac.nz)
Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand, has an international profile as a successful
ecological restoration project. Following a long history of anthropogenic degradation,
ecological restoration of the island commenced in 1984. Restoration actions haveincluded a revegetation programme, the successful translocation of 11 native bird
species to the island and the eradication of the Pacific rat (Rattus exulans). The
restoration of the island had a specific aim of enhancing the habitat for indigenous
bird species. Many New Zealand birds have threatened status, and the establishmentof additional populations has been a critical conservation action for many species.
The restoration of Tiritiri Matangi has resulted in the natural recovery of local species
of indigenous birds, and allowed the translocation of others into the enhanced
environment. Threatened bird species are often confined to remote or generally
inaccessible reserves, and in such low numbers that sightings are improbable. On
Tiritiri Matangi, birds are generally numerous and very conspicuous. This has
allowed another restoration aim to be met – the provision for the New Zealand public
to view indigenous bird species. The island has more than 30,000 visitors a year,
many of whom experience close encounters with birds for the first time, or see rare
and iconic bird species they have never seen before. Many visitors return regularly tothe island, such is the significance of their experience. Feedback during guided walks
attest to this experience providing ornithological enlightenment. A community groupof island supporters allows those inspired by their experience to maintain an enduring
relationship with the island and to extend their involvement into ornithologicalresearch. For visitors to Tiritiri Matangi, the up-close interaction with indigenous
birds gives an appreciation of the importance of birds to the New Zealandenvironment, and facilitates environmental stewardship through application ofconservation philosophies elsewhere.

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S40 Turning the tide for East Asia’s migratory shorebirdss40-1kConserving migratory shorebirds in a rapidly changing world
Richard A. Fuller1, Robert S. Clemens1, Kiran L. Dhanjal-Adams1, Takuya Iwamura2,
Bruce E. Kendall3, Nicholas J. Murray, Hugh P. Possingham, Colin E. Studds &Howard B. Wilson
1

School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072,
Australia
2
Department of Biology and Department of Environmental Earth System Science,
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94035, USA.
3
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa
Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5131, USA.
Email: r.fuller@uq.edu.au
Millions of migratory shorebirds from Arctic Russia and Alaska winter in Australia and
New Zealand. We have discovered population declines of staggering severity andrapidity, with some migratory shorebird populations crashing by up to 80% in 20 years.
In Australia, migratory shorebirds are declining while resident species are not,suggesting that the causes for these declines may lie outside the country. Using satellite
data we have documented startlingly rapid loss of intertidal wetlands in eastern Asia, aregion known to be of critical importance as stopover habitat for many migratory
shorebirds. Two-thirds of the habitat has disappeared in 50 years. Moreover, ourmodeling work suggests that future habitat loss through sea-level rise could haveprofound implications for shorebird populations at a flyway level. Finally, we briefly
discuss some of the possible solutions to this difficult conservation problem, focusing
specifically on the need for collaboration throughout the flyway and the possibility ofcreating or restoring lost habitat.

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S40 Turning the tide for East Asia’s migratory shorebirdss40-2kMigratory shorebirds in the Yellow Sea: status, threats, andconservation
Zhijun Ma
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and EcologicalEngineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Email: zhijunm@fudan.edu.cn
Linking breeding and nonbreeding grounds, stopping (stopover and staging) sites
provide temporary rest or refuelling habitats for birds along their migratory routes,
thus play important roles in the success of migration. The coastal wetlands in the
Yellow Sea regions are critical stopping sites for over three million migratory
shorebirds in more than 30 species along the East Asia-Australasian Flyway. Here we
review the status, threats, and conservation of migratory shorebirds in the Yellow Sea
region. Recent studies have indicated an obvious decline of migratory shorebirds
along the Flyway and have linked the decline with the loss of stopping sites in the
Yellow Sea. Field surveys on marked individuals have indicated that the survival ratesof shorebirds decreased during migration while kept stable in the nonbreeding
grounds over the past years, providing evidences of threats to shorebirds en routes.
Currently, shorebirds are faced with multiple threats in the Yellow Sea region,
including habitat loss by enclose of coastal wetlands for agricultural and industrial
purpose, rapid spread of non-native Spartina alterniflora on the tidal flats,
concentration of pollutants from adjacent regions and delivered by river flow,
conflicts of use of tidal flats between human and shorebirds, and shrinkage of tidal
flats caused by sea level rise and coastal erosion. Although governments and NGOs
have recognized the threats to coastal wetlands and have taken actions to reduce orreverse the disadvantageous effects, more actions are required for conserving theirreplaceable stopping sites for shorebirds along the flyway.

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Simultaneous decreases in shorebird summer survival
suggest a flyway at risk
T. Lok 1,2, C. Hassell 1 and T. Piersma 1,2
1

Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies (CEES),
University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
2
Department of Marine Ecology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ),PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
3
Global Flyway Network, PO Box 3089, Broome, WA 6725, Australia
Email: t.lok@rug.nl
We investigate how industrial developments along the Chinese coast coincided withchanges in seasonal survival of three species of shorebirds (the Red Knot, Great Knot
and Bar-tailed Godwit) that depend on sites along the Chinese coast to refuel during
their migrations between the Siberian breeding grounds and the nonbreeding grounds innorthwest Australia. Analysis of eight years of observations on colour-banded
individuals shows that, whereas the survival in northwest Australia in late winter has
been constantly high, the survival during the time away from Australia severely
declined in all three species, with carry-overs after the return to the nonbreeding
grounds. In combination with estimates of changes in stopover duration and refuellingrates of red knots staging in Bohai Bay, this strongly suggests that shorebirds are
currently facing severe constraints when migrating through China.

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S40 Turning the tide for East Asia’s migratory shorebirds

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Conserving Southeast Asian shorebirds in natural and anthropogenic
habitats: an ecological and economic analysis
Jonathan M. H. Green1, Siriya Sripanomyom and David S. Wilcove2
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University,
Princeton, NJ 08544
1
Corresponding author: jmg3@princeton.edu
2Presenter: dwilcove@princeton.edu
The Inner Gulf of Thailand hosts tens of thousands of migrant and overwintering
shorebirds, including the endangered Nordmann’s Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) and thecritically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus). It also hosts
globally important numbers of 19 shorebird species. These birds feed on extensive
mudflats found in the Gulf and, at high tide, move inland to roost sites. It is generally
believed that the birds once roosted in saltmarshes above the mangroves. Very little ofthese marshes remain, however, as much of the supratidal coastal fringe is now used forsalt production and, in more recent years, aquaculture. While saltpans have long beenrecognised for their value to shorebirds, little is known about how the birds actually use
this anthropogenic habitat and, more importantly, whether the increased rates of
conversion of saltpans to aquaculture pose a serious threat to the shorebird populations
that pass through or overwinter here. To address these issues, we undertook over 200
shorebird surveys in saltpans and aquaculture ponds to assess which species use thesehabitats. We compared behaviour and foraging success between saltpans, aquaculture,and natural mashes. We also administered questionnaires to landowners in order toelucidate the economic incentives and motives behind conversion of saltpans toaquaculture. We show that aquaculture is indeed bad for some shorebirds, but not all,and that the financial incentives to convert to aquaculture are high. We also show that
there are also important differences in the distribution of benefits among land uses, andwe discuss the policy options available to conservationists, including ways in which theaquaculture can be managed to minimise its negative impacts on shorebird populations.

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s40-5International Cooperation in Migratory Waterbird Research andConservation in the East-Asian Australasian Flyway
Spike Millington1
1

East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) Secretariat, Incheon, Republicof Korea
Email: chief@eaaflyway.net
The East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) embraces 22 countries, from Alaska andArctic Far East Russia through East and South-east Asia to Australia and New Zealandand supports over 250 populations of migratory waterbirds, including cranes, ducks,
shorebirds and seabirds. It contains the highest number of threatened and declining
populations of any Flyway and these face a variety of pressures and threats as theymigrate through the Flyway. Among the long-distance migrants, several species havedeclined precipitously in recent years, with some, such as Spoon-billed Sandpiper andBaer’s Pochard on the verge of extinction. If present trends continue, this migration,
which has existed for millennia, will be abruptly halted for many species within ageneration. Migratory waterbirds are truly a shared biodiversity resource. Actions areneeded to identify migratory patterns of different species and populations, critical sites
for conservation and the variety, intensity and type of threats along the Flyway. Since
this is a trans-boundary issue, it requires an international response. The East Asian –Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) brings together representatives of national
governments along the Flyway, with international non-governmental organizations toaddress migratory waterbird conservation and combines a spatial approach toidentifying a critical site network with working groups of specialists on individual
waterbird groups and species. Critical to the development and implementation ofeffective conservation actions is timely and accessible science-based information. Yetdata and research vary widely in their availability and accessibility across the countriesof the Flyway. Capacity for data collection, targeted research and interpretation issimilarly variable, as is the sharing of such information.
Mechanisms are urgently needed to encourage data-sharing, a prioritized, cooperative
research agenda, capacity building and more effective linkages between research,monitoring and conservation policy and action throughout the countries of the Flyway

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS41 Persistent organic pollutants - lasting problems and new aspects in migratory birdss41-1kThe Black Stork – a New “Kid on the (Contamination) Stage” – New
and / or Previously Unnoticed Aspects of DDE Impact
M. Strazds
University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
Email: mstrazds@latnet.lv
The contamination with DDT and its breakdown products as a potential cause of
population decline of Black Stork have been studied in Europe since 2008. We havecollected failed eggs from nests in Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Poland, Czech Republic,
Germany and Belgium. DDT or its breakdown products were found in all analyzed eggs.
The ratio of DDT as a proportion of all DDT products increased the first three years of
our research and then levelled out. Since the Black stork has not been mentioned as the
species which was affected by DDT earlier we do not have information about criticalcontamination effects levels for this species. There are data however, suggesting that
DDT contamination might have affected Black Stork historically. Our data suggest thatthe eggshell thickness reduction has not (yet) reached the levels described as critical forother affected species. However, we found significant DDE concentration was related toreduction of egg volumes which in turn negatively affect hatching probability – eggs
smaller than certain size fail to hatch. The ratio of small eggs versus normal eggs has
increased recently. For example, in 2013 for the first time a few entire clutches were
below the volume-related hatching threshold. Another DDE-related impact is delay inegg laying. In DDE-contaminated females, the 1st egg is laid significantly later and theintervals between the subsequent eggs increase too. The data suggest that the negative
impact of DDE is more completely expressed if the food supply is insufficient. This
may affect survival of (young) females, which in turn result could result in a skewed
population sex ratio.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS41 Persistent organic pollutants - lasting problems and new aspects in migratory birdss41-2kMonitoring of contaminants and their effects in the Common Guillemot andthe White-tailed Sea Eagle
A. Bignert1, B. Helander1
Dep. of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History,
Stockholm, Sweden
Email: anders.bignert@nrm.se

A main purpose in marine contaminant monitoring in Europe is to evaluate chemical status
and environmental quality under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, with the goal tomonitor and achieve Good Environmental Status (GES). An important characteristic of agood matrix for monitoring purposes is its potential to detect temporal trends or differences
between sites or levels in relation to a specified target value indicating GES. In Sweden weuse muscle of Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) and eggs of Common Guillemot (Uria aalge)
and White-tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) to study temporal changes in contaminant
exposure and their effects. Herring is important in fisheries and has target levels set forcontaminants in relation to GES. Adult Sea Eagle and Guillemot in the Baltic Sea are mainly
stationary. Guillemot feeds largely on herring and Sea Eagle on fish and other fish-eaters suchas cormorants, mergansers, gulls and seals. A higher trophic level may imply biomagnification and e.g. DDE shows about 50 times higher concentrations in Guillemot
compared to Herring, and about 400 times higher in Sea Eagle compared to Herring and 10
times higher to Guillemot. Eggs from Guillemot, stored frozen in the Swedish Environmental
Specimen Bank, have been extensively used for retrospective temporal trend analyses for alarge number of chemicals. Ideally, the matrix should also be possible to use for biologicaleffect monitoring. Eggshell thickness, desiccation of eggs, productivity, fledgling weights areexamples of effect parameters monitored in the Sea Eagle and Guillemot. Strong relationships
between reproduction and residue concentrations of DDE and PCBs in the egg have been
observed in the Sea Eagle. Currently, we see reproductive problems and egg desiccation
locally among Sea Eagles, indicating an influence of contaminants on the northern Baltic
coast and again highlighting the importance of apex predators as sentinels in environmental
monitoring.

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Fifty years after Silent spring: temporal and latitudinal trends of DDE in
North American birds over the last three decades
M. A. Mora1, B. Durgin2 and E. Jones2
1

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX,

USA.
2

Department of Statistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.

Email: mmora@tamu.edu
DDT was banned in the United States and Canada in the early 1970’s, but continued to be usedin agriculture in Mexico until the 1980s, and for malaria control until 2000. After 40 years since
the DDT ban, it is of great interest to examine the fate and persistence of DDT and metabolites(i.e. p,p’-DDE) on birds. To assess how DDE impacted bird populations in North America since
the DDT ban, we analyzed the results of nearly 300 studies published in the peer reviewed
literature from 1980-2009. The objectives of this study were to determine if DDE concentrations
had decreased in North American birds over a 30 year period, to examine if there were any
longitudinal or latitudinal patterns in the distributions of DDE, and to determine if DDE
concentrations in birds could be linked to global distillation of POPs or to the grasshopper effect.
Our analysis suggests no strong overall linear trends of decreasing or increasing DDE
concentrations with latitude. However, DDE concentrations were the highest in the central
United States, and lower near northern Canada and southern Mexico. The test of a linear year
effect was significant (p < 0.0001) indicating that as year increased, DDE concentrations
decreased. When the data were divided by region, tests for a difference in both longitudinal andlatitudinal trends were significant (p < 0.001), suggesting that concentration of DDE wasdecreasing at the same rate in all regions of North America. As expected, our results suggested
that DDE residues are decreasing over time in birds from the low to mid-latitude regions. Most
supported models suggest that DDE concentrations in birds were highest in the upper midlatitudes (40°- 50°) than in other portions of North America.

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Effects of contaminants on reproduction in the White-tailed Sea Eagle
Björn O. Helander
Dep. of Environmental Research and Monitoring
Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
Email: bjorn.helander@nrm.se
Poor breeding success was observed in coastal White-tailed Sea Eagles (WTSE) in Sweden
already in the 1950s and eagle reproduction has been monitored annually since 1965. Feedingon fish and other fish-eaters such as mergansers, gulls and cormorants, WTSE become
strongly exposed to persistent contaminants; e.g. DDE shows about 400 times higher
concentrations in WTSE eggs compared to herring and near 10 times higher compared to eggs
from guillemot. From 1989 the sea eagle has been included in the national Swedish
environment monitoring program as a sentinel for effects from contaminants. Adult WTSE on
the Baltic Sea coast are mainly stationary and thus reflect the regional contamination. Strong
negative relationships between residue concentrations of DDE and PCBs in eagle egg andreproductive parameters have been observed. Over the 20-year period 1965-1985, theproductivity of the population on the Baltic Sea coast was reduced by 80 %. Some 10 years
after the bans of DDT and PCB in the 1970s WTSE reproduction began to improve and since
the late 1990s productivity has almost reached historical background levels. However, asignificantly higher occurrence of dead eggs in the nests in one region indicates that there
were still effects remaining beyond year 2000. Currently, we again see reproductive problems
and egg desiccation locally among sea eagles, indicating an influence of contaminants on thenorthern Baltic coast and again highlighting the importance of apex predators as sentinels inenvironmental monitoring.
Eggshell thickness, desiccation of eggs, breeding success, nestling brood size, productivity,
fledgeling weights are examples of effect parameters monitored in this species. Eggshell
thickness is an excellent indicator since it is affected at lower concentrations compared to theestimated threshold for effects on reproduction. WTSE productivity and shell thickness havebeen adopted as indicators in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive(EU), and productivity within the HELCOM Coreset.

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Focal bird species in neotropical soybean and rice fields
for pesticide registration purposes
J.-D. Ludwigs and M. Riffel
RIFCON GmbH, Hirschberg, Germany
Email: jan-dieter.ludwigs@rifcon.de
An overview of the methodology currently used to assess the acute and chronic (i.e.
reproductive) risk posed by plant protection products to birds in Europe is provided. The
procedure follows guidance published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA 2009).
The first step is the definition of so-called crop-specific focal species. The recommended
methodology for collecting such data has been applied in neotropical arable habitats such as
soybean fields and rice paddies in Brazil. It appeared to be suitable to derive focal species (i.e.
species exposed to pesticides) also for this part of the world. However, the presence ofdifferent feeding guilds of birds in the neotropics compared to Europe (i.e. different exposure
routes via contaminated diet) will require some adaptation of the pesticide risk assessment
procedure used in the EU for use in South America.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS42 Nutritional satisfaction: new perspectives on how birds acquire necessary energy and nutrientss42-1kNutritional wisdom: How do birds balance their food choices with the
dynamics of fluctuating nutrient needs?
Kirk C. Klasing
Graduate Program in Avian Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA
Email: kcklasing@ucdavis.edu
The nutrient needs of birds changes dramatically across life history stages such as migration,
molt or reproduction, and episodically due to stresses like challenges by pathogens. The abilityof birds to change their food choices in order to match these changing requirements is well
supported by studies using behavioral, physical (gut contents) and stable isotope approaches. The
physiological mechanisms by which birds accomplish this balance depends on cellular sensors ofnutrient status (e.g. mTOR) and transmission of information (hormonal, neuro) to fine tune theperipheral chemosensory system (taste, olfactory) and brain reward centers. This system permits
regulation of the amount and balance of energy relative to select nutrients (e.g. amino acids,
sodium, calcium). The dynamics of nutritional satisfaction are readily apparent following apathogen challenge, which triggers an acute realignment of nutrient needs, food choices, andmetabolic priorities. Although these changes undermine competing processes such as growth or
reproduction, they contribute to protection of the host.

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Biofilm grazing: missing link in shorebird ecology(satisfaction from “snot”)
R. W. Elner 1 and T. Kuwae 2
1

Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Environment Canada, Canada
Coastal and Estuarine Environment Research Group, Port and Airport ResearchInstitute, Japan
Email: Bob.Elner@ec.gc.ca, kuwae@ipc.pari.go.jp

2

Invertebrates, such as polychaetes and arthropods, were long considered principal preyof shorebirds. However, a new chapter in avian foraging and intertidal ecology opened
with the discovery of a novel method of feeding by shorebirds on an unsuspected food(surficial biofilms, comprised of microalgae, bacteria and detritus enveloped in a mucus
matrix). Evidence from a synthesis of ecological (stable isotopes), physiological (energy
budgets), behavioral (foraging observations), morphological (feeding apparatus) andphylogenetic analyses demonstrate that a range of small (<50 g) shorebird species canobtain over 50% of their energy and nutrients from biofilm. Advantages of biofilm
grazing include access to rich, rapidly replenished and ubiquitous food sources over an
extensive geographical range. Further, this “missing trophic link” between biofilm andshorebirds could stabilize food web structures and enhance the stability of someshorebird populations. However, conservation concerns arise given that “mud” habitat
supporting biofilm has not been regarded as essential.

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The importance of salt-tolerance in the energetic trade-offs ofmigratory Dark-bellied Brent Geese
A.M. Dokter1, W. Fokkema2, B.S. Ebbinge 3, B.A. Nolet1, H. Olff2, H.P. van der Jeugd11

Netherlands Instute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen,
The Netherlands
3Team Animal Ecology, Alterra, Wageningen-UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands
2

Email: A.Dokter@nioo.knaw.nl
Determining where and when density-dependent population regulation takes place isparticularly challenging for populations of long-distance migrants. These animals live inwhat can be defined as a meta-ecosystem, a collection of spatially distinct habitats
connected by the birds' flyway. We studied the migratory system of the Dark-bellied
Brent goose (Branta bernicla bernicla) at the meta-ecosystem level. Brent are highly
salt tolerant. More than any other goose species they are specialist grazers of intertidal
and marine ecosystems, particularly eelgrass beds. The intertidal ecosystems that Brent
traditionally rely on are in world-wide decline, and in recent years Brent have madeincreasing use of intensively managed agricultural land. A good understanding of therespective benefits and costs for foraging on marine and terrestrial habitats is essential
to unravel the cause of these shifts in habitat use, as well as the implications of further
degradation of intertidal habitat for this species.
In spring 2012, we equipped 30 Dark-bellied Brent geese staging in agricultural andsaltmarsh habitats with novel high-duty cycle GPS and accelerometer loggers, by which
we quantified year-round foraging activity. We find a strong preference of Brent foreelgrass habitats after returning from the arctic breeding grounds. GPS-data wascomplemented with detailed observational studies on intake rates and a monitoring
program of plant quality. We determined energy budgets for individual birds by
integrating information on time budgets, diet and microclimate, thereby testing the
hypothesis that the high tolerance for salt provides energetic benefits for Brent. We find
Brent regulate their body reserves mainly by adjusting their time spent foraging. Not
only nutritional value, but also the temporal availability of resources determines habitat
preferences of Brent. An important benefit of intertidal habitat is likely a highavailability of resources during both day and night, as opposed to terrestrial habitat
which can be safely visited only during the day.

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Geese surfing the green wave: a comparison of three flyways differingin predictability
A. Kölzsch 1, S. Bauer 1,2 Rob de Boer 1,3, Larry Griffin 4, David Cabot 5,
Klaus-Michael Exo 6, Henk van der Jeugd 7 and B.A. Nolet 1
1

Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen,
Netherlands
2
Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
3
Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
4
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Caerlaverock, Scotland
5
Carrigskeewaun, Carrowniskey, Westport, Ireland
6
Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
7
Dutch Centre for Avian Migration & Demography, Wageningen, Netherlands
Email: b.nolet@nioo.knaw.nl

Herbivorous birds are hypothesized to migrate along a gradient of plant profitability
with the shift in the onset of spring towards their breeding grounds (green wave
hypothesis). We used a comparative approach to see whether flyways differed in thepredictability of spring conditions at stopovers along the route, and whether this wasreflected in the degree to which birds were able to follow the green wave. We
successfully tracked Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis) with solar Argos/GPS PTTs
from their wintering grounds to Greenland (N = 7), Svalbard (N = 21) and Russia (N =12). In all three flyways, we found the same pattern that the geese were not actuallysurfing but overtaking the green wave. The birds are thought to profit from fresh plant
growth to build-up body stores along the way, enabling them to commence breedingsoon after arrival on the breeding grounds (capital breeding). By doing so, they cantime the hatching of young to coincide with the northernmost food peak, which theywould otherwise miss. The predictability of climatic conditions along the flyways
differed, mainly because of the presence or absence of ecological barriers, and the goose
arrival at the breeding grounds was closer to the local onset of spring when thispredictability was higher. This result suggests that a chain of correlations between
climatic conditions at subsequent stopovers is enabling geese to closely track the green
wave. Because climate is warming more rapidly in the Arctic than in the temperateregion (Arctic amplification), the question arises whether this will affect the precision ofavian migratory timing.

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Interference competition in a sexually dimorphic shorebird:
prey behaviour explains why the dominant sex suffers
and the subordinate does not
S. Duijns1 and T. Piersma1,2
1

Department of Marine Ecology, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research,
The Netherlands
2
Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University ofGroningen, The Netherlands
Email: sjoerd.duijns@nioz.nl
In social foragers, intake rates at increasing densities tend to become reduced by the
direct and indirect effects of interference competition. During spring migration of asexually dimorphic long distant migrant, field intake rates of female Bar-Tailed
Godwits (Limosa lapponica), were lowered at increasing densities, but not so in thesmaller subordinate males. Both sexes suffered from an increase in agonistic
interactions as a function of density, but females suffered more than males.
Consequently, females lost more foraging time from agonistic interactions than males,
but this alone could not explain the density-dependent decrease in intake rate.
Lugworms (Arenicola marina) contributed 71% energy to the diet of females; males
foraged on smaller worms. As these worms are large, mobile and deeply buried prey,
we tested whether prey behaviour contributed to the sex differences in interference.
Both in field, and during laboratory experiments, lugworms indeed responded to thepresence of probing predators by retreating deeper into their burrows. In the field wefound that in experimentally-probed plots they produced fewer casts per unit time,
indicating a decrease in the surface activity of the worms. In the laboratory, increased
experimental probing intensity resulted in deeper burying. In captivity we thendetermined the functional response of females, with burying depth as a factor. Burying
depth decreased intake rate due to increased searching time rather than handling time.
We argue that resource depression is responsible for the reduced intake rates for females
at high densities. The search for undisturbed lugworms would explain why females
forage especially along the moving waterline. In a species as sexually dimorphic as
bar-tailed godwits, intraspecific competition mainly occurs within the sexes.

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s43-1kAntimicrobial functions of avian eggshells in an ecological context.
L. D’Alba, M.D. Shawkey
Department of Biology and Integrated Bioscience Program, University of Akron, Akron,
OH 44325-3908, USA
Email: liliana@uakron.edu
Avian eggs are at risk of infection by microbes that colonize nests and parents. A large
number of parental defense mechanisms has evolved in response to the severe costs anddecreased fitness imposed by microbial infection. The eggshell’s cuticle is an importantcomponent of the natural defenses against microbes, and its role in preventing
contamination by microorganisms has been long known in domestic chickens. However,
the exact mechanisms whereby the cuticle prevents bacterial attachment and/or
penetration have not been clearly identified. Moreover, whether variation in cuticular
structure and/or antimicrobial efficacy varies with nesting habitat is unknown. We
predict that eggs of birds nesting where microbial growth may be higher (e.g. wet
habitats), should have stronger antimicrobial defenses than those in less risky habitats.
Here we use scanning electron microscopy and experimental tests to compare cuticular
structure and antimicrobial efficacy of eggshells from birds with diverse nesting
ecologies. We have identified nanometer-scale cuticular spheres that reduce microbial
attachment and penetration in eggs of some birds with high risks of infection. These
appear to have convergently evolved in diverse clades that nest in wet or otherwise risky
habitats.

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s43-2kLinking gut microbiota composition to life-history and individual quality ofarctic-breeding shorebirds
Kirsten Grond1, Richard B. Lanctot2, Jorge W. Santo Domingo3, Hodon Ryu3 & Brett K.
Sandercock1
1

Kansas State University, Division of Biology, Manhattan, USA
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, USA
3
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk
Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, USA.
2

Email: kgrond@ksu.edu
Arctic-breeding shorebirds use different portions of the world to breed, stage and winter, andmigrate long distances over a large variety of habitats. These life history traits expose them to awide variety of microorganisms through diet, flocking and other trophic interactions. Gut
microbiota can affect organism health by facilitating nutrient uptake or by interactions with the
immune system. Changes in gut microbial community lead to a variety of diseases in mammals,
but little is known about how changes in environmental microbial communities influence bird
health. Health is a challenging parameter to measure in free-living birds. A first step in assessing
how changes in gut microbiota impact arctic-breeding shorebirds on a population level is torelate variation in shorebird gut microbial communities to key life-history characteristics
including migration route, mating system, age and sex. To investigate how gut microbiota
influences birds on an individual level, we can relate gut microbiota variation to demographic
parameters reflecting individual quality, such as breeding success and body condition. In 2011,
collaborators of the Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network collected 624 fecal samples from11 shorebird species at 11 arctic sites in northern Alaska and Canada. In addition, we collected
data on breeding parameters (e.g. initiation date, incubation time, nest success), body mass andbiometrics of each individual bird. The bacterial communities of a subset of 540 fecal samples
were sequenced using the Illumina high-throughput sequencing platform, resulting in a total ofover 40 million sequences. We will discuss similarities and differences of gut microbiota within
and among individuals and species and relate these patterns to individual qualities and lifehistory characteristics. Lastly we will discuss the implications of our results for shorebird andhuman health in the Western Hemisphere by describing prevalence and relative abundance ofseveral bacterial pathogens.

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s43-3

Body condition and immune status as potential risk factors for avian
influenza virus infection in migratory birds
J.G.B. van Dijk 1, K.D. Matson 2, R.A.M. Fouchier 3 and Marcel Klaassen 1,41

Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW),
Wageningen, The Netherlands
2
Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University ofGroningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
3
Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
4
Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin
University, Geelong, Australia
Email: j.vandijk@nioo.knaw.nl
Similar to some other infectious diseases, the prevalence of low pathogenic avian
influenza viruses (LPAIV) in wild birds exhibits marked seasonal variation.
Understanding these dynamics and variations in individuals’ susceptibility to infection
is fundamental to the study of avian epidemiology. By comprehensively sampling
Mallard Ducks Anas platyrhynchos through a complete annual cycle and at a relatively
small spatial scale, we found a large peak in autumn. The autumn peak was likely
driven by the arrival of migratory birds, which had a higher LPAIV infection risk andtended to show lower prevalence of antibodies to AIV than resident birds. During thispeak of infection, we collected a range of samples to assess whether body condition,
immunity or both could potentially explain increased susceptibility to LPAIV infection
in migratory birds. We collected serum samples and blood smears, biometricmeasurements and determined the age and sex of at least 50 individuals per month.
Serum samples were tested for concentrations of non-subtype specific AIV antibodies,natural antibodies and haptoglobin. H:L ratios were assessed using the blood smears.
Body mass was corrected for structural size to serve as an index of condition.
We found that LPAIV infection risk was higher in lighter birds, with migrants
being on average lighter than residents. Otherwise, no profound differences between
infected and non-infected birds emerged, general immune status seemingly not
impacting LPAIV infection risk.
However, migrants may potentially be naïve to specific LPAIV subtypes
circulating on the wintering grounds. Indeed subtype H3N8, to which migrants might
have been naïve, was notably present at the wintering grounds before the migrants’arrival. Assessment of (pending) subtype specific AIV antibodies will provide further
insight into the factors that make migratory birds more susceptible to LPAIV infections
relative to resident birds when arriving at the wintering grounds.

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Decision to breed in tropical Red-capped Lark (calandrella cinerea) is a balance
between reproduction and adequate immune defense against disease
Henry Ndithia1,2, Muchane Muchai2 and B. Irene Tieleman112Animal Ecology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
Email: hndithia@gmail.com

A trade-off is thought to exist between two life history components: immune defense andreproduction. Birds have to allocate limited resources between these two important processes. Whenbirds increase their reproductive output, they are hypothesised to decrease investment in immune
defense, thereby increasing susceptibility to infectious organisms. Disease risk - and thereby the costof maintaining an adequate immune defense against disease and parasitic infections - are thought tovary with environmental conditions. Measures of immunity in birds have been shown to have apositive association with precipitation and negative association with aridity. We examined theexistence of trade-off between reproduction and immune defense within the same and across different
tropical environmental conditions. We measured haptoglobin levels in blood samples from nonbreeding, incubating and chick-feeding red-capped larks (Calandrella cinerea) occuring in three
Kenyan environments, characterised by different pattern of rainfall and temperature: warm and dry,warm and wet, and cool and wet. The more messic cool and wet environment is expected to have an
increased risk of disease compared to the other two environments. A comparison of different breeding
stages within the cool and wet environment showed that non-breeding birds had significantly higher
haptoglobin concentrations than chick-feeding birds. This pattern was, however, not observed in theother two environments. Across environments, there was a location effect on breeding stage: nonbreeding birds from the cool and wet environment had significantly higher haptoglobin concentration
than their corresponding group in the warm and wet environment. There was no location effectbetween the warm and dry and the warm and wet environments. This results demonstrate, 1)
resources allocated to reproduction are unavailable to the maintenance of immune defense, and 2) thatbirds, in the case of the cool and wet environment, can adjust their immune response based on thepathogenic pressures prevailing in their environment.

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S44 New finds and old bones - integrative palaeornithology for the 21st century

s44-1k

Early evolution of birds: perspectives from new fossil discoveries in
China
Zhonghe Zhou and Jingmai O’Connor
Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Beijing 100044, China

New discoveries of fossil birds belonging to the Jehol Biota, uncovered from Lower
Cretaceous lacustrine deposits in northeastern China, continue to greatly enrich ourunderstanding of the first major avian radiation, providing further information on theevolution of early bird cranial morphology, wing and tail plumage, flight capability,
diet, locomotion, habitat, and development. The exceptional preservation of somefossils also provides a rare chance to discuss many biological issues that are usually
impossible to address in paleontological studies: the color of feathers in early birds
can now be partially reconstructed due to the recognition of preserved melanosomes;
the development of the sternum in the extinct group Enantiornithes has beenreconstructed, revealing a unique pattern unlike that of modern birds and all otherarchosaurs; the discovery of preserved crop contents in several Early Cretaceous birds
suggests that a near modern digestive tract including specialized crop morphologies
evolved early during avian evolution; the rare preservation of ovarian follicles
provides evidence concerning the evolution of reproductive behaviour across thedinosaur-avian transition supporting hypotheses that the right ovary was lost in Avesdue to the limitations of flight, and together with histological evidence, the gender ofsome fossil birds can now be accurately determined, providing new insights regarding
sexual differentiation in early birds.

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S44 New finds and old bones - integrative palaeornithology for the 21st century

s44-2kFossils, molecular calibrations, and the divergence of crown groupbirds
G. Mayr 1
1

Ornithological Section, Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt, Germany
Email: Gerald.Mayr@senckenberg.de

There still exists much uncertainty about the timing of the initial divergences amongst
crown group birds, and the exact extent of this diversification before theCretaceous/Tertiary boundary. Based on calibrations of molecular phylogenies and onbiogeographic considerations, it has been argued that a substantial diversification
occurred in the late Cretaceous. Interpretations of the fossil record, by contrast, rather
indicate a Cenozoic diversification of most higher-level crown group taxa. I will addresssome aspects of the avian fossil record that bear on the divergence time of crown groupbirds. I shall show that a diversification of extant higher-level clades almost certainly
did already occur in the latest Cretaceous. However, there exists no convincing evidence
for a Cretaceous diversification of morphologically homogenous lower-rank taxa, suchas Passeriformes, and the results of recent sequenced-based hypotheses that suggest
otherwise are due to the choice of inappropriate calibration points.

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S44 New finds and old bones - integrative palaeornithology for the 21st century

s44-3

Mid-Cenozoic avifaunas and their bearing on the evolution of extant
lineages: an example from the Miocene of Europe

Vanesa L. De Pietri 1

Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt, Germany

1

Email: vanesa.depietri@senckenberg.de

Since the 19th century the fossil localities grouped under the name “Saint-Gérand-le-Puy” in
the Allier Basin of central France have yielded a remarkable terrestrial fauna including adiverse range of avian remains. Recent research on these Late Oligocene–Early Miocene (ca.
24–20 mya) faunas has revealed that many of these birds occupy early diverging positions
within their respective taxonomic groups. The less derived morphology of these birds has
procured a framework for unravelling character evolution and ancestral morphologies infamily-level crown group taxa. The “Saint-Gérand-le-Puy” avifauna has also been crucial inassessing European faunal turnovers over the mid-Cenozoic. The gradual replacement of thisprimitive bird fauna by that now found in Europe seems to have been already underway in the
Middle Miocene. The unusual biogeographic occurrences of several tropical taxa such as
mousebirds and trogons attest to the relictual distribution of many birds. These findings
indicate that the distribution of birds today does not reflect ancient patterns, a phenomenon
that has been found at other Early Miocene localities worldwide – a Hoatzin from subSaharan Africa being a notable example. This overview of recent assessments of the avifaunaof “Saint-Gérand-le-Puy” aims at integrating phylogenetic, biological, and biogeographicalhypotheses, which bear directly on the evolution of extant lineages.

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S44 New finds and old bones - integrative palaeornithology for the 21st century

s44-4

Demise of the giants: the role of the biological drivers for the flightless,wing-propelled divers
T. Ando 1, R. Ewan Fordyce 2
1

Ashoro Museum of Paleontology, Ashoro, Japan
Department of Geology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Email: ta@ashoromuseum.com
2

Four clades of flightless, wing-propelled diving birds (Sphenisciformes, Plotopteridae,
Mancallinae, and Pinguinus) evolved during the Cenozoic. The demise of “giant” forms
is one of the unresolved questions in their evolutionary histories. Plotopteridae andSphenisciformes include giant forms that reached lengths and masses much larger thanthe living Aptenodytes forsteri (Emperor Penguin). Their large body sizes must be suited
to long-distance swimming and to deep-diving, giving them better chance of survival.
Contrary to Cope’s Rule, the largest species of these diving birds had disappeared fromthe lineages after having thrived from the late Eocene to late Oligocene. The
coincidental parallel demise of giant forms in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
induced a common competition hypothesis, which suggested that the evolution ofmarine mammals might explain extinction through competitive displacement. Such an
idea is here assessed via taxonomic diversity (i.e., richness) trends from the fossil record
reported in the Paleobiology Database. From the late Oligocene to early Miocene(28.4-20.43 Ma), flightless divers and marine mammals show contrasting diversity
patterns at global to basin scales; diving birds decreased in diversity with increase inmarine mammal diversity, especially Odontoceti. These patterns are not compositionaland do not result from scaling effects. We propose that these contrasting patterns
suggest competitive interactions between flightless divers and Odontoceti from the late
Oligocene to early Miocene. The similar diversity patterns among marine mammals inboth global and regional trends imply a role for common evolutionary drivers aspreviously suggested for the crown Cetacea (or Neoceti) evolution. Flightless divers
lack a shared diversity pattern, whether with marine mammals or within the flightless
diving birds. The extinction of Plotopteridae and stem-Sphenisciformes in the Pacific
Ocean was possibly biologically induced, while other patterns amongst flightless,wing-propelled diving birds probably represent both physical and biological drivers.

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s44-5

Fossil evidence for the evolution of the avian hyo-lingual feeding
Zhiheng Li1, Zhonghe Zhou2, Julia A.Clarke1

1

Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

2

Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolutionary and Human Evolution, Institute of Vertebrate
Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Email: zhiheng_li@utexas.edu

Living birds show a broad diversity in hyoid and tongue morphologies associated withspecialized feeding in many taxa, e.g., waterfowl, woodpecker, hummingbird, and parrot.
Remarkable features regarding the hyo-lingual apparatus of birds include the well-ossified hyoidsubcomponents (i.e., paraglossal, basihyal, urohyal, ceratobranchial and epibranchial); theunique way of hyoid suspension from the skull; as well as the derived muscles associated withthe bony hyoid in moving the tongue, which is the key for food transportation in birds. When andhow these derived features and functions regarding the hyo-lingual apparatus evolved during
avian evolution is largely unexplored. Although bony hyoids are known to be preserved in fossil
records frequently both in avialans and non-avian dinosaurs, they have never been systematicallyevaluated regarding the evolution of tongue function in early birds. Here, we examine a large
number of Mesozoic fossil birds and non-avian dinosaurs with hyoid preservation, combinedwith data revealed by high-contrast CT (computed tomography) imaging from living birds to
explore the origin of avian tongue function. Our results clearly indicate a progressive cranial
shift of tongue bone relative to the skull in avialans relative to non-avian dinosaurs; twodivergent solutions are observed from the different hyoid morphologies between more basal
avialans (e.g., enantiornithines) and early ornithurines in hyoid suspension. The further
elaboration of bony elements in tongue appears to have occurred well after the origin of flightand close to the crown birds. Body size change, elongation of neck, as well as dietary shifts
appear to be associated with the evolution of avian hyo-lingual feeding.

200

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS45 Avian phylogenetics: advances in understanding of Old World passerine evolutions45-1kWhat’s a warbler? Phylogeny of the Old World “Sylviidae” complex
Alice Cibois
Natural History Museum of Geneva, Switzerland
Email: alice.cibois@ville-ge.ch

The old world warblers are a large group of passerines formerly grouped together in thefamily Sylviidae. This group was composed of several hundred species, ranging in allparts of Africa, Eurasia and the Indo- Pacific, and for a long time they were thought tobe one of the most diverse groups of passerines in the Old World. This situation
changed drastically with the development of molecular phylogenies that demonstrated
the non-monophyly of the group, clarified its intricate morphological evolution, andprovided some compelling biogeographic hypotheses. As a result, many species are now
placed in different families. The case of the name “Sylviidae” is by itself a complex one
because of the phylogenetic affinities of the type bearing the genus Sylvia. The historyof the classification of this group reflects the problems of dealing with morphologicalsimilarities and homoplasies. It provides a good example of the challenge of the current
phylogenetic classification, favoring nomenclatural stability while ensuring that thenames refer to meaningful natural groups.

201

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoS45 Avian phylogenetics: advances in understanding of Old World passerine evolutions45-2kWhat can we learn from the molecular systematics, phylogeography,
and speciation genetics of Taiwanese birds?
Shou-Hsien Li1
1

Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Email: t43028@gmail.com

In the past decade, molecular data have been extensively used to re-evaluate thesystematics and evolutionary history of East Asian birds. As a continental island
along the coast of East Asia, Taiwan, characterized by heterogeneous topology andecological environments, hosts more than 163 resident avian species including 78
endemic sub/species. Recent taxonomic studies based on molecular data indicate that
all the Taiwanese endemic subspecies examined either form independent clades inphylogenetic trees or have a distinct genetic characterization. This implies that theavian diversity of East Asia could be highly underestimated by traditional taxonomic
approaches that are rarely based on strict criteria. In addition, results ofphylogeographic analyses have revealed close relationships between Taiwanese taxa
and species from diverse regions spreading over East and Southeastern Asia,
suggesting that resident birds in Taiwan have multiple origins. Therefore, thedynamics of East Asian birds’ historical ranges could be complicated. Recent studies
commonly reveal post-divergence gene flow between Taiwanese taxa and theircontinental counterparts, implying that the strict allopatric speciation might not be thenorm for avian speciation and the role of ecological selection in their speciation. In
contrast, evidence of strict allopatric speciation is still found in highland species thatare disjunctively distributed in Taiwan and the Tibetan Plateau. It denotes theimportance of habitat isolation in speciation of high-altitudinal species rendered byclimate warming since the Pleistocene glaciation ended approximately 410 thousand
years ago. Overall, the advances in molecular systematics and phylogeography, andspeciation demography of Taiwanese birds have provided novel insights to theevolution of East Asian avian species. Currently, studies focusing on speciation of
Taiwan birds on the basis of genomic data are launched and will improve ourunderstanding about how ecologically divergent selection has molded thediversification of birds in East Asia.

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Molecular systematics and diversification of the Asian scimitar
babblers (Timaliidae, Aves)
F. Dong 1, S.H. Li 2 and X.J Yang 1
1

Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223,
China
2
Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116,
TaiwanEmail: dongfeng@mail.kiz.ac.cn

The Asian scimitar babblers, including the genus Pomatorhinus andXiphirhynchus, are a small group of babblers characterized by long down-curved
bills and a distribution throughout East and Southeast Asia. To infer the molecularphylogeny of this group and their divergence time, we examined sequences ofmultiple fragments including two entire mitochondrial genes and four nuclear
introns (4352bp in total) from multiple samples of eight of the nine recognizedspecies of Asian scimitar babblers. The phylogeny resulting from the concatenatedmulti-locus dataset suggests that Pomatorhinus is paraphyletic. Due to its paraphyly,
we propose dividing the traditional genus Pomatorhinus into two morphologicallyand genetically diagnosable genera: Pomatorhinus and Erythrogenys. Results of themolecular dating based on the conventional mitochondrial DNA divergence rate
indicates that the diversification of these babblers is likely congruent with thehistorical climatic events. Our findings shed light on the diversification of avian
species in southern Asia, a poorly studied biodiversity hotspot.

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Speciation in Eurasian Wagtails (Aves:Motacilla): inferring phylogeny,
delimiting species, and estimating gene flow using RAD-seq data.
Rebecca Brown Harrisrbharris@uw.edu
The use of next generation sequencing techniques to answer questions in phylogeography
and phylogenetics is relatively new. Here I explore the use of reduced-representation
genome sequencing to answer questions about inter- and intra-specific relationships inthe passerine genus Motacilla. Relationships within this group are unclear, as the current
taxonomy does not reflect the mitochondrial gene tree. Of the 11 recognized Motacillaspecies, the Yellow and White Wagtail species are continuously distributed across Eurasia
during the breeding season and exhibit high levels of geographic variation in plumage
signaling color within species. Eurasia is a range of enormous east-west expanse, butwith few current major geographic barriers to migratory birds. Major climate changes
caused by cyclical glaciation in the Pleistocene may have resulted in differentiation due
to genetic drift and natural selection in isolation. Refugial areas are thought to haveexisted in western, eastern, and southern regions of Eurasia. To understand what forces
are involved in genetic and phenotypic divergence, I constructed a a species tree,
conducted species delimitation, and estimated levels of intra- and inter- specific geneflow in Motacilla.

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Diversification and the adaptive radiation of the Parrotbills in Asia

Yang Liu1§, Manuel Schweizer2*, Junhua Hu3, Shou-Hsien Li4
1

State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen
University, Guangzhou, 510275 China, §email: liuy353@mail.sysu.edu.cn

2Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern, Bernastrasse 15, CH 3005
Bern, Switzerland

3

Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041,
China

4

Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan

Since Darwin’s era, adaptive radiation has been referred to as remarkable evidence ofevolutionary changes in which a lineage has diversified rapidly into multiple new species,
particularly when environmental changes gave rise to novel ecological opportunities and new
resources. Comprising more than 3500 species, members of the Passerida probably make up adominant proportion of perching bird communities in the Old World and thus provide many
research opportunities to obtain a better understanding of continental radiation. In this study,
we investigated the diversification pattern of the parrotbills (family Paradoxornithidae), a
monophyletic group of small passerines within the Sylvoidea in Passerida in East Asia. We
particularly tested whether the main driver of divergence in parrotbills was adaptive
divergence e.g. along niche gradients or allopatric divergence, or whether these two drivers ofdiversification varied/changed through time. On the basis of a time-calibrated phylogeny, wereconstructed morphological and ecological niche evolution within parrotbills. While wefound an early evolution in size followed by a slow-down, differences in elevation occurredrather late within subclades with a peak at 5-7 Ma, which was contemporaneous withincreased uplift of Himalayan mountains. Overall this study indicates that both thepartitioning of eco-morphological niche and ecological opportunity may play important rolesin the diversification of Passerida on a regional scale.

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s46-1kAesthetic evolution by mate choice: Darwin’s really dangerous idea
Richard O. Prum
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Peabody Museum of Natural
History, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA 06520
Darwin proposed an explicitly aesthetic theory of sexual selection in which he describedmating preferences as a “taste for the beautiful” and “aesthetic capacity”. In his criticism
of sexual selection, A. R. Wallace proposed an alternative mechanism of the evolution ofmating preference for display traits that are correlated with male vigor or viability, but hecalled this mechanism natural selection. Modern adaptive sexual selection theory relies
on essentially the same Neo-Wallacean theory renamed as sexual selection. The modern
version of genuinely Darwinian sexual selection theory is the Lande-Kirkpatrick nullmodel which describes the coevolution of traits and preferences in the absence of natural
selection on preference. The LK null model predicts the evolution of arbitrary display
traits that are neither honest nor dishonest, indicate nothing other than mating availability,
and lack any meaning or design other than their potential to correspond to mating
preferences. The current standard for demonstrating an arbitrary trait is impossible tomeet because it requires proof of the null hypothesis. Full incorporation of the LK nullmodel into intersexual selection research will lead to the first serious examination of theextent to which natural selection on preferences shapes signal honesty and sensory
efficiency in intersexual display traits.


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s46-2kAre female extra-pair matings sexually selected? Testing
non-adaptationist hypotheses in house sparrows
S. Nakagawa 1,2, Y.-H. Hsu 1 , J. Schroeder 1 and T. Burke 2
1

Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New ZealandDepartment of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
3
Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.
2

Email: shinichi.nakagawa@otago.ac.nz
Before the advent of molecular techniques, sexually selected traits in social
monogamous male birds were an evolutionary puzzle. Molecular paternity analysis hasrevealed that strong inter-sexual selection (i.e. female choice) can potentially act onsocial monogamous species via extra-pair matings, which are extremely common inbirds. Also, it has been generally believed that extra-pair matings are maintained in bird
species because not only males, but also females can obtain fitness benefits. In otherwords, extra-pair matings are a female adaptation to increase their fitness (oradaptationist hypotheses). However, many empirical studies, including our previous
study, have failed to demonstrate any female (indirect genetic) benefits of extra-pairmating. Such results indicate that theories based on female choice for indirect benefits(e.g the good-genes hypothesis) are unlikely to explain widespread female extra-pairmatings in birds. Alternatively, there is a set of hypotheses in which females gain no
benefits directly from extra-pair matings (i.e. non-adaptationist hypotheses). Two ofthese are the “between-sex” and “within-sex” genetic correlation hypotheses. The
between-sex genetic correlation hypothesis explains female extra-pair matings as aby-product of strong selection on male extra-pair mating behaviour, which is geneticallylinked with female extra-pair mating behaviour. On the other hand, the within-sex
genetic correlation hypothesis explains female extra-pair matings as a by-product ofstrong selection on another female trait, such as fecundity, which is genetically linked
with female extra-pair mating behaviour. We test these two genetic correlation
hypotheses using an evolutionary quantitative genetic approach on an extensive dataset
from a long-term study of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) on Lundy Island, UK.

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How does plasticity of sexually selected traits in birds influence theirevolution?
Patricia Brennan
pbrennan@cns.umass.edu
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, USA
Phenotypic plasticity can produce variation upon which selection can act and it can itself
be subject to selection. Although known to be ubiquitous, plasticity has not yet been
incorporated into the frameworks of sexual selection and sexual conflict. More recently
several studies have began to report phenotypic plasticity in sexually selected traits. I
have been studying socially induced phenotypic plasticity of the sexual phenotype inwaterfowl and have found evidence that plasticity is under selection and that it cangenerate incredible variation. But what does this mean for our understanding of potential
mechanisms of sexual selection and sexual conflict? The effects of plasticity can mask
patterns of heritability, which are considered to be paramount to demonstrating female
choice by indirect benefits. If male phenotypes show flexible plasticity and can change
between years, can they provide reliable cues of male quality to the female? If the sexes
are engaged in sexually antagonistic coevolution, does phenotypic plasticity in one sex
necessitate plasticity in the other, and what are the impacts on the overall strength of
conflict? This and other questions need to be part of our thinking as we continue to refine
theoretical principles in this field.


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Evolution of courtship dance in Estrildid finches
M. Soma 1 and L.Z. Garamszegi 2
1

Department of Biology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Seville,
Spain
Email: masayo.soma@sci.hokudai.ac.jp

2Bright plumage coloration and complex songs are two classic examples of sexually
selected traits in birds. However less attention has been paid to courtship dance, which
is often performed with high complexity and inter-individual variability that alsosuggests that it functions as an ornamental trait in mate choice and is used in intersexual
communication. To understand the evolution of multimodal sexual signals in birds, it isalso important to study why dance is used in addition to vocal and morphologicalsignals in sexual selection. To fulfil this task, we collected data on courtship dance in 56
species of Estrildid finches that are famous for their dance behaviours, and analyzed
them in a phylogenetic comparative study in relation to interspecific variation in life
history and ecology. Although males show both song and dance during courtships ineach Estrildid species, females of some species do not perform these. We hypothesizedthat interspecific variance in sexual dimorphism in dance behaviours is caused by thesame selection pressures that also generate intersexual differences in coloration andsong. Meanwhile, an alternative but non-exclusive hypothesis may posit that dance
displays evolved independently of other sexual characters, and particular aspects of the
reproductive biology account for interspecific variations in such displays. We found thatsexual dimorphism in dance was not considerably correlated with sexual dimorphism inplumage and song, but that dance complexity was associated with the occurrence of
intraspecific brood parasitism. These results indicate that when social cost in terms of
the risk of cuckoldry increases, it may enhance the importance of behaviouralsynchronisation between pair members. Therefore, the selection factors affecting
courtship dance would tend to be independent from those that shape bright plumages
and complex songs.

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s46-5

What do we really know about the role of colour signalling in a model
species? Blue Tit plumage research as a case study of impediments toprogress in evolutionary biology
T. H. Parker 1
1

Biology Department, Whitman College, Walla Walla, USA
Email: parkerth@whitman.edu
Evolutionary biologists seek to explain the origin and maintenance of phenotypes, andmuch of this research is accomplished by thorough study of individual species. Thus,
progress depends in large part on drawing appropriate inferences in studies of individual
species. However, obstacles to sound inferences may be common. I present here a casestudy of such obstacles to progress in evolutionary biology. I located all publishedpapers examining plumage colour and variables related to sexual selection hypotheses
in a well-studied European songbird, the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). Researchers
have found >1200 statistical relationships with plumage colour of Blue Tits in >50
studies. More than 400 of the ~1000 main-effect relationships from the 48 studies that
could be included in this meta-analysis were reported without details of strength anddirection, and evidence suggests that other effects remain unpublished. These hidden
results appear to be a biased sample of all effects, especially for comparisons ofplumage colour to age and individual quality, and possibly also to measures of matechoice. Further, type I error was elevated by the large number of statistical comparisons,the frequent use of iterative model building procedures, and a willingness to interpret awide variety of results as support for a hypothesis. Type I errors were made more
problematic because Blue Tit plumage researchers only rarely have attempted toreplicate important findings. Last, researchers studying Blue Tit plumage have often
developed ad hoc explanations for unexpected results. Revising hypotheses in light ofdata is appropriate, but these revised hypotheses were rarely tested with new data. The
only robust biological conclusion supported by my analyses is the relatively trivial
observation that male Blue Tits have more colourful plumage patches than do females.
Obstacles to progress evident in the Blue Tit plumage literature are likely common in
evolutionary biology and beyond.

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S47 Patterns and mechanisms of metabolic flexibility in birdss47-1kEnvironmental, ecological and mechanistic drivers of seasonal
metabolic flexibility in birds
David Swanson1 and François Vézina2
1

Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA;
Email: david.swanson@usd.edu

2

Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à
Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada; Email: francois_vezina@uqar.ca

Abstract
Small birds inhabiting regions with cold winter climates show seasonally flexible
metabolic phenotypes, with the winter phenotype characterized by increments ofsummit metabolic rate (Msum) and cold tolerance. We focus here on Msum variation
as a metric of metabolic performance because it is positively correlated with cold
tolerance in birds, and positively related to overwinter survival in small mammals,
although the latter has yet to be demonstrated in birds. Temperature appears to bea prominent driver of seasonal metabolic phenotypes in birds. Evidence
supporting this conclusion includes intra-seasonal variation in Msum correlatedwith temperature variation, recent temperature variables serving as better
predictors of Msum variation than long-term climate variables, and inductions of
Msum variation by experimental cold exposure. In contrast, photoperiod and social
status do not appear to be prominent drivers of metabolic flexibility in birds
studied to date. Because skeletal muscle is the primary thermogenic tissue in birds,
studies of the mechanistic underpinnings of metabolic flexibility have focused onskeletal muscles, particularly flight muscles. At the level of skeletal muscle, twopotential mechanisms exist for increasing thermogenic capacity, muscle
hypertrophy and elevated cellular metabolic intensity. Correlative studies suggest
consistent winter increments of flight muscle size, with a potential regulatory role
for the muscle growth inhibitor myostatin, but variable seasonal trends regarding
flight muscle metabolic intensity. Recent experimental studies in small birds,
including modifying flight costs, cold and exercise training and manipulation ofmuscle growth regulators, also suggest that muscle size is an important driver of
metabolic flexibility in birds, and that cellular metabolic intensity may also
contribute to metabolic flexibility in some species. Future studies should address
fitness consequences of Msum variation, relative roles muscle hypertrophy andcellular metabolic intensity in promoting Msum variation across avian taxa, andmolecular mechanisms underlying seasonal phenotypes.

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S47 Patterns and mechanisms of metabolic flexibility in birdss47-2kSeasonal metabolic adjustments in southern African birds
A.E. McKechnie 1, B. Smit 1, T.M.F.N. van de Ven 2 and M.J. Noakes 1
1

Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth,South Africa
Email: aemckechnie@zoology.up.ac.za
2

Far more is known about seasonal metabolic adjustments in birds resident innorth-temperate regions than species inhabiting warmer, subtropical climates. In thispresentation, we review our recent work on inter- and intraspecific variation in seasonalchanges in basal metabolic rate (BMR) and summit metabolism (Msum) among southern
African birds. Mass-specific BMR in five resident species of the summer-rainfall
Kalahari Desert was significantly lower (17-35 %) in winter than in summer, with themagnitude of these changes being similar in two nocturnal (pearl-spotted owlet,
Glaucidium perlatum, and African Scops-owl, Otus senegalensis) and three diurnal
species (Fork-tailed Drongo, Dicrurus adsimilis, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Laniarius
atrococcinneus, and White-browed Sparrow-weaver, Plocepasser mahali). The
direction and magnitude of seasonal adjustments in BMR and Msum varied substantiallyamong two populations of southern Red Bishops, Euplectes orix. Bishops at a warmer
coastal site showed winter reductions in mass-specific BMR and Msum, whereas
conspecifics from a colder inland site (1300 m asl) significantly increased mass-specific
BMR and whole-animal, but not mass-specific, Msum in winter. We are currently
investigating seasonal changes in BMR and Msum in three populations of white-browed
sparrow-weavers, at sites that vary considerably in terms of winter minimum andsummer maximum temperatures. The data currently available for southern African
species reiterate the global variation that exists in the direction and magnitude ofseasonal adjustments in BMR, with species from north-temperate climates typicallyincreasing BMR in winter and species from warmer subtropical regions showing the
opposite response. This variation may reflect a cold tolerance vs. energy conservation
continuum, a possibility that can be evaluated by comparing seasonal metabolic
variation in conspecific populations from sites that differ considerably in climate.
However, substantial variation exists around this global relationship, and theenvironmental correlates of seasonal metabolic adjustments in birds remain far fromclear.

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S47 Patterns and mechanisms of metabolic flexibility in birds

s47-3

Effects of temperature and photoperiod on energy metabolism andthermoregulation in Chinese Bulbuls Pycnonotus sinensis
Wei–Hong Zheng1,2,3 Lin Lin1,3 Jin–Song Liu1,2,3 Zhi–Jun Zhao1,2,3 Hao Pan1
1. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China 2. Zhejiang
Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou
325035, China, 3. Institute of applied ecology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
E–mail address: ljs@wzu.edu.cn (J. –S. Liu)

Seasonal changes in temperature and photoperiod are important environmental cues for small birds to adjust
physiological processes. However, the relative importance of these cues on the seasonal adjustments in bodymass and thermogenesis are difficult to distinguish. To determine the contributions of temperature andphotoperiod to seasonal changes in energy metabolism and thermoregulation in Chinese Bulbuls Pycnonotus
sinensis, body mass, energy intake, basal metabolic rate (BMR), organ masses and several physiological andbiochemical markers were determined in laboratory acclimated animals. Chinese Bulbuls were acclimated for 4
weeks in the following groups: (1) long photoperiod and warm (LW; 16L:8D, 30C), (2) short photoperiod andwarm (SW; 8L:16D, 30C), (3) long photoperiod and cold (LC; 16L:8D, 10C), and (4) short photoperiod andcold (SC; 8L:16D, 10C). Experimental data indicated that Chinese Bulbuls exhibited adaptive physiologicalregulation when exposed to different temperature and photoperiod. Body masses and BMR were higher in SC
bulbuls than in LW bulbuls. Gross energy intake (GEI) and digestible energy intake (DEI) were higher in cold
acclimated than in warm acclimated birds. The dry mass of several internal organs, state–4 respiration andcytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in liver and muscle were all heightened in cold-acclimated birds comparedwith warm-acclimated birds. The plasticity in BMR and energy intake was very important for the regulations inenergy balance and thermogenesis in Chinese bulbuls exposed to different temperature and photoperiod.
Changes in liver and muscle state–4 respiration and COX activity were the cellular basis for adaptive
thermogenesis.

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S47 Patterns and mechanisms of metabolic flexibility in birds

s47-4

Water availability mitigates the effects of extended fasting in Zebra
FinchesJ. Rutkowska, E. T. Sadowska, A. M. Łabęcka, M. Borowski, M. Cichoń, U. Bauchinger
Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Email: joanna.rutkowska@uj.edu.pl
Extended fasting, such as during bird migration, results in considerable changes inindividual metabolic flexibility. While much research has been done on changes in themetabolism in response to fasting, much less is known about the contribution of water
deprivation to the observed effects. Furthermore, understanding how cell size of tissues
contributes to metabolic scaling associated with fasting is virtually unstudied. We
investigated this topic in 36 captive Zebra Finches kept in thermoneutral conditions in LD
12:12 schedule. The birds were randomly assigned to three equally-sized groups. Control
birds had ad libitum access to food and water; one group had access only to water while thelast group was deprived of both food and water. The experiment lasted for 24 hours,
starting in the evening with overnight physiological fasting followed by daytime extended
fasting. We found that the three groups of birds differed significantly from each other inbody mass loss at the end of the experiment. Body mass of birds with access only to water
was intermediate, significantly higher than that of food and water deprived birds, whichwere the lightest. The relative mass of most body organs did not differ between the groups.
However, birds that had access only to water had the lightest liver; it was significantly
lighter also than that of birds which were deprived of food and water. Mass specific RMR
was intermediate for the birds that had access to water; the significant difference was foundbetween the highest RMR of control birds and lowest RMR of individuals deprived of foodand water. These results will be complemented by analyses of organ-specific fat and watercontent and measurements of cell size and discussed in the light of state-dependent
metabolic scaling. Specifically, attention will be directed to the contribution of sizes ofliver cells and red blood cells to RMR.

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S47 Patterns and mechanisms of metabolic flexibility in birdss47-5

When body temperature is increasing;potential constraints to work rate.
J.-Å Nilsson1 and A. Nord1
1

Evolutionary Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

Email: jan-ake.nilsson@biol.lu.se

Birds inhabiting hot and dry environments are faced with a problem to get rid of excess heatproduced during work. This is further aggravated when water is in short supply, which puts
limits to evaporative cooling. It will be reported that birds in such situations are not defending
strict homoeothermy but allow their body temperature to increase in pace with ambient
temperature. However, also birds in much less extreme environments invoke above normal
body temperatures. By manipulating brood size in Marsh Tits (Poecile palustris), breeding attemperate latitudes, we aimed to study the extent to which parental effort might affect their
possibility to stay homoeothermic. We found pronounced hyperthermia in response toincreased parental effort, thus in our case work rate when feeding nestlings. The extent ofhyperthermia was also, like in hot environments, modulated by ambient temperatures. Thus, it
seems as when the gradient between body and environment is decreasing and lots of heat is
produced in the muscles, these birds have trouble to get rid of this excess heat. We also tested
this hypothesis by removing feathers over the breast muscles to facilitate heat dissipation.
Parents with increased brood sizes fed their broods equally often but were heavier thancontrol parents also feeding enlarged broods. We speculate to what degree accumulation ofheat may put constraints to the work rate of birds.

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S48 Physiological mechanisms underlying individual variation in life-history traitss48-1kIndividual variation in workload during parental care: can we detect aphysiological signature of quality or cost of reproduction?
Tony D Williams 1
1

Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada

Individual variation in breeding productivity should be positively related to individual
variation in parental care, i.e. how hard individuals work in rearing chicks. This level ofinvestment should, in turn, be determined by the trade-off between higher productivity
and a “cost of reproduction” in terms of decreased future fecundity and survival. These
theories are entrenched in the life-history literature, nevertheless some studies suggestthat a relatively small proportion of ‘high quality’ individuals rear large broods, andrecruit more offspring, while also having higher future fecundity and survival. While“individual quality” remains an elusive concept within ecology (Wilson & Nussey2010), it is an even more elusive concept from a mechanistic or physiologicalperspective (Williams 2012). Here I will firstly review studies which have investigatedlinks between workload and productivity; do some individuals work harder at parental
care and do they derive clear benefits (more, fitter offspring). If so, how can we measure
this? For example, if individuals show ‘restraint’ during parental care, only working up
to some limited energetic ceiling (e.g. long-lived seabirds), should we expect to see any
physiological signature of “costs” or relative workload in terms of energy expenditure(BMR, DEE)? Secondly, assuming some high quality individuals are capable of“working hard” or some (low quality?) individuals pay clear costs of working hard how
can we measure this physiologically? I suggest that a multivariate physiologicalapproach, while more difficult, is more likely to capture the complexity of individual
variation in phenotypic quality.

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S48 Physiological mechanisms underlying individual variation in life-history traitss48-2kMechanisms underlying individual variation in ageing and mortality: theimportance of early life

Pat Monaghan, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Graham
Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQWhile within species the broad life history pattern is generally similar, there is often
considerable variation amongst individuals in the pattern of investment in key life history
traits. Some of this variation is likely to reflect differences in the optimal resolution of life
history trade-offs. In this context, the effect of environmental conditions in early life islikely to be very important, since this can have a major effect of the resulting phenotype. In
this talk I will discuss the factors that generate variation in ageing and mortality, and themechanisms that underlie such effects. I will focus in particular on environmentally
generated variation, through both direct and indirect (maternal) effects. I will discuss factorsthat act early in life, such as nutrition, the pattern of growth and stress exposure, and themechanisms responsible for their late life effects. This will include oxidative damage andtelomere attrition. I will discuss the costs and benefits of the phenotypic adjustments that
result from early life conditions, using examples from work from my own and other groups.

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S48 Physiological mechanisms underlying individual variation in life-history traitss48-3

Mechanisms underlying individual variation in timing of breeding
Marcel E. Visser, Phillip Gienapp and Samuel P. Caro
Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O.
Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
Email: m.visser@nioo.knaw.nl
Seasonal timing of breeding shows considerable variation both among individuals(within years) and within individuals (among years), despite the large fitness
consequences of timing. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie this variation isimportant when predicting evolutionary or phenotypically plastic responses to climatechange. Individual differences can for example be due to ‘condition’ (either as a resultof the environment during development or due to conditions in the months or weeks
before egg-laying), or due to genetic differences in sensitivity to predictive cues used intiming of breeding or due. We will explore individual variation in timing using data
both from field and captive studies on Great and Blue Tits (Parus major, Cyanistes
caeruleus). First, we present data from our long-term populations (1955-present)
showing that egg-laying date has important fitness consequences. First, we present
experimental work on wild birds where we aimed to shift the egg-laying date ofindividual birds to assess whether the seasonal variation in fitness is due to a causal
effect of timing or due to ‘high quality’ birds that both lay earlier and have a higher
fitness. Next, we present data from aviaries on individual variation in the physiologicalmechanism underlying timing. We show that there is ample variation in hormone
concentrations and gonadal development, and that this variation is partly genetic. But
we also show that this variation in physiological parameters is not related to variation in
actual egg-laying dates. This hints at that the ‘fine-tuning’ of timing of breeding and theobserved phenotypic variation could either be due to variation in unmeasured more
‘down-stream’ physiological processes or to processes that play a role in the wild but
not in captivity, such as energetic constraints. This calls for more physiological work on
fitness related traits in the wild, of which we will present preliminary data.

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S48 Physiological mechanisms underlying individual variation in life-history traitss48-4

Individual variation in corticosterone responses and the ability of birds
to cope with environmental change
J.F. Cockrem
Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University,
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Email: J.F.Cockrem@massey.ac.nz

Birds are continuously aware of and responding to their physical and social
environment. When stimuli from the external environment are perceived to be a threator potential threat, a stress response is initiated, with activation of the
hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and secretion of corticosterone. Corticosterone is a
glucocorticoid hormone that acts at multiple sites to help birds adjust to and cope with achange in their environment. There is considerable individual variation incorticosterone responses, and a stimulus that initiates a large response in one bird may
initiate a small response in another bird. Corticosterone responses and behavioural
responses to environmental stimuli are determined by individual characteristics called
personality. Birds with low corticosterone responses and proactive personalities arelikely to be more successful (have greater fitness) in constant or predictable conditions,whilst birds with reactive personalities and high corticosterone responses will be more
successful in changing or unpredictable conditions. The relationship between
corticosterone responses and fitness thus depends on the prevailing environmental
conditions, so birds with either low or high corticosterone responses can have thegreatest fitness and be most successful, but in different situations. It is proposed thatbirds with reactive personalities and high corticosterone responses will be better able tocope with environmental changes due to climate change than birds with proactive
personalities and relatively low corticosterone responses. Phenotypic plasticity incorticosterone responses can be quantified using a reaction norm approach, and reaction
norms can be used to determine the degree of plasticity in corticosterone responses ofindividual birds, and mean levels of plasticity in responses of species of birds.
Reaction norms for corticosterone responses can in future be used to help predict theability of birds to cope with environmental changes due to climate change.

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S48 Physiological mechanisms underlying individual variation in life-history traitss48-5

Insulin–like growth factor 1 drives life-history evolution in passerine
birds
J. Lodjak, M. Mägi
Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 46
Vanemuise Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia
Email: jaanis.lodjak@ut.ee
Life-histories, as patterns of growth rate, fecundity and lifespan, show broad varianceacross different species. Such variation among vertebrates is largely mediated throughhormones. Insulin–like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is an evolutionarily conserved
nutrition–dependent hepatic peptide, which is shown to be essential in the regulation ofpre- and postnatal growth, body size, reproduction and lifespan in laboratory studies.
However, we have almost no knowledge regarding how IGF-1 regulates life-history
traits in free-living animals. Approaching the question from both an intra–specific angle
and an inter-specific phylogenetic comparative angle, we examined for the first time in
how IGF-1 impacts key life-history traits like growth rate, body size, clutch size andlifespan in free-living passerines (Passeriformes). By manipulating brood size in a freeliving songbird, the Great Tit (Parus major), to change food availability for nestlings,
we revealed that the level of nestling plasma IGF-1 (1) shows adaptive phenotypic
plasticity, (2) depends upon resource (i.e. food) availability and (3) plays an importantrole in regulating the growth of wild songbirds. In phylogenetic comparative studies
with 60 species, we showed that IGF-1 is one of the key hormones driving: (1)phylogenetically inert body size regulation, (2) contrastingly different optimal clutch
sizes between cavity and open–cup nesting birds and (3) rapid nutrition-dependent
lifespan adaptation, which is only minimally constrained by phylogenetic relatedness ofthe species. These results show that IGF-1 is an important, but to-date largely ignored
hormonal mediator of key life-history traits among free-living passerines, and its roleshould be addressed with further experimental and phylogenetic comparative studies.

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Oral Presentation Abstracts

o01 Biogeography & Paleontology

o01-1

Evolution of wing-propelled diving in the Pan-Alcidae: integration ofphylogeny, fossils, bone histology and endocranial anatomy
N.A. Smith 1 and J.A. Clarke 2
1

National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, Duke University, Durham, USA
Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
Email: adam_smith@nescent.org

2

Wing-propelled diving is a relatively rare form of locomotion among birds, limited toapproximately 50 of ~10,000 species of extant birds and present only in the clades
Sphenisciformes, Procellariiformes, Passeriformes, and Charadriiformes. Among
Charadriiformes, wing-propelled diving as a method of prey capture is restricted to Pan-Alcidae,
which includes 23 extant species and ~35 extinct species. Relatively recent advances in the studyof pan-alcid locomotion are complemented by recent increases in knowledge of extinct pan-alcid
anatomical variation and species diversity. Furthermore, systematic hypotheses including dense
taxonomic sampling of extinct species of Pan-Alcidae provide a phylogenetic framework toevaluate the anatomical, ecological and behavioral evolution of the clade. Despite these many
recent advances, morphological variation of neural tissues and microanatomy of osseous tissues,
which are putatively associated with locomotor strategies, remain uncharacterized. We present
new data on the endocranial anatomy and osteological histology of volant and flightless panalcids and charadriiform outgroup taxa, and make inferences regarding the life history of extinct
pan-alcids based on knowledge of the ecology and behavior of extant alcids. Endocasts of thebrain and inner ear canals of 17 species of Charadriiformes were generated using computed
tomography scans and histological thin sections were produced from humeri, ulnae and femora
representing 5 species of extant and extinct pan-alcids. Whereas inner ear canal morphology waslargely conserved across Charadriiformes, distinct differences between the brains of wingpropelled diving pan-alcids and other charadriiforms, and between volant and flightless panalcids were discovered. Similarly, examination of osteological microanatomy revealed distinct
differences between the bones of Pan-Alcidae and their sister taxon Stercorariidae, and between
volant species (e.g., Alca torda) and extinct flightless taxa (Mancallinae and Pinguinus).
Integration of these neontological and paleontological data provide a more complete picture of
the evolution of wing-propelled diving in Pan-Alcidae and facilitate comparisons with otherclades of wing-propelled divers.

1

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo01 Biogeography & Paleontology

o01-2

Exploring moving range edges in parapatric distributed passerines: ofclimate, genes and biotic interactions
J.O. Engler 1,2, J. Secondi 3, D. Rödder 1, D.A. Dawson 4 and A. Hochkirch 2
1

Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn,
Germany2
Biogeography Department, Trier University, Am Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
3
Department of Biology, Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Lund University,
Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden Present address: LUNAM Université, GECCO,
Université d’Angers, F-49045 Angers, France
4
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield,
S10 2TN, UK
Email: j.engler.zfmk@uni-bonn.de
Dynamic systems like moving contact zones are particularly interesting objects. First, climate
and biotic interactions are major factors that shape species distributions, and disentangling
their relative effects is a first crucial step to understand those systems. Second, rapid range
shift may strongly alter the genetic structure of a species which in turn may affect its dispersal,
and the dynamics of the zone itself. Many empirical and theoretical studies have dealt with
one part of the problem but rarely have they tried to link the two questions which a moving
contact zone offers the opportunity to do. The two parapatric passerines Hippolais icterinaand H. polyglotta form a moving secondary contact zone in Europe. The contact zone has
been moving north-eastward for at least 70 years. We used species distribution modelling toassess the relative effects of climate and interspecific interactions on the zone movement. We
further analysed the genetic structure of the two species along a transect that crossed bothallopatric ranges and the contact zone. Although the zone shift is consistent with a climatewarming scenario, interspecific interactions limit the range edge of each species. Moreover,both species maintained their genetic diversity and structure despite the rapid zone movement,
indicating their low susceptibility to current levels of climate change. Although an increasing
number of moving zones is being reported, the proximate causes of movement remain unclear
in most cases. In the general context of global change, we call for more research oninteractions between these processes and the possible genetic consequences.

2

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo01 Biogeography & Paleontology

o01-3

An overview of the diversity and relationships of the mihirungs (Aves:
Dromornithidae), enigmatic giant flightless fowl of Australia
T. H. Worthy 1
1Trevor H. Worthy, School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, GPO 2100, Adelaide5001, SA, Australia.
Email: trevor.worthy@flinders.edu.au

The mihirung birds (Aves: Dromornithidae) lived in Australia from the Eocene to the late
Pleistocene. They were large flightless birds, ranging from Barawertornis at the size of an
Emu (Dromaius), upwards to the most massive bird (Dromornis stirtoni) that ever lived. Now
generally considered to have been herbivores, little is known about just what they fed on,whether they were browsers or grazers, and even less is known on other aspects of their
biology such as breeding. Once thought to be related to ratites, recent work by P. Murray and
P. Vickers-Rich has identified features that suggest relationships with fowl and withanseriforms in particular. Currently there are seven named species placed in five genera, butseveral undescribed taxa are known. However, at most three species in two genera have everbeen found together in deposits or even in the same time period and the inter-relationships oftaxa are to date poorly resolved. In this paper, I will review the diversity of the dromornithids
through time and reassess their generic diversity. Secondly, I will examine the hypothesis thatmihirungs are anseriforms in the global context of their relationships to giant fowl of Oceania(Sylviornis, New Caledonia; Megavitiornis, Fiji), the megapodes, waterfowl and othergalloanseres including the Northern Hemisphere giants Gastornis & Diatryma. It will thus
address the question of whether the mihirungs of Australia were a unique endemic radiation,
or were they part of a wider radiation of fowl.

3

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo01 Biogeography & Paleontology

o01-4

Gondwanian relationships of the Early Eocene bird fauna of Australia
Andrzej Elzanowski1 and Walter E. Boles2
1

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
Research and Collections Branch, Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia
E-mail elzanowski@miiz.waw.pl2

The non-marine, earliest Eocene (54.6 Ma) Tingamarra Local Fauna in Queensland, Australia,
yielded avian quadrate bones that have been identified as remains of the early screamers(Anhimidae) and wood hoopoes (Phoeniculidae). Today, the screamers are endemic to SouthAmerica and the wood hoopoes to sub-Saharan Africa. In the absence of the pre-Oligocene
record of anhimids in South America, this raises a possibility that the pananhimid ancestors of
extant screamers may have migrated to South America from Australia. Likewise, the wood
hoopoes may have originated outside of Africa, possibly in Australia. Transantarctic exchange
between Australia and other Gondwanan continents has been suggested before by the
relationships of marsupials and snakes from the Tingamarra fauna.

4

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo01 Biogeography & Paleontology

o01-5

Biogeography of the Neotropical genus Malacoptila (Aves: Bucconidae)
support the influence of Andean uplift and the reconfiguration of the
Amazon basin as primary triggers of speciation
M. Ferreira¹, A. Aleixo², C. Ribas³, M. P. D. Santos4
1

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, MPEG/UFPA, Belém – PA, Brazil
Coordenação de Zoologia, MPEG, Belém – PA, Brazil
3
Programa de Coleções e Acervos Científicos, INPA, Manaus – AM, Brazil
4
Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, UFPA, Belém – PA, Brazil
e-mail: mateusf.bio@gmail.com
2

Neotropical biodiversity has been highly influenced by the Andean uplift and thefollowing reconfiguration of the Amazon Basin. Many studies suggest that the Andes
and the main rivers of the Amazon Basin act as barriers to gene flow of several avian
lineages, and that events of speciation are intrinsically related to the formation of thesebarriers. We selected a widespread genus of understory birds to test the possible
scenarios behind these events. The genus Malacoptila is distributed from southern
Mexico to southeastern Brazil, and all the species have a parapatric distribution. Two
mitochondrial genes and two nuclear introns were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic
relationship among all species. Except for Malacoptila semicincta, all species present atleast two evolutionary lineages that are geographically structured. We also found thatthe cis-Andean species are not monophyletic, because the first event of cladogenesis
within the genus was the split between the highland M. fulvogularis and the lowland
ancestors from the other species. The next event of speciation was between the transAndean M. panamensis and the remaining cis-Andean taxa. For the Atlantic forest we
found two lineages within M. striata, each corresponding to independent taxa, and an
ancient connection with the Amazon forest. The Amazonian taxa were structured within
the main interfluves of the basin. We found that M. fusca is sister to M. semicincta, andboth are sister to M. rufa. In M. rufa we found at least 10 lineages spread along thespecies distribution, and in M. fusca, 5 lineages. In both species the younger lineages
are occupying the western portion of the Amazon Basin, which suggests dispersion tothese areas after the draining of the Pebas system.

5

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo02 Bird-human interactions

o02-1

Listening to nature’s views
S.J. Butler1 and K. Ash2
1

School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk UK
Centre for Creative Technology, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds UK
E-mail: simon.j.butler@uea.ac.uk
2

Promoting the understanding and communication of complex data to the generalpublic is an increasingly important and high profile area of research activity in boththe scientific and creative communities. Here we present the results of a project using
the process of sonification, which is the representation of data using sound, to develop
a novel approach for the analysis and dissemination of ecological data. The humanhearing system is highly developed and able to detect small changes in thecharacteristics of individual sounds, find patterns in compound streams of data anddetect higher-level changes in intensity, characteristic and ‘feeling’. These attributes
make the auditory system potentially ideal for the analysis of complex sets of data,such as those typically produced in modern scientific research. Furthermore, theability of music to communicate meaning is well documented and, while this isnormally restricted to the communication of the artistic intentions of a composer, it
can also provide a novel and accessible way to communicate scientific data to thegeneral public. We have sonified long-term land-use and bird abundance data fromthe UK and Europe, developing soundscapes that describe the dynamics on
agricultural systems and associated bird populations. We discuss the opportunities
data sonification provides both for alternative statistical analyses, using parameterssuch as fundamental frequency, amplitude and harmonicity associated with the sounds
produced as dependent variables, and the creation of novel compositions driven by
patterns in the underlying data.

6

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo02 Bird-human interactions

o02-2

Relating species traits to extinction risk from the pet bird trade inSoutheast Asia
J.B.C. Harris1, D.M. Prawiradilaga2, and D.S. Wilcove1,31

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University,
Princeton, NJ, USA. Email: aramidopsis@gmail.com
2
Division of Zoology, Research Centre for Biology-LIPI, Jl. Raya Bogor Km 46,
Cibinong-Bogor, 16911, Indonesia.
3
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ,
USA.
The pet bird trade involves at least 3,600 bird species and is worth millions of dollars
annually. Despite the magnitude of the trade, few studies have investigated which
species tend to be threatened with extinction by trade. Here we combine trade records
from six Southeast Asian countries with a species traits database to evaluate which traits
are associated with (1) being traded, and (2) being threatened with extinction by thetrade. Approximately 30% of the 2,231 bird species resident in the countries studied aresold in wildlife markets. Species found in disturbed habitats are heavily targeted. The
most intensely exploited families, in proportion to the number of species found in theregion, are the Capitonidae, Irenidae, Psittacidae, Sturnidae, and Pycnonotidae.
Overexploitation is imperiling 140 IUCN threatened or near-threatened species in ourstudy region. Of those imperiled birds, species found in non-forest habitats and thosewith small clutch sizes are most vulnerable to the pet trade. These results indicate thattrapping threatens different sets of species than those imperiled by habitat loss.
Non-forest species appear to be disproportionately sensitive to the trade, probably
because these species occur near human habitation.

7

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo02 Bird-human interactions

o02-3

Antarctic seabirds as indicators of anthropogenic influences
H.-U. Peter 1, J. Esefeld 1, S. Janowski 2, J. Krietsch 1, S. Lisovski 3, O. Mustafa 4, A. Nordt 5,
S. Pfeiffer 6, A. Russ 7, M. Stelter 1 and C. Braun 1
1Polar & Bird Ecology Group, Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena,
Germany
Email: hans-ulrich.peter@uni-jena.de
2
Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg,
Germany
3
Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Australia
4
ThINK - Thüringer Institut für Nachhaltigkeit und Klimaschutz GmbH, Jena, Germany
5
Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Greifswald,
Germany
6
CBL- Section for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture and Forestry (SeTSAF), GeorgAugust-University, Göttingen, Germany
7
Department Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ),
Leipzig, Germany
The Antarctic represents a unique ecosystem and one of the last pristine environments onearth. However, it is not free from anthropogenic influences like global (climate change) andlocal (human disturbance) changes. These alterations might have substantial impacts onseabird populations. Based on a long-term monitoring of seabirds in the Maritime Antarctic(King George Island, South Shetland Islands) we present data of Southern Giant Petrels(Macronectes giganteus) and three sympatrically breeding Pygoscelid penguin species(Pygoscelis adéliae, P. antarctica, P. Papua). While the breeding pair number of Chinstrap
and Adélie penguins showed a dramatic decline of ~95 % and ~75 %, respectively (comparedto maximum values), Gentoo Penguins almost tripled their numbers. As this is observed inmany other colonies along the Western Antarctic Peninsula it seems to reflect the regional
climate warming and associated sea ice reduction. Furthermore, a recently recorded breedingcolony of the sub-Antarctic Light-mantled Sooty Albatross (Phoebetria palpebrata)
represents the southernmost known breeding location of any albatross species, indicating
more favorable environmental conditions nowadays. Potential further alterations are expected
due to glacier retreat and changes in food availability.
Although the worldwide population of Southern Giant Petrel has grown over recent years,
Antarctic colonies are continuing to diminish. This decline is mainly attributed to disturbanceby station staff and station logistics, as this long-lived seabird is considered to be highly
sensitive to disturbance, which easily leads to nest abandonment and egg/chick loss throughpredation. Our data of breeding pair numbers of Southern Giant Petrels over ~30 years do notshow a significant trend, but local changes in several colonies were eminent which are likely
attributed to visitations during summer by station staff in their leisure time.
Thus, long-term monitoring of some seabird species reflects direct and/or indirect
anthropogenic influences turning them into suitable indicators of future developments.

8

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo02 Bird-human interactions

o02-4

Understanding attacks by Kea (Nestor notabilis), an endemic high country
parrot, on sheep in New Zealand
C.E. Reid1, B.D. Gartrell1, E.O. Minot2, K.J. Stafford1
1

Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston
North, New Zealand2
Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New
Zealand
Email: clio.reid.1@uni.massey.ac.nz
Human wildlife conflict is a growing global problem with considerable and varied impacts,
e.g., on human livelihoods and endangered species, and is especially concentrated inagriculture. A classic unresolved example of such conflict in New Zealand is between Kea(Nestor notabilis), a threatened high country parrot endemic to the South Island, and highcountry sheep farmers. Kea have been observed attacking sheep (a phenomenon known as“kea strike”) on high country farms since 1868. However, Kea strike has been inadequately
studied and is still poorly understood, with the majority of the literature on the subject being
dated and/or anecdotal. Kea strike can cause illness, injury and death in sheep and, although it
has declined in incidence, still occurs and is severe on some farms. Several methods are
currently used to mitigate Kea strike, including killing Kea. Illegal means of control of Kea
are also used, which include inhumane methods such as poisoning. Our objectives are toassess the current prevalence of Kea strike on high country farms, and to assess risk factors
and underlying behaviours that are involved. We aim to understand the cognitive drivers of
Kea strike and develop mitigation strategies that will benefit Kea, farmers and sheep welfare.
We assessed the prevalence of Kea strike injuries on 5 high country sheep farms withhistories of Kea strike. Our results show that the farms fell into 3 prevalence categories: very
low, moderate, and high, and these findings are consistent with both the frequency andseverity of Kea strike reported by the farmers included in this study. Differences in farming
management and topography between the 5 farms studied have contributed to the risk of Kea
strike. This study provides the first quantitative analysis of Kea strike injuries in sheep, an
important step in gaining a scientific understanding of this phenomenon.

9

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo02 Bird-human interactions

o02-5

Factors affecting bycatch of Black-Browed Albatross and Wandering Albatross:relationship between distribution and bycatch probabilities
Y. Inoue1, M. Okazaki2, M. P. Dias3, C. Small3 and H. Minami1
1 National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Fisheries Research Agency, Japan
2 National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency, Japan
3 BirdLife International, UK
Email: yuinoue@affrc.go.jp

Seabird bycatch, in which seabirds are accidentally caught in pelagic longline fisheries, has been oneof the causes of declining seabird populations. Understanding the factors affecting seabird bycatch,and also the areas and seasons in which the risk is higher, is essential to identify the priority actions
in order to minimize this threat. In our study we analyzed the relationship between bycatch rate(birds caught per 1000 hooks) and several factors, including seabird distribution probability. We
estimated the seabird distribution with habitat modeling using tracking data and ecologicalenvironment factors. We then selected the best model explaining bycatch rate using zero-inflated
models. We used as model species the Black-Browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) and the
Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans), both known to be bycaught in pelagic longline fisheries
and listed as Endangered and Vulnerable, respectively. The areas with high predicted distribution by
the models generally agreed with the areas with high utilization distribution calculated from thetracking data. For colonies in which no tracking data were available, both the Black-Browed andWandering Albatross models identified areas of predicted foraging distribution. Sea surface
temperature and chlorophyll-a were the most important factors explaining the distribution of these
species, while bathymetry and slope of bottom were the less relevant. We will discuss the factor
affecting bycatch rate and the mechanism of bycatch.

10

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo03 Cognition & Signallingo03-1

Individual differences in taste perception & dietary wariness in
European Starlings: causes and consequences
Hannah M Rowland 1,2, Scott J Werner 3

1

Institute of Zoology, ZSL, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
3
USDA/APHIS/WS/National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort
Collins, CO 80521-2154, USA
2

Taste, smell, and sight help birds identify and discriminate among foods, and are theimportant senses involved in behavioural defences against poisoning. One over-riding
observation in all studies of behavioural defences is that there is variation in theforaging behaviour of individuals. For instance, some individuals eat large numbers ofchemically defended insect larvae, while other individuals are more sensitive, andtaste-reject chemically defended prey; some individuals are adventurous foragers, whileothers are wary. To date, there has been a tendency to view this variation as noise.
However, it is known that genetic differences in taste receptors explain individual
variation in other vertebrates’ responses to bitter tastes, and that stress can decrease
glucose and salt detection thresholds in humans, leading to variation in diet choice. In
this study we examined how European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) perceive the tastes
of potential poisons (bitter tastes), how much they vary in these responses, and how
ecologically relevant stressors might affect behaviour. We measured consumption levels
and visitation rates of individual Starlings using a two-bottle choice test, where theyreceived the test solution on one side and water on the other. We also exposed the birds
to an ecologically relevant stressor, by creating temporal variation in food availability
and measured changes in baseline and stress-induced corticosterone (CORT)
concentrations to determine if stress affects taste perception and consumption behaviour.
We also tested whether temporal variation in food availability affects Starlings’
responses to novel foods. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to measure gustatory
thresholds for quinine, and other bitter tasting solutions, and how food restriction andthe stress hormone corticosterone affect perception and expression of behaviouraldefences.

11

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo03 Cognition & Signallingo03-2

Olfactory signalling in a highly divergent species complex: the Crimson
Rosella (Platycercus elegans)

M. Mihailova1†, M.L. Berg1, K.L. Buchanan1, J.L. Adcock1, A.T.D. Bennett1
1

Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia

Email: milla.mihailova@deakin.edu.au

Traditionally, birds were widely regarded as relying primarily on their visual and acoustic
senses for communication. Recently though, there has been a growing body of evidence
indicating that birds can recognise and respond to chemical cues in their environment.
Nevertheless, the role of chemical cues in avian communication is still little known. Within
Psittaciformes, only a handful of studies have investigated the role that olfaction might playin signalling. The Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) is an ideal candidate for studying
olfactory signalling. It is a highly variable species, featuring a series of gradually divergent
populations, which differ greatly in plumage colouration. The species also produces a distinct
and strong odour, which has never been investigated. In this study, we combined field andlab-based behavioural experiments, along with chemical analyses of the plumage odour.
Using experimental odours placed at nestboxes during incubation, we found that females
could detect odour differences between species and subspecies. Females arrived to andentered the nestbox significantly quicker when their own subspecies odour was present. They
also spent significantly more time on and inside the nestbox when presented with conspecificodour. Furthermore, we found evidence that females could recognise sexes through odour.
Females arrived quicker and spent more time in and on the nestbox when a male odour waspresent. Lab-based behavioural two-choice experiments also revealed that both males andfemales were able to recognise and showed preference for their own species odour. Using gas
chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS), we found evidence suggesting that P.elegans
produce chemical labels, which convey information about subspecies, sex and virus infection.
These data show that Crimson Rosella individuals vary greatly in odour composition and may
use odour as an important cue for species, subspecies, sex and disease status.

12

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo03 Cognition & Signallingo03-3

Hotshots and Hotspots: local spatial heterogeneity in life-history
variation and signal content of UV structural colours in a sociallymonogamous passerine
V. Saranathan 1, I. Greving 2, E.L. O’Brien 1,3, B. Wilts 4,5, D. Stavenga 5 and B.C.
Sheldon 1
1

Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of
Oxford, Oxford, UK
2Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Centre for Materials and Coastal Research GmbH,
Geesthacht, Germany
3
Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince
George BC, Canada
4
Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambdridge, UK
5Computational Physics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University ofGroningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Email: vinod.saranathan@zoo.ox.ac.uk

Isotropic or non-iridescent avian structural colours like the ultraviolet (UV) reflective
crown of Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus, Paridae) form a conspicuous aspect of thephenotype of many birds and are frequently used in social and sexual signalling.
Previous research on non-iridescent feather barb structural colours of 230 species from
52 avian families suggests that they are produced by self-assembled, 3D quasi-orderedor amorphous biophotonic nanostructures made up of spongy matrices of beta-keratin
and air. Unlike diet-acquired pigmentary colours, however, the precise signal content
and evolution of structurally coloured plumage remains difficult to comprehend,
perhaps because contemporary studies rarely consider the mechanistic basis of structural
colour variation within a bird population, namely the fine-scale properties of barb
nanostructures that produce visible structural colours. We address mechanistically how
the tight interplay between structural colours and the underlying nanostructure
correlates with the life-history characteristics of individuals in two well-studied andadjacent Oxfordshire populations of Blue Tits, by combining field-based ecological datawith synchrotron Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) nanostructural measurements
and microspectrophotometric measurements of UV-reflective Blue Tit crown feathers.
We also report the first structural data on the comparative development of spongy
medullary biophotonic nanostructure in nestling and adult Blue Tits from assays ofgrowing feather germs. We present SAXS as an ideal tool to assay bulk structuralproperties of complex biomaterials, providing a precise, and high-resolution structural
measurements of the scattering nanostructure on a cell-by-cell basis with essentially nosample preparation, allowing for a high throughput hitherto inconceivable.

13

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo03 Cognition & Signallingo03-4

Effect of a fluctuating environment on multimodal signals
R. K. Simpson1 and K. J. McGraw1
1

School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA
Email: rksimps1@asu.edu
Many animals communicate using more than one modality (e.g. acoustic, visual), andseveral hypotheses have arisen to explain the evolution of multiple signals. However,these hypotheses typically assume static selection pressures and fail to acknowledge how
environmental fluctuations over time or space can shape variation in signaling systems.
Environmental variability, such as food availability and ambient lighting, may affect thecosts and benefits of trait development and information content in signalers as well as
signal perception and value in receivers. We are studying how the form and function ofmultiple signals in a tropical songbird change due to spatiotemporal environmental
fluctuations. We are testing how variation in light environment and ambient noise
influences the transmission, perception, and reliability of song and coloration in the Redthroated Ant-tanager in Panama. We recorded ant-tanager song, plucked feathers tomeasure color, and recorded the acoustic and light environment from each territory. In
addition, we took standard morphometric measurements and collected blood samples tomeasure circulating levels of carotenoids in each individual. We will present data on thevariation and condition-dependence of ant-tanager signals as well as on how lightenvironment and ambient noise correlate with signal production and use. This study
should fill an essential gap in our understanding of the evolution of multiple signals, andpave the way for future studies on fluctuating environments.

14

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo03 Cognition & Signallingo03-5

The Colour of an Entire Avifauna: Understanding Chromatic Variabilityof Australian Birds
Kaspar Delhey & Alexandra McQueen
School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia
Animal coloration is one of the least well understood components of phenotypic diversity.
This lack of understanding stems partly due to the inherent complexity of analysing
chromatic information in the eye of the beholder and to the lack of comprehensive theoreticalbases to explain it. Currently, our best framework to make sense of this diversity lies with thesensory drive hypothesis which stresses the roles of sensory and environmental variation atshaping colour diversity. Differences in the visual environment – the combination of ambient
light and background colours – could determine which colours are conspicuous or cryptic.
While there is limited information suggesting that variation in the visual environment may
select for different cryptic and conspicuous colours, the generality of these findings is
unknown. Here, I employ psychophysical visual models of avian vision together with simple
multivariate techniques to make sense of the colour variability of all Australian breeding
landbirds. Using this approach I show that sexual differences in selection pressures are
responsible for a large part of the chromatic variability of Australian birds: more than a thirdof the occupied visual space is exclusively male. This chromatic variability is not uniformly
distributed in the visual space due to the overrepresentation of “dull” colours. Finally, I
explore the role of environmental variability by assessing the match between cryptic andconspicuous colours and their visual environment at the level of a single community. These
data highlight the new insights that can be gained from analyses at the level of communities
or entire avifauna.

15

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo04 Community Ecology 1

o04-1

Hierarchical community models for analysing species- anddensity-area relationships
Yuichi Yamaura1, J. Andrew Royle2, Katsuo Itoh3, Kiyoshi Sato3, Hisatomo Taki4,
Yoshio Mishima1
1

Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido Univ, Sapporo, Japan

2

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, U. S. Geological Survey, Laurel, USA

3

Itoh Research of Applied Plant Studies, Makubetsu, Japan

4

Department of Forest Entomology, Forestry Forest Prod. Res. Inst., Tsukuba, Japan

Email: yamaura@for.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
Species-area relationships (SARs) are important in ecology, and it is assumed that
population densities constituting communities are constant irrespective of area.
However, in fragmented landscapes, densities can change with patch area. Previously
developed abundance-based SAR models assume that expected species richness isobtained by summing the probability that at least one individual occurs across the
species. We showed that density-area relationships (DARs) can affect such probabilities,
and their collective behavior can affect the shape of SARs using simulation experiments.
Next we developed a hierarchical community model to consider imperfect detection ofindividuals and imperfect spatial coverage of the patches during the survey. We also
developed another model using frequency (number of equal-sized sampling plots inwhich a species occurs) and occurrence probability-area relationships (OPARs) as
surrogates of abundance and DARs, respectively, for plant survey data. We applied themodels to bird and plant data collected from young plantation patches with varied area
(1.3-10 ha). For birds, we analyzed early-successional species because very few
individuals of mature forest species entered the patches. No bird species showedlarge-patch preferences, and total densities of bird communities did not change withpatch area. Plant early-successional and exotic species did not show patch area
selectivity, while mature forest species as a group showed small-patch preferences,suggesting that their negative OPARs may have made SARs shallower. The plantcommunity model estimated that about half of the species were encountered during thesurvey. It was expected that patch-level species richness changed with patch area forbirds but not for plants. Population densities are changed by the range of factors
including patch area, and complete enumeration of individuals in large patches isdifficult. Our modelling approach considers such covariate effects and imperfect
sampling problems, and should provide a more precise understanding of biodiversity infragmented landscapes.

16

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo04 Community Ecology 1

o04-2

Do long term patterns of bird assemblage dynamics imply interspecificcompetition? Null model analyses of species associations.
Martin KORŇAN1,2 and Rudolf KROPIL1
1

Department of Forest Protection and Game Management, Faculty of Forestry, Technical
University in Zvolen, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia; martin.kornan@tuzvo.sk, kropil@tuzvo.sk

2

Centre for Ecological Studies, Ústredie 14, 013 62 Veľké Rovné, Slovakia;
martin.kornan@gmail.com

Interspecific competition has been understood as the main force of nature driving co-existence
among species and thus controlling community dynamics for many decades. Competition
theory predicts existence and prevalence of so called negative species association(segregation) in spatial or temporal patterns of community dynamics. The main objective of
this study is to test this prediction on the sample of breeding bird communities of various
habitats (forests, park, meadows) by presence/absence and quantitative null models. Totally,
18 data matrices of studies lasting at least 10 years (10−57 years) from Europe and North
America were subjected to analyses. Data matrices were analyzed by null models with thebest statistical properties. Descriptions and abbreviations of binary and quantitative nullmodels and indices are in papers of Gotelli (2000: Ecology 81: 2606–2621) and Ulrich &Gotelli (2010: Ecology 91: 3384–3397). We used 10 000 iterations and critical threshold level
α=0.05 in all computations. Two binary null models, SIM 2 and SIM 9, in combination withthree indices (number of checkerboards (CHECKER), C-score, variance ratio (V-ratio) wererun in EcoSim 7.0. Only 18 (20.00 %) of 90 simulations by binary null models showednegative associations (24 (26.67 %) aggregations, 48 (53.33 %) random associations). Twoquantitative null model algorithms, IA (aa) and IT (rc), in combination with three indices(number of quantitative checkerboards (CAST), number of quantitative aggregations (AAST),
and Chaoʼs index of similarity on n communities (MA)) were run in Turnover 1.1. Only 22(20.37 %) of 108 simulations of the quantitative null models and indices with 18 data matrices
showed negative species associations (60 (55.56 %) aggregations, 26 (24.07 %) random
associations). The results of simulations do not support hypothesis of interspecificcompetition as the main driver of bird assemblage dynamics since aggregations and random
associations prevailed. The conference presentation was supported from the project Extensionof the Centre of Excellence funded by ERDF.

17

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo04 Community Ecology 1

o04-3

Abiotic versus biotic constraints on the elevational distributions ofAndean birds.
S.K. Robinson 1, J. Jankowski 2, G.A. Londono 3 and M.A. Chappell 3
1

Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CAN
3Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, USA
2

Email: srobinson@flmnh.ufl.edu
Understanding the relative roles of abiotic versus biotic constraints as limits on the
distribution of species along elevational gradients is critical for predicting the impactsof changes in climate and land use on hyper-diverse tropical montane areas. We studied
species interactions (biotic constraints) and metabolic responses to temperature (abiotic
constraints) of more than 300 avian species along an elevational gradient in the Andesof south-eastern Peru where more than 1000 species occur. We found little support for
the hypothesis that adults were constrained to specific elevational bands by differencesin tolerances of different thermal regimes. Neither did we find support for the
hypothesis that interspecific aggression between closely related (usually congeneric)
species constrains more than a few species to narrow elevational zones. Nest predation
rates, however, varied greatly along the elevational gradient, as did the communities of
predators responsible for most nest predation events recorded by cameras at nests. We
argue that a suite of life-history adaptations to nesting under different temperature
regimes and under contrasting predation pressures may ultimately constrain most
species. High-elevation areas, in particular, have severe biotic and abiotic constraints(high nest predation rates, low ecosystem productivity, cold temperatures) that may act
as strong filters limiting which species are present.

18

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo04 Community Ecology 1

o04-4

Population and community-level niche conservatism in antbirds(Thamnophilidae) along a tropical elevational gradient
S. David 1 and J. Jankowski 1
1

Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Email: sdavid@zoology.ubc.ca

Niche conservatism is defined as the tendency for related species to have similar
fundamental and realized niches, and as the tendency for the niche of a species to change
little over time. Although ecological traits that define the niche have been used tounderstand the assembly of communities on larger scales, functional traits that determine
the niche are fundamental to understanding community assembly on a local scale. Antbirds(Thamnophilidae) constitute one of the most diverse suboscine families and vary
substantially in morphology, vocalization and behavior. As many as 40 species may coexist
at local scales. As such, antbirds are an excellent system for studying repeated patterns of
niche conservatism and divergence under varying environmental conditions. We studied
antbird communities along an elevational gradient on the eastern slope of the Andes in andaround Manu National Park, Peru. In this area antbird community richness declines fromover 40 species in the lowlands to fewer than 10 species in cloud forest 1000 m upslope.
Species occurrence data, ecological traits and phylogenetic relatedness of thesecommunities were integrated to determine whether species niches are mediated byinterspecific competition or niche conservatism. First, we examined ecologicalrelationships among species to understand whether different species along the gradientexhibit niche shifts of relevant ecological traits, as predicted if their niches evolve in
response to the presence or absence of competitors and changing abiotic conditions. Second,
we determined whether highly diverse community in the lowlands exhibit nonrandom
ecological structure and if more closely related species are more ecologically similar, aspredicted with niche conservatism. We discuss different patterns of conservatism anddivergence of niche-related ecological traits in antbirds and the implications of thesepatterns in understanding community assembly and competition in highly diverse tropicalavian communities.

19

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo04 Community Ecology 1

o04-5

Contrasting avian community transitions from lowland to submontane
forest on a variety of Bornean mountains
R. Burner 1, C. Boer 2, M.A. Rahman3, F.H. Sheldon 1
1

Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge, USA
2
Fakultas Kehutanan, Universitas Mulawarman, Samarinda, Indonesia
3
Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota
Samarahan, Malaysia
Email: rburne4@lsu.edu

Species composition of avian communities changes with elevation, and the pattern ofelevational change varies depending on landscape and regional characteristics. In
Borneo, the elevational distribution of bird species has not been quantitatively assessed,
and thus community turnover is poorly understood and its causes unknown. Moreover,the extent to which submontane and hill forests provide habitat for lowland species isalso poorly understood. This latter issue is extremely important because of theoverwhelming rate of lowland forest loss in Borneo (Montane habitats, while also
threatened, are less accessible and more often protected, thus more montane forest
remains intact). We examined the elevational characteristics of bird communities on
three mountains of similar size: Mt. Topap Oso (1448 m) and Mt. Baring Uning (1464m) in the continuous mountains of central Borneo, East Kalimantan, Indonesia; and Mt.
Pueh (1552 m), an isolated range near the coast in western Sarawak, Malaysia. Point
count and mist-net data show significant differences in both species composition andelevation of community transition among the mountains. Montane species occur at
lower elevation on the more isolated Mt. Pueh, in keeping with predictions of themountain mass effect. However, presumably because of its isolation Pueh’s overallmontane bird community is less rich than Topap Oso and Baring Uning, which are partof an extensive mountain range. Pueh’s reduced montane species richness andproximity to the coast likely also contribute to differences in species’ elevational ranges
through direct and indirect effects of altered competition and moderated climate. We
discuss the implications of our results for understanding the biotic and abiotic factors
affecting species distributions on elevational gradients, which allow predictions to bemade regarding effects of different predicted climate and land use change regimes on
Southeast Asian bird communities.

20

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo05 Conservation Techniqueso05-1

Applications of unmanned vehicle systems to bird studies
David M. Bird1, Dominique Chabot1, James Junda1, Shawn Craik2, Vincent Carignan3
and Erick Greene4
1

Avian Science and Conservation Centre of McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road,
Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9 Canada 2Département desSciences, Université Sainte-Anne, Church Point, NS, B0W 1M0, Canada 3 Canadian
Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, 105 McGill St, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2E7, Canada
4
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812
U.S.A.
Email: david.bird@mcgill.ca
Over the last 6 years, we have used small, “off-the-shelf” Unmanned Aerial Systems(UAS) to conduct population surveys of birds, map and monitor bird habitats, andrecord the behavioural responses to such machines.
First, we flew a fixed-wing UAS
over a large Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) breeding colony (5,000–7,000 nests) on a
dynamic coastal barrier island complex in eastern New Brunswick at low altitudes(<100m). Without flushing the birds and capturing very high resolution (~3cm/pixel)
aerial imagery, we carried out an unobtrusive population census and mapped the island
habitat in fine detail in order to better inform future management initiatives in the event ofrising water levels. Second, we used the same UAS to map a 128-ha wetland
impoundment in southern Quebec that contains critical habitat for one of the province's
largest Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) breeding populations. In conjunction withcall-response surveys carried out on the ground, UAS imagery revealing the fine-scalelayout of water and vegetation allowed us to determine that bittern abundance ismost positively influenced by cattail cover in combination with water-vegetation edge
density (interspersion), confirming the findings of several other recent studies. Third,
we flew a quad-rotor UAS over the nests of Swainson’s Hawks (Buteo swainsonii) andFerruginous Hawks (B. regalis) in Saskatchewan in 2012 and over Osprey (Pandion
halieatus) nests in Montana in 2013, and using an ethogram, we recorded their nest
defense behaviour at different stages of the nesting cycle. The strength of the response
varied among species and among individual pairs. Other studies with UAS under-way
include tracking radio-tagged birds, recording underwater foraging behaviour of diving
birds, live-capturing birds, and dispersing nuisance bird species.

21

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo05 Conservation Techniques

o05-2

At-sea experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of multiple mitigation
measures on pelagic longline operations in the western North PacificDaisuke Ochi*1, Noriyosi Sato1, 2, Nobuhiro Katsumata1 and Hiroshi Minami1
1
National Research Institute of Far Sea Fisheries
2
Graduate School of Fisheries Science and Environmental Studies, Nagasaki University
Email: otthii@affrc.go.jp

Incidental mortality (bycatch) of seabirds in tuna longline fisheries is a major concern
for population declines of several threatened species. For the conservation of seabirds,
experimental research for the effective mitigation measures that reduce the incidental
mortality of seabirds in commercial fisheries is essential. Recent research in theSouthern Hemisphere revealed that the simultaneous deployment of a combination of
tori-lines and weighted branch lines was highly effective at reducing seabird bycatch. Inorder to address effective bycatch mitigation measures in the North Pacific, we
compared the effectiveness of bird-deterring tori-lines with and without weighted
branch lines to a control of no mitigation. The weighted branch lines design was basedon the Yamazaki double-weight configuration reported to be effective in the Southern
Hemisphere. We carried out 62 longline operations in the Western North Pacific. Each
operation of 960 hooks was divided into six experimental treatments: single, double or
no tori-lines coupled with weighted or unweighted branch lines. Metrics of evaluation
were the attack rates of seabirds on baited hooks, sink rate of branch lines and the
bycatch rates of the dominant and most vulnerable seabirds to longline mortality in the
North Pacific – Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis and P.
nigripes). Three albatross and five shearwater species attended the vessel during line
setting and 107 Laysan and 21 Black-footed Albatrosses were recorded as catch. Bothsingle and double tori-lines eliminated most bird attacks within 75 m of the stern,
resulting in a dramatic reduction in seabird mortality rates (96-100%, for single anddouble tori-lines, respectively) compared to non tori-line treatments, irrespective of
branch line weighting. Weighted branch lines without tori-lines also reduced mortality
rates, but less effectively than tori-line treatments (60-68% reduction). These results
suggest that deployment of well-designed tori-lines dramatically reduces albatross
bycatch in the pelagic longline fisheries in the Western North Pacific.

22

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo05 Conservation Techniqueso05-3

A world review of seabird translocation and social attraction projects
S.W. Kress1, H.P. Jones2
1 National Audubon Society, Seabird Restoration Program, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
2 Northern Illinois University; Dept. of Biological Sciences, 155 Castel Drive, DeKalb, IL USA
Email: skress@audubon.org
Active seabird restoration methods such as chick translocation and social attraction (the use of
vocalization playbacks and decoys) are now widely used to encourage seabirds to establish new
breeding colonies at restoration sites. We present a worldwide review of active seabird
restoration projects which found 128 projects that were implemented to protect 47 seabird
species in 100 locales spanning 14 countries since 1973 when active restoration methods were
pioneered. These methods can achieve conservation goals for threatened and endangered species
and for species affected by anthropogenic impacts (e.g., oil spills, invasive species, and fisheries).
They are also helpful for relocating populations from undesired breeding locales to morefavorable locations, and to establish multiple breeding locations to reduce risks posed bycatastrophic events and predicted effects of climate change such as ocean level rise. Active
restoration can also help to restore ecological processes, as large seabird colonies function tocycle marine nutrients to terrestrial ecosystems and create habitats for commensal species.
Active restoration is especially appropriate where the original causes of decline are no longer
working to suppress colony establishment and growth. Successful restoration efforts require
careful planning and long-term commitments. As case studies, we review outcomes of 40 yearsof restoration for Atlantic Puffin and Arctic Terns in Maine, USA.

23

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo05 Conservation Techniqueso05-4

Use of marine radar to evaluate collision risk of migrants with windturbines
C.M. Francis1, P.D. Taylor2, J. Brzustowski2, and J.R. Zimmerling1
1

Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Ottawa, Canada
Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: charles.francis@ec.gc.ca

2

The recent development of automated digitization methods and improved software tocapture and process information from marine radars has provided new opportunities forquantitative analysis of bird migration patterns including assessing risks of collisions
with objects such as wind turbines. However, there are several challenges that must be
overcome to make full use of the data. Of particular importance is estimating theprobability that a bird flying past the radar will be detected often enough to be identified
as a bird based on information such as flight speed, orientation and radar cross section.
This detection probability typically varies with distance from the radar: low very near
the radar, peaking at intermediate distances, and declining to the radar’s maximum
range. However, the precise pattern may depend on many factors including size, shape,
configuration and angle of the antenna, output power of the radar, the extent anddistribution of clutter, the size and movement pattern of the bird, and the digitizing andprocessing algorithms. As a result, it is necessary to correct for detectability to estimate
the density of birds at different altitudes and to compare numbers of birds among sites.
In this presentation, we describe several approaches for estimating detectability,
including calibration with standardized metal spheres, comparison of reflectancepatterns of bird targets among radars and modelling detections of simulated flight tracksof birds moving past the radar. We demonstrate their use with data from several radars
in southern Ontario, Canada equipped with tilting parabolic antennas and controlled by
the open source software radR (https://radr-project.org). We show that detectability
varied considerably with altitude and among radars, and that uncorrected numbers of
tracks provide very biased estimates of the numbers of migrants at different altitudes
and hence at risk of collision with turbines.

24

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo05 Conservation Techniques

o05-5

Translocation of Asian houbara bustards (Chlamydotis macqueenii):
current knowledge, constraints and future directions
Y. Hingrat1, A.-C. Monnet2 and B. Madon1
1

RENECO Wildlife Preservation, PO Box 61741, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

2

UMR 7204 MNHN-CNRS-UPMC – « Conservation des espèces, restauration et suivi

des populations », Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris,
France.
In 1977, the first Asian houbara (Chlamydotis macqueenii) was bred in captivity at the Al Ain
Zoo (United Arab Emirates). After four decades of research and conservation effort, thespecies remains classified as Vulnerable and anthropogenic threats are still growing.
Nevertheless, joint efforts of several projects supported by U.A.E brought the number ofbirds produced in captivity up to 50,000, of which 10,000 have been released into the wild.
Translocation of captive-bred Asian houbaras is particularly challenging, given the following
constraints: 1) species range (Middle East, Central Asia and Asia), 2) partial-migration
behaviour, 3) unclear population genetic structure, 4) increasing direct (hunting) and indirect(habitat depletion) threats in a changing world (climate change). Between 1994 and 2013,
more than 1,000 Asian houbaras have been monitored via satellite-tracking offering a uniquedata set to study the ecology and behaviour of wild and captive bred birds. Here wesummarize current knowledge on wild Asian houbaras (migrant and resident), provide
original results on translocation of captive-bred houbaras (migrant and resident) and show
how the constraints listed above have been addressed in the program of houbara ecology andrestoration.

25

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo06 Reproductive Behaviour

o06-1

When a male changes his ways: sex differences in feeding behaviour in
the Pied Flycatcher
R. Mänd, E. Rasmann and M. Mägi
Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu,
Tartu, Estonia
Email: raivo.mand@ut.ee

It is not yet clear how environmental conditions influence sexual dimorphism;
especially behavioural traits. In a study of Pied Flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) we
tested whether there are differences in the composition of food brought to young by thedifferent parents, and whether such sex differences are dependent on the hunger level ofnestlings. We found that in normal feeding conditions, female parents provisioned
nestlings with relatively more high-quality food collected from the tree canopy(caterpillars), while males brought more food caught in flight. To imitate a temporary
worsening of environmental conditions, we experimentally increased the hunger level ofnestlings. Male parents responded to this manipulation by increasing the share ofcaterpillars in their provisioned food, so that the sex difference in provisioning
behaviour disappeared. We suggest that in normal feeding conditions males catch more
flying prey because they prefer to stay in open locations close to singing and territory
guarding posts, to be visible demonstrating their conspicuous sexually selected plumage,or to avoid intra-pair food competition. However, in conditions where their offspring
are at risk of starvation, it obviously pays for male parents to switch to bringing
high-quality food, so that very hungry nestlings receive a higher quantity ofnutritionally valuable caterpillars than they do normally. This result is in accordancewith the general pattern previously found for sex differences in animal size – namelythat sex differences tend to diminish in harsh environmental conditions. It is possiblethat a decrease in sex differences in harsh conditions represents a more general pattern
than previously assumed. To our best knowledge, the current experimental study is thefirst to clearly show that parents of a passerine bird species adjust the composition ofprovisioned food differently in response to an increased food demand among theirnestlings.

26

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo06 Reproductive Behaviour

o06-2

Male Daito white-eyes improve nest positioning skills by learning thethreat of two nest predators
Horie Sayaka, Takagi Masaoki
Osaka City University, Department of Biology and Geosciences, Osaka, JapanThe risk of predation influences many aspects of behavioural and reproductive
decision-making. Recent studies suggest breeding birds have a capacity to assess andrespond to changes in the risk of predation. However, almost all birds have a number of
predators which attack the prey in different circumstances. Can parental birds recognize
and respond to several predators? We tried to detect the adaptive change inanti-predation behaviours against two nest predators in the Japanese island bird, theDaito White-eye (Zosterops japonicas). Their offspring losses are chiefly due to nest
predation by rats and shrikes, which tend to attack nests differentially based on height;
rats attack lower nests and shrikes attack higher nests, and both depredate poorly
concealed nests more often. We analysed parental age effects on nest predation
avoidance in Daito White-eyes by measuring annual nesting success of each individual
bird and the percentage of successful breeding attempts during a single breeding season.
We found that older males experienced increased reproductive success and lower nest
predation, as a result of building better-concealed nests at intermediate heights. Within
individuals, we observed age-related improvement of nesting positions and reproductive
success, and within breeding seasons, males moved their nests to safer locations
following predation events. To determine if the cause of age-related effects on nesting
position was due to lack of predator recognition in young males, we conducted amodel-presentation experiment. Younger and older males reacted similarly to shrike
models, but younger males showed lower level responses to rat models. Shrikes attack
adult birds, but rats are no danger for adults. One reason of building the low-positioned
nests by first-year males may be because they know shrikes are a threat but have not yet
recognized rats as a threat. We conclude that age-dependent improvement of nest
positioning by males may be caused by learning from breeding experiences.

27

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo06 Reproductive Behaviour

o06-3

Microhabitat selection in ground nesting birds
J. Wilson-Aggarwal1, J. Troscianko1, C. Spottiswoode2 and M. Stevens1
1 Sensory Ecology Group, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
2 Behavioural Ecology Group, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Email: jw522@exeter.ac.uk
Camouflage is one of the most widely used anti-predatory mechanisms in the animal
kingdom, preventing detection and/or recognition by the receiver. A wealth of research has
investigated concepts and theories of visual camouflage in artificial systems. However, very
little work has been applied to real species and natural systems in the wild. Ground nesting
birds provide an ideal model system to test visual camouflage theory as they often nest inopen environments and rely on camouflage as their primary defence to avoid predation. A
key question is whether individual birds behaviourally select specific microhabitats that best
optimise the camouflage of their own eggs. We conducted field work in Zambia and South
Africa, quantifying the camouflage of eggs from three nightjar, six plover and three courser
species. This was done through appropriate models of predator vision, chosen based on ourvideo recordings of these populations' natural predators. We compared the eggs’ camouflage
properties to the substrate that individuals chose and to substrate patches adjacent to thechosen site. We predicted that individuals’ eggs would be better concealed against theirchosen patch than against the non-chosen patches. Our results show that plover and courser
species select microhabitats that match the patterns of their eggs better than non-chosen
patches. To our knowledge this is the first quantitative evidence from the wild that individual
birds select microhabitats that optimise the camouflage of their eggs in relation to predator
visual systems. Our results demonstrate that camouflage matching in birds is controlled notjust by the properties of the egg alone, but also by behavioural choice of individual parent
birds whose eggs vary among females of the same species. It also suggests that, like many
brood parasite hosts, parents somehow know what their own eggs look like in order to makesuch decisions effectively.

28

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo06 Reproductive Behaviour

o06-4

Solving a paradox: context-dependent effects of maternal testosterone in the
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) and its causes and consequences
Bin-Yan Hsu, Martina S. Müller, Cor Dijkstra, and Ton G.G. Groothuis
Behavioural Biology, Centre for Behaviour and Neurosciences, University of Groningen,
Groningen, the Netherlands

In many animal species mothers differentially bestow their eggs with hormones. The increasing
pattern of yolk testosterone (T) concentrations over the avian laying sequence is interpreted as
mitigating effects of hatching asynchrony by boosting the later hatching chicks. However, why
would avian mother first produce hatching asynchrony, classically regarded as an adaptation, andthen compensate its effect by maternal T? We hypothesized that maternal T is only beneficial forthe chick under good food conditions, when mothers aim to raise the full brood, but detrimental
under poor food conditions when brood culling is needed and in the chick benefits do not
outweigh the costs of elevated exposure to testosterone. We studied this in the Rock Pigeon, in
which first eggs contain much lower T concentrations than last and second eggs, independentlyof the food situation. We created clutches of two first eggs, one injected with T to the level of thesecond egg (T chicks), and one injected with vehicle (C chicks). Pairs were then housed undereither good or poor food conditions. Only in the good condition T chicks grew faster than C
chicks. Only in the poor condition, T chicks had a much higher early mortality than C chicks.
These results indicate that higher levels of yolk T functions in concert with hatching asynchrony
to optimize the brood size in a changing environment. This not only solves the above paradox, it
also explains contradictory results of in ovo T injections in the literature. To test whether the
food context drives a different cost-benefit balance in the chick we are currently analyzing
results of a subsequent experiment testing context dependent effects of egg testosterone on
metabolism, immune response, and begging behaviour, all known to be sensitive for yolk
androgens.

29

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo06 Reproductive Behaviour

o06-5

Provisioning behaviour correlates with the reactive-proactive
personality axis among Great Tits in the wild
John. L. Quinn1,2, Ella F. Cole2, Amy Hinks2 & Julie Morand-Ferron2,3
School of BEES, University College Cork, Ireland2
Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, UK
3
School of Biology, University of Ottawa, Canada
Email: j.quinn@ucc.iePersonality is thought to be an important driver of fitness in animal populations but
evidence for direct links with functional behaviour in the wild is lacking. We
temporarily took wild Great Tits (Parus major) into captivity and assayed thecontinuous personality trait ‘exploration behavior of a novel environment’ as ameasure of the reactive-proactive personality axis. We subsequently located these
individuals in the wild and used a combination of radio-frequency identification(RFID) technology, cameras, and radio-telemetry to quantify their foraging behavior
during offspring-provisioning. We demonstrate that relatively fast explorers
provisioned a higher proportion of good quality prey items to their young than slow
explorers during the early nestling phase. During the late nestling phase slow
explorers provisioned at a higher rate than fast explorers when food availability waslow, indicating that relatively slow explorers may cope better in low-quality
environments. Foraging range size did not differ between relatively fast and slow
explorers. These findings provide rare field-based evidence that personality measured
in captivity reflects foraging performance during a key life history stage in the wild.

1

30

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo07 Dispersal

o07-1

Shorter natal dispersal distances at higher population densities in the GreatTit (Parus Major) in both time and space

Arie J. van Noordwijk
Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands

The population is a basic concept in biology. Yet, in most cases the borders between
populations are vague and we know little about the relation between distance and relatednessof individuals at intermediate scales. On the island of Vlieland, Great Tits have been followed
since 1955 and about 80 % of the breeding birds were ringed as nestlings, so that their origin
is known. Over time, the population size has increased tenfold and the average and mediannatal dispersal distances have decreased by almost 50 %. A similar decrease has been
observed in the population study in Wytham wood near Oxford. However, if there is a causal
relationship between population density and natal dispersal, one would also expect to find asimilar relationship between dispersal distances and density over space. On the island of
Vlieland, the forest is quite heterogeneous with patches of oak and areas with pine that differ
substantially in the density of Great Tit pairs. Although there are several methodologicalpitfalls, a number of indicators for spatial density do indeed show a correlation with distances
dispersed. This is consistent with the idea that social interactions play a role in the size andterritory covered by winter flocks, and thus lead to smaller winter flock ranges and hence
shorter dispersal distances at higher densities. The idea that populations become
geographically smaller at higher densities has intriguing consequences that have yet to be
explored.

31

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo07 Dispersalo07-2

Can population-specific variation in spatio-temporal migration patterns increase
our understanding of dispersal in migrants?
Anders P. Tøttrup
Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Universityof Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
E-mail: aptottrup@snm.ku.dk
Recent technological advancements enable year-round tracking of even small passerine birds on a
global scale. These opportunities call for research in dispersal, an aspect of the avian life cycle
remaining poorly understood. The present study aims to understand dispersal patterns and processes
by studying the entire migration system of a long-distance migrant, the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius
collurio), tracked by miniaturized light-level loggers (geolocators) comparing spatio-temporal
patterns of migration across several populations. We tracked individuals from geographicallydistinct breeding populations, hereby enabling us to examine how consistent staging areas andmigration routes are being utilized between individuals and populations in time and space. We
found that populations show a high degree of migratory connectivity in terms of being strongly
separated in different European breeding as well as sub-Saharan wintering areas. Still, the migration
tracks showed fundamental spatio-temporal similarities in staging areas utilized en route. These
population-specific migration patterns may prove to be an important first step towards understanding the evolution of migration systems and hence, dispersal ability in migratory birds. Also
such knowledge is essential for defining future guiding tools for much needed conservation
initiatives for Eurasian–African migratory birds.

32

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo07 Dispersal

o07-3

Discrete choice modeling of natal dispersal: “Choosing” where to breed from afinite set of fragmented areas
Michalis Vardakis1, Peter Goos2,3, Frank Adriaensen1 and Erik Matthysen1
1

Universiteit

2

Department of Engineering Management, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Belgium.

3

Econometric Institute, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Evolutionary Ecology Group,
Michail.Vardakis@uantwerpen.be

Antwerpen,

Antwerpen,

Belgium.

Classic natal dispersal studies focus mainly on the distance traveled by organisms. Although
traveled distances are able to capture selective pressures related to dispersal, they ignore theproperties of the various possible destinations as well as the individual characteristics. Recently, anumber of studies in movement ecology have addressed questions on availability of resources
and/or availability of suitable habitats through the use of discrete choice models (DCMs), a
widely used class of models within econometrics, which explains observed individual choices asa function of the properties of a finite number of available alternatives. In this contribution, we
introduce two types of DCMs, a conditional logit model and a mixed logit model, and discuss
their suitability for analyzing natal dispersal data in fragmented landscapes given that the natal
and the breeding area of the disperser are observed. We present a case study on a Great Tit(Parus major) population in an archipelago of small woodlots in Belgium. Our results do not
only confirm those of the classic approach analyzing distance only, but simultaneously, they
provide us with additional insights on mechanisms of departure and settlement considering
variables that characterize the disperser (e.g. sex, fledging date or personality), the natal area (e.g.
size) and the breeding area (e.g. distance to the breeding area from the area of origin).
Furthermore, the DCMs allow us to identify interactions between some of these characteristics
that are relevant for the trade-offs involved in the decision on whether to leave the birth place andthe follow-up decision on where to breed. Finally, we discuss tailor-made modifications of DCMs
to extend our approach to other studies involving similar dispersal datasets.

33

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo07 Dispersal

o07-4

Extreme weather events influence reproduction and trigger
extraordinary movements of Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii in Taiwan
S.Y. Hong1,2 and Y.H. Sun1
1

Institute of Wildlife Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science &Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
2
Graduate Institute of Bioresources, National Pingtung University of Science &Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
Email: laughrain@yahoo.com.tw
The predicted effects of global climate change involve altered patterns of temperatureand precipitation, including more extreme weather events such as droughts and floods.
The impacts of these predicted changes on a species’ ecology are crucial issues. The
Brown Dipper (Cinclus pallasii) is a habitat specialist which lives along mountainstreams and preys on aquatic organisms. Our study area was the Cijiawan Stream at
an elevation of 1700 m in central Taiwan. According to daily discharge records
beginning in 1967, floods caused by typhoons have become more severe and frequent
during the past decade. Our previous work has shown that dipper abundance andaquatic insect biomass were strongly positively correlated, but negatively related todischarge. Moreover, dipper survival was negatively correlated with the degree ofdischarge. Floods also influenced dipper reproduction. Censuses of dippers along an
8.5 km tract of Cijiawan Stream were conducted every one or two months from2003-2013. During the breeding season, we counted the number of breeding pairs, theratio of breeding success and the number of fledglings. The number of breeding pairs
decreased after floods, and the number of non-breeding floaters increased in the same
season. We also censused the population along the Yousheng Stream, a tributary of
Cijiawan Stream, in 2004 and 2012-2013. Unlike at the Cijiawan Stream, the dipper
population doubled along the Yousheng Stream after two flooding events. We also
confirmed that several banded individuals moved from the Cijiawan Stream to theYousheng Stream after the floods. These movement distances (3-6 km) were much
longer than the average length of their breeding territories (0.4 km). This result
illustrated that the animal populations of these two areas were probably connected andformed a meta-population, whereby decreases in one caused increases in the other.
Therefore, detecting and protecting multiple refuges for habitat specialists is an
important adaptive conservation strategy for climate-change impacted species.

34

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo07 Dispersal

o07-5

Long-distance dispersal results in a large-scale metapopulationof caspian terns in western North America
Yasuko Suzuki1, Daniel D. Roby2, Katie M. Dugger2, Jennifer A. Gervais1,
Donald E. Lyons1, Robert M. Suryan1 and Ken Collis3
1

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon USA
U.S. Geological Survey - Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, Oregon USA
3
Real Time Research, Inc., Bend, Oregon USA
Email: yasuko.suzuki@oregonstate.edu
2

For a comprehensive understanding of certain bird populations, regional evaluations using a
metapopulation framework are necessary. We investigated inter-colony movements anddemographics of caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia) based on re-sighting of color-banded
individuals in western North America, where the population has experienced growth and range
expansion. Some individuals prospected for breeding colonies over much of this extensive region.
Movement of breeding adults between colonies up to 3,000 km apart (from California to Alaska)
in a single breeding season was observed. To our knowledge, this is the longest breeding
dispersal documented in seabirds. Apparent annual survival of adult caspian terns at the world’s
largest breeding colony for the species in the Columbia River estuary was 0.95. Apparent medianage at first reproduction at this colony was 6 years post-hatch. The majority of sub-adults visited
this and other breeding colonies for several years prior to their first reproductive attempt, andsome prospected at multiple colonies prior to nesting. Because the large colony in the estuary is
being managed to reduce colony size and thereby reduce the impact on juvenile salmonids listed
under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, several artificial colony sites have been constructed
outside the estuary as compensation. Terns in the estuary responded quickly to the availability of
new colony sites as far as 550 km away and established successful breeding colonies in less thana year. Due to high vagility, delayed onset of reproduction, and high adult annual survival of
caspian terns in this metapopulation, individuals can prospect for nest sites over an extensive
area and establish a high degree of connectivity among colonies throughout the region. The large
caspian tern colony in the Columbia River estuary appears to be an important source-colony for anumber of smaller colonies over a vast area with limited and ephemeral nesting opportunities.

35

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo08 Evolution

o08-1

The evolution of sweet taste perception in a nectar-feeding bird
Maude W. Baldwin*1, Yasuka Toda*2, Tomoya Nakagita2, Mary O’Connell3, Kirk C. Klasing4,
Takumi Misaka2, Scott V. Edwards1, Stephen D. Liberles5
Email: mbaldwin@oeb.harvard.edu*these authors contributed equally1

Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
3
Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
4
UC Davis, Davis, CA USA
5
Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
2

Animals often evolve unique and specific adaptations to thrive in particular environmental niches.
The evolution of sweet taste preference in nectar feeding birds provides a powerful model system
for understanding molecular mechanisms underlying such phenotypic adaptation. In mammals,
sweet taste reception is mediated by a G protein-coupled receptor complex; however, the geneencoding one subunit of the mammalian sweet receptor (T1R2) has not been detected in any bird
genome, suggesting loss in the avian common ancestor. Nevertheless, some bird species, such as
hummingbirds, display high behavioral affinity for sugars found in nectar. To understand themolecular basis of sugar sensing in hummingbirds, we cloned taste receptor orthologs from oral
tissue of hummingbirds, swifts, and chickens. We identified a taste receptor that serves as afunctional carbohydrate receptor in hummingbirds but not in swifts and chickens, providing
strong evidence for neofunctionalization within the peripheral taste system. Moreover, we
pinpointed key mutations that occurred in the hummingbird lineage and enable sugar recognition.
Behavioral choice tests and high speed videography in wild and captive hummingbird
populations indicated sweet taste preferences that correlated with in vitro functional studies.
Thus, we describe a new sweet taste detection mechanism that evolved in hummingbirds since
divergence from swifts, and more generally, provide a molecular mechanism for the adaptive
evolution of a novel behavior.

36

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo08 Evolution

o08-2

Macroevolutionary processes in non-passeriform birds (Aves) at the
global scale.
J. Pelegrin-Ramírez 1,2,3, J.L. Cantalapiedra4 , and M. Hernández Fernández 2,3
1

Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Antonio José Camacho, Santiago de Cali,
Colombia.
2
Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad
Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
3
Departamento de Cambio Medio Ambiental, Instituto de Geociencias (UCM, CSIC),
Madrid, Spain.
4
Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid,
Spain.
Email: peleontologo@gmail.com
Vrba’s resource-use hypothesis and related habitat-theory suggest that a key to present-day
macroecological patterns is found in the past: in the history of turnover of clades(speciation, extinction), and in the paleoclimatic and other geological changes of the areasin which clades evolved. We test several subsidiary predictions of the resource-use
hypothesis for non-passeriform bird species (N = 3951) by using the biomic specializationindex (BSI), which is based on the geographical range of a species in different climate
zones. This index can be used globally, allowing comparisons across continents and taxa.
Our results are consistent with the assumptions of the resource-use hypothesis, which
predicts that (1) stenobiomic species occur at a high frequency, due to higher speciation andextinction rates than generalists, (2) faunivores are more eurybiomic than herbivore clades,and (3) biomic specialists occur at a higher incidence in the tropical rainforest, desert,
steppe and tundra biomes. Deviations from these predictions of the evolutionary hypothesis
tested here are related to the incidence of mountainous terrain on ecological specialization,
to environmental heterogeneity in some biomes, or to the influence of Neogene continental
faunal interchanges, all of which can be explained within the premises of the resource-use
hypothesis. This hypothesis was originally based on evidence from fossil and extant
mammals; our work represents the first support from assemblages of extant birds.

37

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo08 Evolution

o08-3

Tracing the evolution of casque ornamentation in hornbills
J.C.T. Gonzalez1, Ben C. Sheldon2 and Joseph A. Tobias2
1
2

Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Philippines
Edward Grey Institute for Field Ornithology, University of Oxford, U.K.

Email: jctgonzalez@uplb.edu.ph
The casque is narrow ridge on the upper bill that has evolved into an ornamental crestin cassowaries (Casuariidae) and hornbills (Bucerotidae and Bucorvidae). In hornbills,
the degree of elaboration and function varies with species, from a simple reinforced
ridge to a conspicuous brightly coloured elaborate crest that suggest use in mating
displays. In some species, the casque is used in aerial jousting or provides resonanceto calls, but it is unclear what factors had influenced elaboration in hornbill casques.
A recent molecular phylogeny of Bucerotidae was used as the basis for analysis oftrait evolution, and tested different models influencing the development in casqueornamentation. Measurements of casque dimensions, bill and wing lengths were takenfrom study skins to calculate for casque volume and casque index. Elaboration was
based on the ratio of casque index with body size (wing length). Comparative analysis
of independent contrast was used to test models of casque elaboration against thephylogeny using different variables, such as body mass, diet and territoriality. We
used three functions in R, MCMCglmm, Brunch and Crunch and Parsimony inMesquite to test the trait evolution in hornbills. Analysis of ancestral states using
Parsimony indicated that casque elaboration occurred in five of six hornbill clades,
but were most prominent in African forest hornbills.

38

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo08 Evolution

o08-4

Is density-dependent diversification in North American wood warblers
an artifact of species delimitation?
C. Sanin
American Museum of Natural History, Department of Ornithology, New York, NY,
USA.
Columbia University,Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology,
New York, NY, USA
Email: csanin@amnh.org
The temporal pattern of diversification of wood warblers is particularly interesting forthe study of adaptive radiations since Rabosky and Lovette (2008), examined thechange in diversification rates through time in a group North American Setophaga
warblers. Their main conclusion was that in this continental radiation, speciation rates
decreased as the density of species occupying an adaptive zone increased. Currently,
this model of “density dependent diversification” is assumed to be the expected patternof adaptive radiations. Importantly, methods for detecting shifts in diversification rates
are sensitive to taxon sampling. A slowdown towards the present is expected when taxa
are randomly pruned from trees with a constant rate of diversification highlighting thelimitation of the inferences that can be derived from phylogenies that are incompletedue to practical problems. Additionally, little has been written about the sampling biasthat can result from the selection of the terminal taxa that are incorporated in theanalyses (i.e. biospecies or phylospecies). Here, we complete the Setophaga phylogeny
to the subspecies level, and analyze the data with three groups of terminal taxa. The
delimitation of the terminal taxa to be used in the analyses had a significant effect onwhether there was change in diversification rate, the slope of the Lineage Through Time
(LTT) curve and the associated gamma statistic. As expected, when using biospecies,
we found a decrease in diversifications rate with time. Conversely, when all named
subspecies were used, we found an increase in diversification rate towards the present.
Finally, when a revised set of phylospecies was used the pattern approximated aconstant rate of diversification. These results show that for diversification analyses, theassumptions used to identify terminal taxa are important, and the outcome of suchanalyses can be fundamentally different depending on the conceptual framework used to
select them.

39

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo08 Evolution

o08-5

Forelimb disparity of water birds in a phylogenetic context
X. Wang 1 and J. A. Clarke 1
1

Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712,
Email: julia_clarke@ jsg.utexas.edu
Previous work has shown that the relative proportions of wing components (i.e.
humerus, ulna, carpometacarpus) in birds are related to function and ecology, but thesehave rarely been investigated in a phylogenetic context. Water birds in the orders
Pelecaniiformes, Ciconiiformes, Procellariiformes, Sphenisciformes and Gaviiformes
form a highly supported clade and have developed a great diversity of wing forms andforaging ecologies. In this study, forelimb disparity in the water bird clade was assessedin a phylogenetic context. We find that different water bird clades are clearly separated
based on wing component proportions (P<0.001), which are significantly correlatedwith phylogeny (Pagel’s lambda=1, p=0.033). Wing proportions differ primarily in
relative ulna length and are most similar in relative humerus length. Most of the
traditional members of Pelecaniformes (e.g., pelicans, cormorants and boobies) clusterwith Ciconiiformes (herons and storks) and occupy a reduced morphospace. These taxa
are closely related phylogenetically but exhibit a wide range of ecologies and flightstyles. Gaviiformes, Procellariformes and Sphenisciformes occupy a largely distinct
morphospace characterized by generally shorter ulnae and longer carpometacarpus.
Procellariiformes (petrels, albatross, shearwaters) occupy a wide range of morphospace,showing high variance in relative ulna (variance=6.92) and carpometacarpus(variance=11.37) length. The wing proportions of foot-propelled divers vary markedly,
with
one
large
clusterofcormorants
broadly
overlapping
core
Pelecaniformes/Ciconiiformes and smaller separate clusters of flightless cormorants,
anhingas, and loons. Loons (Gaviiformes) exhibit very low variance (0.46) in wingproportions, and surprisingly they occupy a wing morphospace closest to diving petrels
and penguins. Whether this result may reflect wing proportions plesiomorphic for thewaterbird clade or a functional signal is unclear.

40

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo09 Community Ecology 2

o09-1

Temporal partitioning to avoid soundspace overlap
by bird communities
R. Suzuki 1, C. E. Taylor 2 and M. L. Cody 2
1

Graduate School of Information Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Dept. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los
Angeles, USA
Email: reiji@nagoya-u.jp
2

Birds do not always vocalize at random, but may rather divide up soundspace in such amanner that they avoid overlap with the songs of other bird species in order tocommunicate more efficiently. We describe this phenomenon from several recordings at
our principal study location, near Volcano, California. We propose a way to visualize
the soundscape partitioning using a circular diagram, and statistically show that lesstime is vacant or occupied by two or more species, and more time is monopolized, thanis expected by chance.
We further focus on the fact that there are asymmetric relationships in the temporal
avoidance behaviors among the species. For example, it appears that Black-headed
Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)—what we term a “driver species”, with alonger song composed of many phrases—tends to keep its original periodicity
regardless of overlaps with other species’ songs, while other species such as Chipping
Sparrow (Spizella passerina), which has a shorter song, tends to vocalize during
interstices between the songs of the driver species. We discuss this phenomenon
focusing on information flows from one species’ behavior to another, and on theasymmetry in overlapping events.
We also consider the evolutionary significance of such a driver species using acomputational experiment of the coevolution of the temporal overlap avoidance of
singing behaviors, which can be interpreted as a behavioral plasticity, among sympatricspecies with different species-specific song lengths. We show that the species with thelongest songs typically evolve to be driver species, which do not change song timing to
avoid overlap with other species, while species with shorter songs adapt to fit into theremaining vacant time segments. This implies that diversity in the behavioral plasticity
in bird communities can contribute to more efficient establishment of soundspacepartitioning.

41

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo09 Community Ecology 2

o09-2

Quantifying forest vertical structure to determine bird habitat quality
in the Greenbelt Corridor, Denton, Texas
S. Matsubayashi
Institute of Applied Science, University of North Texas, Denton, USA
Email: shihoyamamoto@my.unt.edu
Previous research has sought to quantify bird habitat quality by intensive field work
combined with information derived from remote sensing. Yet, their results are limited
due to the lack of accuracy in describing the vertical forest structure, which is one of thecritical determinants of habitat quality. This study shows that height information
derived from three-dimensional remote sensing contributes to produce maps that not
only display the known location of target species, but also the potential location of thespecies based on habitat properties at landscape level. More specifically, this study
integrates Light Detection and Range (LiDAR) and hyperspectral remote sensing to
examine the relationship between forest stand structure, landscape heterogeneity, andbird community composition by creating a three-dimensional bird habitat map. A totalof 5559 birds comprising 91 species were observed during a biannual bird census in2009 and 2010 conducted in a bottomland hardwood forest in North Texas. Census data
combined with the three-dimensional map suggest that local breeding bird abundance,
community structure, and spatial distribution patterns are highly influenced by vertical
heterogeneity of the vegetation surface. For local breeding birds, vertical heterogeneityof canopy surface within stands, connectivity to adjacent forest patches, largest forest
patch index, and habitat (vegetation) types proved to be the most influential factors todetermine bird community assemblages. Results also highlight the critical role ofsecondary forests to increase functional connectivity of forest patches. Overall,three-dimensional habitat descriptions derived from the LiDAR-hyperspectral integrated
map serve as a powerful bird conservation tool that shows how the distribution of bird
species relates to forest composition and structure at various spatial scales.

42

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo09 Community Ecology 2

o09-3

Consequences of land use change for breeding birds at the German
Coast
Celia Grande 1, Julia Stahl 2
1

Landscape Ecology Group, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
SOVON Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Email: celia.grande@uni-oldenburg.de
2

The German North Sea and Baltic Sea coast is threatened by climate change due to sea
level rise and changes in precipitation. The collaborative research project COMTESS(Sustainable Coastal Land Management: Trade-offs in Ecosystem Services) studies
possible future changes in land management at the German coast. Different scenarios ofland use adaptation to climate change are investigated under ecological andsocio-economic aspects. The scenarios involve the construction of polders in thehinterland of the dike (currently used as agricultural pastures), which could serve aswater reservoirs and prevent salt water intrusion. Depending on the scenario, there could
be either development of large reed beds with subsequent peat formation or a mosaic ofsmaller water bodies and extensively managed grasslands within the polders. These
different land use strategies might lead to big changes in the breeding bird community
at the German coast. Coastal ecosystems contain significant proportions of several
endangered breeding bird species, for example the Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank or
Lapwing. They will benefit from an increase in wet and extensively managed grasslands.
However, permanently waterlogged meadows could develop into reed beds, leading to aloss of valuable habitat for meadow birds.
I will investigate the impact of the different COMTESS scenarios on breeding bird
diversity and the composition of the breeding bird community. A space-for-time
approach will be used to estimate future breeding bird communities in the different
scenarios.

43

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo09 Community Ecology 2

o09-4

Shorebirds in a tropical bay: what resources support their food webs?
S. M. Estrella1, 6, G.B. Pearson2, T. Piersma3, 4, and A. W. Storey1, 5
1School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
Bennelongia Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd., Jolimont, WA, Australia
3
Department of Marine Ecology and Evolution, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research(NIOZ), Texel, The Netherlands.
4
Chair in Global Flyway Ecology, Animal Ecology Group, University of Groningen, The
Netherlands
5
Wetland Research and Management, Burswood, WA, Australia
6
Current address: School of Natural Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA,
Australia
2

Email: s.marin-estrella@ecu.edu.au

Roebuck Bay, in North Western Australia, is one of the main non-breeding and fuelling areas
for migratory shorebirds on the East Asia-Australasia fly way. The bay is characterised byhigh tidal range (+10 m), extensive inter-tidal mud flats, with mangrove systems in someparts of the bay, and seagrass meadows in other parts. It supports high biodiversity andabundance of benthic macrofauna, and can host more than 120,000 shorebirds in the nonbreeding season. Between 2009 and 2011, samples of primary producers, primary consumers
and blood from three shorebird species; Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, Great Knot
Calidris tenuirostris and Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis were collected from the Bay.
Analysis of stable isotopes (SIA) of carbon and nitrogen showed that the primary producers
supporting the food webs of the three shorebird species depended on the point of capture
within the bay. Microphytobenthos was the dominant carbon source supporting the food webof shorebirds in the section of the bay adjacent to stands of mangroves, whilst in the northern
section of the bay, carbon from seagrass, microphytobenthos and particulate organic matter
contributed to shorebird food webs. Although relatively abundant, carbon from mangroves
did not appear to play a major role. In all the cases, Bar-tailed Godwits held a higher trophic
position than Great Knots, with Red-necked Stints in the lowest position. Mixing models
indicated that the main prey for Bar-tailed Godwits were suspension and deposit feeders
while for Great Knots suspension feeders were the main prey and in the case of Red-necked
Stints, suspension feeders and microphytobenthos were the main food source. Since
microphytobenthos plays a major role providing carbon to food webs of Roebuck Bay
shorebirds, management plans for this Ramsar wetland must consider this trophic link.

