Pub Date : 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100344
Guo Zhong , Guixia Wan , Longwu Wang , Wei Liang
The evolution of parasitic strategies through tracking host life-history patterns represents a key adaptive trait in avian brood parasites. However, when hosts successfully exploit human-modified environments—such as diverse and concealed nesting sites—the mechanisms enabling cuckoos (Cuculus spp.) to accurately locate and parasitize such nests remains unclear. The Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus), a human-commensal secondary cavity-nester, often breeds in diverse artificial structures—leading to variable and concealed nest locations—making it an ideal system to study this question. Using long-term field monitoring and a nestbox attraction experiment, we investigated how Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) locate and parasitize such concealed nests. Our results show no significant variation in Common Cuckoo parasitism rates across different natural nesting sites. However, nestboxes that were more exposed experienced higher parasitism rates than natural nests. Furthermore, cuckoos targeted exclusively those boxes with active host attendance, rather than boxes occupied by other species. This study provides the first evidence of cuckoo parasitism on a human-associated host nesting indoors, underscoring the key role of host activity cues and suggesting that cuckoos, like their hosts, are also adapting to anthropogenic refuges.
{"title":"Precisely targeting host activity for parasitism by Common Cuckoos","authors":"Guo Zhong , Guixia Wan , Longwu Wang , Wei Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100344","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100344","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evolution of parasitic strategies through tracking host life-history patterns represents a key adaptive trait in avian brood parasites. However, when hosts successfully exploit human-modified environments—such as diverse and concealed nesting sites—the mechanisms enabling cuckoos (<em>Cuculus</em> spp.) to accurately locate and parasitize such nests remains unclear. The Daurian Redstart (<em>Phoenicurus auroreus</em>), a human-commensal secondary cavity-nester, often breeds in diverse artificial structures—leading to variable and concealed nest locations—making it an ideal system to study this question. Using long-term field monitoring and a nestbox attraction experiment, we investigated how Common Cuckoos (<em>Cuculus canorus</em>) locate and parasitize such concealed nests. Our results show no significant variation in Common Cuckoo parasitism rates across different natural nesting sites. However, nestboxes that were more exposed experienced higher parasitism rates than natural nests. Furthermore, cuckoos targeted exclusively those boxes with active host attendance, rather than boxes occupied by other species. This study provides the first evidence of cuckoo parasitism on a human-associated host nesting indoors, underscoring the key role of host activity cues and suggesting that cuckoos, like their hosts, are also adapting to anthropogenic refuges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 2","pages":"Article 100344"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100345
Mohd Ros Effendi , Wan Ahmad Wan Juliana , Mohammad Saiful Mansor
Trace elements (metals and metalloids) are naturally occurring substances that may be essential at trace levels but become toxic pollutants at higher concentrations, accumulating in biological systems and posing severe risks to wildlife. Trace element contamination in shorebirds and allies has been documented since the 1960s, primarily in studies on the Atlantic Americas Flyway, Pacific Americas Flyway, and Mississippi Americas Flyway. The East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF), which supports the highest diversity and abundance of migratory birds globally, remains comparatively understudied in trace element contamination despite rapid industrialization along its coasts. While previous reviews have provided broad overviews of contaminant exposure in shorebirds and allies, few have synthesized data specific to the EAAF or focused exclusively on trace elements. Here, we address this gap by compiling and analyzing both historical and recent research on trace element contamination in shorebirds across countries within the EAAF. We identified 77 articles related to the topic, with studies conducted in 10 of the 19 Flyway Site Network countries in the EAAF; however, the remaining nine countries, mainly in Southeast Asia, remain entirely unassessed. Eighty shorebird species were assessed, with various samples taken to analyze trace element content. Feathers were the most frequently sampled shorebird body parts for investigating trace element contamination and were a reliable indicator of internal trace element burdens. Mercury, lead, cadmium, and manganese were the most commonly studied elements, with the former two exceeding toxicity thresholds in multiple species across several studies in the EAAF. Our results provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of trace element studies in shorebirds along the EAAF. Given the increasing development pressures, particularly within developing countries along this flyway, we strongly recommend expanding trace element studies of shorebirds and allies, prioritising currently unassessed developing countries. This initiative will facilitate targeted conservation efforts, enabling the effective protection and restoration of these vital habitats, ultimately ensuring the long-term survival of shorebird populations.
