Ostrich最新文献

{"title":"The introduction of the Chukar Partridge Alectoris chukar to southern Africa","authors":"C. Vernon, W. Dean","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2063428","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2063428","url":null,"abstract":"Chukar Partridges Alectoris chukar were released at a few localities in South Africa and Zimbabwe with the aim of establishing viable populations that could contribute to a larger resource available to the ‘wing-shooting’ fraternity. Releases and introductions are poorly documented, and most information on where and when releases were done are not supported by references in the literature. None of the released Chukar Partridges survived to establish viable breeding populations lasting more than two years, apart from the introduction on Robben Island in the Western Cape in 1964. Predation, and perhaps haematozoan parasites, have possibly played a role in limiting the establishment of Chukar Partridges in southern Africa.","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41486635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mixed-species flocks of insectivorous birds (‘bird parties’) in Afrotropical forests and woodlands: a review","authors":"A. Craig","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2064930","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2064930","url":null,"abstract":"Mixed-species flocks of foraging insectivorous birds are found worldwide and have been best studied in the Neotropical region. A survey of the published literature reveals that mixed-species flocks (often termed ‘bird parties’) comprised of 2–30 species and sometimes >70 individual birds are regularly encountered in forest and woodland habitats throughout the Afrotropical region. On mainland Africa, >600 species representing 59 bird families have been reported in such flocks, and for at least 300 species foraging in such flocks may constitute an important part of their feeding activity. In Madagascar, >60 species of 19 families have been recorded in mixed-species flocks, with more than 40 species frequent participants. These foraging parties are dominated by gleaning and sallying insectivorous birds, with other feeding guilds represented by fewer species and individuals. The main hypotheses to explain why birds participate in such flocks emphasise protection from predators while searching for food, and increased foraging efficiency through the disturbance of insects caused by the different foraging activities of flock members. Certain key species may be responsible for the initial formation of the flock. Mixed-species flocks are regarded as particularly vulnerable to disruption by anthropogenic habitat changes, especially to forests, and are thus of special conservation concern. In the Afrotropics, these proposals remain working hypotheses since we currently lack data for a full assessment of the ecological role of mixed-species flocks and their importance in the life history of the participating species.","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42799452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of the landscape and bioclimatic characteristics that contribute to maintaining the allopatric distribution ranges of the Northern Black Korhaan Afrotis afraoides and the Southern Black Korhaan Afrotis afra","authors":"S. Evans","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2061063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2061063","url":null,"abstract":"The Northern Black Korhaan Afrotis afraoides and the Southern Black Korhaan Afrotis afra were previously considered conspecific, but were subsequently separated based on habitat, plumage, displays and vocalisations of the males and genetic differences. The Northern Black Korhaan is endemic to predominantly north of the Great Escarpment in southern Africa. In the southern part of its range in South Africa, it inhabits mostly the Nama-, Succulent Karoo and Grassland Biomes. The Southern Black Korhaan is a South African endemic and inhabits the Fynbos, Nama- and Succulent Karoo and Grassland and Albany Thicket Biomes to the west and south of the Great Escarpment. The purpose of the present study is to determine which bioclimatic and topographical characteristics contribute to maintaining the allopatric distribution ranges of the Northern and Southern Black Korhaan. The bioclimatic and topographical characteristics of the birds' distribution ranges and the area between them were described using habitat suitability modelling and by sampling these variables at the localities of the presence and pseudoabsence records of the birds in their respective breeding ranges and absence records from the area between their respective distribution ranges. The Northern and Southern Black Korhaan do not occupy the area between their respective distribution ranges, because some of the terrain in this area has a slope >6°. The remainder of the area is on terrain with a slope ≤6°, but the precipitation is too low (median of 216 mm), which may result in an insufficient food supply to the birds, especially when breeding, because they are polygynous. In addition, the low precipitation results in reduced ground cover by the Nama-Karoo and succulent Karoo vegetation, which in turn results in a possible increase in the predation rate of the birds. Consequently, the area is therefore not suited to and therefore not occupied by either species.","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43071551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessments of range-wide distribution of six African storks and their relationships with protected areas","authors":"Jonah Gula, M. Clay Green, S. Fritts, W. Dean, K. Gopi Sundar","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2045642","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2045642","url":null,"abstract":"Species range maps provided by the IUCN and BirdLife International are recognised to sometimes mischaracterise distribution and have resulted in inaccurate status assessments. In this study we assessed distribution trends and relationships with protected area extent for six African storks, the African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus, Abdim’s Stork Ciconia abdimii, African Woolly-necked Stork C. microscelis, Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis, Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumenifer and Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis. Each of these species is understudied and assumed to be ubiquitous throughout sub-Saharan Africa and therefore considered Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. We developed empirically based distribution maps for the six African stork species using a plethora of data sources from >150 years. We found all six species were widespread from East to Southern Africa, but had highly fragmented ranges in West Africa. West African populations have either declined or been extirpated since the 1960s. Countries that require better field coverage include Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Zimbabwe. For each species, there was a positive relationship between occurrence and protected area extent, suggesting either protected habitat is important for storks or unprotected areas are poorly covered in the field. We evaluate species status based on the new collated information and recommend uplisting the global status of the Saddle-billed Stork to Near Threatened and West African populations of the Saddle-billed Stork, Marabou Stork and Yellow-billed Stork to Threatened status.","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43688111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How citizen scientists are rapidly generating big distribution data: lessons from the Arewa Atlas Team, Nigerian Bird Atlas Project","authors":"A. Ringim, S. Muhammad, Longji Bako, Haruna M. Abubakar, Sulaiman M Isa, Doofan J Nelly, Aliyu A Bajoga, Abdulhamid S Bunu, H. A. Adam, Idris M Jalo, J. Eveso, Eugene D Mathew, Bello A Danmallam, Umbule Mador, Jennifer I Paul, Isuwa Aminu, Alai Lawal, Joseph I Izang, Ponyil N Abu","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2058105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2058105","url":null,"abstract":"The Arewa Atlas Team (AAT) in northern Nigeria has set an example for a robust methodological data collection and made a big impact for the African Bird Atlas Project. To broaden national bird atlas projects and coverage across the continent, this paper reports on the activities and protocols of the AAT. We set out how we have galvanised bird clubs and bird club members to participate in this important monitoring project. We then focus on a bird atlas expedition conducted to the Bauchi State as an example. The outing was carried out from 24 to 28 September 2020 in line with the BirdMap protocol. For the first time, the AAT atlased 100 pentads and recorded 8 591 individual birds of 222 species (24.21% of Nigerian birds) from 67 families. We explore what can be done with these data, by presenting a summary of descriptions of the birds observed. For instance, we recorded 184 resident species, nine intra-African and 24 Palearctic migrants. The highest bird abundance (120 individuals) was recorded at 11°00′26.9″ N, 9°29′46.5″ E, pentad 1105C0925. Furthermore, the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis was out-of-range from Lumba. The Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax (Vulnerable) and Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus (Near Threatened) were species of conservation concern. Results of this survey shows that citizen science is a powerful tool to make rapid biodiversity assessments of bird species richness and abundance and provides insights into bird occurrence and composition. This can be extended to distribution over time at a local geographic scale. Continuous efforts to map bird distributions are therefore recommended, mostly in regions and countries where atlas projects have not been established or still in the formative stages. It is important that bird atlas teams maximise ways to accomplish more noteworthy coverage in their respective national bird atlas projects and here we outline how we accomplished this as motivation and a model for the African Bird Atlas Project.","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45060764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nest-site characteristics of Levaillant’s Woodpecker Picus vaillantii endemic to North Africa","authors":"Mehdi Badis, Nabil Hamdi","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2048719","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2048719","url":null,"abstract":"Levaillant’s Woodpecker is an endemic species of the forests of north-western Africa. Through the cavities it digs, its presence is essential for the existence of other cavity nesters. However, despite its importance to its ecosystems, there are not much data dealing with its ecology and especially its habitats. To describe these habitats, we investigated nest-sites characteristics of Levaillant’s Woodpecker Picus vaillantii in the Aures forest massifs of north-eastern Algeria, during two breeding seasons 2018 and 2019. Using the point count method, we detected 45 occupied nesting cavities, unevenly distributed over the formations, dominated by Atlas cedar (73.3%), Holm oak (13.3%), and Aleppo pine (4.4%). Results showed high utilisation of live trees (71.1%) with healthy crowns (75.5%). Findings also revealed that the species favoured tree trunks (77.7%) as nesting support and that the determination of the nest height was strongly dependent on the height of the nesting tree. Nest height and tree diameter at this height varied significantly among tree species. Nests were higher in Aleppo pine, however, tree diameters at nest positions were lower in this species, compared with other tree species. These results on the ecology of Levaillant’s Woodpecker can serve to fill the information gap in the ornithological knowledge of the Aures forests areas and provide important information for the conservation of the species in the context of forest management practices.","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48099504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pishing does increase visibility of arboreal passerines in an African savanna","authors":"E. Buchmann, C. Reynolds","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2029968","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2029968","url":null,"abstract":"Pishing is an imitated alarm call frequently used by birders and ornithologists to attract birds and provide close-up views. However, despite the widespread use of pishing in the field, data on the success of this technique are still scarce. Here we tested the effectiveness of pishing as an attracter of birds in a subtropical