Protected areas are crucial for the conservation of West Africa's increasingly imperiled wildlife... more Protected areas are crucial for the conservation of West Africa's increasingly imperiled wildlife, but are under unprecedented pressure associated with exponential human population growth in the region. Using birds as biodiversity indicators, we investigated the conservation status of Togo's Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, which was managed by a private foundation from 1990 to 2015, and since 2015 has been managed by the state. Between 2022 and 2024, we conducted 90 days of bird surveys in the park and documented a total of 240 bird species. Our findings include 34 species new to the park, including the first record of Emin's Shrike (Lanius gubernator) in Togo, the first sightings of the Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) since 1990, and first observations of the Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus) since 2019. Many such species survive in Togo only in Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, but its exceptional biodiversity has come under increasing assault from illegal activities, including poaching, logging, road construction, charcoal production, cattle grazing, and land clearance to establish agricultural plantations. We were unable to document 91 bird species previously reported for the park during our surveys, suggesting a possible ~31% decline in avian species richness in the park compared to historical records. Apparent extirpations of globally-threatened raptors such as the Critically Endangered White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) and Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus), and declines of the Endangered Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) and Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) further indicate that current conservation strategies are failing to adequately protect wildlife in the park. Togo's two other historical national parks have already been almost entirely destroyed by human activities, and unless urgent conservation action is taken, there is a high risk that Fazao-Malfakassa National Park will share the same fate. We urgently recommend improving support for law enforcement capacity and park staff, conducting community conservation outreach, and ongoing monitoring of wildlife in the park to assess its conservation success.
Highlighting connections between biological diversity and human languages can provide support for... more Highlighting connections between biological diversity and human languages can provide support for the conservation of both nature and culture. We investigated birds and bird names in western Amazonia, the region with the highest bird species richness in the world, working with indigenous communities whose oral traditions include rich knowledge of bird ecology, taxonomy, and behavior. Between 2004 and 2020, we conducted bird surveys together with residents of indigenous Aguaruna territories in the upper Marañón River valley, northern Peru, where no ecological surveys have been published before now. Based on field surveys in 10 Aguaruna communities, we documented 427 bird species in 51 families, including eight wintering Nearctic-Neotropical migratory species. We documented Aguaruna names for 294 bird species, representing 69% of the bird species detected in the study area. Although prior research suggested that unique Aguaruna names exist for the majority of the bird species present, we found unique Aguaruna names for just over a third (38%) of bird species documented, with the remainder of bird names shared by multiple species or families. Our findings provide evidence of high bird species richness benefiting from effective protection on indigenous lands, and of oral traditions that include a significant source of information on bird taxonomy but unfortunately are in decline.
A large portion of tropical forests around the world have been impacted by human disturbances suc... more A large portion of tropical forests around the world have been impacted by human disturbances such as clearcutting or selective logging. Impacts from these disturbances may remain long after the trees grow back, as other aspects of forest structure may have changed. Forests that are recovering from disturbances still play an important role for wildlife, though their conservation value compared to undisturbed forests is not well understood. To examine how different types of human disturbance impact tropical forest birds, we surveyed and compared bird communities in three different forest habitats: undisturbed primary forest, selectively logged forest (low disturbance), and forest replanted on abandoned agricultural fields (high disturbance). Our surveys occurred 19 years after any logging or agriculture, allowing our forest sites time to regrow. We found that while bird communities at low-disturbance sites were similar to undisturbed sites, high-disturbance sites had fewer bird species, with ant-following birds being particularly underrepresented. We related these results to vegetation structure measurements, which suggested that reducing tree density and vegetation ground cover in high-disturbance forests may improve these areas as tropical forest bird habitats.
Vultures are among the most threatened species in Africa, with several critically endangered spec... more Vultures are among the most threatened species in Africa, with several critically endangered species surviving mainly or only in protected areas. West African vulture declines are correlated with steep losses of natural habitat and mammalian wildlife. Major factors driving vulture extirpations include wildlife trade for traditional medicine, belief-based rituals, and bushmeat. Current data on vulture abundance and breeding ecology are crucial for conservation but lacking in many countries, including Ghana. Between 2020 and 2022, we conducted 761 km of surveys for critically endangered vultures in Mole National Park (Mole NP), a 4840 km2 protected savanna in northern Ghana. Using our count data, we estimated populations of 29–36 Hooded Vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus), 25–73 White-backed Vultures (Gyps africanus), and 3–4 White-headed Vultures (Trigonoceps occipitalis) in the southern region of Mole NP. We also documented 17 occupied vulture nests, including six Hooded Vulture nests, ...