44

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo09 Community Ecology 2

o09-5

Bird community responses to vegetation cover and structural
heterogeneity
Stirnemann, Ingrid1; Ikin, Karen1; Gibbons, Philip1; Blanchard, Wade1; andLindenmayer, David B.1
1

Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University

Canberra, Australia
Email: ingrid.stirnemann@anu.edu.au
Vegetation cover has long been known to be an important predictor of faunal
distributions. However, few studies have examined the additional contribution offine-scale horizontal vegetation heterogeneity for predicting faunal occurrence.
Accounting for heterogeneity may provide a more comprehensive picture of the effectof vegetation structure on faunal communities, leading to improved biodiversity
management. In this study, we investigated how bird species richness and life-history
traits responded to vegetation cover and heterogeneity in different vegetation types. We
found that both fine-scale vegetation cover and shrub heterogeneity were important
predictors of bird richness, but the direction of the response to shrub heterogeneity
differed between vegetation types. We further investigated these patterns by examining
the responses of birds grouped by various ecological traits. Our study is the first to showthat bird species with particular traits responded not only to the amount of cover, butalso had a preference for (or were restricted by) different levels of vegetation
heterogeneity. For example, we found that some bird species with particular life history
traits, such as aerial feeders, showed a preference for patchy, heterogeneous
micro-habitat. In comparison, bird species with traits such as low mobility and ground
feeding exhibited a preference for dense, uniform vegetation cover. Our findings
suggest that managing for high levels of vegetation cover, or alternatively managing forhigh levels of vegetation heterogeneity; will have different effects on the faunal
community, with some species responding positively and others negatively.

45

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo10 Conservation 1

o10-1

Conservation values of variously managed off-reserve forests for avifaunal
communities in lowland Nepal
B. R. Dahal*, C. A. McAlpine and M. Maron
Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group, School of Geography, Planning andEnvironmental Management, The University of Queensland, Brisbane*Email: b.dahal@uq.edu.au
Although protected areas are central to global biodiversity conservation, off-reserve forests
are increasingly recognized as potentially important for the long term conservation of biota,
particularly in less-developed countries where communities rely directly on resources fromnatural areas. We assessed the conservation value of differently managed forests for avifaunal
communities in lowland tropical forests. In particular, we explored whether theirconservation value was additional or complementary to those of formal protected areas.
Using data collected from 112 sites in protected areas (n=31), state managed forests (n=37)
and community managed forests (n=44), we assessed how bird species richness, abundance,
diversity and community composition varied among tenures. Although sites in protectedareas had the greatest species diversity, community managed forests supported acomplementary assemblage. Of 124 species recorded, only 45% were common to all
management tenures. Overall, the distinctiveness and richness of species in sites in forests
outside of protected areas contributed substantially to regional avifaunal diversity. These
results highlight the potentially critical role of appropriately managed community forests. The
maintenance of diverse bird assemblages in forest regions depends on complementary
management of forests both outside and inside the established protected areas.

46

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo10 Conservation 1

o10-2

Bird community at Gunung Halimun Salak National Park: an important
endemic bird area in Java, Indonesia
Dewi M. Prawiradilaga
Research Centre for Biology – Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jl. Raya Bogor km 46,
Cibinong Science Centre, Bogor 16911, Indonesia
Email: dewi005@lipi.go.id
Gunung Halimun Salak National Park (ca. 113,357 ha) is the largest remnant rainforest block on
Java island, Indonesia. It is located at 6032′– 6055′ South and 106013′ – 106046′ East, at elevation
between 500 and 2211 m above sea level. Based on the diversity of associated trees, the areas
have been classified into three altitudinal zones: collin (500-1,000 m), submontane (1,000-1,400m) and montane (> 1,500 m) zones. Exploration and long-term study on birds in some parts of
the area have recorded 274 species which is 54% of the total Javan birds (507 species) or 18% of
the total Indonesian birds (1603 species). Among those birds, 32 species have a restricted range
characteristic of endemic species. It is approximately 94% of total restricted range of endemic
species on Java island (34 species). The most important restricted range species include theJavan Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi), Chestnut-bellied Partridge (Arborophila javanica), Javan
Scops-owl (Otus angelinae), Salvadori’s Nightjar (Caprimulgus pulchellus), Volcano Swiftlet(Aerodramus vulcanorum), Blue-tailed Trogon (Apalharpactes reinwardtii), Brown-throated
Barbet (Megalaima corvina), Orange-fronted Barbet (Megalaima armillaris), Javan Cochoa(Cochoa azurea), White-breasted Babbler (Stachyris grammiceps), White-bibbed Tree-babbler(Stachyris thoracica), Crescent-chested Babbler (Stachyris melanothorax), Grey-cheeked Titbabbler (Macronous flavicollis), Rufous–fronted Laughingthrush (Garrulax rufifrons), Javan
Fulvetta (Alcippe pyrrhoptera), Spotted Crocias (Crocias albonotatus), Javan Tesia (Tesia
superciliaris), Rufous-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura phoenicura), White-bellied Fantail (Rhipidura
euryura), Pygmy Tit (Psaltria exilis), White-flanked Sunbird (Aethopyga eximia) and Javan
Grey-throated White-eye (Lophozopterops javanicus). Details of distribution and habitat typesof those species will be discussed.

47

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo10 Conservation 1

o10-3

Large-scale changes in birdlife and landscape winners and losers in Germany over the past 25 years
K. Gedeon 1, C. Grüneberg 2, S. Kämpfer 2, A. Mitschke 2 & C. Sudfeldt 2
1

German Bird Monitoring Foundation Germany, Münster, Germany
Federation of German Avifaunists, Münster, Germany
Email: info@dda-web.de2

A nationwide mapping of breeding bird species was conducted in Germany between 2005
and 2009. All species observed in 3,000 grid squares measuring 12x12 km were recorded.
These surveys resulted in the production of distribution maps for more than 200 less common
or rare species based on semi-quantitative data. Additionally, common breeding birds werecounted within the framework of the German Common Breeding Bird Survey (CBBS). This
comprises 1,000 randomised sample plots and is based on a stratified design using land coverand abiotic characteristics for classification. The data obtained were used to model
distribution maps and to estimate population sizes of 46 common and widespread species. In
interpreting our results, we also took into account CBBS data from the last two decades, aswell as data from a national atlas project conducted in the 1980s. The populations of somespecies have recently increased, among them the Great Bustard (Otis tarda), which has
benefited from intensive management. The losers however greatly outnumber the winners.
Large declines, either in range or abundance, were observed especially in populations offarmland birds, such as Skylark (Alauda arvensis) and Corn Bunting (Miliaria miliaria). We
attribute this primarily to land use factors. For example, the average size of field lots andfarming methods are very different in East and West Germany. These differences - reinforcedby market regulating subsidies - apparently account for a significant part of the east-west
gradient in the number of farmland bird species per grid square. Other factors must also be
considered however, including the significant climatic and biogeophysical disparities
between the regions. The aim of our study is to analyse these factors and to present selected
results.

48

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo10 Conservation 1

o10-4

Interrelationship of bird species richness and habitat features during
breeding and nonbreeding seasons in Indian Himalayas - aconservation approach
A. Sultana1, 2 and M. S. Hussain1, 2
1

Department of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh,India
2
Biodiversity Parks Programme, Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded
Ecosystems, School of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
Email; aishasultana28@yahoo.com
Rapid rate of development in many parts of Indian Himalayas with explosion of humanpopulation has led to deforestation, which resulted in decline of bird species in the past.
In India, there is a need to monitor Himalayan birds and their requirements at the habitat
level in different seasons for conservation. However, the relationship of Himalayan
birds with habitat features in different seasons of the area are still not known yet. We
compared bird communities living in the Kumaun Himalayas using multivariate
explorative techniques of quantitative data. Point count method was used to sample
birds during breeding and nonbreeding seasons with 100 monitorings of 50 points ineach season. Bird species richness was significantly higher in the breeding season thannonbreeding season. Principal component analysis (PCA) on vegetative physiognomic
variables revealed 75.19% variance in breeding season and 79.14% in the nonbreeding
season. Floristics axes by Detrended correspondence analyses (DECORANA) showed agradient of altitude (eigen value: 0.315), plant abundance (0.215) and slope (0.146) inthe breeding season while the gradient of plant abundance (0.304), plant cover (0.215)
and altitude (0.132) were powerful during the nonbreeding season. Non-metricmultidimensional scaling (NMS) revealed a clear pattern in a significant negative
relationship in bird species richness and open forest character extracted fromphysiognomic variables during breeding season. Bird richness was positively correlatedwith high altitude and high tree richness forest character during the nonbreeding season.
This study can be helpful in understanding the habitat need of Himalayan birds and theirconservation during different seasons of their life.

49

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo10 Conservation 1

o10-5

The cost-effectiveness of bird conservation in agricultural landscapes
D.H. Ansell

Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, Canberra,
Australia
Email: dean.ansell@anu.edu.au
Habitat restoration provides a key strategy in the conservation of birds in agriculturallandscapes, where the degradation and loss of habitat through agricultural development andintensification threatens the long term viability of many species. Billions of dollars are spentglobally on restoration in such systems, with bird conservation a major driver, however there
are not sufficient funds to address the scale of the problem. Therefore restoration needs to be
as cost-effective as possible to maximise the conservation gains from these investments.
However, the lack of integration of economic data into restoration evaluation means that we
do not know which strategies are the most cost-effective in the conservation of birds.
This study compares the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different approaches to therestoration of woodland bird habitat in agricultural landscapes, through an ex-post multidisciplinary evaluation of passive and active restoration sites in agricultural landscapes insouth-eastern Australia. The richness and composition of bird communities is measured atpaired treatment and control sites across active and passive restoration sites varying in age,size, shape and landscape context, providing a measure of the conservation gain as a result of
restoration. Detailed costs are determined for each restoration project, and combined withmeasures of conservation gain using economic evaluation techniques, to allow comparison of
cost-effectiveness across different restoration treatments. Analysis will explore the influenceof various ecological and economic factors on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness ofrestoration, to allow future bird habitat restoration programs in agricultural landscapes to be
designed to maximise the conservation gains per dollar spent.
This presentation explores issues of effectiveness and efficiency in the restoration of birds inagricultural landscapes, and presents preliminary data comparing the cost-effectiveness ofdifferent restoration techniques representative of those applied in similar systems around theworld.

50

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo11 Evolutionary Ecology

o11-1

Modeling maintenance of egg polymorphism over a geographic scale
F. Takasu 1
1

Dept. Information & Computer Sciences, Nara Women's University, Nara, Japan
E-mail: takasu@ics.nara-wu.ac.jp
In avian brood parasitism, egg color morphs are a key fitness component around whichco-evolutionary arms race between parasites and their hosts revolves; many hosts have
evolved a fine tuned ability to recognize and reject parasitic eggs that look dissimilar totheir eggs while some parasites have countered the host defence by mimicking theireggs. Clear polymorphism in egg color, blue and white, has been observed in someinteractions between the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and parrotbill species of thegenus Paradoxornis as its host in eastern Asia. The possibility of dynamic maintenanceof egg polymorphism with temporal oscillation in the frequency of white and blue eggs
has been suggested by a theoretical model. The model, however, assumes a closed
system with no gene flow among local populations, and it remains an open question
how this dynamic maintenance is realized over a geographical scale where gene flow
among local populations is likely occur to greater or lesser extent both in the parasite
and its host. In addition, the predicted period of frequency oscillation is in the order of ahundred generations, too long to practically monitor in a local site. To understand themaintenance of egg polymorphism over geographical scale, I present a modelingframework to consider gene flow among local populations over a geographical scale andto extend the previous model to become "spatial". My final goal is to quantify a spatial
scale that results in a geographic cline of egg color morphs relative to local dispersal
range of the host and the parasite. We will discuss possible explanations for observedcolor morph frequencies over a continental scale in eastern Asia.

51

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo11 Evolutionary Ecology

o11-2

The importance of early-life environmental stress on total phenotypicvariation
L. Jenni 1, B. Homberger 1 and S. Jenni-Eiermann 1
1

Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
Email: lukas.jenni@vogelwarte.ch
Early-life environmental stressors can have marked effects on many behavioural,
physiological and morphological traits. However little is known about which traits aremost prone to be affected by early-life environmental stressors and what thecontribution of early-life environmental stress is relative to other sources of individual
variation (i.e. genetic variation and maternal effects). We investigated these questions in
the Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix). We subjected parents of two genetic strains (wildand domesticated) to either ad libitum or unpredictable food availability and raised theiroffspring either under ad libitum or under unpredictable food availability, which
resulted in 8 treatment groups (strain x maternal treatment x early postnatal treatment).
We measured morphological (size, plumage characters), physiological (glucocorticoid
stress response, oxidative stress resistance, several measures of immunity) andbehavioural (several behavioural tests) traits, and recorded survival when released into
the wild (as a measure of a fitness component). We found that only part of the traits
were affected by the early-life stressor (unpredictable food availability during the first 3
weeks), while others were predominantly affected by maternal effects or depended on
strain. One trait (immunity) was enhanced when chicks were raised under the mild
stressor of unpredictable food availability during early life and these birds survived
better when released into the wild. We present a grouping of traits affected
predominantly by early-life, maternal or strain effects and also estimated additional
individual variability of traits. This informs about the relative contribution of early-lifestress on total phenotypic variation for different groups of traits.

52

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo11 Evolutionary Ecology

o11-3

Changing phenology when phenotypic plasticity does not suffice:evidence for evolution in action?
Christiaan Both
Animal Ecology Group, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies University of Groningen
Email: c.both@rug.nl
Climate change alters seasonal ecological interactions, and because observed phenotypic
responses are often insufficient, evolutionary changes are required. Here I show that Ficedula
flycatchers are adapting their annual timing through a combined phenotypic flexible and possibly
an evolutionary response. Because the individual flexible response was weaker than the mean
population response, flycatchers lay at present up to a week earlier with the same temperaturethan 30 years ago. This effect differed across Europe, being strongest in regions with most spring
warming. This possible evolutionary response was predicted by observed heritability andselection on annual timing. I hypothesize that populations in warming regions could evolve
because survival selection for early arrival and breeding has weakened as temperatures upon
spring arrival have increased and female survival consequently increased over the years.
Whereas rapid evolutionary response may allow some species to adapt, our observed rate ofadaptation in flycatchers is still less than the advance in timing of a major food source, and as aresult major local population declines have been reported.

53

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo11 Evolutionary Ecology

o11-4

The spatial scale of selection and the evolution of phenotypic
plasticity in seasonal timing
Ben C Sheldon, Eleanor F Coleben.sheldon@zoo.ox.ac.uk

Variable environments can select for phenotypic plasticity. A key example of this,with relevance for understanding responses to climate change, concerns plasticity inphenology - the timing of events in the annual cycle. Here, I report on analyses ofmore than five decades of data from a study of phenology and its fitness
consequences in the Great Tit Parus major. Using a mechanistic model, I explore theextent to which plasticity in phenology of Great Tits is an adaptive response totemporally variable environments, and show that plasticity in this trait is ofoverwhelming importance for persistence in the face of expected climate change.
However, I also extend this work to consider the spatial scaling variation inphenology among birds, as well as the trophic chain on which their offspring rely forfood. I present data suggesting that adaptive plasticity is scale-dependent, and I willargue that selection at multiple spatial scales in the Great Tit acts as a constraint on
the evolution of adaptive phenological plasticity.

54

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo11 Evolutionary Ecology

o11-5

The genomics of a wild passerine bird, the Great Tit Parus major and its
application for quantitative traits
1

Kees van Oers, 2Ben C. Sheldon, 1Marcel E. Visser, 3Jon Slate and 4Martien A.M. Groenen

1

Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O.
Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS,
UK
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN,UK
Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Marijkeweg 40,
Wageningen, 6709 PG, The Netherlands

2
2
4

Until recently it was impossible to connect variation in ecological relevant traits to genomewide molecular genetic variation in bird species from natural populations. Such a connection
is essential to identify genes responsible for phenotypic variation and to study the way thesegenes interact with the environment in which they are expressed, in order to describe or
predict micro-evolutionary processes. We have sequenced and assembled the Great Tit (Parus
major) genome and we have developed a genomic toolkit that enables us to study genometrait associations in this ecological model species. Here I show results of the genomic
characterisation of the Great Tit and the use of our genomic toolkit to study associations
between polymorphisms in the genome and phenotypic variation in behavioural and lifehistory traits.

55

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo12 Population Structureo12-1

Distinguishing the effects of selection from demographic history in thegenetic variation of two Old World flycatchers
Chih-Ming Hung1 and Robert M. Zink2

1

Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

Email: ymwur1@gmail.com
2

Bell Museum and Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of
Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA

Determining the mechanisms responsible for the distribution of genetic diversity innatural populations has occupied a central role in molecular evolution. Our study was
motivated by the unprecedented observation that a widespread Eurasian flycatcher,
Ficedula albicilla, exhibited no variation at the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) ND2 genein 75 individuals sampled over a 5,000 km distance. In contrast, its sister species, F.
parva, had low but considerably higher levels of mtDNA variation. We assessed whether
natural selection or demographic factors could explain the absence of mtDNA variationin F. albicilla. Eighteen nuclear genes were sequenced to estimate the two species’
phylogeographic histories, and for comparison with the mtDNA data. Multilocus
coalescence analyses suggested that F. albicilla experienced a population expansion
perhaps following a population bottleneck. Simulations based on this demographic
history, however, did not replicate the extremely low level of mtDNA variation.
Historical range changes based on ecological niche models also failed to explain theobserved mtDNA patterns. Neutrality tests (DHEW and ML-HKA) suggested a nonneutral pattern in the mtDNA of F. albicilla. We found a transmembrane-skewed
distribution of non-synonymous substitutions between the two species, three of whichcaused functional change; the results implied that positive selection could have targeted
mtDNA. Several lines of evidence support selection rather than demographic history as
the main force influencing the patterns of mtDNA variation. Despite the influence of
natural selection, many of the phylogeographic inferences derived from mtDNA wererobust, including species limits and a high level of gene flow among populations within
species.

56

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo12 Population Structureo12-2

Hybrid zones and clines as sources of novelty in a parrot species
complex: implications for speciation and conservation
M.L. Berg 1,2, J.R. Eastwood 1, M. Mihailova 1, R.F.H. Ribot 1,2, K.L. Buchanan 1,3 and
A.T.D. Bennett 1,2
1

Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
School of Biological Sciences, Bristol University, Bristol, UK
3
School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
Email: mathew.berg@deakin.edu.au2

Geographic variation in phenotypic and genetic traits is present in many species, with
important implications for speciation, adaptation to new environments, and conservation.
However, the evolutionary processes that give rise to geographic variation within
species, in the absence to barriers to gene flow, are often poorly understood.
Hybridisation may result in the evolution of novel or extreme (transgressive) characterscompared to ancestral forms by providing a source of genetic variation (or transgressive
segregation), and may consequently play an important creative role in evolution. This inturn may promote speciation, despite the presence of gene flow, and population
persistence, by enabling rapid adaptation to novel environments. However, thesepatterns have rarely been studied in birds. We investigated this in the circular
overlapping Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) parrot complex of south-eastern
Australia. Rare cases of circular overlaps, or ring species, offer a unique opportunity to
study how adaptation and population divergence proceeds in the face of gene flow,
because they feature clinal variation along a chain of interconnected populations that
culminate in taxa which meet but exhibit species-level differences. We compared trait
values in the most divergent populations, along with geographically intermediate clinal
and hybrid populations. We studied a diverse suite of traits, including colour, odour, andvocal signals, body size, behaviour, and pathogen infection. We found broad evidence
for an association between clinal/hybrid populations and novel or extreme traits in thiscomplex. These patterns were present across morphological (plumage signals and calls)
and behavioural (laterality) traits, and in pathogen infection. We also found that at least
one such trait, structural plumage coloration, was strongly related to assortative mating,suggesting a possible role in speciation. Our results provide evidence that clinal/hybrid
populations may provide important sources of evolutionary novelty in birds and may
contribute to population divergence.

57

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo12 Population Structureo12-3

Admixture as a factor in diversification in Wallacean bird assemblages
F.E. Rheindt 1
1

Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Email: dbsrfe@nus.edu.sg
Genetic introgression and concomitant phenotypic admixture are known to occur widely
across hybrid zones of closely related species. These phenomena are well-studied in a
number of avian model groups known to hybridize, especially across temperate-zone
tension zones. However, the effects of introgression and admixture on differentiationand species diversification are generally believed to be marginal. In fact, it has beensuggested that introgression and admixture counter-act organismic diversification by
wiping away accumulated levels of differentiation across contact zones. The paper
presents preliminary morphological, bioacoustic and genetic data from several bird
complexes living across a number of poorly-studied islands in the Wallacean Region(eastern Indonesia). It is proposed that genetic introgression and admixture have beenvital in generating organismic diversification across these islands. Levels of phenotypicand genetic pairwise differentiation between islands can be carefully predicted by taking
earth-historic events into account. These results suggest that admixture andintrogression can be important factors in bird diversification.

58

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo12 Population Structureo12-4

The origin and trend of the common magpie in Japan: Microsatellite
analysis of old and new introduced populations
S. Mori 1, O. Hasegawa 2, K. Eguchi 3, Y. Hayashi 4, M. Fujioka 5, A. Kryukov 6 and I.
Nishiumi 7
1

Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research, National Museum of Nature and Science,
Tokyo, Japan
2
NPO Eco network, Hokkaido, Japan
3
Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
4
Department of Law, Sapporo University, Sapporo, Japan
5
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba University, Tsukuba, Japan
6
Institute of Biology and Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok,
Russia7
Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan
Email: syk_mori@kahaku.go.jp
The common magpie (Pica pica) ranges widely from Europe through Asia, but is notnative to Japan. A small population has been established in Kyushu, the southernmost
main island of Japan, since the introduction of several pairs from Korea 400 years ago(according to ancient documents). Its range had been very restricted, but has gradually
expanded to the entire northern part of Kyushu during recent 40 years. Anotherpopulation has recently been established in Hokkaido, the northernmost main island ofJapan, whose origin is unknown. The number of individuals increased to about 200 in
the last 20 years.
To estimate the origin and the reason for this difference in the population trend, weanalyzed microsatellite polymorphism in these populations together with native
populations in Korea and Russia. We found the origin of the Hokkaido population was
not Kyushu, and most individuals were derived from Russia. The genetic diversity in
Hokkaido population was not decreased compared to native populations. By contrast,
genetic diversity in Kyushu was low, suggesting a strong founder effect. However,recent introduction or immigration across the Korean/Tsushima strait was alsosuggested. Our results support the general notion that the trend of non-native population
depends a lot on founder population size and the number of introduction events.

59

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo12 Population Structureo12-5Comparative phylogeography of the entire understorey bird
community in a sky island reveals differential impacts of island
structure on population structure
Robin VV, Pooja Gupta, C.K. Vishnudas, Uma Ramakrishnan
National Centre for Biological Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065
robinvijayan@gmail.com
Sky island systems provide an excellent opportunity to study species distributions withthe effects of isolation and connectivity, resulting from the interactions between
topography and paleo-climate. In such systems, breaks in mountain ranges cause
vicariance (isolation), while paleo-climatic changes cause changes in dispersal(connectivity) between populations. We previously studied a montane forest species in
the Western Ghats sky islands that revealed deep phylogenetic breaks at ancient
geographic divides, and population divergence roughly corresponded to paleo-climatic
events. We proposed to examine if this paradigm was consistent for several montane
species in this system. We sampled almost the entire understorey bird community fromthe Shola habitat (matrix of natural forests and grasslands) from all six major ‘islands’
in the Western Ghats sky island complex, covering most of the endemic species’ range.
Two mitochondrial and two nuclear gene sequences (~3kb, 253 samples, 24 species)
using standard primers were assembled. Maximum likelihood and bayesian trees
revealed a deep divergence for several endemic species across ancient geographic
divides. There is evidence for cryptic speciation and possible delimitation of new
species. Phylogeographic signatures were stronger and divergences deeper for montane
forest and grassland specialist species. Correspondingly, widespread and migratory
birds (both long-distance and elevational) showed less phylogeographic structure.
Divergence times across species varied and were not consistent with a break caused by asingle event. Our study is the first of its kind in this biodiversity hotspot, and provides
evidence that species ecology may interact with processes like vicariance and dispersal
to drive evolution across such a landscape.

60

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo13 Sexual Behaviour 2

o13-1

Do phenotypic and ejaculate quality reflect siring successin the Collared Flycatcher?
Murielle Ålund, Siri Schmiterlöw and Anna Qvarnström
Evolutionary Biology Center, dpt of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Sweden
Email: murielle.alund@ebc.uu.se
As a consequence of polyandry, sperm of several different males can be in directconcurrence for the fertilization of a given set of eggs, extending sexual selection topostmating mechanisms. Sperm competition describes the competition over paternity
occurring between males ejaculates, after the initial mate choice occurred. As a result,selection favours any characteristic of the ejaculate enhancing fertilization success,including sperm number, viability, velocity and longevity. According to thephenotype-linked fertility hypothesis, honest signals in males (secondary sexual
characters) reflect male fertility. Females should then use the relative size of malesignals when making decisions to engage in extra-pair copulations as an insurance
against infertility. Several studies have found links between phenotypic traits andejaculate quality or between sperm traits and fertilization success, but few studies link
all three components. Here we present data linking sexually selected traits, sperm
quality and paternity success in a wild population of Collared Flycatchers (Ficedula
albicollis). Collared Flycatchers have been monitored on the island of Öland, in theBaltic Sea, for over ten years. Extra-pair copulation is fairly common in the population,with over 17% of nestlings being sired by extra-pair males. By comparing sperm traits
to the size of known sexually selected characters and the number of offspring sired, we
will discuss if phenotypic traits can signal fertility in the Collared Flycatcher.

61

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo13 Sexual Behaviour 2

o13-2

Superior performance of extra-pair offspring may result from genotype-byenvironment interactions
Drobniak S.M., Arct A., Podmokła E.,Gustafsson L., Cichoń M.
szymek.drobniak@uj.edu.pl
Genetic polyandry is a common reproductive strategy observed in numerous species ofpasserine birds. However, in spite of three decades of intensive research we still lackconvincing explanations of its evolution and maintenance in wild population. Two hypotheses– namely the “good genes” and the “compatible genes” hypotheses are invoked to explain theselective advantage that polyandrous females may have over the monogamous ones. In ourstudy we explore these hypotheses using a wild population of a genetically polyandrous
species – the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). We determined parentage of all clutches in the
populations. We also measured a number of offspring traits, Including immunocompetence,plumage colour and morphology. To complement our study we performed an experiment by
manipulating the brood size of some of the studied clutches and thus creating anenvironmental gradient of stressful conditions. We demonstrated, that extra-pair offspring(EPO) were superior compared to the within-pair offspring in terms of immunocompetence
but only in enlarged (i.e. stress-affected) broods. We suggest that the superiority of EPO may
result from genetic effects interacting with environmental effects.

62

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo13 Sexual Behaviour 2

o13-3

Flirty females? The role of female song in Malurus cyaneus
Katharina Mahr1, Matteo Griggio2 and Herbert Hoi1
1

Konrad Lorenz Institute of Behavioural Ecology, Veterinarian Medical University, Vienna,
Austria2
Department of Biology, University of Padova
Email: katharina.mahr@vetmeduni.ac.at
Although female songbirds can develop songs as complex as males, little is known about theirfunction and evolution. In fact, female song was for a long time regarded to be useless and or a
result of physiological abnormalities, but in some species females produce complex, individual
songs. Recent studies suggest that females may use song in similar contexts to males, including
territorial defence and mate attraction. The aim of our study is to understand alternative
functions of female song in birds, rather than explaining it as an equivalent to male behaviour.
We focused on the Superb Fairy Wren (Malurus cyaneus), which is known to have a complex
social and mating system. Probably in context to that, females of this species evolved a complex
song, which they produce independently from their mates and therefore represent an ideal study
species. We conducted behavioural observations and playback trials with dummies during threestages of the breeding period namely (i) the pre-fertile (ii) fertile (iii) post-fertile period. We
tested female responsiveness towards male and female intruders. Our results show that
territorial pairs perform significantly more song bouts when females are fertile. Furthermore,
we found that females respond significantly stronger to males than to females during theirfertile phase of the breeding cycle. Our results indicate that females appear to use song not
exclusively in territorial defence as was previously thought, raising the question whether
singing behaviour occurs in context to fertility advertisement and pair commitment. To ourknowledge this is one of the first studies investigating female song combining fertility stage andintruder sex, considering alternative functions rather than the classic pathways of sexual
selection.

63

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo13 Sexual Behaviour 2

o13-4



“Broad-sense” sexual conflict: the evolution of female sexual autonomy
and theoretical implications for the evolution of morphology andcomplex behavior in birds
S. Snow 1,2, S. Alonzo 1 and R.O. Prum 1,2
1

Dept. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut,
USA
2
Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Email: Samuel.snow@yale.edu
Current models of sexual conflict over mating largely conflate mating preference andresistance to forced copulation, and thus have focused narrowly on the direct fitness costs
that females incur by mating with males that harm them. Research on antagonistic genital
coevolution in waterfowl suggests that “indirect” fitness costs associated with matingwith an individual that would not otherwise have been preferred behaviorally may be key
to understanding the evolution of traits such as female vaginal complexity that control
rates of fertilization but not sexual attack. Using four-locus theoretical population genetic
models, we apply this broader view of sexual conflict quantitatively to the evolution ofgenital morphology in waterfowl, and then extend the concept to the evolution ofBowerbird bowers as structures that protect females from sexual attack. We show thatindeed, resistance to forced copulation can evolve in correlation with preference for
attractive phenotypes. In this way, females are able to positively reinforce their ability tofreely choose mates: females that manage to resist coercion and mate with attractive
males pass on those advantages to their offspring. Thus, the evolution of “resistance”
traits (vaginal complexity or preferences for protective structures) cannot be fully
understood without consideration of their role in promoting sexual autonomy. This
concept of sexual conflict in the broad sense may have further previously-overlooked
implications for other important questions in avian evolution, including the loss of theavian phallus and the evolution of cooperative display in lekking birds.

64

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo13 Sexual Behaviour 2

o13-5

Females insure against infertility of their mates: an empirical test of
the fertility insurance hypothesis in a wild bird population
T. Yuta1,2, D.Nomi2, I. Koizumi1,2
1

Creative Research Institution, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

2

Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

Email: tyuta@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
Fertility insurance has long been discussed as a plausible hypothesis for the adaptivefunction of females engaging in extra-pair copulation, but has never been tested
experimentally. Although the frequency of azoospermia is reported low, infertility ofeggs can be catastrophic to the fitness of females, and it is assumed that females caneliminate the risk of laying an infertile clutch by copulating with extra-pair males. Here,
we attempted to test the hypothesis experimentally by deluding females into perceivingthat their mates are infertile using a wild population of Japanese great tit, (Parus major
minor), a socially monogamous passerine with a moderate frequency of extra-pairpaternity. During the egg laying period, we replaced the eggs of experimental pairs withartificial eggs so that the females would perceive that the eggs were infertile, and ot
induce a replacement clutch. The level of extra-pair paternity was compared between
the replacement clutches (n=12) and second clutches of the control pairs (n=18) todetermine the effect of the treatment on extra-pair behaviour. We found that the
proportion of extra-pair offspring within the brood of a replacement clutch ofexperimental pairs (28.8%) was significantly higher than second clutches of control
pairs (16.4%). The result of this experiment supports the infertility insurance hypothesisof an adaptive function for female engaging in extra-pair copulations. Althoughseparating the hypothesis from other hypotheses is still a challenge, the present study isthe first experimental evidence for the potential benefit to females engaging in extrapair copulations to insure the fertilization of their eggs.

65

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo14 Global Change

o14-1

Post-war changes in rice farming and egrets in Japan
N. Katayama 1 and H. Murayama 2
1

Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Ibaraki,Japan
2
College of Agro-Biological Resource Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Email: katayama6@affrc.go.jp

During the 20th century, the loss and degradation of wetlands has occurred around theworld, including Japan. Rice fields have played an important role for providing artificial
habitats for many wetland species such as aquatic plants, invertebrates, frogs, fishes andbirds. However, since the end of the Second World War, the intensification ofagriculture has been widespread and has threatened the farmland biodiversity in Japan.
In this presentation, I summarize the history of post-war changes in rice farming andtheir impacts on biodiversity, by reviewing earlier studies in Japan (including my own).
A primary focus is egrets and their main prey species, frogs and fishes, which are hightrophic-level species in rice-paddy ecosystems. Earlier studies suggest that two types ofagricultural intensification are primary causes for the decline of these species. First, theapplication of chemical pesticides within and around rice fields has threatened egrets
through the reduction in prey abundance and chemical agent contamination. Its negative
impact seemed to be greatest between 1950 and 1970 before the use of highly toxic
agents (e.g. PCP and DDT) was banned. Second, physical changes such asmechanization and habitat drainage have also been a threat to vertebrates. In particular,
the development of modern, efficient drainage systems has significantly reduced theabundance of frogs and fishes. As a result, foraging egrets tend to aggregate inremaining “traditional” fields with shallow earthen ditches. I also discuss conservation
efforts to halt the loss of farmland biodiversity in Japan: wildlife-friendly farming suchas organic farming, the installation of fishways and winter flooding.

66

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo14 Global Changeo14-2

Responses of the Chinese bulbul in life history traits to urbanization:
the role of food and nest predation
S.H. Chen1,2, Q. Zhang2, S.S. Lan2 and Q. Huang1
1

Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, Hangzhou, China
College of Chemistry and Life Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
Email：birdchen@hotmail.com
2

Urbanization is regarded as a major cause of global environmental change and amajor contributor to species endangerment. Its impacts on avian life have drawn
increased attention in recent years, but little empirical information exists about how
the life histories of birds respond to urban habitat characteristics. This added
knowledge would be a powerful tool to understanding avian communities and species
distribution patterns in urban environments. We explored the responses of the Chinese
bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) in life history traits to urbanization in Hangzhou, East
China, during 2012-2013. Percentage of concrete surface within a series of bufferzones was used to measure the urbanization gradient. We compared nesting start-date,clutch size, egg weight, incubation period, fledging period, hatching success andfledging rate of 234 nests from countryside to city center. The results showed that,with urbanization, the Chinese bulbuls tended to nest earlier (n=114，p<0.001 ) thantheir countryside counterparts. Urban nests had larger egg weight per egg (n=84,
p=0.003), higher hatching success (n=220, p=0.021), and a longer fledging period(n=96, p<0.001). Furthermore, we compared chick feeding rate and nest predation
rate in differing levels of urbanization, using video camera monitoring and artificial
eggs at nests. We found that urban nests had higher feeding rates (n=21, p=0.01) andlower egg predation rates (n=133, p=0.024). Our results suggested that urban habitats
might supply more food to adults but not sufficient to chicks. Countryside nests had
higher egg predation, and city center nests had higher chick predation. Different foodresources and nest predators along urbanization the gradient might explain the
responses of Chinese bulbul in life history traits to urbanization.

67

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo14 Global Change

o14-3

Birds, body size and climate change
J.L. Gardner1, T. Amano2, B.G. Mackey3, W.J. Sutherland2 and A. Peters1
1School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria 3168, Australia
Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge,
Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
3
Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University,
Queensland 4222 Australia
2

Reduction in animal body size has recently been suggested as a third universal
response to contemporary climate change, alongside changes in species’ phenology
and distributions. Body size affects metabolism and fitness, so changing size has
implications for resilience, yet temporal patterns of size variation and the ecologicaland life history traits that underlie it remain poorly understood. We examined interannual variation in the body size of 50 Australian passerine species over a period of
ca. 50 years using museum specimens collected across the species’ geographic ranges,
sampling tropical and temperate regions. We tested for relationships between bodysize shifts and a range of life history and ecological traits, including body mass, diet,mobility and climatic region. We documented considerable variation in temporal size
patterns among species, and discuss findings in relation to the relative sensitivities of
species to climate change. Our study highlights the complexity and dynamic nature of
size responses to environmental change and the significance of body size in
determining vulnerability to extinction.

68

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo14 Global Change

o14-4

Fynbos endemic birds are vulnerable to extinction due to global
warming
A.T.K. Lee 1,2, R. Milne 1, S. Cunningham 1, P. Barnard 1,2 and B. Smit 3
1

Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSTNRF Centre of Excellence,
University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
2
Climate Change Adaptation Division, South African National Biodiversity Institute,Private Bag X7, Claremont 7735, South Africa
3
Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth,
6031.
Email: alan.tk.lee@googlemail.com

The Fynbos Biome (Fynbos) is the smallest of the six floral kingdoms, containedcompletely within South Africa. Best known for its high plant species richness andendemism, it also hosts six endemic bird species and is suitable habitat for a further
seven of South Africa’s endemic passerines. The six Fynbos endemic bird species are
currently listed as ‘Least Concern’ despite a lack of information on population size,
ranges or trends. We conducted point counts across the biome to determine densities;
used MaxEnt to map bioclimatic space; and South African Bird Atlas Project data to
map trends. We identified two species, Cape Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus) andProtea Seedeater (Crithagra leucoptera), as species that should be classified as‘Vulnerable’ due to decreased reporting rates, small ranges and high levels offragmentation. These two species showed a bioclimatic range limited by mean annual
temperature below 15°C as well as climatic variables typical of the Mediterranean typeecosystem that defines much of the Fynbos. Measurements of evaporative water loss
(EWL) and resting metabolic rate confirmed that these two species have the lowest
temperature tolerances of 12 species resident in the Fynbos. Temperatures for the
Fynbos region have increased by at least 0.5 °C over the last 30 years. Although wecannot confirm that reporting rate decreases from atlas data are due to climate change,
we demonstrate that with a temperature increase of 4 °C (a likely IPCC scenario for theend of the century) no bioclimatic space will remain for these two species.

69

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo14 Global Change

o14-5

Decline of urban House Sparrows in relation to local and landscape factors
Henrik G. Smith1,2, Maria von Post2, Åke Lindström2, Ola Olsson2, Martin Stjernman2,
Torben Wittwer1
1. Center of Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University, S-223 62 Lund,
Sweden2. Dept. Biology, Lund University, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden
Swedish House Sparrow populations have declined for decades, reflecting similar trends forfarmland birds throughout northern Europe. Using a variety of approaches, we investigatedthe effect of agricultural intensification on the occurrence and abundance of House Sparrows
on farms in replicated landscapes. In particular, we tested the hypothesis that agricultural
specialization has resulted in loss of landscape complementation, such that resources needed
during breeding and winter have become spatially separated, with negative consequences forhouse sparrow population sizes. Analysis of breeding bird surveys showed declines to belinked with periods of agricultural intensification, but also that House Sparrows suffered fromincreasing farm specialization towards animal husbandry. Using space-for-time substitution,
we found that the probability of finding House Sparrows on farmsteads was lower inlandscapes with strong farming specialisation compared to in landscapes with mixed farming
and that interactions between local food resource variables (animal husbandry, winterfeeding) were stronger in landscapes with specialised farming. Experimental addition of nestsites resulted in higher occupancy when natural nest-sites were scarce, but there was nodetectable effect on population change. Experimental foraging studies demonstrated lower
food availability during breeding in intensively farmed crop-production landscapes, whereas
experimental addition of winter food demonstrated no effect on population changes
irrespective of agricultural landscape type. Our studies demonstrate that not only agriculturalintensification, but also specialization resulting from structural rationalization, hasconsequences for farmland birds. In addition, it demonstrates the importance to consider themultivariate consequences of agricultural intensification at multiple spatial scales.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo15 Hormones & Stresso15-1

Molecular cloning and seasonal expression of corticosterone receptors in the
diencephalon of Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus)
D.M. Li1, C. Du1, B. Qiao1, Y.Q. Li1,2, Y. Yao1, X.L. Liu1,
Y.C. Hao1, L.N. Wu1,3, S. Cui1 and Y.F. Wu1
1

Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province,
College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, P. R. China
2
Shijiazhuang Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050041, P. R. China
3
Department of Biology and Chemistry, Xingtai University, Xingtai 054001, P. R. China
E-mail: lidngmng@gmail.com
Glucocorticoids (GC) mediate various essential biological functions by binding to and activating
their specific receptors. In vertebrates, the interaction of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and themineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in the hypothalamus and hippocampus plays an important role in
the negative feedback pathway of GC regulation. In free-living birds, a number of studies havedemonstrated seasonal regulation of the adrenocortical response to stress, but only a few studies
have examined the seasonal expression of the GR and the MR. In this study, the full-length open
reading frames (ORF) of the GR (eGR) and the MR (eMR) cDNAs from a passerine species, theEurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus), were successfully cloned, and the seasonal expression
patterns of eGR and eMR mRNA in the diencephalon were determined. The ORF eGR contains
2,322 base pairs (bp) encoding 773 amino acids (aa), and the eMR contains 2,952 bp encoding 983
aa. The eGR and eMR are highly conserved in their gene and amino acid sequences and in theirsecondary and 3D structures when compared with other species of birds and vertebrates. Our results
demonstrated that the Eurasian Tree Sparrow exhibits significantly decreased GR and MR:GRmRNA expression in the diencephalon during the wintering stage when compared with the breeding
and the pre-basic molt stages, but no differences were observed for MR mRNA expression. The
seasonal modulation of eGR and eMR mRNA may reflect the plasticity of adaptive strategies andthe diversity of downstream regulating mechanisms of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)
axis that serve to maintain an optimum balance between survival and reproduction.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo15 Hormones & Stresso15-2

Hormonal correlates of photoperiod induced seasonal life history states in the
migratory Black-headed Bunting
J.Singh1, N. Trivedi2, S. Rani2 and V. Kumar1
1

Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India
Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226 007, India
Email: drvkumar11@yahoo.com

2Day-light length influences the timing of seasonal migration and reproduction by interacting withendogenous clocks in several birds. The actual physiological correlate of this interaction is,
however, unknown. We postulated (i) that migratory behavior in night-migratory songbirds aremaintained in day-night environment by changes in the daily pattern of melatonin secretion, and(ii) that thyroid hormones are involved in the regulation of events linked with the migration andreproduction. We examined this by measuring hormones in the blood, and by manipulating
endogenous hormone levels with exogenous hormone or with chemicals that alter the effects ofhormones in the night-migratory Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala). We
measured plasma melatonin levels in the Black-headed Bunting during two different migratory
states, and during exposure to photoperiods that differed in the light intensity and/or spectrum.
Circulating melatonin levels reflected the duration, intensity and wavelength of daily lightenvironment. Melatonin levels were correlated with physiological states linked with seasonal
migration, but a causal link between the two was not established. We also examined the effectsof iopanoic acid injected over three weeks under short day-length on photoperiodic induction inbuntings when they were subsequently exposed to long days. The treatments affected theamplitude of photoperiodic response, measured as body fattening and mass gain, gonadal
recrudescence and Zugunruhe. We concluded that thyroid hormones are involved in theregulation of seasonal responses in the migratory Black-headed Bunting.

72

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo15 Hormones & Stresso15-3

Climate-induced environmental variation in yolk hormone levels in Great Tits
Suvi Ruuskanen 1,2, Sonja V. Schaper 2, Ton G.G. Groothuis 3 and Marcel E. Visser 2
1

Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), The Netherlands
3
Behavioural Biology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Email: skruus@utu.fi
2

Despite the prominent effects of climate change on bird reproduction, maternal effects in birds haverarely been considered in this context. Maternal effects via egg composition, such as yolk hormones
can be a powerful way to influence offspring phenotype and even fitness, and large variation exists
in yolk hormone levels among and within clutches. It is not well known, however, how climaterelated environmental variation in temperature, food availability, and timing of egg laying may
affect allocation of resources and hormone levels to eggs, thereby perhaps facilitating or hampering
adaptation to global warming. Variation in environmental conditions before or during laying could
act as cues of the maternal/environmental conditions during offspring rearing, to which egg
resource allocation is adjusted, or could constrain such allocation. Using the Great Tit (Parus
major) as our model species, we studied temperature-related variation in yolk androgen hormones
among and within clutches in environmentally controlled aviaries. We experimentally manipulated
temperature before and during laying, using different temperature regimes over 5 years. We alsocollected correlative field data on egg composition in relation to ambient temperature and timing ofbreeding. Furthermore, to study whether egg composition responds rapidly to short-term changes infood availability during laying, we did a supplementary feeding experiment in a field population, byboth increasing and decreasing food availability. Our results suggest that (rapid) changes intemperature and food availability can indeed affect egg composition (e.g. egg mass, yolk androgenand thyroid hormones), thus emphasizing how global warming-related changes in the environment
may affect resource allocation to eggs and thus the potential of maternal effects interacting withenvironmental cues to facilitate or hamper adaptation to changing climate.

73

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo15 Hormones & Stresso15-4

Geographic variation in clutch size and stress response along a latitudinal
gradient in the Thorn-tailed Rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda), a
Patagonian furnariid
R.A. Vasquez 1, V. Quirici 1, C.I. Venegas 1 and J.C. Wingfield 2
1

Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago,
Chile2
Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis,
California, USA
Email: rvasquez@uchile.cl
Environmental variability represents challenges to avian reproduction possibly by way ofaffecting mechanisms that could translate into major physiological consequences (i.e.,stressors). In order to assess how different ecological conditions affect reproductive andcoping strategies, we compared clutch size and the adrenocortical responses to standardized
stressors among populations of the Thorn-tailed Rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda), an
endemic furnariid from the Patagonian forests of Chile and Argentina. In four different
populations from north-central Chile to the extreme south of Chile, encompassing 25
degrees of latitude (Populations: Fray Jorge National Park, Manquehue hill in Santiago area,
Chiloe island, and Navarino island), we found significant reproductive differences between
populations, with clutch size increasing from north to south, as follows: Fray Jorge(3.04±0.69 eggs), Manquehue (3.46±0.63), Chiloé (4.50±0.78), and Navarino (4.95±0.94).
We did not find differences in egg size between populations, nor in adult survival. We also
found that baseline corticosterone levels tend to be lower in the southernmost populations.
On the other hand, we found that the stress response did not vary among populations in anyof the three years of the study. We concluded that low environmental temperatures do not
represent a stress situation for rayaditos if food abundance is sufficient to support energetic
demands, and possibly larger clutch size in southern populations are the result of greater
seasonality.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo15 Hormones & Stresso15-5

Effects of social status and oxidative stress on antioxidant allocationand sperm quality in a passerine bird
Alfonso Rojas Mora1,2, Sophie Blareau1 and Fabrice Helfenstein1
1

Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel,
Switzerland
2
E mail: alf.roja@gmail.com
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are normal by-products of our metabolism, which cause
cell damage and impose physiological constraints to all organisms. Sperm cells are very
susceptible to ROS, and oxidatively damaged sperm show reduced fertilizing capacity.
Oxidative stress in sperm is expected to have dramatic consequences for male fitness
under circumstances of sperm competition. It can thus be predicted that, in species
where males have differential access to females and sperm competition is frequent,dominant males enjoying more copulation opportunities should invest more antioxidant
resources into their somatic functions vs. their germline in order to increase their
attractiveness and hence secure their paternity. In contrast, subordinates who have lessmating opportunities and frequently face sperm competition should invest into the
antioxidant protection of their germline to enhance their sperm quality and increase
their likelihood of paternity. We experimentally tested this hypothesis with House
Sparrows Passer domesticus. We maintained 54 males and 36 females in 30 outdoor
aviaries at the Station for Experimental Ecology in Moulis, France. We dosed half ofthe males with the pro-oxidant diquat to induce chronic, moderate oxidative stress. The
other half was dosed with a saline solution to serve as controls. We recorded agonistic
interactions to determine male dominance, and collected sperm samples every second
day and blood samples every week for a period 3 weeks. Male redox status in red blood
cells and sperm was assessed through oxidative damage to lipids (MDA) and DNA(COMET assay), and through levels of endogenous and exogenous antioxidants such as
glutathione, vitamin E and the enzyme SOD. Sperm quality was measured as swimming
velocity, percentage of motile sperm, and sperm longevity. Our results provide new
insights into how antioxidant resource allocation strategies underlie individual
reproductive tactics.

75

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo16 Life historyo16-1

Cumulative delays from pre-breeding stages affect breeding
chronology and performance in a migratory seabird
J.B. Thiebot 1, A. Takahashi 1, M. Ito 1, Y. Suzuki 2 and Y. Watanuki 2
1

National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Japan
Email: jbthiebot@gmail.com
2

Considerable progresses in tracking migrating seabirds at sea over prolonged periods
provide invaluable insights in population dynamics to understand how successive steps
are linked throughout the annual cycle. Here we set out to measure whether theenvironmental conditions the birds experience at sea between two successive breeding
periods affect timing of their return migration, which may in turn impact both timing
and success of subsequent breeding. Using miniaturized light and temperature
geolocation dataloggers (GLS) over three successive years (2010-2011 to 2012-2013),
we collected 33 datasets on Rhinoceros Auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) movement
and activity at sea during the inter-breeding period (July to April). Recent 'broken stick'modelling approach enabled us to distinguish wintering from migrating behaviours atsea, and the loggers wet/dry records allowed inference of attendance patterns at thecolony. Breeding outputs (egg size) and success were measured through long-termmonitoring of the colony. Our results show that while individual post-breeding
departure dates at sea and wintering areas were alike between years, the birds started
their return migration almost 10 days later on average during years with low
productivity (chlorophyll concentration) levels on the wintering sites compared to a'normal' year. Accordingly, the first night ashore was also 8 days later on averagefollowing poor winter conditions compared to the normal year, as we expected.
However, the shift in breeding dates continued to increase during the course of thebreeding cycle until egg laying, following poorer conditions and delayed return.
Eventually, both egg size and breeding success were significantly lower following
poorer winter conditions. These results allow assignnent to specific phases at sea thedelay in breeding chronology of the birds observed from land, and suggest that the
impact of marine conditions experienced during both winter and pre-laying exodus, may
be cumulative in affecting breeding readiness and performance in a migrating seabird.

76

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo16 Life historyo16-2

Carry-over effects and individual variations in corticosterone level,
at-sea behaviour and reproductive success in a small pelagic seabird,
the Manx shearwater
A. Shoji1, A. Fayet1, K. E. Wynne-Edwards2, C. Perrins3 and T. Guilford1
1

Oxford Navigation Group, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
3
Edward Grey institute, University of Oxford, UK
Email: akikosho@gmail.com
2

Individual variation in both quality and reproductive performance offers critical insights
into evolutionary ecology. While conventional theories in vertebrates suggest that suchvariation is mostly due to age or experience, recent work suggests that some individuals
perform better regardless of their age. In particular, inter-seasonal or carry-over effects
have been recognized to play a critical role in influencing individual performances.
Although individual variation in sex, foraging patterns, parental care and reproductive
performance were well documented, how these traits are associated with reproductive
performance and the causes underlying the variations remains elusive. We combine
archival light loggers -- to elucidate wintering movement, conditions and the effect on
breeding performances of the Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) -- with proximate
physiological mechanisms underlying individual variation in life-history traits.
Specifically, we link individual variation in at-sea behaviour to corticosterone levels (asextracted from feathers, indicating long-term conditions during growth) andreproductive success, which potentially affect fitness, and we examine the extent ofcarry-over effects. Preening secretions on seabird feathers have an unknown
corticosterone concentration and represent a more recent deposition window thanfeather growth. Sample preparation methods for liquid chromatography/ tandem mass
spectrometry of corticosterone in seabird feathers are reported. By combining
behavioural and physiological studies, we show how the individual variation inlife-history traits is associated with reproductive performance and the mechanisms
underlying the variation.

77

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo16 Life history

o16-3

Individual variation in resource allocation strategies in the lesser blackbacked gull
L. De Neve1, D. Bosman1, C. Santos1,2, P. Boeckx3, E. Stienen4, L. Lens1
1

Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
3
Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent,
Belgium
4
Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Brussels, Belgium
Email: liesbeth.deneve@ugent.be2

Quantifying spatiotemporal variation in movement patterns at various levels of ecologicalorganization is of paramount importance to improve our understanding of the ecology, life
history and behaviour of wild organisms. For migratory species, conditions experienced
during winter may impinge upon the reproductive strategies in the forthcoming breeding
season (i.e. carry-over effects), which has been confirmed in several populations of seabirds.
Species are conventionally assigned to one of two opposing strategies to invest resources infuture reproduction: “capital” breeders are believed to rely on stored, endogenous, resources
while “income” breeders are believed to rely on concurrent exogenous food intake. Yet,most real-world species are located along a continuum of mixed allocation strategies
between these two extremes. Recent within-population studies suggest that individuals, sexes,
or cohorts might substantially differ in their overwintering strategies and in their tactics toallocate resources to survival and reproduction, which may have important fitness
consequences. Here we test a novel, non-invasive approach to determine individual resource
allocation strategies. During 2012 and 2013 we analysed isotopic signatures (δ15N, δ13C,
δ34S) of breeding female feathers [moulted on winter (capital endpoint) and breeding(income endpoint) grounds], egg-components and down feathers within a breeding
population of individually-marked lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) at Zeebrugge(Belgium). We calculated the discrimination factor from eggs to down feathers and Bayesian
mixing models revealed substantial individual variation in allocation strategies. In spring
2013, we equipped 20 females with a state-of-the-art GPS device that allow detailed
monitoring of movement and feeding behaviour in both breeding and wintering sites. By
integrating stable isotope results with data on female physical condition, reproductive
performance, and year-round mobility, we here discuss how individual resource allocation
strategies result in life-history variation through trade-offs with properties of the
reproductive cycle.

78

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo16 Life historyo16-4

Timing of moult is regulated by an intrinsic schedule in the Pied Flycatcher(Ficedula hypoleuca)
William Velmala1, Sara Calhim1,2, Pauliina Järvistö1, Wiebke Schuett1,3 & Toni Laaksonen1
1

Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Section of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biology & Environmental
Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
3
Division of Behavioural Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Hamburg, Hamburg,
Germany
Email: lawive@utu.fi
2

Many birds undergo a complete post-breeding moult, in which they replace all feathers. The
onset of autumn migration can only take place after the moult is completed. Moult starts at
the end of the nestling period, while the parents are still feeding chicks. As a consequence,
parents may have to trade-off their resources between two demanding tasks: feeding thechicks and moulting. Early departure to autumn migration may have several benefits, andbirds may thus be under selection to (initiate and) complete moult as soon as possible. We
tested three alternative scenarios that might predict moult initiation in the Pied Flycatcher.
Moult could be triggered by: (1) The phase of breeding: parents start to moult relative to acertain late breeding stage (e.g. nestling age), (2) The calendar day: parents initiate moult at a
certain photoperiodic time point, or (3) The intrinsic schedule of the individual: set by someprevious phase of the yearly cycle, such as timing of migration, arrival to the breeding
grounds or egg-laying date. We experimentally studied how timing of breeding affected
timing of moult. We delayed the breeding cycle of one group of pairs by delaying the start ofincubation by one week. To achieve this, we kept the eggs in a refrigerator for seven days.
The experiment caused statistically significant differences between the groups in timing ofmoult at the same breeding stage. In both sexes, the delayed group moulted earlier relative tocalendar date, meaning that the birds had started to moult according to a previously setschedule even though the nestlings were small (hypotheses no. 3 above). This indicates
intrinsic links between different phases of the annual cycle within individuals.

79

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo16 Life historyo16-5

The effects of nest predation risk on parental investment andreproductive success.
Juan C. Oteyza 1 and Thomas E. Martin 2
1

Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, USA
U.S.G.S., Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana,
Missoula, USA
Email: juan.oteyza@umontana.edu

2Predation on dependent offspring is an important selective force that influences parental
investment strategies. In passerine birds, nest predation is the primary cause of
reproductive failure, making birds an ideal system to study the effects of offspring
predation on parental investment. Parents can assess nest predation risk and modify
investment in order to decrease the probability of actual nest predation. For example, inthe face of increased nest predation risk, parents may decrease offspring feeding rates toavoid revealing the location of their nest to visually oriented predators. A few studies
have looked at how parents adjust parental investment to changes in predation risk, yeteven fewer have looked at how these changes influenced reproductive success. These
costs to reproductive success associated to changes in predation risk have only beenstudied on north temperate species, which are characterized by “fast” life history
strategies. However, based on traditional life history theory, “slower” species like thosein the tropics are expected to respond with greater risk avoidance under increased
predation risk which could have comparatively greater consequences for reproductive
success. Despite tropical birds potentially responding more strongly to increased risk by
decreasing parental investment and bearing greater costs to offspring than theirtemperate counterparts, this possibility remains unexplored. We experimentally
increased nest predation risk for tropical passerine birds and measured responses inparental investment (e.g. changes in egg size, incubation attentiveness, feeding rates)
and the consequences for offspring development and survival (i.e. reproductive success).
Species responded differentially to an increased perceived nest predation risk. The
species that responded most strongly to the treatment decreased incubation attentiveness,feeding rates and had offspring with slower growth rates than those from control nests.
Cumulatively, these changes in parental investment negatively affected reproductive
success (fewer young fledged per nests in treatment than in control nests).

80

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo17 Conservation 2

o17-1

Ecological correlates of vulnerability to fragmentation in forest
birds on inundated subtropical land-bridge islands

Y. Wang 1 and P. Ding 1
1

The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the
Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou
310058, China
Email: dingping@zju.edu.cn

Habitat fragmentation is widely considered to be one of the primary threats tobiodiversity throughout the world. Identifying the ecological and life-history traits
that render species vulnerable to fragmentation is an important prerequisite for thedevelopment of effective conservation strategies. In this study, we determined how
species traits influence vulnerability to fragmentation using bird data collected fromislands created by the inundation of the Thousand Island Lake, China. We tested apriori seven well-defined hypotheses that species with low abundance, small
geographical range, high habitat specificity, large body size, high trophic level, lowforaging strata, and low fecundity would be more vulnerable to fragmentation. Birds
were surveyed with the line-transect method during 2007 and 2010 on 42 islands andthe adjacent mainland. We derived the species traits that were associated withfragmentation vulnerability from our survey and from the literature. Afterphylogenetic correction, these variables were used separately to assess theirassociation with two indices of fragmentation sensitivity (the number of islands
occupied and change in abundance). The 46 bird species included in the analyses
exhibited considerable variation in sensitivity to fragmentation. The number of islands
occupied ranged from 1 to 42. All bird species on islands had declined in population
density to some extent, except for the Black Kite (Milvus migrans). Model selection
based on stepwise multiple regressions identified natural abundance at mainland sites
and habitat specificity as the best correlate of the number of islands occupied, andnatural abundance at mainland sites as the best correlate of change in abundance.
Body size, clutch size, trophic position, foraging strata, and geographical range size
were not significantly correlated with fragmentation vulnerability. We suggest that, inorder to conserve birds in the region effectively, priority conservation efforts shouldbe paid to rare species and species with high habitat specificity.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo17 Conservation 2

o17-2

Facultative cooperative breeding in Cabanis’s greenbul (Phyllastrephus
cabanisi) in relation to cloud forest fragmentation
L. Lens 1, L. De Neve 1,2, D. Van de Loock 1,2 , L. Cousseau 1 , M. Githiru2, T. Callens1& C. Vangestel 1,3
1

Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Ornithology Department, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
3
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
Email: luc.lens@ugent.be2

There is a growing consensus that a combination of ecological factors and life-history
traits can trigger species to express cooperative breeding behaviour. However, if andhow this may affect their sensitivity to ecological stressors or direct evolutionary
trajectories is still poorly understood, in particular in tropical forest species that are
increasingly exposed to rapid habitat change. Video-recordings at nests of Cabanis’sgreenbuls (Phyllastrephus cabanisi) in a fragmented SE Kenyan cloud forest show that
individuals other than the adult breeding pair help care for the offspring and forego theopportunity to breed independently. While the total amount of food delivered to thenestlings does not increase in the presence of helpers, adult breeders appear tocompensate for the care of the helpers by reducing their own food provisioning, andhence, their costs of reproduction (load lightening strategy). While possible fitness
benefits for helpers are currently less evident, marked variation in the presence, age andsex of helpers, and the genetic relatedness among cooperative flock members in relation
to forest quality, suggests that helping behavior reflects the plastic outcome of acost-benefit balance. This is possibly mediated by parent-offspring conflicts over thetiming of dispersal. To identify the drivers of post-fledging dispersal, settlement andhelping strategies in male and female offspring, we combine the results of a long-term
mark-recapture program with radio-telemetry and playback experiments. We discuss theresults of this study within the context of novel selection forces acting on natural
populations as a result of anthropogenic activities.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo17 Conservation 2

o17-3

Mesopredator release: impacts on previously unaffected components ofa seabird population
S.J. Reynolds 1,2, G.R. Martin 1, C.P. Wearn 3 and B.J. Hughes 1,2
1

Centre for Ornithology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
Army Ornithological Society, Land Forces Directorate, Andover, Hampshire, UK
3
38 Trafalgar Road, Lympstone, Devon, UK
Email: J.Reynolds.2@bham.ac.uk
2Many avian populations on islands are threatened by alien mammalian predators. This isespecially true of seabirds where both cats (Felis silvestris catus) and rats (Rattus spp.)
can cause severe declines in population size without remedial actions such as
eradication programmes. While effective, the effects of such conservation interventions
are poorly monitored and often outcomes are not predicted prior to action. Here, we
document a long-term study of Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) on Ascension
Island in the South Atlantic where birds have been subjected to cat and rat predation
over two centuries. We show that eradication of cats, the apex predator, has not led torecovery of the seabird population. Instead, it has resulted in a mesopredator release
event with increasing numbers of rats now impacting more negatively on seabirds thanthe previous dual-predator regime. While similar outcomes of interventions have been
documented in other study systems, here we explore more widely the effects andconclude that ‘release’ of mesopredators results in them living longer and growing
larger as a result; they then impact on previously unaffected components of the seabird
population (i.e. larger chicks) with downstream negative consequences that were notpredicted. We conclude by discussing the long-term effects of mesopredator release on
this specific seabird population and in so doing suggest ways to manage populations ofbirds and their predators that minimise the impacts of predation during recovery actions.
We hope that our insights are helpful to others who are considering effective
conservation interventions to counter alien invasive species.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo17 Conservation 2

o17-4

Variation in the role of tree decay to promote cavity nester biodiversity in theWorld Wide Cavity Nest Web
Kathy Martin 1,4, José Tomás Ibarra 1,2,3 Kristina Cockle1 and Tomás A. Altamirano2
1

Centre for Applied Conservation Research, Department of Forest and Conservation
Sciences, University of British Columbia, Canada
2
Fauna Australis Wildlife Laboratory, Department of Ecosystems and the Environment,
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
3
The Peregrine Fund, Boise, USA
4
Environment Canada, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Canada
Email: Kathy.Martin@ubc.ca
From a biodiversity perspective, much of the world is chronically short of tree decay,
especially in human-influenced ecosystems. Yet over 1000 bird species globallydepend on decay processes to form tree cavities to provide the critical nesting androosting sites. Cavities can form slowly over centuries with the presence of tree decayor physical processes or they may form relatively quickly when avian excavators
penetrate the outer sapwood and remove the decayed heartwood. We examine the roleof tree decay dynamics in structuring cavity-using vertebrate communities in Nest
Webs (i.e., interdependent assemblages of cavity consumers and/or producers instructured-nidic guilds) across continents in temperate and tropical systems in theAmericas and Africa. In the Nest Webs of North-America, woodpeckers function as
keystone species as they excavate over 90% of the holes used by secondary cavity
nesting (non-excavating) vertebrates. In South-America, 69-80% of secondary cavity
nesters use cavities formed by decay or external damage, even when woodpeckers arepresent. The abundance and diversity of cavity-using vertebrates is often positively
associated with cavity availability that in turn depends on rates of hole formation andpersistence. To maintain biodiversity it is critical to understand the role of tree decay
and excavators as structuring agents in wildlife communities. In North America, thisinvolves retaining the tree types and conditions (e.g., hard deciduous trees with soft
spots of decay) that are suitable for woodpeckers to excavate. In forest ecosystems
with decay-based nest webs (South-America, Africa), it is important to retain a supplyof large live trees with decayed branches and large and small dead-standing trees tomaintain a diversity and abundance of cavity-using birds.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo17 Conservation 2

o17-5

Variable food supplies and introduced predators set a complex
ecological trap for a facultative migratory bird.
Dejan Stojanovic1,4, Matthew Webb1,2, Aleks Terauds1,3 and Robert Heinsohn1,5
1. Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University,
Canberra, ACT, 0200
2. Threatened Species Section, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water andEnvironment, Tasmania, 7001
3. Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
4. Corresponding author: dejan.stojanovic@anu.edu.au
Ecological traps arise when habitats are altered by anthropogenic influences andanimals make maladaptive decisions about where to settle because the environmental
cues they have evolved to use are no longer reliable. Severe demographic effects ofecological traps (e.g. Allee effects) have been best demonstrated for sedentary species
probably because ‘trapped’ populations cannot easily escape local conditions.
However, facultative migrants (i.e. species with variable direction, distance andtiming of migration driven by food availability) also utilize modified landscapes, but
their movements may enable them to escape from ecological traps when conditions
change. We present a conceptual model that shows the variable demographic
processes regulating populations of facultative migrants in landscapes containing
ecological traps. This model predicts that depending on the relative attractiveness ofhigh versus low quality habitat, facultative migrants could be exposed to one of threedemographic scenarios: 1) source/sink dynamics; 2) equal preference ecological traps
or; 3) severe ecological traps. We tested our conceptual model using the Swift Parrot
Lathamus discolor, an endangered facultative migrant. Annual variation in the spatialconfiguration of food led to different settlement decisions by Swift Parrots. Whenfood was equally abundant at predator free (high quality) and predator infested (lowquality) sites, Swift Parrot occupancy was similar in both areas, but high mortality
and breeding failure only occurred at low quality sites (corresponding to an equal
preference ecological trap). However, when low quality sites had more abundant foodthan high quality sites, Swift Parrots preferentially settled in the former, and paid asevere predation penalty (corresponding to a severe ecological trap). However, ourdata indicate that the cumulative effects of habitat degradation can complicate theeffects of traps, and low forest cover (which exacerbates predation risk) creates aquality gradient within predator infested sites. Our study demonstrates an urgent needto understand how temporary capture/escape from ecological traps impacts long-term
population viability of facultative migrants.

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o18-1

Within-song type variation facilitates neighbour-stranger
discrimination in a bird with a small repertoire size
T.S. Osiejuk 1, M. Skierczyński 1, A. Wiśniewska 1, K. Łosak 1, L. Wojas1, A.
Jakubowska 1, P. Szymański 1 and K. Deoniziak 1
1

Department of Behavioural Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
Email: osiejuk@amu.edu.pl
Economically efficient defence of territory requires the ability to distinguish between
neighbours and strangers (later NSD). We studied the Ortolan Bunting (Emberizahortulana), a small migratory passerine species in which males usually have a small
song repertoire(2-3 types), which is commonly shared (< 11 different song types per
100 males within a population), but both repertoire sizes and level of sharing may differ
between populations. The shared song types are individually distinct because initialsong phrases of particular males consistently differ in frequency parameters. Males ofthis species were found to distinguish between neighbours and strangers regardless ofrepertoire size and sharing level and differences in song frequency seems to be crucial
for NSD. Here we present data from a few different populations from Central andNorthern Europe in order to test if the necessity of NSD enforced a trade off between
song repertoire size and within song type variation. We recorded full repertoires ofrepresentative numbers of males from each population and measured repertoire size,
repertoire sharing and frequency parameters of song types. The frequency shift of thesame song types was found in all the studied populations. We found that the pattern of
frequency shift differentiation among males sharing a particular song type is
non-random and depends on song diversity within local population. In populations witha high level of song type sharing, neighbouring males shared song types significantly
more different in frequency, while there was no such pattern in population with highsong diversity. We suppose that this within-song type variation facilitate NSD.

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o18-2

Sharing mates and nestboxes is associated with female “friendship” inEuropean Starlings Sturnus vulgarisMartine Hausberger, Cecile Bourguet, Marion Coulon, Christine Aubry & Laurence Henry
Laboratoire Ethos, Ethologie Animale et Humaine, UMR CNRS 6552 Université Rennes 1,
France. Email martine.hausberger@univ-rennes1.fr
Breeding decisions in birds involve both mate and nest choice, and there is increasing
evidence that social influences may modulate individual choices. Female preferences may beaffected by other females’ preferences and mutual choice cannot always be excluded, whichmakes the whole pattern more complex than assumed by most sexual selection models. Socialtransmission may be facilitated by particular social bonds, therefore pre-breeding social
networks may influence later mate choices. The other case where females share mates orresources is polygyny, generally viewed to only benefit males. If mutual benefits may arise
then mechanisms should evolve to reduce the reproductive cost for females such as to reducethe cost of aggression by sharing their mate with a preferred same sex social partner. We
tested the hypothesis that females’ mating decisions may be influenced by the pre-breedingsocial network and that social partner relations established prior to breeding may affectdecisions (mate/sites) in a facultative polygynous species, the European Starling. Twoexperiments were designed to test the relative importance of male or nest by following thewhole dynamics of the breeding cycle from the pre-breeding period until mate and nest
selection. In both cases socially isolated females tended to be excluded from breeding, while
pre-breeding social partners tended to share mates and to nest in close proximity, matecopying leading in some case to polygyny. The final pattern resulted both from female “likes
and dislikes” and male preferences for some females. Aggressive interactions between
females were rare. Vocal sharing between females may have been a clue for males as to thedegree of social integration of these females.

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o18-3

Song sharing in neighbouring and non-neighbouring territorial male Pied
Bush Chats
D. C. Bhatt, V. K. Sethi and A. Kumar
Department of Zoology & Environmental Science,
Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, 249404, Uttarakhand, India
E-mails: dineshharidwar@gmail.com, vinayaksethi@yahoo.co.in

In most oscine bird species, male song is composed of different song types, of which some song
types are shared with other males. Song sharing is believed to provide insights into the contexts
in which songs were acquired in addition to the role of song repertoires in intra- and intersexual
communication. Our aim for this study was to investigate whether song sharing occurs in thePied Bush Chat (Saxicola caprata) (a sedentary tropical species with song repertoires), and if yes,
whether neighbouring males share significantly more song types than non-neighbouring males.
To assess the song sharing between males, a standard song sharing index was used by comparing
all song types of each male with all song types of the other male. Results revealed that males hada mean repertoire of 22.8 ± 4.4 song types ranging from 17 to 30 song types (N=8). In all, 78
song types were identified in the song repertoires of eight males. Of these, four song types (5%)
were delivered by all males, while 33 (42%) song types were unique i.e. sung by single males.
Results also indicated that neighbouring males shared significantly more song types than did
non-neighbouring males. Nevertheless, no two males shared all song types in their repertoires.
Repertoire matching was frequently observed among neighbouring males indicating that
territorial establishment and maintenance could require males to share songs. Results also
support the pattern that has emerged between song sharing among territorial neighbours andsedentary behavior of the bird species possessing song repertoires.

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o18-4

Social organization in the flightless Kagu, a bird endemic to New
Caledonia
R. Gula 1, R. Kühn 2 and J. Theuerkauf 1
1

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Molecular Zoology Unit, Chair of Zoology, Department of Animal Science,
Technische Universität München, Germany
Email: rgula@miiz.eu
2

The Kagu (Rhynochetos jubatos) is a flightless bird endemic to the mainland of New
Caledonia (South Pacific). It was thought to be monogamous, living in family groups on
exclusive territories in rainforest. We used molecular genetics fingerprinting,radio-tracking, continuous video monitoring of nests, and feeding experiments to study
the social organisation of Kagus. From July 2011 to December 2012, we fitted
transmitters with proximity sensors on 17 Kagus of 4 neighbouring families that wehave already been studying since 2002. In total, we recorded about 40,000 encountersamong Kagus during this period. By analysing DNA extracted from feathers, we
determined kinship and sex of all individuals. By examining video footage at nest sites,
we found that a Kagu breeding unit consisted of one female and 1-2 males thatparticipate in incubation and provisioning of chicks. We confirmed genetically that thebreeding system is polyandrous rather than monogamous. A breeding unit is usuallyassisted by 1-3 subadult and adult offspring, which occasionally help in incubation but
do not feed the chicks. The analysis of encounters among Kagus registered withproximity tags revealed that the social interactions of individuals are not limited to thefamily members but constitute an extended social network of neighbouring families.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo18 Social Interactionso18-5

Can birds negotiate hatching time via acoustic communication?

M.M. Mariette 1 and K.L. Buchanan 1
1

Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Email: m.mariette@deakin.edu.au

Climate change means that it is more difficult for birds to time their reproductive
attempts optimally to coincide with peaks in food abundance. Any mechanisms
allowing birds to readjust the time of hatching after egg-laying may therefore be
selected for, particularly in less predictable environments. Here, we tested whether
acoustic communication between parents and offspring before hatch could play a role infine-tuning hatching time to current conditions. In an aviary experiment on wild-derived
Zebra Finches, we manipulated incubation onset and then recorded parental behaviour
and communication during incubation. We found that in the few days preceding
hatching, parents emitted a specific call type whilst alone in the nest, which had neverbeen recorded in other contexts. In a follow up experiment, we incubated wholeclutches in artificial incubators where either “incubation calls” or control contact calls(tets) were broadcast. We predicted that if “incubation calls” are a proximal mechanism
to accelerate or synchronise hatching, clutches exposed to incubation calls should hatch
sooner and more synchronously than control clutches. Preliminary analyses confirmed
our predictions, which suggests that hatching time –and developmental trajectories–
may be more flexible than previously realised. These findings are especially importantin the context of climate change, which through effects on reproductive phenology, ispredicted to have a strong impact on global bird populations.

90

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo19 Migration 1

o19-1

Going the distance:
Shared duration and destination of overwinteringin pairs of Scopoli’s shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea)
M. S. Müller1, B. Massa2, R. A. Phillips3 and G. Dell’Omo4
1

Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Japan
University of Palermo, Italy
3
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, Cambridge CB3 0ET, England
4
Ornis italica, Rome, Italy
Email: martina.muller9@gmail.com
2

Recently, due to new capabilities for tracking individual birds’ movements over thecourse of a year or longer, new evidence is emerging for individual consistency inmigration schedules and destinations, although it remains unclear whether thisindividual consistency is due to hard-wired differences in migration programs, or
persistent individual differences in condition. Using geolocators, we tracked
migration journeys of Scopoli’s shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea
diomedea) breeding in Linosa Island (Italy) across three years, and extracted
parameters describing timing and spatial aspects of the birds’ movements. Birds
showed remarkable variation in final overwintering destinations along the western
coast of Africa that ranged from the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, to the Guinea
basin and as far south as Namibia. We found significant individual consistency inboth temporal and spatial aspects of migration. Furthermore, for the first time, weshow significant repeatability among partners in the total distance they travelled, thelocations of their overwintering destinations and the southern-most point they reachedduring migration. Partners were also repeatable in the total time they spent in the
overwintering area. However, pairs did not leave the breeding site at similar times inautumn or return at a similar time the following spring, and comparison of the timecourse of their movements revealed that they did not travel together. In light of recent
findings, that reduced parental investment causes migrating shearwaters to travel lessfar, we suggest that the repeatability in migratory behaviour that we identified withinpairs reflects shared carry-over effects of parental investment from the previous
season, and might be therefore condition-dependent.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo19 Migration 1

o19-2

The role of endogenous rhythm in movements of facultative migrants
J. Bojarinova and O. Babushkina
Faculty of Biology and Soil Science, Saint Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russia
Email: julia.bojarinova@gmail.com
It is assumed that obligate and facultative migrants use different cues for timing their lifecycle events. During late summer and autumn, obligate migrants predominantly rely on theirendogenous programmes, which only to some extent may be corrected by the current
photoperiod. Facultative migrants are believed to respond mainly to local current conditions
when making the decision to migrate or remain resident at the breeding grounds. However, therelationship between endogenous programme and environmental factors in regulation offacultative migrants is not as well understood as those of obligate ones. We present results fromlong-term field and experimental studies of small insectivorous birds known in the north-west
regions of Europe for their high fluctuations in numbers during autumn migration: the great tit(Parus major), long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus), coal tit (Parus ater) and the tree-creeper(Certhia familiaris).
Our data suggest that the role of endogenous rhythm is underestimated in such species.
The long-term field data on the great tit showed that the timing of movements of the species
depends mainly on the endogenous stimuli rather than on population densities or food abundance.
The experimental study of the long-tailed tit revealed the annual cycle of migratory restlessness
that is exhibited in captivity and is influenced by photoperiod. The field data of the studied
species showed that the pattern of seasonal changes in fattening is similar to obligate migrants.
Whatever the migration-triggering mechanism of the individual might be, the migration ofstudied species may occur in the period of its genetically determined readiness to move.
This study was supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research grants no. 13-0401474a.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo19 Migration 1o19-3

To be at the right place at the right time – individual timing of annual
life history events by a trans-Sahara migrant
C.M. Meier1, R. Aymí2, H. Karaardic3, P. Zehtindjiev4, F. Liechti 1
1

Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
Catalan institute of Ornithology, Barcelona, Spain
3
Akdeniz University, Alanya Education Faculty, Alanya, Turkey
4
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences,
Sofia, Bulgaria
2

Email: christoph.meier@vogelwarte.ch
In general, the time window favourable for reproduction decreases with latitude. Hence,for migratory birds the importance of optimal arrival at the breeding site increases withincreasing latitude. In addition, the time needed for migration from Africa also increases
the further north birds breed. Therefore, we expect that the schedule of life history
events in the course of the annual cycle (breeding, migration, moult) is less flexible inhigher than in lower latitudes. In contrast, in lower latitudes there might be less of atime constraint enabling more flexible schedules with more opportunities for the
exploitation of unpredictable favourable conditions. A few studies have analysed
population specific arrival and departure times within species and have found ample
differences in the duration of migration between populations. No study, however, hasever quantified the amount of variation in the entire annual cycle between different
populations on an individual level. We equipped 156 Alpine Swifts (Tachymarptis
melba) of four populations in Europe (Spain, Switzerland, Bulgaria, and Turkey) withlight geolocation loggers to compare their annual cycle. The species is an aerial
plankton feeder, a long distance migrant, and has high site fidelity to its breedingcolonies (recapture rate up to 60%). In southern populations rare cases of second broods
have been recorded and therefore we expect increasing variability in the timing of
migration towards lower latitudes. We investigate whether or not a possible time
constraint has an impact on migration route and non-breeding range, and to what extent
the onset of spring at the breeding site affects the arrival dates within a single
population. We discuss the implication of constraints in the annual cycle for theevolution of migration and the ability to adapt to environmental changes.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo19 Migration 1

o19-4

Dispersion, route fidelity and within-pair coordination: the mysterious
migration of the Atlantic Puffin
A. L. Fayet 1, A. Shoji 1, D. Boyle 2, C. Perrins 2 & T. Guilford 1
1

Oxford Navigation Group, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Email: annette.fayet@zoo.ox.ac.uk

2

Migratory movements of pelagic seabirds have remained mysterious because traditional study
methods provide scant data, but a revolution in miniature tracking technology and novel
computational techniques is now making it possible to study the detailed behaviour of individual
seabirds all year round. Using archival light loggers, we have established a long-term tracking
program to investigate the migratory behaviour of a key species of UK breeding seabirds, theAtlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica). We realise a detailed study of the migration routes ofindividuals for up to six years, focusing on route fidelity and timing. We also investigate potential
sex-specific and pair-specific effects on the puffins’ migratory strategy.
The first results are intriguing. Puffin migration is dispersive, with individual birds showing
remarkable diversity in overwintering destinations. Yet, individuals are highly conserved in theirroutes and destinations. Furthermore, we found some evidence that partners follow similar routes,
at least during part of the winter, suggesting potential social interactions within pairs during thenon-breeding season. These results cannot be explained by genetic or cultural inheritance of the
migratory route, the two usual theories about navigational control of migration. Our study should
not only be a crucial test of a novel theory of migratory navigation but should also bringinvaluable information for conservation planning, since UK puffin populations are in decline.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo19 Migration 1

o19-5

Time to move: Nomadic Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) in arid
Australia following La Niña floods
R.F.H. Ribot 1, J. McEvoy 1 and A.T.D. Bennett 1
1

Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Email: raoul.ribot@deakin.edu.au
In contrast to the seasonal, predictable migrations of birds in Europe and North America
the nomadic waterbirds of the arid interior of Australia must travel large distances tolocate seasonally and spatially unpredictable water resources which are ephemeral. How
Australian waterbirds have adapted to this desert environment and are able to locate
ephemeral water bodies in this vast landscape is a major unsolved puzzle of bird
migration. After years of drought, two recent La Niña years caused heavy rainfalls andan influx of vast numbers of waterbirds into the arid interior of Australia. During thisperiod, we deployed GPS satellite-transmitters on a large number of Black Swans(Cygnus atratus).Tracked individuals were successful in locating new ephemeral water
across hundreds of kilometres. Individuals usually moved at night and we found several
weather variables predicted the timing of their movements. With conditions in theinterior deteriorating for waterbirds after the La Niña period ended, birds moved tocoastal and inland refugia although these two strategies came at different costs toindividuals. Our findings provide new insight into connectedness of waterbird habitat inAustralia, the navigation ecology of nomadic individuals and how Australian waterbirds
have adapted to an environment which can rapidly change.

95

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo20 Parasites & immunityo20-1

The effect of hen flea infestation on the status and intensity of infection withmalaria parasites in the Blue Tit
Anna Dubiec1, Edyta Podmokła2, Mariusz Cichoń2
1

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679

Warszawa, Poland
2

Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387

Kraków, Poland
Because host populations become exposed to novel combinations of parasites, it is importantto understand how interactions between parasites may affect disease dynamics. However, todate the majority of studies looked into single parasite systems, and the importance ofinteractions between parasites in natural populations has been recognized only recently.
Different parasites may interact by e.g. modifying each other’s transmission efficiencies andvirulence. From the perspective of host population dynamics special attention should be paid
to parasites with a very wide geographical distribution, such as the hen flea (Ceratophyllus
gallinae), and parasites with a high potential of expanding their geographic range such as
blood parasites from the genus Plasmodium. Both parasite types are known to negatively
affect host fitness, however, no study looked into the possible interaction between them. We
aimed to experimentally disentangle the causal relationship behind the occurrence of coinfection with these two parasite types in a hole nesting passerine – the Blue Tit (Cyanistes
caeruleus). The study was carried out in a population with high infestation levels of both thehen flea and malaria parasites. We created two types of nests with experimentally reduced andincreased infestation with hen fleas and examined how the variation in the flea infestationlevel at the early stages of the nesting cycle influences the status and intensity of infection
with malaria parasites at the end of the nesting cycle. The results of the study are discussed in
the light of implications of the distribution of hen fleas for the spread and prevalence ofmalaria parasites.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo20 Parasites & immunity

o20-2

Genetic background helps understanding immunocompetence, growth andsurvival in House Sparrows
B. Lukasch 1, H. Westerdahl 2 and H. Hoi 1
1

Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria

2

Molecular Ecology & Evolution Lab, Lund University, Sweden

Email: barbara-lukasch@gmx.at
A well-functioning immune defense is crucial for survival and reproduction. To date itremains challenging to judge the quality and function of the entire immune system ascommon tests can only explain a fraction of it. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
is important for pathogen resistance by presenting antigens on the cell surface to T-cells.
According to the heterozygote advantage theory, individuals heterozygous at MHC loci may
be able to elicit more efficient defenses against a greater diversity of pathogens, and theirterritory size and survival might be influenced by the MHC as well. Our aim was to study if
MHC alleles influence immune response, body size and survival. To test this, we used 135
House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), which were captured in the wild and housed in large
outdoor aviaries. From this parent generation, we obtained 300 offspring of which 128
survived the first winter. With our aviary population we were able to account for several
environmental factors, which would otherwise influence our results. To properly mirror the
immune response, the following tests were conducted: PHA skin swelling test (first andsecond response), hemagglutination test, bacterial killing assay, leucocyte counts, hematocritand erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Furthermore, we collected data about survival and bodyparameters for over 2 years. To ensure that we only tested MHC heterozygosity, we also
assessed neutral heterozygosity at 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Results indicate that
MHC alleles influenced some areas of the immune defense as well as survival, especially inthe early development. However, we found no evidence that the MHC influenced body size.

97

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo20 Parasites & immunityo20-3

Does environmental microbial community composition drivematernal immune investment in avian eggs?
Pieter van Veelen, Maaike Versteegh, Florencia Bulit, Irene Tielemanpietervanveelen2@gmail.com
An organism’s immune system is vital to the defence against infection and disease.
Variation in immune function is commonly observed in birds, and previous studies
showed that various aspects of avian immunity vary among individuals, populations
and species, across environments, and annual cycle stages. Attempts to explain suchvariation in the context of life history tradeoffs have only partly provided answers.
Microbes are principally everywhere, and immune responses are not fixed. As
immune defences are key to protecting an organism against infection and disease, wehypothesize that abundance, diversity and structure of environmental microbialcommunities, as potential agents causing infection and disease, play a substantial rolein shaping host immune defences. Because of the multifaceted nature of immune
systems, we study immunity in avian eggs as a more simplistic model. Using
manipulated microbial communities we study the effects of soil microbial community
composition on maternal immune investment in captive Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia
guttata) eggs. Under different environmental microbial pressures, we will study thedevelopment of microbial community composition on the egg surface and their ability
to invade egg contents. Contemporaneously, we will analyse maternally transferred
antimicrobial proteins and natural antibodies. We will discuss our results and aim torelate immune investment to microbial pressure exerted by the environment hosts livein.

98

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo20 Parasites & immunityo20-4Long antibody persistence and transgenerational transfer of immunity
in a long-lived vertebrate
Raül Ramos1,2, Romain Garnier3, Jacob González-Solís2, Thierry Boulinier1
1

Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS-UMR 5175, Montpellier, FranceInstitut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio) and Departament de Biologia Animal(Vertebrats), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
3
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton,
USA
Email: ramos@ub.edu
2

Although little studied in natural populations, the persistence of immunoglobulins has
the potential to dramatically affect the dynamics of immunity and the ecology andevolution of host-pathogen interactions involving vertebrate hosts. By means of amultiple year vaccination design against Newcastle Disease Virus, we experimentally
addressed whether levels of specific antibodies can persist over several years in femalesof a long lived Procellariiform seabird, the Cory’s Shearwater, and whether maternal
antibodies against that antigen could persist over a long period in offspring several years
after the mother was exposed. We found that a single vaccination led to high levels ofantibodies for several years in the considered species and that the females transmitted
antibodies to their offspring that persisted for several weeks after hatching even 5 years
after a single primary vaccination. The temporal persistence of significant levels ofmaternally transferred antibodies was highly dependent on the level that nestlings had
just after hatching, which decreased over the years after a primary vaccination. A
second injection of the vaccine boosted efficiently the level of antibodies in females andthus their transfer to offspring. We were not able to detect an effect of chick growth on
the speed of decay of the maternal antibodies. Overall, these results stress the need toconsider the dynamics of the immune responses at different temporal scales if we are tounderstand the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions and the trade-off
between immunity and other life-history characteristics in long-lived wild species. They
also have strong potential implications for conservation in some host-pathogen systems
in which vaccination can be used in natural populations.

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o20-5

Dynamics of a plumage ecosystem
E. H. Burtt, Jr. and C. M. Kent
Department of Zoology, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH 43015, U.S.A.
Email: ehburtt@owu.edu
Avian plumage is a poorly understood dynamic ecosystem. Feathers are the habitat. They vary insize, shape, texture, and color on a single bird. Within the plumage live lice, mites, bacteria,
fungi, and yeasts. Some of these organisms feed on the feathers and detritus of the plumage.
Others feed on the other organisms that live in the forest of feathers. We have been monitoringchanges in the microbiota of the plumage of north temperate birds in Ohio, U.S.A. since 1993.
The plumage microbiota are most abundant from December-early March, less abundant from
May-August, October-November, and least abundant in late March, April, and September. The
periods of lowest microbial abundance correspond with molt. Most of the species we sampled
molt only the body plumage in the spring, and the abundance of microbes did not decrease as
much as in the fall when body, wing and tail feathers are all molted. Feather lice and mites
follow a pattern similar to that of the microbes. We have also recorded frequency and type of
preening behavior in a flock of captive starlings living in an outdoor aviary. Preening is mostfrequent and intense during periods of molt, particularly during the fall molt, less so during thesummer, and preening is least frequent and performed in short bouts in winter when the bacteria
are not active at the cold temperatures in the winter plumage. This pioneering study shows thecomplex dynamics of a thriving ecosystem in the plumage of birds and how that ecosystem links
to the behavior of the birds themselves.

100

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo21 Phylogeography & Phylogenetics

o21-1

Comparative phylogeography of widespread Palearctic corvid birds
A. Kryukov 1 and E. Haring 2
1

Institute of Biology and Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok,
Russia2
Central Research Laboratories, Museum of Natural History, Vienna, Austria
Email: kryukov@ibss.dvo.ru
Comparative phylogeography deals with the evolution of species complexes, codistributed taxa and ecological communities. Widespread Palearctic species of thefamily Corvidae represent suitable models for searching common geographic patterns ofgenotypic diversity and to trace evolutionary scenarios for the species’ range formation.
In our earlier studies, we found two kinds of phylogeographic patterns in Palearctic
corvids. For some species two diverged mitochondrial (mt) haplogroups were discerned,
while no subdivision was found in the other corvid species. It was shown that species
with a “two-group pattern” prefer open and semi-open habitats (Crow, Magpie, Azurewinged Magpie, Rook and Jackdaw), whereas the others with the “single-grouppattern”,are predominantly forest-inhabiting territorial birds (Siberian Jay, Nutcracker
and Raven). Each of the latter species might have originated from the same forest refuge
while those of the former group might have survived glaciations in two or more suitableareas and then diverged. Thus, ecological factors might help to interpret
phylogeographic processes. While the distinct mt haplogroups of species with the “twogroup pattern” indicates old splits, it would be interesting to infer phylogeographic
structuring at lower levels within groups. The intensively studied Carrion Crow Corvus
corone s.l. shows the “two-group pattern”, but its subdivision in mt haplotypes does notcorrespond with the distinct (grey-black vs. total black) color forms. New data on
several secondary contact zones between these haplogroups are presented. Furthermore,
we present new results on other corvid species (e.g., Corvus macrorhynchos, Pica pica,and Perisoreus infaustus) allowing the analysis of phylogeographic patterns among
Corvidae at smaller geographic scales in more detail.

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o21-2

Phylogeography of Phasianus colchinus Linnaeus, 1758 inferredfrom mitochondrial and nuclear genes in Iranian plateau
Nasrin Kayvanfar1, Mansour Aliabadian1, Zhengwang Zhang2, Yang Liu3
1) Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad,
Mashhad, Iran2) College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
3) School of Life Sciences and State Key Lab of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University,
Guangzhou 510275, China

Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Linnaeus, 1758 is the most widespreadpheasant, with its native range in the Palearctic Regions. Thirty subspecies have been
generally recognized subspecies from five groups, which have been occasionallyafforded specific status. There is considerable geographic variation in male plumages
within and between groups. In particular, variation within each group casts substantial
doubt on the validity of many subspecies. Where ranges are contiguous, variation
often appears clinal (including presence of white collar, intensity of plumage
coloration and body size), but differences can be more abrupt between slightly
isolated populations. The present study is the first investigation to disclose phylogenyof the Common Pheasant in Western parts of the Palearctic Regions (Iranian plateau).
Using two mitochondrial and three nuclear loci, we constructed phylogenetic
relationships between 17 nominal subspecies of the Common Pheasant. Our results
suggested that P.c. principalis (White-winged Pheasant) is closely related to the P.c.
tarimensis (Tarim Pheasant) and placed in the principalis-chrysomelis group:
Whereas P.c. persicus, P.c. talischensis and P.c. colchicus, were clustered together
forming the Black-necked Pheasants (the colchicus group) clade. Our data also
indicated that the origin of Common Pheasant might be Southeast Asia.

102

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo21 Phylogeography & Phylogenetics

o21-3

Resolving the puzzling evolutionary background of Blue Tits
(Cyanistes spp.) on the Canary Islands, in Africa, and in Europe
M. Stervander1, J. C. Illera2, L. Kvist3, N. Keehnen1*, P. Pruisscher1*, P. Barbosa1, and
B. Hansson1
1

Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Dept of Biology, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden2
Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University, Oviedo, Spain
3
Department of Biology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland*
Present affiliation: Dept of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Email: martin.stervander@biol.lu.se

The origin and status of the Blue Tits on the Canary Islands have been debated, andvarious suggestions have been made based on morphology and on single or few
mitochondrial or nuclear genetic markers. As opposed to traditional assumptions, theisland populations have been suggested as the source for mainland populations. The
genetic differentiation between different islands is remarkable, with one group
comprising the easternmost islands and Northwest Africa, one group on the central
islands, and the La Palma population taking an outstanding position. The latter shows
sequence and structural affinities to European populations, but was recently groupedwith a remnant population of African Blue Tits from Libya. We sequenced 18 nuclear
introns and two mitochondrial markers, covering 12,500 bp, for 70 individuals from theisland populations, three African populations including Libya, three European
populations, and suitable outgroups. Coalescent-based analyses estimates a species tree
where La Palma and Libya form a well-supported clade which branches off theremaining African island/mainland populations soon after the initial separation between
African and Eurasian taxa (the latter also containing azure tit C. cyanus). Furthermore,
we performed Restriction site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing on single
representatives for all clades, yielding some 70,000 orthologous loci across the genome.
Single nucleotide polymorphism data were used in phylogenetic modelling to confirm
the pattern retrieved from sequence based analyses. We present the suggested
evolutionary and phylogeographic history for the Blue Tit group, and suggest
taxonomic revisions accordingly. We also evaluate the implementation of a RAD as anext generation sequencing based approach compared to coalescent modelling ofextensive traditional sequence data.

103

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o21-4

Phylogeography and bioacoustic variation of Southeast Asian bulbuls(Aves: Pycnonotidae)
A. Dejtaradol 1,2, S. C. Renner 2,3, and M. Päckert 41

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla,
Thailand2
Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
3
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute at the National Zoological Park, Front
Royal, USA
4
Senckenberg Natural History Collections, Museum of Zoology, Germany
Email: ariya.d@psu.ac.th

Close to the Isthmus of Kra (at about 12 ° North) on the Thai-Malay Peninsula, is acontact zone between many bird taxa found in continental Southeast Asia. Northern andsouthern range limits of bird species and subspecies have been noted around this area.
However, we found phylogenetic divergence at contact zones of three subspecies ofbulbuls at a significant northward distance from the Isthmus of Kra. The hypothesis
about Neogene marine transgression might explain this genetic divergence. The
divergence between North and South corresponded with recent intraspecific lineage
separation of Pycnonotus flaviventris and P. finlaysoni. In contrast, we found a deep
genetic break in P. atriceps. Ancestral range analysis showed that continental Southeast
Asia is the center of origin and the diversification center of Pycnonotus bulbuls.
Bioacoustic variation in these species also shows a similar pattern to the phylogenetic
results. However, the songs of P. flaviventris near the Isthmus of Kra are different fromthe northern and southern group. The divergence in songs of the three bulbul species
might be affected by recent habitat changes (plasticity) rather than historic events.

104

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo21 Phylogeography & Phylogenetics

o21-5

Into and out of the tropics: the generation of the latitudinal gradient among
New World passerine birds
Jonathan D. Kennedy1,2, Zhiheng Wang1, Jason T. Weir3, Carsten Rahbek1, Jon Fjeldså1 andTrevor D. Price2
1

Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark,
University of Copenhagen, Universistetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen

2

Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637 USA

3

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto, Scarborough, Toronto, M1C 1A4,
CanadaE-mail: jonathan.kennedy@bio.ku.dk

One prominent explanation for the latitudinal gradient proposes that its prime cause is thegreater age and/or higher origination rates of tropical clades, and the infrequent/delayed
dispersal of their component species into temperate regions. An alternative is that species
carrying capacities vary regionally, which influences rates of net diversification via
ecological opportunity. We contrast these hypotheses to assess potential historical influences
upon the latitudinal gradient of New World passerine birds, comparing patterns among thetwo suborders present (the oscines and suboscines), which are known to have had alternativeroutes of dispersal across the region.
Strong latitudinal gradients are present within both oscine and suboscine birds, but theiroverall shapes differ. Among the oscines, older species are found towards the north, with
progressively younger species present in the south. Regional variation in oscine richness isstatistically well explained by a combination of productivity and elevation (R2 = 0.76). In
contrast, few suboscine groups have colonised the north, and their current diversity is wellcorrelated with temperature seasonality (R2 = 0.74).
Because the oscines colonised the Americas from the north, their latitudinal gradient mustreflect regional differences in net diversification rates, and not the time present within aregion. Richness patterns derived from phylogenetic data, and the strong predictive power of
NDVI, suggest their radiation is consistent with the idea that entry into a new region
stimulates a burst of diversification, which is higher and/or continues for longer in areas withgreater carrying capacity. Conversely, the suboscine distributions potentially reflect a large
historical barrier to dispersal, and niche conservatism in climatic tolerances. Whilecontemporary conditions can explain much of the passerine diversity patterns, history appears
to have had an important influence on the taxonomic composition of this gradient.

105

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo22 Physiology

o22-1

Seasonal changes in responsiveness of the photoperiodic response
system to long day length in the subtropical tree sparrow
Anand S. Dixit and Namram S. Singh
Department of Zoology, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India
Email:asdixitnehu@gmail.com
In earlier investigations, we reported that the subtropical tree sparrow uses seasonalchanges in photoperiod to regulate its reproduction, moult and related events. In thepresent study we investigated seasonal variations in response to photoperiod byexamining the effects of long and short days on stimulation of response and terminationof refractoriness, respectively. We also assessed whether photoperiodic effects were sex
dependant. In one experiment, wild sparrows were transferred in each month of the year
to artificial long days (14L/10D) for 12 weeks. Birds transferred from November toMarch (female) or April (male) showed gradual gonadal growth and darkening of billcolor, while those transferred from April (female) or May (male) to July underwent
gradual gonadal regression and lightening of bill colour. Moult in the wing primaries
and body feathers progressed with gonadal regression and the birds transferred from
April/May to October exhibited a gradual increase followed by a decrease in feather
moult. In another study, six weeks of short day (9L/15D) exposure could recoverresponsiveness to long days in refractory birds. Though male and female birds showedsimilar pattern of responses, they differed with respect to the extent of gonadal
development. Overall, we found a gradual change over seasons in responsiveness of theendogenous response system to stimulatory effects of long day length, suggesting rolesof both long and short day lengths in regulation of seasonal cycles in subtropical tree
sparrow.

106

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo22 Physiology

o22-2

Numerical demonstration of inspiratory aerodynamic valving inJapanese Quail
M. Nakamura 1, K. Yahata 1, A. Urushikubo 1,
N. Tsukahara 2, Y. Tobe 3, and S. Sugita 4
1

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, JapanThe Center for the Promotion of Integrated Sciences, The Graduate University for
Advanced Studies, Kanagawa, Japan3
Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Waseda University,
Tokyo, Japan
4
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University,
Utsunomiya, Japan
Email: masanorin@mech.saitama-u.ac.jp
2

It is widely accepted that air flows unidirectionally in an avian lung throughout theentire respiratory cycle. To date, two mechanisms, air sacs and aerodynamic valving,are considered to control this flow direction. Past numerical studies with anatomicallysimplified models suggested that inspired air is directed to the mesobronchi because offlow separation at the ventrobronchial junction of the primary bronchus andventrobronchi. However, a lack of corroborative research with an anatomically realistic
geometry of avian airways still leaves the aerodynamic valving a hypotheticalmechanism. The present study was aimed at demonstrating the occurrence of
aerodynamic valving in an anatomically realistic geometry model of the avian lung. Thelung of an adult Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) was scanned with micro-computed
tomography with a spatial resolution of 66.5 μm. The physical representation of airways,
i.e. the primary bronchi including primary bronchus, mesobronchus and its branches offour ventrobronchi, was obtained by image analyses. The results demonstrated that the
inflow was accelerated by an abrupt reduction of the cross-sectional area of the primary
bronchi at the first ventrobronchial junction, and the flow velocity increased four-fold at
the same location. Vortices formed at the root of the branches, preventing the air fromgoing into the ventrobronchi. As a consequence, the inflow was mostly directed towards
the mesobronchi throughout the respiratory cycle. These results clearly demonstrate theoccurrence of aerodynamic valving in a real avian lung, corroborating results fromearlier studies.

107

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo22 Physiology

o22-3

Winter thermoregulatory strategies of a small, solitary-roosting bird, theRufous Treecreeper (Climacteris rufa)
T.K. Douglas1, C.E. Cooper1, P.C. Withers2 and S.J.J.F. Davies1
1

Department of Environment & Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Email: tegan.douglas@postgrad.curtin.edu.au

2

Rufous Treecreepers (Climacteris rufa) are small (30 g), insectivorous, cooperativelybreeding passerines endemic to southern Australia. In semi-arid Wandoo (Eucalyptus
wandoo) woodland they are ground-frequenting and despite below-freezing overnighttemperatures in winter, they roost singly in tree hollows. We examine the physiological andbehavioural adaptations used by treecreepers to meet daily energy requirements during winter.
In the laboratory, open-flow respirometry was used to measure metabolic rate, evaporative
water loss and body temperature over a range of ambient temperatures (10 °C -30 °C).
Treecreepers had typical endothermic responses to low ambient temperature, with noevidence of torpor. Mean body temperature of birds in the laboratory at 10 °C wasmaintained only 1°C lower than thermoneutral body temperature (39.4 °C, n = 6), achievedby an 37% increase in metabolic rate and an 42% decrease in thermal conductance. In thefield, body temperatures of wild, free-living treecreepers, measured under ambient conditions
using implanted temperature-sensitive radio transmitters, did not drop below 37 °C evenwhen ambient temperatures were below 0 °C. The thermal and location characteristics ofroost hollows varied; some roost sites were similar to ambient conditions, but others created amore favourable microclimate that was 3 °C - 9 °C warmer than ambient overnighttemperatures. Behavioural observations suggest that treecreepers do not alter their daily
activity patterns to incorporate thermal behaviour, with no evidence of basking during the dayor social thermoregulation (huddling) at night. A low energy foraging strategy and low
thermal conductance, combined with the thermal benefits of roost hollows are likely essential
in helping these small birds meet their energy demands during winter.

108

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo22 Physiology

o22-4

Circadian rhythm of neurotranmitters and neuromodulators in central andperipheral tissues of a migratory song bird
I. Mishra 1, D. Singh 1, S. Rani 2 and V. Kumar 1
DST-IRHPA Center for Excellence in Biological Rhythm Research,
1
Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, INDIA
2
Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226007, INDIA
Email: drvkumar11@yahoo.com
Circadian rhythms control a variety of physiological functions, including migration,
reproduction, sleep, metabolism and cognition. At the brain level, these functions are
mediated by a host of neurotransmitters /neuromodulators. Little is known, however, if they
are under the circadian clock control. We therefore aimed to measure daily variation in thetranscript levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP),
neuropeptide Y (NPY), somatostatin (SS), glutaminase, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)
and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) in both the central (hypothalamus and retina)
and peripheral tissues (heart, stomach, liver and gut) at six times of the day in the nightmigratory Red-headed Bunting (Emberiza bruniceps), exposed to 12 h light: 12 h dark. Alltranscripts were expressed with a circadian rhythm in the hypothalamus and retina, except the
SS and glutaminase in the latter. A significant circadian rhythm in many of these transcripts
was also seen in the liver, heart and stomach, albeit with minor variations between tissues.
We suggest that a circadian clock controls transcription of these neurotransmitters/
neuromodulators in the migratory red-headed bunting, and that there exists a temporal
relationship in their expression between central and peripheral tissues.

109

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo23 Population Ecology

o23-1

Population limitation in a migratory songbird with variable
recruitment: direct and indirect effects of nest depredation and weather
on reproductive success
T. W. Sherry 1, S. Wilson 2, S. Hunter 1, and R. T. Holmes 3
1

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans,
USA
2
Canadian Wildlife Service, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, Canada
3
Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, USA
Email: tsherry@tulane.edu
Although avian nesting success has been much studied, relatively little is known about
the multiple factors and their interactions that contribute to annual reproductive success,let alone their impacts on population dynamics, especially for long-distance migratory,
open-cup nesting species. We combined a field experiment limiting access to nests by
mammalian predators with modeling of long-term (1983-1995) field data on breeding
success of American Redstarts (Parulidae: Setophaga ruticilla L.; N = 553 nests) toassess the effects of multiple extrinsic and intrinsic variables. The experimental
treatment (baffles placed around tree boles beneath active nests; N = 71) increased
nesting success significantly (74% extrapolated from daily nest survival vs. 50% in
controls), demonstrating the negative impact of scansorial mammals, primarily red
squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Erxleben) and eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus L.)
on redstart reproductive success. Based on unbaffled nests (N = 482), daily nest survival
varied annually, and was most strongly influenced negatively by sciurid nest predator
abundance and positively by May temperature. Daily nest survival was influenced to alesser extent by June rainfall and declined with nest age, but not with calendar date. Sincenearly all nest failures were attributable to predators, these climate and nest age impacts
were probably caused by indirect effects involving predator and/or prey behavior.
Population density had no effect on nest success, after accounting for these other factors.
Important implications of these results for understanding avian population dynamics
include the value of identifying nest predators, likely complex future effects of climate
and climate-predator interactions on reproductive success in migratory songbirds, and theecologically decoupled contributions to population dynamics from summer predatormediated reproduction versus winter food-limited adult survival.

110

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo23 Population Ecology

o23-2

Predicting small-scale variation in Great Tit breeding phenology using
remotely-sensed satellite data
E.F. Cole 1, P.R. Long 2 and B.C. Sheldon 1
1

Edward Grey Institute, Dept of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Biodiversity Institute, Dept of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Email: eleanor.cole@zoo.ox.ac.uk
2

Recent studies suggest that phenotypic plasticity is a key process underpinning how
animals respond to environmental change. However, our current understanding of thedeterminants of plasticity in natural populations is limited by the fact that studies often
treat the environment as equivalent for all individuals within a population (e.g.
temperature measured at a single location). Many animals use a restricted amount of
space within the range of the population, suggesting that selection is likely to favour
sensitivity to small-scale environmental variation. Great Tits (Parus major) show
considerable within-population spatial variation in breeding phenology. Like many
woodland passerine birds, a key food resource for their offspring is the flush oflepidopteran larvae (e.g. winter moth Operophtera brumata) adapted to feed on the
newly emerged foliage of deciduous trees (e.g. oak Quercus spp.). We demonstrate thatthe timing of oak leaf development and the peak in caterpillar abundance also show
marked within-population variation, at a spatial scale that is relevant to individual bird
reproductive attempts. This variation provides a potential mechanism driving patterns ofspatial variation in bird phenology, which is worthy of further exploration. However,collecting large-scale data on vegetation budburst is labour-intensive and cannot be
obtained retrospectively. Here we use the novel approach of inferring vegetation
phenology from satellite images for a 385ha mixed woodland over a 14-year period.
Using nestbox-specific vegetation ‘green-up’ dates derived from MODIS satellites at
240m resolution, we demonstrate that small-scale variation in Great Tit phenology canbe predicted from remotely-sensed satellite data. We also present findings on the extent
to which spatial variation in the mis-match between satellite-derived vegetation ‘greenup’ dates and observed bird phenology predicts individual fledging and recruitment
success. We discuss how this approach could greatly broaden the scale and scope ofstudies exploring phenological matching between organisms and their environment.

111

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo23 Population Ecology

o23-3

When early birds do not get the worm: habitat heterogeneity modulates thebreeding performance of a raptor under changing climate
A.Villers, B. Planade, V. Vasko and E. Korpimäki
Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Email: villers.alexandre@gmail.com

Human-induced global changes, mainly habitat and climate modifications, are known to affectpopulation dynamics and reproductive parameters of birds. Habitat composition and climatic
variables could also interact at a local scale, which might have marked consequences on
demographic parameters of populations. We investigated long term data of the breeding densities
and performance of an open-country raptor, the Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), breeding in
two adjacent but differently structured habitats: open farmland (OH) and a heterogeneous area
composed of small fields and forested patches (HH). We tested for interactive effects of landscapestructure (OH vs. HH) and climatic variables (temperature and precipitation) on habitat preference,laying date, clutch size, number of fledglings and breeding success. April temperature was the only
climatic variable showing positive temporal trend, an indication of climate warming in this boreal
area. Laying date, number of fledglings and breeding success differed significantly between OH and
HH, while climatic variables affected three out of four breeding parameters, either alone or ininteraction with habitat type. These results illustrate how animals breeding in contrasted habitats
can be differentially affected by the very same regional climatic conditions. In addition, earlyarriving parents, thus expected to be of higher quality, laid three days earlier in the OH than in the
HH, but had significantly lower breeding success than birds breeding in the HH (68% vs. 84%
respectively). This difference in laying date only held for low April temperatures, suggesting thatkestrels were not able to correctly assess the breeding potential of both habitat types during cold
springs. This would indicate the existence of an ecological trap emerging solely during cold monthsof April.

112

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo23 Population Ecology

o23-4

Undermatching swallow distributions at large scales
due to perceptual constraints
G. Fujita1 and H. Higuchi2
1

School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

2

Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, SFC, Kanagawa, Japan

Email: go@es.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Examining whether a target organism follows the input-matching law has proved useful inunderstanding the mechanisms underlying individual distributions within a population.
Previous empirical studies, however, primarily focused on fine scale distributions, and only alimited number of studies have attempted to determine how the number of foragers relates tothe availability of food in each patch at large scales. We studied the large-scale distribution ofBarn Swallows Hirundo rustica as they aggregated in prey patches after the breeding season.
In 8 out of 9 combinations of prey patches during a period of high total swallow numbers(early September) and 8 out of 10 combinations of prey patches at low swallow numbers (lateSeptember), the observed ratio of swallow numbers to prey availability was less than thatpredicted based on a stochastic model of prey availability. The slope of the regression line forthe relationship between the log ratio of swallow numbers and ratio of prey availabilities
increased from less than 1 (0.6 ± 0.13 se) in early September to around 1 (1.1 ± 0.28 se) inlate September. Average foraging rate at each patch increased with an increase in preyavailability. As far as we know, this is the first line of evidence that supports the predictionsof the perceptual constraints hypothesis (Abrams 1986) at large scales. We believe thatstudies focusing on the perceptual constraints may provide conclusive information tounderstand the mechanisms governing the large-scale distribution of foragers within apopulation.

113

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo23 Population Ecology

o23-5

Age dependent reproductive success and seasonal change of adultsurvival of Japanese Rock Ptarmigan
Kobayashi, A. 1 & Nakamura, H. 2
1
Graduate School of Science Toho University, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
2
Faculty of Education Shinshu University, Nagano 380-8544, Japan
Email:a.kobayashi0820@gmail.com
Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta have a large distribution in the northern hemisphere.
The Japanese Rock Ptarmigan L. m. japonica is the southernmost subspecies and occurs
in high mountains at elevations > 2,200 m a.s.l in mainland of Japan. Population
declines of the Japanese Rock Ptarmigan have been reported for some decades, with thetotal number of Japanese Rock Ptarmigan estimated at 1,700 in the 2000s. The major
threats to its survival are global warming, loss and damage of alpine vegetation by thegrazing of Japanese Deer Cervus nippon and invasion of predators from low-lying areas
such as Red Fox Vulpes vulpes japonica, Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus, andJungle Crow Corvus macrorhynchos. To effectively conserve the Japanese RockPtarmigan, we need information on demographic parameters. In this study, we report onage dependent reproductive success and seasonal change of adult survival on Mt.
Norikura where we conducted a population study from 2001.
We could reveal that yearlings have lower reproductive success than adults,
particularly chick survival of yearlings was lower than of adults. Monthly survival ofmales was lowest in May and June which is the peak period of defending theirterritories. In the case of females, monthly survival was low in the breeding season,
from June to September. On the other hand, survival in winter, from November toMarch, was extremely high in both sexes. This seasonal change in monthly survival was
linked with their life history and seasonal change in presence of predators in the alpine
zone.
Finally we compare the characteristics of Japanese Rock Ptarmigans withdemographic parameters of other populations.

114

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo24 Evolutionary Morphology

o24-1

Postglacial colonization and diversification of the Jungle Crow in its
north-eastern frontier as revealed by comparative morphologicalanalysis
S. Nakamura
Email: advencrow@ybb.ne.jp
After the last glacial maximum, the Jungle Crow Corvus macrorhynchos began tocolonise north-eastern Asia from a southern refugium. Two recolonization routes arepresumed: via the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago, C. m. mandshuricus
arriving via the former and C. m. japonensis via the latter. The settlement process in thisarea and the mechanisms for intra-species diversification are not well understood. To
better understand their patterns of settlement and diversification, I investigateddifferences in cranial and bill shape among four local populations: those of Hokkaido,
Sakhalin Island, the continental seaboard adjacent to the Tatarsky Strait, and the west of
the Sikhote-Alin Mountains. Of the three non-morphometric characteristics documented,
the supraorbital foramen was rather homogeneously distributed among northeast Asian
populations. The septum and a pin-hole in the parasphenoid bone showed discrete
distributions between the Hokkaido and Russian populations. There were clear
differences in many morphometric characters among the populations, especiallybetween Hokkaido and Sakhalin Island, where crows on Hokkaido have the largest but
most slender bills in northeast Asia. Crows on Sakhalin Island have relatively small androbust bills, but the highest body mass. A dimorphism of Jungle Crows on Sakhalin
Island could be explained by the dispersion of young crows from mainland populations.
In addition, I observed a latitudinal cline among the three populations of the Russian Far
East. From the continent to Sakhalin Island, body size increases although the same
overall shape is maintained. In the Upper Amur River region I found evidence of recent
population expansion. Finally, my results suggest that the two main colonisation
movements that occurred during the Holocene were generally divided by the La Perouse
Strait rather than the Tatarsky Strait, as had previously been thought.

115

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo24 Evolutionary Morphology

o24-2

Ecological and phylogenetic significance of the scleral ring in diving
aquatic birds
K. Browne, J. ClarkeJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, USA
Email: katie.pyon@gmail.com
Diving birds must accommodate their vision to air and water, two very different optical
media. A few species, such as penguins (Sphenisciformes), dive to depths approaching
the aphotic zone of the ocean and must accommodate their vision to both the change inmedia and significant light attenuation. Previous studies show that optical properties ofthe eye e.g., pupil aperture and focal length, are reflected in the eye’s gross morphology
and have a strong positive correlation with osteological proxies from the orbit and scleralring. This study combines qualitative and quantitative measurements utilized in previous
studies to create a larger feature space for classification. A total of 170 species were
evaluated for distinct classes of eye shape, 90 of which were newly measured species ofCharadriiformes, Procellariformes, Pelecaniformes, and Sphenisciformes. Unlike inprevious studies of land birds, no pattern was recovered in eye shape based on the lightlevels where the birds foraged. Aquatic birds are active in a wide range of conditions;
foraging both day and night and at varying water depths based on the time of year andavailable prey. Diverse aquatic bird ecology probably contributes to the lack of distinct
eye shape classes based on dive depth. Regression analysis was able to recover prey
capture style (i.e., plunge, pursuit, skimming, or wading) based on orbit and scleral ringmeasurements. Misclassification was most common in taxa that exhibited multiple modesof prey capture such as the albatross (Diomedeidae). The ability to determine foraging
style based on osteological eye measurements may have implications for identifying prey
capture method in extinct species of aquatic birds.

116

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo24 Evolutionary Morphology

o24-3Walkings, from birds to dinosaurs.
A. Abourachid
Funevol group, UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle- CNRS, Paris, France.
Email : abourach@mnhn.fr

Birds are the most diversified clade among extant tetrapods and are able to live in various
environments. Despite this ecological plasticity, their bauplan is very conservative andcorresponds to a specialization for flying. This specialization necessitates the presence ofwings and a rigid trunk. Beside the specialization for flying, birds, like all theropods, arefundamentally bipeds. This feature, basic for the clade, allows them to move on mostsubstrates. As such, birds are able to live and move in trees, on the ground, and in water with
only adjustments of the limb proportions. Depending on the environment, the physicalproperties of the substrates are very different and the question we address here is the link
between the geometrical features of a bird’s bauplan and its efficiency on different substrates.
We used Xrays records of birds when moving in different conditions to analyze the motion of
the skeleton. The motions of the quail (Coturnix japonica) when walking were reconstructedin 3D. Walking and swimming were analyzed in a teal (Callonetta leucophrys) and comparedwith the quail. Xray records of the hopping motion of the Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata),
when moving on two different substrates, were analyzed. The comparison of the body
motions in the different conditions revealed the same kinematics features: the trunk and thethigh are associated in a locomotor module that controls the center of mass trajectory. The
distal limb parts, from the tibiotarsus to the toes, are associated in a propulsive module. Those
results, together with the data from take-off and landing in the Zebra Finch presented by
Pauline Provini, indicate that this association of the body parts may be a key innovation in theavian theropods’ evolution. Yet, it allows to move on substrates with different mechanicalproperties and thus to colonize almost all the environments.

117

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o24-4

The morphological and developmental evolution of asymmetrical flightfeathers
T.J. Feo 1,2, and R.O. Prum 1,2
1

Dept. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut,
USA
2
Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Email: teresa.feo@yale.edu
Asymmetrical flight feathers are an important morphological and functional innovation
related to the evolution of flight, yet the role of development in the evolution of vane
asymmetry remains largely undescribed. Both theoretical modeling and developmental
experiments have found that, due to the tubular development and branched morphologyof feathers, simple or small changes in development can have large complex effects on
final feather shape. As a result, it is not readily obvious how feather development is
modified to produce even simple shapes such as an asymmetry in vane width between
the two sides of a flight feather. Using a combination of theoretical morphology anddetailed, comparative studies of developing and mature feathers, we provide the firstcomprehensive description of the developmental and morphological modifications
responsible for vane asymmetry in flight feathers. First we developed theoreticalmodels of vane width in terms of barb morphology and then in term of developmental
processes to describe how different developmental modifications can cause vane
asymmetry. Next we compared developing and mature feathers from target species todetermine which modifications occurred in real feathers, and found that there are twomain developmental modifications that each controls an independent character of barbmorphology. Finally we surveyed barb morphology in flight feathers to determine therelative importance of each barb morphological character in driving vane asymmetry
across the diversity of birds, and found that it strongly depends on specific feather
function. This research has allowed us to elucidate the developmental processes
important in the evolution of asymmetrical flight feathers.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo24 Evolutionary Morphology

o24-5

Fossil Insight into the Evolution of PenguinsDaniel T Ksepka
ksepka@nescent.org
Flightless wing-propelled divers have evolved four times within Aves, in the
Sphenisciformes, Plotopteridae, and twice within Pan-Alcidae. Among these groups,
penguins are not only the sole lineage to have extant representatives, but they also havethe most extensive fossil record. Among the more than 50 extinct species are several
unexpected morphotypes such as spear-billed penguins, slender penguins and "giant"penguins that greatly exceeded the living Emperor Penguin in size. Fossils from penguins
span a 60 million year interval and provide details of the evolutionary changes that
occurred as these birds radiated and spread throughout the southern hemisphere.
Among the unique features that can be traced into the early phases of penguin evolution
is a plexus of blood vessels along the flipper serving as a counter-current heat exchanger.
This plexus appears to have been absent in the most basal penguins but is present in thefirst species that occur outside Zealandia, the presumed ancestral area of Sphenisciformes.
Like other flightless wing-propelled diving bird lineages, penguins converged on an
osteosclerotic bone structure which is hypothesized to enhance resistance to bending or
torsional loads and reduce buoyancy, thus conserving energy during diving. This
adaptation stands in contrast to the osteoporotic structure seen in most vertebrate diving
predators such as marine reptiles and cetaceans, and is probably linked to physiologicalconstraints in birds. Many Paleogene penguins display a substantially less dense
humerus, which indicates that changes in bone microstructure continued to occur longafter the initial loss of flight. Transitions in neuroanatomy and the auditory system
likewise can be shown to have continued after the initial loss of flight, as documented by
the study of fossil endocasts.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo25 Conservation of migratory birdso25-1

Migratory waterbird research and monitoring in the East-Asian
Australasian Flyway – essential for conservation or fiddling while
Rome burns?
J. K. Szabo1
1

East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) Secretariat, Icheon, Republicof Korea
Email: science@eaaflyway.net
The East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) is one of nine global bird migration
pathways. It embraces 22 countries – Arctic Far East Russia and Alaska are thebreeding area of many waterbirds that migrate through East and South-east Asia to
non-breeding grounds in Australasia. Of over 200 species (cranes, ducks, shorebirds,
seabirds and others), 33 are globally threatened and 13 Near Threatened, often facing
multiple threats in different countries. Some, like Baer's Pochard Aythya baeri,
Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus and Siberian Crane Grus
leucogeranus are on the brink of extinction. Among the long-distance migrants,
shorebirds, including Nordmann's Greenshank Tringa guttifer, Far Eastern Curlew
Numenius madagascariensis, Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris and Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa have declined steeply in recent years. In this presentation, I discuss therole of research and monitoring in the context of migratory waterbirds in the EAAF. For
instance, is there an ethical obligation for scientists to contribute to the effective
conservation of threatened species or can we spend research funding studying aspects of
their biology not necessarily relevant to conservation? Who decides what science is“useful”? Do we need to be advocates or can we pass that role on to others? Currently,
much of the science in the Flyway is on species ecology, which is of lowest rated
priority by a sampled group (62) of individuals and organisations in the Flyway. When
do we know enough about the ecology (or trends) of a species to make soundmanagement decisions? What kind of evidence do policy makers and managers needand in what format? According to our experience, much of the relevant research does
not reach site managers. Without effective communication, science has no practical use.
Also, data limitations should not hold back the communication to policy makers, as formany species there is not enough time left.

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o25-2

Shorebird foraging ecology in Australia: anthropogenic vs natural
supratidal habitats.
R. Davis, S. M. Estrella and P. Horwitz
School of Natural Science, Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science, Edith Cowan
University, Joondalup, 6027, Western Australia. Australia.
Email: s.marin-estrella@ecu.edu.au

Many species of shorebird undertake long distance migrations, which impose extremely highenergetic demands upon them. During these migrations, the birds depend on a limited numberof specific habitats as stop-over sites, which make them extremely vulnerable to the loss ordegradation of these locations. The loss or degradation of critical habitats along their flyways
is capable of precipitating a decline in populations. The East Asia-Australasia Flyway has
experienced ongoing major habitat loss that appears to be related to rapid shorebird
population declines. However, some species of shorebird have the capacity to use alternative
anthropogenic habitats, such as salt works, as stopover sites with some species selecting these
preferentially over intertidal mudflats. Although numerous studies on the use of salt works byshorebirds have occurred in other regions of the world, especially in temperate zones (e.g.
Spain and San Francisco, USA), there is a lack of knowledge about shorebird foraging
ecology and use of salt works and natural salt lakes in northern Australia. Here we outline theabiotic and biotic parameters determining shorebird use of three supra-tidal sites in Western
Australia; Lake MacLeod (a natural salt lake), Port Hedland and Dampier salt works(anthropogenic salt production sites). We discuss the significance of these sites for regional
shorebird populations and present the results of foraging ecology studies in order to build aconceptual understanding of why these sites are important for shorebirds. This study isderived from a collaborative research project between Dampier Salt Ltd.-Rio Tinto and Edith
Cowan University.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo25 Conservation of migratory birdso25-3

Global patterns in the conservation of migratory birds
Claire A Runge 1, Paul O’Neill2, Ian Hay3, Hugh P. Possingham1,4, and Richard A.
Fuller1
1

School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072,
Australia
2
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities,
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
3
Hobart, TAS, Australia
4
Imperial College London, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PY,
Berkshire, England, UK
Email: c.runge1@uq.edu.au
Migratory birds often utilise many different habitats across international borders anddepend on the success of conservation efforts in multiple countries. For this reason,such species are granted special protection status under a number of national andinternational agreements. However, we show that the largest international agreement,
the Convention for Migratory Species, fails to cover many of the world’s threatened
migratory birds, and that very few threatened altitudinal and nomadic migrants are listed.
Additionally, the proportion of migrants protected by the CMS is especially low outside
the European-African flyway. This is important because our analysis shows that species
richness for migratory birds peaks in the boreal zones, northern Africa and themountainous regions of South America, and that globally threatened migrants occur
disproportionately in the southern hemisphere (Australia, southern Africa andAntarctica). Important areas for migrants thus contrast strongly with regions globally
recognized as biodiversity hotspots. Moreover, more than half of migratory birds haveless than 10% of their migratory distributions overlapping protected areas, in contrast to
the much better protection of the portion of their range in which they are present year
round (40% of species with less than 10% protected area coverage). Our analyses reveal
clear gaps in global protection for migratory species, both from the perspective oflegislation and protected areas. We call for expansion of binding international andnational agreements to cover all appropriate migratory bird species, and clearer
incorporation of the needs of these species into landscape-scale conservation efforts.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo25 Conservation of migratory birds

o25-4

Ecology of migratory shorebirds in Australia’s ephemeral wetlands
R.S. Clemens, G.A. Skilleter and R.A. Fuller
School of Biological Sciences, Environmental Decisions Group, University of
Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Australia.
Email: r.clemens@uq.edu.au
The conservation of non-breeding habitats for migratory species is critical for the
long-term viability of their populations. For highly mobile species that respond to pulses
in resource availability opportunistically, the geographic location of important habitats
can vary substantially over time. In Australia some migratory shorebirds use highly
ephemeral wetlands when available, but these wetlands can be dry for up to a decade.
This variation in habitat suitability can cloud conservation efforts, monitoring
effectiveness, and our understanding of the costs and benefits of the overall availabilityof ephemeral wetlands. Existing metrics on the importance of a wetland for shorebirds
rely on counts of the number of birds that use the habitat, but high spatial and temporalvariation in the availability of these habitats has left no clear understanding of how,where or when to take conservation action sufficient to protect these species. Similarly,
the interpretation of monitoring data is highly confounded by these movements. The
first step in understanding both the importance and implications of these kinds ofresource pulses across the non-breeding ranges of migratory shorebirds in Australia, is
to map the suitability of their habitat across both space and time. Here we report on
attempts to develop species distribution models that capture the variable habitat
suitability in Australia over time for four migratory shorebird species; Sharp-tailed
Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata), Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), Red-necked
Stint (Calidris ruficollis), and Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia). We thenexplore long-term banding data to look for correlations between pulses in resource
availability and either average individual condition or demographic rates.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo25 Conservation of migratory birds

o25-5

Effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on the wintering
distribution of Brent Geese

T. SHIMADA1, M. KURECHI2, Y. SUZUKI2, Y. MIYABAYASHI2
and H. HIGUCHI3
1

The Miyagi Prefectural Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Foundation, Miyagi, Japan
Japanese Association for Wild Geese Protection, Miyagi, Japan
3
Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University SFC, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: tshimada0423@gmail.com
2

To assess the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake (2011) on the life of Brent
Geese Branta bernicla, we investigated their wintering distribution along the southern
Sanriku Coast from Hirota Bay (38°59′N, 141°38′E) through Rikuzentakata to theestuary of Kitakami River (38°34′N, 141°27′E), Ishinomaki in the winter of 2011-2012
and 2012-2013. Geese were counted in the study area from late November to early
December (291), early January (380), and late February (403) in 2011-2012 and midDecember (495), late January (350), and mid-February to early March (394) in
2012-2013. The number Brent Geese counted was not substantially different fromcounts prior to the earthquake. From November to January, more geese were observedin the fishery harbors (59% in 2011-12 and 63-67% in 2012-2013) than on the sea(35-41% in 2011-12 and 29-30% in 2012-13). We suggest that the geese began using
fishery harbors, where they had only rarely been observed prior to the earthquake, due
to: (1) wharfs in harbors thatt had subsided during the earthquake being subsequently
washed by sea water and covered with seaweed, providing a new food resource to thegeese, (2) reduced fishery activity in the damaged harbors and hence reduced humandisturbance, and (3) loss of farming facilities in coastal waters for Wakame (seaweed)
Undaria pinnatifida and Oysters Crassostrea gigas during the tsunami, which had
previously provided the geese with seaweed. From February to March, more geese wereobserved on the sea (63% in 2011-12 and 56% in 2012-13), presumably resulting fromthe growth of seaweed on the farming facilities resettled after the earthquake. It seems
likely that the geese adapted to large-scale environmental changes caused by theearthquake through shifting their foraging habitat and overwintering areas.

124

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo26 Migration 2

o26-1

Radar studies of flight speed and migration patterns of nocturnal passerine
migrants in relation to light and topography
C. Nilsson1, J. Bäckman1 & T. Alerstam1
1. Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Email: Cecilia.Nilsson@biol.lu.se
Radar technology is a very valuable tool to use when studying bird migration in detail. We
have used tracking radars at several different sites in Sweden to study individual passerine
migrants during their migratory flights. Of special interest was to precisely measure flight
speeds during migration and to put these speeds into the context of optimal migration theory.
We have been able to show that passerine migrants fly faster (higher air speeds) during springthan during autumn migration at all our different study sites, which is in accordance with
optimal migration theory predictions. We have also been able to show that flight speed
increment during spring in relation to autumn differs between long and short distancemigrants. Passerine migrants migrate mainly during night. At one of our study sites, Abisko,
the sun does not set for a large part of the spring migration season (midnight sun). In spite ofthis, we found that migration continued to be centered around midnight, but with changes inthe temporal concentration of the passage of migrants. Another of our study sites, Falsterbo, isa peninsula where many migrants pass. We wanted to know how the coastlines of thepeninsula affected the flight paths of passing migrants, but we recorded limited effects of the
topography on the flight paths. I will present a summary of all these recent findings of ourlong term radar tracking program.

125

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo26 Migration 2

o26-2

Migratory movement of Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas
T. Yamamoto 1,2, A. Takahashi 1, K. Sato 3, N. Oka 4, M. Yamamoto 5 and P.N. Trathan 6
1

National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan
Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan
3
International Coastal Research Center, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute,
The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
4
Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan
5
Nagaoka University of Technology, Niigata, Japan
6
British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK
Email: taka.y@nipr.ac.jp
2

Seabird distributions outside the breeding season have been less documented due to technical andpractical difficulties. Although ship-based surveys provide a better understanding of at-sea
distribution of seabirds, observational information is often limited given the inability of determining
the origin, sex, and breeding status of individuals. Thus, how individual seabirds migrate during thenon-breeding period and if such behaviour differs between sexes, among colonies, or within
individuals has been elusive. The Streaked shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas) is a medium-sized
Procellariiform seabird, breeding on islands in east and southeast Asia during the boreal summer.
From 2006 to 2010, we recorded migratory movements of Streaked Shearwaters using light-based
geolocators at three breeding colonies in Japan (Sangan, Mikura and Awa Islands), and obtained dataof 223 migrations, including 47 birds that were tracked over two successive years. Shearwaters
migrated to four wintering areas in November-February during the non-breeding period: seas off
northern New Guinea, Arafura Sea, South China Sea, and seas off northwestern Australia. Most
shearwaters migrated to the seas off northern New Guinea (73.1% of migrations), and others to theArafura Sea (17.0%) and South China Sea (9.0%), and two birds to seas off northwestern Australia(0.9%). Between sexes, males were more likely to migrate to the South China Sea, while females
were more likely to migrate to the Arafura Sea. Females started their southward migration overall
earlier than males. Among colonies, shearwaters from Awa Island in the Sea of Japan were less likely
to migrate to seas off northern New Guinea, compared to other breeding colonies in the Pacific,
possibly due to differences in accessibility between breeding colony and wintering area. We also
found individual consistency in their migratory movements, as individuals migrated to the same
wintering areas with similar timing as in the previous year. Our study revealed the migratory
movement of a pelagic seabird migrating within the western Pacific Ocean.

126

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo26 Migration 2

o26-3

Colonization of migratory Oriental Honey-buzzards in Taiwan
reveals fast evolution of migration without a genetic basis
Guo-Jing Weng1 and Lucia Liu Severinghaus2,3
1

Institute of Wildlife Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science andTechnology, Pingtung, Taiwan.
2
Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City,Taiwan
3
Raptor Research Group of Taiwan, Taipei City, Taiwan
Email: gjw@mail.npust.edu.tw
Genetic variation is known to have an additive effect on the propensity, timing anddirection of migration. The variation in migratory traits and genetic boundary between
migrants and residents in conspecific populations have been explained by the additiveeffect of genetics. We examined a recently established breeding population of Oriental
Honey-buzzards (Pernis ptilorhyncus orientalis, OHB) in Taiwan, a traditional
wintering or stop-over site of the species, to explore possible factors regulating theexpression of migratory behavior. We captured 49 OHB with bow-nets in Taiwan andobtained both a set of feather samples and a blood sample from each for mtDNA andmicrosatellite analyses. The stable hydrogen-isotope results of feathers separated oursamples into two groups. MtDNA results based on ctyb sequences (332-bp) showedthat all the birds shared a single haplotype, indicating a common and recent origin.
We used the isolation-with-migration model with 10 microsatellite DNA loci toestimate historical gene flow and found it was unidirectional, from migrants toresidents. This suggests that the resident population was established by migrants andresidency was permanent. Using an assignment test to identify ex-migrants in theresident population revealed that abandonment of migration was a continuous processinstead of a single event. Genetic differentiation between migrants and residents was
virtually zero. Continued genetic input from migrants into resident population did notheighten migratory propensity among residents. We propose that Taiwan OHB
demonstrate the effect of extrinsic factors on their expression of migration, andprovide a good example of a change in migratory behavior without genetic basis.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo26 Migration 2

o26-4

Migration of the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and reactions todisplacement followed with satellite telemetry
M. Willemoes1, K. Thorup1

1Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate. Natural History Museum of Denmark,
University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Email: mwkristensen@snm.ku.dk

Solitary, nocturnal migrants constitute the majority of birds migrating between Eurasia and Africa.
Yet the migrations of these birds are among the most poorly known. A consequence of the solitary
behaviour is that the orientation mechanisms and migratory programme cannot be taught between
generations, but only conveyed genetically. How this programme works is yet not known however.
We used satellite transmitters to track the migration of eight adult Cuckoos from southern Sweden
and eastern Denmark through their annual migration to the winter sites in southwest central Africa
and back. Stopover areas were used consistently between individuals and for substantial periods.
The spatio-temporal organisation of migration routes was very similar among individuals and all
birds migrated to specific en route areas of limited spatial extent. A simulated clock-and-compass
migratory system could not explain the narrow migratory corridor observed, not even when adding
a barrier filter of large water bodies and high mountains, indicating that goal-area navigation was
involved to reach the population-specific stopover sites. We displaced 12 adult cuckoos from
Denmark to southern Spain prior to normal breeding site departure, and tracked their response. All
individuals showed an initial compensatory orientation, but this did not take them back to thenormal route. Subsequently, the birds showed quite different responses by either homing in on oneof the normal stopovers or the normal winter area. All birds tracked into onset of migration, wereable to navigate back to the normal route, but when and where they corrected for the displacement
was apparently an individual decision.

128

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo26 Migration 2

o26-5

Individual consistency in migratory behaviour in Atlantic shearwaters
and petrels
Raül Ramos1, José Manuel Reyes-González1, Zuzana Zajkova1,, Teresa Militão1,, JoëlBried2, Veronica Neves2, Yann Kolbeinsson3, Daniel Oro4, Peter G. Ryan5, Richard
Cuthbert6, Richard A. Phillips7, Jacob González-Solís1
1Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio) and Departament de Biologia Animal,
Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
2
Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Centro do IMAR da Universidade dos Açores,
Faial, Portugal
3
North East Iceland Nature Center, Husavik, Iceland
4
IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Mallorca, Spain
5
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, South
Africa6
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Bedfordshire, UK
7
British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK
Email: ramos@ub.edu
Ascertaining the role of individual consistency in avian migrations and its relationshipwith environmental variability and specific life-history traits is essential to understandthe migratory plasticity of long-lived species. Nonetheless, most biologging
investigations often concern individuals sampled sporadically i.e. tracked only once, or
twice at the most, mainly due to the difficulty of obtaining repeated journeys of thesame individuals. We present here the results of a long-term tracking project including
seven seabird species using geolocator devices: Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus),
Great Shearwater (P. gravis), Boyd’s Shearwater (P. boydi), Cory’s Shearwater(Calonectris borealis), Scopoli’s Shearwater (C. diomedea), Cape Verde Shearwater (C.
edwardsii) and Bulwer’s Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii). We assessed the consistency in the
non-breeding areas used by the same birds tracked from 2 to 5 consecutive years by
estimating the annual repeatability in non-breeding grounds of every individual. By
decomposing migratory variables into within- and among-individual variability, we
found that the relevance of such components varied greatly among species. For example,
individual repeatability in non-breeding grounds, as indicated by distances to thewintering area, was high in Bulwer’s Petrel (with an intra-class coefficient [ICC]=0.98±0.03, P<0.001), and relatively low in Boyd’s Shearwater (ICC=0.24±0.16,
P<0.001), while Great and Calonectris Shearwaters showed intermediate values. Our
results provide the first interspecific comparison into variation in individual consistency
in the migratory strategies among shearwaters and petrels. These results highlight theimportance of considering within-individual variability when studying the migratory
behaviour of a given species. Future research is needed to understand the links amongsuch individual strategies, environmental variability, population dynamics and theevolution of migratory strategies.

129

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo27 Diseaseo27-1

Factors driving rapid changes in virulence of the bacterial pathogen
Mycoplasma gallisepticum in house finches Haemorhous mexicanus.
André A. Dhondt1, Dana M. Hawley2, Andy P. Dobson3, David Ley4 ,Steven Geary5, Wesley M.
Hochachka1, Keila V. Dhondt1, Erik Osnas3, Paul D. Williams3, Edan Tulman5.
1: Cornell University; 2: Virginia Tech; 3: Princeton University; 4: North Carolina State
University; 5: University of Connecticut
Email: aad4@cornell.edu
Interactions between emerging pathogens and their hosts cause changes in both host andpathogen. A novel strain of the bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), a widespread,
economically important poultry pathogen, emerged in 1994 in wild passerines in Eastern North
America. In House Finches – its primary wild bird host –the pathogen causes severe
conjunctivitis resulting in reduced survival in the wild. As the epidemic spread rapidly in theeastern (introduced) part of the finch’s range it caused massive declines in host abundance. In
2002 MG successfully spread to the western (native) range of the host. Since its emergence wehave collected MG samples, primarily from House Finches. This made it possible to determinethat all House Finch MG isolates across North America are derived from a single successful host
jump. Nevertheless, different isolates vary strongly in virulence: MG virulence, as measured byseverity and duration of eye lesions, is rapidly and independently increasing both in eastern andwestern House Finches. This provides us with a tractable system to test experimentally thecauses of genetic changes in virulence. We will report on experiments that test the hypothesisthat increases in virulence are the result of imperfect host immunity selecting for pathogen
isolates that are sufficiently virulent to successfully infect and transmit between non-naïve House
Finches. The ability of MG to evolve in virulence and persist in House Finch populations could
affect population dynamics of House Finch populations for decades to come.

130

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo27 Diseaseo27-2

Experimental infectivity trials reveal adaptation by song sparrow hosts
to local strains of Plasmodium
Y. Sarquis-Adamson1 and Elizabeth A. MacDougall-Shackleton1,2
1

Department of Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Advanced Facility for Avian Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Email: emacdoug@uwo.ca

2

Hosts and parasites impose strong selective forces upon one another, often resulting in
local arms races of antagonistic coevolution. Selection on parasites is expected topromote increased ability to exploit locally common host genotypes, whereas selection
on hosts should promote increased resistance to local common parasite strains. The
outcome of these arms races is expected to vary depending on virulence as well as therelative generation times and dispersal abilities of hosts and parasites. To determine
whether migratory songbirds or their haematozoan parasites show local adaptation to
one another, we conducted a reciprocal infectivity trial. Song Sparrows (Melospiza
melodia) collected from two breeding sites separated by 400 km were experimentally
exposed to the avian malarial parasite Plasmodium, cultured either from their site ofcapture (local parasite) or from the other site (nonlocal parasite). Bloodborne
Plasmodium loads were measured over 30 days following exposure. We observed
differences between host populations in the risk and severity of becoming infected with
Plasmodium, and differences between parasite populations in their ability to establish an
infection. Infection risk, but not the intensity of successful infections, was higher for
hosts exposed to nonlocal than to local parasites. We discuss the evolutionary
implications of local adaptation by migratory birds to their bloodborne parasites,
particularly in light of parasite range shifts associated with a changing climate.

131

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo27 Diseaseo27-3

The effect of spatially varying seasonality on the epidemiology of Avian
Influenza
S. Lisovski and M. Klaassen
Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Email: slisovski@deakin.edu.au
Seasonality represents one of the strongest and ubiquitous forces shaping natural
systems. The role of seasonality has been well recognised in population dynamics ofinfectious diseases, including Avian Influenza Viruses (AIV) in wild birds. However,the causal mechanisms underlying seasonal dynamics in AIV remain largely speculative.
Waterfowl are considered to be the main vector and reservoir for AIV. Given the global
distribution of waterfowl species and AIV their interaction is particularly suitable toinvestigate the effect and significance of seasonality on host-pathogen dynamics. We
analysed AIV infection data from Anseriformes species across North America andEurope focussing on variations in climate, seasonality and the position of sampling
locations along the various flyways. Surveillance data were derived from the influenza
research database (IRD). Bird densities were estimated using the eBird database andseasonality patterns were calculated using remote sensed vegetation data (NDVI). Our
results confirm the widely accepted hypothesis that AIV infection dynamics are driven
by changes in local population densities. However, we were able to elucidate its
relationship with seasonality, where seasonality affects temporal breeding distribution(i.e. the extent of breeding synchronisation), in turn affecting bird densities andultimately AIV infection dynamics. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that the role ofimmunological naïve juveniles and temporarily visiting migrants in the infection
dynamic differ significantly with respect to the position of the sampling location along
the flyway. These findings are important for our understanding of AIV host-pathogen
interactions in wild birds and their complex relationship with health issues in man andtheir livestock. Furthermore, our analysis can serve as a basis to assess potentialchanges in AIV epidemiology due to climate change effects on seasonality.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo27 Diseaseo27-4

Testing the role of migratory birds in the spread of zoonotic disease
Christopher G. Guglielmo1, Greg W. Mitchell1, Philip D. Taylor2, D. Ryan Norris3
1

Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western
Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
2
Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
3
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
email: cguglie2@uwo.ca
Migratory birds have recently been implicated in the spread of disease over broad
geographic distances. However, this implication relies on the assumption that migrants
can continue migrating when infected with a pathogen, despite the potentially competing
energetic demands of mounting an immune response and migration. We presented three
species of migratory songbird (American Redstarts Setophaga ruticilla, Hermit Thrushes
Catharus guttatus, and Yellow-Rumped Warblers Setophaga coronata) with an immune
challenge (LPS; lipopolysaccharide) during spring stopover at Long Point, Ontario,
Canada. Activity, body condition, and skin temperature were measured for 22 Hermit
Thrushes (10 treatment, 11 control) and 24 Yellow-rumps (12 treatment, 12 control) overa 48 h period in an aviary at the study site. Yellow-rumped Warblers receiving the LPS
challenge showed reduced activity, lost greater amounts of fat, and had lower skintemperatures than controls; however, no effects of the LPS challenge were observed in
Hermit Thrushes. Concurrently with the aviary study, we also fitted birds with miniature
digital radio transmitters (23 Redstarts, 14 Hermit Thrushes, 16 Yellow-rumps),
administered the same LPS challenge to half of the birds (11 Redstarts, 7 Hermit
Thrushes, 8 Yellow-rumps), and immediately released all birds back to wild. Stopover
duration was then measured with an expansive automated digital telemetry array covering
approximately 250 km2. For each of the three study species, stopover duration did not
differ between birds receiving the challenge and controls, suggesting that free-living
Yellow-Rumped Warblers were able to mitigate the effects of a mild immune challenge
during stopover. Our results highlight potentially important species-specific differencesin ability to mount an acute-phase immune response during spring migration, and theneed for further research into the mechanisms by which species are able to mitigate theeffects of an immune challenge in the wild.

