Search Results (60)

Urban wildlife conservation is emerging as a critical component of sustainable city ecosystems. Rather than simply increasing tree abundance or species richness, conservation management should focus on key species. In this research, Xishan Forest Park in Beijing was chosen as a case study. Our aim was to identify keystone taxa critical for avian foraging and nesting during the breeding season. We performed a network analysis linking bird species, their diets, and nest plants. Dietary components were detected using DNA metabarcoding conducted with avian fecal samples. Nest plants were identified via transect surveys. Two indices of the network, degree and weighted mean degree, were calculated to evaluate the importance of the dietary and nest plant species. We identified 13 bird host species from 107 fecal samples and 14 bird species from 107 nest observations. Based on the degree indices, fruit trees Morus and Prunus were detected as key food sources, exhibiting both the highest degree (degree = 9, 9) and weighted mean degree (lnwMD = 5.21, 4.63). Robinia pseudoacacia provided predominant nesting sites, with a predominant degree of 7. A few taxa, such as Styphnolobium japonicum and Rhamnus parvifolia, served dual ecological significance as both essential food sources and nesting substrates. Scrublands, as a unique habitat type, provided nesting sites and food for small-bodied birds. Therefore, targeted management interventions are recommended to sustain or enhance these keystone resource species and to maintain the multi-layered vertical vegetation structure to preserve the diverse habitats of birds. Full article

The ongoing decline in global biodiversity constitutes a critical challenge for environmental science, necessitating the prompt development of effective monitoring frameworks and conservation protocols to safeguard the structure and function of natural ecosystems. Recent progress in ecoacoustic monitoring, supported by advances in artificial intelligence, might finally offer scalable tools for systematic biodiversity assessment. In this study, we evaluate the performance of BirdNET, a state-of-the-art deep learning model for avian sound recognition, in the context of selected bird species characteristic of the Italian Alpine region. To this end, we assemble a comprehensive, manually annotated audio dataset targeting key regional species, and we investigate a variety of strategies for model adaptation, including fine-tuning with data augmentation techniques to enhance recognition under challenging recording conditions. As a baseline, we also develop and evaluate a simple Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) trained exclusively on our domain-specific dataset. Our findings indicate that BirdNET performance can be greatly improved by fine-tuning the pre-trained network with data collected within the specific regional soundscape, outperforming both the original BirdNET and the baseline CNN by a significant margin. These findings underscore the importance of environmental adaptation and data variability for the development of automated ecoacoustic monitoring devices while highlighting the potential of deep learning methods in supporting conservation efforts and informing soundscape management in protected areas. Full article

Avian influenza is an economically significant disease affecting poultry worldwide and is caused by influenza A viruses that can range from low to highly pathogenic strains. These viruses primarily target the respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems of birds, leading to severe outbreaks that threaten poultry production and pose zoonotic risks. The ectodomain of the avian influenza virus (AIV) matrix protein 2 (M2e), known for its high conservation across influenza strains, has emerged as a promising candidate for developing a universal influenza vaccine in a mouse model. However, the efficacy of such expression against poultry AIVs remains limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity of nodavirus-like particles displaying the M2e proteins. In this study, three synthetic heterologous M2e genes originated from AIV strains H5N1, H9N2 and H5N2 were fused with the nodavirus capsid protein (NVC) of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (NVC-3xAvM2e) prior to immunogenicity characterisations in chickens. The expression vector pTRcHis-TARNA2 carrying the NVC-3xAvM2e gene cassette was introduced into E. coli TOP-10 cells. The recombinant proteins were purified, inoculated into one-week-old specific pathogen-free chickens subcutaneously and analysed. The recombinant protein NVC-3xAvM2e formed virus-like particles (VLPs) of approximately 25 nm in diameter when observed under a transmission electron microscope. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis revealed that the VLPs have a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.198. A direct ELISA upon animal experiments showed that M2e-specific antibodies were significantly increased in vaccinated chickens after the booster, with H5N1 M2e peptides having the highest mean absorbance value when compared with those of H9N2 and H5N2. A challenge study using low pathogenic AIV (LPAI) strain A/chicken/Malaysia/UPM994/2018 (H9N2) at 10^6.5 EID₅₀ showed significant viral load in the lung and cloaca, but not in the oropharyngeal of vaccinated animals when compared with the unvaccinated control group. Collectively, this study suggests that nodavirus-like particles displaying three heterologous M2e have the potential to provide protection against LPAI H9N2 in chickens, though the vaccine’s efficacy and cross-protection across different haemagglutinin (HA) subtypes should be further evaluated. Full article