Bird–forestry relationships have been the subject of research and conservation initiatives for de... more Bird–forestry relationships have been the subject of research and conservation initiatives for decades, but there are few reviews of resulting recommendations for use by forest managers. We define “bird-friendly forestry” as forest management that applies recommendations from research seeking to reconcile logging with bird conservation in natural forests used for timber production. We reviewed relevant studies to synthesize 10 principles of bird-friendly forestry: (1) protect and enhance vertical structure through uneven-aged silviculture; (2) leave abundant dead wood in different decay stages; (3) maintain residual large green trees; (4) create and maintain sufficient amounts of uncut reserves and corridors; (5) maximize forest interior by retaining large contiguous forest tracts in landscapes with sufficient functional connectivity; (6) maintain buffers along streams, rivers, and wetlands cultural and urban landscapes; (7) maintain horizontal stand structure and enhance vegetation...
The Arabian Partridge (Alectoris melanocephala), is an endemic bird species of the Arabian Desert... more The Arabian Partridge (Alectoris melanocephala), is an endemic bird species of the Arabian Desert that lives in groups and inhabits rocky hillsides with patchy vegetation. Throughout their range, Arabian Partridges contend with hunting and habitat destruction, factors that may limit their distribution and abundance. Although the abundance of this species has been assumed to be stable, no actual estimate of its population size has been undertaken. We assessed the distribution and estimated the abundance of the Arabian Partridge at the northern boundary of its range in Saudi Arabia. The estimated density and abundance of the Arabian Partridge in Harrat Uwayrid Biosphere Reserve was 25.6 (6.16 SE) birds/km2 and ~118 individuals, respectively, with higher numbers of individuals in less disturbed sites and near rocky outcrops and hillsides. In sites where hunting occurred, as indicated by the presence of hunting shelters, partridge numbers were extremely low or absent. Our study provides...
Wilson’s phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor; Scolopacidae) is a migratory shorebird that relies on in... more Wilson’s phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor; Scolopacidae) is a migratory shorebird that relies on interior wetlands for foraging and breeding (Colwell and Jehl 1994, van Gils et al. 2018). Its global population status is unclear (Colwell and Jehl 1994, Lesterhuis and Clay 2010), and is variously listed as declining (Morrison et al. 2006, van Gils et al. 2018), increasing (Andres 2009, BirdLife International 2018), and exhibiting a long-term decline but recent stability (Sauer et al. 2011, Andres et al. 2012). Its global population estimate of 1.5 million birds has not been updated for 30 years, since 1988 (Colwell and Jehl 1994, Lesterhuis and Clay 2010, Andres 2012). In Nebraska, analysis of Breeding Bird Survey data indicate a population decline in Wilson’s phalarope by ~1.5% between 1966 and 2014 (Sauer et al. 2017). Published maps of the breeding range Wilson’s phalarope vary but typically include north-central and northwestern Nebraska as its easternmost extent (Sauer et al. 2017,...
Anthropogenic climate change and habitat loss pose major threats to grassland breeding birds, the... more Anthropogenic climate change and habitat loss pose major threats to grassland breeding birds, the most rapidly declining group of birds in continental North America. Although previous studies have investigated grassland breeding bird responses to land management, few empirical studies explore their responses to climatic variation or its interactions with land management, which warrant urgent conservation attention. We evaluated the effects of climate and land management parameters on an indicator species for grassland breeding birds, the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), a Neotropical migrant of conservation concern whose global population has declined by more than two thirds since 1970. We quantified Grasshopper Sparrow responses to climate variation, land management actions, and their interactions in the Platte River Valley, Nebraska, in the North American Great Plains, using six years of mark-recapture data collected via the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) protocol. We implemented generalized linear mixed models to estimate avian population trends (adult abundance and productivity) in response to changes in precipitation and temperature as well as cattle grazing, haying, and prescribed burning. Our models showed that climatic variation, especially spring precipitation, was the most important driver of avian population trends. Grasshopper Sparrow abundance declined with increasing spring precipitation, but prescribed burns helped mitigate this