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Emerging infectious disease selects for darker plumage coloration inGreenfinches
P. Hõrak 1, M. Männiste 1
1

Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Tartu University,
Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
Email: horak@ut.ee
Outbreaks of emerging infectious disease offer a unique chance to study viability
selection in action in short time windows. Finch trichomonosis, caused by a protozoan
Trichomonas gallinae emerged in Great Britain in 2005 and led to epidemic mortality
and a significant population decline of Greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) in the UK andNorthern European countries in subsequent years. We recorded covariation between
plumage characteristics and trichomonosis-induced mortality among wild-caught
Greenfinches brought into captivity in Tartu, Estonia. Occurrence of fault bars (markers
of stressful conditions experienced during feather growth) on tail feathers was five times
higher among the dead birds than among survivors. Black (eumelanotic) compartmentsof tail feathers of survivors were on average 21 % darker and had 25 % lower
reflectance in UV than feathers of dead birds. Standardized linear selection differentials
for UV and visual reflectance (1.9 and 1.6, respectively) appear larger than any of thedirectional selection differentials reported in a previously published meta-analysis
involving various organisms. Our findings thus provide probably one of the clearest
examples of strong infection-induced viability selection in action. Such pattern is best
explained by proposed pleiotropic effects of genes involved in eumelanin production on
immune function. These findings suggest that melanin-based colouration can evolve via
mechanisms that are independent of visual information provided by the pigment.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo28 Sexual Behaviour 1

o28-1

Parental food provisioning strategy in relation to brood sex ratio in theBlack-billed Magpie: an experimental study
W.Y. Lee 5, P.G. Jablonski 1, 2 , J.C. Choe 3, and S.-I. Lee 1,41

Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea
Centre for Ecological Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
3
Division of EcoScience, Ewha Woman’s University, Republic of Korea
4
Institute of Advanced Machinery and Design, Seoul National University, Republic of
Korea
5
Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute2

Email: sangim@hotmail.com

Theory predicts that parents should differentiate their investment into male and female
offspring to maximize their fitness. Recent studies on brood sex ratio adjustment inbirds have focused on how parents affect the primary sex ratio at egg laying. However,
it is still not clear how crucial sex-biased parental food provisioning can be in shaping
the brood sex ratio at fledging. I chose the Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica) since earlier
studies in our magpie population have suggested that sex-specific mortality of nestlings,
and the resulting sex ratio at fledging, may be actively adjusted through sex-biased foodprovisioning. In this study, we manipulated initial brood sex ratio at hatching bycross-fostering and video-recorded parental feeding behaviour in the Black-billed
Magpie (Pica pica). We aimed to examine (i) whether parents have sex-biased foodprovisioning strategy, (ii) whether this depends on the original or the manipulated sex
ratio, and (iii) whether the parental provisioning adjusted brood sex ratio by inducing
sex-specific mortality of nestlings. Our results showed that parents provided more foodto male nestlings in male-biased broods and to female in female-biased, and the broodsex ratio was more biased at fledging. Also, the sex-specific mortality of nestlings wasaffected by original brood sex ratio. These suggest that magpie parents actively adjusted
brood sex ratio by differential feeding, to bias the sex ratio bias which females initiallyinduced at laying stage. We discuss the parental feeding strategy as an adaptive parental
behaviour for sex ratio adjustment.

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o28-2

A behavioural correlate of extra-pair paternity in Blue Tits Cyanistes
caeruleus
L. Schlicht 1, M. Valcu 1, P. Loës 1, A. Girg 1 and B. Kempenaers 1
1

Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institutefor Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
Email: lschlicht@orn.mpg.de
Although extra-pair behaviour and its costs and benefits have received much attention,
the behavioural mechanisms underlying patterns of extra-pair paternity are still far fromunderstood. Male and/or female forays to potential extra-pair mates have been proposed
to lead to extra-pair copulations and thus extra-pair fertilizations. Such forays have been
observed in blue tits as well as in several other species, but could rarely be linked
directly to extra-pair paternity. Here we present an extensive dataset on extra-territorial
forays of male and female Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus to ‘foreign’ nestboxes during
the early breeding season. Such behaviour is rare but may allow individuals to assess
the breeding stage of the visited pair, or to encounter potential extra-pair mates. To
record this behaviour on a population-wide scale, we equipped all nestboxes with RFID
readers to detect automatically individual identities of birds visiting a nest other thantheir own. We combine four years’ worth of data to describe daily and seasonal patternsof nestbox visits, and we link these to male age, body size, and extra-pair paternity.
Taking into account the spatial context in which extra-pair behaviour occurs in blue tits,
we find that male but not female nest visits during the early breeding season predict theoccurrence of extra-pair paternity with the visited individual. Furthermore, the nest
visiting behaviour tended to be performed more frequently by older males, suggesting a
potential behavioural mechanism linked to the wide-spread effect that older males are
more successful at siring extra-pair offspring.

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o28-3

Breeding habitats and song structures shed light on evolutionary
mechanisms of tinamou (Tinamidae, Tinamiformes) sexual
dimorphisms
S. Wang
Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Texas, Austin, USA
Email: silu_wang@hotmail.com
Various forms of sexual dimorphism are expressed across avian taxa. Sexual size
dimorphism and plumage dichromatism are among the most distinctive forms in birds.
The evolutionary mechanism of male-biased versus female-biased sexual dimorphisms is
not fully resolved. Hypotheses, such as 1) sexual selection, 2) dimorphic niches and 3)
intersexual competition, have been proposed to explain the evolutionary origin andmaintenance of sexual dimorphism. These three hypotheses, respectively, argue that theevolution of sexual dimorphisms is driven by 1) mate preference/intra-sexual competition,2) differential selections on two sexes due to the division of reproductive roles, and 3)
selections imposed by inter-sexual resource competitions. While sexual selection
hypothesis predicts coevolution of sexual signals and sexual dimorphisms, dimorphic
niches and intra-sexual competition hypotheses predict relations between sexual
dimorphism and habitat conditions. Different forms of sexual dimorphisms may havebeen driven by different evolutionary forces within a lineage, and thus may be explainedby different evolutionary models. Here I explored the evolutionary mechanism of sexual
dichromatism and size dimorphism in a family from the most basal avian clade,Tinamidae, in which female-biased sexual dichromatism and size dimorphism are
predominant. I comparatively studied tinamou song structure, breeding habitat condition,
along with dichromatism and sexual size dimorphism. I found that sexual size
dimorphism coevolved with breeding habitat conditions but not with song structures,indicating support for intra-sexual competition or differential niche hypotheses. On theother hand, tinamou sexual dichromatism coevolved with song structure but not with
habitat condition, suggesting a potential role of sexual selection in the evolution oftinamou sexual dichromatism. These different histories of sexual dichromatism and size
dimorphism imply divergent evolutionary forces underlying the two forms ofdimorphisms.


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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo29 Foraging Patterns

o29-1

How food predictability affects foraging routines of Griffon Vultures
Olivier DURIEZ, Louise RIOTTE-LAMBERT & Simon BENHAMOU
Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE - UMR 5175) ; 1919 Route de Mende, F34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France;
e-mail : olivier.duriez@cefe.cnrs.fr
Supplementary feeding stations are commonly used to sustain conservation programs ofscavengers but their impact on behaviour is still debated. They increase the temporal andspatial predictability of food resources while scavengers have supposedly evolved searchbehaviour for unpredictable resources. In the Grands Causses (France), a reintroduced
population of Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus can find carcasses at three types of sites: (1)"heavy feeding stations", where carcasses from nearby farms are concentrated (spatially andtemporally predictable), (2) "light feeding stations", where farmers can drop carcasses at theirfarm (spatially predictable but temporally unpredictable), and (3) "open grasslands", where
resources are randomly distributed (both spatially and temporally unpredictable). The impact
of feeding stations on vulture's searching behaviour was investigated using 28 GPS-tracked
individuals. Unsurprisingly, static habitat selection analysis showed that vultures prefer morepredictable feeding sites. Thanks to the high rate with which GPS locations were acquired(interval <5 min), we further investigate habitat selection in a dynamic way through spatial
and temporal analyses of prospection patterns. At the temporal level, Fourier and wavelet
analyses enable us to detect potential periodicities in the timings of revisits to any particularfeeding site. At the spatial level, we focus on the series of feeding sites visited to determine
whether vultures tend to repeatedly visit potentially interesting sites in a systematic way. Bothtemporal and spatial analyses thus make it possible to investigate the extent to which vultures
rely on routine behaviour to prospect their environment, which one of the main possible
prospection strategies in these birds. We finally investigate the extent to which the
behavioural rules used differ across sex and age categories, and also depend on weather
conditions (particularly wind speed and direction).

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o29-2

Wintering hotpots of Short-tailed Shearwaters, and their prey
distribution, in the Bering and Arctic Seas
Bungo Nishizawa1, Takashi Yamamoto1,2, Elizabeth Labunski3, Kathy Kuletz3,
Catherine Meathrel4, RA Phllips5, Yuka Iwahara6, Yoko Mitani6, Kohei Matsuno2,
Atsushi Yamaguchi1,Yutaka Watanuki1
1

Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato-cho,
Hakodate, Hokkaido, 041-8611, Japan Email: nishizawa@salmon.fish.hokudai.ac.jp
2
National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan
3
US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Rd, Anchorage, AK, 99503.
4
LaTrobe University, Melbourne, Victoris 3086, Australia
5
British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 0ET, U.K.
6
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato-cho,
Hakodate, Hokkaido, 041-8611, Japan
Short-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris) breed in the southern hemisphere, andmake a trans-equatorial migration to the Bering and Arctic Seas during the non-breeding
period. Recently, sea ice has decreased which might, through prey availability, affectthe marine ecosystem including these highly mobile top-predators. Detecting high use
areas of top-predators and understanding the links between them and key prey species
are crucial to predicting ecosystem changes and designing effective management plans.
We investigated the foraging hotspots of Short-tailed Shearwaters using two types ofdata sets: geolocator tracking data (2009-2011) and ship-based surveys (autumn 2012and summer 2013). We found seasonal patterns of shearwater distribution andcompared related environmental characteristics between these two different data sets byhabitat modelling. The distributions of shearwaters by ship-based surveys and tracking
showed a similar seasonal pattern, as they were distributed mainly in the Bering Sea andaround the Aleutian Islands in summer, but they moved into the Arctic Sea in autumn.
However, selected environmental variables differed between these two data sets,probably reflecting intrinsic constraints of the two types of survey. We also conductedacoustic surveys in summer 2013 and net samplings of krill for three years in 2007,2008 and 2010 to quantify the condition of their prey (mainly krill). We examined
occurrence patterns of krill at each growth stage and their favoured water conditions
using the habitat modelling. Then, we tested overlap or difference between distributionsof Short-tailed Shearwaters (tracking and ship-based data) and krill. Our study
addresses the importance of understanding ecologically significant areas used by
top-predator and key prey component in the changing high latitude area.

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o29-3

Aeroecology of post-breeding Purple Martins (Progne subis):
distribution, abundance and trophic impact
J.F. Kelly 1,2, E.S. Bridge 1 and P.B. Chilson 3
1

Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA
Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA
3
Advanced Radar Research Center and School of Meteorology, University ofOklahoma, Norman, USA
Email: jkelly@ou.edu
2

The Purple Martin (Progne subis) is a large migratory swallow that nests communallyand aggregates at night roosts throughout the non-breeding period of the annual cycle.
We have previously shown that this species consumes on the order of 100,000 metrictonnes of insects per year. Understanding the spatiotemporal impact of this consumption
on food webs in the aerosphere requires a quantitative description of the distribution andabundance of martins through the annual cycle. During the post breeding period, night
roosts of this species can be located and quantified using weather surveillance radars.
We used a mosaic of the United States national weather radar data for 2009 through2012 to determine the number, distribution, timing, and size of post-breeding Purple
Martin roosts (June through August). We identified a total of 201 Purple Martin roost
locations that were active in the study period. In any single year the number of active
post-breeding roosts ranged from 137 to 141; 80 to 90% of roosts persisted fromyear-to-year. Roosts typically formed in mid to late June and dissipate in mid August;although regional variation in phenology was substantial. Birds emerged from the roosts
in the hour before sunrise, although the timing of emergence also varied by region. We
also used mosaicked radar data to derive an index of the distribution of abundance ofPurple Martins in eastern North America during this post breeding period. We linked
this abundance information to a previously published energetics model to map thegeographic distribution and of insect consumption by martins across eastern North
America.

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o29-4

Effects of social context on foraging behavior of participants in mixedspecies flocks across space
S. M. Williams 1 and C. A. Lindell 1
1

Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Email: seanbirder@gmail.com

Hundreds of species participate in mixed-species flocks around the world, and they are a
distinguishing feature of the fauna in the western Amazon basin. Knowledge of thevariation of their behavior across space is key to understanding the behavioral ecology of
mixed-species flocks. We investigated the influence of resources on space use andhypothesized that different social contexts among species in a flock lead to differences inperceived habitat quality and foraging rates. In southeast Peru, there are leader andfollower species among the core flocking species. Because the leader species guides theflock, the leader species should choose to forage in areas more suitable for it than for thefollower species. We predicted that the habitat surrounding the flock would suit theleader species better than the follower species and that foraging rates of the leader species
would be more variable than the follower species. In order to test this prediction, wecolor-banded core individuals of four flocks at two field sites in Peru during May-Aug
2013, and followed flocks for 150 hours. We recorded GPS coordinates, vegetation
density, and the foraging rates of all core species as the flock moved through theirdefended territory. Initial results indicate that the flocks use space in a clustered spatial
distribution, which suggests there is some driver of their space use. The foraging rates ofthe follower species are more variable than the foraging rates of the leader species, which
supports the hypothesis that social context affects foraging rates. We discuss resources asa potential driver of the clustered spatial distribution of mixed-species flocks, and suggestthat habitat quality is perceived differently by leader and follower species.

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o29-5

Foraging behaviour of Adélie Penguins throughout the Antarctic
winterA. Takahashi, M. Ito, K. Nagai, J.B. Thiebot, and Y. Watanabe
National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan
Email: atak@nipr.ac.jp

Winter is generally challenging for feeding birds, and this is especially the case for
penguins that breed on the Antarctic coast. Antarctic penguins, foraging in the wintersea-ice environment, face two serious feeding constraints, namely, sea-ice coverage
expands from the coast and daylight duration becomes very short. We examined how
wintering Adélie Penguins Pygoscelis adeliae from Lutzow-Holm Bay, East Antarctica(latitude 69.2° S) respond to such feeding constraints by tracking their movements anddiving behavior throughout their 8-month long non-breeding period, using leg-attachedgeolocation and depth recording loggers. From March, after the breeding season,
penguins started to move over large distances (up to 1840 km, on average) northwest
from the breeding colony before returning to the colony in early November. This
northward movement (mean northernmost latitude: 57.5° S) generally correspondedwith the seasonal extension of the pack-ice boundary until September. The daily light
duration that penguins experienced was shortest in June, but was not less than 5 h perday, due to the northerly migratory movement of the birds. Penguins dived mostly
during daylight hours throughout the winter months, and they dived deeper during
winter than during the breeding period. We suggest that Adélie Penguins migrate
northward with the extending sea-ice to secure enough daylight hours to forage, andincrease their dive depth to cope with the short available foraging time during theAntarctic winter.

142

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo30 Functional Morphology

o30-1

Habitat fragmentation as an evolutionary force shaping bird wings
A. Desrochers
Centre d’étude de la forêt, Faculté de foresterie, de géographie et de géomatique,
Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6
Email: andre.desrochers@sbf.ulaval.ca
The effects of forestry practices on songbirds have been studied extensively in recent
decades. Most researchers assume, or provide some evidence, that forest fragmentation
reduces the fitness of boreal songbirds. Limited pairing success, because of barriers todispersal, is one of the most frequently invoked mechanisms to explain fitness
consequences. If true, this mechanism should lead to a strong selective pressure infavour of individuals with greater dispersal ability. I will present two lines ofmorphological evidence to address this hypothesis. First, I analysed the primary
projection from 490 museum specimens of songbirds collected between 1900 and 2008
from parts of boreal Eastern North America that experienced strong regional variation inhabitat cover in that period. Primary projection is a measure of wing shape positively
correlated with sustained flight (dispersal) ability. Over the 20th century, mean primary
projection increased in all six species whose habitat became more fragmented.
Conversely, the mean primary projection decreased in three of the four species whose
habitat expanded in the same period. The second line of evidence comes from an
on-going study of the primary projection of adult birds caught in fragmented andcontiguous habitat at Forêt Montmorency, Québec, Canada. In agreement with themuseum skin study, a preliminary analysis of >500 specimens caught in 2013 suggeststhat conspecifics with a long primary projection relative to their species’ mean are more
likely to be found in fragmented nesting habitat. Together, these findings show that
ecomorphology has strong potential to help in understanding patterns and processes inavian landscape ecology.

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o30-2

Estimating bending mechanics of extant and fossil penguin contour feathers
Kevin M. Middleton1, K. E. Johnson2, J. A. Clarke3
1

University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
California State University, San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA, USA
3
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
2

The biomechanical behavior of biological structures results not only from the properties of theircomponent materials but also from the spatial organization of those materials. Previous
comparative studies have reported that feather rachis keratin is homogenous, meaning that thebending properties of feathers primarily result from differences in rachis geometry. We measured
the cross-sectional properties of contour feather rachises in a phylogenetically and functionallydiverse set of extant birds. Feathers were embedded in epoxy resin and serially sectioned at
approximately 0.5 mm intervals. From thin sections, we measured the following structuralparameters: maximum and minimum second moments of area (measures of resistance tobending), ellipticity (a measure of maximum resistance to bending), and polar moment of inertia(a measure of resistance to torsion). We found that ellipticity of the rachis is relatively constantalong the rachis in all avian feathers measured but is approximately twenty times greater inpenguins. Overall, the rachis of extant penguins is dorsoventrally flattened and ellipsoid in crosssection, in sharp contrast to other avians. Relatively homogenous feather morphology among
extant penguins allows us to estimate the cross-sectional area and thus the mechanical propertiesof contour feathers from extinct stem taxa with similar rachis geometry. In fossils, rachises aremodeled in cross-section using the measured diameter and the calculated dorsoventral depth
based on regressions from extant birds. We are then able to estimate the same structuralparameters for fossil feathers. Our results indicate that contour feathers in the extinct penguin,
Inkayacu paracasensis, may have been approximately twenty times more resistant to torsion attheir mid-shaft than similarly sized contour feathers in extant penguins. These results indicate
diversity in feather morphology early in the penguin lineage and suggest another transition infeather structure between stem and crown clade penguins in addition to that recently reported inmelanosome morphology.

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o30-3

Structural color production in avian eggshells?
Daphne C. Fecheyr-Lippens, Mark E. Hauber, and Matthew D. Shawkey
Integrated Bioscience Program, Department of Biology, The University of Akron
Structural coloration, the phenomenon of color production without pigments, occurs commonly innature and is caused by light scattering from nanostructured biological materials that differ inrefractive index. Understanding the mechanisms that produce structural coloration could inspire
innovative and environmentally-friendly ways to produce color. Most research on structural colors
has focused on butterfly wings, other insects and bird feathers. Here, we investigate the mechanismsthat produce ultraviolet coloration in avian eggshells that are predominantly made of calcium
carbonate (CaCO3). Crystalline patterns of CaCO3 have been shown to produce structural colors
like iridescent nacre (mother of pearl). However, whether organized CaCO3 in avian eggs can
produce structural colors is unknown. Here, we use spectrophotometry, scanning electron
microscopy, refractive index matching and nanostructural disruption experiments to determine
whether the ultraviolet reflectance peak in white eggshells has a nanostructural basis. The uv peak
was eliminated by refractive index matching with tea tree oil and nanostructural disruption byboiling, suggesting that it is produced by light scattering. Surprisingly, powdered eggshell produced
the same color as intact eggshell, further indicating that the color may be produced by the
crystalline chemical structure of CaCO3 rather than its nanostructural organization. This inference issupported by the lack of nanoscale patterning on the eggshell surface revealed by SEM. Further
chemical and physical analyses will help to identify the precise basis of this color.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo30 Functional Morphology

o30-4

The morphology of the bill tip organ in Anseriformes
K.V.Avilova
Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty of Moscow State University,
Moscow, Russia
Email: wildlife@inbox.ru

In some species of geese and ducks, the bill tip organ (BTO) was described in detail in the 1970s(Gottschaldt, Lausmann, 1974a; Avilova, 1975). Our morphological studies of 35 species yielded
the following results. The BTO consists of different types of mechanosensitive nerve endings
surrounded by connective tissues opening on the inner surface of the beak nails as hornycolumns (sensillar units) or alveolae (asensillar units). Morphological diversity of BTO in
Anseriformes implies the size of the receptor fields, the number and size of receptor units in theupper and lower nails, and the BTO asymmetry as a whole. Swans have the largest receptor
fields and units, more than 200 sensillar ones in the maxilla and about 100 asensillar in themandible. Geese have sensillar units both in the lower and upper nails (on average 200 and 100,
respectively). Sea ducks (Mergini) have big rough sensillar units only in the lower nails, from 50
in Goosander and 60 in Scoter to 100 in Goldeneye vs. 20-40 asensillar in the upper nail.
Pochards have 140-150 sensillar units in the lower nail and about 35 in the upper one. Units ofmandible in dabbling ducks are the tiniest and tall, total amount of them reaching 300 vs. 35-40
asensillar in the upper nail. The average density of the lower units is 3 per mm2 in swans, 6.7 ingeese, from 2 (Eider) to 7 (Smew) in sea ducks, 7 in Pochards, and 13.7 (8-25) in dabbling ducks.
The BTO asymmetry increases from Anserini (K=1.7) to Anatini (K=7.0). It correlates with thenumber of BTO units in the mandible (r=0.66; p<0.01). The BTO of ancestry forms resembling
Anchimae has, in contrast, more numerous and complicated sensillar units in the upper jaw.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo30 Functional Morphology

o30-5

The evolution of crypsis in nightjars (Caprimulgidae)
Till Töpfer 1
1

Section Ornithology, Zoological Research Museum A. Koenig, Bonn, Germany
Email: t.toepfer@zfmk.de
Nightjars are a distinctive group of crepuscular or nocturnal birds with particular secretive
habits. Being mainly ground-breeders, they rely heavily on visual crypsis during daytime,
which is maintained by various shape-blurring plumage patterns. Thus, different nightjar
species may strikingly resemble each other without being related very closely. Owing to theiruniform overall appearance and their similar lifestyle, however, the systematics of nightjars
has long been influenced by misinterpretations of inter- and intra-generic convergence.
Consequently, recent molecular studies challenge traditional taxonomic arrangements. On theother hand, crypsis by itself is hitherto discussed mainly ecologically in terms of cost-benefit
argumentations regarding its protective function. Because cryptic plumage characters are
subject to considerable selection pressure, however, they also reflect the evolutionary historyof lineages. Thus, the development of cryptic plumage characters might also be correlatedwith phylogeny. Nonetheless, no thorough examination of the evolutionary development ofplumage crypsis in birds exists to date. Using a comparative morphological approach, I
assessed cryptic plumage patterns and colour variation in nightjars in order to demonstrate theentanglement of speciation, adaptation and ecological constraints. My analyses show how
cryptic patterns are formed on different scales, reaching from single feathers to the whole
body, generating a variety of camouflage strategies. Based on the available molecular
framework, a correlation of these findings with phylogenetic and biogeographic data allows
interpreting crypsis as an evolutionary phenomenon in its ecological context.

147

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo31 Songo31-1

Song structure and organization in California Thrashers(Toxostoma redivivum)
Martin L Cody, George Kossan, Edward Stabler, Hector Manueal Sanchez, Charles E
Taylormlcody@ucla.edu
California Thrashers Toxostoma redivivum sing complex songs, with repertoires ofhundreds of different phrases. Here we examine songs recorded in natural circumstancesfrom a population of thrashers in the Santa Monica Mountains of southern California; thesongs were recorded from 14 territorial individuals during the 2012 breeding season. Our
principal findings include the following: i. There is a large number of phrase types
available for each bird, but ii. individual birds have distinct lexicons, with lexicon
similarity decaying with distance and time. iii. On a short time scale the accretion of newphrases is not gradual, but rather phrases are added in bunches and episodically; overlonger time scales the number of different phrases rises linearly with the accumulated
number of phrases, at about 1/18 the rate of total accumulated phrases. iv. At any moment
there is only a limited number of phrases actually “in play,” 15-20, which can be grouped
into themes within which transitions are much more common than amongst them. Thisfeature gives rise to a small world (SW) structure. v. New small world themes arise
abruptly, and old themes are abandoned during extended song sequences. vi. Songs are
more likely to start with certain phrases and end with other, distinct phrases. Preferredstart and end phrases differ from time-to-time and bird-to-bird; they tend to be longer andmore complex than the phrases used commonly within the song. vi. Similarly, some SW
themes themselves are also more likely to transition to certain others, or to occur
disproportionately at the start or at the end of songs. The extensive sub-structure within
the California Thrasher songs suggests a capacity to transmit contextually-relevant
information to both adjacent territory holders and to mates.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo31 Songo31-2

Non-gradual vocal development through the stage of voice breaking inthree species of Auks (Alcidae, Charadriiformes).
A.V. Klenova1 and Y.A. Kolesnikova 1
1

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State
University, Moscow, Russia
Email: anna.v.klenova@gmail.com; jul.kolesnikova@inbox.ru

Birds without vocal learning exhibit different styles of vocal development. For someAnseriformes, Galliformes and Charadrii species gradual changes of call-frequency
variables throughout development have been reported, while for some Gruiformes,
Procellariiformes and Coraciiformes species the changes are jump-like. Distribution of
the vocal development types among other bird taxa, however, is poorly known. We
analysed early vocal development in three auk species (Alcidae): Crested Auklet Aethia
cristatella, Tufted Puffin Fratercula cirrhata and Horned Puffin F. corniculata. All
three species have semi-precocial chicks that stay in nest-burrows until fledging. We
recorded calls from 26–35 chicks of each species at four–five ages between hatching
and fledgling and from six fledglings of Crested Auklet at a breeding colony on Talan
Island, Sea of Okhotsk. We compared main temporal-frequency variables of chick calls
across ages and with common adult calls. In all species we observed the lack of a
gradual change in the fundamental frequency of calls between hatching and fledging
despite a considerable increase in body size. Fundamental frequency actually increasedslightly over development and was always higher then that of adult calls. Interestingly,
calls of two Tufted Puffin chicks just before fledging and five Crested Auklet fledglings
contained two non-overlapping independent fundamental frequencies in the spectrum.
The upper frequency band didn’t differ in values from juvenile fundamental frequency
band, and the lower frequency band didn’t differ from fundamental frequency measured
in adult calls. Such two-frequency calls have also been reported previously for someother non-passerines and their appearance used as a marker of start of voice-breaking.
Thus, we confirm the presence of jump-like vocal development through the stage ofvoice-breaking in Alcidae and speculate that such patterns of vocal development could
be widespread among bird species across the altricial spectrum. This study was
supported by the President Grant (MK-1781-2012.4) and by the RFBR (12-04-00414a).

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo31 Songo31-3

Song discrimination before song learning in free-living sparrows:
implications for learning and evolution
Daizaburo Shizuka
School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
Email: dshizuka2@unl.edu
Song learning in males and females influences both song production and materecognition later in life. These learning processes are ‘selective’, such that conspecificsongs are preferentially learned over heterospecific songs. The selectivity of songlearning plays an important role in evolution: it can help maintain divergent songs insyntopic populations and promote assortative mating. Captive studies have shown thatsong learning in White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) begins shortly after
fledging, and they are able to discriminate conspecific songs from heterospecific songs
during this sensitive period. I studied their sister species, Golden-crowned Sparrows (Z.
atricapilla) in the field to determine whether these birds can also discriminate songs prior
to learning. Using a set of field playback experiments to nestlings, I show that Goldencrowned Sparrows respond vocally to territorial songs while still in the nest (7-8 daysold). These nestlings respond differently to songs of their own species and those of
sympatric White-crowned Sparrows, demonstrating species discrimination before songlearning. In addition, I find that nestlings discriminate between dialects of conspecificsong, while adult males respond equally to dialects. Thus, the lack of dialect
discrimination in adults does not reflect their cognitive abilities—they may have learned
to generalize across geographic variations in conspecific songs. The ability to assay earlysong discrimination in nestling songbirds will open the door to further exploration of how
evolution and learning together shape recognition systems in birds.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo31 Songo31-4

The plasticity of song learning as revealed by a cross-fostering and amultiple tutor experiments in Bengalese Finches.
M. Takahashi 1,2, H. Kagawa1,3,4
1

Department of Life and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science3
RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
4
ERATO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
Email: mtakahas@brain.riken.jp
2

The Bengalese Finch (Lonchura striata var. domestica) is a domesticated strain of wild
White-rumped Munias (Lonchura striata). Through the domestication, the courtshipsongs of Bengalese Finches have been differentiated from those of wild munias. The
songs have tonal phonology and complex syntax in Bengalese Finches, although munia
songs have a noisy sound with stereotyped syntax. The cross-fostering experiment
revealed that there was a significant difference in the accuracy of song learning between
Bengalese Finches and White-rumped Munias. The proportion of shared elements withtutors was about 90 % regardless of tutor strain in Bengalese Finches. Munias shared
75% song elements with the foster tutor (Bengalese Finches) although they could copy
almost 100% from their own strain. The loss of accuracy in song learning in Bengalese
Finches is expected to lead to increased plasticity of song learning instead. We set up acolony with eleven males and ten females of Bengalese Finches and let them bred freely.
Under the multiple tutor condition, most out of 32 juveniles learned parts of songs fromtwo tutors. They segmented the songs by transition probability and combined someparts into their own song. We also conducted a multiple tutor experiment in munias.
Munia juveniles learned their father’s songs and a few juveniles learned from two tutors.
While munias learned songs from several tutors, munias tended to learn from familiar
songs (their father). These results suggest that the accuracy of song learning is related to
how many tutors juveniles select. I will discuss the relationship between plasticity andtutor choice.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo31 Songo31-5

A possible trade-off between song and a cognitive metric in a songbird
Kendra B. Sewall, Jill A. Soha, Susan Peters, Stephen Nowicki
ksewall@vt.edu
Sexual ornaments can be honest signals of male quality if they are linked to traits that enhancefemale reproductive success. Males might be expected to invest maximally in traits important tofemales and thus in sexual ornaments. However, mechanisms that link sexual ornaments withother character traits also may be the basis for trade-offs between traits. Bird song is a sexual
ornament that depends principally upon brain structure and function, making it reflective of atleast some measures of neural capacity and cognition. We explored the possibility that
constraints on brain growth could lead to a trade-off between song and cognition in Song
Sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Specifically, we examined the relationship between songrepertoire size and performance on a spatial task. We found an inverse relationship between
repertoire size and speed of spatial learning and suggest that a developmental trade-off between
the hippocampus and song control nuclei could be responsible for this relationship. Differencesin how males resolve this trade-off between brain-dependent traits could contribute to thespectrum of variation in song and cognition. Such a trade-off suggests that song can inform
females about a suite of male traits rather than a single metric of condition.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo32 Species conservationo32-1

Response of a declining wood warbler to forest treatments:
Preliminary results from a 100-year study
K. Islam 1, K. W. Barnes 1 and S.A. Auer 1
1

Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA
Email: kislam@bsu.edu
The Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) is a long distance Nearctic-Neotropicalmigrant wood warbler that breeds in mature deciduous forests of the midwestern andnortheastern United States and Ontario, Canada, and winters on the slopes of the Andesin northern South America. Based on annual Breeding Bird Surveys, Cerulean
Warbler populations have declined by 70% over the past five decades. It is listed as‘Endangered’ in Canada, a ‘Species of Concern’ in the United States, and ‘Vulnerable’by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. There are many probablecauses for its population decline, including degradation of breeding habitat throughfragmentation, and reduced productivity. The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment is along-term (100 year) research project to determine the effects of silvicultural treatments
on various taxa, including the Cerulean Warbler. We measured relative abundance andterritory size during pre-treatment (2007-2008) and post-treatment years (2009-2013)
across nine study sites in southern Indiana. Silvicultural treatments consisted of 3 sites
receiving even-age harvests (clear-cut and shelterwood), 3 sites receiving uneven-age
harvests (single and group tree removal), and 3 sites with no harvests (control).
Cerulean Warbler relative abundance increased in even-age harvest and control sites inpost-treatment years. Cerulean Warbler relative abundance decreased in uneven-age
harvest sites during the two years post-treatment but has since recovered to
pre-treatment levels. Territory size did not change significantly between pre- andpost-treatment years. Reproductive monitoring since 2011 suggested that reproductive
success did not differ significantly between even-age and uneven-age sites.
Reproductive success was markedly higher at control sites; however, results areinconclusive due to the small sample size. Continued monitoring of relative
abundance and reproductive output at our study sites is needed to assess long-term
response to forest treatments and to account for inter-year variation.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo32 Species conservation

o32-2

Conservation and restoration of tern colonies in North America
D.D. Roby 1, D.E. Lyons 2, Y. Suzuki 2, S. Collar 2, K. Collis 3, and S.W. Kress4
1

U.S. Geological Survey-Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Oregon
State University, Corvallis, Oregon USA
2
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon USA
3
Real Time Research, Bend, Oregon USA
4
National Audubon Society, Seabird Restoration Program, Ithaca, New York USA
Email: daniel.roby@oregonstate.edu
Populations of colonial seabirds, especially terns (Sterninae), are limited by availabilityof suitable breeding sites. Human disturbance, introduced mammalian predators, andanthropogenic habitat change contribute to reductions in tern nesting habitat. We
monitored attempts to restore breeding colonies of Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia)
in western North America by providing suitable nesting habitat on islands and attracting
terns to nest. The overall goal of this and other tern restoration projects in North America
is to provide a network of suitable colony sites for terns to chose from in order to growtern populations and conserve these populations over the long-term in the face ofstochastic events. Without an extensive network of suitable colony sites, local
catastrophic events can have severe impacts on tern populations. We used a 4-stepprocess pioneered by S. Kress to establish new breeding colonies of Caspian terns onespecially constructed or managed islands: (1) provide suitable nesting substrate, (2)install social attraction (tern decoys and audio playback of vocalizations), (3) closely
monitor the new colony site to identify impediments to colony formation, and (4) remove
predators if they limit the new colony. Social attraction techniques resulted in Caspiantern breeding colonies forming on 12 of 14 newly-created colony sites in the firstbreeding season. The primary threats to these new tern colonies were predators (avian
and mammalian), competitors for nesting habitat (mostly gulls Larus spp.), humandisturbance, and collapse of the food supply. Mark-resighting studies indicated that
Caspian terns from well-established colonies quickly found the new colony sites > 500
km distant, recruited as breeders, and moved among the new colony sites, depending on
local nesting and foraging conditions. This approach is now being tried in the East China
Sea to restore tern populations, in particular that of the critically endangered Chinese
crested tern (Thalasseus bernsteini).

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo32 Species conservation

o32-3

Threats to Lilian’s Lovebird Agapornis lilianae in Malawi: disease,predators & waterhole poisoning
T.I Mzumara, M.R. Perrin and C. Downs
1

School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Pietermaritzburg,

South Africa, Email: birdsmalawi@gmail.com
The Lilian’s Lovebird Agapornis lilianae is a small parrot and specialist of Mopane
Colophospermum mopane woodlands. Its distribution is scattered across Zambia,
Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and along the Shire River in southern Malawi. We
investigated the prevalence of the Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease Virus (PBFDV)
in wild populations of Lilian’s Lovebirds in Liwonde National Park (LNP), Malawi. In
addition, the lovebird’s natural predators during the breeding season were monitored
using camera traps at nest cavities in LNP. The potential threat to Lilian’s Lovebirds as
non-target victims of illegal hunters poisoning natural waterholes to catch mammals
was also investigated. All lovebirds sampled tested negative for the PBFDV. Only one
snake species, the green mamba Dendroaspis angusticeps, was confirmed to prey on
Lilian’s Lovebird eggs. However other potential predators such as the Green
Wood-hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus and the European Honey Buzzard Pernis
apivorus were recorded at nest cavities. An average of four poisoning incidents
occurred in the park every year of which at least one caused Lilian’s Lovebird
mortalities. Poisoning incidents occur from as early as February through to November.
Lilian’s Lovebirds are more vulnerable to poisoning in the dry season because theycongregate at waterholes with flock sizes of up to 100 individuals. Evidence of captureof these lovebirds for the illegal pet trade was not found during our study. Consequently,of the three potential threats to Lilian’s Lovebird population in LNP, waterhole
poisoning is the current major threat. There is a need for increasing law-enforcement
patrols to prevent this lethal activity in LNP.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo32 Species conservation

o32-4

Determination of the nutrient requirements of kiwi (Apteryx spp.): a modelfor the development of synthetic diets for captive-held species
M.A. Potter 1, C.J. Minson 1 and R.G. Lentle 2
1

Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222,
Palmerston North, New Zealand2
Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222,
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Email: m.potter@massey.ac.nz
Rearing kiwi (Apteryx spp.) in captivity is important for education, conservation advocacy,
and for supplementation and re-establishment of wild populations, but adult captive kiwi
suffer higher mortality, have lower fertility rates, and produce smaller eggs than their wild
counterparts. Nutrient deficiencies in captive diets have been implicated in this. We
undertook a systematic evaluation of the nutrient composition of captive diets and the diets ofwild kiwi in order to develop a balanced synthetic diet comprised of readily-available
ingredients. There were substantive differences in the macro- and micro-nutrient contents ofcaptive (n = 7 facilities) and wild diets. Determining the fatty acid composition of depot fat ofwild kiwi proved not to be helpful in clarifying the diet of wild kiwi. Analysis of the nutrient
compositions of food items that are frequently consumed by wild kiwi but for which no
published nutrient composition data exist did, however, refine our assessment of the nutrient
intake of wild kiwi. Using these values and knowledge of the occurrence of these items in thediet of wild kiwi, we calculated mathematically the nutrient composition of a wild diet. We
then synthesised a near-wild diet by combining food items known to be consumed by kiwi inamounts proportional to their published intake, assessed its nutrient composition to ensurethat it was close to our predicted composition, and determined its apparent digestibility.
Finally, we synthesised an artificial diet based on our refined assessment of the nutrient
composition of the wild diet, and compared the apparent digestibility of the synthesised dietwith that of the near-wild diet. We will discuss the application of this approach to othercaptive-held species, and the implications for animal welfare, husbandry, and conservation.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyoo32 Species conservation

o32-5

Factors affecting Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrow reproductive successin New York City, NY, USA: implications for tidal marsh
management action plans in urban areas.
A.R. Kocek 1 and J.B. Cohen 1
1

Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, SUNY College of Environmental

Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA
Email: arkocek@syr.edu
Sea level rise and anthropogenic factors have accelerated tidal salt marsh loss along theeastern seaboard of the United States. Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrows (Ammodramus
caudacutus, Ammodramus maritimus), tidal marsh obligate-breeding species, havemirrored this decline. Marsh characteristics that support the reproductive success of these
sparrows must be identified to inform marsh restoration plans that may benefit nesting
populations of these sparrows. New York City has on-going salt marsh restoration
projects which seek to support these imperiled birds. In 2012 and 2013 we surveyed 4
marshes in the NYC area with breeding Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrows. At each site, we
performed twice-weekly grid-searches for nests as well as opportunistic nest searching
using adult behavioral clues. Each nest was followed to completion and the fate of all
individuals within the nest was monitored. Tidal influx within each nest was obtained byuse of iButtons placed in the bottom of each nest and vegetation characteristics
immediately surrounding each nest site were recorded. Using a logistic exposure nest
survival model, we found that Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrow nest survival in NYC isaffected by site, stage (chick versus egg), and vegetation variables. Chick survival models
are pending further analysis but appear to follow similar trends. Explanations for theoutcomes of these survival models and implications for restoration plans in New York
City will be discussed.

157

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

Poster Presentation Abstracts

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-001

The use and relative importance of intra- and interspecific social
information in a guild of cavity-nesting birds
T. Jaakkonen 1, S.M. Kivelä, 1,2, C.M. Meier, 3 and J.T. Forsman 1
1

Department of Biology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Sweden
3
Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
Email: tuomo.jaakkonen@live.com
2

Social information use is a widespread strategy in the animal kingdom and it affects
many important behaviours. Cavity-nesting birds are excellent model organisms forstudying social information use in natural settings. Great and Blue Tits (Parus major,
Cyanistes caeruleus) use conspecific cues in their breeding site choices. Early breeding
resident tits are excellent social information sources for migratory Collared Flycatchers(Ficedula albicollis). Flycatchers have been shown to use both con- and heterospecificcues in their breeding site choices in separate studies. Previous research has ignored themultiple sources of social information. In this study wild birds were faced withconflicting social information from con- and heterospecifics. Thus, we were able toassess the relative importance of intra- and interspecific social information. Our results
demonstrate that flycatchers prefer intra- and interspecific cues in different situations
when both cues are available. In Great Tits conspecific copying is frequent in old males.
Individuals usually live in multi-species communities amidst a continuous information
flow from con- and heterospecifics, thus our results bring research on social informationuse closer to natural conditions.

126th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-002

Genetic background of social interactions in a Siberian population of Pied
Flycatcher
V.G. Grinkov 1, A. Bauer 2, H. Sternberg 3 and M. Wink 2
1

Evolutionary Biology Department, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University,
Moscow, Russia
2
Institute of Pharmacy & Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University,
D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
3
OAG f. Populationsforschung Braunschweig, D-38104 Braunschweig, Germany
Email: v.grinkov@gmail.com
On the basis of DNA analyses, we present here evidence for various social and mating relationships
among Pied Flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) in western Siberia. In 2005, we collected blood
samples from all birds breeding in large study plots. In total 1969 blood samples were taken (250nests, 485 adults, 1484 nestlings). For every DNA sample eight microsatellite loci (FHY336,
FHY403, FHY427, FHY452, FHU1, FHU2, FHU3, FHU5c) were amplified by two multiplexPCRs (Set FHY, Set FHU) and analysed by capillary electrophoresis (MegaBACE). 154 families(61.6 percent) were socially and genetically monogamous (every nestling in the brood was sired by
the brood-rearing adults at the nest). In the rest of the families, we found evidence for a great
variation of social and genetic interactions between birds. Males and females can copulate withmore than one partner. Males can attract more than one female and sometimes do not feed nestlings
or sometimes feed them in more than one brood (polygynous males which rear nestlings in a second
brood). Males can adopt other (not genetically related) nestlings and participate in their rearing.
Males can help other pairs of flycatchers to feed the nestlings. Females can adopt another clutch at
the incubation stage. Females can lay eggs that were fathered by more than one male. Females canlay eggs in the nests of other pairs (egg dumping). In the studied population, 79.1 percent (1174) ofnestlings were reared by their genetic parents, 12.1 percent (179) of nestlings were reared by their
genetic mother and social father, 5.9 percent (87) of nestlings were reared by their genetic father
and a social mother, and 2.9 percent (44) of nestlings were reared by social but genetically unrelatedparents. Our study shows that almost all possible social and genetic interactions exist in a sociallymonogamous species.

2

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-003

Cooperative breeding as an adaptive response to habitat
fragmentation?
D. Van de Loock 1,2 , L. De Neve 1,2 , L. Lens 1
1

Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Belgium
Ornithology Department, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
Email: dries.vandeloock@ugent.be2

Empirical evidence is growing that human-induced environmental changes, such as
habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation, impose novel selective pressures on
populations of plants and animals. In facultative cooperative breeding species, thechoice to forgo breeding independently and help relatives with raising their brood, isoften linked to environmental constraints, such as habitat saturation or increased
dispersal costs. However, whether cooperative breeders differ in sensitivity to habitat
disturbance from non-cooperative species, and to what extent this plastic reproductive
strategy might act as an adaptive response to environmental stress, is still poorly
understood. Recent observations and video-recordings in a severely-fragmented cloudforest archipelago in SE Kenya (Taita Hills) revealed that a higher proportion of pairsof the forest-dependent Cabanis’s greenbul (Phyllastrephus cabanisi) were assisted byat least one helper when breeding in small disturbed fragments compared to larger andmore intact ones. This pattern suggests that cooperative breeding behaviour might
help to overcome adverse fitness effects of habitat fragmentation. Here we present a
novel field protocol that will allow us to rapidly assess whether helpers are present ina number of larger forest blocks that vary in quality, size and isolation across theEastern Arc Mountains of Kenya and Tanzania. Ultimately, this will allow us to better
understand the biogeography of cooperative breeding and test the hypothesis thatfacultative reproductive strategies, such as cooperative breeding, may comprise
adaptive responses to anthropogenic stressors.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-004

Characteristic factors of loose colonies of common kestrels (Falco
tinnunculus) in Japan
K. Motomura 1,2, E. Tokida 2
1

Nakano City Museum, Nakano, Japan
Jusan-gake kestrels Conservation Group, Nakano, Japan
Email: motomura-ken@city.nakano.nagano.jp
2

Common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) usually breed in solitary nesting sites. In Japan,
however, common kestrels often breed in loose colonies of 2-20 pairs.
Nearest-neighbour distances among pairs in colonies are 4-202 m. We found thefollowing four characteristics common to loose colonies of common kestrels in Japan.
First, nest sites were found on rock faces and buildings. Second, nest sites were locatednear rivers and far from rice fields, their foraging areas. Third, territory size waspositively related to the size of a favourable foraging area near nesting sites, and waslimited by the availability of nest sites near rivers. Fourth, nest sites on rock faces andbuildings were large. Large grasslands were also suitable foraging areas for kestrels
nesting in loose colonies. Therefore, we suggest that colonies are located in areas thatminimize the risk of nest predation. However, the formation of loose colonies might not
be related to nest site limitation due to their location in rock faces and buildings nearrivers. It is possible that the formation of loose colonies is indirectly related to territory
size and to favourable foraging areas. These results suggest that the locations of loose
colonies of common kestrels in Japan are influenced by several factors.

4

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-005

Is the Asian Stubtail a cooperative breeder?
Masayoshi Kamioki 1, Noritomo Kawaji 2, Keisuke Ueda 1
1. Department of Life Sciences, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
2. Graduate School of Dairy Science, Rakuno Gakuen University, Sapporo, Japan
Email: m.kamioki@rikkyo.ac.jp
The Asian Stubtail Urosphena squameiceps is a small (ca. 10 cm) ground-nesting
species of warbler, which breeds around Japan and over-winters in Southeast Asia.
Although this species is socially monogamous, up to two extra-pair males are frequently
seen at nests during the nestling stage. The extra-pair males rarely help the pair, but they
spend their time at the nest looking at nestlings, singing, and resting all day. They often
follow the parents around the nest when they leave the nest to forage. Both members of
the pair tolerate the male and he does not behave aggressively towards the parents.
Parentage analysis showed that the extra pair males were not genetically associated withthe pairs and offspring. A possibility is that extra-pair males visit neighbors to seek EPC
or to increase their probabilities of pairing with the social female in subsequent breedingattempts in the event of her nest failure or if she breeds for a second time. Further
studies are needed to elucidate the adaptive significance of this behavior.

526th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-006

Correlations among territorial management, nesting cycle, territorial conflicts,
territory size and reproductive success of a tropical bird, the Pied Bush Chat
(Saxicola caprata)

D. Bhatt, N. Dadwal, V.K. Sethi and A. kumar
Avian diversity and Bioacoustics Laboratory, Department of Zoology and Environmental
Science, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, 249404 , Uttarakhand, India
E-mails: navjeevan.dadwal@gmail.com, dineshharidwar@gmail.com
A study was carried out in order to understand the relationship, if any, among territorial
management (i.e. temporal changes in territory size), nesting cycle, territorial conflicts, territory
size and reproductive success in a tropical bird, the Pied Bush Chat (Saxicola caprata). The
correlations were examined between territorial management vs. nesting cycle, nesting cycle vs.
territorial conflicts and territorial size vs. reproductive success. We studied 10 different males
from various sites of district Haridwar of Uttarakhand near the foothills of western Himalayas innorthern India (29º 55´ N; 78º 8´ E). The results reflected a constant decrease between the initial
territory size and the final territory size with the advancement in the phases of their nesting cycle.
In our model the number of territorial conflicts was also found to decrease during progression of
their nesting cycle. The larger territory size is generally considered as a positive source ofvariance in avian reproductive success. However in the present study we found no significant
impacts of larger territories on the reproductive success of Pied Bush Chat. The availability offood appears to be a key factor which determines the chances of avian reproductive success. In
our study area the availability of food was not emphasized much as the habitats possessed
abundant sources of food for each male studied.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-007

First formation of colonies of the Great Crested Grebe in Japan
Shota Nakahama and Yuji Sawara
Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University
Email: nakahama1915@gmail.com
The Great Crested Grebe is a piscivorous bird, and widely distributed in northernEurasia. It was a rather uncommon winter bird in Japan until 1970s. However, after the
first discovery of its breeding in eastern Aomori Prefecture, it has been spreading its
breeding area in Japan, including the western part of Aomori Prefecture. This bird isusually a solitary, territorial breeder. However, in 2012, we found two small colonies of
the Great Crested Grebe in emerged plant zones at a river mouth in western Aomori
Prefecture. One of the colonies was eventually abandoned probably due to water level
fluctuation. At least some chicks fledged in the other colony, but the breeding successdid not seem to be high. The causes for establishing colonies at locations where
breeding conditions were seemingly poor will be discussed in relation to limitation of
emergent plants, wave action and water level fluctuation, and available fish fauna.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-008

Spatio-temporal evaluation of Spizella wortheni territories in the Mexican
Plateau.
C. Y. Zúñiga-Vázquez1, L. M. Scott-Morales1, E. Estrada-Castillón2 and M. Cotera-Correa1.
1. Laboratory of Ornithology, Forestry Faculty of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo
León, México.
2. Herbarium, Forestry Faculty of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, México.
E-mail: laura.scottmr@uanl.edu.mx
Spizella wortheni is a territorial sparrow with restricted distribution inhabiting short arid
grassland and xeric bushes in the south Plateau of the Chihuahuan desert. Previous studies
have demonstrated that S. wortheni breeds in a varied habitat across the Mexican Plateau
being flexible to changes in vegetation composition and altitude. In our observations on
territory establishment of this species, we detected a variation in territory size between
individuals inside the same breeding site, in creosote bush in Nuevo León, and Coahuila. In
the years 2012 and 2013 we evaluated 31 territories in four breeding sites with different
vegetation composition in Coahuila and San Luis Potosí states. Though territory sizes
clearly tended to differ between sites in Luis Potosí for the year 2012 ( : 0.73 and 0.38)
and two sites in Coahuila and one in San Luis Potosí in the year 2013 ( 0.13 and 0.15 in
Coahuila and 0.37 in San Luis Potosí) it was not possible to confirm such tendencies
statistically. The effect of strong variation and small sample size can be responsible for the
results. We found a strong negative relation between vegetation cover and territory size forall sites. Since there is no other study about variation in territory size in S. wortheni, ourstudy shows the flexibility of the species in response to the availability of resources likevegetation cover, and surely to other environmental variables not considered here. The
absence in 2012 from some well known breeding sites in Coahuila, seems to confirm theresponse of the species to unfavourable climate (drought).

8

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-009

Seasonal changes in plasma levels of sex hormones in a promiscuous
bird: the greater rhea (Rhea americana)
D. J. Valdez 1*, M. Vera Cortez 1, N.S. Della Costa 1, A. Lèche1, C. Hansen 2, J.L.
Navarro 1, M.B. Martella1.
1 Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET and Centro de
Zoología Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina.
2 Laboratorio de Análisis Clínicos Especializados (LACE), Córdoba, Argentina*Email: dvaldez@efn.uncor.edu
The greater rhea (Rhea americana) is a ratite species native to South America that
reproduces seasonally and has a complex and "promiscuous" mating system. For thatreason, this study is aimed at analyzing the endocrine basis of reproduction in greaterrheas and its relation to theirmating system. We used HPLC andelectrochemiluminescence techniques to identify and measure plasmatic testosterone
and estradiol levels in 21 breeding adults (6 males and 15 females) and 10 greater rhea
chicks (5 males and 5 females) as a control, bred in captivity at an experimental farm in
Córdoba Zoo, Argentina. Our results show that the sex hormones testosterone andestradiol fluctuate throughout the year in adult males and females, respectively. Lower
levels of these hormones were observed during the non-reproductive season (February
to July), whereas maxima were reached in September for males and NovemberDecember for females. By contrast, male and female rhea chicks had constant levels ofsex hormones, which indicate that there is no seasonal control on gonadal function due
to their sexual immaturity. As expected for species with a promiscuous mating system
and male parental care, the high testosterone levels exhibited during incubation did notinhibit parental behavior in males, while high estradiol levels in females would beneeded to maintain egg-laying behavior during the reproductive season.

9

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-010Extra-pair copulations in two species of reed warblers: Blyth’s reed warbler(Acrocephalus dumetorum) and the large-billed reed warbler (A. orinus)
J. Poznyakova1, P. Kvartalnov1, M. Belokon2, A. Grabovskiy3, V. Samotskaya1, and A.
Abdulnazarov4
1

Vertebrate Zoology Dpt., Bilogy Fac., Lomonosov Moscow State University, Biology Faculty,
Leninskiye Gory, 119991, Moscow, Russia; y.poznyakova@mail.ru, cettia@mail.ru
2
Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, 3 Gubkina str., 119991 Moscow, Russia
3
Zoology and Ecology Dpt., Biology and Chemistry Fac., Moscow State Pedagogical
University, 6 Kibalchich str., Moscow, 129164, Russia
4Pamir Biological Institute, Khorog, 736002, Tajikistan
Acrocephaline warblers show a diverse range of mating systems including monogamy,
polygamy and promiscuity. Extra-pair copulations (EPCs) have been documented in several
reed warbler species. We determined frequencies of EPCs in local populations of two closely
related, socially monogamous species: Blyth's reed warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum) and thelarge-billed reed warbler (A. orinus). Data were collected in the Unzha river valley, Kostroma
Region, Russia (May–July 2009) and in the Ghund river valley, Gorny Badakhshan
Autonomous Region, Tajikistan (June–July 2012). Genetic analyses were performed on five
microsatellite loci (136 samples from A. orinus [52 adults and 84 chicks] and 140 samples from
A. dumetorum [54 adult and 86 chicks]). We documented extra-pair offspring in both
populations; however, Fisher’s exact tests revealed significant differences in EPC rate between
the two species (P<0.05). The rate of EPC was significantly higher in A. dumetorum than in A.
orinus. This result is consistent with low genetic diversity observed in the local population of A.
orinus. The study was supported by the Russian Fund for Basic Research and the Rufford Small
Grants Foundation.

10

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-011Extra-pair males are similar with social males in House Sparrows (Passer
domesticus), but just older
Yu-Hsun Hsu1, Julia Schroeder2, Terry Burke3, Shinichi Nakagawa1
1

Department of Zoology, University of Otago, New Zealand
Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
3
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
Email: yuhsunhsu@gmail.com
2

In socially monogamous but genetically polyandrous bird species, females can obtain only
indirect genetic benefits from their extra-pair mates. Also, females may suffer direct costs
because social mates reduce paternal care when paternity is uncertain due to female extra-pairmating. Therefore, females are expected to choose extra-pair mates that can maximize their
indirect genetic benefits, compensating any potential costs. According to the genetic
compatibility hypothesis, females are predicted to mate with genetically less similar extra-pairmales than their social males in order to produce extra-pair offspring with high heterozygosity.
Alternatively, the good genes hypothesis posits that females would prefer extra-pair males withtraits indicating high genetic quality, which can be passed on to the offspring. Such male traits
may be body size, secondary sexual characters or age. We used a complete pedigreed dataset,collected over 12 years from an isolated population of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) toinvestigate whether extra-pair males are either phenotypically or genetically different from thesocial males of given focal females. In accordance with the good genes hypothesis, we show thatextra-pair males are older than social males. However, contrary to the prediction of the geneticcompatibility hypothesis, the genetic distance between a given female and both of her extra-pairand social males are similar. Further, extra-pair and social males show little differences in theirbody size (measured as tarsus length, beak length, wing length, tail length and weight) andsecondary sexual characteristics (badge size and mask size), which is contrary to expectations
from the good genes hypothesis. We conclude that female choice for extra-pair mating isprobably based on neither morphological nor genetic differences between social and extra-pairmales. However, the observed ‘older’ age effect, which has been shown in many bird species,
warrants further investigation.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-012

Why do extra-pair copulations occur in the Northern Goshawk,
Accipiter gentilis?
Manabu Abe
Raptor Research Organization Japan(Raptor Japan)
raptor_abe@mac.com
Several studies have reported extra-pair copulations (EPCs) in raptors (Sodhi 1991,
Birkhead, et al. 1992, Negro et al. 1996). Gavin et al. (1988) captured 103 adult
Goshawks and 122 nestlings from 64 nests in Arizona, US, and revealed theoccurrence of EPC using allozyme analysis. Rutz (2005) attached radio-transmittersto three breeding males in Hamburg, Germany, and concluded that EPCs involved
intruding males. I attached Solar Argos/GPS Platform Transmitter Terminals to 16
Northern Goshawks (5 males and 11 females) in Japan and satellite tracked the birds.
I observed that the females migrated to their wintering grounds that were on average
193.3 km away, after their nestlings had fledged. The males, on the other hand,stayed in their territories throughout the year. On the basis of my results, I formulated
the following three scenarios: (1) EPCs occur as a result of female goshawks
migrating to their wintering grounds; females return to their previous year’s nests
every year migrating through the territories of a range of males providing the females
an opportunity to copulate. (2) When a female returns to the previous year’s nest if
frequently happens that the nest has been occupied by another female, after whichfights may occur. The winner can stay in the nest, and the losing female has anopportunity to copulate with the territory holder during this period. (3) The loser
moves to the territory of another male, and this gives her an opportunity to copulate.
Satellite tracking showed that from year to year females frequently changed theirnests, with one individual changing nests three times within five years, anotherchanging nests two times within three-years, and two cases where females changed
twice within two-years. I also observed that males frequently tolerated females that
intruded and stayed in their territories.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-013

Behavioral analysis of dance in the red-crowned crane:
a test of the pair bond hypothesis
Kohei Takeda1, Hisashi Ohtsuki1, Mariko Hasegawa1, Nobuyuki Kutsukake1
1

Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for
Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
Email: takeda_kohei@soken.ac.jp
A coordinated mutual display (i.e., pair dance) is often seen in monogamous birds, but
its structure and function remain little studied. The structure of dance can be complex as
its sequences vary both within an individual and within a pair. Although several studies
described behavioral elements of dance structure, quantitative analyses are rare. We
investigated characteristics of dances in the Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) inJapan and tested the hypothesis that pair dances function as signals to maintain pairbonds. We tested four predictions based on this hypothesis. 1) Pair dances may have astructured sequence. 2) Pair dances should be more complex and coordinated thansub-adult dances. 3) As the breeding season approaches, pair dances will be elaborated.
4) Complexity and synchrony of pair dances may positively correlate to both previous
and future reproductive success between pairs. We measured duration, behavioral
elements, and complexity of each dance bout, and analyzed the behavioral sequences.
We made a range of key observations in relation to the four predictions. 1) Sequential
analysis clarified that specific rules exist in a pair dance. 2a) Three behaviouralelements that played key roles in pair dances were only infrequently observed in
sub-adult dances. 2b) Pair (especially male) dances were more complex than sub-adult
dances. 2c) Pair dances were more coordinated and structured than sub-adult dances. 3)
The duration of each dance increased as the breeding season approached. 4) Pairs thatsucceeded reproduction in the last breeding season danced longer than ones that failed
in reproduction. All results supported our predictions and were consistent with our
hypothesis. These results suggest that the order and synchrony of behavioral elements
may function as signals within a pair. Our study has broad implication for theunderstanding of mutual communication in birds.

13

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-014Extra-pair young in nests of the Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus
sibilatrix) in the Middle Russia
Moskalenko¹ V.N., Belokon2 M.M., Belokon2 Y.S., Goretskaia¹ M.I.
1

Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Laboratory of Population Genetics, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics RAS,
Moscow, Russia
Email: vik.n.mos@gmail.com

2

In passerine birds extra-pair copulations (EPCs) are widespread (50-60%) (Rosivall etal, 2009). EPCs are generally beneficial for males because they increase the number ofsired offspring; females may probably participate in extra-pair copulation to increase
genetic variability of the offspring. Frequency of extra-pair young (EPY) can vary fromzero percent, as in the Fulmar (Fulmurus gkuciulisto) to 76 % in the Superb Fairy-wren(Mulurus cyuneus) (Fridolffson et al, 1997). Furthermore, the number of EPY candiffer among populations of the same species, as in the Norwegian and Swedish
populations of the Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) where 4% and 24% ofoffspring are EPY, respectively (Gelter and Tegelstrom, 1992). In a Swedish populationof Wood Warbler a low level of EPY was shown (Gyllensten et al, 1990). These data
are in contrast with findings in related species like the Dusky Warbler Ph. fuscatus or
the Willow Warbler Ph. trochilus, which have a considerably higher level ofillegitimate offspring. We have assessed paternity in a population of Wood Warbler inthe Middle Russia by using 7 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Blood samples for the
analysis were taken from both parents and offspring in 20 nests. EPY were found in as
many as 11 nests. We showed that 32 of 113 young (28%) were not related to the social
father, and that 55% of the nests contained at least one EPY. In one nest the social
father did not have his own young at all. Radio transmitters were also used to track bird
flights which allowed us to estimate the maximum flight distance from the nest andmale movements during parental care; the thus observed behavior correlated with the
EPY proportions.

1426th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-015

The red beak is a condition-dependent indicator in the Himalayan
Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus nigerrimus)
Hsin-Yi Hung1, Shou-Hsien Li1
1

Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
Email: yuhinahung@gmail.com

Carotenoid pigmentation is now known to be one of the most frequent mechanisms
for coloration of sexually selected ornaments, and is also correlated with individual’s
physical condition. Animals can not synthesize carotenoids by themselves; they haveto obtain from the diets. Carotenoids could affect multiple physiologies at the sametime, therefore, how individuals rearrange the distribution of carotenoids among
different physiologies under different physical stress (like molting), could affectfitness of an individual. Studies showed that individuals containing higher carotenoids
had redder or brighter ornamentation, and also had higher immunocompetence,competitive ability and better hunting skill; these individuals also could have better
quality of territories and parental care. However, with additional studies, researchers
found out that carotenoids might play different roles in different species. In order tore-examine that, we used Himalayan Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus
nigerrimus) to test if the coloration of red beaks could reflect an individuals’ physicalcondition. These birds were covered with black plumage; it made their red beak very
obvious to each other. We randomly divided the birds into four groups by twotreatments: carotenoid-supplemented and plucked treatments. We measured if
immunocompetence (phytohaemagglutinin assay) and oxidative stress (heterophill/
lymorcite ratio) of an individual would be correlated with the beak coloration after
molting. Results showed that in the no-carotenoid supplemented group, the birds had
paler beaks and the immunocompetence was lower, the oxidative stress was higher inplucked groups. In the carotenoids supplemented groups, the birds had redder beaks,
but there were no differences of immunocompetence and oxidative stress between
plucked and unplucked groups. Our data also showed a significant positive correlation
between imunocompetence and beak coloration, a significant negative correlation
between oxidative stress and beak coloration. Our results suggested that red beaks arereliable signals of physical condition in the Himalayan Black Bulbul, and might play
important roles in quality assessment of individuals, like mate choice or aggression
behavior decision.

15

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-016

Female mate preference for multiple male ornaments and territory
quality in Barn Swallows
M. Hasegawa 1, E. Arai 2, M. Watanabe1 and M. Nakamura 2
1

Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Department of Biology, Joetsu University of Education, Niigata, Japan
Email: perorobomusadiobe@gmail.com
2

The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is a model species for the studies of sexual
selection and female mate preference. Using this species, European and North American
researchers have clarified several important aspects of sexual selection, e.g. extra-pairpaternity. However, until recently, no one has shown “how multiple ornaments havebeen evolved and are maintained”, “the relative importance of territory and maleornaments”, “how territory affects sexual selection on male ornaments”, “how themultiple ornaments vary among populations and its predictability”, even in this model
species. Here, we present new insights obtained from Japanese Barn Swallows, H. r.
gutturalis. We show how multiple male ornaments are maintained in populations, andhow territory contributes to the evolution and maintenance of multiple ornaments, howvariation in multiple ornaments can be evolved and maintained within and among
populations. These insights have been obtained from a study with 7 years of fieldobservation. We discuss these insights together with previous contributions from
European and North American studies to clarify the evolution of female mate preference
and male phenotypes.

16

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-017Extra-pair mating in the Barn Swallow in East Asia
1*

A. Sugawara, 1**A. Asai, 2A. Matsuda, 3W. Kitamura, 4N. Yamaguchi and 5H. Higuchi

1. Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan* current address; Keimei Gakuen Junior and Senior High School, Japan**current address; Chodai Co., Ltd., Japan
2. Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
3. Faculty of Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University, Japan
4. Graduate School of Fisheries Science and Environmental Studies, Nagasaki
University, Japan
5. Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, SFC, Japan
Email: n091422@gmail.com
The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is a socially monogamous passerine that has an
extra-pair paternity rate of approximately 30%. Recent studies have suggested thatfemales actively pursue extra-pair copulation (EPC) to gain indirect benefits, andfemales paired with low quality males have a higher tendency to do so. However, thetraits females use to evaluate the quality of males are not well understood, especially in
the East Asian subspecies of Barn Swallows. To achieve EPC, females must escapemate-guarding by males, so the frequency of flights initiated by females away from theirmate was recorded to represent female motivation to seek EPC. To test whether there isa male counter adaptation to EPC-seeking behavior in females, we investigated whether
males would decrease provisioning of young in their own nests in order to reduce thecost of raising unrelated offspring. We found that female Barn Swallows that werepaired with males that had a relatively small throat patch were more likely to fly out of
their presence during mate guard. We suggest that throat patch size is a sexually selectedsignal in this subspecies, and females assess male quality according to this trait. We also
found that male Barn Swallows reduce parental care in response to females that pursue
EPC, suggesting that males use female evasions from mate-guard as a cue to assess thepaternity of their nest.

17

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-018

Repeated recaptures and body mass changes in Japanese White-eyes:
Reinforcement against or desensitization of risk perception?
Hyun-Young Nam1, Chang-Yong Choi1,2 and Young-Soo Kwon1
1

Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service,

Republic of Korea
2

Lab of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul National

University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Email: stern0223@gmail.com
Birds perceive capture and handling by human researchers as a risk; thus a released
individual may decrease its body mass to avoid being captured again or may increase it tocompensate the interrupted foraging time. Then, how do they perceive captures and adjust
their response strategies if they are recaptured several times? Frequent recaptures may
reinforce risk perception leading to a more effective response, or alternatively birds may
become accustomed to the risks and be desensitized. We collected information on dates of
captures and body mass of Japanese White-eyes (Zosterops japonicus) in a constant-effort
banding station on Heuksan-do Island (SW Korea) in 2010 and 2012. Out of 1,218
individuals captured, 787 recaptures were recorded. We classified the recapture records into
four groups according to the number of previous recapture experiences of each individual,
from first to fourth recaptures. The body mass of the white-eyes was steeply reduced justafter the capture and showed an increasing pattern in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd recapture groups, but
no significant change in the body mass was found in the 4th recapture group. We also foundthat the change in body mass between captures tended to decrease when the number ofrecaptures increased. Our results suggest that the Japanese White-eyes in the study site
perceive captures by researchers as a predation risk, rather than a foraging interruption, andthe perception of the risk tends to be desensitized as they experience recaptures repeatedly. It
is well known that changes in body mass affect survival of birds. Although our results
showed that frequent recaptures did not have a proportional effect to the ecology of thestudied population, a careful approach is still needed in the analysis of body mass change in a
population with a high recapture rate.

18

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-019

Does the concealing posture in Collared Scops Owl (Otus lettia) have amasquerading function?
H.C. Chen1 and Y.H. Sun1
1
Institute of Wildlife Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science &Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
Email: papaharvy@gmail.com

Researchers have found that owls may change their body shape from oval to tall andslender while sensing danger. It was hypothesized that the change in body shape would
help them avoid attack from predator or mobbing from small birds, yet it has not beentested. We tested the functions of such behavior in the Collared Scops Owls (Otus lettia)
using two types of specimens, oval and tall/slender, on the campus of Pingtung
University of Science and Technology and a nearby forest plantation in Taiwan. A totalof 82 persons were asked to search one of the specimens in trees in six minutes. Whentesting for detection by prey, we exposed the two forms of specimens alternately at eachsite and recorded any mobbing behavior using an event data recorder. We found thathuman testers spent more time looking for the elongated specimen than for the
non-elongated one. More people misidentified the elongated specimen as a branch than
the non-elongated one. The number of mobbing event directed at the specimens was
significantly lower for the elongated specimen than for the non-elongated one. We also
found birds spending more time searching for the elongated specimen than for the
non-elongated one. Chinese Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) is the species which showed
the highest mobbing frequency among the 12 species of birds participating in mobbing.

19

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-020

Exploring morphological characteristics of two Cuculus species withdifferent patterns of host use
Hee-Jin Noh, Jin-Won Lee and Jeong-Chil Yoo
Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, Korea
Email: heejin891@nate.com
Cuckoo (Cuculus) species are famous for exploiting the parental care of other species,
namely the host, as they dump their eggs in the host’s nest. Natural selection acting on these
two interacting species causes a coevolutionary arms race between them, which often gives
rise to host-specific races within Cuculus species. As a result, each cuckoo chick reared bydifferent host species may experience different environments with respect to food quality andquantity brought by host parents and the physical condition around host nests, etc. These
environmental conditions in the early developmental stages of cuckoo chicks may play asignificant role in determining physical characteristics when individuals reach adulthood,often leading to different fitness consequences. Furthermore, selection may also act directly
but differently on the morphology of adult cuckoos according to respective host species withdifferent nesting environments. Therefore, it is highly likely that adult cuckoos may exhibit
morphological differentiation according to the host species on which they specialize. We
collected the detailed morphological information from adults of two Cuculus species, theCommon Cuckoo (C. canorus) and the Lesser Cuckoo (C. poliocephalus), which werecompared according to host species, sex, region and their interaction. We will discuss theadaptive significance of morphological features of adult cuckoos in relation to broodparasitism and its potential for being used as a cue to facilitate host-specific assortative
mating in Cuculus species.

20

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-021

Effects of brood parasitism by the Asian Koel (Eudymayms scolopacea) on thebreeding success of the House Crow (Corvus splendens)
V. K. Sethi, D. C. Bhatt and A. Kumar
Department of Zoology & Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar,
Uttarakhand, India
E-mails: vinayaksethi@yahoo.co.in, dineshharidwar@gmail.com

Instead of constructing nests, brood parasitic avian species deposit their eggs in the nests of one
or more host species. The host then provides all parental care for the parasitic egg and nestling.
This breeding strategy of the brood parasitic species has been proposed to lower the host fitness.
However, despite the adaptive and evolutionary significance of this behavioural aspect, suchstudies are almost negligible from India. We studied the effect of brood parasitism by the Asian
Koel (Eudymayms scolopacea) on the breeding success of the House Crow (Corvus splendens)
in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. The unparasitised Crow nests had significantly larger clutch
sizes than the parasitised nests, most likely as a result of host egg removal by the Koel. Similarly,
other breeding parameters such as the mean number of Crow eggs that hatched, mean number of
Crow chicks that fledged, hatching success and breeding success of the Crow were also foundsignificantly lower in parasitised nests than unparasitised nests. Koel nestlings did not eject theeggs or the nestlings of Crows from the nests and thus nestlings of both species were raised
together. Adult Crows were able to recognize the adult Koels as a threat and exhibited fierce
aggression towards them. Nevertheless, Koels were found sufficiently successful to get their
young reared by the Crows along with significantly reducing their breeding success.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-022

Evolution of bronze-cuckoo nestling ejection in Gerygone hosts: driven by theegg dilution effect?
N.J. Sato1-3, Y. Okahisa1, 3, M. Kamioki1, 3, T. Nakahara4, K.D. Tanaka1, J. Theuerkauf2 & K. Ueda1
1

Department of Life-Sciences, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan

2

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

3

JSPS Research Fellow (DC2)

4

Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

Email: nozomu@liferbird.com
Cuckoo parasitism reduces the reproductive output in hosts, thereby inducing selection foranti-parasitic defence in hosts, which leads to a coevolutionary arms race. Even though numerous
hosts of the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus discriminate against cuckoo eggs, once a cuckoo
chick hatches, they usually raise cuckoo chicks despite their different appearance from their own
chicks. The reason why hosts do not seem to recognise these huge alien nestlings is attributed tomonopolization of host nests by cuckoo chicks because the monopolization is to deprive hosts of
the opportunity to learn which are their true offspring and which are not. Recently, ejection ofparasite nestlings by host parents has been found in 2 host species of the Little Bronze-Cuckoo
Chalcites minutillus in Australia, even though parasite chicks eventually monopolize host nests.
Both hosts are species of the genus Gerygone. The egg dilution hypothesis (Sato et al. 2010)
predicts that hosts’ acceptance of parasite eggs followed by parasite nestling ejection can reduce
loss of hosts’ offspring when there is a high chance of being parasitized by multiple cuckoo females.
This benefit is introduced by the second cuckoo females that replace the formerly laid cuckoo eggs
instead of a host egg, either intentionally or by chance. Additionally, this effect increases marginallywith decreasing clutch sizes of hosts. We tested the egg dilution hypothesis by comparing 4
Gerygone species of bronze-cuckoo hosts from three regions of Oceania, which are different in
clutch size, frequencies of both parasitism and multiple parasitism. The result was consistent with
our hypothesis; the chick rejection behaviour was confirmed in species with small clutch sizes andthose parasitized multiply by bronze-cuckoos.

22

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-023

Does darkness limit cavity use by cavity nesting birds?
Tomasz Wesołowski, Marta Maziarz
Laboratory of Forest Biology, Wrocław University, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław,
Poland.
Email: tomwes@biol.uni.wroc.pl
The pattern of tree hole use differs among non-excavators. Although holes with narrow
openings appear to be safer, they are not used equally often by all the bird species, even inprimeval conditions where the birds have access to a wide spectrum of superabundant holes.
Long-term observations on tits and flycatchers carried out in primeval Białowieża Forest (EPoland) show that Collared Flycatchers Ficedula albicollis usually occupy holes withentrances larger than the tits and larger than would be expected for their body size. They also
lose more broods due to predation than the tits. One of several factors that could hinder usageof holes with small openings by Collared Flycatchers is insufficient cavity illumination(creating problems with seeing and feeding nestlings). We test this hypothesis using data onlight intensity measured at the nest level in Collared Flycatcher cavities, and compared themwith Marsh Poecile palustris and Great Tit Parus major cavities in the same forest. Collared
Flycatchers controlled the amount of light reaching the nest by adjusting the distance of thenest from the cavity entrance (by bringing in more or less nesting material) to the opening size.
Contrary to expectations, flycatchers commenced feeding young at lower internal light
conditions than the tits. We found evidence that the amount of light in nest cavities could
influence cavity use in all the studied species. We use these results to stress the possible
importance of adequate cavity illumination for the evolution of the cavity nesting habit inbirds.

23

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-025

A genetic approach to understanding the mating system of greater rheas
M.B. Martella1, M. Renny2, M.B. Chiappero3 and J.L. Navarro1
1

Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA) CONICET and Centro de Zoología
Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
2
Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV) CONICET -Universidad
Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
3
Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA) CONICET and Cátedra de Genética dePoblaciones y Evolución, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
Email: navarroj@efn.uncor.edu
The greater rhea (Rhea americana) is a threatened ratite that has a complex mating system,
in which several females lay eggs in communal nests and males incubate and care forchicks. We assessed relatedness within and among broods to clarify the genetic mating
system. Feathers of 145 chicks and three incubating males in the wild belonging to 5 nests
were sampled. Genotyping was determined for eight microsatellite loci developed for rheas,and sibship analysis was conducted using the program COLONY. The analysis revealed
multiple progenitors per nest (14.8 females and 11.2 males). On average, a given female
laid eggs in 1.9 nests and had 3.7 chicks, and each male had progeny in 1.75 nests andproduced 4.5 chicks. Two males were the major male progenitor in the clutch they
incubated (28.6% and 34.5% of chicks), while the third genotyped male was not theprogenitor of any chick, neither within the brood in his nest nor in the other sampled nests.
On average, each male mated with 3.4 females (range: 1-8), while females had 2.8 partners(range 1-5). Most adults (mean= 81%) sharing progeny in the same nest were potentiallyunrelated, and females were always less related than males. Although in general full-sib
chicks occur within nests, both full-sib and half-sib relationships represented only 5.5% of
all paired comparisons among all chicks; this means that 94.5% of paired comparisonsrevealed unrelated chicks. Our study showed that: (i) there were several progenitors withina clutch; (ii) no incubating male was the progenitor of the majority of the chicks produced
in a nest; (iii) incubating males could have no progeny; (iv) females did not comprise acohesive group laying their eggs in the same nests. This strategic promiscuity results inconsiderable genetic variability rates in this species.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-026

Breeding ecology of the yellow-bellied tit in China
K. Yang and W.H. Deng
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences and EcologicalEngineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875,
China
Email: dengwh@bnu.edu.cn
The yellow-bellied tit (Periparus venustulus) is a bird species endemic to China.
Little information currently exists on the breeding ecology of this species. We studied
the breeding ecology of the yellow-bellied tit in the Xiao Longmen Forest, west of
Beijing, from 2009 to 2011. Yellow-bellied tits were summer breeders at this studysite; they arrived on the breeding grounds at the middle or the end of April, and left at
the beginning of August every year. A total of fourteen nests were found in the study
area. All of the nests were placed in cavities excavated by the males in the ground,
underneath stones or roots. The mean clutch size was 6.4 ± 0.5 eggs. The mean lengthof eggs was 15.36 ± 0.22 mm, while the width was 12.97 ± 0.13 mm. Mean egg mass
was 1.20 ± 0.24 g. The female incubated alone, for a mean incubation period of 11.4 ±0.2 days. The mean hatching rate was 0.90 ± 0.05. After the nestlings were 3 days old,
only the female fed the young, and the mean nestling period was 14.3 ± 0.5 days. The
mean survival rate of nests to fledging was 0.88 ± 0.07, and the average number ofnestlings fledged was 5 ± 0.4 individuals per nest. Growth patterns in body weight,
bill length, head and beak length, tarsus length, wing length, body length and taillength closely approximated a logistic model.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-027

Why the parents of Hair-crested Drongo dismantle their nest after
the young fledged: a test of the “nest competition hypothesis”
Lei Lv1, Jianqiang Li1, Chang Gao1, Jiagui Zhu2, Bo Xi2, Zhengwang Zhang1*
1

Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences and EcologicalEngineering, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
2
Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Segang, Luoshan County, Henan, China
Email: zzw@bnu.edu.cn
Hair-crested Drongos (Dicrurus hottentottus) are summer migrants in eastern China.
It has been reported that the parents of this species will dismantle their nests after
fledging of the young. This unique behaviour has rarely been found in other avian
species and has never been studied systematically. The “nest competition hypothesis”
suggests that nest owners may avoid or reduce the possibility that other drongos findand compete for their nest sites in the next breeding season by destroying the nests
after the young fledged. We test this hypothesis through observations andnest-providing experiments at Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province,
central China. After the young fledged, natural drongo nests, which were madeindestructible by processing them with fishing thread, were hung up in the nest trees
as the experimental group, while some other nest trees where drongo nests weredismantled naturally were used as the control group. We carried out the experiments
in two consecutive years from 2011 to 2012 and from 2012 to 2013. In both of thetwo rounds, the reuse rate of the nest trees in the experimental group (N=11 in firstround, N=12 in the second round) was higher than the control group (first: N=19;
second: N=15), but the difference is not significant (first: χ2=1.93, P=0.239; second:
χ2=0.01, P=0.636). Although the experiment did not significantly affect the changing
rate of owners in any of two rounds (first: χ2=1.29, P=0.298; second: χ2=0.72,
P=0.389), it was higher in the experimental group in the first round (18.2% VS 5.3%)
but then lower in the second round (8.3% VS 20.0%). We suggest that competition forgood nest sites may play an important role in the causation of the nest-dismantling
behaviour. Future work with larger sample sizes and other potential factors for
exploring this behaviour has been designed.
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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-028

Egg cooling behaviour of the Little Tern
T. Nuka 1, M. Kawakubo 2, Y. Gemma 2, H. Kobori 2 and W. Kitamura 1,2
1

Little Tern Project
Faculty of environmental studies, Tokyo City University
Email: tnuka@hotmail.co.jp
2

The Little Tern Sterna albifrons is a summer migrant in Japan. They breed in colonies on sandy beaches,
flood plains with pebbles, or, more recently, developed lands of bare grounds, where their breeding is
disturbed by human activities such as land developments, recreations, and so on. As a result, this species isclassified as vulnerable in the Red List of Japan. Since their nest is a simple shallow dent with a few small
pieces of shells as nest materials and eggs are laid directly on the ground, eggs are influenced largely by outer
temperature, as well as ground temperature. Abandoned eggs which seem to be denatured by hightemperatures are often found during the summer. When temperature increases, Little Terns have been known
to cool their eggs with water and/or by shading eggs from the sun through standing by the nests. However, thedetails of this behaviour have not been well studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationshipbetween egg cooling behaviour and temperature. For this purpose, we put small temperature data loggers
inside and outside nests to measure temperature changes, and at the same time, recorded the incubation
behaviour by videos to identify egg cooling behaviour. We also investigated the possible cooling effect ofshells spread around nests. According to the analysis of incubation behaviour and temperature changes, wefound a threshold for changing behaviour to control temperature. Above ambient temperatures of about 34°C,
terns tried to decrease the nest temperature by putting water contained in their abdomen feathers or standing
above nests to shade eggs. On the contrary, terns incubated their brood normally and warmed the eggs whentemperatures were below 34 °C. We also found evidence that presence of shells is effective for decreasing
nest temperature.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-029

Breeding biology and life history traits of three pitta species in southern
Vietnam
S.S. Gogoleva1,2, I.V. Palko1,3
1

Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Center, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
3
Institute of ecology and evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Email: viverricula@gmail.com
2

The biology and behavioral traits of suboscines are much less known than those of oscines andmost research on suboscines originates from the New World. Only Pittidae and Eurylaimidae
represent the suboscines in South-East Asia. Many aspects of the breeding biology and behaviorof these two families remain unknown. From 2010-2013 we collected data on the biology andbehavior of Blue-winged Pitta (Pitta moluccensis), Bar-bellied Pitta (P. elliotii) and Bluerumped Pitta (P. soror) inhabiting lowland monsoon forests of the Cat Tien National Park
(southern Vietnam). We studied 13, 12 and 5 nests of P. moluccensis, P. elliotii and P. soror,
respectively, including more than 590 hours of video-data on the breeding biology for 7 nests ofthe three species. Various biological features of these species were described with special
attention to nest predation pressure and to the role of vocalization in bird communication. A very
complete description and function of the vocal repertoires was obtained. For the first time, theshort-distance vocalizations, nestlings begging calls and fledglings chirps were described.
Among others the following unique data was collected during observations and videoregistration: choosing place and building a nest, characteristics of clutches, brooding, feeding ofyoung, nestling’s ontogeny, parental investment. We also revealed the effect of nest predation tobreeding success of pittas and described a diversity of animal species destroying pitta nests. Outof 26 nests of the three species with known outcome, only two were successful; one out of 9 thatwere under our intensive observation and one out of 17 nests that we did not disturb.We thus
conclude that our work did not affect to this high nest predation rate. We hypothesise thatbreeding strategy of pittas consists of repeated nesting during the breeding season and that theadults are probably long lived.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-030

Determinants of reproductive success in a polyandrous population of the
Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus): life history, behaviour andmorphology
M. A. Serrano-Meneses 1, M. Cruz-López 2 and C. Küpper 3
1

Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala,México2
Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad
Nacional Autónoma de México, México
3
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United
Kingdom
Email: serrano.meneses@bath.edu
Reproductive success refers to the number of offspring produced by a given individual.
Within a single population, certain individuals exhibit life history, behavioural and/or
morphological traits that confer them reproductive advantages over other individuals of
their same sex (i.e. higher reproductive success). Here we investigated whether the i) bodysize and body weight, ii) age of the individuals, iii) egg-laying date, and iv) time until
desertion, are associated to the reproductive success of males and females of the Snowy
Plover (Charadrius nivosus). The Snowy Plover is a shorebird with a surprisingly variablemating system: polyandry, polygyny and monogamy may all exist within a single
population. Both parents incubate the eggs; however, once the chicks hatch, one of theparents (usually the female) deserts the family, while the remaining parent is left providing
care to the chicks. In this study we used 7-year data from a polyandrous population, locatedat Bahía de Ceuta, Sinaloa, Northwest Mexico. Our results suggests that, on the one hand,
the reproductive success of males is positively associated to their age, the time at which
they establish their nests (males arriving early to the reproductive site have a greater chanceof rearing their young until independence) and the time they stay in the vicinity of theyoung. On the other hand, the reproductive success of females is negatively associated to
egg-laying date, the weight of the females, and positively associated to the number of days
they spend with the young. We argue that although a higher investment in care by thefemales greatly enhances the survival of their chicks, it may have negative consequences on
the condition of females.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-031

Effects of small patches of broadleaf trees on the breeding ecology ofVaried Tits in a Japanese cedar plantation
T. Kondo, H. Hayase and N. Hijii
Laboratory of Forest Protection, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
E-mail: kondou.takashi@e.mbox.nagoya-u.ac.jp
About 40% of Japan’s total forest area is occupied by conifer plantations. The species
diversity and density of birds are considered to be poorer in these plantations than inbroadleaf or mixed forests, mainly because of lower vegetation diversity and lower foodavailability. We examined whether small patches of broadleaf trees in a conifer
plantation improved habitat quality, as measured by food availability, for bird
populations. In a Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation in central Japan, weinvestigated the feeding behavior of Varied Tits (Poecile varius; Paridae) with digital
video cameras set outside nest boxes placed at different distances from small patches ofbroadleaf trees. We filmed all visits of parents for about 10 h throughout the day whennestlings were 11–14 days old. We also weighed each nestling on a portable electronicbalance when 14-15 days old. From the images, we recorded the feeding times andintervals, and the species, size, and number of prey items carried to the nestlings. The
composition of the diet —mostly caterpillars that feed on broadleaf vegetation—suggested that most Varied Tits foraged exclusively in the small patches of broadleaf
vegetation. We discuss the significance of these patches in conifer plantations for the
breeding success of Varied Tits.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-032

Patterns of parental food allocation to nestlings ofGreat Tits and Varied Tits
H. Hayase, T. Kondo and N. Hijii
Laboratory of Forest Protection, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Email: hayase.haruna@e.mbox.nagoya-u.ac.jp
The Paridae are a family of typically altricial birds, whose nestlings depend fornourishment on their parents exclusively. The Paridae usually raise many chicks per
breeding attempt. Effective feeding of offspring is critical to breeding success and thus
in maintaining populations. Among Paridae species, parents bring either one prey item
back to the nest at a time (single-prey loaders) or multiple prey items (multiple-preyloaders). In our study area, a mixed forest of Japanese larch and broadleaf trees incentral Japan, Great Tit (Parus minor), a single-prey loader, and Varied Tit (Poecile
varius), a multiple-prey loader, breed sympatrically. To elucidate how parents of these
two species carry and allocate prey to their nestlings over a day, we used digital video
cameras set inside and outside nest boxes to monitor feeding behavior. From images
collected throughout the day when nestlings were 10-14 days old, we analyzed thefrequencies of feeding to each nest and to each nestling, and the type and size of prey
items. Each nestling was weighed on a portable electronic balance at mid-growth stage
and immediately before fledging. We discuss the differences in feeding behavior,particularly in terms of the patterns of parental food allocation to nestlings, between
species.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-033

Bower orientation in the Great Bowerbirds
Kazuhiro Eguchi 1 and Yoko Katsuno 2
1

Department of Biology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
Fukuoka Wetland Conservation Research Group, Fukuoka, Japan
E-mail: kegucscb@kyushu-u.org
2

It is known that bowers are consistently oriented in the avenue-type bower builders; north-south inSatin Bowerbird and Great Bowerbird, and east-west in Spotted Bowerbird. One hypothesis(“Optimal illumination hypothesis”) suggests that such alignment enhances the illumination of
decorations and displaying males when viewed by females in the shaded avenue (Frith et al. 1996;
Doucet & Montgomerie 2003). This hypothesis predicts a NNW-SSE orientation of bowers in the
Great Bowerbird living in tropical Australia, which was indeed confirmed by Frith et al. (1996) fora population of Great Bowerbirds in northern Queensland. However, we found another trend ofbower orientation, not following the above hypothesis, in a north-western population of the Great
Bowerbird near Darwin, Northern Territory, during our research conducted from 2004 to 2006.
Orientations of most bowers were eastwardly biased from due north; NE-SW in 2004, NNE-SSW in2005 and NNE-SSW in 2006, respectively. Given these orientations, females saw the male against
the sun or saw them in the shade of walls during the peak displaying period (7 a.m – 9 a.m.). The
surrounding light conditions did not cause the variation of orientation among bowers, because there
were no significant differences between bowers under different canopy structures. Except for thebowers that were strongly biased towards the east, males displayed more in the better illuminatedside, which suggests that the orientation was determined by factors other than the direction of thesun light and that males preferred the better sides of the bower platform, regardless of the bower’s
orientation. Although the light condition were worst, males whose bowers were strongly biased
towards the east enjoyed higher mating success. These facts do not support the optimal illumination
hypothesis.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-034

Effects of parental age on reproductive behavior of the Black-crowned
Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Taichi Tanaka, Yoshiyuki Ogasawara, Yuji Sawara, and Nobuyuki Azuma
Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan
Email: gingerale.tt@gmail.com
We studied effects of parental age on reproductive behavior of Black-crowned Night
Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) through observation of the nests. We defined breeding
individuals with juvenile plumage as subadults and adult plumage as adults. Watanabe(1998) and Fasola et al. (2001) showed that reproductive performance of adults was
better than for subadults. But specific difference of behavior influencing reproductive
performance has not been observed. The present studies were conducted in Aomori
Pref., Japan from 2008 to 2013. We recorded the situations of individual parents andchicks in nests in heronries of only Black-crowned Night Heron by infrared cameras
throughout the day.. In addition, body weights of the individual chicks were measured tomonitor growth every two or three days until the chicks were 15 days old as chicks canwalk after 15 days old.. We compared 9 breeding pairs consisting of adults and 7 pairs
including at least one subadult. Reproductive success of adults was significantly higher
than for subadults. Feeding frequency of pair with subadults was lower, especially in thedaytime. Subadults parents were often absent from the nest during the period when they
were expected to attend. These age-related behavior differences can be explained byforaging ability and optimization of reproductive effort. Since the foraging success
improves with age, the lower reproductive success of subadults may be due to theirimmature foraging skills. On the other hand, subadults prioritize their own survival at
the expense of current reproductive success to optimize their lifetime reproductive
output (Pianka 1978).

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-035

Changes in the phenology of Barn swallow viewed from multiple timescalesN. Komatsu 1, H. Kobori 2 and W. Kitamura 2
1

Graduate school of Environmental and Information Study, Tokyo City University,
Yokohama, Japan
2
Faculty of Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University, Yokohama, Japan
Email: nkomatsu708@gmail.com
Global warming is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, and its impact can bemeasured by phenological changes. Studies in Europe have shown that the phenology ofBarn swallow (Hirundo rustica) such as the first arrival or the first-egg date haveadvanced by increasing spring temperature. For example, the first arrival date of Barn
Swallows in Britain has advanced with increasing spring temperature over the past 60
years, and the first-egg date of Barn Swallows in Croatia has become earlier over 27
years because of increasing spring temperature. However, these studies can confirm
only recent change in the phenology of Barn Swallows, but are insufficient forunderstanding the effect of global warming as a long-term phenomenon. In this study,
we clarified the change in phenology of Barn Swallows at multiple time scales, by
combining the past phenological data in the Traditional Japanese Calendar establishedover 300 years ago and the current phenological data observed by the Japanese
Meteorological Agency for the last 59 years. For the analysis of long-term changes inphenology, we found that the first arrival date of Japanese Barn Swallows has
significantly advanced by 12 days compared to that of 300 years ago. In addition, thecurrent breeding phenology of Barn Swallow has also become earlier. For the analysisof short-term changes in phenology, we found that the incubation period of Barn
Swallows has shortened 0.27 days with an increase of 1°C temperature during the
incubation period. These results indicate that the phenology of Barn Swallow is affectedby climate change, and it is necessary to clarify the net effects of global warming on
breeding of Barn Swallows because it seems to affect reproductive success in both goodand bad directions.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-036

Differences in nest attendance pattern due to distances to feeding sites
in Black-faced Spoonbills Platalea minor
I.K. Kwon 1,2, M.S. Jeong 3, J.Y. Lee 2, J.C. Yoo 2 and K.S. Lee 4
1

Animal Resource Division, National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, Korea
Korea Institute of Ornithology & Department of biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul,
Korea
3
Lab of wildlife ecology and management, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
4
Waterbird Network Korea, Seoul, Korea
Email: stryper45@hanmail.net
2

Black-faced Spoonbills generally breed on coastal uninhabited islands and feed on thenearest tidal flat from the breeding sites. The nest attendance pattern of Black-faced
Spoonbills was studied and compared between the inshore and the offshore breedingisland. Diurnal and nocturnal nest attendance of breeding pairs was fully recorded by an
IR sensor trail camera set during the breeding season. In both the inshore and offshore
breeding site, males mainly attended nests in the daytime and females showed a higher
tendency of night time nest attendance. However, incubation shifts in offshore breeders
were longer and less frequent than in inshore breeders. In addition, foraging trips ofoffshore breeders after hatching were longer compared to those of pairs that havefeeding sites nearby. This result suggests that nest attendance patterns due to distance tofeeding sites may affect reproductive output such as clutch size and brood size. The nest
attendance patterns of inshore breeders can be more favorable for the breeding successthan those of offshore breeders, even though inshore breeders were exposed to
disturbances such as egg collection, fishing activities and development.

35

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-037

Breeding ecology and the use of nesting platforms of the Cordilleran
Flycatcher (Empidonax occidentalis) in SW Colorado
Abigail Darrah1 and Charles van Riper III2
1

School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
USGS/Sonoran Desert Research Station, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
Email: adarrah@email.arizona.edu

2

Despite the fact that the Cordilleran Flycatcher is relatively common and widespread in western
North American forests, it is one of the least-studied North American songbirds. We undertook
this study to describe its breeding biology, to examine the willingness of this species to accept
nesting platforms, and to use nesting platforms to manipulate opportunities for polygamy. This
study took place at private residences and adjacent areas of the San Juan National Forest inMontezuma County, Colorado, during the breeding seasons of 2012 and 2013. Cordilleran
Flycatcher pairs nested in a variety of man-made structures including the eaves of houses, andreadily used nesting platforms that were placed on houses and on trees in the surrounding forest
in 2013. Both parents provisioned the nestlings and fledglings roughly equally, although only
the female incubated eggs. Polygamy was observed in 2012 but not in 2013, which was an
exceptionally dry year. In 2013, we put radio transmitters on 4 nestlings (2 from a nest platform
on a house and 1 each from 2 nests on natural structures) in order to track the brood after
fledging. Two of the three broods moved upslope away from the river, and on most days weobserved presumed transient adults attempting to feed or mount fledglings. We plan to expand
this study in 2014 to examine the influence of yearly climate conditions on provision rates,
polygamy rates, fledgling movement patterns, and disruption of fledgling feeding by transient
adults. We demonstrate that the Cordilleran Flycatcher readily accepts artificial nesting
platforms, and future studies could investigate the possibility of similar nest site enhancement forthe conservation of related species.

36

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-038

Trade-offs along the life cycle of a tropical mountain bird
María Ángela Echeverry-Galvis1,2,3 and Michaela Hau2
1

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, NJ
Max Planck for Ornithology, Radolfzell, Germany
3
Departamento de Ecología y Territorio, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá,
Colombia
email: mayayito@gmail.com
2

Highly demanding events that greatly affect individuals´ fitness tend to be temporarily
separated in the life cycle of birds, though cases are known in lowland tropical forest andboreal areas where overlap occurs between events, such as reproduction and molt. Througha longitudinal study (from 2008 to 2012), of a Slaty-brush Finch (Altapetes schistaceus)
population in cloud mountain forest in Colombia, we identified possible factors
determining the overlap, as well as costs and consequences to it. Body mass and years weredetected as best predictors of the proportion of individuals in overlap. We detected nocorrelation between duration of molting and probability of overlap, as has been shown inbirds in the Amazon lowlands. Overlapping individuals had a higher ectoparasite load,
lower feather quality and a reduced flight performance. The reduction in flight capacity,
quality and increase of ectoparasites on feathers, confirm previous suggestions of a tradeoff between both events. Changes in individual condition and their overlap status in relation
to year and body mass suggest phenotypic plasticity in relation to life-cycle regulation. If
this overlap is costly, the question remains why overlap is common in this population andthe mountain bird communities in general, and whether it could be associated with a "bethedging" strategy.

37

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-039

Incubation routine, egg temperature and sex role of Streaked
Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas at Sasudo Island, South Korea
J. W. Hwang 1, K.B. Nam 1,2, J.C. Yoo 1,2
1

Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
Korea Institute of Ornithology
Email: hjwbird@gmail.com
2

The incubation routine in Procellariiformes represents a sequence of alternating shifts
taken in turn by female and male in a species-specific pattern. Hence, in seabirds
coordination of individual incubation rhythms between partners is crucial for a
successful breeding attempt. Therefore, breeding individuals must coordinate their
incubation shifts with foraging trips at sea to ensure constant warming of the embryoand to regain their body condition after along fast. Maintaining a constant egg
temperature is energetically demanding and can directly influence an individual’scurrent and future reproductive performance. This study was carried out during the
2012-2013 breeding season at the Sasudo island, South Korea, to investigate the
incubation routine, egg temperature and sex role of Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris
leucomelas. In Streaked Shearwaters, the duration of incubation shifts and subsequent
foraging trips are related to loss of body weight during the period of fasting. In addition,
coordination of individual incubation rhythms affects their incubation schedule andhatching success. Consequently, this study demonstrates a relationship between
individual quality and incubation behaviour in Streaked Shearwaters.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-040

Breeding ecology of the Eurasian Wryneck at Ogata village, Akita,Japan
S. Hashima, T. Kato, K. Ueda
Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
Email: 13ld008a@rikkyo.ac.jp

The Eurasian wryneck (Jynx torquilla) is a species of woodpecker which breeds
throughout Eurasia and North Africa. In Europe, the population has decreased as a resultof losses in habitat. Although they are not globally threatened with extinction, they aredesignated as near threated (NT) in Japan. However, there is a lack of data on even thebasic breeding and ecology of Japanese populations of Wrynecks meaning that objective
assessment of their status in Japan is difficult.
Therefore, the objective of our study was to establish basic data for their breeding
ecology. We studied the breeding ecology of a population of Wrynecks breeding in
nestboxes at Ogata village, Akita prefecture, Japan from April to August in 2012-2013.
We found that clutch size, the number of hatching eggs, and the brood size declinedwith later laying of the first egg. This effect has been found in many other species andmay be related to a decline in food availability throughout the breeding season.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-041

Hatching asynchrony in the Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca: an
experimental test of the brood reduction hypothesis
Lars Hillstrom, Univ of Gefle, Sweden
Hatching asynchrony occurs in many altricial (and semi-precocial) birds, and has beeninterpreted as an adaptation to create a size hierarchy among siblings in order to facilitatebrood reduction in times of food scarcity, i.e. “the brood reduction hypothesis”. However,there is still controversy about what is the adaptive value of hatching asynchrony in birds. In
this study both food abundance and hatching pattern were manipulated simultaneously in a
population of the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca. For all broods combined, pairs
receiving supplementary food produced significantly more young, than pairs not receiving
extra food. There was also a trend for a significant interaction between hatching asynchrony
and food level, such that during poor/normal conditions, asynchronous broods produced on
average one young less than synchronous broods. Synchronous broods also produced young
with significantly longer tarsi compared to asynchronous broods during normal/poor
conditions. If this year represented a so-called ‘poor year', this result is in contrast to one ofthe predictions from the brood reduction hypothesis. However, there was no difference in
number of fledged young or size of young between broods (asynchronous and synchronous)
when simulating 'good' breeding conditions, i.e. with supplementary food added to territories.
This study does not unequivocally support the brood reduction hypothesis, but instead gives
support for the idea that in species where only one parent incubates and broods the newly
hatched young, females are in a time-conflict in the dual task of both feeding and brooding theyoung. This study suggests that female flycatchers were able to ”solve” this conflict when
supplementary food was added to their territory.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-042

Nesting success of Oriental Magpie Robins (Copsychus saularis) in natural
tree cavities and artificial nest boxes
A. Singh2, V.K. Sethi and D. Bhatt1
Avian Diversity and Bioacoustics Laboratory,
Department of Zoology and Environmental Science,
Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar 249 404, Uttarakhand, India
E-mail: dineshharidwar@gmail.com1, amarhdw@gmail.com2
The Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis), a passerine bird of the Indian subcontinent
well-known for its complex and melodious song, is a secondary cavity nester which selects
cavities in a wide range of tree species. Rapid rate of deforestation due to developmental
activities such as industrialization, urbanization, extension of agricultural activities in thenative range of Oriental Magpie Robin coupled with inter- and intraspecific competition for
nesting activities has been associated with the declining population of this species. We
studied the breeding biology of the Oriental Magpie Robin in natural tree cavities andartificial wooden nest boxes during 2008-2013 in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India (i) to examine
whether different parameters from nest boxes were comparable with data from tree cavitiesand (ii) to ascertain the potential of nest boxes as an alternative nest site for the conservationof this species. Results indicated that there were no significant differences in egg
characteristics, clutch size, incubation period, hatching success and nestling period between
nests in natural tree cavities and nest boxes. However, nesting success was found to besignificantly higher in the nest boxes as compared to tree cavities. This was caused mainly
due to higher rate of predation and mortality of young in cavities than nest boxes. Thus it isclear from the results that nest boxes provide safe nesting site to the Oriental Magpie Robin
which in turn increase its breeding output.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-043

Breeding density decreases hatching successand unhatched eggs are male-biased in Eurasian Tree Sparrows
T. Kato1, S. Matsui1, S. Kasahara2, S. Hashima1, O. K. Mikami3, K. Ueda1
1

Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
Japan Bird Research Association, Tokyo, Japan
3
Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
Email: T.Kato.N25@gmail.com
2

In many passerine birds, unhatched eggs are unusual and almost all eggs successfully hatch.
However, it has been reported that Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) and House Sparrows(P. domesticus) have a lower hatching success than other passerine birds. This seems maladaptive
because they lose their investment in egg production. Here, we aimed to find the causes of thedecreased hatching rate in Eurasian Tree Sparrows. We surveyed a population of Eurasian Tree
Sparrows in Ogata village, Akita prefecture, Japan. We manipulated the density of nest boxes (highand middle, low) to examine the effect of breeding density on hatching success. We found that
hatching success decreased with an increase in breeding density. The first egg date and egg-laying
order did not influence hatching success. In addition, we observed the developmental stage of theunhatched eggs and determined the brood sex ratio. Most unhatched eggs showed no sign ofembryo development and the sex ratio was biased to female in broods with lower hatching success,which suggests that the sex of the unhatched eggs were biased towards males. These results are inagreement with those from previous studies, which analyzed the sex of unhatched eggs. Our study
shows that breeding density increases male mortality, which could result from individualinteractions or stress, disease, etc.
Our research was supported by a grant from the MITSUI & CO., LTD. Environment Fund.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-044

Nest site selection of the exotic Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) colonizing
the city of Tomakomai, south-western Hokkaido, Japan
Toru Nakahara1, Kazuhiro Eguchi2
1

Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Japan
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Japan
Email: toru.nakahara510@gmail.com

2

Some species, especially exotic species, maintain their population or increase thenumber of individuals in urban environments, although many native avian species
decrease there. Exotic species can succeed to acquire resources by displacing native
species or exploiting resources unused by native species in a novel environment. The
Eurasian Magpie Pica pica is an exotic species in south-western Hokkaido and has been
increasing in number rapidly. In this study, we investigated the nest-site selection of
magpies to clarify the cause of increase in urban environment. We predicted thatmagpies preferred urban environment for nest site and their preference of the nesting
substrate was affected by urbanization. We studied their nesting environment,characteristics of nesting substrate, and heights of nesting substrate and nests.
Magpies preferred urban environments for nesting. They used trees and human-madestructures as nesting substrates, and preferred sites where tree density was high whennesting on trees, while magpies chose human-made structures when tree density was
low. When nesting on trees, they chose higher trees than those nearby. We suggest thatthe urban environment provides magpies with good nest sites. Human-made structures
may be new resources for them to nest. Although the urban environment may beeffective to avoid avian predators, we could not detect a difference in the occurrence ofcrows, a potential predator and competitor. In conclusion, magpies established in theurban environment as novel habitats, and chose nest sites flexibly.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-045

Temperature variation in Water Rail and Little Crake nests
A.N. Stermin1, L.R. Pripon1, A. David1 and A. Schmitz Ornés2
1“Babeş-Bolyai” University, Department of Ecology and Taxonomy, Cluj-Napoca,
Romania.
2
Vogelwarte Hiddensee, Zoological Institute and Museum, Ernst Moritz Arndt
University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
E-mail: sandu.stermin@yahoo.com

Water rail (Rallus aquaticus) and Little Crake (Porzana parva) inhabit dense wetland
vegetation. To reveal how nesting habitat, nest placement and structure influence the
incubation temperature we investigated the temperature variation inside active andinactive nests of these two species. Using “iButton Maxim” devices, temperatures wererecorded for 12 nests (9 active and 3 inactive) during a period between May – June. For
three Water Rail nests and two Little Crake nests we could additionally compare thetemperature variations during the same periods of time. The temperatures inside thenests varied between 37.0 – 20.0 oC in Little Crakes and between 33.5 – 14.0 oC in
Water Rails. We found that the temperatures from the inactive and active Water Railnests show the same tendency, while there were no apparent similarities in the directionof the temperature changes between the active and inactive Little Crake nests.
Additionally, the microclimate around the Little Crake nests was found to be morevariable (40.5 – 8.0 oC) compared to the one around Water Rail nests (23.0 – 7.0 oC).
Variations in temperature around the Little Crake nests may be the consequence ofsunlight and air currents exposure while the Water Rail nests are more protected byvegetation, being exposed to a lower temperature variation. Nevertheless, the tendencies
found in the temperature changes of Little Crake active nests indicate that they seem to
be more isolated than the Water Rail ones, being able to maintain a more stabletemperature while incubating the eggs. This may be a consequence of the material usedin building the nest. Little Crakes use almost only cattail leaves which are thicker with
developed aerenchyma compared to reed leaves used by Water Rails. In this way thenest material is implicated in regulating the nest temperature, thus compensating thenesting microhabitat climate.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-046

Does threat to the nest affect parental provisioning behavior in a small
passerine bird?

Myunsik Kim, Jinwon Lee, and Jungchil Yoo
Department of Biology, Kyunghee University, Seoul, 130-701, KOREA (ROK)
Email: wingsms@khu.ac.kr
In altricial birds, nest predation is an important cause of breeding failure and parental activity
around the nest increases the risk of predation by visually oriented predators. One possible
way to reduce parental activity during the nestling period is to coordinate parental visits tothe nest. Such behavioral synchrony has been investigated in several species of cooperative
birds and these studies indicated that the nest visit synchrony can increase brood survival or
reduce sibling competition. However, reductions in parental activity in response to predator
presence at the nest during nestling period have been rare and documented in a few species
with bi-parental care. Here, we experimentally examined the effects of the presence of acommon visually oriented nest predator on the provisioning behavior of a small passerine.
Parents coordinated provisioning rate and frequently fed chicks together. Provisioners weremore likely to synchronize feeding visits for older nestlings as they were louder and possibly
more conspicuous to predators. When the parents were exposed to the calls of a nest predator,
they returned to the nest later for preventing nest disclosure. However, the parents neither
reduced their provisioning rate nor increased percentage of nest visit synchrony even during
the manipulated predator presence. Furthermore, we found that nest visit synchrony was notcorrelated with brood survival. These results document the ability of birds to assess the nest
predation risk and adjust their provisioning strategy accordingly. Our results also suggest that
more study is required to understand the costs and benefits of nest visit synchrony in thisspecies.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-047

Nest usurpation by Russet Sparrows Passer rutilans
K. SHIINA1

1. Shiretoko Nature Foundation, Hokkaido, Japan
Email: shinakans@gmail.com
Nest usurpations are thought to be a form of kleptoparasitism, where individuals
attempt to steal other’s resources such as food, nest sites and nest materials, and it ispossibly a good nesting strategy to obtain more suitable resources for secondary cavity
nesters, though host species may be seriously damaged. In Japan, Russet Sparrows
Passer rutilans frequently usurp woodpecker nests for using them as nest cavities. I
studied 28 sparrow’s nests during 2006 to 2012 in a forest of Hokkaido, Japan. Out of
28 nests, 27 were confirmed as being obtained by usurpation of Japanese Pygmy
Woodpecker cavities (10 nests) or Nuthatch’s plastered nests (2 nests) or by reuse of
vacant cavities (12 nests). The Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers, which excavatesmall-sized cavities, often experienced harassment by sparrows and lost newly
excavated cavities by usurpation, while the Nuthatches more successfully defended
their own cavities from usurpers. Moreover, Russet Sparrows do not compete for old
cavities. Reproductive success of Russet Sparrows was higher in the usurped nests (12/ 15 nests = 0.44) than in the reused nests (5 / 12 nests = 0.18), suggesting that theusurpation of cavities newly excavated by Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers or plasteredby Nuthatches raises the fitness of Russet Sparrows. However, for this woodpecker
species, re-excavation after usurpation does not seem to be a critical cost for breeding,because breeding success rates were not significantly different between first and later
cavities.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-048

Introduction of GPS-TX, a powerful enabler of real time observation- Utilizing the real time telemetry system GPS-TX 1
M. Yazawa 3, K. Tokita 1 3, M. Onoue 1, N. Fujita 2, M. Gokan 3, H. Takahashi 3 ,Y. Maejima 4 , A. Azuma 1, N.Segawa 5 and H. Higuchi 6
1

Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
Meiji University, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan
3
Mathematical Assist Design Laboratory Institute, Ohta, Gunma, Japan
4
Maechan-net Ltd, Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan
5
Iwate Prefectural University, Takizawa, Iwate, Japan
6
Keio University, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa, Japan
E-mail: yazawa@mail.wind.ne.jp
2

We developed GPS-TX, a system for tracking wild birds and mammals in real time. The
GPS-TX enabled us to reach animals in real time, making it easier to locate the target
animals and directly observe their behaviour and foraging. GPS-TX comprises atransmitter and a receiving station. The transmitter obtains the animal's coordinate by a
GPS receiver. Then the coordinate is transferred to the receiving station and visualized
immediately. As a result, the pursuer can learn the animal's location with GPS levelaccuracy in real time. GPS-TX utilizes MAD-SS, a long range radio communication
technology with the best performance in the world. This technology has the capabilityof transmitting data as far as 10 to 30 km (avg.) or more than 200 km (max.) The
transmitter weighs 20 g to 900 g, depending on the capacity of the batteries and shell.
Larger capacity enables the transmitter to locate animals for a long period. Transmittersfor deer and bears can be loaded with large batteries, while birds can be loaded with
only small batteries. Also we must consider that tough shells are heavy. The interval of
GPS positioning can be selected arbitrarily. Generally, the number of GPS positions
determines the operating duration of the transmitter. If GPS positioning takes longer,
batteries drain more quickly. The location of the receiving station should be considered
carefully. It is preferable to settle the station at high altitude with clear line of sight. The
top of mountains and buildings are appropriate, while low altitude places are not. A low
radio noise environment is also preferable. We rarely carry the receiving station for
tracking target animals, when those animals move very long distances. We sometimes
connect the receiving station to the internet. In this way, we can also know the animal's
location remotely as well as in real time.

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The real time monitoring of jungle crows- Utilizing the real time telemetry system GPS-TX 3 –M. Onoue 1 , N. Fujita 2 , A. Azuma 1 , N. Segawa 3 , M. Yazawa 4 , M. Gokan 4 ,Y. Maejima 5 , K. Tokita 1,4 , H. Takahashi 4 , and H. Higuchi 6
1

Iwate University, Iwate, Japan
Meiji University, Kanagawa, Japan
3
Iwate Prefectural University, Iwate, Japan
4
Mathematical Assist Design Laboratory Institute, Gunma, Japan
5
Maechan-net Ltd, Chiba, Japan
6
Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: m.onoue112@gmail.com
2

The jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) is a common Asian species, whose numbers
has successfully increased in Japan. The habitat of jungle crows is often associated withhuman modified environments such as agricultural areas, farms, residential and urban
areas. Recently, the negative interactions between humans and jungle crows, such as
crows attacking people in the breeding season, scattering waste dumps, depositing fecal
droppings and creating noise have been reported in Morioka, Iwate prefecture. Although
it is necessary to understand the crows’ movement to solve those problems, little is
known about fine-scale habitat use and resource selection of jungle crows. The overallpurpose of our poster is to analyze data on daily movements of jungle crows, focusing
on the fine-scale within-day movements and resource selection, and compare
differences between winter and summer.
From 2012 to 2013, we fitted 17 jungle crows with GPS-TX, which is a GPS-based
radio telemetry system enabling researchers to monitor animals in real time. Owing tothis real time monitoring we could easily locate the tagged jungle crows in the field.
Based on direct observations we were able to record novel data about their behavior anddiet through field notes and films.
We observed daily and seasonal changes in movement and resource selection by jungle
crows. Although they spent most of the daytime in foraging and resting sites throughout
the year, the types of foraging sites differed. In the winter, large numbers of jungle
crows visited pastures and fruit farms to forage; on the other hand, they visited fruit
farms and dunghills (to forage for insects) in the summer. According to the direct
observations in the field, daily fine-scale movement patterns of jungle crows vary
between individuals and seasons. Therefore, our results suggest that we need to consider
how crow movement is associated with available resources to resolve social issues.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-050

An experiment with pigeons and crows using GPS-TX- Utilizing the real time telemetry system GPS-TX 2 K. Tokita 1 3, M. Onoue 1, N. Fujita 2, M. Yazawa 3, M. Gokan 3, H. Takahashi 3 ,Y. Maejima 4 , A. Azuma 1, N.Segawa 5 and H. Higuchi 6
1

Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan

2

Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan

3

Mathematical Assist Design Laboratory Institute, Ohta, Gunma, Japan

4

Maechan-net Ltd, Chiba, Chiba, Japan

5

Iwate Prefectural University, Takizawa, Iwate, Japan

6

Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan

E-mail: tokita@green.ocn.ne.jp
A common biological research method to study animal movement is direct
observation. However, in many situations, direct observation is difficult due to broad
range of habitat and movement of wild animals. As an alternative approach, we havestarted developing a biolocator with real-time tracking capability for animals since 1998.
The first prototype became available in 2008. Here we report how we tested our real-timetracking biolocator on pigeons, crows, sika deer and bears.
Thus far we have fitted a total of 61 GPS-TX devices on pigeons, crows, sika
deer and bears and traced their movement. In this presentation we show our tracking
results using the GPS-TX on pigeons and crows. In the tests with pigeons, we used carrier
pigeons so that we could take advantage of their homing instinct and tried to track theirflight path. The study was designed to release the pigeons at a distance of about 25 kmfrom the reception station and track them during 36 minutes with 17 second intervals after
release. We were able to continually capture 96% of the GPS position data from thepigeons along their flight path. Also, we conducted 5 tests with crows. In the tests withcrows, we configured GPS sampling rates with intervals of 15, 30 and 72 minutes.
Following our invented tool, Trace Mapping System (TMS), which provides
visualization of an animal's location, we want to take advantage of tools such as
GoogleMap and MoveBank to show position data of tracked animals as next steps.

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p01-051

Habitat use of a Jungle Crow
- Utilizing the real time telemetry system GPS-TX 4 N. Fujita 1, M. Onoue 2, T. Hattori 1, A. Azuma 2, N. Segawa 3, M. Yazawa 4,
M. Gokan 4, Y. Maejima 5, K. Tokita 2,4, H. Takahashi 4 and H. Higuchi 6
1

Meiji University, Kanagawa, Japan
Iwate University, Iwate, Japan
3
Iwate Prefectural University, Iwate, Japan
4
Mathematical Assist Design Laboratory Institute, Gunma, Japan
5
Maechan-net Ltd, Chiba, Japan
6
Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: nfujita66@gmail.com
2

Jungle Crows, Corvus macrorhynchos, are common residents in Japan. They wereoriginally restricted to the forested regions, but recently have adapted to sylvan
residential areas and urban areas, increasing in population. In Morioka, Iwate prefectureof northern Japan, they often scavenge food from garbage cans around urban andresidential areas, causing a social problem. Previous studies of Jungle Crows conductedin Tokyo, Japan have shown that, in those metropolitan areas, food scraps from garbage
are their main food resources. However, little is known about their diet and habitat use
in Morioka, which represents a suburban city, comprising various environmental
structures such as urban areas, agricultural areas including rice paddy fields and fruit
farms, and forested regions. The purpose of our study is to understand what factors
determine their movements and to solve the social issues between Jungle Crows andhuman beings, investigating their fine-scale habitat selection based on various
environmental factors.
Accurate location information, with a high data point density in terms of time, wereobtained from 17 Jungle Crows fitted with GPS-TX from 2012 to 2013. Furthermore,
we visually observed the behavior of tagged Jungle Crows as much as possible, andbased on the visual observation, we analyzed the location information. In order toexamine habitat use of Jungle Crows, we overlaid positioning points on the 1/25,000
vegetation map published by the Ministry of the Environment in GIS and aggregatedvegetation at the positioning points. Our results showed that Jungle Crows often used
the residential areas next to forest, fruit farms, and developed riparian forest in summer.
In winter, they often used livestock barns, urban areas, and fruit farms. Their frequentappearance in those areas suggests that they stop by waste dumps to scavenge food on
the way from aggregated roosting habitat to fruit farms and livestock barns.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-052

Why do seabirds migrate away from their breeding area?
D. Pelletier 1, M. Guillemette 2, M. Valois-Berube 1, N. Martin-Chouinard 1, S. Bonnefoi
2
and R. Phillips 3
1

Cegep de Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
Université du Quebec a Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
3
British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
2

Email: david.pelletier@cegep-rimouski.qc.ca
Why birds migrate is a challenging question in ornithology. Since migration is costly inenergy, we expect that large-scale movements must bring some benefits in terms ofreproduction or survival. The most frequent hypothesis invoked to explain why birds
leave their breeding habitat at the end of the summer is a lack of food. In a population ofpartial migrants, we thus expect that individuals wintering close to their breeding range
will spend more time searching for food. In this study, our aim was to understand why
Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) nesting on Bonaventure Island (Quebec, Canada)
migrate and winter at various distances from their breeding grounds. Thus our objectives
were (1) to calculate the cost of migration for various wintering locations, and (2) toevaluate the time spent searching for food in their respective range. To do this, we
determined the wintering range of 58 Gannets using light-based geolocation loggers. The
loggers recorded wet/dry information and were used to identify flights and searching
behaviour while on their respective wintering ranges. The time spent flying was
significantly lower for individuals wintering furthest south (Gulf of Mexico) compared toindividuals wintering close to breeding range (Atlantic Coast) indicating that foraging
behaviour is less demanding in terms of energy and time for the former group. These
results suggest that it would be advantageous for Gannets to go to the Gulf of Mexico in
winter since there would be a lower intra-specific competition and / or prey would be
more abundant and / or they would be easier to locate and capture.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-053

The different arrival strategy of matured and immature Narcissus
Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina
Y. Okahisa1,2, G. Morimoto1,3, K. Takagi4and K. Ueda1
1

Ueda Lab, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
3
Yamashina institute for ornithology, Tokyo, Japan
4
Japan Bird Research Association, Tokyo, Japan
Email: f.narcissina@gmail.com
2

Upon arriving from their spring migration, birds quickly establish territories, find mates,
and attempt to breed. In many species, males that arrive earlier to the breeding grounds
are able to choose the best territories and consequently have the highest reproductive
success. At the individual level, the timing of the arrival is thought to reflect differences
in individuals’ phenotypic quality with higher quality males arriving earlier than poorer
quality ones. Therefore, early arriving males are considered to be high quality
individuals that are able to choose territories in the best habitats. The territory quality
should also be important for the male arrival strategy because if females do not careabout territory quality the effect on mating success will disappear. In this study, we
examined the difference in arrival tactics of mature and yearling male Narcissus
Flycatchers Ficedula narcissina over 5 years on Mt. Fuji, Japan. We found that mature
males having reddish plumage color arrived later at the breeding site, but mated earlier
than others. Interestingly, we neither found a correlation between a mature male’s
arrival time and the quality of the territory where it settled nor between territory quality
and mating order. Conversely, yearlings that arrived earlier tended to have higher bodymasses on their arrival than late arriving males and also won better territories and hadlarger clutch sizes. Our results show that arrival time was important for yearling males
and that it affected their reproductive success, but that for older birds this arrival date
was of no importance.

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SA01 Behavior & behavioral ecology

p01-054

A behavioural study on the wild Copper Pheasant, with particularreference to tameness towards people
M. Sakanashi1 and H. Higuchi2
1

Kumamoto Prefectural Museum, Japan
Keio University SFC, Japan
Email: sakanashi_masahiko@hyu.bbiq.jp
2

The Copper Pheasant Syrmaticus soemmerringii is a species endemic to Japan, and ispopular among Japanese people from the days of Manyo-shu (the oldest anthology oftanka). It occurs in forest areas in Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu as resident birds, living
in a deep forest with dense forest floor. The pheasants are so shy that they are quitedifficult to see. Therefore, their behavior and life cycle are not clear yet. However, thepheasants become very tame towards people on rare occasions. Recently we observedsome Copper Pheasants in Kumamoto, southern Japan. They came out from the forest
they live, in response to one’s calls just like “hello!”, or the sounds of a car radio. Of
course they are wild, and are not fed by people. We have collected such examples fromdifferent parts of Japan in order to show in which seasons the pheasants show thisbehavior, to what extent the male and the female are involved in such occasions, andhow they become tame towards people. In this presentation, we will show some of theresults on this interesting behavior.

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p01-055

Fine-scale diving strategies of Rhinoceros auklets feeding on Japanese anchovy
Nobuhiko Sato1, Dale Manjiro Kikuchi1, Taiki Adachi1, Yutaka Watanuki2Motohiro Ito3 and Akinori Takahashi1,31Department of Polar Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, JAPAN
2
Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, JAPAN3
National Institute of Polar Research, JAPAN
Email: sato.nobuhiko@nipr.ac.jp

Seabirds are expected to adjust searching and foraging behaviour to fine-scale feeding conditions.
Diving seabirds can adjust diving angles or time spent diving to feed on their mobile prey fish
efficiently. However, the fine-scale adjustments of diving behavior to feeding have been examined
little, largely due to technical difficulties in monitoring bird behavior and prey capture events
simultaneously. In this study, we examined the diving behavior of Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca
monocerata feeding on Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus, with data-loggers that can record
depth, temperature and 3 axes accelerations during breeding season. From acceleration data, we
computed the pitch angle and wing beat frequency of diving auklets for each second. From thetime-series pattern of wing-beat frequency, we classified dives into two types; Dive type -1. wing
beat frequency stayed constant (2-3Hz) during descent phase, and decreased slowly toward ascentphase; Dive type -2. patterns in wing beat frequency during descent phase was similar to Dive type -1,
but a period with higher wing beat frequency (4-6Hz) observed after descent phase. The auklets are
known to accelerate to chase and capture fish from previous underwater observations. Therefore, we
assumed that Dive type -1 was ‘cruising dive’ (non-foraging dive), and Dive type -2 was ‘foraging
dive’ with prey-chase phase. The pitch angle of ‘foraging dives’ were steeper than ‘cruising dives’during both descent and ascent phases. The auklets can reach target depth sooner with steeper pitch
angle during descent phase of ‘foraging dives’, and can search over larger horizontal distance withshallower pitch angle during both descent and ascent phase of ‘cruising dives’. We suggest that
Rhinoceros Auklets adjust their diving pitch angles to searching or feeding context to feed efficiently
on mobile and ephemeral schools of Japanese anchovy.

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How young geese learn their way during migration
A. Kölzsch 1,2, H. Kruckenberg 3 and M. Wikelski 1
1

Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology,
Radolfzell, Germany
2
Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW),
Wageningen, The Netherlands
3
Institute for Wetlands and Waterfowl Research (IWWR) e.V., Verden (Aller),
Germany
Email: a.koelzsch@nioo.knaw.nl

Most species of migratory geese fly between their breeding and wintering grounds infamily groups. So, from observation studies it has been concluded that the juveniles
learn migration timing and the route from their parents. However, how exactly thisknowledge is passed on is still unknown. What is the role of each of the parents and do
the young stay close to them during the complete migration? To pursue those questions
we have tagged 38 juvenile and 54 adult greater white-fronted geese (Answer a.
albifrons) in family groups in their Russian breeding sites using GPS loggers. A few of
the tags also contain 3D accelerometers for behavioural recognition, which can give us
insight in the foraging behaviour of the geese during migration. First results from thebreeding sites indicate that the young stay very close to the parents most of the time, butalso take small detours. During those detours the young seem to usually stay together.
We expect to see similar dynamics during autumn migration as families aggregate intolarger flocks. From GPS tracks of adult white-fronted geese of the same population thatwere collected in 2006-2010 we know that they migrate in a narrow front from theRussian Tundra to their Central European wintering sites, stopping at sites along the sea
or on large lakes to refuel. There was high variation in timing of autumn migration
between years and individuals indicating that it is important for young geese to learn
about the correct cues and suitable stopover sites. Such knowledge will influence their
future survival and reproductive success, giving us baseline insight into the beginning ofcomplete life time tracks of individual animals.

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The olfactory potential of the Oriental Honey Buzzard in foraging
G.-J. Weng and S.-Y. Yang
Institute of Wildlife Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science andTechnology, Pingtung, Taiwan
Email: gjw@mail.npust.edu.tw
It has been generally believed that birds have limited sense of smell, except for a few
species such as vultures, tube-nosed seabirds and kiwis. Although research in recent
decades discovered more functions of olfaction in avian ecology, they were limited topasserines and seabirds. Oriental Honey Buzzards (Pernis ptilorhynchus orientalis,
OHB) in Taiwan forage in apiaries and eat pollen dough, a mixture of pollen, soybean
meal, and sugar provided by beekeepers as a supplementary food for bees in winter.
We hypothesized that OHB identified the pollen dough as food through olfaction andconducted an experiment by presenting to OHB the original pollen dough and visuallyindistinguishable dough lacking pollen, soybean meal, or sugar. Colors of the pollen
dough were also manipulated to test the influence of visual cues. We also compared
the number of olfactory receptor (OR) genes in OHB and other bird species toevaluate the relationship between OR repertoire and olfactory potential. Results
showed that OHB predominately chose any dough that had pollen and ignored doughlacking it, regardless of color and other ingredients, indicating that OHB recognized
the pollen as food by smell. The estimated OR repertoire in OHB was 283, lower than
the average of 369 in other birds. The proportion of functional OR genes in OHB was
81.5%, close to the average of 83.4% in other birds. Our study showed that a diurnal
raptor species highly depending on vision in searching for food actually used its senseof smell to identify food at close distance. A number of functional OR genes as low as
200 appears sufficient to provide a bird species considerable olfactory ability. The
ability and use of olfaction is probably more widespread in birds than previously
believed.

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p01-058

Individual variation and the ecological significance of intra-specifickleptoparasitism in Rhinoceros auklet
Motohiro Ito1, Megumi Shikata2, Kazuhiko Hirata2, Yuya suzuki2, Yutaka Watanuki2
1 National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
2 Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Japan

Email: ito.motohiro@nipr.ac.jp
Intra-specific kleptoparasitism (ISK), or the stealing foods from the other members of
the same species are sometimes observed in the wild bird's communities. However its
individual variations and the ecological consequences of ISK are rarely studied. We
firstly observed ISK in colonial seabird, Rhinoceros Auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata).
The study was conducted continuously during their breeding season of 2006 to 2010.
During birds landing with foods in their bill to feed their chicks, many (7%) birds areattacked by conspecifics, and of these, 16% birds have food stolen. Those pirate
individuals were usually male (88%). This male-biased tendency in engaging in ISK
might be the result of larger male bill size and body mass. Furthermore, within males,
there was large individual variation in tendency of piracy. Among 90 videotaped pairs,
only 21 parents (17 males and 4 females) often (0.1-0.8 times per night) brought meals
resulting from ISK. However, those pairs were also monitored during their diving
behaviour during foraging by data logger (temperature-depth), there are no differencesin foraging effort between pirate and non- pirate birds. Thus, pirate birds were not ISK
specialists. ISK increased the total daily meal mass by 40% and daily chick mass
increment by 80%. Parents that engaged more in ISK tended to fledge chicks at a
younger age (P=0.057) though the effects on chick growth and fledging mass were notsignificant. These results suggest that ISK provides short-term benefit in the auklets.

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p01-059

Mechanism of the allocation of food in the Barn Swallow
N. Sakura 1, W. Kitamura 2, N. Yamaguchi 3, G. Fujita 1, K. Katoh 1 and H. Higuchi 4
1

Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo,
Japan
2
Faculty of Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University, Kanagawa, Japan
3
Graduate School of Fisheries Science and Environmental Studies, Nagasaki University,
Nagasaki, Japan
4
Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: sakura@es.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The nestlings of altricial birds have been suggested to increase their allocation of foodfrom parents by begging. For example, nestlings that begged first or are close to theparental feeding location are known to have higher chances of being fed. On the other
hand, parents will not be completely passive distributors of the food. To maximize theirfitness, parents must make decisions about the allocation of limited resources between
nestlings, whereas nestlings may attempt to extract more resources than is optimal interms of parental fitness. In the context of such parent–offspring conflict theory, it isimportant to shed light on how much control parents versus nestlings have over the
allocation of food. In order to address this question, we here examined the allocation offood to Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) nestlings in relation to various conditions. First,
as conflicts will be higher when resources are insufficient for growth of the entire brood,
we assessed the seasonal changes in growth rates and detected the favourable season
and/or other brood-rearing conditions for Barn Swallow nestlings. Second, we tested
whether the begging behaviour of nestlings and the parental responses to nestling
behaviour differ between favourable and unfavourable conditions. We also examinedthe choice of feeding locations by parents as a way of controlling the allocation of food.

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p01-060

Landscape of prey in a Hoopoe population: sex-specific consequences ofspatial variation of mole cricket availability on reproductive success
JACOT, A.1,2, GUILLOD, N.1, RYSER, S.1 & R., ARLETTAZ 1,2
1

University of Bern, IEE - Conservation Biology, Erlachstr. 9a, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Swiss Ornithological Institute, Field Station Valais, Rue du Rhône 11, 1950 Sion,
Switzerland
2

In Switzerland, a major part of the population of the endangered Hoopoe Upupa epops breeds
in intensified orchards in artificial nest boxes. Previous studies indicate that mole crickets,
Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa, are important prey items that can make up 80% of the delivered
biomass. Here, we aim at investigating the relationship between the importance of molecrickets as prey and fitness-related traits in Hoopoes. We quantified spatial variation in thefood allocation pattern of Hoopoes over the whole study area and analysed the importance of
this prey on occupancy rate (2001-2012) and current reproduction. Our results show
considerable, repeatable spatial variation of mole crickets over the whole study area, which
affected the number of breeding attempts in the past (i.e. occupancy rate of a territory) andadditionally the current reproductive success. Pairs that fed high proportions of mole crickets
produced more eggs, and chicks were in better body condition and showed a higher fledging
rate. Interestingly, the importance of mole crickets was most pronounced in male feeding
patterns. Males invest more in offspring food provisioning and mainly fed the larger and older
offspring with large mole crickets, while females compensated a male’s feeding pattern andfed smaller prey items to the younger chicks. These sex-specific feeding patterns are expected
to be adaptive where the female’s compensatory feeding behaviour will largely depend on a
male’s ability to provide enough food – in our case mole crickets – to the brood. This study
highlights the importance of a single prey species on sex-specific food provisioning patterns
and ultimately on the reproductive success of a bird species.

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p01-061

Dynamics in spatial use of orchards by small passerines during thebreeding season, case studies in UK and Spain.
R. Dittrich 1, B. Giessing 1, F. Sotti 1 and S. Norman 2
1

tier3 solutions GmbH, Leichlingen, Germany
Ridgeway Eco, Abingdon, UK
Email: ralf.dittrich@tier3.de

2

The central feature of bird home ranges is the spatial use of resources to survive andreproduce. Constancy in the use of space in the short term is supposed to be of advantage formost of small passerine species. Here we determined repeatedly the daily home ranges ofindividual birds of five different species in apple orchards in UK and in citrus orchards in
Spain. The application of an insecticide during the study period provided the opportunity togain insights in the dynamic of spatial use with respect to a large-scale food decline. This is ofgreat interest as the application of insecticides in modern agriculture systems is a standard
procedure and the ability of species to react on this determines the viability of their
populations inhabiting this type of habitat. According to our results a certain proportion of thehome range was used constantly at different days in most of the cases. The remaining
proportion of the home range varied in terms of area and location used. The total area coveredby a home range was constant for most of the species within the three month of study period.
With respect to the application of the insecticide the reaction was species specific. E.g. theGreat tit (Parus major) spent less time and was found to a lesser extend in the orchard a few
days following the treatment. The results show that small passerines birds optimise their space
use by steadily varying parts of their home range around a constant base.

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p01-062

Feeding position is not fixed in the Varied Tit– comparison with the Japanese Tit
Ayako Ishii1 and Kazuhiro Eguchi2
1

21st Century Program, Kyushu University

2

Department of Biology, Kyushu University

Email: ayako.ishii.21cp@gamil.com
In some species, each parent feeds from a fixed position on the nest and nestlings compete forthe best position from the parent. (McRae et al. 1993; Kölliker et al. 1998; Lessells et al. 2006).
Parents may gain optimal fledging success through brood reduction by means of fixed feeding
position. So far, fixed feeding position has been reported only in single-prey loader species. The
Varied Tit Poecile varius lives in sympatry with the Japanese Tit Parus minor in the evergreen
broadleaved forests in Japan. The former has a smaller clutch size (five is commonest) and carries
one or more prey items, while the latter has a larger clutch size (eight) and is a single-prey loader(Eguchi 1995). It is probable that multi-prey loaders can allocate food more equally thansingle-prey loaders and that feeding position is not fixed in the latter.
We studied the pattern of parental feeding and feeding position of Varied Tits comparing withJapanese Tits in a forest at Fukuoka, southeastern Japan. Feeding behavior and positions of parents
and nestlings were recorded with a micro-video camera set at the ceiling of the nest box, from 7 to
13 days after hatching.
As predicted, each parent stood at a consistent position in Japanese Tits, but not in Varied Tits.
Varied Tits divided food among nestlings. Asynchronous hatching and large clutch size may cause
sibling competition and brood reduction in the Japanese Tit. Parents may facilitate the competition
by feeding at a fixed position. On the other hand, clutch size was small and hatching occurredsynchronously in the Varied Tit, which may suggest parents feed nestlings equally to fledge withoutbrood reduction.

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p01-063

Foraging strategies of coexisting shorebirds at rice fields of Central
Western Korea during migration
Seung-Hye Choi, Hyung-Kyu Nam and Jeong-Chil Yoo
The Korea Institute of Ornithology and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University
Email: omega0828@naver.com

Rice (Oryza sativa) fields constitute one of the important man-made wetlands forwaterbirds. In particular, flooded conditions in rice fields clearly provide foraging
habitats. This study was conducted during the spring migration period in 2009, 2011
and 2012 at rice fields of Midwestern Korea. It was aimed at foraging strategies of two
wader species (Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola and Black-tailed Godwit Limosalimosa) not specialized in terms of feeding techniques. These species were common in
our study area during migration and represent different morphological classes. There
were distinct differences in foraging strategies between Wood Sandpipers andBlack-tailed Godwits. Wood Sandpipers foraged significantly more often in shallow
water level and on carnivorous prey items, whereas Black-tailed Godwit preferred
relatively deep water level and granivorous prey items. The main foraging method ofWood Sandpipers was surface feeding using visual cues. Black-tailed Godwits, on theother hand, fed by probing and using tactile cues. Wood Sandpipers foraged lessintensively but with a proportionally high efficiency of foraging. In contrary,Black-tailed Godwit foraged very intensively and less effectively. Moreover, they were
influenced by microclimatic factors. This suggests that two shorebird species in rice
fields adopt an opportunistic foraging strategy during migration.

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p01-064

Current state of bait-fishing by Green-backed Herons in Kumamoto,Japan
T. Yamada 1, N. Takahashi 1, S. Hamasaki 1, Y. Fujiwara 1, N. Adachi 1, M. Honda 1,
K. Kitada1, M. Sakanashi2, and H. Higuchi 3
1

Science Club, Kumamoto Marist Senior High School, Japan
Kumamoto Prefectural Museum, Japan
3
Keio University SFC, Japan
Email: kaorin777@abelia.ocn.ne.jp
2

Very sophisticated bait-fishing by the Green-backed heron (Butorides striata) was
found in Kumamoto, southern Japan in the 1980s. The behavior has been observed inevery summer of the following 30 years in the same area. This fact suggests that there
are cultural transmissions among the herons. We were interested in this fact and started
this research in 2012. It is shown that the herons that have continued sophisticatedbait-fishing would be the colony which build nests in the Kumamoto Terrsa hotel. We
also succeeded in shooting the bait-fishing with a video camera and performed
animation analysis. The analysis showed that there were differences in techniques of thefishing between adults and juveniles. First the baits which adults often used were many
animal materials, while the baits that juveniles used were vegetable materials andartifacts. Second, the adults put bait quietly on the surface of the water and picked it up
if unsuccessful so that they are not found by a fish, but juveniles did bait-fishing
without such procedures. These results were similar to Higuchi’s observations reported
30 years ago.

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p01-065

Incubation constancy of American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) nestingin an extreme environment
Josh J. Hall and John F. Cavitt, Avian Ecology Laboratory, Department of Zoology
Weber State University College of Science, 2505 University Circle, Ogden, UT 84408
Reproduction in birds is extremely conservative with the vast majority of species adopting birdegg contact incubation to maintain an appropriate microclimate for embryonic development. The
Great Salt Lake is an important nesting site for thousands of American Avocets (Recurvirostra
americana) each year. However, the local climatic conditions can be extreme during thebreeding season with very low humidity and daytime temperatures often reaching above 38°C.
In addition, nesting success at Great Salt Lake can be very low for this species (14% of nests
producing young). These extreme conditions may negatively affect the fitness of American
Avocets by interfering with the development of embryos, or resulting in increased energy
expenditures of incubating adults. Constancy of incubation, the time that the eggs are in contact
with an adult, has been shown in other species to be a major indicator of nesting success. We
examined the costs associated with nesting in such a hostile environment and determined if
behavioral modifications can ameliorate these effects. We examined incubation constancy andthe thermal environment of eggs by placing temperature probes in active American Avocet nests.
Artificial nests were also monitored to measure the thermal environment in the absence of adultincubation. A motion sensitive camera was placed at nests to examine variation in parental careduring incubation. Temperature and video data demonstrated incubation constancy varied
throughout the nesting cycle and across nests. In addition, ambient conditions had a significant
effect on parental behavior. These data provide important information on the behavior andadaptation of this species to an extreme environment.

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p01-066

The validity of mobbing call playbacks as a method to estimate
abundance of forest birds
N. Sugita1,2 and T.N. Suzuki1,3
1College of Science, Rikkyo University, Toshima, Tokyo, Japan
Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo., Tukuba,
Ibaraki, Japan3
Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for
Advanced Studies, Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: toshi.n.suzuki@gmail.com
2

Sound playbacks are widely used as a method to investigate the species identity andabundance of birds in study populations. In particular, mobbing calls have been known
as an effective sound, because they attract both conspecific and heterospecificindividuals. However, recent studies revealed that avian mobbing calls can vary with therisk of predators (i.e., predator type, size, and distance), and such information can bedetected not only by conspecifics but also by heterospecifics. Therefore, the type ofmobbing calls could affect the number and species of birds that researchers can record,
and may consequently influence the estimation accuracy. In the present study, we tested
the validity of mobbing call playbacks in the estimation of bird abundance byinvestigating intra- and inter-specific attraction to two types of mobbing call of JapaneseTits (Parus minor). Two types of mobbing call were played back at 14 separated sites inmixed deciduous-coniferous forests on different days, and the number and species ofbirds attracted were recorded. We also conducted a point count in each playback site.
Playbacks of mobbing calls attracted a number of bird species in a short time (15 min),but the number of individuals attracted differed between the two types of mobbing call.
The species of birds observed during the playbacks was not different between the two
mobbing call types. Several warblers were never observed during the playbacks, while
they were frequently observed by point counts. We conclude that, although playbacks ofmobbing calls were useful to estimate the abundance of some species of birds,
researchers should pay heed that the attraction to mobbing call playbacks depends on
the types of mobbing calls and species of birds.

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p01-067

Wintering ecology of the Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) ineastern Hokkaido, JapanD. Hu1,2, S. Wang1 and K. Momose2
1

Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang, China.
Red-crowned Crane Conservancy, Kushiro, Japan
Email: hudongyu@synu.edu.cn
2

In winter, the Japanese population (over 1500 individuals) of the Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis) is dependent on artificial feeding in eastern Hokkaido, northern Japan.
They fly into the feeding stations to peck the corn scattered there in the daytime androost in the river near the stations at night. The individual behaviors in relation to age
and social status were observed by identifying marked individuals and juveniles at the
major feeding stations. Most of the males and females three years of age or older
uttered unison calls to form a pair bond, whilst only a few younger cranes called inunison. The family cranes appeared at the stations later than younger cranes in early
winter. They were more apt to visit a particular station throughout the winter months
and occupied a particular location at the stations. Only a part of the younger cranes
frequently moved among the stations. In early winter (December), the cranes devoted
more time to forage and less time to preen and rest. Among them, the juveniles spent
more foraging time than other individuals. In mid winter (January and February), theforaging time of the cranes decreased and the preening and resting time increased. There
was no significant difference in the proportion of foraging time between juveniles andother individuals. In late winter (March), only younger cranes including the juveniles
independent of their parents visited the stations. The cranes showed a high alertness
and frequent fighting behaviour at the feeding areas throughout the winter months.
Some individuals had to depart from the feeding areas after foraging. The
enlargement of feeding area at the feeding stations and establishment of new station
are necessary as the population increases.