Monitoring waterfowl populations is essential for informing habitat management, conservation strategies, and sustainable harvest regulations. Many target species such as mallards and northern pintails are keystone components of wetland ecosystems, serving as ecological indicators due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. The integration of drone technology and artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly transforming the field of wildlife conservation and habitat monitoring. Existing methods for waterfowl monitoring face critical challenges such as low accuracy in identifying overlapping image regions and limited segmentation accuracy in complex habitats. To address these issues, this paper presents an end-to-end system and several new methods for efficiently and accurately identifying waterfowl populations in their natural habitats using AI and drone imagery. We applied advanced deep learning models to drone imagery for detecting and counting waterfowl. To handle overlapping regions in consecutive images, we developed a bird-location-based method that quickly and accurately identifies overlaps. For habitat segmentation, we proposed an effective approach combining Meta’s Segment Anything Model (SAM) with a ResNet50 classifier. Additionally, we used ChatGPT to generate clear, easy-to-read reports summarizing detection results. Experimental results show that our bird detection model (Faster R-CNN) achieved 86.57% mAP, our habitat segmentation method reached 85.1% accuracy (average F1 score: 81.8%), and our overlap detection method maintained an error rate below 5% with faster performance compared to traditional techniques. These outcomes highlight the practical effectiveness of our integrated pipeline for wildlife conservation and habitat monitoring. Full article

Background: The accurate determination of bird sex is crucial in various biological fields, including ecology, behavioral research, and conservation. However, this task remains challenging in species in which males and females exhibit similar external morphologies, such as owls. Although polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular sexing techniques that target the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 1 gene found on sex chromosomes Z (CHD1-Z gene) and W (CHD1-W gene) are widely used, we encountered atypical banding patterns when applying the previously reported primers 2550F and 2718R to four wild owls of unknown sex. This study aims to reveal the owl-specific genetic structure of the CHD1 gene. Methods: We developed a new primer set and determined the nucleotide sequences—including the binding sites for the primers 2550F and 2718R—within both the CHD1-Z and CHD1-W genes. Results: Sequencing analysis, conducted using a newly developed primer set that successfully amplified both Z- and W-derived CHD1 products across various owl species, revealed a unique genetic insertion of approximately 600 bp in intron 17 of the CHD1-W gene. This insertion reversed the usual length relationship between PCR products from the chromosomes Z and W. Additionally, mutations identified in the 2550F primer binding site of the CHD1-Z gene in certain owl species may explain the failure to amplify CHD1-Z-derived PCR products. Conclusion: These findings provide valuable insights for improving molecular sexing in owls. Full article