effect and were positively related to productivity, especially during years of lower spring temperatures. Our findings demonstrate the vulnerability of grassland bird population trends to ongoing and predicted climate change as well as the potential of land management actions to mitigate some negative effects of climate change on grassland breeding birds. Conséquences du changement climatique et de la gestion des terres sur un passereau migrateur néotropical en diminution dans les Grandes Plaines d'Amérique du Nord RÉSUMÉ. Les changements climatiques d'origine anthropique et la perte d'habitat constituent des menaces majeures pour les oiseaux de prairie nicheurs, groupe d'espèces qui diminue le plus rapidement en Amérique du Nord continentale. Bien que des études antérieures aient examiné les réactions des oiseaux de prairie nicheurs suivant la gestion des terres, peu d'études empiriques ont exploré leurs comportements à la suite de variations climatiques ou leurs interactions avec l'aménagement des terres, qui méritent pourtant une attention urgente pour la conservation. Nous avons évalué les effets du climat et des paramètres de gestion des terres sur une espèce représentative des oiseaux de prairie nicheurs, le Bruant sauterelle (Ammodramus savannarum), un migrateur néotropical dont la population mondiale a diminué de plus des deux tiers depuis 1970. Nous avons quantifié les réactions des Bruants sauterelles aux variations climatiques, aux mesures de gestion des terres et à leurs interactions dans la vallée de la rivière Platte, au Nebraska, dans les Grandes Plaines d'Amérique du Nord, en utilisant six ans de données de marquage-recapture collectées au moyen du protocole MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship). Nous avons conçu des modèles linéaires généralisés à effets mixtes pour estimer la démographie (abondance des adultes et productivité, ou nombre de jeunes) en réponse aux changements de précipitation et de température ainsi qu'au pâturage du bétail, à la fenaison et au brûlage dirigé. Nos modèles montrent que la variation climatique, en particulier les précipitations printanières, était le facteur principal agissant sur les tendances démographiques. Le nombre de Bruants sauterelles a diminué avec l'augmentation des précipitations printanières, mais les brûlages dirigés ont aidé à atténuer cet effet et étaient positivement liés à la productivité, surtout lors des années de températures printanières plus basses. Selon nos résultats, les populations d'oiseaux de prairie sont vulnérables aux changements climatiques en cours et prévus, et des mesures de gestion des terres adéquates peuvent atténuer certains effets négatifs des changements climatiques sur les oiseaux de prairie nicheurs.
Montane desert birds are particularly vulnerable to population declines driven by global climate ... more Montane desert birds are particularly vulnerable to population declines driven by global climate change that is accelerated at higher elevations. Providing reliable and accurate information about their populations is essential for effective conservation management plans. However, few studies have compared the effectiveness of different survey methods for birds in high altitude arid environments, particularly in the Middle East. Here, we compare the reliability and precision of two sampling methods to estimate densities for two resident bird species in Egypt's Sinai mountains, the white-crowned wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga) and desert lark (Ammomanes deserti). We conducted surveys for both species in vegetated and unvegetated desert using fixed-width strip transects and line transects using the distance sampling approach, and employed several statistical approaches to compare density estimates. While both methods provided reliable density estimates given sufficient detections of ...
Birds in agricultural environments have exhibited steep global population declines in recent deca... more Birds in agricultural environments have exhibited steep global population declines in recent decades, and effective conservation strategies targeting their populations are urgently needed. In grasslands used for hay production, breeding birds’ nest success improves substantially if hay harvests are delayed until after mid-July. However, few studies have investigated private hay producers’ willingness to alter their harvesting practices, which is a critical factor for bird conservation where most land is privately owned, such as in the North American Great Plains. We surveyed Nebraska hay producers to examine whether livestock production, wildlife knowledge, and hunting activity affects their willingness to alter haying practices for bird conservation. The majority (60%) of respondents expressed willingness to delay harvesting hay to allow birds time to nest successfully. Livestock producers and those more knowledgeable about wildlife were more willing to delay hay harvests, whereas ...
