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Cathartidae (New World vultures)
... Although a few studies continue to assume a close cathartid-stork relationship (e.g. Tagliarini et al., 2009;Song et al., 2015; see also Houston, 1994), no recent phylogenetic analyses with broad taxon sampling and informative characters have recovered a close cathartid-stork relationship (e.g. Ericson et al., 2006;Livezey and Zusi, 2007;Brown et al., 2008;Hackett et al., 2008;Kimball et al., 2013), and a cathartid sister relationship with Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, and kites) appears well resolved in recent analyses (McCormack et al., 2013;Jarvis et al., 2014;Prum et al., 2015). ...
... Species tree generated using an uncorrelated lognormal relaxed clock applied separately for each locus. Bird images modified from Houston (1994). 55 Ma (early Eocene). ...
... In areas where cathartid species co-occur, competitive exclusion has also been suggested to restrict interactions among contemporary species due to limited food resources and possibly further limit cathartid species diversity. For example, a social dominance hierarchy based on body size often exists among cathartid species when feeding on large carcasses in open habitat (Wallace and Temple, 1987;Kirk, 1988;Hertel, 1994;Buckley, 1997), yet abundance at the feeding site can also influence interspecific guild structure (Kirk, 1988;Carrete et al., 2010; see also Houston, 1994). Temporal segregation in feeding behavior based on differences in ability to locate carrion, particularly in forested habitat with visual obstructions and smaller-sized food items, has also been documented as a mechanism limiting cathartid species interactions (Houston, 1988;Kirk, 1988;Lemon, 1991). ...
... Esta familia engloba a las siete especies de buitres del Nuevo Mundo, son aves de presa diurnas de tamaño mediano a muy grandes, se distribuyen en el Norte, Centro y Sudamérica. Se encuentran en una amplia variedad de hábitats, desde las montañas hasta los bosques de tierras bajas y desiertos (44). En Bolivia se ha reportado a seis de las siete especies (29). ...
... En Bolivia se ha reportado a seis de las siete especies (29). Son eminentemente carroñeros, la característica principal es la ausencia de plumas en la cabeza y parte del cuello, que es una adaptación para evitar que sus plumas queden impregnadas de sangre o materiales en putrefacción, aunque es probable que otra función igualmente importante de estas áreas descubiertas sea la regulación de la temperatura corporal (44). Tienen un potente pico ganchudo con bordes cortantes que con ayuda de sus patas robustas desgarran su alimento. ...
... Sin embargo, algunas especies presentan plumas blancas en las alas, como el Cóndor Andino y el Zopilote Rey. En algunas especies la cabeza puede presentar colores rojos, amarillos o naranjas bastante llamativos (34,44). ...
... Vultures circle above the bathing area. According to earlier research, vultures have a unique ability to regulate their body temperature through urohydrosis (Houston, 1994;Snyder & Snyder, 1991) . Because vultures' lives depend on the efficacy of their wings, feather upkeep is critical for these birds (Houston, 1994). ...
... According to earlier research, vultures have a unique ability to regulate their body temperature through urohydrosis (Houston, 1994;Snyder & Snyder, 1991) . Because vultures' lives depend on the efficacy of their wings, feather upkeep is critical for these birds (Houston, 1994). Vultures bathe in streams, shallow ponds, or in the rain, which washes their feathers and may aid in their upkeep, particularly during rainy seasons (Ward et al., 2008). ...
Vulture Safe Feeding Sites (VSFS) provide diclofenac-free food and create an ideal environment for long-term ecological research on vultures. This study determines the population status and investigates the diurnal behavior of White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) at the Ghachowk VSFS in Kaski, Nepal. We deployed the absolute count method to determine population of White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), while scan sampling was applied to investigate their diurnal behaviour. Throughout the daytime, a total of 1651 instances of 11 distinct activities were recorded for the species in 729 separate observations. The most frequent daytime behaviour observed was perching (28%) followed by preening (14%), basking (13%), scratching (13%) flapping (10%), flying (9%) and disturbance (7%). Other behaviors, like feeding, sleeping (roosting), fighting (competition), and bathing, were observed less frequently (<2% each). Perching occurred most frequently during heavy rain, accounting for 66% of the observations, and in the late afternoon, representing 36% of the instances. Basking was most commonly observed during partly sunny conditions, comprising 26% of the observations, and in the noon hours, representing 20% of the instances. Scratching behavior was most frequently observed during clear weather, accounting for 16% of the observations, and during cloudy conditions and in the morning, accounting for 14% of the instances. In the Ghachowk VSFS, other associated species with White-rumped Vulture were Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, and Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris.
