Brood parasitism of Black‐capped Vireos: frontline and post‐laying behavioral responses and effects on productivity

The cost of brood parasitism favors the evolution of host behaviors that reduce the risk or expense of being parasitized. Endangered Black‐capped Vireos (Vireo atricapilla) have likely coexisted with brood‐parasitic Brown‐headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) for more than 10,000 yr, so it is likely that they have evolved anti‐parasitic behaviors. We monitored naturally parasitized and non‐parasitized vireo nests to evaluate factors that might explain parasitism risk and nest desertion behavior and also assessed whether behaviors that occurred after being parasitized improved reproductive output. Vireos reduced the risk of parasitism by initiating breeding early and nesting farther from open grasslands and edges of woody thickets. Post‐laying, nest desertion was common (70% of parasitized nests) and increased with both the presence of at least one cowbird egg in nests and clutch reduction by cowbirds. After accounting for these cues, desertion was also more likely at nests located closer to cowbird foraging habitat and below potential cowbird vantage points. Despite its regularity, desertion did not appear to provide reproductive benefits to vireos. Instead, accepting cowbird eggs was a more effective strategy because 42% of cowbird eggs did not hatch. Furthermore, cowbird eggs were somehow ejected from at least three vireo nests. Our results suggest that Black‐capped Vireos can behave in a variety of ways that reduce the impact of brood parasitism, with frontline behaviors appearing to provide the greatest benefit. Our results also suggest that habitat management should focus on providing Black‐capped Vireos with adequate breeding habitat that provides access to safe nesting sites, and with high‐quality wintering habitat that allows vireos to migrate and initiate nesting early.     

Cattle grazing in CRP grasslands during the nesting season: effects on avian reproduction

Bird populations in grasslands have experienced declines coinciding with loss and fragmentation of prairies. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-administered Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the most extensive grassland restoration program in North America and it has especially benefitted grassland birds. Grazing by domestic cattle has been restricted in CRP during avian nesting seasons despite the potential improvements in structuring habitat for a greater diversity of grassland bird species. Potential negative consequences of grazing in CRP grasslands include trampling of nests by cattle, reductions in nest concealment from predators, and attraction of brood-parasitic brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater). We designed an experiment to test for effects of cattle grazing in CRP fields during the nesting season on nest survival and brood parasitism of 5 bird species that commonly nest in CRP grasslands: mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), dickcissel (Spiza americana), and eastern (Sturnella magna) and western (S. neglecta) meadowlarks. Grazing was implemented during summers 2017 and 2018 on 17 of 36 fields followed by a year of rest on all fields in 2019. Of the 879 nests on grazed fields, only 4 were likely trampled by cattle (vs. 54% of all nests estimated as failing because of depredation). Experimental grazing (grazed vs. ungrazed fields) had variable effects on nest survival and cowbird parasitism among the bird species analyzed. Negative effects of grazing on daily nest survival of dickcissel and meadowlarks were apparent, at least in some years. We found no direct effects of grazing on nest survival of mourning dove or grasshopper sparrow. Probability and intensity (cowbird offspring/nest) of cowbird parasitism in dickcissel nests was higher on grazed versus ungrazed sites but only in conservation practice (CP) CP2 (vs. CP25 fields). Parasitism probability of grasshopper sparrow nests by cowbirds was higher on grazed fields in the 2 years after introduction of cattle in 2017. Greater vegetative concealment around nest sites was associated with reduced cowbird parasitism of meadowlark and grasshopper sparrow nests and higher nest survival for grasshopper sparrows. Reductions in vegetative height caused by longer-term or high-intensity grazing might therefore have negative consequences for some grassland birds by increasing nest site visibility and exposure to cowbird parasitism. Our results indicate that cattle grazing in CRP fields during the nesting season might have some negative effects on reproductive success of some grassland bird species, at least in the short term; however, the potential improvements of structuring habitat to accommodate more grassland bird species and increasing landowner participation in the CRP are considerable.     

