Avian migration

approved: _____________________________________________________________________ Bruce D. Dugger This thesis focuses on the nesting ecology and marine space use of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) during the 2007 and 2008 nesting seasons in and around Port Snettisham, a remote mainland fjord in Southeast Alaska. Marbled Murrelets (murrelets) are a declining species throughout most of their range, and their conservation is a challenging endeavor because they rely on relatively large expanses of terrestrial habitat for nesting and marine habitat for food. Murrelets are especially difficult to study because they place their nests at variable and often considerable distance from the sea in largely inaccessible locations; consequently, we know relatively little about their breeding ecology and overall life history compared to other seabirds. I used radio-telemetry to gather data on reproduction, behavior, and at-sea locations of murrelets. Herein, I describe individual and population-level marine space use, identify nesting habitat, estimate reproductive success, and characterize patterns of nest visits. Mean marine home range size for adult murrelets was significantly larger in 2008 (158.6 ± 103.7 km²) than 2007 (97.8 ± 59.4 km²), suggesting that foraging conditions were relatively poor in 2008. Similarly, mean commuting distance from at-sea location to nest sites was significantly longer in 2008

Contingent individual performance can depend on the environment experienced at previous life-stages. Migratory birds are especially susceptible to such carry-over effects as they periodically travel between breeding ranges and ‘wintering’ areas where they may experience broadly different ecological conditions. However, the study of carry-over effects is hampered by the difficulty of tracking vagile organisms throughout their annual life-cycle. Using information from light-level geolocators on the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), we tested if feather growth bar width (GBW), a proxy of feather growth rate which depends on individual condition, and wing isometric size and shape predict the phenology of subsequent migration. GBW did not predict duration of wintering but negatively predicted the duration of spring migration and arrival date to the breeding sites, suggesting that migration phenology is not constrained by molt, and individuals in prime condition achieve both faster molt and earlier arrival. Wing morphology did not predict migration duration, as expected if wing shape were optimized for foraging, rather than migration performance, in this aerially foraging, insectivorous bird. Thus, we showed for the first time that migration phenology in a long-distance migratory bird covaries with body condition during wintering, as reflected by the growth rate of feathers.

Only one study has examined nocturnal bird migration at a continent-wide scale in North America, and it was limited to four nights in October (Lowery and Newman 1966). Most radar studies of bird migration have been restricted to the surveillance areas of single radars. Few studies have examined simultaneously bird migration at multiple radar sites (e.g., Richardson 1972 gathered data simultaneously from three surveillance radars), and no studies have used a national network of surveillance radars to simultaneously detect, quantify, and monitor migration nightly during migration seasons. The following chapter details a methodology developed in the year 2000 for using the network of 140 Doppler weather surveillance radars (WSR-88D) in the United States (Fig. 1) to study the night-to-night patterns of bird migration in spring and fall at regional and national scales.

TESIS Que para obtener el título de: "Hacer ciencia, le guste a uno o no, es convertirse en un actor social comprometido en la actividad política. El negar la interdependencia de lo científico y lo social es, en sí mismo, un acto político, dando apoyo a estructuras sociales que se esconden detrás de la objetividad científica para perpetuar la dependencia, explotación, racismo, elitismo, colonialismo" The Dialectical Biologist Richard Lewontin & Richard Levins iii A mis padres Margarita y Javier A mis hermanos Fidel, Mildred y Ángel v Mi periodo como universitario estuvo frecuentado por excelentes compañeros y amigos a quiénes doy un agradecimiento muy especial. Pues ellos, fueron parte importante de mi vida: A los locos que quieren cambiar al mundo como mis amigos y camaradas de la Liga Estudiantil Democrática -que literalmente son los individuos más valientes y honestos que he conocido-, al Colectivo Universitario por la Educación Popular, al Frente Estudiantil por una Educación para Todos, a los compañeros de la Casa del Estudiante Emiliano Zapata y al movimiento poblano de #YoSoy132.

The present report puts forth a systematic checklist of bird species observed at Amboli Ghat in Maharashtra from 2009 to 2012, along with information on their status. A total of 208 species were recorded, which is around 15% of bird species of the Indian subcontinent. A family-wise analysis showed that the families Accipitridae and Muscicapidae (14 species each) followed by Ardeidae dominated the avifauna of the region. The study also revealed that the area consisted of 11 species of birds that are classified under Near Threatened category and two under Vulnerable category of IUCN. This study highlights the urgent need to conserve the biodiversity-rich area of Amboli Ghat with long-term plans.

Ruffs are migrant shorebirds of inland habitats. This thesis describes seasonal migration and changes in range occupation of ruffs, and presents a comparative analysis of the population genetics of ruffs and related shorebird species. Two hypotheses about shorebird evolution are addressed. Firstly, it is questioned whether instead of evolutionary constraints on migration routes (inflexible migration hypothesis), flexible routing might better explain observations on migration in shorebirds. Secondly, we test whether genetic variation in ruff and other inland, freshwater shorebirds is higher than in marine, coastal shorebirds (habitat dichotomy hypothesis).

