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PubMed2006

Diclofenac disposition in Indian cow and goat with reference to Gyps vulture population declines.

Gyps vultures across India are declining rapidly and the NSAID diclofenac has been shown to be the major cause. Vultures scavenge livestock carcasses that have been treated with diclofenac within the days preceding death. We present data on diclofenac disposition in Indian cow and goat, and field data on the prevalence of diclofenac in carcases in the environment. In the disposition experiment, animals were treated with a single intramuscular injection of diclofenac at 1000 microg kg-1 bw. In cow, diclofenac was detectable in liver, kidney and intestine up to 71 h post-treatment; in plasma, half-life was 12.2 h. In goat, tissue residues were undetectable after 26 h. Prevalence of diclofenac in liver from 36 dead livestock collected in the field was 13.9%. Data suggest that diclofenac residues in Indian cow and goat are short-lived, but diclofenac prevalence in carcasses available to vultures may still be very high.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

The role of forensic geoscience in wildlife crime detection.

The increase in both automation and precision in the analysis of geological materials has had significant impact upon forensic investigations in the last 10 years. There is however, a fundamental philosophical difference between forensic and geological enquiry. This paper presents the results of forensic geoscientific investigations of three cases of wildlife crime. Two cases involve the analysis of soils recovered after incidents of illegal badger baiting in the United Kingdom. The third case involves the illegal importation of Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae) into the United Kingdom from the Mediterranean. All three cases utilise the analysis of soils by a variety of physical, chemical and biological techniques. These involve mineral and grain size analyses, cation and anion compositions, pH, organic content and pollen analysis. The independent analysis undertaken by specialists in each of these three main fields conclude firstly, that there is a significant similarity between sediments taken at the crime site at both badger setts and with sediments recovered from various spades, shovels and clothing belonging to suspects and secondly, that the soils analysed associated with the removal of the falcon eggs in the Mediterranean contained characteristics similar in many respects to the soils of the breeding areas of F. eleonorae on the cliffs of Mallorca. The use of these independent techniques in wildlife crime detection has great potential given the ubiquitous nature of soils and sediments found in association with wildlife sites.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Short-term effects of the prestige oil spill on the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus).

We have monitored the distribution, population status, breeding success, turnover rate and diet of a Peregrine Falcon population in Bizkaia (North of Spain) since 1997. On the 13th November 2002, the tanker Prestige sunk off La Coruña (NW Spain) causing an oil spill that affected the whole of the Cantabrian Coast and the Southwest of France. The total number of birds affected by the Prestige oil spill was expected to be between 115,000 and 230,000, some of them raptors. The loss of clutches during the incubation period increased significantly and was correlated with the loss of females. Moreover, the turnover rate of the population increased from 21% to 30%. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in the eggs, collected from five nests after they were deserted, ranged from 21.20 ng/g to 461.08 ng/g, values which are high enough to cause the death of the embryos and poisoning of adult birds. The effects of pollution reached inland since some inland-breeding falcons prey on shorebirds that use rivers during their migratory flights. As the Prestige oil spill has clearly resulted in increased rates of adult mortality and reduced fertility, we suggest that the environmental authorities urgently undertake measures aimed at protecting the Peregrine Falcon in Bizkaia.

Accidents↗
PubMed2004

Platinum group elements in raptor eggs, faeces, blood, liver and kidney.

The increased use of platinum group elements (PGEs) in automobile catalysts and their emission into the environment has led to a concern over environmental and particularly biological accumulation. Specimens of samples from raptors are useful for the investigation of the impact of PGEs because these birds are found in both urban and rural environments and are invariably at the top of the food chain. Platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) and rhodium (Rh) concentrations were determined by quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in eggs of the sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), and in blood, liver and kidney of the peregrine falcon, while only Pt was determined in faeces of the peregrine falcon and the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus). PGE concentrations were higher in blood compared to both faeces and eggs, while liver and kidney concentrations were not elevated indicating no bioaccumulation through metallothionein pathways. A significant spatial trend could only be established for Pt in faeces. The general lack of a spatial trend is probably due to the widespread distribution of automobiles and the long-range transport of nanoparticles containing PGEs, and because birds migrate and forage over large areas. No significant temporal trend could be established. Higher relative concentrations of Pd, followed by Rh and Pt, indicate a mobility gradient of Pd>>Rh>Pt.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

A long-term increase in eggshell thickness of Greenlandic Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus tundrius.

