Ibis最新文献

{"title":"Fine-scale genetic structure in co-operatively breeding Palmchats (Dulus dominicus) suggests mixed kinship in compound nests","authors":"Joshua B. LaPergola,&nbsp;Gavin M. Leighton,&nbsp;Christina Riehl","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fine-scale genetic structure in animal populations can create opportunities for both kin-directed co-operation and kin competition. Knowledge of kinship is therefore key to understanding the selective pressures shaping sociality as well as the effects of social behaviour on local genetic structure. Here we investigate patterns of relatedness in compound nests of Palmchats <i>Dulus dominicus</i>, a co-operatively breeding bird endemic to Hispaniola. Compound nests are large stick structures that contain separate nesting chambers attended by different breeding pairs and putative family groups (breeding pairs and non-breeding helpers); nests are occupied and maintained year-round. We captured and genetically sampled 102 Palmchats from 10 compound nests (range = 6–17 birds captured per nest) and genotyped them with 779 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Both relatives and non-relatives were associated with compound nests: the majority of dyads were unrelated, but some dyads were consistent with first- or second-order kin relationships. Average genetic relatedness, although low, was higher within nests than between nests for all types of dyads (female–female, female–male and male–male). Patterns of spatial autocorrelation revealed no association between relatedness and distance between compound nests for either males or females. The population exhibited weak (though significant) overall genetic structuring as measured by <i>F</i>_ST, indicating that low levels of genetic variance within the population existed between compound nesting groups. However, we detected no significant patterns of isolation-by-distance nor significant differences between the sexes. Groups of Palmchats using compound nests appear to be composed of kin and non-kin, suggesting that social nesting involves both direct and indirect fitness benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1378-1390"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ibi.70051","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can you really change your stripes? Stable wing ornamentation suggests limited condition-dependent signalling in female common eiders","authors":"Jón Einar Jónsson,&nbsp;Elisabeth Knudsen,&nbsp;James A. Fletcher,&nbsp;Ellen Magnúsdóttir,&nbsp;Árni Ásgeirsson,&nbsp;Jamie N. Carroll","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70060","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Variation in the expression of white ornaments, such as flank spots or wing stripes, has previously been related to indices of individual quality in birds. We measured the white wing stripes of colour-banded female common eiders <i>Somateria mollissima</i> in three islands in Iceland from 2014 to 2023, to determine whether the expression of these ornaments is (1) an individually fixed trait that shows consistency among years, or (2) a flexible parameter that shows annual variation within known individuals. While clutch size varied among the three islands, and body condition and nest initiation date varied among years, linear models supported wing stripe variation among females being a fixed, repeatable trait independent of clutch size, nest initiation date or body condition. A categorical analysis indicated that wing stripe dimensions were similar among birds that were categorized as caught often, re-sighted rather than caught, or transients. Wing stripe dimensions were not related to apparent survival or capture probabilities in a mark–recapture analysis. Over 90% of females had five or more of 10 possible feathers with wing stripes, suggesting that poorly visible wing stripes are not optimal for this study population. Low variation in the expression of wing stripes may be explained by the good health of this study population relative to other eider populations. Local adaptations may explain the discrepancy between studies of wing stripes in eiders.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1422-1436"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ibi.70060","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the exploration: implications of leaving or remaining at the natal site during the early stages of independence in a partially migratory bird","authors":"Manuela S. Rodrigues,&nbsp;Afonso D. Rocha,&nbsp;João P. Silva,&nbsp;Carlos Carrapato,&nbsp;Jaime A. Ramos,&nbsp;Pedro M. Araújo,&nbsp;José A. Alves","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite being an important fraction of any animal population, juveniles are a severely understudied group. Juveniles often need to learn an array of skills that allow them to survive independently and do so while undertaking decisions that may impact their fitness, recruitment and survival, having therefore