Bunting Emberiza Research Articles

Is the Periodic "Spontaneous" Activity of Animals Determined by a Quasi-Rhythmic Factor of the External Environment?

We have studied the dynamics of the singing of garden bunting (Emberiza hortulana) and the dispersal of a flock of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) for the night rest. The results were compared with the body temperature fluctuations measured in parallel in a group of laboratory mice. The validity of such comparisons was determined by the presence of a stable correlation between the indicators of minutely changes in body temperature in mice and greenfinches (Chloris chloris). The increase in the frequency of chanting of garden buntings was observed simultaneously with the increase in body temperature in mice. Moreover, the exact moments of the flights into the birdhouse for the night in starlings coincided with the maximums in the dynamics of minutely changes in body temperature of mice. These facts suggest an external synchronizer of "spontaneous" fluctuations of the activity and associated changes in body temperature, which are probably determined by the tone of the sympathetic nervous system.

Evidence for seasonal changes in population structure of Reed Buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus) in the Lake Neusiedl Region: a stable-isotope approach

Migrating species and populations are affected by conditions existing across large geographical scales. The degree to which populations mix at stop-over sites and wintering grounds is variable and can involve important fitness consequences. Thus, the link between breeding and wintering grounds and seasonal shifts in population structure are important to understand population demographics, local adaption and diversification patterns. This work aims to infer migration patterns and population connectivity in the Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) community of a Ramsar-designated wetland, Lake Neusiedl, Seewinkel, Austria. Stable isotope markers (hydrogen, δ2H, carbon, δ13C) in feathers were analyzed to assign individuals to a specific breeding or natal area. Based on the geographic assignment, birds were compared with respect to their ecomorphological traits and their habitat selection (large reed bed versus more open habitat at shore of an alkaline lake) during winter to assess potential ecological differences and possibly associated morphological divergence. Stable isotope data revealed that the local Reed Bunting community undergoes seasonal changes in population structure. Three different populations that vary in their δ2H signature and to some extent in morphological characteristics as well as in δ13C values were identified. Indications for differential migration related to age and/or sex were additionally found, since males and females as well as first-year birds and adults showed remarkable differences in their traits and feather isotope values. δ2H values diverged significantly between these groups in both age and sex classes and birds with highest feather δ2H values were considered to represent the local breeding population at Lake Neusiedl and possibly also Reed Buntings from close surroundings. Moreover, this group had the highest δ13C values in first-year individuals as well as in adults. In both sex classes, the assignment of Reed Buntings to different populations was ultimately possible due to differences in bill shape with residents being characterized by more massive bills than individuals belonging to populations visiting the study area only during migration or for wintering. During winter, beak shape and feather δ2H and δ13C values differed significantly between birds caught in the reed stand of Lake Neusiedl and those captured near the salt pan, hence, indicating differential habitat selection among co-occurring populations during winter. These findings suggest that morphological attributes, such as bill shape and size as well as linked adaptations to different food sources play a decisive role for niche segregation among wintering populations. The results provide evidence that different populations mix during migration and during winter at Lake Neusiedl and the extent to which they are specialized to a specific habitat varied.

Critical temperature window sends migratory black-headed buntings on their travels

![Figure][1] Male black-headed bunting ( Emberiza melanocephala ) on the island of Lesvos, Greece. Photo credit: Mark S. Jobling, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Packing for that glamorous summer holiday may have been a remote prospect during

A Fossil Bunting Emberiza shaamarica (Aves, Emberizidae) from the Upper Pliocene of Central Asia

New materials on “Rhodospiza” shaamarica Zelenkov et Kurochkin, 2012 from the Upper Pliocene of Shaamar (Northern Mongolia) and Beregovaya (Southern Transbaikalia; Russia) localities are described. It is shown that R. shaamarica should be assigned to the genus Emberiza (Emberizidae): thus, this is the first fossil bunting species found in Asia. The morphological similarity of Emberiza shaamarica comb nov. to the modern common reed bunting E. schoeniclus is noted. The fossil record and evolutionary history of Emberiza are analyzed. Taxonomic revision of previously described fossil species of Emberiza is performed.

