Lanius Bucephalus Research Articles

Arboreal nesting and utilization of open-cup bird nests by introduced Ship Rats Rattus rattus on an oceanic island

SummaryThe introduction of exotic rats Rattus spp. is one of the most important factors contributing to the reduction in avian diversity and extinctions on oceanic islands. However, little is known about factors other than predation, which are associated with the loss of island biodiversity. We report that introduced Ship Rats Rattus rattus constructed arboreal dome-shaped nests and secondarily used open-cup nests of the Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus for roosting or rearing young in trees within hedgerows along sugarcane fields of Minami-daito Island (northwest Pacific). We found that temporal nest utilization by Ship Rats forced Bull-headed Shrikes to abandon their nests before egg-laying. We suggest that kleptoparasitism applies to the interaction between Bull-headed Shrikes and Ship Rats, which usurp shrike nests during their breeding period. It is necessary to consider the potential effects of introduced Ship Rats on insular avian communities not only through predation but also through interspecific interaction over nest-sites.

Adaptations in the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) to host eggs in a multiple-hosts system of brood parasitism

The common cuckoo Cuculus canorus parasitism greatly reduces the reproductive success of its hosts and imposes strong selection pressure for hosts to evolve defences against parasitism, such as the ability to recognize and reject dissimilar parasitic eggs, which, in turn, selects for better egg mimicry by the cuckoo. In the co-evolutionary interaction, however, it remains unknown how the cuckoo successfully expanded its range of host usage and how they developed egg mimicry. Most previous studies were conducted in areas where a very few number of host species (i.e. one or two at most) are sympatric with the cuckoo. Several host species, however, breed sympatric with the cuckoo and have been parasitized in the study site in Nagano, central Japan. Such a multiple-hosts system will provide valuable insights for understanding the cuckoo–hosts interactions in the past. In the present study, we report quantitative profiles of eggs based on spectrometer reflectance for four major host species and the corresponding cuckoo gentes. The hosts include the oriental reed warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis), bull-headed shrike (Lanius bucephalus), azure-winged magpie (Cyanopica cyana), and black-faced bunting (Emberiza spodocephala). We show that (1) egg morphs of each host and corresponding cuckoo gens can be categorized by two chromatic components of reflectance spectra and (2) there is a significant difference in a particular chroma component between hosts and the cuckoo. We suggest that the cuckoo parasitism in central Japan originated from parasitism on the black-faced bunting. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 98, 291–300.

Harmful Effects of Invasive Yellow Crazy AntAnoplolepis gracilipeson Three Land Bird Species of Minami-Daito Island

Abstract This report describes, for the first time, harmful effects of invasive Yellow Crazy Ants Anoplolepis gracilipes on wild birds in Japan. We observed fledglings of Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus and Daito White-eye Zosterops japonicus daitoensis caused fatal injuries by ants on the ground on Minami-daito Island. We compared reproductive behaviors of Daito Scops Owl Otus elegans interpositus in a cavity with ants and cavities without ants and found that while reproductive success did not differ between them, parental females in a cavity with ants more frequently interchanged their nest site than those in cavities without ants.

長野県千曲市と埴科郡坂城町におけるモズLanius bucephalusの7卵での抱卵および7雛の育雛の観察記録

長野県千曲市と埴科郡坂城町におけるモズLanius bucephalusの7卵での抱卵および7雛の育雛の観察記録

Avian Haemosporidian Parasites Infection in Wild Birds Inhabiting Minami-Daito Island of the Northwest Pacific, Japan

Haemosporidian parasites infection among wild birds inhabiting Minami-daito Island was studied. Blood films from 183 birds representing 4 species of 4 families were examined microscopically. Avian haemosporidian parasites were detected in 3 species with an overall prevalence of 59.6%. None of the 30 Daito scops owls (Otus scops interpositus) examined were infected. Either Haemoproteus sp. or Plasmodium sp. infection was found in 14 of 31 (45.2%) Borodino islands white-eyes (Zosterops japonicus daitoensis). Plasmodium spp. were found in 94 of 102 (92.2%) bull-headed shrikes (Lanius bucephalus) and 1 of 20 (5%) tree sparrows (Passer montanus).