{"title":"Knowledge gaps in trace element contamination of shorebirds and allies along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway: A review","authors":"Mohd Ros Effendi , Wan Ahmad Wan Juliana , Mohammad Saiful Mansor","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100345","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100345","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Trace elements (metals and metalloids) are naturally occurring substances that may be essential at trace levels but become toxic pollutants at higher concentrations, accumulating in biological systems and posing severe risks to wildlife. Trace element contamination in shorebirds and allies has been documented since the 1960s, primarily in studies on the Atlantic Americas Flyway, Pacific Americas Flyway, and Mississippi Americas Flyway. The East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF), which supports the highest diversity and abundance of migratory birds globally, remains comparatively understudied in trace element contamination despite rapid industrialization along its coasts. While previous reviews have provided broad overviews of contaminant exposure in shorebirds and allies, few have synthesized data specific to the EAAF or focused exclusively on trace elements. Here, we address this gap by compiling and analyzing both historical and recent research on trace element contamination in shorebirds across countries within the EAAF. We identified 77 articles related to the topic, with studies conducted in 10 of the 19 Flyway Site Network countries in the EAAF; however, the remaining nine countries, mainly in Southeast Asia, remain entirely unassessed. Eighty shorebird species were assessed, with various samples taken to analyze trace element content. Feathers were the most frequently sampled shorebird body parts for investigating trace element contamination and were a reliable indicator of internal trace element burdens. Mercury, lead, cadmium, and manganese were the most commonly studied elements, with the former two exceeding toxicity thresholds in multiple species across several studies in the EAAF. Our results provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of trace element studies in shorebirds along the EAAF. Given the increasing development pressures, particularly within developing countries along this flyway, we strongly recommend expanding trace element studies of shorebirds and allies, prioritising currently unassessed developing countries. This initiative will facilitate targeted conservation efforts, enabling the effective protection and restoration of these vital habitats, ultimately ensuring the long-term survival of shorebird populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 2","pages":"Article 100345"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100343
Zifei Tang , Xiaoyuan Wu , Yang Zhang , Yuehua Sun , Nan Lyu
The social intelligence hypothesis posits that complex social interactions drive cognitive evolution in animals. However, empirical support remains inconsistent, likely because most studies rely on crude measures like group size rather than examining the nuanced patterns of individual social interactions. Additionally, while cognitive sex differences are well-documented across species, whether these differences stem from sex-specific social interaction patterns remains unclear. To address these gaps, we investigate how individual-level social complexity and nuanced social interactions influence cognitive performance in Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). Birds were reared in mixed-sex groups. We quantified social complexity and nuanced social interactions before testing cognitive performance across four tasks. Our results indicated that general intelligence did not predict performance across tasks in Budgerigars, supporting a modular rather than general intelligence framework. More importantly, social complexity effects on cognitive performance were both sex- and task-dependent. Competitive interactions, rather than affiliative ones, positively influenced spatial memory performance, but the specific patterns differed between sexes. Males showed enhanced spatial memory performance with higher overall frequency and variability of competitive interactions, while females showed improved spatial memory with a higher proportion of competitive interactions toward specific individuals and greater interaction variability. These findings demonstrate that cognitive performance is associated not just with social complexity, but with the nuanced structure of social interactions, and that these relationships are shaped by sex-specific strategies and domain-specific cognitive abilities. Our results highlight the critical importance of moving beyond simple group metrics to understand the social drivers of cognition.