Yearly variation in the structure and diversity of a non-breeding passerine bird community in a Mediterranean wetland

BackgroundThe dynamics and structure of many bird communities are changing due to the global warming and changes in the land use and management. The Ebro Valley constitutes one of the chief wintering areas for several passerine species in Iberia, and the reed beds spread across this Valley concentrate huge numbers of birds that use them to roost, while the surrounding agricultural areas serve as main foraging habitats. The aims of this work are (1) to quantify how variable a non-breeding passerine bird community associated to a reed bed area in the Ebro Valley is, and, (2) to test for the effect of weather on possible annual fluctuations in species’ proportions at a regional/local scale.MethodsWe used for that ringing data collected at Badina de Escudera lagoon (Navarra) over a 12-year period.ResultsThough, overall, the assemblage did not vary strongly among years (most similarity values were > 0.8), we still found a significant linear effect of year on the proportion of captures of Reed Buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus), i.e., the dominant species detected in our passerine community. The increasing loss of weight of Reed Buntings in the community was due to a progressive decrease in its abundance.ConclusionsThe structure and diversity of passerine community in Badina Escudera was not influenced by meteorological conditions at a local scale, suggesting that local weather would not have an impact on numbers of Reed Buntings in winter.

The impact of landslide stabilization on birds: Insights from an Alpine valley

Landslides are a common issue in mountains and other areas with slopes, and their frequency is increasing because of climate change. Interventions aiming at stabilizing slopes are thus common worldwide. The environmental monitoring of consequences of such interventions rarely consider the potential impacts on wild species, and especially on animal taxa. Birds are widely adopted as biological indicators thanks to their ecology and high sensitivity to environmental changes, and could represent an ideal subject also for monitoring the impacts of landslide stabilization. By monitoring birds for 8 years in a complex restoration intervention in the Italian Alps, I investigate their potential use for understanding the impacts of landslide rehabilitation at different scales, in a 350 ha-area. A BACI protocol was adopted, with bird data collected by means of point counts. Generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate the potential impacts of restoration phases and intervention sites; analyses were developed for the breeding period and for the whole year, and for the local vs. large scale.I found evidence for different types of impacts, including the local impact of construction sites (e.g. negative for chaffinch Fringilla coelebs), of in operam phase (negative for mistle thrush Turdus viscivorus, Eurasian treecreeper Certhia familiaris and crested tit Lophophanes cristatus, positive for grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea and rock bunting Emberiza cia), as well as for a disturbance effect on species' detectability and for independent trends. The overall species richness was not (or very scarcely) affected by restoration works. This 8 yr-work provides an example of the potential efficacy of birds as indicators of the environmental impacts caused by landslide rehabilitation, which will likely become increasingly common in the next decades. Avian monitoring could helpfully be integrated within standard monitoring of environmental impacts of landslide stabilization/restoration.

Who parasitizes the endangered Jankowski’s Bunting Emberiza jankowskii?

ABSTRACT We report nine cases of brood parasitism in the endangered Jankowski’s Bunting Emberiza jankowskii by cuckoos in Inner Mongolia Province, China in 2018 and 2019. DNA-based and morphological evidence suggested that five chicks and four eggs of brood parasites were all Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus, for which the Jankowski’s Bunting is a regular host.

Migration pattern of Yellow-throated buntings revealed by isotope-based geographic assignment

ABSTRACTMigratory birds have evolved diverse migration strategies in response to a variety of factors, but information about the detailed migration patterns of Asian songbirds is not yet available. To understand the short-distance migration pattern of declining Yellow-throated Buntings (Emberiza elegans) in East Asia, we analyzed stable isotopes from the outermost tail feathers (rectrices) of individual buntings collected in Korea and Japan. Temporal changes in feather hydrogen (δ2Hf) and oxygen (δ18Of) isotopic values at stopover islands suggested that northern populations start migration earlier than southern populations, especially in autumn. Latitudinal gradient in δ2Hf values of three wintering populations implied that northern breeders wintered farther north than southern breeders. The migration pattern of this bunting, known as Type II chain migration, was also inferred from hydrogen isotope-based geographic assignments of feather growth origins. Our data demonstrate that stable isotope analysis may help to bridge current knowledge gaps in songbird migration despite coarsely mapped isoscapes and as-of-yet undetermined isotope calibration functions in Asia.

Deep south-north genetic divergence in Godlewski\u2019s bunting (Emberiza godlewskii) related to uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and habitat preferences

