Wainganga River valley of Eastern Vidarbha hosts major part of lush green landscape. Gosekhurd Dam (Indira Sagar) is one of the largest irrigation project of central India (JI00481) located 20.8738154°N 79.6081781°E near Pauni of Bhandara district, Maharashtra on Wainganga river. It is a good habitat for birds and herpetofauna biodiversity. Bird watching and recording were done from January 2014 to December 2017. 241 species belonging to 152 genera, 46 families and 17 orders (Podicipediformes, Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes, Anseriformes, Falconiformes, Galliformes, Gruiformes, Charadriiformes, Columbiformes, Psittaciformes, Cuculiformes, Strigiformes, Caprimulgiformes, Apodiformes, Coraciiformes, Piciformes and Passeriformes) were recorded. The order Passeriformes is the largest order belonging to 16 families and 90 bird species. Out of total bird species, 109 (45.23%) are resident, 95 (39.42%) are resident migrant and 37 (15.35%) are migratory species. Wainganga Valley is of critical importance for Maharashtra to preserve its forests, wildlife, and tribal population dependent on it. Present investigation carried out to prepare an inclusive checklist of bird species and their ecological status in the study area.

Birds within the orders Charadriiformes (shorebirds, gulls) and Anseriformes (waterfowl) are reservoir hosts for avian influenza (AI) viruses, but their role in the transmission dynamics of AI viruses is unclear. To date, waterfowl have been the predominant focal species for most surveillance and epidemiological studies, yet gulls, in particular, have been shown to harbor reassortant AI viruses of both North American and Eurasian lineages and are underrepresented in North American surveillance efforts. To address this gap in surveillance, 1346 ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) were sampled during spring and fall migrations and at three breeding sites in 2017 across Minnesota. Results indicate noticeable age-cohort dynamics in AI virus prevalence within ring-billed gulls in Minnesota. Immunologically naïve juveniles represented the cohort with the highest prevalence rate (57.8%). Regardless of age, more gulls had AI virus detected in oropharyngeal (OP) than in cloacal (CL) swabs. The high AI virus prevalence within ring-billed gulls, particularly in immunologically naïve birds, warrants further targeted surveillance efforts of ring-billed gulls and other closely related species.

The suborder Charadrii (Aves: Charadriiformes), one of the most species-rich radiations within shorebirds, which contains good source for studies of ecology, behaviour and evolution. The resources of mitogenome have rapidly accumulated in recent years due to the advanced genomic sequencing, while suborder Charadrii's mitogenome has not been well studied. The primary objective of this study was to determine the complete mitogenome sequence of Charadrius alexandrinus, and investigated the evolutionary relationship within Charadrii. The mitogenome of C. alexandrinus were generated by amplification of overlapping Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) fragments. In this study, we determined the complete mitogenome sequence of the Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus, and comparative analysed 11 species to illustrate mitogenomes structure and investigated their evolutionary relationship within Charadrii. The Charadrii mitogenomes displayed moderate size variation, the mean size was 16,944bp (SD = 182, n = 11), and most of the size variation due to mutations in the control region (CR). Nucleotide composition was consistently biased towards AT rich, and the A+T content also varies for each protein-coding genes. The variation in ATP8 and COIII was the highest and lowest respectively. The GC skew was always negative, with the ATP8 had higher value than other regions. The average uncorrected pairwise distances revealed heterogeneity of evolutionary rate for each gene, the COIII, COI and COII have slow evolutionary rate, whereas the gene of ATP8 has the relative fast rate. The highest value of Ks and Ka were ND1 and ATP8, and the ratios of Ka/Ks are lower than 0.27, indicating that they were under purifying selection. Phylogenomic analysis based on the complete mitochondrial genomes strongly supported the monophyly of the suborder Charadrii. This study improves our understanding of mitogenome structure and evolution, and providing further insights into phylogeny and taxonomy in Charadrii. In future, sequencing more mitogenomes from various taxonomic levels will significantly improve our understanding of phylogenetic relationships within Charadrii.

