Evidence of Low-Habitat Contamination Using Feathers of Three Heron Species as a Biomonitor of Inorganic Elemental Pollution

The concentration of 12 elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) has been investigated in the feathers of three species of Ardeidae, namely the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, the Little Egret Egretta garzetta, and the Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis, all breeding at a colony located in the southern Padana Plain (NW Italy). This study is a first step for an evaluation of possible direct effects of these elements on chicks’ survival and growth rate. Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn were in the range 7–69 mg Kg−1, while lower levels of Pb, Ni, As, and Se (0.27–1.45 mg Kg−1) were measured. Co, Cd, and Cr were close to the method detection limits (MDLs) in all the species. The measured concentrations of the most abundant trace elements, such as Zn and Cu, seem to reflect the geochemical pattern of the background (running water and soil), while Hg concentration is lower and it appears to be biomagnified, particularly in Grey Heron feathers. Its concentration is higher in adults than in chicks, and it differs among the three species, as it is closely related to the fish-based dietary pattern. The measured trace elements’ concentrations are below the threshold levels in all the heron species, and consequently, harmful and acute effects on the local population are unlikely; the conservation status of herons populations in northern Italy is probably more affected by other factors, such as climate changes, altered aquatic environment, and, consequently, food quality.

KOLONI BURUNG CANGAK ABU (Ardea cinerea LINNAEUS) DI AREA BANDAR UDARA INTERNASIONAL ADISUTJIPTO YOGYAKARTA (Grey Heron Colony (Ardea cinerea Linnaeus) in Yogyakarta Adisutjipto International Airport Area)

AbstrakBird strike merupakan peristiwa tabrakan antara burung baik secara berkelompok maupun tunggal dengan pesawat terbang pada proses penerbangan. Kejadian bird strike dapat menyebabkan kecelakaan ringan hingga serius yang sangat merugikan secara ekonomi Sekalipun telah dilakukan bird control secara maksimal berdasarkan panduan yang tersedia, namun bird strike juga terkadang masih terjadi di Bandar Udara Internasional Adisutjipto Yogyakarta (JOG) dengan tingkat kerusakan pesawat dari berat sampai ringan. Salah satu jenis burung penyebab kejadian bird strike di kawasan ini adalah cangak abu. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui besaran dan prilaku koloni burung cangak abu (Ardea cinerea) pengunjung area. Pengambilan data besaran koloni burung pengunjung dilakukan dengan penghitungan langsung (sensus); perilaku selama di lokasi antara lain waktu dan arah datang dan pergi serta aktivitas yang dilakukan burung cangak abu selama di area bandara diamati dan dicatat secara langsung. Semua data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskriptif-kualitatif dan diperbandingkan burung lain dan hasil penelitian lain sehingga dapat diperoleh gambaran yang jelas tentang mengapa koloni cangak abu tersebut menjadi pengunjung area bandara. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan. Keberadaan burung cangak abu di Bandara Adisutjipto berpotensi relatif terbesar menimbulkan kejadian bird strike dibanding burung jenis lainnya karena jumlah individu harian yang datang terbanyak, frekuensi kedatangannya tertinggi kedua setelah burung wallet, ukuran tubuhnya yang relatif terbesar, terbang rendah, terbang pelan dan manuvernya juga lamban serta terbang menyilang landasan. Kondisi lingkungan area runway bandara yang luas, lapang terbuka, ditutupi hijauan rerumputan, berangin, aman dari predator, sepi jauh dari kegiatan manusia dan lokasinya yang strategis diantara zona roosting/nesting dan zona foraging/feeding menjadi lokasi yang ideal bagi koloni cangak abu untuk melakukan kegiatan harian loafing. Pengelola bandara JOG perlu meningkatkan kewaspadaan terhadap kemungkinan peningkatan kehadiran burung cangak abu, dan perlu memperluas jangkauan pengelolaan populasi cangak abu di luar wilayah bandara.AbstractBird strike is a bird collision event both in groups and singly with an aircraft in the flight process. Bird strike events can cause minor to serious accidents which are very detrimental to the economy. Although maximum bird control has been carried out based on the available guidelines, bird strikes also sometimes occur at Yogyakarta Adisutjipto International Airport (YAIA) with the level of aircraft damage from heavy to light. One type of bird that causes the bird strike incident at YAIA is grey heron. The purpose of this study was to determine the dayly individual number and behavior of the grey heron (Ardea cinerea), visitors to the YAIA area. Data collection on visitor bird colony size is carried out by direct count (census); behavior while in YAIA, including the time and direction of coming and going, and what the grey heron did during the airport area was observed and recorded directly. All data obtained were analyzed descriptively-qualitatively and compared to other birds and other research results so that a clear picture of why the colony of grey heron can be obtained as a visitor to the YAIA area. The results showed. the presence of grey heron (Ardea cinerea) at Adisutjipto Airport has the highest relative potential to cause bird strike events compared to other types of birds because the highest number of daily individuals, the second highest frequency of arrival after a glossy swiftlet, the largest relative body size, low flight, slow flight and maneuvers are also slow and fly across the runway. The YAIA runway area, which is wide, open and covered with grasses, windy, safe from predators, is quiet away from human activities and a strategic location between the roosting / nesting zone and the foraging / feeding zone makes it an ideal location for grey heron colonies to conduct colony of grey heron daily loafing activities. In conclusion, the manager of YAIA needs to increase awareness of the possibility of increasing the presence of grey herons, and it is necessary to broaden the scope of management of the grey heron population outside the YAIA region.

Annotated Checklist of the Marine and Coastal Birds of Lebanon

The study of marine and coastal birds in the Lebanon recorded 75speciesalong the shore line of Lebanon and for a distance of 7 kms offshore.Of those species,35 are seabirdspecies, 38 marine or seawater/freshwater coastal birds, and 2waterbird specieswintering on the archipelagoes of Mina/Tripoli in North Lebanon (Grey Heron and Little Egret)with apparently much affinity to seawater in the winter season. This study highlighted 3 globally threatened species (Leach’s Storm Petrel Hydrobates leucorhoa [Vulnerable], Mediterranean Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan [Vulnerable], and Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus [Vulnerable]), underlined7 globally Near Threatened avian species, pointed out to 3 species that may be submitted for reconsideration bythe “Lebanon Bird Record Committee” (LBRC) at LCNRS;and updated the data of 9species of high significance from the past studies, of which, 2 species are upgraded from vagrants to winter visitors/passage migrants, one to passage migrant and one to wintervisitor..Regarding the final phenological statusesof species, one is resident breeding, one is summer breeding, 3 are formerly bred, one extirpated (extinct) from Lebanon 31are passage migrant/winter visitors, 25passage migrantsonly, 2winter visitors and 14vagrant species.