Prevalence and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites in wild bird species of the order Columbiformes.

Diseases can play a role in species decline. Among them, haemosporidian parasites, vector-transmitted protozoan parasites, are known to constitute a risk for different avian species. However, the magnitude of haemosporidian infection in wild columbiform birds, including strongly decreasing European turtle doves, is largely unknown. We examined the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon and subgenera Haemoproteus and Parahaemoproteus in six species of the order Columbiformes during breeding season and migration by applying nested PCR, one-step multiplex PCR assay and microscopy. We detected infections in 109 of the 259 screened individuals (42%), including 15 distinct haemosporidian mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages, representing five H. (Haemoproteus), two H. (Parahaemoproteus), five Leucocytozoon and three Plasmodium lineages. Five of these lineages have never been described before. We discriminated between single and mixed infections and determined host species-specific prevalence for each parasite genus. Observed differences among sampled host species are discussed with reference to behavioural characteristics, including nesting and migration strategy. Our results support previous suggestions that migratory birds have a higher prevalence and diversity of blood parasites than resident or short-distance migratory species. A phylogenetic reconstruction provided evidence for H. (Haemoproteus) as well as H. (Parahaemoproteus) infections in columbiform birds. Based on microscopic examination, we quantified parasitemia, indicating the probability of negative effects on the host. This study provides a large-scale baseline description of haemosporidian infections of wild birds belonging to the order Columbiformes sampled in the northern hemisphere. The results enable the monitoring of future changes in parasite transmission areas, distribution and diversity associated with global change, posing a potential risk for declining avian species as the European turtle dove.

Linking 19th century European settlement to the disruption of a seabird's natural population dynamics.

Recent estimates indicate that ∼70% of the world's seabird populations have declined since the 1950s due to human activities. However, for almost all bird populations, there is insufficient long-term monitoring to understand baseline (i.e., preindustrial) conditions, which are required to distinguish natural versus anthropogenically driven changes. Here, we address this lack of long-term monitoring data with multiproxy paleolimnological approaches to examine the long-term population dynamics of a major colony of Leach's Storm-petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous) on Grand Colombier Island in the St. Pierre and Miquelon archipelago-an overseas French territory in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. By reconstructing the last ∼5,800 y of storm-petrel dynamics, we demonstrate that this colony underwent substantial natural fluctuations until the start of the 19th century, when population cycles were disrupted, coinciding with the establishment and expansion of a European settlement. Our paleoenvironmental data, coupled with on-the-ground population surveys, indicate that the current colony is only ∼16% of the potential carrying capacity, reinforcing concerning trends of globally declining seabird populations. As seabirds are sentinel species of marine ecosystem health, such declines provide a call to action for global conservation. In response, we emphasize the need for enlarged protected areas and the rehabilitation of disturbed islands to protect ecologically critical seabird populations. Furthermore, long-term data, such as those provided by paleoecological approaches, are required to better understand shifting baselines in conservation to truly recognize current rates of ecological loss.

Genomic evidence of demographic fluctuations and lack of genetic structure across flyways in a long distance migrant, the European turtle dove.

BACKGROUND: Understanding how past climatic oscillations have affected organismic evolution will help predict the impact that current climate change has on living organisms. The European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur, is a warm-temperature adapted species and a long distance migrant that uses multiple flyways to move between Europe and Africa. Despite being abundant, it is categorized as vulnerable because of a long-term demographic decline. We studied the demographic history and population genetic structure of the European turtle dove using genomic data and mitochondrial DNA sequences from individuals sampled across Europe, and performing paleoclimatic niche modelling simulations. RESULTS: Overall our data suggest that this species is panmictic across Europe, and is not genetically structured across flyways. We found the genetic signatures of demographic fluctuations, inferring an effective population size (Ne) expansion that occurred between the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, followed by a decrease in the Ne that started between the mid Holocene and the present. Our niche modelling analyses suggest that the variations in the Ne are coincident with recent changes in the availability of suitable habitat. CONCLUSIONS: We argue that the European turtle dove is prone to undergo demographic fluctuations, a trait that makes it sensitive to anthropogenic impacts, especially when its numbers are decreasing. Also, considering the lack of genetic structure, we suggest all populations across Europe are equally relevant for conservation.

Migration routes and staging areas of trans-Saharan Turtle Doves appraised from light-level geolocators.