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p02-001

Predator-prey interaction drive the evolution of red plumage trait inBarn Swallow Hirundo rustica gutturalis
E. Arai and M. Kawata
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
Email: gutturalis.39@gmail.com
Interaction between species, such as resource competition and predator-prey interaction,is an important factor in phenotypic evolution. In birds, red color is considered to be
subject to sexual and/or natural selection. In some cases, red color is conspicuous andthus, might increase predation risk, while in other cases, red color might play a role inwarning signal or crypsis, which decreases predation risk. Here, we investigated therelationship between the plumage color traits and nest attack rates in Barn Swallows(Hirundo rustica gutturalis), whose half-cup nests are often attacked by Jungle Crows(Corvus macrohynchos), Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) or White Wagtails(Motacilla alba lugens). During their breeding season, a single dummy swallow having
one of four different throat colors (red, light red, white and black) was placed into aswallow nest and after 7days, the presence or absence of the dummy was checked as anindicator of predatory attacks. Red throat dummies fell down significantly lessfrequently than those with other colors (red 4.2%, light red 8.7%, black 17.4%, white
29.2%). The rate at which dummies with reddish (red and light red) throat fell down
was significantly lower than those of dummies with monochrome ones (white andblack) (P<0.05, Fisher’s exact test). This suggest that red throat trait in barn swallows
has function in avoiding attacks by predators. Therefore, not only sexual selection but
also predator-prey interaction might have influenced the evolution of the red phenotypic
trait in Barn Swallow.

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p02-002

What is the influence of motion on predator perception by the European
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)?
Laurine Belina, Christine Aubryb, Emmanuel de Margerieb, Laurence Henryb & Martine
Hausbergerb
UMR CNRS 6552 ‘Éthologie animale et humaine’, université de Rennes-1, Station
biologique de Paimpont 35380 PAIMPONTb.
UMR CNRS 6552 ‘Éthologie animale et humaine’, université de Rennes-1,avenue duGénéral-Leclerc, 35042 Rennes cedex, France
Email: laurine.belin@univ-rennes1.fra.

It is generally admitted that birds are particularly sensitive to some biologically relevant
visual stimuli. Thus, fixed “eyes” or “raptor” 2D pictures are predominant in studies aiming totest repellent signals. But the question is how such representations are really perceived bybirds and whether the addition of motion influences this perception of danger. In this study,
we tested the hypothesis that reactions to supposed “repellent” visual stimuli may depend of
the presence/ absence of motion, and the type of motion applied. Captive wild caught
European Starlings were exposed to a variety of supposed repellent visual stimuli presented
on a LCD monitor: human, eyes, snake, raptor, as well as neutral stimuli. These visual stimuli
were either fixed or moving (rippling, beating or looming). Starlings expressed approaches
and avoidances as well as gazes towards the screen. The birds reacted differently according to
the presence of motion. The decrease of fear reaction of birds in the presence of some moving
visual stimuli compared to their reaction to the same visual stimuli without motion, may raisequestions about the efficiency of supposed repellent stimuli in an artificial context. It seems
that the perception of a rapidly approaching predator is crucial in the decision for the birds toflee or not. The effect of experience has been further tested by using hand raised starlings.
The significance of these results both in terms of cognitive abilities of birds and experimental
set ups will be discussed.

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p02-004

Skype birds: quantitative evaluation of audio-visual online
communication in Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)
Y. Ikkatai1, K. Okanoya2, and Y. Seki3
1 Emotional Information Joint Research Laboratory, RIKEN BSI, Saitama, Japan
2 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
3 Center for Evolutionary Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Email: y.ikkatai@brain.riken.jp
Are humans the only ones capable of using audio-visual online tools such as Skype?
Establishing an animal model for cognitive processing in this kind of communication
would help us to understand what communication is. Some birds could be a bettermodel for this purpose than rodents because of the similarities in their sensory
modalities with those of humans, such as their visual and auditory dominance and range
of normal hearing. Budgerigars may be among the best species because they imitate
vocalizations in affiliated groups and modify their own behaviours after viewing video
playbacks of other Budgerigars. Previous studies suggest that Budgerigars may establish
communication with others not only in face-to-face but also in computer-mediatedsettings. In this study, we put two Budgerigars separately in each experimental box
equipped with a monitor, speaker, camera and microphone, to enable them to establish
real-time ”online communication”. We conducted three conditions: paired (two-way,
interactive), pseudo-paired (one-way, noninteractive) and solo (no bird in one side).
Results revealed that their activity increased in the paired and pseudo-paired conditions.
Some birds showed different levels of movement synchrony with partners via monitors
under different conditions. In addition, we examined whether such kind of indirect
audio-visual communication could function as a reinforcer of operant conditioning task.
To our knowledge, this is the first study that provides a quantitative evaluation of online
communication in non-human animals. We establish an experimental system toperfectly control audio-visual information in this experimental setting.

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p02-005

Visual exposure to non-specific point-light animation induces apredisposition for biological motion in domestic chicks.
Momoko Miura 1,2, and Toshiya Matsushima 3,
1

Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Japan Society for Promotion Science, Tokyo, Japan
3
Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Email: m.miura@mail.sci.hokudai.ac.jp
2

A motion picture composed of a set of moving points of light creates a vivid perceptionof living organism, a phenomena known as Johansson's biological motion (BM). We
investigated the effects of early visual experiences on preference for BM by using thetraining paradigm of imprinting. Chicks were trained by visual exposure to a point-lightanimation depicting a walking hen (W-hen, a BM stimulus) or one of the following
non-BM animations, i.e., rotating hen (R-hen), pendulum, random motion andstationary pattern. If trained with an animation, males showed a strong preference forW-hen to R-hen at test, irrespective of whether the animation was BM or non-BM.
Stronger preference appeared when chicks approached the stimuli more actively intraining, similarly to the “law of efforts” reported in imprinting. If trained with astationary pattern, males showed similarly active approach in training but did not show
BM preference at test. In females, on the other hand, only those chicks trained with
W-hen showed an obvious preference to W-hen, and no correlation was found between
the approach and the BM preference. The BM preference is thus supposed not to belearned, but is a permissively induced innately predisposition. Furthermore, females(but not males) trained with random motion showed a preference for walking hen overwalking cat (a biological motion animation depicting a cat), indicating that females arechoosier than males. Chicks trained with a stationary pattern and untrained controls did
not show a significant preference. The induction of BM preference is discussed in termsof possible ecological background.

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p02-007

Crow cannot discriminate between the real ham and replica under theminimal ultra violet light condition
N. Tsukahara 1, H. Sasahara 2 and S. Sugita 2
1

The Center for the Promotion of Integrated Sciences, The Graduate University for
Advanced Studies, Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan2
Department of Animal Science, Utsunomiya University, 350 Minemachi,
Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
Email: tsukahara_naoki@soken.ac.jp

Many birds have ultra violet (UV) vision. The light condition without UV may affectavian vision because it is well known that bird vision uses UV light. Jungle Crows(Corvus macrorhynchos) also have UV vision. In this study, the discrimination tests
were done with crows using a real ham and replica under different light conditions. Four
light conditions (minimal, weak, middle and strong UV irradiation) were setup in theexperimental room using a UV cut fluorescent, normal fluorescent and UV lamp. A
crow can chose either the ham or replica in a cage under each condition in the room.
Five crows were used in each condition and a total of 20 crows were used. Almost all
crows in the weak, middle and strong UV irradiation conditions could choose the real
ham significantly. However, all crows in the condition of minimal UV irradiation could
not discriminate between ham and replica. Thus, UV reflection of some objects may be
one of the clues crows use to recognize some objects.

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p02-008

Adult deprivation during development affects social motivation of a
songbird
George Isabelle1, Perret Audrey1, Coulon Marion1, Cousillas Hugo1, Hausberger
Martine1 & Henry Laurence1
1

UMR6552 – Ethologie Animale et Humaine, Université de Rennes 1 – CNRS, Rennes,
FranceEmail: isabelle.george@univ-rennes1.fr
One characteristic of sociality is the fact of being attracted by conspecifics. However,individuals reared in isolation may be disturbed by the presence of conspecifics andthey can even stay away from conspecifics when given the opportunity to interact withthem. This may reflect troubles in discrimination and/or social attraction. Here, we
evaluated whether Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) reared with no adults would be attracted
by conspecifics depicted in pictures when socially isolated. Hand-reared male Starlings
were offered the possibility to see either social pictures (i.e. pictures of unfamiliar
conspecifics) or non-social pictures (pictures of landscapes) by triggering sensors freely.
Our data showed that only half of the Starlings used the sensors steadily to see pictures,
and, as a group, they did not exhibit any preference for one type of pictures or the other.
This contrasts with the fact that adult wild-caught Starlings, when isolated, show a highmotivation to obtain pictures of conspecifics. This suggests that adults are necessary for
attraction by conspecifics to develop.

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Is the Pied Bush Chat (a tropical song bird) a close ended song learner?
A. Kumar, D. C. Bhatt and V. K. Sethi
Department of Zoology & Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar,
Uttarakhand, India
E-mails: amit_bushchat@yahoo.co.in, dineshharidwar@gmail.com

Based on the ability of song memorization, songbirds are traditionally categorized as open- andclose-ended learners. Open-ended learners continue to learn new songs in adulthood and addthem in their song repertoires throughout their life while in close-ended learners, learning is
restricted to an early sensitive phase and birds repeat these songs in a stereotyped or crystallizedmanner for the rest of their lives. In the Pied Bush Chat (Saxicola caprata), a tropical songbird
with large song repertoires, males deliver dawn chorus to mediate social relationship withneighbours through counter-singing during breeding season. However, there exists no
information on when song learning occurs in this species. To test whether the Pied Bush Chat is
a close- or open-ended song learner, song repertoires of eighteen males were recorded andcompared over the years during 2008-10. Males, with few exceptions, delivered identicalrepertoire sizes across years. A few males dropped a single song type each from their songrepertoires in the next year. However, no male acquired any new song type during adulthood.
Results suggest that males possibly memorize their song repertoires early in life that remain
stable after crystallization. Therefore, the Pied Bush Chat may be considered as a close-ended
song learner.

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p02-010Songbirds and humans apply different strategies in a sound sequence
discrimination task
Y. Seki 1.2, K. Suzuki 2, A.M. Osawa 1 and K. Okanoya 1.2
1

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Lab. for Biolinguistics, RIKEN BSI, Japan
Email: yoshimasa.seki@gmail.com
2

The abilities of animals and humans to extract rules from sound sequences havepreviously been compared using observation of spontaneous responses and conditioning
techniques. However, the results were inconsistently interpreted across studies possibly
due to methodological and/or species differences. Therefore, we examined the strategies
for discrimination of sound sequences in Bengalese Finches and humans using the same
protocol. Birds were trained on a GO/NOGO task to discriminate between two
categories of sound stimulus generated based on an "AAB" or "ABB" rule. The soundelements used were taken from a variety of male (M) and female (F) calls, such that thesequences could be represented as MMF and MFF. In test sessions, FFM and FMM
sequences, which were never presented in the training sessions but conformed to therule, were presented as probe stimuli. The results suggested two discriminative
strategies were being applied: (1) memorizing sound patterns of either GO or NOGO
stimuli and generating the appropriate responses for only those sounds; and (2) using
the repeated element as a cue. There was no evidence that the birds successfully
extracted the abstract rule (i.e., AAB and ABB); MMF-GO subjects did not produce a
GO response for FFM and vice versa. Next we examined whether those strategies werealso applicable for human participants on the same task. The results and questionnaires
revealed that participants extracted the abstract rule, and most of them employed it todiscriminate the sequences. This strategy was never observed in bird subjects, althoughsome participants used strategies similar to the birds when responding to the probe
stimuli. Our results showed that the human participants applied the abstract rule in thetask even without instruction but Bengalese Finches did not, thereby reconfirming thathumans have to extract abstract rules from sound sequences that is distinct from
non-human animals.

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p02-011Graphical analysis of the structure of complex bird songs in naturalenvironments
Charles E Taylor, Edward Stabler, Edward E Vallejo, Martin L Cody
taylor@biology.ucla.edu
Many birds have complex songs that convey meaning. Characterizing their statisticalstructure is likely to help us understand that meaning. Such songs can be viewed as
strings of phrases that follow one another. We may view each song as a graph, consistingof nodes (vertices), and transitions among phrases represented by line segments (edges)
linking them. Markov processes are commonly drawn in this manner, but the
representation is more general. Sequences of words in English sentences and phrases inbird songs can both be visualized this way. One can be precise about such graphs,
including the number of nodes (lexicon size), transition frequency distributions, andconnectedness features. In those instances where the sequences can be characterized byMarkov processes, then a great deal of statistical theory is available to aid in theiranalysis and interpretation. These methods are well known in studies of humanlanguages.
We have characterized the songs from several natural populations of birds in this manner,
including California Thrashers Toxostoma redivivum, Cassin's Vireos Vireo cassinii andBlack-headed Grosbeaks Pheucticus melanocephalus. Each of these has a complex songwith 100 or more consistent phrase types, each with one or more syllables andconcatenated into strings. Not unexpectedly, these species differ greatly from one
another: some have limited lexicon size, whereas others seem to increase without limit;
some have extensive phrase-sharing, while others do not; some have patterns of nodeconnectedness that are sharply "small world", while others are much less definitively so.
To the extent that these songs can be described by Markov processes locally, thetransition frequencies change, so that they are inhomogeneous. In no case have weobserved that the Markov processes are reversible, a result with important consequences
for song learning. We document these results in more detail and relate them toobservations by others.

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p02-012Is the soft song of the Brownish-Flanked Bush Warbler an aggressive
signal?
C.W. Xia1, J.Y. Liu1, P. Alström2, Q. Wu1, Y.Y. Zhang1,*
1

Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering,
College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China.
2
Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China; and Swedish Species Information
Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
*
Email: zhangyy@bnu.edu.cn

Soft songs (sub-song) have been detected in many songbirds, but in most species,
research on soft songs has lagged behind studies of broadcast songs. In this study, we
describe the acoustic features of a soft song in the Brownish-anked Bush Warbler
Cettia fortipes. Compared with the broadcast song, the warbler’s soft song wascharacterized by a lower minimum frequency and longer duration, and it had a higher
proportion of rapid frequency modulation notes. Using playback experiments, some incombination with mounted specimens, we found different responses to soft andbroadcast songs, and we found that soft song can predict aggressive escalation (attack).
We conclude that the soft song is an aggressive signal in this species.

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p02-013The stereotypy and variability of repertoires in two groups of nonpasserine
birds in evolutionary perspective
A.S. Opaev
A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow, Russia
E-mail: opaev@rambler.ru
The repertoire of non-passerine birds consists of different type of calls. It is known that in somecases different call types can be intergraded. This phenomenon can be called the structuralcontinuality. It is not clear whether structural continuality in call repertoire is an evolutionarilyadvanced trait or a primitive condition? To address this question I compared the vocalizations of
two groups: (1) cranes (Sarcogeranus leucogeranus, Grus vipio, G. japonensis) and (2) terns(Sterna hirundo, Thalasseus sandvicensis, Sternula albifrons) with their molecular phylogenies.
Crane vocalization was studied in captivity. The interspecific differences in crane vocal
repertoire revealed reflect both the dissimilarity in vocal repertoires and the pattern of vocal
element switching. In particular, in G. leucogeranus (which stands close to the root of theGruinae) the vocal repertoire is minimal and sequences emitted by individuals are a constantrepetition of near-identical notes. Patterns of vocal element switching within bouts ofvocalization in other crane species studied show much more variability. The vocal behaviour ofterns was studied in the Azov Sea by focusing on vocalization during aerial courtship. The
structural continuity of repertoire structure is characteristic for S. hirundo: its repertoire can bepresented as a continuum in which components pass from one to another. The repertoire of S.
sandvicensis can be divided into several call types, but there is typically considerable variability
in the calls forming a series. The vocalization of S. albifrons (which holds a more basal position)
seems much more stereotyped in that it expresses little structural continuity in repertoire
structure or variability of acoustic series. Thus, in both groups of birds the structural continuity
in repertoire structure and variability of acoustic sequences can be a sign of evolutionary
progress.

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p02-014

Is acoustic communication of European Robins (Erithacus rubecula)affected by wind farm noise?
M. C. Zwart1, J. C. Dunn1, P. J. K. McGowan1, and M. J. Whittingham1
1

School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Email: m.c.zwart@ncl.ac.uk

The number and distribution of wind farms has increased considerably over the last
20–30 years. Their impact on wildlife is not fully understood, but it is clear that somespecies avoid wind farms, possibly because of the masking effect of wind turbine noise.
Previous studies have shown that urban and traffic noise alters singing behaviour in avariety of bird species such as the Great Tit Parus major, Eurasian Blackbird Turdus
merula and European Robin Erithacus rubecula. Furthermore, noise could affect thereceiver’s ability to determine the signaller’s distance, such that birds might perceive anearby neighbour to be further away than they actually are. We investigated whether the
territorial response of male European Robins is affected by wind turbine noise. Initial
results from playback experiments show that robins did not alter their singing behaviour
when exposed to turbine noise. However, they did perform more flights and flew overthe speaker more often during playback of robin song with wind turbine noise in the
background than they did during similar playbacks with no background noise. This
could indicate that in the presence of turbine noise the receiver had difficulty locating
the signaller and perceived the signaller (playback) to be at a greater distance than it
actually was.

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p02-015

Seasonal changes in vocal activity in two nocturnal colonial seabirds(Oceanodroma furcata and O. leucorhoa; Procellariiformes) in relation
to abiotic factors.
A.V. Klenova1 and A.N. Shienok 1
1

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State
University, Moscow, Russia
Email: anna.v.klenova@gmail.com; anshienok@gmail.com

Seabirds are good indicators of the condition for marine ecosystems. However thepatterns of colony attendance in nocturnal seabirds are still not clear for many species,
thus complicating the monitoring of their populations. We studied seasonal vocal activity
on the colony surface in two nocturnal seabirds, Fork-tailed (Oceanodroma furcata) andLeach’s (O. leucorhoa) Storm-petrels, and tested the impact of abiotic factors. The work
was conducted from 14 June to 23 August 2012, on Medny Island, the CommanderArchipelago, where the both species are common and usually share the breeding grounds.
We used two automatic SongMeter acoustic sensors that nightly recorded first 5 minutesof each half-hour period from sunset to sunrise on the two colony sites that differed instorm-petrel’s nest density. We also regularly noted the weather conditions: airtemperature, wind speed, cloud cover, amount and form of precipitation, sea state etc.
Storm-petrels acoustic activity (defined as total flight call number recorded per night)
varies greatly from night to night (on the study site with higher density – 10-180 calls forO. furcata and 4-91 calls for O. leucorhoa). However we didn’t find any significant effectof air temperature and cloud cover on the vocal activity in both species. But vocal activity
significantly and negatively correlates with wind speed in both species, and withhumidity and sea state in O. leucorhoa but not in O. furcata. Interestingly, we found thatnightly peaks of vocal activity of two species on Medny is quite divergent (O. furcata –164±26 min and O. leucorhoa – 233±36 min after sunset), maybe due to competition fornoise-free periods of night. We discuss the possible impact of our study for improvementof methods of acoustic monitoring for storm-petrels populations.

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p02-016

Ontogenesis of vocalization in nocturnal (Strigiformes) and diurnal(Falconiformes) birds of prey
D.V. Popova 1, E.I. Sarychev 2, and I.R. Beme 1
1

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State
University, Moscow, Russia
2
Vitasfera Rare Bird Species Breeding Centre, Moscow region, Russia
Email: lizardyd@mail.ru
Nocturnal and diurnal birds of prey have different types of ontogenesis: while owls
hatch blind, diurnal birds of prey hatch with fully-developed eyes. Here we present thefirst data on ontogenetic changes in the vocalizations of chicks of two owl species(tawny owl, Strix aluco, and great grey owl, Strix nebulosa) and three species of diurnal
birds of prey (saker falcon, Falco cherrug; merlin, Falco columbarius; and Northerngoshawk, Accipiter gentilis). Measurements of the calls were made with AvisoftSASLab Pro 5.1.10 (Avisoft Bioacoustics, Berlin, Germany). Data analyses were carriedout with the statistical package STATISTICA 7.0 (StatSoft, Tulsa, OK, USA). We
examined changes in the structure and acoustic parameters of the begging calls of
hatchlings, nestlings and fledglings. We found that nestling calls changed during
maturation both in structure and time-frequency characteristics. Abrupt changes
occurred in the structure of owl calls by the time of eye development completion. In
diurnal birds of prey such abrupt changes in call structure were not found. Calls ofchicks of diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey differed. Along with ontogenetic changes instructure and acoustic parameters of calls we investigated the data on the subject ofpossible individual- and sexual-dependent features. Begging calls of chicks werecompared to those of adult birds of the same species. The study was conducted at
Vitasfera Rare Bird Species Breeding Centre and supported by RFBR grant No 11-0400062а.

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p02-017

Patterns of dawn singing by a tropical suboscine, the black-capped flycatcher(Empidonax atriceps)
M.R. Lein 1 and V.A. Haines 2
1

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Department of Sociology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Email: mrlein@ucalgary.ca

2Many passerine species exhibit a short bout of intense singing just before, or at, sunrise (dawnchorus). The function of dawn singing remains controversial, despite increased investigation inrecent years. However, almost all studies have involved migrant species breeding in temperateregions. Although the behavior is exhibited by many resident species in tropical regions, itremains unknown whether dawn singing shows the same characteristics, and functions in thesame manner, in these birds. We recorded dawn singing of a resident population of blackcapped flycatchers (Empidonax atriceps) in Costa Rica in March-April 2009. Dawn song began
about 15 minutes before sunrise and continued for about 20 minutes. Each male sang two song
types in almost strict alternation, except near the end of bouts when the proportion of song type 1
increased. Songs were given at rates of approximately 40 songs/minute. Singing rates increased
during the first half of dawn-singing bouts, then slowed toward the end. Many bouts ended when
the singing male was approached by a second bird, presumably the mate, giving call notes. In
contrast to the highly-stereotyped songs of Empidonax species studied in North America, bothsong types of black-capped flycatchers showed considerable variation in the number of
introductory notes at the beginning of each song, giving a "stuttering" quality to their singing.
We compare the dawn singing of this species with that of a migratory population of its sister
species, the buff-breasted flycatcher (E. fulvifrons), in Arizona.

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p02-018Song structure, song rate, hormonal level and immune challenge in the
CanaryBeme1 Irina R., Goretskaia1 Maria I., Moskalenko1 Victoria N.
1

Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Email: irbeme@mail.ru
Bird song may be an honest signal of mate quality and reflect the physiological (hormonal level)and psychological (stress level) condition of a male. We studied the relationship between song
performance, song structure, and hormonal level in male Canary (Serinus canaria var domestica)
by experimentally challenging their immune system with a novel antigen, sheep red blood cells(SRBC, 5 X 107 SRBC in 100 µl sterile PBS) in 2008-2011. Control males received
intraperitoneal placebo injection (100 µl sterile phosphate-buffered saline PBS). The level ofcorticosterone and testosterone measured in the litter with the help of the enzyme immunoassay.
Three phrase categories were identified in the Canaries’ song: whistles, rapid trains and bifonictrills. Immune challenge led to changes in song structure and song rate of experimental males.
Injection of SRBC caused a change in the ratio of the phrases in the songs of the Canaries.
Immune challenge caused a significant (relative to the control group) increase of corticosterone(p<0.001). The level of testosterone decreased in the course of the experiment in control andexperimental groups. Our study has shown the influence of immune challenge on song structure,song rate, and hormonal level in the Canary. The work is supported by RFBR grant № 11-0400062а and the Fund for the support of the Russian Canaries.

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p02-019Development of cues to individuality and sex in calls of three crane species(Gruidae, Gruiformes)
M. V. Goncharova1, A.V. Klenova1 and E.V. Bragina1,21

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University,
Moscow, Russia
2
Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
E-mail: anthropoides-goncharova@mail.ru, anna.v.klenova@gmail.com
Individual and sex differences were reported for many bird species, but only a few studies haveconcentrated on development of such differences in ontogenesis or on comparison of suchdifferences across species. However, it is usually assumed that individual recognition between
parents and chicks and sex recognition between conspecifics develops when and where they areneeded to restrict parental care to the bird’s own offspring or to protect individuals frommistakes during pair bonding. Here, we tested this hypothesis on three related species of cranes,
the Demoiselle (Anthropoides virgo), Red-crowned (Grus japonensis) and Siberian (G.
leucogeranus) cranes, that differ in their growth and development rates, vocal characteristics anda few behavioral traits. We analyzed peep calls of 33 captive crane chicks (11 chicks per species,
40 calls per chick), recorded in two Ages (4-45 days and 83-183 days of life) in Oka Crane
Breeding Center (Russia). First Age corresponds to period of settled way of life when cranefamilies stay inside their breeding territories; second Age – to period of autumn migration whencranes join in flocks and parents need to recognize their own chick among hundreds of strangers.
DFA stepwise analysis showed that vocal indicators of sex were poorly expressed during the firstsix months of the crane’s life i.e. sexual dimorphism reported for adult crane calls develops later,
maybe during sex maturation. However, expression of individual features considerably andsignificantly increased with fledging and transition to migratory lifestyle. There weren’t any
differences in expression of individuality and sex in chick calls of all three species regardless ofAge. Interestingly, during the autumn migration, non-linear phenomena percentage increased
dramatically in the calls of all three species. We assume that enhancing of individual vocal
features expression serves for increasing success of parent-chick recognition in migratory flocks.

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p02-020

Conspecific odour recognition in the South Island Robin: I can smell you
before I even see you!
A. Thierry and J.V. Briskie
School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Email: audethierry@hotmail.com
Recent evidence has shown that some birds can use olfactory cues (“odours”) when homing tonests and in assessing potential mates. Most bird odours originate from preen waxes producedby the uropygial gland, a structure located on the rump. Preen waxes are spread over thefeathers by preening, and although their exact functions are debated, a role in social signallingis becoming apparent. In this study, we tested whether preen wax odours play a role in social
signalling in the South Island Robin (Petroica australis). Robins are unusual as they switch to
producing more volatile preen waxes during the breeding season, a pattern opposite to thatfound in other species, suggesting their preen wax is linked to social chemosignalling. Using a
remotely controlled chamber that allowed us to expose free-living robins to a sample of preen
wax, we recorded whether male robins reacted to the odours of conspecific male robins or to acontrol. Robins exposed to conspecific odours showed a tendency to increase stressbehaviours such as alarm calls and physically attacking the chamber. This suggests preen wax
odours could be detected by conspecifics and could function in intraspecific communication,
including mate choice and territoriality.

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p02-021

Experimental evidence for an adaptive response towards olfactory Predator
cues in Alectoris rufa
Katharina Mahr and Herbert Hoi
Konrad Lorenz Institute of Behavioural Ecology, Veterinarian Medical University, Vienna,
Austria
Email: katharina.mahr@vetmeduni.ac.at, herbert.hoi@vetmeduni.ac.at
Whereas in the majority of vertebrate groups it is already well accepted that chemical signals
are of importance in different contexts of behaviour, birds were for a long time regarded touse mainly visual and acoustic stimuli to gather information about their environment. Even
though opinions about the complexity of the avian olfactory systems are still diverging, there
is growing evidence that birds can perceive scents and use this information in foraging, matechoice, orientation, nest-site and even kin-recognition. Since mammalian predators inparticular use olfaction as their communication channel, it may be advantages for birds to use
these chemical signals for their own purpose, e.g. to detect and get information about
predators. To investigate the role of avian smell perception in this context, we conducted a
non-invasive experiment on a ground breeding species, namely the Red-Legged Partridge(Alectoris rufa). We offered three different types of olfactory stimuli, representing (i) danger;(ii) predator presence (iii) neutral smell, by scenting sand for soiling with either of the stimuli.
Red-legged Partridges showed significant differences in the preferences for the three scents.
Our results indicate that birds can discriminate between different scents and olfactory cuesmight play a bigger role in predator detection and avoidance than originally thought.

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p02-022

Effect of social status on vocal behavior in group-living Large-Billed
Crows
N. Kondo 1, 2, 3 and M. Hasegawa 2
1

Japan Society for Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for
Advanced Studies, Kanagawa, Japan3
Global Research Centre for Logic and Sensibility, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
Email: nrk.kondo@gmail.com
2

Dominance hierarchies can be found in animals that live in a society where repeatedencounters with the same individuals can occur. In such societies, higher ranking
individuals often give signals that advertise their dominance. One of such signals is
vocalization. It is reported that dominant individuals give calls more frequently(Leonard & Horn 1995) or have distinct acoustic characteristics (Hoeschele et al. 2010).
The Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) is a social bird, living in a
fission-fusion society. Captive Large-Billed Crows are reported to form linear
dominance hierarchies in dyadic encounter experiments (Izawa & Wtanabe 2008).
However, neither the formation of dominance hierarchies under group-living conditions
nor the influences of social dominance on their vocal behaviour are known. In this study,
we observed a flock of captive Large-Billed Crows with the aim to investigate theirsocial dominance and its influence on their vocal behaviour. As a result of 2925 minutesof observation, we found a linear dominance hierarchy among the observed crows. The
influence of social dominance on the vocal behaviour differed between call types. The‘ka’ call (contact call; Kondo et al. 2010) was given by all individuals in the flock,
irrespective of their social rank. On the other hand, the sequential call was mostly givenby the highest ranking male. These results suggest that the sequential call, but not the‘ka’ call, may function to advertise social dominance to conspecifics in Large-Billed
Crows.

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p02-023Song alteration and maintenance modulated by behavioral context
in adult male Bengalese Finches
A. Watanabe 1, H. Eda-Fujiwara 1, 2, T. Miyamoto 1
1
2

Dept. of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Japan Women's University, Tokyo, Japan
Dept. of Human Arts Sciences, University of Human Arts & Sciences, Saitama, Japan
Email: aiko-w@fc.jwu.ac.jp

Singing behavior in oscine songbirds is divided in two different social contexts.
'Directed song (DS)' is mainly used during courtship of females, while 'undirected song(US)' is not overtly targeted to any particular recipient. In many species, such as Zebra
and Bengalese Finches, song patterns (i.e., song motifs and acoustic structure ofsyllables) in both contexts look very similar. Recent studies reported that US showed
higher variability in song pattern than DS, while DS was more stereotyped. Thisdifferent song variability may be caused by different neural activity in the anterior
forebrain pathway (AFP). AFP in songbirds is homologous to basal gangliathalamo-cortical circuits in mammals and involves in song learning, modification andmaintenance. During US, neural activity in the AFP is much higher than that in DS,
suggesting that the AFP evaluates song feedback and modifies vocal output while
singing US. Elimination or alteration of song feedback induces activation of AFP andgenerates error signals to modify song. Therefore, US is expected to become morevariable if auditory feedback is deprived. To examine this hypothesis, we compared thedegree of song alteration in US to that in DS after deafening in adult male Bengalese
Finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica). In this study, we first confirmed that songs
were stable, and then we surgically deafened seven birds by bilateral cochlear removal.
After deafening, song patterns showed rapid alteration followed by stabilization withdifferent patterns after two months. The index for song stereotypy showed lower values
in US than in DS two months after deafening. Results indicated that effect of deafening
on song alteration is larger in US than in DS, suggesting that the AFP contributes tomake song patterns variable during US even after deprivation of auditory feedback.

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p02-024

Do birds recognize foreign dialect singers as the same species?
Effect of sympatric species singing similar songs
S. Hamao 1
1

Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba, Japan
Email: hamao@kahaku.go.jp
Bird song has an important role in species recognition. Therefore, when the songs ofsympatric species resemble each other, they have the ability to distinguish between thesongs of conspecifics and heterospecifics. This ability may be connected with thediscrimination of own dialect from foreign one in a species. I hypothesized for species
with geographic song variation that those individuals that live in sympatry withheterospecifics having similar songs are able to discriminate their own dialect fromforeign dialects and that individuals not exposed to heterospecifics with similar song, donot. Japanese and Varied Tits (Parus minor, Poecile varius) show strong resemblencesin their songs. In the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, some islands are inhabited by both tit
species, while other islands are only occupied by one of the species.. For both species,
acoustic analyses showed song variation among birds from the various islands.
Playback experiments revealed that Japanese Tits on islands with Varied Tits responded
less to dialects of conspecifics on islands without Varied Tits than to their own dialect,
whereas Japanese Tits living in allopatry responded similarly to both dialects. Thisasymmetric response pattern to dialect playback was also found in Varied Tits. These
results suggest that, when two populations of a songbird species meet, the existence of
sympatric species singing similar songs may affect the direction of gene flow.

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Can female Daito Scops Owls distinguish hoot-calls of their sociallypaired males from strangers?
Takumi Nakanishi, Kana Nakaoka, Tetsuya Iwasaki, and Masaoki Takagi
Functional Biology of Natural History, Osaka City University, Sugimoto, Osaka City
558-8585, Japan
Email: eringimi@gmail.com
Vocalization is an important form of communication in nocturnal birds. Althoughnocturnal owls have simple hoot-calls, they also exhibit distinct individuality. We
conducted a playback experiment on Minami-daito Island, an isolated oceanic island, inJapan and determined that male Ryukyu Scops Owls (Otus elegans interpositus) could
distinguish hoot-calls of neighbouring territorial males from strange males. We also
determined whether or not females could distinguish hoot-calls of their socially paired
males (mates) from other males (strangers). We broadcasted two types of hoot-calls (amate and a stranger) using a speaker near the box of a nesting female during incubation.
Using video recorders placed in each nest box, we sampled behaviour of 20 females(head direction, eyes open or close, call types, and the number of calls) every
one-second. Sixteen females reacted by calling to the hoot-call of each mate and nine ofthem reacted by uttering high-pitched calls. When a pair of socially paired birds calledto each other frequently, females usually utter high-pitched calls unlike hoot-calls. In
response to strangers, nine females reacted by calling to the hoot-call and two females
reacted by uttering high-pitched calls. Females rarely responded to hoot-calls of theirmates by climbing to the entrance of nest boxes, while females responded to hoot-callsof strangers by climbing to the entrance more quickly than when they responded to callsof their males. Hoot-calls of their mates made females utter hoot-calls, especiallyhigh-pitched calls. Although females had a rapid and strong reaction in response to
strangers, they had a slow and weak response to their males. They might respond to theintrusion of strangers with caution and climb to the entrance to investigate the intruder
while they may react less aggressively to their husbands. We inferred that females wereable to distinguish the hoot-calls of their males.

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Context dependent variability in note sequences in Bengalese Finches
Takuya Koumura 1, Neal A. Hessler 1, and Kazuo Okanoya 1
1Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan
Email: ayukat88@hotmail.com
Songbirds do not always sing a song in the same manner; there exists some variability
in songs in tempo, pitch, the number of notes in trills, and so forth, and the extent of thevariability depends on contexts. For example, songs in Zebra Finches exhibit circadianchanges in tempo. Also in Zebra Finches, songs directed to females are faster and more
stereotyped in pitch than those not directed. Note sequences in songs in Bengalese
finches are also more stereotyped when directed to females than when not directed.
Examining such variability and the extent of the variability in the different contexts arehelpful for elucidating the neural basis for production, perception, and learning of thebirdsongs. In the current study, circadian changes in the note sequences in Bengalese
finches are examined. Songs in Bengalese finches are not stereotyped and notcompletely random. They consist of notes, sound elements divided by silent intervals,
and there are some notes that tend to appear in a chunk. The chunk-to-chunk transitions
exhibit randomness. Thus the transition probabilities of successive chunks within acertain time window can be calculated. Currently note-to-note transition probabilities in
Bengalese finches are being investigated, and some transitions exhibiting indication of
circadian changes are found. This result suggests that transition probability as well asother song parameters in Bengalese finches is variable and may be regulated (actively
and/or passively) by some brain functions.

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Aperiodic light environment can affect song in the Zebra Finch
N.A. Jha, S.K.T. Taufique and V. Kumar
DST-IRHPA Center for Excellence in Biological Rhythm Research, Department of Zoology,
University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
Email: drvkumar11@yahoo.com

Previous studies have shown a timed song production indicating the role of a biological clock insinging behavior. We hypothesized that bird song is a circadian system driven behavior. In thisstudy, we have examined whether disruption of the circadian clock function also affects thelearning and production of song in Zebra Finches. Eight pairs of Zebra Finches were raised under
two light conditions: 12h light: 12h dark (12L: 12D) and constant light (LL). Activity-rest
pattern of individual birds were recorded as a measure of the circadian behavior. Song wasrecorded over three days in each condition at a sampling rate of 44.1 KHz and 16 bit accuracy.
Ten song bouts from each bird were used for the analysis of song complexity, singing
performance and acoustic features. Birds raised in LL had arrhythmic song patterns. There was asignificant difference in the structure and ordering of syllables constituting a song. Both groups
also significantly differed in other acoustic features of the song, namely the amplitude, pitch,frequency, goodness and entropy. It is suggested that disruption of the circadian clock under LL
affected the song pattern in Zebra Finches. However, it remains possible that the exposure to LL
acted as a stressful agent and affected the song pattern in Zebra Finches. We hope to resolve thisby measuring melatonin and corticosterone in blood samples taken during the experiment.

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p02-029Song parameters of Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus correlate with
habitat characteristics in fragmented landscapes
Maria I. Goretskaia1, Irina R. Beme1, Daria V. Popova1, Alexandra Pavlova2, Katherine L.
Buchanan3, Paul Sunnucks2
1

Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, 1-12 Leninskie Gory, Moscow, Russia 119991
School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Biodiversity, Monash University,
Melbourne, Clayton Campus, 3800 Victoria, Australia
3
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, Deakin
University Locked Bag 20000 Geelong VIC 3220
2

Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are drivers of major declines in biodiversity
worldwide. Understanding the processes leading to these declines is essential for successfulconservation management. The Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus is a common eastern
Australian bird, disappearing from habitats where landscape-level of tree-cover falls below 17%.
Recent analyses of genetic, morphological and haematological variation of a wild population innorth-central Victoria suggest that this decline is not due to birds’ inability to reach isolated
patches or effects of habitat quality on individuals’ health or neutral genetic diversity. We tested
if decline of habitat quality in fragmented landscapes drives changes of birds’ songcharacteristics, leading to disruption of social interactions. To do that, we collected acoustic data
for Fuscous Honeyeaters occupying the same landscapes where other types of data on birds andtheir habitats were previously collected. In 2009 we recorded a total of 195 songs in 10 sites of 6
landscapes ranging in tree cover from 11 to 72%. We then tested whether the landscape level oftree cover or habitat characteristics are correlated with measured song parameters. Song length,
frequency bandwidth and maximum song frequency positively correlated with number of large
trees per hectare (p<0.02, Spearman rank correlation), and the length and the frequency
bandwidth of a common song element shared by the birds in all sites positively correlated withlandscape level tree-cover (p<0.005, Spearman rank correlation), showing that birds from poor
quality sites have shorter songs and narrower frequency bandwidth than those in good quality
sites. Three explanations are possible: (1) poor quality habitats might be occupied by birds inpoor condition, (2) in cluttered environments song has a greater bandwidth to aid ranging(distance estimation) and (3) cluttered environments represent older more establishedpopulations which differ in the cultural transmission capacity to tutor offspring.

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Establishment of a quantitative calculation method for repertoire sizein Bull-headed Shrikes.
Yuusuke Nishida1, Masaoki Takagi1
1

Lab of Functional Biology of Natural History,
Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan

Most oscine birds sing loud species-specific songs that generally have two functions;attracting mates and defending a territory. Although the Bull-headed Shrike (Lanius
bucephalus) is a songbird, the males do not have species-specific songs, but sing quietly
mimicking the songs of other birds. The function of these mimicked songs, calledsubsongs, has not been examined. Repertoire size is usually an important predictor ofsong function, because a correlation exists between repertoire size and reproductive
success in many oscine species. Repertoire size was estimated by classifying notes,
defined as continuous elements of sound on a spectrogram, into different note-typegroups visually. Since this method relies on each researcher’s visual interpretation, we
aimed to establish a quantitative method to calculate repertoire size and used this tomeasure the repertoire size in Bull-headed Shrikes. To quantitatively evaluate
repertoire size, we introduced a similarity index that indicated a degree of approximate
similarity in the shape of notes on a spectrogram (0–100 %; 100 % = a perfect match).
We sampled 1,000 notes from subsongs of each individual and computed repertoire size
based on about 500,000 (≈ 1000C2) similarity scores. Mean repertoire size was 603 ± SD
93 (n = 5) and 756 ± SD 40 (n = 5) in the non-breeding and breeding seasons,respectively. The versatile Northern Mockingbird has a repertoire of only 150 songs.
Repertoire size was significantly larger during the breeding season but the coefficientsof variation were smaller during the breeding (CVbreeding = 0.049) than in the winteringseason (CVnon-breeding = 0.16). Since repertoire size varied little among males, repertoire
size may not indicate the presence of a competitive advantage in male Bull-headed
shrikes. We should evaluate other features of subsongs, e.g., the number of notes perunit of time or combination of notes used in subsongs.

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The evolution of the Lombard effect
H. Brumm and S.A. Zollinger 1
1Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology,
Seewiesen, Germany
Email: brumm@orn.mpg.de
The emergence of adaptive signal plasticity is considered a crucial step in the evolution ofanimal communication. In acoustic communication, signal transmission is often constrainedby background noise. One way to evade acoustic signal masking is the Lombard effect, inwhich an animal increases its vocal amplitude in response to an increase in background noise.
This form of signal plasticity has been found in mammals, including humans, and some bird
species, but not frogs. However, the evolution of the Lombard effect is still unclear. Here wewill provide the first comparative analysis relating a complete review of the evidence for the
Lombard effect in birds to new experimental studies in which we addressed noise-dependent
vocal plasticity in non-avian sauropsids. By doing so, we take a step towards reconstructing
the evolutionary history of noise-dependent vocal plasticity in birds. The results of ourexperiments and subsequent phylogenetic reconstruction will help to resolve the question ofwhether the Lombard effect evolved independently in the most recent common ancestor tomammals and again in ancestral birds or whether it is a trait shared through common descent.
If the latter is true, it would mean that the sophisticated plasticity of the vocal signals of birds
and mammals can be traced back to early amniotes.

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Why do Moustached Wren (Pheugopedius genibarbis) sing in duet?
A.A. Monte 1,2, L.N. Moura 1, L.F.T. Nascimento and M.L. Silva 1
1

Laboratory of Ornithology and Bioacoustics, Federal University of Para, Para, Brazil
Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology,
Seewiesen, Germany
Email: amandamonte@ufpa.br
2

Birds can emit sounds in different situations with distinct biological meaning. The
sound that encodes the species-specific recognition is known as the song. There is awide variety of songs and strategies of emission; one of them is the duet song that
happens when female and male coordinate their bouts to utter a unique song. The
development of duet song in birds attracted a lot of attention, and there are numerous
studies hypothesizing the ecological meaning of singing in duet, however, there is noconsensus about why some bird species have duet song when most do not. The
Moustached Wren (Pheugopedius genibarbis) is a tropical duetting bird fairly common
from the south of the Amazon River until central Brazil, occurring also in part ofsoutheast Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, especially under the Andes. The aim of this study
was to propose the ecological function of moustached wren’s duet song, so we
performed playback experiments with Moustached Wren pairs in Gunma EcologicalPark (1º12’S; 48º17’W) and the campus of Federal University of Para (1º28’S;48º27’W). We tested three different categories of sound: the duet song, the male boutand the female bout and analysed the pairs’ behavioural answer. Moustached wrens
responded aggressively to all the categories tested and there was no significant
difference in the intensity of the answer presented for them. These results indicate thatthe duet song in this species seems to be a cooperative mechanism developed to
optimise the territorial defence.

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The effect of begging calls by female Bull-headed Shrikes
on feeding by males
Sachiko Endo
Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
E-mail: s.endo@rikkyo.ac.jp
Male birds often feed their mates while the females stay on the nest to incubate theireggs. In some species, females also noisily beg for food when their mates approach thenest. In previous studies, the length of begging calls at nest, before and after the females
were fed by males, have been treated as a single parameter. However, the function of
begging calls before or after being fed by a male may be different depending on thetypes of situation in which the female begs. Here, I analyzed whether the length of each
begging call has a different effect on the interval of feeding visits by males in
Bull-headed Shrikes Lanius bucephalus. I found that the length of time that females
begged after receiving food was negatively related to the time until the next malefeeding visit. Conversely, the length of female begging calls before feeding by males
did not affect the interval until the next feeding visit. These results suggest that
information that females encode in begging calls at nest differs according to thesituation of male feeding.

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Social complexity hypothesis: an examination throughvocal complexity of corvids
Chaminda Pradeep Ratnayake1,2, Sarath Wimalabandara Kotagama2 and Eben Goodale2,3
1

Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo,
Colombo 03, Sri Lanka.
3
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China.
2

Email: chamindapradeep1@gmail.com
Animals with complex social interactions seem to have a predisposition to evolve complex
communication systems. In birds, this hypothesis has been mainly supported by examining the
vocal complexity of the ‘chicka-dee’call system in the Paridae family. Investigations of thepredictions of the social complexity hypothesis are needed, using other systems and controllingfor phylogeny. The members of the corvidae family (magpies, crows, jays and allies) show
different levels of social organization and complex vocalizations and thus, provide a good model
to test the predictions. In this study, we will test how social complexity hypothesis predictors
such as group size, unit density (group size/ territory size) and social group stability (presence vsabsence of territoriality), influence vocal complexity measures, including the vocal repertoire
size and the variation in the structure of common shared call type (“caw”,“rattles/staccato”,“crack”) in many corvids. The study will contribute to our understanding of the evolution ofcommunication systems in complex social groups.

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Advertising vocalization of the Large-billed Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus
orinus)Samotskaya V.V.1, Ivanitskii V.V.1, Marova I.M.1, Kvartalnov P.V.1, Opaev A.S.2
1

Dept. of vertebrate zoology, faculty of biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow,
Russia.
2
A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow, Russia.
Email: verosamot@gmail.com
The history of rediscovery of the Large-billed Reed Warbler is extraordinary. This species was
described by a single specimen and considered to be extinct until 2006, when a living bird was
mist-netted in Thailand. Several years later the nesting area of these birds was discovered aroundthe border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan. In 2011 and 2012 our working group was studying
different aspects of breeding biology of A. orinus in the Pamir mountains (the valley of Panj
river in SE Tajikistan). This study is a part of this huge work and it is about advertising
vocalization of the Large-billed Reed Warbler.
In the vocal stream of A. orinus males songs separated by pauses could be distinguished. Bothsongs and pauses between them are highly variable: songs last from 0.1 s to 31.4 s (median 2.78,
n=367), pauses from 0.5 s to 23.3 s (median 3.4, n=364). In the male repertoire we distinguish a
number of song types (10, 21 and 21 in 3 males) which can be divided into parts (=songs) in the
vocal stream. The song type starts with the most stereotype part and ends with more variablesequence of syllables. In one most studied male repertoire there is a tendency for songs to order
as a first-order Markov chain.
The differences in advertising vocalization between A. orinus and the closely related Blyth’s
Reed warbler (A. dumetorum) are: 1) discrete structure of the vocalization instead of continuous
type correspondingly; 2) chattering notes are not used for syllables separation as it is typical for
Blyth’s Reed warbler; 3) notes are packed more dense than in A. dumetorum song (more notes
used at the same time interval).

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Cryptic flutter produces klaxon-like song in Smithornis broadbills
Christopher J Clark, Alexander N.G. Kirschel, Louis Hadjioannou, Richard O Prum
kirschel@ucy.ac.cy
Vocally, birds can produce a plethora of sounds covering a wide range of spectral,
temporal, and syntactical complexities. Less well known are non-vocal sounds used incommunication by birds, and the range of mechanisms used to produce these sounds.
We investigated wing sonation in Smithornis broadbills, which produce a loudklaxon-like sound in an elliptical display flight. We describe the sonation through a
combination of synchronized high-speed videos and sound recordings of displaying
birds in the field in Uganda, and tests of sound production capabilities of feathers in awind tunnel. We then performed wing manipulation experiments in the field in
Tanzania to determine the effect of specific wing feathers on sound production. We
also measured wing length of museum specimens and recordings of song from a wide
geographic range to determine the extent wing morphology might have on spectral
and temporal features of the sonation in the three species. Results of both thesynchronized high-speed video and sound recordings, and wind-tunnel experimentssuggested wing feathers P6 and P7 have aeroelastic flutter characteristics mostconsistent with the sound produced. Field manipulations of these feathers in the fieldprovided consistent results with changes in the timbre of the sound, and specifically areduction in the tonal quality. We consider the factors that may have led to theevolution of this unique mechanism of sound production in broadbills.

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Female preference for syntactically complex trills in the Java Sparrow
song
N. Ota1 and M. Soma1, 2
1

Behavioral Neurobiology Group, Biosystems Science Course, The Graduate School ofLife Science, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan2
Behavioral Neurobiology Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science,
Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan
Email: nao_ota@mail.sci.hokudai.ac.jp

Male oscine birds sing songs to attract females as a form of courtship displays. Like
many other sexual traits, bird song is assumed to serve as a male honest signal andevolve via female choosiness. Song quality can basically be determined by two
measures: the degree of elaboration (e.g. song/note repertoire, syntactical complexity),
and the intensity of performance (e.g. song length, tempo, amplitude). A trill, which is
generally defined as a series of repetitive syllables, is a notable example of song traits
associated with the two measures. While evidence is accumulating that trilled
performance reflects male quality and relates to female preference, elaboration of trills(e.g. number of notes in syllables of trill) has gathered less attention. The songs ofindividual Java Sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora) are characterized by both trills andnon-trill parts, and their trills are often comprised of multiple notes, which led us to test
female preference for trill performance and complexity. Female Java Sparrows were
presented with song playbacks, and then the singer of the songs in one-way choicechambers in order to test song preference with consideration of consistency of female
preferences toward song and live stimuli. As an index of female preference, we counted
the number of females’ movements. Our result was not in accordance with previous
studies of other species with trills, as trill complexity but not performance wasimportant for females. Specifically, females preferred songs that involved longer
duration of multi-note trill parts, but not those with one-note trills. In addition, female
preference was consistent between song and live stimuli. These suggest that female Java
Sparrows assess male quality based on trill complexity. Our findings are the first to
demonstrate the possibility of evolution of syntactically complex trill structures underinter-sexual selection pressure.

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p03-001

Influence of distance between patches and landscape-level factors on bird
communities in a fragmented Mediterranean forest of Morocco
I. Cherkaoui1 H. Rguibi Idrissi2 V. Devictor3
1

Department of evolutionary Biology, Mohamed V University, Rabat, Morocco.

2

Laboratory of Natural Resources and Biodiversity studies, Chouaib Doukkali University,
ElJadida, Morocco
3

Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier, Montpellier, France

Email: imad.cherkaoui@gmail.com

The present study examines the effects of structural connectivity between pure cork oak
patches and non-indigenous plantation plots. We also investigated the effect of the distance
between the cork oak forests patches on forest bird communities. A systematic sampling of
habitats and bird communities was done in a set of 44 cork oak patches. The long-termmonitoring of birds by using point counts may provide useful data on species movements inforest corridors between fragments and in the surrounding matrix. The Maamora forest is very
fragmented; cork patches are integrated in a matrix of exotic plantations. We then defined
Maamora forest as (cork oaks + non-indigenous plantations). Two indexes of similarity wereused: Sorensen (Is) and Jaccard (IJ). These two indexes and the terms of autocorrelation(Autocor) were used to calculate the effect of distance on different bird assemblages. We usedalso ANOVA tests to assess the recruitment of forest birds in the different patches dependingon the matrix type.
Results indicate that there is no significant effect of distance on the different bird assemblages,
whereas matrix composition had a very significant effect on bird dispersal. We concluded thatthe type of vegetation near the cork oak forest fragments had a significant effect on thecomposition of the bird assemblages. This would temporarily reduce the effects offragmentation.
This study emphasizes the importance of considering species' perceptions of landscape,especially functional connectivity, in understanding the effects of habitat fragmentation.

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What makes an urban bird? Bird species in the city are not bigbrained but simply more common in the surroundings
Svein Dale1, Melissah Rowe2 and Jan T. Lifjeld2
1

Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian Universityof Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
2
Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Email: svein.dale@umb.no
Several life history and ecological variables have been reported to affect thelikelihood of species becoming ‘urbanized’, and recent work has focused on the roleof brain size in explaining the ability to adapt to urban environments. However, little
is known about the effect of colonization pressure from surrounding areas, which may
confound conclusions about what makes a species urban. We recorded presence/
absence data for birds in 93 green spaces in Oslo (Norway) and compared these withspecies lists generated from 137 forest and 51 farmland sites surrounding Oslo which
may reflect source populations. Phylogenetically controlled analyses showed that thefrequency (proportion of sites where present) of a species within the city was strongly
and positively associated with its frequency in sites surrounding the city. In contrast,
there were generally no effects of brain mass or other covariates (habitat, nest site,
migratory status, body mass) on urban frequency. Furthermore, analyses of previously
published data showed that urban density of birds in six other European cities was
positively associated with density in areas outside cities, whereas relative brain mass
showed no such relationship. These results suggest that urban bird communities are
determined by how common a species is in the surrounding landscapes, and not by its
brain size.

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Changes to local bird communities as a result of supplementary
feeding
J.A. Galbraith 1, J.R. Beggs 1, D.N. Jones 2 and M.C. Stanley 1
1

Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of
Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand2
Environmental Futures Centre and Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University,
Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia
Email: josie.galbraith@gmail.com

The practice of bird feeding is a global phenomenon, involving millions of people andvast quantities of food annually. While it is an important socio-ecological link in an
increasingly urbanized world, many people engage in the practice of feeding believing
the birds gain some benefit from the food they provide. There are, however, a numberof potentially negative ecological effects that may arise as a result, including
dependence, increased aggression, and disease outbreaks. In New Zealand, an importantconcern is the potential for feeding to enhance populations of introduced species, yet thepractice has received virtually no attention from the scientific community. We carriedout an 18-month experimental feeding study in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city,
to investigate the effects of common feeding practices. A key aim was to examine
whether feeding causes changes in local avian community structure. In addition,baseline information on seasonal variation in feeder use was collected, both at theindividual and species levels. Dramatic increases in local abundance of some species,
House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis inparticular, were observed at experimental feeding sites. All species observed visiting
feeding stations during the study were introduced, with the exception of the Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis, which was a seasonal visitor in winter months only. The findings
from this study indicate that bird feeding contributes to the patterns of avian community
structure observed in urban New Zealand, with the potential to inflate numbers ofinvasive birds.

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Bird responses to plantation intensity indicate comparable benefits ofland sparing and sharing
Chiaki Yoshii1, Yuichi Yamaura1, Masashi Soga1,
Masato Shibuya1, Futoshi Nakamura1
1

Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido Unviersity, Sappro, Hokkaido, Japan.

We examined potentially contrasting conservation benefits of land sparing and land
sharing strategies in forested landscapes by investigating relationships between bird
functional group densities and basal areas of coniferous trees (an index of plantation
intensity) in Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis) and Sakhalin spruce (Picea Glehnii)
plantations. Densities of most bird functional groups were inclined to increase withdecreasing plantation intensity in both plantation types. In many cases, linear models
were best for exploring bird density–plantation intensity relationships, but statisticalsupport of linear and nonlinear (quadratic) models was similar. This outcome indicatesthat ecological benefits of land sparing and land sharing are potentially comparable in
the plantations we studied. In real landscapes, land-use decision making depends on avariety of factors other than biodiversity conservation (e.g., social and biophysicalfactors), and niche theory predicts that population densities could respond linearly toenvironmental gradients. When density–intensity relationships are linear or whenrelative supports of linear and nonlinear models were similar, contrasting land-use
strategies would be flexibly chosen to enhance the accommodation of biodiversity
conservation to resource production.

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Landscape factors influencing ardeid species richness, abundance anddistribution in Macao
M. Zhang 1, Y. M. Hong 1, F. S. Zou 1*, Q. Zhang 1, K. Cheong 2, and K. Leong 2
1

Guangdong Entomological Institute / South China Institute of Endangered Animals,
Guangzhou 510260, China
2
Macao Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, Macao Special Administrative Region
CP3054, China.
* Email: zoufs@gdei.gd.cn
For herons and egrets (Ardeidae), foraging excursions may be limited to nearby feedingareas or may involve travel over considerably greater distances. Previous study has
shown that nesting distributions of herons and egrets, and the extent or quality ofwetland feeding areas, are associated with landscape features at larger spatial scales.
However, other factors of ecological significance may influence ardeid distribution
regionally. To estimate the relationships between ardeids and their habitat landscapefeatures, we surveyed all the colony sites of herons and egrets within 30 km2 of Macao,
including feeding and nesting areas, and selected landscape indices related to nesting
and foraging behavior. A total of 12 ardeid species were recorded in Macao over 3 years.
Their habitats there can be divided into three types--nesting, feeding and roosting--byseven landscape indices using CCA ordination. This approach presented a convenientmethod of distinguishing habitat use by ardeids at the landscape level. Both species
richness (r12=0.676, P=0.016) and abundance (r12=0.664, P=0.018) were positively
correlated with landscape area. Fractal Dimension Index (r12=-0.586, P=0.045) andPerimeter-Area Ratio (r12=-0.782, P=0.003) were each negative for species richness,suggesting that most ardeids preferred relatively large and simple-shaped habitat.
Analysis of co-occurrence among all species showed a high Standardized Effect Size
(SES) (=1.57) using the checkerboard index, indicating ardeids were randomly
assembled, but showed aggregation trends in their spatial associations. While the low
SES (=-1.12) of nesting species using the C-score index also indicated random
distribution, summer breeders and residents still exhibited a weakly negative cooccurrence pattern. Given that the largest nesting site and all the feeding sites occurredin a single reclamation area named Cotai, conservation plans should keep this area wide
open so that herons and egrets can fly undisturbed between nesting and feeding habitats.

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Altitudinal variation in the richness and capture rate of birds in the
Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Maria Alice S. Alves1, Luciana Barçante2 & Livia Dias2
1

Departamento de Ecologia, IBRAG, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ),
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2
Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, IBRAG, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro,
BrazilEmail:masaal@globo.com
The Atlantic Forest is an excellent biome for studies on altitudinal patterns of
distribution because its altitude ranges from sea level to 2,890 meters, and it has one of
the highest levels of biodiversity and endemism on the planet. This study evaluatedaltitudinal differences in richness, capture rates, and trophic levels of understory birds inthe central highlands of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We sampled the understory
birds at 170, 370, 570, 770 and 1,000m altitudes (July/2010-July/2012). We used
capture-mark-recapture with 10 mist nets (12 x 2.5m, 32mm mesh) exposed for 7
hours/day at each altitude, with a total sampling effort of 6,300 net-hours. We recorded
95 bird species (1,030 individuals), including 53% of the Atlantic Forest endemics(n=50). The families most represented were Furnariidae, Thamnophilidae andTrochilidae. The highest capture rate was at 370m and highest richness at 770m. There
were statistically significant differences in richness (F4,90=10.29; p<0.01) and capture
rate (H=28.90; df=4; p<0.01) between 170 m (lower richness and capture rate) and theother altitudes. The dominant trophic categories were insectivores (n=44) and
insectivores/frugivores (n=20). Significant differences were seen between altitudes in
the richness of insectivores, insectivores/frugivores and nectarivores, and in the capture
rates of granivores, insectivores, insectivores/frugivores and omnivores. The diversity
and large number of endemic bird species of the area underscore the importance of theregion to protect the Atlantic Forest avifauna.

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Using Inexpensive satellite images and long-term census data
to evaluate the evolution of habitat selection
L. Carrasco1 and Y. Toquenaga2
1

Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

2

Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

Email: luis@pe.ska.life.tsukuba.ac.jp
Ornithology is a discipline famous for having a large amount of long-term data of population andcommunity dynamics. However, not many studies have used those long-term data in an
evolutionary perspective. In recent years, free satellite images of the past 25 years have become
available for examining relationships between longitudinal data of avian population dynamics andsurrounding environmental and landscape changes. The combination of avian census data and land
use maps recreated from the satellite images for 25 years enables observation of some evolutionary
trends on bird species behavior. To examine changes in habitat selection strategies, we usedsatellite images and long-term data of colony locations of herons and egrets that breed in Ibaraki,
Japan. We created land use maps using Landsat satellite images of the past 25 years, corrected
them radiometrically and atmospherically and then applied a supervised classification, using aclassification trees algorithm to obtain different land uses of the region. Then we constructed
models to predict colony-sites with the random forest algorithm; a classification algorithm using
multitude of decision trees as training time and outputting the mode of classes output by each tree.
We examined changes of the habitat selection strategy in terms of the scale of selection and theimportance of the different land uses. Colony site selection is a collective decision making process.
The observed differences among years could be a first sign of evolutionary changes in thecollective behavior of herons and egrets in the changing environment.

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Avian community responses to hydrological disturbance: climate change
implications
A. Royan1, D.M. Hannah1, S.J. Reynolds2, D.G.Noble3 and J.P. Sadler1,21School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham,

Birmingham, UK
2

Centre for Ornithology, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham,

UK
3

British Trust of Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, UK

Email: AXR196@bham.ac.uk
River flows are a major driver of morphological structure and community dynamics inriverine landscapes. As river flows are coupled closely to atmospheric drivers, shifts inprecipitation patterns will lead to the creation of novel flow regimes characterised by anincrease in the frequency and intensity of both floods and droughts in certain regions. This
will exert strong selective pressures over aquatic and riparian fauna and flora by removing
species sensitive to variation and restructuring food networks. River birds are sensitive tospatial and phenological mismatches with aquatic prey following flow disturbances. However,
the role of flow as a driver of riparian ecological structure remains poorly quantified. This
limits current understanding of potential climate-induced shifts in river flows on avian taxa.
In this study we assess the ecological significance of river-flow variability on avian
populations in riparian corridors. We develop an analytical framework that couples long-termhydrological data with national bird survey data from the British Trust for Ornithology’s(BTO’s) Waterways Breeding Bird Survey (WBBS). Species showed complex but
biologically interpretable associations with hydrological parameters, with some species
showing an affinity or aversion to measures of variability around flood and drought
frequency and duration depending on ecological traits. Our findings indicate that hydrologicaldisturbance can structure the distribution of species at high trophic levels in riparian foodwebs and demonstrate the potential vulnerability of river birds to the impacts of changing
flow variability. We discuss the need to include river flow data in climate change impact
models of species’ distributions.

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Factors responsible for population decreases in native species– acase of Acridotheres cristatellus in Taiwan
C.I. Chang 1, C.J. Ko 1 and P.F. Lee 1
1

Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei,
TaiwanEmail: r01b44002@ntu.edu.tw

Invasive species threaten native biodiversity, but are they the only one to blame? In
Singapore, Australia and other places, starlings like Acridotheres tristis andAcridotheres javanicus, have become invasive species, affecting the survival of native
species. In the 1970s, A. tristis and A. javanicus were introduced into Taiwan andexperienced an ongoing population increase. Meanwhile, populations of the native
myna species Acridotheres cristatellus continue to decline after 2000. It is generally
considered that the decrease of A. cristatellus is due to competition with the alien
mynas. However, direct evidence of competition between these mynas has not yet
been determined. Furthermore, recent observations suggest that habitat preferences
may differ between native and alien mynas. In the Taipei metropolitan area where the
3 species coexist, A. tristis and A. javanicus were common in most urban parks, but A.
cristatellus were found only in parks located within woodland dominated landscapes.
The importance of woodland coverage as a habitat requirement was proposed to be a
crucial point to explain the different population densities between the native and alien
mynas species. In this study, we aim to answer the following questions: 1. Is the
proportion of woodland in A. cristatellus home range higher than in the alien mynas?
2. Does the temporal change of woodlands area match the population change of A.
cristatellus? Research results will verify whether or not that habitat loss is an
important factor causing the decline of the native myna. Moreover, it will be an
important reference for conservation of A. cristatellus, which have been classified as
an endangered species in Taiwan.

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Urban ecology in the Tokyo metropolitan area: spatiotemporal changeof avian diversity during four decades
Y. Ueno 1, N. Sone 1 and M. Kurihara 1
1

Landscape and Ecology Division of Road Department, National Institute for Land andInfrastructure Management, Tsukuba, Japan
Email: u-ueno92ta@nilim.go.jp
The world is becoming increasingly urban. Rapid urbanization around the world causes
a major change of the regional biodiversity and it leads to a global change. Thus, it isurgent to clarify the change of biodiversity with urbanization and its causes.
Urbanization often causes the loss and modification of habitat for many birds, changes
in the water cycle, the increase of pollution (e.g., water, air, and soil), soil compression,and the reduction of ecosystem services. On the other hand, there are abundantresources (e.g., water availability, organic material), high productivity, and moderate
climates in urbanized cities. In this study, we show the spatiotemporal change in an
avian community along a gradient of urbanization in the highly-urbanized city of Tokyo,
Japan. Firstly, we will report on temporal changes for the past four decades. The bird
census was conducted during breeding seasons using the line transect method in about
300 study sites (1 × 1 km) across Tokyo. Secondly, we will report on spatial changes in
the avian community across Tokyo. Especially, we show the relationship between avian
biodiversity and landscape mosaics (e.g., green spaces, urban parks, and built-up
environments). Finally, we will discuss the urban avian community and the loss of
biodiversity based on our results.

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Area dependent relative breeding densities in two competing species:
Varied Tit Parus varius and Great Tit P. major in Korea
S.J. Park 1, S.Y. Park 2, J.Y. Kim 1, M.S. Jeong 1, H.Y. Kang 1, S.W. Yang 1, J.S. Kim 1,
J.H. Jung 1, J.U. Kim 1, C.D. Park 1 and W.S. Lee 1,
1

Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Shinan, Korea
Email: lutralutra@naver.com

2

Competition for limiting resources, which determine fitness, has important evolutionary
effects. As a result of interspecific competition, competing species may use different
resources and habitats. In Korea, Varied Tit and Great Tit are predominant species andcompete with each other. In general, the Varied Tit is regarded as a forest interior
species, and Great Tit as a forest generalist. In addition, Varied Tits live in large green
patches, but the Great Tit is ubiquitous including urban areas. Therefore, the twocompeting species may differ in habitat preference at the landscape level. In other words,
Varied Tits may be more abundant in larger forests than smaller forests and Great Tits
may have no preference if other factors are fixed. Here, we hypothesize that the relative
density of Varied Tits to Great Tits will increase when forest size increases. We used
occupancy data of nest boxes as indirect relative breeding densities of the two tit species(ratio = the number of nests occupied by Varied Tit / the sum of nests occupied by
Varied Tit and Great Tit). As expected, the relative breeding densities of Varied Tit toGreat Tit increased when areas increased. The relationship between relative breeding
density and area was log-linear: log (ratio+1) = 0.0729 log (area (km2) +1) + 0.0647.
Therefore, area sensitivity of birds may be a result of interspecific competition.

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Effects of urban green patch characteristics and landscape structureon Dendrocopos major and Dendrocopos kizuki distribution
Kyungmin Lee1, Dowon Lee 1, Wanmo Kang 1 and Chan-Ryul Park2
1

Department of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies,
Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 599, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, Republic of
Korea
2
Division of Forest Ecology, Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul 130-712, Republicof Korea
Email: park@forest.go.kr
Increased urbanization typically leads to a reduction in forest bird habitat. Woodpecker
species prefer specific forest habitat, which are particularly sensitive to fragmentation,
probably due to their high habitat specificity. We compared the distribution of Great
Spotted Woodpecker (GSW) with Pygmy Woodpecker (PW) depending on urban green
patch characteristic and landscape structure. Abundance data was collected during thebreeding season from April to July 2012 at 45 urban parks and remnant forests in Seouland surrounding cities. The Random Forests data mining technique was applied todevelop the prediction model. Results showed that the area and vegetation coverage ofnatural habitat were important factors in the distribution of the two woodpeckers.
Predicted occurrences of both woodpecker species decreased with increasing distance toroads. Connectivity with surrounding green patches was a significant factor in
explaining the distribution of PW, however it did not affect that of GSW. Amonglandscape factors, local habitat structure and quality were important factors in the
distribution of GSW, however landscape connectivity was an important factor in that of
PW. To conserve two dominant woodpeckers in urban landscapes, management for
intra-patch and inter-patch levels should be considered simultaneously considering theecological traits of each woodpecker. This work was supported by the Korea Research
Foundation Grant funded by the Korean Government (No. 2011-0024289)

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Living with the enemy: does Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus select its nestsite to avoid predation by Goshawk Accipiter gentilis?
Anita Gamauf1,2, Graham Tebb3 & Erwin Nemeth4,5
1

Museum of Natural History, 1st Zoological Department – Ornithology, Burgring 7, A-1010
Vienna, Austria
2
University of Vienna, Dept. Evolutionary Biology, Althanstr. 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria,
3
University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
4
University of Vienna, Department of Behavioural Biology, Althanstr. 14, A-1080 Vienna,
Austria5
BirdLife Austria, Museumspl. 1, A-1010 Vienna, Austria.
Preferences for nest-sites in birds of prey have presumably evolved in relation to (i) local
habitat resources and/or (ii) interspecific interactions. The selection of a suitable nest-site is
essential for successful reproduction. In eastern Austria, the importance of these twocomponents in the nest-site selection of the Eurasian Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus wastested in two different study areas, the mixed fragmented coniferous forests in southern
Burgenland and the extensive deciduous forests along the Danube in Lower Austria. In eacharea, macro- and micro-habitat features were compared between nest-sites and randomly
selected plots. Interestingly, there was almost no difference between nest-sites and randomplots. This suggests that the Honey Buzzard does not appear to base its choice of nest-site on
habitat considerations. It was remarkable that nests were placed significantly further awayfrom Northern Goshawk nests than random plots. The Goshawk is the main predator of othermedium-sized raptors like Honey Buzzards. However, data from both study sites show that
predation was higher in territories that were closer to a breeding pair of Goshawks. No such
effect was found for breeding Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo), who are not dangerous for
the Honey Buzzard. Buzzards only interfere with Honey Buzzards when they are defending
their nesting area. No habitat variable correlated significantly with the loss of young. We
conclude that although Honey Buzzards have a clear preference for forests, their choice ofnest-sites appears to be made largely to avoid intra-guild predators.

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The effect of abandoned paddy fields on Japanese Yellow Bunting(Emberiza sulphurata) in mountainous regions
S. Deguchi, H. Miguchi
Ecological management and planning Lab, Niigata University, Niigata, JAPAN
Email: f13e069j@mail.cc.niigata-u.ac.jp

The Japanese Yellow Bunting is a summer visitor and breeds only in central andnorthern parts of Japan. The bunting may select habitat intensively because it has a very
limited distribution in Japan (especially Niigata, Nagano and Iwate pref. ). It lives inedge of secondary growth forest and bush around mountain streams and marshland in
low altitude mountains.
In Niigata prefecture, the buntings have a dense population around streams withslopes in low mountains especially in heavy snowfall regions. People used to use theselands as rice crops. However recently a number of paddy fields have been abandoned
and become reed beds caused by succession.
The increase in abandoned paddy fields affects birds that live in and around paddies.
Some of them lose their foraging sites, for example Intermediate Egret Ardeaintermedia and Grey-faced Buzzard Butastur indicus. However distribution of thebunting tends to extend in Niigata and there is a possibility that abandoned paddies likemarshes provide the buntings with good habitats. We conducted a study along sevenstreams (500m) and classified land use around the stream (cultivated: 3 sites,
abandoned: 2, other: 2) and investigated the relationship between the number of singing
male bunting and type of land use.
The mean number of singing males found in May to June 2013 had a tendency to begreater in the abandoned paddy (cultivated: 2.38±1.2 SD, abandoned: 3.20±1.9 SD,other: 1.83±1.1 SD). We will analyze the number of singing male and the area of land
use type and discuss the relation between Japanese Yellow Buntings and abandoned
paddies.

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A fine scale examination of stopover habitat use by buntings during
spring and autumn migration on an East Asian flyway
Se-Young Park1, Hyun-Young Nam1 and Young-Soo Kwon1
1

Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service,
Republic of Korea
Email: cielgio@naver.com

Many migratory birds have generally different strategies of stopover habitat use
between spring and autumn migration. The different purpose of migration between bothseasons is well known to influence arrival patterns of passerine migrants on the stopoversite. Some buntings on the East Asian flyway cross the Yellow Sea from SE China andstop over on Heuksan-do Island, which is one of the first islands of Korea that birds
land. These birds may have a stronger pressure for refueling energy and speed up thereturn migration in spring. Therefore, we expect most buntings on this stopover site to
be concentrated on the most efficient foraging grounds in spring, whereas they showless specificity in habitat use because of less pressure on the migration timing in autumn.
We aimed to determine differences in stopover habitat selection between spring andautumn and biases in capture frequency among the habitat types of buntings using
mist-nets during spring and autumn migration in 2011 and 2012. We used 6 mist-nets(12m longⅹ2.6m high, 30mm) located at least 30m apart in wetland areas near thecoastal line and classified them into 3 habitat types after measuring vegetation structure
at the fine scale. As a result, more than 65% of the buntings (more than 70% of themwere males) have been captured at the ground cover which is the dominant type inspring. All studied bunting species showed similar patterns of habitat use in spring,whereas in autumn they showed different patterns of habitat use in each species and nodifference in capture frequency among the habitat types. We conclude that the fine scale
vegetation structure can affect spatial distribution of buntings at a stopover site, and thebirds differ in their dependency on habitat types between migration seasons.

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Assessment of habitat selection and the effects of anthropogenic disturbanceupon Pallas’s Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) in Mongolia
M. Steele1 and S. Gombobaatar2
1

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA
Zoology Department, School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia,
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Email: mls013@email.uark.edu
2Pallas’s Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) is a globally vulnerable species with a declining
population trend. The species depends upon freshwater sources, such as rivers and wetlands, forforaging and breeding habitat. However, wetland habitat is disappearing and Mongolia’s migrant
population of Pallas’s Fish Eagle is declining. Human disturbances, such as hydroelectric dams,
are also potential conservation concerns. The study assessed Pallas’s Fish Eagle habitat
landscape features, including vegetation composition and freshwater availability, throughout
Mongolia. Investigators surveyed from June to August 2013. Twenty-six GPS coordinates werecollected for observed Pallas’s Fish Eagles in Arkhangai and Byankhongor; the coordinates’
distance from the nearest freshwater source and anthropogenic disturbance were estimated with
Google Earth. In addition, a 10 m transect line with ten 1x1 m subplots was utilized to evaluate
vegetation composition for each observation point. Habitat data at each eagle observations’nearest anthropogenic disturbances (ie. tourist camps) and random locations within 15 km of thesighting were collected in a manner identical to the previously described methods. The presenceof potential prey species, such as Brandt’s Vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii), or competitivemesocarnivores, such as the Corsac Fox (Vulpes corsac), was recorded for species assemblage
analysis. Pallas’s Fish Eagle selected habitat data were compared to randomly collected habitat
data to assess the value of each landscape feature. In addition, selected habitat data werecompared to disturbance data to determine if Pallas’s Fish Eagles are avoiding potential habitat
due to human influences. Preliminary analysis exhibits a distinct avoidance of people and theareas they regularly inhabit. Furthermore, the presence of Brandt’s Voles and an array ofmesocarnivores may directly impact habitat occupation. The project will provide a baseline study
for future conservation studies and protective legislation.

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The role of mixed species flocks in community assembly andelevational ranges of tropical birds
J. Muñoz 1, J. Jankowski 1
1

Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Email:jmunoz@zoology.ubc.ca
In any tropical habitat, whether it be lowland or mid-high elevation forest, one of themost fascinating and complex highlights of bird communities are mixed species
flocks. Flocks are a common and prominent feature of bird communities and are usedby up to one quarter of forest tropical bird species. Previous studies of lowland mixed
species flocks have documented cohesive groups that exhibit high long-term stability,
sometimes over decades. By comparison, studies of mid-elevation flocks havesuggested a more dynamic structure, but such studies tend to be less comprehensive
or anecdotal. The stability of mid- and high-elevational flocks, and the importance of
ecological relationships among flocking participants in tropical montane communities
is still poorly understood.
We studied mixed flocks along an elevational gradient stretching from lowland rain
forest to treeline (400-3400 m) on the eastern slope of the Andes in Manu National
Park, Peru. We integrated data from flock observations, occurrence within and outsideof flocks and elevational ranges of species to address two topics that have long been
neglected in tropical bird communities. First, we describe how mixed species flocks
change in composition and stability with elevation. Second, we test the hypothesisthat elevational ranges of permanent, or obligate, flocking species are constrained byinterspecific associations in flocks. Our observations of mixed-species flocks showed
that, like lowlands flocks, mid- and high-elevation flocks are diverse and cohesive
multi-species groups composed of both obligate species, as well as species that
opportunistically join flocks. Moreover, the ecological dependency of obligate species
on mixed-species flocks may constrain elevational ranges of some permanent flocking
species.

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A proposal to calculate basic nutrient units from waterfowl andestimating the amount of nutrient transport from waterfowl by process
analysis
M. Nakamura 1, T. Yabe 1 and M. Aizaki2
1

Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute forEnvironmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
2
Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
Email: himasako4713@ybb.ne.jp

Most wildfowl overwintering in Japan come and go between roosting places andfeeding places because they feed on plants on the shore or in the water and roost on thewater. They input nutrition by excretion, to roost ponds from feeding places, and it iseasily predicted they play a role in the eutrophication at their roosting ponds. Recently,
it has been reported that in roosting areas the nutrition from waterfowl has a negative
effect on water quality. Therefore, it is important to calculate or predict the amount of
nutrient transport from waterfowl. In this study, we tried to calculate basic nutrient units
from waterfowl in roosting water per one kilogram, as can be applied to areas withdifferent species composition of waterfowl. First, we calculated the excreted nutrient
amount per 1 kg waterfowl per day (LI) by the nutrient content and amount of excretion.
Second, the amount to be reflected in the water quality in practice (U) is computed bymultiplying LI by the decomposition rate of excretions in water. Last, the total nutrienttransport in the roosting area has been accumulated from U, Total Waterfowl Weight(TWW) and residence time (RTF). We made a comparison between the calculation
results and the measured values, and found no significant differences. For future work,
it is necessary to perform additional comparisons and refine the calculations of eachparameter. However this method of estimating nutrient transport from waterfowl byprocess analysis is useful, since the amount of nutrient transport can be calculated
quickly by the number of waterfowl, stay period (TWW) and the residence time (RTF)
in each body of water.

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Temporal gradient of prey availability and shorebird breeding phenology in
the Nearctic
E. Kwon 1, D.B. Lank 2, R.B. Lanctot 3, S. Brown 4, and B.K. Sandercock 1
1

Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA
Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University,
Burnaby, Canada
3
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, USA
4
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Plymouth, USA
Email: ebkwon@k-state.edu
2

Responses to climate change have been shown to vary across functional groups and trophic
levels, which can cause decoupling of biological interactions or a ‘phenological mismatch’.
Recent studies that have tested the phenological mismatch hypothesis are limited to 1) model
systems and 2) small spatial scales with a single breeding population. In this study, we examinedtiming of hatching in shorebird communities in response to the environmental constraints at aregional scale. At five Nearctic breeding sites along the coast of Alaska and Canada, nests of six
small shorebird species (N = 1671; Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), Western
Sandpiper (C. mauri), Dunlin (C. alpina), Pectoral Sandpiper (C. melanotos), Red Phalarope(Phalaropus fulicarius), and Red-necked Phalarope (P. lobatus)) were surveyed daily and theabundance of invertebrate prey were surveyed every three days during 2010 - 2012. Ordination
analysis showed that the invertebrate community composition was similar among five study sites.
The most abundant prey source was Chironomidae (midges) at all sites, followed by Araneae,
Brachycera and Carabidae. The timing of initial increase in the Chironomidae abundancecoincides with the onset of hatching for all shorebird species at most sites. However, the peakhatching of the shorebirds preceded the peak prey abundance by up to 15 days, indicating thatthe hatching is likely mistimed for maximal food abundance. We defined the degree ofphenological mismatch at individual level as the temporal difference between the date of foodpeak and the date when food requirements are greatest for the shorebird young (i.e. five days
after hatching). We found geographic variation in the degree of phenological mismatch among
five sites and also found inter-species variation within each site. We will discuss patterns ofvariation in phenological mismatch among shorebird communities and its potential causes aswell as its implications for declining shorebird populations.

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Modeling wintering habitat distribution of a migratory raptor, theOriental Honey-Buzzard, based on satellite tracking data in WestJava Indonesia
Syartinilia1, Yeni A. Mulyani1, Afra D.N. Makalew1, H. Higuchi2
1

Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Dramaga, 16680, Indonesia.

2

Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Endo 5322, Fujisawa,
Kanagawa, Japan. 252-0882.

Email: syartinilia@ipb.ac.id
Knowledge of the wintering habitats of migratory raptors is a prerequisite tounderstanding their wintering ecology and managing their habitats. Oriental Honey
Buzzards (OHBs, Pernis ptilorhynchus) are migratory raptors with wintering
grounds in Indonesia. OHBs’ wintering habitats can be divided into core and edge
habitats with unique landscape characteristics, which influence wintering site
selection. OHB migrate very long distances from the breeding sites in Japan to
Southeast Asia as the wintering sites. Nowadays, satellite tracking of migratory
raptors is a powerful research tool to provide the migration route, stop over andwintering habitat data. A total of 56 OHBs have been satellite-tracked since 2003
and most of them visited Borneo as wintering habitat. Only 2 OHBs been tracked
have used Java Island as their wintering site. Limited information of their wintering
habitat in Java Island is making the management of habitat conservation of OHBs
quite problematic. Therefore the information regarding the distribution of wintering
habitat of OHB in Java is really required since the habitat destruction in Java is veryhigh. This study aims to model the distribution of wintering habitat of OHB in WestJava and simultaneously identifies the environmental variable which is characterized
the wintering habitat selection of OHB. This study was conducted in Talaga Bodasand surrounding areas, West Java. The main methodology used in this study is
combining satellite-tracking data of OHB as the presence sites data byenvironmental variables using logistic regression. From 18 environmental variables,
only 7 variables were detected as important variable for characterizing the
distribution of wintering habitat. Wintering habitat distribution was predominantly
influenced by slope 25%-40%, elevation 0-100 m, elevation 100-300 m, elevation>1000 m, the nearest distance to forest, paddy field and water body.




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Avian guilds of tropical rainforest disturbed by logging
M. A. Quimbayo – Cardona1 , T. C. Magro2 and E. J. Vidal2
1

Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Dinámica de Ecosistemas Tropicales, Universidad
del Tolima, Colombia
2
Departamento de Cieências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz,
Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
E-mail: miguelq@ut.edu.co
This study was carried out in Paragominas (Pará), at the Roberto Bauch Forest Management
Center. Pará state produces more than 50% of wood in Brazil, affecting populations of wildlife
and vegetation. Fieldwork was conducted from October 2010 to April 2011 during dry and wet
seasons in six areas that had been logged at different times: 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009,and in a non-logged area. We conducted six fixed width (50 m) 15-min. point counts per transect;
6 transects per area. Thirteen guilds were registered but only twelve were represented in all
sampled areas. Frugivores were the most abundant guild (108 species) without a difference inrichness between areas; thus, we confirmed that frugivore birds are not intolerant to changes inforest structure. Mid-level and canopy insectivores were the second guild with highest abundance
and also did not show a difference between areas. Understorey army ant-followers are the most
specialized guild and had lowest richness in the 2003 logged area and non-logged area due toforest management activities and natural disturbances, and had the highest richness in the 2000
and 2006 logged areas due to their location around a forest matrix and lowest logging intensity;
thus, we confirmed that understorey specialists are affected by natural and human disturbances.
Understorey insectivores and nectarivores had the highest richness in 2000 logged area (19 and 9
species, respectively) followed by 2009 logged area (17 and 9 species, respectively). The nonlogged area had the lowest richness for those guilds (7 and 3 species, respectively) due to forest
management activities and natural disturbances. Mid-level nectarivores had a constant richness
between all sampled areas, showing the highest tolerance to changes in the forest structure. These
results of guilds behavior are strongly supported by similar results in neotropical forests bydifferent researchers.

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Diet of the passerine assemblage in the southernmost forests of theworld, Omora Park, Cape Horn, Chile (55° S, 67° W)
Ricardo Rozzi1,3,4,5,6, James H. Kennedy2,6, Tamara Contador4,5, Ana Piñeiro5, Omar
Barroso3,5, Rajan Rijal2,6, Jaime E. Jimenez1,2,3,4,5,6
1

Department of Philosophy & Religion Studies, and 2Department of Biological Sciences,
University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA, 3Omora Ethnobotanical Park,
4
Universidad de Magallanes, Puerto Williams, 5Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity,
Chile, 6Sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Program - University of North Texas
Email: Ricardo.Rozzi@unt.edu

Bird communities of the temperate forests of South America have been researchedmostly in short-term studies, and have focused on bird censuses in the summer months
and in the temperate region rather than the sub-Antarctic region (>47°S). In this study
we overcome these four biases, filling a significant gap in ornithological information by
providing the results of a long-term ornithological study (2000-2014), examining thefeeding ecology and its seasonal variations in the southernmost forests of the world at
Omora Park (55°S 67°W) in the UNESCO Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. This paper
focuses on the diet of forest passerines to examine seasonal variations and the degree ofgeneralization of the diet in these forests which are significantly poorer in foodresources as compared to lower latitude ones within the biome of South American
temperate forests.
We analyzed feces from 14 species of passerines captured with mist-nets and banded
between January 2000 and 2013. The seeds were determined to species level and thearthropod to order level based on reference collections. A 100% of the examined species
consumed arthropods. Five species consumed only arthropods, and nine also included
plants. Insect orders included: Diptera (43%), Coleoptera (27%), Hemiptera (11%),Hymenoptera (10%), Homoptera (4%), Neuroptera (3%), Lepidoptera (2%), Arachnids(8%), and not-identified arthropods (33%). The seeds and plant debris belonged to fivespecies: Drymis winterii (10%), Ribes magellanicus (2%), Berberis buxifolia (3%),
Maitenus magellanica (1%), M. disticha (1%) and plant remains not-identified (28%).
The consumption ratio of insects versus fruits and seeds is significantly higher thanratios recorded for passerine assemblages at lower latitudes in Chile. The higher
incidence of insects in the diet of the sub-Antarctic forest birds could be related to thehigh diversity and abundance of flies and beetles that contrasts with the short period ofripe fruits availability at these austral latitudes.

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Patterns of bird functional diversity on land-bridge island fragments
Ding, Zhifeng1; Kenneth J. Feeley2, 3; Wang, Yanping1; Robin J. Pakeman4; Huijian Hu5 andDing, Ping1*
1. Zhejiang University, College of Life Sciences, Zijin’gang Campus, Hangzhou 310058,
China
2. Florida International University, Department of Biological Sciences, OE 238 Miami, FL
33199, USA
3. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Center for Tropical Plant Conservation, 11935 Old
Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL 33156, USA
4. The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, Scotland UK
5. South China Institute of Endangered Animals, 105 Guangzhou 510260, China
Email: dingzhf@gmail.com* Correspondence Author: Ping Ding, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University,
Zijin’gang Campus, Hangzhou 310058, China. Email: dingping@zju.edu.cn
Habitat fragmentation is widely recognized as one of the greatest threats to global
biodiversity as reduced habitat area and increased isolation almost invariably lead to rapid
decline in local species richness and/or to increased extinction risk of remnant populations.
The loss of species diversity due to habitat fragmentation has been extensively studied. In
contrast, the impacts of habitat fragmentation on functional diversity remains relatively
poorly understood. We conducted bird functional diversity studies on a set of 41 recently
isolated land-bridge islands in the Thousand Island Lake, China. We analysed differences inbird species richness and a recently developed suite of complementary functional diversity
indices (FRic, volume of functional space occupied; FEve, evenness of abundance
distribution in the functional trait space; FDiv, divergence in the distribution of abundance inthe trait volume) across different gradients (island area and isolation). We found nocorrelations between FRic and FEve or FEve and FDiv, but negative correlations between
FRic and FDiv. As predicted, island area accounted for most of the variation in bird species
richness, whereas isolation explained most of the variation in species evenness (decreasing
species evenness with increasing isolation). Functional diversity appears to be more strongly
influenced by habitat filtering as opposed to limiting similarity. More specifically, across all
islands, both FRic and FEve were significantly lower than expected for randomly assembled
communities, but FDiv showed no clear patterns. FRic increased with island area, FEvedecreased with island area and FDiv showed no clear patterns.
Our finding that FEve decreases with island area at TIL may indicate low functional
stability on such islands, and as such large islands and habitat patches may deserve extra
attention and/or protection. These results help to demonstrate the importance of considering
the effects of fragmentation on functional diversity in habitat management and reserve designplans.

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Temperate bird–flower interactions as entangled mutualistic andantagonistic sub-networks: importance of plastic feeding behaviours ofbirds
T. Yoshikawa 1, Y. Isagi 2
1

Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Science, University of Tokyo
Forest Biology Lab., Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University
Email: yoshikawa.tetsuro@gmail.com
2

In a community, individual species are simultaneously positioned in various types ofinteractions. Therefore, various types of interaction networks are present and entangled
within the community. The ways in which different network types are merged andentangled, and the variations in network structures between different sympatricnetworks, require full elucidation for revealing community stability. To solve these
problems, we focused on the interaction between birds and flowers of temperate plants
in Japan, where flower-feeding birds are mainly generalist passerines, acting as
pollinators and predators of flowers. Analysing flower-feeding episodes of birds,
obtained by long-term volunteer monitoring in Kanagawa prefecture, we constructed thewhole network (WN) between birds and plants, decomposing the network into
mutualistic and antagonistic sub-networks (MS and AS, respectively). We investigatedstructural properties of the three networks using representative network metrics, andspecies-level characteristics of the main flower-feeding birds. Our results demonstratethat WN comprises entangled MS and AS, sharing considerable proportions of bird andplant assemblages. We found distinctive differences in the network structural properties
between the two sub-networks. In comparison with AS, MS had lower numbers of bird
and plant species, showed lower network-level specialisation (H2’) and modularity (M)and exhibited higher nestedness (WNODF). In WN, the Japanese White-eye Zosterops
japonicus had most flower-feeding episodes, followed by the Brown-eared Bulbul
Microscelis amaurotis. While the white-eye acted as legitimate pollinator for mostplants, the bulbul showed large plasticity in feeding behaviour and acted as both
pollinator and predator for diverse flowers. The pattern of feeding behaviour of thebulbul was largely defined by flower size and plant origin. Our results highlight that
understanding the interaction type for each species pair and considering the behaviouralplasticity of animals are crucial for elucidating structures of integrated interaction
networks.

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Do owls play a role as ecological engineer for insect communities intree cavities?
M. Toyama 1, K. Asahi 2, H. Sakamoto3 and I. Koizumi 2,41

History and Nature Museum of Nemuro city
Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University
3
Brain Science Research Center, Tamagawa University
4
Creative Research Institution, Hokkaido University
2

Email: otus24konoha@hotmail.com
Tree cavities play an important role in forest biodiversity as a separate habitat. The
unique community situated within tree cavities, using plant derived material (i.e., litterand rotten wood) and water as base resources, has been well studied. Birds andmammals use tree cavities as nests or roosts and leave nest materials, feces and leftover
foods. However the effects of their usage on the tree cavity were not studied. Especially,
we took notice of owls because owls do not clean their nests, leaving a large amount offeces. This may change the a-biotic environment and community structure of treecavities significantly. Examining the above prediction, we put up 156 nest boxes
especially designed for owls, with wood chips of broad-leaved trees laid on the bottom
as a base resource, with the aim of compare the a-biotic environment and community
structure between used and unused cavities in chronological order (shortly after fledging
to 4 months after). Our result showed that 1) owl usage makes wood chips laid on thebottom highly alkalic (about pH 8.8-10) and increases humidity (about 40.3-47.3%)
immediately after fledging up to one month later. Two months after fledging, the pHscore of wood chips returns to neutrality but humidity was maintained. In contrast, theenvironment of unused nest boxes was stable (neutral pH and low humidity). 2) In usednest boxes, insects which adapt to the alkali environment and forage on feces andleftover foods dominated immediately after fledging up to one month later. After twomonths, wood decomposing insects dominated the nest boxes. On the other hand,unused nest boxes were inhabited by wood decomposing insects all through the study
period but the number and species diversity were low compared with used nest boxes.
From these results, we conclude that usage by owls dramatically changed theenvironment inside nest boxes and the community structure of insects in nest boxes. In
other words, we suggested the possibility that owls play an important role as ecologicalengineer by affecting community structure in tree cavities.

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The fauna and vertical distribution of birds in Mount Qomolangma
National Nature Reserve
Jingjing Li1, 2, Lianxian Han1, Hongfen Cao2, Boyong Peng3, Yuan Tian2, Bin Wang4,
Huijian Hu2,*
1. Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
2. South China Institute of Endangered Animals & Guangdong Entomological
Institute, Guangzhou 510260, China
3. West Dongting Lake Nature Reserve, Hanshou 415900, China
4. College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
Email: 13922339577@139.com
From October 2010 to October 2012 (126 days), a line transect method combined withinterviews has been adopted during seven individual surveys to explore the bird fauna of
Qomolangma National Nature Reserve (QNNR). Based on the historical records and our
results, 390 bird species, belonging to 62 families and 18 Orders, have been confirmed. Our
results indicate that QNNR plays a vital and unique role in bird species preservation andscientific study, especially for the endemic and endangered species. Although the species
richness of birds originating from the Palearctic realm and Oriental realm were only slightly
different, with 164 and 178 species respectively, the species differences between the northernand southern flank of QNNR were remarkable. The northern flank was characterized withenriched endemic plateau species and a small total number of species, whereas the southernflank showed a complex composition and much more abundant species. Moreover, on thesouthern flank, the peak of breeding bird richness occurred at 2 500-3 100 m.a.s.l., supporting
the mid-domain effect hypothesis. Meanwhile, as the elevation increased, the richness ofOriental species decreased, and that of Palearctic species showed the opposite. The
percentages of Oriental and Palearctic species were similar at 3 100-4 000 m a.s.l..
Accordingly, we estimated that the boundary between Oriental realm and Palearctic realm
was at 3 100-4 000 m a.s.l., and the species invasion from Palearctic to Oriental realm wasmore obvious than the other way round. Moreover, the specific distribution patterns of bird
species along vertical gradients also indicated their corresponding adaptation strategies.

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Estimating bird species composition and habitat characteristics inurban green spaces in Tokyo
M. Kitano 1, K. Fukaya 2, T. Tsuchio 1 and T. Miwa 1
1

Institute of Research and Development, Takenaka Corporation, Chiba, JapanThe Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Tokyo, Japan
Email: kitano.masato@takenaka.co.jp
2

Thanks to the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties being heldin Japan in 2010 and other such events, efforts in consideration of biodiversity by
Japanese corporations have increased in recent years. Creating an environment thatallows coexistence with animals in urban areas is underway, for instance by installingnest boxes for birds around large-scale redevelopment buildings. A typical effort inconsideration of biodiversity in urban area would also be to create green spaces
available to animals, and such a movement seems to increase in the future. However, weneed knowledge and solutions clarifying how we should take advantage of limited green
spaces, because studies which evaluate urban green spaces as habitats for animals inJapan are limited. Therefore, by focusing on birds which are often considered as anindicator of biodiversity, we conducted a study aiming to determine factors influencing
bird composition and habitat characteristics in urban green spaces based on therelationship between the occurrences of urban birds, the vegetation and surrounding
land uses.
We investigated occurrences of birds by using point counts in 14 urban green spaces,such as public open spaces and rooftops owned by private companies and ward offices
in Tokyo during two years. Bird species richness and species composition were
estimated by modelling species occurrence and their detectability. Additionally, wemeasured vegetation parameters at these study sites such as tree height, species
composition, green area at each hierarchy of tree and green coverage rates around thesite and estimated the factors influencing bird species composition and habitat
characteristics in urban green spaces by using multivariate statistics.

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Effects of vegetation modification due to high deer density on breeding
bird communities in Oku-Nikko, JapanK. Okuda
Satoyama Science Research Center, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, Japan
Email: kei-okuda@hotmail.co.jp
We aimed to assess the effects of vegetation modification caused by deer on birds. We
examined the effects of deer density on vegetation modification and the relationshipbetween the species composition of bird communities and the vegetation structure in 3
areas (8 plots/area) with different deer densities in Oku-Nikko, central Japan. The
number of living trees, number of tree species, and basal area of living trees decreased
significantly with an increase in deer density, suggesting that deer density contributes tovegetation modification. Using TWINSPAN, the 24 plots were divided into groups A(high deer-density) and B (low deer-density) and 32 bird species were divided into
groups 1–4. Bird species with a preference for open habitats tended to belong to group 1
and were observed primarily in group A plots. Bird species with a preference forforaging in shrubs tended to belong to group 4 and were observed primarily in group B
plots. Tree-hole nesting birds tended to belong to group 2 or group 3 and were observed
equally in group A and group B plots. Discriminant analysis indicated that the plot
classification by TWINSPAN could be interpreted according to the number of shrub
trees, sub-canopy trees, and shrub species. These results indicate that vegetation
modification because of high deer density may contribute to changes in the species
composition of bird communities.

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Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples provide different habitats forbirds living in Japanese cities
O. K. Mikami 1 and K. Mikami 2
1

Center for Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
Japan Bird Research Association, Tokyo, Japan
Email: osamu.k.mikami@gmail.com
2

Biodiversity conservation in urban areas is an important issue because it can help
maintain regional biodiversity and promote human sustainability. The importance of
this issue is increasing because urban areas expand with the increase in the humanpopulation. Urban green spaces are important habitats for city-dwelling birds. In
Japanese cities, many green spaces are on the properties of shrines and temples. Shrines
are places to worship Shinto gods, whereas the temples are places to worship Buddha.
Shinto and Buddhism have been coexisting relatively harmoniously since the 6th
century and are the two major religions in Japan. Most Japanese people believe
somewhat in both of them. These two religions are different, leading to certain
differences in shrines and temples. For example, shrines are separately locatedthroughout the cities, whereas Buddhist temples are often placed together, a relic fromthe 15th to 18th century intended to function as a defensive wall for a city. Shrines
sometimes have huge trees that are considered sacred, whereas temples have graves.
Shinto priests usually visit from outside of the shrines, which usually have no residents.
In contrast, a Buddhist priest lives in a temple with his or her family and manages the
temple. The above differences may be significant for birds. Here, we compared bird
species composition between the temples and shrines in Aomori and Iwate prefecturesin Northern Japan. We found that the average number of species was not very different,
but the total number of species observed in all the shrines was larger than that observedin all the temples. This suggests that each temple provides a similar habitat for birds,
whereas each shrine provides a different habitat. Thus, these two religions have roles inproviding different habitats for birds in Japanese cities. This work was supported by
JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 23780028.

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Role of eagles in the flow of salmon-derived nutrients into a terrestrial
ecosystem
Kei Matsumoto1, Keisuke Nakayama1, Shuhei Takahashi1, Tomohiro Kuwae2, and Kenta
Watanabe2
12

Kitami Institute of Technology, Kitami, JapanPort and Airport Research Institute, Yokosuka, Japan

Transportation of salmon derived-nutrients by terrestrial animals has been recognized as
an important role of riparian ecosystems. However, it is difficult to track such vector animals
and confirm the spatial patterns of nutrient inputs to riparian forests. We attempted to develop
a behavioral measuring method based on the use of data loggers attached to typicalfree-ranging large birds in the riparian ecosystem: Steller’s Sea Eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus
and White-Tailed Sea Eagle H. albicilla, generally considered salmon feeders. A newly
developed time-scheduled release system was used for eagles. The system releases dataloggers from the eagles and allows the loggers to be retrieved via VHF radio signals.
Recapture of the eagles is therefore not necessary. Measurement of body movement using
acceleration data loggers was carried out in order to provide information about the detailed
behavior of eagles while GPS loggers recorded their locations. The activity of eagles wasclassified into 5 behavioral groups. Though shapes of acceleration profiles during feeding andwalking seemed to be similar with less periodical cycles, profiles during flapping flight
exhibited relatively steady cycles (0.2-0.3 sec) and dynamic fluctuations. Resting (sitting)
was distinguished from other behavioral groups as upright posture without motion. Thus,
measuring acceleration at high frequency intervals and using a time-scheduled release systemwith GPS recording can be a powerful tool for monitoring behavior of sea eagles assalmon-nutrient vectors.

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Habitat selection of Nightjars in a fire-burnt area: changes after 20years
M. Ciach 1, T. Sczansny 1
1

Department of Zoology and Wildlife Management, Forest Biodiversity Institute,
University of Agriculture, Kraków, POLAND
Email: michal.ciach@ur.krakow.pl

Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) occurrence in the closed forests of Eurasia isdetermined by the proximity of open areas, which are used as a foraging sites. In
managed forests, these are mainly forest clearings or young forest stands. Fires andother abiotic factors may lead to extensive environmental disturbances , making habitat
suitable for Nightjars. Although large-scale forest fires are relatively rare in temperateregions of Europe, in 1992 an extensive fire destroyed 9062 ha of forests near Rudy
Raciborskie (southern Poland). As a result of fire and post-fire habitat restoration a large
area of homogeneous environment has appeared. The aim of this study was to determine
habitat selection of Nightjars on a fire-burnt area. The study compares the habitat
parameters for Nightjar breeding territories and randomly selected control points.
Survey was conducted in 2003-2004 and 2011-2012. The Nightjar density at fire-burnt
areas was higher than in other studied forest habitats, indicating high habitat suitability.
In the first period, immediately after forest restoration Nightjars preferred dense anduniform young stands of Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), avoiding the presence of open
areas within the territory. In the second period however, after forest maturation thespecies’ distribution was close to random. Results of this study indicate that avian
spatial distribution may be random in homogeneous habitats. The possible explanations
for this pattern and the role of the large-scale forest disturbances are discussed.

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Effects of Hurricane Iris on riparian bird community structure in Belize.
Kimberly G. Smith and RoseAnn Barnhill, Department of Biological Sciences, University of
Arkansas, Fayetteville
Hurricanes are frequent and integral features in the Caribbean environment, but limited
quantitative data exist on response of bird communities to their influence. Lack of pre-hurricane
data in affected areas is the primary factor limiting those studies. We began a study of theriparian birds associated with the Bladen branch of the Monkey River in the Bladen Nature
Reserve in southern Belize in February of 2000. Two transects were established, one in old
secondary-growth (T1) and one in mature forest that did not appear to have been logged (T2). In
October of 2001, Hurricane Iris, a category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 225 km/hr,
passed directly over our study sites, effectively destroying the tropical riparian forest along thetwo transects we had censused from February to June in 2000 and 2001. Although obviously
different, we compared pre-hurricane vegetation data (2001, N = 80 plots) with post-hurricane
vegetation data (2002), using a modified James-Shugart method for 21 variables. In 2001, 33
species of migrants and 143 permanent residents occurred on T1 and 28 migrants and 111
residents occurred on T2. After the hurricane in 2002, 34 migrants and 133 residents occurred on
T1 and 26 migrant and 122 residents occurred on T2. Although numbers of species aresuperficially similar between years, relative abundances changed dramatically, with common
species becoming rarer and rare species becoming more common. Some species disappeared
post-hurricane, while some new species appeared. Significant changes also occurred based on
strata a species foraged in, foraging substrate, and diet. The dramatic change from forest to early
successional vegetation had an equally dramatic change in the composition of the riparian bird
communities.

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The effects of local- and landscape-scale habitat characteristics andtheir interaction on wintering waterbirds in lotus fields
H. Murayama1, K. Furuki2, N. Katayama3 and M. Fujioka4
1, 4

Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki,

Japan
2

School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

3

National Institutes for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Ibaraki, Japan

Email: h.murayama810@gmail.com
Agricultural wetlands such as rice fields are known to provide habitats for waterbirds inmany parts of the world. Although earlier studies have investigated the effect of localor landscape-scale factors on bird communities separately, few studies have compared
the effects of the two factors and their interaction. The objective of our study is toquantify the effects of local habitats (e.g., water depth), landscape characteristics (e.g.,
proportions of agricultural and forest areas) and their interaction on waterbirds inagricultural wetlands in Japan. We focused on lotus fields that are kept flooded almost
year round, providing habitats for waterbirds in winter when most of rice fields are notflooded. In Ibaraki Prefecture, a lot of lotus fields are located in different landscapetypes (e.g., homogenous agricultural landscapes and agricultural-forest mosaics). We
selected approximately 60 lotus fields around Lake Kasumigaura with each field morethan 2 km apart to avoid spatial autocorrelation. Field surveys were carried out from late
January to middle April 2014. In each field, we recorded bird species, number andlocation (within the field or at the levee) observed during 5-minute point count surveys.
Local habitat variables (e.g., mean water depth and degree of lotus cover) were alsomeasured. Landscape variables (proportions of lotus fields, non-flooded rice fields andforest within a 1-km from each field) were extracted from aerial photographs andvegetation maps on Geographic Information System (GIS). In total, we recorded 14
waterbird species and 15 terrestrial species (277 and 169 individuals, respectively). We
expect further analyses of these data will lead to a quantitative evaluation of the effectof local- and landscape-scale factors on waterbirds’ use of lotus fields.

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Insects, climate and winter territories of parids in northern Europe

T. Krama 1 and I. Krams 1,21

Institute of Systematic Biology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Tartu University, Tartu, Estonia
Email: tatjana.krama@du.lv
2

In this study we investigated arthropod distribution within the canopy of Scots pine in
relation to the distance of the trees from forest lakes. Pine canopy near lakes containedlarger arthropods whose biomass was significantly larger than the biomass of arthropods
from the pines of the same age growing away from the lakes. In winter, home range sizeof two species of insectivorous forest birds was smaller near lakes than away from lakes.
The increase in the foraging territory may be explained as a compensation for decreasein the profitability of trees, with increasing distance from forest lakes while the reduced
arthropod carrying capacity of pines can be explained as a response totemperature-related stress. We found that during the warmest days maximum ambient
temperatures were 2.32°C lower near lakes than away from lakes indicating a direct
effect of the lake micro-climate on ambient temperatures. Since conifer mortality is best
explained by temperature-sensitive carbon starvation, pines near lakes may have moreneedles, thus carrying larger arthropod biomass. To the best of our knowledge this is thefirst documentation of the relationship between climate-change related reduction of pinecondition and other components of the food web such as arthropods and their predators.

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Investigating the effects of increasing levels of bushfire frequency on
threatened woodland birds in southeastern Australia
Diana KuchinkeFederation University, Ballarat, Autralia
Email diana@kuchinke.com.au

Victoria Australia, with its unique meteorological and biophysical arrangement, is internationallyregarded as being one of the most bushfire prone parts of the world. February 2009 wildfire
events, whilst not unprecedented, created widespread devastation and greatly affected many
people. A subsequent Royal Commission Inquiry recommended that the State implement a
program of prescribed burning with a rolling target of 5 percent of public land, effectively
doubling the level of prescribed burning annually. Prescribed burning is now carried out all year,with weather conditions being the only limiting factor, not seasonally, as we have seen in thepast. This may have major repercussions for biodiversity. Woodland bird species in southeastern
Australia are declining. Already negatively impacted by urban development, the effects ofclimate change on fire regimes are likely to further impact on avifauna. Currently, fire planningholds the view that ‘has plants birds will come’ or that ‘pyrodiversity begets biodiversity’ yet
few studies have quantified the effects of increasing fire frequency on avifauna. It could be
expected that increasing fire frequency would change the species composition and structure ofvegetation, which may in turn affect food and nesting site availability for birds. Bird monitoringover two spring/summer seasons and two winters, along with habitat assessments, have been
completed on 84 sites in western Victorian woodlands. These 84 sites are nested in 14 sitemosaics and have different fire histories. With the completion of the field work, the project now
involves testing predictions of the impact of fire on birds and their habitats considering timesince-fire and fire type (planned vs wildfire).

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Evaluating and improving the reintroduction success of captive-bred
Helmeted Honeyeaters
MJL Magrath1, B Quinn2, P Menkhorst2, D Harley1, K Cartwright3 and B McCulloch3
1

Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Department of Primary Industry and Environment, Melbourne, Australia
3
Healesville Sanctuary, Zoos Victoria, Healesville, Australia
Email: magrath@unimelb.edu.au
2

Reintroduction of captive-bred animals is a key component of many threatened species recovery
programs. However, a common concern for many of these programs is that individuals bred in
captivity may perform poorly when released to the wild. Here we evaluate the survival andbreeding success of several hundred Helmeted Honeyeaters (Lichenostomus melanops cassidix)
released over a 20 year period, and compare with wild-reared conspecifics in the same
populations. This critically endangered bird has an extremely restricted distribution to the east of
Melbourne, Australia, and a wild population that currently numbers fewer than 100 individuals.
We found that captive-bred birds have lower survival rates, at least over the first three months
after release. Radio-tracking of released individuals suggests that predation by raptors is the mostimportant cause of mortality during this early post-release period. Consequently, predator
awareness training is underway at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria that is designed toexperimentally assess if the survival of released birds can be improved through pre-releasetraining. This could significantly enhance the breeding program’s contribution to the overall
recovery effort.

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What is happening to the Chestnut-cheeked Starlings breeding in
Hokkaido?
Makiko Takenaka
mkktknk1@tspirit.tokai-u.jp
Chestnut-cheeked Starlings (Agrospar philippensis) breed in central to northern Japanand winter in Southeast Asia. The breeding population of this species in my study area
in Sapporo, Hokkaido began to decline around 2007. Between 1994 and 2006, there
used to be ten to eighteen breeding pairs. The number declined steadily in the following
few years and was reduced to only two pairs or less in 2010-2013. This drastic decreasein the breeding population was accompanied by delayed arrivals. While the firstsightings of the Chestnut-cheeked starlings were between April 23 and 29 in the
1994-2007 period, none was observed prior to May 2 after 2008. Most of the arriving
breeders appeared exhausted and in poor physical condition during and after the decline.
Moreover, the desertion of nests with viable nestlings occurred frequently, a behavior
that had never been observed before the decline. As the environment in the study area
showed very little change over the 19 years, the decreasing number of breeding
Chestnut-cheeked starlings and their delayed arrivals suggest that the environment of
their wintering grounds or along their migration routes may have deteriorated
considerably.

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Assessing Black Rail occupancy and habitat along the Texas Gulf Coast
J. B. Tibbits 1, C. Butler 1, P. Stone 1, J. Kelly 2
1

Department of Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, USA
Oklahoma Biological Survey and Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman,
USA
Email: jtibbits@uco.edu

2

The Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) is one of the most secretive birds in North America, andlittle is known about the habitat requirements of Black Rails along the Gulf Coast. Anecdotal
observations suggest that this species’ population has declined during the last century, andwetland surveys document a substantial loss of breeding habitat. We conducted breeding bird
surveys to estimate occupancy and detection probability for the Black Rail in estuarine wetlands.
Surveys occurred in the Big Boggy, Brazoria, and San Bernard National Wildlife Refuges along
the Texas Gulf Coast from April to May of 2013. These surveys served to identify the habitat
preferred by breeding birds. We located birds using playback calls, and we recorded thelocations of vocalizing individuals. Black Rails were located in two habitat types: salty prairie
and high salt marsh. Habitats known to contain Black Rails will be surveyed more extensively inthe spring of 2014 to yield information on how these birds respond to burn regimes, hydrology,
vegetation composition, vegetation structure, patch size, and other landscape attributes. This
information will be used to determine optimal habitat and management regimes for Black Rails
along the Texas Gulf Coast.

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Modelling the distribution of Henslow’s Sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii) ineastern North America by the 2050s
K. Hucks1 and C. Butler1
1

University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, USA.
Email: khucks@uco.edu

Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) is a declining North American grassland bird.
Increasing temperatures, frequent fires, and habitat loss may hasten the decline. Henslow’s
Sparrow utilizes different geographic areas for breeding and wintering, so it is important to
explore how these areas may be affected by a warming climate. We used Maxent, a maximum
entropy approach, to predict the potential future distribution of Henslow’s Sparrow under various
climate change scenarios. An initial model was used to identify the most importantecogeographical variables for the species’ distribution. We then used three (A1b, A2, B2) IPCC
4 climate change scenarios to project the range into the 2050s. We found that a combination oftemperature seasonality, maximum temperature of the warmest month, mean temperature of thewarmest quarter, annual precipitation, and elevation were the most important variables for the
distribution of Henslow’s Sparrow across North America. The amount of potentially suitablewintering area depended on the amplitude of warming, with the scenario that had the highest
emissions increasing the potentially suitable area for wintering habitat while the scenarios withlower emissions resulted in a slight reduction in suitability. Under all scenarios, only a marginal
decline was observed in suitable breeding areas. Based on these models, climate change will notstrongly affect the Henslow’s Sparrow through the 2050s and we suggest that management
efforts should focus on maintaining suitable habitat in both the breeding and wintering ranges.

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The breeding status of Grus japonensis in Kushiro Marsh, Japan, andthe southeast marsh around Khanka Lake, Russia
Y. Masatomi 1, K. Momose 1, H. Masatomi 1, S.G. Surmach2 and D.V. Korobov3
1

Incorporated Non-profit Organization Red-crowned Crane Conservancy, Japan
Biological-soil Institute of the Far East Branch of RAS, Russia
3
Civic Organization “Amur-Ussuri Center for Avian Biodiversity” in Vladivostok,
RussiaEmail: tome@sea.plala.or.jp
2

There are two isolated populations of Grus japonensis (Japanese or Red-crowned
Cranes) in north-eastern Asia: a Japanese resident population in Hokkaido and acontinental population migrating from the Amur River basin to the Korean Peninsula
and the east coast of China. Although the Japanese population faced a crisis ofextinction in the late 19th century due to hunting and habitat destruction, the number of
cranes has increased to about 1,400 in 2013, primarily due to artificial feeding in winter.
Along with this population growth, however, death by traffic accidents is recently
increasing, and population sizes are approaching carrying capacities in both breeding
and wintering habitats. Therefore, it is important to verify the species’ breeding status
for sustainable conservation of the population. In the spring of 2013, we conductedaerial surveys to assess the breeding status of the species in Kushiro Marsh in Japan(KMJ) and the southeast marsh around Khanka Lake in Russia (KLR). In these surveys,
a few researchers boarding small aircraft searched and took photos of the cranes. As aresult, 45 breeding pairs were found in KMJ, and 33 pairs in KLR. The area of KMJ
was about 210km2 and that of KLR was estimated at 590km2. Therefore, the density ofbreeding pairs in KMJ was more than triple to that in KLR. This difference in density isprobably due to environmental factors such as vegetation, food availability andtopography.

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The current status of the Emerald Dove at the northern end of theirrange, on Miyakojima Island, Japan
Kenta Tanaka 1, Kunihiro Nakachi 2, Sayako Oi 1 and Masaoki Takagi 1,
1
2

Graduate School of Science, Osaka-city university
Wild Bird Society of Miyakojima Island

The Emerald Dove, a species that occurs on the Sakishima Islands in southwestern Japan, has been
designated as a natural monument and an Endangered Species in Japan, and is ranked as a Least
Concern species on the IUCN Red List. Despite the fact that the dove population was believed to besmall until the first half of the 1990s in Japan, since then the Japanese population appears to be
increasing; however, the population size has yet to be quantified. Our study of dove populations was
initiated in 1999 on Miyakojima Island, located at the northern limit of the range of this species.
Little information related to the status and breeding ecology of the dove is available either on theisland or on the mainland of Japan. From April to July, 2013, roadside censuses conducted on
Miyakojima Island recorded 49 individual singing males in our study site (1.2 km2). It was
impossible to determine the number of breeding pairs from this data because song sites in each male
did not always correspond to their nesting location. Males may have multiple singing positions.
Mean nest height was about 2 m above the ground (range1–5 m) and 19 of 37 nests were constructedon branches of Calophyllum inophyllum. Sometimes a new nest was constructed on top of an old
nest; both male and female were involved in incubation and brooding. Males and females sharedincubation duties by staying on the nest in the daytime and at night, respectively. All pairs had
two-egg clutches, although breeding success, measured as the fledging of at least one nestling, wasonly 33 % (4/12). Five out of eight nests failed because of predation by feral cats, weasels, Rattus
spp., Jungle Crows, and snakes, and predation was the main cause of nest failure.

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p04-008

Seasonal distribution of Green Peafowl Pavo muticus, Linnaeus 1766,
in Wiang Lor Wildlife Sanctuary,Chun District, Phayao Province
G. Saridnirun1, W. Meckvichai 2 and P. Dumrongrojwatthana 21

Master student in Biology Program, Department of Biology, Chulalongkorn University,
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
2
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
10330, Thailand
Email: g.saridnirun@gmail.com

The Green Peafowl research in Thailand is very limited, particularly in natural
habitat. Studies of seasonal distribution and habitat types of Green Peafowl (Pavomuticus, Linnaeus 1766) were conducted in Wiang Lor Wildlife Sanctuary, ChunDistrict, Phayao Province. Seasonal distribution was surveyed based on a grid systemcovering a 2.5 x 3 square kilometer area, containing 100 square meter sub grids. Eachsub grid was visited once a month. Numbers of Green Peafowl, group size, sex, age, andtracts (foot prints, feathers, feces and calling) were recorded. The positions of Green
Peafowl and forest types were recorded by global positioning system (GPS). The study
in the dry season (March-May 2013) showed that the Green Peafowl was mostfrequently observed in dry-dipterocarp forest (52.38%) along a mountain ridge, where
the males establish their territories and display to attract the females. The second habitat
used was mixed-deciduous forest (34.92 %) distributed around a water reservoir. This
forest type has dense groundcover that could provide food resources such as seeding
plants, arthropods and small invertebrates. The habitats that were used in low frequency
by the Green Peafowl were agricultural areas (9.52%) and secondary forest (3.17%),
respectively, because the Green Peafowl used the secondary forest as a temporary
habitat before access to agricultural area for seed foraging. Finally, the distribution of
the Green Peafowl in the wet season will be studied further.

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p04-010

Current status of Little Tern Sternula albifrons in North East Europe:
regional population productivity, threats, migration routes andconservation priorities
Yuzo Murofushi1, Petras Kurlavičius2, Takashi Fujii1, Gvidas Laukaitis2 & Laura
Jurkevičiūtė2
1

Japanese Society for Preservation of Birds. 3-54-5 Wada, Suginami-ku, Tokyo Japan
166-0012. Murofushi@jspb.org
2
Department of Biology. Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences. Studentu St. 39,
Vilnius, Lithuania LT-08186. Petras.Kurlavicius@leu.lt

The Little Tern Sternula albifrons, Pallas 1764 is a widespread but patchily distributed
summer visitor to much of Europe with its status evaluated as declining. The recent
European breeding population is rather small (<55,000 pairs; BirdLife International, 2013;
downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 07/10/2013). The species is listed in the
Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Union since most regional populations are
decreasing (BirdLife International 2004; Scarton 2010). Within recent decades the
population has declined mostly because of its poor breeding success, which has resulted
from a combination of natural and human-related factors. Because of their specific nesting
habitat preference, coastal breeding populations are potentially at risk from rising sea levels(Scarton 2010). In these circumstances mainland populations can be of high species
conservation value. In 2014 we are planning to start a joint Japanese-Lithuanian appliedresearch project on the ecology of the Little Tern in North East Europe. The project willcontinue for the next several years. The main research topics will be as follows: local
population productivity, factors contributing to the low productivity (predation of chicks
and eggs; nest loss due to flooding; food shortage; disturbance by humans, etc.); study of
migrating routes and movement phenology. The use of geolocators will make it possible tomap their migrating routes and to study movement phenology. We are planning to use theMK5090 model geolocators. 30 adult individuals will be supplied with this ultra lightequipment (up to 1.2 g weight) in 2014. The birds will be captured in breeding colonies on
the mainland.
We will report on the methods used and some of the results.

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Records of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Japan: what do they tell us
for conservation?
H. TOMIDA 1,2 and M. KASHIWAGI 1
1

Ramsar Network Japan, Tokyo, Japan
Fukuoka wetland conservation research group, Fukuoka, Japan
Email: htomida99@gmail.com
2

The migratory flyway including waterbird breeding sites in the northern Arctic andnon-breeding sites in southern East Asia and Oceania is called the East Asia Australasian Flyway (EAAF). More than fifty million migratory waterbirds of over 250
different populations use this flyway, including 28 globally threatened species (Delany
and Scott, 2006). Among these, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus)
is one of the most threatened. Previous observations indicated that records ofSpoon-billed Sandpiper are distributed throughout the Japanese Archipelago. However,1) the spatial distribution of these records varies across the Japanese Archipelago, 2) ananalysis of habitat preference inferred from sighting records based on clear data is stilllacking. These insights should contribute to the understanding of the ecology of thespecies, and its conservation in Japan.

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p04-012Comparision of abundance and status of Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
in restored and unrestored areas in Delhi, India
A. Sultana,1 V. Singh2 and M. S. Hussain1
1

Biodiversity Parks Programme, Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded
Ecosystems, School of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
2
University School of Environmental Management, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha
University, Delhi- 110075, India
Email: aishasultana28@yahoo.com
Due to mining activities in the past, Delhi has lost its native biodiversity over the years.
To restore the vanished natural heritage of the ridge area of the Delhi, the government
has started restoration work and established Aravalli Biodiversity Park. Indian Peafowl
was selected for the comparision of restored and unrestored areas of the park as it is theworld’s largest pheasant species and the national bird of India. Six different transects ofvarying lengths were laid (3 in each area) and monitored twice i.e morning and evening
for one year. A total of 789 individuals of peafowl were sighted during the period andthe overall density was 2.01 individuals/ ha (95% CI = 0.45-3.02). The overall meangroup size of peafowl was 1.25±1.07. Habitat plays an important role in the distributionof peafowl and it was found largely in high tree canopy cover, grass cover and low
shrub cover in the biodiversity park.The study showed that peafowl were found in aclumped population in the area and they were encountered more in restored areas thanunrestored areas. During the study, many nests were also found only in the restored area.
The higher encounter of chicks in the restored area showed the preference of thisparticular habitat by peafowl in the park. Because the park is surrounded by humanhabitation, peafowl are facing problems of stray dogs and the forced feeding habit oflocals. An awareness programme is required for walkers and residents in surrounding
localities regarding conservation of peafowl and its habitat. Positive results clearly
indicated that further restoration of unrestored areas of the biodiversity park willconserve the peafowl in an effective manner. Much longer–termed research is necessary
to understand the restoration effect on peafowl status.

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p04-013

Diversity and conservation of pheasants in the Qilian Mountains at
the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau
Long-Ying WEN�
College of Life Sciences, Leshan Normal University, Leshan 614004, Sichuan, China

The Qilian Mountains are one of the main areas of pheasant distribution in the
Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The Chinese Grouse (Tetrastes sewerzowi), Monal Partridge(Tetraophasis), Tibetan Partridge (Perdix hodgsoniae), and Tibetan Snow Cock
(Tetraogallus tibetanus) are endemic species in this plateau. The two subspecies of the
Blood Pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus) and one subspecies of the Common Pheasant(Phasianus colchicus satsheuensis) are endemic in the Qilian Mountains, and theseanimals require significant protection. Six species are protected by law in China,accounting for 55% of pheasants in the Qilian Mountains. The Chinese Grouse andMonal Partridge are listed as class I protected species, whereas the other species
belong to class II. Several grazing partridges such as the snow cocks (Tetraogallus
himalayensis and Tetraogallus tibetanus) and Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) arecurrently under threat because of insufficient precipitation and grasslands. Pheasantdiversity was formed within a complex multidimensional space through changes invegetation, niche differentiation, and ecological isolation at the Qilian Mountains.
Key words pheasants, protection, Qilian Mountains

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The Hornbill Triangle (HoT): securing a future for hornbills in large forest
complexes of Southern Thailand and North Peninsular Malaysia
Yeap, C.A.
Malaysian Nature Society, JKR 641 Jalan Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
Email: hornbills@mns.org.my
Hornbills are some of the most iconic forest birds in Asia, where 32 species (out of 57
recognised globally) are known to occur. However, many hornbill species across theirdistributional ranges are threatened with extinction and their populations are declining (somerapidly) primarily due to the loss and/or degradation of its forest habitats, poaching and/or
hunting. Within Asia, south-east Asian countries primarily Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Myanmar and the Philippines collectively support the highest diversity of hornbills (10-13
species per country). The Hornbill Triangle (HoT) consists of three large forest complexes
that are located contiguously or in close proximity with each other i.e. Belum-Temengor (ca.
320,000 ha) and Greater Ulu Muda Forest Complexes (ca. 160,000 ha) in north Peninsular
Malaysia and Bang Lang National Park-Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (93,375 ha) insouthern Thailand. Individually, these three sites have the highest diversity of hornbills persite globally as 10 hornbill species have been recorded to occur within its forests.
Furthermore, the HoT is also the southernmost stronghold for the globally threatened Plainpouched Hornbills Aceros subruficollis where up to 3,000 individuals have been counted
during their non-breeding months (July-September). Therefore, it is vital that the HoT
receives adequate conservation attention. On the Malaysian side, the Malaysian Nature
Society (MNS) has spearheaded the call to protect and conserve the Belum-Temengor Forest
Complex since the 1990s with a series of scientific expeditions. In 2004, the MNS Hornbill
Conservation Project was established specifically to advocate for the protection of the forest
complex through hornbill research, stakeholder engagements and collaborations and CEPA
(communication, education, participation and awareness) activities. I will highlight in moredetail the significance of the HoT, the achievements to date and discuss future conservation
actions needed in order to maintain the integrity of the HoT and its hornbill populations.

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p04-015

Where are the most important areas for Galliformes of conservation
concern in the Greater Himalayas, and are they represented in the current
protected area network?
Jonathon C. Dunn1, Graeme Buchanan2, Philip J.K. McGowan1 and Mark J. Whittingham1
1

School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE1 7RU,
UK
2Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, UK
Email: j.c.dunn@ncl.ac.uk
The uneven spatial distribution of both anthropogenic threats and galliform biodiversity
makes site-specific prioritization of scarce conservation resources in the Greater Himalayas anecessity. However, our knowledge of species distributions is incomplete and different
aspects of biodiversity can be valued in different ways, making it difficult to produce a
coherent regional conservation strategy. This study combines niche modelling and a site
prioritization method to identify important areas for the conservation of Galliformes in the
Greater Himalayas. Maximum Entropy software was used to model the environmental niches
for 23 species of Galliformes based on non-systematically collected presence-only data (2377
records from 1980 to the present day). The results of these models were used to identify highvalue sites using a multi-species, complementarity-based prioritization method called‘Zonation’. In order to identify important areas for species of conservation concern, we
incorporated different weighting schemes within our zonation analyses based on IUCN Red
List category, endemism to the Himalayas, phylogenetic distinctiveness and a measure ofrange decline. We compared the results of our weighted analyses to a basic, non-weighted
analysis and identified areas of overlap. Finally, we assessed how well the existing protectedarea network captured galliform diversity, revealing that on average the current network fails
to capture 10% of this diversity in comparison to the optimal solution. Our results emphasize
the importance of North West India, Central Bhutan and the North Eastern India/Southern
China border for Galliformes of conservation concern regardless of conservation metric.
Galliform species are reasonably well-represented within the current protected area network,
which suggests that enforcing legislation within rather than expanding the network would bea better use of conservation resources.

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p04-016

Importance of Chihuahuan desert grasslands in the population
limitation of North American grassland birds
A. Macías-Duarte 1,2, A. O. Panjabi 1, I. Ruvalcaba-Ortega 3, G. Levandoski 1, D. Pool 1
and J. I. González-Rojas 3
1

Universidad Estatal de Sonora, Hermosillo, Mexico
International Program, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, Fort Collins, USA
3
Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico
Email: alberto.macias@ues.mx
2

Breeding populations of North American grassland birds have significantly declined
during the last 60 years. Many hypotheses for these declines implicate the extensive
anthropogenic transformation of breeding habitat throughout the Great Plains during the20th century. Most grassland birds converge in the Chihuahuan Desert of northern
Mexico and southwestern United States during winter. However, the ecologicalprocesses that may be driving the documented population declines during the winterhave been often neglected. To address these information gaps, we conducted bird
surveys in desert grasslands across the Chihuahuan Desert from 2007-2013 andcharacterized the abundance and distribution of migratory grassland birds during thewinter. We also investigated the factors affecting overwinter survival using
radiotelemetry. In addition, we measured the loss of winter habitat through remotesensing. Migratory grassland bird communities throughout the Chihuahuan Desert arecharacterized by the dominance of a few species although their composition can behighly variable between years. Grassland bird distribution during winter is associated tothe distribution of precipitation and vegetation growth during the previous summer.
Several of the most steeply declining species are strongly associated with low-slope
grasslands with low amounts of shrub cover. Estimated daily winter survival of vesper
sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus) (99.1%) suggests that only 25% of birds survive
through the winter. Winter survival is positively associated with grass vegetation height,
suggesting of that the prevailing tendency to overgraze the winter grounds may
contribute to high winter mortality. Recent grassland conversion to farmland irrigatedby newly tapped aquifers has destroyed more than 70,000 ha of grasslands in central
Chihuahua since 2006, threatening the elimination of low-slope grasslands within a few
decades. Decreasing habitat availability and quality and low survival rates suggest
strong population limitation during the winter, which may be further exacerbated byprojected increased aridity for the Chihuahuan Desert during the 21st century.

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p04-017

Hotspot analysis of Taiwanese breeding birds to determine gaps inthe protected areas network
Tsai-Yu Wu1, Bruno A. Walther2,3, Yi-Hsiu Chen1, Ruey-Shing Lin4, and Pei-Fen Lee1
1

2

3
4

Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei,
TaiwanCollege of International Studies, National Pingtung University of Science andTechnology, Neipu, Pingtung, Taiwan
College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Endemic Species Research Institute, Taiwan

Email: tsaiyuwu@gmail.com
Although Taiwan is an important hotspot of avian endemism, efforts to use available
distributional information for conservation analyses are so far incomplete. For the firsttime, we present a hotspot analysis of those Taiwanese breeding birds with sufficient
sampling coverage for distribution modeling. Furthermore, we improved uponprevious modeling efforts by combining several of the most reliable modelingtechniques to build an ensemble model for each species. These species maps wereadded together to generate hotspot maps using the following criteria: total species
richness, endemic species richness, threatened species richness, and rare species
richness. We then proceeded to use these hotspot maps to determine the 5% most
species-rich grid cells (1) within the entire island of Taiwan and (2) within the entire
island of Taiwan but outside of protected areas. Almost all of the species richness andhotspot analyses revealed that mountainous regions of Taiwan hold most of Taiwan’s
avian biodiversity. The single substantial unprotected region which was consistently
highlighted as an important avian hotspot is a large area of unprotected mountains in
Taiwan’s northeast (mountain regions around Nan-ao) which should become a highpriority for future fieldwork and conservation efforts. In contrast, other unprotectedareas of high conservation value were just spatial extensions of areas alreadyprotected in the central and southern mountains. To combine the results of our four
hotspot criteria, we assessed which grid cells were the most valuable according to all
four criteria. Again, we found the Nan-ao mountain regions to be important. We also
showed that different hotspot criteria only partially overlapped and sometimes barelyat all. Therefore, to protect areas based on only one hotspot criterion (e.g., total
species richness) would not protect areas based on other hotspot criteria (e.g.,
endemic species richness, threatened species richness, or rare species richness) in
Taiwan.

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A new atlas of Mauritanian birds pinpoints areas of high species
richness, endemism and complementarity
B.A. Walther 1, and P. Browne 1
1

Master Program in Global Health and Development, College of Public Health andNutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Email: bawalther2009@gmail.com
The last Mauritanian bird atlas was published by Bruno Lamarche in 1988. We
therefore are working on a new bird atlas for Mauritania which will bring together
mostly new data gathered since then, collated from publications, much unpublished data
provided by various field ornithologists and birdwatchers, our own field work andMauritania’s new checklist (2010), co-authored by P. Browne. Our database now
contains > 60000 locality records of almost all species mentioned in the checklist. Using
the program BIOMOD (https://r-forge.r-project.org/projects/biomod/) and GIS-based
environmental data layers of Mauritania, we used these records to build predictive
distribution maps for all species with sample sizes > 10. Using the AUC evaluation
criterion, we selected the three best models and combined them into an ensemble
distribution map for each species. First, we combined these individual species maps into
species richness maps which showed, as expected, areas of high species richness insouthern Mauritania and along the coast, with the Banc d'Arguin being a species
richness hotspot. Second, endemic hotspots are also found along the coast line, but also
in the hilly interior (e.g., Hodh El Gharbi, Tiris Zemmour). Third, we selectedcomplementarity sites for protection using MARXAN (www.uq.edu.au/marxan/), whichprioritized areas other than areas selected based purely on species richness or endemism.
Not all of these areas overlap with BirdLife’s Important Bird Areas, which again
demonstrates that different selection criteria lead to different areas being prioritized. We
hope that this effort will fill a long-standing gap in African ornithology and inform local,
regional and continental conservation efforts.

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Conservation prioritization improved by a measurement of fragmentation
J.K. Schnell 1, K. Safi 1,2,3 and G.J. Russell 4,5
1 Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell,
Germany
Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
3Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
4 Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
5
Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA.
Email: schnell@orn.mpg.de2

Endangered species occur across the world, and often due to anthropogenic threats. Conservation of
species is highly determined by suitable habitat. Considering that habitat loss can be efficiently
quantified, applying our knowledge of available habitat with our more limited understanding ofdispersal gives an idea of connectivity necessary for long term persistence. Birds in particular canbe highly mobile creatures, more able to 'connect' their landscapes to fulfill their requirements thanother animals. Metapopulation capacity is a fragmentation persistence measurement that allows forthe prioritization of specific species and their most important habitat patches. The measurement isparticularly useful in comparing within a species or within a region of focus, but an improved
understanding of movement ability can overcome this restriction. Furthermore, this can be
combined with phylogenetic rarity as an additional criterion for prioritization. The incorporation ofthis measurement can have multiple applications for global conservation, such as through the EDGE
programme or the IUCN Red List.

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p04-020

The Red List of Migratory Birds of Germany – Rationale, methods
and implications
H.-G. Bauer
Max-Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell, Germany
Email: bauer@orn.mpg.de

A new Red List of Migratory Birds was created, based on a classification systemdeveloped in Germany for all organismic groups. The rationale, aims, classification
methodology and criteria of this Red List are outlined. It represents an extension of theexisting threat assessment of breeding birds to encompass all periods of the year. The
assessment is based on four main criteria, population size, short-term and long-term
population trends, and “threat factors” (thus differing slightly from IUCN).
Due to insufficient data, some had to be gathered using expert opinion, either byliterature research or by a Delphi procedure. All 511 German bird species wereclassified. Of the 279 regularly migratory species, 26 were subdivided, yielding a totalof 305 taxa assessed in the red-listing process. Of these taxa, 71 were assigned a Red
List category, a further 31 were declining and Near Threatened. Thus, one third of all
regularly migratory bird taxa in Germany were considered threatened or of conservation
concern, its proportion being particularly high in long-distance migrants and birds ofagricultural areas.
Two independent threat assessments shall now be used in evaluating conservation statusof birds in Germany, accounting for the manifold threats the birds are faced withthroughout the year’s cycle. Improving our attendance to the strong connectivity of alllife-history stages will have strong implications for the prioritization of futureconservation action within and beyond the boundaries of our country. We argue that theinterconnectedness of habitats and ecological functions require comprehensive
conservation action across many sites and regions. Thus, the classification systempresented here could give further impulses to bird conservation at the level of existing(or required) international conventions, directives and treaties.

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p04-021Long-term waterfowl population monitoring of South-Eastern Russia:
results, overview and conservation issues
A. Antonov 1, V. Bocharnikov 2 and Yu. Gluschenko 3
1

Khingansky State Nature Reserve, Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology ofRussia2
Pacific Institute of Geography, Far-Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Science3
Far-Eastren Federal University, Ministry of Education and Science of Russia
Email: alex_bgsv@mail.ru
Most threatened taxa of migratory waterfowl are largely confined to East Asia. Many
species that are experiencing severe deterioration of their habitats in the southern sectorsof the East Asian-Australasian Flyway can potentially meet the natural refuges in moreintact landscapes and wetlands of south-eastern Russia. Nevertheless, hydropower
development on the main left tributaries of the Amur River, extensive oil and gas
industry facilities in eastern Russia, and other economic activities cause the substantial
reduction of wildfowl ranges both in breeding and migration seasons. The sharpest
population declines during the last decades were documented for Baer’s Pochard(Aythya baeri), Falcated Teal (Anas falcata), Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) and
Greylag Goose (Anser anser). The group of proliferating species includes Mandarin
Duck (Aix galericulata), Common Pochard (Aythya ferina), Great Cormorant(Phalacrocorax carbo), Great Crested (Podiceps cristatus) and Little Grebes(Tachybaptus ruficollis). Human use of wildfowl is paradoxical in the region as someprincipal species among ducks that are in fact hunted are often officially protected, suchas the Baikal Teal (Anas formosa), Falcated Teal or Mandarin Duck. Appropriate
habitats are used by waterfowl disproportionally to availability and the potential
ecological capacity of the surveyed wetlands for these birds is larger than the realized
one. The overview of waterfowl species conservation and study in the region entitled isa subject of our consideration and the case of 30 years of targeted waterfowl monitoringin Khingansky Nature Reserve is presented and thoroughly examined.

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Population trends of grassland birds in Hokkaido, focussing on thevanishing of Yellow-breasted Bunting
K. Tamada1, M. Tomizawa 2, M. Umeki 3 and M. Takada4
1

Hokkaido Research Organization
Hokkaido Government Kushiro General Subprefectural Bureau
3
Wild Bird Society of Japan, Otaru Branch Office4
Hosei University
Email: tamada@hro.or.jp
2

To examine the population trends of grassland birds in Hokkaido, we conducted linetransect censuses in 2002 and 2003, where avifaunal studies were performed in the
1970s and 1980s. By comparing the data of two periods, we found that populations offour species of grassland birds, Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus, Eurasian Skylark Alauda
arvensis, Lanceolated Grasshopper Warbler Locustella lanceolata, and Yellow-breasted
Bunting Emberiza aureola, were in decline. The declines of the Yellow-breasted
Buntings and Brown Shrikes were severe, whereas the declines of the Eurasian Skylark
and Lanceolated Grasshopper Warbler were less so. According to bird-watching event
data, Yellow-breasted Buntings were relatively common until 1992. Its disappearance
started in 1993 and has expanded gradually, and population sizes are still declining.
Most census routes in this study were located in areas designated as protected before theold survey was conducted, and there were no large artificial disturbances in the breedingsite. It is not clear why the populations of these four species are declining. Future
research focussing on breeding behaviour, migratory pattern, including determination of
wintering and stopover sites, and population trends and environmental studies on thesesites are necessary to understand the decline of these populations.

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The plight of fish-eating birds:
Cormorants and endangered salmonids in western North America
D.E. Lyons 1, D.D. Roby 1,2, Y. Suzuki 1, J.Y. Adkins 1 and K. Collis 3
1

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
U.S. Geological Survey – Oregon Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
3
Real Time Research, Inc., Bend, Oregon, USA
Email: don.lyons@oregonstate.edu
2

In much of the world, aquatic systems have experienced substantial anthropogenic modificationand native fish of ecological, economic, or cultural value have become highly imperiled. Due toever-increasing human populations, resource managers often have few habitat-based options toenhance, or even maintain, these fish populations. In parallel, generalist cormorant species areoften conspicuous consumers of juvenile fish of human interest, and cormorant population
recovery from DDT-era lows has sometimes created a public perception that cormorant numbers
are at unprecedented levels. Consequently, management to reduce cormorant predation on valued
fish is frequently undertaken; cormorant population control or reduction is a common approach.
In western North America, double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) have largely
escaped such management due to a relatively small population (ca. 31,500 breeding pairs spread
across the western third of the continent) and demographic isolation from the much larger andintensively managed population in eastern North America. Much of the recent recovery of thisspecies in western North America, however, has occurred at a single, large colony in the
Columbia River estuary, shared by Oregon and Washington states. Predation by cormorants fromthis single colony (~13,000 breeding pairs) has been documented to be a significant mortality
factor for Columbia River salmonid populations listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, insome years inducing 15-20% mortality rates on juvenile salmonids migrating through the estuary.
Consequently, resource managers are considering options to reduce predation by cormorants on
salmonids at this location. Even in regions with relatively modest populations of piscivorous
birds, prey fish populations are so commonly at conservation risk that piscivorous bird
concentrations (e.g., large colonies) are likely to come into conflict. In this context, colonial
waterbird conservation that promotes many small colonies may sustain more stable and publicly
acceptable regional populations than would reliance on a few larger colonies.

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Status of 20 birds of conservation concern in US Fish & Wildlife Service
Region 6
Chris Butler1 and Stephanie Jones2
1

University of Central Oklahoma, Department of Biology, Edmond, OK USA
Nongame Migratory Bird Coordinator, USFWS, Region 6, Denver, CO USA
Email: cbutler11@uco.edu

2

US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region 6 Region 6 includes the states of North
Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nebraska, and Kansas. This area issubject to multiple stressors including habitat fragmentation, conversion and destruction, energy
development, and climate change that could potentially affect status and trends of the avifauna of
this region. Consequently, the USFWS needs to be able to assess the population status andrelative vulnerabilities of nongame bird species, particularly species of conservation concern.
Twenty species from USFWS Region 6, with a diverse array of habitats and life histories, wereselected and concise species accounts developed. The goal of this report was to create a synopsis
on the status and relative vulnerabilities of each of these twenty species by summarizing datafrom the literature, as well analyzing data from the Breeding Bird Survey and the Christmas Bird
Count. The resulting précis is an easy-to-follow summary of the status of twenty birds ofconservation concern in USFWS Region 6 that can be used to help assess the impacts ofincreased direct take.

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Assessing the change in land bird abundance in Korea
H.K. Kim1, C.Y. Choi1,2 and W.S. Lee1
1

Wildlife Ecology & Management Lab., Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul National

University, Seoul, Korea
2

Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul,

Korea
Email:cyaneus87@gmail.com
Understanding the change in abundance of species is important to develop conservation andmanagement schemes. However, limited resources have often disabled species-specificmonitoring programs, and thus country-wide surveys are more often adopted to assess thegeneral pattern of changes in environmental conditions rather than in abundance changes. In
the Republic of Korea, where the biodiversity is rapidly declining as the economy grows, noquantitative estimate on avian abundance changes, in particular on land bird changes, hasbeen made. Due to the lack of quantitative information hampering direct abundance estimates,
we used the occupancy estimation modeling to assess the change in abundance of 24
representative land bird species in the Republic of Korea based on the data of the 'Nationwide
Surveys on Natural Environments' from 1997-2011. Our results identified significant changes
in abundance that were previously unknown for several land bird species ; for instance,
Forest Wagtails (Dendronanthus indicus), Brown Shrikes (Lanius cristatus), and Lesser
Cuckoos (Cuculus poliocephalus) have markedly declined while Eurasian Kestrels (Falco
tinunculus), Eurasian Hobbies (Falco subbuteo), and Japanese Wagtails (Motacilla grandis)
have increased. We suggest that these results should be considered and applied to species
action plan developments and to further managements for conservation.

