Search Results (36)

While poetry has long relied on musical and visual elements for its communicative power, numerous contemporary poets are drawing so dramatically on the resources of the visual arts and on elements of musical scoring that their poems become inter-arts hybrids. The interdisciplinary character of environmental writing and its attachment to material conditions of planetary life particularly invite the use of visual and/or audio technologies as documentation or as prompts toward multisensory attention that may shift readers’ perceptions of the more-than-human world. This essay examines four recent works of ecopoetry from the US to explore some of the diverse ways in which, by integrating into volumes of poetry their own visual and musical art, poets are expanding the environmental imagination and enhancing their environmental messaging. The visual and musical elements, I argue, offer fresh perceptual lenses that help break down cognitive habits bolstering separations of Western humans from more-than-human realms or dampening awareness of social and cultural norms that foster environmental degradation and violations of environmental justice. The multi-modal works discussed are Jennifer Scappettone’s The Republic of Exit 43, JJJJJerome Ellis’s Aster of Ceremonies, Danielle Vogel’s Edges & Fray, and Jonathan Skinner’s “Blackbird Stanzas.” Full article

In this study, we used a causal analysis approach to assess the impact of deforestation on bird abundance in Mexico. Based on records in the eBird and GBIF databases, ten species were selected in 807 grids on the mainland. Relative abundances by species were estimated using a fixed-effects panel data regression for the period 2016–2018. Deforestation was used as a quasi-natural experiment, classifying treatment and control groups according to the distribution of relative abundances by quintiles of gross deforestation rates during the period 2001–2018. The treatment group was defined as relative abundances of birds present in grids in the last deforestation quintile (≥4% to 12%); the control group included relative abundances of birds present in grids of the first four quintiles (<4%). Extended regression models were used to estimate the impacts of high deforestation rates on the relative abundance of birds, finding mixed causal effects: five showed statistically significant declines in abundance (Ruddy Ground Dove (Columbina talpacoti), Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), Melodious Blackbird (Dives dives), Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii), and Rufous-backed Thrush (Turdus rufopalliatus)), while one specie Yellow-winged Cacique (Cassiculus melanicterus) exhibited significant increases. These findings highlight the importance of causal effect studies in contributing to empirical evidence-based conservation decision-making. Full article

In an increasingly urbanized world, biodiversity, and more specifically, birdlife located in urbanized ecosystems, faces several threats. Among these, noise pollution has proven to be one of the most significant, as it affects the effectiveness and efficiency of acoustic communication. We studied the relationship between noise and the diversity and abundance of birds breeding in urban areas in the central region of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). We analyzed how species diversity and density varied across three levels of noise pollution (high, medium, and low). Species diversity decreased in areas with high noise pollution as compared to sites with medium and low levels of noise. We analyzed the density of the most frequent species found within each category. We identified eight additional noise-tolerant species whose density had significantly increased in environments with high levels of noise (e.g., Blackbird, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, and the Coal Tit). The ten most sensitive species, such as the Common Linnet, House Sparrow, and the European Greenfinch, had significantly decreased densities when the level of noise increased. Identifying the sensitivity (the effect) of urban bird species to acoustic pollution is vital for effective conservation management measures and for the sustainable planning and management of cities. Full article

Avian influenza (AI), caused by Alphainfluenzavirus (family Orthomyxoviridae), poses significant threats to poultry, biodiversity, and public health. AI outbreaks in poultry lead to severe economic losses, while highly pathogenic strains (HPAIVs) severely impact wild bird populations, with implications for biodiversity and potential zoonotic risks. Similarly, arboviruses such as West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are emerging zoonoses. WNV can cause severe neurological diseases in birds, humans, and other animals, while USUV significantly affects blackbird populations and has zoonotic potential, though human cases remain rare. This study investigated avian viruses in 1654 wild birds from 75 species that died at the Wildlife Rescue Center in Vanzago, Lombardy, during 2023–2024. Necropsies were conducted, and virological analyses were performed to detect avian influenza viruses, WNV, and USUV. Among the tested birds, 15 were positive for H5N1 HPAIV clade 2.3.4.4b, all in 2023, including 13 Chroicocephalus ridibundus, one Coturnix coturnix, and one Columba palumbus. Additionally, 16 tested positive for WNV (15 for lineage 2 and one for lineage 1), one for USUV, and 11 co-infections WNV/USUV were recorded in 2023–2024. These findings underscore the importance of avian viral passive surveillance in identifying epidemiological trends and preventing transmission to other species, including mammals and humans. Full article

