Ornithological Applications最新文献

{"title":"Increasing perceived predation risk through playbacks reduces Red-winged Blackbird abundance in agriculture late in the breeding season","authors":"Janice K. Enos, Emma B. Smith, Martin P. Ward, J. Swaddle, Mark E. Hauber","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad034","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Perceived predation and brood parasitism risks strongly influence nesting habitat selection for several bird species. Here we report on a playback experiment evaluating whether perceived predation or brood parasitism risk can reduce Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) abundances in agricultural nesting habitat. We broadcast Cooper’s Hawk vocalizations (Accipiter cooperii, a predator of adult blackbirds and nests), Brown-headed Cowbird vocalizations (Molothrus ater, a brood parasite of many passerine species, including blackbirds), and the “Sonic Net” as treatments, the latter of which is broadcast of frequencies that overlap with blackbird vocalizations and prevent blackbirds from accessing intraspecific communication systems informing predator and brood parasite risks. Neither the hawk, cowbird, nor Sonic Net treatments reduced blackbird abundances at sites early in the breeding season (April to May), when blackbirds were selecting nesting habitat. In contrast, late in the breeding season (July to August), hawk vocalizations and the Sonic Net reduced blackbird abundances at sites, but cowbird vocalizations did not. Our late-breeding season results suggest that blackbirds may flexibly change responses to perceived predation risk based on their stage of reproductive investment. Perceived predation risk could potentially be used to manage pest birds that nest in agricultural landscapes, at least for crops that are vulnerable to birds late in the breeding season.","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126509837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using foraging range and colony size to assess the vulnerability of breeding seabirds to oil across regions lacking at-sea distribution data","authors":"N. O’Hanlon, A. Bond, E. Masden, D. Boertmann, T. Bregnballe, J. Danielsen, S. Descamps, A. Petersen, H. Strøm, Geir H. R. Systad, Neil A. James","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad030","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 With the projected increases in shipping activity and hydrocarbon extraction globally, there is an increased risk of negative ecological impacts from oil pollution on the marine environment, including seabirds. Oil Vulnerability Indices (OVIs) are a common approach to assess seabird species vulnerability to oil pollution, and to identify where species are most at risk, typically across regional spatial scales and for a relatively limited number of species. This approach generally requires comprehensive data on at-sea distributions and densities; however, for many regions, these data are limited. We present a simplified OVI to assess seabird species vulnerability to oil pollution. To create the spatial component of the OVI, we used a predictive foraging radius approach, using existing colony size and foraging range data, to project at-sea distributions of seabird populations during the breeding season. We demonstrate this approach over a large spatial scale, the eastern North Atlantic, which includes areas where seabird at-sea data are lacking. Our results reveal areas off west Greenland, Iceland, and Norway where seabirds are most vulnerable to oil pollution during the breeding season, largely driven by large colonies of auks (Alcidae). We also identify locations along the coast of mainland Norway, Iceland, and Scotland, where seabirds are particularly at risk to oil pollution associated with major shipping routes. Identifying areas where species are most at risk can help inform where, and which, measures should be put in place to mitigate the impacts of oil pollution, such as protecting and avoiding high risk areas, for example, through adopting dynamic Areas to be Avoided (ATBAs). Our simplified OVI combined with the predictive foraging radius approach can adapted to other regions globally that lack seabird-at-sea distribution data, to other marine wildlife, and to assess the risk from hydrocarbon extraction and other anthropogenic threats, including fishing activities and offshore renewable developments.","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"122 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115611372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and diversity of malaria parasites (genus Plasmodium) in the imperiled Saltmarsh Sparrow are greater at northern sites","authors":"Alyssa P Neuhaus, O. Lane, A. Kovach, M. Conway, Michelle R Kneeland, E. Martinsen","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad031","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Malaria parasites (genus Plasmodium) are important agents of infectious disease in birds and multiple factors, including warming temperatures and environmental contamination, may act to increase their geographic and host ranges. Here, we examined the role of geographical variation and environmental mercury exposure in malaria parasite infection dynamics in an imperiled songbird species with high mercury exposition, the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacutus). Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods, we screened 280 Saltmarsh Sparrows from across their breeding range for malaria parasite infection. We detected malaria parasites in 17% of sampled birds and a total of 6 Plasmodium lineages. Prevalence of infection and diversity of parasite lineages varied across the breeding range of the Saltmarsh Sparrow and increased at more northern latitudes. Although mercury is a known immunosuppressant and has been documented to alter an individual’s susceptibility to pathogens, we did not find a significant difference in blood mercury levels between infected and not infected birds, perhaps due to sampling methods and/or small sample sizes. As a specialist of coastal wetlands, the Saltmarsh Sparrow is an excellent indicator species for ecological health, and the patterns of malaria parasite infection with host distribution and mercury suggest that birds at northern latitudes are at greater risk of disease and should be priorities for conservation, habitat, and pathogen monitoring.","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"34 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122482846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Breeding season forest fragment size does not create negative carry-over for adult Wood Thrushes on fall migration timing or apparent annual survival","authors":"Brendan P Boyd, Sue M Hayes, Alexandra M Israel, B. Stutchbury","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad028","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Although carry-over effects related to wintering habitat quality are known to influence population dynamics of migratory songbirds, the presence of breeding season carry-over is understudied in full annual cycle models. To test whether forest fragment size on the breeding grounds can impose negative carry-over effects on a migratory songbird, we fitted adult Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) with 1-yr coded radio-tags in forest fragments ranging from 11 to 499 ha in southwestern Ontario during the 2016–2019 breeding seasons and utilized automated telemetry via the Motus Wildlife Tracking System to record fall migration timing and returns the following spring (apparent annual survival). To examine short-term effects of fragment size on breeding females, during the 2018 and 2019 breeding seasons, we collected blood samples during incubation to measure corticosterone levels and tracked complete reproductive success and nest timing. We found that Wood Thrushes breeding in small forest fragments were not subject to strong negative effects on body condition (mass, corticosterone), reproductive success, or timing of the last nest of the season. We found that the onset of fall migration departure was not delayed for birds nesting in small fragments and that apparent annual survival was not linked to breeding fragment size. This suggests that habitat differences linked to fragment size were not strong enough to trigger the kinds of negative carry-over effects (delayed migration, lower reproductive success) that have been documented in other species as a result of poor wintering-ground habitat quality. The strength of breeding fragment size-induced seasonal carry-over remains a critical gap in full annual cycle models for other declining migratory songbirds. Our findings suggest that while the importance of preserving large forested areas is often prioritized in conservation projects, small forest fragments can also have high conservation value.","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"169 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116600598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preferred nesting habitat of the slow-breeding Superb Lyrebird is rare and was disproportionately impacted by Australia’s “Black Summer” megafires (2019–2020) within a World Heritage Area","authors":"Eric J Hughes, V. Austin, Fiona Backhouse, Alex C. Maisey, Kelsie A Lopez, Chloe S. Mikles, Karan J. Odom, J. Welbergen, Anastasia H. Dalziell","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad027","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Understanding nest site selection is critical to developing effective conservation management actions. The Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) is one of many endemic species extensively impacted by Australia’s unprecedented 2019–2020 megafires. Over a period of 5 months, an estimated 43% of the entire range of this slow-breeding species was burnt, with the biggest impact on the central subspecies M. n. novaehollandiae (55%). Four months prior to these megafires, we conducted a field study of nest site habitat selection in the Superb Lyrebird within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (15,400 km 2): a key stronghold of the central subspecies of the Superb Lyrebird. We found that at the local scale, lyrebird nest sites were more likely to be found in habitats characterized by dense canopy trees and rich in rainforest elements such as vines and treeferns. At the landscape scale, lyrebird nests were most likely to be constructed in rainforest; this fire-sensitive habitat type made up only 1% of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The probability of nest occurrence also increased with slope. We also found that >74% of all nesting habitat within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area burned in the 2019–2020 megafires, including 80% of areas of high suitability for nesting. These results suggest that the impact of these megafires on Superb Lyrebirds may be greater than currently thought. Given the importance of rainforest