The effects of cities on quail (Coturnix coturnix) migration: a disturbing story of population connectivity, health, and ecography.

The increasing impact of human activities on ecosystems is provoking a profound and dangerous effect, particularly in wildlife. Examining the historical migration patterns of quail (Coturnix coturnix) offers a compelling case study to demonstrate the repercussions of human actions on biodiversity. Urbanization trends, where people gravitate toward mega-urban areas, amplify this effect. The proliferation of artificial urban ecosystems extends its influence across every biome, as human reliance on infrastructure and food sources alters ecological dynamics extensively. We examine European quail migrations pre- and post-World War II and in the present day. Our study concentrates on the Italian peninsula, investigating the historical and contemporary recovery of ringed quail populations. To comprehend changes in quail migration, we utilize trajectory analysis, open statistical data, and linear generalized models. We found that while human population and economic growth have shown a linear increase, quail recovery rates exhibit a U-shaped trajectory, and cereal and legume production displays an inverse U-shaped pattern. Generalized linear models have unveiled the significant influence of several key factors-time periods, cereal and legume production, and human demographics-on quail recovery rates. These factors closely correlate with the levels of urbanization observed across these timeframes. These insights underscore the profound impact of expanding human populations and the rise of mega-urbanization on ecosystem dynamics and services. As our planet becomes more urbanized, the pressure on ecosystems intensifies, highlighting the urgent need for concerted efforts directed toward conserving and revitalizing ecosystem integrity. Simultaneously, manage the needs and demands of burgeoning mega-urban areas. Achieving this balance is pivotal to ensuring sustainable coexistence between urban improvement and the preservation of our natural environment.

Vultures as an overlooked model in cognitive ecology.

Despite important recent advances in cognitive ecology, our current understanding of avian cognition still largely rests on research conducted on a few model taxa. Vultures are an ecologically distinctive group of species by being the only obligate carrion consumers across terrestrial vertebrates. Their unique scavenging lifestyle suggests they have been subject to particular selective pressures to locate scarce, unpredictable, ephemeral, and nutritionally challenging food. However, substantial variation exists among species in diet, foraging techniques and social structure of populations. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on vulture cognition through a comprehensive literature review and a compilation of our own observations. We find evidence for a variety of innovative foraging behaviors, scrounging tactics, collective problem-solving abilities and tool-use, skills that are considered indicative of enhanced cognition and that bear clear connections with the eco-social lifestyles of species. However, we also find that the cognitive basis of these skills remain insufficiently studied, and identify new research areas that require further attention in the future. Despite these knowledge gaps and the challenges of working with such large animals, we conclude that vultures may provide fresh insight into our knowledge of the ecology and evolution of cognition.

Ecological markers to monitor migratory bird populations: Integrating citizen science and transboundary management for conservation purposes.

Countries share responsibility for the management and conservation of migratory bird species. However, a limited understanding of population dynamics hampers the implementation of harvest and transboundary management. Age-ratios and population density can be useful indicators to assess population dynamics to improve management and conservation actions. Here, the dynamics of an Atlantic population of Common quail Coturnix coturnix, using 32,508 quail samples and 4814 hunter questionnaires over a 20-year period (1996-2016) served as a comparative study for examining age-ratio patterns related to different geographic zones, population density and weather parameters. Results show that age-ratios varied over zones and years, specifically age-ratio 1 (AR1), used as an index of late breeding attempts, varied from 0.1 to 0.21. Age-ratio 2 (AR2), a surrogate of central recruitment, varied from 0.16 to 0.66. Finally, age-ratio 3 (AR3), used as an indicator of the population's annual breeding success, varied from 3.69 to 6.68. Age-ratio is linked to internal and external factors (i.e. effect of rainfall, variations over time and density-dependent relationships) depicting how quail age groups make segregated migration in time and space. Quail age groups perform a complex pattern of migration because of entwined changes in abundance, migration routes and timing, influencing population connectivity and dynamics. Our findings highlight the relevance of citizen science and transboundary agreements to improve management and conservation measures of migrant species. Administrations and policy-makers in developed and developing countries must coordinate efforts to engage hunters in a participatory management systems to achieve sustainability.

Body proportions for the facilitation of walking, running and flying: the case of partridges.

