scholarly journals Breeding and Overwintering Ecology of Shy Albatrosses in Southern Australia: Year-Round Patterns of Colony Attendance and Foraging-Trip Durations

The Condor ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 375-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
April Hedd ◽  
Rosemary Gales
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Probability Of Failure ◽  
Trip Duration ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Southeast Australia ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Radio Transmitters ◽  
Colony Attendance

AbstractWe used radio-transmitters to study year-round patterns of colony attendance and foraging trip duration of Shy Albatrosses (Thalassarche cauta) at Albatross Island (1995–1997) and Pedra Branca (1997), Tasmania, Australia. Colony activity was largely diurnal, and foraging trip, incubation, and brooding shift durations were relatively short throughout the breeding season, consistent with foraging just a few hundred kilometers from the colonies. Shift durations decreased from 2.9 days early in incubation to an average of 24 hr during brooding. Foraging trip durations were similarly short in the first month postbrooding, but then doubled thereafter to approximately 2 days. Attendance and foraging-trip characteristics were similar between years and at both breeding sites. Both early in incubation and late in chick-rearing, females tended to undertake longer foraging trips than males. There was also an increased probability of failure if females spent as much time on the nest as males during incubation. Outside the breeding season, adults were relatively sedentary. Successful parents from Albatross Island forage off southeast Australia for just nine weeks before returning to spend much of the nonbreeding period attending the colony. The close proximity of the feeding and breeding grounds and near year-round presence of adults at the colony reflects locally favorable foraging conditions. Operating within this environment, Shy Albatrosses exhibit breeding, foraging, and provisioning characteristics that represent an extreme within the Diomedeidae.Ecología de Cría y del Período Invernal de Thalassarche cauta en el Sur de Australia: Patrones Anuales de Presencia en la Colonia y Duración de los Viajes de ForrajeoResumen. Usamos radio-transmisores para estudiar los patrones anuales de presencia en la colonia y la duración de los viajes de forrajeo de Thalassarche cauta en Albatross Island (1995–1997) y en Pedra Branca (1997), Tasmania, Australia. La actividad de la colonia fue mayormente diurna, y los viajes de forrajeo, la incubación y la duración de los turnos para empollar fueron relativamente cortos durante la estación de cría, lo que es consistente con que las aves forrajean a unos pocos cientos de kilómetros de la colonia. La duración de los turnos disminuyó de 2.9 días al principio de la incubación a un promedio de 24 hr durante el período de empollamiento. La duración de los viajes de forrajeo fue similarmente corta en el primer mes luego del período de cría, pero después se duplicó hasta aproximadamente 2 días. Las características de la presencia en la colonia y de los viajes de forrajeo fueron similares entre años y en ambos sitios de cría. Las hembras tendieron a realizar viajes de forrajeo más prolongados que los machos tanto a principios de la incubación como a fines del período de cría de los pichones. También hubo una probabilidad mayor de fracaso si las hembras permanecieron en los nidos durante el período de incubación la misma cantidad de tiempo que los machos. Fuera del período de cría, los adultos fueron relativamente sedentarios. Los padres exitosos de Albatross Island forrajearon en el mar del sudeste de Australia solamente durante nueve semanas antes de regresar a pasar gran parte del período no reproductivo en la colonia. La proximidad de los sitios de alimentación y de cría y la presencia casi completa a lo largo del año de los adultos en la colonia reflejan condiciones locales favorables de forrajeo. En sintonía con el ambiente, T. cauta presenta características reproductivas, de alimentación y de aprovisionamiento que son extremas entre los Diomedeidae.

