Lichenostomus Penicillatus Research Articles

Phylogenetic analyses to uncover the evolutionary relationship of a newly sequenced mitochondrial genome from an Eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris)

The Eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris), a passerine bird in the family Meliphagidae (honeyeaters), a dominant group of birds in Australia and New Guinea. The aim of this study was to sequence the complete mitochondrial genome of the Eastern spinebill and use its sequence to better define the phylogeny of this species. The complete mitogenome sequence of A. tenuirostris was circular and 16,614 bp in length, and its architecture was conserved in comparison to other mitogenome sequences under the family Meliphagidae. The Eastern spinebill mitogenome had the highest sequence identity with mitogenome sequences of two other honeyeaters, the white eared honeyeater, Nesoptilotis leucotis, (84.9%) and the white-plumed honeyeater, Ptilotula penicillata (85.5%). The maximum-likelihood topology distinctly discriminated the Eastern spinebill sequence against all other species of the Meliphagidae with significant bootstrap supports. We suggest the widespread sampling and complete mitogenome sequencing would be valuable in establishing the most accurate phylogenetic taxonomy of the family Meliphagidae.

Individual and demographic consequences of reduced body condition following repeated exposure to high temperatures

Although the lethal consequences of extreme heat are increasingly reported in the literature, the fitness costs of exposure to sublethal high air temperatures, typically identified in the 30-40 degrees C range, are poorly understood. We examine the effect of high (> or = 35 degrees C) daily maxima on body condition of a semiarid population of White-plumed Honeyeaters, Ptilotula penicillatus, monitored between 1986 and 2012. During this 26-yr period, temperature has risen, on average, by 0.06 degrees C each year at the site, the frequency of days with thermal maxima > or = 35 degrees C has increased and rainfall has declined. Exposure to high temperatures affected body condition of White-plumed Honeyeaters, but only in low-rainfall conditions. There was no effect of a single day of exposure to temperatures > or = 35 degrees C but repeated exposure was associated with reduced body condition: 3.0% reduction in body mass per day of exposure. Rainfall in the previous 30 d ameliorated these effects, with reduced condition evident only in dry conditions. Heat-exposed males with reduced body condition were less likely to be recaptured at the start of the following spring; they presumably died. Heat-exposed females, regardless of body condition, showed lower survival than exposed males, possibly due to their smaller body mass. The higher mortality of females and smaller males exposed to temperatures > or = 35 degrees C may have contributed to the increase in mean body size of this population over 23 years. Annual survival declined across time concomitant with increasing frequency of days > or = 35 degrees C and decreasing rainfall. Our study is one of few to identify a proximate cause of climate change related mortality, and associated long-term demographic consequence. Our results have broad implications for avian communities living in arid and semiarid regions of Australia, and other mid-latitudes regions where daily maximum temperatures already approach physiological limits in regions affected by both decreased precipitation and warming.

Shaped by your surroundings

Conservation Biology![Figure][1] Larger birds, such as this white-plumed honeyeater, decline in Australian woodlands surrounded by maturing pine plantations PHOTO: © FLPA/ALAMY Humans are fragmenting natural habitats into relatively pristine patches surrounded by a larger altered landscape patchwork, or matrix. The nature of this matrix can influence which species in the remaining intact habitat will persist. Mortelliti and Lindenmayer report on a large, long-term experiment that measured the impact of landscape change on 64 species of birds found within fragmented native Eucalyptus woodlands in Australia. They found that though overall species richness did not change, emerging pine plantations altered communities, favoring smaller birds that move easily through dense vegetation but reducing the presence of larger species. These results suggest that matrix vegetation types can shape selection in such a way that species and communities within native landscape patches are permanently changed. Conserv. Biol. 10.1111/cobi.12523 (2015). [1]: pending:yes

Lack of seasonal and moult-related stress modulation in an opportunistically breeding bird: The white-plumed honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus)