{"title":"Sex-specific effects of social complexity and competitive interactions on cognitive performance in Budgerigars","authors":"Zifei Tang , Xiaoyuan Wu , Yang Zhang , Yuehua Sun , Nan Lyu","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100343","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100343","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The social intelligence hypothesis posits that complex social interactions drive cognitive evolution in animals. However, empirical support remains inconsistent, likely because most studies rely on crude measures like group size rather than examining the nuanced patterns of individual social interactions. Additionally, while cognitive sex differences are well-documented across species, whether these differences stem from sex-specific social interaction patterns remains unclear. To address these gaps, we investigate how individual-level social complexity and nuanced social interactions influence cognitive performance in Budgerigars (<em>Melopsittacus undulatus</em>). Birds were reared in mixed-sex groups. We quantified social complexity and nuanced social interactions before testing cognitive performance across four tasks. Our results indicated that general intelligence did not predict performance across tasks in Budgerigars, supporting a modular rather than general intelligence framework. More importantly, social complexity effects on cognitive performance were both sex- and task-dependent. Competitive interactions, rather than affiliative ones, positively influenced spatial memory performance, but the specific patterns differed between sexes. Males showed enhanced spatial memory performance with higher overall frequency and variability of competitive interactions, while females showed improved spatial memory with a higher proportion of competitive interactions toward specific individuals and greater interaction variability. These findings demonstrate that cognitive performance is associated not just with social complexity, but with the nuanced structure of social interactions, and that these relationships are shaped by sex-specific strategies and domain-specific cognitive abilities. Our results highlight the critical importance of moving beyond simple group metrics to understand the social drivers of cognition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 2","pages":"Article 100343"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100342
Aodong Wang , Zikun Gao , Xingzhe Wang , Xing Shi , Yuanxing Ye , Weidong Bao , Kun Shi , Qiaoqi Sun
China's new national park system prioritizes the conservation of large-scale ecosystems to maintain ecological integrity, exemplified by Qilian Mountain National Park (QMNP) in northwestern China. QMNP straddles both pristine and pastoral landscapes and provides critical habitat for diverse migratory and resident birds as key stopover and breeding grounds. In this region, centuries of pastoralism have shaped grassland structure and biodiversity. However, spatial distribution patterns of avian species across the heterogeneous, coupled natural and pastoral landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau remain poorly understood due to persistently low detection rates resulting from high species richness, vast distribution ranges, and extensive landscape heterogeneity. To address this, we combined field surveys with functional guild-based Bayesian hierarchical occupancy modeling to elucidate guild-specific spatial distributions and their environmental drivers. Over the three consecutive summers of 2022–2024, we surveyed 72 line transects and 27 fixed observation points, recording 40 species classified into three functional guilds (small-sized, medium-sized and raptors). Vegetation cover and slope gradient were the primary determinants of guild distributions: small-sized birds strongly preferred patches of dense vegetation and avoided hotspots of medium-sized birds, whereas raptors favored gentle slopes. Furthermore, effects of growing season precipitation, distance to water, and human activity varied substantially among guilds in both magnitude and direction. These findings reveal distinct guild-specific habitat selection patterns driven by environmental filtering. Our findings demonstrate that extensive natural-pastoral landscapes remain crucial for avifauna despite traditional pastoral practices, and that functional trait-based modeling can effectively address the significant low-detection challenge in remote, biodiversity-rich grassland ecosystems of the Tibetan Plateau.
{"title":"Unraveling the spatial patterns and driving mechanisms of avian functional assemblages in the agro-pastoral ecosystems of the Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Aodong Wang , Zikun Gao , Xingzhe Wang , Xing Shi , Yuanxing Ye , Weidong Bao , Kun Shi , Qiaoqi Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100342","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100342","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China's new national park system prioritizes the conservation of large-scale ecosystems to maintain ecological integrity, exemplified by Qilian Mountain National Park (QMNP) in northwestern China. QMNP straddles both pristine and pastoral landscapes and provides critical habitat for diverse migratory and resident birds as key stopover and breeding grounds. In this region, centuries of pastoralism have shaped grassland structure and biodiversity. However, spatial distribution patterns of avian species across the heterogeneous, coupled natural and pastoral landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau remain poorly understood due to persistently low detection rates resulting from high species richness, vast distribution ranges, and extensive landscape heterogeneity. To address this, we combined field surveys with functional guild-based Bayesian hierarchical occupancy modeling to elucidate guild-specific spatial distributions and their environmental drivers. Over the three consecutive summers of 2022–2024, we surveyed 72 line transects and 27 fixed observation points, recording 40 species classified into three functional guilds (small-sized, medium-sized and raptors). Vegetation cover and slope gradient were the primary determinants of guild distributions: small-sized birds strongly preferred patches of dense vegetation and avoided hotspots of medium-sized birds, whereas raptors favored gentle slopes. Furthermore, effects of growing season precipitation, distance to water, and human activity varied substantially among guilds in both magnitude and direction. These findings reveal distinct guild-specific habitat selection patterns driven by environmental filtering. Our findings demonstrate that extensive natural-pastoral landscapes remain crucial for avifauna despite traditional pastoral practices, and that functional trait-based modeling can effectively address the significant low-detection challenge in remote, biodiversity-rich grassland ecosystems of the Tibetan Plateau.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 2","pages":"Article 100342"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100340