Thickness of eggshell fragments and whole eggs from the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus collected in South and West Greenland between 1972 and 2003 was measured and compared to shell thickness of pre-DDT eggs, also collected in Greenland. Linear regression yields a significant increase in the average thickness of eggshells over the period of 0.19% per year, corresponding to a change in eggshell thinning from 13.9% in 1972 to 7.8% in 2003. Backwards extrapolation of the data, suggests that the Greenlandic Peregrine population probably was never critically affected by DDT-induced eggshell thinning. By sampling eggshell fragments in many nests the spatial and temporal sample distribution was enlarged, allowing the detection of a significant long-term decrease in pollutant-induced eggshell thinning--a trend that could not have been identified if only the rarer whole, addled eggs had been sampled.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Phylogeny of eagles, Old World vultures, and other Accipitridae based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.

We assessed phylogenetic relationships for birds of prey in the family Accipitridae using molecular sequence from two mitochondrial genes (1047 bases ND2 and 1041 bases cyt-b) and one nuclear intron (1074 bases beta-fibrinogen intron 7). We sampled representatives of all 14 Accipitridae subfamilies, focusing on four subfamilies of eagles (booted eagles, sea eagles, harpy eagles, and snake eagles) and two subfamilies of Old World vultures (Gypaetinae and Aegypiinae) with nearly all known species represented. Multiple well-supported relationships among accipitrids identified with DNA differ from those traditionally recognized based on morphology or life history traits. Monophyly of sea eagles (Haliaeetinae) and booted eagles (Aquilinae) was supported; however, harpy eagles (Harpiinae), snake eagles (Circaetinae), and Old World vultures were found to be non-monophyletic. The Gymnogene (Polyboroides typus) and the Crane Hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens) were not found to be close relatives, presenting an example of convergent evolution for specialized limb morphology enabling predation on cavity nesting species. Investigation of named subspecies within Hieraaetus fasciatus and H. morphnoides revealed significant genetic differentiation or non-monophyly supporting recognition of H. spilogaster and H. weiskei as distinctive species.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Phylogeography of the Galápagos hawk (Buteo galapagoensis): a recent arrival to the Galápagos Islands.

Galápagos hawks (Buteo galapagoensis) are one of the most inbred bird species in the world, living in small, isolated island populations. We used mitochondrial sequence and nuclear minisatellite data to describe relationships among Galápagos hawk populations and their colonization history. We sampled 10 populations (encompassing the entire current species range of nine islands and one extirpated population), as well as the Galápagos hawk's closest mainland relative, the Swainson's hawk (B. swainsoni). There was little sequence divergence between Galápagos and Swainson's hawks (only 0.42% over almost 3kb of data), indicating that the hawks colonized Galápagos very recently, likely less than 300,000 years ago, making them the most recent arrivals of the studied taxa. There were only seven, closely related Galápagos hawk haplotypes, with most populations being monomorphic. The mitochondrial and minisatellite data together indicated a general pattern of rapid population expansion followed by genetic isolation of hawk breeding populations. The recent arrival, genetic isolation, and phenotypic differentiation among populations suggest that the Galápagos hawk, a rather new species itself, is in the earliest stages of further divergence.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Time trends of mercury in feathers of West Greenland birds of prey during 1851-2003.

Temporal trends of mercury (Hg) in West Greenland gyrfalcons, peregrine falcons, and white-tailed eagles were determined over 150 years from 1851 to 2003. Hg was measured in the fifth primary feather. Results showed that Hg increased in the order gyrfalcon (lowest) < peregrine falcon (intermediate) < white-tailed eagle (highest). All species showed significant age accumulations, which were taken into account in the temporal trend analysis. Of eight time trend analyses (three species and three age groups of which one was missing), seven showed an increase in primary feather concentrations. Of these, four were significant at the 5% level, two were close to being significant, and one was not significant. The linear regressions of which three out of four showed significant increases were for juvenile and immature gyrfalcon and juvenile peregrine falcon, which covered only periods prior to 1960, owing to limited data from the last half-century. The two sample comparisons of Hg 10-year medians for adult peregrine falcons and juvenile and adult white-tailed eagles indicated a continued increase during recent decades. However, low levels of Hg in a few recent collections among gyrfalcons and peregrines could indicate a change in the increasing trend.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Predation: Prey plumage adaptation against falcon attack.

Several plumage types are found in feral pigeons (Columba livia), but one type imparts a clear survival advantage during attacks by the swiftest of all predators--the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). Here we use quantitative field observations and experiments to demonstrate both the selective nature of the falcon's choice of prey and the effect of plumage coloration on the survival of feral pigeons. This plumage colour is an independently heritable trait that is likely to be an antipredator adaptation against high-speed attacks in open air space.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2005

Trypanosoma avium incidence, pathogenicity and response to melarsomine in falcons from Kuwait.