This article is part of a Special Issue “SBN 2014”.In most vertebrate species, glucocorticoid levels and stress sensitivity vary in relation to season and life-history stage. In birds, baseline corticosterone (CORT) and stress sensitivity are typically highest while breeding and decrease substantially during moult. Because elevated CORT adversely affects protein synthesis, moult-related CORT suppression is thought to be necessary for forming high-quality feathers. Surprisingly, some passerine species lack moult-related CORT suppression, but these are distinguished by having slow rates of moult and being opportunistic breeders. We examined baseline and stress-induced CORT levels in an opportunistically breeding Australian passerine, the white-plumed honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus). Although this species has a slower moult rate than high-latitude breeders, it differs little from north-temperate passerines. Neither baseline nor stress-induced CORT levels varied with season (winter, spring or summer), sex or moult status in adult birds. While breeding tended to be highest in early spring through late summer, laparotomies revealed only limited reduction in testicular size in males the year round. In all but one sampling period, at least some females displayed follicular hierarchy. Breeding usually coincides with outbreaks of phytophagous insects, which can happen at any time of the year. This results in moult/breeding overlap when infestations occur in late spring or summer. The ability of this species to moult and breed at the same time while having breeding-levels of CORT demonstrates that CORT suppression is not a prerequisite for synthesis of high-quality feathers. An experimental design incorporating moulting and non-moulting phenotypes is suggested to test the functional significance of CORT suppression in other species.

Does reduced mobility through fragmented landscapes explain patch extinction patterns for three honeyeaters?

Habitat loss and associated fragmentation are major drivers of biodiversity decline, and understanding how they affect population processes (e.g. dispersal) is an important conservation goal. In a large-scale test employing 10 × 10 km units of replication, three species of Australian birds, the fuscous honeyeater, yellow-tufted honeyeater and white-plumed honeyeater, responded differently to fragmentation. The fuscous and yellow-tufted honeyeaters are 'decliners' that disappeared from suitable habitat in landscapes where levels of tree-cover fell below critical thresholds of 17 and 8%, respectively. The white-plumed honeyeater is a 'tolerant' species whose likelihood of occurrence in suitable habitat was independent of landscape-level tree-cover. To determine whether the absence of the two decliner species in low tree-cover landscapes can be explained by reduced genetic connectivity, we looked for signatures of reduced mobility and gene flow in response to fragmentation across agricultural landscapes in the Box-Ironbark region of north-central Victoria, Australia. We compared patterns of genetic diversity and population structure at the regional scale and across twelve 100 km(2) landscapes with different tree-cover extents. We used genetic data to test landscape models predicting reduced dispersal through the agricultural matrix. We tested for evidence of sex-biased dispersal and sex-specific responses to fragmentation. Reduced connectivity may have contributed to the disappearance of the yellow-tufted honey-eater from low tree-cover landscapes, as evidenced by male bias and increased relatedness among males in low tree-cover landscapes and signals of reduced gene flow and mobility through the agricultural matrix. We found no evidence for negative effects of fragmentation on gene flow in the other decliner, the fuscous honeyeater, suggesting that undetected pressures act on this species. As expected, there was no evidence for decreased movement through fragmented landscapes for the tolerant white-plumed honeyeater. We demonstrated effects of habitat loss and fragmentation (stronger patterns of genetic differentiation, increased relatedness among males) on the yellow-tufted honeyeater above the threshold at which probability of occurrence dropped. Increasing extent and structural connectivity of habitat should be an appropriate management action for this species and other relatively sedentary woodland specialist species for which it can be taken as representative.

Learned recognition of brood parasitic cuckoos in the superb fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus

Cuckoo hosts defend themselves against parasitism by means of mobbing, egg rejection, and chick rejection. However, each of these defenses is prone to costly recognition errors, and hosts are therefore more likely to deploy these defenses if they observe a cuckoo in the vicinity of their nest. The success of such response plasticity depends on accurate recognition of sympatric cuckoo species, but the mechanism by which hosts recognize cuckoos is largely unknown. Here, we use microgeographic variation in exposure to cuckoos in superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) hosts to test whether recognition of cuckoos is dependent on learning. We compare mobbing by superb fairy-wrens in response to freeze-dried specimens of a shining bronze-cuckoo (Chalcites lucidus) and a honeyeater control (Lichenostomus penicillatus) at 2 heavily parasitized sites and 2 rarely parasitized sites. Hosts at heavily parasitized sites mobbed the cuckoo intensively, including production of a distinctive whining call that appears to instigate group mobbing. By contrast, hosts at the rarely parasitized sites showed little reaction to the cuckoo, and their responses were similar to those given to the control. Furthermore, individuals with past experience of cuckoos mobbed the cuckoo specimen even when cuckoos were absent from the site, and did so significantly more than naive individuals. The extreme variation in response to cuckoos on such a small geographic scale and in relation to past exposure to cuckoos is consistent with learned recognition of cuckoos rather than local genetic adaptation.

Dispersal behaviour of Brown Treecreepers predicts functional connectivity for several other woodland birds

The persistence of native species in fragmented landscapes is dependent on dispersal or foraging movements between habitat patches, which may be limited. Although corridors have been heralded as solutions, their effectiveness depends on species’ movement behaviour, which has rarely been studied. We previously analysed dispersal movements of Brown Treecreepers (Climacteris picumnus), concluding that scattered trees may provide greater connectivity than corridors, and the length of corridors and size of any gaps within may be more important than corridor width. However, conclusions from a single species may not be representative. Here, we analyse dispersal movements of two sedentary birds—Eastern Yellow Robins (Eopsaltria australis) and White-throated Treecreepers (Cormobates leucophaeus)—and foraging movements of two semi-nomadic birds—Fuscous Honeyeaters (Lichenostomus fuscus) and White-plumed Honeyeaters (L. penicillatus). Despite differences in their ecologies and purpose of movements, we found the movement strategies of these species at the local landscape scale were similar. The types of connectivity used and gap distances crossed were similar to those for Brown Treecreepers, strengthening our understanding of how to provide connectivity. We suggest that decision rules for movement have been shaped over evolutionary time by variability in the landscape, so movement behaviour may be less species-specific than previously assumed.

Inexplicable Inefficiency of Avian Molt? Insights from an Opportunistically Breeding Arid-Zone Species, Lichenostomus penicillatus

The majority of bird species studied to date have molt schedules that are not concurrent with other energy demanding life history stages, an outcome assumed to arise from energetic trade-offs. Empirical studies reveal that molt is one of the most energetically demanding and perplexingly inefficient growth processes measured. Furthermore, small birds, which have the highest mass-specific basal metabolic rates (BMRm), have the highest costs of molt per gram of feathers produced. However, many small passerines, including white-plumed honeyeaters (WPHE; Lichenostomus penicillatus), breed in response to resource availability at any time of year, and do so without interrupting their annual molt. We examined the energetic cost of molt in WPHE by quantifying weekly changes in minimum resting metabolic rate (RMRmin) during a natural-molt period in 7 wild-caught birds. We also measured the energetic cost of feather replacement in a second group of WPHEs that we forced to replace an additional 25% of their plumage at the start of their natural molt period. Energy expenditure during natural molt revealed an energy conversion efficiency of just 6.9% (±0.57) close to values reported for similar-sized birds from more predictable north-temperate environments. Maximum increases in RMRmin during the molt of WPHE, at 82% (±5.59) above individual pre-molt levels, were some of the highest yet reported. Yet RMRmin maxima during molt were not coincident with the peak period of feather replacement in naturally molting or plucked birds. Given the tight relationship between molt efficiency and mass-specific metabolic rate in all species studied to date, regardless of life-history pattern (Efficiency (%) = 35.720•10−0.494BMRm; r2 = 0.944; p = <0.0001), there appears to be concomitant physiological costs entrained in the molt period that is not directly due to feather replacement. Despite these high total expenditures, the protracted molt period of WPHE significantly reduces these added costs on a daily basis.