A majority of Eurasian short-distance migrants moult after breeding and before autumn migration, while most long-distance migrants perform a winter moult in the tropics after autumn migration. Another strategy among long-distance migrants is a partial moult on the breeding grounds, suspended moult and then completion of moult on the wintering grounds. The Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides is a small passerine adopting such a ‘suspended moulting’ strategy. Here, we investigate the sequence and extent of the post-breeding moult in Savi’s Warblers breeding in and migrating through northern Poland in relation to sex, body mass and date. We analysed 65 molecularly sexed adult Savi’s Warblers (32 females and 33 males) caught during autumn migration in 2010– 2011. Adult Savi’s Warblers from the studied populations were found to suspend moult. Exchange of wing feathers started at the third primary (P3) and progressed in both directions. The onset of secondary moult began with S1 and occurred when P6 was shed. Tail moult occurred almost simultaneously with the secondaries. We did not find any significant differences between the sexes in time and extent of moult. Lack of sex differences in the time of moulting suggests comparable post-breeding condition (fat load, body mass) of females and males. In contrast to the present study, adults caught in Western Europe started post-breeding moult from P5, which may be explained by different populations migrating through northern Poland and Western Europe.

There are concerns that novel structures might displace protected species, facilitate the spread of non-indigenous species, or modify native habitats. It is also predicted that ocean warming and the associated effects of climate change will significantly increase biodiversity loss within coastal regions. Resilience is to a large extent influenced by the magnitude of dispersal and level of connectivity within and between populations. Therefore it is important to investigate the distribution and ecological significance of novel and artificial habitats, the presence of protected and alien species and potential vectors of propagule dispersal. The legacy of solar salt-making in tropical and warm temperate regions is regionally extensive areas of artificial hypersaline ponds, canals and ditches. Yet the broad-scale contribution of salt-working to a network of benthic biodiversity has not been fully established. Artisanal, abandoned and historic salt-working sites were investigated along the Atlantic coast of Europe between southern England (50 N) and Andalucía, Spain (36 N). Natural lagoons are scarce along this macrotidal coast and are vulnerable to environmental change; however it is suspected that avian propagule dispersal is important in maintaining population connectivity. During bird migration periods, benthic cores were collected for infauna from 70 waterbodies across 21 salt-working sites in 5 coastal regions. Bird ringing data were used to investigate potential avian connectivity between locations. Lagoonal specialist species, some of international conservation importance, were recorded across all regions in the storage reservoirs and evaporation ponds of continental salinas, yet few non-indigenous species were observed. Potential avian propagule transport and connectivity within and between extant salt-working sites is high and these artificial habitats are likely to contribute significantly to a network of coastal lagoon biodiversity in Europe.

Updates from the WCS’s Bronx Zoo, Ornithology Department are reported here.  We give accounts on the Taller Regional Para la Conservacion del Condor Andino workshop and in-situ programs, such as the survey and banding of flamingos in Bolivia.  Details are provided on the arrival of a Little Penguins at the Aquatic Bird House and the Bronx Zoo Birdathon.  In addition, information is provided on the rediscovery of the Jerdon’s Babbler, by WCS personnel.

The fuelling performance of long-distance migrants at staging areas indicates local conditions and determines the viability of migration routes. Here we present a first case study where long-term fuelling performance was documented along two migration routes with differential population trends. Ruffs (Philomachus pugnax) are shorebirds of inland freshwater wetlands that migrate from the sub-Saharan wintering grounds, via Europe, to the northern Eurasian breeding grounds. Assessments from 2001 to 2008 of fuelling during northward migration at the major western and eastern staging site revealed that daily mass gain rates steeply declined across years in the grasslands for dairy production in Friesland, The Netherlands, and remained constant in the Pripyat floodplains in Belarus, 1500 km further east. Migrants in Friesland decreased from 2001 to 2010 by 66%, amounting to a loss of 21,000 individuals when counts were adjusted for length of stay as determined by resightings. In the same period numbers in Pripyat increased by 12,000. Ruffs individually ringed in Friesland were resighted in subsequent springs at increasingly eastern sites including Pripyat. Our results corroborate published evidence for an eastward redistribution of Arctic breeding ruffs and suggest that the decreasing fuelling rates in the westernmost staging area contribute to this redistribution. The shift implies that responses occur within a single generation. The hypothesis that the choice of route during northward migration may be driven by food availability can now be tested by creating greater areas of wet grasslands in Friesland. When local staging conditions improve we predict that ruffs will make the reverse shift.