Breeding biology and movements of Australian sea-lions, Neophoca cinerea, off the west coasst of Western Australia

1992 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 405 ◽  
Author(s):  
NJ Gales ◽  
AJ Cheal ◽  
GJ Pobar ◽  
P Williamson
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
Breeding Cycle ◽  
Sea Lion ◽  
The West ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Neophoca Cinerea

The Australian sea-lion, Neophoca cinerea, has a 17-18-month breeding cycle on islands off the west coast of Western Australia. Buller, North Fisherman and Beagle Is are the main pupping sites, with several very small colonies (n> 3) at the Abrolhos Is. The 4-5-month pupping seasons are synchronised at North Fisherman and Beagle Is, but the sea-lions from Buller I. breed one month later and those from the Abrolhos Is two months earlier. Pup production and pup mortality were highly variable between seasons over which observations were recorded: 129 pups were born at the main breeding sites in early 1988, the mortality in the first five months was 7.1%, whereas 181 pups were born in late 1989 of which 24.3% died. Pups remain in the vicinity of their natal islands for the first 4-5 months of life before leaving, perhaps on foraging trips, with their mothers. Most return to their natal island, although others haulout on islands up to 27 km away. Some male N. cinerea congregate in bachelor colonies on islands adjacent to the Perth metropolitan region during the non-breeding season and migrate up to 280 km north each breeding season. The status of the isolated, west-coast N. cinerea population is unknown. The current high level of human pressure on sea-lion terrestrial habitats and their food resources indicate a need for further monitoring of this species.

Orientation-cage experiments with the European Quail during the breeding season and autumn migration

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. 887-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.D. Rodríguez-Teijeiro ◽  
A. Barroso ◽  
S. Gallego ◽  
M. Puigcerver ◽  
D. Vinyoles
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Sexual Behaviour ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
Controlled Experiments ◽  
Coturnix Coturnix ◽  
Preferred Direction ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Suitable Habitats ◽  
Migratory Period

The directional movements of the male European Quail, Coturnix coturnix (L., 1758), during the breeding season and autumn migration were studied using Emlen orientation cages. The characteristics and evolution of the habitat in which males were captured and the sexual behaviour shown at capture indicate that these birds move in search of mating partners rather than of suitable habitats. These displacements are known as “gypsy movements” but are better described, as argued in this paper, as “movements in search of females”. A majority of caged birds (59%) showed a preferred direction (α = 238.5°), which coincided almost exactly with that observed in recoveries of ringed birds during autumn migration (α = 251.3°) but not with results from cage experiments during the same migratory period (α = 187.8°). Therefore, we conclude that displacements of the male European Quail, as shown in ringing recoveries, are much more influenced by “movements in search of females” than by migration. These movements are clearly towards the southwest, the males taking short flights towards suitable breeding grounds and driven by river-course habitats. In addition, we confirm that Emlen funnels are suitable for controlled experiments on the orientation of males in demes of European Quail.

scholarly journals Novel methods reveal shifts in migration phenology of barn swallows in South Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 279 (1733) ◽  
pp. 1485-1490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Res Altwegg ◽  
Kristin Broms ◽  
Birgit Erni ◽  
Phoebe Barnard ◽  
Guy F. Midgley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Migratory Bird ◽  
Recent Climate ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Barn Swallows

Many migratory bird species, including the barn swallow ( Hirundo rustica ), have advanced their arrival date at Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds, showing a clear biotic response to recent climate change. Earlier arrival helps maintain their synchrony with earlier springs, but little is known about the associated changes in phenology at their non-breeding grounds. Here, we examine the phenology of barn swallows in South Africa, where a large proportion of the northern European breeding population spends its non-breeding season. Using novel analytical methods based on bird atlas data, we show that swallows first arrive in the northern parts of the country and gradually appear further south. On their north-bound journey, they leave South Africa rapidly, resulting in mean stopover durations of 140 days in the south and 180 days in the north. We found that swallows are now leaving northern parts of South Africa 8 days earlier than they did 20 years ago, and so shortened their stay in areas where they previously stayed the longest. By contrast, they did not shorten their stopover in other parts of South Africa, leading to a more synchronized departure across the country. Departure was related to environmental variability, measured through the Southern Oscillation Index. Our results suggest that these birds gain their extended breeding season in Europe partly by leaving South Africa earlier, and thus add to scarce evidence for phenology shifts in the Southern Hemisphere.

