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ISSN: 2053-7166
CN: 10-1240/Q
p-ISSN: 20556187

Transcontinental evolutionary dynamics and phylogeography of Alectoris (Aves: Galliformes): Identifying refugia, dispersal corridors, and cryptic diversity in the Palearctic region

The Alectoris (Galliformes: Phasianidae) has a wide distribution range in the Palearctic region, with seven species and 27–31 subspecies that were distinguishable by minor morphological differences....

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Negative effects of artificial nest boxes on birds: A review

Artificial nest boxes are placed to attract birds to nest and breed in a specific location, and they are widely used in avian ecology research and in the attraction of insectivorous birds. There is...

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Migration patterns and spatial connectivity of Pallas's Gulls (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus) from Alakol lake, Kazakhstan using ring recovery and tracking data

Understanding migration patterns and spatial connectivity is crucial for conserving long-distance migratory birds. While satellite telemetry has advanced the study of large gulls, Pallas's Gull (Ichthyaetus...

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Visual cognition of birds and its underlying neural mechanism: A review

Birds have acute vision and many remarkable visual cognition abilities, due to their unique living environment. The underlying neural mechanisms have also attracted interests of researchers in neuroscience....

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Chinese Blackbirds (Turdus mandarinus) mimic electric moped sounds with lower consistency and frequencies

Passerine mimics often imitate various vocalizations from other bird species and incorporate these sounds into their song repertoires. While a few anecdotes reported that wild songbirds imitated human-associated...

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Migration pattern of a population of Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) breeding in East Asian tropical region

Birds exhibit a high degree of migratory diversity, which is influenced by various ecological factors and life history strategies. Conducting studies on tropical bird migration, of which research is...

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Vultures as a model for testing molecular adaptations of dietary specialization in birds

Vultures are the only obligate scavengers among extant vertebrates. They provide valuable ecological services in ecosystems through removing carcasses, thus preventing the growth of other scavenger...

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Predatory birds in agroforestry: Dawn of a new era for biological control from multitrophic interactions

Ensuring food security for a rapidly growing global population amidst resource limitations and climate change is a major challenge. Agroforestry an ecologically sustainable land-use system that integrates...

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A review of eDNA technology in avian monitoring: Current status, challenges and future perspectives

In recent years, environmental DNA (eDNA) has garnered significant attention as a novel tool in biodiversity monitoring, recognized for its efficiency, convenience, and non-invasiveness. Despite its...

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Responses of steppe birds to habitat fragmentation: Insights from niche specialization and functional traits

Habitat fragmentation poses a significant threat to bird communities, especially those in open and semi-open ecosystems such as steppes. This study investigates how steppe birds adapt to and utilize...

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Reconciling Bergmann's rule throughout the annual cycle in two congeneric large-bodied migratory waterbirds

Bergmann's rule predicts that the larger of two homeotherm species differing only in size would occur at higher latitudes, or in cooler climates than the smaller, because of relative thermoregulatory...

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Phylogenetic definitions for 25 higher-level clade names of birds

Knowledge of the higher-level phylogenetic relationships of birds has grown substantially during the past two decades due to the application of genomic data. However, the nomenclature of higher-level...

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Avian acoustic communication: Understanding of peripheral and central neural systems with ecological adaptations

Avian vocal communication represents one of the most intricate forms of animal language, playing a critical role in behavioral interactions. Both peripheral and central auditory-vocal pathways are essential...

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Three subspecies of Black-tailed Godwit share non-breeding sites in the world's largest river delta

During the non-breeding season (September–April), Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa) are commonly seen in coastal and inland wetlands of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta in Bangladesh. We hypothesize...

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More than a simple egg: Underlying mechanisms of cold tolerance in avian embryos

Avian embryos, which develop within eggs, exhibit remarkable tolerance to extremely low temperatures. Despite being a common trait among all birds, the mechanisms underlying this cold tolerance in avian...

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eDNA enhances detection efficiency but reveals lower waterbird diversity: A comparison with point counting method

Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods have emerged as a promising tool for studying a broad spectrum of biological taxa. However, metabarcoding studies of avian biodiversity using eDNA have received little...

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Feeding ecology and interactions with mammal hosts in a symbiotic genus of birds (Buphagus spp.) in Namibia

As the sole obligate symbiotic birds in Africa, oxpeckers offer a unique model for studying symbiotic relationships. Due to the multitrophic level they occupy and the context dependent foraging behavior...

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Testing urban edge effects: Nest predation rates are higher in areas further from the boundary of a suburban park

Urban green spaces and parks offer opportunities for retaining and increasing bird richness, diversity, and species abundance. However, urbanisation influences predator–prey interactions, leading to...

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Birds' co-occurrence is mediated by diet, habitat type, and anthropogenic disturbances in Ghana's Central Region

Understanding the fundamental drivers of large-scale species co-occurrence is a critical issue in ecology and conservation research. Here, we assessed foraging guilds, habitat type and disturbances...

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Phylogeography of the endangered Yellow-headed Parrot (Amazona oratrix)

Elucidating the historical processes that led populations to their current spatial and genetic arrangement is relevant in conserving threatened species. We interpreted the phylogeographic structure...

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Shallow water habitats provide high-quality foraging environments for the Spoon-billed Sandpiper at a critical staging site

Abundant food supply is crucial for the survival of long-distance migratory birds. The continued population decline of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmeae), a critically endangered shorebird,...

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An updated list of parasitic cuckoos and their hosts in China

Avian brood parasitism is a unique reproductive behavior in which parasitic birds depend on other species to incubate their eggs and raise their offspring. In China, there are 20 species of cuckoos...

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Litter buffet: On the use of trash bins by birds in six boreal urban settlements

Unintentional food resources in urban areas (street litter, food leftovers, overflowing trash bins) are dietary components of some urban-exploiter bird species. In this study, we report on 13 bird species...

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Achievements, challenges, and recommendations for waterbird conservation in China's coastal wetlands

China's coastal wetlands provide breeding, migration stopover, and wintering habitats for about 230 waterbird species, which is more than a quarter of all waterbirds in the world. Large-scale and high...

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Avian hippocampus: Recent advances in anatomy and physiological functions

The avian hippocampus, akin to its mammalian counterpart, plays a critical role in cognitive and physiological processes despite notable structural differences. Initially thought to be less developed,...

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