relevant demographic implications. In partially migratory bird populations, some of the juveniles may remain all year near the natal area while others leave to spend one or more non-breeding seasons elsewhere. The implications of remaining or leaving the natal area are likely to differ markedly. In this study we tracked 51 juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill <i>Platalea leucorodia</i>, of which 29 were classified as <i>stayers</i> or <i>leavers</i> (remaining at or abandoning the natal wetland area, respectively). All were equipped with GPS/GSM with 3-axial accelerometer tags, which were used to classify behavioural and movement traits and tracked up to the end of their first year of life. When all juvenile Spoonbills were still in the vicinity of the natal wetland, the only difference found between them was that the amount of daily preening was higher for <i>leavers.</i> However, after displacement from the natal wetland, <i>leavers</i> invested more time and energy in foraging, while roosting less, decreased their amount of daily preening to values similar to <i>stayers</i> and used fewer habitat types. <i>Leavers</i> increased their use of anthropogenic habitats, although this did not differ from <i>stayers</i>. These differences in behaviour and movement traits appear to be driven by <i>leavers</i> being in new and unfamiliar areas, as there was no evidence suggesting that they may be caused by the energetic costs of the displacement. Longer displacements were associated with higher levels of behavioural change and, after some time (up to 1 month) in the new area, movement and behavioural traits did not level off. Remaining in the natal area appears beneficial, which may explain the apparent increase in the number of Spoonbills remaining in the Iberia Peninsula during the non-breeding season. As technology is improving and becoming more accessible, further studies on the implications and carry-over effects of these different patterns for the population would be highly beneficial, in order to further our understanding of population dynamics.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1210-1229"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ibi.70055","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shelters or ecological traps? Context-dependent effects of nestboxes on breeding success in a colonial raptor","authors":"Alejandro Corregidor-Castro,&nbsp;Alessandro Berlusconi,&nbsp;Jacopo G. Cecere,&nbsp;Sara Cioccarelli,&nbsp;Claudia De Battisti,&nbsp;Andrea Romano,&nbsp;Diego Rubolini,&nbsp;Andrea Pilastro,&nbsp;Michelangelo Morganti","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Artificial breeding structures, such as nestboxes, can potentially influence the population size and conservation status of bird species relying on heavily human-modified environments such as agroecosystems and urban areas. However, the effectiveness of these interventions may vary, as artificial structures could attract individuals to suboptimal breeding sites, potentially reducing breeding success compared to natural nesting sites and resulting in ecological traps. European populations of the Lesser Kestrel <i>Falco naumanni</i>, a secondary cavity-nesting raptor, have greatly benefitted from extensive provisioning of artificial nestboxes in recent decades. However, the long-term conservation effectiveness of such efforts may be jeopardized because of recent changes in local climatic conditions, with nestboxes becoming unsuitable under climate warming as nest temperatures become too high, exposing developing embryos and nestlings to lethal hyperthermia. We assessed variation in nest temperature and breeding success between naturally available nest-cavities (natural nests) and nestboxes in two Italian Lesser Kestrel populations settled in different climatic zones (Po Plain, subcontinental; Matera, semi-arid). In both areas, natural nests were ~5°C cooler than nestboxes. In the Po Plain, nestling survival was substantially lower in natural nests (44%) than in nestboxes (96%), whereas the opposite was the case in Matera (92% vs 45%). In Matera, frequent heatwaves led to very high temperatures (&gt;44°C) inside nestboxes, which in turn resulted in lethal hyperthermia and a substantial reduction in nestling survival, while this was not the case in natural nests. In contrast, nestbox temperatures in the Po Plain were always below critical values, and nestling predation was lower compared to natural nests. These findings highlight that the appropriateness of nestbox provisioning should be carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and that considering thermal safety, climate resilience and predation risk is crucial when designing and building artificial nest structures to ensure their long-term conservation effectiveness.