The present study comprises the biodiversity of birds in Gorewada International bio-park situated at north-west of Nagpur city with geographical location 21°11′N 79°2′E and a good habitat for avian biodiversity. Bird watching and recording were done from March 2011 to February 2014, in the morning and evening hours during Sunday and holidays. 190 species belonging to 128 genera, 51 families and 17 orders (Podicipediformes, Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes, Anseriformes, Falconiformes, Galliformes, Gruiformes, Charadriiformes, Columbiformes, Psittaciformes, Cuculiformes, Strigiformes, Caprimulgiformes, Apodiformes, Coraciiformes, Piciformes and Passeriformes) were recorded. The order Passeriformes is the largest order belonging to 20 families and 75 bird species. Out of total bird species, 89 (46.84%) are resident, 77 (40.53%) are resident migrant and 24 (12.63%) are migratory species.
 Forest region of this bio-park provides heterogeneity in vegetation and lake is rich in aquatic fauna and other food for avian species. Therefore, this region is well suitable for feeding, resting and roosting site for aves. The report obtains information regarding resident birds, migratory birds and resident migratory birds of Gorewada bio-park.

Harvesting of marine invertebrates in intertidal areas often comes into conflict with conservation objectives for waterbird populations of the orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes. We present a meta-analysis of the relationships between benthic invertebrate communities and various sources of intertidal harvesting disturbance to investigate impacts and recovery in bird prey resources. The effect size (Hedges’ d) of harvesting on benthic species abundance, diversity and biomass was calculated for 38 studies in various locations globally, derived from 16 publications captured through a systematic review process that met the meta-analysis inclusion criteria. A negative response to harvesting disturbance was found for all taxa, including both target and non-target species, that represent important types of waterbird prey. Impacts appear most severe from hand-gathering, which significantly reduces the abundance of target polychaete species, a key prey group for many bird species. Across all gear types, non-target species demonstrate a larger reduction in abundance compared to target species. Recovery trends vary, with differences observed between taxonomic groups and gear/habitat combinations. Abundance of bivalve molluscs, a potentially highly profitable bird prey item, is suppressed for >60 d by mechanical dredging in intertidal mud, while annelid and crustacean abundances demonstrate near recovery over the same period. Data suggest that recovery following harvesting in sandier habitats may in some cases take as long as or longer than in muddy sediments. We recommend management measures to minimise disturbance to benthic prey resources and support conservation objectives for waterbird populations to meet international legal requirements.

Abstract Shorebirds (Order Charadriiformes) exhibit a wide variety of breeding systems, and have been the subject of extensive studies on the evolution of these systems. Nevertheless, there are many monogamous species within this clade. Previous studies of Charadrius vociferus (Killdeer) have shown that they are monogamous, with only a single documented variation (serial polyandry). We report observations at a nest that contained 7 eggs (typical nests have 4 eggs). The nest was being attended by 3 adults, and it successfully fledged young. This is the first documented Killdeer nest with possible simultaneous polygamy.