Which egg features predict egg rejection responses in American robins? Replicating Rothstein's (1982) study

Rothstein (Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 11, 1982, 229) was one of the first comprehensive studies to examine how different egg features influence egg rejection behaviors of avian brood parasite–hosts. The methods and conclusions of Rothstein (1982) laid the foundation for subsequent experimental brood parasitism studies over the past thirty years, but its results have never been evaluated with replication. Here, we partially replicated Rothstein's (1982) experiments using parallel artificial model egg treatments to simulate cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism in American robin (Turdus migratorius) nests. We compared our data with those of Rothstein (1982) and confirmed most of its original findings: (1) robins reject model eggs that differ from the appearance of a natural robin egg toward that of a natural cowbird egg in background color, size, and maculation; (2) rejection responses were best predicted by model egg background color; and (3) model eggs differing by two or more features from natural robin eggs were more likely to be rejected than model eggs differing by one feature alone. In contrast with Rothstein's (1982) conclusion that American robin egg recognition is not specifically tuned toward rejection of brown‐headed cowbird eggs, we argue that our results and those of other recent studies of robin egg rejection suggest a discrimination bias toward rejection of cowbird eggs. Future work on egg recognition will benefit from utilizing a range of model eggs varying continuously in background color, maculation patterning, and size in combination with avian visual modeling, rather than using model eggs which vary only discretely.     

Poor reproductive success of Gray Vireos in a declining California population

Since the 1940s, populations of Gray Vireos (Vireo vicinior) in California have collapsed, presumably because of parasitism by Brown‐headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). In 2012 and 2013, we studied the vireo's nesting ecology to assess factors affecting two of California's largest remaining populations in the chaparral of San Diego County. Nest success was extremely low, with a model‐averaged probability of nest survival of only 0.08 (N = 95). More nest failures were due to predation (83%) than to cowbird parasitism (13%). Video‐recording at 30 nests revealed that California Scrub‐Jays (Aphelocoma californica) were the most common nest predator (67%). Of eight variables tested, height of shrubs surrounding the nest had the strongest negative influence on nest survival, but was more strongly correlated with cowbird parasitism than with jay predation. Despite frequent renesting, seasonal productivity was well below the level required to sustain a population, especially in northern San Diego County where we found no Gray Vireos at six of seven sites where they had been present from 1997 to 2001 and where cowbird parasitism was more frequent. The vireo's continuing range collapse contrasts with recent climate‐change models predicting a range expansion, highlighting the importance of demographic studies. Low nest success is likely contributing to population declines in California, and the additive effect of cowbird parasitism suppresses productivity. Conservation of Gray Vireos in California will likely require development of alternative approaches to cowbird and scrub‐jay control appropriate to sites widely scattered in rugged chaparral.     

Community-wide patterns of parasitism of a host “generalist” brood-parasitic cowbird

The brown-headed cowbird (Molothrusater) is a generalist obligate brood parasite. Despite intensive study and growing concern over the negative impact of cowbird parasitism on populations of many hosts, very little is known about the factors influencing community-wide patterns of cowbird parasitism. Using systematic nest searches, nest parasitism was studied over two breeding seasons at a study site in northeastern Illinois encompassing grassland, forest-edge, and forest habitat, supporting a diverse avian community. Parasitism was observed for 18 out of 34 altricial bird species found nesting at the study site. A total of 299 cowbird eggs and nestlings were found in 191 of a total of 593 nests. Analyses revealed several ecological and behavioral factors associated with frequency of parasitism and the resulting distribution of cowbird eggs. Much higher frequencies of parasitism were found in edge and forest habitats than in grassland. Within the edge habitat, open nests were parasitized significantly more often than cavity nests. Among open nests in the edge habitat, the two largest species were never parasitized. Host behavior, particularly egg-ejection behavior, was associated with a reduced observed frequency of parasitism, but at least three species known to eject cowbird eggs were sometimes parasitized. For six common hosts capable of rearing cowbirds, we found no correlation between level of parasitism and host nest-survivorship, suggesting that fine-grained assessments of host quality by female cowbirds do not influence patterns of parasitism among acceptable host species, or that differences in host quality are not great and/or predictable enough for such fine-grained assessments. Our results suggest that when a variety of possible nests are available, the level of parasitism on a particular species is a balance between a␣cowbird's preference for a particular species and the effectiveness of host species' defenses. A conceptual model was developed that incorporates the observed correlation of cowbird eggs or nestlings with habitat, nest-type, host species' body mass, and host behavioral defenses. Additional community-wide studies of cowbird parasitism will test if this model is applicable to other avian communities. Received: 20 December 1996 / Accepted: 17 May 1997     

