From partial to complete: Wing- and tail-feather moult sequence and intensity depend on species, life-cycle stage, and moult completeness in passerines
2024
Passerines moult during various life-cycle stages. Some of these moults involve the retention of a variable quantity of wing and tail feathers. This prompts the question whether these partial moults...
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Endochondral ossification of hindlimbs in embryonic development of Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)
2024
The endochondral ossification of hindlimb is essential to a bird's ability to stand, walk and fly. Most hindlimb is ossified in the embryos before hatching in precocial birds. However, the molecular...
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Seasonal changes in Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) song syntax
2024
In many songbird species, birdsong features phonological syntax, meaning that the units within their vocal sequences are ordered in a non-random way that adheres to a rule. While such syntactical patterns...
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Inbreeding and genetic load in a pair of sibling grouse species: Tetrastes sewersowi and T. bonasia
2024
Genetic load and inbreeding are recognized as important factors to be considered in conservation programs. Elevated levels of both can increase the risk of population extinction by negatively impacting...
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Integrating host biological and ecological variables to predict probability of haemosporidian infection in raptors
2024
Variations in host traits that influence their exposure and susceptibility may impact probability of vector-transmitted diseases. Therefore, identifying the predictors of infection probability is necessary...
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Individual consistency in spatiotemporal characteristics of migratory Whimbrels in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway
2024
Many migratory birds exhibit interannual consistency in migration schedules, routes and stopover sites. Detecting the interannual consistency in spatiotemporal characteristics helps understand the maintenance...
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Population genomic data reveal low genetic diversity, divergence and local adaptation among threatened Reeves's Pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii)
2024
Population genomic data could provide valuable information for conservation efforts; however, limited studies have been conducted to investigate the genetic status of threatened pheasants. Reeves's...
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Bird species present in urban parks are more colorful than urban avoiders: A test in the Argentinian Pampas
2024
Bird plumage color has been assessed as a possible trait driving the presence of bird species in urban areas. Although some species can see the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum, the mentioned studies did not...
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River width and depth as key factors of diurnal activity energy expenditure allocation for wintering Spot-billed Ducks in the Xin'an River Basin
2024
Rivers are important habitats for wintering waterbirds. However, they are easily influenced by natural and human activities. An important approach for waterbirds to adapt to habitats is adjusting the...
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Bird specimen number linked with species trait and climate niche breadth
2024
Biological specimens are fundamental for taxonomy and flora/fauna research. More importantly, they also play crucial roles in recording environmental impacts on morphology and behavior, which is vital...
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Differential colour-ring loss among Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) colonies and its consequence on survival estimates
2024
The analysis of bird ringing data often comes with some potential sources of error and bias, as ring wear and/or loss could affect mark-recapture analyses and produce erroneous estimates of survival....
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Nest decoration: Black feathers prevent Crested Mynas from nest usurpation
2024
Nests are important structures for birds to raise their offspring and for signaling. Many birds incorporate feathers into the nest, since feathers were traditionally thought to serve the function of...
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Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) nestlings adapt their begging behavior to the host signal system
2024
Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) dependent on parental care for post-hatching demonstrate an intriguing ability to modify their begging vocalizations to ensure maximum care and resources from their...
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Does social information affect the settlement decisions of resident birds in their second breeding attempt? A case study of the Japanese Tit (Parusminor)
2024
Individuals may gather information about environmental conditions when deciding where to breed in order to maximize their lifetime fitness. They can obtain social information by observing conspecifics...
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Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabird
2024
Seabirds are valuable indicators of marine ecosystem processes and studying seabird diets can shed light on natural or human-induced variability in food-web composition. Specifically single-prey loading...
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Detecting the distribution of and public attitudes to charismatic alien species based on media coverage
2024
Charismatic species are often reported by the media, providing information for detecting population status and public perception. To identify the number and distribution of free-living Black Swan (Cygnus...
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Feeding ecology and interactions with mammal hosts in a symbiotic genus of birds (Buphagus spp.) in Namibia
2024
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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Genetic benefits of female from extra-pair paternity are context dependent within the socially monogamous Tree Sparrow
2024
Females actively seek extra-pair paternity (EPP) to acquire a fitness advantage for their offspring. The “context-dependence hypothesis” posits that female extra-pair mate choice has plasticity in response...
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The intensity of supplementary feeding in an urban environment impacts overwintering Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) as wintering conditions get harsher
2024
Although urbanization poses various threats to avifauna, some bird species, including Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), choose towns and cities as their wintering habitats, possibly due to favourable temperatures...
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Exploring the interplay of T cell receptor-V gene copy numbers and major histocompatibility complex selection pressure in avian species: Insights into immune system evolution and reproductive investment
2024
Birds, a fascinating and diverse group occupying various habitats worldwide, exhibit a wide range of life-history traits, reproductive methods, and migratory behaviors, all of which influence their...
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Bird species (Charadriiformes) does not impact endosymbiotic bacteria (Gammaproteobacteria) of their ectoparasites (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Ischnocera)
2024
Endosymbiotic bacteria of insects can facilitate host expansion into novel niches by providing their host with a fitness benefit such as vitamins or amino acids that are otherwise lacking in their hosts'...
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Anthropogenic nesting materials and reproductive performance of Chinese Bulbuls (Pycnonotus sinensis) along the urbanization gradient in Hangzhou, China
2024
Urbanization induced by human activities presents both challenges and adaptive opportunities for wildlife. One notable impact of urban sprawl is the vast amount of waste it produces, which has discernible...
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Weather influenced nestling growth of an insectivorous but not a granivorous grassland passerine in Argentina
2024
Nestling growth of birds can be affected by weather fluctuations. In general, it is expected that higher temperatures favor growth by improving food availability and nestling metabolism, while rain...
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Use of evergreen and deciduous plants by nocturnal-roosting birds: A case study in Beijing
2024
With continually increasing urbanization, the land cover in urban areas continues to change, resulting in the loss of biodiversity. Birds are highly sensitive to changes in habitat. Most forest birds...
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