BackgroundOver the past couple of decades, measuring immunological parameters has become widespread in studies of ecology and evolution. A combination of different immunological indices is useful for quantifying different parts of the immune system and comprehensively assessing immune function. Running multiple immune assays usually requires samples to be repeatedly thawed and re-frozen. There is some evidence that repeated freezing and thawing can affect assay results, but this has never been comprehensively studied in some common ecological immunology assays. We tested the effect of multiple (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10) freeze-thaw cycles on the results of four commonly used immunological assays: haemolysis-haemagglutination titres, haptoglobin concentration, bacterial killing capacity and total immunoglobulins (IgY). We tested five different bird species from four different bird orders (Passeriformes, Columbiformes, Charadriiformes and Galliformes), and we included both captive and free-living individuals. In addition, we tested for haptoglobin concentrations and the haemolysis-haemagglutination assay if re-analysing samples 1 year apart led to different results. For the haemolysis-haemagglutination assay we also tested two different sources of rabbit blood, and we compared untreated microtitre plates with plates that were “blocked” to prevent nonspecific interactions between the plate and assay reagents.ResultsRepeated freezing and thawing of plasma had no effect on lysis titres, haptoglobin concentrations, bacterial killing capacity, or total immunoglobulin levels. Agglutination titres were unaffected by up to five cycles but were lower after ten freeze-thaw cycles. For the haemolysis-haemagglutination assay and haptoglobin concentrations, re-analysing samples 1 year apart yielded highly correlated data. For the haemolysis-haemagglutination assay, the source of rabbit blood did not influence the results, and the untreated vs. blocked plates differed slightly overall, but at the individual level assay results were highly correlated. Using different rabbit blood sources or different types of microtitre plates yielded highly correlated data.ConclusionsOur data suggest that repeated freeze-thaw cycles do not impair assay results to the point of influencing ecological or evolutionary conclusions. Plasma samples can be safely stored in one tube and thawed repeatedly for different assays. Nevertheless, we recommend consistent treatment of samples in terms of freeze-thaw cycles or other laboratory treatments to minimize the potential for introducing a systematic bias.

Avian influenza virus ecology in wild birds of Western Siberia

Purifying selection and concerted evolution of RNA-sensing toll-like receptors in migratory waders

The Charadriiformes, among the most diverse orders of bird, is a good source to research on evolution. The mitochondrial genome sequencing database has rapidly increased in recent years, while Charadriiformes mitogenome has not been well studied. In this research, we determined the complete mitogenome sequence of Gallinago stenura, and comparatively analysed 20 mitogenomes of Charadriiformes. The mitogenomes display moderate size variation, and most of variation due to mutations in the control region. In 13 protein-coding genes, we found: 1. The GC skews are always negative, while the negative AT skews are found in 5 genes, 2. The average uncorrected pairwise distances reveal heterogeneity of evolutionary rate for each gene, 3. The ATG and TAA, respectively, are observed the most commonly start and stop codon. The highest dN/dS is detected for ATP8 (0.16) among Charadriiformes, while the lowest for COI (0.01), indicating that 13 protein-coding genes are evolving under the purifying selection. Predicted secondary structures of tRNAs indicate that the sequences and structures of anticodon, amino acceptor, and TψC arms are highly conserved, and most nucleotide variation is restricted to dihydrouridine arms with obvious indel polymorphisms. A total of 15 conserved sequence boxes were recognized in the control regions, and the 4 bp (5’-AAAC-3’) and 7 bp (5’- AAACAAC -3’) repeat sequences occurred frequently. Phylogenomic analysis based on the nearly complete mitochondrial genomes strongly supported the monophyly of the order, and the suborder Charadrii is at the basal of Charadriiformes. Moreover, our results well resolved the complexity family-level relationships and clearly depicted the evolutionary processes of Charadriiformes, based on 12 mitochondrial protein-coding genes from 18 families. This study improves our understanding of mitogenomic structure and evolution, which can provide further insights into our understanding of phylogeny and taxonomy in Charadriiformes.