as nesting habitat for the superb lyrebird, managers should prioritize its restoration and protect it from future fire events. More broadly, our results illustrate how large-scale catastrophic events—such as megafires—can disproportionately affect habitats critical to specific points within an organism’s life cycle.","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"111 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126478142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Surrounding landscape, habitat and hybridization dynamics drive population structure and genetic diversity in the Saltmarsh Sparrow","authors":"J. Walsh, Lindsey E. Fenderson, C. Elphick, J. Cohen, C. Field, Laura K Garey, T. Hodgman, Alison R. Kocek, Rebecca A. Longenecker, Kathleen M. O’Brien, Brian J. Olsen, Katharine J. Ruskin, W. G. Shriver, A. Kovach","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad025","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Determining factors that shape a species’ population genetic structure is beneficial for identifying effective conservation practices. We assessed population structure and genetic diversity for Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta), an imperiled tidal marsh specialist, using 13 microsatellite markers and 964 individuals sampled from 24 marshes across the breeding range. We show that Saltmarsh Sparrow populations are structured regionally by isolation-by-distance, with gene flow occurring among marshes within ~110–135 km of one another. Isolation-by-resistance and isolation-by-environment also shape genetic variation; several habitat and landscape features are associated with genetic diversity and genetic divergence among populations. Human development in the surrounding landscape isolates breeding marshes, reducing genetic diversity and increasing population genetic divergence, while surrounding marshland and patch habitat quality (proportion high marsh and sea-level-rise trend) have the opposite effect. The distance of the breeding marsh to the Atlantic Ocean also influences genetic variation, with marshes farther inland being more divergent than coastal marshes. In northern marshes, hybridization with Nelson’s Sparrow (A. nelsoni) strongly influences Saltmarsh Sparrow genetic variation, by increasing genetic diversity in the population; this has a concomitant effect of increasing genetic differentiation of marshes with high levels of introgression. From a conservation perspective, we found that the majority of population clusters have low effective population sizes, suggesting a lack of resiliency. To conserve the representative breadth of genetic and ecological diversity and to ensure redundancy of populations, it will be important to protect a diversity of marsh types across the latitudinal gradient of the species range, including multiple inland, coastal and urban populations, which we have shown to exhibit signals of genetic differentiation. It will also require maintaining connectivity at a regional level, by promoting high marsh habitat at the scale of gene flow (~130 km), while also ensuring “stepping stone” populations across the range.","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"9 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133575767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Turkey Vulture survival is reduced in areas of greater road density","authors":"A. Naveda-Rodríguez, K. Bildstein, D. Barber, J. Therrien, M. Avery, B. Kluever, S. Rush, F. J. Vilella","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad024","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The demography of, and factors that influence these metrics, are largely unknown for most vultures in the Americas. Survivorship of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) may be influenced by landscape heterogeneity and human disturbance. We quantified the effects of landscape composition (Shannon’s diversity index) and configuration (contagion, edge density, and largest patch index), and human disturbance (road density) on the annual and seasonal survival probabilities of the 3 North American breeding populations (western, central, and eastern) of Turkey Vultures that spend the nonbreeding season in the southeastern portion of the Nearctic and the northern Neotropics during a 17-yr period. We used Cox’s proportional hazards models with time-varying covariates to estimate spatial and temporal changes in survival rates of adult Turkey Vultures. Road density, but not landscape composition or configuration, influenced survival rates in space and time. Overall annual survival averaged 0.87 (95% CI: 0.74–0.98). Mortality risk was low in western and central populations (hazard ratio < 1) but was 3.7 times greater for vultures in the eastern population. Survival during the breeding (0.97, 95% CI: 0.96–0.98) and outbound migration (1.0, 95% CI: 1–1) seasons was significantly higher than the other seasons. Average survival tended to be higher for nonbreeding (0.81, 95% CI: 0.71–0.88) compared to return migration (0.69, 95% CI: 0.56–0.81) seasons. Risk of mortality for all vulture populations increased with road density, and this was greater during the nonbreeding and return migration seasons. The spatial variation in road density across the Americas may generate a network of ecological traps for Turkey Vultures induced to stop in areas of greater road-kill abundance. Road killed animals acting as an attractant for vultures can increase the occurrence of vulture–vehicle collisions and