Are European White Butterflies Aposematic?

It has been suggested that the white coloration of Pieridae butterflies is a warning signal and therefore all white Pieridae could profit from a mimetic resemblance. We tested whether green-veined white (Pieris napi) and orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) butterflies benefit from white coloration. We compared their relative acceptability to wild, adult pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) by offering live A. cardamines and P. napi together with two non-aposematic butterflies on the tray attached to birds' nesting boxes. Experienced predators equally attacked white and non-white butterflies, and the order of attack among the Pieridae was random. If anything, there was a slight indication that the female A. cardamines was the least favoured prey. Since birds did not avoid white coloration, we compared the palatability of these two species against known palatable and unpalatable butterflies by presenting them to great tits (Parus major). Pieris brassicae, which has been earlier described as unpalatable, was also included in the palatability test. However, there were no significant differences in the palatability of the butterflies to birds, and even P. brassicae was apparently palatable to the great tits. Our results do not unambiguously support the hypothesis that the white coloration of Pieridae would signal unpalatability. Nevertheless, in our last experiment, pied flycatchers often rejected or left untouched free flying P. napi and A. cardamines. This suggests that other features in a more natural situation, such as the agile flight pattern or odours might still make them unprofitable to birds. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Does Nest Defence Deter or Facilitate Cowbird Parasitism? A Test of the Nesting-cue Hypothesis

The nesting-cue hypothesis poses that avian brood parasites use nest-defence responses directed toward them by hosts as cues to locate nests to parasitize. Hosts that respond more intensely to brood parasites should provide more cues about nest location than those hosts giving lower intensity responses. Thus, the nesting-cue hypothesis predicts that within a species parasitized nest owners should respond more intensely than unparasitized nest owners to cowbirds perched near and away from nests. This assumes that hosts respond to cowbirds when they are encountered away from the nest and that host responses gradually increase in intensity as the cowbird nears the nest. The nesting-cue hypothesis, its assumptions and prediction were tested using six host species of the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater, Icterinae). We presented a female cowbird model at three distances from host nests and compared the responses elicited. All species responded to the cowbird at all distances, which supports the first assumption. Some of the rarely elicited responses (e.g. contacts) and the proximity of the host to the model varied significantly with distance, which suggests that cowbirds could use nest defence by the host as cues to the location of an active nest. However, parasitized nest owners did not respond more intensely than unparasitized nest owners to the cowbird positioned at any of the distances from the nest, which does not support the nesting-cue hypothesis itself. Further considerations are discussed that suggest that nest defence is not likely to be used as a nest-location cue.     

Lack of Mate-guarding in a Territorial Passerine Bird with a Low Intensity of Sperm Competition,the Pied Flycatcher; (Ficedula hypoleuca)

We examined a Norwegian population of pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) for behaviour associated with the paternity-protection tactic of mate-guarding and found that this tactic was absent. The absence of mate-guarding and the fact that pied flycatchers do not have a high rate of copulation make this population unusual to the extent that the current literature implies that, in birds, one or other paternity guard should be present. Comparison of our population with a Swedish population that does exhibit mate-guarding lends some support to the notion that differences in nesting density may drive the relative risk of extra-pair copulation, leading to the need for paternity guards such as mate-guarding. However, we conclude that, whilst the results of both our study and the Swedish study are consistent with the nesting-density hypothesis, there is at least one other plausible hypothesis that fits the available data. Specifically, we direct attention to the role of the female in determining overall patterns of pair behaviour and, potentially, the rate of extra-pair paternity, challenging the primacy of male—male competition as the driving force behind the sperm-competition dynamics of this species.     