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) of the subtypes H13 and H16 are primarily found in gulls ( Larus spp., order Charadriiformes). Although the gull-adapted subtypes replicate efficiently during infection, gulls usually remain apparently healthy during infection. Avian influenza virus isolates are generally separated into two distinct populations, North American and Eurasian, because of the limited gene flow between the continents. Reassortment between these lineages does occur occasionally; however, direct intercontinental transmission of all eight gene segments is rare. Extensive research has been done to understand the ecology of IAV subtypes that naturally circulate in ducks (order Anseriformes), but the ecology of H13 and H16 IAVs in gulls remains far less studied. In Finland, gulls were screened for IAVs for passive (dead and diseased gulls) and active (clinically healthy gulls) surveillance purposes during the years 2005-10. During that period, 11 H13, two H16 viruses, and one H3N8 IAV were detected. We sequenced partial and full-length hemagglutinin genes of these gull-origin IAVs for phylogenetic assessments. All but one of the H13 genes clustered together with northern European and northeastern Asian viruses, whereas one virus clustered with North American viruses. Interestingly, a high rate (10/14) of these low-pathogenic IAVs was detected in dead or diseased gulls. The atypical clinical status of the IAV-positive gulls and previous observations of circovirus-like inclusion bodies in diseased gulls during autopsies, led us to screen for concurrent circovirus infections in our samples. The DNA of circovirus, an immunosuppressive pathogen of both birds and mammals, was detected in 54% (7/13) of the tested IAV-positive gulls, whereas only 25% (14/56) of our panel of IAV-negative gulls tested positive by circovirus PCR.

We tested wild birds in Poland during 2008-15 for avian influenza virus (AIV). We took 10,312 swabs and feces samples from 6,314 live birds representing 12 orders and 84 bird species, mostly from orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes, for testing and characterization by various PCR methods. From PCR-positive samples, we attempted to isolate and subtype the virus. The RNA of AIV was detected in 1.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-2.1%) of birds represented by 48 Mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos ), 11 Mute Swans ( Cygnus olor ), 48 Common Teals ( Anas crecca ), three Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), one Common Coot ( Fulica atra ), one Garganey (Spatula querquedula), and one unidentified bird species. Overall, the prevalence of AIV detection in Mallards and Mute Swans (the most frequently sampled species) was 2.0% (95% CI, 1.4-2.5%) and 0.5% (95% CI, 0.2-0.8%), respectively; the difference was statistically significant (P=0.000). Hemagglutinin subtypes from H1 to H13 were identified, including H5 and H7 low pathogenic AIV subtypes. Mallards and Common Teals harbored the greatest diversity of subtypes. We observed seasonality of viral detection in Mallards, with higher AIV prevalence in late summer and autumn than in winter and spring. In addition, two peaks in AIV prevalence in summer (August) and autumn (November) were demonstrated for Mallards. The prevalence of AIV in Mute Swans did not show any statistically significant seasonal patterns.

A comprehensive influenza virus monitoring study of wild birds was carried out at important flyway resting places and wintering sites in Kazakhstan over eight years. More than 3200 birds belonging to 155 species were sampled. Nearly three-fourths of the birds belonged to the orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes. In total, 118 hemagglutinating agents were isolated, and 95 of them were identified as influenza A viruses. The influenza viruses comprised eight different subtypes with a high prevalence of H13 and H3 viruses and also included low-pathogenic H5 viruses. The vast majority of the H13 viruses were isolated from members of the family Laridae, whereas the H3 viruses mostly originated from members of the family Anatidae, both in concordance with other monitoring studies. All virus isolates were recovered from cloacal swabs or fecal samples only. The influenza viruses were identified mainly in wetlands north of the Caspian Sea. These findings should be integrated in the design of further wild-bird-monitoring activities.

