Population Status and Habitat Requirement of Endangered Migratory Waterfowl of Patisar Lake, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Patisar lake is an important wetland for migratory birds in mid-winter which is located in the center of the Lal Suhanra National Park of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. In this study Patisar lake has been explored to find out the endangered bird species. We used a map, a pencil, a notebook, a watch that is used to show seconds and binoculars for the census. Point counting system is used for the monitoring of birds and their habitat requirement was also measured. Result of the study indicated that these population belonging to 6 different orders, 10 different families, 18 genera and 32 different species of waterfowl were observed (1) Podicipediformes iPodicipedidae; iTachybaptus iruficollis), (2) Pelecaniformes (Family: Phalacrocoridae; Phalacrocorax iniger; P. carbo; Family; Anhingidae, Anhinga melanogaster), (3) Ciconiiformes (Family: Ardeidae, Ardea cinerea, A. purpurea, Ardeola grayii, Bubulcus ibis, Egretta alba, E. garzetta, E. intermedia), (4) Anseriformes (Family: Anatidae; Anas acuta, A. crecca, A. platyrhynchos, A. strepera, A. penelope, A. clypeata, Aythya ferina, A. fuligula, A. nyroca), (5) Gruiformes (Family: Rallidae: Fulica atra, Porphyrio porphyrio, Gallinula chloropus) and (6) Charadriiformes (Family: Recurvirostridae, Himantopusi himantopus; Family: Charadridae, Vanellusi indicus, V. vanellus, V. leucurus, Charadrius dubius; Family: Scolopacidae, Tringa tetanus, T. nebularia, Actitis hypoleucus; Family: Laridae,Sterna aurantia). According to They all preferred fresh water layer of the lake and marshes near the lake as their habitat. It was concluded that Patisar lake is a prodigious natural resource for the migratory waterfowl and the number of waterfowl declining with the passage of time.

Bird images in the mosaics of Late Antique basilicas in the town of Sandanski (Blagoevgrad Region, SW Bulgaria)

This paper presents and analyses for the first time all data on bird images of two Late Antique basilicas of the Roman period (5th-6th c. AD) in the town of Sandanski (SW Bulgaria). A total of eight species have been recognised on the floor mosaics of both basilicas: Anas platyrhynchos, Bucephala clangula, Dendrocygna viduata, Nettapus coromandelianus, Marmaronetta angustirostris, Porphyrio porphyrio, Psittacula krameri, and Sypheotides indicus. Exotic birds of Palaeotropic (Ethiopian) and Indomalayan (Oriental) distribution confirm once again the active ancient Roman contacts with East and Trans-Saharan Africa and the Hindustan Peninsula.

Calibrating Sentinel-2 Imagery with Multispectral UAV Derived Information to Quantify Damages in Mediterranean Rice Crops Caused by Western Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)

Making agricultural production compatible with the conservation of biological diversity is a priority in areas in which human–wildlife conflicts arise. The threatened Western Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) feeds on rice, inducing crop damage and leading to decreases in rice production. Due to the Swamphen protection status, economic compensation policies have been put in place to compensate farmers for these damages, thus requiring an accurate, quantitative, and cost-effective evaluation of rice crop losses over large territories. We used information captured from a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) equipped with a multispectral Parrot SEQUOIA camera as ground-truth information to calibrate Sentinel-2 imagery to quantify damages in the region of Ebro Delta, western Mediterranean. UAV vegetation index NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) allowed estimation of damages in rice crops at 10 cm pixel resolution by discriminating no-green vegetation pixels. Once co-registered with Sentinel grid, we predicted the UAV damage proportion at a 10 m resolution as a function of Sentinel-2 NDVI, and then we extrapolated the fitted model to the whole Sentinel-2 Ebro Delta image. Finally, the damage predicted with Sentinel-2 data was quantified at the agricultural plot level and validated with field information compiled on the ground by Rangers Service. We found that Sentinel2-NDVI data explained up to 57% of damage reported with UAV. The final validation with Rangers Service data pointed out some limitations in our procedure that leads the way to improving future development. Sentinel2 imagery calibrated with UAV information proved to be a viable and cost-efficient alternative to quantify damages in rice crops at large scales.

Reconciling the conservation of the purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) and its damage in Mediterranean rice fields through sustainable non-lethal techniques

Resolving human–wildlife conflicts requires the assessment and implementation of appropriate technical measures that minimize negative impacts on socio-economic uses, including agriculture, and ensure the adequate protection of biological diversity. Rice paddies are widely distributed in the western Mediterranean region. Because of their high productivity, they can be a good habitat for waterbirds, including the purple swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio, particularly in areas where natural wetlands have been removed or reduced. As a result of its population growth, there have been increasing levels of damage caused by this species in rice fields due to stem-cutting and opening of bald patches in rice fields. With the aim of reducing damage, we evaluated the effectiveness of passive and active measures that would limit access to rice fields and deter/scare away purple swamphens in affected areas of the Ebro Delta (NE Spain). We selected the techniques according to the growth phase of rice and the activity of birds in the rice fields (perimeter fences and clearing vegetation around the rice plots during sprouting and growing phases, and falconry at maturation). There were positive results during the sprouting and growing phases thanks to fences and clearing vegetation, reducing the affected area by 37.8% between treatment and control plots. This would mean an economic savings of 18,550 €/year in compensation payments by regional administrations including the investment in implementing and maintaining passive protection measures. Active deterrence through falconry did not reduce the level of damage. The analysis of purple swamphen home range, activity centers (centroids), and the proportion of locations in and outside of rice fields showed no differences before and after dissuasive practices. These results were influenced by multiple concurrent factors including weather, the structural configuration of the rice plots and their location. In summary, we recommend the establishment of protection measures (perimeter fences + clearing vegetation around the rice plots) to reduce the level of damage.

Purple Swamphen or Gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio) and Humans

Our knowledge of the historical use of nonhuman animal species in captivity and subsequent human-induced changes in their distribution is poor in comparison to contemporary case studies. Here we assess the hypothesis that, in the case of one waterbird species, the purple swamphen or gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio), we have neglected the high probability that people transported these birds within the Mediterranean, from Roman to recent times. In ancient iconographies, literary sources, and more recent records there is ample evidence for the use of this species in captivity, captive-breeding, and for trade during several historical periods, especially within the Mediterranean region. All this evidence supports the hypothesis that released or escaped birds might have hybridized with other populations living in the wild. This case study stresses the importance of taking into account past human activity when interpreting contemporary distributional patterns of species.