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Ten years of Fairy Pitta monitoring in western Taiwan: population
changes 2004 – 2013
R.S. Lin1, C.J. Ko2 and W.T Chih2
1

Endemic Species Research Institute, Nantou, Taiwan
Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei,
TaiwanEmail: pitta.formosa@gmail.com
2

The Fairy Pitta (Pitta nympha) is currently listed as a vulnerable species in the IUCN
red list. It is migratory, breeds in forest habitats of southern Japan, South Korea,
southeastern China, and Taiwan, and resides mainly on the island of Borneo in winter.
An on-going project, Hushan Reservoir, has been constructed in an important bird area
specifically for the Fairy Pitta in western Taiwan. This study analyses the population
changes of Fairy Pitta in and nearby Hushan Reservoir during the last ten years. The
total monitoring area was 2,650 ha, with 300 ha within the Hushan Reservoir. Birdcounts were performed once or twice annually with the help of playback during late
April to Mid-May since 2004 in 314 permanent count points which were at least 200 m
apart from each other. The trend and index of the Fairy Pitta show that its population
has experienced a steep decline during 2004 to 2013. The population decline in the
Hushan Reservoir site was as expected because of habitat loss, whereas the population
has declined by 60% in areas with no significant habitat change in the same period oftime. The results imply that the Hushan reservoir may affect not only the population in
the construction site but also the population nearby. Additionally, there is an urgent
need to evaluate the population status in all of the Fairy Pitta breeding grounds to clarify
whether the decline is a specific case or a general situation.

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Using remote sensing for the study of the vegetation dynamics of acoastal Mediterranean wetland and its effect on the habitat availabilityof a threatened passerine
L. Carrasco1,2, P. Vera2 , E. Belda3 and J. S. Monrós2
1

Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba,Japan
2
Institute “Cavanilles” of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia,
Valencia, Spain
3
IGIC, Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Gandía, Spain
Email:

luis@pe.ska.life.tsukuba.ac.jp

Wetlands are one of the world's most threatened ecosystems, especially due to the loss ordegradation of habitat and the modification of hydrological cycles. These threats drive
the most specialist species that live in wetlands to unfavorable conservation status andpopulation trends. In the present study, we examine the integrated use of GIS techniques,
field based multi-season maps of habitats and high spatial resolution images (SPOT-5),
together with the habitat selection models, for obtaining information about the population
dynamics of threatened bird species. As a study species, we chose the Eastern Iberian
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus witherbyi), which has shown strong population
declines over the last few decades in Spain. The study area was the Pego-Oliva Wetland,
located in the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula, where the species has beenmonitored from 2006 to 2009. We used training regions, based on vegetation field maps,
for creating supervised vegetation classification of the SPOT images, obtaining accuracy
values higher than 85% for the classification algorithm. After integrating the annual
variation of the vegetation with the habitat selection patterns of the Eastern Iberian Reed
Bunting and the management measures of the habitat, we observed a general reduction ofreed-rush patches (positively selected habitat) and an increase in homogeneous reed
patches (negatively selected) for almost all areas of the wetland, related to theabandonment of shepherding techniques and changes in hydrological regimes. Thesevariations were statistically significant at those areas where the species disappeared as
breeders. Our study shows the potential of these techniques for detailed a posteriorimonitoring of the variation of the available habitat for threatened species, with the
purpose of establishing management and conservation measures.

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The Taiwan Breeding Bird Survey
C.J. Ko1, M.W. Fang2, R.S. Lin2, K. Lin3, P.F. Lee1
1

Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei,
Taiwan2Endemic Species Research Institute, Nantou, Taiwan
3
Chinese Wild Bird Federation, Taipei, Taiwan
Email: d01b44004@ntu.edu.tw

Monitoring of species populations is crucial to biodiversity conservation. Long-term,large-scale bird monitoring projects have played an important role in birdconservation in Europe and North America, but such surveys were scarce in East Asia,
making decisions of conservation strategies more challenging. Here we introduce theTaiwan Breeding Bird Survey (BBS Taiwan), a nation-wide project implemented
annually since 2009, aimed at monitoring population status of common breeding birds
in Taiwan. With over 300 sites surveyed per year, BBS Taiwan comprehensively
covers altitudes from 0 to 4,000m and various habitat types from urban environment
to primary forests. Population indices of over 60% of common breeding birds werereported each year, revealing downward population trends of montane forest birds andlowland grassland birds. Even the widely common and well known Eurasian Tree
Sparrow (Passer montanus) is experiencing a population decline, which is surprisingand only detectable by this monitoring project. BBS Taiwan operates withpartnerships among non-government organizations, government agencies, andacademic institutes. It is also a citizen science project, with participants recruited frombirders whom were willing to spend 2 mornings a year to record birds forconservation incentives. The experience of BBS Taiwan may be of useful reference
for other regions in East Asia whom were planning to set up large-scale bird
monitoring projects.

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Population status of the Fairy pitta in Taiwan from 2001 to 2013
R.S. Lin1, C.J. Ko2, M.C. Yao1, W.Y. Lee2 and P.F. Lee2
1

Endemic Species Research Institute, Nantou, Taiwan
Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei,
TaiwanEmail: rslin@tesri.gov.tw
2

The Fairy pitta (Pitta nympha) is an IUCN Red Listed vulnerable species that breeds innorth-east Asia and winters on Borneo. A large proportion of its breeding population
breeds on Taiwan where the species is distributed island-wide in lowland forests. To
monitor distribution and population status of breeding Fairy Pitta in Taiwan, fivesystematic surveys using playback have been conducted from 2001 to 2013. A minimumof 3,000 points were visited for each survey. Here we show the latest 2013 survey
results and the population trend for the past 14 years. We estimated a breeding
population of c. 10,000 individuals in 2013; half the population size of 2001. The
population trend was c. -5% per year, with different regions in Taiwan experiencing
different population trends. The northern and central-western regions show the largest
decline. These statistics reveal that, despite being listed both internationally andnationally as a conservation priority species, the population of Fairy Pitta remains undercontinuous threat. Locally, habitat destruction is thought to be the major threat on
Taiwan, but the status of wintering habitats might also be of international importance.
For a more comprehensive understanding of the population status of Fairy Pitta, projects
to survey populations in other breeding regions (such as south-east China) and its
wintering sites are recommended.

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Using distance sampling to assess population restoration methods for two
raptor species in south-central England
M.C. Stevens, C. Murn & R. Hennessey
Hawk Conservancy Trust, Andover, UK
Email: matt@hawkconservancy.org
In a changing landscape, wild predator populations are often those most frequently at risk. In
the UK expanding human populations, associated land-use changes and persecution have all
resulted in significant negative impacts on raptor populations. These range from theextirpation of the Red Kite (Milvus milvus) from England by the mid-20th century, to acompromising of the status of the once common and widespread Eurasian Kestrel (Falco
tinnunculus). In an attempt to resolve these issues, two markedly different approaches topopulation restoration have been attempted for these species in the UK: Red Kites through aseries of reintroductions, and kestrels, through provision of nestboxes. Our broader, ongoing
objective is to monitor raptor populations in the modified and human-dominated landscape ofsouth-central England. Here, however, we use distance sampling methodologies to provide
initial assessments of two methods of population restoration. For Red Kites we explore theseasonal variation and growth in a reintroduced population and for kestrels whether, and how,nest boxes have effected a change in population size. To allow for both of these, our 2280km2
study area is subdivided into eight, 19 x 15km areas, four treated as ‘control’ areas and fouras ‘experimental’. Five, randomly situated 15km transect routes are located within each area
and these are walked in the spring and autumn each year. All raptors encountered arerecorded using standard distance sampling methodology (using compass, laser rangefinderand gps). After two years of initial surveys, kestrel nest boxes were then installed at suitablelocations at ca.3km intervals within the experimental areas (25 boxes per area). Population
estimates derived from these transects are then used to provide insights into the rate of
population change, the impact of seasonality on generation of estimates for both species andto quantify the impact of nestbox provision on kestrel populations.

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A niche-based framework to assess current monitoring of European
forest birds and guide indicator species’ selection
S.J. Butler1, A. Wade2, B. Barov3, I.J. Burfield4, R.D. Gregory5, T. Wu6 & K.
Norris2
School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park,
Norwich, UK
2Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, University of Reading, Reading, UK
3
BirdLife Europe, Brussels, Belgium
4BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK
5
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK
6
School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park,
Norwich, UK
E-mail: simon.j.butler@uea.ac.uk
1

Concern that European forest biodiversity is depleted and declining has provokedwidespread efforts to improve management practices, through mechanisms such aspolicy change and certification. To assess the success of resultant modifications tomanagement practice in delivering their objectives, appropriate monitoring of forest
ecosystems is paramount. Multi-species indicators, often drawn from the bird
community, are frequently used to assess the state of biodiversity and its response to
implemented management, but generally applicable and objective methodologies for
species’ selection are lacking. Here we use a niche-based approach for objective
species’ selection to identify species for inclusion in a pan-European forest bird
indicator. This method is underpinned by coarse quantification of resource use,
ensuring all resources exploited by the wider community are exploited by at least one
species in the indicator. We use this framework to identify the minimum number of
species required to deliver full resource coverage and the most sensitive species’
combination, and go on to explore the trade-off between two key characteristics,
sensitivity and redundancy, associated with indicators comprising different numbersof species. We compare our indicator to an existing forest bird indicator selected on
the basis of expert opinion and show it is more representative of the wider community.
We also present alternative indicators for regional and forest type specific monitoring
and, by comparing indicator sets drawn from currently monitored species and the fullforest bird community, use this framework to identify significant gaps in the coverageof the current monitoring scheme. We believe that adopting this niche-based
framework for species’ selection strongly supports the objective development ofmulti-species indicators and that it has good potential to be extended to a range of
habitats and taxa.

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Habitat use and factors influencing detection probabilityof the Nightingale Reed-warbler
Benford, R. 1,2, Bannister, K. 2, Radley, P. 1, and Willsey. T. 1
1

Division of Fish and Wildlife, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, USA
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, USA
E-mail: rbenford.cnmidfw@gmail.com

2

Human activity most negatively affects wildlife populations that are isolated and small, andspecies that are territorial and behaviorally implastic. One such species is the Nightingale Reedwarbler (Acrocephalus luscinius), which is extant on only one island in the Western Pacific. The
island, Saipan, is only 115 km2. Most native habitats on Saipan have been reduced or greatly
modified by human activities; these are ongoing and increasing in impact. Habitat modification
is believed to be the primary conservation challenge for A. luscinius, but specific habitat
requirements for the species are not well known. This study used three sources of data (islandwide surveys, surveys of a conservation area dedicated to the species’ protection, and landdevelopment surveys) to characterize the distribution and compare the relative abundance of A.
luscinius in various habitat types on Saipan. It also compared the effectiveness of different
survey methodologies (visual and aural, with and without playbacks) in these contexts. Findings
indicate a surprisingly high occurrence of A. luscinius in nonnative and disturbed habitat, anddetection probability greatest using aural surveys with playbacks. These results suggest that the
species is behaviorally plastic, and that traditionally used survey techniques may underestimate
the actual population size. Management implications are discussed.

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Monitoring the changes in population and phenology of land birds in Japan
Mutsuyuki Ueta1, Seiji Hayama2, Shin-ichi Takagawa3, Reiko Kurosawa1,
Toshiaki Hirano1 and Kaoru Saito4
1. Japan Bird Research Association
2. Wild Bird Society of Japan
3. The Nature Conservation Society of Japan
4. The University of Tokyo
In order to detect the effects of environmental and climate changes on birds, we have studied the
population and seasonal activity changes in forest-grassland and Satochi-Satoyama (countryside)
ecosystems as parts of "Monitoring Sites 1000" program by the Ministry of the Environment. The
breeding and wintering birds have been monitored at one- to five-year intervals by a point countmethod in the former ecosystem since 2003 (n = 467) and by a route census method since 2008 in
the latter (n = 94), respectively. Bird abundance has also been studied in residential areas in thewintering and breeding seasons annually since 2005. The results suggested that the birds of forest
understory (Bush Warbler and Siberian Blue Robin) decreased due to the impact of increased deerbrowsing. In the residential areas, arboreal birds (Brown-eared Bulbul and Japanese White-eye)increased, whereas Large-billed Crows, omnivorous scavengers, decreased because of improved
garbage management. The phenology of selected familiar species (e.g. Bush Warbler, Barn Swallow
and Daurian Redstart) has been monitored since 2005 based on the initial dates of arriving or
singing in their breeding or wintering grounds. The changes of the breeding period of Varied Tits
have been monitored by automatic logging of nest box temperatures since 2010. The phenology offorest birds has been monitored since 2010 through automatically recording, and distributing bird
songs on the Internet. The results showed that the breeding start of Varied Tits, a year-round resident,
was significantly correlated with the accumulated temperature from January to May that influences
insect emergence. On the other hand, the arrival date of Barn Swallows at their breeding sites andthe peak singing period of Siberian Blue Robins, both of which are summer visitors, were closely
correlated to the mean temperatures of the breeding seasons, respectively. The cause of thiscorrelation needs to be determined.

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The role of citizen scientists in the study of birds in Yogyakarta
Pramana Yuda
Fakultas Teknobiologi, Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Jl. Babarsari 44 Yogyakarta 55281. INDONESIA
Email: pramyd@mail.uajy.ac.id

The impact of urbanization on wild birds and other wildlife in Indonesia is little known,
due to the lack of a long-term study program on the topics. The limited resources,
including limited local researchers and the availability of funding, were considered as
the causes of this situation. In the last two decades, bird watching clubs in Indonesia
have been growing rapidly. In Jogya, as one of the centers of the growth, twelve
birdwatching clubs have been founded and actively watch the wild birds of Yogyakarta.
This paper reports on a study of the role of the birdwatchers in the Yogyakarta urban
bird monitoring program. In total 267 bird species have been reported in Yogyakarta
Special Province, 76 species out of them were urban birds. Some birds, such as Java
sparrow, Barn Swallow, Chinese Starling, Barn Owl and Javan Hawk-eagle wereroutinely monitored using standard methods. However, the monitoring program forother birds is still in the early stage. For that reason we proposed a standarized method
for the long-term bird monitoring program of Yogyakarta.

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Using mark-recapture methods to estimate avian road mortality with asingle observer
M.M. Durkin and J.B. Cohen
Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York College
of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York
Email: mmdurkin@syr.edu
Wildlife at Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida faces mortality due to vehicle
collisions on roads running down the center of a barrier island. Opportunistic surveys byPark Service staff have documented varying numbers of carcasses each year, with mostbeing chicks and adults of Least Terns (Sternula antillarum), but also beach-nesting
Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus), other shorebirds, and passerines. Developing
methods for accurately quantifying wildlife road mortalities is important for targeting
management actions, and for understanding potential regional demographic consequences
for these species. Imperfect observer detection, and carcass scavenging and deterioration
can hamper accurate counts of wildlife road kills. Most methods for estimating mortality
also rely on two observers surveying the same area consecutively to estimate detection
rates. We designed a single-observer method that unifies estimation of carcass loss rates
and detection rates using a robust capture-mark-recapture population estimator. We
supplemented our sample size for scavenging rate estimation by placing 1-day and 10day old quail carcasses at random points along the road. We surveyed each section ofroad by car at 10mph twice within 4-hour primary periods to meet the model's
assumption of population closure. Species, age, and condition of each carcass wererecorded and all carcasses were marked using a GPS unit. During the six-week study, we
found 77 shorebird carcasses. Our detection rate for both road passes during vehicle
surveys was >0.9 for all weeks. We estimated that we missed four birds during surveys,
and an additional 16 birds were killed and scavenged between surveys, for a total
estimate of 97 carcasses. Persistence rates for large quail were consistent with those of
adult shorebirds. Small quail, however, did not prove to be useful surrogates for shorebird
chicks, as they persisted for significantly shorter periods. It is likely that previous nonsystematic methods have underestimated road mortality at this site.


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Long-term population monitoring and conservation of the Short-tailed
Albatross on Torishima, Japan
Hiroshi Hasegawa
Biology Department, Toho University, Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510 Japan
Email: okinojo@da3.so-net.ne.jp
The Short-tailed Albatross, Phoebastria albatrus, once bred in huge numbers on
Torishima, Japan, but feather exploitations during 1887 and 1933 diminished the
population and the population was believed extinct in 1949. However, a small numberof birds were rediscovered surviving in 1951. Since that time long-term population
monitoring and active conservation managements have been undertaken. Because theoriginal colony is on the narrow and steep slope of volcanic ash, it has been subject tofrequent erosion and the breeding success was reduced to less than 50%. We managed
the nesting habitats through erosion control and grass transplant and improved thebreeding success up to around 70%. We also succeeded in establishing a new colony atthe erosion-free site on the gentle and wide slope of the island with the use of decoys
and sound. This new colony has been growing very rapidly from 4 pairs in 2004 to 122
pairs in 2012 by the immigration of immature birds from the original colony. With thesuccess of these managements, the total breeding population on Torishima increased in
numbers from 50 nesting pairs in 1979 to 538 pairs in 2012, almost exponentially at theannual growth rate of 7.55%. The population is predicted to reach 1000 pairs with morethan 5000 individuals in 2020. Thus, it would be sure that the Short-tailed Albatross
population would re-establish itself on Torishima in the future.

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Report on an 8-year study on Spizella wortheni: what we actually know
and future needs
L. M. Scott-Morales1, P. Vela-Coiffier2, J. Canales-Delgadillo3, C. Zúñiga-Vázques1, M.
Cotera-Correa1, and J. Korb4.
1. Laboratory of Ornithology, Forestry Faculty of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo
León, México.
2. Department of Environmental Quality, Insitúto de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.
México.
3. Department of Environmental Sciences. Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica yTecnología, México
4
Zoology : Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, University of Freiburg, Germany
Email: laura.scottmr@uanl.edu.mx.
For several decades it has been believed that S. wortheni inhabited only some portion of the
Mexican Plateau, specifically small valleys between the states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leónand Zacatecas, with a reduced population of almost 120 individuals in small groups, with a
low breeding success and high rates of predation, supposedly leading to low genetic
diversity. Nevertheless, we found an unexpected high genetic diversity and high gene flow
between the small studied populations (in Coahuila, Nuevo León and San Luis Potosi),
suggesting high mobility in a fragmented landscape. Recent studies have demonstrated thatthe species is widespread inside of the already known distribution area. A model on thepotential distribution in the Mexican Plateau, gives us valuable information. After eight
years of investigation we have new data changing the picture of the species; in an
exhaustive research on geographic distribution based on the results of a preliminary model
niche study, we found a wide distribution, encompassing not only the states alreadymentioned, but also San Luis Potosí and Aguascalientes, with a total geographic range ofapproximately 87,765 km2, and an estimate of over 300 singing males. Other ongoingstudies give us novel information about ecology and plasticity of the species, and some ofthese will be presented.

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Ten years of water bird counts at the RAMSAR site Lac Tele Community
Reserve in the Republic of Congo
Jerome Mokoko Ikonga
jrmokoko@gmail.com
An international counting program of water birds has been conducted to follow up birds inwetland areas. This program started in 1967 under BIROE, currently known as Wetlands
International. We collected data during 10 years between 1997 and 2006 at Lac Tele Community
Reserve which has a high biodiversity. Positive results were gained for water bird conservation,
because, i) a national network for data collection has been implemented; ii) water bird populationconservation has been evaluated; iii) the counting protocol follows relevant international
conventions ; iv) the program allows to identify threats to water birds in wetland areas ; v)sustainable management of water birds and their habitats can be elaborated with certain
recommendations. Also, new species to Congo have been identified both for water birds andterrestrial birds. In total 300 bird species have been counted.

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Breeding Recovery of Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and Cattle Egret(Bubulcus ibis) after the Aceh Tsunami, Indonesia
Aida Fithri
Biology Department, Faculty of Math & Science, University of Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh
Indonesia
E-mail: aida.fithri@yahoo.com

Colonies of Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) used to breed in the
mangroves, near the fish ponds of Tibang village, Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh district, Indonesia. It
is located at 5° 35'5" North and 95° 21'0" East and covers approximately 2 Ha. However, on 26
December 2004 a tsunami destroyed the mangroves; only two bunches of seedlings survived.
After the tsunami then, the birds stopped breeding in the area. We report the breeding recoveryof these two species. In order to protect the coast, the mangroves were replanted gradually in2005 and 2006. In 2009 the seedlings that survived the tsunami and new planted seedlings weregrowing to be young trees; the seedlings that survived the tsunami reached 3-4 m in height andthe new planted seedlings were 2-3 m high. In December 2009, both bird species began
recolonizing the area. However, bird hunters shot them. So, they stopped their early breeding
activities. Soon after that, the guard of the fish ponds located near the growing mangroves chased
the hunters and tried to protect the mangroves. After it settled, the colonies returned to themangroves and began to nest again in February 2010. In April 2010, the number of nests
reached 300 and increased to 700 nests in May 2010. These birds had the ability to withstand thecatastrophe for 5 years (2004-2009) until the nest trees were again available. They preferred towait, rather than to move to another place to breed; perhaps due to this preference site that had
been used for longtime for breeding area.

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Effects of agro-environmental management on foraging behaviour andreproductive success of Skylarks (Alauda arvensis)
M.W. Kuiper1, H.J. Ottens2, J. van Ruijven1, B.J. Koks2, F. Berendse1, G.R. de Snoo3
1

Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen,
The Netherlands
2
Dutch Montagu’s Harrier Foundation, Scheemda, the Netherlands
3
Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, PO Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden,
The Netherlands
Email: marije.kuiper@wur.nl

Agricultural intensification has caused a number of farmland bird species to decline
rapidly over the past decades, including the Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensis. Many
European countries introduced field margin management as a way of enhancing bird
populations, but data on the effectiveness of this measure is currently lacking. We
studied the effect of field margins on the foraging behaviour and reproductive success ofSkylarks breeding on intensively managed farmland in the Netherlands over a period of
six years. Field margins were preferred as foraging habitat over all other habitat types,
probably due to the higher availability of invertebrate prey. The visiting rate to fieldmargins decreased with increasing distance to the nest, and dropped markedly when the
distance between the nest and a field margin exceeded 100 m, emphasizing theimportance of establishing field margins close to suitable nesting habitat. Contrary to
expectations, the presence of field margins did not improve nestling body condition nor
nest survival rates. However, reproductive success was strongly affected by breeding
habitat. Nestling condition was poorest in cereals, probably related to the low preydensities in this crop. The main cause of nest loss was the cutting of grass for silage,causing very low nest survival rates in grassland. Reproductive success was highest in
lucerne, which combines the advantages of long cutting intervals, suitable vegetation
height for breeding, and relatively high prey availability. We conclude that field margins
alone are not sufficient to maintain a stable Skylark population in intensively farmed
areas. The provisioning of safe nesting habitat throughout the breeding season is essential
to improve reproductive success and should be incorporated into the next generation ofagro-environment schemes.

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Rescue programs for injured Japanese birds of prey using falconry
techniques and the tracks of recovered birds with GPS-TX
K. Nakajima 1,4, T. Nakajima 1,4, K. Yamakita 2, K. Matsubara 2, H. Takahashi 3,
M. Gokan 3, K. Tokita 3, M. Yazawa 3 and A. Lombard 4
1

The Japan Falconiformes Center (JFC), Owariasahi, Aichi, Japan
Green Animal Hospital, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan
3
Mathematical Assist Design Laboratory Institute, Ohta, Gunma, Japan
4
International Association for Falconry & Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF),
Brussels, Belgium
E-mail: jfc-keiya@wh.commufa.jp (Keiya Nakajima Ph.D., Vice president of JFC)
2

In Japan, various birds of prey are listed as endangered species. They are under
government control with related laws, and there are various conservation activities toimprove the situation. Rescue projects for injured birds of prey are also included in theactivities. Usually, injured birds are found by the general public, and they are picked up
by related authorities such as the department of wildlife in the prefectural office. Then,these birds are carried to suitable institutions that are able to treat them because mostauthorities do not have the specialists and facilities. The Japan Falconiformes Center(JFC, Member of IAF) has rescued birds at the request of related authorities since 1982
with a falconry technique that was developed in Japan in the 18-19C. Falconry
equipment, facilities and technique are useful for the handling, feeding andrehabilitation of birds of prey without the risk of inducing tameness before they are
released. Verification of hunting ability in the rehabilitation stage is also important toprevent starvation after release. Medical examination, operations and prescriptions areby the Green Animal Hospital. Recently, 69 birds were brought to the JFC over 5 years(September 2008-August 2013) from Aichi, Gifu, Osaka, and Wakayama prefectures.
Nineteen of these birds (28% of birds brought in) were released after recovery.
Rescued species were Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis fujiyamae), Common
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus japonensis), Eurasian
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Black kite (Milvus
migrans), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Japanese lesser Sparrowhawk (Accipiter gularis)in the order of a large number of cases. If released birds were able to pair for breeding,
the rescue would effectively conserve the next generation of the birds of prey.
Therefore, we have confirmed the survival of released birds with a new real time GPS
tracking system (GPS-TX) by the Mathematical Assist Design Laboratory Institute.

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Conservation of the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern:
Restoration of a lost breeding colony in the Jiushan Islands
Z.Y. Fan1, S.H. Chen1, D.D. Roby2, S. Chan3, D.E. Lyons2, S. Collar2, Y.W. Lu1
and Q. Huang1
1

Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, Hangzhou, China
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon,
USA
3
BirdLife Asia, Tokyo, Japan
Email: fanmonkey@126.com
2

How to establish a well-protected and intensively-monitored conservation network for
wide-ranging endangered species is a big concern of wildlife conservation. The
Chinese Crested Tern (CCT, Thalasseus bernsteini) is probably the most threatened
seabird species in the world. Two islands in the East China Sea are the only known
breeding sites, and its total individual number is estimated less than 50. Given thewidespread harvest of tern eggs and that most tern breeding colonies along the China
coast are unprotected, strict protection of every breeding pair of CCTs is crucial.
During April-October 2013, we conducted a crested tern restoration project in the
Jiushan Islands National Nature Reserve, which is a historical breeding site for CCTs.
We used social attraction techniques, a method that has been successfully used inseabird restoration projects worldwide. We aimed to: (1) test whether social attraction
techniques would work on such a critically endangered species as the CCT, (2) test
whether social attraction would attract breeding adult CCTs from previously unknown
colony sites, and (3) restore a lost breeding colony of CCTs as a first step toward
creating a conservation network of breeding sites for the CCT. During the 2013
nesting season up to 2,600 Greater Crested Terns (T. bergii) and 19 CCTs wereattracted to the small island selected for deployment of social attraction, and many ofthese terns nested at the new colony site. The success of the restoration attempt, plus
data from the other two extant colonies, suggested that there is a previously unknown
breeding colony of CCTs somewhere in the East China Sea. Also, our results indicatethat it is possible to create more CCT breeding colonies using social attraction
techniques, and ultimately to establish a well-protected and intensively-monitoredconservation network for CCTs and other breeding seabirds in the East China Sea.

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The effect of livestock grazing on nest survival of the common redshank(Tringa totanus) on Northwestern European salt marshes
E. Sharps1,2, M. Skov1, A. Garbutt2, and J. Hiddink1
1School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Wales, UK
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Natural Environment Research Council, Bangor, Wales, UK
Email: e.sharps@bangor.ac.uk
2

Populations of shorebirds have declined worldwide, and European populations of salt marsh
breeding common redshank (Tringa totanus) are one such example. Historic declines in Britain
were linked to intensification or cessation of grazing, and therefore conservation initiatives haveencouraged low intensity grazing. However, populations have continued to decline. We focus on
predation and trampling mortality across a range of low intensity grazing scenarios, and ask ‘isthere a relationship between both the annual intensity of grazing (LSU/ha/year) and the direct
presence of cattle during the breeding season (Cattle/ha) on redshank nest mortality?’. Nest
survival was recorded over a range of grazing intensities on conservation-managed salt marshes
in the Ribble estuary, North-west England. The probability of nest loss to trampling andpredation was estimated under a range of low intensity grazing scenarios, and daily nest
mortality was calculated. Our results show that grazing increases the risk of a nest being predated
from <37% at 0.03 LSU/ha/year to >90% at 0.28 LSU/ha/year. Similarly, our results show thatthe direct presence of cattle in the breeding season increases the risk of a nest being trampledfrom <16% at 0.13 cattle/ha to >99% at 0.82 cattle/ha. In conclusion, low intensity conservation
grazing of salt marsh reduces nest success in redshank through high rates of nest predation andnest trampling by livestock when carried out at stocking levels considered by conservationists tobe light, but trampling risk could be eliminated by commencing grazing at the end of thebreeding season. Our work both describes the likely mechanisms behind population declines andsuggests that conservation measures implemented on salt marshes have failed because lightconservation grazing is too intensive. This work does not recommend stopping grazing on
altogether, but suggests research into cattle movement in intertidal grazed landscapes, andchanges to the timing and intensity of grazing.

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Effectiveness of anti-predator training in reintroduction of Greater Rheas
M. Vera Cortez1*,

D.J. Valdez 1, J.L. Navarro1, M.B. Martella1

1Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA) CONICET and Centro de Zoología Aplicada,
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina.
*Email: marilinavera@conicet.gov.ar

Reintroduction of captive Greater Rhea can increase wild populations of the species; however,
applying this strategy involves high post-release mortality due to predation. An anti-predator
training of release candidates is a useful tool for them to recognize predators and be able to escape.
The aim of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-predator training in captive Greater
Rheas as well as post-release survival in the wild. Training involved 11 leg-banded individuals thatwere exposed to a stimulus representing the main wild predator (a taxidermized puma), followed byan aversive stimulus (simulated capture). The control stimulus was an object (a chair) that was
harmless to the animal and not associated with the aversive stimulus. Each animal was submitted to
five training sessions with each stimulus. Control Greater Rheas (nine individuals) were notexposed to either stimulus. All of the animals were exposed to the predator stimulus 30 and 60 days
after the end of training. This stimulus was not paired with the aversive one so that behavioural
responses could be compared. These data were collected using focal sampling with continuousrecording. The aversive stimulus was unsuccessful, since there were no differences in vigilance anddefense behavioural responses between groups. Eight months after release the trained animals did
not show survival advantages with respect to controls, since survival was nil in both groups. Only
one Greater Rhea was killed by a puma, whereas mortality of the remaining individuals was caused
by predators not included in the training sessions, such as poachers and dogs (8 and 10 Greaterrheas, respectively). The reasons for training inefficiency may have been the inclusion of only theprincipal wild predator of Greater Rheas as well as to a possible effect of habituation to humans
during captivity.

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The research on reintroduction of Cabot’s Tragopan
BY. Liu 1, L. Li 2, MJ. Kang 3 and YY. Zhang 1*
1

College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
Hunan Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Center, Changsha, P. R. China
3
College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian,
P. R. China*
Corresponding author’s Email: zhangyy@bnu.edu.cn
2

Reintroduction is the ultimate goal of a large number of ex situ conservation projects.
Cabot’s Tragopan (Tragopan caboti) is an endangered pheasant. Reintroduction of
Cabot’s Tragopan from captivity had been carried out in Taoyuandong National Nature
Reserve, China from 2010 to 2011. The program was composed of release area
evaluation, acclimation training and post-release monitoring. On the basis of literature
analysis, we surveyed the vegetation and sympatric wildlife, and confirmed that
Taoyuandong Reserve is suitable for Cabot’s Tragopan. We built a soft-release cage,
which size is 1300 m2, in mixed broadleaf-conifer forest at the altitude of 1370 m foracclimation training. Three batches of Cabot’s Tragopan were trained in the cage from
October 2010 to October 2011, respectively. The acclimation training was mainly forenvironment adaptation and foraging in the wild. We used instantaneous scan and fecal
analysis to study changes of behavior and diet of Cabot’s Tragopan. The result showedthat the acclimation training ameliorated behavior of Cabot’s Tragopan significantly andadapted their diet for plants in the cage. The trained tragopans were released as
experimental group and untrained ones as control. By post-release monitoring, we foundthat the survival rate of the experimental group was rather higher than the control in one
month, which was 85.7% in the experimental group while the control was 20.0%. In
addition, a survey of the habitat of the experimental and control groups was carried out,
and we found significant differences between the two groups. The habitat of theexperimental group was similar to wild Cabot’s Tragopan. These results show that thesurvival rate of Cabot’s Tragopan is improved significantly after acclimation training.

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Ecology and conservation of the critically endangered Cacatua sulphurea
abbotti (Oberholser, 1917) on Masalembo Islands, Indonesia
Dudi Nandika1, DwiAgustina1, Dewi M. Prawiradilaga2, S. Metz1 and B. Zimmermann1
1

Indonesian Parrot Project, Perum Griya Gandasari Indah Kav. C No.3, Cikarang Barat, Bekasi
17520, Indonesia
2
Research Centre for Biology-Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jl. Raya Bogor Km 46,
Cibinong Science Centre, Bogor 16911, Indonesia
Email: dewi005@lipi.go.id
The Critically endangered Cacatua sulphurea abbotti (Oberholser, 1917) is endemic to
Masalembo islands, Indonesia (5042′ – 5047′ South; 114039′ – 114045′ East). Previously, it
occupied two of the Masalembo Islands, which are Masalembo Island and Masakambing Island.
However, in the early 1980s the subspecies disappeared from Masalembo Island and currently aremnant population is only found on Masakambing Island. This subspecies of cockatoo is highly
threatened by forest conversion and intensive capture. Most part of the islands have been
converted to crop plantations, settlement and other infrastructure development. Also, live birds
used to be captured for trade and as a gift from community leaders to foreigners. In late 1997, it
was reported that the number of birds had decreased sharply and only 5 individuals (including
breeding pairs) were left in the wild. In 2008, the Indonesian Parrot Project resurveyed and tried
to save the subspecies by studying its ecology, providing awareness and capacity building to the
local community, conservation education to the school children and law enforcement. Afterapproximately five years of activities of the Indonesian Parrot Project, in early 2013 thepopulation of this cockatoo subspecies has increased to be 17 individuals. The ability of the
cockatoo subspecies to adapt to its disturbed habitat, the involvement of local community to savethe bird and local laws for protecting the subspecies will be discussed.

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Breeding habitat preference and effects of mowing on hunting
success of the Gray-Faced Buzzard Butastur Indicus in northernJapan
A. Azuma1, Y. Kawabata2, S. Kawamura2, T. Itokawa2 and E. Kaneko2
1

Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
Graduate School of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
Email: azuma@iwate-u.ac.jp
2

The Gray-faced Buzzard (Butastur Indicus) is a typical migratory raptor species in East
Asia. It breeds in northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan (except
Hokkaido Island) and winters in southwestern Japan and Southeast Asia. The buzzards
prefer to breed in the Satoyama habitat, which consists of irrigated rice paddies andsecondary forests. They nest in mature pines or Japanese cedars and feed on frogs,
snakes, insects and a variety of other small animals. Its rapid decrease in population size
is a source of concern in Japan. This study was designed to contribute to ourunderstanding of the habitat use of this species in the northern limit of the breeding
range. The study area was located in Hanamaki, Iwate Pref., Japan. The survey was
conducted from early May until the middle of August, 2007. We used radio-telemetry toestimate home ranges of 4 adult male buzzards during the breeding season andcategorized their foraging locations . We also investigated their land use patterns oneach point in 7 control areas. Once a week we measured the grass height and vegetation
cover at 7 control areas. In the first half of the nestling period, the buzzards hunted
among the rice paddies and thereafter in woods mostly. Regardless of the vegetation
cover, they preferred hunting in short grass areas. They also preferred cultivated ricepaddies where visible prey are easily located, as opposed to abandoned paddies where
weeds grow taller. The analyses indicate that vegetation condition affects foraging
efficiency. This study has identified requirements for biological conservation of the
buzzard as follows: (1) cultivated and weeded rice paddies, (2) woods consisted ofbroadleaved trees inhabited by frogs and insects, (3) coniferous trees for nesting. This
work was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (23241077) & (C)(25450506).

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Re-introduction of the Endangered Crested Ibis to Dongzhai of Henan
Province, China
D. Liu1, T. Nakajima2
12

National Bird Banding Center, Beijing, China“Environment Construction at Co-Existent Areas of Human Beings and Crested Ibis”
project of JICA., Shaanxi, China

Email: liudp77@sina.com
The Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon) is one of the most endangered species in East Asia.
In the 1980’s, the species was thought to be extinct in the wild. However, a small wild
population of 7 individuals was found in Yangxian, Shaanxi Province of central China
in 1981. With 32 years of conservation effort, the wild population has increased to over1000 individuals and there is a captive population about 700 in China. From 2004,
re-introductions of Crested Ibis were implemented in Yangxian, Ningshan andTongchuan of Shaanxi Province, respectively. In 2013, a re-introduction was
implemented in Dongzhai of Henan province, which was the first attempt outside of
Shaanxi Province in China. We will review the conservation status of the species in
China, with emphasis on the re-introduction in Dongzhai.

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The road to the co-existence with Great Cormorants using“Cormorant Management Phase” in accordance with the various
progress situation of the damage control.
M. Yamamoto 1, J. Tsuboi 2, N. Kato 3, K. Takagi3 and Y. Chiba 4
1

Department of bioengineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Niigata
940-2188, Japan
2
National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Agency, Nikko,
Tochigi 321-1661, Japan
3
Japan Bird Research Association, Sumiyoshi 1-29-9, Fuchu, Tokyo183-0034, Japan.
4
Ministry of the environment, Chiyoda, Tokyo100-8975, Japan.
Email: umiushi@vos.nagaokaut.ac.jp
As a consequence of the increasing Great Cormorant population, damage to vegetationand inland fisheries have become a serious social problem in Japan. The damage control,
population management of cormorants, and conservation of aquatic environments in awater area are promoted according to a specific Wildlife Management Plan in eachprefectures unit under the Wildlife Protection and Appropriate Hunting Law. The
guideline for designing the Great Cormorant Management Plan was revised in 2013 by
the Ministry of the Environment. Because the situation of the damage control ofcormorants varies considerably from one region to another, the suitable measures
should also be varied. Therefore, in the revised guidelines, the progress situation of thecormorant management in each prefecture is determined by the flow chart, called“Cormorant Management Phase (CMP)”, which consists of Phases 1 to 6. An
Administrator can easily understand the own phase using “CMP”. The appropriate
measures for each phase are described in detail in the Guideline. Phase 1 question is“Do you know the population size(s) of cormorants?”. Phase 2 is” Do you quantify thedamage by Cormorant?” Phase 3 is “Do you have a meeting to build the consensus on
the issue of cormorants?”. Phase 4 is “Do you have a specific Wildlife Management
Plan?”. Phase 5 is “Do you need a large-sized population management program?”.
These questions are given in each phase and if you answered “NO”, your prefecture
belongs to that question’s phase. Especially in Phase 3, the guideline recommends tohold a workshop, called “The Cormorant world café”, enabling the stakeholders to build
consensus smoothly. As the Great Cormorant is a native species of Japan, Phase 6 is the
final goal of this issue; we can co-exist with a moderate-sized cormorant population,
which is enough to maintain the local population with an acceptable level of their
damages to us.

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Nest site restoration increases the breeding density of Blue-Tailed
Bee-Eaters
Hsiao-Wei Yuan1, Yi-Ping Wang2, Lynn Siefferman3, Yuan-Jyun Wang1, Tzung-Su
Ding1, Chyi-Rong Chiou1, Bao-Sen Shieh4, Fu-Shung Hsu5
1

School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, No.1,
Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan
2
Chiayi Forest District Office, Council of Agriculture, Forestry Bureau, Executive
Yuan. No.1, Linsen W. Rd., East District, Chiayi City 600, Taiwan
3
Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, 572 Rivers St., Boone, NC
28608, USA
4
Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical
University. 100 Shi-chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
5Department of Biological Resources, National Chiayi University, 300 University
Road, Chiayi, Taiwan
Email: hwyuan@ntu.edu.tw
For birds that excavate their own nest burrows, the availability of suitable nest sites
and substrates may influence the number and density of breeding birds. However, few
studies of burrow-nesting birds have experimentally manipulated nest site or substrateavailability. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) is a colony breeding,summer migrant that excavates nest burrows in sandy banks on Kinmen Island, 5 km
east of mainland China. To test whether substrate availability influenced the density
or reproductive success of breeding pairs of bee-eaters, we removed all vegetation andold nest holes on treated slopes and left control slopes unmanipulated in 2003 and2004. Plant cover on control slopes was 37.7% (11.9–67.7%). Slope gradient, soil
penetration resistance and vegetation height in front of slopes did not differ between
treated and control slopes in either year. Combining data from both years, the densityof active nests was significantly higher (3.1-fold) on treated slopes than on control
slopes. However, the reproductive performance of bee-eaters nesting on treated andcontrol slopes did not differ in either year. Thus, removing vegetation and old nest
holes from slopes with sandy loam soil improved the breeding habitat and increased
the number of breeding Blue-tailed Bee-eaters. This technique could be used tosupport and manage populations of this species and other burrow-nestling species
with similar habitat requirements.

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How to protect celebrities from paparazzi: Discussing protection of
Blakiston’s fish owl and wildlife viewing
Y. Hayashi 1, M. A. Takahashi2
1

Research Faculty of Liberal Arts, Sapporo University, Sapporo, Japan
Environmental Law, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
Email: mitsu@edu.u-toyama.ac.jp
2

Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Ketupa blakistoni) is endangered throughout its range (EN by
IUCN) and the Japanese population (K. b. blakistoni) is as low as 40 pairs. The
Japanese government is concealing habitat information to prevent disturbance by
wildlife viewers; however, information of nesting and feeding sites are spreading
widely through the internet. Not only geographical information, but photos and movies
of chicks and nests—even using strobe lights near nests—can easily be found on theweb. Such viewing and photographing activities raise conservation concerns. Our
analysis found that most of the photos and movies on the internet are taken in 4 sites,
which are all near a hotel. Of these 4 hotels, 3 feed the owl and advertise themselves
through the internet and Facebook as “owl-viewing hotel.” Tour operators also use thesehotels to organize owl photo-shooting tours lead by self-styled “nature guides.” There
are no regulations in Japan to prevent such harassment activities. In one spot, the forest
agency is fencing a site to block aggressive viewers; however, this has been easily
ignored even by “nature guides”.
The current situation cannot be overlooked. Business advertisement using inadequate
information (photos etc.) of endangered species may also need to be controlled. We are
discussing legal (including amending statutes) and non-legal measures to regulate
harassment and feeding activities. On the other hand wildlife viewing can be beneficial
to conservation if conducted in a proper way. Conservation agencies must look for a
way to facilitate proper wildlife viewing rather than just hiding it. This research isfunded by Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Environment Fund.

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Microsatellite analysis of Red-crowned Cranes in Oka Crane Breeding Centerand sex ratio of theirs nestlings.
Olga.N. Nesterenko Olga N1, Kashentseva Tatyana A2
1 Moscow Zoo, 123242, Moscow, B.Grusinskaya, 1, RUSSIA;
o-nesterenko@yandex.ru
2 Tatyana. A. Kashentseva
2 Oka Crane Breeding ccenter, 391072, pos. Brykin Bor, Spassky r-n, Ryazanskaya oblast,
RUSSIA; tkocbc@mail,ru
In Oka Crane Breeding center (OCBC) a breeding program of rare species of cranes is runningsince 1984. We have analyzed DNA of 10 breeding adult birds of Red-crowned Cranes by 7
microsatellite loci ( Hasagava et all . 2000). All seven loci showed a distinct allelic variation
ranging from 1–4 alleles. We defined more heterozygous birds in this group.
The analysis of the Red-crowned Crane offspring’s sexes demonstrates a female-biased sex ratio;
61 males and 105 females have been obtained from 7 pairs of Red-crowned Cranes at OCBC in
the period between 1984 and 2009. We have noted a difference in brood sex ratio of Redcrowned Cranes, Siberian and White -naped Cranes in OCBC. The sex ratio of Red-crowned
Crane offspring (disregarding the sex of non-survived embyos) was 0, 3 ± 0,1 ( p = 0,00536)
while sex ratio of Siberian Crane offspring was 0,49 ± 0,1, and for White -naped Crane 0,44 ±0,2 . This female-biased sex ratio in Red-crowned Cranes can be probably explained by the
Trivers and Willard hypothesis of adaptive sexual investment (Trivers & Willard1973). Redcrowned Cranes may show a higher female chick mortality rate in nature because, as observed in
OCBC, female nestlings grow slower and so they are weaker. As the level of chick aggression isnotably lower in Red–crowned Cranes compared to SIBERIAN Cranes and rather lower thancompared to White-naped Cranes, then the latter two species have often only the elder one
chick surviving, and Red-Crowned show more female chick mortality. These observations allow
to suppose the hypothesis that Red-crowned Crane have a some physiological- genetic
mechanism that provides a female-biased sex ratio in the years when the food resources areabundant.

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Current status of the Okinawa Woodpecker breeding population
N. Kotaka
Wildlife Management Lab., Kyushu Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products
Research Institute, Kumamoto, Japan
Email: kotaka@ffpri.affrc.go.jp

The Okinawa Woodpecker (OW), one of the world’s rarest woodpecker species,
inhabits only a narrow area of subtropical evergreen forests called “Yambaru” located in
the northern part of Okinawa Island, south-western Japan. Here, I review recent resultson the conservation research of OW and report the current status of the breeding
population and habitat situation. The breeding range of OW has been restricted toold-growth forests in the central mountain range of Yambaru. In the 20th Century, thearea was subjected to deforestation such as due to harvesting, dam-and-road
construction, and other agricultural activities. Thus survival of OW has been threatened
and it is now ranked CR in IUCN Red List. The OW is a close relative of Dendrocopos
woodpeckers which are basically arboreal. However, OW’s foraging niche is to a large
extent situated on the ground. Males in particular frequently forage on the ground,while females remain arboreal. The ground foraging behavior of OW appears to be
responsible for the suffering from alien mammal predators (e.g., mongoose and feralcats). In particular, the negative impact of mongoose intrusion into Yambaru area since
1990s seems to be crucial. In the 21st Century, although the scale of deforestation has
been significantly reduced, restoration of secondary evergreen forests is still not enoughfor supplying nest trees for OW. In the secondary forests alien disease and pests (e.g.,pine wilt disease and leaf beetles) create dead trees that play an important role forconstructing OWs nesting habitat. However, the advantage of the creation of suchdead-tree rich forests appears to be only temporal. The government should extend
adequate protection for the remnant old-growth forests and provide an effective
framework for forest restoration schemes.

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Does patch-burn grazing management increase abundance and nest
survival of declining populations of grassland songbirds?
B.H.F. Verheijen 1 and B.K. Sandercock 1
1

Wildlife Biology, Department of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan,
Kansas, USA 66506
Email: bramverheijen@ksu.edu
Many species of grassland songbirds are declining in population numbers in North
America. Ongoing population declines are thought to be related to habitat loss, causedby land-use change and habitat fragmentation, and agricultural intensification.
Songbirds often have specific habitat needs for nesting and feeding young, but common
management of annual burning and intensive grazing may not meet habitat needs forgrassland bird communities, leading to declines in bird diversity and abundance.
Patch-burn grazing management is aimed at creating high levels of heterogeneity invegetative structure. Recent studies have found that patch-burn grazing management
increases species diversity of grassland songbirds, improves nest survival in Dickcissels(Spiza americana), and decreases parasitism rates by Brown-headed Cowbirds(Molothrus ater). It is unclear whether patch-burn grazing has similar effects on the
demography of other species or under different environmental conditions.
Our study was conducted at Konza Prairie Biological Station, a tallgrass prairie
reserve in northeast Kansas, USA. Between 2011 and 2013, we monitored 149 nests ofeight species of declining grassland songbirds that differed in habitat requirements. We
compared bird diversity and abundance, nest survival, and parasitism rates among
pastures managed with a patch-burn grazing management regime and pastures managed
by annual burning combined with or without grazing by cattle.
We found that both bird abundance and nest survival were higher for
patch-burn grazing managed pastures, while parasitism rates were consistently highacross all management regimes (0.6 - 0.8 for all treatments; 2-3 eggs per nest). Nest
survival was generally low and ranged between 10 - 20% for all treatments. By
increasing abundance and nest survival, patch-burn grazing management could improve
demographic performance of declining populations of grassland songbirds. Moreover,results of our three-year field study help us gain insight into how different management
regimes affect population dynamics of declining grassland songbirds.

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The Restoration of a Short-tailed Albatross colony on Mukojima,Ogasawara Islands Group
T. Deguchi1, J.F. Jacobs2, F. Sato1, R.M. Suryan3, L. Perriman4,
N. Nakamura1, S. Kagawa5, G.R. Balogh2 and K. Ozaki1
Division of Avian Conservation, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Abiko, Chiba,Japan
2Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, USA
3
Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
4
Department of Conservation, Dunedin, NZ
5NHK Enterprises Inc., Tokyo, Japan
E-mail: deguchi@yamashina.or.jp
1

Historically, breeding colonies of Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus; STAL)
were broadly distributed in the northwestern Pacific islands. The species was driven to
the brink of extinction by feather hunters and guano mining. Many years ofconservation management activities have maintained a 7% year-1 population increase,but the breeding colony is still restricted to two sites, Torishima Island and the Senkaku
Islands, and neither of these sites are secure due to volcanic activity or politicalinstability. To facilitate the recovery of this species by establishing at least one
additional colony, a total of 70 post-guard phase chicks were translocated from
Torishima to a safe, former site, Mukojima, in February 2008-2012 and hand-reared
there for 100 days until fledging. Fledging success was 99% in all these 5 years. The
number of days when hand-reared STAL from previous years or naturally-reared STAL
from other natal colonies visited Mukojima during the chick-rearing period increased
greatly over time; 14 days in 2009, 11 days in 2010, 49 days in 2011, 75 days in 2012,85 days in 2013. The number of individual hand- or naturally-reared STAL visiting
Mukojima also increased from 3 birds in 2009 to 16 birds in 2013. During 2011 to 2013,a remarkable 17 of 35 birds hand-reared between 2008 and 2010 returned at least once
to Mukojima. The results demonstrate rapid progress toward potential new colony
establishment through translocation and hand-rearing of albatrosses.

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Cryptic species detected by DNA in the Violet Sabrewing(Campylopterus hemileucurus)
P. Escalante and B.E. Hernández-Baños
Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Email: tilmatura@ib.unam.mx
Museo de Zoología, Depto. Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad
Nacional Autónoma de México

In the course of barcoding the birds of Mexico using a 650 bp of the CO1 mitochondrial
gene, we came across one specimen that differed remarkably from 2 other specimens
collected in the same area of Veracruz (Los Tuxtlas, Mexico). Sequences were checked
to discard mislabelling of specimens, or nuclear sequences. Blast of the odd sequence
matched almost completely one sample of Violet Sabrewing in the Barcode of Life Data
System from Panama. Twelve more samples of Violet Sabrewings from Veracruz havebeen analysed and a more robust pattern has emerged, revealing two populations insouthern Veracruz of different genetic origin (7.6% genetic distance with a neighbour
joining algorithm between the two groups). Because these samples show a clear-cut
difference the only plausible explanation is that they belong to different lineages. Violet
Sabrewings are abundant in tropical rain forest ranging from southern Mexico to
Panama. Although seasonal fluctuations had been detected in Nicaragua and Costa Rica
(Skutch 1967, Stiles ad Skutch 1989) they are usually recorded as resident
hummingbirds. Altitudinal and intratropical migratory behavior are expected in
frugivorous or nectarivorous species (Levey and Stiles 1992) due to the high spatial andtemporal variation in their resource base, but patterns of movement in tropical species
are basically unknown. Morphological data corroborates this result. The pattern now
indicates that either the Veracruz population receives an intra-tropical migratory
population from the south, or the two putative species are sympatric in this part of therange. A more detailed study throughout the species range is under way.

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Recovery of Blakiston's Fish Owl populations – a positive beginning but
a long and challenging road ahead
T. TAKENAKA
Fish Owl Institute (FILIN), Sapporo, Japan
E-mail: fishowl.takenaka@nifty.com
Blakiston's Fish Owl (Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni) is distributed only in Hokkaido,
Japan’s northernmost prefecture. Its diet mainly consists of fluvial fish, and the species
uses tree cavities for nesting. Since the 1970s, the population has declined as a result of
damage to its habitat. The reclamation led by government such as logging, farmland
development, dam construction, and total capture of the migrating salmon caused severe
nests and food shortage for Fish Owls. A conservation program that included
provisioning of nest boxes and supplemental feeding was initiated in the middle 1980s.
Despite these measures habitat loss and population decline continued until the 1990s. In
the early 1990s only 40 pairs survived with at least 10% of the pairs being the result ofinbreeding.
As a result of concerted conservation activities, the population of Fish Owls began tostabilize in the new millennium. In a 2013 survey, 54 pairs were recognized representing
a population increase of 30% in a 20 year period. The provisioning of nest boxes andsupplemental feeding has contributed to the recovery. 80% of the pairs use nest boxes and
25% benefit from the supplemental feeding. In addition, long term and in-depth research
into the ecology and environment of Fish Owls has improved conservation efforts.
Finally the downturn of the Japanese economy slowed the large scale developments andthe adoption of measures to protect the environment have reduced the habitat loss. The
combination of these factors has fortunately saved the Fish Owls from extinction.
Although the Fish Owl population has increased, the improvement to its habitat has not
yet followed suit. However, new approaches including the conversion of conifer
plantations to indigenous forest and reengineering of dams to permit fish migration willcontribute to the recovery of both Fish Owl populations and ecosystems. The cumulative
experience and knowledge of these conservation strategies will be important in copingwith unpredictable future risk.

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Population recoveries of the Red-Headed Wood Pigeon at the
Ogasawara Islands, Japan, after the control of invasive alienmammals.
K. Horikoshi 1, and H. Suzuki 1

1Institute of Boninology, Ogasawara-mura, Tokyo, Japan

Email: hori@ogasawara.or.jp
Ogasawara islands (N27,142W) are oceanic islands that consist of three inhabitedislands and about 30 uninhabited small islands. After the first settlement in 1830, three
species and three subspecies of endemic birds were extinct within 100 years. These
extinctions were suspected to be caused by alien mammals, such as feral cats, Felis
catus and black rats, Rattus rattus. An endemic island pigeon, the Red-Headed Wood
Pigeon（Columba janthina nitens）has survived, but the population size has diminished
to a low level. In 2005, the Ministry of Environment estimated that the population wasaround 40 birds. After the Population and Habitat Viability Assessment Workshop, theefforts to control feral cats and black rats have increased on several islands. Up to now,
more than 360 feral cats have been trapped by cages and shipped to Tokyo. Rat
eradication programs have been conducted at 10 islands so far. The results of a census
program showed that all of the following parameters of population recovery haveincreased: distribution range and numbers of observed pigeons, number and behavior ofyoung birds, annual clutch size, habitat quality of nesting sites, etc. We will discusspossible explanations for these responses of endemic islands pigeons that have evolved
on oceanic islands.

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Conservation programs for the Little Tern breeding on rooftops
W. Kitamura 1,2 and N. Masuda 2
1

Faculty of Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University, Japan
Little Tern Project, Japan
Email: kitamura@tcu.ac.jp
2

One of the main causes of biodiversity loss is habitat destruction. Constructing artificial
habitats may play an important role in the conservation of wildlife, especially for thoseorganisms which live in highly developed landscapes where conflicts between humanactivity and wildlife frequently occur. Among these, the conservation program of the
Little Tern (Sterna albifrons) is a fascinating example of such activity. The Little Tern
is a summer migrant seabird which breeds in Japan, and forms breeding colonies of ten
to several thousands of individuals. They nest on bare ground in places such as sandy
coasts or gravelled riversides, and in the past their main breeding habitats in Japan were
coastal areas. Because such areas are important not only as breeding habitat for Little
Terns but also for industrial development, natural breeding habitats of Little Terns havebeen steadily destroyed over the past 50 years. As a result, the breeding population of
Little Terns has been decreasing and they are now treated as a vulnerable species in theJapanese Red Data List. The Little Tern Project (LTP) has been managing an artificial
colony site for Little Terns on a rooftop of the Morigasaki Water Reclamation Center, awastewater treatment plant in Tokyo, since the first discovery of breeding Little Terns
there in 2001. The conservation activities of the LTP include protecting eggs andnestlings from predators, maintaining bare ground by weeding, and attracting Little
Terns using decoys. Over the last decade, 5500 nests have been found and over 3000
nestlings have been hatched at this colony site. We will introduce more detailed
information on our conservation programs in our presentation.

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Diet analysis using DNA barcoding from feces of the Japanese Crested
Ibis, Nipponia Nippon, for the habitat management of reintroduced
speciesS.Tanoi1, C.Endo, H.Ishiniwa2, T.Sekijima1
1
Graduate school of science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
2
National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
Email:f13e015k@mail.cc.niigata-u.ac.jp
The Japanese crested ibis, Nipponia Nippon, became extinct in 1981. Since 2008, theministry of environment in Japan has reintroduced the ibises onto Sado island, and in
addition, various nature restoration tactics have been implemented for supporting the
population of the released ibises. Paddy fields are one of the important habitats for theibis because they mainly prey upon small animals living in paddy fields. Therefore, therestoration of paddy environments has been mainly conducted on Sado island to
improve their foraging habitat. Furthermore, information of habitat selection andforaging efficiency has accumulated. However, in the study on diet contents of theJapanese Crested Ibis based on direct observation of foraging behavior, ca. 80 % of prey
items were too small to identify species of captured prey. This information on diet ibis
could definitely contribute to improvement of their habitat.
DNA barcoding is an approach to clarify food items by analyzing a DNA sequencecollected from undigested food in feces, which is also recognized as a powerful tool forthe rapid and unambiguous identification of species compared with traditional dietanalysis such as the morphological identification of stomach content and the direct
observation of foraging behavior. Furthermore, this method is suitable for small animals
and endangered animals because it keeps their stress from capture and treatment to aminimum.
In this study, we aim to propose an effective nature restoration scenario based on
foraging information of the Japanese Crested Ibis. First, the food items of ibis wereclarified throughout the year using DNA barcoding from feces. Then, we calculated theforaging efficiency from their foraging behavior, DNA barcoding, caloric content ofprey, and finally, we discuss an effective paddy management which is able to increaseibis foraging efficiency.

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Conservation genomics of Japanese and Hawaiian Black-footed
Albatross populations using Rad-tag sequencing
E.G. Dierickx 1, A.J. Shultz 2, F. Sato 3 and S.V. Edwards 2
1

Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge,
USA
3
Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Abiko, Japan
Email: egd22@cam.ac.uk
2

The Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes is an observationally philopatricspecies that has a breeding population of 1240 pairs in Japan and a larger, main
population of 64,500 pairs in the Hawaiian Islands. The Black-footed Albatross isclassified as Near-Threatened (recently downlisted from Vulnerable) on the IUCN Red
List of Endangered Species. In May 2013, the Agreement on the Conservation ofAlbatrosses and Petrels taxonomy working group rejected a petition for the Japanese andHawaiian populations to be considered separate subspecies: previous data was based on
mitochondrial DNA and hence could have overestimated genetic differentiation between
the populations. To resolve this pending issue, we used Rad-tag sequencing on a total of
47 birds to generate a genome-wide dataset with 3455 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) from individuals from one of the Bonin Islands in Japan (Izu-Torishima) and two
islands in the leeward Hawaiian chain (Midway and Tern). The analysis suggests slightly
lower genetic diversity in the Izu-Torishima population compared to Hawaii(πTorishima=0.152, πTern=0.165, πMidway=0.160) and slightly more differentiation between
the Japanese and Hawaiian populations than between the Hawaiian populations (FstTorishima-Midway=0.039, Fst-Torishima-Tern=0.032, Fst-Midway-Tern=0.022). An analysis using theclustering software STRUCTURE detected two clusters, one containing the Japanese
birds and one the Hawaiian birds. However, using Bayesian migration software(MIGRATE), we also found a significant amount of gene flow between Japan and Hawaii(Nm ≈ 2.3 birds per generation). Our results are trending in the expected directions, but
our analysis suggests that the populations are only weakly differentiated, and that theBlack-footed Albatross is nearly panmictic. Based on these results, we do not think that
the Japanese population of the Black-footed Albatross should be considered a separate
evolutionarily significant unit. Rad-tags will be a useful tool for further investigation ofalbatross evolutionary history as well as conservation issues throughout theProcellariiformes.

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Disastrous African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus)
Conservation Status in the Northern Republic of Congo
T. Nishihara
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Congo program, Republic of Congo
Email: tomowcs@gmail.com
In the Northern Republic of Congo, the WCS has long had buffer zone projects aroundthe Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park and the Odzala-Kokoua National Park. Since
November 2011, more than 800 live African Grey Parrots have been confiscated frompoachers in these projects. With the help of WCS field veterinarians and parrot
specialists, we have been maintaining them in a large cage at WCS’s field project site
until their wing feathers, cut or damaged by the poachers, re-grow and they can fly
away. Most individuals (about 60%) died even after keeping them in a large flight cage,
mainly due to the psychological shock of capture, and the poor treatment during
trafficking. Less than 20% of the confiscated birds could be released after their feathers
and health conditions improved. Several individuals were illegally released to local
people (police, army, and the other citizens) by local forest officer. This is because theillegal international parrot trade attracts buyers willing to pay high prices. Japan is an
important destination for this species as pets. These birds are listed as Vulnerable by the
IUCN Red List because of the extent of the annual harvest for international trade, in
combination with the rate of ongoing habitat loss. They are on Appendix II of CITES.
The Congolese wildlife law lists them only as Partially Protected (can be hunted with asmall game licence), but CITES removed the Congo quota in 2012 because of issues
regarding transparency of exports. The two neighbouring countries of Cameroon and
DRC have existing CITES export quotas of 3,000 and 5000 respectively. These
encourage laundering of birds from Congo and could have serious consequences for
species in the region.

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Implications of the control of the invasive alien Red-billed Leiothrix(Leiothrix lutea ) for native bird communities impacted by Sika deer inthe high mountains in Japan
S. Sato1 and K. Ishida 2
1

Shikoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kochi,
Japan
2
University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Email: shigeho@affrc.go.jp

The Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea; RBL), which is an introduced species from
China, has been colonizing natural beech forests in Japan since the 1980’s. It wasreported that some native bird species have decreased where RBL has increased. At
the same time, rapid increases in the population of Sika deer (Cervus Nippon; SD), inmost areas in Japan have caused changes in bird communities through the alteration ofnatural vegetation. Thus, we investigated the effect of RBL on native bird
communities where the density of SD had increased recently in the Tsurugi andChichibu Mountains, Japan. Bird censuses were carried out by the line-transect
method during the breeding seasons of 2003 – 2011 in Saorigahara, Kochi Prefecture.
The density of RBL decreased in 2011 after increasing from 2003 to 2007. Meanwhile,
the Bush Warbler (Cettia diphone; BW), a native species whose nesting habitat overlaps
with that of RBL, decreased significantly in 2009. Most bamboo grass Sasamorpha
purpurascens, a super-dominant bush layer vegetation, died at this time where SD hadstrongly grazed. We will refer also to a tentative result of a long term banding survey
at Chichibu Mountains. These results suggested that RBL and BW both had decreased
due to the disappearance of the bush layer. In 2012, a non-governmental organization
decided to implement a program for controlling RBL on Shikoku Island. An effective
method of capturing adult birds has not yet been established; additionally, nest control
by replacing eggs with a pseudo-ovum is effective but lacks utilities. Basic data on the
population dynamics and dispersal of RBL in relation to SD density will be essential for
conservation of native birds.

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Effect of an alien predator on the breeding performancein a pelagic seabird
K.-B. Nam1, K.-G. Lee3 and J.-C. Yoo1,21

Korea Institute of Ornithology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
3
Marine Affairs and Fisheries Division, Shinan-gun County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea.
Email: K.B.Nam1002@gmail.com
2

Introduced predators are one of the main threats to island avifaunas, because these avifaunas
are particularly vulnerable to predation by introduced species due to the absence of native
mammalian predators. In particular, invasive rats severely impact on seabirds, reducing their
populations and in many cases triggering their extinction, because seabirds are social
creatures that have evolved to breed on islands where terrestrial predators do not exist. This
study had been carried out during 2001-2012 at the Sasudo-island, South Korea, to investigate
basic information about the breeding status of a pelagic seabird, the Streaked Shearwater
Calonectris leucomelas. This study presents data on variation in breeding population size andbreeding success of the Streaked Shearwater and the magnitude of rat predation, andconsiders the possible causes of variation in breeding performance of the Streaked Shearwater.
In this study, we found that predation by the Norway rat Rattus norvegicus has been the single
greatest cause of egg loss and breeding failure for the breeding colony of the Streaked
Shearwater, and that the variation in breeding population size and breeding success during thestudy period could be affected by changes in the magnitude of rat predation.

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Invasive Common Mynas (Acridotheres tristis) in Tutuila, Samoa:
abundance, distribution, predictors, and impacts on native birds
C.S. Nell1, 2, L. Faiai2, E. Aylsworth2, and N.S.D. Arcilla2
1

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA,USA
2
Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, American Samoa Government, Pago
Pago, American Samoa
Email: arcilland@gmail.com
The Common (or Indian) Myna (Acridotheres tristis; hereafter “myna”) is native to muchof continental Asia and has been widely introduced, both deliberately and accidentally, totropical oceanic islands. Its high degree of success as a human commensal and potential
impacts on native avifauna, have contributed to the nomination of this species as one ofthe "world's worst" invasive species. We conducted research on mynas in Tutuila,
American Samoa, where a single myna was first detected in 1980 and which now sustains
a population of hundreds of thousands of birds that are the most commonly sighted
species on the island. Native bird populations declined after Hurricane Val in 1991, while
myna populations appeared to dramatically increase during the same period. We present
research conducted in 2013 to estimate the abundance and distribution of myna
populations and identify potential predictors of myna abundance. We documented myna
interactions with other birds, including socialization between species and aggressive
behaviors (territoriality, food theft, and harassment). We present findings on myna
interactions with six native forest birds and two other invasive bird species. Mynaabundance is highly positively correlated with human population density andanthropogenic disturbance. Mynas showed aggression towards every native species
observed, and aggressive behavior increased with flock size; mynas sometimes socializedwith other invasive species. Aggressive behavior and natural disasters may partiallyexplain the expanding range of the mynas on Tutuila. As with other Polynesian islands,
Tutuila is highly susceptible to cyclones and damage to forests resulting from such events
could potentially facilitate the further expansion of mynas into forests where they may
continue to displace native bird species.


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Mixing with Mallards: Is the genetic integrity of the Australian PacificBlack Duck at risk due to hybridisation with Mallards?
A. Taysom1, J. Johnson1 & P.-J. Guay 1
1

College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne 8001
Email: alice.taysom@live.vu.edu.au
The threat of hybridisation with Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) posed to many dabbling duck
species is one that is commonly overlooked. Introduced Mallards have interbred with the
Pacific Black Duck (A. superciliosa), to the extent that the New Zealand subspecies is now
considered endangered. In Australia, introduced Mallards are typically of domestic origin andwere originally believed to be restricted to urban areas. The degree of hybridisation between
Mallard and the Pacific Black Duck is currently unknown, largely because hybrid backcrosses
are difficult to visually identify. A technique using microsatellite markers was established togenetically identify hybrids. This system utilises 9 markers that were tested on putatively pure
Pacific Black Ducks and domestic Mallards. Assignment tests, performed with the program
Structure, had a 99% likelihood that specimens of a known species (Mallard or Black Duck)were assigned to the correct group. The marker set established was used to test the rate ofhybridisation throughout Australia. Assignment tests were performed, as previous, on 372
specimens from 6 different Australian states. Overall, the proportion of hybridisation was lessthan 0.01, however, an increased rate was found in the states of Tasmania and Western
Australia (0.03 and 0.16 respectively). This result suggests that hybrids are not common, but
are increasing in the areas of Tasmania and Western Australia. Furthermore, all samples from
Western Australia were collected from urban areas, whereas all other samples were from rural
regions. An increased rate of hybridisation in Western Australia compared to other states
supports theory that hybrids may be more prevalent in urban areas where Mallards are morecommon. More study of hybridisation in urban areas is required to determine whether urban
ponds act as reservoirs for Mallard genes and whether these reservoirs may be a threat to thegenetic integrity of the Australian Pacific Black Duck.


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Ebbing avifaunal population vis- a- vis traditional practice of indigenous
tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India.
Daniel Mizemizezoology@yahoo.co.in
Arunachal Pradesh, the 24th state of India is situated between 26° 40’ to 29° 27’ N and 910
35’ to 970 24’ E in the north-eastern part of India and lies in the Eastern Himalayan
biodiversity hotspot. Its eastern edges lie at the confluence of the Eastern Himalayan,
Indo-Malayan and mountains of south west China biodiversity hot spot. Consequently,
Arunachal Pradesh has the richest terrestrial biodiversity in India; the animal diversity isbest represented by avian diversity, 832 species having been recorded. This avian
diversity is under tremendous pressure from 26 indigenous tribes that each have theirown unique traditional customs and culture. Wildlife and parts of animals are used bytribal people to celebrate festival, practice rituals, decorate traditional attire, etc. So, there
are rampant hunting of wildlife, particularly mammals and birds, to maintain these
traditional legacies. Our study indicated that fifteen species of birds are extremely
affected by aforesaid traditional hunting. Great Pied Hornbill Buceros bicornis, Indian
Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris, Rufous-necked Hornbill ceros nepalensis,
Wreathed Hornbill Aceros undulatus, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus,
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer, Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyra , Blyth’s
Trogopan Tragopan blythii,Temmink’s Tragopan Tragopan temminckii, Khaleej
Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos, Scalater’s Monal Lophophorus scaletri
Monal Lophophorus impejanus andHimalayan

Red Jungle Fowl Gallus gallus, Spotted Dove

Srteptopelia chinensis and Barred Cuckoo Dove Macropygia unchall are the fifteen mosthunted birds species. Their feather, legs, beaks and tails are used to keep alive traditional
practices. We are attempting to identify the threat to each species by traditional practiceand to highlight the unique threat to birds before the conservation forum for two pronged
conservation intervention of the problem.

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Understanding population limitation in migrants birds: Whinchats on
Salisbury PlainTAYLOR J.1, HENDERSON I.G.2, ASH D.3, HARTLEY I.R.1
1

Lancaster Environment Centre, University of Lancaster, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK. E-mail:j.taylor7@lancaster.ac.uk; i.hartley@lancaster.ac.uk
2British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, UK. E-mail:ian.henderson@bto.org
3

Defence Infrastructure Organisation , Building 21, Westdown Camp, Tilshead, SP3 4RS,
UK. E-mail: dominic.ash463@mod.uk
The decline of long-distance migrant birds is currently high on the conservation agenda andthere is a need to understand the major ecological and demographic constraints acting onthese species. The Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) is a grassland-dwelling, trans-Saharanmigrant that breeds in Europe and has suffered large declines in abundance and range inrecent years. Through studying a large population of Whinchats on Salisbury Plain, England,
which remains stable despite the declining UK trend, we hope to determine which aspects ofthe species breeding ecology, habitat use and demography allow this population to persist.
We examined the variation in territory density and turnover, productivity and settlement
choice in relation to the variation in habitat condition, resource availability and parental care.
Early results point to a mismatch between habitat choice for settlement and those with thehighest breeding success, suggesting an ecological trap effect. We explored the main cause of
breeding failure, predation, in the light of the interacting effects of habitat and foodavailability. Our results point to a potential carryover effect of parental condition on breeding
success. Age related return rates from an extensive program of colour ringing and re-sighting
enabled the isolation of local limiting factors from those operating at other life history stages.
Current data suggests that there is insufficient productivity and overwinter survival tomaintain the Salisbury Plain population without immigration of first year birds from
elsewhere. Both local site-based and large scale landscape level demographic factors appear
important in determining overall population trends, suggesting a multi-scale approach is
required for the conservation of migratory species.

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Stress in wild Greater Rhea populations: effects of agricultural activities on
fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels
A. Lèche 1, G. Bazzano 2, C. Hansen 3, J.L. Navarro 1, R.H. Marin 4 and M.B. Martella 1
1

Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA) CONICET and Centro de Zoología
Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
2
Cátedra de Ecología General, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
3
Laboratorio de Análisis Clínicos Especializados (LACE), Córdoba, Argentina.
4
Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT) CONICET, Instituto deCiencia y Tecnología de los alimentos (ICTA) and Cátedra de Química Biológica,
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
Email: alvilech@yahoo.com.ar
In recent years, wild populations of Greater Rhea Rhea americana have declined drastically,
due mainly to the conversion of grassland into cropland as a result of intensive, specialized
agricultural practices. In this study we evaluate potentially stressful effects of agriculturalactivities on this ratite by assessing their adrenocortical response. Specifically, we compared
fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) levels of rheas living in two areas under very different
land use: grasslands mainly devoted to cattle grazing and agro-ecosystems intensively used
for crop production. Radioimmunoanalysis of fecal samples from 269 individuals indicated nosignificant differences in mean concentrations of FGM according to habitat type. In the agroecosystem we found no direct effect between agricultural practices (planting and harvesting)and the bird’s FGM levels. However, FGM concentrations were significantly higher during
the dry season, which may represent a stress response to the low availability of forage due toharvesting. In contrast, no increase in the FGM levels was registered during the dry season in
the grassland, where ample forage was available throughout the year. In this environment thegreatest increases in FGM levels coincided with the reproductive period, likely due to thefrequent agonist encounters between males at this time of the year. Our findings therefore
suggest that the consequences of agricultural practices may constitute a chronic environmental
stressor for Greater Rhea populations living under such conditions. The present study supports
earlier research showing detrimental impacts of agricultural activities on this species, whosearea of distribution coincides with the most productive regions of South America.

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Feeding ecology and conservation of the endangered red-headed wood
pigeon, based on diet analysis by DNA barcoding
H. Ando1, S. Setsuko2, K. Horikoshi3, H. Suzuki3, S. Umehara3, G. Hanya4, M.
Inoue-Murayama5, Y. Isagi1
1

Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan2

Department of Forest Genetics, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute,

Tsukuba, Japan
3

Institute of Boninology, Ogasawara, Japan

4

Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan5

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

Knowing the diet of an endangered bird is essential for understanding its ecology and an
appropriate conservation planning. Recently, DNA barcoding techniques together with
next-generation sequencing (NGS) is rapidly developing and may provide more detailed
information on animal diets than other conventional methods. We performed a dietanalysis of critically endangered Red-headed Wood Pigeon Columba janthina nitensthat is endemic to the Ogasawara Islands, Japan by sequencing chloroplast trnL P6 loopof plant DNA extracted from feces. The NGS approach detected a much larger numberof plants than the microhistological analysis. Plants that were difficult to identify bymicrohistological analysis after being digested in the pigeon stomachs were frequently
identified by the NGS approach, indicating the effectiveness of this approach fordetailed diet analysis of the pigeon. The results of the NGS approach also indicated thefrequent consumption of introduced species, in addition to several native species, by the
Red-headed Wood Pigeon. The rapid eradication of specific introduced species may
reduce the food resources available to this endangered bird; thus, balancing eradication
efforts with the restoration of native food plants should be considered. The seasonalchanges of the pigeons’ diet, the food resource availability and the nutrient compositionof food plants will also be presented. Using these data, food preference of the pigeons
and the reason why they consume some introduced species frequently will be discussed.

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Fine-scale foraging interactions of northern royal albatross withfisheries during chick-rearing at Taiaroa Head/Pukekura, New ZealandJ. Sugishita1, L. G. Torres2, L. Perriman3, T. Molteno4 and P. J. Seddon1
1
2

Department of Zoology, University of Otago, New Zealand
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand3

Department of Conservation Coastal Otago District Office, New Zealand4

Department of Physics, University of Otago, New Zealand

Email: sugju811@student.otago.ac.nz
Incidental death (bycatch) of apex marine predators, including albatrosses, incommercial fisheries is recognised as a key threat to marine ecosystems worldwide.
Despite mitigation attempts, bycatch mortality in commercial fisheries has led topopulations declines in many seabird species. Little is known about at-sea habitat use,
let alone interactions with fisheries of northern royal albatross (Diomedea sanfordi) at
Taiaroa Head/Pukekura during chick rearing period. Understanding the nature andspatio-temporal extent of interactions between fisheries and foraging albatrosses is,therefore, of important conservation concern. Here we combined GPS tracking datafrom the foraging trips with Vessel Monitoring System data from the entire fleet around
New Zealand waters in 2012 to detect fine-scale spatio-temporal overlap between
fishing vessels and albatrosses. We tracked 89 foraging trips from 7 breeding adults
during chick rearing in 2012. Of the 89 foraging trips, overlap between fishing vessels
and albatrosses occurred in 19 trips. Albatrosses overlapped with vessels in areas
around the continental shelf edge of the eastern South Island of New Zealand, as well asaround the northern and southern shelf edges of the Chatham Rise. Results of ourfine-scale analysis indicated that albatrosses foraged in close association with fishingvessels on 67% of the occasions for which they were within 10km of a fishing vessel,
indicating that the 33% of overlap was as a result of coincidental habitat use rather thanalbatrosses following fishing vessels.

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Population estimate and habitat preference of the endangered Amami
thrush Zoothera dauma major, endemic to Amami-Oshima Island,
southwestern Japan
T. Mizuta 1,2, M. Takashi 2, H. Torikai 2, K. Fukasawa 3, T. Watanabe 1,2* and K. Ishida 2,4
1
Amami Wildlife Conservation Center, Kagoshima, Japan
2
Amami Ornithologists’ Club, Kagoshima, Japan
3
National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
4
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan*
Present address: Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd., Okinawa, Japan
Email: TAKU_MIZUTA@env.go.jp
The scaly thrush (Zoothera dauma) is distributed throughout the Palearctic and Oriental
ecozones. One of the subspecies, the Amami thrush (Z. d. major), is restricted to
Amami-Oshima Island in southwestern Japan. Amami-Oshima is a small island (712km2), which includes rich fauna and flora with high endemism, and the naturalenvironment of the island has been affected by human activities. The Amami thrush iscategorized as one of the National Endangered Species designated by the Law for theConservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which includes 38 avian
species vulnerable to extinction in Japan. The Red Data Book published by the Ministryof the Environment in 2002 estimated the population size of the Amami thrush to beless than 100 breeding pairs. Since 1994, the Amami Ornithologists’ Club has conducteda count survey for singing Amami thrush in March, supported by public participation.
The results of this long-term survey showed gradual increase in population during these
20 years, with especially prominent growth in 2013. Based on the analysis of recent
distribution data, the number of singing individuals was estimated to be 800–1,000 (theestimate of population size was 1,600–2,000 if the singing individuals are males).
Relatively old-aged forest in higher altitudes was inferred to be the preferred habitat for
the thrush. Although the gradual population recovery was recognized, preserving theregenerating evergreen forest alongside the remnants of old-aged forest is essential forthe further conservation of the Amami thrush.

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Detection of vegetation types at nest sites of Grus japonensis ineastern Hokkaido, Japan, by using vegetation maps
H. Masatomi1 and Y. Masatomi1
1

Red-crowned Crane Conservancy
Email: masatm@cameo.plala.or.jp
For conservation, it is very important to analyze the nesting habitat of Grusjaponensis (Japanese or Red-crowned Cranes), an endangered species. Because
cranes disperse over vast flat wetlands covered with tall grass and trees, theobservers are often unable to detect the cranes and their nests from land.
Consequently, researchers survey cranes from aircraft. It is impossible to record
details about vegetation near the nests from the air. Since 1980, we haveconducted air surveys annually of the isolated and sedentary population of G.
japonensis in eastern Hokkaido, Japan. Recently, vegetation maps covering
almost all breeding areas of these cranes were completed by the Ministry of theEnvironment, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), allowing for
estimation of vegetation of all nesting spots and surroundings. In the Kushiro
Mire, for example, 27.8% (N=916) of nests were found in the alder (Alnus)
communities and 23.3% in the tall reed (Phragmites- Calamagrostis)
communities. The reliability of these results was supported by comparing mapsof vegetation types from GIS with photos taken at each nest during the air
surveys. Some differences in the vegetation of nesting spots were observed forthe core region compared to and the peripheral region of the mire. In former
years when numbers of breeding pairs were much lower, most nests were foundin tall reed communities. This paper suggests that cranes accept new vegetation
types for their nest sites in peripheral areas of the mire because of the highdensity of breeding pairs in recent years and they are able to move into otherareas of Hokkaido in future.

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Birds of agricultural landscapes in the Colombian tropics: a case study ofsilvopastoral systems, pastures and tropical dry forest fragments in
TolimaM. J. Gómez-Martínez1,2,3, K. Certuche-Cubillos2,4 and J. Llano-Mejía1,
1

Grupo de Investigación en Sistemas Agroforestales Pecuarios, Universidad del Tolima,
Ibagué, Colombia

2

Laboratorio de Ecoagricultura, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia

3

Facultad de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia

4

Programa de Biología, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia

Email: mjgomez@ut.edu.co
The Tropical Dry Forest (TDF) biome in Colombia has been jeopardized by ecosystemtransformation; as a consequence, just 7% of the original cover is remaining. As aconservation alternative, more sustainable cattle production models have been proposed
including arboreal components whose ecological and productive functionality improves
conditions for the establishment, reproduction and conservation of resident and migratory
birds in Colombia. Here we monitored birds in three landscapes (Intensive Silvopastoral
Sistems –ISPS-, Low tree density pastures –LTDP- and forest patch –FP-) in Piedras,
Armero-Guayabal and Venadillo municipalities, using mist nets and point counts in three
one hectare-plots, during four field cycles covering dry and rainy seasons. A total of 2487
individuals from 33 families and 135 species were sampled, representing 46% of the bird
species recorded in Tolima’s TDF; of these, 281 showed evidence of reproductive activity.
We noted the presence of 11 migratory birds and two endemic birds. The most diverse
families were Tyrannidae and Thraupidae. Seventeen guilds were detected showing thehighest diversity in “canopy and edge small-fruit consumers” and “small sticks andbranches insectivores”. The highest diversity and abundance were registered at ISPS. We
found that some species prefer forest cover and avoid cattle systems. This researchcontributes to the understanding of avian community composition and dynamics in agrolandscapes in tropical dry forest biomes.

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The influence of communication tower attributes on the loss of migrating
songbirds in Arkansas
E.T. Aylsworth1, J.C. Bednarz2, and R.S. Grippo3
1

Environmental Affairs Branch, MCB S.D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan
Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
3
Program in Environmental Science, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, USA
Email: aylsworth.erin@gmail.com
2

The loss of songbirds due to fatal collisions at tall, red-lit communication towers has been
documented since the late 1940s. With recent advances in cellular, digital, and wirelesstechnologies, the number and types of towers in North America have increased rapidly. We
identified four tower attributes to investigate for impacts on migrating birds: 1) physiographic
region, 2) tower height, 3) tower lighting system, and 4) guy wires. We sampled 28 randomly
selected towers for bird carcasses for over a four-week sampling period coinciding with peak
movement of long-distance Nearctic-Neotropical migrants during spring and fall migration from2005 through 2008. Tower search technicians recovered 185 carcasses and 151 feather piles, fora total loss of 337 individuals comprising 70 species. Of 185 carcasses, 133 (71.9%) individuals
were long-distance migrants, while 68 of identified feather piles (45.0%) represented longdistance migrants. Only tower height showed a significant different between treatments, withmore bird carcasses recovered from tall towers (mean = 0.153 carcasses per day, SE = 0.036, p =0.0237) than from short towers (mean = 0.034 carcasses per day, SE = 0.030). We also
conducted searcher efficiency trials to determine negative biases to the carcass count data.
Marked brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) carcasses were placed at tower sites once
during each sampling period, and the mean percent of cowbirds recovered by technicians ranged
from 24.3% ± 5.1% to 43.7% ± 4.7% across all trials. Cowbirds were also used to estimate theremoval of carcasses by scavengers at tower study sites, another source of negative bias tocarcass count data. Less than 30% of all carcasses placed were removed within one week. We
recommend restricting the height of proposed communication towers to less than 150 m tominimize negative impacts posed to migrating birds.

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Pride and desire for the local heritage is the key to conservation
education: a case of an elementary school in remote areas in a
Japanese village
J. Iwamoto1, K. Karasawa2 and Y. Kimura3
1

Nagaoka Municipal Science Museum, Niigata prefecture, Japan
Joetsu Kasugashinden elementary school, Niigata prefecture, Japan
3
Nagaoka Nakanomata elementary school, Niigata prefecture, Japan
Email: iwamoto-jiro@city.nagaoka.lg.jp
2Conservation of endangered species requires long-term monitoring, which makes therole of local residents indispensable. Since the monitoring effort should be sustained
over generations, nature education plays a leading role to bring up future generations
that are able to continue the work. Although school education is one of the options, theaims of education generally differ between schools and conservation agencies. Thus
partnership between these two fields of education is far from satisfactory. We present acase where this educational partnership is realized, providing details on the background,the process and the current status of the program. Nakanomata elementary school in
Nagaoka city, Japan, is a small school with 15 pupils located in a snowy mountainous
region. This region has natural beech forests that are home to a few nationallyendangered forest birds. The residents of this small village with 180 households, takepride in the traditional culture of the region, such as tea ceremony (“Sado”) and local
dance (“Kodaiji”), and are eager to preserve them. This elementary school cooperates
with the residents in a project of cultural inheritance. In addition to this local heritage
study, the school started a new program of environmental study asking for the assistanceof the Nagaoka Municipal Science Museum. This joint program involves pupils
identifying and observing the local species of wildlife, such as aquatic animals and birds,
and reporting their daily observations onto a public board at school. The tradition ofcooperation between the whole village community and the teachers of the school has
made it possible for this program to be initiated with the assistance of the museum. We
will also address the issues associated with this program.

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Behavioral responses of shorebirds to wind turbines on Wang-Gong,
Chung-Hua Coast in Taiwan
Fang-Yee Lin, Shin-Yi Huang, Pei-Fen Lee
Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Life Science,
National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
Email: fangyee.lin@gmail.com
Previous studies have shown that wind turbines can cause collision mortality incertain bird species, particularly in migratory raptors. However, our understanding on
how wind turbines influence movement patterns of birds is still limited. In this study,
we compared local movement patterns of shorebirds during pre-construction,
construction and operational periods to assess how these birds responded to thepresence of wind turbines on Wang-Gong, Chung-Hua Coast in Taiwan. In our study
area there are ten wind turbines, spaced irregularly along the flight path of shorebirds
flying between their daily foraging and roosting grounds. We recorded the flight path,
including flight height, from 1 hour before until 1.5 hours after high tide monthly.
Flight paths were categorized in four sections: (1) eastern section beyond windturbines, (2) narrow inter-turbine interval section (turbines spaced at 200m intervals),(3) wide inter-turbine interval section (spacing of 500m between turbines), and (4)southern section beyond wind turbines. Our data showed that the flight height ofabout 40% of all individuals was within the range of the turbine blades (40m-120m)
for these three periods. The movement patterns of shorebirds was significantly
different between pre-construction and operational periods (χ2=592.12, p<0.001). The
proportion of individuals using the wind turbine section to commute between theforaging and roosting area remained unchanged during these three periods. However,the usage of the narrow inter-turbine interval section decreased from 27.19% to 8.56%
during the pre-construction and operational periods, respectively. The shift of flight
location from narrow to wide inter-turbine interval sections indicated thatinter-turbine distance could affect the local movement patterns of shorebirds. We
suggest that in future the intervals between wind turbines should be cautiously
incorporated into the design of wind power developments to mitigate the impacts ofwind turbines on wildlife.

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Causes of migratory bird mortality at a stopover site in Korea
Gi-Chang Bing1, Hyun-Young Nam1, Chang-Yong Choi2 and Hee-Young Chae1
1

Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service,
Republic of Korea
2
Lab of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul
National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Email: resetpkc@hanmail.net (G.-C. Bing)
Hong-do is a small island located in the SW end of Korea and is an important stopoversite for migratory birds. We collected data on bird mortality at Hong-do during
2007-2011, and classified them according to the causes of mortality; Feral cats (29.3%)
was the dominant cause of mortality at the study site, followed by collision with
man-made structures (22.3%), oil pollution (15.0%), exhaustion (10.6%), otherhuman-related causes (7.6%), predation by natural enemies (4.6%), traffic accident(0.1%), and cause unknown (10.6%). A total of 1338 birds of 130 species were recorded,
most of them were passerines. The mortality was higher in bird migration season, but it
was much higher and more concentrated in spring than in autumn. Causes of mortality
showed species dependency, probably due to the differences in ecological niche such as
foraging and resting places. Finding and removal of the risk factors for migratory birds
at a stopover site, especially in a small and isolated island, is critical to ensure a
successful migration of birds. Future studies on the mitigation of risk factors should be
carried out at the study site.

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Behavioral responses of wintering Black-faced Spoonbills(Platalea minor) to threats and disturbances in Korea
W.S. Lee and C.Y. Choi
Lab of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul
National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Email: krane@snu.ac.kr
Behavioral responses can be used to understand the impacts of disturbance on animals
and to develop management strategies. To understand the behavioral responses ofendangered Black-faced Spoonbills (Platalea minor) to disturbance factors in winter,both the alert behaviors and flight distances of Black-faced Spoonbills were recorded at
Seongsanpo Inner Bay, Jeju, in the Republic of Korea. A total of 29 factors elicited 319
alert responses by the spoonbills; of these, seven including poachers and predators such
as Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) and feral cats (Felis catus) were identified as
potential threats while the remaining 19 factors were identified as non-lethal disturbancefactors. However, the spoonbills responded to every disturbance factor at a similar level
whether it was lethal or not. Although natural factors such as predation caused somestrong behavioral responses, anthropogenic disturbances caused significantly greater
behavioral responses, in general, than natural stimuli did. Flight distance in relation tohuman approaches, which were the most common disturbances, were affected by theactiveness of the spoonbills, the occurrence of other waterbird species, and theinteraction of these two factors. Based on this, we suggest that Black-faced Spoonbills
benefit from the presence of other waterbirds, and exploit them as an early warning
system. It is necessary to secure sufficient buffer areas (more than 200 m) around key
roosting areas based on the behavioral responses of sympatric waterbirds with longer
flight distances as well as the typical flight distance of wintering Black-faced
Spoonbills.

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The 30-year seabird population trend on
Nakanokamishima, in the south Ryukyus, Japan
H. Kohno 1 and A. Mizutani 1
1Okinawa Regional Research Center, Tokai University, Okinawa, Japan
E-mail: hkohno@scc.u-tokai.ac.jp
Nakanokamishima is an uninhabited island located among the southern Ryukyu Islands
and is the breeding site for Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster), Sooty Tern (Sterna
fuscata), Bridled Tern (S. anaethetus), Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus), Streaked
Shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas) and Bulwer’s Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii). In 1903,
large-scale commercial hunting began. It took only a few years for the seabird
population to decrease and business declined. Some disturbances, mainly egg
exploitation by local people from the islands surrounding Nakanokamishima andfishermen from Taiwan, occurred thereafter. This island was designated as a naturalmonument in 1978 and as a special wildlife protection area in 1982. Although the egg
exploitation stopped in 1980, people frequently landed on the island for fishing, bird
watching and photographing, and resting during diving intervals. A prohibition oflanding except for academic purposes was made widely known by governmental
agencies in 1986. Kohno landed on the island for the first time in 1976 and started amonitoring survey and ecological study, mainly of Sooty Tern that formed a densecolony in the center of the island and Brown Booby nesting throughout the entire island.
The number of Sooty Tern adults and chicks (fledglings) was counted by taking
photographs of the colony using a telephoto lens from two fixed points on nearby hills.
The number of Brown Booby nests was counted along fixed routes. The Sooty Ternpopulation increased gradually from around 4,000 adults and 2,000 chicks (fledglings)
in the 1980s, to over 8,000 and 4,000, respectively, in recent years. Although thenumber of Brown Booby nests gradually increased from around 200 in the 1980s toaround 300 in the 1990s, it has rapidly increased to over 900 in recent years. Thus,
Nakanokamishima has recovered as a breeding site for mixed seabirds over the past 30
years.

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Spatial characteristics of foraging habitat and seasonal changes inpotential foraging area of Golden Eagle in deciduous broadleaf forest
T. Funo 1, I. Shinbo 2, Y. Yamaga 3, O. Aihara 3, T. Sekijima 2 and M. Abe 4
1

Division of Nature and Environment management, Museum of Nature and Human

Activities, Hyogo, Sanda, Japan
2

Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan

3

Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan

4

Raptor Japan, Tokyo, Japan

Email: funo@hitohaku.jp
Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos mainly inhabit environments with few trees, such as
steppes or mountain districts above forest boundaries. A subspecies of the Golden Eagle,
the Japanese Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos japonica, which is an endangered species
in Japan, is an exception to this rule, being distributed in deciduous broadleaf forest
belts including coniferous plantation. Seasonal changes in the spatial structure of
deciduous broad-leaved forest may exert a large influence on foraging habitat selectionof the Japanese Golden Eagle, which could in turn influence prey use and/or breeding
success of this subspecies. In this study, we compared characteristics of foraging habitatof eagles before and after leaf out by airborne laser scanner, and estimated potential
foraging area within the home-range of a certain pair for developing

conservation

scenarios for this species. Before tree leaf out, foraging habitat used by eagles
predominantly consisted of snow fields and forest gaps, and potential foraging area was
widely distributed within the home-range. After leaf out, the size and shape score offorest gaps in which eagles foraged were larger than those of gaps that were selected
randomly. Eventually, potential foraging area within the home-range dramaticallydecreased from before leaf out to after leaf out. We propose that it is essential toconserve the forest area with large gaps after leaf out and/or to create larger forest gap
in coniferous plantations by forest-thinning for increasing foraging efficacy of thisendangered eagle.

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Impacts of climate change on the alpine habitat of the Rock Ptarmiganin the Hida Mountains, Central Japan
M. Hotta 1, I. Tsuyama 2, K. Nakao 3, M. Ozeki 1, M. Higa 4, Y. Kominami 5,
T. Matsui 3 and N. Tanaka 2
1

Natural Environment Div, Nagano Environmental Conserv Res Inst, Nagano, Japan
Hokkaido Res Center, Forestry and Forest Products Res Inst, Sapporo, Japan
3
Dept of Plant Ecology, Forestry and Forest Products Res Inst, Tsukuba, Japan4
Lab of Plant Ecology, Faculty of Science, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan
5
Kansai Res Center, Forestry and Forest Products Res Inst, Kyoto, Japan
Email: hotta-masanobu@pref.nagano.lg.jp
2

The Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta is adapted to cool, alpine environments. The alpine
zone of the mountains in central Japan is the southern limit of the global distribution of
the species and the population size is small, about 3,000 birds in 1980s. In Japan, thePtarmigan utilizes Pinus pumila, a dominant species of the Japanese alpine zone, as
nesting sites and shelters from predators and mainly feeds in alpine fellfield andsnowbed grassland. It depends heavily on the alpine habitat that is vulnerable to rapid
climate change. In this study, the present and potential future distributions of the
Ptarmigan were assessed in an area (about 20 x 30 km) of the Hida Mountains both withdetailed vegetation maps and with ptarmigan territory records. The current potential
habitats of the Ptarmigan were explained with high accuracy by the GAM model, using
the occupancy of the three alpine vegetations (Pinus pumila community, alpine fellfieldand snowbed grassland) and distance from ridge as predictor variables. The
presence/absence and the occupancy of the three alpine vegetations were also explainedwith high accuracy by the GAM model and by the Random Forest model, using four
climatic variables (warmth index, minimum temperature for the coldest month, summer
precipitation and maximum snow water equivalent) and five topographical variables(slope angle, slope direction, curvature, topographic wetness index and distance fromridge) as predictor variables. The future potential habitat of the Ptarmigan was predictedby applying these models and 24 climate change scenarios for impact assessment. The
suitable habitats of the Ptarmigan decreased remarkably under almost all of the 24
scenarios for 2081-2100, and they were predicted to vanish in the eastern parts of the
focus area.

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Ecological value of urban riparian zones for maintenance of urban
bird diversity in Taipei, Taiwan
Y.J. Lu1, W.C. Lin1, C.J. Ko1 and P.F. Lee1
Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei,
TaiwanEmail: r00b44016@ntu.edu.tw

Urban areas have become one of the most dominant landscapes worldwide, and are
expanding both in size and number. The relationship between bird diversity and urban
environment is important for concerns about the negative impact of urbanization on
bird diversity. However, recent studies have started to focus on the maintenance ofurban bird diversity in the face of increasing human population and expanding cities,
and have proposed hypotheses that could lead to an increase in urban bird diversity.
Cities are typically located near large water bodies, rivers, estuaries, or along
coastlines. Generally, the interface between water and land is referred to as theriparian zone. Compared with urban green spaces, riparian zones have contiguous andlarger areas. In addition, habitat heterogeneity caused by irregular flood anddisturbance provides various resources for birds, with many specialists living only inthis area. However, there has been surprisingly little attention to conservation of urban
riparian zones in Taiwan. Habitat alteration and concretization now threaten the bird
diversity of urban riparian zones. Here, we highlight the value of riparian zones in theurban environment for bird diversity, and identify bird guilds that would be threatenedby urbanization. Our study site is the Taipei Basin, the most populated urban zone in
Taiwan, home to more than six million citizens. The Tamsui River meanders acrossTaipei Basin and develops a large riparian zone. By building a database of over 300
survey points from this study and the Taiwan Breeding Bird Survey, we compare bird
diversity of different regions and the distribution of bird guilds in the Taipei Basin.
Besides, we test the importance of area, NDVI, habitat heterogeneity and urbanization
respectively for riparian bird diversity. Research results will provide conservation
strategies in urban riparian zone for building a biodiversity-friendly city.

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Nest survival of Kentish Plover in the Bohai Bay of Eastern China
P. Que, Y. Chang and Z. Zhang
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences, and EcologicalEngineering,
College of Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
Email: zzw@bnu.edu.cn

Nest survival is an essential component of bird life history because it influences
fitness of individual and thus population viability. Nest survival rates are varied under
different environments, likely due to different factors such as climate, predators,
micro-habitats and anthropogenic impacts. Understanding how factors influence nest
survival is of critical importance for bird conservation and management. Over the past
30 years, mean losses of 30% intertidal areas occurred in the Yellow Sea, whichharbors internationally important stopover sites for many water birds. In parallel with
this, 27-33% of species of shorebirds have declined rapidly in the East
Asian-Australasian Flyway. Conservation and research efforts have been cast on
migratory shorebirds, but rarely focused on breeding shorebirds in the region. Thus
we investigated the nest survival of the Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrines) inorder to have insight into the influence of ongoing habitat losses on survival andreproduction of breeding shorebirds in Bohai Bay, China. Our study shows thatapparent nest survival of Kentish Plover was 23.00% and nest daily survival rate(DSR) was 92.50% ± 0.41% (n = 413). Predation, flood and human disturbance areamong the top reasons for nest failure. We further found negative correlations
between DSR and nest age grew, temperature, precipitation and nest density.
Interestingly, the DSR also exhibits small-scale variation with the DSR of nests in thebank of shrimp ponds being significantly smaller than those in crystallization ponds
and abandoned drilling platforms. Our results demonstrate that both biotic and abiotic
factors influenced nest survival in Kentish Plover in Bohai Bay, perhaps ubiquitous in
East Asia. This finding highlights the negative impacts of tidal land reclamationin Bohai Bay, China on birds beyond wintering and migratory seasons.

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p04-088

Climate change and its multiple impacts on the Qinghai-Tibet
plateau endemic forest birds
Nan Lyu, Yue-Hua Sun
Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
The effects of global climate change have attracted increasing attention, especiallyconcerning the Arctic, and Antarctic areas. The Qinghai-Tibet plateau is considered as“The Third Pole of Earth”. Many endemic species on the plateau had already been
adapted to the high altitudes and low temperatures, and even more, their distributions
are restricted within the plateau. Therefore, climate change might cause disastrous
effects on these species as in polar species. We used Maxent software to constructspecies distribution models for two endemic forest birds, the Sichuan Jay (Perisoreus
internigrans) and Chinese Grouse (Tetrastes sewerzowi), and then predicted andcompared current and future distributions to assess the impacts. Generally, we suggestthat the potential impacts should be manifold for these endemic birds. First, thepotential suitable area size and suitability would decline, especially for Sichuan Jay.
Second, the climate change would compel both species to shift northward and upward,
but quite limited areas would be available for such compensatory extension. Finally,both the decrease and shifting of suitable habitat entail severe further habitat
fragmentation in the future. Furthermore, although the size of suitable area would notchange a lot in the near future for Chinese grouse, fragmentation would exacerbate.
Habitat fragmentation has been proposed as one of the major causes of global
biodiversity loss and local extinction, which may exacerbate the climate change
impacts indirectly through slowing or halting gene flow, and therefore increasing theextinction rate of isolated local populations. Hitherto, the majority of such modelingstudies on climate change were concentrated on the impacts from shifts in suitability
or distribution. Therefore, our resutls also validate the importance of habitat
fragmentation analysis when assessing climate change impacts using the SDM
method.

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p04-089

Use of rice fields by Bean Geese Anser fabalis andWhite-fronted Geese Anser albifrons wintering in Hangang River Estuary
according to post-harvest treatment
J. H. Choi 1 and J. C. Yoo 1
1

Department of Biology and the Korea Institute of Ornithology, Kyung Hee University
Email: lassie81@gmail.com

Foraging habitat use of Bean Geese Anser fabalis and White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons
was investigated in Hangang River Estuary, one of the largest wintering grounds ofwaterbirds in Korea Republic, from 2011-2012 to 2013-2014. Bean Geese forage in both
estuarine wetland and rice fields around Hangang River Estuary. On the other hand, Whitefronted Geese use rice fields as their foraging habitat almost exclusively. The value of rice
fields as habitat for waterbirds can vary according to farming method, such as harvest method,
post-harvest straw treatment and the extent of flooding because the density of rice grains,which are the main food item of geese, can be influenced by how rice fields are managed. We
will focus on post-harvest straw treatment and classify the type of rice fields into ‘no straw
treatment’, ‘straw burned’, ‘straw chopped’ and ‘rice field plowed’, etc. and investigate theuse of Bean Geese and White-fronted Geese of each type. Consequently, we expect toprovide some implications for rice field management in order to contribute to conserve
wintering geese populations in Hangang River Estuary.

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p04-090West coast of Kamchatka peninsula in danger of anthropogenictransformation
A.I. Matsyna 1, Y.N. Gerasimov 2 & E.L. Matsyna 1
1Ornithological Laboratory of Ecological Centre “Dront”, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Email2
Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Institute of Geography FEB RAS, PetropavlovskKamchatsky, Russia
Email: calidris@mail.ru
The West Kamchatka coast is located in the northern part of the East Asian-Australasian flyway.
Up to 1 million of shorebirds are migrating southward through this part of the flyway annually.
35 species of shorebirds are recorded in this area (more than 70 % of the total number ofshorebird species of the Russian Far East). The narrow (0.1–1 km) and long (up to 1000 km)
coastal line of west Kamchatka (including numerous river coastal lagoons and river estuaries) ismost important as a staging point for shorebirds during migration. However till now this area isstill poorly investigated. Ornithologists have visited not more than 5 % of the coastal line of west
Kamchatka. We found that biotope features of the West coast of Kamchatka show significant
differences between them and their efficiency of food providing for shorebirds is not equivalent.
As a rule, there are one or two dominant species in every investigated region: Dunlin Calidris
alpina, Rufous-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis, Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris, Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus & Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica. Duration of stopovers for different
species on Southward migration, amount and location of base gathering, their space structure andsignificance in migration forming are as yet poorly investigated. Activation of fisheries andincipient development of hydrocarbon fuel on the West Kamchatka shelf will certainly lead to a
gradual degradation of the natural environment and significant deterioration of shorebird habitats.
In view of the impending adverse change it is extremely important to collect detailed informationon the abundance and distribution of shorebirds migrating along the West coast of Kamchatka.

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p04-091

The effects of landscape fragmentation on the habitat use ofWoodlarks Lullula arborea and their invertebrate prey
L. Bosco 1,2, R. Arlettaz 1,2, V. Braunisch 1 and A. Jacot 1,2
1

Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Division of Conservation Biology, University ofBern, Switzerland
2
Swiss Ornithological Institute, Field Station Sion, Switzerland
Email: laura.bosco@students.unibe.chVineyards in Switzerland are among the most intensively managed crop systems where
up to 95% of the parcels do not have any ground vegetation cover. However, there has
been a considerable reduction in the application of herbicides over the past decades,
leading to more vegetation of higher diversity on the ground. These different
management types lead to a fragmented mosaic of few parcels with ground vegetationand lots of parcels with bare ground. The Woodlark (Lullula arborea) is an endangered
ground-nesting bird species that occurs in vineyards and here we investigate its habitat
preferences on different scales and in relation to habitat fragmentation. Using the
combination of radio-tracking data, field surveys and satellite images, we demonstrate
the positive effects of ground vegetation on the Woodlark’s habitat use and on its prey.
We show that on the level of micro-habitat selection, Woodlarks favoured foraging anddisplaying habitats with a proportion of ground vegetation cover around 30-60% andwith a higher plant and arthropod species richness. On a territory level, our results show
the effects of landscape fragmentation where highly connected parcels were preferred.
Our findings indicate that fragmentation directly impedes the movement of arthropod
prey whereas the Woodlark adjusts its habitat use in relation to the availability andabundance of its prey. Using these findings, our project aims to give clear
recommendations to winegrowers about the amount, distribution and connectivity ofparcels with ground vegetation within the vineyards, which should ultimately favour
biodiversity in general and Woodlarks in particular.

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p04-092

The impact of sound pollution on territory defence: implications forconservation in mining areas
A. Midamegbe1, C. Schetini de Azevedo2, R. Duarte1, and R. Young3
1 Programa de pós-graduação em Zoologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica
de Minas Gerais, Brazil
2 Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brazil
3 School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford Manchester, UK
Email: afw2m@yahoo.fr
Songs are used by male birds in the context of territory defense. This vocalization allows theassessment of individual fighting ability without engaging in risky and costly fights. Many
studies show evidence that noise pollution has an impact on animal communication. In
particular, anthropogenic noise could mask male song and then increases the probability offights, which could have an impact on individual fitness (survival). Mining is a major
economic activity in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil and occurs in habitats of highbiodiversity. This activity is known to have deleterious impacts on the environment and to
produce sound pollution. However, mining noise pollution’s impact on animalcommunication has rarely been studied. In this study, we experimentally investigated in
captivity the impact of noise pollution from mining activity on territory defense in the Saffron
Finch (Sicalis flaveola). We estimated the probability that two males would enter in physicalcontacts during 15 minutes following the intrusion of one male in the cage of a resident male
and we recorded the vocalizations of both individuals. Each resident male confronted each
intruder in three randomized conditions: (1) with mining noise; (2) with a control noise; (3)without noise. We tested seven males and conducted the tests with a total of 42
tests/condition. Because of the masking effect of vocalizations by noise, we predict that
resident males enter in physical contacts with a higher probability during the tests with noise
exposure and that noise exposure will affect vocalizations such as the rate at which males
vocalize. The result of this study will allow us to estimate whether or not noise from mining
activity can impact population viability due to an increase in costly fights by male birds andwill have implications for conservation of biodiversity in mining areas.

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p04-093 1

Using radio-telemetry to assess relative stopover habitat quality of native andanthropogenic woodlands for migrant birds in the northern Great Plains,
USA
Ming Liu1,2 and David L. Swanson1

12

Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069
Email address: ming.liu@coyotes.usd.edu

Identification of high quality stopover habitat is important for migrant conservation, but habitat
quality can be difficult to assess. Previous studies of plasma metabolites and corticosterone
suggest that both native riparian corridor woodlands and anthropogenic woodlots in the northern
Great Plains, USA, provide similarly suitable stopover habitat for meeting the energetic demandsof migration. Movement behavior during migratory stopover is governed by the energetic
condition of migrants and energetic condition, in turn, is related to the quality of stopover sites.
Based on previous data, we hypothesized that stopover behaviour would be similar between thetwo habitat types. We measured stopover duration, movement rates, and temporary home ranges
in both habitat types for fall migrant Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coranata) byattaching radio-transmitters and relocating birds to corridor (n = 8) or woodlot (n = 8) study sites.
Upon release, we obtained GPS coordinates every 30 min for the rest of the day, and between
these GPS measurements, we observed birds closely for 15 -20 min to estimate the movement
distance between successive locations. On subsequent days, we located radio-tagged birds twice
per day until departure. The range of stopover duration of birds was 0-13 days and birds showedstatistically similar mean (± SE) stopover duration between corridors (5.1 ± 1.3 days) andwoodlots (4.1 ± 0.9 days). Movement rates ranged from 0.6-8.7 m/min and were also statisticallysimilar between corridors (3.5 ± 1.0 m/min) and woodlots (2.6 ± 0.8 m/min). The temporary
home ranges also did not vary significantly between the two habitat types (corridors: 0.09 ± 0.03
km2; woodlots: 0.06 ± 0.01 km2) and ranged from 0.01 to 0.23 km2. These data are in accord
with plasma metabolite and corticosterone data, and suggest little difference in stopover habitat
quality between native and anthropogenic woodland habitats in this region.

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p04-094

An investigation of vital rates of landbird populations on Saipan, Northern
Mariana Islands
P. Radley1, J. Saracco2, P. Pyle2, and E. Rowan2
1

Division of Fish and Wildlife, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan, USA
The Institute for Bird Populations, Point Reyes Station, California, USA
Email: paulradleycnmidfw@gmail.com

2

Little is known about the phenology, vital rates, population dynamics, or trends of resident
landbirds on tropical oceanic islands. Filling this data gap is a critical to the conservation of these
species, which typically have restricted ranges and small population sizes. Here we report on ascheme of standardized mist netting and modern capture-recapture analytical techniques toprovide insights into the phenology and demography of landbirds at six sites on Saipan, Northern
Marianas Islands. Of 14 species, we assessed the phenology and detailed demographic
characteristics of three: Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons), Bridled White-eye (Zosterops
conspicillatus), and Golden White-eye (Cleptornis marchei). Between 2008 and 2012 werecorded 5,360 year-unique captures for all 14 species; 2,195 (41% of total) were Rufous
Fantails, 1,274 (24%) were Bridled White-eyes, and 900 (17%) were Golden White-eyes.
Sampling was concentrated during the late-dry/early-wet season in all years (Apr-Jul), except for2010 when sampling spanned Feb-Oct. Although most breeding appeared to be concentrated in
Mar-Apr, data from 2010 suggested that adults in breeding condition and young birds could befound at any time of year with the extent and timing of breeding varying among years. Adult
population size estimates were variable among sites and tended to be higher during the initial
two years of the study (2008 and 2009) compared to later years (2010-2012). An index of
productivity based on the proportion of immature birds in the catch during Apr-Jul suggested that
productivity was relatively low in the initial two years when adult population sizes were higher.
Adult apparent survival was relatively variable among sites and years for Rufous Fantail, variedamong sites for Golden White-eye, and was relatively low and consistent across space and timefor Bridled White-eye.

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p04-095

Bird communities of an oil palm plantation in East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Yeni A. Mulyani1, Imanuddin2, Tyas D. Juanda3, and Bandung Sahari2

1

Department of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry, Bogor
Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia
2
PT Astra Agro Lestari, Jakarta Indonesia
3
Alumnus, Department of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism, Faculty ofForestry, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor Indonesia
Email: yamulyani@yahoo.com.au

Despite ongoing debates on the negative impact of oil palm plantations on biodiversity, oil palm
plantations are becoming an important landscape in Indonesia. The concept of High
Conservation Value (HCV) Forest is adopted by Indonesian oil palm industry to retain
biodiversity in oil palm plantations. This study aimed at examining bird diversity in different
stages of plantations (9, 13, and 17 years old) and reserved habitat (HCV) in an oil palm
plantation in Labangka Village, District of Penajam North Pasir, East Kalimantan. Our results
showed that reserved habitat had the highest bird species richness, while plantations of nine
years old had the lowest number of bird species. We also found that bird composition in HCV
areas differs from those in oil palm plantations. High maintenance in productive plantation plots
reduced lower vegetation that is important for birds, resulting in a lower number of bird species.
This is in line with a previous study in Guatemala that showed a positive correlation between
bird species richness and understory vegetation. We will discuss some management
recommendation to improve the role of High Conservation Value areas in retaining bird diversityof oil palm plantation.

.

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p04-096

Detection of breeding sites of the Bryan’s shearwater in the Bonin
Islands, subtropical JapanK. Kawakami 1, K. Horikoshi 2, H. Suzuki 2, M. McKown 3 and P. Pyle 4
1

Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Institute of Boninology, Ogasawara, Tokyo, Japan
3
University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
4
The Institute for Bird Populations, Point Reyes Station, California, USA
Email: kazzto@ffpri.affrc.go.jp
2

The Bryan’s Shearwater (Puffinus bryani) is a new species described in 2011 based on a
specimen collected in Midway Atoll in 1963. It is probable that this shearwater does not
regularly breed in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, because there has been only one
additional record, in early 1990s, since the first specimen. However, six individuals of
the shearwater have been found as carcasses and rescued individuals in the Bonin
Islands, off Japan, since 1997. Therefore, the shearwater possibly breeds in the islands.
Since this shearwater is considered to be seriously threatened or endangered because of
the limited number of records, the detection and conservation of its breeding area isurgently required. In order to attempt locating breeding colonies, we conducted acoustic
surveys in winter, when they are suspected to breed. We deployed a total of 18
recording units (SongMeter 2, Wildlife Acoustics Inc.) on three seabird breeding islands(uninhabited small satellite islets of Chichijima Island) in the winters of 2011 and 2012.
They recorded for one minute every ten or fifteen minutes from dusk to dawn. An
acoustic analysis software package (Song Scope ver. 4.1.3A, Wildlife Acoustics Inc.)was used to automatically search for calls of the shearwater, using a vocalization sampleof the shearwater recorded in Midway Atoll in 1990s as a reference. The results showed
the existence of the shearwater on at least two islets. The shearwater most frequently
called in February and March, while the vocalizations were recorded from Dec to April.
Bryan's Shearwaters actively vocalized during 19:00-22:00 and 2:00-5:00. Although anest has not yet been found, we strongly suspect that they breed on these islets. These
recordings are the first reliable evidence of the shearwater's survival. In the future wewill actively seek to locate breeding individuals.

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p04-097

Agricultural nature conservation for meadow bird families; foodavailability in grass field margins
J.M.R.Wiggers, J. van Ruijven, A.P. Schaffers, F. Berendse and G.R. de Snoo
Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, University and Research Center Wageningen,Wageningen, the Netherlands
Email: hanneke.wiggers@wur.nl
Agricultural intensification in grass fields has led to the decline of meadow bird populationsin the Netherlands in the last 60 years, due to a negative effect on reproductive success.
Meadow bird chick habitat has declined in quality and quantity, thereby reducing the foodavailability for meadow bird chicks. Agri-environment schemes (AES) for meadow birds tohalt the decline in meadow bird numbers are up to date not sufficient. These AES are mostly
on the level of whole fields while recent research suggest that grass field margins could be
more suitable chick habitat than the main field. Therefore, it would be interesting to
specifically target grass field margins as part of meadow bird AES. Our research examinedthe differences in food availability for meadow bird families in different locations on a grassfield and differences in food availability between field margins with different management
regimes.
We showed strong differences in food availability within fields, depending on meadow bird
species. The prey species of Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) chicks showed no clear pattern
within fields, whereas those of Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) chicks were foundmostly in the main part of the field. The preferred prey species of chicks of Black-Tailed
Godwit (Limosa limosa) and Redshank (Tringa totanus) predominantly occurred in the fieldmargin. Furthermore, additional management of grass field margins improved the amount of
the preferred prey species of these two meadow bird species. Leaving the margin unfertilized
or unmowed at first mowing of the field both positively influenced the number of large flying
insects in the margin. It is concluded that food availability within a grass field differs between
meadow bird species. Particularly for Black-Tailed Godwit and Redshank, grass field margins
constitute an important part of the field which is even more profound with additional grassfield margin management.

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p04-098

Interactions between nest predation and fragmentation in tropicalisland pacific birds
Rebecca Liv Stirnemann, Ed Minot, Murray Potter, David Butler
rstirnemann@gmail.com

Habitat loss and fragmentation has occurred at unprecedented rates in the last decade,especially in tropical rainforests. The loss of forest habitat is considered one of themain causes of extinction for tropical forest birds, yet the mechanism by which
habitat loss affects bird populations is poorly understood. This is particularly true on
islands in the South Pacific where there is likely to be an interaction between two
confounding factors, forest loss and invasive species. The present study examines therelationship between nest predation and nest predation in Samoan forests. We
monitored artificial nests at two different scales: (1) the position of a bird nest within
the landscape, and (2) the microhabitat in the immediate locality of the nest. Results
suggested landscape scale factors, such as the proximity to plantations, affected nest
depredation rates by the black rat (Rattus rattus). Furthermore macrohabitat factors
measured at the nest site, such as the percentage of low (<15cm) ground coversurrounding the nest tree, also influenced nest depredation rates. However, our results
did not show a significant variation between edge habitat away from plantations andinterior forest sites (<1km from the edge). This is the first quantitative study toinvestigate how the spatial positioning of the nest influences invasive rat predation
rates of native birds in the South Pacific. We predict that increased conversion ofnative habitat to plantations at the landscape scale is likely to indirectly increase nest
predation rates of forest birds. Furthermore, our study suggests that purely
maintaining large forest patches may not be a sufficient method for preventing rat
predation on interior forest sites since they also experience high predation levels.
Control of black rat numbers may be critical for maintaining sensitive bird species on
South Pacific islands.

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p04-099

State uncertainty models for migration stopover dynamics of an endangered
short distance migrant, the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), in South
Carolina, USA
Jonathan B. Cohen1, Sidney Maddock2, Melissa Bimbi3, Walker Golder4, Olivia Ledee5,
Francesca J. Cuthbert5, Daniel Catlin6, James Fraser6 & Cheri Gratto-Trevor7
1

State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Dept. ofEnvironmental and Forest Biology, 1 Forestry Dr., Syracuse, NY 13210, USA;
2
Audubon North Carolina, P.O. Box 1359, Buxton, NC 27920, USA;
3
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, South Carolina Field Office, 176 Croghan Spur Rd, Suite 200,
Charleston, SC 29407, USA;
4
National Audubon Society, 7741 Market Street Unit D, Wilmington NC, 28411, USA;
5
University of Minnesota, Dept.of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology,1980 Folwell
Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
6
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Dept, Fish and Wildlife Conservation;
Blackcsburg, VA 24061, USA; and7
Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment
Canada,115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0X4, Canada
Email: jcohen14@esf.edu
Short-distance migrant beach-nesting shorebirds contend with human disturbance and habitat
development on their breeding, migratory stopover, and wintering sites. As breeding groundmanagement has encountered diminishing returns, interest in understanding threats innonbreeding areas has increased. Repeatable estimates of nonbreeding demographic rates (suchas arrival and residency) are generally lacking, however, which hinders the study of limiting
factors. We estimated fall migration demographic rates of endangered Piping Plovers at foursites in South Carolina in 2006/7 and 2007/8 using mark-recapture models, taking advantage ofbirds color-banded on the breeding grounds. We used a robust design state uncertainty model toaccount for heterogeneity in arrival and departure rates between migrants and winter residents,
and classification uncertainty for those two states. Cumulative probability of arrival was >33%
by August for both residents and migrants, and reached 95% for both groups by October.
Estimated residence time of migrants was approximately 30-52 d in the first winter and 50-74 din the second. Residence probabilities were lower for migrants carrying brood-specific color
combinations from the Great Lakes breeding grounds (most of which were hatch year) than for
those carrying unique color combinations (all of which were after hatch year). High resightprobabilities allowed us to make fairly precise estimates of trends in arrival and residency rates
with small sample sizes. Our results imply that habitat protection intended to benefit wintering
Piping Plovers at our sites should be in effect by late summer, as many birds are resident from
July through the end of winter. If banding programs on the breeding grounds continue, long termmonitoring programs can permit separation of demographic variance from sampling error, whichis crucial for further research into population regulation and limiting factors.

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p04-100

Flight behavior of breeding Piping Plovers: implications for risk of collision
with turbines
M. Avis 1 and J. Cohen 1
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY
Email: mlavis@syr.edu
As the focus on clean energy continues globally, collisions of birds with wind turbines in coastal
areas poses a potential threat that could affect populations of imperiled or declining species. We
studied flight characteristics and flight behavior of beach-nesting Piping Plovers at six study sites
in Massachusetts and New Jersey, USA. Using color-banding and radio telemetry to conduct
observations, non-courtship flights were mapped in 2012 and 2013. Preliminary results suggestthat the center points of flight paths were clustered by territory (MRPPP<0.001 for all sites in all
years). During 2012, we found differences in day-time flight frequency between three
Massachusetts study sites and Stone Harbor, New Jersey (Negative Binomial Regression, F4,127 =
2.69, P = 0.034). We found that flight frequency of breeding Piping Plovers may be dependent
upon habitat configuration, and flight paths of breeding Piping Plovers typically remain within
the boundaries of their nesting and feeding territories, which has implications for populationlevel risks of turbine placement. Day-time flight frequency for 2013 is currently under analysis.
Assessing Piping Plover flight behaviors during times of poor visibility can also help to evaluate
the potential threat of turbine construction at or near breeding areas because birds may be mostsusceptible to collision with turbines during these occasions. During the 2013 field season, we
deployed an automated telemetry receiver with the ability to detect movements over a 24-hour
period, including at night and in poor weather. These data are also currently under analysis.
Additionally, we collected data on flight height and flight speed, which can be input directly into
existing collision-risk models, and our results may be used in future construction planning ofcoastal turbines.

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p04-101

Variable responses of the Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius tocall-playbacks in the breeding season
A. UnnoForestry Research Institute, Hokkaido Research Organization, Bibai, Japan
Email: unno-akira@hro.or.jp
The Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius is an endangered species in Japan, caused
by a reduction in the extent of suitable habitat containing the large trees that it requires
for nesting in. However, there are few studies about population estimation anddynamics of the species, while this is crucial information for conservation.
Call-playback surveys have been conducted for many woodpecker species, including
the Black Woodpecker, but few studies have examined the response rates of thewoodpeckers to these surveys. To estimate population dynamics accurately, theresponse rate to call playback should be elucidated. By waiting for a Black Woodpecker
near the nest, I examined their variable responses to call-playbacks in breeding season
in Hokkaido, Japan. Call-playback surveys were conducted every two weeks on two
breeding pairs of Black Woodpecker, one located in the Mikasa area (during two years),and one in the Makkari area (during three years). A total of 45 trials were conducted
over three years. The Black Woodpecker responded to call-playback at 31 trials. Male
woodpeckers appeared at 13 trials, females at 5 trials, and pairs at 3 trials. Males
appeared from before the egg laying period to the nestling period, while females only
responded to the call-playbacks before the egg laying period and until halfway the
incubation period. The response declined from laying period to the first half of thenestling period. Thus, multiple censuses should be conducted at intervals during thebreeding season. Distance from the nest and time of day had little effect on response tocall-playback. The lack of effect of time of day on Black Woodpecker responses can be
helpful in planning censuses because of the lack of temporal constraints. Before egg
laying, woodpeckers could frequently be observed for more than 20 minutes, but the
duration of this observation period decreased throughout the breeding season. Time of
day and distance from the nest did not have important effects on the staying time.

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Habitat selection and female choice in polygynous Japanese Marsh
Warblers
M. Takahashi 1, 2, 3, M. Kamioki 2, J. Ebina 3, A. Miya 3 and K. Ueda 2
1

Center for Toki and Ecological Restoration (CTER), Niigata University, Sado, JapanLab of Animal Ecology, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan3
NPO Oosekka-land, Hachinohe, Japan
Email: hachi77vanellus@yahoo.co.jp
2

For effective conservation of endangered bird species, it is necessary to understand how
habitat selection might influence breeding success. The Japanese Marsh Warbler
Locustella pryeri (IUCN category: Near Threatened, Japanese category: Endangered) is
endemic to East Asia and has a polygynous mating system. Previous work has shownthat the distribution of breeding males is related to the vegetation structure in wet
grassland. Males prefer to establish territories in the specific grassland areas wherereeds are less than 2.5 m tall and have abundant understory vegetation. However, their
nesting environments are varied on a small scale and little is known about (1) how thenesting microhabitat affects the nesting success and (2) how breeding habitat selection
by males affects their mating and breeding success. We studied this at Hotokenuma
wetland (the largest breeding site in Japan) where we monitored 209 breeding males and
250 nesting attempts during the 2007-2009 breeding seasons. (1) We found that nests
that were situated in the specific type of grassland were more successful (had higher
rates of survival) than nests found in other microhabitats, indicating that vegetation
structure is an important factor influencing the nesting success. (2) We conducted ananalysis of male mating success (number of mating females and nesting attempts),
which showed that males with larger structural body sizes obtained more mates and had
more nesting attempts than smaller males. This suggests that female chose mates basedon male body size and not territory quality (area or vegetation structure). However, we
also found that the number of successful nests and total number of fledglings wereunrelated to both male quality and territory quality. We discuss relationships between
male breeding habitat selection and female choice or male breeding success. Ourfindings will provide useful information for environmental management of the species.

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Influence of microhabitat structures on waterbird communities in rice
fieldsHyung-Kyu Nam, Seung-Hye Choi, and Jeong-Chil Yoo
The Korea Institute of Ornithology and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University
Email: hyungkyu@khu.ac.kr

Rice fields provide temporary artificial wetlands to waterbird communities, and offer aperiodic alteration between freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. It has been
established worldwide that rice fields provide a suitable habitat for waterbirds. However,
only few studies have assessed the influence of seasonal heterogeneity of microhabitats
within rice fields on waterbird species during the course of a year. The present study
investigated the effects of seasonal microhabitat composition on the distribution andabundance of waterbirds in the rice fields of central-western Korea. The waterbirds
using microhabitats were found to be more influenced by the accessibility of foodresource than food abundance. Water levels in rice fields varied depending upon theirrigation intensity during the spring, and the distribution of shorebirds acrossmicrohabitats was determined by the shorebirds’ foraging methods and body sizes. In
the summer and autumn, when the rice fields are dense, microhabitat selection of herons
was found to be influenced by food detectability and accessibility. Further, whenwaterfowl visited rice fields during the winter, the distribution of food initially affected
their microhabitat selection; however, as the habitat changed in accordance with thestraw manipulations, waterfowl preferred the microhabitat with relatively less humandisturbance. These study results show that various seasonal cultivation methods play
important roles in the seasonal visitation of waterbirds in rice fields.

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Does presence/absence of raptor species explain bird and plant
diversity better than patch area and shape?
M. Senzaki 1, Y. Yamaura 1
1

Lab. Forest Ecosystem Management, Hokkaido University
Email: bittern0412@yahoo.co.jp
It is logistically challenging to build conservation plans by revealing habitat
requirements of all species in the target ecosystems. In this context, conservation
planners use biodiversity surrogates such as indicator species or landscape structure to
identify areas with high conservation values.
Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus is one of the top predators in wetland ecosystems, andfrequently invoked as an umbrella species. We examined the presence/absence of thisspecies in relation to the area and shape of wetland patches, species richness of wetland
birds and wetland plants, and abundance of wetland birds in 29 wetland patches (2-132ha) in central Hokkaido, northern Japan.
Marsh Harriers bred in 12 wetland patches. Model selection showed that
presence/absence of harriers was related to wetland bird species richness and abundance,and patch shape was of secondary importance to bird abundance. Specifically, wetland
bird richness and abundance were greater in harrier breeding patches, and abundance
was greater in patches with simpler shape. Patch area was not important for wetland
bird species richness and abundance. These covariates did not significantly explain
wetland plant richness.
Harrier breeding patches had high bird species richness and abundance, which would
indicate that habitat requirements of harriers were similar with those of wetland bird
species. Another possible reason is that the presence of harriers may be a cue for habitat
selection of wetland birds (heterospecific attraction). On the other hand, wetland plant
richness was not explained by the presence/absence of harriers and the area and shape of
patches. Habitat requirements of many plant species would differ from those of harriers.
In conclusion, this study suggests that presence of raptor species can be a better
indicator than patch area and shape.

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Foraging habitat selection by overwintering Middendorf’s Bean Geese,Anser fabalis middendorffii, around Fukushima lagoon, JapanS. Matsukuma1, T. Funo2, S. Mochizuki1, H. Ishiniwa3, T. Ishima4, T. Sekijima1
1

Graduate school of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanThe Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo, Japan
3
National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
4
Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan
Email: Shiori.ursidae.pinus@gmail.com
2

In many countries, a rapid decrease in the number of migratory birds has been caused
by global climate change, human-induced habitat deterioration, and so on. IUCN
classified 11% of migratory bird species in the world as threatened or near- threatened
species on their Red List.
Middendorf’s Bean Goose, Anser fabalis middendorffii, which is a large sized
migratory waterfowl and designated as near-threatened species in Japan, overwinters inlagoons and lakes in Japan. Above all, more than 70% of Middendorf’s Bean Geese
flying to Japan during winter overwinter at Fukushima lagoon and in its surrounding
paddy fields. These geese use the lagoon as roost at night, and paddy fields around thelagoon as foraging habitats during the daytime. Therefore, paddy fields play animportant role as a habitat for making up energy requirement for overwintering andmigration. Recently, however, the environment around the lagoon was remarkably
changed by expansion of the lagoon and farmland consolidation in paddy fields, whichmight pressure overwintering goose population. Loss and deterioration of foraging sites
could cause poorer energy intake, decrease survival rate, and eventually lead to a
reduction of overwintering population size. In order to conserve the wintering goose
population, it is essential to demonstrate which areas are to be preserved around
Fukushima lagoon, based on features of suitable foraging habitats for geese.
This study aims to build an optimal model for predicting suitable foraging habitat,based on foraging site data, and to extrapolate the optimal model to the paddy
environment around Fukushima lagoon, to map potentially suitable foraging areas, andfinally to detect a candidate area in which to push for effective habitat restoration, forthe geese.

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Energy requirement of Middendorf’s Bean Geese and carrying
capacity in Fukushima lagoon and the surrounding paddy fields
Mukai, H.1, Matsukuma, S.1,
Sekijima, T1

Funo, T.2,

Oh-ishi, M.3, Ishiniwa , H.4, Ishima, T.5,

1

Graduate school of science and technology, Niigata University
Mus. of Nat. and Human Act. Hyogo
3
Sado Ikimono Lab Center4
National Institute for Environmental Studies. Ibaraki
5
Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences
Email: f13e018d@mail.cc.niigata-u.ac.jp
2

Migratory birds are known to move seasonally over long distances between breeding
and wintering grounds. Deterioration and/or loss of either area used by migratory birds
have a huge impact on their survival. Fukushima lagoon, which is located in Niigata
Prefecture, Japan, is an important overwintering site for many migratory wildfowl
species. Middendorf’s Bean Goose, Anser fabalis middendorffii, which is one of
migratory wildfowl designated as a near-threatened species by the ministry ofenvironment, migrates to the lagoon every winter. And, more than 70 % of the geese
migrating to Japan in winter overwinter in Fukushima lagoon. They mainly use thelagoon as roost and paddy fields around the lagoon as foraging site. Therefore, paddy
fields have been considered as an important overwintering habitat for this species. In
recent years, however, the paddy environment around the lagoon has remarkably
changed by expansion of the lagoon and farmland consolidation in paddy fields, whichmight pressure overwintering goose populations. Loss and deterioration of foraging
sites could cause poorer energy intake, decrease survival rate, and eventually lead to a
reduction in overwintering population size. To maintain the population size of bean
goose in Fukushima lagoon, it is necessary to understand the amount of resources
needed to fulfill the energy requirement of geese during overwintering.
In this study, we first clarify its food items and diet contribution of each food using
DNA barcoding and stable isotope analyses. Then, we compare energy requirements ofgeese during winter with the total amount of energy estimated by both the biomass andthe caloric content of food items available within the foraging area. Finally, we discuss
management scenario to conserve goose populations overwintering in Fukushimalagoon.

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Quality or quantity? - large-scale and small-scale factors shaping
distribution of forest bird species in Polish Carpathian mountains.
T. Wilk1, R. Bobrek1, A. Pępkowska-Król1
1

Polish Society for the Protection of Birds

tomasz.wilk@otop.org.pl

Habitat features acting both at a small and large scale are known to influence the distributionof many bird species. However the impact of habitat structure on bird presence has beenrarely studied at a wide geographical range, especially in montane areas. Here, based on
extensive bird surveys carried out in the Polish part of the Carpathian mountains (ca. 20 000km2) we assess the importance of factors acting at different scales in shaping the distributionof forest birds. Bird surveys covered ca. 250 plots, with more than 2 200 observation points inwhich both data on bird abundance and on habitat structure was gathered. The study revealed
that factors operating both at a small-scale (stand level) and large-scale (landscape) level havea significant influence on the presence of birds, both for whole forest bird assemblages andindividual species. Stand-level factors were of particular importance for some rare or
threatened bird species, like White-backed Woodpecker, Stock Dove, Collared Flycatcher andRed-breasted Flycatcher. Such studies, besides scientific interest, might have significant
protection implications, allowing to infer the optimal habitat structure for specific species andin consequence are crucial for planning appropriate conservation measures.

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Foraging site selection and conservation of the Baikal Teal in rice fields
around Katano-kamoike, Kaga City, Japan
H. Tajiri 1, Y. Sakurai 1,2, K. Tagome 2, Y. Nakano 2, Y. Yamamoto 2,
T. Ikeda 3, Y. Yamamura 4 and K. Ohkawara 5,
1

Wild Bird Society of Japan
Kamoike Observation Centre Friendship Members
3
Daisyoji Hokouryouku
4
Kaga City Environmental Division
5
Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology,
Kanazawa University
Email: tajiri@wbsj.org
2

The Baikal Teal Anas formosa is a dabbling duck distributed in the Far Eastern regionof Asia. The world population size is estimated at about 500,000 individuals. The duck
mainly winters in wetlands of South Korea, and, in Japan, 5,000-10,000 individuals also
winter. The Ministry of the Environment of Japan designated the Baikal Teal as avulnerable species (VU). The Katano-kamoike Pond in Kaga City is one of the main
wintering sites of the Baikal Teal in Japan. The wintering flocks roost at the pond in thedaytime, fly away in the evening and forage on agricultural lands during night. In
2011-2012, we examined the foraging behaviour of Baikal Teal flocks in the winteringseason, to support conservation of this species. By radiotracking of 20 individuals, we
confirmed 256 nocturnal foraging sites, which were almost all rice fields. Using the dataand spatial data for land use, we estimated the probability of occurrence of foraging
Baikal Teals in mesh units (500 m x 500 m) by construction of generalized linear
models. GLM model selection showed that the area of rice fields, the area of rice fields
in eight meshes around each mesh, the average angle of slope and the area of lakes andrivers had positive effects on the occurrence of foraging ducks, whereas the distancefrom the Katano-kamoike to each foraging mesh had a negative effect. Applying thismodel, we can make suggestions for conservation of Baikal Teals wintering in rice
fields around Katano-kamoike.

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Wintering farmland bird assemblages in Hungary, Central Europe
A. Báldi1, L. Somay1 and A. Kovács-Hostyánszki1,2,*
1

Lendület Ecosystem Services Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research,
2-4 Alkotmány Str., H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary;2
Hungarian Natural History Museum, 13 Baross Str., H-1088 Budapest, Hungary*Email: kovacs.aniko@okologia.mta.hu

The decline of farmland bird populations is probably the most important challenge forbird conservation in Europe. As winter period is the „bottleneck” for the survival of
populations, it is crucial to understand bird population sizes and habitat use. This needis even more pronounced due to the ongoing climate change. Wintering farmland birds
have received little attention in Central Europe, although differences between West andCentral-East European farmland bird communities are well known. In this study weintend to find direct correlations between bird assemblages and winter seed food supply.
Our study area was the Trans-Danubian Mezőföld, an intensively farmed region of
Hungary. We censused wintering birds in semi-natural grasslands, seeded meadows,
ploughed fields and autumn sown wheat fields three times in the wintering period. The
available winter food (i.e. seed) was estimated in the top soil layer and on shoots.
During the three censuses we recorded 346 individuals of 10 granivorous species, 191
individuals of 14 resident species, 652 individuals of 10 short-distance migrants.
Semi-natural grasslands showed the highest and sown grasslands the second highest
total species richness and abundance values, also for granivorous species richness.
Higher seed mass was found on semi-natural and sown grasslands than on ploughedsites and winter wheat fields. There was a positive correlation between bird species
richness and seed mass only for the December census. If the CAP reform is to support
intensification (including the conversion of grassland to arable fields), decline of winterfood supply is expected. We propose maintenance of multifunctional and heterogeneouslandscape structure and better understanding of wintering bird communities and the roleof food needs surveys at the landscape level, and monitoring of both birds and resources
during the non-breeding season.

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p04-111

Changes in the numbers of four species of birds, the House Sparrow, theCape Glossy Starling, the Laughing Dove, and the Cape Turtle Dove in two
provinces of South Africa
J. N. Maina and L. Steyn
Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006,
South Africa
Email: jmaina@uj.ac.za; lindisteyn@live.com

Of the ~9,920 extant bird species, 1,253 of them are threatened. The decline of birds,
particularly the House Sparrow and the starlings, over about the last three decades have beenwell-documented. In Great Britain, the numbers of House Sparrows have declined by asmuch as 60%, the starlings by 41% and the Turtle Doves by 71% while in South Africa, thenumbers of Cape Turtle Dove and the Laughing Dove have declined by 10%. In this study,
the density index of four bird species in two provinces of South Africa, a generally urbanized
one (Gauteng) and a fairly rural one (Limpopo) were determined. Data obtained from the
Avian Demographic Unit (ADU) of the University of Cape Town for two national counts,
SABAP1 (1987-1992) and SABAP2 (2007-2012), were analysed. The House Sparrows andthe Laughing Doves showed declines in both provinces: for the House Sparrows, the decline
was significant (P < 0.001) while for the Laughing Doves it was not at P > 0.3 and P > 0.4,
respectively. For the Cape Turtle Doves, the decline was significant (P < 0.02) in Gauteng
but not in Limpopo (P > 0.4); the increase in the numbers of the Cape Glossy Starlings was
significant (P < 0.01) in Gauteng but not in Limpopo (P> 0.6). The reasons for the declines
between the periods of the counts can be attributed to a number of well-documented factors
which including climate change, change in land use, increase in air pollution and introductionof alien bird species, leading to interspecific competition for resources. Changes in thedensity indices of birds in South Africa appear to follow the world trends.

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An application of IUCN categories and criteria to the birds of Iran; a casestudy of Anatidae
Elham Nourani1, Mohammad Kaboli2, Ben Collen3

1

Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Nagasaki University, Japan
Department of Environmental Science, University of Tehran, Iran
3
Center for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution, andEnvironment, University College London, United Kingdom
E-mail: enourani@ut.ac.ir
2

Carrying out conservation programs requires a thorough knowledge on the threat status of
species. While birds in Iran are facing serious threats and population declines, conservation
efforts are hampered by a lack of knowledge on their threat status. IUCN Red List categories andcriteria are the most widely used method for determining the extinction risk of species at nationaland global levels. With an aim to determine whether this method is suitable for producing thenational Red List of birds in Iran, we used IUCN categories and criteria along with IUCN
regional guidelines to determine the national threat status of Anatidae species, including 29 nonbreeding migrant populations and 14 breeding populations. A variety of data on population,
geographic distribution, and threats were collected and analyzed. Each species was then assessedagainst as many Red List criteria as the available data allowed. Criteria D and A were the mostcommonly used for assessment of the non-breeding populations while criterion B was the only
criteria which allowed categorization of the breeding populations. In 30% of the assessments,
due to the lack of suitable data, populations were categorized as Data Deficient. In the final
national Red List, 25 of the non-breeding and 4 of the breeding populations were placed in thethreatened categories. Due to the shortage of high-quality data on trends, population size, anddistribution of birds in Iran, in order to use the IUCN method on other species, we suggest
focusing on criteria B and D, which call for determining the current population size anddistribution of species.

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Survival of the White-naped Crane requires larger international efforts inEast Asia
Nyambayar Batbayar 1, Claire Mirande 2, George Archibald 2,
Tseveenmyadag Natsagdorj 3, Iderbat Damba 3, Robert Skorkowsky 4, and Liz
Schnackenberg 4, Jiao Shengwu 5, Li Fengshan 2
1

Wildlife science and conservation center of Mongolia, Mongolia
International Crane Foundation, USA
3
Institute of Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences3, Mongolia
4
United States Forest Service, USA
5
Beijing Forestry University, Chinae-mail: nyambayar@wscc.org.mn
2

Focusing conservation actions on a culturally significant and long-distance migratory species
such as the White-naped Crane Grus vipio offers a tremendous opportunity for multi-national
collaboration on conservation issues which will be critical for the survival of this species andother threatened migratory waterbirds. We have started an international project for thisspecies in East Asia focusing on urgent research and conservation needs. Initial assessment
indicates that the threats confronting this species cover a broad spectrum from localized
issues associated with grazing and agricultural conversion to global issues related to climatechange, melting permafrost, and dramatic changes in hydrology affecting entire ecosystems.
The survival of the species will require larger international efforts because the target species
is migratory; current knowledge of ecological factors is limited; the main breeding area
includes the border region between Mongolia, Russia, and China; and its migration flyway
lies along one of the most rapidly changing human developed regions on earth - East China.
In 2013 we started tracking White-naped Cranes that breed in Mongolia via satellite and cell
phone telemetry. As of April 2014 we identified three sites that were used both for spring andfall migration, and considered important for migratory connectivity of this species. Thesesites include 1) an unprotected area near Duolun in Inner Mongolia which is facing tourist
development, 2) Cangzhou/Beidagang near Bohai Bay with limited protection andundergoing rapid coastal economic development, and 3) the Miyun Reservoir affected by
disturbance from farming and facing potential new water development projects. Our data
were collected during a wet year in these regions. Additional tracking data are needed, notonly to reinforce what we have obtained on stop-overs and migration routes, but also to
identify and protect alternate stopover sites used under different hydrologic conditions suchas drought.

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Recent status of Steller’s Sea Eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus inSoutheastern Hokkaido
M. Sumita1, Y. Watanabe1, Y. Yoshida1, V.B. Masterov2 and K. Saito1
1Institute for Raptor Biomedicine Japan
Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty of the Moscow State University
Email: m_sumita@irbj.net

2

For the past 30 years, the wintering range of Steller’s Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus
pelagicus; SSE) has been changing within Hokkaido. High concentrations of SSEs wereoriginally seen in northeastern Hokkaido (around Shiretoko peninsula), however, in thepast 20 years, they are starting to disperse and the concentration in southeastern
Hokkaido (Kushiro and Nemuro peninsula) has been increasing. Two distinctive studies
were done to support the importance of southeastern Hokkaido for conserving SSE.
In the first research, SSEs were radio tracked in southeastern part of Hokkaido. Radio
tracking was conducted in an approximately 150 km range in Kushiro and Nemuro areafor 15 non-sequential days from Jan.17th to Mar.27th, 2014 using both vehicle-mounted
and Yagi antennas. Six SSEs were found and tracked for a total of 13 days. These SSEs
were born in Sakhalin Island and tagged with VHF transmitters as fledglings. A total of
37 fledglings were tagged in the same area from the year 2008 to 2010.
Also, adult mortality is a critical factor for the conservation of this specie. In thesecond study, cause and location of death of adult SSEs were investigated for the past 5
years. Forty-five dead SSEs including adult, immature and juvenile were collected
throughout Hokkaido from Apr. 2009 to Mar. 2014. Twenty-seven out of 45 (60%) deadSSEs were adult birds. The most common causes of mortality in adult SSE death wereroad kill (n=8), lead poisoning (n=6), and railroad kill (n=5). Of the 27 dead adult birds,
9 were found in northeastern Hokkaido and 7 were found in southeastern Hokkaido. It
was confirmed that a comparable number of SSEs died in both north and southeastern
Hokkaido.
From the results shown above, southeastern Hokkaido was suggested to be an
essential area for conserving SSEs. Thus, continuous research on the population andmortality risks in southeastern Hokkaido is needed.