Among the most rapidly declining birds in continental North America, grassland birds evolved with... more Among the most rapidly declining birds in continental North America, grassland birds evolved with American bison (Bison bison) until bison nearly became extinct due to overhunting. Bison populations have subsequently rebounded due to reintroductions on conservation lands, but the impacts of bison on grassland nesting birds remain largely unknown. We investigated how bison reintroduction, together with other land management and climate factors, affected breeding populations of a grassland bird species of conservation concern, the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). We quantified population changes in Bobolinks over an 18-year period in conservation grasslands where bison were reintroduced, compared with adjacent grasslands grazed by cattle and where hay was harvested after the bird breeding season. Four years after bison reintroduction, the bison population in the study area had doubled, while Bobolink abundance declined 62% and productivity declined 84%. Our findings suggest that biso...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Protected areas are crucial for the conservation of West Africa's increasingly imperiled wildlife... more Protected areas are crucial for the conservation of West Africa's increasingly imperiled wildlife, but are under unprecedented pressure associated with exponential human population growth in the region. Using birds as biodiversity indicators, we investigated the conservation status of Togo's Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, which was managed by a private foundation from 1990 to 2015, and since 2015 has been managed by the state. Between 2022 and 2024, we conducted 90 days of bird surveys in the park and documented a total of 240 bird species. Our findings include 34 species new to the park, including the first record of Emin's Shrike (Lanius gubernator) in Togo, the first sightings of the Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) since 1990, and first observations of the Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus) since 2019. Many such species survive in Togo only in Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, but its exceptional biodiversity has come under increasing assault from illegal activities, including poaching, logging, road construction, charcoal production, cattle grazing, and land clearance to establish agricultural plantations. We were unable to document 91 bird species previously reported for the park during our surveys, suggesting a possible ~31% decline in avian species richness in the park compared to historical records. Apparent extirpations of globally-threatened raptors such as the Critically Endangered White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) and Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus), and declines of the Endangered Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) and Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) further indicate that current conservation strategies are failing to adequately protect wildlife in the park. Togo's two other historical national parks have already been almost entirely destroyed by human activities, and unless urgent conservation action is taken, there is a high risk that Fazao-Malfakassa National Park will share the same fate. We urgently recommend improving support for law enforcement capacity and park staff, conducting community conservation outreach, and ongoing monitoring of wildlife in the park to assess its conservation success.
Highlighting connections between biological diversity and human languages can provide support for... more Highlighting connections between biological diversity and human languages can provide support for the conservation of both nature and culture. We investigated birds and bird names in western Amazonia, the region with the highest bird species richness in the world, working with indigenous communities whose oral traditions include rich knowledge of bird ecology, taxonomy, and behavior. Between 2004 and 2020, we conducted bird surveys together with residents of indigenous Aguaruna territories in the upper Marañón River valley, northern Peru, where no ecological surveys have been published before now. Based on field surveys in 10 Aguaruna communities, we documented 427 bird species in 51 families, including eight wintering Nearctic-Neotropical migratory species. We documented Aguaruna names for 294 bird species, representing 69% of the bird species detected in the study area. Although prior research suggested that unique Aguaruna names exist for the majority of the bird species present, we found unique Aguaruna names for just over a third (38%) of bird species documented, with the remainder of bird names shared by multiple species or families. Our findings provide evidence of high bird species richness benefiting from effective protection on indigenous lands, and of oral traditions that include a significant source of information on bird taxonomy but unfortunately are in decline.
A large portion of tropical forests around the world have been impacted by human disturbances suc... more A large portion of tropical forests around the world have been impacted by human disturbances such as clearcutting or selective logging. Impacts from these disturbances may remain long after the trees grow back, as other aspects of forest structure may have changed. Forests that are recovering from disturbances still play an important role for wildlife, though their conservation value compared to undisturbed forests is not well understood. To examine how different types of human disturbance impact tropical forest birds, we surveyed and compared bird communities in three different forest habitats: undisturbed primary forest, selectively logged forest (low disturbance), and forest replanted on abandoned agricultural fields (high disturbance). Our surveys occurred 19 years after any logging or agriculture, allowing our forest sites time to regrow. We found that while bird communities at low-disturbance sites were similar to undisturbed sites, high-disturbance sites had fewer bird species, with ant-following birds being particularly underrepresented. We related these results to vegetation structure measurements, which suggested that reducing tree density and vegetation ground cover in high-disturbance forests may improve these areas as tropical forest bird habitats.
Vultures are among the most threatened species in Africa, with several critically endangered spec... more Vultures are among the most threatened species in Africa, with several critically endangered species surviving mainly or only in protected areas. West African vulture declines are correlated with steep losses of natural habitat and mammalian wildlife. Major factors driving vulture extirpations include wildlife trade for traditional medicine, belief-based rituals, and bushmeat. Current data on vulture abundance and breeding ecology are crucial for conservation but lacking in many countries, including Ghana. Between 2020 and 2022, we conducted 761 km of surveys for critically endangered vultures in Mole National Park (Mole NP), a 4840 km2 protected savanna in northern Ghana. Using our count data, we estimated populations of 29–36 Hooded Vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus), 25–73 White-backed Vultures (Gyps africanus), and 3–4 White-headed Vultures (Trigonoceps occipitalis) in the southern region of Mole NP. We also documented 17 occupied vulture nests, including six Hooded Vulture nests, ...