BackgroundGeological events and climatic changes played important roles in shaping population differentiation and distribution within species. In China, populations in many species have contracted and expanded responding to environmental changes with the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and glacial cycles during Pleistocene. In this study, we analysed the population structure of Godlewski’s Bunting, Emberiza godlewskii, to determine the effects of major historical events, geographic barriers and past climatic changes on phylogenetic divergence and historical demographic dynamics of this species.ResultsA phylogeny based on concatenated mitochondrial and nuclear DNA datasets show two (northern and southern) clades approximately diverged 3.26 million years ago (Ma). The West Qinling Mountains serve as a dividing line between the two lineages. Both lineages experienced a recent demographic expansion during interglacial periods (marine isotope stages (MISs) 2–6). Bayesian skyline plots and the results of ecological niche modelling suggested a more intensive expansion of the northern lineage during the late Pleistocene, whereas the southern lineage was comparatively mild in population growth.ConclusionsOur results provide insights into the distribution patterns of avian taxa and the possible mechanisms for a south and north divergence model in China. The deep divergence may have been shaped by the uplift of the QTP. Habitat preferences might have facilitated the lineage divergence for E. godlewskii. Moreover, the West Qinling Mountains act as a dividing line between the two lineages, indicating a novel phylogeographic pattern of organisms in China. The difference in population expansion mode between two lineages resulted from different effects caused by the climate of the LGM and the subsequent habitat changes accompanying the arrival of a colder climate in northern and southern regions of China.

Stable isotopes reveal captive vs wild origin of illegally captured songbirds in France

Naturally occurring stable isotopes of several elements are important tracers in the study the wildlife ecology including the identification of origins for migration research, investigations of trophic relationships, and in the forensic determination of illegally harvested and captive fauna. Extensive illegal trapping for use as decoys and in cuisine has contributed to drastic declines of Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana populations breeding and migrating through France. We contrasted feather hydrogen isotope (δ2Hf) values in illegally captured and subsequently confiscated Ortolan Buntings (n=234), including feathers known to have grown in captivity (n=34) or of unknown growing environment (wild or cage), with δ2Hf values in birds legally caught (ringed and released) in the wild (n=40). We sought to determine if feathers from these bird groups could be differentiated based on this single isotope. Feathers grown in captivity had considerably lower δ2Hf relative to feathers of wild birds, which is potentially indicative of tap water consumption and the use of different diets in captive birds. Further, applying mixing models to δ2Hf values revealed similar proportions of captive vs. wild origins for birds illegally captured in 2012, 2014 and 2015, and a larger proportion of individuals with feathers grown in the wild in 2013. This potentially mirrors the confiscation of birds at poaching sites only in the former years, but also of recently caught wild buntings kept captive in 2013. Our results show that even a single stable isotope (δ2H) with good association with origins where feather keratins are produced is potentially useful in understanding origins of captive birds and may advance the monitoring of illegally captured birds.

Insight into the species diversity of the quill mite genus Betasyringophiloidus Skoracki, 2011 (Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) on the basis of the DNA barcodes

Betasyringophiloidus Skoracki, 2011 is a genus of quill mites (Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) that is believed to contain mono-, steno- and polyxenous parasites associated with a wide range of passerine birds (Passeriformes) across the world. In this work we applied the DNA-barcode marker (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene fragment, COI) to verify whether Betasyringophiloidus schoeniclus (Skoracki, 2002) and Betasyringophiloidus seiuri (Clark, 1964) are actual steno- and polyxenous species associated with the currently recognised host ranges, or their populations are highly host-specific, cryptic species. Our results revealed that a population living on the Tristram's bunting Emberiza tristrami Swinhoe (Emberizidae) in Russia, so far classified as B. schoeniclus, is a new cryptic species Betasyringophiloidus emberizae sp. nov. Both topologies of the neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees as well as genetic distance (11.9% Kimura 2-parameter distance) (K2P) support species status of the mite population from E. tristrami. The same data support previously established conspecific status of B. seiuri found on the ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla (Linnaeus) (Parulidae) (type host) and the northern waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis (Gmelin) (Parulidae) and expand its range with a population found on a new host species Icterus pustulatus (Wagler) (Icteridae) with intraspecific K2P distance up to 1.9% and interpopulation distances ranging from 1.3 to 3.1%.

Breeding prerequisites for Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana in Swedish farmland with special focus on foraging

Ortolan Buntings Emberiza hortulana are rapidly decreasing in Sweden. Changes in agricultural practices are the main reason. Landscape simplification due to the removal of semi-natural elements leads to a lack of breeding habitats. Furthermore, due to intensive artificial fertiliser applications and advanced agricultural equipment and technology, crops grow both taller and denser than 50 years ago. In Kvismaren, south central Sweden, Ortolan Buntings have been studied since 2009. Here, we focus on one question: what defines a good foraging microhabitat? In 2017, nesting areas for five females and four males were identified and we did 271 feeding observations. Average foraging distance at different nests varied between 47 and 114 meters. About 70% of the foraging activities took place within crop fields. Ortolans utilized mainly unsown rows, later to be used by tractors for spraying etc. and patchy parts of standing crops. Invertebrates extracted from those areas looked dark, suggestive of ground-dwelling species. Our key management recommendation to create better microhabitats for feeding can be easily achieved by most farmers: to leave two unsown sowing rows (amounting to 0.38 m in width) for each tractor wheel to follow.

