Birds of Parque Estadual Ilha do Cardoso: ecology, conservation and natural history

The Parque Estadual Ilha do Cardoso (PEIC), located on extreme South of São Paulo’s cost, in Brazil, holds an important Atlantic Forest remnant which still in a good state of conservation, but lack a deepen study about the avian community that habits the island. This study aimed to elaborate a census of avian species that occur in the park approaching richness, occurrence frequency, occurrence status and the structure of trophic guilds. A total of 25 field expedictions occurred between September 2015 and September 2017 during five days each, the field work included different ecosystems as mangrove, restinga, forest, sandbank, beach and marine. The census was made combine three different techniques used in ornithological studies: visual identification, auditory identification and catch by mist-nets (with five fixed sites in mangrove, restinga and forest). Were recorded 335 avian species, with 28 of them endemic from Brazil and 33 being threatened with extinction. Seventy-three species were recorded in all sampled months (FO 100%), while 46 were recorded in just one month (FO = 4%). About occurrence status, 55% of species are residents, 20% occasional visitors, 13% unusual residents, 6% migratory and 6% visitors. According the recorded species were recognized 25 trophic guilds based on food items, corporal size and strata that commonly forage, which of most representative in the community, the guild of “of insectivorous of medium-strata” (N = 55), “canopy omnivorous” (N = 33), “aquatic invertebrates consummers” and “piscivorous” (N = 31). Finally, with the current study, we aimed through a significative field effort bring a better knowledge about avifauna of PEIC, which could be a good base when is necessary take actions that aim to park management and the Conservation Unities around it.

Avian Species Abundance and Richness in a Variably Urbanised Landscape in Wellington City, New Zealand

<p>Avian community composition fluctuates across the landscape at different scales of space and time. These fluctuations may be modified at the broader scale of landscape and at the local scale of habitat patch. A species' ecology also influences its occurrence and abundance in the landscape. This thesis investigates the spatial and temporal distribution of the avian community in Wellington. Wellington is an interesting case study because it has a diverse range of landscapes influenced by the proximity of hills to the coast (see Appendix 3). I assess the effect of landscape classification on the richness and abundance of birds and the role of fine patch structure in shaping this distribution. My study was located within a 5-km radius of Wellington City's central business district (41 degrees 16' S, 174 degrees 46' E). I used six strip-transects divided into 400m length segments that traversed through high to lower density residential suburbs and green space inter-digitated with built habitat, and established five-minute count (FMBC) points at each segment interval along these routes for a total of 49 points. I used ArcGIS to analyse the habitat patch types in the 100-m areas surrounding the FMBC. I recorded avian species type and abundance along the strips and at the FMBC during the morning and evening. A total of 35 bird species and 10966 individuals were recorded along the strip-transects and 34 bird species and 5960 individuals at the FMBCs. House sparrow, then starling and blackbacked gull, rock pigeon, blackbird and silvereye were the most common and widely spread species. Results indicated that landscape type modified avian biodiversity with the highest number of species (S) recorded in green landscapes (n = 10, S = 15.9) and the lowest in wharf littoral (n = 2, S = 7.5) and low-density commercial sites (n = 3, S = 6.67). The diversity of the landscape within an area did not influence avian biodiversity. I found that total species abundance did not change across the landscape but that the species' ecology did influence where it occurred and its abundance in the landscape. Dietary diversity particularly influenced a species' abundance. Both season and time of day altered species richness and abundance, with lower values of richness recorded in autumn (morning period = 13.5, evening period = 10.7). I found that avian communities in the Wellington urban area were dominated by six common species but that many more species were present in much lower numbers at fewer sites. Results showed an inverse relationship between species richness and abundance - while the greater biomass (abundance) of birds concentrated at FMBC within the built commercial centre and surrounding higher density housing areas, richness increased with distance from the built centre to residential and green sites. I found no relationship between species richness and the total number of individuals present at any point, and the total biomass and abundance of birds was also independent of patch size. Neither habitat patch diversity nor average patch size influenced species diversity across the community of birds, but the effect of average patch size was less at patches between 300 and 1500 metres. The abundance of some individuals in their favoured patch type did vary in response to patch structure with the strongest relationships seen for blackbird and house sparrow. These results suggest that birds are responding to cues at the larger scale of landscape first rather than to fine patch structure within the urban setting, and therefore that landscape is a more important influence in driving bird biodiversity.</p>

Avian Species Abundance and Richness in a Variably Urbanised Landscape in Wellington City, New Zealand