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1364-1377"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ibi.70049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond the breeding grounds: identifying post-breeding staging areas, corridors and ecological niche of the Lesser Kestrel","authors":"Javier Hernández-Cabello,&nbsp;Beatriz Rodríguez-Moreno,&nbsp;Manuel B. Morales,&nbsp;Fernando Garcés-Toledano,&nbsp;Juan Martínez-Dalmau,&nbsp;Pedro P. Olea","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70082","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The post-breeding period is a critical yet overlooked phase in the annual cycle of migratory birds, where individuals must resolve competing bioenergetic trade-offs between recovery from breeding, moult and migratory fuelling. Using GPS data from 54 adult Lesser Kestrels <i>Falco naumanni</i> tracked across Spain, we analysed 76 post-breeding tracks to characterize movement strategies, the spatial configuration of the staging network and ecological requirements across the Iberian Peninsula. Results confirmed that post-breeding movements are pervasive, with nearly all individuals departing breeding colonies to undertake medium- to long-distance movements (mean 194.3 ± 107.6 km). We identified a predominantly ‘Staging’ behaviour (80% of tracks) characterized by prolonged residency in specific staging areas (mean 24.9 ± 19.1 days per area), often involving the sequential use of multiple areas (mean two areas per track), and a high degree of inter-annual fidelity (78%). Spatial analysis revealed a structured connectivity network driven by two high-density corridors (Northeastern and Western axes) and 149 functional post-breeding areas (PBAs). Ecological niche modelling (hierarchical generalized additive model) identified wind speed (peaking at 4–6 m/s) and thermal stability as primary descriptors of space use intensity, suggesting a strategy to maximize bioenergetic efficiency and minimize heat stress, while selecting for open rainfed agrosystems (dominated by cereal stubbles) compared with irrigated crops and natural habitats. Our assessment of conservation status revealed a severe protection gap: 52.7% of the functional staging areas have less than 5% of their surface covered by protected areas, while 27.6% of monitored tracks overlapped with wind energy infrastructure. Aligning with recent evidence for other steppe bird species, these findings suggest a migratory adaptation that integrates a distinct intermediate residency phase into the annual cycle to exploit climatically and trophically favourable ‘summer refugia’, shaping a largely unprotected PBA-corridor network.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1255-1276"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ibi.70082","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"iOrnithology: a review of the use of web-sourced photographs and videos in ornithological research","authors":"Connor T. Panter,&nbsp;Arjun Amar","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70084","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The internet hosts vast quantities of digital media across webpages, repositories and social media platforms, providing unprecedented opportunities for ecological research. The use of web-sourced media (photographs and videos) in ornithology is rapidly expanding, forming part of the emerging field of iOrnithology, which applies internet-derived data to the study of birds. In this context, birds are particularly well suited to photographic and video-based studies due to their visibility, popularity and distinctive appearances. However, a comprehensive synthesis of this research is currently lacking. Here, we reviewed the peer-reviewed literature and extracted data from 64 studies published between 2015 and 2024 that used web-sourced media to study birds. We quantified research topics, media types, data sources, spatial scales and taxonomic coverage. Eight primary research topics were identified: moult and plumage patterns, avian distributions, behaviour, diets, species interactions, threats to birds, habitat use and lateralization—asymmetry of the brain and associated physiological behaviours. Photographs were used in most studies, with fewer using videos or both media types. Studies of moult and plumage patterns, as well as avian distributions, primarily relied on photographs, whereas behaviour studies more often used videos. Most studies were conducted at national and continental scales, with relatively few at local or regional scales. Spatial scale varied significantly among research topics, with studies of plumage and threats being conducted at broader scales relative to behavioural studies. In total, 1506 bird species were studied across 33 orders. By number of species, Passeriformes were the most studied order, representing more than half (52%, <i>n</i> = 785) of all studied species. When compared with the number of described bird species per order, among those with at least five species studied, Ciconiiformes were the most well represented order (95% coverage), followed by Gaviiformes (60%), Podicipediformes (44%), Pelecaniformes (36%) and Suliformes (35%). These studies demonstrate that web-sourced media can support a wide range of ornithological research that would often be difficult or resource-intensive to achieve using traditional field-based approaches. As digital media archives continue to grow and analytical tools improve, this approach is likely to expand further. Future developments within iOrnithology may include greater applications in areas such as invasive species, disease surveillance, and demography, and the integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyse large volumes of media. Together, these developments highlight the growing value of web-sourced media as a powerful addition to the ornithologist's toolkit for studying the ecology, biology and conservation of birds.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1187-1209"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Connectivity between breeding sites, wintering areas, and migration routes in Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) breeding in the Western Palaearctic","authors":"Yosef Kiat,&nbsp;Eli Haviv,&nbsp;Yoav Perlman,&nbsp;Inbal Schekler","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70062","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Detailed knowledge about bird migration patterns can enhance our understanding of the evolution of migration and temporal changes in space use throughout the annual cycle. Additionally, as many migratory bird species are experiencing population declines, understanding the connectivity between their spatial distributions during breeding, migration and wintering may enhance our ability to conserve species whose populations are of conservation concern. In this study, we utilized thousands of ringing records collected in Israel (2010–2025) and Europe (1913–2025) to investigate the migration patterns of Common Terns <i>Sterna hirundo</i> breeding in the Western Palaearctic. The ringing records collected in Israel can expand our knowledge of the East Mediterranean–East African (EMEA) flyway of European-breeding Common Terns. We examined the connectivity between breeding sites in Europe and wintering areas in Africa, as well as the two major European–Afrotropical migration routes: the EMEA flyway via the Indian Ocean (typically wintering in eastern and southern Africa) and the East Atlantic flyway via the Atlantic Ocean (typically wintering in western and southern Africa). Common Terns using the East Atlantic flyway predominantly breed in Western Europe, Fennoscandia and the Baltic region, whereas individuals migrating along the EMEA breed in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East. An overlap zone occurs at the breeding areas in Central Europe and probably also in southern Africa, where Common Terns from both migration routes winter in overlapping areas. Additionally, our findings indicate a pattern of leap-frog migration, in which northern European-breeding populations migrate over longer distances and winter in southern Africa, bypassing the equatorial wintering areas used by southern-breeding populations. We suggest that a preference for coastal habitats outside the breeding season may influence route use and, as a result, also connectivity. These findings expand our knowledge of Common Tern migration routes, highlight the relevance of ringing data for large-scale studies of migratory populations and provide a basis for future research on migratory routes and spatial connectivity between breeding and non-breeding areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1230-1240"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ibi.70062","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationships between chick vocalizations and parental absence in Kentish Plovers","authors":"Dong-Yun Lee,&nbsp;Edward H. Miller,&nbsp;Ju-Hyun Lee,&nbsp;Woo-Yuel Kim,&nbsp;Seung-Jun Oh,&nbsp;Ha-Cheol Sung","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Chick calls within bird species vary greatly, often in relation to whether parents are present. We studied chick calls in a nidifugous shorebird, the Kentish Plover <i>Anarhynchus alexandrinus</i>, in three circumstances—(1) on the nest with parental presence; (2) on the nest with parental absence; and (3) out-of-nest with human observer presence—and categorized their calls into five types. Call types V2 and Z occurred more during parental absence, whereas call type Z predominated out-of-nest when chicks were exposed to a human observer, with different call qualities among the circumstances. Our findings demonstrate <i>a posteriori</i> that Kentish Plover chicks modify both call types and qualities according to their situations, and further provide foundational knowledge on parent–offspring vocal communications in Charadriiformes.