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A tentative analysis of genetic differences between wild and laboratory
populations of Japanese Quails using Microsatellite DNA Markers
Mitsuo Nunome, Ryo Tadano, Mikiharu Nakano, Ryoka Miki Kawahara,
Tomohiro Kono, Shinji Takahashi, Takaharu Kawashima, Akira Fujiwara, Keijiro
Nirasawa, Makoto Mizutani, Yoichi Matsuda
mtnunome@agr.nagoya-u.ac.jp
The draft genome assembly of the Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) was deposited
last year. It enhances the importance of this species as an experimental animal model.
However, wild populations of the Japanese Quail are threatened with extinction andtheir population sizes have been declined throughout East Asia in decades. Besides,
genetic introgression of domestic quails into local wild quail populations is becoming amatter of concern in conservation of this species. In Europe, introgressive hybridizationof domestic Japanese Quails and wild populations of their related species, the Common
Quail (C. coturnix) has been reported in the past years. Thus, genetic assessment forwild populations is an essential approach to constitute an appropriate conservation
program of this species. Here, we used 50 microsatellite DNA markers, which weredeveloped based on the draft genome assembly of this species in our previous study, toassess genetic differences between 15 laboratory lines including one commercial line
and 21 wild individuals collected from Honshu and Tsushima island of Japanesearchipelago, and Liaodong Peninsula of China. The fragment of mitochondrial D loop
region (252 bp in length) was also analyzed to infer their breeding history. The
mitochondrial D-loop sequences exhibited three major haplotypes in laboratory lines,
and two of them were shared with wild quails. A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree
revealed that a few unique haplotypes of wild quails differently branched off from basal
nodes of the three haplotypes of laboratory lines. This result suggested different
maternal origins of laboratory lines. Microsatellite markers revealed high levels ofgenetic differences not only among laboratory lines but also between laboratory andwild quail populations. We conclude that these microsatellite markers are more effective
for genetic assessment of wild and domestic quail populations than the mitochondrial D
loop.

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p05-001

Response of Bush Warblers (Cettia dipone) in a highly contaminatedarea near the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power accident
K. Ishida1
1

University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Email: ishiken@es.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp
The four reactors of the Fukushima-daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (F1-NPP) wereseverely damaged by a huge earthquake and tsunami waves on March 11, 2011. An area
greater than 900 square km northwest of F1-NPP was highly contaminated byradioactive material, which originated mainly due to the deliberate venting of thereactors on March 15 and afterwards. The radioactive fallout was more than 6 x 105
Bq/m2 around the area. The main radioactive molecules recorded have been 134Cs and137
Cs. The radioactivity was around 30 to 100 μSv/hr 1m above the ground in this area. I
have investigated birds and other wildlife at this highly contaminated area since
mid-July 2011. I have been capturing bush warblers there since August 2011 and foundsevere contamination on their feathers, levels of which depend on the radioactivity ateach site (Ishida 2012). Automatic multiple recording surveys proved that male Bush
Warblers came to this area in late March, when some snow accumulation remained, andstarted singing actively through mid-August. Thus the detected feather contamination
resulted from the accumulation of five months’ contact with the radioactivity, which
had decreased to about one fifth of its original level in the summer of 2012 compared to
2011. The area studied, located about 10 to 40 km from the F1-NPP, is complex and has
higher biodiversity in the highlands, with paddies and other agricultural fields, naturaland plantation forests, and streams. Variation in the bird community was not directly
related to the variation in radioactivity, and several different kinds of NPP accident
effects may play roles, both positive and negative, according to the point count andmultiple IC-recording survey results. Since the accident, the Bush Warbler was recorded
throughout the area and may have overcome radioactivity-related stresses at the
population level.

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Functional Morphology of the Vocal Organ in a Phylogenetically Basal Bird
Sue Anne Zollinger1, Coen Elemans2 and Henrik Brumm1
1. Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology,
Seewiesen, Germany
2. Sound Communication and Behaviour Group, Department of Biology, University of Southern
Denmark, Odense, Denmark

In most bird species, acoustic communication is crucial for many social behaviours, including
reproduction and predator avoidance. However, the evolution of the underlying sound production
mechanisms is not well understood. The Tinamiformes are among the most ancient groups ofextant birds, appearing first in the fossil record of the Miocene Epoch. We describe the vocal
behaviour, anatomy and functional morphology of the syrinx in the elegant-crested tinamou,
Eudromia elegans, a grass- and scrubland species from southern Argentina and Chile. The callsof this species are varied and represent two vocal modes, a mode with low fundamental
frequencies (300-600 Hz), and a higher mode with fundamentals between 1-2 kHz. Like theother extant group of paleognaths, the Struthioniformes, the syringes in tinamous aretracheobronchial, involving modifications of both the trachea and bronchi. However, we
discovered that unlike in the Struthioniformes, which have no intrinsic syringeal muscles, thetinamous have ventral syringeal muscles, which insert cranially near the interclavicular air sac
membrane and caudally on the two primary bronchi and the interbronchial ligament. We show in
an in vitro preparation that muscle shortening lowers the phonation onset pressure, and thatphonation can also occur in the absence of muscle activity when the air sac pressure is higher
than bronchial pressure. Histological preparations revealed previously undescribed, tendon-likecollagen bands situated along the lateral walls of the cranial portion of the primary bronchi andattaching to vibratory tissue masses inside trachea. Using endoscopic high-speed imaging in
combination with syringeal muscle stimulation, both in-situ and in-vitro, we describe how thiscollagen band may function during phonation. We quantified the parameters required forphonation in both the low-frequency and high-frequency modes in this species.

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p05-003On the methodological limitations of detecting oxidative stress: effects ofparaquat on measures of oxidative status in Greenfinches
R. Meitern 1, E. Sild 1,2, T. Sepp 1 and P. Hõrak 1
1

Centre of Excellence FIBIR, Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth
Sciences, Tartu University, Estonia
2
Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University,
SwedenEmail: richard.meitern@ut.ee
Oxidative stress (OS) is widely believed to be responsible for the generation of trade-offs inevolutionary ecology by means of constraining investment into a number of components offitness. Yet, progress in understanding the true role of OS in ecology and evolution has
remained elusive. Interpretation of current findings is particularly hampered by the scarcity ofexperiments demonstrating which of the many available parameters of oxidative status
respond most sensitively to and are relevant for measuring OS. We addressed these questions
in wild-caught captive Greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) by experimental induction of OS byadministration of the pro-oxidant compound paraquat with drinking water. Treatment induced
50% mortality, a significant drop in body mass and an increase in oxidative DNA damage andglutathione levels in erythrocytes among the survivors of the high paraquat (0.2 g/l over 7days) group. Samples taken 3 days after the end of paraquat treatment showed no effect on theperoxidation of lipids (plasma malondialdehyde), carbonylation of proteins (in erythrocytes),parameters of plasma antioxidant protection (total antioxidant capacity and oxygen radical
absorbance), uric acid or carotenoids. These findings of an increase in one marker of damage
and one marker of protection from the multitude of measured variables indicate that detectionof OS is difficult even under the most stringent experimental induction of oxidative insult.
Therefore I would discuss the need for reconsideration of over-simplistic models of OS anddraw attention to the limitations of detection of OS due to time-lagged and hormetic
upregulation of protective mechanisms and highlight the diagnostic value of measurement ofoxidative damage to DNA bases and assessment of erythrocyte glutathione levels.

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Haemosporidians in Iberian Alcedo atthis
M.A. Rojo1, M.A. Hernández2, F.Campos1, T.Santamaría3
1

European University Miguel de Cervantes, Calle Padre Julio Chevalier 2, E-47012
Valladolid, Spain.
2
Department of Environmental Biology, University of Navarra, E-31080 Pamplona,
Spain.
3
Catholic University of Ávila, Calle Canteros s/n, E-05005 Ávila, Spain.
Email: marojo@uemc.es
The Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis (Fam. Alcedinidae) is widely distributed over
Europe, Asia, and North Africa. In the Iberian Peninsula the breeding population issedentary, although Kingfishers from Northern and Central Europe arrive every year,
either on passage towards Africa or to winter in Iberia. In temperate regions, the typical
habitat of the Kingfisher includes clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers, and lakes withwell-vegetated banks. Common Kingfishers are important members of ecosystems andgood indicators of freshwater community health.
Haemosporidian parasites (genera Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon) cancause alterations in the physiological status of birds and in their breeding. They aretransmitted from infected to uninfected birds by a variety of biting flies. The hosthabitat choice can affect the frequency of contact with flying vectors of hematozoan
parasites, which are mainly associated with wetlands and rivers.
Few studies have been carried out on the infection of Kingfishers by haemosporidianparasites. Previously, three species of Haemoproteus and three species of
Leucocytozoon have been recorded in the Alcidinidae family. In order to study thepresence of haemosporidians, a total of 50 Common Kingfishers were captured andanalysed for blood parasites by molecular analyses, along of Central Spain. The
Kingfishers were caught with mist-nets during 2005-2008 in seven rivers (Adaja,
Barbellido, Cea, Cega, Duero, Eresma, Tormes) along Valladolid and Avila provinces,at an altitude between 640 and 1427 m asl. The prevalence of infection was 40% (15%only with Haemoproteus, 10% with Plasmodium, 55% with Leucocytozoon, 20% withmultiple infections). In these multiples infections one bird was found to be infected with
Haemoproteus-Haemoproteus-Leucocytozoon and three with HaemoproteusHaemoproteus. No significant differences were found in the parasite frequencies by sex(χ21 = 0.012, P = 0.909) or season during the breeding (May-July) and post-breeding(August-October) periods (χ21 = 0.205, P = 0.650).
We isolated six lineages of Haemoproteus, four of them described above (MW1, RW1,
ROBIN1, HLSV06) and two have been identified in this study for the first time (hATT6y hATT7). We found two lineages of Plasmodium (DELABUR4 and GRW06), none
have been described so far. A single lineage of Leucocytozoon (CIAE02) has beenfound. Some of these lineages are restricted to one host, while in others the distribution
is bound to the geographic conditions.

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p05-005

Continental-scale variation in habitat suitability for House Finches
Haemorhous mexicanus and evolution of virulence in a bacterial pathogen
W.M. Hochachka 1, D. Fink 1 S. Kelling 1and D.M. Hawley 2and A.A. Dhondt 1
1

Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA
Email: wmh6@cornell.edu
2

In the mid-1990s roughly 50% of the House Finches Haemorhous mexicanus in eastern North
America died following the emergence of a disease caused by a species of bacterium previously
known only regularly to infect galliform birds. In less than 10 years the lineage of the bacterium
Mycoplasma gallisepticum that was first detected in House Finches spread from the eastern towestern side of North America. However, the bacterium’s impact on House Finch populations
has been minimal through the central and western parts of North America, at least partiallybecause the bacteria reaching the west coast of North America were less virulent --- producing
less severe disease in the finches. We hypothesize that lower numbers of House Finches in thegrassland interior of North America is the cause of the evolved lower virulence of the bacteria,
because bacterial strains causing severe disease and thus limiting mobility of the finches arelikely to have a low probability of dispersing across a region of low host availability. Byquantifying variation in distribution and abundance of House Finches across North America
using habitat-suitability (niche) models, we show that the evolution of virulence in dispersing
bacteria is likely to have been driven directly by variation distribution and abundance of House
Finches across North America, and indirectly by continent-wide variation in suitability of habitat
for the finches.

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p05-006

Potential risk map for avian influenza A virus invading Japan
S. Moriguchi1, M. Onuma1 and K. Goka1
1

National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
Email: moriguchi.sachiko@nies.go.jp
Global pandemics of avian influenza have become a threat to poultry production.
Spatial risk assessment is one of the important techniques in order to decidepriority-monitoring locations. We created a potential risk map for the spread of avian
influenza by migratory birds using the occurrence of the influenza A virus in wild birds
in Japan. Our modelling included a consideration of the multi-collinearity and spatial
autocorrelation of environmental variables and an examination of the reproducibility ofthe model results. Maximum entropy approach was used to generate potential
distribution models from presence-only data. Independent variables in the model
included environmental factors such as winter temperature and precipitation, hostfactors such as duck population size and habitat abundance, and artificial factors such as
size of urban areas and poultry density. We used eigenvector-based spatial filters toalleviate spatial autocorrelation. To explore the reliability of the model we compared therisk indices of localities positive in past winters for the influenza A virus in wild birds
with those of all localities. Our results suggested that the dabbling duck population in anarea appeared to be the best indicator of high risk for the introduction of avian influenza
from abroad. Priority monitoring localities for avian influenza carried by wild birds
should be designated in western Japan and along the Pacific coast, which we estimatedto be high-risk areas. When we used the frequency of occurrence of the influenza A
virus in 5 recent years in localities where wild birds were infected to estimate therepeatability of the high-risk indices, the potential risk indices for avian influenza inwild birds were high in localities where wild birds were infected in past.

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p05-007

Infectious and parasitic diseases or their agents recorded fromJapanese bird species: a review
K. Ushiyama 1 , T. Hirayama1 , A. Furuse1 , T. Yoshino1, 2 , Y. Osa3
and M. Asakawa1, 4*
1

Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen
University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
2
Kushiro Zoo. Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-0201, Japan
3
Eastern Hokkaido Wildlife Station, Institute of Environmental Science, Hokkaido
Research Organization, Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-8588, Japan4
Wild Animal Medical Center, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno
Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan*Correspondence author’s E mail: askam@rakuno.ac.jp
Outbreaks of infectious or parasitic disease have not yet significantly impacted
populations of birds in Japan. Because effective conservation requires anunderstanding of the infectious avian disease organisms that are present in Japan,
as well as their ecology, transmission, and symptoms, we previously reviewed theliterature in this field (Asakawa et al., 2002). Here we update this review with newliterature published in the past decade. We provide an overview of the diseases
and/or their responsible agents (e.g., virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, helminthes
and arthropods) based on our own research and that of others (Asakawa et al.,2013; Hirayama et al., in press; Ushiyama et al., in press; Yoshino et al., 2013).
In the present session, we will give an outline of the reviewed papers, and briefly
discuss potential strategies for risk reduction.
References
Asakawa, M., Nakade, T., Murata, S., Ohashi, K., Osa, Y. and Taniyama, H. 2013.
Ducks: Habitat, Behavior and Diseases, Nova Science Publishers, NY, USA:37-48.
Asakawa, M., Nakamura, S. and Brazil, M. A. 2002. J. Yamashina Inst. Ornithol.,
34: 200-221.
Hirayama, T., Ushiyama, K., Osa, Y. and Asakawa, M. in press. Birds: Evolution
and Behavior, Breeding Strategies, Migration and Spread of Disease, Nova
Science Publishers, NY, USA.
Ushiyama, K., Yoshino, T., Hirayama, T., Osa, Y. and Asakawa, M. in press. Ibid.
Yoshino, T and Asakawa, M. 2013.Ducks: Habitat, Behavior and Diseases, Nova
Science Publishers, NY, USA: 59-64.

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p05-008

Molecular and morphological diagnostics of avian malaria and related
haemosporidian parasites, with remarks on the parasite detrimental
effects
D. Dimitrov 1,2, P. Zehtindjiev 2, A. Bobeva 2, M. Ilieva 3,2, S. Bensch 3 and G.
Valkiūnas 1
1

Institute of Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences,
Sofia, Bulgaria
3
Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
Email: ddmitko@gmail.com
2

Avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites (Haemosporida) are widely usedmodel in studies of host-parasite interactions, particularly because they include agentsof malaria (Plasmodium spp.), which cause severe diseases in animals and humans.
Additionally, these parasites are widespread, easy to sample and show a diversity ofpathogenic potential, including influence on bird fitness, breeding success, phenology,
and lifespan. However, the currently used diagnostic methods of these pathogens haveshortcomings.
We provide results of comparison of molecular screening and microscopic detection of
haemosporidian parasites from Bulgarian birds. In all, 506 birds of 47 species (mainly
passerines) were sampled. We applied the most often used nested PCR protocol andlight microscopy to examine these samples. Overall infection prevalence was 63.6% by
molecular screening, and 58.7% by microscopic examination (P > 0.1). Interestingly,
9.6% of examined birds were positive by microscopic examination, but negative
according to the PCR-based diagnostics. On the other hand, 15.2% of birds wereconsidered negative for haemosporidians according to microscopy, but positive by PCRscreening. Hence, the combined prevalence is 73.7%, which is significantly higher (P =0.001) than the estimate by each single approach. We conclude that implementation ofboth methods is important for diagnostics of haemosporidian parasites in bird
communities, particularly parasite biodiversity. Both diagnostic methods haveshortcomings: microscopy sometimes does not read light parasitemias, but PCR
sometimes does not read co-infections. Both methods can be used separately indetermining general trends of haemosporidian infection in birds. However, due tocomplicated haemosporidian life cycles, we recommend avoiding using single
diagnostic methods when inferring patterns about phylogeography, co-evolution,
biodiversity and detrimental effects on the birds.
We discuss our data in regard of haemosporidian parasites’ sites of geographicaltransmission and effect on avian host. The study was supported by European Union
Structural Funds project “Postdoctoral Fellowship Implementation in Lithuania”.

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p05-009

A Research Coordination Network in
Ecological Immunology (RCNE)
D.R. Ardia1, L.B. Martin2, and D.M. Hawley3
1

Department of Biology, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, USA
Department of Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA
3
Department of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic University, Blacksburg, USAemail: dardia@fandm.edu
2

Ecological immunology, or eco-immunology, is a rapidly growing field, and in 2010, theNational Science Foundation funded a Research Coordination to foster its conceptual andtechnical development of the field. Since funding, the RCNE has flourished, including:the spawning of several collaborations; the convening of topical workshops in Florida,
Scotland, Michigan, and Germany; establishing an email list-serv; supporting trainee
research exchanges; and producing a website. We present this poster to increase thevisibility and membership of the RCNE, present results of a recent meta-analysis on costsof immunity, and encourage researchers to take advantage of RCNE-sponsored researchexchanges. RCNE-sponsored research on the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite
interactions from molecular to landscape scales will be highlighted.

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p05-010

Avian malaria and its consequences for reproductive investments
in Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Edyta Podmokła1, Anna Dubiec2, Aneta Arct1, Szymon M. Drobniak1,
L. Gustafsson3, Mariusz Cichoń1
1

Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland

2

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland

3

Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Sweden

Email: edyta.podmokla@uj.edu.pl

Haemosporidian infections are widespread among wild birds and have become a popularmodel system to study host-parasite co-evolution. Parasites usually impose fitness costs totheir hosts by reducing their survival, fecundity, or mating success. Unfortunately, previous
studies do not give a clear answer on the impact of these parasites on the host. Some of themshow a negative effect of infection, while others suggest a positive relationship between thepresence of parasites and reproductive success.
Here, we studied whether infection with malaria parasites is associated with reproductive
investments. The magnitude of investment was assessed with measures of offspring quality:
body mass, tarsus length and cell-mediated immune response. We also take into account themating success by verifying whether the occurrence of extra-pair offspring in the brood isrelated to infection status with avian malaria parasites of the social father in a wild Blue Tit(Cyanistes caeruleus) population characterized by a relatively high frequency of extra-pairmatings (40% of nests contain at least 1 extra-pair offspring) and approximately 60%
infection rate with malaria parasites among adult males and females. Our results suggest that
infection of the parents positively affected offspring performance but only in harshenvironmental conditions. Parasitic infection had also an effect on the female’s decision aboutengaging in extra-pair copulations but these decisions were dependent on her infection status,
not only the male’s infection. We will discuss possible explanations for these results.

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p05-011

Avian influenza virus dynamics in a waterbird community in Australia
M. Ferenczi 1, M. Klaassen 1, X. Wang 2, K. O'Riley 2 & S. Warner 2
Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Biosciences Research Division,
Bundoora, Melbourne, Australia
Email: mferencz@deakin.edu.au

1
2

For Northern Hemisphere waterbird communities it has been well established that theprevalence of low pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) can seasonally fluctuate
dramatically, showing peak prevalence in autumn. Whether this is a global phenomenon
driven by common ecological and environmental drivers has so far remained uninvestigated.
To investigate this in the southern hemisphere, we undertook studies at the Western
Treatment Plant of Melbourne, a key (Ramsar) site for waterbirds in southeast Australia. We
examined (1) for signs of periodicity in AIV infection dynamics; (2) the interactions between
bird density, bird diversity and climatic conditions on viral prevalence, and (3) the potential
relationships between individual resident times and infection risks in a waterbird community.
For our examinations we collected and analysed fresh faecal samples from waterfowl forviral prevalence from 2006-2012. Of the 3295 fresh faecal samples collected and analysed,
179 (5.43 %) tested positive for AIV. No annual AIV periodicity was apparent, sharply
contrasting with findings in the Northern Hemisphere where strong annual trends were found.
Secondly, we obtained waterbird counts and rainfall data from 2006-2012 and found that AIV
prevalence was positively correlated with rainfall, with AIV levels increasing in the months
following heavy rainfall. This pattern may be related to (opportunistically) breedingwaterfowl and the presence of immunologically naïve individuals in the population. Thirdly,
we collected red blood cells and feather samples for stable isotope analyses and cloacal andoropharyngeal swabs for viral analyses (2011-2013) for a range of waterfowl species.
Whether local birds are more or less susceptible to infection than new arrivals to the area andwhether bird origin thus plays a role in determining AIV prevalence (as seemingly is the casein Northern Hemisphere studies) are pending and will be presented; preliminary carbon andnitrogen stable isotope analyses indicate that residence status of birds can be assessed.

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p05-012Avian malaria affects survival in the Great Snipe

P. Halvarsson1, J.A. Kålås2 and J. Höglund1

1

Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala,Sweden.

2

Norsk institutt for naturforskning, Trondheim, Norway.

e-mail: peter.halvarsson@ebc.uu.se

Malaria parasites can infect birds and prevalence can vary among species and populations. In
addition to prevalence studies, parasites are often used to investigate effects on life history
traits. Findings from these studies are not unambiguous, as correlations with many life history
traits are absent, although common findings include relationships with survival and body
condition. We investigated prevalence of the blood parasites, pigmented haemosporidians(PH) and Leucocytozoon, in eleven populations of Great Snipe (Gallinago media), a lekking
shore bird, and their effect on survival using a PCR approach. Moreover, we explore theeffect of parasites on arrival time.
We found the overall adult prevalence to be 29.9% with an 28.6% prevalence for PH, 4.9%
for Leucocytozoon and 3.5% for mixed infections. The prevalences we report are very highcompared to other shorebirds are somewhat intermediate compared to those found for otherbird species. We found variation in prevalence among the sample years in our main study
population, Gåvålia, Norway. To find among-year differences, long-term are often needed. At
the main study site we found differences in prevalence between different leks. Also, we founda decrease in PH prevalence with age, and infected birds had a lower mean age. Two notmutually exclusive alternative explanations are that infected young birds may have a higher
mortality and/or that individual birds can purge the infection.

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p05-013

Bird-mediated tick movements in an urbanized landscape
Solny Arnardottir Adalsteinsson, Dustin Brisson, Vincent D'Amico, W. Gregory Shriver,Jeffrey J. Buler
solny@udel.edu
The northeastern United States of America has high rates of tick-borne zoonoses among its
human population. Lyme disease, one such tick-borne disease, is the most commonly reported
vector-borne disease in North America, and the state of Delaware, in particular, has the highest
per capita Lyme disease rate of any state in the USA. The incidence rate across the country
continues to rise, and the ranges of the tick vector (Ixodes scapularis) and disease-causing
bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) are expanding. Ticks are reliant upon their hosts’ movements todisperse and colonize new areas. As such, migratory birds have been implicated as a group ofimportant hosts contributing to the range expansion of ticks and pathogens. At a local scale inhuman-dominated landscapes, hosts likely disperse ticks among forest fragments. We
investigated the capacity of breeding forest birds to host and distribute ticks among a network offorest fragments surrounded by human development in Newark, Delaware, USA. From May–
August, 2013, we captured 214 birds across ten forest fragments and removed 137 larval andnymphal ticks from those birds. We identified ticks and screened them for pathogens. We will
present our results on the summer phenology of tick loads and pathogen prevalence. To
understand the potential for birds to move ticks within and among forest fragments, we usedradio telemetry to track the movements of juveniles of two ground-foraging bird species that are
expected to be important tick hosts, Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) and Wood Thrush(Hylocichla mustelina). During 2012 and 2013, we tracked 45 Wood Thrush and 56 Gray
Catbirds. Both species exhibited inter-fragment movements, but catbirds were more likely tomove from forests into residential areas. Our evidence indicates that bird species aredifferentially capable of hosting ticks infected with Lyme and moving them among forest
fragments in an urban environment.

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p05-014

Host sex and age dependent transmission strategies of avian lice in acolonial raptor.
P. Fehervari 1,2, S.I: Piross1,2, Z. Vas1,2, P. Palatitz3, Sz. Solt3, A. Harnos2
1

Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
Szent István University, Faculty of Veterinarian Sciences, Dep. of Biomathematics
and Informatics, Budapest, Hungary
3 MME/BirdLife Hungary, Budapest, Hungary
Email: peter.fehervari@nhmus.hu
2

The effect of parasites on their hosts has been widely studied, however how hosttraits affect parasite decisions is less often addressed. Avian lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera)are permanent obligatory ectoparasites that need direct contact of hosts for transmission.
Here we reveal the colonization strategies of various louse species during verticaltransmission parasitizing on colonial Red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) fledglings.
We collected samples from a total of 95 nestlings from 14 different artificial falconcolonies in southeast Hungary. We sampled a presumed male and a female from eachnest with administering pyrethrin powder to the plumage. The birds were kept over a
cardboard for 5 minutes and all fallen lice specimens collected. Two lice species
dominated in the samples; Colpocephalum subzerafae (n=498) that feeds on contour
feathers, skin and blood, and Degeeriella rufa (n=271) that typically forages on thematerial of larger feathers. Both species had relatively high prevalenc (~78%). The
abundance of C. rufa varied significantly with host sex, while D. rufa abundance wassignificantly influenced by host wing length. Red-footed falcons are sexually dimorphic,
but the sexes have identical plumage as nestlings. The female-biased abundance of C.
subzerafae indicates that this species presumably has a previously unidentified sex
detecting mechanism. We hypothesize that from the lice perspective, it is adaptive tochoose females over males because a) females will moult less melanised feathers,
providing more favourable future habitats, b) their contact rates with future offspring
will be higher due to the different roles the sexes play in parental care. D. rufa is lessmobile and has highly adapted locomotive organs that only allow these animals to moveon feather. Therefore, selection may favour individuals whom colonize nestlings as lateas possible, waiting for the new host to develop as mature plumage as possible.

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p05-015

Helminths and arthropod parasites of Red-Crowned Crane (Grusjaponensis) in Hokkaido, JapanT. Yoshino 1,2, H. Iima1, F. Matsumoto1, R. Shimura1 and M. Asakawa 2
1

Kushiro Zoo. Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-0201, Japan
Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University. Ebetsu,
Hokkaido 069-8501, Japane-mail: tomoo.yoshino@city.kushiro.lg.jp
2

Although several biological and ecological studies on the Red-crowned Crane (Grusjaponensis) have been conducted, so far little information has been recorded regarding
disease causing agents such as parasites of the crane . In the present paper, ten
helminth species including six nematode (Baruscapillaria sp., Syncuaria sp.,
Viktorocara sp., Paraucuaria adunca, Contracaecum sp. and Cyathostoma(Hovorkonema) sp.), three trematode (Echinostoma gotoi, Echinochasmus sp. andApatemon gracilis), one cestode (Ligula sp.), and five arthropod parasites including
two louse-flies (Ornithoica momiyamai and Ornithomya avicularia aobatonis), one
chewing lice (Gruimenopon sp.), one ixodid tick (Ixodes sp.) and one feather mite
(Geranolichus sp.) were obtained and identified from free-ranging and captive cranes.
Among the above parasites, Echinochasmus sp., Ligula sp., O. momiyamai, O. a.
aobatonis, Gruimenopon sp., Ixodes sp. and Geranolichus sp. are the first host records
and Gruimenopon sp. and Geranolichus sp. are the first geographical records fromJapan. The nematode genera Syncuaria, Viktorocara, Paracuaria and Cyathostoma areregarded as disease causing agents sometimes causing severe enteritis, ulcerative
ventriculitis, pneumonia and/or air sacculitis including fatal cases in various wild andcaptive birds. The lesions caused by these nematode species including a fatal
cyathostomiasis were observed in some of the examined cranes. Hence, the infestationof these parasite species should be taken into account in conservation activities.

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p06-001

A trade-off between pigmentation and overheating in avian eggs
J. Gómez 1, A.I. Pereira 2, A. Pérez-Hurtado 3 and J.A. Amat 1 *1

Departmento de Ecología de Humedales, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Sevilla,
Spain
2
Universidad de Costa Rica, Sede Guanacaste, Liberia, Costa Rica
3
Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidadde Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain*
Email: amat@ebd.csic.es
Many bird species like shorebirds (Charadrii) nest on the ground in sites with novegetative cover. When incubating adults are disturbed, they depart from nests, and thenthe eggs may remain exposed to direct solar radiation, reaching temperatures that may
be critical for embryos. The eggshells of shorebirds are pigmented and spotted. Morepigmented and spotted eggs may suffer a quicker overheating than less pigmented andspotted eggs when exposed to direct solar radiation. Using eggs of Japanese Quail
Coturnix japonica, we determined whether egg pigmentation and spottedness affected
rates of overheating in eggs exposed to direct solar radiation. We conducted the study attemperate (Spain) and tropical (Costa Rica) sites. More pigmented and spotted eggs
overheated more than less pigmented and spotted eggs, in both temperate and tropicalsites. However, for the same ambient temperature, eggs overheated more in the tropics
than in temperate sites, which may be due to more intense solar radiation in the tropics.
Thus, the risks of overheating may affect pigmentation and spottedness of eggs of birds
nesting in open sites.

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p06-002

Evolutionary potential of arrival date on breeding grounds: selection,
heritability and microevolution
M. Tarka1, B. Hansson1 and D. Hasselquist1
1

Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Dept. of Biology, Lund University, Lund,
SwedenEmail: maja.tarka@biol.lu.se
In migratory species, timing of arrival on the breeding grounds in spring is crucial forthe reproductive success. Thus, in the face of a changing environment, it is important tobe able to adjust the timing accordingly. However, little is known about the genetic
background and hence evolutionary potential of arrival date. We have used a multi-levelapproach to investigate the evolutionary potential of arrival date combining data from amultigenerational pedigree and novel migration tracking techniques of a natural
population of Great Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). We found that
selection favours early arrival both in male and female Great Reed Warblers, and thatthe trait is both repeatable and heritable. Further, arrival date in the population has
advanced during the two decades of this study, a pattern that is in accordance with the
response attributed to climate change reported in other migrant birds but also inaccordance to the directional selection acting on the trait. Tracking the full migratory
annual cycle of individual Great Reed Warblers show that departure date from thewintering site determines arrival date and that spring migration is faster than autumn
migration, corroborating the selection for earlier arrival. Our study is a first step towards
dissecting the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to shape arrival date inlong-distance migrant birds. Such analyses are essential if we want to understand how
migratory species are able to cope with a rapidly changing environment.

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p06-003

Detecting selection on phenotype by approximate Bayesiancomputation (ABC) in phylogenetic comparative methods:
examples in birds
N. Kutsukake 1,2, H. Innan 1
1

The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, JapanJST PRESTO, Japan
Email: kutsu@soken.ac.jp
2Phylogenetic comparative methods (PCMs) have been used to test hypotheses on
adaptive evolution. The evolutionary modes commonly included in PCMs are Brownian
motion (genetic drift) and the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process (stabilizing selection),
whose likelihood functions are mathematically tractable. More complicated models of
evolutionary modes, such as branch-specic directional selection, have not been usedbecause calculations of likelihood and parameter estimates in the maximum-likelihood
framework are not straightforward. Here, we present a fundamental structure andadvantages of our new PCM method using the approximate Bayesian computation(ABC) algorithm (Kutsukake and Innan, 2013, Evolution, 67: 355-367). The ABC
estimates unknown parameters as follows: (i) simulated data are generated under a suiteof parameters randomly chosen from their prior distributions; (ii) the simulated data arecompared with empirical data; (iii) parameters are accepted when the distance between
the simulated and empirical data is small; and (iv) by repeating steps (i) to (iii),
posterior distributions of parameters will be gained. Because the ABC does notnecessitate mathematical expression or analytic solution of a likelihood function, theABC is particularly useful when a maximum-likelihood estimation is difficult to
conduct (a common situation when testing complex evolutionary models and/or models
with many parameters in PCMs). As application, we analysed trait evolution in which a
specific species exhibits an extraordinary trait value relative to others in birds. The ABC
approach detected the occurrence of branch-specific directional selection and estimatedancestral states of internal nodes under this evolutionary model. The ABC will be a
promising approach for broad topics of PCMs, particularly for testing complex
evolutionary models that deviate from the standard evolutionary models based on
Brownian motion.

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p06-005

Toll-like receptor (TLR) evolution in wild birds
X.J. Wang1, Z.C. Zhang1, J. Höglund 2 and Y. Liu1,2*
1School of Life Sciences and State Key Lab of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University,
Guangzhou 510275, China
2
Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre,
Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Email: liuy353@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Continuously evolving pathogens and parasites, usually leading emerging infectious
diseases, pose strong selective forces on the immune systems of their animal hosts.
These consequently drive adaptive genetic variation at functionally important genes
involved in the development of immune defense. Therefore patterns of pathogenmediated selection acting on immune-defense genes in animals have been the focus ofconsiderable interests for evolutionary biologists. Members of the Toll-like receptor(TLR) gene family play an important role in pathogen recognition and the initiation of
innate and adaptive immune responses. However, their role in host-parasite
interactions and adaptation has rarely been investigated in an eco-evolutionary
context, and little is known about the selective pressures that have shaped TLR
evolution across species and populations. Being natural reservoirs and probably
potential vector species of several avian-borne diseases, long-distance migratory
Anatidae birds, i.e. geese, swans and ducks, are one of important groups to study
adaptive evolution of animal immune systems. Investigating molecular evolution
across several Anatidae species (ducks and geese), we show that TLRs are
evolutionarily dynamic and a target of parasite-mediated selection in birds. The
findings of our study contribute to a better understanding of evolutionary processes in
multigene families other than the MHC, as well as important implications for hostpathogen coevolution.

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p06-006

Complex song evolution and stress hormone in Bengalese finch: neuraland evolutionary mechanisms
K. Suzuki 1,2,3, E. Matsunaga 1, H. Yamada 1,4, M. Ikebuchi 1,3, H. Kagawa 1,3,
T. Koike 1,T. Mizuhara 1,5, T. Kobayashi 6, M. Iigo 2,7 and K. Okanoya 1,3,5
1

RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
Utsunomiya University Center for Optical Research and Education, Tochigi, Japan
3
JST-ERATO Okanoya Emotional Information Project, Saitama, Japan
4
Department of Ocean Science, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology,
Tokyo, Japan
5
Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the University ofTokyo, Tokyo, Japan
6
Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama
University, Saitama, Japan
7
Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, Tochigi, Japan
Email: kentszk@gmail.com
2

The Bengalese Finch is a domesticated strain of the White-rumped Munia and exhibits
more complex song sequences, which may have evolved due to domestication. Much
evidence suggests that the song complexity is used as an indicator of male quality.
Because songbirds learn their song during the juvenile stage, development of the songsystem is affected by developmental stress. We compared the level of the stresshormone corticosterone, fear and aggressive behaviour between Bengalese Finches andWhite-rumped Munias. Bengalese finches had lower corticosterone levels, lower
fearfulness and aggressiveness than White-rumped Munias. Two subtypes ofcorticosterone receptors, the glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor,
showed expression in song nuclei and regions for emotion processing of the Bengalese
finch brain. These results suggest that song development and emotional control are
regulated by corticosterone via binding to the corticoid receptors. Bengalese finch might
have been able to increase the investment of energy to reproduction in exchange for
reducing the costs for predation coping. Our results suggest that decreased stresshormone levels secondary to domestication might account for one reason why songs
became complex in Bengalese finches.

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p06-007

Modeling the evolution of delayed plumage maturation in birds
Nan Lyu, Yue-Hua Sun
Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Delayed plumage maturation (DPM) describes the phenomenon of delayed
acquisition of a certain plumage color and pattern until after the first potential
breeding season in birds. This phenomenon has been studied for more than four
decades. Many passerine species were demonstrated to exhibit DPM, and scientists
are still finding new examples of DPM in nature. A profusion of hypotheses has
already been proposed to explain the adaptive significance of DPM. We suggest thatthe DPM can be considered as a certain life history strategy, which should balance thetrade-off between survival and reproduction. As far as we know, there is still no gametheoretic modeling study to describe the basic logic and mechanisms of DPM anddifferent hypothesis. Therefore, here we applied an age-dependent game theoretic
model to explore the evolution of the DPM phenomenon. We found that the ESS of
the strategy of investment on plumage in the first year is strongly determined by theavailable resources and predation risks. Either increasing maximum survival rate (i.e.
determined by available resources) or predation risks can promote the evolution of
DPM. Furthermore, we supported the cryptic hypothesis through including the cryptic
effect in the survival rate equation. Since both the mimicry hypothesis and status
signaling hypothesis assume that the subadults may gain advantages from reduced
aggression from adults and easier access to food or other resources, we also supported
these two hypotheses based on an assumption that the total resources gained by thesubadults are negatively related to the plumage investment. Finally, we found thatparental care investment between male and female had a strong influence on theevolutionary results. If the male investment constitutes a larger proportion of total
parental care or the available male investment is more strongly related to the physicalcondition, the DPM strategy will be more preferred.

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p06-008

Evolution of eggshell structure in tropical birds
D. Ocampo1, C. D. Cadena1 & G. A. Londoño2,3
1 Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva de Vertebrados(Vertebrate Evolutionary Biology Lab.), Universidad de los Andes. Colombia
2 Department of Zoology, 223 Bartram Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
3 Florida Museum of Natural History, Dickinson Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Breeding biology and how birds are responding to different nesting conditions, is not wellunderstood in tropical areas while such understanding could help us to elucidate constraints
imposed on species range limits, such as elevation distribution. It is known that the eggshell
has allowed birds to colonize novel environments by preventing desiccation and thus
permitting bird embryonic development in pretty much any environment. However, notmuch is known about eggshell structure variation among bird species, especially in tropicalareas. Since egg pores are responsible for gas exchange between the embryo and theexternal environment, it has been proposed that birds have to modify the size and/or
number of pore according to their nesting environment to avoid embryonic mortality. For
example, to reduce water loss and gas exchange in dry and cold environments such as highelevations, egg shells should be thicker and have fewer pores in order to avoid embryonicdesiccation, when compared to bird species inhabiting warmer and humid areas, such as
low elevations. Because humidity, barometric pressure and temperature change withelevation, the Andes is a great area to test the hypothesis of thicker shells and fewer poresin tropical birds inhabiting high elevations. In this study, we evaluated differences in
eggshell structure, and in the rate of gas conductance from eggs collected in Colombia andPeru. Then we tested the hypothesis of adaptation of eggshell structure to conditions
varying with elevation, using (1) phylogenetic comparative methods involving crossspecies analyses and (2) within-species examination of patterns of variation alongelevational gradients. We examined whether this prediction holds interspecifically(comparing species from highlands and lowlands) and intraspecifically (comparing
populations of single species distributed along an elevational gradient), focusing on
Thraupidae, Turdidae, Furnariidae and Tyrannidae; families that have a distribution acrossthe elevation gradient.

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p06-009

Evolution of nest-building behavior in antbirds (Thamnophilidae)
S. David 1 and G. A. Londoño 2,31

Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
2
Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Florida, USA
3
Department of Biology, University of Florida, Florida, USA
Email: sdavid@zoology.ubc.ca
Recently, different authors have suggested and provided evidence on the usefulness of
behavioral characters in phylogenetic systematics. In birds it has been demonstrated thatbehavioral characters, such as breeding biology traits are historically informative andreflect phylogenetic relationships of lineages, but such studies are scarce. The neotropicalantbirds (Thamnophilidae) form a morphologically and ecologically diverse radiation of
insectivorous birds that exhibit an extraordinary diversity in nest architecture andplacement. To explore the evolution of this diversity and evaluate phylogenetic signals of
nesting characters, I analyzed the wide variety of nest architecture in antbirds, combining
novel field observations and a comprehensive literature search. I proposed hypotheses onhomology and compared nest architecture characters as shape, materials, support type,attachment, among others. The analysis included 38 genera and 102 species (ca. 78% and
43% of all genera and species in the family). In addition, I mapped different nesting traits
onto an independent molecular phylogeny. Our findings suggest a remarkably evolutionary
conservatism for nest architecture and support type, but no phylogenetic signal was foundfor other traits. It is also suggested that cup-nesting was the ancestral condition in
Thamnophilidae, with cavity-nesting, dome-nesting and globular-nesting arising once
during the evolution of these species. Our phylogenetic results support both traditional andnovel phylogenetic groupings, and suggest that some genera (e.g. Myrmeciza,
Thamnomanes and Myrmotherula) could be non-monophyletic groups. Construction of
domed nests appears to be a clear unique trait for a diverse group of species that exhibit
large differences in morphology, song and ecology. This study suggests that nesting
strategies are tightly linked to the inferred evolutionary history of Thamnophilidae, as wellas provide support to recent splits and taxonomic arrangements in the family. We also
report novel data on nesting biology of poorly known species

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p06-010Structure, function, evolution and development of amorphous photonic
nanostructures from avian feather barbs: a comparative small angle
X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis of 230 bird species
V. Saranathan 1, and R.O. Prum 2
1

Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of
Oxford, Oxford, UK
2
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Peabody Museum of Natural
History, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
Email: vinod.saranathan@zoo.ox.ac.uk

Non-iridescent structural colours of feathers are a diverse and an important part of thephenotype of many birds. These colours are generally produced by three-dimensional,
amorphous (or quasi-ordered) spongy beta-keratin and air nanostructures found in the
medullary cells of feather barbs. Two main classes of three-dimensional barb
nanostructures are known, characterized by a tortuous network of air channels or a close
packing of spheroidal air cavities. Using synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering(SAXS) and optical spectrophotometry, we characterized the nanostructure and optical
function of nearly 300 distinctly coloured feathers from 230 species belonging to 52
avian families. The SAXS data provided quantitative diagnoses of the channel- andsphere-type nanostructures, and confirmed the presence of a predominant, isotropic
length scale of variation in refractive index that produces strong reinforcement of anarrow band of scattered wavelengths. The SAXS structural data identified a new classof rudimentary or weakly nanostructured feathers responsible for slate-grey, andblue-grey structural colours in addition to a previously identified instance of 2D
quasi-ordered bundles of keratin nanofibres in the medullary barb cells of Blue Penguin(Eudyptula minor, Spheniscidae). SAXS structural data provided good predictions of
the single-scattering peak of the optical reflectance of the feathers. The SAXS structural
measurements of channel- and sphere-type nanostructures are also similar toexperimental scattering data from synthetic polymers that self-assemble by phaseseparation processes. These results support the hypothesis that numerous lineages ofbirds (at least 52) have independently evolved self-assembled, quasi-ordered,colour-producing nanostructures in feather barbs that develop via arrested phaseseparation of polymerizing beta-keratin from the cytoplasm of medullary cells. Suchself-assembled avian amorphous photonic nanostructures with isotropic opticalproperties may provide biomimetic inspiration for next-generation photonic technology.

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SA06 Evolution

p06-011

The phylogenetic distance analysis between the Great and Rhinoceros
Hornbills and between Austen's and Tickell's Brown Hornbills
Nareerat Viseshakul1 and Pilai Poonswad2
1 The Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Chulalongkorn University
2 The Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Nareerat.V@Chula.ac.th
Since the relationship of 13 species of Bucerotiformes (Asian hornbills) of Thailand weregenerated by 1143 bp cytochrome b phylogenetic tree, we focused on the classification of birds
with similar casque sizes . The phylogenetic distance between two larger species (Great andRhinoceros Hornbills, Buceros bicornis and Buceros rhinoceros) but having a distinct
morphology of an enlarged solid casque is narrow to 0.02 nucleotide substitution per site.
However, the smaller birds having a reduced casque (Austen's and Tickell's Brown hornbills;
Ptilolaemus austeni and Ptilolaemus tickelli) render a wider phylogenetic distance of 0.03
nucleotide substitution per site. With this different distance value, we postulated that thedivergence of Buceros bicornis and Buceros rhinoceros occurred sooner than the brown
hornbills resulting in a closer speciation time among the solid casque. We also hypothesizedthat the Austen's and Tickell' s Brown Hornbills were separated geographically long enough tomaintain their speciation time. The genetic analysis of those 4 species are discussed.

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SA06 Evolution

p06-012

Does incorporation of alarm calls into avian song increase rates ofsignal divergence across species?
David Wheatcroft, Goncalo Santos, Trevor D Pricedavid.wheatcroft@ebc.uu.se
Signals involved in mate choice often diverge due to fixation of different stimulating
features in different populations. This process is thought to be especially rapid whenmate-choice signals are learned. For example, in many songbird species, imperfectlearning introduces variation in the song features that arise in different populations,leading to rapid cultural evolution. In contrast to songs, alarm calls are thought to diverge
much more slowly, because they are subject to a distinct set of selection pressures.
However, the songs of many bird species incorporate alarm calls either between
successive song bouts or incorporated directly into song syntax, suggesting that thestimulating function of calls in alarm contexts can be co-opted into sexually selectedsignals. What are the consequences of alarm call incorporation for signal divergenceacross species? To address this question, we have compiled >300 alarm call and songrecordings from >50 species in a single songbird genus, the Phylloscopus warblers, forwhich we have both a complete phylogeny and detailed range and habitat information.
Song is a critical component of mate recognition and preference in these species and theirsongs often incorporate alarm calls. We will estimate the evolutionary rates of songs andcalls in these species and compare the acoustic similarity of calls and song components toevaluate whether call incorporation is related to increased divergence rates of calls and/or
songs. We expect our findings to provide insight into the consequences of callincorporation for signal divergence across species and, therefore, the evolution of song
itself.

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p06-013

Testing an accelerated directional evolution model in brood parasite
cowbirds by a ABC-based phylogenetic comparative approach
A. Kawamori1, N. Kutsukake1
1

School of Advanced Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Hayama,

Kanagawa, Japan
Email: kawamoriai@soken.ac.jp
Cowbirds constitute a monophyletic group in which all five species are brood parasites.
The number of host species varies among species (ranging from 1 to 216), with recently
diverged species having a larger number of host species. Because species in their sisterclade are not brood parasites, a likely evolutionary scenario is that (1) the most recent
common ancestor (MRCA) of cowbirds was a specialist, and (2) cowbirds were underan accelerated directional selection toward increasing the number of host species.
Phylogenetic comparative methods (PCMs) such as phylogenetic generalized leastsquares (PGLS) have been commonly used for testing models of trait evolution on aphylogeny. However, PGLS is not suited for testing such complex models because it
basically assumes that evolutionary changes follow Brownian motion (neutral
evolution) model in which trait variance correlates to branch length. In this study, we
estimated different selective pressure for each branch and the ancestral states of hostnumbers in cowbirds by a recently developed PCM using approximate Bayesiancomputation (ABC). This ABC-PCM supports an accelerated directional evolution
model because (1) the MRCA was estimated as a specialist species, and (2) the
increases of trait changes were larger in short branches. In contrast, PGLS estimated the
MRCA as generalist species. Our study indicates that ABC-PCM is effective andpowerful tool for testing a complex evolution model compared to PGLS.

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p06-015

Nesting success of grassland birds: aA comparison between tropical andtemperate larks
J. M. Mwangi 1, 2 H. Ndithia 1, 2, A. Hegemann 1 and I. Tielemann1
12Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen
Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya

Email: mwamujos@yahoo.com

Life-history strategies differ in many respects between temperate and tropical regions. However,there are also life-history traits that are similar across latitudes. For example, related species fromtropical and temperate regions show very similar rates of ontogenetic development despite thevery different environmental and physiological conditions. Analyzing nest success and chick
growth of two related species from different climate zones may give insights in the evolution ofdifferent pathways to maximize reproductive output. We compare nest success of Skylarks
Alauda arvensis from a temperate grassland in the Netherlands and Red-capped Lark
Calandrella cinerea from tropical grasslands in Kenya. To quantify nest success, nests werevisited once every three days to determine the nest fate (successful nesting or nesting failure).
We distinguished between nests that produced at least one fledgling, nest predation and nestdesertion. We calculated nesting success using a modified Mayfield Method and the program
Contrast. We discuss our results in light of the evolution of different reproductive strategies
under contrasting biotic and abiotic constraints, including weather effects and predator
abundance.

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SA06 Evolution

p06-016

What creates differences in brightness in ultraviolet-blue plumage
colours in the Blue-and-white Flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana)
K. Seo 1, G. Morimoto 2,3, S. Yoshioka 4, Y. Okahisa 1,5, and K. Ueda 2
1

Graduate School of Life Sciences, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
Department of Life Sciences, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
3
Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan
4
Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Japan
5
Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
Email: rei216@naver.com
2

Non-iridescent structural colours are commonly produced by coherent scattering of lightwave by nanostructures of medullary β-keratin in feather barbs. Previous research has
investigated the effect of the nanostructure of feathers barbs or barbules on colour
production for various hues with brightness in structural plumage colours. Here, we
focused on the effect of the nanostructure in making the difference in plumage colours
in several body regions of the Blue-and-white Flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana),
which show different brightness among similar hue values. A male Blue-and-white
Flycatcher has ultraviolet-blue structural plumage colours which covers the plumage
from head to back including wing and tail feathers. We used full-spectrum spectrometry
to show hue values and brightness of ultraviolet-blue plumage colours of a male
flycatcher. Reflectance spectra of ultraviolet-blue plumage colours of a male Blue-andwhite Flycatcher showed that head, back and wing covert feathers reflected similar
ranges of hue values whereas brightness of these plumages showed significant
differences. Head feathers reflected much more strongly in the UV-blue regions of thespectrum than wing covert or back feathers. Furthermore, using scanning electron
microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we observed nanostructures offeather barbs to investigate the effect of the nanostructure on producing hue values andbrightness in ultraviolet-blue plumage colours. Our results showed t significant
differences of brightness in ultraviolet-blue plumages in an individual male Blue-andwhite Flycatcher. Also we assume that the difference in spongy medullary β-keratin
layer in feather barbs produces different brightness in structural plumage colours. In thisspecies, a male inflates his head feathers to attract a female. We propose that brightnessof head feathers of a male may have a possible role for mate choice in the Blue-andwhite Flycatcher which is a topic for further research.

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p06-017

Allochronic and geographic reproductive isolationin an African songbird
K.G. Mortega 1,2,3,4,5,7, J.C. Illera 6, D.A. Dawson 7, B.R. Grant 8, T.A. Burke 7,
B. Helm 2,3
1

International Max Planck Research School for Organismal Biology, Max Planck
Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
2
Physiological Ecology and Animal Migrations, Department of Biology, University ofKonstanz, Konstanz, Germany
3
Population Ecology and Epidemiology, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health andComparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
4
Ornithology Section, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
5
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Arusha, Tanzania
6
Research Unit of Biodiversity, Oviedo University, Oviedo, Spain
7
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United
Kingdom8
Deptartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton,
NJ
Email: kmortega@orn.mpg.deSpeciation involves reproductive isolation between populations. Such evolutionary
dynamics are mainly driven by natural and sexual selection. However, research on theinteraction of both evolutionary processes leading towards genetic diversification is
scarce. In particular, consequences of reproductive timing on isolation mechanisms havereceived less attention. We studied genetic, song, and morphology divergence ofgeographically close populations of African Stonechats which breed six months apartfrom each other. Genotypes and phenotypes of geographically or allochronicallyseparated populations showed similar patterns of diversification forming three distinct
genetic clusters. Our results indicate that gene flow between populations is restricted
through geographic and allochronic reproductive isolation barriers. Moreover, song andmorphology divergence is strongly concordant with patterns of genetic structure.
Additional experiments show that African Stonechats can discriminate between
different song and morphological traits with females preferring mates with synchronised
reproductive timing. Determining potential reproductive barriers and the ecologicalforces that shape them is crucial for understanding the multidimensionality involved in
speciation.

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p06-018

How latitude affects song traits in the leaf-warblers (Phylloscopidae)
D.T. Tietze 1, J. Martens 2 , B.S. Fischer 3, Y.-H. Sun 4 and M. Päckert 5
1Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Heidelberg,
Germany2
Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
3 Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main,
Germany
4 Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation, Institute of Zoology, Chinese
Academy of Science, Beijing, China
5 Zoological Museum, Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, Germany
Email: mail@dieterthomastietze.de

We applied a comparative phylogenetic approach to identify mechanisms shaping theevolution of territorial song in 80 taxa of Old World leaf-warblers (Phylloscopidae:
Phylloscopus, Seicercus). The effects of body size, horizontal and elevational
distribution, habitat and migratory behavior on 20 song parameters were tested via
simple and multiple regressions. A multi-locus phylogeny was compiled to account forthe confounding effect of phylogenetic history on the regression analyses. Most song
features were driven by various selective forces leading to fast and irregular trait
evolution across the tree. In accordance with previous studies, body size had a large
effect on overall frequency parameters, being generally higher pitched in smaller birds
due to morphological constraints of the vocal apparatus. Surprisingly, almost no
adaptations to the acoustic properties of the habitat were detected. Similarly, effects of
migratory behavior were small. In contrast, numerous relationships with measures ofhorizontal and vertical distribution were indicated many of which remain difficult tolink to a specific underlying causation. On this poster, we want to focus on the effect oflatitude on song features such as verse duration, frequency and song complexity andillustrate them with sonagrams of exemplary songs from over 300 males investigated.

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p06-019

The rise and fall of family living and cooperative breeding in birds
M. Griesser 1, S. Drobniak 1, S. Nakawaga 2 and C. Botero 3
1

Anthropological Institute & Museum, University of Zurich, Switzerland
University of Otago, New Zealand
3
Biocomplexity Initiative and Global Change Center, North Carolina State University,
USA
Email: michael.griesser@uzh.ch
2

In birds, comparative analyses so far came to contrasting conclusions regarding the roleof ecological and life-history factors that facilitate the evolution of cooperative breeding.
However, all these studies contrasted cooperative breeders with all other species, which
is an erroneous approach. Using life-history and ecological data on over 3000 bird
species, we show that social evolution in birds is a step-wise sequential process between
pair living, family living and cooperative families. Family living and cooperative
breeding species are primarily found in stable, predictable environments while pair
breeding species are more abundant in unpredictable environments. However, pair
breeders and cooperative breeders are more similar in their reproductive decisions thanfamily living species. We argue that this discrepancy in the response to ecological andlife-history factors between the different social system is a consequence of that bothfamily living and most cooperative breeding birds live in environments that allow the
prolonged association of offspring with their parents. However, cooperative breeding
modifies the reproductive investment decisions, allowing females to invest more in
reproduction than family living species, since helpers reduce their reproductive costs.
As a consequence, cooperative breeders are more similar to pair breeders in theirreproductive investment, while family living species generally are more conservative intheir reproductive investment. Thus, our study elucidates the factors that drive evolutionof avian social systems.

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p06-020

B10K Project: A Plan to Sequence the Genomes of nearly all 10,000 Bird
Species and Development of a Database for Interrogating Trait Evolution
Including Neurobehavioral Traits
Carole M. Parent1, Erich D. Jarvis1,2, Gary Graves3, Carsten Rabek4, Fumin Lei5, Jason T.
Howard1,2, Tom Gilbert4, Guojie Zhang4,61

Neurobio., Duke Univ., Durham, NC; 2 Howard Hughes Medical Institute; 3Vertebrate Zoology,
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC; 4Natural History Museum of
Denmark, Univ. of Copenhagen; 5Chinese Acad. of Sci., Beijing, China; 6BGI, Shenzhen, China

Here we announce our goal and progress on an international collaborative effort to generate
representative draft genome sequences of all living bird species (>10,400), and some extinct ones,
called the B10K project. Among the leaders of this effort are BGI, Copenhagen University, Duke
University, the Smithsonian Museum, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Louisiana State
University. This goal is now achievable due to advances in next generation sequencing
technology, reduced cost of sequencing genomes, a rapidly evolving computational biology field,
and, a comprehensive availability of high quality avian tissue samples from museums and otherinstitutions around the world. We have organized the project for sequencing in three phases
representing the species of: (i) the 230+ avian families; (ii) the 2250+ genera of birds; and (iii) as
many of the remaining 8,000+ extant species as possible. We are creating a database of traits thatcan be useful interrogating trait associations for differences across species. In a proof-ofprinciple, international Genome10K-BGI effort, the motivation for the B10K project, thegenomes of 48 bird species, representing all Neoaves, both Neognathae, and two Palaeognatheorders, assembled or collected. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a highly resolved avian tree. The
tree supports the evolution of vocal learning multiple independent times, and suggests that thecommon ancestor of core landbirds may have been an apex predator, and that this trait was lost
two independent times. Based on this initial experience, we envision the B10K effort will
provide a public resource that we hope will benefit many scientists, facilitating the study of a
myriad of questions in genome biology and evolution that would otherwise be difficult to address.
This includes fostering the development of novel computational tools and algorithms, identify
genetic differences underlying biogeographical patterns of species ranges and richness, and attaina greater understanding of speciation in the tree of life. We hope this project will also be usefulfor studying avian pathogenic infections of interest to public health, and for gaining insights into
genes controlling complex avian traits such as flight, vocal learning, cognition, and social,mating, and predatory behavior. We envision B10K to also serve as a model for future lineage
comprehensive genome projects.

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SA07 Foraging, energetics & nutrition

p07-001

The diet of antbirds (Thamnophilidae; Passeriformes) from stomach
content analyses
V. M. S. Kupriyanov 1, R. Gaban-Lima 2,3 and E. Höfling 1
1

Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Brazil
3
Museu de História Natural, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
Email: vivianetchka@gmail.com; ehofling@usp.br
2

The family Thamnophilidae, known as antbirds, comprises around 209 species in 45
genera distributed in the Neotropics and off-shore islands. Most thamnophilids occur inhumid lowland forests with the highest diversity in the Amazon basin; the number of
species diminishes with increasing altitude in montane areas. Many members of thefamily are arboreal, inhabiting the understory to canopy levels, although some are
terrestrial. Antbirds feed on arthropods, but occasionally eat small vertebrates. Many
species are obligatory ant-swarm followers, and they also form mixed flocks in theunderstory and to a lesser extent in the canopy. Using inventories from various surveys
in the Amazon region, the objective of this study was to determine the diet ofrepresentatives of the Thamnophilidae, including the number of prey and the total
biomass consumed. We analyzed the stomach contents of 280 specimens representing
32 species and 17 genera. Most of the species were followers of ant swarms, of which
50% were occasional, 15.6% regular and 6.25% obligatory. Diet items with the highest
frequency of occurrence were Coleoptera and Orthoptera (22,7% and 20,2%,
respectively), and these were responsible for more than 80% of the biomass consumed,with the Orthoptera contributing 52.8% and the Coleoptera 29.2%. Other arthropods
identified as food were Araneae, Chilopoda, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Isoptera, Diptera,
Odonata, Blattodea, Dermaptera, larvae and eggs. Small vertebrates were eaten by two
species, Percnostola leucostigma (n = 1) and Hylophylax poecilinotus (n = 4). Financial
support was given by CAPES and CNPq.

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p07-002

Does diet influence time of breeding and molting in Neotropical birds?
Cesar A. Medolago1, Daniele J. Moreno1 & Augusto J. Piratelli2
1

Programa de Pós-graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Conservação - UFSCar campus Sorocaba, Brazil.
2
Departamento de Ciências Ambientais - UFSCar - CCTS, Brazil.
E-mail: E-mail: cesarmedolago@yahoo.com.br; da_moreno88@hotmail.com;
piratelli@ufscar.br
Assuming that food supply for birds is directly related to environmental variables suchas rainfall and temperature, this can lead to distinct, diet-related periods of breeding andmolting. We tested this hypothesis by mist-netting, fecal sampling and scoring of molt
and brood-patch presence in birds in an Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. Sampled
species were grouped into omnivores, insectivores and nectarivores-insectivores, andthe results were compared using Friedman’s Anova and Chi-square tests. We found no
significant differences in periods of molting (F = 2.0417, df: 2, p = 0.1314) andbreeding (F = 1.5417, df: 2, p = 0.3258) among the analyzed foraging guilds, suggestingthat species of distinct guilds perform these tasks at the same time of the year
(November to May and August to February, respectively). These observations can be
explained by a generally higher abundance of food resources during the hot and wet
season. We also found little overlap between molt and breeding cycles, with overlaps ofjust 7.1% in insectivores (χ ² = 3.0124, p = 0.2222), 13.6% in nectarivores-insectivores(χ ² = 3.0124, p = 0.2222) and 5.1% in omnivores (χ ² = 0.1126, p = 0.9155). This canbe explained by the high energy costs involved in these life-history stages, regardless of
feeding habits. In general, there were no temporal differences in the studied cycles forthe distinct trophic guilds studied and we thus reject our initial hypothesis.

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p07-003

Diet composition of Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) nestlings
Sasha A. Auer1, Jennifer R. Wagner2, Kevin W. Barnes1 and Kamal Islam1.
1

Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA.
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA.
Email: kislam@bsu.edu

2

The Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea), once common in eastern North American hardwood
forests, is one of the fastest declining Nearctic-Neotropical wood warblers, decreasing at a rate of
approximately 3% per year. It is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, as a species of concern in the
United States and as endangered in Canada. Population declines are primarily attributed tohabitat loss in the eastern U.S. and at wintering grounds in South America. Despite a substantial
increase in research during the past decade, Cerulean Warbler offspring diet has not been studied.
We determined the prey types (insects and arachnids) that Cerulean Warbler parents fed their
young over the 2011-2013 breeding seasons and compared the proportions of different preytypes to prey availability. We identified a total of 351 prey items (n=34 in 2011, n=17 in 2012,
and n=300 in 2013) at 24 nests. Although the proportion of Lepidoptera larvae (caterpillars)deliveries varied annually and seasonally, caterpillars were the most frequently delivered prey
item. Caterpillar availability decreased and non-caterpillar prey deliveries increased
proportionally during the latter part of the breeding season. Non-caterpillar prey items included
Orthoptera, Diptera, Neuroptera, Arachnida, Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Phasmida. Many
songbirds rely on an abundant supply of caterpillars to raise their young, and their nesting
phenology has evolved to coincide with peaks in abundance of caterpillars. These species may beparticularly prone to the effects that changes in vegetation composition and climate likely haveon the life cycle and abundance of their food source and these effects may negatively influence
those songbirds’ reproductive success.

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p07-004

Temporal and spatial change in the diet of Black-faced Spoonbill chicks
revealed by stable isotope analysis
M.S. Jeong1, C.Y. Choi1, W.S Lee1, K.S. Lee2, I.K. Kwon3 and J.Y. Lee3
1

Lab of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Waterbird Network Korea, Seoul, Korea
3
Korea Institute of Ornithology & Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul,
Korea
Email: jungms88@naver.com
2

The endangered Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) breeds mainly on uninhabitedcoastal and offshore islets in the western Korean Peninsula. Because the nasal salt glands oftheir hatchlings may not be fully functional, it has been suggested that adults with young
possibly switch feeding sites from freshwater wetlands to brackish and coastal mudflats overthe nestling growth period. We investigated the change in diet of Black-faced Spoonbill
chicks, using stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) in the primary feathers of chicks raised in Incheon(Suha Islet, Namdong Reservoir) and in Jeonnam Province (Chilsan Island). The tip (grownat the age of 10 days) and middle (grown at the age of 22 days) portions of each primary werecollected and analysed to examine potential diet change over the early chick growth period.
δ13C of the middle portions was significantly higher than that of tips regardless of breeding
site, suggesting that the ratio of marine foods increased over time as expected. According to
the two-source δ13C diet mixing model, the estimated contributions of marine foods to thechicks' diet changed from 59.78% to 68.71% in Incheon and from 60.52% to 70.18% on
Chilsan Island as chicks grew. However, the δ15N value did not change significantly in
Incheon whereas it significantly decreased on Chilsan Island. The latter result indicates thatthe trophic level of the Incheon chicks remained unchanged during the brooding period,
whereas the trophic level of the chicks on Chilsan Island was reduced over time. Our results
provide the first evidence of a temporal change in the diet of the chicks in this species,
showing a declining reliance on freshwater foodwebs with age, as well as a spatial variationin diet related to breeding site.

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p07-005

Spatial, foraging behaviour and dietary overlap between two similarlysized avian herbivores wintering in China
Meijuan Zhao1,3, Lei Cao1*, Marcel Klaassen3 Yong Zhang1 & Anthony D. Fox2
1

School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui
230026, China (email: caolei@ustc.edu.cn)
2
Department of Bioscience, University of Aarhus, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde,Denmark3
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000,
Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
Competition may occur when two species with similar feeding ecologies share limited
resources. Understanding both the mechanisms of competition and their impacts are crucial
for predicting population dynamics and developing conservation and management strategies.
In recent years, two wintering goose species, Eastern Tundra Bean Geese Anser fabalis
serrirostris and Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons frontalis have increased at
Shengjin Lake, China. To examine the potential occurrence of inter-specific competition andpossible avoidance strategies, we studied their 1) seasonal abundance; 2) habitat use and 3)
foraging behaviour and diet of geese foraging in mixed and single species flocks, in the sedge
meadows that they used simultaneously. During the main wintering season, numbers of both
species were inversely correlated, suggesting avoidance. Both species extensively exploited
sedge meadows, where they showed considerable overlap in spatial distribution and diet.
However, the percentage of time feeding and diet by both species were unaffected by thepresence of the other species. Greater White-fronted Geese appeared to be diurnal sedge
meadow specialists, almost never feeding in other habitats. In contrast, Bean Geese were lessselective, shifting from the shared sedge meadow to alternative habitats and increasingly fed
at night in mid-winter. This exploitation of alternative habitats and night feeding potentiallyameliorated the potential for inter-specific competition between the two species. The
specialised feeding ecology of Greater White-fronted Goose may make them particularly
vulnerable to sedge meadow habitat shortage. Bean Geese probably perform better in the faceof sedge meadow shortage by proactively exploring alternative habitats and changing theirfeeding ecology.

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p07-006

Diet variation of the Southern Grey Shrike in Algeria
Ahmed Taibi*, Maria Angeles Rojo** and Salaheddine Doumandji****Department of Agronomy, faculty SNV/STU, University of Tlemcen, Algeria.
(e_coli1982@yahoo.fr)**European University Miguel de Cervantes, Calle Padre Julio Chevalier 2, E-47012
Valladolid, Spain.
**Department of Zoology, School National superior of Agronomy, El Harrach, Algiers,
Algeria.

The diet of sixteen Southern Grey Shrikes (Lanius meridionalis) was studied in three
Algerian sites: Algiers (North-central), Tlemcen (North-west) and Biskra (South-east).
Between 2006 and 2010, 370 pellets were collected at shrike roosting sites throughout
the year. The aim of this study is to analyze diet variation and relate this toenvironmental factors. In the laboratory, pellets were disaggregated carefully and aquantitative study of their composition was conducted with a binocularstereomicroscope. Nine of the 83 fragments of plants studied in the pellets collected in
the region of Algiers were identified as autochthonous species; 4 of the 15 fragments ofplants analyzed in the Tlemcen-site pellets were identified as autochthonous species;and 3 of the 22 fragments of plants studied from the pellets collected in the region of
Biskra, near the Sahara desert, were identified as autochthonous plant species. The mostabundant species identified in this study is, however, an unidentified plant (found in 58
fragments from Algiers and in 20 from Biskra), followed by Poaceae species (7fragments from Algiers and 3 from Biskra). Previous studies show that plant residues
found in shrikes (Fam. Laniidae) were part of the diet of other primary vertebrate
preyed upon. Results of this study demonstrate that the Southern Grey Shrike is able toaccommodate diet variation under environmental restrictions.

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p07-007

Hunting habitat selection by Eastern Marsh Harriers Circus spilonotus
in agricultural areas: a case study in the Hachiro-gata polder
Y. Takahashi 1 and A. Azuma 2
1

Graduate School of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
Email: tigerkeelback@yahoo.co.jp
2

Breeding habitats of Eastern Marsh Harriers (Circus spilonotus) are not only primal
wetlands. In Japan, they breed in agricultural areas as well and Hachiro-gata polder,
Akita prefecture, is typical. This polder is a vast lowland (north-south 18km, east-west
12km) surrounded by a lake. Although most of the polder is composed of paddy fields,
there are also soybean fields, wheat fields, pastures, waterways and windbreaks. The
Harriers breed in reed beds along waterways or on vacant land that are scattered among
the polder. From May to July 2013, we observed nesting of the Harriers at 2 study sites.
We defined hunting flights as low-altitude flights in which gliding and flapping alternate
while the bird scans the ground surface. We timed hunting flights for each type of land
cover and calculated Manly's Selectivity Index (MSI) that is the ratio of hunting flighttime and land cover area. MSI indicates degree of each land cover preferred by theHarriers as hunting habitat. While we observed each Harrier, we recorded vegetation
structure and surveyed densities of small animals (voles, frogs and birds), which are thebirds' major prey in the study area. In one study site, where pasture was the land cover,
we recorded the longest hunting flight times. The MSI of pasture was larger than otherland cover types. On the other site with no pasture, the longest hunting flights were overreed beds, and the MSI of reed beds was the largest. Thus, pastures and reed beds areimportant hunting habitats for the Harriers in Hachiro-gata polder. While there waspositive correlation between MSI and density of voles, there were no correlations
between MSI and other elements including vegetation structure. These results suggestthat the Harriers would select hunting sites with an emphasis on abundance of voles.
This work was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (25450506).

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p07-008

Foraging habits of Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins
revealed by stable isotope analysis on King George Island, Antarctica
H.Y. Kang, C.Y. Choi, H.K. Kim and W.S. Lee
Lab of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republicof Korea
Email: kittyhigh@naver.com
The ecology of diving seabirds is largely affected by the abundance and distribution of
their marine prey. The intent of this study was to investigate intra- and inter-specificdifferences at the trophic level and geographical origin of the penguin diet. We used two
stable isotopes, 13C and 15N, in the whole blood of Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica)
and Gentoo Penguins (P. papua). Whole blood samples were collected for stable
isotope analysis from the 13th of January until the 6th of February, 2013. During thisperiod, the penguin chicks were in the late guarding and early crèching stage. As aresult, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins showed similar trophic level having similar δ15N
values, but Chinstrap Penguins appeared to forage in more pelagic areas than Gentoo
penguins by having higher δ13C values. The males showed a higher trophic level thanfemales for both species, but there was no significant difference in foraging areas
between males and females as indicated by δ13C. According to the isotope comparisons
for age, chicks showed lower δ15N values than the adults for both species. The finding
suggests that adults feed their chicks with prey in the lower trophic level (krills) incomparison to their own diet. Chicks also had lower δ13C values suggesting that adults
utilize prey from more offshore areas for their chicks.

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p07-009

Hummingbirds and their flowers at dryland vegetation in Chapada
Diamantina, northeast Brazil
C.G. Machado and A.D.C. Moura
Laboratory of Ornithology, State University of Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana,
BrazilEmail: caiogracomachado@gmail.com
We investigated the relationship between hummingbirds and their floral resources in anarea of altitudinal dryland vegetation in Chapada Diamantina, Caatinga biome,
northeastern Brazil. It is a region regarded as having a high priority for conservation due
to its high floristic diversity and endemic species. During bimonthly expeditions from
April 2012 to August 2013 we documented the seasonality and foraging strategies of thehummingbird species, as well as floral characteristics and flowering patterns of plant
species explored by these birds. We recorded eight species of hummingbirds, five of
which were considered resident species. Anopetia gounellei and Phaethornis pretrei
displayed a trapline foraging strategy, visiting species with more specialized
ornithophilous flowers. Chlorostilbon lucidus, Eupetomena macroura and Amazilia
fimbriata displayed a territorial behavior, defending areas with concentrations of floral
resources. The remaining species made occasional visits, acting as low reward trapliners
or generalists. Hummingbirds foraged in 28 species of plants belonging to 15 familiesof which the Cactaceae was the most representative, followed by Bromeliaceae. Amongthe plant species visited, 57% are ornithophilous. Most of the plant species have tubular
corolla and the average concentration of nectar of the community was 21.1%. Ten
species flowered exclusively during the dry season, one species only during the rainyseason, and 17 during both seasons, so that floral resources were available throughout
the year. The network of mutualistic interactions between hummingbirds and plants had
a nested pattern, with a level of connectance of 25%. In this pattern, most of theinteractions are focused on a small number of species. The different foraging strategies
used by these hummingbirds promote lower niche overlap, which, combined with thecontinuous flowering of species in the plant community, enable the coexistence ofhummingbird species in the area.

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p07-010

Influence of thermodynamic costs on daily movement decisions andhabitat use of the Brolga (Grus rubicunda)
I. Veltheim 1, M. Kearney 2, M. McCarthy 3, S. Cook 1
1School of Science, Information Technology and Engineering, University of Ballarat,
Ballarat, Australia
2
Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
3
School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Email: inka.veltheim@gmail.com
Endotherms produce heat as a result of internal metabolic processes. The coretemperature of endotherms is independent of external temperatures within thethermoneutral zone. When external temperatures exceed the upper critical temperatureof an animal, it needs to lose heat, which is associated with increased rate of water loss.
To maintain core temperature within non-lethal limits, animals may change their
behaviour to increase evaporative cooling or shift their location to habitats that provide
a thermal environment with lower metabolic costs and reduced water loss. Brolgas(Grus rubicunda) forage in open, exposed paddocks and are therefore subjected toexternal environmental conditions that can result in individuals experiencing heat stressand water loss. These factors are likely to constrain the amount of time available forforaging and influence decisions on when and where to move to maintain water balance
and reduce metabolic costs. Daily patterns of habitat use and movements are thus likely
to be driven by environmental conditions. We investigated these patterns of behaviour
by utilising GPS tracking data to study daily habitat use of Brolgas. We then combined
location data on habitat use with detailed behavioural observations, weather data and abiophysical model to understand mechanisms behind daily movement decisions of
Brolgas. Preliminary results indicate that Brolgas foraged in paddocks during the coolerpart of the day and roosted in wetlands during the hottest part of the day. Movements
between the two habitats were triggered by biophysical requirements to reduce heat loss
and metabolic costs and to maintain water balance.

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p07-011

Body size differences in a brood of nestlings of Daito Scops Owl isrelated to the diversity of provisioned foodT. Iwasaki1, K. Nakaoka1, T. Nakanishi2 and M. Takagi1,2
1

Department of Biology and Geoscience, Graduated School of Science,
Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan2
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
Email: osdsk.com@gmail.com
Female Daito Scops Owls (Otus elegans interpositus) which lay eggs every 3–4 days,
start incubation before their clutch is complete, so eggs hatch asynchronously. In
general, nestlings of asynchronously hatching broods vary in body size and thesedifferences may affect the survival of fledglings. The aims of this study were: 1) todetermine whether body sizes differed between nestlings of this owl, and 2) tounderstand mechanisms leading to nestling size differences through the analysis of foodprovisioned by the parents. We monitored owls breeding in 2012–2013, recording thefood provisioned by the parents with charged-coupled device cameras and measuring
body sizes of nestlings every 5 days. We only analysed data from three egg clutches.
Hatching was asynchronous with an average hatching span from first till third egg of 3.5± 1.0 days (N = 6). Both the first and second-hatched nestlings spent on average of 29.1
days in the nest while the third-hatched nestling (C03) stayed an average 27.5 days in
the nest. Thus C03s fledged earlier than the other siblings. Body mass, natural wing andtarsus length of C03s at 10 days before fledging were significantly smaller than those of
their siblings. The provisioning rate and growth rate of all siblings was indistinguishable.
The relative differences in nestling mass (index of body mass difference within a brood;
i.e. index of within clutch variation in body mass) were positively correlated with
provisioning rate of cockroaches by both parents and negatively correlated with
Simpson’s diversity index of the provisioned food by the male parent. We found bodysize to vary in relation to hatching date, but found no evidence that size differences were
escalated by competition between siblings over food resources. Most likely, size
differences were affected by the quality of the food the chicks received, and especiallyby the diversity of types of food provisioned by the parents. Therefore, parents may
tend to compensate for nestling size differences by modifying their food provisioning
efforts.

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p07-012Sexual size dimorphism and foraging behaviorsof the Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon)
H. Nakatsu1, H. Nagata1, C. Koshida2, Y. Kaneko3, and S. Yamagishi4
1

Center for Toki and Ecological Restoration, Niigata University, Sado, Japan
Toki Reintroduction Center, Sado, Japan
3
Toki Conservation Center, Sado, Japan
4
Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork, Toyo-oka, Japan
Email: nakatsu@cc.niigata-u.ac.jp
2Size differences between male and female Crested Ibises are sometimes perceivable incasual observations, but functions of sexual size dimorphism remain unknown. This
mysterious species was once extinct in the wild and is now on the way of reintroductionin Japan. We examined whether sexual size dimorphism was related to differences inforaging of male and female Crested Ibises. First, we measured the lengths of the tarsus
and culmen of birds captive-bred prior to release to the wild, and found that the mean
lengths of males were longer than those of females for 8% and 11%, respectively(p<0.01 for both, Wilcoxon rank sum test). In 2012 and 2013, we observed behaviors ofbreeding birds that had previously been released. We used the scan-sampling method todetermine microhabitat selection of foraging birds, and conducted 3-minute focal
animal tracking to examine whether use of searching behaviors was different between
sexes. A “submerged” searching behavior was defined, a case where the bird submerged
its head until its eyes were hidden under mud water at least once within a tracking
session; “normal” surface searching meant the bird didn’t use “submerged” searching
within a session. Males foraged on mud water of rice paddies for more than 53%;
females foraged for more than 34% on levees (narrow embankments around paddies)and less on mud water. Males and females selected microhabitats differently (p<0.05,
chi-square test). Males exploited submerged foraging in 23.5% of tracking sessions(n=68) while females did not (n=14); the sexes adopted different foraging behaviors(p<0.05, Fisher’s exact test). Males caught more loaches per unit time in rearing periods,
than females did (p>0.05 for 2012, p<0.01 for 2013, Wilcoxon rank sum test). These
results supported our hypothesis and suggested that males, with longer tarsi andculmens, can forage frequently and deeply on mud water.

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p07-013

Foraging ecology of an Oriental White Stork in Toyooka city, Hyogo
Prefecture, Japan
Hiroko Takeda 1
1

Laboratory of Geographical Ecology, Toho University, Chiba, Japan
Email: h.takeda856@gmail.com

The Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana) is a large wading bird and an endangered
species in Japan as well as in the world. The storks have become extinct about forty
years ago in Japan, because of habitat loss and decrease of their prey. A reintroduction
program which released storks in the wild for restoration of the species was started in2005 in Toyooka, Japan. Toyooka is a city which was the last habitat of the storks. In
order to provide information on the species’ foraging ecology in the wild, I studied thedaily active time, foraging time, foraging habitat and prey of the species in Toyooka in
March and June 2008. I pursued the stork by car from flying out of the roost to roosting,and recorded its foraging behavior by video camera. The time between leaving the roostand coming back for roosting was 12 hours 39 minutes in March, and 15 hours 5
minutes in June. The proportion of time spent foraging was 42.6% in March, and 48.3%
in June. The stork mainly used paddy fields (51.1%) and ditches (38.0%) in March, andpaddy fields (93.8%) in June as foraging sites. Prey identification from recorded
videotapes showed that the stork mainly consumed loaches and red swamp crayfishes inMarch, and tadpoles in June. I also estimated the daily total weight of its food in Marchand June. I will discuss the significance of their foraging ecology for the restoration of
the species.

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p07-015

The possibility of endozoochorous seed dispersal by waterbirds in Mongolia
Y. Yabuuchi11, E. Hamabata2 and S. Gombobaatar3
1

Okinawa, Japan
Department of Ecosystem Studies, University of Shiga Prefecture, Shiga, Japan
3
National University of Mongolia, Mongolian Ornithological Society, Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia
E-mail: yy59swift@yahoo.co.jp
2

Waterbirds may play an important role in the maintenance of aquatic vegetation bytransporting plant seeds between wetlands. However, field data and information on theoccurrence of waterbird-mediated transport is limited. Moreover, most studies haveextensively focused on non-breeding sites. We believe that the information from breedingsites is important with respect to seed dispersal. Waterbirds forage on seeds at their breedingsites before undertaking long-distance migrations to the south. We examined their feces for
intact seeds in Mongolia. Twenty-three species of geese and ducks breed in Mongolia andmost leave their breeding sites by August–September, although a few species of waterbirds
overwinter in unfrozen open waters. We collected fecal samples from locations of feeding androosting waterbirds. Ninety-three samples were collected at 8 sites in Hövsgöl and Arkhangai
in August 2007, and 44 samples at 3 sites in Gobi-Altai in August 2009. We observed mainly
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus, Swan Goose Anser
cygnoides and Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea at the sampling sites. However, we could
not identify the feces at species level due to several reasons. We additionally collected 22
fecal samples (Ruddy Shelduck and Mallard Anas platyrhynchos) at 2 wintering sites in
Ulaanbaatar in February 2009. Samples were washed through a 0.5-mm or 1 × 2-mm sieve
and the residues examined. Intact seeds occurred in 0–33% of samples in August 2007, 7–
67% in August 2009, and 43–60% in February 2009. Seeds found in summer were from atleast 2 plant genera (Potamogeton and Persicaria). Seeds found in winter were mainly
Persicaria spp. Our results confirm the papers reporting that waterbirds potentially carryseeds at long distances during their migration. We found plant seeds not only in summer feces
but also in winter feces. It suggests the possibility of seed dispersal throughout the year, atleast at local wetlands.

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p07-016

The cost of long distance adult foraging movement during reproduction:
an inter-population study of Streaked Shearwaters
N. Oka1, D. Ochi2, K. Matsumoto3, M. Shirai4, T. Yamamoto5,
Y. Watanuki3, K. Sato6 and M. Yamamoto7
1

Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Abiko, 2National Research Institute of Far Seas
Fisheries, Fisheries Research Agency, Shimizu, 3Graduate school of Fisheries Sciences,
Hokkaido University, Hakodate,4Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya
University, Nagoya, 5National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, 6Atmosphere andOcean Research Institute, the University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 7Department of
BioEngineering/Biomaterials, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka.
Email: oka@yamashina.or.jp
In Procellariiformes such as shearwaters and albatrosses, chick-rearing-adults make trips
to predictably rich waters that are surprisingly far from their nests. An explanatory
hypothesis was suggested, namely that the parents need to efficiently replace energy thatwas lost while provisioning chicks, even though the long trips impose a cost on the parents
and chicks, by reducing parental nest attendance and provisioning rate which determine
chick growth. Therefore the long trips may affect the inclusive cost in reproduction forthis pelagic group. Using Streaked Shearwaters (Calonectris leucomelas), we compared
inclusive cost and benefit of parents’ foraging trips in reproduction by studying parental
foraging behavior and morphological traits, and chick growth rates among populations of
the western North Pacific (Mikura and Sangan) and a population of the Sea of Japan(Awa) that are neighboring populations along eastern Honshu, Japan, in the Far East Asia.
Tracking by satellite telemetry, we found that the parental birds of the three populations
make foraging trips to the wide area of waters off south-eastern Hokkaido. Destinations offoraging trips varied in distance from their nests, being a maximum of 1,184km from
Mikura, 749 km from Awa and 540 km from Sangan. Mikura birds spent most of theforaging days on the long distant trips (i.e. >500 km from nests), by contrast, birds fromthe other two islands spent most days on the short distant trips (i.e. <250km from nests).
The parent body mass and chick growth rate of Mikura birds were the lightest and theslowest, respectively, among the three populations, while those of Sangan birds were theheaviest and the fastest, with moderate values for Awa birds. Our comparative study
among the three populations, thus, indicates that the Mikura population incurs a cost oflong distant parental foraging movements in reproduction compared to the other two
populations.

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Roost population and foraging behaviour of the Malabar Pied Hornbill inWestern Ghats of India
Sanjeevareddy Modse
Department of Zoology,
Government First Grade College, Bidar, India.
Email: sanjeevareddymodse@yahoo.co.in
Roost populations and foraging behaviour of Malabar Pied Hornbills were observed from
April, 1984 to February, 2013 in the Hornbill Conservation Reserve, Western Ghats of
Karnataka, India. The roosting place is located on the right bank of river Kali amidst humanhabitation. In 1980s and 90s the study area was under tremendous disturbance from theconstruction of a Dam for hydro-electric power. The study revealed that there is a steadyincrease in the population of hornbills from 44 in 1985 to 69 in 2013 at the roost, and that thesame roosting and foraging sites have been used by Malabar Pied Hornbills over a period of
29 years. However, seasonal changes in foraging route and distance have been noticed.
The increase in hornbill population at the roost is due to decreased human activity andpredation pressure in the study area. The protection of roost, food plants, and decreased
predation pressure in the Hornbill Conservation Reserve are the possible reasons for theirfidelity to roost and foraging sites.

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p07-018

Social facilitation of foraging behaviour in domestic chicks; a possible
role of dopaminergic reward system
Y. Oura 1,2 and T. Matsushima 3
1

Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Japan Society for Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
3
Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Email: matusima@sci.hokudai.ac.jp
2Social facilitation occurs when an animal behaves in the presence of one or more
conspecifics, often resulting in an enhanced performance and a behaviouralsynchronization leading to swarm formation. Common biological backgrounds haveoften been assumed, because the social facilitation is reported in a variety of animals
including human (Zajonc 1965, Clayton 1978). In this study, we investigated facilitationof foraging behaviour in week-old domestic chicks. Single or paired chicks foraged in
an I-shaped maze equipped with a pair of millet feeders on both ends, and each feeder
distributed one or two grains at variable intervals without any cues. Chicks actively ran
back and forth between the two feeders (shuttling). (1) The shuttles were notsynchronized with the food dispensing, (2) amount of shuttles was higher in paired
chicks than in single chicks, (3) shuttles of paired chicks were partially synchronized,and (4) the effects occurred immediately after the pairing. We further examined thesocial facilitation by dividing the I-maze into two parallel lanes separated by atransparent wall, so that kleptoparasitic interference (food competition) did not occur.
Again, (5) the social facilitation of shuttles and their synchronization occurred,
indicating that the competition was not responsible. As the next step, we searched forthe neural substrate of social facilitation by using selective lesion of dopamine (DA)transmission by micro-infusion of 6-OHDA to basal ganglia and midbrain dopaminergic
nuclei. Results of the lesion experiments suggest that (6) medial striatum is critical forkeeping foraging efforts, but is not required for social facilitation to occur. Instead, (7)substantia nigra (lateral group of DA neurons) is involved in the social facilitation. It issuggested that a subset of dopaminergic reward system is activated by visual exposure
to foraging conspecifics, and its activation could cause the social facilitation and swarm
formation.

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Seasonal and annual variation in foraging strategies of Little Penguins(Eudyptula minor)
P. Agnew 1, C. Lalas 2, J. Wright3 and S. Dawson2
1

Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, Oamaru, New Zealand2
Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand3
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Email: research@penguins.co.nz
Seabirds must alter their foraging strategies throughout the year in order to cope withvariation in prey availability and the demands of breeding. We sampled foraging
locations and diving behaviour of breeding Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) at
Oamaru, New Zealand, using Global Positioning System and time-depth recording
devices. We attached the devices during pre-egg, incubation and chick-rearing stages
over three breeding seasons (2010, 2011, and 2012). We aimed to determine how Little
Penguins adjust their foraging in response to different stages of breeding and to
determine if variation in foraging relates to reproductive performance. Foraging
variables were related to the duration since the start of the breeding season rather than
the stage: distance travelled increased, and dive depth decreased, as the season
progressed. In all seasons there was no difference in the distance travelled and the total
diving duration during incubation compared to chick-rearing. Among seasons,differences were found in the diving activity during the rearing of second broods (ofdouble-brooding pairs). An increase in the total diving duration per day paralleled a
reduction in breeding success during 2010. The reduction in breeding success was
attributable to the occurrence of a storm event during the 2010-11 austral summer,
however during the same period the total diving duration was already high. We
conclude that extrinsic factors were more important than stage-related demands ofbreeding in influencing Little Penguin foraging strategies at Oamaru.

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p07-020

Applicability of a single-sample doubly labelled water method to the
Streaked Shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas)
Y. Niizuma 1 and M. Shirai 2
1

Laboratory of Environmental Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Meijo University,
Nagoya, Japan
2
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Email: niizuma@meijo-u.ac.jp

Doubly labelled water (DLW) method is a common approach to investigate CO2
production rate (rCO2) (i.e. field metabolic rate) of free-ranging animals by injecting
oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. The two-sample protocol (TS) of DLW method requires
taking two blood samples both before and after an experimental period (i.e. initial andfinal isotope enrichment, respectively). Alternatively, a single-sample protocol (SS),which includes the estimation of initial isotope enrichment, has been developed as a lessinvasive means with lower impact on the behaviour of study subjects. However, little
information is available on the accuracy and precision of SS protocol. Therefore, we
studied the validity of SS protocols in the Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas.
We developed equations for the SS protocol based on the measured initial isotope
enrichments, the amount of injected isotopes and body mass collected from 21
shearwaters. Then, for six shearwaters subjected to the TS protocol we calculated theturnover rates of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes (ko and kd), and rCO2 using thetwo-pool model with both measured and initial isotope enrichments. The arithmetic andabsolute errors were 0.02% and 0.90% for the estimated initial enrichments in oxygenisotope and 0.24% and 3.15% for hydrogen isotope. rCO2 calculated by TS and SS
protocols showed a linear relationship although the SS protocol overestimated rCO2 by
15.0% in comparison to the TS protocol. ko and kd derived from the SS protocol had adiscrepancy of -2.6% and -11.8%, respectively. We could reliably estimate the initialenrichments of both isotopes and apply the two-pool model in the calculation of rCO2.
The overestimated rCO2 by the SS protocol may be caused by the lower accuracy andprecision of the estimated initial enrichment in hydrogen isotope. The choice ofsampling protocol may depend on the trade-off between the need for both accuracy andprecision, and the behavioural impacts on the study species.

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Crisis for males: the failure of sexual niche separation when foodresources changed
K. Tan 1 and Z. Ma 1
1

School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Email: 12110700097@fudan.edu.cn

Sexual segregation in foraging has been reported in animals, especially in those withgender dimorphism. Different foraging strategies of males and females have been
explained by niche separation or dominance hypothesis but it is usually difficulty to
distinguish the ecological causes and consequences. We investigated the foraging
behaviours of Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica, a shorebird with conspicuous
dimorphism in body size and bill in Yalu Jiang, China, an important staging site fornorthward migration. We collected behavioural observations and benthos samples inseveral areas with different benthos composition and density and we repeated this at thesame places while the food resources changed over time. We found that males tended tobe tide followers and they pecked quickly to feed on bivalves even when the densities ofbivalves were very low or bivalves were too big for them. Fewer females followed thewaterline and they consumed more polychaetes and shrimps than males. The frequency
of aggression was very high when the birds were foraging together along the waterline
and females frequently involved and won more aggressive interactions than males.
Pecking for and swallowing small benthos quickly could be a strategy developed bymales to avoid competition with females while a huge number of birds foraging instaging sites and niche separation have been fixed by evolution. However, thisforaging habit can bring males into unfavourable condition when the number ofbivalves declines sharply.

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p08-001

Climatic conditions on migration and annual survival of a neotropicalmigrant, the Yellow Warbler
David J. Green, Amber Richmond and Anna Drake
Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University,
Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Populations of migratory songbirds are influenced by climatic condition at all stages of theirannual cycle. However, recent work on western neotropical migrants suggests that ENSOrelated climate conditions on migration have a greater influence on annual apparent survival
than conditions on the wintering grounds or breeding grounds. Here, we examine how El
Nino Southern Oscillation effects on westerly wind speeds during the migration period,
storms on migration, and dry season precipitation in the southwestern region of the migratory
flyway influence the apparent annual survival of Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia)
breeding in western Canada using data collected from 2004-2014. We show that westerly
windspeeds during a two month period (April-May) explain more of the variation in annual
apparent survival than conditions over a longer or shorter migratory period. Wind-speed
effects on apparent survival are not explained by increases in the prevalence of wind or rainstorms during this migratory period. We compare the level of support for survival models
including ENSO effects on wind speed at elevations used by neotropical migrants, and dry
season precipitation that will influence conditions at stopover sites, and contrast our resultswith previous studies on neotropical and palearctic-African migrants.

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p08-002

How timed is the timing of migrants?
M. Lerche-Jørgensen and K. Thorup1
1Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of
Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen , Denmark
Email: mathildelj@snm.ku.dk

The timing of reproduction and survival in relation to migration are generally believed
to be crucial in determining fitness of migrants. Several studies have investigated how
timing of breeding is related to reproduction, but the consequences on survival of
migration and arrival timing have not received much attention. The proximate control oftiming of individuals is presumably a result of a combination of genetic, phenotypic andenvironmental factors as well as some degree of randomness. Here, we investigate theeffect of timing on individual survival, by modelling survival rates as a function of
ringing date. In all cases, we incorporated species, season and migration distance effects.
In spring, long-distance migrants tended to show low survival for early and late birds
whereas for short-distance migrants, survival generally decreased during the season. In
autumn, the pattern of survival was much less clear with apparent differences between
species. Overall, migration in spring passed was before the maximum survival. For the
species showing protandry, the migration peak of females coincided with maximum
survival, whereas males arrived before that. This supports the prediction thatcompetition for territories can lead to suboptimal arrival times in migrants.

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p08-003

Plasticity and repeatability of migration timing of American White Pelicans
Tommy King1 and Guiming Wang2
1

U. S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, P.O.
Box 6099, Mississippi State, MS 39762
2
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mail Stop 9690, Mississippi State,
Mississippi State University, USA
Email: gwang@cfr.msstate.edu
Endogenous and exogenous mechanisms control the timing of avian migration. The onset ofspring migration is likely controlled by endogenous mechanisms because of fitness benefits oftimely arrivals in nesting habitat. Likewise, dates of autumn departure from the southernboundary of a species nesting range are also critically important for winter survival (e.g.,
avoidance of northern winter conditions). Therefore, the two dates may express highrepeatability, particularly in a short-distance migrant. However, phenotypic plasticity or
individuality of migration timing allows for microevolution and adaptation to fluctuating
environments in both wintering and nesting ranges. The timing of autumn migration may havegreater individuality than that of spring migration. We used the GPS relocation data on 33
American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) wintering in Louisiana, Mississippi, andAlabama, USA from 2002 to 2011 to test the predictions: 1) the timing of spring and autumn
migration changes over years, expressing either microevolution or phenotypic plasticity of
migration timing; 2) the onset of spring migration and autumn departure dates from the southernboundary of P. erythrorhynchos nesting range have greater repeatability than the dates of spring
and winter arrivals; and 3) dates of spring arrival are influenced by winter and spring
temperatures in wintering habitat. Spring departure and arrival dates became earlier from 2002
to 2011, whereas arrivals in wintering habitat were delayed over years. Repeatability of spring
departure dates and autumn departure dates from the southern boundary of the nesting range was
0.76 and 0.63, respectively, greater than that of spring and winter arrivals. Furthermore, spring
departure and arrival dates became earlier with increasing spring and winter temperatures of
winter range, respectively. Therefore, the timing of the spring and autumn migration of P.
erythrorhynchos exhibits both phenotypic plasticity and repeatability.

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p08-004

Weather effects on roosting ecology of Barn Swallows at an East Asianstopover site in the spring migration season
Seung-Yeon Lee1, Hyun-Young Nam1 and Young-Soo Kwon1
1

Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service,

Jeonnam, Korea
Email: stern0223@gmail.com (H.-Y. Nam)
Weather during migration affects body heat loss, migration speed, and food availability,
thus it may affect not only migration schedules but also stopover of individuals or
populations. We investigated whether meteorological conditions at a stopover site in thespring migration season affected roosting ecology of the Barn Swallow, which is known
to be sensitive to environmental conditions during migration. We marked 73 roosting
Barn Swallows on Heuksan-do Island, which is located at the south-western end of
Korea, and monitored their roosting period (days observed in the roost) and size
(number of individuals in the roost) in spring 2013. Multiple regression on themeteorological factors and roosting period showed that the roosting period increased
with wind velocity at the arrival date. Second, a later arrival date and low mean lowest
temperature during the roosting period were related to a shorter roosting period.
Fluctuations in weather parameters such as wind velocity, precipitation, and lowest
temperature during the roosting period were also significantly related to the roosting
period. Third, meteorological conditions at the time of roosting formation were
negatively related to roosting size. With these results, we confirmed that weather
conditions in the stopover site affect the roosting period and roost size in Barn Swallows.
Bad weather and its effects on the replenishment of fuel at stopover sites may besomewhat compensated by making communal roosts and by decreasing heat loss atnight in this species.

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p08-005

Local habitat selection and its implications for stopover patterns of fallmigratory songbirds at an inland site of the northern Gulf of Mexico, USA
Y. Wang 1, L. Gardner 1, and C. J. Schweitzer 2
1

Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Alabama A&M University, Normal,
Alabama 35762 USA
2USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Upland Hardwood Ecology and Management,
PO Box 1568, Normal, AL 35762 USA
Email: yong.wang@aamu.edu
Migration is one of the most hazardous periods in a migratory bird’s life with high levels ofmortality occurring during and just after migration. Many songbird migrants do not fly nonstop
between breeding and wintering grounds, but alternate between flights and rests. The selectionof stopover sites and the habitats at a stopover site is scale dependent. We studied local habitat
selection and microhabitat association of songbird migrants at an inland site ~600 km north ofGulf of Mexico during fall migration. We examined 1) if species showed variation in their useof different habitats, (2) how microhabitat features affected the use, (3) how stopover parameterssuch as timing of use, mass change, and recapture rate varied by habitat, and (4) how experience(age) affected these patterns. Habitat selection was species specific: we identified two majorgroups, forest-understory and fruit-consuming birds that were more often associated with theforest, and another group more associated with edge habitat and open site. The habitat selection
was affected by the body condition of these birds, and it in turn influenced condition change
during stopover of these birds. Hooded Warblers (Setophaga citrine) had better overall body
condition in the wetland site, with higher fat, body mass, and a significant increase in conditionindex compared to those of the same species using the forest site, while Common Yellowthroats(Geothlypis trichas), Magnolia Warblers (Dendroica magnolia), and Blue-winged Warblers(Vermivora cyanoptera) from the forest site had greater fat and body mass. All thrush species
were found more frequently and most had better conditions and daily increase in condition index
in the forest site. Habitat selection was affected by age in some species: adults were more habitat
specialist associated with particular habitat features. Adults of eight species also showed positive
mass change in one site and negative in the other.

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p08-006

Stopover habitat preferences of Wood Sandpipers and Common Snipes
in lotus and rice fields
Y. Sakuma 1, G. Fujita 1, Y. Nishikawa 1, T. Amano 2, K. Katoh 1, T. Kuwae 3 and H. Higuchi 4
1

School of Agriculture and Life Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Conservation Science Group, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
3
Coastal and Estuarine Environment Research Group, Port and Airport Research Institute,
Yokosuka, Japan
4
Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa, Japan
Email: sciuruslis@yahoo.de2

It is well-known that flooded rice field is an important habitat alternative to decreasing natural
wetlands for waders. In East Asia there also exists another type of flooded agricultural fields,
i.e. lotus fields, which are saturated with water all year round like natural swamps. However,few studies have focused on the availability of lotus fields as stopover sites by waders. During
the spring migration season in lotus and rice fields in central Japan we studied the habitat
preferences of two wader species: Wood Sandpipers (Tringa glareola) and Common Snipes(Gallinago gallinago). These two species were common in the study area and expected toshow different habitat preferences due to conspicuous differences in morphological traits suchas bill shape and body size. In late April, when more than one fourth of rice fields still
remained unflooded, both species used lotus fields. After all rice fields were flooded to plant
rice, Common Snipes preferred rice fields to lotus fields, whereas Wood Sandpipers remained
in lotus fields. Our findings suggest that for both species the presence of lotus fields and for
Common Snipes the timing of flooding rice fields play a prominent role. On the basis of theseresults we discuss the function of lotus fields as suitable stopover sites for waders in inland
wetlands.

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p08-008

Geolocators reveal that a migratory woodpecker uses tree cavities throughout
the entire annual cycle
Elizabeth A. Gow, Karen L. Wiebe
Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Email: eliz.gow@usask.ca
One resource that may be limited in human-altered landscapes is tree cavities for roosting, but it
is challenging to monitor the frequency with which non-breeding birds use cavities, especiallyduring migration. Numerous studies have addressed the use of cavities for breeding but they may
also function as roosting sites that provide protection from the elements and predators during thenon-breeding season. Thus, the availability of cavities during the non-breeding season may be a
critical resource for migratory cavity nesting birds. Using data from light-level geolocators
collected over four years (n = 20 geolocators), we provide the first documentation of thefrequency of cavity use throughout the entire annual cycle. We studied a migratory woodpecker,
the Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus, in British Columbia, Canada. Flickers migrated along thewest coast of North America but there was considerable individual variation in migratory
distances, movements and wintering locations. Some flickers made more than two large-scale
movements within the non-breeding period. Throughout the year, flickers spent on average 87%(range: 79 − 99%) of nights roosting in cavities. However, periods of the annual cycle (breeding,post-breeding, migration and wintering) varied, with cavities used less frequently during the postbreeding, fall migratory and winter periods. Remarkably, during migration flickers spent on
average 83% (range: 59 – 95%) of nights roosting in cavities. The frequent use of cavities during
migration emphasizes that access to tree holes during migration, a potentially scarce resource forroosting, may be important for individual survival and maintenance during the annual cycle andhence may have consequences for maintaining stable populations of cavity nesting birds.

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p08-009

The use of radar for “observing” bird behavior
G. Dell’Omo1, M. Santini1, C. Catoni1 , M. Panuccio2 and B. Massa3
1

Ornis italica, Piazza Crati 15, Rome, Italy
MEDRAPTORS, Via Mario Fioretti 18, 00152 Rome, Italy
3
Dipartimento Demetra, Universita‘ di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Email: giacomo.dellomo@gmail.com
2

During the last decades there has been a growing number of radar applications for ornithology. In
addition to the traditional use for monitoring migrating birds, radars have been used in airports to
reduce the potential risk of bird collision with aircrafts and along power lines and wind mills forassessing the collision risk with these manmade structures. Radars are useful to detect birds
movements beyond the range of binoculars and with low visibility (i.e. at night) and these can bequantified exactly, both at the individual and group level. Here we present four case studies
gathered in different Italian areas during the last two years: (i) the daily activity of aquatic birds
in Venice lagoon; (ii) departure directions during the spring migration of several raptors species
from an island in the central Mediterranean; (iii) the transit of passerine birds over a
Mediterranean Island at different times of day and night; and (iv) the daily entrance of
shearwaters to their colony and their departure in relation to the moon phase. In all these cases
the radar has proved to be a reliable tool for revealing aspects of bird behaviour that could nothave been detected by traditional observation methods. The behavior revealed by the radar in thefour case studies was in line with what has been hypothesized, although never directly observed.
From the recordings gathered it was possible to obtain detailed quantification of the movements.
In the future, such recordings can be used to analyse data more deeply using new analytical tools.

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p08-010Australia-Asia Little Tern Sterna albifrons geolocator project
Takashi Fuji, Wataru Kitamura, Suzanne Ishida, Yuzo Murofushi and Masaharu
Hayakawa
fujii@jspb.org
The Little Tern Sterna albifrons migrates to Japan to breed. From May to August
they form colonies on beaches, along the sandbanks of rivers, and on developed lands
etc. However, the natural environment that they favor for breeding is decreasing andthey are deterred from breeding on most developed lands and airports (due to bird
strikes). Their breeding sites the terns are using are damaged from natural disasters
and predators. The Ministry of the Environment has put the Little Tern on the red list as
Endangered II. Their breeding sites are protected by volunteers, NPO and other groups
as much as possible. The staging areas on their migratory routes and their wintering
grounds are also in need of protection. These areas are very important sites for the terns
and the loss of them would be devastating.
Up to now, research on these birds and their sites could not be done due to theirsmall size. However, development of geolocators has made it possible to conduct
research on their sites and movements. We chose the MK5090 model geolocator for thispurpose. The total weight including the flag is 1.2 grams and is 1.0 - 1.3 cm in length.
In 2013 we attached these geolocators to 100 Little Terns. They were captured in
Osaka, Shizuoka, Tokyo, Chiba and Ibaraki. We will report on the methods used andsome of the results.

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p08-011

Migratory behaviors in free-flying passerines tracked by radio
telemetry
S. Sjoberg1, T. Alerstam1, A. Schulz2, S. Akesson1, T.Coppack2 and R. Muheim1
1

Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Institute of Applied Ecology (IfAO), Neu Broderstorf, Germany
Email: Sissel.Sjoberg@biol.lu.se
2

During migration birds are highly dependent on a number of decisions in order tosuccessfully reach their wintering area and to return to their breeding grounds. Several of
those decisions are made on stop-over sites and include duration of stop-over, departure
direction and departure time in relation to weather and availability of orientation cues.
Situated in the most southwesterly point of Scandinavia, Falsterbo is a strategic stop-oversite for the about 500 million birds heading back and forth between their breeding areas
and their wintering habitats at more southerly latitudes every year. We use an automaticradio telemetry system in order to study behaviors in free-flying migratory passerines on
stop-over in Falsterbo. To be able to study flight behaviors and the decisions that make abird fly a specific way, we have an additional radio telemetry tower situated offshore, 50
km southeast from Falsterbo. We track both long and short distance as day and night
migrants and have observed that they stay in the area up to several weeks. The birds thatpassed the offshore tower southeast of Falsterbo all left the peninsula during early nightand under certain wind conditions. The wind also affected the time it took for them to fly
to the offshore station, which also was affected by how clear the sky was at departure andfat score at release.

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p08-012

Regional Doppler radar network and eBird observation database revealtrans-Atlantic departures of nocturnally migrating birds
A. Farnsworth1, B. Van Doren1, D. Sheldon2, J. Geevarghese2, K. Winner2, J. Irvine3, D.
Fink1, K. Webb1, T. Dietterich3, and S. Kelling1.
1

Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, USA
3
Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA
2

Email: af27@cornell.edu
Bird migrations occur at global scales, at which monitoring is challenging. Yet largescale monitoring is crucial for understanding movements of bird populations, particularly
relative to potentially rapid changes in landscapes and climate. One such global-scale
movement occurs over the western Atlantic Ocean between the Northeast US coast andthe Caribbean and South America. Radar and direct visual studies have confirmed thatmany species, including songbirds, use these routes. However, no studies havecharacterized geographic and seasonal extents of these departures or flight directions
relative to species composition. We characterized migration phenology from 1 August –30 November in 2010 and 2011 from archived weather surveillance radar and eBird
observational data. We quantified density, direction, and speed of nocturnal bird
movements in 40,000 hourly scans from 13 Northeast US radar stations. We created daily
distribution maps and changes in frequency of occurrence for species in this region fromeBird data. Distinct differences in density and direction of movements corresponded intime and space to changes in species distribution and frequency of occurrence, with transAtlantic radar headings matching changes in species’ arrivals and departures. Results
highlight a shift in migrant headings in coastal Massachusetts from trans-Atlantic flights
in August and September to coastal flights in October and November; more trans-Atlantic
flights originating from Massachusetts in August and September than from Maine; and atrend toward more over-water flights earlier in the fall season, in contrast to more coastal
and trans-continental flights later. Results also suggest that complementary radar andobservational data can detect in space and time when trans-Atlantic flights are occurring
and what species are involved in the flights. This has value for examining how theseflights have changed in the last two decades and predicting how birds might respond in a
rapidly changing climate.

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p08-013

A call for large-scale isotopic assessment of feathers to rapidly
delineate patterns of migratory connectivity
K. Hobson 1 and S. Van Wilgenburg 1
1

Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Email: Keith.Hobson@ec.gc.ca
There is an overdue and urgent need to establish patterns of migratory connectivity
linking breeding, stopover, and wintering grounds of migratory birds. Such information
allows the more effective application of conservation efforts by applying focused actions
along movement trajectories at the population level. Stable isotope methods, especiallythose involving the use of the measurement of stable hydrogen isotope abundance infeathers (δ2Hf ) of birds combined with Bayesian assignment techniques producing
continuous probability surfaces and the use of prior information such as relative
abundance of breeding birds, now provides a fast and reliable means of establishingmigratory connectivity, especially for those migrants that molt prior to autumn migration.
Despite advances, the ornithological community has failed to realize the full potential ofthis approach for rapid flyway-level assessements and there is still much
misunderstanding regarding the use of this technique compared with other innovations,
including the use of light-level geolocators. We outline key assumptions, advantages anda best practices approach for the isotope technique and provide several examples oflarge-scale connectivity assignments involving the Palearctic-Afrotropical,
Neacrtic-Neotropical and East-Asian-Australasian flyways. We further make the case fora coordinated large-scale network to create an isotopic migratory atlas.

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Establishing migratory connectivity of Siberian rubythroats using stable
isotope (δ2H) analyses
G. Savchenko1, P. Ktitorov1, A. Antonov2, Y. Redkin3, S. Van Wilgenburg4, K. Hobson4 K.
Eiamampai 6 and K. Ittiporn6
1- Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics FEB RAS, Nauki 1B, 693022 Russia
2- Khingansky State Nature Reserve, Arhara, Russia
3- Museum of Zoology of Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
4- Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
5- Bung Boraphet Wildlife Research Station, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant
Conservation, Bangkok Thailand
E-mail: pktitorov@gmail.com
Seasonal migrations are an essential part of the annual cycle in most songbird species thatbreed in temperate and northern latitudes. Establishing connections between breeding, stopover,
and wintering sites in songbirds is crucial for understanding their ecology and evolution, as wellfor effective conservation and forecasting the spread of diseases. Ringing has been the principal
technique used to study songbird migration. Despite over a century of ringing effort, relatively
little information has been garnered on migratory linkages in most flyways especially, in the
Asia-Pacific Region. We therefore applied analysis of stable-hydrogen isotope ratios (δ2H) of
claw keratin and models of precipitation of δ2H to depict wintering grounds of Siberian
rubythroats (Luscinia calliope) from central Amurland (n=22) and South of Sakhalin Island(n=18), Russian Far East, captured at stopovers soon after their arrival from wintering grounds.
Values of claw δ2H indicated two large spatial clusters where rubythroats from Amurland andSakhalin most likely over-wintered: one on the mainland from the Western Bengali in India
through eastern Myanmar, another one is likely the Philippine Islands. This result suggests a
possible migration divide between Amurland and Sakhalin birds. However this spatial
assignment could not separate these two possible wintering grounds since the two regions are
predicted to be isotopically similar. We will also analyze additional samples from the wintergrounds in Thailand in order to validate migration links of species under study. Preliminary
results suggest that the isotopic method may provide a useful addition to traditional band
recovery efforts along the East Asian Flyway.

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p08-015

Combining stable isotope analysis and geolocator data to investigate
migratory connectivity in a long-distance Eurasian-African migrant,
the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
Lykke Pedersen1, Kevin C. Fraser2, T. Kurt Kyser3 and Anders P. Tøttrup1
1Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of
Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK—2100 Copenhagen,Denmark2
Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
3
Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queens University,
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Email: lypedersen@snm.ku.dk

During the last half-century long-distance migratory bird populations have been
declining across Europe. In order to identify the factors controlling population dynamics
and improve conservation strategies for these species we need to increase ourunderstanding of how populations are linked in time and space. Despite advances in thedevelopment of tracking technologies (e.g. geolocators), quantifying migratory
connectivity – the extent to which migratory bird populations are spatially linked during
different stages of the annual cycle – remains a challenge; mainly due to low sample
sizes. Here we use stable isotope analysis of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen in birdfeathers to investigate migratory connectivity between two European populations of the
Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) breeding in Denmark and Spain respectively. By
determining wintering locations based on geolocator data we are able to validate thedata from stable isotope analysis and make more robust inferences regarding migratory
connectivity. Our preliminary analyses show no distinct patterns in the isotopic
signatures of individuals from the two populations; whereas data from geolocators showthat the populations are wintering in two geographically distinct locations of
Sub-Saharan Africa. This suggests that individuals of this species are wintering inspecific habitats, and calls for caution in using stable isotope analysis alone todetermine wintering locations of species with specific habitat preferences.

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p08-016

Revealing the migratory connectivity of Terek Sandpiper Xenus
cinereus by mitochondrial DNA and stable isotope analysis
Young-Min Moon 1, Kwan-Mok Kim 1, Jeong-Chil Yoo 1, Gilsang Jeong2, Soyeon
Park2, Pureum Noh2,
1

Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Division of EcoScience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Email: ymmoon@khu.ac.kr
2

Revealing the migratory connectivity of a bird is important for planning a conservation
strategy to protect the bird at a population level in a specific site. The Republic of Korea(ROK) plays a major role in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) by providing
stopover sites especially for long-distance migratory shorebirds. However, currently
there is not enough information on the breeding grounds and wintering sites of theshorebirds which stopover in ROK. Therefore, this study was conducted to reveal the
migratory connectivity of Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus which stopover on the west
coast of ROK. We analysed the stable isotope signatures collected from feathers in two
distant study sites to estimate the wintering origins. Additionally, the genetic structure
was analysed using mtDNA to reveal the migration patterns between populations of thetwo sites. This study will shed more light on the migration pattern as well as the origins
of X. cinereus which is not well studied in the EAAF and will be applied inconservation planning for the species.

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p08-018

1

The elusive White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi; stable isotope
analyses determine diet and migratory origins
Craig T. Symes 1, Hanneline Smit-Robinson 1,2, Stephan Woodborne 1 and David Allan 3
1

School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Private
Bag 3, Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa
2BirdLife South Africa, P. O. Box 515, Randburg, 2125, South Africa
3Curator of Birds, Durban Natural Science Museum, P.O. Box 4085, Durban 4000, South
AfricaEmail: craig.symes@wits.ac.za
The White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi (family Rallidae) is a small (25-35g), elusive,
wetland bird whose biology is poorly known, such that even its call is unconfirmed. The
species has recently been uplisted to Globally Critically Endangered (previously Endangered).
It is known from two disjunct populations some 4,000 km apart, one in Ethiopia (c. 9o-10oN)
where it breeds in two seasonally flooded wetlands and another in South Africa (c. 25o-31oS)
where breeding is unconfirmed. The migratory link between these two countries has largely
been inferred and very little is recorded on the birds behaviour, diet, and feeding biology.
Stable light isotope (δ2H, δ18O, δ13C, δ15N) of feather and faecal samples from birds in
Ethiopia and South Africa were analysed to, i) delineate the relationship between these two
populations with respect to migratory connectivity, and ii) understand more about the diet of
this elusive species. Results of these findings will be presented.

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p08-019

Attracting wild birds to a terrace in Barcelona
D. Padrón
Email: padnova@gmail.com
Feeding wild birds in gardens is a popular activity in many European countries, but notin Spain. This is the first Spanish survey with the aim to attract wild birds to a terrace. It
was conducted on a 50 m2 terrace in a densely urbanized area of Barcelona. Bird baths,
bird tables and ground feeding stations were placed to attract a diverse range of birds.
The birds were observed at the study area from a window, on average 215 days a year,
from January 1st 2010 until July 31st 2013. There were in total 32 different species
flying or occasionally perching in the study area. However, only 11 visited the feeding
facilities. Turdus merula and Sylvia melanocephala were observed throughout the year;
Parus major, Cyanistes caeruleus and Carduelis carduelis only occasionally. Sylvia
atricapilla and Sturnus vulgaris visited the terrace as a stopover during the prenuptial
migration. Phylloscopus collybita, Erithacus rubecula, Phoenicurus ochruros andMotacilla cinerea visited the terrace as a wintering ground. Additionally, a scansampling was done to examine behaviour patterns. Dominant individuals controlled thebest feeders, and subordinates fed in less favourable places. In addition to dominancerelations, other variations in feeding efficiency between individuals result fromexperience (or age) and from sexual and individual differences in morphology. The
most crucial habitat for travelling migrants is presumably that which lies adjacent to an
ocean or other barrier, and forms the last possible feeding place before the barrier, or the
first encountered after it. The success of this study was mainly due to the coastal
location of Barcelona. In particular supplementary food was crucial to individuals who
had suffered injuries on their migratory route.

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Bird species migration ratio in East Asia, Australia, and surroundingislands
Tzung-Su Ding1*, Yiliang Kuo1, Da-Li Lin1, 2, Fu-Man Chuang1, Pei-Fen Lee3
1

School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
2
Endemic Species Research Institute, Taiwan
3
Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Life Science,
National Taiwan University, Taiwan*

Presenting author, (e-mail: ding@ntu.edu.tw)

Abstract
Bird migration and its relationship with the contemporary environment have attracted
long-term discussion. We calculated the avian migration ratio (the proportion ofbreeding species that migrate) in the areas from 70°E to 180°E and examined its
relationship with the annual ranges of ambient temperature, primary productivity(estimated by the Enhanced Vegetation Index), and precipitation, along with islandisolation and elevational range. The avian migration ratio increased with increasing
latitude in general but varied greatly between the two hemispheres. Furthermore, it
showed minimal differences between continents and islands. Our analyses revealed
that the seasonality of ambient temperature, which represents the energy expenditureof birds, is the dominant factor in determining bird species migration. Seasonality inprimary productivity and other environmental factors play an indirect or limited rolein bird species migration. The lower avian migration ratio in the Southern Hemispherecan be attributed to its paleogeographical isolation, stable paleoclimate, and warm
contemporary environment. Under current trends of global warming, our findings
should lead to further studies of the impact of warming on bird migration.

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p08-021Main results of 15 years of bird migration monitoring by long-term
ringing at the south of the Russian Far East
O. Valchuk 1,3, S. Yuasa 2, S. Surmach 3, E. Leliychina 4, K. Mamiya 2, T. Atrohova 3,
T. Yuasa 2, K. Maslovsky 4, O. Chernischova 41 Institute of Biology and Soil Science, RAS, Vladivostok, Russia
2 Prefectural Branch Japanese Society for Preservation of Birds, Toyama, Japan
3 NPO Amur-Ussuri Centre for Avian Biodiversity, Vladivostok, Russia
4 Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia
Email: olga_valchuk@mail.ru
Our Russian-Japanese project has been running since 1998. During those 15
years more than 145000 birds of 170 species were ringed. The ringing database consistsof 180120 capture stories, and includes information about the age and sex structure of
populations, body conditions, recapture, and length of stopover. We traced thelong-term dynamic intensity of spring and autumn migrations, identified population
trends of some species (including negative ones), and accumulated information on small
species. Regular and accidental records on the mainland coast were found forpasserines migrating at the Pacific islands.
We recorded the return of four passerines between Japan and southeast of
Primorye, thus confirming the existence of the flyway through the Sea of Japan(Emberiza rustica, Phoenicurus auroreus). Birds ringed in Sakhalin were recaptured inJapan (11) and Taiwan (1), and those ringed in Primorye were recaptured in China (19).
It was revealed for the first time that some transit migrant passerines of the East
Palearctic (Ocyris rutilus, Locustella lanceolata) had a specific migration strategy – theinterruption of autumn migration for moult at long stopovers.
We studied the moult features of first-year birds (some Sylviidae andEmberizidae) with primary moult prior to the start of migration. By considering thelength of the East Asian flyway for polytypic species, we have successfully started to
study the migration characteristics of several sub-species using genetic methods.

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p08-022

Body mass variation of the arctic warbler along a northern section of the east
Asian flyway during fall migration
P. Ktitorov 1 , G. Savchenko 1, A. Chiba2, E. Matsyna3, A. Matsyna3, Y. Gerasimov4, F.
Huettmann5, C.-Y. Choi6,, H.-Y. Nam7, J. C. Chang8 , Q. Xu8, Y. Wang9, M. Markovets10 and W.
Heim11
1- Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics FEB RAS, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia 2 Nippon Dental University, Niigata, Japan 3- Ecological Centre "DRONT", Nizhny Novgorod,
Russia 4- Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Institute of Geography FEB RAS, PetropavlovskKamchatsky, Russia 5- Ecological Wildlife Habitat Analysis of the Land- and Seascape( EWHALE) Lab, Biology and Wildlife Department, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of
Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF), Fairbanks, USA 6-Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Management,
Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
7 - Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service,
Jeonnam Province, Republic of Korea 8 – College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry
University, Harbin, China 9 - Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Alabama
A&M University, Normal, Alabama, USA 10- Biological Station Rybachy, Zoological
Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Rybachy, Kaliningrad reg., Russia 11- University of
Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Email: pktitorov@gmail.com
One of the major approaches to studying migration strategies of most small songbird
species is still through trapping, banding, and measurement of the biometrical variables at
migratory stopover sites. The East Asian Flyway is one of the major global migration routes formany songbird migrants, but with limited research on the stopover ecology of these birds. Here
we examined the body mass variations of the arctic warbler (Phylloscopus borealis) along thisflyway during its fall migration with the goal of having a better understanding of the migration
strategy of this species. The data were from two sites in central and southern parts of Kamchatka(Russia), two sites in the north and south of Sakhalin (Russia), one site at Honshu (Japan), twoinland sites (northeast China and Amurland, Russian Far East), and two island sites in the
Republic of Korea. We detected that arctic warblers migrated with substantial subcutaneous fat
stores, but showed no trend of increasing body mass (and hence fuel stores) from the north to thesouth, otherwise known for many European-African and Neotropical migrants. Birds from
Amurland and Korea were significantly lighter than those of other sites, but corrections for theindividual sizes of birds made the difference less evident. Arctic warblers gain moderate fuelreserves at the onset of fall migration, but appear to maintain them along the route, showing
rather low between-site variation. This might be an adaptation for dealing with unpredictable
weather and for crossing large water bodies such as the Sea of Okhotsk. This conclusion is
supported by the slightly smaller size-corrected body mass of birds from inland sites and Koreanislands, where birds move for longer periods of time without crossing barriers and face smaller
barriers such as the Yellow Sea.

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p08-023

Migration patterns of birds in the southernmost forests of the world
R. Rijal1,4, J. E. Jiménez1,2,3,4 and R. Rozzi2,3,4
1

Department of Biological Sciences
Department of Philosophy & Religion Studies, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
3
Omora Ethnobotanical Park, Universidad de Magallanes, Puerto Williams, and Institute of
Ecology and Biodiversity, Chile
4
Sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Program - University of North Texas
Email: Rajan.Rijal@unt.edu
2

The UNESCO Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR) at the austral end of the Americas hosts
the world’s southernmost forests. Dominated by the evergreen broadleaf Nothofagus betuloides,
the sub-Antarctic forests in Cape Horn also include deciduous patches of N. pumilio and N.
antarctica, as well as a mosaic of moorland, high-Andean, coastal, and wetland habitats
embedded in a landscape of archipelagoes, fjords, and channels. Using 12 years of standardized
monthly mist netting at the Omora Ethnobotanical Park, Chile (55oS), combined with bird
censuses in summer and late fall/winter at 61 sites broadly distributed throughout the CHBR, weanalyzed variation in the abundance of forest birds at different seasons of the year, and indifferent habitat types and zones of the CHBR. We hypothesize that a significant fraction of theforest birds are migratory, and that populations in the more exposed western zones of the CHBR
will have more migratory movements.
A total of 11012 birds belonging to 26 species were captured with mist-nets, including 6 orders
and 15 families. Nineteen species (79%) were passerines and other small forest birds. Three
species (Phrygilus patagonicus, Aphrastura spinicauda, and Elaenia albiceps) accounted for
75% of all captures, and 8 species for >95% of the captured birds. In the CHBR 15 species wereresidents, 3 local migrants and 7 regional migrants. We detected 3 partially migratory species. Of
the 19 species detected on the more exposed islands on the West, 12 were residents, 5 wereregional migrants, and 2 presented only local migrations to sheltered sites. E. albiceps was the
only species that presents long-distance migration to tropical forests of South America during
winter. Our results detected a remarkable contrast of the seasonal dynamics of sub-Antarctic
forest bird assemblages with those reported for temperate and boreal forests in the Northern
Hemisphere.

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p08-024

High altitude New Zealand record for a Long-tailed Skua (Stercorarius
longicaudus)
M. Galbraith1, A. Tennyson2, L. Shepherd2, P. Robinson3 and D. Fraser1
1

Department of Natural Sciences, Unitec New Zealand, Private Bag 92025, Auckland 1142, New
Zealand2
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Cable Street, Wellington 6011, New
Zealand3
Auckland Airport, PO Box 73020, Manukau 2150, New Zealand
Email: mgalbraith@unitec.ac.nz)
On 5 November 2010, an in-bound passenger aircraft to Auckland Airport, New Zealand, collided
with a Long-tailed Skua (Stercorarius longicaudus) at an altitude of 4084m (13400ft). Althoughfragmentary, the bird’s remains allowed specific morphological identification that was subsequently
confirmed by DNA analysis. The record was accepted by the Ornithological Society of New
Zealand's Record Appraisal Committee, and the specimen is preserved in the Museum of New
Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington. The Long-tailed Skua is a northern hemisphere breederthat migrates to areas including the SW Pacific in the austral summer. It is considered a rare visitor
to New Zealand, though it is recorded as a regular visitor to SE Australia. Little is known of the
migratory patterns of the species in the Pacific as most records tend to be of dead specimens
retrieved from beaches. Known wintering areas for the Long-tailed Skua are in the southern
Atlantic, but wintering areas close to Australia and New Zealand are also suspected. Our record isconsistent with the current understanding of high altitude migration by skuas. High altitude
migration is associated with long-distance flights, in which birds utilise favourable weather patterns,
selecting tailwinds generated more frequently in high pressure weather systems. The timing of therecord, however, is outside of the recognised migration periods for the species. The record locationon the eastern margin of the non-breeding distribution centered on SE Australia suggests that theskua may have been moving laterally within this western Pacific non-breeding ‘cell’, using the highaltitude conditions to assist the movement. This record is of significance as, not only does it provide
further evidence of the Long-tailed Skua as a high-altitude flyer, but also provides additional data
for the non-breeding distribution for the species and a further record of a species rarely reported in
New Zealand.

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p08-026

Long-distance migration patterns of New Zealand’s endemic
Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis)
M.G. Anderson1, J.V. Briskie2, M.E. Hauber3, B.J. Gill4, and D.H. Brunton1
1

Behaviour, Ecology and Conservation Group, Institute for Natural and Mathematical
Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, Auckland, New Zealand2
School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
3
Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience Subprogram in Psychology, The
Graduate Center of City University of New York, 365 Fifth Ave, New York, NY
10016-4309
4Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland, New Zealand
Email: m.g.anderson@massey.ac.nz
Long-tailed Cuckoos are a long-distance migrant, breeding only in New Zealand during
the Austral summer and migrating north to spend the non-breeding season in an arc ofSouth Pacific islands spanning an east-west range of 11,000 km. Previously, their
non-breeding distribution was known from sighting and museum records, but migrationroutes were unknown. Two hypotheses have been suggested about their annual
movements: 1) they undertake a loop migration, moving anti-clockwise around theSouth Pacific, or 2) they follow a fan migration, with breeding based in New Zealandand then fanning out across the South Pacific for the winter (and converging back). It
was also unknown if site-specific migration routes would be apparent, with birds fromdisparate breeding locations in New Zealand undertaking different and specificmigration routes. To answer these questions we attached 5g PTT satellite transmitters toadult Long-tailed Cuckoos during the Austral summer. Northward migrations took place
during March/April and tracking results supported the fan migration hypothesis as wellas the existence of breeding-site-specific migration routes. The implications of thesefindings will be discussed in context of both the conservation of this species and its
brood parasitic life history.

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p08-027

Difference in home range between male and female juvenile
Black-faced Spoonbill as shown by PTTs
J.Y. Lee1, I.K. Kwon1, K.S. Lee2, H. Koike3, S. Nishida4, J.C. Yoo1
1

Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
Waterbird Network Korea, Seoul, Korea
3
Kyushu University Museum, Japan
4
Faculty of Education and culture, Miyazaki University, Japan
Email: jiyeonlee3@gmail.com
2

The Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) is one of the 50 rarest birds of the world. In
an international winter census in 2012, only 2693 individuals were counted worldwide.
Previously, most studies regarding the Black-faced Spoonbill focused on the habitat useof wintering site, foraging behaviors and breeding biology. Information related tomigration and home range, however, is rare. The home ranges of juvenile Black-faced
Spoonbills during post-fledging were studied using platform transmitter terminals(PTTs). Two juvenile birds were equipped with PTT (ID 67938, 79593) and engraved
color rings (E37, E44) at their breeding sites (Suha island, Gaksi island) in early July
2011. Sex identification of juveniles was confirmed using their feathers, with E37
being male and E44 female. During the early post-fledging period there was no
significant difference between male and female juveniles in the home range, and thenE37 moved to the coastal area of North Korea. After one month, the home range of E37(male) was significantly larger than the home range of E44 (female) before
long-distance migration. Then, they successfully migrated to Taiwan (wintering area)
and used the same habitat area. Although they used similar habitat, the home range ofE37 (male) at the wintering area was significantly larger than for E37 (female). E44(female) consistently used one place. On the other hand, E37 (male) used several placesby moving often. They stayed at the wintering site for 2 years. Then, E37 (male)returned to the coast of North Korea and mainly used three sites. E44 (female) returnedto the natal site and used the habitat nearby. Thus, two years after fleding, the homerange of E37 was significantly larger than E44.

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p08-028Classifying mudflats using Landsat TM imagery in investigating the
distribution of Eurasian Curlew in Chang-hua, Taiwan.
C.C. Lin and P.F. Lee
Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei,
TaiwanEmail: r01b44004@ntu.edu.tw

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) is an IUCN Red-listed near-threated species.
Before 1986, a population of more than 3,000 individuals wintered at the coastal
mudflats at Chung-hua, Taiwan. In recent years, the wintering population has declined
to 600 – 1,000 individuals and shifted their distribution 30 km southwards, from Ta-tu
estuary to south of Fang-yuan. The distribution change of water birds is thought to be
due to shifts of food resources in mudflats (e.g. benthos). Since the '90s, industrial
developments including reclamations and thermal power plant construction havelargely changed the landscape of the Chung-hua coastline. Mudflats may have beenchanged by such large scale habitat alteration, which redistributed marine benthos,and eventually resulting in the change in population status of Eurasian Curlew.
Benthos population and distribution have been proven to be strongly connected withwater bird densities, and mudflat properties affect benthos existence. We hypothesizedthat there was a synchronized distribution shift between the curlews and certain typesof mudflat. We use Landsat satellite images to classify mudflats into different
categories. Observations of foraging curlews were then plotted on digitized maps toattain the association between curlews and certain mudflat categories. Classificationsof mudflat types are verified by ground truth sampling data. The result of this research
will evaluate the possibility that the distribution change of Eurasian Curlew is owing
to mudflat change, which is disturbed by industrial development. In addition, forconservation purposes, the research will identify potential foraging areas for EurasianCurlew, which is under future threats such as wind farm plantations.

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p08-029

Changes in the migratory pattern of cranes to Izumi
Y. Haraguchi 1, F. Mizoguchi2, K. Matsushima3, and K. Lee4
1

Izumi City Museum, Crane Park Izumi
Wild Bird Society of Japan, Kagoshima
3
Ex-Crane Warden at East-reclaimed Wintering Site
4
Korea Crane Network and Waterbird Network Korea
Email: crane_c@city.izumi.kagoshima.jp
2

Izumi city in Kagoshima prefecture is located at the southern end of Kyushu. It is thelargest wintering site of cranes in Japan with a wintering population of about 10,000
Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha) and 3,000 White-naped Cranes (Grus vipio). Autumn
migration to Izumi starts in mid October and the wintering population peaks from
December to January. The results of crane counts during the season show that almost all
the wintering population of Hooded Cranes migrate to Izumi by the beginning ofNovember whereas the number of White-naped Cranes increases gradually towards theend of December. The changes in the migratory pattern of cranes have been observed
over the past 10 years. The number of White-naped Cranes reached 1,000 by mid
November before 2002, but since then there has been a 2-3 week delay in reaching
1,000. To help to understand the changes in migratory pattern of White-naped Cranes,
simultaneous counts in Korea and Japan were conducted during 2012-2013. The results
show that about 4,500-5,000 White-naped Cranes move between Korea and Japan
during winter. As for Hooded Cranes, their migration at the end of October has
intensified in recent years, growing rapidly to a large wintering population of
6,000-7,000. We will report on these changes in autumn migratory pattern of Hooded
Cranes and White-naped Cranes to Izumi.

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p08-030

Control of bird migration in common cuckoos Cuculus canorus
Marta Lomas Vega, Kasper Thorup, Mikkel Willemoes
marta.l.vega@snm.ku.dk
The innate programme guiding inexperienced avian migrants to their appropriate wintering
grounds has proved very difficult to study. We aim at understanding how inexperienced
Common Cuckoos are able to find appropriate staging, wintering, and breeding grounds andseparate the components of the inherited programme and external factors. Mapping the
migration of young cuckoos using satellite telemetry enables us to compare timing of
migration, migration routes, and length of time at stopovers with that of adult cuckoos. In
addition, tracks can aid in pinpointing the critical stages affecting juvenile survival in
Common Cuckoos.

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p08-031

Home-range of wintering Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in Korea
Kang, Tae-Han1, Hansoo Lee, Lee, Si- Wan1 · Kim, In- Kyu1 · Song, Min-Jung1 · Park, ChiYoung1 · Park, Eung-Roh2 · Shin, Jeong-Hwa2· Hwang, Jongkyung2(1Korea Institute of Environmental Ecology, Korea· 2National Institutes of Environmental
Research, Korea)

The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is an abundant winter visitor in South Korea. Mallards
migrate long distances between Russian Siberia and Korea. This species prefers rice paddy
areas as their winter habitat. This species is also known as a potential carrier of HPAI (highly
pathogenic avian influenza) H5N1 virus. Thus, we tracked their daily and wintering activity
to know the relationship of HPAI outbreak to waterfowl migration.
We tracked eight mallards using WT-200 (GPS WCDMA based Telemetry), a newly
invented telemetry device by the KoEco Inc. The WT-200 is a new telemetry device based on
the GPS (Global Positioning System) combined with WCDMA (Wideband Code Division
Multiple Access) mobile phone system. This device when attached on wild animals willrecord the GPS coordinates at a given time interval and transmit the geographic coordinates
at the pre-set time of day using the public network of mobile phone system. Researchers canacquire the location data of tracking individual by accessing the tracking website.
We captured birds using cannon-net, and attached the WT-200 on eight Mallards in thewinter of 2011-2013. We analyzed the tracking location data using ArcGIS 9.0 and calculated
Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP).
The average home-range at the wintering grounds by MCP was 114.1 Km2 (SD=66.3, n=8)
and the maximum home-range was 221.8 Km2 and the minimum was 27.7 Km2. Extents ofhome-range by KDE were 100.7 Km2 (KDE 90%), 45.7 Km2 (KDE 70%) and 24.5 Km2(KDE 50%).

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p09-001

Physical traits of male Japanese Bush Warblers in summer andwinter
A. Chiba1, H. Uchida2 and S. Imanishi3
1

Department of Biology, Nippon Dental University, Niigata, Japan
Higashimatsuyama, Saitama, Japan
3
Nobeyama Plateau Bird Study Group, Tokyo, Japan
Email: chiba@ngt.ndu.ac.jp
2

The Japanese Bush Warbler (Cettia diphone) has a very distinctive song, shows marked
sexual size dimorphism, and has a polygynous mating system. However, the physicaltraits of males and seasonal variation in those traits remain unknown. Physical traits (25anatomical measurements including body size, mass of skeletal muscles, and visceralorgans) of males in the breeding (summer, n=5) and non-breeding (winter, n=5) seasons
were compared statistically. Clear differences were found between summer and winter(p < 0.05, t test) in the following seven items: body mass (19.8 ± 0.7 g vs 15.6 ± 1.2 g[mean ± SD]), mass of male reproductive organs (184.0 ± 25.7 mg vs 6.0 ± 1.4 mg),hind limb (3,789.2 ± 346.2 mg vs 3,003.4 ± 226.8 mg), leg muscles (883.0 ± 63.5 mg vs
581.4 ± 33.2 mg in either side), skin around the neck/throat (1,280 ± 34.9 mg vs 287.2 ±84.7 mg), syrinx (35.8 ± 2.39 mg vs 25.0 ± 3.24 mg), and circumference of theneck/throat (52.1 ± 2.3 mm vs 38.3 ± 2.6 mm). In contrast to winter males, summer
males had thickened flabby skin prominently in the neck/throat area and an inflatable
oesophagus, perhaps a morphological basis for the elaboration of the throat sac as a
vocal resonator. Also, the remarkable development of the flexor muscles of the legs ofsummer males suggests that perching and movement using the legs increases during thebreeding season. These characteristics of summer males may have evolved as
adaptations associated with the polygynous mating system, probably under sexual
selection.

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p09-002

Sexual dimorphism and sex-differential migration ecology of Little
Buntings (Emberiza pusilla) at a stopover site
Sook-Young Cho1, Hyun-Young Nam1 and Young-Soo Kwon1
1

Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service,
Republic of Korea
Email: stern0223@gmail.com (H.-Y. Nam)
The Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla) breeds from northern Scandinavia across thenorthern Eurasian continent, and winters in eastern Nepal, northern and eastern India tonorthern South-East Asia, southern China, and Taiwan. It is an uncommon passage
migrant in Korea and a few winter in the Korean Peninsula. Of the 16 bunting species
recorded at the study site, the sex of Little Buntings is the most difficult to identify
because its plumage characteristics are considerably similar between the sexes.
Therefore, we aimed to find morphological and color differences by sex, in order to help
understand their migration ecology and mating behavior. We caught 103 Little Buntings
at a constant-effort banding station in Korea (Heuksan-do Island, Jeonnam) in spring
and autumn migration season of 2012. We measured six parts of the head plumage andseven morphological characteristics, and sex was verified by molecular sexing using
known universal primers. Male Little Buntings arrived earlier than females, as in othersexually distinctive dichromatic species at the study site. The first principal component,
mainly explained by wing, tail, and total length, was significantly greater in males thanin females. Males had more reddish and saturated colors than females. We also foundthat bigger individuals had more reddish and saturated plumage color regardless of sex
and season. Our results indicate that the Little Bunting has sexual size dimorphism andcryptic sexual dichromatism, and plumage color may indicate individual quality.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-003

Dimorphisms and delayed plumage maturation in Japanese Paradise
Flycatchers○

Sayako Oi＊, Kunihiro Nakachi＃, Kenta Tanaka＊, Masaoki Takagi＊＊＃

Osaka City University, Department of Biology and Geosciences, Osaka, Japan
Wild Bird Society of Miyako-jima

Fifteen of the 16 species of Paradise Flycatchers in the genus Terpsiphone generally
have two color morphs in males with long central rectrixes (ca. 30 cm); however thisdimorphism has not been detected in Japanese Paradise Flycatchers. Some havesuggested that plumage coloration matures in three years along with the development oflong rectrixes. This species experiences a typical form of delayed plumage maturation,although this has not been examined scientifically. We investigated variations ofplumage of summer resident male Japanese Paradise Flycatchers from April to July in2013 on Miyako-jima in the Nansei Islands, southwestern Japan. We caught andindividually marked 44 males with mist-nets. We inspected their plumage color andmeasured external morphological traits. Sex of short-tailed individuals can be
determined by incubating behavior. We confirmed the presence of three distinct types ofplumage in breeding males, i.e. blackish-purple with a long tail (BPL), blackish-purple
with a short tail (BPS), and brownish with a short tail (BS). BS should be considered
yearlings as suggested by Yamashina (1941). The ratio of BPL, BPS, and BS were
68.2%, 9.1%, and 22.7%, respectively. We believe the yearling males develop
blackish-purple plumage at the end of the first breeding season because we caught four
yearling males who were in the process of molting from brownish to blackish-purple
plumages in July. Although it has been suggested that males exhibit an intermediatecolor between blackish purple and brownish plumages during second year, we did not
find such a morph. We concluded that plumage maturation was delayed in young males.
It is inferred that the low ratio of BPS males indicates the existence of dimorphism intail length in Japanese Paradise Flycatchers. We plan to continue to inspect the changesof plumage in the marked males annually.

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p09-004

Analysis of colour variability in the Bluethroat subspecies Luscinia
svecica volgae (Z)E.Matsyna
Ornithological Laboratory of Ecological Centre “Dront”, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

Email: kaira100@mail.ru

The Bluethroat is a polytypic and polymorphic passerine bird distributed in the North
Palaearctic. Males have a variable colour throat patch on the bright blue bib. The colourof the spot varies according to the subspecies: chestnut (svecica), white (cyanecula),
chestnut and white mix (volgae) or absence of the spot. It is supposed that the colour ofthe spot plays an important role in the mating system. Sexual selection is believed to bestrong for this species, considering the variance in this secondary sexual male trait, thestrong mate guarding by males of this species, and mating behaviour - when the maledemonstrates his spot to the female. The distribution of the subspecies volgae is locatedbetween the cyanecula and svecica zones of distribution. Both colour morphs and all
possible intermediate combinations of bib colours can be found here. Genetic
investigations showed that the volgae subspecies manifests itself as an intermediateform. Analysis of sperm morphology in the Bluethroat also revealed its intermediate
position between cyanecula and svecica. It is expected that the original forms (svecica
and cyanecula) are also present in small numbers in the population. However significant
differences in measurements were not detected. Some specific preferences in biotopes
for red and white morphs were found. We revealed that evident sexual selection isabsent in the population of the volgae subspecies. Females can choose males withdifferent spot colour in different years. High levels of polygamy and extra-pair paternity
were found in the studied population. All these forward the process of intergradation
between different colour forms.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-005

Sexual dimorphism in moult and morphology of the Pale-winged Starling
Onychognathus nabouroup
Laurence Henry¹, Véronique Biquand¹, Martine Hausberger¹, Adrian Craig²*¹CNRS UMR 6552, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France²Department of Zoology & Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa*Emaila.craig@ru.ac.za

Unlike other members of the African starling genus Onychognathus, Pale-winged Starlings are notsexually dimorphic in plumage. Field studies of vocal behaviour show that both birds in establishedpairs sing the same songs.

At Augrabies Falls National Park, South Africa, over two successive

visits in 2011 and 2012, experienced bird-ringers measured and ringed 66 birds, which were sexed
subsequently by genetic methods from feather samples.

Since rapid assessment of the sex of thebirds during behavioural field work is preferable, we used these morphometric data (body mass,
wing, tail, tarsus and culmen length) in a Discriminant Function Analysis to investigate if the sexes
can be separated reliably.

There were no significant differences between samples from different

years, but marked differences related to both sex of the bird, and the identity of the ringer.

DFA

could separate males and females with a high degree of confidence (100% accuracy for one ringer,
76% for another), but clearly measurements by different individuals can differ significantly, andshould not be pooled without careful assessment.

A combination of measurements is required, andno single measure is a reliable indicator of sex.

Wing moult overlaps with breeding in both sexes,

but in both seasons there was a clear trend for moult to be more advanced in females than in males.
This may relate to differences in parental care, but further investigation will be required.

