Ninox Scutulata Research Articles

Characteristics of pectens in diurnal and nocturnal birds and a new functional proposal relating to non-visual opsins.

The pecten is a fold-structured projection at the ocular fundus in bird eyes, showing morphological diversity between the diurnal and nocturnal species. However, its biological functions remain unclear. This study investigated the morphological and histological characteristics of pectens in wild birds. Additionally, the expression of non-visual opsin genes was studied in chicken pectens. These genes, identified in the chicken retina and brain, perceive light periodicity regardless of visual communication. Similar pleat numbers have been detected among bird taxa; however, pecten size ratios in the ocular fundus showed noticeable differences between diurnal and nocturnal birds. The pectens in nocturnal brown hawk owl show extremely poor vessel distribution and diameters compared with that of diurnal species. RT-PCR analysis confirmed the expression of Opn5L3, Opn4x, Rrh and Rgr genes. Insitu hybridization analysis revealed the distribution of Rgr-positive reactions in non-melanotic cells around the pecten vessels. This study suggests a novel hypothesis that pectens develop dominantly in diurnal birds as light acceptors and contribute to continuous visual function or the onset of periodic behaviour.

An unusual vocalization of Brown Hawk-Owl Ninox scutulata (Raffles, 1822) (Aves: Strigiformes: Strigidae) recorded from Kerala, India

An unusual vocalisation of Brown Hawk-Owl was recorded from Thrissur. It was distinctive continuous calls of the species heard frequently during 2315 to 2345 h. The bird was photographed; spectrogram was prepared from the call. It is a new addition to the existing recorded vocalisation of the species.­­

A breeding record of the brown hawk owl (Ninox scutulata) in Assam, India

The brown hawk owl, Ninox scutulata (Raffles, 1822) is a common, medium sized bird of prey on the Indian subcontinent and listed as of least concern. Its distribution range extends up to eastern Siberia, Japan, the Andmans, the Malay Peninsula, the Great and Lesser Sundas, Wallacea, Taiwan, the Philippines and Australia. There are 11 well documented subspecies across this wide distribution. A pair of brown hawk owls was observed nesting on a Dillenia indica tree (Family Dilleniaceae), in Guwahati, Kamrup District, Assam, India. The nest was in a cavity at a height of about 4 m. The tree was about 14 m tall and the main trunk was about 7 m in girth. It had a dense canopy with its large elliptical leaves.

Molecular and Morphological Analyses of Leucocytozoon Parasites (Haemosporida: Leucocytozoidae) in Raptors From Thailand.

Leucocytozoon spp. causes a vector-borne disease that is nonpathogenic in domestic and wild birds. To date, there was no report of leucocytozoonosis in raptors from Thailand. This study was carried out to perform morphological and molecular analyses of Leucocytozoon in 400 raptors at a rehabilitation center at Kasetsart University, Thailand during a 7-year period. The nested PCR was used to amplify the cytochrome b gene of Leucocytozoon with primers HaemNF1 and HaemNR3 as the primary reaction. The light microscopic examination revealed Leucocytozoon gametocytes in five raptors; three diurnal raptors [two Crested Goshawks (CGs, Accipiter trivirgatus) and one Eastern Imperial Eagle (EIE, Aquila heliaca)], and two nocturnal raptors (one Oriental Scops-Owl (OSO, Otus sunia,) and one Short-eared Owl, Asio flammeus) and two species were identified: Leucocytozoon danilewskyi in both owl species and L. californicus in two CGs. The PCR method revealed more infection rate (2.0%, 8/400) than the light microscopic method including one Barred Eagle-Owl (BEO, Bubo sumatranus), one Brown Hawk Owl (BHO, Ninox scutulata) and one OSO. A phylogeny revealed that sequences from one SEO and one OSO were clustered with L. danilewskyi and the three Leucocytozoon sequences from diurnal raptors were clustered with L. californicus. The other three sequences from a BHO, a BEO and an OSO were ambiguous. This study combined morphological, morphometric and molecular phylogenetic analyses to identify L. danilewskyi in two species of owls, L. californicus in three diurnal raptors, and unknown species in three other owls, representing the first records of leucocytozoon infection in raptors from Thailand.