Comparative study was conducted to evaluate the economic benefit of pond aquaculture with and without cage. Channa punctata was stocked in cages where as carps were stocked in ponds. C. punctata in the cages were fed with chicken waste (with crude protein of 63.04%) @ 2% of body weight and the carps in pond were not provided any supplementary diet. However carps in pond, without cage, were fed with supplementary diet (with crude protein of 26.92%) @ of 1% of body weight. In addition to C. punctata reared in cages the growth of carps was 13.93% higher in pond with cage as compared to pond without cage. The pond cage aquaculture provides 32.12% of additional gross income in comparison to the pond without cage. The utilization of slaughter house waste helps in waste utilization, improvement of environment and reduces the feed cost. Pond cage aquaculture shows the avenue of maximization of income from the same unit of water body.

Updates from the WCS’s Bronx Zoo, Ornithology Department are reported here. The care of the animals at the Bronx Zoo and the experience that our guests’ value is greatly dependent on the keeper staff.  Those dedicated staff members are important to the continued support of the community and to ensure that the animals receive the best possible care, each and every day.  Members of the WCS/Bronx Zoo continue to participate in programs that strengthen their skill sets. This issue of the Neornithes News highlights a small portion of the programs that our team takes part in, here and around the world.

Approximately two thirds of migratory songbirds in eastern North America negotiate the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), where inclement weather coupled with no refueling or resting opportunities can be lethal. However, decisions made when navigating such features and their consequences remain largely unknown due to technological limitations of tracking small animals over large areas. We used automated radio telemetry to track three songbird species (Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson’s Thrush, Wood Thrush) from coastal Alabama to the northern Yucatan Peninsula (YP) during fall migration. Detecting songbirds after crossing ∼1,000 km of open water allowed us to examine intrinsic (age, wing length, fat) and extrinsic (weather, date) variables shaping departure decisions, arrival at the YP, and crossing times. Large fat reserves and low humidity, indicative of beneficial synoptic weather patterns, favored southward departure across the Gulf. Individuals detected in the YP departed with large fat reserves and later in the fall with profitable winds, and flight durations (mean = 22.4 h) were positively related to wind profit. Age was not related to departure behavior, arrival, or travel time. However, vireos negotiated the GOM differently than thrushes, including different departure decisions, lower probability of detection in the YP, and longer crossing times. Defense of winter territories by thrushes but not vireos and species-specific foraging habits may explain the divergent migratory behaviors. Fat reserves appear extremely important to departure decisions and arrival in the YP. As habitat along the GOM is degraded, birds may be limited in their ability to acquire fat to cross the Gulf.

The paper presents an evaluation of subfossil bird bones from archaeological and geological sites in Europe that shows that birds of the genus Pelecanus occurred far out of their present range between 7.4 and 5.0 ka BP in the Danish archipelago. Additionally, from other northwestern European regions mid-Holocene records of pelicans are known. However, due to morphological similarities there are difficulties in species identification.
In this paper ancient DNA barcoding techniques were used to clarify the species assignment of one of these records for the first time. Our results show that the bone derives from Dalmatian pelican Pelecanus crispus , a species that today breeds in 15 colonies in the eastern Mediterranean. This species identification is especially remarkable since the Dalmatian pelican is known to be less migratory. We demonstrate that the appearance and disappearance of pelicans in northwestern Europe coincide with climate parameters, since all records fall within warm periods. This applies for the larger group of Danish records during the Holocene thermal maximum in northern Europe as well as for two more groups of records from central Europe and Britain dating to 1.9 and 0.8 ka ago. Recent ecological research on the Dalmatian pelican shows that the species seems to profit from the modern climate changes and is starting to expand its range. Our paper documents that under special circumstances short-distance migrant birds are also able to expand their ranges to areas far outside of the former distribution areas. Finally, the Dalmatian pelican is presented as an indicator species reflecting special climate conditions.
The present study demonstrates not only the possibility to recover avian DNA from at least 7 ka old bones, but the relevance of such genetic analysis in combination with archaeological data, particularly if bones could not be assigned to species level by morphological features. In such cases, aDNA is shown as a valuable tool for the reconstruction of the avifauna of the past.

In autumn 2016, WWT’s Sacha Dench will endeavour to link up and stimulate conservation efforts across the flyway by flying a paramotor and following the Bewick’s swans as they migrate from the Russian arctic to the UK. She will emulate their feat – flying at the same speed and height as a swan, using the same sites they use, contending with the same conditions. This record-breaking journey is called Flight of the Swans. Conservation workshops in Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Russia are being planned to coincide with the flight and aim to shed light on why the Bewick’s swan population is declining, identify existing threats, and plan conservation activities. These workshops offer a valuable opportunity to review the progress we have made, along with our collaborators and partners, in implementing the Action Plan.