scholarly journals Foraging ecology and choice of feeding habitat in the New Zealand Fairy Tern Sternula nereis davisae

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEFANIE M. H. ISMAR ◽  
TOM TRNSKI ◽  
TONY BEAUCHAMP ◽  
SARAH J. BURY ◽  
DAVID WILSON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Foraging Ecology ◽  
Avicennia Marina ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Sand Spit ◽  
Feeding Habitat

SummaryNo published information is available on the foraging ecology and choice of feeding habitat of New Zealand’s rarest breeding bird: the New Zealand Fairy Tern (NZFT) Sternula nereis davisae. To address this gap, we conducted an assessment of the largest remaining breeding population at Mangawhai Harbour, Northland, New Zealand, during the chick-rearing period of the 2010/2011 breeding season. We combined visual tracking of birds with prey surveys and stable isotope analyses, and we present the first quantitative assessment of NZFT foraging. We recorded 405 foraging dives that show NZFT foraging habitat includes the water edges, shallow channels, and pools on the tidal flats of mangrove-lined (Avicennia marina var. resinifera) parts of the estuary; tidal pools on mud- and sandflats in the mid-estuary and lower harbour; the shallow margins of the dredged main channel in the lower harbour; the oxbow lagoons on the sand spit; and coastal shallows. Our study identifies the mangrove-lined highly tidal and shallow mid-estuary and the lagoon on the sand spit as foraging hotspots for the Mangawhai breeding population of the NZFT. The prey survey employed a seine-net sampling method at identified NZFT foraging sites and yielded 4,367 prey-sized fish of 11 species, two of which had not previously been reported in Mangawhai Harbour, as well as numerous shrimps. The most abundant fish were gobies of the genus Favonigobius. Our stable isotope results highlight gobies as the most important prey for NZFT chick rearing, also indicating that flounder Rhombosolea sp. contribute to NZFT diet. We raise the possibility that shrimps may also constitute a substantial diet component for NZFT, potentially providing up to 21% of diet mass for adult birds. While our results provide a first basis to understanding the feeding ecology of NZFT during their breeding season in order to facilitate conservation planning, further research is required to address inter-annual variation and to identify key foraging grounds for this Critically Endangered bird at other breeding sites.

scholarly journals From Mediterranean to Scandinavia—timing and body mass condition in four long distance migrants

Ornis Svecica ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1–2) ◽  
pp. 51-58
Author(s):  
Christos Barboutis ◽  
Leo Larsson ◽  
Åsa Steinholtz ◽  
Thord Fransson
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Arrival Time ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Swedish Study ◽  
Collared Flycatcher ◽  
Stopover Sites ◽  
Early Arrival ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Pass Through

In spring, long-distance migrants are considered to adopt a time-minimizing strategy to promote early arrival at breeding sites. The phenology of spring migration was examined and compared between two insular stopover sites in Greece and Sweden for Icterine Warbler, Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Collared Flycatcher. All of them migrate due north which means that some proportion of birds that pass through Greece are heading to Scandinavia. The Collared Flycatcher had the earliest and the Icterine Warbler the latest arrival time. The differences in median dates between Greece and Sweden were 3–4 weeks and the passages in Sweden were generally more condensed in time. The average overall speed estimates were very similar and varied between 129 and 137 km/d. In most of the species higher speed estimates were associated with years when birds arrived late in Greece. After crossing continental Europe birds arrive at the Swedish study site with significantly higher body masses compared to when they arrive in Greece and this might indicate a preparation for arriving at breeding grounds with some overload.

scholarly journals Investigation of Dengue Fever Outbreak in a Rural Area of Islamabad, Pakistan: A Case Control Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fawad Khalid Khan ◽  
Khurram Shahzad Akram ◽  
Ambreen Chaudhry ◽  
Mir Muhammad Hassan Bullo ◽  
zakir Hussain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dengue Fever ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Outbreak Investigation ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Nonstructural Protein 1 ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Ns1 Antigen