Territorial and Duet Calls of Three Malaysian Owl Species

Vocalisations of tropical birds are still largely unexplored particularly the nocturnal species. This study examined and quantitatively described the territorial calls and duets of the Sunda Scops-Owl (Otus lempiji), Brown Boobook (Ninox scutulata) and Spotted Wood-Owl (Strix seloputo) based on 105 territorial call and four duetting recordings collected from one forest reserve and oil palm smallholdings in Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests found significant differences (p<0.05) for almost all vocal parameters measured from the spectrograms derived from the duets with one higher-pitched than the other. Being the first study to describe the vocal structure of the duetting calls of the three Malaysian strigids, this study serves as a baseline for future behavioural study of nocturnal birds particularly pertaining to conspecific interactions in the Sunda region.

DNA reveals long-distance partial migratory behavior in a cryptic owl lineage

The Brown Hawk Owl complex is said to consist of three species, the Brown Boobook (Ninox scutulata), the Chocolate Boobook (Ninox randi) and the Northern Boobook (Ninox japonica), which includes the nominate migratory lineage Ninox japonica japonica and a mitochondrially distinct lineage of taxonomically uncertain status that has been recorded year-round at least in Taiwan. Overlap in ranges during migration and morphological similarity have led to difficulties in distinguishing the Brown Boobook from the Northern Boobook. PCR of cytochrome-b and Sanger sequencing of Ninox samples from Singapore and Brunei were used to determine sample identity. Two out of four Singaporean samples and the Brunei sample were identified as Northern Boobooks. This is the first official record of this species in Singapore and represents a considerable range extension for the species. Further, the samples belong to the mitochondrially distinct lineage previously characterized in resident Taiwanese populations rather than to the well-known nominate migratory lineage. Our data show that the mitochondrial signature previously documented in resident Taiwanese populations of the Northern Boobook extends to migratory populations. This cryptic lineage may be more widespread in its breeding quarters, extending to the Chinese and Russian mainland, in which case the name florensis would apply to it. Further genetic and bioacoustic investigation is required to resolve the taxonomic status of this lineage.

О НОВЫХ И РЕДКИХ ВИДАХ ПТИЦ ЗЕЙСКОГО ВОДОХРАНИЛИЩА

Species list of Upper Zeya plain was enriched with 8 new species of birds in 3 years of episodical observations. Far-Eastern ranges of Common greenshank and Brown hawk owl were defined more precisely. Population size of Osprey and White-tailed Sea-eagle was estimated in 30 and 10 breeding pairs respectively. Reproductive status in the region was confirmed with chicks records for Red-breasted merganser and Little plover.

Bagging GLM: Improved generalized linear model for the analysis of zero-inflated data

Species-occurrence data sets tend to contain a large proportion of zero values, i.e., absence values (zero-inflated). Statistical inference using such data sets is likely to be inefficient or lead to incorrect conclusions unless the data are treated carefully. In this study, we propose a new modeling method to overcome the problems caused by zero-inflated data sets that involves a regression model and a machine-learning technique. We combined a generalized liner model (GLM), which is widely used in ecology, and bootstrap aggregation (bagging), a machine-learning technique. We established distribution models of Vincetoxicum pycnostelma (a vascular plant) and Ninox scutulata (an owl), both of which are endangered and have zero-inflated distribution patterns, using our new method and traditional GLM and compared model performances. At the same time we modeled four theoretical data sets that contained different ratios of presence/absence values using new and traditional methods and also compared model performances. For distribution models, our new method showed good performance compared to traditional GLMs. After bagging, area under the curve (AUC) values were almost the same as with traditional methods, but sensitivity values were higher. Additionally, our new method showed high sensitivity values compared to the traditional GLM when modeling a theoretical data set containing a large proportion of zero values. These results indicate that our new method has high predictive ability with presence data when analyzing zero-inflated data sets. Generally, predicting presence data is more difficult than predicting absence data. Our new modeling method has potential for advancing species distribution modeling.