<p>Avian community composition fluctuates across the landscape at different scales of space and time. These fluctuations may be modified at the broader scale of landscape and at the local scale of habitat patch. A species' ecology also influences its occurrence and abundance in the landscape. This thesis investigates the spatial and temporal distribution of the avian community in Wellington. Wellington is an interesting case study because it has a diverse range of landscapes influenced by the proximity of hills to the coast (see Appendix 3). I assess the effect of landscape classification on the richness and abundance of birds and the role of fine patch structure in shaping this distribution. My study was located within a 5-km radius of Wellington City's central business district (41 degrees 16' S, 174 degrees 46' E). I used six strip-transects divided into 400m length segments that traversed through high to lower density residential suburbs and green space inter-digitated with built habitat, and established five-minute count (FMBC) points at each segment interval along these routes for a total of 49 points. I used ArcGIS to analyse the habitat patch types in the 100-m areas surrounding the FMBC. I recorded avian species type and abundance along the strips and at the FMBC during the morning and evening. A total of 35 bird species and 10966 individuals were recorded along the strip-transects and 34 bird species and 5960 individuals at the FMBCs. House sparrow, then starling and blackbacked gull, rock pigeon, blackbird and silvereye were the most common and widely spread species. Results indicated that landscape type modified avian biodiversity with the highest number of species (S) recorded in green landscapes (n = 10, S = 15.9) and the lowest in wharf littoral (n = 2, S = 7.5) and low-density commercial sites (n = 3, S = 6.67). The diversity of the landscape within an area did not influence avian biodiversity. I found that total species abundance did not change across the landscape but that the species' ecology did influence where it occurred and its abundance in the landscape. Dietary diversity particularly influenced a species' abundance. Both season and time of day altered species richness and abundance, with lower values of richness recorded in autumn (morning period = 13.5, evening period = 10.7). I found that avian communities in the Wellington urban area were dominated by six common species but that many more species were present in much lower numbers at fewer sites. Results showed an inverse relationship between species richness and abundance - while the greater biomass (abundance) of birds concentrated at FMBC within the built commercial centre and surrounding higher density housing areas, richness increased with distance from the built centre to residential and green sites. I found no relationship between species richness and the total number of individuals present at any point, and the total biomass and abundance of birds was also independent of patch size. Neither habitat patch diversity nor average patch size influenced species diversity across the community of birds, but the effect of average patch size was less at patches between 300 and 1500 metres. The abundance of some individuals in their favoured patch type did vary in response to patch structure with the strongest relationships seen for blackbird and house sparrow. These results suggest that birds are responding to cues at the larger scale of landscape first rather than to fine patch structure within the urban setting, and therefore that landscape is a more important influence in driving bird biodiversity.</p>

Seasonal Dynamics and Diversity of Haemosporidians in a Natural Woodland Bird Community in Slovakia

Despite the ubiquity of disease seasonality, mechanisms behind the fluctuations in seasonal diseases are still poorly understood. Avian hemosporidiosis is increasingly used as a model for ecological and evolutionary studies on disease dynamics, but the results are complex, depending on the focus (hosts, parasites, vectors) and scale (individuals, community, populations) of the study. Here, we examine the local diversity of haemosporidian parasites and the seasonal patterns of infections, parasite richness, and diversity in a natural woodland bird community in Slovakia. In 35 avian species, we detected 111, including 19 novel, haemosporidian cytochrome b lineages. The highest numbers of lineages were detected during spring and autumn, corresponding with higher avian species richness and infection prevalence in the avian community during these periods of time. Nevertheless, the haemosporidian community in the local breeders in summer was relatively stable, Haemoproteus lineages dominated in the local avian haemosporidian community, and only few parasite lineages were abundant within each genus. While prevailing Leucocytozoon infections in spring suggest that the majority of sampled birds wintered in the Mediterranean region, Plasmodium infections in spring can be due to relapses in reproductively active short-distance migrants. Multiple haemosporidian infections, both intra- and inter-generic ones, were common in the local avian community. Infection intensity peaked during summer and tended to be higher in older birds, pointing to the role of supressed immunity in reproductively active birds.

Avifaunal Diversity in Important Bird Areas of Western Nepal

Barekot rural municipality of Jajarkot district is an Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Western Nepal. In recent years, illegal hunting and trapping-related cases have increased in this area. Additionally, a hydropower project with a capacity of 410 MW is being constructed within Barekot. The present study aims to update the preliminary checklist of birds and identify the underlying threats to the bird population in this region. Bird survey was conducted in four monitoring blocks of Barekot during the late winter of 2021. Also, a series of consultation meetings and interviews with the local stakeholders were organized to collect information regarding the extant threats. This study revealed eighty-seven bird species of 10 orders and 34 families. Birds most commonly recorded from the family Muscicapidae and order Passeriformes. Among the total recorded species, two species are listed in the IUCN Red List of Nationally Vulnerable Category. Similarly, five species were listed on CITES Appendix II and one species on CITES Appendix I. Approximately 82% of total bird species were of resident type. Despite a decline in bird diversity, Barekot’s unique geographical location still makes it an important IBA in Nepal. Bird numbers have plummeted due to human intrusion and disturbance, and natural system modifications. Based on our findings, we recommend landscape-level research, on the impacts of hydropower projects, roads, poaching, and impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Similarly, future conservation efforts should also emphasize preventing habitat fragmentation and raising public awareness. Keywords: Avian community; Bird checklist; Important Bird Area; Threats