Many birds regard partitioning feeding and breeding resources as a strategy to escape competition and co-occurring breeding species. During the breeding season, breeding requirements are essential, yet the patterns and drivers of segregation between and within populations are poorly understood. We monitored the habitat use and chronology of the four co-occurring passerines Eurasian Blackbird, European Greenfinch, Common Chaffinch, and European Serin to examine levels of habitat partitioning and success rates during the breeding season. We recorded nesting sites, nest supports, nest placement, breeding chronology, and productivity in four olive orchards in Fez, central Morocco, from March to August 2018–2019. Our results showed substantial spatial segregation in nesting sites, nest supports, and tree vertical placements. Breeding birds showed significant temporal segregation during the nesting, laying, and hatching phases. These findings suggest distinct spatial and temporal differences in habitat selection among co-occurring passerines, which are suggested to increase avoidance of intra and interspecific competition for resources. Breeding success was very high in European Serin and Eurasian Blackbird. Failure factors were recorded: eggs of European Serin were threatened principally by desertion, abortion, and destruction, and eggs of European Greenfinch were impacted by poaching by children. Our findings provide the first data on the spatial and temporal partitioning of breeding resources among passerines species in Northwest African and probably Mediterranean agroecosystems. Full article

This review paper identifies key stability and control screening parameters needed to design low-risk, general-purpose high-speed aircraft. These derive from MIL-STD-8785C, MIL-STD-1797, and older AGARD reports, and are suitable for assessing conceptual high-speed vehicles. We demonstrate their applicability using published ground test, computation, and flight test data from the Bell X-2, North American X-15, Martin X-24A, Northrop HL-10, Lockheed Blackbird (YF-12/SR-71), and North American XB-70 as well as the Rockwell Space Shuttle Orbiter. The relative success of the X-15 and Blackbird and the performance limitations of the others indicate the need to scrutinize lateral-directional stability at the preliminary design phase. Our work reveals the need for strong bare-airframe static directional stability to obtain favorable flying qualities. Full article

Urban biodiversity is crucial for ecological security, balance, and important for fostering awareness on human-nature interconnectedness among the public. The diversity of birds, as an urban ecosystem indicator, reflects ecosystem services and is impacted by urban development. To explore the impacts of urbanization on bird diversity, stratified to songbirds, terrestrial birds, climbers, swimming birds, wading birds, and raptors, we specifically investigated the existing and potential distributions of selected bird species, analyzed different contributions of environmental factors, and compared these with urban biodiversity conservation policies. We used bird records from the China Birdwatching Record Center (over 1400 species of birds for querying) and remotely-sensed landcover data, based on the MaxEnt model, to analyze bird spatial distribution characteristics and potential habitat corridors throughout Beijing. The results showed that: (1) Songbirds and terrestrial birds were predominantly concentrated in water areas in urban areas. Wading birds, climbers, swimming birds, and raptors were gathered in forest-covered areas, near wetlands and farmland in suburban areas. Projections indicated that the raptor species Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) showed a notable shift toward urban cores. (2) Among climbers, Gray-headed Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopos canicapillus) occupied the highest proportion of high-quality habitats (10.34%), contrasting with the representative songbird species Blackbird (Turdus merula) at 1.38%, which demonstrated adaptability to urban environments. Critical habitats were concentrated in shrub forests, supporting habitat connectivity. Proximity to water bodies was critical for raptors, wading, swimming, and climbers, whereas terrestrial birds and songbirds were more affected by artificial lighting. (3) The “urban and suburban park rings” policy has effectively enhanced habitat quality and connectivity, promoting urban biodiversity resilience. This study improves our understanding of how different bird communities adapt to urbanization in terms of habitats and movement corridors, and provides useful information for formulating urban bird biodiversity conservation strategies. Full article