BACKGROUND: Predation is one of the most important natural selection forces. Prey species can optimize feeding behavior and escape from predators based on mobility conditioned by body proportions. With age, mobility capacity increases and individuals are more efficient in finding resources and safety (e.g., food and refuge). Birds' mobility is driven by the dimensions, of the head and torso, as well as the extremities and flight feathers. To assess the relationship between body traits and to understand how body proportions are organized in wild Red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa), we used biometric data from nearly 14,000 individuals, obtained during a long-term study (1988-2011) on a wild population. RESULTS: We used GLMs and regressions to model the relationship between body mass and the size of body parts. We found that wing length was the morphological part best explained by other body trait measures. Wing length models were better predictors in juveniles than in adults and in females than in males. Wing length and feather length, mass and total length are the most strongly related parts; mass and wing length, total length and feather length are moderately related. The association between mass and wing length is intermediated by feather length and total length. CONCLUSIONS: Social inclusion, feeding and predator evasion may be affected by body structure intermediated by mobility and health. Our results suggest that proportions of the body, extremities and flight feathers drive mobility which is intimately associated with ecology, biological efficiency, health and physical optimization. Our findings showed that wing size was strongly allied to other body part measurements, enhancing the importance of body structure conformation for flight. Our study highlights the scaled relationship of body structure among age-sex classes and its relevance to social cohesion, flock movement and the balance between predation and starvation.

Drivers of daily movement patterns affecting an endangered vulture flight activity.

BACKGROUND: The development of satellite tracking technology enables the gathering of huge amounts of accurate data on animal movements over measured time intervals, to reveal essential information about species' patterns of spatial use. This information is especially important in optimizing the design of conservation and management strategies for endangered species. In this study, we analysed the main drivers of daily patterns in the flight activity of the threatened Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus. We studied 19 Bearded Vultures tagged with solar-powered GPS transmitters from 2006 to 2016 in the Pyrenees (Spain). We assessed the relative influence of external factors (season and daylight time) and internal factors (sex, breeding season and territorial status) on their daily activity behaviour by computing mean hourly distance travelled, maximum displacement and cumulative distance travelled per hour. RESULTS: Our findings showed a clear difference in all the estimators between territorial and non-territorial (floating) members of the population, showing that non-territorial individuals spent much longer in flight and travelled larger distances per day. We detected an important influence of daylight time and season on the daily rhythms of Bearded Vultures; flight activity increased during the last three quarters of daylight and was greatest in the spring. Breeding period and sex had also an effect on the maximum displacement and cumulative distance travelled. Individuals flew more during the breeding period and females tended to exhibit greater cumulative and maximum distances per hour than males regardless of breeding season. CONCLUSIONS: Pyrenean Bearded Vultures flight daily activity was strongly influenced by daylight time, season, and territorial status, while individual sex and breeding season showed a milder effect on the birds' movement behaviour. This study gives a novel insight into how external factors act as main drivers of the daily flight activity pattern of a long-lived avian scavenger.

Man-induced activities modify demographic parameters in a long-lived species: effects of poisoning and health policies.

Recent changes in sanitary policies within the European Union (EU) concerning disposal of carcasses of domestic animals and the increase of non-natural mortality factors, such as illegal poisoning, are threatening European vultures. However, the effects of anthropogenic activities on demographic parameters are poorly studied. Using a long-term study (1994-2011) of the threatened Pyrenean Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus population, we assess the variation in the proportion of breeding pairs, egg-laying dates, clutch size, breeding success, and survival following a sharp reduction in food availability in 2005 due to the application of restrictive sanitary policies decreasing livestock carcass availability. We found a delay in laying dates and a regressive trend in clutch size, breeding success, and survival following policy change. The maintenance of specific supplementary feeding stations for Bearded Vultures probably reduced the negative effects of illegal poisoning and food shortages, which mainly affected subadult survival. A drop in food availability may have produced changes in demographic parameters and an increase in mortality due to an increased exposure to contaminated food. As a result, supplementary feeding as a precautionary measure can be a useful tool to reduce illegal poisoning and declines in demographic parameters until previous food availability scenarios are achieved. This study shows how anthropogenic activities through human health regulations that affect habitat quality can suddenly modify demographic parameters in long-lived species, including those, such as survival, with high sensitivity to population growth rate.

The global contribution of vultures towards ecosystem services and sustainability: An experts' perspective.