Linghua Zhong , Yutao Zhang , Weiting Li , Yalun Sun , Su Zhan , Zhibin Liu , Lihua Yao , Songhua Wang
Songbirds serve as an appealing animal model for evaluating the hormonal influences on the regulation of fine motor skills, particularly in relation to vocal production. The influence of estrogens on the singing behavior of adult songbirds remains to be explored. The robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA), a premotor nucleus, assumes a critical role in governing vocalization of songbirds. This study initially examined the rapid effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on the RA in relation to the singing behavior of adult Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata), followed by an investigation into the impact of E2 on excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission within the RA. The expression levels of receptors associated with neuronal excitability and inhibition were also analyzed in the RA nucleus. The results indicated that the action of E2 on the RA rapidly reduces the stability of the song. E2 decreases the frequency and amplitude of sEPSCs/mEPSCs and sIPSCs/mIPSCs in the RA projection neurons (PNs) and it also reduces the amplitude of eEPSCs induced by RA PNs from HVC, LMAN and RA collateral afferent as well as the amplitude of eIPSCs induced by RA PNs from RA collateral afferent. Further analysis showed that E2 changes the synapse transmission through binding to GPER; E2 treatment reduces the expression levels of NR2A, NR2B, AMPAR, and GABAAR in the RA nucleus. The findings suggest that estrogen inhibits song stability by modulating the excitability and the inhibitory synaptic structure and function of the RA nucleus, thereby providing evidence for the neural mechanisms underlying estrogen's regulation of fine motor skills.
{"title":"Estradiol acutely modifies singing patterns via modulating the synaptic activity of RA in Zebra Finches","authors":"Linghua Zhong , Yutao Zhang , Weiting Li , Yalun Sun , Su Zhan , Zhibin Liu , Lihua Yao , Songhua Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Songbirds serve as an appealing animal model for evaluating the hormonal influences on the regulation of fine motor skills, particularly in relation to vocal production. The influence of estrogens on the singing behavior of adult songbirds remains to be explored. The robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA), a premotor nucleus, assumes a critical role in governing vocalization of songbirds. This study initially examined the rapid effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on the RA in relation to the singing behavior of adult Zebra Finches (<em>Taeniopygia guttata</em>), followed by an investigation into the impact of E2 on excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission within the RA. The expression levels of receptors associated with neuronal excitability and inhibition were also analyzed in the RA nucleus. The results indicated that the action of E2 on the RA rapidly reduces the stability of the song. E2 decreases the frequency and amplitude of sEPSCs/mEPSCs and sIPSCs/mIPSCs in the RA projection neurons (PNs) and it also reduces the amplitude of eEPSCs induced by RA PNs from HVC, LMAN and RA collateral afferent as well as the amplitude of eIPSCs induced by RA PNs from RA collateral afferent. Further analysis showed that E2 changes the synapse transmission through binding to GPER; E2 treatment reduces the expression levels of NR2A, NR2B, AMPAR, and GABAAR in the RA nucleus. The findings suggest that estrogen inhibits song stability by modulating the excitability and the inhibitory synaptic structure and function of the RA nucleus, thereby providing evidence for the neural mechanisms underlying estrogen's regulation of fine motor skills.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 2","pages":"Article 100340"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100339
Zhuoen Liu , Jinlei Zhang , Tingjia Zhao, Wenjian Song, Lu Wen, Qing Zhang, Gang Feng
Waterbirds are vital for wetland ecosystems, but climate change and human activities are harming these habitats globally, reducing biodiversity and threatening waterbird survival. In China, wetlands in humid and arid regions face quite different threats, necessitating targeted conservation strategies. However, few studies have assessed the relative roles of various drivers in determining geographical patterns of alpha and beta diversity of wetland waterbirds in different regions, particularly from the perspectives of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity. This study aims to connect climate and landscape variables with waterbirds diversity in 71 wetlands across China's humid and arid regions. The results showed that mean annual temperature was negatively associated with taxonomic diversity but positively correlated with phylogenetic structure. Phylogenetic and functional diversity was significantly associated with paleoclimate change. Additionally, patch richness was positively correlated with taxonomic diversity and functional structure, but negatively correlated with phylogenetic diversity and structure. Notably, taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity was dominated by turnover, while functional beta diversity was dominated by nestedness-resultant components. Total edge and patch density were significantly correlated with waterbird beta diversity. In addition, arid regions showed higher turnover in taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity compared to humid regions. Compared to arid regions, humid regions had consistently higher nestedness-resultant components in the three diversity dimensions and higher turnover in functional beta diversity. These findings indicated that while climate variables are important for waterbird diversity patterns, wetland's landscape characteristics could also play significant roles. In addition, conservation of Chinese wetland bird diversity should consider unique strategies for different biodiversity dimensions as well as for different regions.