(Re-)emerging arboviruses, such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Usutu virus (USUV), are continuously increasing in incidence. We analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of flavivirus infections in humans, sentinel animals, and mosquitoes detected in the 2022 transmission season in Croatia. From April to November 2022, 110 hospitalized patients with neuroinvasive diseases (NID) were tested for the presence of arboviruses. RT-qPCR was used to detect TBEV, WNV, and USUV RNA. An ELISA and virus neutralization tests were used for the detection of flavivirus antibodies. TBEV infection was confirmed in 22 patients with NID. WNV NID was detected in six patients. TBE showed male predominance (81.8%; male-to-female ratio of 4.5:1). All but one WNV patients were males. TBE occurred from April to August, with the majority of patients (83.3%) being detected during the May–June–July period. WNV infections were recorded in August and September. In addition to human cases, asymptomatic WNV infections (IgM positive) were reported in 10 horses. For the first time in Croatia, WNV NID was observed in one horse that presented with neurological symptoms. Furthermore, USUV was confirmed in one dead blackbird that presented with neurological symptoms. A total of 1984 mosquitoes were collected in the City of Zagreb. Two Ae. albopictus pools tested positive for flavivirus RNA: one collected in July (USUV) and the other collected in August (WNV). A phylogenetic analysis of detected human and avian strains confirmed WNV lineage 2 and the USUV Europe 2 lineage. The presented results confirm the endemic presence of neuroinvasive flaviviruses in continental Croatia. The continuous monitoring of virus circulation in humans, sentinel animals, and mosquitoes is needed to reduce the disease burden. Full article

Located at the crossroads of two continents and at the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Basin, Anatolia was one of the most important Pleistocene glacial refugia in the Western Palaearctic. As part of the Irano-Anatolian, Caucasus and Mediterranean Basin biodiversity hotspots, this region is also home to a rich avian community including nearly 400 breeding species. Nevertheless, research addressing the genetic structure and diversity of local bird populations is limited, and information on glacial refugia in this region is still scant, especially when compared to other large Mediterranean peninsulas, namely the Balkan, Italian and Iberian ones. In this study, we contribute to filling this gap by addressing the biogeographic pattern of four common resident songbirds—the Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), the great tit (Parus major), the Eurasian chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) and the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)—and one endemic species—the Krüper’s nuthatch (Sitta krueperi)—by amplifying two mitochondrial DNA genes in individuals from Anatolia (n = 329) and comparing their sequences to those of conspecifics from the rest of their distribution range across the western Palaearctic (n = 357) deposited in public databases. The overall genetic structure of these species is consistent with a scenario of isolation for multiple populations in different refugia across Anatolia and subsequent secondary contact in the wake of ice retreat, which makes this region a hotspot of genetic diversity for both widespread and endemic avian species. Full article

Migratory birds play a dual role as potential reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens, and potential dispersers of pathogen-containing ticks during their migratory journeys. Ixodes ricinus, a prevalent tick species in Northern and Western Europe, serves as a primary vector for Anaplasma phagocytophilum—a bacterium with implications for human and animal health. There is limited information available regarding A. phagocytophilum in birds. Our investigation focused on A. phagocytophilum prevalence in ticks collected from migratory birds in southeastern Sweden. The identification of ticks involved both molecular analyses for species determination and morphological classification to ascertain the developmental stage. The presence of A. phagocytophilum was determined using real-time PCR. Of the 1115 ticks analyzed from 4601 birds, 0.9% (n = 10), including I. ricinus and Ixodes frontalis, tested positive for A. phagocytophilum. Notably, common blackbirds (Turdus merula) yielded the highest number of A. phagocytophilum-infected ticks. The findings suggest that A. phagocytophilum is present in a small proportion of ticks infesting migratory birds in southeastern Sweden. Consequently, the role of birds as hosts for ticks infected with A. phagocytophilum appears to be low, suggesting that birds seem to play a minor indirect role in the geographic dispersal of A. phagocytophilum. Full article

Water birds play a crucial role in disseminating and amplifying avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in the environment. However, they may have limited interactions with domestic facilities, raising the hypothesis that other wild birds may play the bridging role in introducing AIVs into poultry. An ornithocoenosis study, based on census-transect and camera-trapping methods, was conducted in 2019 in ten poultry premises in northeast Italy to characterize the bird communities and envisage the species that might act as bridge hosts for AIVs. The data collected were explored through a series of multivariate analyses (correspondence analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling), and biodiversity indices (observed and estimated richness, Shannon entropy and Pielou’s evenness). The analyses revealed a high level of complexity in the ornithic population, with 147 censused species, and significant qualitative and quantitative differences in wild bird species composition, both in space and in time. Among these, only a few were observed in close proximity to the farm premises (i.e., Magpies, Blackbirds, Cattle Egrets, Pheasants, Eurasian Collared Doves, and Wood Pigeons), thus suggesting their potential role in spilling over AIVs to poultry; contrarily, waterfowls appeared to be scarcely inclined to close visits, especially during autumn and winter seasons. These findings stress the importance of ongoing research on the wild–domestic bird interface, advocating for a wider range of species to be considered in AIVs surveillance and prevention programs. Full article