Bird–forestry relationships have been the subject of research and conservation initiatives for de... more Bird–forestry relationships have been the subject of research and conservation initiatives for decades, but there are few reviews of resulting recommendations for use by forest managers. We define “bird-friendly forestry” as forest management that applies recommendations from research seeking to reconcile logging with bird conservation in natural forests used for timber production. We reviewed relevant studies to synthesize 10 principles of bird-friendly forestry: (1) protect and enhance vertical structure through uneven-aged silviculture; (2) leave abundant dead wood in different decay stages; (3) maintain residual large green trees; (4) create and maintain sufficient amounts of uncut reserves and corridors; (5) maximize forest interior by retaining large contiguous forest tracts in landscapes with sufficient functional connectivity; (6) maintain buffers along streams, rivers, and wetlands cultural and urban landscapes; (7) maintain horizontal stand structure and enhance vegetation...
The Arabian Partridge (Alectoris melanocephala), is an endemic bird species of the Arabian Desert... more The Arabian Partridge (Alectoris melanocephala), is an endemic bird species of the Arabian Desert that lives in groups and inhabits rocky hillsides with patchy vegetation. Throughout their range, Arabian Partridges contend with hunting and habitat destruction, factors that may limit their distribution and abundance. Although the abundance of this species has been assumed to be stable, no actual estimate of its population size has been undertaken. We assessed the distribution and estimated the abundance of the Arabian Partridge at the northern boundary of its range in Saudi Arabia. The estimated density and abundance of the Arabian Partridge in Harrat Uwayrid Biosphere Reserve was 25.6 (6.16 SE) birds/km2 and ~118 individuals, respectively, with higher numbers of individuals in less disturbed sites and near rocky outcrops and hillsides. In sites where hunting occurred, as indicated by the presence of hunting shelters, partridge numbers were extremely low or absent. Our study provides...
Wilson’s phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor; Scolopacidae) is a migratory shorebird that relies on in... more Wilson’s phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor; Scolopacidae) is a migratory shorebird that relies on interior wetlands for foraging and breeding (Colwell and Jehl 1994, van Gils et al. 2018). Its global population status is unclear (Colwell and Jehl 1994, Lesterhuis and Clay 2010), and is variously listed as declining (Morrison et al. 2006, van Gils et al. 2018), increasing (Andres 2009, BirdLife International 2018), and exhibiting a long-term decline but recent stability (Sauer et al. 2011, Andres et al. 2012). Its global population estimate of 1.5 million birds has not been updated for 30 years, since 1988 (Colwell and Jehl 1994, Lesterhuis and Clay 2010, Andres 2012). In Nebraska, analysis of Breeding Bird Survey data indicate a population decline in Wilson’s phalarope by ~1.5% between 1966 and 2014 (Sauer et al. 2017). Published maps of the breeding range Wilson’s phalarope vary but typically include north-central and northwestern Nebraska as its easternmost extent (Sauer et al. 2017,...
Anthropogenic climate change and habitat loss pose major threats to grassland breeding birds, the... more Anthropogenic climate change and habitat loss pose major threats to grassland breeding birds, the most rapidly declining group of birds in continental North America. Although previous studies have investigated grassland breeding bird responses to land management, few empirical studies explore their responses to climatic variation or its interactions with land management, which warrant urgent conservation attention. We evaluated the effects of climate and land management parameters on an indicator species for grassland breeding birds, the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), a Neotropical migrant of conservation concern whose global population has declined by more than two thirds since 1970. We quantified Grasshopper Sparrow responses to climate variation, land management actions, and their interactions in the Platte River Valley, Nebraska, in the North American Great Plains, using six years of mark-recapture data collected via the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) protocol. We implemented generalized linear mixed models to estimate avian population trends (adult abundance and productivity) in response to changes in precipitation and temperature as well as cattle grazing, haying, and prescribed burning. Our models showed that climatic variation, especially spring precipitation, was the most important driver of avian population trends. Grasshopper Sparrow abundance declined with increasing spring precipitation, but prescribed burns helped mitigate this effect and were positively related to productivity, especially during years of lower spring temperatures. Our findings demonstrate the vulnerability of grassland bird population trends to ongoing and predicted climate change as well as the potential of land management actions to mitigate some negative effects of climate change on grassland breeding birds. Conséquences du changement climatique et de la gestion des terres sur un passereau migrateur néotropical en diminution dans les Grandes Plaines d'Amérique du Nord RÉSUMÉ. Les changements climatiques d'origine anthropique et la perte d'habitat constituent des