potentially aggravate human–wildlife conflicts. Further analyses are needed to address survivorship and mortality factors for young birds. Our results may help to the implementation of specific mitigation efforts to reduce human–vulture conflicts and vulture mortality. For instance, concentrating efforts to remove road-killed animals in areas where road density is highest can likely reduce vulture–vehicle collisions and associated mortalities of these birds.","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"199 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132101124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tufted Puffins exhibit low levels of genetic differentiation among breeding colonies in North America","authors":"B. Graham, J. Hipfner, N. Rojek, Shawn W. Stephensen, T. Burg","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad023","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) are experiencing population declines in some parts of their distribution, making this a species of increased conservation interest. Genetic data will help to identify Tufted Puffin populations of conservation importance and provide an important tool for developing conservation management plans. This species is broadly distributed across the North Pacific Ocean but little is known about the extent of genetic variation and differentiation across their range. In this study, we examine mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), 8 microsatellite loci and 1,260 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to determine the extent of gene flow among 7 breeding colonies (Oregon to the western Aleutians) in the North American breeding range of the species and identify potential barriers to dispersal. Our results show that most breeding colonies form a single genetic cluster, and mtDNA data show substantial historical gene flow among populations. For the microsatellite dataset, all FST comparisons that include St. Lazaria, in southeast Alaska, except Oregon, which had a small sample size, were significant as were comparisons between Triangle Island and the two westernmost sampling sites of Buldir and Aiktak. For the SNP dataset, FST comparisons were low and nonsignificant, further suggesting that breeding colonies form a single panmictic population. Individuals were more closely related to individuals from the same colony, and we found a weak relationship between genetic and geographic distance. This suggests that dispersal among colonies is high, likely facilitated by an overlap in wintering ranges among colonies. The high connectivity among breeding colonies indicates that Tufted Puffins form a single conservation unit, although future genetic studies should incorporate a whole genome sequencing approach to assessing how functional genetic diversity varies across their distribution. How to Cite Graham, B. A., J. M. Hipfner, N. A. Rojek, S. W. Stephensen, and T. M. Burg (2023). Tufted Puffins exhibit low levels of genetic differentiation among breeding colonies in North America. Ornithological Applications 125:duad023. LAY SUMMARY Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) are experiencing population declines in some parts of their distribution, making this a species of increased conservation interest. Here we use 3 different types of genetic markers (mtDNA, microsatellites, and SNPs) to examine population genetic structure among 7 breeding colonies (Oregon to the western Aleutians) in the North American breeding range of the species. We examined population genetic structure to determine whether Tufted Puffin populations form single or multiple conservation units. All 3 types of markers showed a similar pattern and indicate that North American breeding colonies form a single genetic cluster. Our results suggest that dispersal among colonies is high, likely facilitated by an overlap in wintering ranges among colonies. The high connectivity","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"54 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127563415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lead, trash, DDE, and young age of breeders linked to lower fertility in the first two decades of reintroduction for critically endangered California Condors in California","authors":"Victoria J. Bakker, M. Finkelstein, D. Doak, R. Wolstenholme, Alacia Welch, J. Burnett, Ariana Punzalan, Joseph Brandt, Steve Kirkland, Estelle A. Sandhaus, Erin Lehnert, Nadya E Seal Faith","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad022","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In the first comprehensive assessment of the reproductive rates of critically endangered California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) recovering from complete extirpation in the wild, we analyzed 20 years (1999–2018) of data from condor flocks in southern and central California. We found that several anthropogenic threats affected reproductive rates: (1) coastal space use by female condors was associated with lower hatch probability, presumably due to foraging on marine mammals and associated DDE exposure; (2) trash ingestion by chicks decreased fledging probability prior to implementation of trash management in 2007; and (3) all parent deaths during rearing resulted in chick or early fledgling deaths, and most parental deaths were due to lead poisoning. We also detected several effects on reproductive rates from the complex individual-based management of condors, which involves ongoing releases of captive-bred individuals and