Polyplectron katsumatae is a rare and endangered species endemic to Hainan, China. It has long been regarded as a subspecies of the widely distributed Grey Peacock-Pheasant (Polyplectron bicalcaratum), a classification that has resulted in a paucity of targeted conservation studies and rendered efforts to protect and restore its populations and habitats exceedingly challenging. In this study, the Jianfengling section of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park was designated as the research area. We comprehensively utilized infrared camera monitoring data for P. katsumatae and other species, alongside habitat environmental factor data obtained through multiple monitoring approaches. An ensemble species distribution model (ESDM) was employed to evaluate the habitat suitability for four ground-dwelling bird species, including P. katsumatae, and to investigate their environmental preferences and competitive interactions during habitat selection. Subsequently, the Marxan model was applied to identify key protection areas for P. katsumatae. The results indicate that the suitable habitat for P. katsumatae is primarily distributed in the central, eastern, and certain southern areas of the study region, with low spatial overlap and minimal competition from the suitable habitats of the other three ground-dwelling bird species. However, due to anthropogenic disturbances and the inherently stringent habitat requirements of P. katsumatae, its overall suitable habitat area is limited, exhibiting a concentrated distribution overall with fragmented, small patches within it. Our study recommends designating the eastern and southern regions of the study area as key protection areas for P. katsumatae, thereby providing a robust baseline environment and policy support for the targeted protection of its habitat and the recovery of its populations. Full article

Reintroducing threatened fauna has been established as a valuable conservation practice despite the obstacles that such projects still face. In avian reintroductions, elevated dispersal of released individuals is one of the main factors preventing the establishment of sizeable populations in target areas. We started reintroducing Golden Parakeets in a protected area in the Amazon Forest, and we faced problems regarding low site fidelity. To address this issue, we tested a new methodological approach named “release trials”, consisting of repeatedly releasing and recapturing individual birds to avoid early dispersion. We address the results of applying this method and the influence that intrinsic factors had on the site fidelity of released individuals. We released seven groups of parakeets with an average first-month site fidelity of 46%. Individuals who underwent more release trials before the group release were more likely to present site fidelity. The level of aggression suffered by resident parakeets was the main factor leading to the dispersion of individuals. Older birds were more likely to suffer higher aggression, but age alone did not explain the result of dispersion. Individuals less aversive to humans and previously paired before release were less likely to disperse. Our results show that every bit of methodological care during pre-release training and individual selection may increase the chance of establishing a group with site fidelity. Full article

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A/H5N1 viruses threaten animal and human health worldwide. The first documented cases in the Middle East were reported in 2005; however, despite extensive phylogenetic studies, there is limited information on the transmission dynamics of the virus within this region. We analyzed HA and NA gene sequences from various hosts to address this gap and to understand the virus’s spread and evolution in the Middle East. We hypothesized that H5N1 transmission exhibits host-specific or geographically influenced clade structures in this region. This study traced transmission pathways of HPAI A/H5N1 through a phylogenetic and amino acid sequence analysis of HA and NA gene segments from isolates across different hosts in Middle Eastern countries, using the MUSCLE algorithm for alignments and MEGA11 software for phylogenetic analysis. Sequences were selected from NCBI’s virus database based on geographic and host diversity, including those from birds, humans, and other mammals, and were collected at different time points, predominantly after the early 2000s. An amino acid phylogenetic tree was also constructed to examine the conservation of key HA and NA protein residues, identifying distinct clades linked to specific countries and host species, suggesting a possible interspecies transmission and cross-border spread distinct between Egypt and neighboring countries. These findings underscore the role of migratory birds in regional transmission and point to the need for more targeted surveillance and biosecurity efforts, offering more genomic insights into the spread of HPAI A/H5N1 and contributing valuable information for future prevention strategies. Full article

Forest management plans offer valuable data on forest species composition and structure, useful for large-scale bird conservation. We examined the relationship between bird community diversity and five vegetation characteristics from management plans in Krkonoše Mts. National Park. Bird communities were surveyed from 2012 to 2014 using the point method on 285 plots (radius 100 m). We analyzed songbirds, woodpeckers, and pigeons. The vegetation characteristics were divided into composition (tree species proportion, soil-based phytocoenosis, and target vegetation type) and structure (vertical tree layering and remotely sensed heights). Bird species richness was used as a diversity measure. Redundancy analysis (RDA) tested the impact of vegetation characteristics on bird community composition. Higher bird diversity was linked to deciduous forests, particularly beech, in multi-layered stands (20–40 m height) on rich soils. In contrast, lower diversity occurred in spruce-dominated stands with Scots pine, waterlogged soils, and low vegetation (<0.5 m). All vegetation characteristics correlated significantly with bird community diversity and composition. Our findings demonstrate that forest management data can help identify key variability sources in bird communities, aiding in large-scale monitoring and landscape planning. Beyond tree composition and structure, phytocoenological characteristics provide useful insights for conservation. Full article