savanna in South Africa, using a randomised controlled trial design. Over a period of 12 months, repeated silent observation and pishing treatments were randomly applied across 30 preselected savanna sites to test the response to pishing of both the bird community and individual species. Overall, significantly more individual birds were recorded during the pishing treatment than during the silent observation control treatment. Furthermore, the observation rates of eleven species, from seven passerine families, were significantly higher during pishing treatments. Robins in the Muscicapidae were especially responsive. Pishing does increase visibility of arboreal passerines in African subtropical savanna. This finding confirms that the technique is an effective tool for increasing bird observations in the field and informs current discussions on the ethics of pishing in the South African birding community.","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47778737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vultures in Nigeria – some missed opportunities?","authors":"PJ Mundy","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2076490","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2076490","url":null,"abstract":"Ostrich is co-published by NISC (Pty) Ltd and Informa UK Limited (trading as Taylor & Francis Group) The recent paper by Williams et al. (2021) certainly shows the vultures of Nigeria to be in dire straits. While there may still be some havens for vultures, such as the Yankari Game Reserve (Onoja et al. 2014) adjoining the authors’ study area of Plateau State, the Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus itself, once ubiquitous and abundant in the country, seems to be on its ‘last legs’. Nevertheless I think the authors have missed some opportunities to make their findings more precise, as follows. My strongest comment concerns the statement of Williams et al. (2021) that the decline of vultures has occurred in the ‘past 3–4 decades.’ I lived in Sokoto, northern Nigeria, in 1969–1972, and made a particular study of Hooded Vultures with my friend Allan Cook who lived there much longer. Our results are about to be submitted, but they comprised inter alia (i) counts of up to 1 500 at the town abattoir, (ii) counts of up to 100 at the main market, (iii) more than 300 nests found in and around the town, (iv) virtually no interference or persecution of vultures, or their nesting trees, or the eggs and chicks, (v) no discovery of vultures as food, and (vi) no dead or decapitated birds found (PJ Mundy and AW Cook, pers. obs.). Much later and on a visit to Ghana in 1996, we saw unmolested vultures at the abattoir on the beach west of Accra, birds nesting in leafy trees along a main road in Accra, and an estimated 500 circling over the abattoir at Kumasi (Anderson 1999; Mundy 2000). At the latter place, we even saw Hooded Vultures standing on the chopping blocks of the butchers and on top of open doors: there was no indication of persecution. Even in the Plateau State, study area of the paper, ‘huge numbers’ were once seen at the abattoirs. Given these observations, what has changed since the year 2000 (i.e. two decades ago), in terms of society at large, but its need for belief-based usage and even food consumption? So far this is the big missed opportunity — there is no consideration in the Williams et al. (2021) paper, let alone research into, any hypothesised societal changes over the decades. From a situation of huge numbers of Hooded Vultures in Nigeria in 1973 and subsequently, and through to similar numbers in Ghana in 1996, why is the situation now so ‘alarming’? Yes, there is a doubling of human numbers, greater political volatility and future uncertainty, more poverty; but are these the simple drivers? Fortunately, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation is working on education and awareness to correct ‘misguided conceptions’, as the paper recommended. These efforts must be supported if there is to be any hope for the survival of vultures in Nigeria. I think this year of 2000 was a threshold year for vultures in Nigeria, and perhaps for West Africa as a region: incredible numbers before and ‘drastic decline’ since. This tipping point needs further inves","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42256089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Monitoring an isolated population of Cape Parrots Poicephalus robustus in the Limpopo province, South Africa","authors":"Kate F. Carstens, K. Wimberger, Rowan O. Martin, David Letsoalo, C. Symes","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2022.2053599","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2022.2053599","url":null,"abstract":"Cape Parrots Poicephalus robustus inhabit forest patches in South Africa with <1 800 individuals remain in the wild. A small, genetically isolated population occurs in the northern part of its range in the Limpopo province. There, annual counts indicated ∼100 remain, but count numbers fluctuate substantially between years creating uncertainty over population trends. To inform approaches to the monitoring of Cape Parrot populations in the Limpopo province, we investigated how local abundance counts varied within and across years at known parrot ‘hotspots’. Monthly counts were done at these sites during 2013–2015 and 2020–2021. We found large variability in counts both within and amongst years, although this differed between sites. Observations of behaviour suggest that a site close to overnight roosts was more reliable, whereas those close to food sources were more variable likely linked to fruit availability. The highest numbers were recorded at a pecan nut orchard away from the indigenous forest. To better understand population trends of this small, isolated population we recommend annual counts are complemented with a series of focused counts at pecan nut orchards, which are monitored with greater intensity during the fruiting season.","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43503118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"One big Impact Factor","authors":"Atk Lee","doi":"10.2989/00306525.2021.2017086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2021.2017086","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54655,"journal":{"name":"Ostrich","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43264459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}