The identification of migration routes, wintering grounds and stopover sites are crucial issues for the understanding of the Palearctic-African bird migration system as well as for the development of relevant conservation strategies for trans-Saharan migrants. Using miniaturized light-level geolocators we report a comprehensive and detailed year round track of a granivorous trans-Saharan migrant, the European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur). From five recovered loggers, our data provide new insights on migratory journeys and winter destinations of Turtle Doves originating from a breeding population in Western France. Data confirm that Turtle Doves wintered in West Africa. The main wintering area encompassed Western Mali, the Inner Delta Niger and the Malian/Mauritanian border. Some individuals also extended their wintering ranges over North Guinea, North-West of Burkina Faso and the Ivory-Coast. Our results reveal that all individuals did not spend the winter period at a single location; some of them experienced a clear eastward shift of several hundred kilometres. We also found evidence for a loop migration pattern, with a post-breeding migration flyway lying west of the spring route. Finally, we found that on their way back to breeding grounds Turtle Doves needed to refuel after crossing the Sahara desert. Contrary to previous suggestions, our data reveal that birds used stopover sites for several weeks, presumably in Morocco and North Algeria. This later finding is a crucial issue for future conservation strategies because environmental conditions on these staging areas might play a pivotal role in population dynamics of this declining species.

Kidnapping of chicks in emperor penguins: a hormonal by-product?

The function and causes of kidnapping juveniles are little understood because individuals sustain some breeding costs to rear an unrelated offspring. Here we focus on the proximal causes of this behaviour in emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri), whose failed breeders often kidnap chicks. We experimentally tested the hypothesis that kidnapping behaviour was the result of high residual levels of prolactin (PRL), a hormone involved in parental behaviour. Penguins with artificially decreased PRL levels by bromocriptine administration kidnapped chicks less often than control penguins. Within the bromocriptine treated group, kidnapping behaviour was not totally suppressed and the probability of kidnapping a chick was positively correlated to PRL levels measured before treatment. During breeding, emperor penguins have to forage in remote ice-free areas. In these birds, PRL secretion is poorly influenced by chick stimuli and has probably evolved to maintain a willingness to return to the colony after a long absence at sea. Therefore, penguins that have lost their chick during a foraging trip still maintain high residual PRL levels and this, combined with colonial breeding, probably facilitates kidnapping. We suggest that kidnapping in non-cooperative systems may result from a hormonal byproduct of a reproductive adaptation to extreme conditions.

High levels of LH and testosterone in a tropical seabird with an elaborate courtship display.

For birds breeding in temperate areas, territoriality and courtship co-occur during spring and are mirrored by elevated plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone. By contrast, several tropical species show no major changes in LH and testosterone throughout the year and plasma levels are often low. This study describes changes in body condition, LH and testosterone levels throughout breeding in a tropical seabird, the magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens). Although bi-parental care is the rule in frigatebirds, these seabirds are unique among seabirds in having a lek-like mating system where males perform an elaborate courtship display during which an extravagant sexual ornament (gular pouch) is inflated. Body condition peaked during the displaying stage in males and declined gradually in both sexes, being the lowest during chick-rearing. LH and testosterone titers were the highest in displaying males with a fully inflated gular pouch (means: 23.6 ng/ml for LH and 6.2 ng/ml for testosterone) and remained low (means: 3.8 ng/ml for LH and 0.3 ng/ml for testosterone) during incubation and chick-rearing in both sexes. Body condition was positively related to testosterone levels in displaying males. In male frigatebirds, high levels of testosterone are not associated with aggression but are probably required to display the inflated gular pouch and to perform an elaborate courtship display. Because males invest in incubation and chick-rearing, testosterone has to return to low levels, to permit parental care. This hormonal pattern differs greatly with that of the few tropical seabirds studied so far and is probably related to the unique reproductive strategy of frigatebirds.

Using stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope measurements of feathers to infer geographical origins of migrating European birds.

Successful application of stable-hydrogen isotope measurements (deltaDf) of feathers to track origins of migratory birds and other wildlife requires a fundamental understanding of the correlation between deltaDf and deuterium patterns in rainfall (deltaDp) over continental scales. A strong correlation between deltaDp and deltaDf has been confirmed for birds and insects in North America, but not yet for other continents. Here, we compare deltaDf data from resident European birds to new deltaDp basemaps for Europe. Three maps, representing growing-season and mean annual deltaDp estimates from an elevation-explicit, detrended interpolation model and growing-season deltaDp estimates from simple Kriging, all indicate that strong isotope gradients occur across Europe with a general depletion occurring in a northeast direction. The feather data, representing 141 individuals of 25 avian species from 38 sites, ranged from -131 to -38 per thousand. Regression analysis showed that strong correlations existed between both mean annual and growing-season deltaDp estimated by detrended interpolation and deltaDf of non-aquatic and non-corvid birds (r2=0.66 and 0.65, respectively). We also examined mean annual and growing-season delta18Op vs. delta18Of for our samples. Both oxygen regressions were similar (r2=0.56 and 0.57, respectively) but poorer than for deuterium. Our study reveals that deltaD measurements of feathers from migratory birds in Europe may be used to track their origin and movements, and so provide a powerful investigative tool for avian migration research in Europe.