The ecosystem services framework is essential for biodiversity conservation, emphasizing the role of nature in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study offers a global view on vulture-associated ecosystem services and their SDG contributions, based on insights from 206 experts. The findings reveal global consensus on the importance of vultures in regulation and maintenance services, such as waste recycling and disease control. Cultural services attributed to vultures are moderate and vary regionally. Provisioning services are consistently rated low across all regions. Experts' views on vultures' key ecosystem roles are often biased toward well-known services and may not align with all scientific evidence. The study emphasizes vultures' role in achieving SDGs, particularly impacting life on land and health, and calls for reevaluating their contribution to sustainable practices. It stresses the need to customize conservation to regional values and perceptions, recognizing vultures' critical role in ecological balance, public health, and sustainable development.

New Insights into the Cosmetic Behaviour of Bearded Vultures: Ferruginous Springs Are Shared Sequentially.

Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain the function of cosmetic behaviour of bearded vultures, being the signalling individual dominance status the most accepted. However, no advances have been made in understanding this mysterious behaviour, in part due to the secrecy of this species. With the help of camera traps and GPS devices we monitored the use of a ferruginous spring in the Pyrenees (Spain) providing new insights into this aspect of their behavioural ecology. Most of the visits (93.5%) involved a single bearded vulture and bathing behaviour only occurred when a single individual was present, confirming their secretive behaviour. A total of 50% of individuals that visited the site were non-adults, suggesting that cosmetic coloration functions as an attenuating signal that may also benefit subordinate individuals. Future studies with the help of new technologies could help to disentangle some questions about the real function of cosmetic coloration and their social relevance.

Reconstructing migratory network nodes to improve environmental management and conservation decisions: A case study of the common quail Coturnix coturnix as a biosensor.

Public health risks are related to environmental management practices, and are essential to the understanding of ecosystem dynamics. The expansion of urbanized areas affects migratory bird networks and can impact the population sizes of migratory species and, in parallel, increase the risk of diseases carried by migratory species spreading into urban areas. Taking the European population of the common quail as a case study, we reconstructed its migratory network between Europe and the Maghreb using quail recoveries from the Italian Bird Ringing Scheme. We showed that soils at the central European migratory node have been degraded through urbanization and reforestation, decreasing the number of successful migrations over this area. Conceptual models incorporating the One Health approach, natural and social capital, landscape infrastructure, and ecosystem services could explain the relationships between climate warming and extensively developed, intensively developed, and urbanized ecosystems. Failed migratory flights of quail over central Europe highlight not only the problems of infrastructure design and their impact on ecosystems services, but also on One Health parameters. The damage to migratory network nodes presents a global threat to biodiversity and can increase the spread of diseases. To address this challenge we propose: i) improvements in land quality; ii) transboundary migration monitoring programmes; and iii) management plans for migratory birds - the overall aim being to optimize infrastructures to improve the quality of human life. Lessons drawn from a better understanding of the migratory networks of quail in relation to different ecosystems provide useful tools to improve infrastructure management and political decision making processes.

Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) as a bone modifying agent and its implications for archaeology.

Neo-taphonomic studies have allowed us to detect bone damage patterns linked to carnivore preferences and behavioral traits as well as to improve our understanding of the origin of different alterations on vertebrate fossil faunas. However, taphonomically speaking vultures are among the least studied of all common, obligate scavengers. The research reported here contributes to characterise Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) behavior from a taphonomic perspective describing bone damage on 12 small-sized ungulate carcasses. The combination of observational data from photo/video-trap together with taphonomic analyses allowed us to manage factors like feeding behavior or time of consumption, as well as to accurately record bone modified items. Some bone-modifying effects are described here for the first time as vulture-made bone-damage distinctiveness. Still, some others may pose equifinality problems especially regarding small carnivores. This taphonomic conundrum leaves an interpretation problem particularly in archaeological sites in which those agents are present and consequently, an individualization dilemma about the taphonomic actors involved in bone modified assemblages.

First detection of herpesvirus and hemosporidians in the endangered Pyrenean Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus).