Background: In the second week of October 2019, five suspected cases of dengue fever were reported from union council Sohan, Islamabad rural (population 45,747) to the health department, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).  Outbreak investigation was conducted with the objectives to identify risk factors and to recommend control measures. Methods: Outbreak investigation was conducted from 17 th October to 25 th November 2019. A case was defined as, “fever and two or more of the following signs/symptoms; headache, retro-orbital pain, joint/bone pain, myalgia and petechial rash with NS1 test (Nonstructural Protein 1) positive during 8 th October to 25 th November 2019 among residents of Sohan”. Age and sex-matched controls were recruited from the same neighborhood. All cases were positive for NS1 antigen. Blood samples from five suspected cases were collected and tested for laboratory confirmation. Results:   A total of 547 households were surveyed and 85 cases were identified. The mean age was 34.4 years + 16.05 (range 3-71 years). The attack rate was 0.19% whereas the most affected age group was the 45-54 years (AR 0.43%). Males were predominantly affected (n=48 56.5%). Among all cases, 32% (n=27)) had stagnant water inside or around their houses (aOR 2.65, CI 1.20-5.83, P= 0.005), 33% (n=28) were using mosquito repellent (aOR 0.35, CI 0.17-0.70, P <0.001), 31% (n=26) used indoor residual spray insecticide (aOR 0.48, CI 0.24-0.97, P =0.041), and 73% (n=62) used full protective clothing (aOR 0.17, CI 0.05-0.58, P <0.001). All five blood samples were tested positive for NS-1 antigen. Conclusion: The presence of accumulated rainwater in pools and empty receptacles around houses acted as breeding grounds for Aedes aegypti mosquitos and was the most probable cause of this outbreak. Following our recommendations, the health department-initiated mosquito breeding sites control activities through residual insecticide spray and advocacy on the use of protective measures against mosquito bites.

scholarly journals LATE BREEDING-SEASON DEFINITIVE PRE-BASIC MOLT BY MALES, AND LATE BREEDING SEASON BROOD CARE BY FEMALES, IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WILSON'S WARBLERS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William M. Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Brood Care ◽  
Central California ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
Unique Study ◽  
California Population

Abstract. I made late breeding season (after 1 July) observations of a central California population of Wilson’s Warbler, Cardellina pusilla, over nine breeding seasons. I sighted males in definitive prebasic molt from 4 July in 2007 through 1 September in 1999. Possibly all territorial males molted on their breeding territories, and molt lasted a maximum of 46 days. Following prebasic molt, territorial males engaged in subdued “post molt singing,” which lasted 14 days in one male, but usually no more than seven days, and was last heard on 6 September in 1999. I sighted no female in definitive prebasic molt, nor in bright basic plumage, during the study. Of 12 color-banded females sighted after 22 July, I confirmed 11 had been in late breeding season uniparental brood care. Possibly all resident females not engaged in late uniparental brood care vacated their breeding territories earlier, and before resident males. They presumably underwent prebasic molt at later times and locations not known. Remaining late nesting females must have molted much later than resident males, and likely later than early departing resident females, and at unknown locations. I last sighted uniparental brood tending females still in dull alternate plumage on 26 and 29 August respectively, whereas some males had completed prebasic molt by 13 August. Three unique study findings are the occurrence of male post molt singing, a male/female difference in location of prebasic molt, and a likely dichotomy of prebasic molt timing between females leaving their breeding grounds early, and those remaining in uniparental brood care.