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p09-006

Effect of hatching asynchrony on variation in biometry of Hooded
Crow Corvus cornix nestlings in a wetland population (W Poland)
P. Zduniak 1, J.Z. Kosicki 1 and P. Tryjanowski 2
1

Department of Avian Biology & Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań,Poland2
Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
Email: kudlaty@amu.edu.pl
This study examines how flooded river valley conditions affect the variation inbiometry of asynchronously hatched nestlings in a Hooded Crow population. The goalsof this study were to compare: a) the differences in the dimensions of nestlings inindividual nests and their variability during the period of growth between broods
consisting of 3, 4 or 5 nestlings; b) the measurements of nestlings from individual
broods, which died or survived during the chick-rearing period. All of the studied
biometric parameters increased in the same way in broods consisting of 3, 4 or 5
nestlings. Furthermore, in a nest, the variation of all dimensions depended on the
nestling’s age and decreased during the period of growth. In addition, there were nodifferences in the dimensions between nestlings which died or finally fledged from thenests. All these facts show that food is not a severely limited resource in the study area.
Parents are able to compensate for the detrimental effects of asynchronous hatching
being a by-product of the earlier onset of incubation. They invest slightly more insmaller rather than bigger nestlings in the brood during the chick-rearing period,
systematically decreasing initial differences between offspring. The study was fundedby the grant NCN NN305076140.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-007

Establishment of double-contrast radiography of the air sac andsimultaneous measurement of intratracheal pressure and air sacpressure in chickens
Isao Nakajima1, Jun-Ichi Hata1,2, Yoshiko Itoh1, Gregory Domond1,
Naoru Nakada1
1

Tokai University, Isehara, Japan
Tokiwa University, Mito, Japan
Email: js2hb@ets8.jp
2

As birds have no diaphragm, expansion and reduction of air sacs play an important rolein causing expiration and inspiration, respectively. The root of each air sac ishistologically characterized by tracheal cartilage, etiologically reflecting the air sac tobe branched from the trachea. The avian lung has low tissue compliance and is only
minimally expanded; thus, expiratory and inspiratory airflow is not delayed within thelung tissue. In this study, we scientifically investigated the sequential order of airflow
within the air sac. The crop located under the esophagus was surgically removed inchickens under spontaneous-breathing inhalational anesthesia with isoflurane. A 2-mm
silicone tube was then inserted into the intraclavicular air sac under direct vision. Then a19-G needle was punctured through the skin into an individual air sac (upper or lower
chest or abdominal air sac). A pressure sensor was applied to each air sac for
simultaneous measurement of air pressure of each air sac and intratracheal pressure.
Eight female chickens were used as experimental subjects. Measurement conditions
were as follows: 100/sec, 14-bit grating, and 16 ch data logging.
For double-contrast radiography, a small amount of Urografin was infused into the air
sac, and the movement of the air sac was recorded in real time moving images under
X-ray fluoroscopy. The results revealed that abdominal muscle attached to the lower
part of the rib cage and muscle ending at the pelvis contracted, thereby increasing thevolumes of the chest and abdomen. That is, the increased volume served as a suction
pump, leading to the occurrence of inspiration. The filling of the abdominal air sac
resulted in an elevation of pressure. Double-contrast radiography of the air sac showedthat expiratory airflow enters the abdominal air sac, then moves into the chest air sac at
the time of non-lifting. It is thus unlikely that the airflow of the air sac moves in one
direction.

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p09-008

Comparative morphology and syrinx evolution in Brazilian
caprimulgids (Aves, Caprimulgiformes)
J. S. Machado 1, L. P. Gonzaga 1 and D. S. Fernandes 2
1

Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Laboratório de Ornitologia,
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
2
Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Laboratório de Répteis,
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Email: jmachado@ufrj.br

The study of internal anatomy in birds, particularly the morphology of the syrinx, has
proved to be informative and effective in delimiting taxonomic groups. Nevertheless,considering the order Caprimulgiformes, there is a scarcity of studies focusing on thisissue. This order is currently composed of five families: Aegothelidae, Podargidae,
Steatornithidae, Nyctibiidae and Caprimulgidae, the latter three with representatives inSouth America. A recent molecular study divided the New World nightjars(Caprimulgidae) into three groups: New World 1, New World 2 and New World 3, withthe latter two groups containing most of the Brazilian species of the family. This study
aims to analyse the evolution of the syrinx in Brazilian species of nightjars, considering
the latest available phylogeny for the family, and to verify the degree of intraspecificvariation regarding this structure. The syringes of around 16 species of nightjars and 3
species of potoos (Nyctibiidae), used as an outgroup, were extracted, double-stained for
cartilage and bone, analysed and illustrated. Preliminary results point to a certain
similarity between the species scissor-tailed nightjar (Hydropsalis torquata),
sickle-winged nightjar (Eleothreptus anomalus), long-trained nightjar (Macropsalis
forcipata) and band-winged nightjar (Caprimulgus longirostris), which is consistent
with molecular phylogenies, since most of these species are often placed in the samegroup. Furthermore, the genus Caprimulgus presented high polymorphism, and thesubfamilies Chordeilinae and Caprimulginae seem to be paraphyletic, similar tomolecular studies. We intend to increase the number of specimens and taxa analysed inorder to achieve results regarding intraspecific variation and syrinx evolution.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-009

Musculus sternotrachealis and Musculus costosternalis pars minor:
morphological variation and interaction between syringeal and trunk
muscles in the Furnariida (Passeriformes: Tyrannides)
A. Galvão 1 and L.P. Gonzaga 1
1

Laboratório de Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil
Email: agalvao@biologia.ufrj.br
Only a few studies concerning syringeal morphology have presented clearly and indetail the origin point of Musculus sternotrachealis, the most common extrinsic muscleof the syrinx. Among the species of Furnariida, a highly diverse parvorder of
Neotropical passerines, two origin points for this muscle were described: on theProcessus craniolateralis sterni and on the vertebral element of the first rib of the Costae
completae verae. However, the close interaction of this muscular origin with Musculus
costosternalis pars minor – a trunk muscle extending from Proc. craniolateralis to thefirst rib – has never been reported. Our aim was to describe the great morphologicalvariation of this interaction in Furnariida by dissecting 133 specimens, including 59
species included in 50 genera representing the 10 families, 12 subfamilies and seventribes of this parvorder. We found different degrees of muscular association in bothorigin points of M. sternotrachealis: 1- on the Proc. craniolateralis origin a- muscles
completely independent, without any contact (Grallariidae), b- muscles contacting eachother, but remaining independent without any overlap (Thamnophilidae, except
Thamnophilini), c- few fibers of M. sternotrachealis inserting on the proximal tendinousband of M. costosternalis for a short extension (Thamnophilini), d- some fibers of M.
sternotrachealis inserting on the proximal tendinous band of M. costosternalis for a longextension, almost half of the M. costosternalis length (Conopophagidae); 2- on the rib
origin a- muscles completely independent, both inserting directly on the rib(Synallaxinae, Philydorinae, Scytalopus and Sclerurus rufigularis), b- M.
sternotrachealis inserting both on the rib and on the aponeurosis of M. costosternalis
connected to the rib (Rhinocryptidae except Scytalopus, Pygarrhichinae and Furnarius),
c- M. sternotrachealis inserting on the aponeurosis of M. costosternalis(Dendrocolaptidae, Formicariidae, Melanopareiidae, Xenopidae, Berlepschiinae,
Lochmias nematura and Sclerurus scansor). These results point to a promising sourceof potential phylogenetically informative characters.

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p09-010

Systolic and diastolic measurement of the avian heart using anesophageal catheter
Kaoru Nakada1, Isao Nakajima1, Jun-Ichi Hata1,2,
Toshihiko Kitano1, Sachie Tanaka1, Katsuko Naito1
1Tokai University, Isehara, Japan
Tokiwa University, Mito, Japan2

We developed an esophageal catheter for recording the avian electrocardiogram (ECG),
heart sound, and ventricular acceleration (ejection power) to substantiate the theory that
there are no abnormal findings or symptoms in birds infected with low pathogenic avian
influenza virus. Asymptomatic viral infection is uncommon in humans, and isassociated with certain abnormalities at the genetic, cellular, and organ levels.
The avian heart has an extremely thick left ventricular wall. Electron microscopy
reveals that myocardial myofibers are shorter in birds than in mammals, suggesting ahigher ejection power. This observation corresponds to macroscopically hypertrophic
myocarditis-like histology in humans. As birds have no diaphragm, chest and abdominal
skeletal muscles operate continuously to control the air sac, thus birds cannot take rests.
Therefore, ECGs acquired via electrodes placed over the body surface show constantelectromyographic activity. The path of the esophagus in chickens and pheasants, as inother birds, is considered to be anatomically adjacent to the back of the heart, thus ECG
findings and ejection power can be evaluated by inserting a catheter into the esophagus.
We collected ECG data, heart sound, and ventricular ejection power using an in-house
designed esophageal catheter from 10 chickens and 6 pheasants underspontaneous-breathing inhalational anesthesia. Excellent results were obtained byeliminating electromyographic activity from the ECG data collected, measuring thevibration of the closed aortic valve using an accelerometer, and determining systolic anddiastolic ventricular properties. We herein report the favorable results of the present
study. This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan.

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p09-011

A bony support structure in the penguin flipper
Megu Gunji, Manjiro Dale Kikuchi, Yasuhisa Nakajima, Yuuki Watanabe
megu_850121a@yahoo.co.jp
Penguins are well adapted to aquatic life, and can ‘fly’ underwater by beating theirflippers dorsoventrally. In such an oscillatory propulsion, a paddle-like appendage mustbe large, broad, and stiff enough to withstand hydrodynamic drag without musculareffort. Previous studies noted that penguins possess a wide ulna like a humerus and aunique triangular ulnar carpal bone, and that these bones contribute to form a rigid
flipper adapted to diving by increasing a ratio of a skeletal element within the flipper.
However, little is known about the 3-dimensional distribution of the bones in the flipper.
We observed the internal structure of the flipper and viewed the spatial positioning ofwing bones within the flipper by using CT scan. We also calculated the percentage ofbone in the flipper by the cross-section images made from CT scan images to examine a
distribution of bony support structure in the flipper. CT scan images revealed that thetriangular bone was positioned in a notch made by the carpometacarpal bone and ulna,
and that the posterior contour of arm bones was nearly parallel to the posterior edge ofthe flipper. The ratio of anteroposterior width of arm bone complex divided by flipper
anteroposterior width was almost constant throughout the proximodistal profile fromelbow to the tip of digit. The result showed that arm bones were distributed equally overthe flipper. The triangular carpal bone contributes to maintain the ratio of skeletal
elements in the wrist, suggesting that the bone plays an important role in increasing thestrength of penguin flippers by occupying the wrist notch We concluded that penguins
achieve a rigid flipper, which is advantageous for oscillatory propulsion, by the evenly
expanded arm bones and triangular carpal bone.

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p09-012Structure of blood vessels penetrating the flight muscles (Mm.
pectorales superficiales) of diving birds
Y. Iwami1 and K. Fukuta1
1

Division of Natural History, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan

E-mail: iwami@yamashina.or.jp
Morphological and physiological adaptations for thermoregulation have been studied inmany species of birds. Seabirds and waterfowl are particularly well adapted to live inwater in severe cold climates. For preventing heat radiation in extreme cold
environment, these birds are considered to have evolved peculiar modifications of theblood vessels in the legs and other body parts. Among aquatic birds, body shapes show
considerable variation depending on the usage of the wings or legs when diving andswimming in water for catching prey. The adaptation of the blood vascular system tocold is also considered to related to differences in body shape. Preliminary observations
have revealed that blood vessels penetrate the flight muscle (Mm. pectorales
superficiales) in some aquatic birds, such as Alcidae, Gaviidae and Anatidae. In thepresent study we examined modifications of blood vessels for cold adaptation in
wing-propelled and leg-propelled diving birds. The specimens, Tufted Puffin,
Fratercula cirrhata, and White-billed Diver, Gavia adamsii, were collected as carcassesof fishery by-catch. They were injected intravascularly with the contrast medium, andobserved using X-ray CT scanning. The tri-dimensional figures were reconstructed andanalyzed. Results show that the Tufted Puffin, known as a wing-propelled diving bird,
has a highly developed blood vessel passing through the pectoral muscles. On the other
hand, the White-billed Diver, known as a leg-propelled diver, has many morepenetrating blood vessels than the puffin. We hypothesize that the difference in bloodvessels between these two aquatic birds reflects adaptations to coldness associated withdifferent diving behaviours. In addition, adaptations of other blood vessels are also
discussed.

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p09-013

Why aren’t they hatching? Genetic causes of embryo mortality inzebra finches
U. Knief 1, J. Rutkowska 2, B. Kempenaers 1 and W. Forstmeier 1
1

Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institutefor Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
2
Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Email: uknief@orn.mpg.de
Embryo mortality and hatching failure are surprisingly common phenomena given thatnatural selection is constantly acting against them. Across bird species about 12% of
eggs fail to hatch, and wild zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) exhibit about 17%
hatching failure. Despite this evolutionary puzzle, we feel that there is a lack of studies
investigating the causes of embryo mortality, and the scientific literature usually names
either inbreeding or environmental effects as likely causes for early mortality.
Our captive population of zebra finches held at the Max-Planck-Institute in Seewiesen(Germany) consistently shows about 30% of embryo mortality. Cross-fostering ofindividual eggs revealed that this mortality was mainly caused by the genetic parents
rather than the foster parents. Analyzing the fates of 4,159 eggs from 529 breeding pairs
showed no significant male parent and only a moderate female parent contribution toembryo mortality, but a strong female-male-interaction. However, inbreeding
depression, as estimated from our eight-generation pedigree, was only a minor cause.
We identified a second captive zebra finch population that on average had only 10%
embryo mortality in Krakow (Poland). We exchanged breeding pairs between both
locations to (1) rule out direct environmental effects on embryo viability and (2)produce hybrids for QTL mapping of the genetic loci contributing to this mortality.
These reciprocal common garden experiments lent no support for direct environmental
effects causing the difference in embryo mortality rate between the two populations.
QTL mapping in F2 hybrids located some genomic regions contributing to embryo
mortality that need further investigation.
Embryo mortality is a striking evolutionary puzzle that may be due to more than justtrivial inbreeding and environmental effects. We will discuss possible scenarios underwhich genetic variation for mortality may be maintained.

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p09-014

New moult pattern in raptors: primary moult pattern of the Japanese
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter gularis)
S. G. Kang, W. H. Hur, Y. S. Choi and S. H. Kim
National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, Republic of Korea
Email: pfalcon@hanmail.net
In the Accipitridae, the primary feathers are moulted sequentially from pl outwards to p10,
whereas in the Falconidae, the primaries are moulted divergently, starting at p4 (sometimes
with p5), and then simultaneously proceeding both ascending towards p1 and descending
towards p10. We found a new pattern of primary feather moulting in the Japanese
Sparrowhawk. We examined 114 museum specimens and photographs of 48 individuals
taken in the spring and autumn migration seasons. Among these, 76 were juveniles and 86
were young adults in their second calendar year, or adults. Two types of moult pattern wereobserved during a single moult season: normal-type moult (14%) and the "new-type" moult(64%). During the first stage of the normal-type moult, the primaries were generally moulted
descending, starting from p1 and most ended at p8 (although sometimes at p3, p5, or p7).
During the first stage of the new-type of moult, the pattern of primary feather moulting variedamong individuals, with the primaries being shed from p3 to p10. The percentages of moulted
primary feathers were as follows: p4 (16%), p5 (21%), p6 (21%), p7 (20%) and p8 (14%).
During the second stage of moulting, there were three waves of primary feather moulting.
The second wave started from the inner retained feather (p1) and progressed descending until
meeting the first wave, which stopped at p3, p4, p5, or p6; whereas the third wave progressed
towards p10 from retained feathers (p6, p7, p8, or p9) that were not shed during the first stage.
It appears that the first stage of moulting, after which moulting is temporally suspended, iscompleted before the beginning of spring migration from the wintering grounds. During thisfirst-stage moult from p3 to p10, the inner feathers are more worn and faded than the outerfeathers. Consequently, we presume that the first stage of moulting starts from the innermostfeathers and proceeds descending towards p10, which is the same as the pattern seen in thenormal moult sequence.

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p09-015Morphofunctional aspects of the frugivorous specialization in the
Calyptomena broadbills (Passeriformes, Eurylaimidae).
E.N. Zubkova, L.P. Korzun
Dept. of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Vorobievy gory,Moscow 119991, Russia
E-mail: katz.viet@gmail.com
The Old World suboscine passerines birds, as opposed to the numerous and diverse New World
suboscines, are represented by few families with a small number of species. Within each group,
birds have very similar trophic characteristics. Most species of the Old World suboscines arecarnivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates and small vertebrate animals. Among themstands out the genus Calyptomena (family Eurylaimidae), which are almost exclusively
frugivorous birds. Our objective was, by using morphofunctional analysis, to reveal the depth of
the adaptation of the jaw apparatus of the genus Calyptomena to feeding on fruits. We
investigated morphological features of the jaw and hypoglossal apparatus in 13 species of thefamily Eurylaimidae, 2 species (Philepitta) of the family Philepittidae and 10 species of thefamily Pittidae. We found that the Calyptomena are adapted to consume the widest variety offruits. This adaptation was formed on the basis of the primary ability of broadbills to eat large
food items of animal origin. Specific features of the jaw apparatus of Calyptomena may beinterpreted biomechanically as a part of this adaptation to frugivory.

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p09-016

Alula functions as a vortex generator
Sang-im Lee 1, Jooha Kim 2, Hyungmin Park 2, Piotr Jablonski 3 and Haecheon Choi 1,2
1

Institute of Advanced Machinery and Design, Seoul National University, South Korea
School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, South
Korea
3
Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, South Korea
Email: sangim@snu.ac.kr
2

The alula is a small structure located at the joint between handwing and armwing ofbirds, which is used in slow flights with high angles of attack such as landing. It has
been assumed that the alula functions as a leading-edge slat that increases the lift anddelays the stall. However, in spite of the universal presence of the alula in flying birds,
it is still not clearly understood how the alula aids the flight of birds. In this study, we
elucidate the mechanisms that are involved in the function of the alula and the effect of
the alula on the aerodynamic performance of birds based on the data collected from free
flight and wind tunnel experiments. With the alula, birds performed steeper descending
flights with greater lateral angle changes. Force measurements conducted on driedmagpie wings in a landing posture confirmed the stall-delaying effect of the alula,although the magnitude of the effect varied depending on the camber in the dried wing.
Through digital particle image velocimetry, we show that a vortex is created at the tip of
the alula, and the separation over the wing surface is suppressed due to the presence of
the alula tip vortex. Consequently, separation is less pronounced at the location where
the alula is located. We suggest that the alula functions as a vortex generator thatinduces greater lift and endows greater flight manoeuvrability to the birds.

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p09-017

Patterns of morphological evolution during the evolution of wingpropelled diving in penguins: Insights into the evolution of form andfunction in birds
James Vernon Proffitt, Kevin M Middleton, Julia Allison Clarke,
jvproffitt@gmail.com
Modern birds display varied patterns of locomotion that can be linked to ecologicaldiversity, as in the many lineages of aquatic birds. However, close examination of theevolution of locomotion in birds and its relationship to anatomical form and function has
been primarily associated with one particular evolutionary event–the origin of flight. The
evolution of wing-propelled diving in penguins represents a similar significant shift inecology and morphology in birds, involving movement through a medium hundreds oftimes denser than air. This factor, in combination with robust fossil record and wellconstrained phylogeny, makes the evolution of penguins an ideal framework for
examining the relationships between form, function, and adaptation in birds. New
discrete morphological characters developed through study of fossil penguins anddissection of extant penguins were combined with previously developed character
matrices to form the most complete dataset of penguin osteological characters to date.
Patterns of discrete character change in the forelimb and hind limb of penguins wereassessed in parsimony and Bayesian frameworks to infer relative rates of evolutionarychange in each anatomical region across penguin phylogeny. We also incorporated
morphometric data on waterbird limb elements in order to examine the evolution of limb
“morphospace” in penguins and outgroup taxa. In contrast to hypotheses of sequential
modification for forelimb and hind limb morphology, we find similar rates of characterchange early in penguin evolution. Our results emphasize the importance of examining
whole-organism patterns of change rather than approaches only based on single charactercomplexes or key innovations. These data, when combined with further anatomical andfunctional data obtained from extant penguins, will provide greater insight into theevolution of ecological and morphological diversification within birds.

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p09-018

Comparison of morphological traits in two subspecies of Ashy Minivet(Pericrocotus divaricatus) specimens
K. Mikami
Japan Bird Research Association, Tokyo, Japan
Email: katsura.m.kawano@gmail.com
Wing morphology directly impacts flight ability and migratory behavior and is thus
likely to be under strong selective pressure. Longer wings are expected to be more
adaptive to long distance journeys than shorter ones. Two subspecies of the Ashy
Minivet (Pericrocotus divaricatus) have different migratory ecologies; P. d. tegimae issedentary, whereas P. d. divaricatus is a summer breeder in Japan. The morphological
data of the two subspecies may therefore provide a good example of the evolution ofwing morphology and migratory ecology. Moreover, recently, the distribution of P. d.
tegimae has been expanding, whereas the P. d. divaricatus population is in decline andhas been designated as an endangered (sub)species. Thus, studying the morphology ofthese two subspecies is also worthwhile from a conservation perspective. I measured
and compared morphological traits from 109 museum specimens of the two subspecies.
As expected, wing lengths of P. d. divaricatus were significantly longer than those of P.
d. tegimae. No difference was found in other traits between the subspecies. However,my study revealed considerable geographic variation within the subspecies. In P. d.
tegimae, the wing length of Kyushu specimens was significantly longer than that foundin populations on Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima islands, suggesting that P. d.
tegimae from Kyushu had a comparatively higher long-distance flight ability. For P. d.
divaricatus, specimens collected around the Korean peninsula had smaller bodies thanthose in other populations. Rather than the result of a latitudinal cline, this geographic
difference may relate to the differences in vegetation and therewith feeding behavior of
the Korean peninsula birds compared to the birds found in Japan.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-019

How can alcids dive so long? A biomechanical approach
D.M. Kikuchi 1, Y. Watanabe 2
1

Department of Polar science, Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Tokyo, Japan
Biology Group, National institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan
Email: dale.kikuchi@nipr.ac.jp
2

For breath-hold diving animals, longer dive duration allows longer foraging time.
Moreover, since the limiting oxygen storing capacity increases faster than oxygen
consumption with body mass, larger animals are capable of longer dive duration.
Thereby, penguins, which are relatively heavy birds (up to 40 kg), are specialists of
diving. On the other hand, alcids, which are capable of both aerial flight and diving,show restricted body mass by demands of aerial flight (0.1-1kg). However, alcids
exhibit a maximum dive duration 2.5 times longer than that of penguins with similar
body mass. Previous studies failed to explain such relatively longer dive capacity inalcids. In the present study, I show a lower energy consumption rate (i.e. lower oxygen
consumption) by mass unit in alcids versus penguins, based on a biomechanical model.
Swimming speed is the dominant component of energy consumption rate (proportionalto speed3), and alcids swim slower than penguins with normalized body mass. I heresuggest that slower swimming speed in alcids allows a lower oxygen consumption
compared to penguins, which will in turn enable alcids to dive longer.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-020

Macro- and nano-structural contributions to rainbow-like iridescence inCommon Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera feathers
Ming Xiao1,2 and Matthew D. Shawkey1
1
2

Biology Department, University of Akron, Akron, USA
Polymer Science Department, University of Akron, Akron, USA
Email: mx13@zips.uakron.edu; shawkey@uakron.edu

Color display is a critical function of feathers. Iridescent colors are not caused by pigments or dyes,
but by nanostructured arrays of melanosomes (melanin-containing organelles), providing advantages
like enhanced color variations over pigmented colors. Generally single feathers contain only one
structural color, but those of the Common Bronzewing contain a gradient from blue to red over theproximo-distal gradient of individual barbs. We used Optical Microscopy and Microspectrophotometry to quantitatively characterize this color gradient, and Scanning and Transmission
Electron Microscopy to investigate their macro- and nanostructure. Barbules of all colors contained
multilayers of melanosomes that varied in both the size of melanosomes and the spacing between
them. Interestingly, barbule orientation also varied from ~ 0°- 90°relative to the feather plane.
Combining optical modeling and experimental results, we argue that the rainbow color is caused by
the synergetic effects of variation in the size of melanosomes, space between melanosome layers andbarbule orientation. This result illustrates how slight modifications can produce large changes instructural color, and may provide inspiration for biomimetic multi-colored materials.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-021

Measuring the eye size of mist-netted birds: a comparison of two
non-invasive methods
C. Schütz 1 and C.H. Schulze 1
1

Department of Tropical Ecology and Animal Biodiversity, University of Vienna,
Vienna, Austria
Email: claudia.schuetz@univie.ac.at

The amount of visual information captured by an animal depends on its eye size. Birds
are characterized by particularly large eyes which may be partly interpreted as
adaptation to rapid flight. Moreover eye size is determined by selection arising fromrequired visual skills related to communication with conspecifics, interactions withheterospecifics, foraging for food and anti-predator behavior. Relating eye size todifferent aspects of ecology and species’ life history features will certainly offer moreinteresting views on selective forces shaping eye size. However, data on eye size ishardly available. So far several methods were used to measure the eye size of birds:
measuring the eye balls of fresh dead birds, measuring the orbital cavity of fleshlessskulls and measuring the diameter of the exposed eye surface of live birds. Although theeye shape is not necessarily spherical and can differ between diurnal and nocturnal birds,
the maximum corneal diameter may provide a sufficient eye size measure for manystudies on factors shaping eye size in birds. Using an electronic vernier calipers andphotographs of birds’ heads with a linear scale, we analyzed the accuracy of these two
methods for measuring the eye diameter of mist-netted birds. As non-invasive methods
they have the advantage that they can be applied without killing the bird. Comparedwith published data of a limited number of bird species, our results indicate thatmeasurements based on photographs are more accurate than the direct measurement ofeye size diameters, with the additional advantage of minimizing the risk of injuring thebirds’ eyes.

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p09-022

Moult in African Birds
Yahkat Barshep1 and Ulf Ottosson2
1

Animal Demography Unit, Dept of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town,
Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
2

A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (University of Jos Biological Conservatory),
P.O. Box 13404, Jos, Nigeria
Email: byahkat@yahoo.com

Moult timing and duration was measured in 15 passerine bird species in the guinea savannahzone of Nigeria using the Underhill-Zucchini model. Moult started between August andDecember. In all species moult duration was much longer than equivalent north temperate
resident passerines and species were found to moult seasonally, with most granivorous species
moulting at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry season. General seasonalpatterns in granivorores and insectivores were not clear. Although there was no firm evidence
that body mass was affected by moult, there was a negative relationship between the extent ofmoult and body mass in some species. These results are discussed in the context of otherimportant aspects of the annual cycle and life history of tropical birds such as breeding.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-023

Facial skin provides thermoregulation in Stresemann’s Bush-crow
Zavattariornis stresemanni
Till Töpfer 1 and Kai Gedeon 2
1

Section Ornithology, Zoological Research Museum A. Koenig, Bonn, Germany
Saxon Ornithologists’ Society, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany
Email: t.toepfer@zfmk.de

2

Stresemann’s Bush-crow Zavattariornis stresemanni is an extremely range-restricted
Ethiopian endemic that is confined to dry south Ethiopian acacia savannah habitats. It has
been assumed that the specific temperature conditions in these areas might reflect atemperature optimum to which these social birds have adapted. With non-tropical magpies
Pica and ground-jays Podoces being among their closest relatives, bush-crows might havedeveloped particular adaptive traits to persist under the hot and dry tropical conditions of thesouth Ethiopian plains. However, this thermal adaptation hypothesis has not been tested so far.
Using an infrared thermography system we investigated if bush-crows are able to regulate
their body temperature by emitting heat. Bush-crows have a characteristic naked blue skinaround the eye which extends further to an uncoloured skin patch behind the eye. This area isoften exposed deliberately, possibly in the context of social signalling. However, our results
suggest that the bare area behind the eye can also be used for thermoregulation: the surface
temperature of about 42°C on this skin patch is equal to body temperature. In contrast, theskin of the constantly uncovered blue eye-rings does not show substantial heat emission.
Because the structure and density of the feathers behind the eyes are less tight than the rest of
the head plumage, we presume that body heat can be disposed even if the bare skin patches
are not fully exposed. Both these morphological features and the possible active control ofheat emission apparently serve to prevent overheating of the brain which is unknown in any
other bird species yet.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-024Morphoecological explanations of sexual differences in bill shape ofbowerbirds (Ptylorhynchidae: Passeriformes)
A.V. Zinoviev1, A.A.Vinogradov1
1

Biology Department, Tver State University, Tver, Russia
Email: goodquit@tversu.ru
Comparison of bill outlines, drawn from the photographs of live and museum
specimens of more than 200 species of birds, revealed sexual differences which turned
out to be an effective tool in sex identification in monomorphic species. Most of thesedifferences have a functional explanation. Bowerbirds, renowned for the uniquecourtship behavior of males, show one such example. Males of Ptilonorhynchus
violaceus, Chlamydera nuchalis, Ch. guttata, Ch. cerviniventris, Prionodura
newtoniana, Sericulus chrysocephalus, S. aureus and Scenopooetes dentirostris, whobuild a bower of vertically placed sticks or erect piles of sticks, have proportionallyhigher mandibles, than females. Males of Amblyornis macgregoriae, A. flavifrons and A.
inornatus, building bowers from the layers of thin sticks, show mandibles only slightly
higher than females. Males of Archboldia sanfordi, who do not build a bower andsimply manipulate attractive objects, have mandibles similar in height with that offemales. Finally, males of Ailuroedus melanotis, A. buccoides, A. crassirostris andArchboldia papuensis, who do not build bowers and rarely manipulate objects, havemandibles lower than females. These differences are obviously related to the extent inwhich the bill is used by males for building bowers and manipulating objects. Males of
Amblyornis macgregoriae stay slightly aside of this tendency. Despite their lesser
activity in building the bower and manipulating objects in comparison with males of A.
flavifrons, they have relatively higher mandibles. More field observations are necessary
to explain this phenomenon.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-025

Shape similarities and differences in the skull of scavenging raptors

Guangdi Si, Yiyi Dong, Yujun Ma, Zihui Zhang
College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
Email: zihuizhang@cnu.edu.cn

Feeding adaptations are a conspicuous feature of avian evolution. Bill and cranial
shape as well as the jaw muscles are closely related to diet choice and feeding
behaviors. Diurnal raptors of Falconiformes exhibit a wide range of foraging
behaviors and prey preferences, and were assigned to seven dietary groups in thisstudy. Skulls of 156 species are compared from the dorsal, lateral and ventral views,
by using geometric morphometric techniques with the landmarks capturing as muchinformation as possible on the overall shape of cranium, bill, orbits, nostrils andattachment area for different jaw muscles. The morphometric data showed that theskull shape of scavengers differed significantly from other raptors, primarily becauseof different feeding adaptations. As a result of convergent evolution, different
scavengers shared generalized common morphology, possessing relatively slenderand lower skulls, longer bills, smaller and more sideward orbits, and more caudally
positioned quadrates. Significant phylogenetic signals suggested that phylogeny also
played important role in shape variation within scavengers. New World vultures canbe distinguished by their large nostrils, narrow crania and small orbits; Caracaras
typically show large palatines, crania and orbits, as well as short, deep and sharp bills.

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SA09 Morphology, ecomorphology and development

p09-026

Sex differences in growth and its genetic regulation in the early Zebra
Finch embryos
M. Tagirov 1 and J. Rutkowska 2
1

Poultry Research Institute, Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences, Borky, Ukraine
Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Email: joanna.rutkowska@uj.edu.pl
2

Sex-specific gene expression before the onset of morphological differences between thesexes has been documented in the chicken embryos. Here we asked whether specific genes
regulating embryonic growth prior to gonadogenesis, and embryo size itself are also sexdimorphic in a passerine bird showing a contrasting mode of reproduction. We used captive
Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We collected freshly laid eggs and incubated them for
36-40 hours. Embryo size and the expression of 17 genes involved in cell cycle regulation,
growth, metabolic activity, steroidogenic pathway and stress modulation was measured
using RT-PCR. Analyses controlling for the exact time of incubation of 87 embryos
revealed that males were consistently larger than females in terms of Hamburger and
Hamilton stage and number of somites. Gene expression level was assessed in 5 male and 5
female embryos incubated for exactly 36 h. We found significant overexpression of 4 cellcycle control genes, 3 of them being located in the Z chromosome and one of unknown
location. The faster growth of male embryos is most likely achieved by the overexpressionof the growth hormone receptor gene. Growth hormone gene transcripts were detected inboth sexes, but at equal levels, similarly to other 11 autosomal genes and one gene locatedon the Z chromosome, which did not show sex-specific expression. Steroidogenic factor 1,
the key operator of gonad and adrenal formation was expressed only in female embryos.
Our study confirms previous findings on overexpression of genes located on the Z
chromosome in the chicken long before gonadogenesis, but to our knowledge is the first
one to report sexual size dimorphism at such an early stage of development in birds. It
suggests that faster growth of early male embryos is conserved through the mammalian andbird phyla, irrespective of their differential sex chromosome systems.

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p10-001

Stress does not increase blood glucose in foraging wild House Sparrows
L.M. Romero, S. Mylvaganam, C. Tam
Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford Massachusetts, USA
Email: michael.romero@tufts.edu
Glucocorticoids and epinephrine, the prime hormones mediating the stress response, arethought to increase blood glucose concentrations and mobilize fats to help the animal
cope with a stressor. This dogma primarily derives from fasted laboratory animals andgrowing laboratory evidence suggests that regulation of glucose during stress is far more
complicated in fed animals. We captured free-living House Sparrows (Passer
domesticus) feeding at bird feeders during three times of year (winter, spring, and during
the autumn molt) and measured initial glucose and triglyceride titers. Both glucose andtriglycerides varied seasonally, with glucose being lower and triglycerides higher during
the winter. Contrary to expectations, the stress of capture, handling, and restraint, did notalter these titers. When we examined the sensitivity to the stress hormones, neither
injection of exogenous corticosterone or epinephrine altered glucose or triglyceride titers.
Furthermore, injecting phentolamine and propranolol (alpha and beta adrenergic receptor
antagonists, respectively) alone or in conjunction with epinephrine did not alter glucose
or triglyceride titers. These data indicate that actively foraging House Sparrows areresistant to the classic effects of corticosterone and epinephrine on plasma glucose andtriglycerides. The data further suggest that the stress physiology of fed birds, likely
indicative of many if not most birds in the wild, is different than what is commonly
assumed.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-002

Variation in basal metabolic rate in wild-caught tropical birds ofSouthern Vietnam
A. Bushuev 1, A. Kerimov 1 and O. Tolstenkov 2
1

Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Center of Parasitology, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow,
RussiaEmail: a_bushuev@mail.ru

2

There are many differences between tropical and temperate birds in life-history traits.
Limitations associated with physiological features may be considered as main
constraints on divergence of life histories. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the moststudied physiological trait, but the number of studies on avian energetics in the tropics isvery limited. Using the largest existing data-set on metabolic rates of Old World
free-living tropical birds (372 individuals belonging to 59 species from Southern
Vietnam), we compared BMR in different ecological and taxonomical groups of birds(passerines and non-passerines, oscines and suboscines, tropical and temperate birds,
residents and long-distance migrants, males and females, foragers in the sun and shade).
The result is discussed within the frame of an energetic model. According to the model
the high BMR was acquired by migrant passerines, which then occupied the forest zoneof temperate and high latitudes.

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p10-003

Basal metabolic rate, parasite prevalence and blood variables in different
taxonomic and ecological avian groups of Southern Vietnam
A. Kerimov 1, A. Bushuev 1, O. Tolstenkov 2, O. Sokolova3 and E. Zubkova1
1

Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Center of Parasitology, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow, Russia
3
Ya.R. Kovalenko Research Institute of the Experimental Veterinaria, Moscow, Russia
Email: anvar_kerimov@mail.ru
2

The main goal of the study was to perform correlative analysis of interrelations between
energetic and other physiological variables in different taxonomic and ecological groups oftropical birds from Southern Vietnam. We evaluated basal metabolic rate (BMR), blood
leukocyte indexes (WBC and H/L), prevalence of blood parasites and ectoparasite infestation in
free-living birds. The pressure of ectoparasites was higher on Suboscine passerines than on
Oscine and Non-passerine birds. Suboscine passerines were characterized by the highest level ofinteraction between three physiological variables, namely BMR, blood indexes and infestation
by different forms of ectoparasites. In this group, mass-independent BMR was positively related
to both leukocyte index and the degree of infestation by ectoparasites. The latter indicator, inturn, was positively correlated with hematological characteristics. Oscine passerines did notshow any links between mass-independent BMR and other physiological indicators, but similarly
to the previous group, they demonstrated a positive correlation between ectoparasite pressure andhematological characteristics. According to the structure of relationships between physiologicalvariables, the non-passerine birds were similar to Suboscine birds, but the correlation between
hematological features and the degree of ectoparasite infestation was not found in the formergroup. Moreover, non-passerines and Suboscine birds showed alternative relationships between
the degree of ectoparasite infestation and body mass. Being indirect by definition, the above
outlined correlative approach provided the opportunity for future causal analysis based on adetailed study of the physiological processes. Assuming trade-offs between the physiologicalindicators measured, the patterns observed in Suboscine birds probably reflect their increased
susceptibility to parasite load and lowered resistance.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-004

Seasonal variation in basal metabolic rate, respiratory quotient andevaporative water loss in the Cape White-eye, Zosterops pallidus
L.J. Thompson 1, M. Brown 1,2 and C.T. Downs 1
1

School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Nature’s Valley Trust, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
Email: lindojano@yahoo.com
2

One way in which birds in the northern hemisphere generally cope with extreme winterconditions is by elevating their basal metabolic rates (BMRs). In southern Africa
however, winters are generally milder than at higher latitudes, although there are still
unpredictable periods of extreme cold, and so it is expected that small Afrotropical birds
would conserve energy by lowering their winter BMRs. Open flow respirometry wasused to record oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and evaporative water
loss (EWL) in twelve wild-caught Cape White-eyes Zosterops pallidus, in summer andwinter, at a range of temperatures. In winter, Cape White-eyes significantly reduced their
BMRs and dropped their lower critical limits. Mean respiratory quotient was lower insummer than in winter, indicating greater catabolism of lipids in summer than in winter.
There was no seasonal difference in EWL, but at 35°C, EWL was higher in winter than insummer. Overall, these results are indicative of energy conservation during winter, andare consistent with those of other small southern hemisphere birds for which suchseasonal differences have been investigated. However, similar studies on Afrotropical
species are relatively few, and more work is needed to confirm these trends.

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p10-005

The impact of urbanization on oxidative stress and telomere length:experimental disentangling of genetic and environmental effects inGreat Tits (Parus major)
P. Salmón 1, A. Nord 1, J. Nilsson 1, S. Bensch 2 and C. Isaksson 1
1

Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Biology Department, Lund University, Sweden
Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, Biology Department, Lund University,
Sweden2

Email: Pablo.Salmon@biol.lu.se

Urbanization is a fast growing recent process permanently changing the native habitats
and a major global threat to biodiversity. Nonetheless, many forest living species haveand are in the process of extending their distribution into the urban environments whereparks and gardens provide alternative habitats. In addition to ecological adaptions tothese new habitats, the traffic-related air pollutants, mainly nanoparticles and nitricoxides are other challenges that species have to cope with. The effects of thesecomponents could be harmful if the organism is unable to up-regulate the detoxifying
system. Some of these damages, which include damage to DNA and lipids, are involvedin cellular ageing and cancer, ultimately, affecting individual to population-level fitness.
Therefore, understanding how the detoxifying antioxidant system and degree of damage
are affected by the urban environment can give some clues about the influence of theenvironmental stressors that urban birds are facing. During spring of 2013 across-fostering experiment was conducted between an urban (high traffic-load) and arural (low traffic-load) population of Great Tits (Parus major) in the South of Sweden.
At the age of 12 days a blood sample was taken from each nestling for measuring
different red blood cell antioxidant biomarkers and oxidative damage. In addition to theoxidative-antioxidant system, we measured telomere length by qPCR. This experimentwill allow us to disentangle the direct environmental effects on physiology and telomere
shortening from non-genetic and genetic inheritance, i.e. evolutionary adaptation toenvironmental stress. Our results provide useful information about the physiologicalstatus of birds in relation to traffic pollution. Nevertheless, future long term research
will provide a better understanding of how urbanization is affecting bird populations
and if birds themselves are being able to cope via plastic responses or if evolutionary
adaptation has taken place.

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p10-006

Circulating hormone pattern of obligate brood parasites during thebreeding season
Won-Ju Jung1, Jin-Won Lee1 and Jeong-Chil Yoo1

1

Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea

Email: wonju@khu.ac.kr

During the breeding season, birds providing parental care experience diverse behavioral
stages, from finding partners to provisioning chicks, and hormonal regulation is known to bea proximate cue underlying these breeding-related changes of behavior. In particular, plasma
levels of three hormones (testosterone, prolactin and corticosterone) are well known to play a
key role in regulating breeding behavior. Many free-living birds show early elevation of
testosterone levels to secure a breeding partner and resources for reproduction, which isfollowed by an increase of prolactin levels and degradation of testosterone levels whenproviding parental care. However, little is known about the reproductive hormone profiles ofbrood parasitic birds such as cuckoo (Cuculus) species, which transfer parental duties to thehost species and do not themselves provide parental care. In this study, we examined thetemporal pattern of hormone levels in two Cuculus species, the Common Cuckoo (C. canorus)
and the Lesser Cuckoo (C. poliocephalus) and compared these to other species exhibiting
parental behavior. The adaptive significance of hormonal regulation of these brood parasites
will be discussed in terms of a coevolutionary arms race.

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p10-007

Changes in stress hormone receptors across the breeding season: an adaptation tobreeding at high latitude?

J. S. Krause, M.A. McGugian, J.C. Wingfield and S.L. Meddle

1

The University of California, Davis, CA, USA.

2

The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, UK.

Email:simone.meddle@roslin.ed.ac.uk
Every spring, migratory songbirds leave their wintering grounds to travel to breeding grounds where
they can encounter demanding situations such as intense storms, food shortages, predation and social
disputes. During such times, songbirds are reliant upon the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis
and the production of the stress hormone, corticosterone (CORT), to induce changes in behavior andphysiology to promote survival. In many high latitude breeding songbirds, the stress response is higher
during arrival on their breeding territories compared to the parental phase. The reduction in the stressresponse is critical for preventing nest abandonment and ensuring parental investment but little is known
about the neural regulation of this adaptation. This study investigated changes in the expression ofmRNA for the two CORT receptors termed the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and the glucocorticoid
receptor (GR) in the brain of male Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrows using in situ hybridization. Therewas significantly lower expression of MR mRNA in the hippocampus when birds at the pre-parental
phase were compared to those during the parental phase. No significant change was found in GR in theparaventricular nucleus. Changes in MR and/or GR expression may be critical for regulating negative
feedback and thus controlling both baseline and stress induced levels of CORT. These data suggest thatchanges in MR sensitivity may be important for regulating the stress response in birds that have very
short breeding seasons at high latitude.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-008

Changes in gonadal activity associated with rearing condition,
egg laying and molting in captive Svalbard Rock Ptarmigan(Lagopus muta hyperboreus)

Saori Yamamoto1* , Satoshi Kusuda 1,2 , Hidemasa Hori2,3 , Yukihiro Takahashi 2,3 ,Masaharu Horiguchi2,4 , Hitoshi Murai2,4 , Osamu Doi 1
1

Lab. of Animal Reproduction, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
The Working Group for ex situ Conservation of Rock Ptarmigan, Japan3
Ueno Zoological Gardens, Tokyo Zoological Park Society, 9-83 Ueno Kouen,
Taitou-ku, Tokyo 110-9711, Japan4
Toyama Municipal Family Park Zoo, 254 Furusawa, Toyama 930-0151, Japan*Email: saori.3002-0974@hotmail.co.jp
2

The Japanese rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta japonica) is one of the bird species
threatened with extinction in Japan. This species is categorized as Endangered on theJapanese Red List and is an object of the Conservation Program of the Ministry ofEnvironment in Government of Japan. In preparation for ex situ conservation of thissubspecies, Japanese zoos have embarked on the development of a good husbandry
technique and collection of biological data by keeping a related subspecies, theSvalbard Rock Ptarmigan (L. m. hyperboreus). Understanding the physiology of egg
laying and aspects of endocrine secretion are important for husbandry and the fosteringof reproduction. We monitored sex steroid hormone dynamics in the captive Svalbard
subspecies non-invasively. We also investigated the relationships among hormonalchanges and rearing condition, egg lying and molting.
Feces were collected from 4 male and 4 female Svalbard Rock Ptarmigans kept at two
institutes. The light in cages changed gradually throughout the year. The lighting wascontinuous in June to July (0D: 24L) and shortest from December to January (13D: 11Lor 15D: 8L). The fecal concentrations of testosterone of males and progesterone andestradiol-17β of females were determined by enzyme immunoassay. The cecal feces
hormonal concentration was higher than that of rectal feces, but its dynamics weresimilar. Fecal sex steroid hormone concentrations in male and female rectal feces
increased with ambient temperature and light time and were highest levels during 24
hours of light. At this time, mating and egg laying were observed. During the second
half of the continuous light term, hormonal concentrations decreased. Increasing light
length may activate the hormonal secretion or gonadal activity. Molting occurredearlier in females than males and it progressed with hormonal increase in female;
however it progressed after the start of hormonal decrease in males.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-009

Seasonal changes of fecal sex steroids in Kagu,
Rhynochetos jubatus, in captivity
M. Sato 1, K. Hara 2 and H. Sakai 1
1

Department of Biology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, Tokyo, Japan
Kanaza Zoo, Yokohama, Japan
Email: sato.megumi@nihon-u.ac.jp
2

The Kagu (Rhynochetos jubatus) is an endangered bird species endemic to New
Caledonia. In this study, changes in levels of secreted sex steroids were measured toacquire fundamental data necessary for Japanese efforts to successfully breed captive
Kagus. Three male–female pairs were kept under natural daylight conditions at the
Preservation and Research Center of Yokohama City and observed. Levels of fecal
testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4) were measured in periodicallycollected feces. Measurements were conducted from August 2000 to July 2001, andchanges throughout the year were analyzed. Eggs were laid between October and Mayof the following year, corresponding to the breeding period in New Caledonia, which isfrom June to November. All pairs proceeded to brood, but abandoned eggs after a shortperiod. Egg-laying, brooding, and abandonment was then repeated, resulting in a totalof 16 eggs laid among the three pairs. A possible explanation for this abandonment ofeggs may be the absence of helper birds. Fecal T and E2 increased with egg-laying,although high concentrations were measured during only a brief period. The changes inlevels of these two steroids did not always correspond to each other. Twelve of the eggs
were laid after fecal E2 decreased from a high level (1–3 ng/g) to below 0.1 ng/g. This
may a characteristic trait of the Kagu, which has a clutch size of one. Secretion of P4
was expected to increase during the brooding period; however, no clear changes in fecal
P4 levels were observed.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-010

Labile regulation of nocturnal activity during pre-migratory life stage
A. Mukhin1,2, V. Grinkevich1 and D. Kobylkov1,3

1

Biological Station Rybachy, Zoological Institute, RAS, Russia

2

Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia

3

St Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia

E-mail: a.l.mukhin@gmail.com

For seasonal animals like long distance migrants, the transition to the next annual stage
undoubtedly means a transfer from a relatively sedentary stage (like breeding or moulting) to an
active migratory stage, and vice versa. The early development of life history stages may be
hidden, and this is especially true for the beginning of migration in nocturnal migrants. Thischange to nocturnality is believed to be governed by endogenous programs. Recent findings
show that the mechanism underlying the development of nocturnal flight is based on the phaserelationship between diurnal and nocturnal circadian oscillators. Nevertheless, neat graphs oflocomotory rhythm drift obtained from captive birds during the development of migratory
disposition are difficult to obtain from free-living birds. Our study was designed to test how
environmental cues can trigger nocturnal flights in previously relatively sedentary breeding reed
warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus). RWs were captured on their nests and housed in outdoor
and indoor conditions. Locomotory rhythm drift was registered in all tested groups (near in all 45
individuals), and reached it maximum on the 5th-6th day. Significant differences in nocturnal
flight performance were revealed after radio-tagged RWs were released into the wild (7-8 days
after capturing): none of the birds kept in captivity close to their nests departed, and all but one
bird displaced from their nests (>20 km) departed. Here we showed that (1) nocturnal activity in
caged birds is indeed a reflection of real night flights in nature; (2) environmental cues that leadto the interruption of normal annual stage indeed cause nocturnal flight activity that develops asa gradual nocturnal rhythm drift; and (3) return to the appropriate life history stage can block thisnocturnality within several days. All of this allows us to conclude that avian nocturnal activity isunder rather labile regulation and can be triggered by either endogenous or environmental stimuli.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-011

Molecular cloning and expression of PGC-1α in Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passermontanus)
D.M. Li1, X.L Liu1, Y. Yao1, L.N. Wu1,2, Y.C. Hao1 and Y.F. Wu1
1

Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province,
College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, P. R. China
2
Department of Biology and Chemistry, Xingtai University, Xingtai 054001, P. R. China
E-mail: lidngmng@gmail.com
In animals, phenotypic flexibility of adaptive strategies may promote to maximize fitness in achanging environment. Although there are a few studies focusing on investigation of metabolic
flexible response to environmental variability in birds, little information is known on the flexibilityof related functional genes. In animals, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma
coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) are also involved in many biological responses including adaptive
thermogenesis, mitochondrial biogenesis, glucose-fatty acid metabolism, and muscle fiber
specialization. In present study, we successfully cloned the 2, 388 bp of full-length of open reading
frame (ORF) PGC-1α cDNA in Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus), which encodes 795
amino acids (aa). The phylogenetic analysis showed that the PGC-1α aa sequences are most similar
to those of Taeniopygia guttata (98%), Geospiza fortis (98%), Zonotrchia albicollis (98%), Falco
cherrug (97%), Pseudopodoces humilis (97%), Gallus gallus (95%), and Chrysemys picta (91%),
but they exhibit lower identity to Homo sapiens (87%), Bos Taurus (85%), Rattus norvegicus (85%),
and Mus musculus (84%). The real-time PCR results showed the expression of PGC-1α mRNA
were significantly higher in the liver, brain, kidney, and heart than those from the lung and gonads.
Our results indicate the gene of PGC-1α is highly conserved in the clade of amniotes, and provide
the molecular basis for better understanding the phenotypic flexibility of metabolism in response toenvironmental variability in the future at an integrated approach.

362

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-012

Fluid mechanical consideration of the airsacculitis:
effects of thickening and hardening of air sacs on a respiratory flow
M. Nakamura 1, K. Yahata 1, A. Urushikubo 1,
1

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
Email: masanorin@mech.saitama-u.ac.jp
Airsacculitis is a pathological condition of air sacs caused by bacteria and virus
infections. The birds with airsaccultis exhibit respiratory distress. Histological studies
have demonstrated that the air sacs of birds with airsacculitis have pronounced epithelial
cell hyperplasia and a six to ten fold thickening of the air sac walls. In addition, we
observed an increased synthesis of the extracellular matrix and collagen, producing astrong increase in tissue stiffness. We speculated that these observations of a thickening
and hardening of the air sac tissue have an unfavourable effect on functioning of theavian respiratory system. The aim of the present study was to examine what effects
changes in the mechanical characteristics of air sac tissue have on the air flow in theavian lung. An avian respiratory system was modeled in a lumped parameter model.
Resistance and inductance of each airway were expressed by a resistor and an inductor
under the assumption that the flow is laminar and can be described by theHagen-Poiseulle law. The mechanical behavior of air sacs was modeled as spheres oflinearly elastic rubber, and incorporated in the lumped parameter circuit as a pressuresource. The results demonstrated that thickening of the air sac wall induces a harmonicmismatch between the inflating and deflating behavior of the air sac and theintra-pleural pressure, causing impaired expansion of air sacs during inspiration. As aconsequence, the volume of air passing though the parabronchi, where gas exchangetakes place, decreases. It was also found that the volume of air going through theparabronchi further decreased with hardening of the air sac wall. These results suggestthat the respiratory distress of birds with airsacculitis results from a phasic imbalance ofthe flow dynamics in the lung.

363

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-013

DNA extraction from avian feces for species identification and sex
determination
K. Amada
Faculty of Engineering, Fukuoka Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan.
Email: amada@fit.ac.jp
DNA extraction from birds is performed in advanced molecular ecological studies andPCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a rapid and reliable method for the species
identification and sex determination of a bird. The PCR procedure requires template
DNA that can be obtained from a drop of blood or a few feathers. To avoid inflicting
pain on birds, feces can also be used as a source of DNA. However, avian feces containinhibitors of the enzyme used in PCR in quantities sufficient to inhibit reactions. In thisstudy, flow-through columns with silica membranes were used for DNA purification toeffectively remove these Taq DNA polymerase inhibitors. We used this technique topurify mitochondrial and genomic DNA to allow PCR amplification of the genes
encoding cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and chromo-helicase-DNA binding protein-1(chd1), which are located on the avian mitochondrial DNA and on the W and Z sex
chromosomes, respectively. Using this technique we successfully isolated bothmitochondrial and chromosomal DNA from avian feces of sufficient quality andquantity to allow PCR amplification. Extracting DNA from feces, opposed to extraction
from blood or feathers, avoids exposing birds to harm or danger. This method thus
respects the welfare of the bird, making it particularly valuable when studying
endangered avian species. This method provides a simple, rapid, reliable, and accurate
procedure for the species identification and sex determination of birds using DNA
extracted from fecal samples.

364

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-015Light intensity alters the stimulatory effects of long photoperiod, but does notalter critical photoperiod in the Indian Weaver Bird (Ploceus philippinus)
Rohit Kumar Pandey and Sanjay Kumar Bhardwaj
Department of Zoology, Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut-250 004, INDIA
Email:drskumar7@yahoo.com
Day length regulates annual reproductive cycles in many birds including subtropical Indian
Weaverbirds. We investigated whether light intensity modulates the effects of the duration ofphotoperiods in inducing the testicular recrudescence, and whether such effects are influenced byseason. In two experiments we exposed weavers to near threshold and long photoperiods(11.5L:12.5D, 12L:12D and 13L:11D) at different light intensities during two time periods of theyear. In experiment 1, birds were exposed to 12 and 1200 lux for 24 to 40 weeks. Experiment 2
was similar to experiment 1, except that it included two different phases of the annual
reproductive cycle and involved light intensities at a different order of magnitude. During the
pre-breeding (April) and post-breeding (September) seasons, birds were exposed for 24 weeks to
11.5L:12.5D, 12L:12D and 13L:11D at 20 and 800 lux light intensity.The observations on testis
size and wing primary molt were periodically recorded (testis size = 4 weeks; molt = everyweek). There was a significant effect of light intensity in birds exposed to long days, but not in
those exposed to 11.5L and 12L. Further, birds showed faster recrudescence in response tostimulatory photoperiods during the pre-breeding than in post-breeding phase. Light intensity
influenced the rate of testicular maturation and molt under long days, but did not affect thecritical day length for photoperiodic induction in weaver birds. This may be adaptive, since birds
may use the light intensity to modulate the rates of physiological process as per the demand of
the surrounding environment.

365

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-016

Physiological and immunological consequences of differential stopover habitat
use in fall migrating landbirds
Y. Oguchi 1, C. Gawne 2, M. Porter 3, H. Matsumura 4, R. J. Smith 5, and J. C. Owen 1,61

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
3
College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
4
Department of Forest Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
5
Biology Department, The University of Scranton, Scranton, USA
6
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
Email: oguchiyu@msu.edu
2

Migrating birds experience high energetic demands and immunomodulation, and recent studies
show that successful refueling during stopover is important in restoring reduced physiologicaland immunological condition. However, stopover habitat is being altered by land-use changesuch as introductions of exotic shrubs. These exotic shrubs offer fruits that differ in nutrient
composition compared to native shrubs, but knowledge is lacking on how that difference impacts
the health status of fall migrating landbirds. We tested whether measures of energetic andimmunological condition vary as a function of habitat use in Gray Catbirds (Dumetellacarolinensis) and Swainson’s Thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) captured in native and exotic
shrublands in central Michigan, USA during fall migration. Preliminary results from radio
telemetry and capture-recapture data show that (1) birds initially captured in the exotic shrubland
were more likely to switch to and stay in the native shrubland, (2) stopover length of individuals
was significantly greater in the native shrubland, and (3) birds occupying the native shrubland
trended toward greater mass gain in recaptured individuals compared to conspecifics captured in
the exotic shrubland. The latter finding contradicts plasma metabolite profiles, which indicate nodifference in short-term refuel rate. Measures of constitutive immune function (total anddifferential leucocyte counts, natural antibodies and complement cascade) did not differ
significantly between habitat types. However, Swainson’s Thrushes captured in the native
shrubland had significantly greater levels of total circulating carotenoids, and carotenoid levels
were positively correlated to the activities of complement cascade. These results suggest thatwhile these bird species may prefer native shrublands as stopover habitat, individuals using
exotic shrubs may not experience negative physiological or immunological consequences.

366

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-017

Does adult neurogenesis shape the true navigator?
V. Meskenaite1,2, A. Gagliardo4, V. Kurtcuoglu2, H.-P. Lipp1,5 and D.P. Wolfer1,31Institute of Anatomy, 2The Interface Group, Institute of Physiology, University of
Zurich, 3Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, Switzerland;
4
Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; 5Department of Physiology,
School of Medical Sciences Kwazulu-Natal University, Durban, South Africa
Email: virginia.meskenaite@uzh.ch
In the animal world, birds are the supreme navigators with unparalleled orientation skill.
Many previous studies showed that birds develop their navigational skill in the firstmonths after fledgling and they update the memorized environmental informationneeded for navigation also later in life. We studied the extent of adult neurogenesis that
could provide such age-related plasticity. Brains of homing pigeons, Columba livia, atages of 1, 2, 6, 12, 30, 80 and 156 months were subjected to systematic quantification ofboth newly generated (DCX+) and overall neuron subpopulations. Firstly, 2 brain
regions, the piriform cortex, an associative cortex primarily related to olfactory
navigation hypothesis, and the hippocampus, a well-known region in creating andmaintaining large-scale cognitive navigational maps, displayed high, over 2.5%
neurogenesis rate during the first 12 months. This high rate dropped subsequently byhalf, but was then sustained at that level through later years of life. Remarkably, in theseregions, the piriform cortex and the triangular area of the hippocampus, overall neuronalnumbers increased in a linear fashion from 0.24 and 0.77 mln at 2 months to 0.68 mln(280%) and 1.68 mln (215%) at age of 13 years, respectively, indicating that adult bornneurons were not involved in cellular recycling process but were recruited to expand thecircuitry of these regions. Such newly built circuit could serve learning of new
information without interfering with old stable memories by using different neurons forthe new events, as was previously postulated in spatial pattern separation hypothesis.
Secondly, we observed a cytoarchitectonic restructuring of the aging avian pallium,
which we view as maturational efficiency of the neuronal circuit.


367

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-018

Response to distance calls is affected by lesions of nucleus taeniae of
the amygdala in birds.
M. Ikebuchi 12 K. Suzuki 1,2,3 H.-J. Bischof 5 and K. Okanoya 1,2,4
1

JST, ERATO, OKANOYA Emotional Information Project and
RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan3
Utsunomiya University Center for Optical Research and Education, Tochigi, Japan
4
Department of Life Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan5
Behavioural Biology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld , Germany
Email: mikebuch@brain.riken.jp
2

Many bird species utter a special call in case of visual separation from conspecifics, thedistance call (DC). Conspecifics are often responding to distance call by calling back.
Although appearing simple at the first glance, the bird behaviour which utters the DC toconspecifics can be seen as a complex social behaviour because the decision to answer
may depend on the information transmitted by the call and also on the actual situation,e.g. the predation risk. We and others have previously shown that the avian homologueof the mammalian medial amygdala, the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala (TnA) is
important for the control of a variety of social and emotional behaviour. In the present
experiments, we investigated whether it is also involved in the control of uttering theDC. For this purpose, we performed amygdala lesions in young Bengalese Finch males.
For a control group, birds were sham operated. As adults, each male was two times
exposed in a sound proof chamber to DCs’ of conspecific females. The male’s
behaviour was videotaped and the number of vocalizations after a female DC wascounted. Our results show that TnA lesioned birds uttered significantly less distancecalls after hearing the female DCs. Similarly to other complex social behaviours, TnA
may also play an important role in the control of using DC.

368

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-019

Differences in the reproductive hormone rhythm of Tree Sparrows(Passer montanus) from urban and rural sites in Beijing: The effect ofanthropogenic light sources
Shuping Zhang, Xiaoyu Chen
College of Life and Environment Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
Email: zhangshuping@muc.edu.cn
The pervasiveness of anthropogenic light in urban environments has changed thenormal day length (photoperiod) of many animals. Since photoperiod is a regulator of
the timing of reproduction in most temperate region birds, such light sources could
potentially change the timing of reproduction. We compared the luteinizing hormone(LH), testosterone and estradiol levels of Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) populations
sampled at two urban and two rural sites in China, and also performed a controlled
photoperiod experiment to determine the influence of artificial light on the endocrine
rhythm of these populations. LH levels of urban Tree Sparrows increased earlier thanthose of rural ones, but rural populations had significantly higher LH peaks. The resultsof the controlled photoperiod experiment showed that Tree Sparrows that were exposed
to 6 lux light during the dark phase of the artificial photoperiod began to secrete LH
earlier, and had lower peak LH levels, than control birds. Although urban Tree
Sparrows began to secrete LH earlier than their rural counterparts, we found nocorresponding advance in testosterone and estradiol secretion. On the contrary, peak
testosterone and estradiol levels of urban birds were significantly lower than those ofrural birds. These results suggest that although anthropogenic light sources appear toadvance the onset of LH secretion in urban Tree Sparrow populations, they also lower
peak LH, and consequently levels of testosterone and estradiol. A possible explanation
for these observations is that greater exposure to anthropogenic light in urban
environments both stimulates LH secretion and accelerates photorefractoriness.

369

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-020

Comparative genomic analysis for identification of polymorphisms
associated with the chicken broodiness trait
R. Kawahara-Miki 1, T. Kono 1,2, N. Kansaku 3 and T. Kuwayama 4
1

Genome Research Center, NODAI Research Institute, Tokyo University of Agriculture,
Tokyo, Japan2
Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan3
Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Azabu University, Tokyo, Japan
4
Department of Animal Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: r3miki@nodai.ac.jp

Broodiness trait has been observed in most breeds of domestic fowl. However, as it is
no longer required in modern poultry production, some layer (egg-producing) chicken
strains have lost it during long-term artificial selection. Molecular mechanisms foroccurrence of this trait have not been clarified yet although there are several genetic
explanations for the broodiness. In this study, we performed comparative genomic
analysis using NGS to identify candidate mutations that have associated with thechicken broodiness trait. We sequenced the genome sequence of three strains ofchicken: the White Leghorn (WL), which have a long history of selection against
broodiness, the silkie, which have strong broodiness, and the Gifujidori (Japanese nativechicken), which also have broodiness traits. Three individuals in each strain were used
for sequencing and 30Gb of sequence data were generated in each sample. We
constructed a WL genome sequence by mapping the WL sequences to the published red
jungle fowl genome sequence and replacing the polymorphic positions of the reference
sequence with those of WL. Using the constructed WL genome sequence as a reference,
we mapped the silkie and Gifujidori genome sequences, respectively, to identify
polymorphisms between the strain which has lost the broodiness trait and those have
keep the trait. As a result, we found more than 200M single nucleotide polymorphisms,
which are exist in 4142 genes. The obtained list of the candidate polymorphisms andgenes would provide valuable information for investigating the molecular mechanisms
for occurrence of broodiness trait. This study was funded by a MEXT-Supported
Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities (S0801025).

370

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA10 Physiology; cell & molecular biology

p10-021

Variation in early-life telomere dynamics in a long-lived bird: links toenvironmental conditions and survival
Hannah Watson 1,2, Mark Bolton 3 and Pat Monaghan 1
1

Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University ofGlasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
2
Present address: Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden
3
RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Sandy, Beds, SG19 2DL, UK
Email: hannah.watson@biol.lu.se

Conditions experienced in early life can have profound consequences for both short andlong-term fitness. Variation in the natal environment has been shown to influencesurvival and reproductive performance of entire cohorts in wild vertebrate populations.
Telomere dynamics potentially provide a mechanistic link between the earlyenvironment and fitness outcomes, yet we know little about how the environment can
influence telomere dynamics in early life. We found that environmental conditions
during growth play an important role in early-life telomere length (TL) and attrition in
nestlings of a long-lived bird, the European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus.
Nestlings reared under unfavourable environmental conditions experienced significantly
greater telomere loss during postnatal development and had shorter telomeres atfledging, compared with nestlings reared under more favourable natal conditions, whichdisplayed a negligible change in TL. Given an increasing body of evidence linking short
telomeres and accelerated rate of telomere attrition to reduced longevity and lower
reproductive success, entire cohorts of storm petrels reared in poor conditions may
suffer detrimental consequences for fitness. Early-life TL was found to be a goodpredictor of survival during the nestling phase, providing further evidence for a link
between variation in TL and individual fitness. To what extent the effect of early-life
TL on mortality is a consequence of genetic, parental and environmental factors is apriority for future research. The results add to accumulating evidence that telomere
dynamics play a role in mediating the effects of the early-life environment on later-life
performance.

371

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA11 Phylogeography & Population genetics

p11-001

Identification of current and historical hybrid zones of the oriental magpierobin (Copsychus saularis) and the white-rumped shama (Copsychus
malabaricus) on Borneo and Java through morphological and genetic analyses.
D. F. Gawin1 2, M. A. Rahman2, F. H. Sheldon 1
1

Department of Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University,

Baton Rouge, USA
2

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia

Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
Email: dgawin1@lsu.edu
Biogeographers have deduced that during glacial times a collection of events--including low sea
levels, reduced temperatures, and moderated oceanic effects--altered the distribution ofvegetation on the Sunda continental shelf in Southeast Asia. As a result of these events,
populations of rainforest animals were periodically isolated in refugia in eastern and western
Sundaland. One outcome of these refugia was the production of morphologically and geneticallydistinct populations in eastern and western Sundaland. We have studied the interaction of theseeast-west populations in two species on Borneo and Java: the oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus
saularis) and the white-rumped shama (C. malabaricus). In the magpie-robin, comparisonssuggest that the white-bellied subspecies musicus from western Sundaland (Sumatra and Malay
Peninsula) invaded and hybridized with the eastern black-bellied subspecies adamsi and pluto on
Borneo and amoenus on Java. The locations where the white- and black-bellied forms cometogether and hybridize in northern Borneo is reasonably well known, but where they hybridize incentral Borneo is still unclear. Little is known about the extent of crossing between populationsin any part of Java. An analogous situation occurs in the shama involving the western blackcapped (suavis) and eastern white-capped (stricklandii) subspecies. Several studies haveassessed the general situation in both species using traditional morphological and modern
molecular techniques, but have not worked out the details of interaction between the forms. To
solve this problem, we have undertaken comprehensive molecular comparisons and combined
these with morphological analysis of skin specimen data. Our goals are to resolve the position ofcontact zones and extent of hybridization between the subspecies, to determine whether thecontact zones are moving, and to assess whether the subspecies actually represent distinct species
by virtue of their age and reproductive isolation.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA11 Phylogeography & Population genetics

p11-002

Complex analysis of population structure in a small planktivorous seabird,
Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella, Alcidae, Charadriiformes).
O. Pshenichnikova1, P. A. Sorokin1, A. V. Klenova2, V. A. Zubakin1, Y. B. Artukhin3, S. P.
Kharitonov1, N. B. Konyukhov1, A. N. Shienok2
1

A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, Moscow, Russian Federation2

Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation

3

Kamchatka Branch of Geographical Pacific Institute of Far Eastern Branch RAS,Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russian Federation
Email: pshenichnikovaolesya@gmail.com
The study of population structure in seabirds could clarify the information about migration paths,
dispersal of young, isolation between colonies etc. Here we conducted a population analysis of
the Crested Auklet (CA), a small auk with bright plumage ornamentation and complex social
behavior that breed in the north Pacific. Outside the breeding season, auklets spend time at thesea, and nothing is known about fidelity to the native colony of young as well as about isolation
between different colonies. We tested morphometric, acoustic and genetic variability of birds
from different colonies. We measured body weight, size and main ornamental traits (totally 509
CA from five sites). We analysed two main call types, the Bark (50 calls per site, totally 200
calls from four sites, 4 temporal-frequency variables measured) and the Trumpet call of CA (25calls per site, totally 100 calls from four sites, 20 temporal-frequency variables measured).
Finally, we analysed intra- and inter-population variability of the control region fragment (408b.p.) of mitochondrial DNA (totally 128 samples from five sites) and of four microsatellite loci(totally 183 samples from five sites). One-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey test shows anegligible effect of “population” on morphometric traits (p>0.05 for most of comparisons). We
also found a small effect of “site” on temporal-frequency variables of the Bark (p<0.001) and no
significant effect on those of the Trumpet call (p>0.05). Besides, no genetic differentiation was
found neither within one colony nor between colonies (p>0.05 for all FST and RST). A highhaplotypic (H=0.994+/-0.002) and relatively low nucleotide diversity (0.013+/-0.007) werenoted for all sites. All analyses show a high level of similarity between CA from different
colonies, so we suppose that birds from different colonies could spend winters in mixed flocks,
and the gene flow between colonies could be very intense. Supported by President Grant (MK1781-2012.4) and RFBR (12-04-00414a).

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p11-003

Morphometric variation and genetic structure (or the lack of it) of the
Azores Common Chaffinches
P. Rodrigues1, R.J. Lopes2, S. Reis2, R. Resendes1, J.A. Ramos3 and R.T. Cunha1
1

Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Department of Biology,
University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal
2
Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão,Portugal
3
Marine and Environmental Research Center, Department of Life Sciences, Universityof Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
Email: pedroreisrodrigues@yahoo.com
Until recently, knowledge on the taxonomy and systematic of the MacaronesianCommon Chaffinches (i.e. in the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands), was based
solely on phenotypic characters such as plumage patterns and biometrics. Only in thelast years a few studies based on molecular markers have been developed, providing
new insights into the colonization and genetic structure of this species in this Atlantic
group of islands. Our work presents new insights into the genetic diversity andphylogeography of the Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs from the Azores
archipelago based on sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes and on the analysis
of morphometric characters. The results revealed the existence of two lineages ofCommon Chaffinch in most of the Azorean islands and a low level of genetic
differentiation among the islands of this archipelago, suggesting the occurrence of geneflow among the island populations. This lack of genetic structure in the Azores is incontrast to the marked structure seen on the Canary Islands, where Common
Chaffinches had a high level of differentiation among islands. Despite this lack ofgenetic structure, the existence of morphological differentiation among the Common
Chaffinches of the Azores indicates a rapid adaptation and reflects the environmental
plasticity of this species in the archipelago, since this differentiation seems to be related
to ecological features instead of island isolation. Based on genetic differentiation among
all the Macaronesian populations and between these archipelagos and the ones from theContinental Western Palearctic, it is suggest that the Atlantic Common Chaffinch needs
to be re-evaluated taxonomically, since the alpha taxonomy, based solely on thephenotypic traits, may not represent the current phylogenetic situation.

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p11-004

Current status of the Gray-faced Buzzard (Butastur indicus) based on
mitochondrial DNA
K. Nagai1, A. Azuma1, M. Onoue1, F. Iseki2 and C. Kasorndorkbua3
1

Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
Working group on Threatened Wildlife, Itoshima, Fukuoka, Japan3
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University
Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand
Email: nagai@iwate-u.ac.jp
2

The Grey-faced Buzzard (Butastur indicus) is an extensive Accipitridae species of East
Asia but endangered in Japan. We therefore investigated both its genetic diversity andpopulation structure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current status of B.
indicus using sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region and its variation
among individuals. DNA was obtained from feathers and eggshells from some breeding
regions in Japan. We sequenced and determined 555 bp of the mitochondrial DNA
control region of 90 individuals. 22 haplotypes were detected, and haplotype diversity
and nucleotide diversity were 0.857±0.028SD and 0.00343, respectively. Comparing
these results with those of other species, we conclude that B. indicus might escape thepossibility of becoming extinct. Significant genetic distance was not detected amongindividuals. Network analysis suggested that the genetic structure of B. indicus tended
to comprise two groups. Additionally, although results indicated nationwide gene flowof B. indicus across Japan, some characteristic haplotypes were detected only in WestJapan, on the Sea of Japan side. We suppose that the difference in migration routes(Continent route or South-West Islands route) has caused this gene divergence.
There are four species of Eurasian buzzard comprising the genus Butastur: Grasshopper(B. rufipennis), White-eyed (B. teesa), Rufous-winged (B. liventer), and Grey-faced
Buzzard. Little is known about the intrageneric relationships within Butastur, which we
clarified using a partial mitochondrial DNA sequence. The phylogenetic tree showedthat genus Butastur is a monophyletic group. We conclude that B. rufipennis is anancestral species, from which B. indicus diverged, and that B. liventer and B. teesa
represent a recent split in the genus.

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p11-005

Evolutionary islands in the Eastern Himalaya: long-term isolationand stability explain high genetic diversity in a global biodiversity
hotspot
Yanhua Qu, Gang Song, Fumin Lei,
Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology,
Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
The Southwest Mountainous Region in the Eastern Himalaya is a “biodiversity
hotspot” of global interest for conservation. Yet, little is known on what has driven
this unique diversity. The dramatic topography of the region resulted from the tectonic
uplift during the Miocene, leading to dramatic ecological stratification, which shaped
islands of suitable habitats where organisms have been genetically isolated.
Consequently, the phylogeographic patterns in four selected species of birds (Alcippemorrisonia, Stachyridopsis ruficeps, Parus monticolus and Aegithalos concinnus)
from this region are characterized by deep splits between lineages that coalesce
between 6 and 12 Mya. Unlike other regions at this latitude, the Southwest
Mountainous Region was largely unaffected by the Pleistocene glaciations. In therather stable “evolutionary islands” these genetically isolated lineages were thus
maintained during the Pleistocene. In comparison, we found radically different
phylogeographic patterns in populations of the same four species distributed in theadjacent lowland, the Central China region. This region has a geological history
drastically different from the Southwest Mountainous Region, experiencing dramatic
climate-induced vegetation shifts during the Pleistocene. As a result, we foundconsiderably less geographic structure in the genetic variation and a much younger
coalescence time (2.5-5.5 Mya) for these four species. We also found evidence ofgenetic bottlenecks during the glacial periods and gene flow during the interglacial
expansions. We conclude that the high genetic diversity in the Southwest
Mountainous Region is the result of a long-term in situ diversification within theseevolutionary isolated and environmentally stable island habitats.

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p11-006

Genetic variation in Mexican populations of Habia rubica(Cardinalidae: Cardinalini)
Ramírez-Barrera, M1., C. Cordero2 B. Hernández-Baños1
1

Museo de Zoología “Alfonso L. Herrera”, Depto. de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad deCiencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
2
Depto. de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM
Habia rubica is distributed from central Mexico to northeastern Argentina andsoutheastern Brazil. This species is divided in 17 subspecies and, depending on theauthors, between two and five of them occur in Mexico (Howell and Webb 1995, Del
Hoyo et al. 2011). We used mitochondrial and nuclear gene DNA sequences toinvestigate genetic variation in the Mexican subspecies. Maximum parsimony,
Maximum Likelihood, and Bayesian Inference analyses supported the hypothesis that
there is a clear separation between the populations of the eastern and western parts of
their distribution. This separation is consistent with morphology, since males fromeastern populations are red or pink from top of the head and back to the bottom body,while males from western populations have dark reddish plumage from top of the headand back.

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p11-007

Mitochondrial genetic diversity and population genetic structure ofJapanese Murrelet, Synthliboramphus wumizusume
Y. Odaya1,2 and M. Honda3
1

Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba,
Japan.
2
Abiko City Museum of Birds, Abiko, Japan.
3
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
Email: ody448@gmail.com
The Japanese Murrelet, Synthliboramphus wumizusume, is an endangered small seabird
endemic to East Asia. This species is listed as Vulnerable in IUCN Red List. However,the numbers of individuals are thought to be decreasing rapidly as a result of predation
by introduced mammals, mortality from drift-net fisheries and human disturbance at
breeding sites. Conservation activities on this species are ongoing in some regions
without any considerations of genetic structure and diversity, although such procedures
may lead to underestimation of actual biodiversity. In the present study, we investigatedgenetic variations in a part of mitochondrial control region (487 bp) among 69
murrelets from 10 breeding sites in coastal areas of Japan. Results revealed 31
haplotypes, showing a relatively low genetic divergence among them. Our results alsosuggested significant genetic differentiations between some combinations of
populations although three geological assemblages (i.e., coastal areas of the Pacific,
Japan Sea and East China Sea) did not constitute monophyletic clusters exclusively.
Five haplotypes were shared by populations from both side of the Japan Archipelago(Pacific and Japan Sea), which suggested gene flow between these two areas despite thepresence of a physical barrier by high mountains of the archipelago. Of the five shared
haplotypes, one is also found in a population from the East China Sea. The complicatedgenetic structure around Japan might have originated in the Pleistocene as a result of
temporal changes in land configuration by sea level fluctuations.

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p11-008

Cross-species characterisation of polymorphic microsatellite loci inthe remnant populations of the endangered Java Sparrow (Padda
oryzativa)
Pramana Yuda, Hendra
Fakultas Teknobiologi, Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta
Jl. Babarsari 44 Yogyakarta 55281, INDONESIA
Email: pramyd@mail.uajy.ac.id

Three microsatellite loci developed for Village Indigobird (Vidua chalybeata) andtwo loci for Bengalese Finches (Lonchura striata var domestica ) were used toamplify and genotype Java Sparrow (Padda oryzativa) samples. I used 141 Java
Sparrow samples obtained from six wild populations and two presumed wild
populations derived from the bird markets. These samples were collected from
Magelang (n=14), Yogyakarta (n=24), Gunungkidul (n=11), Lamongan (n=20),
Malang (n=17), Madura (n=21), Bali (n=13), and Kalimantan (n=21). In addition 51
samples from a museum collection were also included. All 5 loci were polymorphic
in all populations. A total of 59 alleles were observed across the 5 loci and 141
individuals from contemporary populations. There was an average of 11.8 alleles per
locus, ranging from 6 alleles to 16 alleles. The mean number of alleles per locus per
population ranged from 5.8 (SE=1.4) to 8.4 (SE=1.5). The non-parametric Friedman
test indicated that both allelic richness and observed heterozygosity were notsignificantly different among remnant contemporary populations (X2= 9.905, df=7,
P=0.194; X2= 3.139, df=7, P=0.872, respectively). However, only 4 loci consistently
amplified in the historical samples; in total 45 alleles were found at 4 loci, with anaverage of 1.25 alleles per locus, ranging from 6 to 18. For the historical populations
the non-parametric Friedman test also indicated that both allelic richness andobserved heterozygosity did not differ significantly among populations (X2= 3.235,
df=4, P=0.519; X2= 3.68, df=4, P=0.451, respectively).

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p11-009

Phylogeography and evolutionary history of a cosmopolitan raptor, theOsprey Pandion haliaetus, revealed by mitochondrial DNA: implications forconservation.
F. Monti 1-2, O. Duriez 1, V. Arnal 1 and C. Montgelard 1
1

Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE-CNRS), EPHE-University ofMontpellier 2, Montpellier, France.
2

Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.

Despite wide differences in ecology and habitats across a world-wide distributional range,
Osprey populations appear to be poorly differentiated from a morphological point of view.
The most widely accepted taxonomic arrangement recognises a single species, Pandion
haliaetus, with four subspecies classified on the basis of morphometric and plumage
characteristics: P. h. haliaetus in the Palearctic and Africa, P. h. carolinensis in North
America, P. h. ridgwayi in the Carribeans, and P. h. cristatus in the Indo-Pacific and Oceania.
Despite this, the taxonomic status is still controversial and the evolutionary history of thespecies is not well understood. Here we present an extensive phylogeographic study based on
mitochondrial DNA sequence (cytochrome b) extracted from >200 samples (both fresh tissues
and ancient museum specimens) covering the totality of the world distribution for this species.
The greatest genetic divergence was found between the Americas (combining spp
carolinensis and ridgwayi) and all other populations. In the Old World, the phylogenetic
analysis revealed three different branches for birds from Palearctic-Africa, Oceania and somebirds from Indonesia. These results suggest at least 3 or 4 possible Evolutionary Signicant
Units (ESU). Contrary to current taxonomy, North American carolinensis Osprey did not
differ from ridgwayi birds from the Caribbean. In the Western Palearctic, no genetic structure
was detected between the most distant populations, from Finland to Mediterranean and theAtlantic islands. On the other hand, the existence of a previously unknown lineage and ESU
from Indonesia remains to be confirmed by further studies. Finally, we discuss hypotheticalevolutionary scenario explaining how species distribution and differentiation took place
during the past. This work has implications for conservation strategies, not only by dening
important areas for conservation, but also by helping prevent exchanges or introductions ofindividuals originating from different lineages.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA11 Phylogeography & Population genetics

p11-010Phylogeography and population structure of the garnet-throatedhummingbird (Lamprolaima rhami) based on molecular data.
L.E. Zamudio-Beltrán1 and B.E. Hernández-Baños1
1

Evolutionary Biology Department, Museo de Zoología “Alfonso L. Herrera”,
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Email: zbluze@hotmail.com, blancaehb@yahoo.com.mx
To understand how the environment and biogeographic history have shaped biodiversity,
it is necessary to study species at the intraspecific level and to evaluate the different
evolutionary forces which generate genetic variation. Here we analysed the population
structure of the garnet-throated hummingbird (Lamprolaima rhami), which inhabits
cloud forest, forest edge, pine-oak forest, upper tropical forest and scrub at 1200-3000
m. Some proposals have described three different groups based on subtle morphologicaldifferences: 1) L. r. rhami (described as subspecies) distributed in restricted highlands
from México (Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guatemala), 2) L. r. occidentalis(described as race) distributed in Guerrero, 3) L. r. saturatior (ssp) distributed in thehighlands from Honduras and El Salvador. As a preliminary analysis, we used
mitochondrial DNA to infer the general phylogeographic pattern of L. rhami,
specifically Control Region and ATPase 6 and 8 (1402 bp). We obtained a haplotype
network that shows a high level of geographic structure at both sides of the Isthmus of
Tehuantepec. This pattern of spatial separation could be explained by considering theIsthmus of Tehuantepec as a long-term barrier to gene flow for these two haplogroups.
In addition, the individuals from Guerrero showed the presence of unique haplotypes
that could be explained in terms of geographic isolation.

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p11-011

Phylogeography of mtDNA haplotypes and range settlingin the Siberian rubythroat
L.N. Spiridonova 1, O.P. Valchuk 1, Ya.A. Red’kin 2 and T. Saitoh 3
1

Institute of Biology and Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok,
Russia2
Zoological Museum, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
3
Division of Natural History, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan
Email: spiridonova@biosoil.ru; saitoh@yamashina.or.jp
The analysis of the cyt b gene of mtDNA in the Siberian rubythroat (Luscinia c.
calliope) migrating across Southern Primorye (Russian Far East) has revealed two welldifferentiated phylogroups, which we call “western” and “eastern”. In our further studyof breeding birds (n = 121) from 15 localities, 82 haplotypes were identified, 42.7% of
which belonged to the western phylogroup (uniting L.c. calliope populations), and theremaining 57.3% to the eastern phylogroup. The latter in turn is separated into 2 genetic
pools, about two third from which was formed from birds of the sachalinensis
subspecies only, and the other group united individuals belonging to races anadyrensis,
camtschatkensis and Sakhalin birds. A phylogenetic network of mtDNA haplotypes of L.
calliope shows distribution of haplotypes in different taxa of L. calliope on various partsof the habitat. Genetic structure of populations at the north-eastern part of the habitat
and Sakhalin revealed intermixture of haplotypes belonging to the western and eastern
phylogroups in various proportions, while the island populations of Hokkaido and
Iturup, as the most remote populations from the spatial contact with L.c. calliope, wererepresented only by haplotypes of the eastern groups. The study revealed not only
different pattern of taxon-specific haplotypes distribution in the western and easternparts of the habitat, but also showed a link between both phylogroups through L.c.
sachalinensis. Thus, we suggested a hypothetical scheme of spreading of the Siberian
rubythroat first from Siberia to Sakhalin, then to Kamchatka, to the basins of thePenzhin and Anadyr rivers with their adjacent areas of the Koryak Highlands. Further it
gradually spread from Kamchatka over the Kuril Islands, eventually reaching Hokkaido.
It should be emphasized that the Sakhalin subspecies, being probably the first one
among all forms of the eastern phylogroup to separate, had no direct relation to theformation of populations at the Kuril Islands and Hokkaido.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA11 Phylogeography & Population genetics

p11-012Phylogeography of an Atlantic Forest montane passerine: recent
divergence and demographic history of Hemitriccus diops
T. S. Ribeiro 1, M. Maldonado-Coelho 1, L. F. Silveira 2 and C. Y. Miyaki 1
1Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Museum of Zoology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Email: tiaaagosr@gmail.com, cymiyaki@ib.usp.br2

Phylogeographical studies suggest that past climatic cycles exerted strong influence on
the diversification of some forest-dependent Atlantic Forest bird species, shrinking or
splitting their distributions during glacial periods. However, cold-tolerant species are
expected to be less sensitive to these changes. To test this hypothesis, we conducted aphylogeographic study of the drab-breasted pygmy tyrant (Hemitriccus diops), a
montane bird that reaches up to ca. 1300 m a.s.l.. We sequenced 910 bp of themitochondrial ND2, 323 bp of intron 11 of the nuclear G3PDH, and 434 bp of introns 7
and 8 of the nuclear ODC for 82 individuals collected along the range of this species.
The ND2 based haplotype network showed a phylogeographical break in the central
region of the Atlantic Forest, dated on the late Pleistocene. No genetic structure wasobserved based on the nuclear data. The demographic tests applied (Fu’s Fs, RamosOnsins & Rozas’ R2, Tajima’s D, and extended Bayesian skyline plot) did not yield
congruent results; some of them indicated population expansion while others suggested
reduction. Ecological niche models for the last glacial maximum indicated that thisspecies had a wider distribution than that observed today, which is congruent with thecold tolerance of this species. This is the first study that suggests recent diversificationof an Atlantic Forest montane taxa. This study is co-funded by FAPESP (2009/12989-1,
BIOTA, 2013/50297-0), NSF (DOB 1343578), NASA, CAPES, CNPq, and NAP
BioComp.

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p11-013

Molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial DNA sequences ofEurasian and Oriental Skylarks
S. Shiraki 1, S. Surmach 2, K. Ueda 3 and L. L. Severinghaus 4
1

Faculty of Bio-industry, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Hokkaido, Japan
Institute of Biology and Soil Science, FEB-RAS, Vladivostok, Russia
3
College of Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
4
Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Email: s3shirak@bioindustry.nodai.ac.jp
2

There are three subspecies of Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis in Japan, including A. a.
japonica which breeds almost throughout Japan and A. a. pekinensis and lonnbergi
which are both winter visitors (The Ornithological Society of Japan 2012). Meanwhile,
Sibley & Monroe (1990) categorized the skylark breeding in Japan as a full species A.
japonica. In addition, Vaurie (1959) stated the possibility that A. japonica was a race of
the Oriental Skylark A. gulgula on the basis of morphological comparisons. Against thisbackground, a re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of the skylark breeding in Japan isrequired. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA sequences ofskylarks have been carried out in this study. Blood, feather, and tissue samples ofskylarks were collected from the breeding populations in various parts of Japan and in
Sakhalin and Primorye of Far East Russia. Some tissue samples from A. gulgula in
Taiwan were also collected but it was not known whether they belonged to the breeding
population. We extracted DNAs from these samples and determined the base sequences
for both ND2 (1041bp) and COI (649bp) genes within mitochondrial DNA. The
homologous sequences of Alauda larks from INDC were also used in our analysis.
From the results of the analyses so far, three distinct clades with high bootstrap support
were identified on the phylogenetic trees based on the neighbor-joining method withboth sequence data of ND2 and COI genes. Each clade consisted of individuals mostly
from Japan, from eastern part of Russia, and from western Eurasia region, respectively.
Large (4.6-8.3%) pairwise genetic distances (K2P) between clades were shown for all
pairs with both genes. On the other hand, A. gulgula from both Taiwan and China wereclustered into the same clade as the skylarks breeding in Japan, indicating that theJapanese species is a closer relative of A. gulgula than A. arvensis.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA11 Phylogeography & Population genetics

p11-014The Emberiza spodocephala subspecies complex: new insights into
taxonomy and phylogeography
M.H. Weissensteiner, S. Koblmüller and K.M. Sefc
Department of Zoology, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Graz, Austria
Email: mh.weissensteiner@gmail.com
The phylogenetic relationships in the family Emberizidae are generally well resolved,
but below the species level, there are few studies addressing the genetic structure andphylogenetic history of populations. For the eastern Palearctic Black‐faced Bunting
Emberiza spodocephala three subspecies have been described: E. s. spodocephala (thenominate form), E. s. personata and E. s. sordida. Male breeding plumage differs
between subspecies, females however are mostly indistinguishable. In this study, we use
an integrative approach incorporating morphometric and genetic analysis to determine
the degree of differentiation between the subspecies and investigate thephylogeographic history of these taxa. 138 individuals of E. spodocephala were
captured with mist-nets during ringing projects in Lazovski Zapovednik andMuraviovka Park in eastern Russia. All birds were measured (longest primary, bill,tarsus) and a DNA-sample was taken. Additional data was gained at the Bird Collectionof the Natural History Museum in Tring. Differences in DNA were examined bysequencing the subunit I of the mitochondrial cytochrome-oxidase gene and the nuclear
sex-linked CHD1Z gene. We found significant differences between the subspecies for
all measurements, but due to the great extent of overlapping, their value for subspecies
discrimination is very limited. Data from mitochondrial DNA showed a deep
divergence between E. s. spodocephala and E. s. personata and suggests a separation
between 1.5 to 3 million years ago. The one case of a mismatch in morphologic andgenetic subspecies assignment might be a cue for introgressive hybridization. The third
subspecies E. s. sordida did not form a separate clade but exhibited unique haplotypes.
In nuclear DNA, population divergence was significant but shallow and the monophylyof clades seen in mitochondrial DNA was not supported. In conclusion, our data suggestthat E. s. spodocephala and E. s. personata represent two evolutionary distinct units andjustify their classification as two separate taxa.

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p11-015

Phylogeographic patterns in three passerine birds in eastern China
Gang Song 1,2, Ruiying Zhang 1,3, Yanhua Qu 1, Bin Gao 1, Qing Quan 1, Fumin Lei 1, *1

Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
2
Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, 4111,
Australia
3
Genetic Resources Center, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101,China
Email: leifm@ioz.ac.cn

The east of China covers two biogeographic realms and preserves a rich biodiversity.
Current phylogeographical studies are far from adequate to illustrate speciation
process and evolution history of the region’s avifauna. Here we summarize acomparative phylogeography of three passerine birds: Grey-cheeked Fulvetta (Alcippemorrisonia), Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis), and Long-tailed Tit(Aegithalos caudatus). Results show seven geographically separated clades in A.
morrisonia. The time of the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of all lineages
was rather early (11.6 Mya). In A. caudatus two major lineages (northeast China vscentral and south China) were identified and the divergence time dated back to 0.7
Mya. P. sinensis, which is undergoing a rapid distribution expansion, showed noapparent population structure despite obvious plumage differences between
subspecies. For this species TMRCA was estimated at the beginning of the late
Pleistocene (0.47 Mya). The results demonstrate that climate impacts on avian species
in eastern China happened prior to the last glacial maximum (LGM) and identify thepossible enhancement of genetic structuring by ice age refuges and geographic
barriers. The results also indicate that population structures and demographic histories
differ among species with different ecological traits. The patterns we observed inthese three species may be detectable in other organisms in east China.

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p11-016

Biogeography of catbirds (Passeriformes: Ailuroedus) manifests
zoogeographical disjunctions on New Guinea
Martin Irestedt, Cees S Roselaar, Henrique Batalha Filho, Leslie Christidis, Per G P Ericson
martin.irestedt@nrm.se
New Guinea is the largest and highest tropical island in the world and is estimated to host thethird-largest “high biodiversity” wilderness in the world. The fauna in New Guinea ischaracterised by complex distribution patterns where species and subspecies often are
replaced by sister-taxa in adjacent regions. One such pattern is that widely distributed lowland
species are morphologically variable with distinct, geographically disjunct populations, but inspite of that there are few apparent barriers in the lowland. Today we know that New Guinea
has a complicated geological history and that these patterns may reflect past geographicaldisjunctions.
The avifauna of New Guinea is renowned for its diversity and includes families such as thebirds-of-paradise and the bowerbirds. In this study we use catbirds of the bowerbird genus
Ailuroedus to investigate past vicariance patterns in the lowlands and lower mountains.
Catbirds were chosen as model group since the two species inhabiting New Guinea are foundat slightly different altitudes and may thus have responded differently to past vicarianceevents.
By examining molecular data within a spatio-temporal framework we found three deep
genetically divergent populations in the lowland species that corroborate the presence ofancient lowland barriers. In the lower mountain taxa we found a different and more complex
population structure. The result supports the hypothesis that taxa inhabiting lowland andlower mountains, respectively, have responded differently to past geological and ecologicalevents in New Guinea. By using integrative taxonomy based on both molecular andmorphological data we argue that several subspecies of Ailuroedus catbirds should be
upgraded to species rank.

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p11-017

Speciation in the Andes: contrasting phylogeography of the treerunners
Margarornis and Pseudocolaptes in the Northern Andes
S. Córdoba-Córdoba1,2, P. Andolfatto1, and H. S. Horn1.
1

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology – EEB, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
Asociacion Bogotana de Ornitologia – ABO, Cra 65 No. 103-87, Int.7, Apt. 302, BogotaColombia.
Email: sergcordoba@yahoo.com

2

Species with similar geographic distributions have been proposed as probably having a sharedevolutionary history. Birds in the Treecreeper’s genera Margarornis (rubiginosus, bellulus,
stellatus and squamigera) and Pseudocolaptes (lawrencii-johnsoni and boissonneautii) have
similar geographic distributions in the Andes of South America and south Central America, bothbeing insectivores and catching prey in a similar way. Co-estimation of relationships anddivergence times from mitochondrial genes Cyt-b and ND2 for all members in these two generawith Bayesian analysis (StarBeast) suggenst the two clades have non-concordant typologies. The
phylogenetic trees and divergence show the relationships inside each group are different withrespect to geographic location and time since divergence. The Central American groups are theoldest inside each group, but its relationships and divergence time’s change with respect to the
Andean groups of the Northern Andes. Margarornis has divergence times between 0.7-0.14 MY
while Pseudocolaptes between 2-1.4 MY. M. rubiginosus only in Central America, and M.
bellulus and M. stellatus being the most recent, distributed in the Serranía del Darién (PanamaColombia border) and the Pacific region, followed by M. squamigera along the Andes. P.
lawrencii of Central America splits first, then P. lawrencii johnsoni (which could be considered aseparate species), found on the Pacific slopes of the Western Andes (West Colombia and NW
Ecuador) and some individuals of P. boissonneautii found on the Pacific which represent separate
lineages from other P. boissonneautii east of the Andes, but with little morphologicaldifferentiation. The species in these two groups are not the result of one only event, but ofrecurrent events (repeated climatic changes), separating allopatrically the species in different
times. Some Glacial/Interglacial cycles affected the distributions and divergence in the samegeographical locations, but sorted differently the geographical populations even though having
similar ecologies.

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p11-018

Microsatellite DNA analysis divided Japanese Rock Ptarmigan into
four genetic clusters
I. Nishiumi 1＊, N. Yomoda 1,2, S. Kasahara 3 and H. Nakamura2
1

Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba, Japan.
Faculty of Education, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan.
3
Faculty of Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan.
Email: nishiumi@kahaku.go.jp
2

The Japanese Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta japonica is the most southern populationof this species and is supposed to be a relict population since the last glacial period. It islisted as an endangered subspecies in the Red List of the Ministry of Environment,
Japan. The population size is estimated to be less than 2,000. The habitat is restricted toseveral high mountain top regions higher than 2,200m. The major threats to its survival
are habitat fragmentation and habitat degradation mainly caused by mountain tourism
and possibly caused by global warming. Some populations have been already extinct
and others are critically threatened. We analyzed five loci of microsatellite DNA of ca.
200 individuals from almost the entire range of this subspecies in order to investigate
genetic diversity and genetic divergence among fragmented populations. Very low
genetic diversity was found in comparison with those of European populations, but Mt.
Hiuchi population, the smallest breeding population in Japan (only 20-30 adults) does
not have a low genetic diversity related to the other Japanese populations. Population
structure inferred by Structure 2.3.3 suggested that Japanese Rock Ptarmigan are
divided into four genetic clusters, Mts. Hiuchi and Yakeyama, North Japan Alps, Mts.
Norikura and Ontake, and South Japan Alps. The gene tree among populations based on
Fst by the Neighbor Joining method suggested that the Hiuchi and Yakeyama population
is an ancestral population and genetically connects the South Japan Alps and North
Japan Alps populations. These results imply that the four populations should beconserved each as different ones, and that the population structure seems to reflect
historical influence more strongly than gene flow at the present age.

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p11-019

Phylogeography of Oriental Greenfinch: species-level divergence on
oceanic islands
T. Saitoh 1, Ya. Red’kin2, K. Kawakami 3, Y. Shigeta 1, I. Nishiumi 4, C-H. Kim 5 and
A.P. Kryukov 6
1

Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan
Zoological Museum, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
3
Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Ibaraki, Japan
4
Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan
5
Environmental Resources Research Department, National Institute of Environmental
Research, Inchon, Republic of Korea
6
Institute of Biology and Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok,
RussiaEmail: saitoh@yamashina.or.jp; shigeta@yamashina.or.jp
2

The Oriental Greenfinch Chloris sinica is a passerine bird distributed only in East Asia.
Five to eight subspecies are usually recognized: sinica in SE China; kawarahiba in
Kamchatka to Kril Is. ; sitchitoensis in Sakhalin; ussuriensis in NE China, Ussuriland to
the Korean Peninsula (chaborovi in Amurland is usually lumped with ussuriensis);clarki in Ulleungdo Is. in Korea; minor in mainland Japan; kittlitzi in Ogasawara Is.
(1,000 km south of Tokyo). Our preliminary genetic analysis using DNA barcode
region (COI, 650 bp) with a few samples showed that the population of kittlitzi isdistinctly separated from other populations. To confirm this, we analyzed partial ND6 tocyt b and Control region (CR) sequences of mtDNA through its breeding range (n = 86),
and other closely related species. As a result of cyt b analysis, and the same of CR, allpopulations of C. sinica formed a monophyletic group against other relatives (C. chloris,
C. spinoides and C. ambigua). Within C. sinica, the population was split into 2 groups,
kittlitzi and the remaining populations (subspecies) with strong bootstrap support. In
contrast, relationships among the remainder were unclear. To clarify this relationship,
further analysis using a higher rate genetic marker (e.g., microsatellite) is needed.
The uniqueness of kittlitzi was also supported by its morphometrics and plumage. It
has a short wing length, large beak and different wing color pattern as compared withother subspecies. We conclude that kittlitzi might be treated as a distinct species,
because it has been separated from other subspecies for a considerable time, probably
the Pleistocene, and accumulated differences in genome and external features.
This species has very limited distribution range and inhabits only part of Ogasawara
Is. The estimated population size is 200 to 400 individuals, and specified as CriticallyEndangered in the Japanese Red list. Immediate conservation activities are required forthis species.

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p11-020

The role of riverine barriers as drivers of diversification in Amazonia:
using the DNA barcodes with dense sampling to assess Amazonian diversity
M. Ferreira1, J. M. G. Capurucho1, I. P. Farias2, T. Hrbek3, C. C. Ribas4
1

LTBM, INPA, Manaus – AM, Brazil
Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, UFAM, Manaus – AM, Brazil
3
Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal, UFAM, Manaus – AM, Brazil
4
Programa de Coleções e Acervos Científicos, INPA, Manaus – AM, Brazil
e-mail: mateusf.bio@gmail.com
2

The Amazon basin is the largest sedimentary basin in the world, and is mainly covered bydense tropical forest. This moist broadleaf forest comprises the largest and most diverse
region of tropical rainforest. More than 1800 species of birds are recognized, and yet a bigger
diversity may be hidden. In the last years, the influence of Amazonian history in generating
this high diversity has been proposed. Several studies are showing the influence of the upliftof the Andes, and the subsequent reconfiguration of the drainage in the Amazon basin, acting
as possible triggers of diversification. Drainage reconfiguration and establishment of current
courses of main Amazonian rivers (Negro, Solimões/Amazonas, Madeira, Tapajós, Xingu andTocantins Rivers), may have isolated contiguous populations, and then, by preventing geneflow through time, new lineages have been formed. However, the role of secondary rivers isstill unknown. These rivers may act as barriers to gene flow for sedentary understory birds,
but have no effect on canopy species, so that the same river has distinct effects on different
species. Furthermore, not only the width of river is important, the geomorphological historyof the region may be equal in importance. Thus, to access the importance of rivers of different
sizes on population structure of avian taxa in Amazonia, this study sampled, for each species,
5 individuals from each margin of two main Amazonian rivers (Negro and Tapajós) and two
secondary Amazonia rivers (Jatapu and Purus). To access the population structure for eachspecies or clade, the mtDNA gene Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) is being sequenced.
Haplotype networks, and genetic distances will be used to identify the influence of each riverin preventing gene flow. Data obtained so far shows a strong influence of river barriers on
intraspecific genetic diversity for most species.

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p11-021

A genome-wide assessment of gene flow in elevationallyparapatric congeners in Borneo
R.G. Moyle1, P.A. Hosner1, J.D. Manthey1, and F.H. Sheldon2
1

Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Email: moyle@ku.edu

2High regional diversity and species rich communities in Asia require that diversifying lineages
repeatedly came into secondary contact. In areas of topographic complexity, this contact often
results in a parapatric replacement of congeners along elevational gradients. Indeed, one
hypothesis for species accumulation is that recently differentiated lineages might coexist via
elevational displacement upon secondary contact. However, the taxonomic distinctiveness andnature of interaction between these recently diverged populations are unknown. We assessedsingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from across the genomes of pairs of elevationallystratified populations of three species in Borneo (Enicurus leschenaulti, Chloropsis
cochinchinensis, and Arachnothera modesta). The population pairs in each species are slightly
differentiated morphologically, and at times each had been considered conspecific.
The data indicated that each population was evolutionarily cohesive, with little or no gene flow
among parapatric populations since separation. Based on mitochondrial divergence as a roughmeasure, the divergence between each population in a pair occurred in the Early Pleistocene,
indicating a likely role for climatic and sea level fluctuation. The data not only reaffirm thespecies status of each population, they also corroborate the hypothesis of a refugia-based species
pump in the Sunda region. Most likely, the populations were isolated by climate/habitat change,
and then came into secondary contact causing elevational parapatry through competition.

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p12-001

Ontogenetic color change in caterpillars as a defensive strategy againstbird predation
R. Sakurai 1, E. Yoshikawa 1 and T. Suzuki 1,2
1

Department of Life Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for
Advanced Studies, Kanagawa, Japan
Email: r-sakurai@rikkyo.ac.jp
2

Bird predation provides a selective force for the evolution of body coloration in preyanimals because birds have excellent color vision. In many species of Papilio butterflies,
larvae show an interesting pattern of body color change during their development: theearly instars resemble bird droppings, while the last instars match their coloration with
their host plants. The two morphs represent different defensive strategies against avian
predators; the former is known as masquerade that makes predators mis-recognize preyas an inedible object (i.e. bird droppings), while the latter is known as crypsis that
reduces the probability of being detected by predators. However, why do the larvae shift
between these two defensive strategies during their ontogeny? We addressed thisquestion by conducting a field experiment: four types of pastry caterpillars that differedin both color (bird-dropping or leaf) and size (15mm or 30mm) were placed on leaves of
their host plants, and their survival rate was examined. Bird dropping colored pastries
had lower probabilities of bird attacks than leaf- colored pastries when pastry size was
15mm, which is a range of earlier instars (11-25mm) and real bird droppings (6-16mm).
In contrast, leaf colored pastries sustained lower rates of attack than bird droppingcolored pastries when pastry size was 30mm, which is a range of the last instars(18-44mm) and larger than real bird droppings. Our results show that masquerade as abird dropping has a greater survival than crypsis only when the body size of prey issimilar to the model object (e.g. bird droppings). This study suggests that the cognitive
ability of birds promotes the evolution of elaborate masquerades of prey animals.

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p12-002

The effect of a colonising superpredator (Northern Goshawk Accipitergentilis) on mesopredator (Tawny owl Strix aluco) survival & reproductive
strategies under declining food availability.
S. R. Hoy1, X. Lambin 1, A. Millon 2, D. P. Whitfield 3, S.J. Petty 4
1

Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Institut Méditerranéen Biodiversité Ecologie (IMBE), Aix-Marseille Université, Aix-enProvence, France
3
Natural Research Limited, Banchory, UK
4
Forestry Commission, Bellingham, UK
Email: sarah.hoy@abdn.ac.uk
2Superpredators - predators which kill smaller predators - can exert ‘top-down’ control on
mesopredator population dynamics and the addition of large superpredators into a community
can have far reaching effects on the established species. At a time of global change whenfood resources for many vole-eating raptors are declining at a continental scale throughout
Europe, understanding how other factors like superpredation, affect mesopredator survival isimportant from a conservation management perspective. We used mark-recapture data from a
30 year raptor monitoring program, to investigate the effect of a colonising superpredator
population of Northern Goshawks on mesopredator (Tawny owl) survival. We investigatedwhether goshawk abundance, distance to the nearest goshawk territory and connectivity toknown goshawk territories affected Tawny owl survival; as well as examining the effect of adeclining food resource, field voles, the main prey for owls in our study site. In addition, we
examined how different reproductive strategies affected survival under increasing
superpredator abundance. As predicted, distance to the nearest goshawk territory,
connectivity to goshawks and superpredator abundance influenced owl survival. Survival
appeared to be highest for individuals living further way from goshawks and in territories lessconnected to goshawk nest sites. Additionally, owls which refrained from breeding in theprevious year(s) and those which spent on average 30% or more of their adult life after
becoming reproductively active without breeding had the highest survival. This result is
consistent with the hypothesis that the additional flight feathers (up to 5 times as many) an
owl can renew in a non-breeding year improves an individual’s ability to escape predation.
This suggests superpredators should be taken into account when understanding life history
trade-offs and formulating mesopredator management programmes as both their abundance
and relative spatial distribution is likely to affect both mesopredator survival and could
impose a selective pressure on mesopredator reproductive strategies.

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p12-003

Philopatry and breeding site fidelity of the Long-billed Plover
Charadrius placidus.
Hiroshi UCHIDA
Hiki Wild-life Institute, Saitama, Japan
Email: tori@po.kumagaya.or.jp

The Long-billed Plover occurs in East Asia, and is seen there commonly throughout
the year. The plovers inhabit the flood-plains of rivers, and are usually monogamous. I
investigated their ecology by individual identification for six years from 1988 and forthree years from 2011, in a study area along Toki River in Saitama Prefecture, central
Honshu. This area is located inland about 70 km from the river mouth. Thirty three percent of the breeding individuals remained at the breeding site, 24% moved in summer
and returned in fall, 30% were seen only during the breeding season, 7% disappeared,
and the other 5% became winter visitors. Thus, observed individuals were divided into
those with and without philopatric tendencies. In the study area, there were about 30
breeding territories in 1988-1993, but the number was14 in 2011-2013, the population
being reduced by half. The survival rate of adults to the following year was 56-74% in
1988-1993 and 71-82% in 2011-2012, although the difference was not statisticallysignificant. However, there was a significant difference between the survival rate ofmales and females. On average, the return rate was 75% for males and 59% for females.
Of the breeders, 69% of males and 39% of females returned to the same breeding sites
in the following year. The results indicate that males have strong breeding site fidelity,
while females may change the breeding sites depending on the breeding success,suggesting a sexual difference in the breeding strategies in this plover species.

395

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p12-004

Long-term study on natal dispersal and breeding-site fidelityof Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas
H.Sugawa 1,2 , K.Karino 1 , S. Komeda 1,3 and M.Hirai 1,4
1

Bird Banding Association, c/o Bird Migration Research Center, Yamashina
Institute for Ornithology,115,Konoyama, Abiko, Chiba, 270–1145, Japan
2
Ryukoku University, Fukakusa-Tsukamoto, Fushimi, Kyoto ,612-8577,Japan
3
Yamashina Institute for Ornithology,115,Konoyama, Abiko, Chiba,
270–1145, Japan
4
Kyoto Prefectural University, 74 Oji, Kitainayazuma, Seika, Kyoto
619–0244, Japan
Email: cxd00117@nifty.ne.jp

Natal dispersal and breeding-site fidelity of the Streaked Shearwater in abreeding colony on Kanmurijima Island (E 135 26’, N 35 40’) in the Sea ofJapan was analysed using a 34-year set of banding data from 1977 to 2010.
We set two sites (A and B) in this colony, and banded chicks and adults.
Most individuals were returned to their original sites for release. Banded
chicks were found only in site A. Return rates of banded adults were low(0.007% and 0.002%) in the other study sites. Breeding-site fidelity was
further analysed using a 10 m x 10 m grid system in Site A. The return rate
within 10 meter of the release site among the total was defined as a fidelity
index. The higher the index, the greater is the likelihood that the individual
will return to the releasing place. Based on a total returning number of
4,154 banded adults recorded in this study, the fidelity index was 0.73.
Based on a total returning number of 232 banded chicks, the fidelity index
was 0.48. Banded chicks were found only 1.3% by 3 years. The total
number of returning chicks decreased every ten years. However, the chick’s
fidelity index increased with age year by year. 0.41(n=170) from year 1 st to
10 th , 0.62(n=50) from yr 11 th to 20 th , 0.92(n=12) from yr 21 st to 31 st .

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p12-005

Reconstructing networks between winter roosts and summer colonies
in Ardeidae species
Y. Toquenaga1 and M. Mashiko2
1

Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba,
Japan
Email: toque@biol.tsukuba.ac.jp
2

Obligate colonial birds like herons and egrets form colonies in the breeding andcommunal roosts in the non-breeding seasons. In northern temperate regions, heroncolonies are formed by resident and migrant species, but roosts are formed by resident
species only. Heron colonies may grow up to several thousands of individuals, but thoseof roosts are a couple of hundreds at most. Although roosts and colonies are thus quite
different, they are connected by flows of individuals. At the beginning of the breeding
season, winter roosts suddenly disappear and individuals from those roosts move tocolonies. At the end of the breeding season, colonies gradually collapse and migrantindividuals fly away to the south, with residents remaining and forming roosts. The
flows of individuals from roosts to colonies and vice versa are hardly recorded because
it involves the identification of tremendous numbers of individuals. Here we propose amethod for estimating the flow of individuals between roosts and colonies based on 10
years of census data of herons and egrets around Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. We
reconstructed connections between roosts in year t and colonies in year t+1 as bipartite
binary adjacency matrices (A). Each adjacency matrix was estimated so as to make
Bonacich’s power centrality (BPC) of AAT (roost-roost) and ATA (colony-colony)
proportional to the population sizes of roosts and colonies, respectively. The exponent
parameter of BPC represents positive and negative effects of an element against others
connected with it in the adjacent matrix. A simple genetic algorithm was applied forreconstructing network matrices weighted by distances between roosts and colonies.
Networks among roosts were easier to reconstruct than those among colonies. Power
exponents of BPC were both negative and positive; population sizes of highly
connected colonies and roosts were not always large.

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p12-006

Collective philopatry in heron colonies
M. Mashiko 1 and Y. Toquenaga 2
1

Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba,Japan
2
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
Email: mashiko@pe.ies.life.tsukuba.ac.jp
Many birds are faithful to their natal sites; they return to breed at the same locations
every year. For example, seabirds often form their breeding colonies on the same cliffs
or islands for many years. However, the availability of potential breeding sites is often
restricted, and seabirds may be forced to reuse the same breeding sites. In contrast,
herons and egrets form their colonies on comparatively unrestricted resources such as
trees or bamboo thickets. Here we examined whether heron colonies also show site
fidelity even though returning to their natal sites is facultative for herons. From 1963 to2013, a total of 61 colonies were formed around Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. Ten colonies
were formed for a duration of one year only; the herons did not show site fidelity.
Twenty-five colonies persisted for a number of years, herons reusing exactly the same
locations; here herons showed site fidelity. The remaining 26 colonies persisted for anumber of years but changed their locations several times within the neighborhood. We
examined the degree to which colonies remained within the same area or moved away
by measuring the distance between the focal point and the last location of each colony.
The distance in 16 out of 26 colonies was shorter than null expectations; they were not
located at exactly the same sites as in the previous year(s), but still showed site fidelity
in a broader sense. Consequently, 41 out of 61 colonies (67%) showed site fidelity.
Even though breeding sites are widely available, heron colonies are likely to be locatedat exactly the same or around the same sites as in the previous year(s). We consider
their facultative site fidelity at the colony level as collective philopatry. The philopatryof heron species at the individual level is known to be low and 40% at most. High
collective philopatry might be realized by a few faithful pioneer individuals that aresubsequently followed by others individuals.

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p12-007

Granivore movement in a savanna landscape: A case study of theBlack-throated Finch (Poephila cincta cincta) in north–eastern
Queensland, Australia
J. Rechetelo 1,2, J. Moloney 1, D. Hardesty 2 and T. Grice 2
1

School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland,
Australia
2
Ecosystems sciences, CSIRO, Australia
Email: jurechetelo@gmail.com
Granivorous birds are a common functional group in savanna landscapes however they
have been prominent in lists of threatened Australian bird taxa, suggesting broad-scaledeclines. Their movement patterns and home range sizes are poorly known, particularly
for the Black-throated Finch southern subspecies, Poephila cincta cincta (BTF). BTF
have had a range contraction of 80% since the 1970s and now are listed as endangered
under federal and state lists. Understanding movement patterns and spatial distributionof a species is critical to the ecological management of populations and habitats. This
study was conducted south of Townsville, Queensland, in private and public properties
surrounding Ross River Dam catchment area. Black-throated Finch colonies have been
regularly monitored since 2011 and birds have been captured with mist nets. Captured
BTFs are metal and colour banded and selected birds are fitted with a 0.3g radiotransmitter (ATS model A2414). To date, 92 BTFs have been colour banded (5 sites)and 10 have been radio-tracked in two different sites. One bird was recaptured 12months after banding in the same locale it was first banded. Tracked birds seem to belargely sedentary. A summary of our findings and updated results will be presented at
the conference.

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p12-008

The multi-scale aggregative response of cormorants to the mass
stocking of fish in rivers
N. Kumada1,2, A. Tomoko2, J. Tsuboi3,4, A. Ashizawa4 and M. Fujioka2
1

Sado ranger office, Ministry of the Environment, Niigata, Japan
Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki,
Japan
3
Fisheries Research Agency, National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Tochigi, Japan
4
Yamanashi Prefectural Fisheries Technology Center, Yamanashi, Japan
Email: 0kumau0@gmail.com
2

In Japanese rivers, there is a serious conflict between the Great Cormorant(Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae) and fisheries. The basis of this conflict is that thecormorants feed on ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis), a commercially important fish that isstocked primarily for recreational fishing. To understand how cormorants alter theirforaging habitats in relation to the stocked fish and fishing activities, we examined therelationship between cormorant abundance and ayu biomass during the cormorant
breeding season (from April to July) using two approaches that differ in spatial scale.
First, we compared cormorant numbers in different river sections that were defined
based on ayu stocking. The cormorant numbers in the sections stocked with ayu
increased during the ayu release period, whereas the cormorant numbers in othersections showed no clear seasonal patterns. Second, we tested whether cormorantnumbers were correlated with the biomass of ayu caught with cast nets. Positive
correlations were observed between the biomass of ayu and the number of cormorantsthat were within 900 m, 1 km, or 2 km of fish sampling points; however, suchcorrelations were not observed within 100–800 m of the sampling points. The biomassof ayu caught with cast nets increased steadily from April to June despite predation bycormorants; however, this biomass decreased sharply in July when the fishing season
opened. This study indicates that although cormorants altered their feeding areas inaccordance with the mass stocking of ayu in a Japanese river, sufficient numbers of ayu
were still maintained for anglers.

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p12-009

Origin of breeding individuals in two populations of the Long-tailed
Tit
O. Babushkina 1, V. Shokhrin 2 and J. Bojarinova 1
1

Faculty of Biology and Soil Science, Saint-Petersburg University, Russia
Lazovskiy State Reserve, Russia
Email: babushkina.olga@gmail.com
2

The Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos c. caudatus) is a small insectivorous bird that
demonstrates different patterns of seasonal movements. In the east of its wide breeding
range the species shows irregular outbreaks of numbers as an irruptive migrant, while in
the west it is considered to be a regular migrant. At the same time, it is known that
resident individuals are present throughout the range. We attempted to explore theorigin of breeding individuals in two populations with presumably different pattern of
movements. The data on long-term trapping of Long-tailed Tits at two extreme fieldsites in NW Russia and Russian Far East were analysed. It was found that both locallyborn and first-year Long-tailed Tits caught on autumn migration contribute to thebreeding population. In both field sites Long-tailed Tits, ringed in late September and in
October, were controlled in the following year. We suggest that such individuals may
finish their autumn migration at the study area. The relatedness among breeding
individuals for western population will also be discussed. The study was supported by
RFBR grants 12-04-31858 and 13-04-01474.

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Breeding in the temperate zone or in the tropics: a comparison of homeranges in the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and The African Cuckoo
Cuculus gularis

S.B. Iwajomo 1,4, M. Willemoes Kristensen 1, R. Strandberg 2, U. Ottosson 3,4 and K. Thorup 1

1

Centre for Macroecology Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark,
University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark2
Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
3
Ottenby Bird Observatory, Ottenby 401, SE-386 64 Degerhamn, Sweden
4
A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (University of Jos Biological Conservatory),
P.O. Box 13404, Jos, Nigeria
E-mail: sholaiwajomo@gmail.com
The Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and the African Cuckoo C. gularis are closely related
species migrating at different spatial scales. Although the Common Cuckoo potentially occurs
alongside the African Cuckoo during the northern winter, their breeding grounds are in separate
climatic zones. We used satellite telemetry to investigate possible differences in the breeding
season home range of the two species. The mean home range of male and female Common
Cuckoos from South Scandinavia was significantly larger than that of male African Cuckoos,
which was also the case when considering Common Cuckoo males only. The large averageoverall overlap index in male African Cuckoos suggests that they do not defend territories during
the breeding season. We conclude that in males of both species the core of the home range may
be similar in size but differences exist in how far individuals roam. Differences in the meanhome range size between the species may be due to differences in the distribution of host species
as well as in availability of suitable habitats for foraging.

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p12-011

To stay or not to stay on isolated islets?: Identifying the migratory
status of robins based on the year-long operation logs of automatic
photo and sound recording systems
Shin-Ichi Seki
Wildlife Management Lab, Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products
Research Institute, Kyoto, Japan
Email: seki@ffpri.affrc.go.jp

The Ryukyu Robin Luscinia komadori is endemic to the subtropical Asian islands. The
robin is well differentiated among populations in terms of morphology and migratory
behavior, and also by the genetic composition within its narrow habitat range. On thebasis of phylogeographical analyses, different migratory behaviors of the robin havebeen inferred to play a role in maintaining such a genetic structure. On two small islets
located between migratory and sedentary populations (60 km northwest of the sedentary
Amami population and 90 km southwest of the migratory Tokara population), a small
number of singing individuals have recently been observed during the late breeding
season. Although the migratory habit and genetic origin of this (probably) breeding
population is of biogeographical interest, the offshore islets are too isolated for making
frequent observations. I accordingly installed infrared-triggered cameras andtimer-programmed sound recording systems to collect year-round records of birds. Only
the sound recordings provided continuous records of the singing individuals throughout
the breeding season, which gives us a reliable basis for identifying the breeding species,
including the robin. During winter, the robin has never been detected by either type ofrecorder, and thus it is inferred to be migratory there. The mtDNA haplotypes of two
captured individuals were assigned to the branch of the Tokara group in spite of theislets being located closer to the Amami Islands. These migratory and sedentary
populations inhabiting locations only 40 km apart in latitude might help us to identify
the key factors promoting a migratory life history. Further, such automatic photo andsound recorders are useful tools for avian inventory data collection in remote sites.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-012The importance of conspecifics during settlement: an experimental approach
A. Grendelmeier1,2, R. Arlettaz1,2, G. Pasinelli2
1

Swiss Ornithological Institute, Ecological Research, Sempach, Switzerland

2

University of Bern, IEE, Conservation Biology, Bern, Switzerland

Conspecific attraction via location cues appears to be important in the settlement process of many
bird species and has mostly been investigated using playbacks to mimic the presence ofconspecifics. Song is of central importance for territory defense and mate attraction in many birds,
while at the same time providing readily available evidence of conspecific presence. Focusing on
pre-breeding cues, settling behavior of Wood Warblers on 5-ha experimental plots withplaybacks of Wood Warbler songs (n=15) was compared to 5-ha control plots (n = 14). Territory
establishment differed significantly (p < 0.01) between song plots (n=18) and control plots (n=5),with pairing rates of 33% and 60%, respectively. Settling in places where other Wood Warblers
are present may increase mating opportunities (i.e. social pairing and/or extra-pair parentage).
Knowledge of the fitness consequences for individuals attracted by conspecific playbacks is oneof the largest knowledge gaps in our understanding of conspecific attraction in songbirds.
Individuals settling in response to conspecific playbacks were also closely monitored to assess
reproductive performance, which, however, did not significantly differ between song and control
plots. The experiment raises new questions, but we experimentally show how important
conspecific cues are for choosing a territory.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-013

Effects of Edge on the Understory Insectivorous Birds in a Fragmented
Tropical Rainforest
M. Zakaria and M.N. Rajpar and H.V. Moradi
Department of Recreation and Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia,
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Email: mzakaria@upm.edu.my
Understory insectivorous birds are found to be one of the most sensitive groups to changes inenvironmental conditions in tropical rainforests. Therefore, edge effects may have great
impacts on the persistence of these species in a fragmented forest. We examined theabundance of insectivorous birds along the edge-interior gradient in an isolated lowland
tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia. The study was conducted between May 2007 andApril 2008 using the Distance Sampling Point Count method. Results showed that the moststriking changes on the understory bird community (i.e. relative abundance, density, diversity,and composition) occurred within 25 m to 400 m of the forest edge to the interior. The
association between the birds and the micro-environmental factors separated two completely
different groups of birds: (1) forest interior-specialist species such as the short-tailed babbler(Malacocincla malaccensis) and black-capped babbler (Pellorneum capistratum), which used
the forest interior habitats discriminately, and tended to avoid the microclimatic fluctuations
close to the edge; and (2) forest edge-specialist species such as the yellow-vented bulbul(Pycnonotus goiavier) and cream-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus simplex), which preferentiallyused the edge. In terms of feeding guilds, interior-specialist guilds such as terrestrial
insectivores and sallying insectivores, and the edge-specialist guilds such as arboreal foliagegleaning insectivores and terrestrial insectivores-frugivores were separated based on their
sensitivity to the edge effects. The environmental conditions, vegetation structure, andcomposition along the edge-interior gradient resulted in different responses of the understory
birds. The forest edge-specialist species were associated with the high light intensity andshrub cover, and they could be the best indicators of the edge habitat condition. The forest
interior-specialist species were associated with high relative humidity and leaf litter cover andthus, could be the best indicators of the forest interior habitat condition.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-015

Change of habitat preferences of the Common Kestrel: dynamicof the process, possible causes, benefits
N. V. Lebedeva1,2, A. I. Ermolaev2 and N. Kh. Lomadze3
1

Azov Branch Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Rostov on Don, Russia
2
Institute of Arid Zones, Southern Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Rostov on Don, Russia
3South Federal University, Rostov on Don, Russia
Email: lebedeva@ssc-ras.ru
Common Kestrel (Falco tinninculus) is a widespread species, the most abundant falconin the south of European Russia. During the breeding season it can be found inrookeries located in the artificial forest shelterbelts in the steppe zone. The nesting
density in this wood habitat is relatively high. In recent years, the species has actively
penetrated reed habitat, initially sporadic, then regular, breeding successfully in
artificial shelters for ducks. In the reed habitat egg laying starts two weeks earlier thanin the rookeries. This may be due to a high availability of nest sites for breeding, as the
population of ducks steadily declines. There are differences between kestrels breedingin the reed habitat from those breeding in the rookeries in wood habitats. For example
there is a difference in egg shape, which is determined by differences in the size of thefemales in the two habitats. Differences in egg volume and clutch size between birds
breeding in woodland and reed do not correlate with breeding success suggesting thatthe reed and wood habitat at this time in the reproductive cycle are equally suitable.
The benefit of breeding in the reed habitat could be decreased competition for nest sites
since aggressive behavior directed on con-specific and competitor species requires
additional energetic resources. Another potential profit might be the earlier onset ofbreeding in the reed habitat. Penetration of the Kestrel in the new breeding habitat could
be explained by different causes: an increase in the local Kestrel population,
degradation of wood habitats linked to a dry period in the climatic cycle, and elevationof interspecific competition in the earlier inhabited breeding habitats.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-016

Temporal sharing of floral resources among hummingbirds(Trochilidae) in inflorescences of Dahlstedtia pinnata (Benth.) Malme.
(Fabaceae) in the Atlantic Forest
C. Missagia 1,3, F. Verçoza 2 and M.A.S. Alves 3
1

Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Riode Janeiro, Brasil.
2
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Botânica), Museu
Nacional/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
3
Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro,
Brasil.
Email: masaal@globo.com
The purpose of this study was to investigate the phenology and reproductive biology ofDahlstedtia pinnata (Benth.) Malme. (Fabaceae), and its interaction with hummingbirds.
For the phenology, we looked at the presence of reproductive structures in the plants,
and for the reproductive biology we examined the frequency of potential pollinators andforaging behaviors. This study was conducted in Pedra Branca State Park, Rio deJaneiro state, in dense ombrophilous forest, between August 2010 and August 2011.
Flowering occurred between December 2010 and March 2011, and fruiting between
April and June 2011. Hummingbirds’ foraging schedules differed significantly, withlegitimate visits to the flowers occurring in the morning and illegitimate visits duringlate morning and the afternoon. Five hummingbirds visited flowers, three of which werelegitimate visitors: Phaethornis ruber, P. pretrei, and Ramphodon naevius. Amazilia
fimbriata and Thalurania glaucopis females only visited illegitimately. Phaethornis
ruber robbed nectar (78% of illegitimate visits, n=337). Ramphodon naevius, with aterritorial foraging behavior and a body size bigger than that of other hummingbird
species observed, dominated the floral visits, which suggests that D. pinnata is an
important nourishing resource for this endemic bird.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-017

Relationship between stream habitat types and annual fecundity ofBrown Dipper Cinclus pallasii in Taiwan.
T.W. Wang1, S.Y. Hong1,2 and Y.H. Sun1
1

Institute of Wildlife Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science &Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
2
Graduate Institute of Bioresources, National Pingtung University of Science &Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
Email: q2958@yahoo.com.tw
A central question in ecology is what regulates population size. In this issue, annual
fecundity plays a great role in short-lived species. Examining what factors influenceannual fecundity is also a crucial topic. Dippers from the genus Cinclus are ideal
model species because they are highly specialized predators on aquatic invertebrates,and occupy linear territories along rivers. Previous study has shown that the most
preferred prey item of Brown Dippers (Cinclus pallasii) is Trichopterans due to thegroup’s relatively large body size. In addition, their territory lengths were negatively
related to proportion of rifes because Trichopterans are more abundant in such
habitat. Accordingly, we expect that stream habitat types can reflect food abundance
and influence annual fecundity of Brown Dipper. Our study area is in Cijiawan
Stream, at 1700 m elevation in central Taiwan. We used depth and benthic substrate tosort stream habitat into three types: 1) deep water area is where water depth exceeds
50 cm, which Dippers rarely use; 2) riffle and 3) glide are shallow waters (depth < 50cm) where the primary substrate is pebbles and sand, respectively. Aquatic
invertebrates in the latter two types of habitat were sampled to compare prey
abundance. We investigated Dipper reproduction in the spring of 2013. Excluding
breeding failure by predation and weather, we estimated the proportion of the three
habitat types and stream width every 50 m from 200 m upstream of a Dipper’s nest to
200 m downstream. Invertebrate sampling showed that Trichopterans were moreabundant in riffle than in glide. In addition, Dipper annual fecundity was positively
related to the area of riffle in the investigated length. We concluded that the amount ofriffle area reflects food abundance and thus is an important factor affecting the annual
fecundity of Brown Dippers.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-018

Rice fields as an important habitat for Intermediate and Cattle Egrets in
Korea: distribution and feeding activity
Yu-Seong Choi 1,2, Sun-Sook Kim 1,2, Hyung-Kyu Nam 1 and Jeong-Chil Yoo 1
1

Dept. of Biology and Korea Institute of Ornithology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republicof Korea2

Present address: National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, Republic of Korea

Email: yschoi3@hanmail.net
Rice fields are a unique man-made seasonally flooded wetland and they play a significant
role as alternative habitats for waterbirds, including herons and egrets. The objective of thisstudy was to investigate the feeding activity of Intermediate Egrets (Egretta intermedia) andCattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in rice fields and to evaluate the effect of rice fields on the
distribution of breeding colonies of two species in Korea. The Intermediate Egret and Cattle
Egret were the most rice-field-dependent species compared to other ardeids. As the rice cropdeveloped and fields became densely vegetated, both species changed to rice banks or edge
areas as feeding sites and avoided the inner parts of rice fields. Also, the two species might
respond to changes in the condition of rice fields by changing their feeding methods and preytypes. As a result, although their feeding efficiency in rice fields varies across stages of therice culture, they could meet their energy needs from rice field habitats. Especially, theplowing of flooded fields by tractors in May (the early breeding stages of both species)
provided high feeding efficiency by higher capture rates and/or larger preys. Rice fields were
the dominant feeding habitat type surrounding breeding colonies. Although both species arecommon throughout the Korea peninsula, their breeding colonies were concentrated mainlyin the mid-western parts. There were significant positive correlations between nest abundanceof two species and the area of rice fields. Also, the number of other colonies within 20 km
radius was positively related to the total area of rice fields. This result shows that rice fields
support a large population of egrets in Korea. Consequently, rice fields provide an importantfeeding habitat for both species during the breeding season. The recent population increasesof Cattle Egrets, and stable or moderately increasing Intermediate Egret populations werepossibly mainly driven by availability of rice fields.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-019

One scale does not fit all: habitat effects on the breeding success of
three forest-dwelling hawks
H. Björklund 1, J. Valkama 1, E. Tomppo 2 and T. Laaksonen 3
1

Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Finnish Forest Research Institute Metla, Vantaa, Finland3
Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Email: heidi.bjorklund@helsinki.fi
2Anthropogenic environmental changes have reduced populations of many species. In
the European boreal zone, intensive forestry is one suspected cause for a decline offorest-dwelling raptors, but the association between habitat features and breeding
performance is deficiently understood. We studied the boreal breeding habitat andhabitat-associated breeding performance of the Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis),
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) and Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus), which arepossible competitors for territories and nest sites. We used nationwide and long-term
Finnish birds of prey data combined with multi-source national forest inventory datafrom different distances (100–4000 m) around the nests. Breeding success of Goshawk
was best explained by habitat within radius of 2000 m around nests. Goshawk breeding
was more successful with increasing proportion of old spruce forest and water, anddecreasing proportion of young thinning forest in a territory. The proportion of old
spruce forest, the preferred breeding habitat, decreased in Goshawk and Common
Buzzard territories and in the whole of Southern Finland during the study period (1992–
2010). Proportion of other old forest increased in Goshawk and Common Buzzard
territories although its area decreased in Southern Finland. Instead, young forests
increased in Southern Finland but not in hawk territories. Habitat at nest-site scale(100 m) best explained the breeding success of Common Buzzard and Honey Buzzard,
but none of the habitat variables were significantly associated with their breeding
success or brood size of any of the species. We found no indication that habitat
differences would explain previously observed differences in breeding success between
natural and artificial hawk nests. We emphasize the importance of studying habitats inseveral spatial and temporal scales in order to find the most relevant scale for eachspecies and to detect environmental changes which can occur in a nationwide scale
within only few decades.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-020

Dynamics of Steller’s Sea Eagle population in the southern part ofbreeding range in relation to drastic changes in habitats
V. Masterov1, M. Romanov2
1

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow,
Russia2
Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Puschino, Russia
Email: haliaeetus@yandex.ru
No less than 30% of the Steller’s Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) population of theworld inhabits Sakhalin Island and the Lower Amur Region. The total abundance of the
population in both regions is about 2200 individuals. Eleven years of radiotelemetry
results confirmed that at least 36% of the birds from Sakhalin spend the winter in
Hokkaido. 300 territories in NE Sakhalin and 280 territories in Amur Region have been
subject to complex monitoring. Currently, reference populations of sea eagles show adecreased proportion of immature birds. From the early 1990s to 2012, the proportion of
immatures in Sakhalin reduced from 30.8-38.4% to 14 %. In the Amur region it
decreased from 28% to 17 %. During the last 20 years, the proportion of inhabited
territories in both regions remained at almost the same level, at about 70 %. However,the portion of active territories (where birds produced offspring) significantly decreased:in Sakhalin from 68 to 54% and in the Amur region from 60 to 45%. The productivity ofsea eagles per territorial pair also gradually decreased from 0.79 to 0.58 fledglings in
Sakhalin and from 0.87 to 0.64 fledglings in the Amur region. This is primarily due to adecrease in the number of breeding pairs. According to the results of Leslie matrix
population modeling, the population decreased at a rate of 1.6% and 1.0% per year in
Sakhalin and the Amur region, respectively, which may lead to a twofold reduction in
population size within a period of 44–70 years. The annual mortality of immatures intheir first year and mature birds was 83-85 and 4.8%, respectively. A stochastic model
confirms the negative trend in both populations. Large-scale development of oil fields
on the Sakhalin coast causes transformation of habitats of sea eagles. The impact ofchanges in habitat quality, the state of food resources, previous breeding experience, andbrown bear predation is discussed.

411

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-021Flock composition and fluctuations of numbers in two populations of
the Long-tailed Tit
R. Chetverikova1, O. Babushkina1, S. Galkina1, E. Matsyna2, V. Shokhrin3 andJ. Bojarinova1
1

Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Ecological Centre “Dront”, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
3
Lazovsky State Reserve, Lazo, Russia
Email: raisa.chetverikova@gmail.com
2

The Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) is a small passerine bird that has a broad
distribution range stretching from Western Europe to Japan. In NW Europe it is a partial
migrant that demonstrates irruptive autumn movements, when numbers of migrating
individuals may vary over hundredfold between years. The birds from the Far East are
believed to be regular migrants, although little is known about the rate of fluctuations of
their numbers. Our previous studies show that Long-tailed Tits from NW Europe havephysiologically determined periods of migratory activity (Babushkina, Bojarinova,2011). Consequently, the role of overpopulation and food availability as triggers of their
movements must have been overestimated. We suggest that social interactions may playa role in fluctuations of numbers in the Long-tailed Tit. Our study was carried out on
two extreme populations of the Long-tailed Tit: in NW Russia and the Russian Far East.
We conducted genetic analysis with 8 known microsatellites (Simeoni et al., 2009) toassess kinship within groups of migrating Long-tailed Tits. Additionally sex ratio andage of birds within these groups were examined and annual variation of numbers of
migrating individuals was compared in two populations. The results will be discussed.
This study was supported by Russian Foundation for basic Research grant no.
12-04-31858.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-022

Using birding reports to reveal broad-scale spatio-temporal dynamics
of bird distribution: Case of altitudinal distribution of alpine bird
species in Taiwan from 1972 to 2010
Da-Li LIN1,2* Chen-Yu HUANG1, and Tzung-Su DING1
1

School and Forestry and Resources Conservation, National Taiwan University,
Taiwan2Endemic Species Research Institute, Taiwan*Presenting author (Email: thrush1250@gmail.com)
Anthropogenic disturbances, such as climate change and habitat destruction, havechanged the distributed range of birds. In particular, climate seriously threatens birds
that inhabit high mountains. The spatio-temperal dynamic of bird distribution in thepast is critical for planning conservation strategies. However, historical records of bird
distribution, if available, are often patchy, uneven over time, imprecise on location,and unstandardized in method. We used generalized linear models to analyze thebirding reports database of the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, voluntarily submitted
by bird watchers (75,844 reports from 1972 to 2010) to detect the altitudinal
distribution shift of alpine bird species in Taiwan. Due to the spatial imprecision of
birding reports, we classified the location of each records into five altitudinal intervals:
1000-1500 m, 1500-2000 m, 2000-2500 m, 2500-3000 m, and above 3000 m. We
found the proportion of presence records of yellowish-bellied bush-warbler (Cettia
acanthizoides), Taiwan bush-warbler (Bradypterus alishanensis), collared bush-robin(Tarsiger johnstoniae), and Taiwan rosefinch (Carpodacus formosanus) decreased
significantly in lower altitudinal intervals, and increased significantly in higher
altitudinal intervals. Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), a species inhibiting thehighest altitude in Taiwan, decreased significantly in all altitudinal intervals. In recent
decades, there was no serious habitat loss or degradation in the high mountains of
Taiwan. These results support the prediction that alpine bird species will shift tohigher areas due to global warming. We propose that, with proper analyses, somebroad-scale spatio-temporal dynamics of bird distribution can be revealed by using
imperfect data submitted by bird watchers.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-024

Energy and nitrogen budgets contribute to explaining the distributions andactivity budgets of wintering herbivorous geese in China

Xin Wang 1, Anthony D. Fox 2, Peihao Cong 3, Yong Zhang 3, Meijuan Zhao 3 and Lei Cao 1*
1

Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085,
China
2
Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Rønde, Denmark
3
School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Email: caolei@ustc.edu.cn

Food supply is regarded as a critical determinant of animal distributions because it affects energy
and nutrient budgets of consumers, both of which can further modify their activity budgets byinfluencing foraging time allocation. Interspecific differences in consumer body size can affect foodselection as a result of size-related differential abilities to ingest and digest food. In the Yangtze
River floodplain, we estimated the energy and nitrogen budgets, and compiled activity budgets, ofthe Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus feeding in rare seasonal heterogeneous grasslands
and in widespread Carex beds, based on field observations and chemical analyses of food andfaeces. We also estimated energy budgets of the larger-sized Bean Goose Anser fabalis serrirostrisand Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons feeding on Carex. Throughout all wintering
months, Lesser White-fronted Geese gained higher and overall positive energy and nitrogen budgets
by feeding on high quality but less abundant food in rare seasonal heterogeneous grasslands, thanby feeding on low quality but abundant Carex. In contrast, the larger Bean and Greater Whitefronted Geese could generally maintain positive energy budgets by utilizing Carex. These
differences in energetic benefits from the same foods conform to the different distribution patterns
shown by the three species, with respect to food distributions. We also found that Lesser Whitefronted Geese counter-intuitively foraged longer when feeding on high quality, energy-beneficial
food compared to Carex. Our results imply that (1) the food energy content is more likely thannitrogen to determine wintering herbivorous goose distributions, (2) body-size-induced interspecificphysiological differences do play a role in affecting food selection, (3) autumn fat deposits are
critical for wintering herbivorous geese, (4) appropriate water regimes are important to maintainheterogeneous seasonal grasslands and therefore Lesser White-fronted Goose populations, and (5)food can affect activity budgets by inducing ingestion or digestion constraints.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-025

Breeding distribution of Pleske’s Warbler in Kagoshima
F. Mizoguchi1, Y. Iwashita2
1

Wild Bird Society of Japan Kagoshima
Izumi Cranes and Wildlife Research Group
Email: akahige@basil.ocn.ne.jp
2

Pleske’s Warbler (Locustella pleskei) breeds on small islands off the extreme south of
far eastern Russia, islands off South Korea, nearby eastern Chinese coast, and westernJapan. In Japan, its breeding has been recorded on the Izu Islands, the coasts of Mie
prefecture, Wakayama prefecture, Shimane prefecture, Tokushima prefecture and thecoasts and islands off Kyushu. In Kagoshima prefecture, located at the southern tip ofKyushu, its breeding has been recorded on islands nearby Koshiki Island, Okojima in
Kinko Bay, Niijima, and islands off southern Tanegashima as reported by Mizoguchi in
2010. Breeding on Okikojima of Hayato in Kinko Bay, southern Osumi Peninsula, andOkinoshima in Kushikino has been confirmed since 2010.
Kagoshima prefecture is the most southern range of breeding for Pleske’s Warbler. We
will report on the distribution of the breeding and estimated population of Pleske’s
Warbler in Kagoshima prefecture.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-026

Expanding wintering distribution of Rooks in Japan
K. Takagi
Japan Bird Research Association, Tokyo, Japan
Email: takagi@bird-research.jp

Over the last 20 years, the wintering distribution of the Rook Corvus frugilegus in Japan
has been expanding. Records of Rook observations have been documented showing the
expanding front line of their range. However, the process and causes for the range
expansion of the Rook in Japan have not been discussed in the literature. A
questionnaire survey as well as a literature study was conducted to collect informationon their wintering range in Japan. The results provided a time-line of the first sightingsof Rooks in 19 prefectures. This information helped outline the process of how theRooks wintering range has expanded in Japan. The wintering distribution of Rooks
contracted during the late 1970's on the island of Kyushu, Yamaguchi and Shimane
Prefecture. The wintering range of the Rook began expansion in the mid 1980s, and had
extended considerably eastward along the Sea of Japan by the late 1980s. During the
1990s Rooks spread southwards from northern Japan as well, and by December 2006
they were confirmed to winter throughout Japan, except for Tokyo. The decrease ofsnow cover in Eastern and Northern Japan is probably responsible for the range
expansion of Rooks wintering in those regions. However, there is not a strong
correlation between annual snow coverage and the range expansion of Rooks
throughout the remainder of the range. Rooks were exposed to high levels of chemicalcompounds, such as organochlorines and organomercury in the past. The increase of the
Rook population throughout East Asia due to decreased organochlorines andorganomercury compounds is likely a key factor in winter range expansion of Rooks inJapan.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-027

Comparison of two different “nesting strategies” and nesting success of
Water Rail and Little Crake
J.Jedlikowski 1
1Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Poland
Email: janjedlikowski@biol.uw.edu.pl

The Water Rail Rallus aquaticus and the Little Crake Porzana parva are secretive
species which belong to the family Rallidae. Both species inhabit a wide spectrum of marshysites with littoral vegetation. In the Mazurian Lake District (NE Poland), these two species
often choose the same, small, midfield water-bodies as breeding sites. Previous studies haveshown that the Water Rail prefers shallower places than does the Little Crake, but there are no
detailed studies describing their micro-habitat nest site preferences. Results of this research
revealed that while the nesting preferences of these species may show some similarities,
generally they try to avoid predators and achieve breeding success in different ways. The
Water Rails build nests in shallower places, but in dense littoral vegetation which provides
very good protection, especially against raptors. The water level at Little Crake nest sites issignificantly deeper, but vegetation around the nests is much looser, than it is around Water
Rail nests. To decrease the risk of detection by predators, the Little Crake has cryptic buff
eggs with brown spots, in contrast to the white eggs of the Water Rail. Little Crakes also seemto be build their nests higher above the water surface than do Water Rails. Such adaptations
may protect clutches from flooding as a result of changes in water level.
The three-year long study (2011-2013) showed that the Little Crake had greater nest
success than did the Water Rail (respectively 63% and 47%). The main predator of both
species’ broods was the Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus. We will discuss possible
explanations of this marked difference and try to explain which factors are crucial to achieve ahigh breeding success.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-028

Breeding ecology of Siberian and Sandhill Cranes
in Yakutia subarctic tundra
M.V. Vladimirtseva, I.P. Bysykatova and N.I.Germogenov
Institute for Biological Problem of Cryolithozone
Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Email: sib-ykt@mail.ru
The Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus and Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis canadensis inhabit
the northernmost regions of the subarctic tundra in the lowlands between the Yana and Kolyma
rivers. The Siberian Crane, which ranks third in rarity among the world’s Crane species, is noted
for its nesting conservatism. Territorial pairs occupy home ranges during the entire period of
their stay in the breeding area, regardless of their involvement in reproduction. A reproductive
pair’s home range size, including its nesting and feeding areas, is 7.3-16.5 or 10.6 km2 onaverage. Numbers in the eastern population have been reported to increase since the late 1990s,
particularly in the Indigirka river basin. So, numbers of Crane pairs have grown from 52 to 56
within a 1314-km2 study area. The rate of the population growth (reproduction efficiency i.e. thepercent of pairs that are successful, varies from 4.3-8.7 to 65-83.3%) allows us to assume theabsence of separate generations of birds that did not survive to maturity. Sandhill Cranes
continue to settle in the western tundra region and increase their numbers. At present, the rangeof this species almost completely coincides with that of the Siberian Crane (approximately 82
km2). The number of Sandhill Cranes has grown tenfold and reached 56 pairs over the recent 20
years on the study site in the tundra of the Indigirka basin. We are carefully monitoring theinterrelation between the two crane species to reveal whether competition or other negative
ecological influences on the Siberian Crane population might be related to the increase of the
Sandhill Crane. In addition, the breeding area suffers from increasing water levels because ofdestruction and defrosting of tundra soils and this causes a reduction in the best habitats for the
Siberian Crane population.