Avian Nest Box Selection and Nest Success in Burned and Unburned Southwestern Riparian Forest

ABSTRACT Riparian forest communities in the southwestern United States were historically structured by a disturbance regime of annual flooding. In recent decades, however, frequency of flooding has decreased and frequency of wildfires has increased. Riparian forests provide important breeding habitat for a large variety of bird species, and the effects of this altered disturbance regime on birds and their breeding habitat is largely unknown. To evaluate effects of high-intensity spring and summer wildfire on the quality of breeding bird habitat in the Middle Rio Grande valley, we measured vegetation structure and composition, avian nest use, and nest success at 4 unburned plots and 4 wildfire plots over a 3-year period. We measured avian nest use and success at nest boxes located in unburned riparian forest plots and plots recently burned by wildfire. Recent wildfire plots (<7 yr after fire) had a much different vegetation structure than unburned plots; an older (>7 yr after fire) wildfire plot more closely resembled its paired unburned plot than did recently burned plots. Ash-throated flycatchers (Myiarchus cinerascens) and Bewick's wrens (Thryomanes bewickii; hereafter, flycatchers and wrens, respectively) used nest boxes in most of the plots. A model selection procedure applied to logistic regressions showed that frequency of nest box use by flycatchers was positively associated with wildfire, although flycatchers used boxes in unburned plots as well. Wrens showed a preferential use of nest boxes that were in unburned sites and in close proximity to vegetative cover. Growth rates, feeding rates, and fledging mass of flycatchers were similar in wildfire and unburned plots. Growth rates for wrens were slower in wildfire plots, while feeding rates and fledging mass were similar. Nest predation varied between years, was higher for flycatchers than for wrens, and was not directly influenced by wildfire. Model selection showed that predation increased with grass cover, an indicator of forest openness, and decreased with distance to habitat edge. Recovery of dense vegetation appears important in maintaining populations of Bewick's wrens, whereas ash-throated flycatchers were less sensitive to vegetative structure and composition of postfire succession. Postfire management that maintains nest sites in large forest strips would enhance nesting density and success of these cavity-nesting birds in riparian zones.     

Black-and-white plumage in male pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) reduces the risk of predation from sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) during the breeding season

Bright colors in birds might signal that they are undesirableas prey (aposematic), an idea that has been difficult to test.When stuffed pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca are exposedto migrating sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus in spring or in autumn,the hawks attack cryptic females more often than bright males.To achieve better statistical control and to assess whethermale plumage also reduces predation risk in the breeding seasonand in the nesting habitat of the pied flycatcher, I placedpairs of male and female flycatcher mounts in similar positionsnear 22 nests of sparrowhawks. The hawks attacked mainly femalemounts, verifying that the preference is real. The sparrowhawkscaught at least 19 live pied flycatchers; 12 young, 5 adultmales, 1 adult female, and 1 female or young. Hawks that caughtan adult male seemed to prefer attacking female mounts. I discussthree interpretations of these results, suggesting that black-and-whitemale flycatchers may benefit from being a novel and aberrantprey, at least early in the breeding season.     

Reducing the conservation reliance of the endangered Kirtland's warbler through adaptive management