Epidemiological and clinical studies on Trypanosoma avium are lacking in the Middle East. The aims of this study were to determine the T. avium incidence in falcons from Kuwait, report clinical signs and find an effective therapy. Blood smears from 921 diseased and 56 healthy falcons were examined between May 2003 and April 2004. 12 birds 11.3%) were found infected by T. avium and ten of these were treated with melarsomine (Cymelarsan) at a dosage of 0.25 mg/kg intramuscularly for four days. All affected birds presented clinical signs, including incapacity of flying high, poor appetite, lethargy, loosing weight, weakness, dyspnoea and death. Signs disappeared within 1-7 days after administration of melarsomine. Trypomastigotes were not detected in blood smears made 1-7 days after the end of therapy. This study suggests that T. avium induces disease in falcons and that melarsomine can be an effective therapy eliminating both clinical signs and circulating trypomastigotes.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Serratospiculosis in falcons from Kuwait: incidence, pathogenicity and treatment with melarsomine and ivermectin.

The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of the filarial avian nematode Serratospiculum seurati in falcons from Kuwait, report clinical signs and find an effective therapy. Naturally occurring S. seurati infestation was diagnosed in 149 (8.7%) out of 1,706 captive falcons examined between May 2003 and April 2005, and 140 of these were treated with melarsomine at dosage of 0.25 mg/kg injected intramuscularly for two days, and ivermectin, injected once at the dose of 1 mg/kg, 10 days later. Infestation was reportedly symptomatic in 107 (71.8%) and non-symptomatic in 42 (28.2%) falcons. Signs reported more often were dyspnoea (58.8%), reduced speed and strength in flight (56%), weight loss (38.3%), anorexia/poor appetite (22.4%) and lethargy (16.8%). After administration of melarsomine, signs disappeared within 1-10 days in symptomatic birds and improvement of flight performances was noted in non-symptomatic birds. Dead adult parasites were ejected in 22 cases. Embryonated eggs were not detected in coproscopic checks made 10 and 40 days after the end of therapy, in association with lasting clinical remission. The main conclusion is that Serratospiculum seurati is overall pathogenic for birds of prey in the Middle East and that melarsomine + ivermectin can be an effective protocol of therapy eliminating both clinical signs and parasites.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Plasma-binding globulins and acute stress response.

Within studies of acute stress physiology an increase in glucocorticoid secretion is thought to be the primary mediator of tissue response to stress. Corticosteroid-binding globulin may regulate tissue availability of steroids, but has not been considered a dynamic component of the acute stress response. Here, we examined CBG level over the common 60-minute time frame in an acute capture and handling protocol to investigate whether CBG capacity is dynamic or static over short stressors. Using a comparative approach, we measured CBG response to capture and handling stress in nine species of birds, representing five orders and nine families. CBG capacity significantly declined within 30 - 60 minutes of capture in five of the nine species examined. This decline may serve to significantly increase the level of corticosterone reaching tissues during acute stress.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed2006

Serratospiculosis in a New Zealand Falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae).

CASE HISTORY: An adult New Zealand falcon was presented with metacarpal fractures in the left wing. CLINICAL FINDINGS: In addition to the fractures, radiographs revealed an area of opacity in the air sacs. A few days after hospitalisation and initiation of treatment of the fractures, the bird developed signs of respiratory disease; the area of opacity was found to have increased in size and density. Treatment with antibiotics and nebulisation was commenced; the bird initially responded but respiratory signs subsequently worsened and the bird died. At necropsy, air sacculitis and bronchopneumonia were associated with numerous nematodes in the air sacs, which were morphologically consistent with Serratospiculum guttatum. DIAGNOSIS: Serratospiculosis CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The discovery of this parasite and the associated disease for the first time in New Zealand indicates that it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of respiratory disease in falcons and possibly other raptors in New Zealand.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Changes in the growth, but not the survival, of American kestrels (Falco sparverius) exposed to environmentally relevant polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs) concentrations are increasing exponentially in biota. We studied the growth of American kestrel (Falco sparverius) nestlings exposed in ovo and during development to environmentally relevant PBDE congeners and concentrations. Eggs within each clutch, divided between groups by laying sequence, were injected into the air cell at 19 days of incubation with safflower oil or penta-BDE congeners BDE-47, -99, -100, and -153 dissolved in safflower oil (18.7 microg total sigmaPBDEs/egg), approximating current levels in Great Lakes herring gulls. The measured proportions of BDE congeners found in the dosing oil were 56.4% of BDE-47; 27.2% of BDE-99; 24.8% of BDE-100; and 0.6% of BDE-153. For 29 days, nestlings were orally gavaged daily with the same sigmaPBDE mixture (15.6 +/- 0.3 ng/g body weight/day). Relative congener abundances in the dosing mixture compared to the carcasses suggest biotransformation of BDE-47; BDE-183 was also detected. PBDE exposure did not affect hatching or fledging success. PBDE-exposed nestlings were larger (weight, bones, feathers) as they gained weight more quickly and ate more food, the latter in association with their SigmaPBDE body burdens. BDE-100 was most influential on nestling growth, being positively associated with size, weight gain, and food consumption. Increasing concentrations of BDE-183 and -153 were related to longer bones, and BDE-99 to longer feathers. The larger size of the PBDE-exposed birds may be detrimental to their bone structure and have excessive energetic costs. The repeated relationships with BDE-100 and growth may be important for wild Falconidae, since this is the predominant penta-BDE congener in these raptors.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Brood patches of American kestrels altered by experimental exposure to PCBs.