Unravelling migration connectivity reveals unsustainable hunting of the declining ortolan bunting.

In France, illegal hunting of the endangered ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana has been defended for the sake of tradition and gastronomy. Hunters argued that ortolan buntings trapped in southwest France originate from large and stable populations across the whole of Europe. Yet, the European Commission referred France to the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) in December 2016 for infringements to legislation (IP/16/4213). To better assess the impact of hunting in France, we combined Pan-European data from archival light loggers, stable isotopes, and genetics to determine the migration strategy of the species across continents. Ortolan buntings migrating through France come from northern and western populations, which are small, fragmented and declining. Population viability modeling further revealed that harvesting in southwest France is far from sustainable and increases extinction risk. These results provide the sufficient scientific evidence for justifying the ban on ortolan harvesting in France.

Could Meadow Passerine Distribution Within a Grassland System be Influenced by Spatial Variation in the Mowing Schedule?

This study explored meadow passerine capacity to select habitat conditions likely to preserve their breeding success. We observed the variation in bird abundance, assessed with the point count method, over a 25-year period (1993–2017) within two phytosociological facies of the hay-meadows in the lower Saone Valley (3.000 ha), eastern France: a meso-hygrophilic facies characterized by increasingly early mowing, and a hygrophilic facies mown later, with thereby a lower risk of nesting failure. At the beginning of the monitoring (1993–2001), birds were evenly distributed within the two facies. Later on, as more than 90% of meso-hygrophilic meadows were already mown by July 1, birds became more abundant in the hygrophilic facies. This trend was observed in each of the two most abundant species, the Whinchat Saxicola rubetra and the Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra. In two hygrophilic areas (55 and 76 ha) and two meso-hygrophilic areas (49 and 116 ha), passerine territories were mapped in 2011 with the territory mapping method and invertebrates were captured weekly on transects with colour plates and Barber traps. In spite of substantially higher invertebrate abundance, passerine territory density was lower in meso-hygrophilic study sites (6.4 territories/ 10 ha vs. 10.6). Within each study site however, captured invertebrates were more abundant in the areas selected by territorial birds. In fact, bird abundance estimated from point counts in 2011 varied negatively with the percentage mown by July 1 within a 200m-radius in 2010. This apparently adaptive behaviour leading to a selection of later mown fields seemed to be successful since bird abundance increased until 2010. However, after a succession of extreme climatic events (droughts, late floods), passerine abundance declined thereafter in both facies.

An Evaluation of Five Agricultural Habitat Types for Openland Birds: Abandoned Farmland Can Have Comparative Values to Undisturbed Wetland

Populations of birds inhabiting wetlands and grasslands are decreasing globally due to farmland expansion and subsequent agricultural intensification. In addition to conserving natural habitats, managing cultivated farmland and abandoned farmland are likely to be important future conservation measures; however, their relative suitability as avian habitat remains understudied. In this study, we evaluated five habitat types (wetland, pasture, cropland, abandoned farmland, and solar power plant) for openland birds in an agricultural landscape in central Hokkaido, northern Japan. Abandoned farmlands had bird species richness and total bird abundance values similar to those of wetlands. These values were generally higher in abandoned farmlands and wetlands than in croplands, pastures, and solar power plants. The per pair reproductive success of Stejneger's Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri and the amount of its prey (arthropods) did not differ among the five habitat types. Three species (Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps, Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus, and Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone) arrived earlier in wetlands than in other habitat types. These results suggest that, although protecting the remaining wetlands is of prime importance for the conservation of openland birds in agricultural landscapes, valuing and managing abandoned farmlands would be a promising alternative.

The use of soft songs during territorial intrusion in alarm context in the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana

Animals from many taxa produce low amplitude acoustic signals. In some birds such soft signals were found to be uttered in aggressive context and were the best predictor of subsequent physical attack. This phenomenon is poorly understood and several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the function(s) of the lowered amplitude of such signals. The eavesdropping avoidance hypothesis suggests that the use of low amplitude signals limits the possibility of signal detection by third-party receivers such as predators or conspecific rivals. Herein, we aim to investigate if soft songs in the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana are used in order to avoid being predated or eavesdropped by potentially threatening conspecifics. We simulated alarm situation by playback of conspecific alarm calls. We measured the overall strength of males’ response to territorial intrusion and number of soft songs in response to a risky situation compared to a control condition. Males showed a weaker approaching response to territorial intrusion and produced more soft songs if previously exposed to conspecific alarm calls and this behaviour is consistent with the eavesdropping avoidance hypothesis. However, we did not observe a complete switch to singing softly in alarm context, and both during the treatment and control males uttered loud calls in response. We suggest that soft songs in the Ortolan Bunting facilitate mediation of the territorial conflict by signalizing change in current motivation. Alternatively, soft songs might be related to readiness to fight or enable addressing signal to a specific receiver within a close range.