menaces majeures pour les oiseaux de prairie nicheurs, groupe d'espèces qui diminue le plus rapidement en Amérique du Nord continentale. Bien que des études antérieures aient examiné les réactions des oiseaux de prairie nicheurs suivant la gestion des terres, peu d'études empiriques ont exploré leurs comportements à la suite de variations climatiques ou leurs interactions avec l'aménagement des terres, qui méritent pourtant une attention urgente pour la conservation. Nous avons évalué les effets du climat et des paramètres de gestion des terres sur une espèce représentative des oiseaux de prairie nicheurs, le Bruant sauterelle (Ammodramus savannarum), un migrateur néotropical dont la population mondiale a diminué de plus des deux tiers depuis 1970. Nous avons quantifié les réactions des Bruants sauterelles aux variations climatiques, aux mesures de gestion des terres et à leurs interactions dans la vallée de la rivière Platte, au Nebraska, dans les Grandes Plaines d'Amérique du Nord, en utilisant six ans de données de marquage-recapture collectées au moyen du protocole MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship). Nous avons conçu des modèles linéaires généralisés à effets mixtes pour estimer la démographie (abondance des adultes et productivité, ou nombre de jeunes) en réponse aux changements de précipitation et de température ainsi qu'au pâturage du bétail, à la fenaison et au brûlage dirigé. Nos modèles montrent que la variation climatique, en particulier les précipitations printanières, était le facteur principal agissant sur les tendances démographiques. Le nombre de Bruants sauterelles a diminué avec l'augmentation des précipitations printanières, mais les brûlages dirigés ont aidé à atténuer cet effet et étaient positivement liés à la productivité, surtout lors des années de températures printanières plus basses. Selon nos résultats, les populations d'oiseaux de prairie sont vulnérables aux changements climatiques en cours et prévus, et des mesures de gestion des terres adéquates peuvent atténuer certains effets négatifs des changements climatiques sur les oiseaux de prairie nicheurs.
Montane desert birds are particularly vulnerable to population declines driven by global climate ... more Montane desert birds are particularly vulnerable to population declines driven by global climate change that is accelerated at higher elevations. Providing reliable and accurate information about their populations is essential for effective conservation management plans. However, few studies have compared the effectiveness of different survey methods for birds in high altitude arid environments, particularly in the Middle East. Here, we compare the reliability and precision of two sampling methods to estimate densities for two resident bird species in Egypt's Sinai mountains, the white-crowned wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga) and desert lark (Ammomanes deserti). We conducted surveys for both species in vegetated and unvegetated desert using fixed-width strip transects and line transects using the distance sampling approach, and employed several statistical approaches to compare density estimates. While both methods provided reliable density estimates given sufficient detections of ...
Birds in agricultural environments have exhibited steep global population declines in recent deca... more Birds in agricultural environments have exhibited steep global population declines in recent decades, and effective conservation strategies targeting their populations are urgently needed. In grasslands used for hay production, breeding birds’ nest success improves substantially if hay harvests are delayed until after mid-July. However, few studies have investigated private hay producers’ willingness to alter their harvesting practices, which is a critical factor for bird conservation where most land is privately owned, such as in the North American Great Plains. We surveyed Nebraska hay producers to examine whether livestock production, wildlife knowledge, and hunting activity affects their willingness to alter haying practices for bird conservation. The majority (60%) of respondents expressed willingness to delay harvesting hay to allow birds time to nest successfully. Livestock producers and those more knowledgeable about wildlife were more willing to delay hay harvests, whereas ...
Among the most rapidly declining birds in continental North America, grassland birds evolved with... more Among the most rapidly declining birds in continental North America, grassland birds evolved with American bison (Bison bison) until bison nearly became extinct due to overhunting. Bison populations have subsequently rebounded due to reintroductions on conservation lands, but the impacts of bison on grassland nesting birds remain largely unknown. We investigated how bison reintroduction, together with other land management and climate factors, affected breeding populations of a grassland bird species of conservation concern, the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). We quantified population changes in Bobolinks over an 18-year period in conservation grasslands where bison were reintroduced, compared with adjacent grasslands grazed by cattle and where hay was harvested after the bird breeding season. Four years after bison reintroduction, the bison population in the study area had doubled, while Bobolink abundance declined 62% and productivity declined 84%. Our findings suggest that biso...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
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