The use of wild animals in research is complicated due to the capture and housing conditions, as well as to legal aspects, making it difficult to develop in vivo and in vitro models for the study of pathologies that affect these species. Here we validate an in vitro model of tendon-derived mesenchymal cells (TDSC) from Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) cadaveric samples. Through the expression of surface markers and the ability to differentiate into multiple lineages, the nature of the cells was confirmed. We then evaluated Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) as an infection model for the Usutu Flavivirus. To this aim, blackbird TDSCs were compared to Vero E6 cells, commonly used in Flavivirus studies. Both cells showed permissiveness to USUV infection as confirmed by immunocytochemistry. Moreover, TDSCs exhibited replication kinetics similar to, although slightly lower than, Vero E6, confirming these cells as a pertinent study model for the study of the pathogenesis of USUV. In this work, we isolated and characterized tendon-derived mesenchymal stem cells, which represent an interesting and convenient in vitro model for the study of wildlife species in laboratories. Full article

Leucocytozoon parasites remain poorly investigated in comparison to other haemosporidians. The host cell inhabited by their blood stages (gametocytes) remains insufficiently known. This study aimed to determine the blood cells inhabited by Leucocytozoon gametocytes in different species of Passeriformes and to test if this feature has a phylogenetic importance. We microscopically analyzed blood films stained with Giemsa from six different bird species and individuals and used PCR-based methods for parasite lineage identification. The DNA sequences obtained were applied for phylogenetic analysis. Leucocytozoon parasite from the song thrush Turdus philomelos (cytochrome b lineage STUR1), the blackbird Turdus merula (undetermined lineage), the garden warbler Sylvia borin (unknown lineage) inhabited erythrocytes, a parasite from the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus (PARUS4) infects lymphocytes, while in the wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix (WW6) and the common chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita (AFR205) they were found inhabiting thrombocytes. Parasites infecting thrombocytes were closely related, while the parasites infecting erythrocytes were placed in three different clades, and the one found in lymphocytes was placed in a separate clade. This shows that the determination of host cells inhabited by Leucocytozoon parasites can be phylogenetically important and should be considered in future species descriptions. Noteworthy, phylogenetic analysis might be used for the prediction of which host cells parasite lineages might inhabit. Full article

Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging mosquito-borne arbovirus within the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae. Similar to the closely related West Nile virus (WNV), USUV infections are capable of causing mass mortality in wild and captive birds, especially blackbirds. In the last few years, a massive spread of USUV was present in the avian population of Germany and other European countries. To date, no specific antiviral therapies are available. Nine different approved drugs were tested for their antiviral effects on the replication of USUV in vitro in a screening assay. Ivermectin was identified as a potent inhibitor of USUV replication in three cell types from different species, such as simian Vero CCL-81, human A549 and avian TME R. A 2- to 7-log10 reduction of the viral titer in the supernatant was detected at a non-cytotoxic concentration of 5 µM ivermectin dependent on the applied cell line. IC₅₀ values of ivermectin against USUV lineage Africa 3 was found to be 0.55 µM in Vero CCL-81, 1.94 µM in A549 and 1.38 µM in TME-R cells. The antiviral efficacy was comparable between the USUV lineages Africa 2, Africa 3 and Europe 3. These findings show that ivermectin may be a candidate for further experimental and clinical studies addressing the treatment of USUV disease, especially in captive birds. Full article

New Zealand/Aotearoa has many endemic passerine birds vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases. Yet little is known about viruses in passerines, and in some countries, including New Zealand, the virome of wild passerines has been only scarcely researched. Using metatranscriptomic sequencing we characterised the virome of New Zealand endemic and introduced species of passerine. Accordingly, we identified 34 possible avian viruses from cloacal swabs of 12 endemic and introduced bird species not showing signs of disease. These included a novel siadenovirus, iltovirus, and avastrovirus in the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula, an introduced species), song thrush (Turdus philomelos, introduced) and silvereye/tauhou (Zosterops lateralis, introduced), respectively. This is the first time novel viruses from these genera have been identified in New Zealand, likely reflecting prior undersampling. It also represents the first identification of an iltovirus and siadenovirus in blackbirds and thrushes globally. These three viruses were only found in introduced species and may pose a risk to endemic species if they were to jump species boundaries, particularly the iltoviruses and siadenoviruses that have a prior history of disease associations. Further virus study and surveillance are needed in New Zealand avifauna, particularly in Turdus populations and endemic species. Full article