Anthropogenic debris in the world’s oceans and coastal environments is a pervasive global issue that has both direct and indirect impacts on avifauna. The number of bird species affected, the feeding ecologies associated with an increased risk of debris ingestion, and selectivity of ingested debris have yet to be investigated in most of Australia’s coastal and marine birds. With this study we aim to address the paucity of data regarding marine debris ingestion in Australian coastal and marine bird species. We investigated which Australian bird groups ingest marine debris, and whether debris-ingesting groups exhibit selectivity associated with their taxonomy, habitat or foraging methods. Here we present the largest multispecies study of anthropogenic debris ingestion in Australasian avifauna to date. We necropsied and investigated the gastrointestinal contents of 378 birds across 61 species, collected dead across eastern Australia. These species represented nine taxonomic orders, five habitat groups and six feeding strategies. Among investigated species, thirty percent had ingested debris, though ingestion did not occur uniformly within the orders of birds surveyed. Debris ingestion was found to occur in orders Procellariiformes, Suliformes, Charadriiformes and Pelecaniformes, across all surveyed habitats, and among birds that foraged by surface feeding, pursuit diving and search-by-sight. Procellariiformes, birds in pelagic habitats, and surface feeding marine birds ingested debris with the greatest frequency. Among birds which were found to ingest marine debris, we investigated debris selectivity and found that marine birds were selective with respect to both type and colour of debris. Selectivity for type and colour of debris significantly correlated with taxonomic order, habitat and foraging strategy. This study highlights the significant impact of feeding ecology on debris ingestion among Australia’s avifauna.

In the US, sampling for avian paramyxovirus serotype-1 (APMV-1) is generally conducted when morbidity or mortality events occur involving certain families of wild birds known to be affected by the virus, such as cormorants (Family Phalacrocoracidae), pigeons, doves (Family Columbidae), or pelicans (Family Pelecanidae). To quantify the prevalence of APMV-1 in apparently healthy wild birds and to determine its geographic distribution, we collected swab and serum samples from >3,500 wild birds, representing eight orders from 1 January 2013 to 30 September 2013. Antibody prevalence was highest in wild birds of Order Suliformes (44.9%), followed by Pelecaniformes (24.4%), Anseriformes (22.7%), and Columbiformes (11.7%), with a relatively high occurrence of virulent viruses in Columbiformes (100% of virulent viruses isolated). As expected, viral shedding was comparatively much lower, and positives were only identified in Orders Accipitriformes (1.4%), Columbiformes (1.0%), Anseriformes (0.8%), and Charadriiformes (0.4%). We also demonstrate circulating virulent APMV-1 viruses of genotype VI in apparently healthy Rock Pigeons ( Columba livia ) from March through September in three states.