Anthropogenic threats from human activity have significantly altered global ecosystems, resulting in habitat destruction and fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and species extinction. The identification and establishment of protected areas for the conservation of threatened species is thus required to mitigate the impacts of these threats. This study identified priority conservation areas (PCAs) for endangered mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles in South Korea using ecological modeling. In particular, we used the MaxEnt model to determine the potential distributions of endangered species and Zonation software to prioritize conservation areas. In doing so, we aimed to identify key environmental factors that influence the distributions of the target species and to identify ecologically critical areas using gap analysis based on the first-grade areas on the ecology and nature map (ENM). The results indicated that the highest priority areas for endangered species varied by taxon, with endangered mammals found primarily in forested areas, endangered birds on inland plains, and endangered amphibians and reptiles within marine and stream regions. The gap analysis revealed a very low overlap between ecological areas and high-priority areas for endangered birds and amphibians. This suggests that the first-grade areas on the ENM mainly represent areas with high vegetational coverage. These findings highlight the need to reassess existing protected areas and designate PCAs for endangered species independently from the ENM. This study represents a foundational assessment that can be used to inform conservation planning and prompt continued ecological research in support of biodiversity conservation efforts. Full article

The conversion of tropical forests into urban and agriculture landscapes may alter insect populations through habitat disturbance and impact the diets of aerial insectivores. Most dietary studies on aerial insectivores have limitation on identifying prey at higher taxonomic levels in broad landscapes, restricting species-level identification and thus making a detailed dietary comparison impossible. This study examines the dietary changes through adaptation of house-farm swiftlets (Aerodramus sp.) and Pacific swallows (Hirundo tahitica) across three distinct habitats in Peninsular Malaysia: mixed-use landscapes, oil palm plantations, and paddy fields. High-throughput DNA metabarcoding with ANML primers targeting mitochondrial CO1 gene, identified 245 arthropod prey species, with six dominant orders: Coleoptera, Diptera, Blattodea, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. Mixed-use landscapes supported the highest dietary diversity and niche breadth, reflecting their ecological complexity. Paddy fields exhibited moderate diversity, while oil palm plantations demonstrated the lowest diversity, influenced by simplified vegetation structures and limited prey availability. The consumption of agricultural pests and vector species highlights the critical ecological role of aerial insectivorous birds in natural pest management and mitigating vector-borne disease risks. This research emphasizes the importance of conserving habitat heterogeneity to sustain the ecological services provided by these birds, benefiting both agricultural productivity and public health. Full article

Diet, morphological traits, and other ecological characteristics may influence the composition of bird communities. The southern slopes of the Himalayas are one of the global hotspots for avian species diversity. However, systematic research on the distribution patterns of birds in this region and the intrinsic links between these patterns and ecological characteristics has not yet been reported. This research gap limits our comprehensive understanding of the avian ecosystem in this area and affects the formulation of targeted conservation strategies. Using standard transect methods and mist-netting, we surveyed bird species, their numbers, as well as the habitats in four 300 m elevation bands during the breeding season (May–June 2024) in the middle elevations of the Gyirong Valley, a typical valley on the southern slope of the Himalayas. We analyzed the bird species composition, habitat distribution, and the influence of ecological characteristics on bird distribution patterns using R 4.4. During the field survey of the breeding season in the middle elevations of the Gyirong Valley, a total of 76 bird species were recorded. Among them, birds from the families Muscicapidae and Phylloscopidae within the order Passeriformes constitute the dominant groups. Insectivorous and omnivorous birds were the main groups in the Gyirong Valley. Birds with different diets and morphological traits show distinct differentiation in habitat selection. The higher the specialization rate of ecological traits, the smaller the population size of the birds, and the more likely they are to become endangered species. Moreover, morphological traits significantly influenced the distribution patterns of birds in the middle elevations of the Gyirong Valley. Therefore, when formulating conservation strategies for birds in the Gyirong Valley, it is essential to fully consider the differences in habitat requirements for birds with different ecological traits. Full article