In spring, the Ruff Philomachus pugnax passes through European inland sites in large numbers. Birds from eastern and western parts of the breeding range may differ in biometrics, but data on this species in eastern Europe are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe the biometrics of Ruffs migrating through southern Belarus in spring. In 2004, 242 birds were sexed by DNA analysis. Three birds sexed as males had female plumage but wing lengths intermediate between females and breeding-plumage males, and were identified as cryptic males or ‘faeders’. Between 2001 and 2005, 2,237 Ruffs were ringed at the study site (1,310 males in breeding plumage, 911 females and 14 faeders). There was a strong seasonal variation in sex ratio. For adult Ruffs wing length was the best predictor of sex. Total head length and tarsusplus-toe length distributions overlapped slightly between the sexes. There was evidence for slight bimodality in the distributions of wing, bill and tarsus-plus-toe length in non-faeder males and in wing and bill length distributions for females. Mean wing lengths of Ruffs passing through the Belarus study site were similar to those birds from other locations in Europe and North Africa, but different from birds from South Africa, Yamal and the middle Lena River, suggesting that Ruffs have at least two different breeding populations.

In the course of each spring, two subspecies of knots Calidris canutus (islandica wintering in Europe and breeding in the Nearctic, and canutus wintering in west Africa and breeding in Siberia), stage in the international Wadden Sea before their northward flights to the arctic breeding grounds. In March-April islandica-knots predominantly use the intertidal flats in the western part of the Wadden Sea in The Netherlands (canutus is still in west Africa). In May both subspecies use the eastern part of the Wadden Sea in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany only. We studied these knots in core areas at both ends of the Wadden Sea in 1990, to examine whether the absence of knots in the western Wadden Sea in May is related to food res6urces or to other factors connected with the energy budget of these long-distance migrants. Islandica-knots in March-April in The Netherlands and canutus-knots in May in Germany had similar diets and showed similar size selection of their major bivalve prey Macoma balthica, giving the possibility for indirect competitive interactions. Knots spent more time feeding per day in Germany. The harvestable biomass of Macoma was of comparable magnitude in both parts of the Wadden Sea in May. That knots always leave the western Wadden Sea in late April is, therefore, not a direct response to prey depletion. If Macoma always subsides earlier in the year in the western part of the Wadden Sea than in the east as in 1990, the knots' absence in the west may represent the riding of an eastward wave of good feeding conditions resulting from longitudinal variation in bivalve-prey biology. At least for canutus, the reliance in May on the eastern Wadden Sea may (additionally?) represent early movements - at relatively low body masses - towards the breeding areas to gain the benefits of a small saving on the cost and time of travel, and of being closer to the weather systems that may help their flight into the breeding areas

Recently, a shift in preen wax composition, from lower molecular weight monoesters to higher molecular weight diesters, was described for individuals of a sandpiper species (red knot, Calidris canutus) that were about to leave for the tundra breeding grounds. The timing of the shift indicated that diester waxes served as a quality signal during mate choice. Here, this hypothesis is evaluated on the basis of a survey of preen wax composition in 19 sandpiper species. All of these species showed the same shift observed in the high-Arctic breeding red knots. As the shift also occurred in temperate breeding species, it is not speciŽ c to tundra-breeding sandpipers. Both sexes produced the diester waxes during the incubation period until hatching, in addition to the short period of courtship, indicating that diesters’ functions extend beyond
that of a sexually selected ‘make-up’. The few non-incubating birds examined (males of curlew sandpipers (C. ferruginea) and ruffs (Philomachus pugnax)) had the lowest likelihood of secreting diesters, indicating a functional role for diester preen waxes during incubation. We propose that diester preen waxes enhance olfactory crypsis at the nest.

Following increases in numbers during the second half of the 20th century, several Arcticbreeding migrant bird species are now undergoing sustained population declines. These include the northwest European population of Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii, which declined from c. 29 000 birds on the wintering grounds in 1995 to 18 000 in 2010. It is unclear whether this decrease reflects reduced survival, emigration to a different area, or a combination of both. Furthermore, the environmental drivers of any demographic changes are also unknown. We therefore used an information-theoretic approach in RMark to analyse a data set of 3929 individually marked and resighted Bewick's Swans to assess temporal trends and drivers of survival between winters 1970/71 and 2014/2015, while accounting for effects of age, sex and different marker types. The temporal trend in apparent survival rates over our study period was best explained by different survival rates for each decade, with geometric mean survival rates highest in the 1980s (leg ring marked birds = 0.853, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.830-0.873) and lowest in the 2010s (leg ring = 0.773, CI = 0.738-0.805; neck-collar = 0.725, CI = 0.681-0.764). Mean (± 95% CI) resighting probabilities over the study period were higher for birds marked with neck-collars (0.91 ± 0.01) than for those marked with leg-rings (0.70 ± 0.02). Weather conditions in different areas across the flyway, Accepted Article This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. food resources on the winter grounds, density-dependence and the growth of numbers at a relatively new wintering site (the Evros Delta in Greece) all performed poorly as explanatory variables of apparent survival. None of our 18 covariates accounted for more than 7.2% of the deviance associated with our survival models, with a mean of only 2.2% of deviance explained. Our results provide long-term demographic information needed to help conservationists understand the population dynamics of Bewick's Swans in northwest Europe.

