Search Results (8)

Ecological determinants of avian population dynamics are essential for effective wildlife management and conservation. Black and grey francolins are classified as being of least concern by the IUCN and are an ecologically significant bird in the northern regions of Pakistan. Although habitat degradation and overhunting have adversely affected their populations, research on the population structure and habitat preferences of the Totali Game Reserve, Buner District, Pakistan, remains limited. The present study applied distance sampling via the line transect method to estimate population densities and the quadrat method to assess vegetation characteristics across three distinct habitats. A statistical analysis revealed significant variations in densities across the three habitat types—agricultural lands, agroforests, and pasturelands—with both species exhibiting distinct preferences for pastureland ecosystems. Seasonal trends indicated that autumn represented the peak period for the population, driven by post-breeding surges and optimal habitat conditions. Moreover, both species demonstrated a strong affinity for habitats dominated by specific plant species, including hopbush, raspberry, barberry, and blackberry, which provide a critical resource for food, foraging, nesting, and shelter. These findings highlight the ecological importance of pasturelands and specific vegetation types for supporting the survival of these species. Furthermore, conservation efforts should prioritize the preservation and restoration of pastureland ecosystems and incorporate rigorous monitoring programs to guide adaptive management strategies aimed at mitigating population declines. Full article

Introduced species may pose one of the biggest threats to biodiversity conservation. Today, monitoring their status, distribution and abundance constitutes an important part of ecological and conservation studies throughout the world. In the Afrotropical Region (sub-Saharan Africa), avian introductions have attracted the attention of many researchers, but there is a lack of a comprehensive review of this subject on a continental scale. The presented paper constitutes an attempt to overview the status, distribution, threats and control measures of birds introduced to sub-Saharan Africa in the last 200 years. This review lists 146 bird species introduced to sub-Saharan Africa. Only 49 (33.6%) of them have developed viable populations and only 7 (4.8%) became invasive species, namely Passer domesticus, Sturnus vulgaris, Acridotheres tristis, Corvus splendens, Columba livia var. domestica, Psittacula krameri and Pycnonotus jocosus. Data on distribution of most introduced species are provided, together with information on the place and year of their first introductions. For Passer domesticus and Columba livia var. domestica, data on population densities are also provided from several southern African towns. The most speciose groups of introduced species were parrots (Psittaciformes), comprising 33.6% (including Psittacidae: 13.7%; and Psittaculidae: 15.1%); Anatidae: 12.3%; Phasianidae: 11.0%; and Passeriformes: 30.1%. Most avian introductions in sub-Saharan Africa took place in Southern Africa (mainly the Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg areas) and in Madagascar and the surrounding islands (mostly Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles). Most introduced species which have developed viable populations originate from the Afrotropical, Oriental and Palearctic regions (altogether 78%), with only 2% from the New World. The proportions among the introduced species which have not established viable populations are quite different: 29% from the New World and only 60% from the Afrotropical, Oriental and Palearctic regions. The main factors affecting successful avian introductions and introduction pathways have been identified. A review of the control measures undertaken in sub-Saharan Africa (mainly in small oceanic islands) is outlined for the following species: Passer domesticus, Acridotheres tristis, Corvus splendens, Pycnonotus jocosus, Foudia madagascariensis, Psittacula krameri and Agapornis roseicollis. Full article

Limited research exists on the breeding ecology of the black francolin (Francolinus francolinus) in northern Pakistan. This study assessed egg dimensions, clutch size, hatching, fledging, and overall breeding success across different habitats and nests (n = 25) at Totali Game Reserve, Buner. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to analyze the effects of nest site characteristics and nest traits on breeding parameters. Egg dimensions were consistent across sites whereas bush nests had slightly wider eggs. The average clutch size was 5.9 ± 1.7 eggs, with an average of 4.8 ± 1.0 hatchlings per nest. A total of 111 chicks fledged, averaging 4.4 ± 1.0 per nest, yielding an overall breeding success rate of 75.5%. Nests containing six eggs had higher hatching success (76.6%). GLMs results showed a significant positive relationship between clutch size and hatchling, while nest site and traits had no significant effects. However, fledgling success was positively influenced by hatchling numbers, with nests in wetland habitats yielding significantly more fledglings (4.6 ± 0.9) than those from dryland habitats (4.0 ± 1.2). These findings suggest Black Francolins prefer nesting in wetland areas in bushes, likely due to better protection and favorable conditions. Full article

The Bagaza virus (BAGV) belongs to the genus Orthoflavivirus (Ntaya serocomplex) and emerged in Europe, Spain, in 2010. The natural transmission cycle of this virus is perpetuated by Culex spp. mosquitoes and viraemic birds. The ability of BAGV to cause infection in several game birds from the family Phasianidae has been well-studied. BAGV is antigenically similar to other orthoflaviviruses from the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex, such as the West Nile and Usutu viruses, a circumstance which can lead to cross-reactivity in less specific serological techniques (e.g., ELISA). Severe implications in animal health has already been described, but some aspects of the dynamics of transmission and the limits of zoonotic potential of BAGV still need to be clarified. Further investigation focused on epidemiological surveillance in high-risk areas would be beneficial for prevention and control of new outbreaks. The present study is a systematic review of the BAGV reports in Europe. Full article