{"title":"Patterns and drivers of waterbird alpha and beta diversity are different between arid and humid regions of China","authors":"Zhuoen Liu , Jinlei Zhang , Tingjia Zhao, Wenjian Song, Lu Wen, Qing Zhang, Gang Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100339","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100339","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Waterbirds are vital for wetland ecosystems, but climate change and human activities are harming these habitats globally, reducing biodiversity and threatening waterbird survival. In China, wetlands in humid and arid regions face quite different threats, necessitating targeted conservation strategies. However, few studies have assessed the relative roles of various drivers in determining geographical patterns of alpha and beta diversity of wetland waterbirds in different regions, particularly from the perspectives of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity. This study aims to connect climate and landscape variables with waterbirds diversity in 71 wetlands across China's humid and arid regions. The results showed that mean annual temperature was negatively associated with taxonomic diversity but positively correlated with phylogenetic structure. Phylogenetic and functional diversity was significantly associated with paleoclimate change. Additionally, patch richness was positively correlated with taxonomic diversity and functional structure, but negatively correlated with phylogenetic diversity and structure. Notably, taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity was dominated by turnover, while functional beta diversity was dominated by nestedness-resultant components. Total edge and patch density were significantly correlated with waterbird beta diversity. In addition, arid regions showed higher turnover in taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity compared to humid regions. Compared to arid regions, humid regions had consistently higher nestedness-resultant components in the three diversity dimensions and higher turnover in functional beta diversity. These findings indicated that while climate variables are important for waterbird diversity patterns, wetland's landscape characteristics could also play significant roles. In addition, conservation of Chinese wetland bird diversity should consider unique strategies for different biodiversity dimensions as well as for different regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 2","pages":"Article 100339"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100338
Xinjie Zhao , Qingquan Bai , Shoudong Zhang , David S. Melville , Ningning Liu , Yihao Fang , Donglai Li , Zhijun Ma
Elucidating the spatial-temporal characteristics and influencing factors of migration activities is the basis for understanding the life cycle of migratory birds and for making conservation measures. Short-distance migratory birds experience less time pressure during migration; they tend to migrate under suitable environmental conditions and thus the migration decision might be strongly influenced by external environmental conditions. To test this hypothesis, we deployed GPS tags on Far Eastern Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus osculans) at the Yalu Jiang estuary in the northern Yellow Sea and tracked their annual migration. The tagged oystercatchers, including five adults and seven immatures (second/third-year birds), mainly wintered along the west coast of the Yellow Sea and bred inland in northeastern China. The migration distance between breeding and wintering sites was 1640.7 ± 260.4 km in spring and 1668.7 ± 306.1 km in autumn. Compared with adults, immatures departed from the wintering sites and arrived at the breeding sites later, while there were no significant differences between adults and immatures in the dates of departure from breeding sites and arrival at wintering sites. Migration initiation generally occurred around sunset. Wind conditions consistently provided tailwinds on departure days from wintering, breeding, and stopover sites during both seasons, with wind support exceeding the 5- or 10-day pre-departure average. During autumn migration, the temperature on departure days at stopover sites was lower than the mean temperature over the preceding 5 or 10 days. The Yalu Jiang estuary was the main stopover site for the tagged birds during both spring and autumn migrations. The stopover duration in autumn (adults: 118.3 ± 8.4 days; immatures: 130.4 ± 5.1 days) was the longest among the studied shorebirds, likely due to moulting of flight feathers at the stopover site. Our results indicate that the migratory decisions of oystercatchers were strongly influenced by wind conditions during the whole annual cycle, whereas they were also affected by temperature when departing from stopover sites in autumn. The extended stopover at the Yalu Jiang estuary in autumn highlights its importance for the species.