Species are considered conservation-reliant when their continued existence is dependent on human assistance. Conservation reliance challenges the conservation community in terms of their ability to sustain the funding and public-private partnerships needed for indefinite management. Although increased funding for conservation is critical, reducing conservation reliance through adaptive management represents an attractive alternative. We used a large-scale ecological experiment as a case study in the use of adaptive management to reduce conservation reliance. For >40 years, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has trapped and lethally removed an obligate brood parasite, the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), to protect the Kirtland's warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) from the negative effects that brood parasitism has on its reproductive success. To determine if the conservation reliance of the Kirtland's warbler could be reduced through optimization of the cowbird control program, we used an adaptive management approach. In collaboration with stakeholders, we experimentally reduced cowbird trapping effort across nearly all of the Kirtland's warbler breeding range. We monitored the resulting cowbird abundance and rate of parasitism, and then adjusted the scale of trap reductions based on the previous year's results. Despite reducing (2015–2017) and eventually eliminating (2018) cowbird trapping, we detected only 20 cowbirds (2015–2017) and found that just 4 of 514 (<1%) nests were parasitized (2015–2018). Our results indicate that the cowbird control program can at least temporarily be suspended, thereby reducing conservation reliance in the Kirtland's warbler and freeing funds for other management. We urge the conservation community to consider the use of adaptive management to reduce conservation reliance in other threatened and endangered taxa. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.     

Differences in morphology and colour pattern of shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) eggs found in nests of two hosts

Genetic differentiation among shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) females that use different hosts indicates that in this brood parasite, host use is not random at an individual level. We tested whether there exist differences in morphology and coloration between eggs of shiny cowbirds laid in the nests of two different hosts, the chalk‐browed mockingbird (Mimus saturninus) and the house wren (Troglodytes aedon). We took morphometric measures of shiny cowbird eggs found in nests of mockingbirds and wrens and analysed their coloration using digital photography and reflectance spectrometry. We found that shiny cowbird eggs found in mockingbird nests were wider and more asymmetric than those found in wren nests. In addition, cowbird eggs coming from mockingbird nests were brighter and had higher relative red reflectance than those coming from wren nests. Our results show that shiny cowbird eggs laid in nests of two different hosts vary in shape and background colour, but not in spotting pattern. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102 , 838–845.     

Are nest sites actively chosen? Testing a common assumption for three non-resource limited birds

Many widely-accepted ecological concepts are simplified assumptions about complex situations that remain largely untested. One example is the assumption that nest-building species choose nest sites actively when they are not resource limited. This assumption has seen little direct empirical testing: most studies on nest-site selection simply assume that sites are chosen actively (and seek explanations for such behaviour) without considering that sites may be selected randomly. We used 15 years of data from a nestbox scheme in the UK to test the assumption of active nest-site choice in three cavity-nesting bird species that differ in breeding and migratory strategy: blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), great tit (Parus major) and pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). Nest-site selection was non-random (implying active nest-site choice) for blue and great tits, but not for pied flycatchers. We also considered the relative importance of year-specific and site-specific factors in determining occupation of nest sites. Site-specific factors were more important than year-specific factors for the tit species, while the reverse was true for pied flycatchers. Our results show that nest-site selection, in birds at least, is not always the result of active choice, such that choice should not be assumed automatically in studies of nesting behaviour. We use this example to highlight the need to test key ecological assumptions empirically, and the importance of doing so across taxa rather than for single “model” species.     

Function of egg punctures by Shiny Cowbirds in parasitized and nonparasitized Creamy‐bellied Thrush nests

ABSTRACT Avian brood parasites usually remove or puncture host eggs. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the function of these behaviors. Removing or puncturing host eggs may enhance the efficiency of incubation of cowbird eggs (incubation‐efficiency hypothesis) or reduce competition for food between cowbird and host chicks in parasitized nests (competition‐reduction hypothesis) and, in nonparasitized nests, may force hosts to renest and provide cowbirds with new opportunities for parasitism when nests are too advanced to be parasitized (nest‐predation hypothesis). Puncturing eggs may also allow cowbirds to assess the development of host eggs and use this information to decide whether to parasitize a nest (test‐incubation hypothesis). From 1999 to 2002, we tested these hypotheses using a population of Creamy‐bellied Thrushes (Turdus amaurochalinus) in Argentina that was heavily parasitized by Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis). We found that 56 of 94 Creamy‐bellied Thrush nests (60%) found during nest building or egg laying were parasitized by Shiny Cowbirds, and the mean number of cowbird eggs per parasitized nest was 1.6 ± 0.1 (N= 54 nests). At least one thrush egg was punctured in 71% (40/56) of parasitized nests, and 42% (16/38) of nonparasitized nests. We found that cowbird hatching success did not differ among nests where zero, one, or two thrush eggs were punctured and that the proportion of egg punctures associated with parasitism decreased as incubation progressed. Thus, our results do not support the incubation‐efficiency, nest‐predation, or test‐incubation hypotheses. However, the survival of cowbird chicks in our study was negatively associated with the number of thrush chicks. Thus, our results support the competition‐reduction hypothesis, with Shiny Cowbirds reducing competition between their young and host chicks by puncturing host eggs in parasitized nests.     