Background: Phasianidae mitogenomes exhibit significant structural variations critical for understanding evolution and subspecies divergence. However, annotations of these features in some pheasant species remain limited. This study aimed to enhance understanding of Phasianidae mitogenomes and their evolutionary patterns. Methods: A comparative analysis of complete mitogenomes from Phasianus colchicus, Phasianus versicolor, and 22 other accipitrids was conducted, examining codon usage, rRNA structures, selective pressures, phylogenetics, and structural variations. Results: The mitogenome of P. colchicus is 16,696 bp, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and a control region, with a base composition of A: 30.61%, T: 25.26%, C: 30.85%, and G: 13.28%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed P. colchicus and P. versicolor are closely related, with the following relationship: ((Phasianus + Chrysolophus) + (Crossoptilon + Lophura)). Divergence timing aligns with the Tibetan Plateau uplift during the Tertiary Pliocene. Ka/Ks analysis suggests the CO I, CO II, CO III, ND1, ND4L, and ND6 genes in Phasianus underwent strong selective pressure for plateau adaptation. Conclusions: The study confirms Phasianus monophyly and its close relationship with Chrysolophus. Adaptation-related selective pressures on the CO I, CO II, CO III, ND1, ND4L, and ND6 genes highlight its role in plateau environments, offering valuable insights into pheasant phylogeny. Full article

Coronaviruses have a major impact on human and animal health. The SARS-CoV-2, a beta coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is a clear example. It continues circulating and causes human deaths, and its high replication rate results in numerous variants. Coronaviruses adapt to birds and mammals and constitute a serious threat, and new viruses are likely to emerge. Urban pigeons (Columbiformes) are synanthropic birds of great interest from a ‘One Health’ perspective, due to their interaction with humans and other animals. Aware that they may act as viral reservoirs and contribute to their spread, we aimed to investigate the possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses in Columbiformes in the city of Logroño, Spain. Oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were tested using real-time (N1 and E genes from SARS-CoV-2) and conventional PCR assays (RdRp gene from all coronaviruses). SARS-CoV-2 was not detected. A total of 13.3% of pigeons harbored coronaviruses closely related to Gamma coronavirus (Igacovirus) from Columbiformes in Finland, Poland and China. Monitoring the emergence of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 capable of infecting Columbiformes should continue. SARS-CoV-2 is still circulating, the viral RNA of this virus has been detected in avian species (Phasianidae and Anatidae), and other coronaviruses are associated with animals that are in close contact with humans. The presence of Gamma coronavirus in urban pigeons must be considered for the risk of surveillance of human infections. Full article

Pheasants are widely distributed in the southwest of China, but many of them are endangered due to habitat fragmentation and environmental changes. Genetic diversity is crucial for species to maintain their evolutionary potential, and thus it is important to develop universal genetic markers for facilitating the assessment of genetic diversity and planning effective conservation actions in these endangered species. In this study, 471 microsatellite loci which are common among eight pheasant species were screened based on genome data, and 119 loci were selected to develop microsatellite markers. After PCR amplifications and reaction condition optimizations, and validation of microsatellite loci in 14 species of 11 genera within Phasianidae. Finally, 49 potentially universal microsatellite markers in pheasant species were obtained. These microsatellite markers were successfully applied to assess the genetic diversity of 3 pheasant species. The Sichuan hill partridge (Arborophila rufipectus), blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus), buff-throated partridge (Tetraophasis szechenyii) and Sichuan hill partridge had a relatively low genetic diversity level. These 49 microsatellite loci are potentially universal microsatellite loci for pheasants and are of great significance to establish a shared platform in population genetics study of pheasants. Full article

The Sichuan partridge (Arborophila rufipectus, Phasianidae, Galliformes) is distributed in south-west China, and classified as endangered grade. To examine the evolution and genomic features of Sichuan partridge, we de novo assembled the Sichuan partridge reference genome. The final draft assembly consisted of approximately 1.09 Gb, and had a scaffold N50 of 4.57 Mb. About 1.94 million heterozygous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected, 17,519 protein-coding genes were predicted, and 9.29% of the genome was identified as repetitive elements. A total of 56 olfactory receptor (OR) genes were found in Sichuan partridge, and conserved motifs were detected. Comparisons between the Sichuan partridge genome and chicken genome revealed a conserved genome structure, and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that Arborophila possessed a basal phylogenetic position within Phasianidae. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of positively selected genes (PSGs) in Sichuan partridge showed over-represented GO functions related to environmental adaptation, such as energy metabolism and behavior. Pairwise sequentially Markovian coalescent analysis revealed the recent demographic trajectory for the Sichuan partridge. Our data and findings provide valuable genomic resources not only for studying the evolutionary adaptation, but also for facilitating the long-term conservation and genetic diversity for this endangered species. Full article