Given their popularity with researchers and public alike, together with their well-documented importance in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, fundamental and applied research on swans continues to develop in the 21st century. The 6th International Swan Symposium (6th ISS), was held at the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu, Estonia, in October 2018. The symposium brought together 101 delegates from 17 countries, with presentations on a range of topics on Cygnus and Coscoroba species, including monitoring, habitat and resource use, demography, movements and migration, and threats and conservation. The proceedings of the 6th ISS in this special issue of Wildfowl include select papers on swan research presented at the 6th ISS, covering a wide range of species, systems and issues. This paper presents a synthesis of the 6th ISS and an overview of current trends and future directions in swan research. Despite progress on many topics, southern hemisphere swan species continue to receive less attention than their northern hemisphere counterparts, whilst facing many of the same pressures. It is clear that, given the challenges facing swan researchers in the twenty-first century, international cooperation will continue to be vital. Swans are highly mobile animals and many populations undertake migrations spanning thousands of kilometres, and crucially do not recognise human geographic and political borders. Such international collaborations will be particularly important in coordinating future monitoring and conservation activities. The IUCN-SSC/Wetlands International Swan Specialist Group (SSG) will continue to facilitate international collaborations and communication among the global network of swan researchers, through its activities, website and annual newsletter. Given the substantial challenges and knowledge gaps documented here, there is no doubt that swan researchers will continue to benefit from regular symposia to share information and develop collaborations towards understanding and addressing emerging conservation issues. As such, we recommend holding International Swan Symposia every 4–5 years.

In migratory species, sexual size dimorphism can mean differing energetic requirements for males and females. Differences in the costs of migration and in the environmental conditions occurring throughout the range may therefore result in sex-biases in distribution and resource use at different spatial scales. In order to identify the scale at which sexual segregation operates, and thus the scale at which environmental changes may have sex-biased impacts, we use range-wide tracking of individually color-ringed Icelandic black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa islandica) to quantify sexual segregation at scales ranging from the occupation of sites throughout the non-breeding range to within-site differences in distribution and resource use.
Throughout the range of this migratory shorebird, there is no evidence of large-scale sex differences in distribution during the non-breeding season. However, the sexes differ in their selection of prey types and sizes, which results in small-scale sexual segregation within estuaries. The scale of sexual segregation therefore depends on the scale of variation in resource distribution, which, in this system, is primarily within estuaries. Sexual segregation in within-site distribution and resource use means that local-scale anthropogenic impacts on estuarine benthic prey communities may disproportionately affect the sexes in these migratory shorebirds.

Despite the worldwide occurrence of Sanderlings Calidris alba on popular beaches, strikingly little is known about their biology compared to other common waders. Here we review the limited available knowledge of Sanderlings that use African–Eurasian flyways. The basis for this review was a workshop on Sanderlings, held during the International Wader Study Group conference in Jastrzębia Góra, Poland in 2008. We focus on biogeography, trends, numbers, diet, migration patterns and reproduction. Gaps in our knowledge are identified and we discuss the evidence for a Siberian origin of Sanderlings wintering in NW Europe, and plead for more
non-estuarine surveys and collaboration between colour-ring projects both in space and time to get a better understanding of population dynamics and migration phenology.

Changes in climate, food abundance and disturbance from humans threaten the ability of species to successfully use stopover sites and migrate between non-breeding and breeding areas. To devise successful conservation strategies for migratory species we need to be able to predict how such changes will affect both individuals and populations. Such predictions should ideally be process-based, focusing on the mechanisms through which changes alter individual physiological state and behavior. In this study we use a process-based model to evaluate how Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) foraging on common eelgrass (Zostera marina) at a stopover site (Humboldt Bay, USA), may be affected by changes in sea level, food abundance and disturbance. The model is individual-based, with empirically based parameters, and incorporates the immigration of birds into the site, tidal changes in availability of eelgrass, seasonal and depth-related changes in eelgrass biomass, foraging behavior and energetics of the birds, and their mass-dependent decisions to emigrate. The model is validated by comparing predictions to observations across a range of system properties including the time birds spent foraging, probability of birds emigrating, mean stopover duration, peak bird numbers, rates of mass gain and distribution of birds within the site: all 11 predictions were within 35% of the observed value, and 8 within 20%. The model predicted that the eelgrass within the site could potentially support up to five times as many birds as currently use the site. Future predictions indicated that the rate of mass gain and mean stopover duration were relatively insensitive to sea level rise over the next 100 years, primarily because eelgrass habitat could redistribute shoreward into intertidal mudflats within the site to compensate for higher sea levels. In contrast, the rate of mass gain and mean stopover duration were sensitive to changes in total eelgrass biomass and the percentage of time for which birds were disturbed. We discuss the consequences of these predictions for Black Brant conservation. A wide range of migratory species responses are expected in response to environmental change. Process-based models are potential tools to predict such responses and understand the mechanisms which underpin them.