Detection of Avian Plasmodium spp. DNA Sequences from Mosquitoes Captured in Minami Daito Island of Japan

Several species of birds in Minami Daito Island, an oceanic island located in the far south from the main islands of Japan, were found to be infected with avian Plasmodium. However, no vector species of the avian malaria in this island have been revealed yet. To speculate potential vectors, we collected mosquitoes there and investigated using a PCR procedure whether the mosquitoes harbor avian malaria or not. Totally 1,264 mosquitoes including 9 species were collected during March 2006 to February 2007. The mosquitoes collected were stored every species, sampled date and location for DNA extraction. Fifteen out of 399 DNA samples showed positive for the partial mtDNA cytb gene of avian Plasmodium. Estimated minimum infection rate among collected mosquitoes was 1.2% in this study. Four species of mosquitoes; Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus, Lutzia fuscanus and Mansonia sp. had avian Plasmodium gene sequences. Detected DNA sequences from A. albopictus and L. fuscanus were identical to an avian Plasmodium lineage detected in bull-headed shrike (Lanius bucephalus) captured in the island. Different sequences were detected from C. quinquefasciatus, which were corresponding to an avian Plasmodium from a sparrow (Passer montanus) and Plasmodium gallinaceum. Our results suggest that A. albopictus, Lutzia fuscanus, C. quinquefasciatus, and Mansonia sp. could be potential vectors of avian malaria in Minami Daito Island. This study was the first report of molecular detection of avian Plasmodium from mosquitoes in Japan.

도시하천의 하안식생과 조류 Biotope에 관한 연구- 청주시 무심천을 중심으로 -

For the purposes to prepare diverse habitate and biotope for riparian plants and animals, Cheongju attempted to create "eco-friendly natural river" from 2002 to 2007. The present study investigated the facts of biotope creation for birds associated with riparian vegetation in Mushimcheon-river. Phragmites communis community, P. japonica community, Zizania latifolia community, Miscanthus sacchariflorus community, Typha angustata community, T. orientalis community as emerged plants, Lemna paucicostata-Spirodela polyrhiza community as free-floating plant and Trapa japonica community as floating-leaved plant are distributed in riparian zone. In addition, Poa pratensis community, Bromus japonicus community, Calamagrostis epigeios community, Humulus japonicus community) as weeds are distributed in floodplain. The distributional area of plant communities estimated by actual vegetation map are as follows: Phragmites communis community was 421,747m2(33.95%), Salix gracilistyla community 24,898m2 (0.26%), P. japonica-P. communis community 22,691m2(1.83%) and Zizania latifolia community 20,179m2(1.62%). The birds of 52 species are observed at Mushimcheon-stream from Sector 1 to Sector 10. The Sectors being observed diverse birds species and number of individual are Sector 1, Sector 4 and Sector 10. Especially, abundant bird species and number of individual are checked at Sector 1 and Sector 4 in winter, at Sector 7and Sector 10 in summer. By the observation of biotope, it is known that great tit(Parus major), brown-eared bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis), rufous turtle dove(Streptopelia orientalis), dusky thrush(Turdus naumanni), black-billed magpie(Pica pica), rustic bunting(Emberiza rustica), daurian redstart(Phoenicurus auroreus) and yellow-throated bunting(Emberiza elegans) are used the shrubs of Salix sp. and Amorpha fruticosa communities for feeding and resting places. Tall-grass types as Miscanthus sacchariflorus, Phragmites japonica and P. communis are used as breeding places by rustic bunting(Emberiza rustica), common buzzard(Bueto bueto), ring-necked pheasant(Phasianus colchicus), ellow-throated bunting(Emberzia elegans), vinous-throuted parrotbill Paradoxornis webbiana), little egret(Egretta garzetta), gray heron(Ardea cinerea), bull-headed shrike (Lanius bucephalus) and daurian redstart(Phoenicurus auroreus). It was also observed that the small birds such as rustic bunting, ellow-throated bunting and vinous-throuted heron were attacked and hunted by common buzzard. Rice paddy field and dry field are used as feeding places by rufous turtle dove(Streptopelia orientalis), bull-headed shrike(Lanius bucephalus), dusky thrush(Turdus naumanni eunomus), oriental greenfinch(Carduelis sinica), kestrel(Falco tinnunculus), tree sparrow(Passer montanus) and common buzzard(Bueto bueto). Gravelly fields and sand delta formed in water channel are used as beeding places by long-billed ringed plover(Charadrius placidus) and common sandpiper(Tringa hypoleucos) and as feeding places by white wagtail(Motacilla alba lugens), little egret(Egretta garzetta), gray heron(Ardea cinerea), common sandpiper(Tringa hypoleucos) and other Tringa spp. Mud flat formed in water channel side are used as feeding and resting places by white wagtail, common sandpiper and common sandpiper.