Fall migration of Empidonax flycatchers in northwestern Colombia

ABSTRACT South of Mexico, little is known about the fall migration patterns of most Neotropical migrants. I studied the migration of Empidonax flycatchers using mist‐net surveys in northwestern Colombia from late September to mid‐October in 4 yr (2003–2005, 2008). Empidonax species were identified using linear measurements and color patterns. About 62% of captured individuals were reliably identified to species, with 86% identified as Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii) and 14% as Alder Flycatchers (E. alnorum). No Acadian Flycatchers (E. virescens) were identified. Most birds captured were adults (84.9%) and, due to overlap in measurements, I was only able to determine the sex of 16.3% of the birds. Most Empidonax flycatchers migrated through northwestern Colombia during September and October, with individuals migrating through my study area over a period of at least 1 mo. Willow Flycatchers tended to migrate earlier than Alder Flycatchers, a pattern consistent with the fall movements of these two species at other locations. No captured flycatchers were molting either remiges or rectrices, and most (89%) had either no or slight traces of subcutaneous fat. No Empidonax flycatchers were recaptured, suggesting that stopover duration at my study site was brief. My results show that many Empidonax flycatchers can be identified as Willow and Alder flycatchers during the nonbreeding period, and such identification will enhance our knowledge of their geographical distribution and improve our understanding of possible patterns of segregation on their wintering grounds.     

Heightened Exposure to Parasites Favors the Evolution of Immunity in Brood Parasitic Cowbirds

Immunologists and evolutionary biologists are interested in how the immune system evolves to fit an ecological niche. We studied the relationship between exposure to parasites and strength of immunity by investigating the response of two species of New World cowbirds (genus Molothrus, Icteridae), obligate brood parasites with contrasting life history strategies, to experimental arboviral infection. The South American shiny cowbird (M. bonariensis) is an extreme host-generalist that lays its eggs in the nests of >225 different avian species. The Central American bronzed cowbird (M. aeneus) is a relative host-specialist that lays its eggs preferentially in the nests of approximately 12 orioles in a single sister genus. West Nile virus provided a strong challenge and delineated immune differences between these species. The extreme host-generalist shiny cowbird, like the North American host-generalist, the brown-headed cowbird, showed significantly lower viremia to three arboviruses than related icterid species that were not brood parasites. The bronzed cowbird showed intermediate viremia. These findings support the interpretation that repeated exposure to a high diversity of parasites favors the evolution of enhanced immunity in brood parasitic cowbirds and makes them useful models for future studies of innate immunity.     

BEHAVIORAL DEFENSES AGAINST AVIAN BROOD PARASITISM IN SYMPATRIC AND ALLOPATRIC HOST POPULATIONS

The brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a widespread, obligate brood parasite of North American passerine birds. In southern Manitoba, where hosts are sympatric with cowbirds, American robins (Turdus migratorius) ejected parasitic eggs from all experimentally parasitized clutches (N = 25) and no eggs were accepted for more than four days. In contrast, robins in northern Manitoba, an area where cowbirds do not breed, accepted parasitic eggs in 33% of nests (N = 18) for at least five days. Acceptance of experimental cowbird eggs by a second host, the yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia), was similar in allopatric (100% of 20 nests) and sympatric (88.6% of 35 nests) populations, but models of a female cowbird elicited greater nest defense by warblers in the area of sympatry. Neither host rejected eggs of conspecifics, thus, rejection of cowbird eggs was not an epiphenomenon of conspecific brood parasitism. These results support the hypothesis that recognition of cowbirds and their eggs evolved as adaptations to counter cowbird parasitism and not some other selection pressure. The expression of anti-parasite defenses by some individuals within allopatric populations further suggests these traits may be controlled genetically but persist in such areas either through the continued introgression of rejecter genes from sympatric populations or because of the low cost of rejection behavior when parasitism is absent or rare.     