Bird Community of Tandong Stream in Daejeon Metropolitan City

This study carried out over two times in February and May in 2009 was aimed at the survey of the birds inhabiting in the whole region of Tandongcheon (Stream) that runs through Daedeok Science Town in Daejeon Metropolitan city to Gapcheon (Stream) and the adjacent area such as Maebongsan and Seongdusan urban parks. The number of birds observed during the period reached 11 orders, 23 families, 37 species, and 799 individuals (Total sum of maximum individuals). The highest dominant species was Anas crecca that was counted in 153 individuals (19.15%), while the others were Paradoxornis webbianus in 125 individuals (15.64%), Pica pica in 101 individuals (12.64%), Passer montanus in 91 individuals (11.39%), Anas poecilorhyncha in 66 individuals (8.26%), and Hypsipetes amaurotis in 41 individuals (5.13%). By seasons, 28 species 742 individuals were observed in winter while 24 species 337 individuals in spring. Especially it was notable that Amaurornis phoenicurus was observed in winter (February), which is known as a passage migrant not easily seen in Korea. In addition, the legally protected species designated as Korean National Monument in Korea such as Falco tinnunculus, Otus scops, and Ninox scutulata were observed, too.

Microsatellite Loci from Lanyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans botelensis) and their Cross-Species Application in Four Species of Strigidae

We developed six new microsatellite markers containing tetranucleotide repeat motifs (GATA/CTAT) for Lanyu scops owl (Otus elegans botelensis) from an enriched partial library. All these loci are polymorphic and conform to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. We cross-species tested these and 12 other microsatellite primer pairs previously developed from O. elegans on four other species of owls (O. lettia, O. spilocephalus, O. scops, and Ninox scutulata). Results showed that the degree of polymorphism decreased with increasing phylogenetic distance to O. elegans. Most loci (66.7, 83.3, and 100%) were polymorphic in the three Otus owls but only five (27.8%) were polymorphic in N. scutulata. These microsatellites should be very useful genetic markers in studying the mating system, population genetics, and conservation of other little studied Old World Otus owls.

京都市街地における樹洞を有する樹木の特徴

Tree hollows are important nest and roost sites for various animals such as Ninox scutulata even in urban areas, but the number of such sites is very low. In this study, we recorded the characteristics of legacy trees with hollows in an urban area within Kyoto City (25 km2), Japan in 2002. We found 288 legacy trees with a trunk perimeter more than 300 cm and 94 trees with hollows. Legacy trees of Castanopsis sieboldii (an ever-green broad-leaf tree) and Aphananthe aspera (a deciduous broad-leaf tree) had a high rate of hollows. All six legacy trees of Cinnamomum camphora (an ever-green broad-leaf tree) with more than 1.5 m of DBH had hollows, but other trees of this species did not have hollows even when the trunk perimeter was more than 300 cm. We applied a logistic regression model to trunk perimeter and the probability of hollow-bearing in each species in an urban woods. We also predicted tree perimeter in relation to age from the annual relative growth rate in each species. A. aspera trees showed the highest incidence of tree hollows in relation to trunk perimeter, but these trees grow very slowly. Celtis sinensis trees grow rapidly, but they have a lower rate of tree hollows than A. aspera. Z. serrata trees grow at an intermediate speed and rarely have tree hollows. Cinnamomum camphora trees grow rapidly. Castanopsis sieboldii trees grow at an intermediate speed.