連続した降雨によるモズの巣内雛の死亡

In 2006 at Nobeyama plateau, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, the death of most broods of the Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus occurred during a period consecutive rainfall. The rain lasted two and a half days from early morning on 17 July to noon on 19 July. Ten occupied nests were found before the rainfall, nine of which contained nestlings. In six nests containing only shrike nestlings, complete brood mortality was noted. However, in one nest with four shrike nestlings and in two nests with a cuckoo nestling the nestlings survived. The failed nests had two to six nestlings of three to eleven days old. Another four surviving nests had four shrike nestlings of three days old, one cuckoo nestling of 14 days old, one cuckoo nestling of about 15 days old, and five eggs, respectively. Of five eggs in the surviving nest, four eggs had hatched on 22 July, but one egg failed to hatch.

Direct impact of typhoons on the breeding activity of Bullheaded Shrike Lanius bucephalus on Minami-Daito Island

Direct impact of typhoons on the breeding activity of Bullheaded Shrike Lanius bucephalus on Minami-Daito Island

Analysis on the relationships between landscape environmental factors and bird communities in summer at middle area of river basin

Bird communities in summer breeding season as an indicator of biodiversity for evaluation of river ecosystem were surveyed and analyzed in riparian middle area of Abukuma River in order to determine the relationships between bird communities and landscape environmental factors.A total of 919 individuals, which composed of 39 bird species, were recorded. Each species and a component of Cuckoo (Cumulus canorous), Bull-headed Shrike (Lanius bucephalus), Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Siberian Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides), Japanese Wagtail (Motacilla grandis) and Long-billed Plover (Charadrius placidus) was selected to indicator species and indicator bird community, which closely related to each natural environmental factor respectively, as representing species richness in the survey area with a method of cluster analysis and principal component analysis. The total number of species and the species diversity (Shannon Wiener function (H')) on each fifty five sections significantly related with the number of natural environmental elements and the river transversal distance encompass from edge of water to bottom of river embankment analyzed by a method of multivariate regression analysis. The more the river transversal distance elongate, the more these sequential natural environmental elements from gravel edge adjacent water to riverside woods provide birds with habitat structural complexity. This study indicates that preserving landscape environmental elements composed of sequential natural environmental elements and river transversal distance which enables these sequence exist are important in order to conserve river ecosystem from the standpoint of bird community adapting as an environmental indicator.

Direct impact of typhoons on the breeding activity of Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus on Minami-Daito Island

Direct impact of typhoons on the breeding activity of Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus on Minami-Daito Island

Can surrounding land cover influence the avifauna in urban/suburban woodlands in Japan?

From November 2001 to January 2002, wintering birds were censused in 30 urban woodlands in Chiba City, near Tokyo, Japan, to determine the factors other than habitat area, influencing avian species composition and diversity in urban woodlands. A group of species such as Sturnus cineraceus and Columba livia were more frequently observed in sparser woodlands. These species are not typically categorized as woodland species, and they preferred mixed habitat of tree-covered vegetation and open areas. The birds of another group, including Streptopelia orientalis and Lanius bucephalus, which tend to use tree crowns as foraging habitat were more frequently observed in the woodlands surrounded by agricultural areas rather than in those surrounded by urbanized areas. This could be because those species can move across agricultural areas, but not urban areas, so that the effect of woodland isolation is not very remarkable for them when agricultural areas surrounded woodlands. On the other hand, some species preferred open area to vegetated area. A mixture of open space and woodlands would result in woodlands of reduced value for these woodland birds. Site planning that reduces the degree of interspersion should be adopted, if woodland habitat is to be conserved or restored.