Clutch variation and egg rejection in three hosts of the pallid cuckoo, Cuculus pallidus

AbstractIn theory, hosts of avian brood parasites would benefit by modifying their egg appearance in two ways to help identify mimetic foreign eggs: (i) by laying clutches that are more uniform in appearance and (ii) by laying clutches that differ from those of other females in the population. Support for these theories is inconsistent, and few studies have used objective measures of clutch variation. Here we used reflectance spectrophotometry to quantify within-clutch and between-clutch variation of three host species of an Australian brood parasite, the pallid cuckoo (Cuculus pallidus). We used egg-swapping experiments in which subjects were presented with either a conspecific egg or a heterospecific egg to compare the egg rejection responses of a frequently parasitised host, the white-plumed honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus), with two less frequently parasitised hosts, dusky woodswallows (Artamus cyanopterus) and willie wagtails (Rhipidura leucophrys). As predicted, rejection rate increased as contrast between foreign egg and host clutch increased. Further, the major host showed greater between-clutch variation than the occasional hosts, and also rejected more similar-looking eggs. Contrary to predictions however, within-clutch variation was not lower in the major host, nor was it important in predicting the rejection rate of foreign eggs by the three host species.

Plasma Cholinesterase characteristics in native Australian birds: significance for monitoring avian species for pesticide exposure

Cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides are applied throughout Australia to control agricultural pests. Blood plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity is a sensitive indicator of exposure to organophosphorus insecticides in vertebrates. To aid biomonitoring and provide reference data for wildlife pesticide-risk assessment, plasma acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities were characterised in nine species of native bird: King Quails (Excalfactoria chinensis), Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), White-plumed Honeyeaters (Lichenostomas penicillatus), Yellow- throated Miners (Manorina flavigula), Willie Wagtails (Rhipidura leucophrys), Australian Reed-Warblers (Acrocephalus australis), Brown Songlarks (Cincloramphus cruralis), Double-barred Finches (Taeniopygia bichenovii) and Australasian Pipits (Anthus novaeseelandiae). Plasma ChE activities in all species were within the range ofmost other avian species and all but one contained AChE and BChE; no AChE was present in King Quail, which has not previously been reported for any species. The lowest detectable plasma AChE activity was 0.10 μmol min−1 mL−1 in Budgerigars and the highest was 0.86 μmol min−1 mL−1 in Australian Reed-Warblers. BChE in the plasma ranged from 0.37 mmolmin−1 mL−1 in Double-barred Finches to 0.90 mmolmin−1 mL−1 in White-plumed Honeyeaters and Australian Reed-Warblers. The lowest proportion of AChE was found in Budgerigars (12.8%) and highest in Willie Wagtails (67.8%). No differences were detected in ChE activity at any time of day in Budgerigars and Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata), although there was a significant difference in all ChE activity between seasons in Zebra Finches.

Inducing whole‐assemblage change by experimental manipulation of habitat structure

1. Habitat structure long has been identified as a primary factor influencing local assemblage composition. Most evidence has been in the form of correlations of species occurrence and assemblage composition over a range of habitats, with experimental verification of relationships being relatively uncommon because of the difficulties of enacting precise manipulations of habitat structure. 2. Fallen timber (also known as coarse or large woody debris) is one of the few habitat-structural elements in forests and woodlands that can be manipulated with relatively high precision. We report on manipulations of wood-loads on 30 experimental 1-ha plots in floodplain forests of northern Victoria, Australia, over 4 years (one pre- and three post-manipulation). 3. We show that very high wood-loads (80 Mg ha(-1)) and intermediate wood-loads derived from tree crowns (40 Mg ha(-1)) increase species richness (all species and ground-foraging species) and numbers of birds (all species and ground-foraging species) relative to the control plots. 4. Three bird species consistently increased most following manipulations: white-plumed honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus (Gould 1837) (fam. Meliphagidae), brown treecreeper Climacteris picumnus (Temm. & Laug. 1824) (fam. Climacteridae) and yellow rosella Platycercus elegans flaveolus (Gould 1837) (fam. Psittacidae). The honeyeater is not considered as a ground or fallen timber dependent species, while the treecreeper and rosella both are regarded as being dependent on ground-layer structure. 5. Fallen timber management needs to be considered in a landscape and temporal context for improving conservation of avian biodiversity.

