The Infona portal uses cookies, i.e. strings of text saved by a browser on the user's device. The portal can access those files and use them to remember the user's data, such as their chosen settings (screen view, interface language, etc.), or their login data. By using the Infona portal the user accepts automatic saving and using this information for portal operation purposes. More information on the subject can be found in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By closing this window the user confirms that they have read the information on cookie usage, and they accept the privacy policy and the way cookies are used by the portal. You can change the cookie settings in your browser.
The Ivory‐billed Woodpecker Campephilus principalis was considered extinct by many until, in 2005, researchers announced its rediscovery in continental North America and released video evidence obtained from the state of Arkansas. This claim garnered worldwide media attention and sparked renewed interest in searching for and conserving the bird. Audio recordings from the same region, including sounds...
Nest survival is an important part of breeding success in grassland ecosystems, and the location of nests can determine vulnerability to different predators. We conducted an experiment with artificial nests to evaluate jointly the predation rate on nests at different spatial scales (landscape, patch and tussock) and the relative abundance of potential nest predators (small mammals and birds) in a...
We describe a partial skeleton of a fossil owl (Strigiformes) from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton‐on‐the‐Naze (Essex, UK). The holotype of Ypresiglaux michaeldanielsi, gen. et sp. nov. is one of the most complete specimens of a Palaeogene owl and elucidates the poorly known ecomorphology of stem group Strigiformes. Whereas most of the postcranial bones show the characteristic strigiform morphology,...
Studying seasonal changes in the vocal activity of birds may shed light on the function of avian vocalizations and the phenology of life history events. Our current knowledge regarding the seasonality of the vocal behaviour of tropical birds in general, and avian brood parasites in particular, is very limited. Here, we employed passive acoustic monitoring with automated signal recognition to monitor...
Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated under the EU Birds Directive have improved the conservation status of many terrestrial bird species in Europe, but protecting breeding sites may be less effective for highly mobile birds such as seabirds. Colony census data for Great Skuas Stercorarius skua and Great Black‐backed Gulls Larus marinus in Scotland show that breeding numbers have fared no better...
Genetic structure and phylogeographic patterns of natural populations are of great importance in assessing the conservation status of species. These population properties can be estimated using molecular markers of either mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or nuclear DNA (nDNA) to understand the historical, ecological and dispersal patterns that influence genetic exchange within and between populations. Basilinna xantusii...
Climate change is leading to the advancement of spring conditions, resulting in an earlier snowmelt and green‐up, with highest rates of change in highly seasonal environments, including alpine habitats. Migratory birds breeding at high elevations need to time their arrival and lay dates accurately with this advancement, but also with the annually variable spring conditions at their breeding sites,...
The loss of interactions and ecosystem functions is a concerning by‐product of pervasive Anthropocene species decline and extinction. Ecological interactions between species sustain the provision of ecosystem processes, especially those mediated by trophic relationships such as pollination and predation. At the local habitat scale, the diversity of natural food sources may increase the diversity of...
Despite urbanization's general erosion of biodiversity, towns and cities provide novel opportunities for some species. During the 20th century, gulls (Laridae) colonized urban areas around the world where they flourished. At the same time, some coastal populations declined. The reasons for this difference are not fully understood, partly because little is known about any ecological differences between...
Understanding how climatic and environmental changes, as well as human activities, induce changes in the distribution and population size of avian species refines our ability to predict future impacts on threatened species. Using multilocus genetic data, we show that the population of a threatened New Zealand endemic open‐habitat specialist, the Black‐fronted Tern Chlidonias albostriatus – in contrast...
Habitat loss and climate change are key drivers of global biodiversity declines but their relative importance has rarely been examined. We attempted to attribute spatially divergent population trends of two Afro‐Palaearctic migrant warbler species, Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus and Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, to changes in breeding grounds climate or habitat. We used bird counts...
Breeding populations of many wading birds have declined globally, primarily caused by habitat degradation and loss. In the UK, population declines have been particularly notable on lowland wet grasslands. In response, some areas of lowland wet grassland have been restored and are under ongoing management to improve the breeding conditions of target species. Here, we assess the efficacy of management...
Several factors may drive bird nest‐site selection, including predation risk, resource availability, weather conditions and interaction with other individuals. Understanding the drivers affecting where birds nest is important for conservation planning, especially where environmental change may alter the distribution of suitable nest‐sites. This study investigates which environmental variables affect...
Birds use stopovers during migration to interrupt endurance flight in order to minimize immediate and/or future fitness costs. Stopovers on ships is considered an exceptional and anecdotal event in the ornithological literature. This does not match the experience we had in the summer of 2021, during an oceanographic campaign in the Central Mediterranean, when we regularly observed on average 2.8 birds,...
Many animals, including shrikes (Laniidae), are known to store food. This behaviour ensures food availability during inclement weather, for rearing nestlings or signalling territory quality. Unlike most other shrike species, which accumulate food before breeding, Red‐backed Shrikes Lanius collurio store food in larders, mainly during the nestling and fledgling periods. If this is an adaptive behaviour,...
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis populations are recovering in many parts of their geographical range in coastal areas of North and Central America following near‐decimation in the mid‐20th century. However, populations have exhibited varying recovery rates that could be rectified with improved understanding of influencing factors, including population stressors, particularly during the non‐breeding...
Set the date range to filter the displayed results. You can set a starting date, ending date or both. You can enter the dates manually or choose them from the calendar.