Pathogens affect wild bird populations worldwide, contributing to their decline. Considering the scarce health data regarding the endangered Pyrenean Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus), we molecularly surveyed selected pathogens (Newcastle disease virus, Avian influenza virus, Chlamydia psittaci, avian pathogenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni, and Salmonella spp.) in 30 Pyrenean Capercaillie feces collected in the field (Catalonia, northeastern Spain). Additionally, swab and tissue samples from eight wild Pyrenean Capercaillies of Catalonia and Andorra were molecularly tested for herpesvirus and hemosporidians (Plasmodium spp., Haemoproteus spp., and Leucocytozoon spp.). All fecal samples were negative for the pathogens tested. Nevertheless, we detected a novel herpesvirus in 50% (4/8) of the Pyrenean Capercaillies, and hemosporidian DNA in 62.5% (5/8) of the tissue samples (i.e., Haemoproteus sp. [4 of 8] and/or Leucocytozoon sp. [3 of 8]). To our knowledge, this is the first detection of herpesvirus and hemosporidians infections in Pyrenean Capercaillies. The putative novel herpesvirus belongs to the genus Iltovirus. The presence of hemosporidian parasites in this mountain bird species is of concern, and could be related to the marked increase in the average temperature in the Pyrenees as a consequence of climate change. Our findings are fundamental to improve the conservation plans for the endangered Pyrenean Capercaillie population.

Large-scale movement patterns in a social vulture are influenced by seasonality, sex, and breeding region.

Quantifying space use and segregation, as well as the extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting them, is crucial to increase our knowledge of species-specific movement ecology and to design effective management and conservation measures. This is particularly relevant in the case of species that are highly mobile and dependent on sparse and unpredictable trophic resources, such as vultures. Here, we used the GPS-tagged data of 127 adult Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus captured at five different breeding regions in Spain to describe the movement patterns (home-range size and fidelity, and monthly cumulative distance). We also examined how individual sex, season, and breeding region determined the cumulative distance traveled and the size and overlap between consecutive monthly home-ranges. Overall, Griffon Vultures exhibited very large annual home-range sizes of 5027 ± 2123 km2, mean monthly cumulative distances of 1776 ± 1497 km, and showed a monthly home-range fidelity of 67.8 ± 25.5%. However, individuals from northern breeding regions showed smaller home-ranges and traveled shorter monthly distances than those from southern ones. In all cases, home-ranges were larger in spring and summer than in winter and autumn, which could be related to difference in flying conditions and food requirements associated with reproduction. Moreover, females showed larger home-ranges and less monthly fidelity than males, indicating that the latter tended to use the similar areas throughout the year. Overall, our results indicate that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors modulate the home-range of the Griffon Vulture and that spatial segregation depends on sex and season at the individual level, without relevant differences between breeding regions in individual site fidelity. These results have important implications for conservation, such as identifying key threat factors necessary to improve management actions and policy decisions.

Cuantificar el uso y la segregación del espacio, así como los factores extrínsecos e intrínsecos que los afectan, es crucial para aumentar nuestro conocimiento de la ecología de movimientos de cada especie y diseñar medidas eficaces de gestión y conservación. Esto es especialmente relevante en el caso de especies con gran movilidad y dependientes de recursos tróficos escasos e impredecibles, como son los buitres. En este trabajo se utilizaron datos GPS de 127 buitres leonados Gyps fulvus adultos capturados en cinco regiones de cría diferentes en España para describir los patrones de movimiento (tamaño y fidelidad del área de campeo y distancia acumulada mensual). También examinamos cómo el sexo, la estación del año y la región de cría determinaban la distancia acumulada recorrida y el tamaño y solapamiento entre áreas de campeo mensuales consecutivas. En conjunto, los buitres leonados mostraron un área de campeo anual muy extensa de 5027 ± 2123 km2, una distancia acumulada mensual media de 1776 ± 1497 km y una fidelidad mensual al área de campeo del 67.8 ± 25.5%. Sin embargo, los individuos de las regiones de cría más septentrionales mostraron áreas de campeo más pequeñas y recorrieron distancias mensuales más cortas que los de las más meridionales. En todos los casos, las áreas de campeo fueron mayores en primavera y verano que en otoño e invierno, lo que podría estar relacionado con las diferencias en las condiciones de vuelo y las necesidades tróficas asociadas a la reproducción. Además, las hembras mostraron mayores áreas de campeo y menor fidelidad mensual que los machos, lo que indica que estos últimos tienden a utilizar zonas similares durante todo el año. En conjunto, nuestros resultados indican que tanto los factores extrínsecos como los intrínsecos modulan el área de campeo del buitre leonado y que la segregación espacial depende del sexo y de la estación a nivel individual, sin que existan diferencias relevantes entre las regiones de cría en cuanto a la fidelidad individual al lugar. Estos resultados podrían tener importantes implicaciones para la conservación, como la identificación de los principales factores necesarios para mejorar las medidas de gestión y las decisiones políticas.