Behavior of radio-tracked Common Cuckoo females during the breeding season in Japan

ABSTRACT The breeding behavior of Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus females was studied in detail by individual marking, radio-tracking, and automatic recording of radio signals. A total of 132 female cuckoos was captured, and radio transmitters were attached to 44 of them. The female cuckoos parasitised three different types of hosts: Azure-winged Magpies Cynopica cyane, Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus and Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus. Female cuckoos using magpie hosts were radio-tracked for a total of 131.1 hours, and females using warbler hosts were radio-tracked for a total of 142.1 hours. The total time for cuckoos using shrike hosts was 12.6 hours. Female cuckoos were found to have distinct breeding and feeding areas, which they commuted between every day. Dominant females maintained strict breeding site tenacity throughout the breeding season. Each female specialized on one host type, knew almost all of the host nests in their breeding areas, and laid eggs selectively among the nes...

Seasonal change in egg-volume variation within a clutch in the Bull-headed Shrike, Lanius bucephalus

I studied the seasonal change in egg volume in Bull-headed Shrikes, Lanius bucephalus, to explore the importance of egg-volume variation within a clutch. The mean egg volume did not change over a season; however, the coefficient of variation in egg volume in six-egg clutches significantly increased in 1994 and 1995 but did not change in 1996. Peaks in arthropod biomass occurred early in the breeding seasons in 1994 and 1995, but late in the season in 1996. Higher food availability was related to a reduction in variation in egg volume within a clutch. A significant difference in egg volume was found within six-egg clutches, and the first egg was the smallest. Nestlings that hatched from small eggs early in the hatching order suffered lower mortality rates than nestlings that hatched from large eggs laid late in the hatching order. The duration of time between settlement of a female in a male territory and clutch initiation decreased with date. Intraclutch variation in egg volume may be caused by a trade-off between the time to develop an egg and the volume of the first egg within a clutch. Because eggs that hatch first do not need to be large for the hatchling to survive, the Bull-headed Shrikes may advance the clutch-initiation date at the cost of reducing the volume of the first egg.

Philopatry and habitat selection in Bull-headed and Brown shrikes

Abstract Philopatry and habitat selection were examined for migratory populations of the two sympatric shrike species, the Bull-headed (Lanius bucephalus) and Brown (L. cristatus) shrikes in northern Japan between 1992 and 1997. Although 18% of banded Bull-headed Shrike males returned to the previous breeding area, no female did. In Brown Shrikes, 43% and 13% of banded males and females, respectively, returned to the area. Brown Shrikes are significantly more philopatric than Bull-headed Shrikes. Even successful breeders in Bull-headed Shrikes did not always return to the area near their nesting site of the previous year. Successful breeders in Brown Shrikes were faithful to their past breeding site. Brown Shrikes decreased by 67% due to habitat loss over four years, while the population of Bull-headed Shrikes was stable. The degree of philopatry was inconsistent with the population trends of the two shrikes. While Bull-headed Shrikes did not have habitat preferences in the study area, Brown Shrikes bred ...

Different effects of age on reproductive performance in relation to breeding stage in Bull-headed Shrikes

The difference in the reproductive performance of males and females of the Bull-headed Shrike (Lanius bucephalus) according to age class, i.e. yearling and adult, was studied, and the age-related difference was examined according to parental feeding behavior. The clutch initiation date was not affected by the age class. Females that paired with an adult male laid more eggs per clutch than those paired with a yearling male. The age class of males affected the mass of nestlings at 6 days old, and the age class of females affected the mass of nestlings at 12 days old. The effects of the age of either parent independently were observed at different breeding stages. A change in the degree of nestling feeding peformed by the male and female parents occurred at some point between when the broods were 6 days and 12 days old. It is likely that this caused an effect of age at different stages of the breeding cycle. The effects of the age of the male parent are consistent with accounts of age-related reproduction in raptors where males provide resources to offspring. Individual improvements in foraging skills and/or courtship feeding rate are suggested to be possible explanations.