Bioko: critically important nesting habitat for sea turtles of West Africa

We evaluate the conservation status and threats faced by sea turtle nesting populations at Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea (Central Africa). Beaches were monitored to obtain a detailed sea turtle nest census and, where possible, tagging of adult females was undertaken. Four sea turtle species were found nesting in the area: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata); with the former two species nesting in regionally important numbers. Nesting activity was concentrated between November and February, with a peak in December–January. Tagging and recapture of green turtles in two consecutive seasons suggested an estimated 560 (interquartile range: 420–1,681) and 414 (interquartile range: 190–1,255) nesting females in the area, respectively. Estimated numbers of nesting leatherbacks ranged from 123 to 215 and 243 to 293 in the first and second season, respectively. The other two species were less abundant (olive ridley: 19–29 and 28–43; hawksbill: 4–10 and 2 turtles). Data were compared with more recent surveys in the area and contextualised with information on human related threats. Despite the size of nesting stocks, ongoing permitted and illegal take of adult turtles at the nesting site constitutes a serious threat for these breeding aggregations. Additionally, tag returns from throughout the Gulf of Guinea suggest that the level of take in regional fisheries may also be a major threat.     

Landscape distribution of food and nesting sites affect larval diet and nest size,but not abundance of Osmia bicornis

Habitat fragmentation is a major threat for beneficial organisms and the ecosystem services they provide. Multiple‐habitat users such as wild bees depend on both nesting and foraging habitat. Thus, they may be affected by the fragmentation of at least two habitat types. We investigated the effects of landscape‐scale amount of and patch isolation from both nesting habitat (woody plants) and foraging habitat (specific pollen sources) on the abundance and diet of Osmia bicornis L. Trap‐nests of O. bicornis were studied in 30 agricultural landscapes of the Swiss Plateau. Nesting and foraging habitats were mapped in a radius of 500 m around the sites. Pollen composition of larval diet changed as isolation to the main pollen source, Ranunculus, increased, suggesting that O. bicornis adapted its foraging strategy in function of the nest proximity to main pollen sources. Abundance of O. bicornis was neither related to isolation or amount of nesting habitat nor to isolation or abundance of food plants. Surprisingly, nests of O. bicornis contained fewer larvae in sites at forest edge compared to isolated sites, possibly due to higher parasitism risk. This study indicates that O. bicornis can nest in a variety of situations by compensating scarcity of its main larval food by exploiting alternative food sources.     

Watch Your Tone: Social Conditions Modulate Singing Strategies

Bird song is typically depicted as a male singing a long‐distance signal to potentially unknown receivers to (1) deter males and (2) attract females. Nevertheless, many songbirds sing from close distances to a known receiver; males of these species may be under more intense selective pressure to modify their songs depending on the sex of the receiver in order to convey different motivational states (aggression versus courtship) to the different sexes. In a laboratory setting, we examined how receiver sex affected within‐song variation of the close‐range singing behavior in the brown‐headed cowbird (Molothrus ater). Although we know that cowbird song is influenced by flock composition, it is still unclear as to how the cowbird modifies his song based on social context. Using a cross‐correlation analysis of each male's different song types, we found that pairs of songs were significantly more dissimilar if they were directed to females compared with songs directed to males. We subsequently tested whether there were any consistent spectral or temporal patterns in the songs males gave to females versus to males. Our results lend support for the Motivational Structural Rules Hypothesis as songs directed toward males had higher entropy (i.e., harshness) than the same song type directed toward females. Our results suggest that cowbirds may have evolved the ability to alter multiple dimensions of their singing behavior based on receiver sex.