Captive breeding (n = 25 pairs) and nonbreeding (n = 25) American kestrels were exposed to a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (Aroclor 1248:1254:1260) through their diet of day-old cockerels. Kestrels ingested approximately 7 mg/kg body weight each day of PCBs, and this dosage resulted in environmentally relevant total PCB residues in eggs (geometric mean of 34.1 microg/g). An equal number of unexposed birds served as controls. Bare areas of skin known as brood patches function during incubation to warm eggs; therefore, brood patch size could potentially influence hatching success, or patches may be a confounding factor in the relationship between poor incubation behavior and hatching failure observed in birds in toxicological studies. Exposure to PCBs altered the size of brood patches in American kestrels. PCB-exposed male and female nonbreeders had two of three brood patches that were larger than those of control nonbreeders. Breeding males exposed to PCBs had smaller patches than controls, whereas PCB-exposed female kestrels had one larger and one smaller patch than controls. Patch sizes were not related to total PCB residue levels in eggs of exposed birds. Brood patches were not related to various incubation behaviors or hatching success in either control or PCB-exposed kestrels.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Spatial structure, dispersal, and management of a recovering raptor population.

The recovery of the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum) in California has taken place amid strong geographical differences in habitat quality, potentially creating a sink population in the southern coastal habitat and source populations in the northern interior and urban habitats. We analyzed long-term monitoring data to investigate the mechanisms and consequences of spatial structuring for the recovery of this set of nonstable subpopulations. Dispersal rates between habitats were asymmetric, with extremely limited dispersal out of the interior habitat and a strong tendency for birds in the southern coast to disperse to the urban habitats. We used these dispersal estimates and habitat-specific productivity rates to build a set of regional population models that describe population growth within and dispersal between each subpopulation. We tested for the existence of habitat-specific survival and territory acquisition rates by comparing model projections with the number of breeding pairs censused annually in each subpopulation. Our analyses indicate a high rate of survival for interior birds and suggest that both the interior and urban subpopulations were regulated by territory availability over the study period. The inherent spatial structure of this regional peregrine falcon population has had a considerable influence on its recovery and management.

Animal Migration↗
PubMed2005

Colony size selection determines adult survival and dispersal preferences: allee effects in a colonial bird.

Avian coloniality traditionally has been investigated by examining how breeding success varies with colony size, but other crucial fitness components rarely have been examined. This may lead to wrong conclusions because unmeasured parameters may change the final fitness balance. We used multistate capture-recapture models to investigate adult survival and dispersal in relation to colony size within a long-term monitored population of lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni). Nest predation probability decreases with colony size, and adult survival is predicted to show the same trend because adults are exposed to the same suite of predators. As expected, survival probability was higher in large colonies (0.72+/-0.015; mean+/-SE) than in medium or small colonies (0.65+/-0.02). Additionally, dispersal probabilities were higher going from small to large colonies (0.20+/-0.01) than from large to small (0.08+/-0.01), as predicted by theory of habitat selection shaped by fitness maximization. These asymmetries are likely to generate size-specific colony population dynamics, so they should be taken into account in studies of colonial birds and other metapopulation-like systems. Allee effects, that is, positive density dependence, appear to be the cause of the evolution of dispersal behavior and may explain the maintenance of coloniality in this species.

Animals↗