Prudent investment in rearing nestlings in bull‐headed shrikes

I investigated seasonal changes in the relationships between brood size, body mass of nestlings and body mass of parents of the bull‐headed shrike, Lanius bucephalus, in Ishikari, northern Japan. When the broods were 12 days old, the body mass of the heaviest nestling in a brood did not differ among brood sizes, or throughout the season. However, the body mass of the lightest nestlings in a brood was different among brood sizes. The body mass of the lightest nestling in five‐ and six‐nestling broods decreased throughout the season. The lightest nestling in four‐nestling broods, and the lightest and the second lightest nestlings in five‐nestling broods, were significantly lighter than the heaviest nestling in broods of this size. It is likely that pairs with six nestlings at 12 days old can feed at least five of these nestlings enough to ensure their survival . The standardized body mass of parents (SBM), which was defined as the body mass divided by the length of the tarsus, did not differ among brood sizes, or throughout the season. It is possible that the relationship between the constancy of the SBM and the seasonal decline in the body mass of nestlings indicates that bull‐headed shrikes have a limit to their parental efforts.

Change in body mass in relation to breeding phase in bull‐headed shrikes

Changes in body mass of both sexes of the bull‐headed shrike, Lanius bucephalus, were investigated over the six breeding phases of this species. Standardized body mass (SBM), which was defined as body mass divided by the length of the tarsus, of the males was relatively constant over the phrases, while the SBM of the females changed drastically. In the females, the SBM during egg‐laying was higher than the SBM in all the other breeding phases. The SBM of the females did not differ between the incubation and early‐nestling phases, and was lowest during the fledgling phase. Mass loss in bull‐headed shrikes did not correspond to an adaptive adjustment of body mass to permit a reduction in the power required for flight in the nestling period. It is likely that incubating females constantly maintain their body mass to invest in parental efforts from the incubating to nestling periods.

Some effects of inclement weather conditions on the survival and condition of bull‐headed shrike nestlings

Inclement weather struck Japan in 1993, permitting a natural experiment for examining the effect of weather conditions on nesting success and nestling growth of the bull‐headed shrike, Lanius bucephalus. Aspects of the breeding biology of bull‐headed shrikes in relation to weather conditions and timing of breeding in 1992 and 1993 were examined. The two breeding seasons were divided into two periods, early and late, in each year. While the probability of nest survival in nestling stages during both periods was almost equal, the probability of nest survival in the egg stage during the early period was significantly lower than that during the late period. In 1993, the probability of nestling survival during the late period was significantly lower than during the early period; the late period had larger fluctuations of precipitation and was colder than the same period in 1992. The number of ‘disappeared’ nestlings positively correlated with mean precipitation per day. The greater part of the disappeared nestlings was the lightest in each brood. Late breeders fledged lighter young than the early breeders. Although shrikes adopted hatching asynchrony, the late breeders could not surmount the unpredictable inclement weather in 1993.

Some avian morphological traits: age‐related morphological difference of the Bull‐headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus

IbisVolume 141, Issue 1 p. 140-141 Some avian morphological traits: age-related morphological difference of the Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus MASAOKI TAKAGI, MASAOKI TAKAGI Laboratory of Applied Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University Sapporo 060, Japan. Present address: Laboratory of Animal Ecology. Faculty of Science, Rikkyo University. No. 12 Build. 3–34-1 Toshimaku. nishi-lkebukuro 171, JapanSearch for more papers by this author MASAOKI TAKAGI, MASAOKI TAKAGI Laboratory of Applied Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University Sapporo 060, Japan. Present address: Laboratory of Animal Ecology. Faculty of Science, Rikkyo University. No. 12 Build. 3–34-1 Toshimaku. nishi-lkebukuro 171, JapanSearch for more papers by this author First published: 28 June 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919X.1999.tb04273.xCitations: 6AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume141, Issue1January 1999Pages 140-141 RelatedInformation