Energy crops affecting farmland birds in Central Europe: insights from a miscanthus-dominated landscape

The expansion of energy crops such as miscanthus Miscanthus x giganteus has changed the habitat of European farmland birds. However, most studies on the subject are based in Western Europe. We surveyed the avian community in a sample bioenergy landscape in Poland to investigate the pattern of use of the crop by birds in Central Europe. During a year-long survey, 80 species were noted, with 32 sighted in miscanthus. The number of bird sightings was negatively correlated with the area covered by miscanthus in study plots. In contrast to results from Western Europe, most woodland-generalist bird species tended to avoid miscanthus. Farmland species (e.g. the corn bunting Miliaria calandra; the tree sparrow Passer montanus; the starling Sturnus vulgaris; the yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella) were less frequently sighted in the crop than in other habitats. Only a few species were sighted more often in miscanthus than in other habitats, e.g. the marsh warbler Acrocephalus palustris; the reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus; the whinchat Saxicola rubetra. The potential impact of expanded miscanthus cropping on bird communities in Central and Eastern Europe may diverge from predictions derived from studies based in Western Europe due to differing habitat preferences and bird densities between the regions. For a majority of farmland species, the crop may constitute only a suboptimal, supplementary habitat, with only a few birds potentially adapting to the exploitation of bioenergy plantations.

Den andra kända observationen av polygyni hos ortolansparv Emberiza hortulana

During field work on foraging of the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana in a small and isolated population at Kvismaren in the county of Örebro in south Sweden, two females, nesting 1,250 m apart were observed to be mate-guarded by the same colour-ringed male. Although the male commuted between the nests, none of the females seemed to obtain any substantial help from him when feeding the young. Polygyni has been reported only once before in this species, namely seventy-five years ago, also in a small population in Sweden, when a male behaved in a similar manner to that that we observed at Kvismaren.

Geographic Variation in Yellow Bunting Songs

In Japan, geographic variation in bird song is known only on small peripheral islands with isolated populations, and has not been reported in any species on the main islands of Japan, probably due to the close proximity of the populations on the relatively small main islands. On Honshu, one of the four main islands of Japan, the Yellow Bunting Emberiza sulphurata breeds in restricted habitats (i.e. wet grasslands with forest edge, or wet grasslands with sparse forest). This may facilitate the isolation of its populations and may have led to geographic variation in its songs. We investigated the acoustic characteristics of the songs of Yellow Buntings from four populations in central Honshu and found differences among the populations. For example, males at Nagaoka sang short songs with highly frequency-modulated notes, whereas males at Fuji sang long songs with poorly modulated notes. This study demonstrated geographic variation in bird songs on a small scale in mainland Japan. As songs are formed through cultural learning, local songs can arise in loose isolation or for short periods.

The genetic structure of the European breeding populations of a declining farmland bird, the ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana), reveals conservation priorities

Anthropogenic activities, such as agricultural intensification, caused large declines in biodiversity, including farmland birds. In addition to demographic consequences, anthropogenic activities can result in loss of genetic diversity, reduction of gene flow and altered genetic structure. We investigated the distribution of the genetic variation of a declining farmland and long-distance migratory bird, the ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana, across its European breeding range to assess the impact of human-driven population declines on genetic diversity and structure in order to advise conservation priorities. The large population declines observed have not resulted in dramatic loss of genetic diversity, which is moderate to high and constant across all sampled breeding sites. Extensive gene flow occurs across the breeding range, even across a migratory divide, which contributes little to genetic structuring. However, gene flow is asymmetric, with the large eastern populations acting as source populations for the smaller western ones. Furthermore, breeding populations that underwent the largest declines, in Fennoscandia and Baltic countries, appear to be recently isolated, with no gene exchange occurring with the eastern or the western populations. These are signs for concern as declines in the eastern populations could affect the strength of gene flow and in turn affect the western populations. The genetic, and demographic, isolation of the northern populations make them particularly sensitive to loss of genetic diversity and to extinction as no immigration is occurring to counter-act the drastic declines. In such a situation, conservation efforts are needed across the whole breeding range: in particular, protecting the eastern populations due to their key role in maintaining gene flow across the range, and focussing on the northern populations due to their recent isolation and endangered status.