{"title":"Effects of wind and temperature on the migration decisions of a short-distance migratory shorebird across the annual cycle","authors":"Xinjie Zhao , Qingquan Bai , Shoudong Zhang , David S. Melville , Ningning Liu , Yihao Fang , Donglai Li , Zhijun Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100338","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2026.100338","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Elucidating the spatial-temporal characteristics and influencing factors of migration activities is the basis for understanding the life cycle of migratory birds and for making conservation measures. Short-distance migratory birds experience less time pressure during migration; they tend to migrate under suitable environmental conditions and thus the migration decision might be strongly influenced by external environmental conditions. To test this hypothesis, we deployed GPS tags on Far Eastern Oystercatchers (<em>Haematopus ostralegus osculans</em>) at the Yalu Jiang estuary in the northern Yellow Sea and tracked their annual migration. The tagged oystercatchers, including five adults and seven immatures (second/third-year birds), mainly wintered along the west coast of the Yellow Sea and bred inland in northeastern China. The migration distance between breeding and wintering sites was 1640.7 ± 260.4 km in spring and 1668.7 ± 306.1 km in autumn. Compared with adults, immatures departed from the wintering sites and arrived at the breeding sites later, while there were no significant differences between adults and immatures in the dates of departure from breeding sites and arrival at wintering sites. Migration initiation generally occurred around sunset. Wind conditions consistently provided tailwinds on departure days from wintering, breeding, and stopover sites during both seasons, with wind support exceeding the 5- or 10-day pre-departure average. During autumn migration, the temperature on departure days at stopover sites was lower than the mean temperature over the preceding 5 or 10 days. The Yalu Jiang estuary was the main stopover site for the tagged birds during both spring and autumn migrations. The stopover duration in autumn (adults: 118.3 ± 8.4 days; immatures: 130.4 ± 5.1 days) was the longest among the studied shorebirds, likely due to moulting of flight feathers at the stopover site. Our results indicate that the migratory decisions of oystercatchers were strongly influenced by wind conditions during the whole annual cycle, whereas they were also affected by temperature when departing from stopover sites in autumn. The extended stopover at the Yalu Jiang estuary in autumn highlights its importance for the species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 2","pages":"Article 100338"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100337
Jinwen Su , Linhong Xie , Ling Wang , Congcong Lei , Yingqian Gao , Rui Liu , He Ma , Jing Jiang , Mengting Yang , Xiaoxuan Zhang , Hongbo Ni , Fulong Nan
The role of gut microbiota in vitamin biosynthesis in wild birds, which is essential for understanding avian health and ecological adaptation, remains largely unexplored. In this study, metagenomic analysis was conducted on 10,455 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from 718 wild bird gut samples. After quality assessment and dereplication, 1947 MAGs were retained for systematic analysis of vitamin B and K2 biosynthesis potential. A total of 106,336 vitamin biosynthesis genes were identified, and 1164 MAGs (including 410 high-quality MAGs with >90% completeness and <5% contamination) were predicted to de novo synthesize at least one vitamin. Vitamin biosynthesis genes mainly originated from Pseudomonadota, Campylobacterota, Bacillota_A, and Actinomycetota, with dominant genera including Campylobacter_D, Escherichia, and Cutibacterium. Compared with chickens, the gut microbiota of wild birds was enriched in biotin, folate, and pantothenate biosynthesis genes, likely reflecting adaptation to diverse natural diets and fluctuating environments. Among all examined factors, host species explained the largest proportion of variation in vitamin biosynthesis gene composition, followed by environmental variables, while migratory behavior and primary diet showed relatively smaller but detectable associations. Dietary differences appeared to be associated with variations in vitamin biosynthetic potential, with crop- and insect-dominant birds tending to show higher representation of genes involved in the synthesis of multiple B vitamins, whereas aquatic-plant dominant birds exhibited relatively greater representation of folate biosynthetic pathways. Migratory birds exhibited significantly higher diversity but comparable relative abundance of vitamin biosynthesis genes compared with resident birds, suggesting a more flexible microbial metabolic potential to meet fluctuating nutritional demands during long-distance movement. Distinct microbial contributors were identified, with Escherichia and Pseudomonas_E being more prominent in migratory birds, and Campylobacter_D in resident birds. Collectively, this study provides novel insights into gut microbiota-driven vitamin biosynthesis in wild birds.