Nectarivorous bird assemblages in Box-Ironbark woodlands in the Capertee Valley, New South Wales

Spatial and temporal variability in nectarivorous bird assemblages was studied at 16 sites over four years in the Capertee Valley, New South Wales. We investigated differences in assemblages among years, seasons and habitats, and predictability in the nectarivorous bird community in space and time. One rare species, the Regent Honeyeater, was investigated more closely to determine whether it was consistently associated with particular bird species or flowering plants.Nectarivorous birds showed no predictable variation in time (month to month) and numbers fluctuated erratically at all sites and over the valley, when all sites were combined. Differences in bird assemblages were recorded between warm and cool seasons in some years but this was not consistent across all years. Some habitat differences were consistently found. The drier woodlands on slopes were characterised by abundant Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, while the valley habitats (cleared, riparian and cleared with large mature trees) were associated with abundant White-plumed Honeyeaters. However, many species were common to all habitats and sites showed low similarity in composition within a habitat. Honeyeaters were not more abundant at sites with flowers. Similarly, Regent Honeyeaters were not consistently associated with sites with flowering trees, suggesting that other resources such as insects may influence spatial movements of nectarivorous birds. An increase in the presence of White-plumed Honeyeaters, Little Lorikeets and Noisy Friarbirds, and a decrease in Noisy Miners and Fuscous Honeyeaters characterised the bird assemblage when Regent Honeyeaters were present.These results suggest that landscape-level conservation is important as nectarivorous birds appear to move among a range of sites and habitats in an unpredictable manner, including areas that are largely cleared of understorey. Although the use of riparian habitats by nectarivores indicates its high conservation value, the maintenance of a few specific sites in the valley is unlikely to maintain nectarivorous bird numbers.

The conservation value of paddock trees for birds in a variegated landscape in southern New South Wales. 2. Paddock trees as stepping stones

The use of paddock trees as stepping stones by birds was assessedin a grazing landscape in southern New South Wales, Australia. A totalof 70 paddock tree sites was surveyed for 20 min each inthe morning, and 36 sites were surveyed again in the afternoon in March2000. During the surveys, the presence, direction of arrival, anddirection of departure to and from sites was recorded for each bird. Astepping stone effect of paddock trees was examined in two ways: (1) byanalysing the arrival and departure direction of birds relative tosurrounding vegetation cover, and (2) by analysing the departuredirection of birds relative to their arrival direction. An arrivaldirection was obtained for 150 independently acting groups of birds, anda departure direction was obtained for 203 independently acting groupsof birds. Both arrival and departure direction were obtained for 87independently acting groups. Foliage-foraging birds tended to followrelatively densely vegetated areas. There was some indication thatgranivores and nectarivores also preferred to move along denselyvegetated areas. This trend was absent for open-country species. Allgroups of birds examined tended to return to their place of origin ormove in the opposite direction of their arrival. This trend was mostpronounced for nectarivores and the foliage-foraging White-plumedHoneyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus), and lesspronounced for open-country species and parrots. The results arediscussed in relation to the biology and ecology of the various speciesof birds. We conclude that paddock trees have the potential to enhancelandscape connectivity by acting as stepping stones to assist movement.This further highlights their conservation value as demonstrated in thefirst paper of this series.

Testosterone does not affect basal metabolic rate or blood parasite load in captive male White‐plumed Honeyeaters Lichenostomus penicillatus