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Breeding performance of the European Starling Sturnus vulgaris during aperiod of long-term decline in Sweden
Sören Svensson
Department of Biology, Biodiversity, Lund University, Sweden

During the period 1975–2012, the breeding population of the European Starling Sturnus
vulgaris declined by about 2.5% per year in Sweden. A current estimate of population size isabout 600,000 pairs. This means that about one million pairs have been lost since the mid
1970s. During a considerable part of this period, namely from 1981, monitoring of date of
egg-laying, number of eggs and number of fledged young has been recorded in nestbox
groups distributed all over the country. Only about 10% of the decline can be explained byafforestation of farmland. An unknown percentage is accounted for by the decline of thenumber of farms with grazing cattle. An additional cause of decline is supposed to beintensification of farming practices in the main crop and grassland areas that are thestronghold of the species. However, in such habitats it is still possible to increase local
population size through the provision of more nestboxes, meaning that the resources are notexhausted. Breeding performance in terms of the average number of eggs or average numberof fledglings has changed very little during the period in spite of declining populations inseveral of the nestbox areas. The conclusion is therefore that Starlings tend to refrain frombreeding attempts rather than to perform badly. Starlings arrive early in their breeding area in
Sweden and have plenty of time, up to 2 months, to assess the profitability of a site.
Amelioration of climate has so far had no positive effect on the population size although there
has been a close correlation between the start of breeding and spring temperature; second
clutches are still exceptional.

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p12-030

Feather growth and skeletal size of juvenile Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon
pyrrhonota) are affected by climatic conditions during rearing
M.B. Brown 1, E.A. Roche 2 and C.R. Brown 2
1
2

School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Email: mbrown9@unl.edu
We investigated how seasonal variation in climatic variables (summer temperature and total
precipitation) that influence food availability in turn affect growth of wing, tail, skeletal traits,
and body mass in Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota). Cliff Swallows are colonial,
insectivorous birds that regularly experience brief periods of food deprivation during the nestingseason. Birds were caught as juveniles soon after fledging and morphometric measurements
taken. Average wing and tail length increased significantly with yearly June mean temperature.
Skeletal traits generally increased with temperature and decreased with yearly June rainfall.
Body mass and extent of fluctuating asymmetry in wing, tail, and tarsus were unrelated toclimatic variables. Cliff Swallows allocate less growth to wing and tail feathers and skeletal size
while maintaining normal levels of body mass during periods of food scarcity. Because adult andjuvenile feather lengths were positively correlated, changes in juvenile feather growth inresponse to rearing conditions persist into a bird’s first breeding season. The results show thatbody size in this species is phenotypically plastic and influenced by climatic variables.

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p12-031

Avian reproduction dynamics in a Canadian boreal forest
A. C. Corbani, A. Desrochers
Centre d’étude de la forêt, Faculté de foresterie, de géographie et de géomatique,
Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6
Email: andre.desrochers@sbf.ulaval.ca
Canada's boreal forests are famous for their role as breeding grounds for billions of
songbirds. Yet, we know very little about the basics of avian reproduction in this vast
ecosystem, let alone the mechanisms behind avian reproduction dynamics, mostly
because of difficulties in getting reliable fitness data over extensive areas and for entire
species communities. However, recent work from our lab suggests that forest
fragmentation may have strong enough fitness consequences to exert significant
selective pressure on forest songbird dispersal abilities. Here, we present links between
forest landscape attributes and songbird demographic responses at the community levelin an eastern Canadian boreal forest, Forêt Montmorency. We measured forest
landscape structure at two spatial scales (landscape and local) with standard GIS tools.
We measured songbird parental status through a novel combination of repeatedmeasures of parental behaviour and hierarchical modelling accounting for imperfectdetection. In most years, the proportion of adult songbirds with broods exceeded 70% inpeak nesting season. But nesting success appeared to decline from 1995 to 2013. Adults
with broods were more likely in years of low red squirrel abundance (a nest predator),
and when ambient temperatures in the preceding weeks were high. Adults with broods
were also more likely in older and less fragmented forests. Despite these significant
influences on parental status, our study area appears to exhibit a much higher nesting
songbird performance than most ecoregions of North America studied so far.

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p12-032

Direct and indirect effects of temperatures on egg mass in rockhopper
penguins
M. Poisbleau 1,2, N. Dehnhard 1,2, L. Demongin 1, P. Quillfeldt 2,3 and M. Eens 1
1

Biology - Ethology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, University of Konstanz, Germany
3
Animal Ecology & Systematics Group, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
Email: maud.poisbleau@uantwerp.be2

Energy trade-offs largely affect variation in reproductive efforts, especially in bird
species that start their reproductive processes before arrival at their breeding sites. We
tested whether temperatures (i.e. thermoregulation costs) influence the mass of the eggs
and of their three major components (yolk, albumen and shell) in a population ofSouthern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) breeding on New Island,
Falkland Islands (Malvinas). Egg formation starts during migration and ends in thecolony. In four breeding seasons, we weighed 878 eggs from 273 different females andcollected 301 eggs for analyses.
Sea surface temperatures (SST) positively influenced yolk mass, with stronger
effects on the first egg to be laid (A-egg) compared to the second egg (B-egg). By
contrast, SST negatively influenced albumen mass and egg mass. These results imply adirect positive influence of warm temperatures (energy trade-off between
self-maintenance and egg formation) on the yolk, which is partially formed at sea,
especially for the A-egg. They also suggest an indirect negative influence of warm
temperatures (via food availability and female body reserves) on the albumen, which isformed in the colony for both egg categories. Furthermore, air temperatures positively
influence the different components of egg mass but again to a greater extent for A-eggs
than for B-eggs. Shell mass was not significantly influenced by SST or air temperature.
Altogether, these results corroborate the idea that females faced a trade-off between
self-maintenance and reproduction during egg formation. The fact that B-eggs were lesssensitive to temperature variations than A-eggs also shows that the trade-off isasymmetrically directed towards A-eggs. This has important implications for crested
penguin (Eudyptes) species that rarely raise chicks from A-eggs and for which thedegree of the initial size hierarchy between siblings largely determines the survival oftwins in the Falkland Island populations.

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p12-034

The dynamics of prey biomass and breeding performance of sedentary andmigrant hole-nesting species
E. Ivankina1, T. Ilyina2, A. Bushuev 2 and A. Kerimov 2
1

Zvenigorod Biological Station, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University,
Russia2
Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University,
Moscow, Russia
Email: ivankinalena@yandex.ru
Two hole-nesting insectivorous species, Great Tit (Parus major, GT) and Pied Flycatcher(Ficedula hypoleuca, PF), have similar diets during the breeding season. GT is mainly asedentary species, while PF is a long-distant migrant. The populations of both species weremonitored over 25 years in the Moscow region. During the breeding season, caterpillars in
canopies of birch trees appeared to be the main food resource for both species in the study area.
Abundance of these insects, as surveyed during the last decade, depended on weather conditions
at the end of April and in May. Breeding dates of GT were influenced by weather conditions inMarch and April, while breeding timing of PF correlated with the temperature regime of May.
As resident species, GT started to breed earlier than PF. The differences between species were 3
weeks for mean laying dates and 2 weeks for mean dates of fledgling. Breeding dates of GT andPF widely overlapped in some years, when cold March and/or April temperatures were followed
by warm conditions in May. On average, GT started to breed one day before leafing of birch
trees and long before the mass appearance of caterpillars. PF laid their first eggs 19 days after
leafing and just before the date of mass appearance of insects. PF laid eggs earlier in the years
with high maximal insect biomass. Breeding dates of GT were more tightly coordinated with thefeatures of prey biomass dynamics than those of PF. For example, the timing of chick rearing
was much closer to the timing of peak caterpillar abundance in GT than in PF. In spite of thelarge differences in phenology, the indicators of fecundity and offspring quality in both species
were mainly dependent on the value of maximal insect biomass in birch canopies.

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p12-035

The global climate changes and bird populations’ survival
V. Serebryakov, I. Davydenko and O. Grygorjeva
Zoological Dept., Shevchenko National University in Kiev, Ukraine
Email: bcssu2@gmail.com
Global climate change not only impacts the total warming of the biosphere, but also results in a
global alteration and redistribution of heat and moisture. All this impacts the state of all biota,
including their bird populations. In an analysis of bird spring arrival data to Kiev city (since 1900,
about 100 bird species) and the Ukraine as a whole (since 1975) and an analysis of bird
distribution and their status across these areas it was shown that radical changes in bird
population have occured during the last decades. Several species have started to arrive earlier
than in previous years, whereas others –contrastingly – have started to arrive later. There are
species that did not change their phenology of migration. Some species became rare and yetothers increased in numbers. Some species changed their status and distribution. These results
show us that during any climate changes ornithocenosis will exist due to species for which thesechanges are suitable.

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p12-036

Breeding biology of White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) in
southern Vietnam: the avoidance of high predation pressure
I. V. Palko1,2, M.V. Kalyakin1,3, S.S. Gogoleva1,3
1

Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Center, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Institute of ecology and evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
3
Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Email: igopalko@gmail.com
2

South-East Asian forest-bird ecology is studied insufficiently, and limited to only a few works
related to hole-nesting passerines, which are very uncommon in lowland monsoon forests. From
2008–2013 we studied the biology of White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) nesting in
nestboxes (105–209 per breeding season) and in natural nest cavities in Cat Tien National Park,
southern Vietnam. This species is mostly common in forest and forest edges of Cat Tien and theonly species using nestboxes. During 6 breeding seasons, between 56.5 and 11.5% of thenestboxes were occupied. A total of 331 active nests were thus studied and 744 birds weremarked with color and metal rings. Habitats, population density, territorial behavior, the annual
cycle and breeding biology were described. We observed a high level of nest predation within
the study area for several species of passerines birds, as well as a strong competition for natural
nest cavities involving more than 45 species of other animals. In these circumstances Whiterumped Shama successfully exploited its niche of a small cavity-nester in the lower storey of thevegetation. Nesting failure was 17.8% (n=59) for couples breeding in nestboxes and 62.9%(n=17) for natural cavities. Our observational data and experiments with nestboxes demonstrated
that males show a strong preference for previously unused nest cavities as these are unknown topredators and not containing parasites. They also prefer recently formed cavities. The Whiterumped Shama is a sedentary bird with a very small home range (about 0.3 ha). Therefore it canfind fresh cavities easily. Additionally, this species is characterized by a high level of plasticity
when choosing a place for nest building. Thus, we postulate that its nest-site selection strategy
assists the White-rumped Shama in being a high density representative of a guild of otherwise
highly uncommon hole-nesting passerines in the rich tropical lowland forests of South-East Asia.

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Maximum recorded longevity of birds in the southernmost forests of the
world
Jaime E. Jiménez1,2,3,4, Rajan Rijal1& Ricardo Rozzi2,3,4
1

Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
Department of Philosophy & Religion Studies, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
3
Omora Ethnobotanical Park, Universidad de Magallanes, Chile
4
Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Chile.
E-mail: jaime.jimenez@unt.edu
2

The ecology of southern forest birds is little known, and even less is known on their longevity.
Here, based on monthly mist netting data of more than 12 years we report on the maximum
longevity of forest passerine birds and we model the relationship of longevity with body mass,month of the first capture, and migratory status. Between March 2000 to August 2013, in a
mixture of deciduous and evergreen forests at the Omora Ethnobotanical Park (56oS), on
Navarino Island, southern Chile, we caught 1,026 individuals at least twice from the 10 mostabundant bird species. We estimated longevity based on the time period between the first and lastcapture of each individual in the mist nets. To evaluate the effects of variables on longevity weran a generalized linear model. Our results show that the longest lived species were the migranttyrannid White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps, 15g, 8.15 years), the resident emberizid
Patagonian Sierra-finch (Phrygilus patagonicus, 23g, 7.60 years), and the resident furnarid
Thorn-tailed Rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda, 12g, 6.85). However, mean longevity for these
species was 1.27 (n=123), 0.89 (n=318), and 0.80 (n=427) years, respectively. The results of theGeneralized Linear Model indicate that the date of first capture, the body mass, and the monthwhen a bird was captured were the factors that best explained the longevity of thebirds. Although the three migratory species were twice as small (14.08g) as the 6 resident species(28.97g), there was no effect of body mass on longevity. The estimated longevities areconservative values of how long each bird species can live as most of these birds were banded as
adults and they still lived after their last recapture.

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p12-038

The wild Jungle Crow: most familiar in Japan, yet mysterious
H. Matsubara1 and E. Morishita2
1

The University Museum, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Bunkyo-gakuin University, Fujimino, Japan
Email: hajime@um.u-tokyo.ac.jp
2

For foreign ornithologists visiting Tokyo, the hordes of large, black and fearless crows
all around make up one of the most impressive scenes. These are Jungle Crows (Corvus
macrorhynchos). The Jungle Crow’s distribution ranges from Afghanistan to far eastern
Russia. Interestingly, the species does not occur in urban areas except in Japan. In Japan,
where Jungle Crows can be easily observed, there are many studies on crows in cities orin a captive situation. On the other hand, we have almost no study on wild Jungle Crows,
and therefore little is known about their life in a natural environment. Here, as a firststep towards elucidating their mysterious life, we report the results of a preliminary
study on Jungle Crows in Japanese forests. We searched for Jungle Crows by applying
fixed-point observations and play-back experiments in an uninhabited forest
environment. We indeed found crows in these forests proving that they are literally‘Jungle Crows’. Results of play-backs in 12 study sites (evergreen artificial coniferous
forest or deciduous broadleaved forests) showed that the crows’ density wassignificantly higher in coniferous forests than in deciduous forest. In addition we
conducted fixed-point observations in uninhabited forests at various altitudes on
Yakushima Island. Results showed that crows are evenly distributed between evergreen
broadleaved forests and evergreen coniferous forests. In conclusion, our data prove that
Jungle Crows also occur in uninhabited mountainous areas. They prefer evergreen
forests to deciduous forest, but do not make distinction between coniferous andbroad-leaf evergreen forests. A possible explanation may be that Jungle Crows preferevergreen trees as nest sites to avoid predation, as shown in former studies. However,their food habits in dense and dark coniferous forests remain unknown. This still makes
them mysterious wild Crows.

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p12-039

Differences in breeding ecology of Great Tits between Japanese andEuropean populations
D. Nomi 1, T. Yuta 2 and I. Koizumi 1,2
1

Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Creative Research Institution, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Email: Daisuke.Nomi@ees.hokudai.ac.jp
2Comparative studies of inter- and intra-specific variation in breeding biology of birds
have been conducted over a century. They have provided significant insights into thecurrent understanding of the evolution and ecology of natural populations. Among themvariations in breeding biology of tits (Paridae) are well documented because of theirabundance and readily use of nest boxes for breeding. The Great Tit (Parus major) is
the most widely-distributed species in this family and ranges throughout Eurasia from
northern Europe and northern Africa to Japan and southern Indonesia. However, mostecological studies have been concentrated in Europe, the western end of its distribution,and very few have been done in the eastern end of the distribution. In the present study,
we compared breeding ecology in Great Tit populations between Europe and Japanfocusing on laying date and clutch size, which are two of the most studied life history
traits in birds. We found that Japanese populations have later laying date and larger
clutch size compared with populations at the same European latitude. We also found alatitudinal gradient in laying date and clutch size within Japanese populations. A
possible explanation for the late laying date and larger clutch size in Japanese
populations is the more seasonal environment typical in eastern continental regions. In
this poster presentation we also compare species composition, predator species andsome other breeding traits and discuss the differences in breeding ecology of eastern
and western Great Tit populations.

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p12-040

Cuckoo parasitism to sympatric closely related hosts, Brown andBull-headed Shrikes
S. Imanishi1
1

Nobeyama plateau bird study group, Tokyo, Japan

Email: imas@ams.odn.ne.jp
Common Cuckoos Cuculus canorus are obligate brood parasites that make otherspecies (hosts) incubate eggs and rear their nestlings. The hosts that accepted cuckoo
parasitism lose their own brood because cuckoo nestling evict all host’s eggs and/or
nestlings from the nest. As a result, many host species evolve the anti-parasitism
behaviour, and it is known that the anti-parasitism behaviour varies by hosts or hostpopulations. I studied the difference in responses to cuckoo parasitism between two
sympatric closely related host species, Brown and Bull-headed Shrike Lanius cristatus
and L. bucephalus. The study was conducted during 1990−1998 for Brown Shrike andduring 1990−2013 for Bull-headed Shrike in Nobeyama plateau, Central Japan. Brown
Shrike is smaller than Bull-headed Shrike in body size, egg size and the breeding
population size. The base colour of Brown Shrike’s egg is whitish or pinkish, whilethat of Bull-headed Shrike’s is mainly brown. The Brown Shrike has higher return rate
than the Bull-headed Shrike. Multi-parasitism and ejection rate in the Brown Shrike
was higher than those in the Bull-headed Shrike. The Brown Shrike tended to be moreaggressive against parasitizing cuckoos than the Bull-headed Shrike. However there
were no difference between two species in following variables; parasitism rate,
duration of cuckoo parasitism regardless of with and without attack by host(s), sojourntime of hosts in their nests in laying periods, parasitized breeding stage and time bycuckoo, size of cuckoo egg parasitized, length of incubation and brood period, eviction
period by cuckoo nestling. The differences in multi-parasitism rate could result fromdifferences in the number of available nests for the cuckoo to parasitize. Other
differences could result from the history of parasitism and/or the difference of traits
between two shrikes, e.g. return rate and/or base colour of eggs.

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p12-041

Identifying nest predators using interval-shooting function of waterproof digital
camerasH. Tojo1, and S. Nakamura2
1

Wildlife Ecology Lab., Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Matsunosato 1, Tsukuba City,
Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
2
Tokiwa Univ., Mito City, Ibaraki 310-8585, Japan
Email: tojo@ffpri.affrc.go.jp
The Red-billed Leiothrix is a babbler native to southern China and the Himalayan region and has invaded to
the Hawaiian Islands, Japan and some areas in Europe. Despite its success in invasion, leiothrix seems tosuffer a relatively high nest predation rate in Japan. Recent studies have suggested that high breeding densityof leiothrix may cause an increase of predation on sympatric native bird species that share nest predators(apparent competition). However, nest predators of these species have not been explored, because identifying
them is difficult, especially in dwarf bamboo Sasamorpha borealis thickets in which leiothrix nests. In order
to identify nest predators of leiothrix and native Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone, we usedinterval-shooting function of waterproof compact digital cameras during 2008 - 2013 on Mt. Tsukuba (877 ma.s.l.), central Japan. The camera system recorded that mammals, birds and reptiles were mainly responsible
for the nest predation and that jays and snakes were the main nest predators. We will discuss their possible
effects on the demography of the two bird species.

1
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p12-042

Review of aging techniques in birds and other vertebrates: most are notsufficiently accurate to deduce mortality rate from age distributions
Meijuan Zhao1*, Chris Klaassen2, Simeon Lisovski1, Marcel Klaassen1

1School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000,
Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia (email: meijuanz@deakin.edu.au)2

Korteweg-de Vries Institute for Mathematics, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Mortality rate is a key population dynamic parameter providing crucial insight into animal
population performance. For the estimation of mortality rates, mark-recapture data are mostfrequently used, but these require extensive, long-term datasets. Alternatively, population age
distributions could be used to the same effect. Most studies and models estimating mortality
rate from age distribution are based on the assumption that individual age is determinedaccurately, which is often violated as few aging techniques are capable of determining errorfree age estimates. We examined the consequences of inaccuracy in age estimation for theassessment of population mortality rates. To this end we first developed a simple mortality
rate from age-distribution model that we used to assess the propagation of age-estimation
errors to errors in mortality rate. Next, we reviewed the accuracy of a series of aging
techniques popularly employed in vertebrate ecology, including avian ecology. These
included measurement of telomere length and racemization. The results suggested that these
aging techniques are not sufficiently accurate to provide reliable estimates of mortality rate,
greatly limiting the applicability of mortality rate estimates from population age distributions.

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p12-043

Comparison of breeding parameters in Eurasian Tree Sparrow
between urban and rural areas.
S. Kasahara1･2, S. Matsui2, T. Kato2, O. K. Mikami3, G. Morimoto2, Y. Yamaguchi4 andK. Ueda2
1

Japan Bird Research Association, Tokyo, Japan
Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
3
Iwate- Medical University, Iwate, Japan
4
National Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research
Organization, Ibaraki, Japan
E-mail: urumeharappa@gmail.com
2

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus mainly lives on the edge of cultivated andlightly wooded areas in much of Europe, while the species is resident and breeds in awide range of environments from agricultural to urban and lives close to humans inJapan where House Sparrow Passer domesticus (larger species) is absent. Population
declines of the Eurasian Tree Sparrow has been a concern in recent years. Some factors
such as a shortage of suitable nest site and food due to urbanization has been suggested
as cause of population decline. Mikami (2009) and Mikami et al. (2011) found that the
number of fledglings cared for by parent(s) was lower in urban than rural areas. In orderto understand the factors that lead to low reproductive success in urban areas, we
compared breeding parameter between urban and rural areas. In our study, we put up
nest boxes in urban and rural areas in the 2011 and 2012 breeding seasons, and wecompared 7 breeding parameters in both areas: 1) clutch size, 2) hatchability, 3)
fledging success, 4) length of egg incubation and 5) nestling periods, 6) nestling’s bodymass on brood day 6 and 7) that on brood day 11. As results, we detected that nestlingbody mass on both day 6 and day 11 were lower in urban than rural areas. Fledging
success also tended to be lower in urban than rural areas. Other parameters such as
clutch size did not differ between the areas. These results suggest that food availability
and/or quality during nestling periods was low in urban environments.

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p12-044

Nest placement of Varied Tit Parus varius and Great Tit P. major in an
urban environment, Korea
S.J. Park 1, S.Y. Park 2, H.Y. Kang 1, M.S. Jeong 1, J.S. Kim 1, S.W. Yang 1 and W.S.
Lee 1
1

Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Shinan, Korea
Email: lutralutra@naver.com
2

Nest placement has an impact on the probability of breeding success. Therefore,
evaluation of the attributes of nest placement is important to understand bird breeding
strategies. However, few studies of nest placement have been conducted in urban
environments. Here, we studied whether Varied Tit and Great Tit considered vegetation
ratios and distance from forests when selecting nest sites in an urban environment. We
set up 89 nest boxes at Gwanak Campus of Seoul National University with 100 m
spacing. The campus had 40% vegetation cover and was surrounded with forests. We
measured vegetation ratios and straight-line distances from neighbouring forests.
Multiple logistic regression was used to determine nest placement attributes. Varied Tits
used nest boxes close to neighbouring forests (p = 0.044), but Great Tits tended to use
nest boxes with high vegetation (p = 0.055). In general Varied Tit is regarded as a forest
interior, so some breeding pairs of Varied Tits might immigrate from forests to use nest
boxes on the campus. Great Tits are regarded as forest generalists and seemed to selectnest boxes of high vegetated areas (high quality) to increase breeding success.

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p12-045

Long-term trends in nest success of waders in the Russian Arctic
M.Y. Soloviev 1 and P.S. Tomkovich 2
1

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Zoological Museum, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
E-mail: mikhail-soloviev@yandex.ru
2

Nest success of Arctic-breeding waders (Charadrii) is known to depend on abundance oflemmings as an alternative prey to predators and to impacts of adverse weather events during
incubation. Lemming cycles are believed to “fade out” during the last decades and manytundra areas are subject to warming which can influence nest success of waders. We studied
long-term trends in nest success of waders and in abundance of rodents across the Russian
Arctic using data accumulated in the framework of the “Arctic Birds Breeding Conditions
Survey” (http://www.arcticbirds.net). The dataset contained 295 records of nest success androdent abundance measured in the period 1988-2012 on an ordinal scale (low, average, high),while abiotic conditions were accounted for by inclusion of mean June temperatures,interpolated for the study sites from weather station data. Summer temperatures increased
significantly in the study period in all bioclimatic zones of the Russian Arctic. Response
variables were ordinal and we used logistic regression as a principal modeling technique. Nest
success increased significantly in 1988-2012 which was mostly attributed to increase in
number of sites with average nest success on behalf of sites with low nest success, while theabundance of rodents did not change significantly. Nest success was strongly related to bothmean June temperatures and the abundance of rodents. Given that mean June temperatures
increased in 1988-2012 and rodent abundance did not, we explain the long-term trend in nest
success of waders by increasing temperatures during incubation.

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p12-048

Monitoring avian productivity, recruitment, and survival in American Samoa,
Polynesia
N.S.D. Arcilla1, P. Pyle2, K. Tranquillo2 ,R. Badia2, D. Lipp2, C.S. Nell2, , E. Jeffreys2, A. ArcillaJr. 2, K. Kayano2, S.E.I. Jones2, A. Doyle2, S. Fitz-William2, E. Rowan2, and R. Taylor2
1

Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, American Samoa Government, Pago Pago,
American Samoa 96799
2
Institute for Bird Populations, PO Box 1346, Point Reyes Station, California, 94956
Email: arcilland@gmail.com
Very few data currently exist on the demographic rates (productivity, recruitment, and survival)of birds in American Samoa, Polynesia. Application of standardized constant-effort mist-netting
and modern capture-recapture analytical techniques is an effective means of monitoring
demographic rates of many landbird species. We have developed a “Tropical Monitoring Avian
Productivity and Survivorship” (TMAPS) program on the islands of Tutuila and Ta'u, American
Samoa. TMAPS stations were operated on three consecutive days (representing a "pulse"), once
per month. Each station consisted of a 200-ha sampling area within which 10 mist nets wereerected and operated in a standardized manner. Birds captured were identified to species, aged
and sexed as permitted by visual means, and banded with numbered aluminum leg bands.
Detailed molt data and photographs were obtained to investigate molt seasonality and criteria for
age determination using a molt-cycle based age-coding system. Here we describe results basedon data collected during 13 consecutive pulses from August 2012 to August 2013 (Tutuila only)
and four pulses during December 2013 to March 2014 (Tutuila and Ta'u). Capture rates for six
species (Collared Kingfisher, Samoan [Fiji] Shrikebill, Cardinal Honeyeater, Polynesian Starling,
and Samoan Starling) were sufficiently high to effectively monitor demographic rates. Capture
rates were much higher on Ta'u than on Tutuila. Based on results from the 13 consecutive pulses
in 2012-2013, breeding for most species peaked in November-February, though in some species
breeding occurred at other times as well. Based on these seasonal results we focused mist-netting
effort to the austral summer period in 2013-2014 and will do so in future years. In 2014-2015 weplan to train Samoan biologists on mist-net monitoring techniques so they will be able to operate
the stations

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-049

Effects of environmental variability during breeding and non-breeding
period on population dynamics of Black-tailed Gulls in thenorthwestern Pacific
N. Tomita1, K. Narita, A. Narita2, F. Sato1 & G. Morimoto3,4
1

Division of Avian Conservation, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan
Aomori Prefectural School Education Center, Aomori, Japan
3
Division of Natural History, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Chiba, Japan
4
College of Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
Email: tomita@yamashina.or.jp
2

In long-lived seabirds, parameters of population dynamics, such as reproductive
performance and adult survival, are sensitive to changing environmental conditions,
therefore are important for modeling population dynamics and managing populations.
Approximately 30,000-35,000 Black-tailed Gulls (Larus crassirostris) are estimated tobreed on Kabu Island (40°32’ N, 141°33’ E), Hachinohe, northeastern Japan. Chicks
have been ringed before fledging (760-2,523 chicks/year), and recaptures of marked
adults have been carried out every year since 1973 on the island by the Ministry ofEnvironment and Yamashina Institute for Ornithology. In this study, we examined
relationships between the return rate of each cohort to the island and environmental
variability of the breeding and non-breeding period within a year after hatching. Cohort
differences in the return rate were related to air temperatures in June (chick-rearing
period) in Hachinohe and sea surface temperatures (SST) from January to March off theeastern coast of Japan between the Kuroshio Extension and the Oyashio Front (i.e. theKuroshio/Oyashio Transition Zone). The return rates were high in cohorts of warm airtemperatures during the chick-rearing period and cold SST during the wintering period.
It was suggested that northeasterly winds, called the “Yamase,” which usually brings
cold and cloudy summers over northeastern Japan, reduced survival rates of chicks until
fledgling. In addition, a decrease in the cold water current to south, called the Oyashio,
may reduce the abundance of major prey species (e.g. pelagic fish and zooplankton) for
the gulls during the wintering period in the Kuroshio/Oyashio Transition Zone and may
reduce survival of young gulls from fledging to next year.
This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Specially
Designated Research Promotion) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.

436

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

Costs of nest building in the Great Tit

p12-050

Iga Alicja Gozdz, Tomasz Dariusz Mazgajski, Anna Dubiec
iga@miiz.waw.pl
The avian „costs of reproduction” in many aspects are still poorly understood. Out of the threemain nesting stages - nest building, incubation and nestling feeding - the two latter onesreceived the most attention, while nest building was largely neglected as being considered tobe less costly. Here, we experimentally manipulated the investment into the nest building
stage in a hole-nesting passerine – the Great Tit Parus major (species with female-only nestbuilding), and investigated the consequences of different levels of investment for body andhealth condition as well as for reproductive performance. We predicted that birds forced tobuild heavier nests would pay the costs of the elevated investment into nest building in termsof deterioration of body and health condition as well as reproductive performance. Healthcondition was assessed at the end of the nesting period with hemoglobin concentration, whiteblood cells profile, the status and intensity of infection with malaria parasites and the level ofoxidative stress, and reproductive performance with the number and size of eggs, theincubation and nestling feeding pattern and the ability to commence a second brood.
The experimental nests were significantly heavier than nests from the unmanipulated group,suggesting that birds from the experimental group had increased their nest building
expenditures. The manipulation did not influence the mass and the number of laid eggs nor
was there a relationship between nest mass and female condition. Neither infection status nor
infection intensity differed between females and males from unmanipulated and manipulated
treatments. Although during the second brood more birds were observed from the control thanthe experimental group (21% vs 4%), the differences were not significant.
The preliminary results indicate that in the Great Tit the nest building stage is not associatedwith pronounced costs, that could be observed in adult condition or breeding performance.

437

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-053

Colony development and density-dependent processes in breeding Grey
Herons
T. Shirai
Animal Ecology Laboratory, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
Email: ardea@k00.itscom.net
The density-dependent processes that limit the colony size of colonially breeding birds
such as herons and egrets remain unclear, because it is difficult to monitor colonies fromthe first year of their establishment, and most previous studies have considered
mixed-species colonies. In the present study, single-species colonies of Grey Heron(Ardea cinerea) were observed from the first year of their establishment for 16 years insuburban Tokyo. Colony size increased after establishment, illustrating a saturation curve.
The breeding duration (days from nest building to fledging by a pair) increased, but the
number of fledglings per nest decreased, with colony size. The reproductive season ineach year began earlier, and there was greater variation in the timing of individual
breeding when the colony size was larger. The prolonged duration until nestling feedingby early breeders of the colony suggests that herons at the beginning of the new breeding
season exist in an unsteady state due to the presence of frequent intense interactions with
one another, likely owing to interactions with immigrant individuals. Suchdensity-dependent interference may affect reproductive success and limit the colony sizeof Grey Herons.

438

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-054

Changes in numbers of Mute Swan Cygnus olor in the internal areas of
Ukraine for the last decades
A. Chovan, V. Prorochuk & V. Serebryakov
Zoological Dept., Shevchenko national university in Kiev, Ukraine
Email: bcssu2@gmail.com
In the 19th and 20th centuries Mute Swan
numbers changed and the breeding area was reduced in
Ukraine. In the second half of the 19th century this species was common
in lower parts of the
Dniester, Danube and Dnieper rivers, and in the first half of the 20th century only on the Dniesterand Danube rivers. For the internal regionsof the country it was mentioned as a rare species.
Beginning from the second half of the 20th century due to suitable factors (climate change, hunt
limitation since 1935, eutrophication of reservoirs, adaptation to human activities) the swans’
numbers began to grow. Until the 1960s the lower part of the Dnieper River was considered as
the northern border of its breeding area in Ukraine. The first records of its nests in the internalareas are dated in 1966-1968 on the Shatsk lakes in Volyn region (north-west of Ukraine). In the
1970s swans began to nest on the Dnieper River reservoirs and its tributaries. Approximately atthis time birds appeared nesting in the east and central regions of Ukraine. Numbers of Swansand their distribution range started to increase in the 1990s and this has continued in our time.
Records of large groups of vagrant birds have been reported in the summer period in the
different regions of Ukraine. The first such accumulations were noted in 2013 while this wasvery rare before. Probably it is a result of its overpopulation in other regions, leading to a lack ofsuitable places to nest. Currently Mute Swans аre common everywhere in Ukraine during thebreeding season and migration except for mountain areas. They winter mostly along the coasts of
the Azov and Black Seas.

439

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-055

Assessing behavioural responses to climate change:
nest site selection, breeding success and stress in the Crimson Rosella
E.R. Larson1, J.R. Eastwood¹, K.L. Buchanan¹, W.A. Buttemer¹, A.T.D. Bennett¹ and M.L.
Berg¹
¹Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin
University, Geelong 3217, Victoria, Australia;
Email: elarson@deakin.edu.au
Climate change is resulting in increasing mean temperatures, greater temperature variability
and more frequent extreme temperature events. This is predicted to affect bird species innumerous ways, including reducing range, habitat suitability and breeding success. Cavitynesting species may be particularly at risk because they are limited in their choice of nest
location and anthropogenic disturbances are decreasing their availability. Artificial nest boxes
are often used to mitigate hollow loss, however nest boxes differ significantly from natural
hollows in their thermal characteristics. To date, some studies have explored the effects ofnest temperature on breeding success in birds, but few have considered the effects oftemperature variability and extremes. We determined the relationship between internal nest
box temperature and nest box choice, breeding success and nestling mass in the Crimson
Rosella (Platycercus elegans). Mean temperature and temperature variability consistently had
the greatest impact on reproductive success; however these variables had opposing effects at
different stages of the breeding cycle. Higher mean temperatures were related to larger clutch
sizes and greater hatchability. In contrast, higher mean temperatures and greater temperature
variability had a negative effect on the number of chicks which fledged. In contrast to moststudies, higher mean temperatures also negatively affected nestling growth, however higher
minimum temperatures had a positive effect. We also found that duration was more important
than the magnitude of extreme temperatures. Temperature variables did not differ between
occupied and unoccupied boxes, suggesting that rosellas do not choose nest boxes based on
temperature. Nestling stress levels in relation to nest thermal history is being examined, and
we also report trials of the effectiveness of insulation modifications on nest box temperature.
Our findings suggest that variation in nest microclimates due to climate change may havesignificant consequences for breeding success, particularly in species that cannot adapt
behaviorally.

440

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-056

Ecological characteristics of nesting Wood Pigeons Columba palumbus in thecentral part of the forest-steppe zone in Ukraine
V. Yanenko, V. Serebryakov & D. Kurinnyi
Zoological Dept., Shevchenko National University in Kiev, Ukraine
Email: bcssu2@gmail.com

Recently, European ornithologists have focused a lot of attention on the Wood Pigeon
Columba palumbus L. In recent decades this aboriginal forest species has become rightly
considered as urbanized. Wood Pigeons have started to nest in parks, forest belts, squares, publicgardens and orchards. According to this factor, it becomes a convenient model species forstudying its breeding biology. Pigeons start to build their nests in Ukraine in mid-April. The firsteggs are found in late April – early May. Both pair members incubate the clutch and start thisprocess from the first egg. The female spends much more time in the nest than the male. The
second egg is laid 2–3 days after the first, so the nestlings have different ages. The incubation
continues about 20 days. The nestlings spend 20–21 days in the nest. After leaving the nest with
their parents they stay together. Old birds take care of young ones. After the nestlings leave theirparents, the couple starts a new clutch. Until recently, it was known that there are two clutcheswithin a breeding season. However, our study proved that birds may have a third clutch as well.
Along the period 2010–2013 in the central part of the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine we haverepeatedly recorded late broods, with egg laying and young individuals occurring in September
and October. We also confirmed this observation through female Wood Pigeons obtained during
the hunting season with fully formed eggs present in their bodies. This means that the birds wereready to form the next clutch. Similar cases have been reported by our colleagues in the south of
Ukraine.

441

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-057

Seasonal decline in reproductive parameters within two Wryneck(Jynx torquilla) populations
D.A. Wiggins 1, M. Schaub 2 and E. Arbinger 3
1

Hallkved, Glupen 299, Uppsala, Sweden
Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
3
Ekhovsvägen 29, Mariefred Mariefred, Sweden
Email: david.wiggins@gmail.com
2

We studied seasonal patterns of reproductive success in the Wryneck (Jynx torquilla), a
species that has undergone significant population declines throughout Europe.
Wrynecks nested in nest boxes in southern Switzerland (2002-2012) and central Sweden(2003-2012) and were followed throughout the breeding season to establish clutch
iniation date, clutch size, fledging success, and initiation of second broods. In the Swiss
study area, Wrynecks initiated breeding slightly earlier and also had a second peak ofclutch initiations in June (second clutches). Second clutches were exceptionally rare in
Sweden, where clutch size was significantly larger. In both study areas clutch size andfledging success declined significantly over the course of the breeding season, but the
declines were weaker than that seen in typical temperate zone woodpeckers andpasserines.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-058

Dark and pale Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) males differ in foraging
strategies
T.A. Ilyina1, E.V. Ivankina2, A.B. Kerimov1 and A.V. Bushuev1
1

Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State
University, Moscow, Russia
2
Zvenigorod biological station of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow region,
RussiaEmail: ilyina@mail.bio.msu.ru
The influence of caterpillar dynamics on breeding performance of polymorphic Pied Flycatchers(PF) was studied in the Moscow region in 2002-2013. Food items delivered to nestlings byparental birds were detected by video in 2009-2013. Clutch size and nesting success of PF wasstrongly affected by characteristics of caterpillar abundance. Dark males in comparison to paleones were more sensitive to the features of caterpillar dynamics and better matched theirbreeding dates with the favorable feeding period. However, the final reproductive output of dark
and pale males was similar. Since dark and pale males did not differ in the quality of their female
mates, we proposed that pale males might better cope with low abundance of food resourсes.
Controlling for the year and time of the season, we showed that food items delivered to thenestlings by pale males tended to be more variable than items brought by dark males. In
comparison to dark males, pale males more often delivered prey of two or more kinds at thesame time. Similarly to other behavioral and physiological features (Kerimov et al., 2012),
foraging patterns of pale males reflect their flexibility in comparison to routine-like features ofdark males. This foraging flexibility of pale males may compensate their seeming disadvantage
in breeding timing.

443

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-059

Onset of the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship(MAPS) program in Japan, to verify impacts on the avifauna in
Fukushima
N. Nakamura 1, K. Ozaki 1, S. Komeda 1 and T Hiroi 1
1

Division of Avian Conservation, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology , Chiba, Japan
Email: nakamura@yamashina.or.jp
In Japan, bird banding commenced in 1924, with the main objective of studying
movements of birds, resulting in a relatively poor effort put into banding breeding
populations. The majority of breeding birds banded were seabirds, and a standardized
data collection scheme for landbird population did not exist.
Following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011, long term monitoringhas become necessary to determine effects on wildlife in radioactive contaminated areas.
To verify if there are apparent changes in productivity and adult survival rates of birds
in the contaminated areas, a Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship Program(MAPS) commenced in Japan in 2012.
Research sites include three sites in the Fukushima prefecture, and other sites in
uncontaminated prefectures. The site with the highest radiation level was Iitate village,
with the ground surface radiation exceeding 20 micro-Sieverts / hour in 2012. Radiationlevels of two other sites in Fukushima were relatively low.
We will describe preliminary results from the first two years of the MAPS program inJapan. Data is still insufficient for statistical analysis, but fledgling ratios of major
species captured in Iitate village in 2012 and 2013 seemed comparable touncontaminated areas. The most abundant species captured in Iitate was JapaneseBush-warbler (Cettia diphone), followed by Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus).
5 out of 28 adult Japanese Bush-warblers banded at Iitate in 2012 were recaptured in2013 (17.9%), and 2 out of 11 adult Japanese White-eyes were recaptured in 2013(18.2%). These adult recapture rates also seemed comparable to uncontaminated areas.
During the two years, several individuals with colour aberration in feather or skin wereobserved in contaminated areas. Data is presently insufficient to judge if the occurrence
rate of these colour aberrations is higher compared to uncontaminated areas.

444

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-060

Characteristics of the Fairy Pitta call during its breeding season
Eishi Uematsu
Shinsyu Raptor Migration Research Group
Email:eishi-u@zd5.so-net.ne.jp
The Fairy Pitta is a summer visitor that migrates to the islands of Honshu, Shikoku andKyushu of Japan. The species is designated as endangered in the Red Data Books ofJapan and Southeast Asia. The Fairy Pitta is known to exist locally in the Japanese
habitats of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, but it is also thought to reside in habitats as
yet undiscovered. Moreover, a solid understanding of the number of individuals residingin these Japanese habitats as well as the breeding circumstances in each habitat islacking.
The calls of males and females of the species are identical. They have a short, two-tone
call. While calls are highly frequent up until pair bond formation, that frequency falls
afterward. Also, calls are exchanged several times when the male and female switch
turns performing egg incubation. These characteristics provide useful clues to a fuller
understanding of population counts and breeding conditions. Starting in 2008, I
conducted monitoring of the numbers of Fairy Pitta individuals using a sound recorder
set on a timer. In this research I report on the characteristics of the Fairy Pitta callduring its breeding season and the efficacy of monitoring using timed sound recording.

445

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-061

Population Trends of Wintering Eurasian Coot Fulica atra in East
Asia
H. Hashimoto 1 and H. Sugawa 2
1

Faculty of Agriculture, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
Ryukoku University, Kyoto, Japan
Email: hihashi@meijo-u.ac.jp
2

The range of Eurasian Coot Fulica atra in Japan has expanded gradually since the1980s, and the numbers of coot wintering at several sites in Japan have increased. We
summarize the trends in coot numbers wintering in Japan and mainland East Asia fromthe Asian Waterbird Census data and other various count data in Japan. In Japan,
wintering numbers of coot have increased in most regions, except in northern Chiba
Prefecture, in the Kanto region of Honshu. The increase began in the late 1990s oraround 2000 at several water bodies in the Kanto, Chubu, Kinki and Chugoku regionsof Honshu. It also increased in the mid-2000s at several water bodies in the Tohoku,
Kanto, Chubu, and Kinki regions of Honshu, and also on the island of Kyushu. The
number in Lake Biwa in the Chubu region has reached 47,456 in 2012. In China, huge
numbers (6,000-60,000) of coot overwintered at several sites in the lower Yangtze
floodplain (e.g., Poyang Lake, Dongting Lake) and along the Jiangsu Coast near the
Yangtze River mouth (e.g., Yancheng Nature Reserve, Hongze Hu Lake) during the
1990s. However, during the 2000s, no sites in China held more than 10,000 winteringcoot. The number of coot wintering in coastal south China has also decreased. In South
Korea, the number of wintering coot has increased especially since the mid-2000s. The
increases in the populations of wintering coot in central and western Japan and in South
Korea seem to be mainly as a result of changes in coot populations and/or habitats
outside Japan. We suggest two possible causes: the breeding population of coot on the
East Asian mainland (mainly in Far East Russia) may have increased, or some coot thatused to overwinter in China may have begun wintering in Japan and South Korea.

446

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA12 Population & individual ecology

p12-062

Reproduction in the king penguin: constraints imposed by colonialbreeding and a long chick raising period.
Vincent A. Viblanc1, Antoine Stier2,3 Sophie Reichert2,3, Yves Handrich2,3, Sylvie
Massemin2,3, François Criscuolo2,3, Pierre Bize4 and Jean-Patrice Robin2,3
Email : jean-patrice.robin@iphc.cnrs.fr
1

Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionelle & Evolutive, UMR 5175 CNRS-UM2, 1919 Route de
Mende 34293 Montpellier, France;
2
Université de Strasbourg, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Département D’Ecologie,
Physiologie et Ethologie, 67087 Strasbourg, France;
3
CNRS, UMR7178, 67087, Strasbourg, France;
4
Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology
building, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
The diversity of life histories is mainly explained by the concept that organisms face tradeoffs. Vital functions such as growth, reproduction and defence (immunity, maintenance) rely
on energy and resources, and investments in one function are expected to occur at the expenseof other functions if relying on the same, limited, pool of energy and resources.
The king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is a colonial seabird that takes over a year tofledge its single chick while enduring long-term fasts during incubation and chick-rearing.
These reproductive characteristics imply several constraints for the adults: breeding in highdensity colonies may induce a social stress or locally expose breeding birds to high levels oftick infestation while fasting during incubation or raising the young chick. Growing chicks
also have to reach a body mass threshold to sustain the prolonged period of restricted caloric
intake during the subantarctic winter.
Our results indicate that i) high social density that could be imposed by limited availability offavourable breeding sites and/or timing of reproduction may induce a chronic stress in adults,ii) tick infestation has strong pervasive effects on the physiology, behaviour and reproductionof adults, with marked effects on offspring growth -chicks of deparasitized adults growing
faster than other ones-, iii) extremely rapid bone accretion associated with a desynchronizedmuscles growth in the chicks (the pectoral girdle growing at a slower rate than the pelvic
girdle) allows substantial storage of body reserves before winter and iiii) chicks born late in
the reproductive season having shorter telomere lengths (which is considered as a proxy of
individual fitness) and higher corticosterone and oxidative stress levels than chicks born earlyin the season.
These results will be discussed in light of the fitness consequences of these different
constraints for this long-lived seabird.

447

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-001

Comparative osteology of the family Accipitridae (Aves:
Accipitriformes) with a reassessment of its phylogenetic relationships
R. Migotto 1 and E. Höfling 1
1

Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, SãoPaulo, Brasil
Email: rmigotto@usp.br
The family Accipitridae figures as one of the largest lineages of non-passerine modern
birds comprising 67 genera and 256 species globally distributed. Phylogenetic
relationships among accipitrid genera have been historically debated, with many efforts
aimed at the recognition of subgroups. Although there have been several studies on thecomparative anatomy of the group, morphological studies based on cladistic methods
are restricted to a single investigation which provided limited insights into thephylogeny of the group. In contrast, over the last decade, several hypotheses based onmolecular data have been put forward and demonstrated that many of the traditional
assemblages do not correspond to monophyletic groups. As a consequence novel intrafamilial arrangements were proposed for the family. Stemming from an investigation of
the evolution of morphological attributes in accipitrids, a new phylogenetic hypothesis
is presented based on the examination of the cranial and post-cranial skeleton from acomprehensive taxonomic representation of the group. Some 433 specimens from
Brazilian and North American collections were consulted, which represented 113
species and 59 accipitrid genera. From the literature and comparative study of thematerial, 161 osteological characters were coded, of which 116 were binary and 45 nonordered multistate. The data matrix was submitted to parsimony analysis on thesoftware TNT and resulted in 36 equally most parsimonious trees. The strict consensus
topology showed large congruence with recent phylogenetic hypotheses for Accipitridae
based on molecular data, with 11 of the 14 subfamilies proposed by those studies
recovered in the present study, most with significant support. Based on the topology
obtained and previous phylogenies of the group, a taxonomic rearrangement for thefamily Accipitridae is proposed comprising 10 subfamilies. Furthermore, the data
presented here provides a potential framework for the phylogenetic positioning of thefossil taxa and future calibration of divergence time estimates within the family lineages.

448

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-002

Turnover of breeding bird communities on land-bridge islands: testing
MacArthur and Wilson’s theory
Xingfeng Si1, Stuart L. Pimm2, Gareth J. Russell3, Ping Ding1*
1

The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministryof Education, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058,
China
2
Nicholas School of the Environment, Box 90328, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708,
U.S.A.
3
Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ
07102, U.S.A.
Email: X. Si: xingfengsi@gmail.com
P. Ding*: dingping@zju.edu.cn

MacArthur and Wilson’s theory of island biogeography proposes that the species’
colonization rates of islands depend on their isolation, while local extinction rates dependon their area. Alternatives recognise that area can affect colonization and isolation affectextinction and, moreover, that these relationships may dominate. We quantify these
relationships using long-term counts of breeding bird communities on 37 land-bridge
islands from 2007 to 2012 in the Thousand Island Lake, China. For each island, we
estimated colonization and extinction rates using logistic regression. We analysed thecolonization and extinction rates, as well as derived estimates of species turnover rates
and incidence, across the island attributes of area and isolation. Our results showed that(1) extinction decreased on islands with larger area, (2) colonization decreased withincreasing distance to mainland, though the effect was weak, and (3) colonization
increased with area. We also found island species turnover had the same pattern as
extinction across island area and isolation. Pool turnover is the number of species thatcolonize or disappear from one year to the next, divided by the number of species in thepool. It increased on islands with larger area. Incidence also increased with area. We
found no significant relationship between incidence and distance to nearby larger
landmass that was not as expected by the theory. Island area was the best predictor ofboth colonization and extinction, while isolation was not a significant factor in predictingcolonization, island turnover, and incidence. This is likely because of the relatively small
scale (~ 580 km2) and recently isolated history (~ 50 years) of our research system, andthe strong dispersal ability of birds. Thus, the similarities and differences between
processes expected by theory and from a previous study that measured colonization andextinction directly follow from the special features of these islands.
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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-003

Factors that promote large body size in insular varied tits (Poecile
varius)K. Fujita1, G. Fujita2, and H. Higuchi3
1

Faculty of Science, Toho University, Chiba, Japan
School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
3
Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, SFC, Kanagawa, Japan
2

Email: 5907852f@nc.toho-u.ac.jp
Factors such as latitude, temperature (Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules), predators,
interspecific and intraspecific competitors, and food abundance (island rule) have been
hypothesized to play significant roles in influencing geographic variation in body size
within species. In addition, certain studies have shown that intraspecific variation inavian bill characteristics, such as bill length, are associated with geographic variation in
the size of specific foods. Here, we investigated factors that promote geographic
variation in morphological characteristics related to the body size of varied tits (Poecile
varius) on the Izu Islands, Japan. On the islands, three subspecies were classified on thebasis of morphological characteristics; tits were larger on islands located to the south.
Molecular analysis of the mtDNA of varied tits on the islands showed identical
haplotypes across the islands and the mainland (Ohta 2000); however, microsatellite
analysis showed that the genetic structure of large-sized tits resembled those ofsmall-sized tits rather than those of intermediate-sized tits on the islands (Fujita et al. in
prep.). The main food of the tits on the islands was acorns of Castanopsis sieboldii, andthe large-sized subspecies showed higher foraging rates on acorns than the small-sized
subspecies (Higuchi 1975, 1976). Results of generalized mixed models showed that bill
and tarsus lengths were correlated with acorn sizes, possible because these traits areassociated with manipulation of acorns. In addition, bill-length/body-mass ratios werecorrelated with temperature, possible because these traits are associated withthermoregulation. The long bill-length of insular tits may be related to foraging
efficiency on acorns, in addition to improved thermoregulation. In conclusion, food andphysiological limitations may be superior to phylogenetic constraints in generating
morphological diversification in varied tits on the Izu Islands.

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p13-004

Seasonal niche duality challenges classical predictor variable selectionin species distribution models of migratory birds
Darius Stiels 1, Kathrin Schidelko 1, Dennis Rödder 2, Jan O. Engler 1,3
1

Section of Ornithology, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn,
Germany
2
Section of Herpetology, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn,
Germany
3
SPAMWELL Lab, Department of Forest Zoology and Forest Conservation, University
of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Email: d.stiels@zfmk.de
Species distribution models (SDMs) have become one of the major tools in many
aspects of avian biogeography. However, there are several challenges that have to be
met to achieve biologically meaningful results. Herein, we deal with the right choice ofenvironmental predictors for SDMs in bird studies. In contrast to most other organisms,
migratory behaviour in birds is a common phenomenon which makes standard
procedures of modelling less transferable. Very often, predictor variables are usedwhich are based on year-round climate data although the target species is confronted
with this climate only for a small part of the year, e.g. during the breeding or the
wintering season. Herein, we test the effects of year-round variables vs. seasonallyconstricted variables on modelling the breeding range of pairs of migratory sister
species occurring in parapatry. We focus on Holarctic systems choosing species pairs
either from the Nearctic or from the Palaearctic. Given climate niche conservatism as apremise, we assume that seasonal breeding niches of species pairs should be moresimilar to each other than niches derived from year-round predictor sets. Furthermore,
we expect that different predictors cause disparities in predicted potential distributions.
We discuss our results within the growing framework of the theory of recent modelling
approaches as well as under practical application-oriented approaches.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-005

Predicting the potential distributions of indigobirds and estrildid
finches – the impact of climate change on complex parasite-hostinteractions
K. Schidelko 1, J.O. Engler 1,2, D. Rödder 3 and D. Stiels 1
1

Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Section of Ornithology, Bonn,
Germany
2
SPAMWELL Lab, Department of Forest Zoology and Forest Conservation, University
of Göttingen, Germany
3
Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Section of Herpetology, Bonn,
Germany
Email: K.Schidelko@zfmk.de
Changes and shifts in the distribution of animal and plant species are one of theconsequences of anthropogenic climate change. Especially interacting taxa, whose
ranges are influenced by each other, could be affected by changing climatic conditions,particularly if they react in different ways on climate change. In Sub-Saharan Africa,
indigobirds (Viduidae) are obligate brood parasites of estrildid finches (Estrildidae).
Different levels of complexity characterize the study group: from single indigobird
species parasitizing single estrildid finches to parasites with multiple hosts. The
parasites’ ranges are located within the range limits of their respective hosts or have aneven smaller extent. In this study, we analyse possible spatial shifts of host and parasite
ranges in the near future in order to assess whether parasites follow their hosts or lag
behind. For this purpose, we project the potential distribution of parasites and their hostspecies onto different climate change scenarios using species distribution modelling.
We test whether parasites are likely to track possible prospective shifts in the ranges of
their hosts and assess whether range relocations come along with shifts in distributional
host exposure in more complex parasite-host systems. Therefore, we inferredpredictions about potential future discrepancies in the respective potential ranges anddiscuss similarities and differences in the climatic niches of the species in ecologicalspace.

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p13-006

Biodiversity patterns of Passerine birds in the Middle East
M. Aliabadian1, N. Alaie1, O. Mirshamsi1
1- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM),
Mashhad, IranEmail: Mansour.Aliabadian@ncbnaturalis.nl
The Middle East is an important zone for a considerable number of bird taxa from the westernand eastern Palearctic and from the arid belt of Africa. We digitized and analyzed thegeographical distribution maps of Passerine birds in the Middle East using WORLDMAP
software.The map of the Middle East region was divided to 1º × 1º grid cells (total grid cell area:
4062km2). Analyzing the geographic distribution of species richness for our data set depicted thehighest richness mostly located in the Alborz and Zagros Mountains in the south of the CaspianSea and Caucasus and the lowest species richness observed in the south of the Middle East suchas the Sahara of Africa and Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain andCentral parts of Iran. Spatial patterns of species richness are also congruent with climatic andenvironmental variation. Our results demonstrated that two factors, annual precipitation andmean diurnal range show the largest contribution to the distribution pattern of passerine birds in
the Middle East.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-007

The exposed continental shelf in the ice age as a long distancecolonization route? The southeastern Asian origin of Hainan andTaiwan Hill Partridges
De Chen 1#, Jiang Chang 1, 2#, Shou-Hsien Li 3, Yang Liu 4, Wei Liang 5, Cheng-Te Yao 6
and Zhengwang Zhang 1*
1

Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life
Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
2State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese
Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China
3
Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, China
4
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen
University, Guangzhou, China
5
College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
6
Medium Altitude Experimental Station, Endemic Species Research Institute, Chichi,
Nantou, China
Email: chadchencn@gmail.com

Research on island biotas has greatly contributed to the development of modern evolutionary
and biogeographic theories. Until now, most studies have suggested that continental islands
received their biotas directly from the adjacent mainland. However, a few studies have indicatedthat species on continental islands might originate from other distant regions. Here, we used thehill partridges (genus Arborophila) that are widely distributed on the southwest and southeast
China mainland, Indochina, Hainan and Taiwan islands to test whether species on continental
islands might originate from distant regions rather than the adjacent mainland. Based on amolecular phylogeny inferred from three mitochondrial fragments and three nuclear DNA loci,
together with an ancestral area reconstruction, we find that the ancestors of the endemic Hainan
and Taiwan Hill Partridges (A. ardens and A. crudigularis) likely came from Indochina, rather
than the adjacent southeast China mainland. Divergence time estimates demonstrate that theirancestors probably colonized Hainan and Taiwan using the long exposed continental shelf
between Indochina, Hainan and Taiwan during glacial periods, which had not been shown
before. Thus, integrating distribution data with phylogenetic information can shed new lights on
historical biogeography of continental islands and surrounding mainland regions.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-008

Latitudinal variation in Blue Tit and Blackbird nest characteristics
M.C. Mainwaring 1, D.C. Deeming 2 and I.R. Hartley 1
1

Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
Email: m.mainwaring@lancaster.ac.uk
2

Nest construction is widespread amongst birds, yet our understanding of adaptive
intraspecific variation in nest design remains poor. Nest design is expected to vary
adaptively in response to predictable variation in spring temperatures over large spatial
scales, yet such variation remains largely overlooked. Here, we systematically examinedthe effects of latitudinal variation in spring temperatures on the size, morphology,
composition and insulation properties of the nests of hole nesting Blue Tits (Cyanistes
caeruleus) and open cup nesting Blackbirds (Turdus merula). Blue Tit nests werecollected from seven study sites over five degrees of latitude and Blackbird nests werecollected from four study sites over seven degrees of latitude, both within Great Britain.
For both species, the insulation of nests was quantified before the nests were measured
to quantify their size and morphology and then disassembled to determine theircomposition. In hole nesting Blue Tits, increasing spring temperatures with decreasing
latitude were correlated with reductions in both the mass of the cup lining material andnest insulation properties, although the mass of the nest base material did not vary.
Meanwhile, in open cup nesting blackbirds, increasing spring temperatures withdecreasing latitude resulted in systematic decreases in the external diameter of nests, but
as nest wall thickness also decreased then there was no latitudinal variation in the
diameter of the internal nest cups. The insulation quality and mass of dry grasses
decreased as spring temperatures increased with decreasing latitude, whilst the othermaterials showed no variation. Therefore, we have shown that the insulation quality of
the nests of two ecologically contrasting species systematically decreased with warmer
spring temperatures at lower latitudes. We conclude that birds are able to gauge
environmental conditions and make adaptive changes in nest morphology andcomposition to create an optimal microclimate for incubation and rearing nestlings.

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p13-009

A molecular phylogeny for fruit pigeons, doves and allies
Kevin P. Johnson, Jennifer Nowak, Andrew D. Sweet, and Jason D. Weckstein
A large radiation of fruit pigeons and doves occurred across southern hemisphere regionsof the Old World, particularly in Southeast Asia where the largest diversity ofColumbiformes exists. Most species in this group forage in the canopy, whereas a few
species forage on the ground. We used both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences
to evaluate the relationships among genera and species in this large clade. We use this
phylogeny to examine the evolution of foraging mode. The typical canopy foraging fruit
pigeons and doves form a closely allied group together with Australian and New Zealandendemic genera. The canopy-foraging green pigeons are more distantly related. Smallbodied ground foraging genera form a separate clade, as do the large-bodied groundforaging genera. Biogeographic reconstruction suggests an origin in the Australasianregions with multiple dispersal events to the Afrotropics.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-010

A possible link between avian and Cenozoic climate evolutions
I. Tanaka
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
Email: berry195@stu.kobe-u.ac.jp
Avian morphological evolution is known to be related to habitat type for some species.
Unfortunately, the thin, delicate bones that have evolved alongside avian flight do not
produce as many high-quality fossils as those animals with heavier bones, making thisevolutionary question difficult to study in the fossil record. Here, I examine therelationship between long-term climate change and the diversification of avian species.
The method used for the avian phylogenetic tree and fossils (Gastornis andAnthropornis) is as follows: First, I estimate the time of first occurrence of the genus(Hackett et al., 2008). Second, I classify the avians under three habitat types ofterrestrial, aquatic, and land (Hackett et al., 2008). Third, the divergence times for avian
lineages are plotted to the benthic marine oxygen isotope (δ18) stack over the past 65
million years (Zachos et al., 2008).
【Aquatic】；(1) The branching factor increased during a high sea level period (50million years ago), which may be caused by high diversity of marine organism, due toexpansion of aquatic area, alongside a warm and humid climate. (2) After the onset oflarge-scale glaciations on Antarctica about 35 million years ago, the increase ofbranching factor ceased. The sudden global cooling may have decreased food formarine organism.
【Land】; After the onset of large-scale glaciations on Antarctica about 35 million years
ago, the land's branching factor increased, which may be interpreted to be due to theincrease in habitat space by a large sea level drop. The climate cooling may also havecaused diversity of vegetation.
The present result shows that global climate may have strongly affected avian species
diversification.

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p13-011

New Paleogene birds from China and avian biogeographic history
T. Stidham 1 and X. Ni 1
1

Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate
Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Email: presbyornis@gmail.com
Examination of the biogeography of birds after the Cretaceous mass extinction haslargely focused on Europe and North America. The near absence of discussion about
Asia is linked to the largely unstudied Asian Paleogene avian fossil record and the
publication of many phylogenetically problematic fossils. However, Asia likely playeda significant role in avian intercontinental dispersal during episodes of Paleogene
climate change. New fossils from across China include many (first) occurrences ofvarious avian clades in Asia and China and change paleobiogeographic hypotheses. The
late Paleocene Nomogen Formation in Inner Mongolia has produced a small avifauna ofat least four taxa, including the first presbyornithids, likely gruiforms, and stem
galliforms from China. A small avifauna from the Middle Eocene Shanghuang fissure
fillings had produced a variety of avian taxa allied to gruiforms and multiple higher
neoavian clades. Late Eocene bones from Xinjiang Province appear to be that of a large
romainvilliine anseriform indicating their occurrence in both central Asia and western
Europe. Oligocene specimens from southern China seem to represent the oldest records
of cormorants and some gruiform lineages in Asia. All of these Chinese fossils
represent undescribed species. Overall, these new fossils indicate that Asia (in particular
China) was not as biogeographically isolated as the previously published fossil record
would seem to indicate, but several avian clades were widely distributed across theNorthern Hemisphere (Asia, Europe, and North America) during the Paleocene andEocene. However, by the late Eocene and into the Oligocene, those biogeographic
affinities seem to shift to a greater sharing of taxa between Europe and Asia thatparallels known mammalian faunas. Tentatively, given the ages of these fossil birds
from the Northern Hemisphere, it is likely that at least some of the inferredintercontinental dispersals were penecontemporaneous with the well-known significant
climate shifts during the Paleogene.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-012

Molecular phylogeny and systematic revision of the
Ficedula narcissina complex
L. Dong1, X. Huang1, M. Wei1, P. Alstrom2, U. Olssen3 and Y.Y. Zhang1
1

Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering,
College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
2
Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box7007, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
3
Department of Zoology, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 18, SE-413 90
Gothenburg, Sweden
Email: Zhangyy@bnu.edu.cn
The taxonomy of Ficedula narcissina complex, endemic in East Asia, is highly debatedbecause of the bewildering similarity of the taxon in morphological and acoustic
characters. Three designated species are broadly accepted at present, which include
Ficedula zanthopygia, F. narcissina (consisting of two subspecies, F. n. narcissina and F.
n. owstoni) and F. elisae. Here, we provide the first molecular phylogenetic revision forthese taxa in combination with a morphological and sonagraphic analysis. Reconstructedusing three mitochondrial genes and three nuclear markers (in total 3,541 bp), both thegene and species trees corroborated the recently suggested splitting of F. elisae from F.
narcissina, and an exclusive monophyly of the four operational taxonomic units. The
corrected genetic distance of the bar-coding gene (COI) between F. n. narcissina and F.
n. owstoni was 2.8%, which indicated a similar degree of divergence with the sister
species F. albicollis and F. hypoleuca (2.2%). All taxa within the complex can be
distinguished by several spectral and structural song parameters, and a discriminant
analysis also indicated significant morphological differences. Our comprehensive
systematic revision thus confirmed that F. elisae deserves the species status, andmoreover suggested that the two subspecies in F. narcissina should also be considered
two diagnosable species.

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p13-014

A typological analysis of the hoot of the Ryukyu Scops Owl acrossisland populations in the Ryukyu Archipelago and two oceanic islands
M. Takagi 1,
1

Division of Biology & Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City
University, Osaka, Japan
Email: mtakagi@sci.osaka-cu.ac.jp
The Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans) is distributed over a 1,200-km area, only
inhabiting islands. Within this range, I studied this species across 20 continental islandsin the Ryukyu Archipelago and two oceanic islands. Although most studies recently use
quantitative continuous measurements of the vocalization, I introduced a new method,‘‘typological analysis’’ to visually classify variation of spectrograms according to theshape of syllable in the owl species, examining their dialects in relation to theirgeographical distribution. In the analysis, hoot, syllable, and element types were definedaccording to the number of syllables, the degree of timescale overlap of the first andsecond elements in the second syllable, and relative differences of duration andfrequency of two elements in the second syllable, respectively. Although frequencies ofhoot and element types in each island population were significantly different between
the island groups north and south of the Kerama Gap across the archipelago, hoot andelement types were shared between the island groups. Furthermore, typologicalvariation occurred in syllable types, however there were no differences in frequencies ofsyllable types between the island groups. Geographic structure in vocal parameters as
steep clines with stepped variation is represented as a dialect. According to thedefinition, this study found that no unique dialects in hoots occurred between the
different island populations of Ryukyu Scops Owls. The Kerama Gap might act as abiogeographical barrier, contributing to the differentiation between owl hoots according
to spectro-temporal analyses; however, the typological analysis detected the distributionof typological characteristics of hoots on the small islands north of the Kerama Gap that
contradicts this concept of a biogeographical barrier. Because the typological analysis
needs to visually examine each individual by careful attention to detail, it is a good
method for discovering minor variations and patterns in bird vocalizations.

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p13-015

Does the Chinese Grey Shrike Lanius sphenocercus possess an alarm
vocalization unique within the Lanius excubitor complex?
S. Surmach 1, T. Gamova 1 and T. Atrokhova 2.
1

Institute of Biology and Soil Science, Far Eastern Branch-Russian Academy of Sciences,
Vladivostok, Russia
2
Amur-Ussuri Centre for Avian Biodiversity, Vladivostok, Russia
Email: ussuriland@mail.ru
In his definitive monograph on shrikes (Laniidae) of the world, Panov (2011) used comparative
ethological analysis to demonstrate the primary behavioral differences between two assemblages
within the Lanius genus: those he called the “grey shrike group” and “all others”. One of themost important distinctions was the fundamental dissimilarity in alarm calls: birds of the grey
shrike group emit a single or repetitions of noise-like sounds, whereas all others generate arhythmical rattle. Here, we used video cameras to study the breeding biology of Chinese Grey
Shrike (Lanius sphenocercus) in Primorye, Russia, in which we documented not only the
expected alarm call, but also the rattle thought to be exclusive to the non-grey shrike group.
Video playback and computer analysis confirmed that the origin of these noises was vocal, rather
than mechanical (e.g., bill-clicking), and consisted of a series of rhythmically-organized alarm
notes uttered by both sexes, exclusively as response to an imminent, high-risk threat of nest
predation by Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica). With regards to motivational content, these sounds
might indicate warning behavior, by which adults demonstrate their impending readiness to
attack an intruder. It is accompanied by a crouch posture typical of many Lanius shrikes. This
newly-discovered vocalization by Chinese Grey Shrike is similar in note configuration andfrequency to those of the non-grey shrike group, including the regionally co-breeding Brown
Shrike (Lanius cristatus). Series duration varies depending on level of excitement. Length ofeach call notes ranges from 0.01-0.06 s., frequency range is 0.05-18 kHz (basal frequency is 35.8 kHz), and inter-note interval varies from 0.02-2.4 s. (n=202, sexes combined). We suspectthat Chinese Grey Shrike is not the only species among the grey shrike group that emits this typeof alarm call, but it has likely been overlooked in the past due to its extreme rareness and specific
use.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-016

Investigation into the taxonomy of the Antarctic Tern Sterna vittata fromnon-breeding birds in South AfricaMaëlle Connan1,2, Peter R. Teske1,3,4, Tony Tree5, Phil A. Whittington2,6, Jiangyong Qu1,
Christopher D. McQuaid1
1

Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South
Africa2
Department of Zoology, PO Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port
Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
3
School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, 5001 SA, Australia
4
Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, Johannesburg,
South Africa
5
PO Box 2793, Port Alfred, 6170, South Africa
6
East London Museum, PO Box 11021, Southernwood, 5213
The Antarctic Tern breeds on the Antarctic Peninsula and on subantarctic islands in the
Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans. A large proportion of the population spends the nonbreeding season on the coasts of southern Africa and Argentina. Up to seven subspecies havebeen recognised globally, three of which have been recorded as wintering in southern Africa.
Blood and feather samples were collected to test the validity of these subspecies geneticallyand to link their putative identity with their foraging grounds using stable isotope studies.
Samples were collected from 127 birds on the south coast of South Africa (Bird Island)
between 2008 and 2010, from seven birds from the west coast in 2009 and from 6 (blood) and
12 (feathers) birds on the south-west coast (Dyer Island) in 2010. Birds were tentatively
identified to subspecies from morphological characters in the hand. DNA analysis of blood
samples demonstrated some support for the existence of two taxa: Sterna v. vittata and S. v.
tristanensis. However, most morphological differences were not supported genetically andthe existence of the subspecies S. v. sanctipauli could not be confirmed. This may indicate
phenotypic plasticity due to differing environmental conditions at breeding locations. Stable
isotope analysis of feathers identified six clusters, with a range of δ13C and δ15N values, andindicated that the non-breeding population probably included birds from a number ofbreeding populations in the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The results also suggested that somebirds had spent time further south in high Antarctic waters. This work stresses the need for
additional DNA analyses to be conducted on samples collected from birds at breedingcolonies.

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p13-017

Redrawing the phylogeny and taxonomy of Calandrella Larks: one new
localized West African taxon and several surprising relationships
M. Stervander1, U. Olsson2, P. Alström3,4, U. Ottosson5, B. Hansson1, and S. Bensch1
1

Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Dept of Biology, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden2
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg,
Gothenburg, Sweden
3
Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
Uppsala, Sweden
4
Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
5
AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Jos, Nigeria
Email: martin.stervander@biol.lu.se
Larks are known as a morphologically diverse family which has long challenged
taxonomists. Recently, a multilocus phylogeny of all genera, and >80 % of the species,
revealed several surprising relationship warranting a major taxonomical revision. We
studied the genus Calandrella (excluding the paraphyletic Alaudala clade sensu
Alström et al. 2013), covering all species and subspecies currently recognized by IOC.
Sampling wild birds we sequenced a large portion of, or the entire, mitochondrial cytb
gene. This was supplemented by sequencing a 350 bp region from museum specimens.
The results reveal some highlights: (1) A localized population of Red-capped Lark C.
cinerea in Nigeria is a unique, non-recognized taxon, which is sister to the subspecies C.
c. williamsi in East Africa. This clade differs substantially from all other C. cinerea
populations in Southern Africa, which in turn make up a panmictic population. (2) In
the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula, C. erlangeri and C. b. blanfordi are recent
sister taxa, as are C. b. daaroodensis and C. b. eremica, whereas these two clades
represent deeply split sister lineages. (3) The easternmost subspecies dukhunensis of
Short-toed Lark C. brachydactyla groups as sister to the Hume’s Short-toed Lark C.
acutirostris. Remaining Short-toed Lark populations roughly differentiate into a
Western (brachydactyla) and an Eastern (longipennis) clade, albeit with some mixing.
For verification, we performed Restriction site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing on
single representatives for all major clades, yielding some 70,000 orthologous loci acrossthe genome. Phylogenetic modelling of single nucleotide polymorphism data from theRAD dataset was performed to compare to the patterns obtained from the single locus
mitochondrial analysis. We will evaluate the use of RAD sequencing for phylogenetic
inference, and the possibility to use degraded tissue from museum specimens in RAD
sequencing.

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p13-018

Comparative analysis of the song variation across the rangesof Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) and Willow Warbler(Ph.trochilus).
I. Ilina 1, I. Marova 1 and V. Ivanitskii 1
1

Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia.
Email: ne-murka@list.ru, collybita@yandex.ru, ivanitskii@yandex.ru.

We studied song variations across the ranges of two closely related species: Common
Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. There are strong differences in taxonomic structure ofthese species. In the Willow Warbler 3 poorly differentiated subspecies are normallyrecognized. By contrast, the Chiffchaff is treated recently as a superspecies including 12
races, 4 of which have the status of separate “species”. In order to estimate the extent of
intraspecific differentiation in vocalization of both species we studied 10 geographicalpopulations of 8 subspecies of Chiffchaff: Ph.c.collybita (W Europe), Ph.c.abietinus(Moscow, Ukraine), Ph.c.tristis (Central Siberia), Ph.c.menzberii (Kopetdag),Ph.s.sindianus (Pamir-Alai Mts), Ph.s.lorenzii and Ph.c.caucasicus (Caucas),Ph.brehmii (Iberia) as well as 8 populations belonging to 3 subspecies of Willow
Warbler: Ph.tr.trochilus (W Europe), Ph.tr.acredula (Moscow, Kostroma, South Ural,
Mirnoe), Ph.tr.yakutensis (Eastern Siberia). We used canonical discriminate analysis of
a number of characteristics of songs: maximum and minimum frequency, number ofnotes and note types per one song, song rate etc. Acoustic differences between different
populations of Chiffchaff (Wilk’s Lambda =0.00357; p<0,001) were found to be better
expressed then between populations of Willow Warbler (LW = 0,042; p<0,001).
The taxonomic structure of the Willow Warbler is not clear so far, different researchers
separate from 3 up to 5 subspecies in different areas. According to our data only thewesternmost and easternmost geographical populations of that species show reliablebioacoustic differences from other populations (LW = 0,144; р<0,001). The Northern
Europe population of Ph.trochilus differs from other populations including the east
Chukotka population. So it seems unlikely that the subspecies Ph.tr.yakutensis spreads
from Chukotka up to N E Europe as it is sometimes supposed.

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p13-019

Phylogeny and validity of Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
subspecies breeding in Japan
S. Asai 1, Y. Shigeta 1, T. Saitoh 1 and Y. Iwami 1
1

Yamashina Institute for Ornithology
Email: asai@yamashina.or.jp

The Check-List of Japanese Birds recognizes three subspecies of Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes that breed in Japan, and one extinct subspecies. In the
Check-List, the subspecies breed on the mainland, including Hokkaido and Kyushu, on
the southern islands of the Izu Islands, and in the Osumi Islands, respectively, whereas
Momiyama (1927) subdivided them and recognized four additional subspecies thatbreed in the following regions: Hokkaido, western Honshu, northern Kyushu, andsouthern Kyushu. According to the original descriptions of the subspecies, they were
proposed from one to three samples that were captured in January, February, March, orDecember, which is considered to be the nonbreeding season. Therefore, their localities
may not be appropriate if the individuals had migrated. Furthermore, given that theirdescriptions depended on plumage color, the sample sizes may have been too small. The
latter four subspecies are thought to be synonyms of T. t. fumigatus because of theseconcerns regarding reliability. Nevertheless, no one has sufficiently examined thevalidity of those subspecies. In this study, we examined whether the putative subspecies
from the sampling sites are monophyletic using molecular phylogenetic methods. We
used blood or muscle samples collected from May to August, during the tentative
breeding season. Complete cytochrome b and control regions in mitochondrial DNA
were sequenced and the best substitution models were selected. Phylogenetic trees wereconstructed using Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian methods with Eurasian
Treecreeper Certhia familiaris sequences as an outgroup. Although bootstrap values for
the ML tree were low overall, both trees showed that three samples collected from thesouthern Izu Islands were monophyletic. Two samples collected from Yaku Island, ofthe Osumi Islands, were paraphyletic in the Bayesian tree but not in the ML tree.
Therefore, T. t. mosukei breeding in the Izu Islands is most likely valid. T. t. ogawaeneeds to be re-examined with more samples. This study is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant
Number 24770079.

465

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA13 Systematics, biogeography and paleontology

p13-020

Disentangling phylogenetic relationships in an explosive bird radiation
C.H. Oliveros1, M.J.Andersen2, and R.G. Moyle1
1

Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
Email: oliveros@ku.edu
Rapid evolutionary radiations allow tremendous insights into speciation and biogeographic
history. However, a major challenge in studies of these brief bursts of diversification has beenpoor resolution of species’ phylogenetic relationships owing to short internodes among ancestral
lineages, incomplete lineage sorting, long-branch attraction, and homoplasy. As a consequence,
too few robust phylogenetic hypotheses are available to document such radiations. This study
aims to resolve relationships within a very rapid and diverse radiation using both simulated andempirical data to illuminate underlying processes of lineage splitting and dispersal.
The passerine family of white-eyes (Zosteropidae) presents an ideal system for investigating oneof the most striking evolutionary radiations known among vertebrates. The distribution of thisgroup of 120 species spans a vast area in the Old World, from the eastern Atlantic to the Western
Pacific. A vast majority of this lineage is estimated to have begun diversifying only in the early
Pleistocene, resulting in the highest speciation rate yet documented among land vertebrates. The
relatively recent diversification of this clade minimizes problems of long-branch attraction andhomoplasy confounding phylogenetic inference. Hence, this young and species-rich groupprovides an excellent system in which to examine macro-evolutionary and biogeographic
patterns in rapid radiations, lines of research that depend on a robust estimate of phylogenetic
relationships. Data from three mitochondrial genes and two nuclear introns yielded a poorlyresolved phylogeny, but simulations suggested that increasing the number of loci to ~100 may
improve resolution considerably. As predicted, DNA sequence data enriched using
ultraconserved elements provide a much better resolved estimate of phylogenetic relationships inthis rapid radiation.

466

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p14-001

The production of regurgitated pellets by species of Synallaxinae andFurnariinae (Aves: Passeriformes: Furnariidae)
P. Turienzo¹ and O.R. Di Iorio¹¹ Entomología. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Facultad deCiencias Exactas y Naturales. 4º Piso, Pabellón II, Ciudad Universitaria C1428EHA,
Buenos Aires, Argentina; E-mail: paolaturienzo@yahoo.com; megacyllene@yahoo. com ar
We present the first records and description of regurgitated pellets produced by species ofeight genera of Furnariidae (Aves: Passeriformes) from Argentina. A total of 593
Furnariidae nests were sampled from March 2005 to February 2011, from which 1329
pellets were recovered. These pellets can be related to the regurgitation process as theyshow the hard indigestible parts of arthropods (mostly Coleoptera), seeds and some mollusk
shells. Not all nests contained pellets. Anumbius annumbi has the great number of pellets in
50 % of its nests. Prey items identified from the pellets are compared with food items of
Furnariidae known from stomach contents reported in the literature. In contrast to otherpasserine birds, the regurgitated pellets of Furnariidae can be found inside its nests. This is
likely because they roost in their nests.

467

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-002

Birds in Romanian mythology, beliefs and ritual practices
Carmen Gache
University “Al. I. Cuza” from Iasi, Iasi, Romania
cgache@uaic.ro
Invoked and venerated, expelled and persecuted, birds are omnipresent in Romanian
mythology, in ritual practices and in the rural traditional calendar. Also, birds are
subjects of fairy tales and legends, and of many faiths and superstitions. Probably, theancient myths of our Dacian ancestors, from the Thracian people, have been assimilated
into the Romanian Christian mythology. The God being the world’s creator, but birds
appear as the God’s principal helping hands. For example, one legend tells us that God
called the birds to help him by digging the rivers and springs’ valleys so the man andother animals can drink water to quench their thirst. Looking with an ornithologist’s eye
at the significance of some Romanian legends and beliefs related to birds, it is obviousthat the spirit of observation that characterizes the peasant bound to the land and its
cultivation, organising his agricultural works and livestock activity considering theannual biological cycle of wild nature around him. There are numerous bird-relateddays in the traditional calendar, too. Other legends surprise us through the accuracy ofthe detailed observation on the birds’ behaviour or biology.
Some beliefs have a very large covering area - for example, that the Cuckoo (Cuculus
canorus) eats cherries on the 20th of July and becomes a Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus);
later in July, the Cuckoo stops singing and leaves our country, while the Sparrowhawk
becomes more visible in the surrounding landscape as a result of leaving the breedingareas and dispersing in search of new feeding territories. The birds are very important
for ritual and magic practices, some bird species being used equally in the ritual
practices related to birth and death, as well.

468

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-003

Development of an automatic bird-species recognition system frombirdsongs in tropical forests
A. Maruyama 1, M. S. Fujita 2, K. Itoyama3, H.G. Okuno3 and M. Kanzaki1
1Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
3
Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Email: maruyama.akio.68u@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp
2This study reports on an automatic species recognition system that detects when abirdsong begins and ends from long-time recorded sound data and identifies what
species the bird is for each birdsong duration. Although direct observation (e.g., point
counting and line census by researchers) is common for avian diversity studies intropical areas, the results lack objectivity because their quality depends on researchers’
skills and environmental factors. In addition, direct observation forces researchers to bein the field during the period of survey. Therefore, direct observation is expensive if one
wants to ensure the quality of surveys, and long-term comparison is difficult due tovariation in quality. On the other hand, sound recording provides permanent data and we
can verify them after field recordings. Skillful researchers are not needed for datacollection but they are still needed for a high quality analysis of the data. Automatic
species recognition can reduce the amount of work for trained researchers.
The system consists of two classifiers; birdsong activity detection (BAD) andautomatic bird-species recognition (ABR). The acoustic features for them are MFCC,
commonly used acoustic features in automatic speech recognition, and Deep Scattering
Spectrum. Both classifiers are based on Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM), a commonlyused machine learning technique. The parameters of GMMs are trained by a set oftraining data with correct species labels. Additional training data are obtained from thexeno-canto web site. BAD uses a two-class classifier, i.e., birdsong or not, while ABRuses a multi-stage classifier combined with GMM and decision tree. The system
captures audio signals with a set of distributed directional microphones as wave files.
Since the system uses only acoustic signals, we expect that it will record all singing
birds.

469

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p14-004

Let’s identify birds in the Nasca lines!
M. Eda 1, T. Yamasaki 2 and M. Sakai 3
1

Hokkaido University Museum, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Division of Natural History, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Abiko, Japan
3
Faculty of Literature and Social Sciences, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
Email: edamsk@museum.hokudai.ac.jp
2

The Nasca lines were mainly made in the Nasca period (ca 2,100–1,300 years ago) andare located in the desert plateau of Nasca, southern Peru. More than a thousand linesand geoglyphs are known and designated as World Heritage. Because the Nasca society
was illiterate and no documentary records exist, what objects are depicted and for what
purpose they were depicted remains unknown. Birds were the most portrayed animals in
the Nasca lines: 19 geoglyphs of birds, including two hummingbirds, a condor, aflamingo, a Papagayo or Lolo parrot, a juvenile domestic duck, a pelican and a “guanobird” are recognised. So far, geoglyphs of birds were identified to taxa based on thewhole impression or a few characteristics. However, no study examined whether all
characters match the identified taxon and whether a similar character is shared withother taxa. In this study, we extracted as many morphological characters as we could
from the 19 geoglyphs of birds and compared the characters with ones from modern
birds in Peru. The results revealed that one of the geoglyphs of a hummingbird has along tail with a projecting central part and shares some characteristics with hermits(tropical and subtropical hummingbirds in the subfamily Phaethornithinae), the otherhermit-like geoglyph has been identified as an “unknown bird”, the “guano bird” has along hooked beak and shares many characteristics with pelicans and some of thepreviously identified geoglyphs have some discrepancies with identified taxa. In
addition to the lines and geoglyphs, many coloured pot shards with painted birds andbird remains were found in archaeological sites of the Nasca period. Further study ofthese materials would be useful in identifying birds in the Nasca lines and in answering
the largest mystery: for what purpose were they depicted?

470

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-005

Local exploitation of the Oriental White Stork as a natural resource
for coexistence with humans in Japan
Y. Ohsako1 and N. Kikuchi2
1

Institute of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Hyogo/Hyogo Park of
the Oriental White Stork, Toyooka, Japan
2
Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan
Email: yosako@stork.u-hyogo.ac.jp
The native population of the Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana) became extinct inJapan in 1971 and a reintroduction project of the stork has been in progress in Tajima
District, Hyogo, since 2005. In Japan, the storks inhabit rural environments near humancommunities and coexistence with humans is thus an integral part of the reintroductionof the storks. The storks feed on a range of animal species and are a top predator in therural ecosystem. They seasonally use paddy fields, rivers, waterways, grasslands, etc. as
foraging habitats. Restoration of biodiversity is essential for the wellbeing of the storks
in these environments. The Japanese government, Hyogo Prefecture and Toyooka City
promote nature restoration of the rural environment. A high level of biodiversity willcontribute to ecosystem services such as supporting, provisioning and regulating
cultural services for humans. Furthermore, we actively exploit the Oriental White Storkas a local resource using it for regional development and local vitalization to support
developments in tourism, the economy, agriculture, administration, culture, education
and research (Kikuchi 2006, Ohsako et. al. 2008). Such local “exploitation” ofendangered birds as natural resources enables sustainable development and protection
and their coexistence with humans.

471

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-006

Bird images that appear in objects housed in Shosoin Treasure House
Ryozo Kakizawa1†, Takashi Hiraoka1, Reiji Nakatsubo2 and Atsushi Uemura3
1

Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Konoyama, Abiko, Chiba Pref., Japan
JPL, Inc., Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan (Present address: Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan)
3
Kyoto City University of Arts, Kyoto, Japan (Present address: Nara, Japan)†
deceased
Email: hiraoka@yamashina.or.jp
2

The Shosoin Treasure House was established in the middle of the 8th century as themain store house of the Todaiji Temple, the central Buddhist temple of Japan during thatera. Shosoin houses various objects ranging from tableware, stationery, furniture,
clothing, games, Buddhist utensils to horse riding gear and weapons. A large part of theobjects comes from the belongings of Emperor Shomu (701-756), which were donatedto the Great Buddha of the Todaiji Temple after his death. Another, large part of theartifacts were used in the Kaigen-kuyo of the Great Buddha, the ceremony to provide
the newly made Buddha with soul, held in 752AD. Previous studies on the (non-avian)designs and material of the objects have shown to various degrees that these originate
from a wide range of Eurasian localities from West Asia eastwards, reflecting the strong
influence of China’s Tang Dynasty and the flourishing trade across the continent. We
investigated more than 120 objects that bear bird images, identified the images, andcategorized them to three degrees of certainty, i.e. A: certain, B: probable and C:
possible. Images of birds identified with certainties A and B, included Mandarin Duck,Golden Pheasant, Green Peafowl, cranes, parakeets, Hoopoe and Red-billed Blue
Magpie. We found that birds with conspicuous crests, elongated tails or conspicuouscoloration were preferred, suggesting that the manufacturers of the objects intended to
depict paradise-like scenes. Our analysis suggests that the site of manufacture of theobjects was located within the then developed part of China since (1) Chinese species
such as Mandarin Duck, Golden Pheasant, Red-billed Blue Magpie were often depicted
realistically, while (2) nearly all of the Southeast Asian species were somewhat lessrealistic, and (3) images of birds whose ranges are restricted to Central and West Asia
were not found.

472

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-007

The cormorant conflict is a human problem; lessons from Japan
J. Tsuboi 1
1

National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Agency, Nikko, Japan
Email: tsuboi118@affrc.go.jp
In order to resolve the conflict and promote coexistence with wildlife, the relationships
among interested parties, human resources, and their development are essential, because
humans are responsible for developing effective management programs. This study
introduces the management systems and personnel issues for Great Cormorants(Phalacrocorax carbo) in Japan. Cormorant numbers in Japan, as in many othercountries, have increased in recent years. Currently there are estimated to be more than
100,000 Great Cormorants. This has led to growing concerns about their impact on
fisheries in particular. A number of regional consultative groups have been establishedin Japan to discuss cormorant issues. For example, such groups have operated in the
Kanto region (around Tokyo) since 2005 and in the Chubu and Kinki regions (around
Osaka) since 2006. Meetings have primarily been used to share monitoring data on
cormorant numbers at roost sites and in relation to the effectiveness of new measures for
reducing cormorant damage at fisheries. However, establishment of regional
consultative groups is not a management goal. Experienced staff should work on
management for local populations. Unfortunately, people in charge of bird and animal
damages are changed by personnel relocation at triennial intervals (shorter thancormorant lifetime!), especially in prefectures. Therefore, we need supervisors forcormorant management. Ms. Nanae Kato is a researcher in a non-profit organization“Japan Bird Research Association” and one of the supervisors for cormorant for morethan a decade. She always collects local information on cormorant throughout Japan,such as distribution, population size, fisheries and plant damage, and progress situationof measures, using her own human network. Training workshops for cormorantmanagement have been held by The Japanese Ministry of the Environment. The
workshop programs were based on her idea. In 2013, anatomy practice, especially instomach content, was conducted for quantification of fisheries damage.

473

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-008

Differences in potential seed dispersal ability by birds between twomorphs of Scaevola taccada
N Emura1, M Sakai2, T Denda2, H Ando3, Y Isagi3, K Ueda1
1

Department of Life Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
3
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Email: emurako@yahoo.co.jp
2

Beach cabbage (Scaevola taccada) is a coastal living species of flowering shrub that is
distributed throughout much of the Indo-Pacific. This species is interesting because it
has two types of fruits which enables two different forms of dispersal: (1) The C-morph
which has pulp and cork layers, and can be dispersed by water and by being eaten bybirds, and (2) the NC-morph which has only a pulp layer and is dispersed by birds.
Within-individual dimorphism has not been observed for this species, but plant
individuals with different fruits grow at the same sites. Although birds can disperse bothmorphs, plants having different fruit morphs tend to inhabit different habitats. The
plants producing C-morph fruits tend to be found along beaches whereas the NC- morph
plants tend to be found on cliffs. This suggests that the plants on cliffs are likely to bedeposited by birds, but also that birds may prefer to eat NC-morph fruits. In this study,
we compared the fruit characteristics (sugar content of pulp, pulp load, fruit size andload, and seed size and load) of the two morphs and among three topographies (beach,rock and cliff). The sample size was 1243 C-morph and 642 NC-morph fruits from 16
sites on 6 subtropical islands in Japan. We found that the NC-morph fruits had
significantly higher sugar content than the C-morph ones. Fruit sizes of both morphs
were smaller in cliff habitats than in other habitats. These results suggest that the
NC-morph in cliff habitats may be better adapted to bird dispersal than the C-morph
fruits.

474

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-009

The ecology of the introduced Chinese Hwamei in Japan
E. Miyazawa & T. Suzuki
Former affiliation: Dept. of Biological Sciences, Grad. School of Science andEngineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
Email: miyabirding@yahoo.co.jp

The Chinese Hwamei (Melodious Laughingthrush) Garrulax canorus is naturally
distributed in SE China, E Laos, and Vietnam. It was introduced and has been
established outside the natural range, in the Hawaiian Islands, Taiwan, and Japan. Thereis a lack of information on the ecology of this species, not only in its introduced but also
native habitats. Here we report observations on the nest location, breeding, singing andflocking behaviors, dispersal of a yearling, and food habits of the introduced Chinese
Hwamei in Kanto area, Japan. Data were collected from 2008 to 2010, on the
Minami-Ohsawa Campus of Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU), located in thewestern Tama Hills, Tokyo. In 2005, additional data for the food item survey weretaken in Ranzan-machi, Saitama.
Nests were found not only in secondary mixed-forest, but also in more artificial
environments such as garden shrubs and hedgerows. The breeding behaviors weremainly observed from April to July. Males were singing not only in spring and summer
but also in winter, although the frequency of singing was lower in winter. Flocks wereobserved more frequently from June to winter, and the maximum flock size recorded
was 7. A color-ringed male, born in 2009 at TMU, bred successfully in this study site
next summer, and later was re-found a few times in autumn/winter of the same and thefollowing year. These results are an example of the short-distance natal dispersal andbreeding success of a yearling male. Using video-recordings of nestlings and binocularobservations of foraging adults, we found that Chinese Hwamei fed on various types offood items; from vertebrates (adult Japanese grass lizard Takydromus tachydromoides
and juvenile frogs), invertebrates (earthworms, spiders, centipedes, adult cicadas, adult
Coleoptera, adult Orthoptera, larva and adult Lepidoptera), to acorns and various kindsof fruit.

475

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-010

Old feathers remain in the feather brushes of
the Japanese tea ceremony
T. Shimosaka
Japanese Society for Studies of Chanoyu, Kyoto, Japan
Email: YFA33796@nifty.ne.jp

In Japan, feathers have been used as feather brushes in Chanoyu (the tea ceremony)for more than 400 years. They originally seem to have had a purely practical use - fordusting - but over time came to acquire a ceremonial and even spiritual quality as toolsof purification, symbolizing also the purification of mind.
With their refined aesthetic sensibilities, the old tea masters admired feathers as the
epitome of “yo no bi” - the uncontrived beauty of a perfectly functioning object. As withall their tea articles, the masters cherished their feather brushes and cared for them
meticulously, handing them down to succeeding generations. It is thanks to thistradition of care that many old feather brushes have survived to today.
As a relatively minor item of tea equipage no research had been conducted on Japan’sfeather brushes until I developed an interest and started to investigate them about 15
years ago. I have since documented 700 feather brushes and studied many old tea
writings and historical records. My study has shown that most of the feathers used in
chanoyu were the flight or tail feathers of large birds, and that in addition to Japanesefeathers, quite a number of the feathers used in chanoyu came from non-native birds ofJapan. Radiocarbon dating has also been conducted and from this we have learned thatat least two extant feather brushes may be as much as 350 years old.
Through the many beautiful photos of old feather brushes presented here I hope many
more people will come to know something of the historical relationship Japanese people
have had with birds and share an appreciation for the sense of beauty that the tea
masters fostered.

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p14-011

History of Japan’s Illustrated Books of Birds since the Edo period
M. Tsurumi, K. Sonobe and Y. Tsukamoto
Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Abiko-shi, Chiba, Japan
E-mail: tsurumi@yamashina.or.jp
The publication of illustrated books* to birds in Japan dates back to the Edo period(1603-1867), said to be a prevailing age in the study of natural history in Japan. The
Chorui Shinsha Zukan [Realistic sketches of birds in the scroll] by S. WATANABE andthe Hotta Kinpu [Illustrated book of realistically drawn birds], edited by M. HOTTA are
representative works of this period. Compiled in good numbers also during this period
was a genre of books known as SANBUTSUCHO [Notes on natural resources], which
recorded region by region various plants, animals and minerals all over Japan. From the
Meiji period (1868-1912), western sciences were introduced and illustrated printed
books in the western style began to be published. These included Yueki Chorui Zufu
[Illustrated book of useful birds] by K. NARUSHIMA and H. MOMIYAMA (1893),
and Hogocho Zufu [Illustrated book of protected birds] by I. IIJIMA (1898).
Furthermore, the year 1914, two years after the foundation of the Ornithological Societyof Japan, witnessed the publication of Nihon Chorui Zusetsu [Handbook on Japanese
birds] by S. UCHIDA, the first book covering all species in Japan. While ornithology
gradually developed, publications from the 1930s to the 1950s included Dr. KURODA’SBIRDS IN LIFE COLOURS by N. KURODA (1933-34), A NATURAL HISTORY OF
JAPANESE BIRDS by Y. YAMASHINA (1934・1941) and THE BIRDS OF JAPAN by Y.
KIYOSU (1952), which became later recognized as the “Three Great Handbooks on
Birds in Japan”. In 1932, the forerunner in a genre of photographic guide books on birds
was published, Genshoku Chorui Zufu [Colored guide on birds] by S. UCHIDA and K.
SHIMOMURA, and three years later in 1935, Japan’s first field guide was published,
Kansatsu Tebiki Genshoku Yacho Zu [Colored field guide to the birds in Japan] by T.
ISHIZAWA and K. SHIMOMURA. From our present vantage point, in which various
kinds of illustrated bird books are published both in quality and quantity, we will review
significant aspects of illustrated books published from the Edo Period and whether they
have changed to the present era.
* Illustrated book here refers to books on natural history that made heavy usage of
figures such as drawings and photographs.

477

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-012The Mitochondrial DNA of People Who Brought Shirotori Worship toJapan
Isao Nakajima1, Jun-Ichi Hata1,2, Naoru Nakada1, Gregory Domond1,
Noritaka Ichida 3
1Tokai University, Isehara, 2Tokiwa University, Mito, Japan
3
BirdLife International, Asia Division
In The Kojiki, Yamabe no Ohotaka sets out on a quest for a White Bird on Emperor Suinin’s orders,ultimately capturing one near a water gate at Wanami (now in Niigata Prefecture). In his book
Shirotori Densetsu (The Legend of White Bird), Kenichi Tanigawa presents a detailed analysis of thefervent Shirotori worship existing in the Tohoku region before the establishment of the Yamato
regime, arguing that this worship was quintessentially Japanese, dating back to the Jomon period.
However, we infer that this worship is related to the Shirotori worship found among the Buryat people
inhabiting the Lake Baikal region in Siberia. The Whooper Swan is the creature known as the White
Bird in the Tohoku and Lake Baikal regions. The white robe worn by the Emperor during theaccession ceremony has its origins in this worship and signifies transformation into a White Bird,
which then becomes a Heavenly Being. Analysis of mtDNA drifting southward from Lake Baikal to
Japan indicates mtDNA belonging to Haplogroup A5. Branching off from Haplogroup A4 7,000 (±2,800) years ago, Haplogroup A5 is a subgroup found only in Japan and on the Korean Peninsula,
tracing a straight line from Lake Baikal to the Korean Peninsula and Japan. People in Haplogroup A5
likely arrived in Japan much later than the Jomon people, who arrived at Hokkaido via Sakhalin andspread throughout Japan—specifically, during the late Jomon period—but not later than people fromthe Korean Peninsula arriving en masse with wet-rice farming techniques (rice farming and sun/birdbased culture). People in Haplogroup A5 are still found today in the Niigata/Tohoku region of Japan,
and, as mentioned above, it is in this part of the country that we find the worship of the White Bird:
that is, the swan. At one time during the Jomon period, 70% of the population in Japan lived in the
Tohoku region. By the late Jomon period, this figure had plummeted to 10%. We suspect this rapid
decline in population may be ascribed to a pandemic of avian influenza. Fables reflect history, in somecases providing warnings. According to a fable in the Tohoku region, those who consume swans willdie. We suspect that this is not merely a religious edict, but an epidemiological lesson passed downorally that reflects the historical fact that villagers who captured and ate swans weakened by avian
influenza became infected with the virus, resulting in widespread mortality. If we suppose that theculture in the Lake Baikal region was imported directly to Japan by people belonging to Haplogroup
A5, it appears likely that Shirotori worship came to Japan long before and independently of wet-rice
farming. Unlike divination by birds and crow worship, both rituals based on rice-farming culture, we
suspect Shirotori worship merged with the indigenous culture and became integrated into Shinto freeof continental influences.

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p14-013

Effective net mesh-size and fishing-line interval as countermeasures toEurasian Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus
Y. Yamaguchi1, S. Kasahara,2, H. Momose1
1

National Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research

Organization, Ibaraki, Japan
2

Japan Bird Research Association, Tokyo, Japan

E-mail: yamay@affrc.go.jp
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus are widely distributed in the EurasianContinent and Japan. Although the sparrows inhabit forest in Europe, they inhabit fromurban areas to farmlands throughout Japan. The sparrows, one of the most familiar birds
in Japan, depend on human activities, and they are known to cause extensive crop
damage especially in rice fields.
Bird nets and fishing lines are often used to prevent crop damage from birds. However,
the effective mesh size of bird nets and the effective interval of fishing lines are notknown for sparrows. We tested the two countermeasures in an aviary. First, we
examined the mesh sizes. The birds were able to go through 31.8×31.7 mm and21.9×21.9 mm mesh sizes of the bird nets, and 41.1×26.6 mm of the wire net. On theother hand, they were not able to go through 19.4×19 .4 mm of the bird net and26.2×19.9 mm of the wire net. Besides going through the net, the birds could enter by
digging through the ground. Second, we examined the intervals of fishing lines thatsparrows could go through. The birds were able to go through 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, and2.5 cm. They could go through even when wings or body touched lines. Our results
suggest that it is difficult to prevent crop damage completely by lines. However, thebirds entered less often as the interval became narrower; therefore, lines are effective to
reduce damage to some degree. In conclusion, setting nets of the appropriate mesh size
and using countermeasures for digging are important to reduce sparrow damage.
Fishing lines can be used as an alternative plan if used with the appropriate interval.

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p14-014

Bioacoustic collection of the Natural History Museum & Institute, Chiba, Japan:
recordings of wildlife and sound environment
Teruyo Oba
Ecology and Environmental Science Dept., Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba, Japan
E-mail: teruyoteruyo@gmail.com

The Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba has been collecting bioacoustic materials since its
establishment in 1989. We counted 1824 recordings of wildlife sound and environment in tapes andCD’s at the end of October 2013. Further, we store a large amount of recordings in sound files of the
wave format. The latest discography covered 227 original recordings and 367 acquired publications
with some information of sound classification, recording methods, storage and maintenance, andacquisition and related projects (Oba 2013). The collection is relevant to avian discrimination,
behaviour, ecology and habitats in Japan and worldwide. In the last 5 years, we managed to digitize
most of our original recordings and are working on a database of nature sound and soundenvironment recordings. At our website, you may find the following four programs based upon ourcollection: 1) “Sound Box” introducing many of the birds and animals found in the Ecology Park,
museum observation ground, 2) “Kiki-Mimi Collection” presenting our bioacoustic materials for
public listening with some useful information on recording wildlife, 3) “Regional Sound Maps”
showing birds and their environment recorded at different localities with local information, 4) an
educational program “Project on the Strength of Hearing” to help people listen to and recognize bird
sounds aided by the automated bioacoustic identification system.

1
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p14-015

The line installation interval which prevents invasion of crows-implication for damage control in orchards
H. Yoshida, M. Saeki and H. Momose
National Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research
Organization, Tsukuba, Japan
Email: hyoshida@affrc.go.jp

Large-billed Crows and Carrion Crows (Corvus macrorhynchos and C. corone) aremajor pest birds of orchards in Japan. Although complete bird-net installation iseffective to prevent damage, the costs, labor, and maintenance pose problems.
Nylon-line installation is simpler than bird nets. However, the effective interval is notclear. Therefore, we examined the effect of line interval on crow behavior.
Twelve Large-billed and three Carrion Crows were captured from the wild. In an
outdoor aviary (40m*60m, 12m height), we set a frame structure (11m*20m, 1.6m
height) with wires above. The invasions of crows were counted on every experimental
session via video recording. The wire interval was set at 10m and narrowed gradually(5m, 2.5m, 1m, 0.5m and 0.25m) every week. We used wires instead of nylon lines
because lines with low visibility are known to scare crows. First, under ad libitum
condition, highly palatable feeds were given inside the structure for eight hours a day.
Second, the food was given only inside the structure without usual feeding from sunrise
for four hours.
Under ad libitum conditions, the number of invasions decreased at line intervals of 2.5m
while the ratio of invasion after perching on the frame increased. This tendency became
stronger at 1m, and there was no invasion at 0.5m and 0.25m. Under the limited feeding
treatment, the rate of invasions after perching increased at 1m, and even when wires
were placed at 0.25m interval, a few crows invaded.
Based on these results, we designed crow control methods for orchards, in which thenylon-lines placed one meter apart were combined with bird nets surrounding theorchard. To verify the effectivity, we constructed an outdoor apparatus (15m*30m) withfood inside, imitating an orchard. Alternative three-week periods of control andtreatment were repeated four times. The treatment decreased crow invasions to 1/250.

481

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p14-016

Why Tree Sparrows are special in Japanese culture: an analysis of family
emblems.
F. Taguchi 1 and R. Kurosawa 2
1

Working Group on Urban Sparrows, Europe

2

Japan Bird Research Association, Tokyo, Japan

Email: cinnamonsparrow@yahoo.co.jp
The view and treatment of bird species vary between cultures. For example, granivorous birds
tend to be regarded as pests by cereal farmers around the world including Japan. However,
Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) have been used as a family emblem in Japan along withother esteemed birds, such as cranes. Therefore, we studied the history of the sparrowemblems to clarify the origin and reason of this special treatment of sparrows in Japaneseculture.
Japanese family emblems are generally symmetrical designs that symbolize family names ofnobles (Numata 1926), and are used in official occasions in Japanese society. We defined thesparrow emblem basically as the design of small short-winged birds with black cheek patches.
Based on a review, "The Study on Japanese Emblems" (Numata 1926), we analyzed the ratios
of Tree Sparrows, animals and plants.
Of the eight major categories of family emblem designs, plants are most popular (40 % , N =5399). Of the animal designs (N = 463), Tree Sparrows rank fifth (8 %), which are precededby butterflies (32 %), hawk feathers (20 %), cranes (16 %) and geese (11%). Tree Sparrows
first appeared in the emblem in combination with bamboo/bamboo grass (Bambusoideae).
Simpler Tree Sparrow emblems derived from this bamboo-sparrow design.
This result shows that the family emblems of Tree Sparrows originated from plant designs
which were closely associated with their habitat. Although not the most popular among
animal emblems, Tree Sparrows occupy a unique place in family emblems. The significanceof this result is to be discussed.

482

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-017

Loons and people: the case of the Seto Inland Sea of Japan
Junko Momose ( Wild Bird Society of Japan)
kuikka316@xc4.so-net.ne.jp
The Japanese Islands have provided loons with wintering places, though the birds have remained
little known for a long time until a story was born in the Middle Age (12th century). A famous
battle was fought at that time between two clans, that is, Genji and Heike clans in and around theSeto Inland Sea area. A story was born when defeated soldiers of Heike Clan fled to a small island,
where wintering loons had gathered, crying aloud. Their cries sounded like human voices, which
invited Genji soldiers only to betray hidden Heike soldiers there. Whenever they heard wintering
loons’ sorrowful cries in Spring, people in the region believed that killed Heike soldiers cried out.
Loons were nicknamed ”Killers of Heike Soldiers”. It was much later that collaboration between
loons and regional people became known. It was the fact of cooperation named ”Abi Ryou
(Fishing with loons )” between regional fishers and loons in the same Seto Inland Sea . Only
towards the end of the 19th century, the fact of special fishery being carried out by using loons
became known. Yet, it was indeed in 1927 that a book published in memory of Prince Hirohito’svisit to the Inland Sea of Seto carried a detailed article on fishing with loons. It resulted in anationwide prevail of knowledge about loons and fishing with loons. It introduced traditions invillages concerned that the fishing with loons had really continued more than 300 years! Fishermen
row their boats slowly round a group of loons, catching high class fish like ”sea breams”, whichhave come up to catch sand eels being driven by loons. The loons can catch and eat sand eels as
they will. Only the two months of fishing with loons brought about enormous profits, whichenabled fishermen to live the rest of the year. The fact made the regional people regard loons as
God’s missionaries. The fishermen treated loons very tenderly, protecting them from any dangers.
The feeling of love and trust united the people and the birds, so that the birds swam on the water
very close to fishing boats. There took place really an idealistic relationship of co-existance, inwhich people and nature needed each other. The fishing with loons was accompanied by a
traditional ceremony. The shinto-priest sponsored it. Stories concerned with the village shrine,
fishermen and thousands of wintering loons were full of merry making folklores, inside-stories offishing and records of fishermen’s living days. They are really attractive stories of wintering loons
in Japan! As modernization developed, however, the ecology of Seto Inland Sea deteriorated
andnumbers of loons decreased. Thirty years ago, fishing with loons came to an end. At present,
only 30~60 loons are observed in a day, in spite of all the local efforts to revive the traditional
fishing.

483

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoSA14 Other

p14-018

Lepidoptera fauna in nests of Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Bulwer’s
Petrel and Blue Rock Thrush and hygrothermal nest conditions in theoceanic Ogasawara Islands, JapanY. Aoyama 1,2, K. Kawakami 3, Y. Nasu 4 and M. Sakai 5
1

Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
Japan Bird Research Association, Fuchu, Japan
3
Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Japan
4
Osaka Plant Protection Office, Habikino, Japan
5
Kyoseikagaku, Ibaraki, Japan
Email: aoyama@bird-research.jp
2

Lepidoptera fauna from nests of three bird species, Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus
pacificus, Bulwer’s Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Blue Rock Thrush Monticola
solitarius, which bred in the Ogasawara Islands, Japan, was investigated. These birds
nest under rocks, on ledges or in burrows beneath the ground. Five moth species wereidentified: three tineids, Praeacedes atomosella (Walker), Crypsithyris sp. and
Erechthias sp., and two pyrarids, Spoladea recurvalis (Fabricius) and an undetermined
species from nests of the shearwater; Pr. atomosella and C. sp. from the petrel; Pr.
atomosella from the thrush. We also monitored temperature and humidity in the nests ofthe shearwater using data loggers. As a result, both temperature and humidity weremaintained at relatively constant level in the nests while those outside the nests
fluctuated widely. Some of the moth species might feed on bird feathers. In addition,
burrow-nesting birds possibly provide indispensable habitats in harsh environmental
conditions of small isolated islands.

484

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

Round Table Discussion Abstracts

RTD01

RTD01

Restoring seabird breeding colonies invaded by rats and other introduced mammals in Japan and
Korea
Kuniko Otsuki1 and S. Kim Nelson2
1

Japanese Seabird Conservation Committee, 1‐18 Ishida Hokida, Fukushima‐shi, Fukushima‐ken,Japan
2

Pacific Seabird Group, Oregon State University

Breeding seabirds on more than 10 island groups in Japan and islands in Korea have been greatly
impacted by introduced mammals such as rats, weasels, rabbits and mongooses. Methods oferadication and seabird monitoring are needed. For example, an island group off southern Japan is acurrent focus for exploring these issues. In 1987, rats almost extirpated a colony of Japanese
Murrelets (Synthliboramphus wumizusume), an IUCN “vulnerable” species and one of the rarest
members of the family Alcidae. In 1988, rats were eradicated by the local government. Afterwards,
the murrelet population has been gradually recovering but rats reinvaded in 2009 and more deadmurrelets were found. In 2012, this colony of murrelets and Swinhoe’s Storm‐Petrels (Oceanodroma
monorhis), an IUCN “near threatened” species, appeared very close to extirpation. Successful rat
eradication has been conducted in the Ogasawara Islands (Bonin Islands), where native plants weredamaged by black rats (Rattus rattus). Eradication efforts were conducted in 2007 and 2008; noevidence of rats were found afterwards. In southwestern Korea, many islets host colonies of seabirds,
including Streaked Shearwaters (Calonectris leucomela), Japanese Murrelets, and Ancient Murrelets(S. antiquus), where rats impact some populations.
This round table discussion is a good opportunity to consider: (1) the general patterns of the cause ofisland invasions to help prevent future invasions; (2) the most effective eradication techniques; and(3) baseline and post‐eradication monitoring programs for seabirds. Discussion will emphasize theuniqueness of seabird breeding islands in Japan and Korea and logistics of conducting eradications
and seabird monitoring in these countries. All major cases of eradication of rats and other introduced
mammals and related seabird monitoring on seabird islands will be considered. We expect toprepare a brief report with recommendations for eradication program at small islands in Japan and
Korea.

1

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD02

RTD02

Establishing, promoting, and coordinating research needs and priorities for a globally endangered
avian order, the Psittaciformes, through global cooperation
Juan F. Masello, Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen,
Germany, juan.f.masello@bio.uni‐giessen.de
The Parrot Researcher Group (PRG) was created during the 25th International Ornithologists’Congress (IOC) in Campos do Jordão (Brazil) in 2010, as a network of researchers working on
Psittaciformes in order to establish, promote, and coordinate research projects on this globallyendangered avian order. Since then, over 270 researchers from all continents have joined the
network. In order to take into account particular regional needs, the group was organised in five
regions: Africa, Australasia, Caribe, Continental Neotropics, extra‐Tropical. Each region elected twoto three coordinators. An elected Secretary coordinates global projects. Joining the PRG is free. The
group organises discussions, exchange of advice, and joint projects through an e‐group. In 2011, alarge on‐line library on Psittaciformes was created and made available to all members. Since its
creation the PRG has been working on a variety of projects: (a) reviewing knowledge gaps, research
priorities and conservation status of African and Neotropical parrots; (b) evaluating theconsequences of climate change, habitat loss, and invasive species on Australasian parrots; (c)investigating the establishment and population dynamics of introduced parrots; (d) studying thepresence of pathogens and parasites in wild and introduced Psittaciformes globally; (e) maintaining
and expanding the on‐line library. In May 2013, the PRG was established as the Research
Coordination Committee on Parrots (RCCP) of the International Ornithologist's Union (IOU). The
central goal of the RCCP is to build on the achievements of the PRG and to expand the reach andeffectiveness of its programs under the umbrella of the IOU. During the planned RTD in Tokyo, wewill present our work to colleagues from the broader ornithological community, attract new
members, discuss past successes and future plans of the RCCP, and build inter‐disciplinary
cooperation. Specifically, we aim to discuss: (1) research priorities for the next four years; (2) regional
conservation priorities and strategies; (3) ways for organising new joint projects; (4) ways of
promoting the participation in the RCCP of colleagues from underrepresented regions such us Southand South‐east Asia, China, the Indian sub‐continent, and the Middle East.

2

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD03

RTD03

Discussing the causes of the population declines of Eurasian Tree Sparrows in Japan and House
Sparrows in Europe
Osamu Mikami1, Fumio Taguchi2
1
2

Iwate Medical University, Japan
Working Group on Urban Sparrows

House and Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer domesticus & P. montanus) are representative ofsynanthropic birds in Europe and East Asia, respectively. They are most familiar birds to humans andhave served as our window into nature. In recent years, however, they have declined in various areasof their range. In London, for example, the number of breeding House Sparrows declined by 60 %between 1994 and 2004 (Summers‐Smith 2003). The population decline has aroused great concern
among many people and triggered research into the causes of the decline. In Japan where House
Sparrows are absent, Eurasian Tree Sparrows have been revealed to decline in recent years and thecauses have become a topic of public interest.
This round table discussion aims to review the population trends of two ecologically equivalent
species in both sides of the Eurasian Continent and discuss new factors or methods that are likely tocontribute toward their conservation from a global perspective.

3

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD04

RTD04
Applications of Unmanned Vehicle Systems (UAS) for Avian Studies
David M. Bird1, Juan Jose Negro2
12

McGill University (Canada)
Donana Biological Research Station, Sevilla (Spain)

The objective of this Round Table is to bring both leading researchers and interested parties together
in the area of UAS technologies to discuss the state of the art, emerging trends, current research
directions, and potential applications to address challenges for studying avian species.
Background: Unmanned Vehicle Systems, more commonly known as drones, have made dramatic
technical advances in the past decade and are now being used by ornithologists all over the world,
albeit to a limited extent. While expansion of their use is currently tightly constrained by regulations
in most countries, it is expected that within the next few years, various governments will be
providing a regulatory framework that will allow for a greatly expanded role for drones in various
airspaces for a wide variety of applications, including bird studies. To date, over the last 7 years
both Dr. Bird and Dr. Negro have extensively pioneered the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
to determine foraging strategies in falcons, to relate distribution of water birds to their habitats, tocensus migrating geese and peer into raptor nests, and to assess behavioral responses of nesting
raptors to the machines. The advent of use of UAVs raises a number of important R&D questions
and opportunities, e.g. financial costs and limitations, available payloads, current state of regulations,etc.
Opportunity for Attendees: The RTD will begin with illustrated overviews of the ongoing research of
Dr. Bird and Dr. Negro, including a broad look at UAS and their potential and limitations. This will befollowed by informal presentations by other invited attendees who have experienced use of themachines. Finally, all participants will have an opportunity to present a summary of their work andto discuss the advances with other researchers in a small group setting before an audience with aninterest in such technical advances. The overall goal of this RTD is to provide a relaxed, informal
atmosphere in which those interested in using unmanned systems can discuss their successes andfailures to date and offer new thoughts and ideas on how these machines can help in our efforts tostudy, manage and conserve the world’s bird populations.

426th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD05

RTD05

Avian functional morphology and the fossil record: Integrating structure and function across time.
Proffitt, JV1, Watanabe, J2
1. Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin;
2. Department of Geology & Minerology, Kyoto University
The primary purpose of this round table is to act as a forum for discussion on integration andapplication of neontological and paleontological methodologies to understand avian function,
morphology, and ecology in an evolutionary context. The motivation for this session occurring at IOC
2014 is due to the unique composition of attendees in relation to two complementing meeting
symposia: S38 “Evolutionary Morphology of Birds: New Methods and Concepts” and S44 “New finds
and old bones – integrative palaeornithology for the 21st century”. A round table will enable direct
discussion of key topics raised in the symposia while appealing to a broader range of attending
researchers. Such a forum has the potential to significantly contribute to collaboration andinformation sharing between early career researchers and senior colleagues. Topics for discussion
include but are not limited to (1) the integration of functional data gathered from extant birds – bothin laboratory and natural settings – with data from fossils, (2) interpreting the functional context ofanatomical data gathered from fossils, and (3) the role of comparative phylogenetic methods ininvestigating the evolution of function in extinct and extant birds. It is our goal that this discussion
will result new collaborative networks and exchange of expertise between avian paleontologists,
evolutionary morphologists, ecomorphologists, and biomechanicists.

5

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD06

RTD06
Cooperative project for sharing monitoring data of wildfowls in East Asia
Sachiko Moriguchi1, Lei Cao
1

National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
University of Science and Technology of China, China)
Email: moriguchi.sachiko@nies.go.jp
2

The migratory waterbirds using the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway are amongst the most threatenedin the world because of the scale and pace of increasing population and economic development
pressures in this region. We urgently need to undertake more research at the flyway level, to derive
new knowledge about the magical migrations of waterbirds, to identify key threats and bottlenecks
in their annual life cycle, to safeguard sufficient wetlands to ensure their survival, by establishing andimproving collaboration and partnerships throughout our flyway, and all around the world.
Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus and habitat destruction make matters worse forthe avian population in the region. In each country, ornithologists have struggled to understand avian
biology for conservation for decades, and they have maintained monitoring systems individually.
However, international cooperation has been critically in short in East Asia, making it difficult topromote conservation particularly for migratory birds at the flyway level.
The people sharing the same resources (i.e. migratory bird populations) should recognize the values
and discuss the action plans for their conservation and management. This round table will be thebest occasion for discussing how to conserve and manage migratory birds in East Asia involving thepeople from these countries and the people from developed countries which have a long history ofinternational cooperation for conservation of Anatids.
This round table will be the best occasion for discussing how to conserve and manage migratory birds
in East Asia involving the people from these countries and the people from developed countries
which have a long history of international cooperation for conservation of Anatids.
In this forum, we first introduce our ongoing cooperative project for Anatids in East Asia. This project
was set up in order to share monitoring population data of wintering Anatids and to promotecollaborative researches, conservation and management of them in East Asia. Secondly, researchersin each country of East Asia explain their research for a few key species of Anatids which needconservation and management in East Asia. They also introduce specific problems which they faced
for conservation in each country, and they will suggest rare species with insufficient informationneeded for conservation. At last, the population status of those key species in the breeding areas is
explained, and other key species in the breeding areas are also suggested. We will discuss the
direction for conservation and management of Anatids at flyway level in East Asia.
Issues to be discussed include (i) key species and populations which should be conserved, and (ii) the
future direction of cooperation in East Asia.

6

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD07

RTD07
eBird: an increasingly powerful tool for science and conservation
Andrew Farnsworth1, Hugh Possingham2
1
2

Cornell Lab of Ornithology, USA
University of Queensland, Australia

The purpose of this round table is to explore eBird (eBird.org), an increasingly powerful tool tofurther our knowledge of the distribution, movements, and abundance of birds at the global scale.
eBird is a real‐time, online checklist program that allows participants to submit bird observations forany location around the world and time. It is protocol‐driven, providing various options for data
gathering including point counts, transects, and area searches. Birders simply enter when, where,
and how they went birding, and to complete a checklist of all the birds seen and heard during theouting. All submissions pass through automated data quality filters developed by regional bird
experts before they enter the public database. Local experts review unusual records that are flaggedby the filters. The observations of each participant join those of others in an international network of
eBird users. eBird then shares these observations with a global community of educators, land
managers, ornithologists, and conservation biologists.
Since its launch in 2002, eBird has provided rich data sources for basic information on bird
abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. eBird has gathered over 150
million observations, and has evolved from a basic citizen‐science project into a much larger
collective enterprise. The majority of observations are submitted from United States and Canada, but
this is changing quickly since the project went global in 2010. Presently eBird contains data fromevery country, representing 96% of the world’s bird species.
But growth in eBird has not been uniform, with substantial variation in the number and type ofobservations in space and time. In many areas the distribution of those observations is still sparse,
particularly in areas outside North America that have only recently adopted the program. The non‐uniform and sparse nature of the data presents major challenges for analysts. Novel modelingtechniques are emerging to address these issues, and have already led to highly accurate species
distributions and broad scales and high resolutions.
In this discussion we take the opportunity to discuss topics ranging from how birders use eBird tools
and data to manage, enter, and display observation data to how eBird directly impacts theconservation of birds and their habitats. Additional topics will include:‐ How can eBird be expanded to birding communities that have not yet embraced it?
‐ How is eBird working with partners around the world to expand the project’s reach and impact?
‐ How do we represent and study occurrence patterns at population levels?
‐ How do we represent and study migration and other avian movements?
‐ What can eBird data tell us about subpopulations?
‐ What can we learn about changes in avian phenology (i.e. arrival/departure dates)?
‐ How can we purpose scientific findings to application in conservation?
‐ How do achieve representing spatially explicit full life cycle of birds?

7

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD08

RTD08
What can we learn from flight calls of migrants?
Ommo Hüppop1, Andrew Farnsworth212Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, USA

The majority of bird migration occurs under the cover of darkness or generally out of sight, andperhaps the only reliable way to determine the species composition of these movements as theyoccur is to monitor flight calls. Flight calls are species‐specific signals, and although their specificfunctions have yet to be identified, communication among individuals, particularly in situations
where birds may experience confusion, seems of primary importance. Increasing numbers of studies
are reporting information about flight calls, but there are still many questions remaining.
Furthermore, there are still numerous questions about best practices for recording and analyzing
flight calls. Answering such questions holds the keys to unlocking flight call monitoring as a powerfultool for the study of nocturnal migration and to applying flight calls in the study of migration biology.
List of issues to be discussed:
Some basic questions: Which species call during migration (very brief overview)? What are theacoustical features (frequencies, sound pressure levels, transmission in a noisy environment)? Under
what conditions do calls most frequently occur?
Technical background: How to record flight calls: what hardware and software are necessary? What
are the most appropriate and commonly used packages? How to analyse flight calls: what are thebest summary methods to report results? What measurements are best for classification among
species?
Function of flight calls: When and why do migrants call? What do we know and what can we guess on
the function of flight calls?
Perspectives: How to approach open questions? What is the value for migration and communication
science? What is the value for conservation?

8

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD09

RTD09
Restoration of tern breeding colonies: state of the art for global conservation efforts
Chen Shuihua1, Daniel D. Roby2
1

Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, Hangzhou, P R China

2

U.S. Geological Survey‐Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit,
Corvallis, Oregon 97331‐3803 USA

Populations of colonial seabirds, especially those of terns (Subfamily Sterninae), are frequently
limited by the availability of suitable sites for breeding colonies. Overharvest, human disturbance,
introduced mammalian predators, and anthropogenic habitat change all contribute to reductions intern nesting habitat. A majority of the 44 species of terns worldwide are classified by the IUCN as
declining or unknown population trend, and 9 are classified as threatened, including the endangered
Peruvian Tern (Sterna lorata), Black‐fronted Tern (S. albostriata), and Black‐bellied Tern (S.
acuticauda), and the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern (Thalasseus bernsteini). Efforts torestore breeding colonies of terns have focused on providing suitable nesting habitat on islands andattracting terns to nest at these sites. The overall goal of tern restoration projects is to provide a
network of multiple, suitable sites for breeding colonies in order to grow tern breeding populations
and conserve these populations over the long‐term. Without an extensive network of suitable colonysites, local catastrophic events can have a severe impact on tern populations. A 7‐step process forestablishing new breeding colonies of terns on islands especially constructed or managed as terncolony sites has been proposed: (1) identify or construct a suitable nesting island, (2) remove all
terrestrial mammalian predators, (3) remove dense vegetation, if present, to provide suitable ternnesting substrate, (4) install social attraction (tern decoys and audio playback of tern vocalizations),(5) closely monitor the new tern colony site to identify any impediments to colony formation, (6)remove avian predators if they limit the formation or persistence of the new tern colony, and (7)engage the public in the restoration project through outreach and education. This approach torestoration of tern breeding colonies is currently being used to help rescue the critically endangered
Chinese Crested Tern from extinction. In order to best ensure the success of this tern restoration
project, as well as others throughout the globe, tern biologists, conservationists, and managers needto share their experiences with tern colony restoration efforts, the factors and environments thathave led to success or failure of such projects, and whether their collective experience supports,
refutes, or modifies the 7‐step process outlined above.

9

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD10RTD10Land bird monitoring in eastern Asia
Simba Chan1, Yu Yat‐Tung2
1
2

BirdLife International Asia Division, Chiyoda‐ku, Tokyo, Japan 101‐0061
The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China

Since the late 20th century, ornithologists and birdwatchers in Asia have noticed that many species ofland birds are becoming less common than they used to be. Some, such as the Yellow‐breasted
Bunting Emberiza aureola, are now even considered to be globally threatened while they wereregarded as common birds only about 20 years ago. The decline of land birds in Asia may be more
severe than that of waterbirds but it has never been documented regionally. A common monitoring
scheme on land birds in Asia has been suggested for some years, only to be hindered by the potential
scale of the project and numbers of participants needed.
In recent years, some Asian countries have shown interest in monitoring migratory land birds. On theother hand, since the late 20th century there has been a rapid growth of civil society participation inbirdwatching and conservation in Asia, particularly in China. It seems that for the first time we could
have a reasonable coverage of land bird monitoring in the field.
Through governmental cooperation and involvement of the civil societies, we believe we can start a
preliminary monitoring scheme and find out more on the status of migratory land birds in Asia, anddraft plans for better protection of these species. The only remaining question is which monitoring
scheme should be used.
We have proposed a project to develop a pilot scheme in China, Republic of Korea and Japan to test
approaches and methodologies for surveying migratory land birds in the breeding season of 2014.
Volunteers will test the feasibility of different monitoring schemes in the field and report how they
feel about the methodology. Feedback from the field will be presented and discussed at this IOC RTD.
We hope ornithologists with experience in bird monitoring (not only confined to Asia) would share
their experience and views with us. Recommendations will be summarized and presented to relevant
agencies and organizations in the project countries.

10

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD11

RTD11

Biodiversity and the rare Japanese Murrelet at Kaminoseki: ”The Sea of Miracles” and Kaminoseki
nuclear power plant planning
Midori Takashima
Kaminoseki Nature Conservation Association
Kaminoseki, Kumage‐gun, Yamaguchi Prefecture, is located near the west end of the Seto Inland Sea
and local waters are strongly affected by prevailing westerly winds and strong currents from the
Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea. The Seto Inland Sea has only 21.4% of its natural coastal
habitats left due to industrial development mainly since the 1960s. The Kaminoseki area, known as“The Sea of Miracles” has escaped most development and still has 75% natural coastal habitats,traditional biodiversity, and small towns long dependent on local ocean environments. Since 1999,
the Kaminoseki Nature Conservation Association has conducted biological surveys in this area, incollaboration with the Ecological Society of Japan, Japanese Association of Benthology, theOrnithological Society of Japan, and others. We have found that many rare species survive in the Seaof Miracles, including: Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides sunameri; IUCN Vulnerable);
Japanese Lancelet (Branchiostoma belcheri); a newly described rare gastropod (Ceratia nagashima);
and Japanese Wood Pigeon (Columba janthina; IUCN Near Threatened). In addition, we also foundthat this area is a year‐round habitat for Japanese Murrelets (Synthliboramphus wumizusume; IUCN
Vulnerable) and the only breeding colony of Streaked Shearwaters (Calonectris leucomelas; Japannear endemic) in the Seto Inland Sea.
However, there are plans to build nuclear power plants in this area. We seek to permanently stop
construction of a nuclear power plant initiated in 2010 but currently suspended after the 2011
Fukushima disaster. Our primary concerns are: (1) preventing extinction or local extirpation of rare
species during reclamation of subtidal environments; and (2) preventing destruction of valuable
feeding habitats for rare seabirds and marine mammals due to warm wastewater with radioactive
contamination.This round table discussion will be based on the survey results for Japanese Murrelets
and Streaked Shearwaters, and it will be a good opportunity to consider future work to survey andprotect the biodiversity of Kaminoseki and create an international sanctuary.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD12

RTD12
Current Status of Avian Morphology
James C. Vanden Berge1, M. Scott Echols2
1Professor of Anatomy Emeritus, Department of Anatomy, Indiana University School of Medicine,jcvandenberge@comcast.net
2

Mobile Avian Surgical Services, The Medical Center for Birds, www.medicalcenterforbirds.com

We will review the current status of avian morphology as a basis for functional and evolutionary

studies of extant and fossil birds, based on a multidisciplinary approach to all aspects of avian
morphology. We will give special emphasis to the morphology of the Grey Parrot, from various
aspects of descriptive and functional morphology, utilizing various techniques.
The objectives are:‐‐‐To facilitate exchange of information on new approaches to all aspects of avian morphology,
from basic descriptive macro‐ and micro‐morphology, to new imaging techniques, functional
morphology, biomechanics, and standard avian veterinary practice in the care of birds, at any
organ system level. A new study of the morphology of the Grey Parrot will serve as a “model” forthis objective.
To assess the current status of the associated standardized avian morphological nomenclature in
macromorphology (e.g., Nomina Anatomica Avium, 1993), and other anatomical terminology
applicable to specific organ systems. Examples here will be based on two recent studies (Zusi &Livezey, 2006; Reiner et al., 2004).
To assess the integration of avian morphology to understanding the evolution of the avian form,
with special reference to enantiornithiform and neo‐ornithiform phylogeny and evolution, as
well as reptilio‐avian evolution. The current and consistent application of the principles of the
NAA in these studies will be assessed.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD13

RTD13
The birds at Fukushima‐daiichi NPP and Tohoku Tsunami area, present and future, or goodornithology for and by the people.

K. Ishida 1, T. Mousseau 2 and T. Shimada 3

1, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan2, University of South Carolina, USA3. Izunuma Sacturay Center, Japan

Emal: ishiken@es.a.u‐tokyo.ac.jp / MOUSSEAU@mailbox.sc.edu

The northeastern area of Japan suffered a large earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. The
region was also affected by a Level 7 accident at the Fukushima‐daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (F1‐NPP).
These events led to a large disturbance of the ecosystem in the region which will be addressed froma scientific perspective in Symposium 34 (Møller and Ueda). However, we cannot ignore the fact that
there are tens of thousands of refugees from the triple disasters and this change of human activities
have consequences for birds and other wildlife in this region as well as the northern Abukuma
Highlands and surrounding area. Some ornithologists and conservationists have been studying theecology and bird communities in the region following the accident and natural disaster. It is
recognized that there are serious anthropological and ethical problems relating to both wildlife andhuman beings. For example, public reports of high contamination levels of barn swallow nests, madeof soil, has sometimes caused the destruction of nests and their removal from houses, even in
temporally abandoned areas. There is currently insufficient support for basic research in the disasterregion that we believe will provide important information for the future humane generations. We
shall introduce and discuss these problems from the perspective of Fukushima, Tohoku, andChernobyl.

Introduction 1: K. Ishida “Nature, society, history and people of Fukushima, and Tohoku district,Japan, and the disasters in 2011.” (10 min.)Introduction 2: T. Shimada “The Brent Goose wintering at the Tsunami area and radioactive
contamination of birds at Izunuma lake district.” (10 min.)Introduction 3: T. Mousseau "A call for support of very high resolution ecological studies following
environmental disasters" (10 min.)13

26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD14

RTD14
EWA – the Ethno‐ornithology World Archive

Andrew G Gosler1 & John H Fanshawe2

1

Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, South Parks Rd., Oxford OX1 3PS, UK

2

BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge, CB3 0NA

Funded by the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council under the Connected Communities
Programme, the Ethno‐ornithology World Archive is currently under development as a publicallyaccessible, internet‐based archive of all kinds of folk knowledge about birds, hopefully to the benefit
of both birds and people. EWA is a collaborative project between the Department of Zoology and
School of Anthropology at Oxford University, Birdlife International and Lynx Edicions, and has
working agreements with the Endangered Languages Programme at SOAS, London University, anddeveloping partnerships elsewhere. EWA’s Mission Statement is reproduced below. In this round‐table discussion, and with other members of the EWA development team, we will present theconcept of EWA, discuss its operation and development, and invite a full dialogue on the project. The
RTD will also link to the IOC symposium (S39) in ethno‐ornithology and conservation. We hope tohave a working demonstration of EWA by the
EWA Mission Statement: Sharing folk‐knowledge about birds to benefit nature and culture
EWA promotes the engagement of all people in bird conservation by sharing their knowledge andunderstanding of birds, and helping to safeguard cultural identities. EWA is founded on therecognition that humans everywhere are inspired culturally, practically and spiritually by birds. We
collect culturally relevant knowledge of birds, including local and traditional ecological knowledge,
and share this globally via the internet and other media. We work with indigenous people, local
communities, conservationists and academics, and their institutions, to promote bird conservation
through the recognition, affirmation and celebration of traditional and contemporary knowledge,
and the environmental stewardship ethic inherent within diverse cultural traditions.

1426th International Ornithological Congress 2014, TokyoRTD15RTD15
East Asia‐Australasian Flyway shorebird research and conservation needs
Sora M. Estrella1, Robert Davis1 and Judit K. Szabo2
1

School of Natural Science, Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science, Edith Cowan University,
Joondalup, 6027, Western Australia. Australia.

2

East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) Secretariat, Incheon, Republic of Korea

Email: s.marin‐estrella@ecu.edu.au

Migratory shorebirds currently face multiple threats throughout the East Asia‐Australasia Flyway.
Currently, 48% of shorebirds are globally declining, most likely due to habitat loss and degradation of
stopover sites. The primary objective of this session is to bring together shorebird researchers fromthroughout the East Asia‐Australasian Flyway to discuss existing research projects and identify
priorities to inform effective conservation strategies and actions. It is important that conservation
efforts on shorebirds and their habitat are implemented using the most accurate biological andecological information. Some proposed knowledge gaps and research priorities are:
1. What and how big are the consequences of climate change and habitat loss for different
species;
2. Given the high human population in this flyway and the strong interactions between humans
and shorebirds, how do human activities (e.g. shell fishing) affect shorebirds (e.g. resource
over‐exploitation, habitat destruction)?, are them positive and negative?.
3. To what extent do shorebirds use complementary and/or alternative artificial or natural
habitats?. E.g. saltworks, artificial roosts, rice fields.
4. What do we need to learn about the ecology of different shorebird species in order toinfluence management actions?
The discussion will focus on regional conservation priorities and strategies and ways for collaboratingon current and future projects.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

Research Coordination Committee Abstracts

RCC01

RCC01
Meeting of the Research Coordination Committee on Parrots (RCCP)
J.F. Masello 1, I. Berkunsky 2, S. Boyes 3, M. Braun 4, D. Brightsmith 5, R. Heinsohn 6, R. Jonker 7, M.
Lezama‐López 8, R. Martin 3, M. Perrin 9, J. Theuerkauf 10, T. White Jr. 11, S. Williams 12, and D.G.
Homberger 13

1

Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany,

2

Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, Universidad Nacional delCentro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tandil, Argentina,

3

DST/NRF Centre of Excellence Postdoctoral Fellow, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology,
University of Cape Town, South Africa,

4

Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Heidelberg, Germany

5

Shubot Exotic Bird Health Center, Dept. of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas
A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

6

Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

7

City Parrots, the Netherlands

8

Sociedad Mesoamericana para la Biología y la Conservación, Managua, Nicaragua

9

Research Centre for African Parrrot Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu‐
Natal, Scottsville, South Africa

10

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

11

United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program, Río Grande, Puerto
Rico
12

Echo Foundation and World Parrot Trust, Bonaire

13

Dept. of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA

The Parrot Researcher Group (PRG) was created during the 25th IOC in Campos do Jordão (Brazil) in2010, as a network of researchers working on Psittaciformes in order to establish, promote, andcoordinate research projects on this globally endangered avian order. Since then, over 300
researchers from all continents have joined the network. In order to take into account particularregional needs, the group was organised in five regions. The members of each region elected two to
three coordinators who coordinate joint regional projects together with an elected Secretary who
coordinates global projects. Additionaly, the “Grupo de Interés Temático de Psitácidos” (Sociedad
Mesoamericana para la Biología y la Conservación), an independent institution, closely cooperates
with the PRG. Joining the PRG is free. The group organises discussions, exchange of advice, and joint
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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

projects through an e‐group. In 2011, a virtual library was created and made available to all members.
The librarian monthly updates the reference list and uploads recently published works.
In 2013, the PRG was established as the Research Coordination Committee on Parrots (RCCP) of theInternational Ornithologist's Union (IOU). The central goal of the RCCP is to build on theachievements of the PRG and to expand the reach and effectiveness of its programs under theumbrella of the IOU. Specifically, the RCCP is focusing its effort on: a) Africa: a review of theknowledge gaps and research priorities for the conservation of parrots of Africa and Madagascar, andthe production of a special issue of Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology; b) Australasia: a review
paper analysing the factors endangering birds in the region, focusing on evaluating the consequencesof climate change on habitat loss and invasive species; c) Caribe: several projects focusing inendangered wild population management, rehabilitation and captive releases, monitoring andplacement of artificial nests, and population surveys; e) Continental Neotropics and the “Grupo deInterés Temático de Psitácidos”: a compilation of species accounts for the upcoming review of theknowledge gaps and research priorities for the conservation of parrots in the region; f) Urban Parrot
Section: a yearly World Parrot Count, aimed to investigate the establishment, diversity, andpopulation dynamics of introduced parrot species worldwide; g) Secretary office: a study of thepresence of pathogens and parasites in wild and introduced Psittaciformes globally, and a study the
influence of El Niño Southern Oscillation on the breeding biology of parrots worldwide.
During the RCCP meeting at the 26th IOC in Tokyo, we will discuss: (1) past successes and future plansof the RCCP; (2) research priorities for the next four years; (3) regional conservation priorities andstrategies; (4) sources of research funding and ways for organising joint applications; (5) elections ofregional coordinators and the Secretary for the period of 2014−2018 (until the 27th IOC in 2018); (6)ways of promoting the participation in the RCCP of colleagues from underrepresented regions such
us South and South‐east Asia, China, the Indian sub‐continent, and the Middle East; (7) the building a
web page (within the IOU one) which would serve as an enhanced platform for the group’s e‐library,a place for the advertisement and coordination of funding opportunities, and a forum for theestablishment of contacts with colleagues, students and volunteers worldwide who would like to join
specific projects.

226th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

RCC02

RCC02

17th Scheduled Meeting of the Research Coordination Committee on Avian Nomenclature (formerlyStanding Committee on Ornithological Nomenclature)

F.D. Steinheimer¹, R. Schodde² and W.J. Bock³¹ Natural History Collections, Martin‐Luther‐University Halle‐Wittenberg, 06099 Halle (Saale),Germany² c/‐ Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT
2601, Australia³ Dept. of Biological Sciences MC 5311, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027‐7004, USA
Email: frank.steinheimer@zns.uni‐halle.de

The newly‐named Research Coordination Committee on Avian Nomenclature (formerly Standing
Committee on Ornithological Nomenclature) will hold its 17th scheduled meeting at the 26th
International Ornithological Congress. This long‐standing committee of the IOU, which began life at
10th International Ornithological Congress in Uppsala in 1950, will, just before this meeting, change
chairs from Richard Schodde (Australia) to Frank D. Steinheimer (Germany. As is customary, themeeting will be held as a round‐table discussion and open to all interested members of the Congress.
Business for the meeting will review results from the Committee’s work since the 25th International
Ornithological Congress and consider the focus and directions of the Committee’s work into the next
decade. Inter alia, it will (1) canvass submissions to the International Commission on Zoological
Nomenclature to improve the working of the next edition of the International Code of Zoological
Nomenclature and (2) consider coordination on nomenclatural matters with journals dealing withavian taxonomy and with the IOU group responsible for the development of a global list of English
names for the bird species of the world.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo

RCC03

RCC03 Research Coordination Committee on Bird Marking
Research Coordination Committee on Bird Marking Workshop
Charles M. Francis
Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Ottawa, Canada

The Research Coordination Committee on Bird Marking previously known as the IOC Standing
Committee on Bird Ringing will host a one day workshop to discuss current issues related to marking
birds and the management of banding/ringing schemes and associated data. Representatives of
ringing/banding scheme and others interested in these issues are encouraged to participate. Focus
will be the finalization of a Programs Standards Guidance Document intended to assist developing
and established marking schemes work towards high ethical, scientific and data management
standard practices and the promotion of bird conservation world‐wide. The workshop also provides
a forum to promote coordination, cooperation and networking, among marking schemes andnetworks, facilitate communication of ideas, approaches and best practices among schemes,
promote use of new technologies and approaches for project design, field data collection, data
management and analysis; and promote international standards for bird marking.
Bird ringing/banding remains a key tool for research, monitoring and conservation of birds
worldwide while new bird‐marking technologies are being used with greater frequency (i.e. satellite
transmitters, GPS, geolocators etc.). Global issues such as climate change, avian conservation andemergent disease issues require a coordinated effort to understand bird movement on a global scale.
Communication and coordination among schemes will promote sharing of tools, data, best practices,
data management systems, and will allow data gathered to achieve maximum conservation value.
The Committee mission is to enhance international collaboration and standardization on bird
marking and associated data management issues of mutual concern by promoting communication,
coordination and sharing of data, tools and best practices among bird marking schemes to achieve
maximum conservation value while incorporating high ethical and scientific standards.
Draft Agenda:
1.
Updates from regional networks
2.
International coordination of auxiliary markers
3.
Data management of non‐standard markers including a presentation by Movebank
4.
Program Standards Development
5.
Review of Terms of Reference
6.
Election of Co‐Chairs
For more information or to register your intent to attend the meeting or your interest in staying
connected to this committee, please email Lesley.Howes@ec.gc.ca.

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26th International Ornithological Congress 2014, Tokyo