京都市街地都市林におけるアオバズクの生息環境適合度モデル

Brown Hawk Owl (Ninox scutulata) is a migratory insectivorous bird which breeds in tree cavities, and a target species for old woods in urban areas of Japan. Population of the owl is decreasing recently because of diminishing of old woods in Japan and also in tropical rain forests: their habitats during non-breeding season. A habitat model using statistical methods is a good tool to answer the question how much forest is required for conservation of a target species. We made a habitat model for the owl using a logistic regression model. We searched for owls by examining almost every large tree with cavities in a 25 urban area in Kyoto City during the breeding season (May to July) of 2002. Fourteen trees determined to be habitats of owls and 15 trees with cavities but without nests were found. Applying logistic regression analysis with the stepwise method and AIC, the area of tree cover and the area of urbanized area within a radius of 100 m were determined to be variables for the habitat model of the owl. From the result, at least 1.1 ha of woods including an old tree with a cavity is necessary for conservation of the owl habitat.

Prevalence of blood parasites in Japanese wild birds.

The prevalence of blood parasites was investigated in 701 Japanese wild birds for 13 years from January, 1988 to March, 2001. Most of the injured or sick birds were caught in the suburbs of Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture and brought to the zoo for clinical care. Among all the birds examined, 10.6% were infected with hematozoa belonging to three genera as Plasmodium (1.7% of the samples), Haemoproteus (5.1% of the samples) and Leucocytozoon (4.6% of the samples), and two birds (0.29% of the samples), a Japanese grosbeak (Coccothraustes personatus) and a dusky thrush (Turdus naumanni), were infected with microfilariae. Mixed infection with Leucocytozoon sp. and Haemoproteus sp. was observed in 6 individuals of 4 species and that with Leucocytozoon sp. and microfilariae was observed in 2 individuals of 2 species of bird. Relatively high positive rates were 75%(3/4) in the scops owl (Otus scops), 71.4% (10/14) in the ural owl (Strix uralensis), 57.7% (15/26) in the jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos), 57.1% (4/7) in the black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris), 55.6% (5/9) in the brown hawk owl (Ninox scutulata), 41% (16/39) in the carrion crow (Corvus corone) and 24.1% (7/29) in the night heron (Nycticorax nicticorax).

Food Remains of the Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata from the Breeding Season

(1) During the breeding seasons of 1979-81 the food remains of a pair of Brown Hawk Owls Ninox scutulata were collected every day from June 1 to August 31, at Jokoji Temple, Kanzakicho, Saga Pref.(2) The food remains collected included insects (40 families, 123 species), lizards (1 family, 1 species), birds (5 families, 5 species), and mammals (1 family, 1 species).(3) The food remains were overwhelmingly of insects. The total numbers of insects were 1, 456 (1979), 2, 120 (1980) and 2, 392 (1981). Food remains increased slightly with the number of nestlings.(4) Ninety-three to ninty-six percent of the food remains of insects were comprised of just seven families. They were Lasiocampidae, Noctuidae, Sphingidae, Scarabaeidae, Buprestidae, Cerambycidae and Cicadidae. Seasonal changes of food items appeared to be directly related to seasonal changes in the abundance of the prey.(5) Birds were captured especially during the early part of the breeding season. They were considered to provide a good source of protein when insect food was insufficient

First Record of the Brown Hawk-Owl Ninox Scutulata from Australasia

"First Record of the Brown Hawk-Owl Ninox Scutulata from Australasia." Emu - Austral Ornithology, 81(3), p. 171

A Record of Brown Hawk Owl on the North Pacific

A Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata japonica (_??_ad.) recorded at sea was reported with meteorological notes. The bird landing on a ship, was captured at 34°02′N, 148°53′E on the North Pacific, about 780 km east of Honshu, 21 May, 1973 (Fig. 1).The race japonica is common summer visitor in Japan, passing Ryukyus on migration. The bird was probably deflected eastward by the strong gales of barometric minimum area travelling north-east along the coast of Japan as shown in Fig. 2.