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1437-1447"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ibi.70047","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isotopic assignment to origins of Eurasian Woodcock wintering in Britain and Ireland","authors":"Adele Powell,&nbsp;Steven L. Van Wilgenburg,&nbsp;Jason Newton,&nbsp;Nicholas J. Aebischer,&nbsp;Andrew G. Gosler,&nbsp;Andrew N. Hoodless","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70074","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Quantifying links between breeding, stopover and non-breeding locations is critical to the management and conservation of migratory birds, particularly if they are hunted on migration and in winter. Endogenous markers such as stable isotopes provide a means of estimating natal or breeding origins and hence the degree of migratory connectivity between breeding and wintering areas. We used a stable hydrogen isotope (<i>δ</i>²H) isoscape for Europe and ²H analysis of feathers from harvested birds to estimate the natal and moulting origins of Eurasian Woodcock <i>Scolopax rusticola</i> wintering in Britain and Ireland. Using feathers collected from known locations across the breeding range, we established the relationship between the hydrogen isotope composition of feathers (<i>δ</i>²H_f) and mean annual detrended precipitation (<i>δ</i>²H_p) for Woodcock in Europe. We used a spatially explicit Bayesian assignment to estimate probable origins for each <i>δ</i>²H_f value. Our results indicated broad-front migration of Woodcock to Britain and Ireland, with most birds originating from Fennoscandia, the Baltic states, Belarus and western Russia. Migratory connectivity between breeding areas and wintering regions was low, but there was a difference in <i>δ</i>²H_f values between six winter sampling regions, which was consistent with parallel migration routes from northern and eastern Europe. The estimated proportion of Woodcock shot that were residents averaged 10.3 ± 3.3% across winter regions, and British birds were present in winter in regions where they do not currently breed.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1241-1254"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Linking eBird data with high spatiotemporal remote sensing products to estimate occupancy of bird populations across the island of Ireland","authors":"Ramiro D. Crego,&nbsp;Solène Gobet,&nbsp;John Kennedy,&nbsp;Brian Burke,&nbsp;Andrew Lynch,&nbsp;Dick Coombes,&nbsp;Sinéad Cummins,&nbsp;Lesley Lewis","doi":"10.1111/ibi.70048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.70048","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The vast increase in biodiversity data generated through citizen science initiatives, alongside a growing suite of remote sensing products and advanced modelling tools, has opened new avenues for rapidly, accurately and efficiently monitoring species trends to inform conservation, management and policy. However, fully harnessing and integrating these diverse data sources and models remains underexplored, with efforts often concentrated in a limited number of developed countries. In this study, we (1) summarized two decades of eBird data across the island of Ireland and (2) combined 4 years of data with high-spatiotemporal-resolution remotely sensed information and Bayesian hierarchical occupancy models, to assess species occupancy and identify environmental drivers of occupancy, accounting for imperfect detection. We applied a single-species multi-year occupancy model to the Common Blackbird <i>Turdus merula</i> and a multi-species multi-year model to 14 species, validating model predictions using a systematic bird survey. Results show an exponential increase in eBird checklist submissions across the island of Ireland between 2002 and 2023. The single species model fitted the data well and accounted for several observation biases, and occupancy predictions resulted in high accuracy with an area under the curve or the receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) of 95.6% across years. The multi-species model presented lack-of-fit, and model prediction accuracy varied across species and years: 14% were poor (AUC-ROC &lt; 60%), 34% fair (AUC-ROC 60–70%) and 77% good (AUC-ROC &gt; 70%). Although more data are needed to improve fit in the multi-species model and include rarer species in the analysis, our findings highlight the potential of integrating eBird citizen science data with high-resolution remote sensing imagery to enhance current conservation, restoration and monitoring programmes. Assuming that citizen involvement and checklist submissions continue their current increasing trends, spatial and temporal data coverage will improve as well as model outputs. To guide this process, we offer guidelines for generating more ‘analysis-friendly’ checklists based on the results of this study. All code used here is also provided to facilitate replication and adaptation by researchers and practitioners.</p>","PeriodicalId":13254,"journal":{"name":"Ibis","volume":"168 4","pages":"1464-1482"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ibi.70048","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}