Chilean skua belongs to a relatively low studied family, and the investigations on this group involve mostly sightings during expeditions for birds in extreme southern of Chile. They are also called "salteadores" (robbers) because of their opportunistic costumes; usually, they are described as big, aggressive and scavenger sea gulls. The term "skua" comes from the faroese "skügver", which means "feather tuft" and from Skúvoy island in the Feroe Islands archipielago, in Norwegin Sea.

Information obtained from the recoveries of banded birds has historically been used to deduce their migratory routes and other key aspects of their life histories. This paper analyses information on Neotropical migratory species recaptured in the Colombian provinces of Atlántico and Magdalena between 1923 and 2011, using data obtained from the U. S. Bird Banding Laboratory. In this area 707 individuals of 14 species of waterbirds were encountered, among which were blue-winged teal (Anas discors) and royal tern (Thalasseus maximus) with the largest number of encountered individuals, as well as species with few records in Colombia: American wigeon (Anas americana), Northern pintail (Anas acuta), and roseate tern (Sterna dougalli). This analysis contributes to knowledge about the distribution of several species occurring in the country and assesses their migratory status; for instance, we determined that Eudocimus albus has both migratory and resident populations in Colombia. This paper attempts to promote the use of existing data on recaptured birds, and to bring attention to the fact that people who inhabit the study area are unaware of the bird banding goals, which has resulted in hunting of banded birds, illegal pet trade, and removal of the bands from birds.

Many species travel in highly organised groups 1-3. The most quoted function of these configurations is to reduce energy expenditure and enhance locomotor performance of individuals within the assemblage 4-12. The distinctive V formation of bird flocks has long intrigued researchers and continues to attract both scientific and popular attention 4,7,9-14. The well held belief is that such aggregations give an energetic benefit for those birds which are flying behind and to one side of another bird through using the regions of upwash generated by the wings of the preceding bird 4,7,9-13 , though a definitive account of the aerodynamic implications of these formations has remained elusive. This has been, in part, due to the lack of suitable technology limiting the study of such behaviour in free-flying birds, and the shortcomings of applying fixed-wing aerodynamic theories to flapping flight. Here we show that individuals flying within a V flock position themselves in aerodynamically optimum positions, in so far as they agree with aerodynamic theoretical predictions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that birds exhibit wingtip-path coherence when flying in V positions, flapping spatially in phase enabling upwash capture to be maximised throughout the entire flap cycle. In contrast, when birds fly immediately behind another bird-in a streamwise position-there is no wingtip path coherence; the wing-beats are in spatial anti-phase. This could potentially

The present report puts forth a systematic checklist of bird species observed at Amboli Ghat in Maharashtra from 2009 to 2012, along with information on their status.  A total of 208 species were recorded, which is around 15% of bird species of the Indian subcontinent.  A family-wise analysis showed that the families Accipitridae and Muscicapidae (14 species each) followed by Ardeidae dominated the avifauna of the region.  The study also revealed that the area consisted of 11 species of birds that are classified under Near Threatened category and two under Vulnerable category of IUCN.  This study highlights the urgent need to conserve the biodiversity-rich area of Amboli Ghat with long-term plans.

During May 1992 the spring migration of the Broad-billed Sandpiper in the Sivash, Ukraine, was studied. The numbers increased rapidly from some tens early May up to an estimated 6,000 in the last ten days of May. The birds preferred mudflats in the eastern part of the area which proved to be rich in benthic fauna. In the central Sivash, lower numbers were found and only pelagic prey was available. The Sivash can be considered as one of the most important stop-over sites for the Broad-billed Sandpiper during spring migration, for at least 30% of the European population was found to be present.

We studied phenology, staging time and refuelling in Broad-billed Sandpipers Limicola falcinellus stopping over during spring migration in the Sivash (Black Sea, Ukraine) in May 1991–94. In the study area, peak staging numbers of 2000–2500 individuals occurred in the third week of May. In May 1993, 460 birds were marked with a yellow dye and 126 of these were colour-ringed. Before 28 May no departure of birds dyed yellow could be detected; by 3 June all birds had departed. Colour-ringed adults in mid May 1993 staged for a minimum of 8.2 days. After the observed departure of large flocks (24 May and later) the staging time of colour-ringed birds decreased significantly with body mass at the time of capture. Of birds mist-netted in 1991–94, 99.3% were in full summer plumage and 89% were adults. In second-year birds, fuel deposition rate (measured between individuals) was 0.44 g/day. In adults caught from early May to 24 May, overall fuel deposition rate was 1.04 g/day (3.4% of lean body mass). Mean adult body mass in early May was 34.8 g, increasing to 45.5 g after 24 May. Estimated body mass at departure was 51 g. Departure body mass and flight range estimates suggest that although birds refuelled quickly, fuel loads are only just sufficient for an unbroken flight to Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula. We suggest that Broad-billed Sandpipers use the Sivash as a crucial final take-off stopover site, and that they follow a ‘jumping’ migration strategy, performed under narrow time constraints.