Thresholds can be an effective tool in conservation planning, as they can form a defensible target for habitat conservation or restoration. Generalized thresholds must be used with caution, however, as threshold responses may vary with species and spatial scale. The objectives of this study were to identify the scales at which forest-dwelling birds respond to both habitat availability and critical thresholds in forest cover associated with their occurrence, and to assess if life history traits relate to either scale of response or critical threshold. Using point count data from the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, I generated concentric buffers ranging from 100 m to 10 km radius around a random subset of point counts and described forest cover and species occurrence within each buffer. I assessed the likelihood of occurrence of each species at each scale of analysis using logistic regression and identified forest cover thresholds below which the occurrence of each species becomes unlikely using fitted regression curves and ROC plots. Species varied in their response to both landscape scale and forest cover, based on relative growth rate, clutch size, and site fidelity. The mean response to forest cover was 30.8%, with landscape scale ranging from 200 m to 9 km. Despite this range, pragmatic approaches to conservation planning are still possible. Full article

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) epizootics have caused repeated mass mortality events among wild birds. The effect of the infection is potentially detrimental for a variety of bird species, including the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). The numbers of wintering and breeding Peregrine Falcons in the Netherlands have recently declined. We investigated the changes in population trends in relation to HPAI H5 virus outbreaks. For this purpose, we analyzed variations in annual numbers of wintering and breeding birds, the virology of reported dead birds, and the presence of the HPAI H5 virus in unhatched eggs. We showed that significant mortalities of Peregrine Falcons had occurred in 2016–2017 and 2020–2023, years of major HPAI H5 virus outbreaks. In particular, the highest rates of bird mortality and HPAI virus infection were reported in 2023. In this year, over 80% (28/32) of the tested birds were positive for HPAI H5 virus. No HPAI H5 virus was present in the eggs. Based on these findings, we concluded that HPAI represents a serious threat to the Peregrine Falcon population in the Netherlands, and, in combination with anthropogenic factors, may contribute to the decline of this species. Targeted HPAI surveillance and disease mitigation measures are necessary for the conservation of this species. Full article

Birds of prey can be parasitised by several endoparasites that can coexist without clinical signs of disease or occur in conjunction with stressful events. Because the number of birds of prey kept in captivity is copiously increasing due to their use for bird control, breeding programs, exhibition and falconry, the main endoparasites of 81 apparently healthy captive birds of prey from northern Italy were investigated by examining faecal and blood samples. Faeces were analysed by a quali-quantitative technique, i.e., the FLOTAC^® basic technique, employing potassium iodomercurate flotation solution, while blood smears were stained to detect haemoparasites. Risk factors were further assessed. Considering gastrointestinal parasites, an overall prevalence of 41.7% was recorded, and 50% of Accipitriformes, 43% of Falconiformes and 33.3% of Strigiformes tested positive for at least one parasite taxon. Moreover, age and diet were associated with an increased risk of infection. As for haemoparasites, a prevalence of 18.2% was evidenced, and none of the risk factors were associated with prevalence. The results of this study highlighted the importance of monitoring the endoparasites of captive birds of prey with a highly sensitive copromicroscopic technique to target medical treatments, improve housing conditions and conduct epidemiological studies aimed at wildlife conservation and management. Full article