Resumen: Se realizó un inventario de las poblaciones de aves silvestres en San Vicente y las Granadinas en los períodos de residencia invernal, reproducción y migración otoñal entre los años 2009 y 2010. El objetivo de este trabajo fue actualizar el inventario de las aves en diferentes localidades y hábitats de San Vicente y las Granadinas. En las 25 localidades muestreadas se detectaron 89 especies, de ellas, 54 se encuentran en Reservas Forestales, Jardines Botánicos y Áreas de Importancia para las Aves (IBAs) que por su grado de protección deben garantizar la existencia de las poblaciones de aves registradas para el país. Se registraron 28 de las especies de aves más significativas por su endemismo y grado de amenaza. Entre ellas están el Zumbador Crestado (Orthorhyncus cristatus), la Cotorra de San Vicente (Amazona guildingii), la Bijirita Silbadora (Catharopeza bishopi) y el Semillero Gorjirrojo (Loxigilla noctis). Durante los muestreos realizados se detectaron 45 especies de aves acuáticas, de las cuales, 25 pertenecen al orden Charadriiformes. Se pudo comprobar la importancia de Cayo Milligan y Battowia Island para la nidificación de aves acuáticas. En Battowia Island nidifica la mayor colonia mixta de estas aves. 
 Palabras clave: aves, conservación, inventario, San Vicente y las Granadinas
 Abstract: We conducted an inventory of wild bird populations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Lesser Antilles, during periods of winter residence, breeding, and fall migration in 2009 and 2010. Our objective was to update knowledge of bird distribution and status in various localities and habitats of the islands. In the 25 localities sampled, we detected 89 bird species, of which 54 were in forest reserves, botanical gardens, and Important Bird Area (IBAs) which, because of the degree of protection provided, should ensure the survival of these bird populations. We recorded 28 species of birds of greatest concern due to their endemism and degree of threat, including Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus), St. Vincent Parrot (Amazona guildingii), Whistling Warbler (Catharopeza bishopi), and Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis). We detected 45 species of aquatic birds during our sampling, of which 25 belong to the order Charadriiformes. Our observations verified the importance of Milligan Cay and Battowia Island for nesting aquatic birds. The most important mixed colony of aquatic birds nests on Battowia Island.
 Keywords: birds, conservation, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, surveys
 Résumé: Nous avons effectué un inventaire des populations d’oiseaux sauvages à Saint-Vincent-et-les Grenadines, Petites Antilles, en période d’hivernage, de reproduction et de migration d’automne, en 2009 et 2010. Notre objectif était d’actualiser les connaissances sur la répartition et le statut des oiseaux dans diverses localités et différents habitats de ces îles. Dans les 25 localités échantillonnées, nous avons rencontré 89 espèces d’oiseaux, dont 54 dans des réserves forestières, des jardins botaniques et des Zones importantes pour la conservation des oiseaux (ZICO), qui, en raison du niveau de protection offert, devaient assurer la survie des populations d’oiseaux connus dans le pays. Nous avons relevé 28 espèces d’oiseaux dont l’état de conservation est très préoccupant en raison de leur endémisme et d’un fort degré de menace, incluant le Colibri huppé (Orthorhyncus cristatus), l’Amazone de Saint-Vincent (Amazona guildingii), la Paruline de Saint-Vincent (Catharopeza bishopi), et le Sporophile rougegorge (Loxigilla noctis). Nous avons relevé 45 espèces d’oiseaux d’eau au cours de notre échantillonnage, dont 25 appartenant à l’ordre des Charadriiformes. Nos observations ont confirmé l’importance de Milligan Cay et de l’île Battowia pour la nidification des oiseaux d’eau. La plus importante colonie mixte d’oiseaux d’eau se trouve dans l’île Battowia.
 Mots clés: conservation, inventaire, oiseaux, Saint-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are found in a wide variety of wild and domestic animals, and constitute a risk for zoonotic and emerging infectious disease. In poultry, the genetic diversity, evolution, distribution and taxonomy of some coronaviruses have been well described, but little is known about the features of CoVs in wild birds. In this study we screened 764 samples from 22 avian species of the orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes in Sweden collected in 2006/2007 for CoV, with an overall CoV prevalence of 18.7%, which is higher than many other wild bird surveys. The highest prevalence was found in the diving ducks—mainly Greater Scaup (Aythya marila; 51.5%)—and the dabbling duck Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos; 19.2%). Sequences from two of the Greater Scaup CoV fell into an infrequently detected lineage, shared only with a Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) CoV. Coronavirus sequences from Mallards in this study were highly similar to CoV sequences from the sample species and location in 2011, suggesting long-term maintenance in this population. A single Black-headed Gull represented the only positive sample from the order Charadriiformes. Globally, Anas species represent the largest fraction of avian CoV sequences, and there seems to be no host species, geographical or temporal structure. To better understand the eitiology, epidemiology and ecology of these viruses more systematic surveillance of wild birds and subsequent sequencing of detected CoV is imperative.