health interventions including treatment of lead poisoning. Recruitment rates were lower for new release sites, which we attribute to a lack of individual- and flock-level experience. In addition, the number of free-flying days in the wild in the year before first breeding and in the 8 weeks before subsequent breeding was positively associated with female and male recruitment and with female rebreeding probabilities, respectively, indicating that removing individuals from the wild may reduce their breeding success. Finally, probabilities of recruitment, rebreeding, and fledging all increased with age, and given the age distribution skew of the recovering flocks toward younger individuals, overall reproductive success was lower than would be expected at the stable age distribution. Thus, reproductive rates should increase over time as the mean age of California Condors increases if current and emerging threats to reproduction, including the loss of breeders due to lead poisoning, can be addressed. How to Cite Bakker, V. J., M. E. Finkelstein, D. F. Doak, R. Wolstenholme, A. Welch, J. Burnett, A. Punzalan, J. Brandt, S. Kirkland, N. E. Seal Faith, E. R. Lehnert, and E. A. Sandhaus (2023). Lead, trash, DDE, and young age of breeders linked to lower fertility in the first two decades of reintroduction for critically endangered California Condors in California. Ornithological Applications 125:duad022. LAY SUMMARY In the first comprehensive assessment of reproduction in California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) recovering from complete extirpation in the wild, we analyzed 20 years (1999–2018) of data from flocks in southern and central California. At the inception of the recovery program, reintroduced flocks of this critically endangered species consisted of young captive-bred individuals without breeding experience. We found that California Condor reproductive rates generally increased with age and time spent in the wild. Condors also faced anthropogenic threats that reduced reproductive rates. Hatch success was lowe","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"26 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"120956720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vultures of the World: Essential Ecology and Conservation","authors":"N. Buckley","doi":"10.1093/ornithapp/duad016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duad016","url":null,"abstract":"In Vultures of the World, Keith Bildstein has produced an eminently readable account of the behavior and ecology of the world’s 23 species of vultures, as well as a cogent summary of the many threats they face today. When two forerunners of this book, Wilbur and Jackson (1983) and Mundy et al. (1992) appeared, the global status of vultures was very different than it is today. On the Indian subcontinent, White-rumped (Gyps bengalensis), Slender-billed (Gyps tenuirostris), and Indian (Gyps indicus) vultures were all widespread (Grubh 1983), while in Africa, Hooded (Necrosyrtes monachus) and White-backed (Gyps africanus) vultures were both abundant (Mundy et al. 1992). Today, all 5 of these species are classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Thus, at a time when globally vultures are under threat as never before, the publication of this new book is both timely and welcome. The book capably summarizes the recent scientific literature on vultures and describes the unique features of their biology in a clear and approachable fashion. Setting aside the Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis), which feeds mainly on palm fruits, vultures, of course, depend for their survival on exploiting carrion, a resource that is patchily distributed across the landscape. Solving the problems inherent in efficiently locating and exploiting such a scattered, ephemeral resource has shaped all aspects of the biology of vultures, and describing how they overcome these challenges provides the unifying narrative thread that ties the book together. As Bildstein explains, adaptations such as acute vision and (in cathartid vultures) a keen sense of smell, the use of low-cost soaring flight to minimize search costs, and the rapid transmission of information between foragers, have all been key to the success of vultures in finding carcasses efficiently enough to make a living as obligate scavengers. While describing the biology of vultures, Bildstein also does an excellent job of carefully explaining the various broader ecological and evolutionary concepts within which he frames his discussion. Consequently, the reader does not need much specialist background knowledge to follow along, so the book can be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in the natural history of these birds. Certainly, the book appears to have been designed to attract a wide audience. It is reasonably priced, comes wrapped in a tasteful dustjacket that features a striking image of an imperious Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres), and at 244 pages, some 60 of which are devoted to a glossary, appendix, bibliography, and index, it is not a daunting read. The book, therefore, neatly fills a previously vacant niche in the market as an affordable book on vultures that is suitable for the general public. It would be an excellent choice for purchase by public and university libraries.","PeriodicalId":125764,"journal":{"name":"Ornithological Applications","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121059176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}