Despite benefits of using light-sensitive geolocators to track animal movements and describe patterns of migratory connectivity, concerns have been raised about negative effects of these devices, particularly in small species of aerial insectivore. Geolocators may act as handicaps that increase energetic expenditure, which could explain reported effects of geolocators on survival. We tested this 'Energetic Expenditure Hypothesis' in 12 populations of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) from North America and Europe, using measurements of corticosterone from feathers (CORTf) grown after deployment of geolocators as a measure of physiology relevant to energetics. Contrary to predictions, neither among- (both species) nor within-individual (tree swallows only) levels of CORTf differed with respect to instrumentation. Thus, to the extent that CORTf reflects energetic expenditure, geolocators apparently were not a strong handicap for birds that...

Haemosporidian blood parasites are frequent amongst passerines. Though they often do not cause detectable
consequences to host health, however, their presence or absence and also their prevalence across host
populations may potentially carry meaningful information about the health, stress, body condition and viability
of bird individuals or populations. The study of migratory birds captured in Eilat, Israel, allowed us to evaluate
the prevalence of blood parasite infections in a wide range of both migrant and resident species in spring
(N = 1,950) and autumn (N = 538) of 2004 and 2005. According to blood film microscopy, Haemoproteus spp.
and Leucocytozoon spp. were more prevalent in the spring than in the autumn (0.289, 0.082 vs. 0.132, 0.033,
respectively), whilst Plasmodium spp. exhibited a slight opposite trend (0.034, 0.056). All other parasites (such
as trypanosomes, microfilaria and haemococcidians) were rare. During the spring seasons, prevalences were
significantly higher in migrant than in resident species, whilst this difference was only marginally significant in
the autumn. Given that Eilat is a migration hotspot for several Palearctic passerine species, the present descriptive
study may hopefully serve to set the baseline values for future long-term epidemiological monitoring.

The Greenlandic and west-central Siberian breeding populations of Sanderlings Calidris alba are separated by ca. 2000 km during the breeding season, but mix in Europe to some extent during migration. However, the number of Siberian Sanderlings that spend the nonbreeding season along the East Atlantic Flyway (extending from western Europe to South Africa), if any, is unknown. Although both populations are considered part of the nominate subspecies C. a. alba based on morphology, population structure in Sanderlings has yet to be described with molecular methods. We examined genetic differentiation at the mtDNA control region (CR) and seven microsatellite loci between Greenland- and Siberia-breeding Sanderlings in order to: (1) develop a diagnostic tool
for assessing the breeding origin of Sanderlings along the East Atlantic Flyway, and (2) provide a comparison with the co-distributed and ecologically similar Red Knot, in which CR differentiation of geographically analogous populations (C. canutus islandica and C. c. canutus) has indicated isolation of lineages near the time of the last glacial maximum. By contrast, we found only weak differentiation between the Sanderling breeding populations at the CR, and no differentiation at microsatellite loci. These results suggest that the assignment of breeding origin of Sanderlings on Afro-European flyways will not be possible with simple and inexpensive genetic methods, and imply that Sanderlings and Red Knots have very different
post-glacial phylogeographic histories.

Large numbers of waders migrating northward in spring use the Sivash, a large system of shallow, brackish and hypersaline lagoons in the Black Sea and Azov Sea region (Ukraine). The bottoms of these lagoons are often uncovered by the wind. Hence, for waders the time and space available for feeding depend on wind conditions. In hypersaline lagoons the benthic and pelagic fauna was very poor, consisting mainly of chironomid larvae (0.19 g AFDMom "2) and brine shrimps Artemia salina, respectively. Brine shrimp abundance was correlated with salinity, wind force, wind direction and water depth. Dunlin Calidris alpina and curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea were the only species feeding on brine shrimp. As brine shrimp densities are higher in deeper water, smaller waders such as broad-billed sandpipers Limicola falcinellus are too short-legged to reach exploitable densities of brine shrimp. In brackish lagoons the benthic and pelagic fauna was rich, consisting of polychaetes, bivalves, gastropods, chironomid larvae, isopods and amphipods (8.9 to 30.5 g AFDM-m'2), but there were no brine shrimps. Prey biomass increased with the distance from the coast, being highest on the site that was most frequently inundated. Dunlin, broad-billed sandpiper and grey plover Pluvialis squatarola were the most abundant birds in the brackish lagoon. Due to the effects of wind-tides only a small area was usually available as a feeding site. Gammarus insensibilis was the alternative prey resource in the water layer, and their density varied with wind direction in the same way as brine shrimp. Curlew sandpipers and dunlins in the hypersaline lagoons and broad-billed sandpipers in the brackish lagoons often changed feeding sites, probably following the variation in prey availability. Only because of the large size and variety of lagoons are waders in the Sivash always able to find good feeding sites.

protecção. A utilização dos diferentes refúgios do estuário do Tejo por aves limícolas tem uma grande variação espacial e temporal, o que reforça a importância da existência de uma rede de refúgios de elevada qualidade nesta área húmida. Durante a migração, 60 a 80% das aves limícolas concentram-se num único refúgio, ficando assim particularmente vulneráveis neste período.