{"title":"Metagenomic analysis of vitamins B and K2 biosynthesis by gut microbiota in wild birds","authors":"Jinwen Su , Linhong Xie , Ling Wang , Congcong Lei , Yingqian Gao , Rui Liu , He Ma , Jing Jiang , Mengting Yang , Xiaoxuan Zhang , Hongbo Ni , Fulong Nan","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100337","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100337","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of gut microbiota in vitamin biosynthesis in wild birds, which is essential for understanding avian health and ecological adaptation, remains largely unexplored. In this study, metagenomic analysis was conducted on 10,455 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from 718 wild bird gut samples. After quality assessment and dereplication, 1947 MAGs were retained for systematic analysis of vitamin B and K<sub>2</sub> biosynthesis potential. A total of 106,336 vitamin biosynthesis genes were identified, and 1164 MAGs (including 410 high-quality MAGs with >90% completeness and <5% contamination) were predicted to de novo synthesize at least one vitamin. Vitamin biosynthesis genes mainly originated from Pseudomonadota, Campylobacterota, Bacillota_A, and Actinomycetota, with dominant genera including <em>Campylobacter</em>_D, <em>Escherichia</em>, and <em>Cutibacterium</em>. Compared with chickens, the gut microbiota of wild birds was enriched in biotin, folate, and pantothenate biosynthesis genes, likely reflecting adaptation to diverse natural diets and fluctuating environments. Among all examined factors, host species explained the largest proportion of variation in vitamin biosynthesis gene composition, followed by environmental variables, while migratory behavior and primary diet showed relatively smaller but detectable associations. Dietary differences appeared to be associated with variations in vitamin biosynthetic potential, with crop- and insect-dominant birds tending to show higher representation of genes involved in the synthesis of multiple B vitamins, whereas aquatic-plant dominant birds exhibited relatively greater representation of folate biosynthetic pathways. Migratory birds exhibited significantly higher diversity but comparable relative abundance of vitamin biosynthesis genes compared with resident birds, suggesting a more flexible microbial metabolic potential to meet fluctuating nutritional demands during long-distance movement. Distinct microbial contributors were identified, with <em>Escherichia</em> and <em>Pseudomonas</em>_E being more prominent in migratory birds, and <em>Campylobacter</em>_D in resident birds. Collectively, this study provides novel insights into gut microbiota-driven vitamin biosynthesis in wild birds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 2","pages":"Article 100337"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145897845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100335
Qingxin Fang , Wanyou Li , Junpeng Bai , Fengxi Hu , Zhen Zhang , Long Ma , Luzhang Ruan
Nest predation is a critical driver of avian reproductive success, yet its response to urbanization remains controversial. Using infrared camera traps to monitor 133 artificial nests and 32 natural nests of the Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) along an urbanization gradient in Nanchang and Shangrao, China, from 2021 to 2023, we examined spatiotemporal variation in predation pressure. We deconstructed predation pressure into risk (nest fate and survival time) and pattern (predation frequency, predator size, and predator–nest interaction duration). We found that higher urbanization and better nest concealment significantly reduced predation risk. The composition of the predator community did not change along the urbanization gradient, suggesting that the reduced nest predation risk in cities is likely driven by behavioral factors, such as the availability of alternative food or human shield effect, rather than by the filtering of predator species. In contrast, predation patterns were primarily moderated by season. The off-peak breeding season was characterized by more frequent but less severe predation events involving smaller predators and had shorter predator–nest interaction durations compared to the peak season. This seasonal shift opens a breeding window during the off-peak season, when lethal nest predation risk is reduced. The Spotted Dove's unique life-history traits enable it to capitalize on this opportunity by balancing environmental costs, enhancing its reproductive success and facilitating its colonization of urban environments.