ABSTRACTMycoplasma gallisepticum is the most important pathogenic avian Mycoplasma species and causes chronic respiratory disease in poultry. In addition, the prevalence of Mycoplasma synoviae is of increasing concern in several EU member states. We investigated the prevalence of M. gallisepticum in commercial poultry (5220 layers, 1224 broilers and 1020 meat turkeys), 56 racing pigeons and 890 wild birds (Order Anseriformes, Galliformes, Pelecaniformes, Accipitriformes, Gruiformes, Charadriiformes, Columbiformes, Strigiformes, Falconiformes and Passeriformes). Broilers and wild birds were also evaluated for Mycoplasma synoviae. Dependent on the bird lifespan and the nature of the sample, different diagnostic tests were used including the rapid plate agglutination test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction and real-time polymerase chain reaction. A low prevalence of M. gallisepticum was found in both layers (0.9%; 95% CI: 0.7–1.2%) and broilers (2.7%; 95% CI: 1.9–3.8%) possibly due to reduced vertical transmission by breeder farms, which are under official surveillance. None of the samples from turkeys or racing pigeons tested positive. In wild birds, we found five birds were positive (1.7%; 95% CI: 0.7–3.9%): one wood pigeon, two grey herons, one mallard and one Eurasian magpie. For M. synoviae a high prevalence was found in broilers (12.9%: 95% CI: 11.1–14.9%). Four samples collected by hunters gave a positive result for M. synoviae (4%: 95% CI: 1.6–9.8%): one carrion crow and three wood pigeons. In addition, 12 house sparrows were found to be positive (3%; 95% CI: 1.7–5.2%). Wild birds probably play a limited role as a reservoir but we cannot exclude a possible impact on transmission of Mycoplasmas.

96 Normal 0 10 c£… 0 2 false false false EN-US ZH-CN X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:ae™®e€sei¨ae ¼; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:DengXian; mso-ascii-font-family:DengXian; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:DengXian; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:DengXian; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;} Knowledge on species diversity, distribution and abundance are among prerequisite ecological information to design sound conservation strategy. The present study was carried out to assess diversity, distribution and relative abundance of avian fauna in Dhati Walel National Park, western Ethiopia. Data were collected from June 2013 to May 2014 from three habitat types: wetland, woodland, and riverine forest. Data were collected using the method of line transects in wetland and woodland and point count method in riverine forest. A total of 124 avian species belonging to 18 orders and 50 families were recorded during the whole study period. Twenty-three families were from order Passeriformes. Three species: Banded barbet ( Lybius undatus ), Erlanger’s lark ( Calandrella erlangeri ) and Wattled ibis ( Bostrychia carunculata ), are endemic to Ethiopia and Eritrea. The highest number of species (14) was recorded from the family Accipitridae (order Accipitriformes). Families Columbidae (order Columbiformes), Nectariniidae (order Passeriformes) and Ciconiidae (order Charadriiformes) were represented with nine, six and five species, respectively. Woodland supported the highest avian diversity both during wet (H’ = 3.96) and dry (H’= 3.71) seasons. Wetland was the least diversified (H’= 2.93, wet and H’ = 3.07, dry) in both seasons. Similarity of bird species was more between woodland and riverine forest both during the wet (SI=0.44) and dry (SI=0.31) seasons. There were no rare species and many frequent (33 species wet and 38 species dry seasons) and common (23 wet) species were recorded in the woodland. Awareness creation to reduce human pressure and research on the remaining habitat of the park are recommended.

The aim is to evaluate ecological diversity of wild birds in Siberia and the Russian Far East, which are carriers of Newcastle disease virus that belongs to potentially dangerous pathogen for poultry. Methods. Biological materials (cloacal swabs and intestinal fragments) of wild migratory birds were collected in 2008-2014. The viral isolates were propagated in the allantoic cavity of developing chicken embryos. The presence of virus was determined in hemagglutination tests and primary identification of Newcastle disease virus was confirmed by RT-PCR. Pathogenicity of the obtained isolates was determined in tests ICPI and MDT. Results. 4443 samples were obtained from wild migratory birds of 11 avian orders and were investigated. Newcastle disease virus was detected in 40 birds from 4 orders. The Duck family (Anatidae) of the Waterfowl order (Anseriformes) plays the leading role in the circulation of Newcastle disease virus in Siberia and the Far East.The main species among them - a teal (Anas crecca), a garganey (Anas querquedula), a mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and a shoveler (Anas clypeata). All studied isolatesof Newcastle disease virus are apatogenic except for two deponated strains. Main conclusions. Wild migratory birds from orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes are capable of carrying Newcastle diseasevirus and could transfer pathogenic variants of this virus to the Russian territory.