Birds breeding in cold environments regularly have to interrupt incubation to forage, causing a trade-off between two mutually exclusive behaviours. Earlier studies showed that uniparental Arctic sandpipers overall spend less time incubating their eggs than biparental species, but interspecific differences in size and ecology were potential confounding factors. This study reports on a within-species comparison of breeding schedules and metal egg temperatures in uni-and biparental sanderlings (Calidris alba) in Northeast Greenland in relation to ambient temperature. We recorded incubation schedules with nest temperature loggers in 34 sanderling clutches (13 uniparentals, 21 biparentals). The temperature of a metal egg placed within the clutch of 17 incubating birds (6 uniparentals, 9 biparentals) was measured as an indicator of the heat put into eggs. Recess frequency, recess duration and total recess time were higher in uniparentals than in biparentals and positively correlated with ambient temperatures in uniparentals only. Uniparental sanderlings maintained significantly higher metal egg temperatures during incubation than biparentals (1.4uC difference on average). Our results suggest that uniparental sanderlings compensate for the lower nest attendance, which may prolong the duration of the incubation period and negatively affect the condition of the hatchlings, by maintaining a higher heat flux into the eggs.

The fuelling performance of long-distance migrants at staging areas indicates local conditions and determines the viability of migration routes. Here we present a first case study where long-term fuelling performance was documented along two migration routes with differential population trends. Ruffs (Philomachus pugnax) are shorebirds of inland freshwater wetlands that migrate from the sub-Saharan wintering grounds, via Europe, to the northern Eurasian breeding grounds. Assessments from 2001 to 2008 of fuelling during northward migration at the major western and eastern staging site revealed that daily mass gain rates steeply declined across years in the grasslands for dairy production in Friesland, The Netherlands, and remained constant in the Pripyat floodplains in Belarus, 1500 km further east. Migrants in Friesland decreased from 2001 to 2010 by 66%, amounting to a loss of 21,000 individuals when counts were adjusted for length of stay as determined by resightings. In the same period numbers in Pripyat increased by 12,000. Ruffs individually ringed in Friesland were resighted in subsequent springs at increasingly eastern sites including Pripyat. Our results corroborate published evidence for an eastward redistribution of Arctic breeding ruffs and suggest that the decreasing fuelling rates in the westernmost staging area contribute to this redistribution. The shift implies that responses occur within a single generation. The hypothesis that the choice of route during northward migration may be driven by food availability can now be tested by creating greater areas of wet grasslands in Friesland. When local staging conditions improve we predict that ruffs will make the reverse shift.

Nous avons comparé l'utilisation des réserves corporelles chez des individus reproducteurs de Branta leucopsis dans les colonies traditionnelles de l'Arctique dans la mer de Barents avec celle de colonies récemment établies de la zone tempérée de la mer Baltique et de la mer du Nord. Pour ce faire, nous avons étudié la perte de la masse corporelle des femelles et l'utilisation des réserves de graisses et de protéines au cours de l'incubation. La perte quotidienne de la masse corporelle était en moyenne presque identique dans les 2 populations des régions tempérées (17,0 g et 16,5 g dans la mer Baltique et la mer du Nord, respectivement), alors que les femelles se reproduisant dans l'Arctique ont perdu significativement moins de poids (10,6 g jour −1 ). Les femelles des régions tempérées ont débuté l'incubation avec une masse corporelle plus élevée de 125 g par rapport à celle des femelles de l'Arctique. Toutefois, à la fin de l'incubation, la masse corporelle était similaire entre les 3 populations, soit en moyenne de 1 458 g. La perte de masse corporelle durant l'incubation atteignait 23 % (mer du Nord), 22 % (mer Baltique) et 15 % (mer de Barents). La masse des graisses, telle que mesurée par une dilution isotopique dans un sous-échantillon de femelles, était constamment plus élevée chez les oiseaux de la mer du Nord que ceux de la mer de Barents. Néanmoins, les deux populations présentaient des taux de perte de la masse de graisses similaires (9,4 g jour −1 , en moyenne). En revanche, la perte de masse maigre (présumée représenter les protéines hydratées) s'élève à 9,3 g jour −1 chez les oiseaux de la mer du Nord, contre seulement 1,5 g jour −1 chez les oiseaux de la mer de Barents. Le contenu énergétique de 1 g de masse corporelle utilisée était de 21,1 kJ (mer du Nord) et 34,9 kJ (mer de Barents), ce qui équivaut à 376 kJ jour −1 et 415 kJ jour −1 retirées des réserves énergétiques, respectivement. Nous suggérons que les différences en termes d'assiduité au nid et des demandes post-incubation sont responsables de l'utilisation différentielle des réserves corporelles des individus de B. leucopsis des régions tempérées et arctiques.