Grasslands and migratory birds of the Himalayan region

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-100
Author(s):  
Chandra Kala
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Himalayan Region ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Horizontal Migration ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Multiple Uses ◽  
Grazing Lands

The Himalayan grasslands from sub-tropical to temperate, alpine and steppe have been exploited historically by humans for multiple uses including grazing lands for livestock. Besides domestic and wild animals, a large number of migratory birds use these grasslands and wetland areas dotted in these grasslands during their vertical and horizontal migration in the Himalayan region during breeding season. Despite quite unique and sensitive ecosystems these grasslands are least studied. The present study, therefore, aims to study the structure and composition of Himalayan grasslands with respect to their multiple utilities, including breeding grounds for migratory birds.

scholarly journals Breeding origins and migratory connectivity at a northern roost of Vaux’s Swift, a declining aerial insectivore

The Condor ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellis L Smith ◽  
Matthew W Reudink ◽  
Peter P Marra ◽  
Ann E Mckellar ◽  
Steven L Van Wilgenburg
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Annual Cycle ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Vancouver Island ◽  
Cluster Solution ◽  
Migratory Connectivity ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Aerial Insectivores ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Weak Connectivity

ABSTRACT Populations of Vaux’s Swift (Chaetura vauxi), like those of many aerial insectivores, are rapidly declining. Determining when and where populations are limited across the annual cycle is important for their conservation. Establishing the linkages between wintering and breeding sites and the strength of the connections between them is a necessary first step. In this study, we analyzed 3 stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H) from feathers collected during spring migration from Vaux’s Swifts that perished during a stopover on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. We previously analyzed claw tissue (grown during winter) from the same individuals, revealing that the swifts likely wintered in 2 or 3 locations/habitats. Here, we used stable isotope analysis of flight feathers presumed to have been grown on, or near, the breeding grounds to determine the likely previous breeding locations and presumed destinations for the swifts. Stable isotope values (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H) showed no meaningful variation between age classes, sexes, or with body size. Surprisingly, ~26% of the birds sampled had feather isotope values that were not consistent with growth on their breeding grounds. For the remaining birds, assigned breeding origins appeared most consistent with molt origins on Vancouver Island. Overall, migratory connectivity of this population was relatively weak (rM = 0.07). However, the degree of connectivity depended on how many winter clusters were analyzed; the 2-cluster solution suggested no significant connectivity, but the 3-cluster solution suggested weak connectivity. It is still unclear whether low migratory connectivity observed for Vaux’s Swift and other aerial insectivores may make their populations more or less vulnerable to habitat loss; therefore, further efforts should be directed to assessing whether aerial insectivores may be habitat limited throughout the annual cycle.

scholarly journals First indications of a sharp population decline in the globally threatened Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. S. Tomkovich ◽  
E. E. Syroechkovski, Jr. ◽  
E. G. Lappo ◽  
C. Zöckler
Keyword(s):  
Local Population ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Population Estimate ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Northern Coast ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Population Size Estimate ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Rate Of Decline ◽  
Anadyr Estuary

Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus is classed as globally Vulnerable, based on the only available population estimate, made in 1977, of 2,000–2,800 pairs. Surveys for breeding Spoon-billed Sandpipers were carried out in summer 2000 on the Anadyr estuary coast, the Chukotka autonomous region, Russia. Although six new breeding sites were found, only 16–17 breeding males/pairs were recorded on the northern coast of the Anadyr estuary and five males/pairs on the southern coast and more southerly lagoons. These numbers were much lower than expected, and the species was not recorded in several apparently suitable areas. Four formerly known breeding sites held only one displaying male between them. At no site was there evidence of an increasing or stable local population. Together with other indicative data these suggest a sharp decline in the population of Spoon-billed Sandpiper. The previous population size estimate obviously requires updating, both because there were some incorrect assumptions in the calculations made for the first population estimate, and also due to a recent population decline. It is likely that the current population numbers under 1,000 breeding pairs. Given that the population of this species may be substantially lower than the only previous estimate, and the evidence for a possible rapid decline in its population described in this paper, it is recommended that its IUCN status is changed from Vulnerable to Endangered. No reasons for the apparent rapid rate of decline are evident within the breeding range. “Bottle-necks” should be looked for at migration sites or wintering grounds, but currently, monitoring of the population is only possible on the breeding grounds.

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