Crossing artificial obstacles during migration: The relative global ecological risks and interdependencies illustrated by the migration of common quail Coturnix coturnix.

The increase of urban expansion, whereby soils become altered or filled with buildings through human action, presents a global threat to biodiversity and the spread of disease. Many of the factors determining bird migration routes and disease spread are poorly understood. We studied the migration routes of common quail Coturnix coturnix in western Europe. We examined the recoveries of ringed birds to characterize their migration trajectories to understand how this nocturnal migrant crosses artificial areas and predict the risk of migration collapse and disease transmission. We evaluated the possible consequences of quail collisions with human infrastructure elements (i.e., buildings, cranes, overhead cables and wires, and wind farm structures) to assess disease transmission in relation to the amount of urban soil. Our results show that variations in the amount of artificialized soil in central Europe are correlated with the relative absence of quail migratory routes. Conceptual models incorporating environmental ecology showed the relationships between climate warming, agroecosystems, and urban ecosystems as well as human health and economic growth. We predict a drastic loss of biodiversity and spread of disease if we do not curb the spread of land consumption. Taking a broad view of the interrelations discussed here allows predictions of global vulnerability and increased risks to health due to losses of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Lessons drawn from migration route maps of quail in relation to the distribution of urbanized soils provide tools for global conservation political decision making.

Effect of nest composition, experience and nest quality on nest-building behaviour in the Bonelli's Eagle.

In bi-parentally built nests, there is evidence to suggest that nests are extended phenotypic signals that accurately indicate the quality of the building parent/s. Raptors often use a variety of materials to build their nests (natural, such as branches, but also non-natural objects), presumably due to their insulating properties, their suitability to advertise occupancy of the nest, and to decrease pathogen and parasite loads. However, in raptors where both sexes collaborate in nest construction, it is unclear whether nest building (taking the amount of material carried to the nest as the potential predictor) is an indicator of parental quality, and whether the effort expended by both sexes could constitute an honest signal of parental quality to their partners. Between 2011 and 2016, we monitored 16 nests of Bonelli's Eagles (Aquila fasciata), and we examined data on sex, type of material brought to the nest, breeding experience, nest quality, timing, and nest-building investment prior to egg-laying from 32 identifiable Bonelli's Eagles during the pre-laying period to investigate the relative contribution of the sexes to the amount of nest material gathered. Our results indicate that sex is not a determining factor in nest-building effort, and that females did not increase their parental effort in response to the male's contribution, and supply of materials did not increase during the pre-laying period. In contrast, our models showed that: (1) the type of material supplied to the nest by both sexes varied significantly throughout the pre-laying period and (2) nest-building effort was determined by individual experience and nest quality. Therefore, our study suggests that male nest-building behaviour and investment by Bonelli's Eagles cannot be considered as an extended phenotypic signal. The differential use of hard and green material by both sexes in the early and late stages of nest-building period, and the fact that the more experienced individuals contributed a larger amount of material on low quality nests, are discussed in the contexts of signaling nest occupancy to conspecifics and competitors and the decrease of ectoparasite loads during the pre-laying period.

Avian scavengers' contributions to people: The cultural dimension of wildlife-based tourism.

Scavengers provide significant nature's contributions to people (NCP), including disease control through carcass removal, but their non-material NCP are rarely considered. For the first time, we assess the extent and value of the NCP provided by European avian scavengers through a scavenger-based tourism at Pyrenean supplementary feeding sites (SFS). Using a two-step cluster analysis, two different types of visitor were identified (specialist avian scavenger-watchers and generalist nature-lovers) at those SFS offering recreational experiences (n = 20, i.e. birdwatching, educational, or photographic activities). Most visitors (85%) perceived avian scavengers as beneficial NCP providers, associating this guild with non-material NCP (mostly supporting identities), followed by regulating and maintenance of options NCP (<1%). Our findings help to characterize the type of people who participate in scavenger related recreation and to identify and value their perceptions of avian scavengers. There has not been much previous research on positive human-wildlife interactions, even though ignoring people emotional bonds with nature can be perilous for biodiversity conservation.