We examined physiological and morphological responses of reproductively active male White‐plumed Honeyeaters Lichenostomus penicillatus to exogenous testosterone (T). Birds used in the experiment were held in captivity for two weeks and then were given subcutaneous implants which were either empty (controls) or T‐filled silastic capsules (T‐treated). Basal metabolic rates (BMR) measured just prior to implantation and again 4‐weeks later were not affected by treatment and were indistinguishable from BMR measured in free‐living White‐plumed Honeyeaters, averaging 3.2 ml O2/g/h. Plasma T levels measured at the time of the final BMR evaluation were 1.2, 1.8, and 5.5 ng/ml in free‐living, control, and T‐treated birds, respectively. Body mass was unaffected by T treatment. All captive birds used in the experiment displayed Haemoproteus sp. infection, but blood parasite loads did not differ temporally between T‐treated and control birds during their 6‐week captivity. Corticosterone secretion during a 60‐min capture‐handling protocol did not differ between control and T‐treated birds, but corticosterone levels at each sampling period in captive birds were significantly lower than those of free‐living males. Three morphological variables of White‐plumed Honeyeaters were affected by T treatment: T‐treated birds had significantly higher haematocrits and larger testes than control birds and also showed no change in bill colour. Control birds, by contrast, showed substantial lightening of the proximal half of their bills. We conclude that BMR, resistance to Haemoproteus infection, and stress responsiveness are not directly affected by T levels in male White‐plumed Honeyeaters.

The Vocal Repertoires of Six Honeyeater (Meliphagidae) Species from Adelaide, South Australia

Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) are prominent members of the avifauna in Australia, typically with four to five resident species in any area. We recorded vocalisations from six species resident around Adelaide in South Australia: the Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata, Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera, Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala, White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus, New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae and Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera. The larger honeyeaters (Red and Little Wattlebird) produced characteristically harsh vocalisations covering a wide range of frequencies. Crescent and White-plumed Honeyeaters had a varied and complex repertoire of calls and songs which were quite musical in nature. Noisy Miners and New Holland Honeyeaters produced vocalisations dominated by simple single note whistles. Each species had specific vocalisations emitted in different contexts: alarm, distress, begging and contact calls as well as song. Alarm and distress calls of the six species had common characteristics and typically induced responses from other honeyeater species.

Habitat selection in the White‐plumed Honeyeater and the Fuscous Honeyeater at an area of sympatry

AbstractMultivariate analysis on 15 habitat variables and quantitative data on foraging and interactive behaviour were used to investigate habitat selection in the White‐plumed Honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus) and the Fuscous Honeyeater (Lichenostomus fuscus) at an area of sympatry in woodland in New England Tablelands. Thirty‐nine plots from four sites were used to examine significant differences in habitat utilization during the breeding period. The White‐plumed Honeyeater associated strongly with narrow belts of riverine Casuarina while the Fuscous Honeyeater was associated with Eucalyptus in the extensive eucalypt woodland. The narrow ecotone was used by both species, but the two occurred together only in an extremely narrow zone. Changes in foraging activities were observed between this overlap zone and non‐overlap zone. Both niche breadth and overlap in relation to four measures of foraging were reduced in plots where species were in joint occurrence compared with where they were not, although overlap in most measures of foraging remained high. The number of encounters between the two highly aggressive and abundant species was not great. Thus, the species appear generally to avoid each other. The observed spacing pattern may result from prior experience of intense aggressive interactions. Distinct habitat features could provide easily recognized cues for the maintenance of local horizontal separation. Other factors such as slight differences in morphology, habitat preference, foraging and physiology may enhance differences in habitat selection.

Alarm Calls of Honeyeaters with Reference to Locating Sources of Sound

The alarm calls that are given in response to a flying hawk by the New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, the White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus and the White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus are described. Animals locate sources of sound by comparing differences in intensity, phase and timing cues of the incident sound at each ear. These processes are explained and previous explanation is criticized. Some animals create more directional cues from incident sound with pinna. The structure of the alarm calls of honeyeaters makes them easy to locate and some honeyeaters possess specialized ear-feathers that may function as pinna. The function of the alarm calls is discussed with reference to survival value.

Devices for Reducing Aggression in the White-Plumed Honeyeater and the Willie Wagtail

(1975). Devices for Reducing Aggression in the White-Plumed Honeyeater and the Willie Wagtail. Emu - Austral Ornithology: Vol. 75, No. 1, pp. 40-42.

Breeding of the White-plumed Honey-eater near Sydney

Breeding of the White-plumed Honey-eater near Sydney

Abnormal Eggs of White-plumed Honeyeater

Abnormal Eggs of White-plumed Honeyeater