{"title":"Spatiotemporal variation and driving mechanisms of nest predation on Spotted Doves along an urbanization gradient","authors":"Qingxin Fang , Wanyou Li , Junpeng Bai , Fengxi Hu , Zhen Zhang , Long Ma , Luzhang Ruan","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100335","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100335","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nest predation is a critical driver of avian reproductive success, yet its response to urbanization remains controversial. Using infrared camera traps to monitor 133 artificial nests and 32 natural nests of the Spotted Dove (<em>Spilopelia chinensis</em>) along an urbanization gradient in Nanchang and Shangrao, China, from 2021 to 2023, we examined spatiotemporal variation in predation pressure. We deconstructed predation pressure into risk (nest fate and survival time) and pattern (predation frequency, predator size, and predator–nest interaction duration). We found that higher urbanization and better nest concealment significantly reduced predation risk. The composition of the predator community did not change along the urbanization gradient, suggesting that the reduced nest predation risk in cities is likely driven by behavioral factors, such as the availability of alternative food or human shield effect, rather than by the filtering of predator species. In contrast, predation patterns were primarily moderated by season. The off-peak breeding season was characterized by more frequent but less severe predation events involving smaller predators and had shorter predator–nest interaction durations compared to the peak season. This seasonal shift opens a breeding window during the off-peak season, when lethal nest predation risk is reduced. The Spotted Dove's unique life-history traits enable it to capitalize on this opportunity by balancing environmental costs, enhancing its reproductive success and facilitating its colonization of urban environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 1","pages":"Article 100335"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100336
Hui Wang , Shenghan Gao , Jia Zheng , Yu Liu , Yang Wu , Mansour Aliabadian , Jan Komdeur , Tamás Székely , Zhengwang Zhang , De Chen
Penduline tits (genus Remiz) are small passerines distributed across Europe, Central and East Asia, and North Africa, renowned for their elaborate nests and unusually diverse mating systems. However, the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships within this genus have remained contentious due to overlapping breeding distributions and extensive hybridization. Using broad-range geographic sampling and whole-genome sequencing, here we report the phylogenetic relationships within this genus. Our results from maximum likelihood trees, species trees, population structure, and PCA analyses consistently identify four distinct, well-supported monophyletic clades. Based on these robust results, we support dividing Remiz into four species: the Eurasian Penduline Tit (R. pendulinus), Black-headed Penduline Tit (R. macronyx), White-crowned Penduline Tit (R. coronatus), and Chinese Penduline Tit (R. consobrinus). Among these species, R. consobrinus diverged earlier from other species, followed by R. coronatus, and then, R. pendulinus and R. macronyx. R. pendulinus and R. macronyx showed shallow genetic differentiation with recent divergence (∼87,000 years ago) and ongoing gene flow. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of phylogenomic approaches in resolving taxonomic ambiguities and provide a robust evolutionary framework for tracing the diversification of life history traits, particularly nest structures and mating systems, across the genus.
{"title":"Phylogenomic insights into the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of penduline tits (Remiz spp.)","authors":"Hui Wang , Shenghan Gao , Jia Zheng , Yu Liu , Yang Wu , Mansour Aliabadian , Jan Komdeur , Tamás Székely , Zhengwang Zhang , De Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100336","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.avrs.2025.100336","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Penduline tits (genus <em>Remiz</em>) are small passerines distributed across Europe, Central and East Asia, and North Africa, renowned for their elaborate nests and unusually diverse mating systems. However, the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships within this genus have remained contentious due to overlapping breeding distributions and extensive hybridization. Using broad-range geographic sampling and whole-genome sequencing, here we report the phylogenetic relationships within this genus. Our results from maximum likelihood trees, species trees, population structure, and PCA analyses consistently identify four distinct, well-supported monophyletic clades. Based on these robust results, we support dividing <em>Remiz</em> into four species: the Eurasian Penduline Tit (<em>R. pendulinus</em>), Black-headed Penduline Tit (<em>R. macronyx</em>), White-crowned Penduline Tit (<em>R. coronatus</em>), and Chinese Penduline Tit (<em>R. consobrinus</em>). Among these species, <em>R. consobrinus</em> diverged earlier from other species, followed by <em>R. coronatus</em>, and then, <em>R. pendulinus</em> and <em>R. macronyx</em>. <em>R. pendulinus</em> and <em>R. macronyx</em> showed shallow genetic differentiation with recent divergence (∼87,000 years ago) and ongoing gene flow. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of phylogenomic approaches in resolving taxonomic ambiguities and provide a robust evolutionary framework for tracing the diversification of life history traits, particularly nest structures and mating systems, across the genus.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51311,"journal":{"name":"Avian Research","volume":"17 1","pages":"Article 100336"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145924256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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