... All sites found were in remote places far from human settlements where vultures could bath and drink undisturbed. Bathing helps vultures to clean their feathers and ease their preening and maintenance (Houston 1994, Sazima 2011. Vulture bathing behaviour is related to thermoregulation as the water cools the blood in their legs and thus the whole body (Snyder & Snyder 1991, Houston 1994. ...
... Bathing helps vultures to clean their feathers and ease their preening and maintenance (Houston 1994, Sazima 2011. Vulture bathing behaviour is related to thermoregulation as the water cools the blood in their legs and thus the whole body (Snyder & Snyder 1991, Houston 1994. This explains the high frequency of visits of bathing spots in the summer months recorded in our study. ...
Capsule
The Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus is an obligate scavenger relying on spatially and temporally unpredictable food resources. We demonstrate how high-frequency telemetry data can be efficiently used to identify vultures’ feeding locations in the wild and study their diet.
Aims
To study the Griffon Vulture diet composition, seasonal variations, and bathing frequency in an area with high natural food availability.
Methods
We used a remote-sensing technique based on GPS and accelerometry data to identify the feeding locations, and ground-truthing to identify the carcass species and investigate the causes of mortality.
Results
We identified 13 taxa in the diet of Griffon Vultures. Cattle comprised 48.5% of the diet, followed by sheep (24.3%), while wild animals were 13.1%. We observed seasonal variation in the proportion of small stock and game species in the diet. Predation was reported as the main cause of mortality (60.2%) for prey species, while natural causes accounted for 37.6%. Vultures were mainly feeding in areas south of their breeding colonies in Bulgaria and Greece. Natural springs and fountains were regularly used by the Griffon Vultures for bathing and drinking, especially in the summer.
Conclusions
Free-ranging livestock creates favourable feeding conditions for vultures, especially in areas with rugged terrain and a high density of predators. An increase in the number of wild ungulates can potentially buffer the fluctuations in livestock numbers and be beneficial for vultures, especially in the autumn and winter months. Lead ammunition must be substituted with non-toxic alternatives to reduce the exposure of vultures and other scavengers to lead poisoning.
... Although highly threatened in their northern range, larger populations in southern South America range widely in search for carrion from domestic and wild ungulates (Lambertucci et al., 2009;Perrig et al., 2017). In general, Andean condors have extensive home ranges, where they soar in areas featuring thermal and orographic uplift, feed in open habitats with high ungulate density, and roost and nest in cliffs and mountains (Houston, 1994;Lambertucci et al., 2014). While habitat models exist for Andean condors in their northern range (Naveda-Rodríguez et al., 2016;Piana and Vargas, 2018), their habitat selection across heterogeneous landscapes remains unexplored, limiting the development of transboundary conservation efforts. ...
... Andean condors require open areas to descend to feed (Houston, 1994;Lambertucci et al., 2018), and forage predominantly at midday (Alarcón et al., 2017). Thus, we assigned GPS locations as foraging when recorded 5-8 h after sunrise with zero velocity, and away from roosting locations (i.e. ...
Mobile species face an array of human threats across political boundaries, and their protection relies on identifying and prioritizing areas for conservation. Large avian scavengers are one of the widest ranging and most threatened species globally, and efforts to preserve them have come to the forefront of wildlife management. Vultures require access to functionally distinct habitats for roosting, foraging and flying, yet behavior-specific habitat modelling has been overlooked in management planning. Herein, we developed a spatial prioritization model for the threatened Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) that integrates activity-specific habitat selection across heterogeneous landscapes. We tracked 35 individuals in two regions of Argentina and Chile differing in topography and vegetation composition, and analyzed how landscape covariates influence where condors roost, forage and fly, while accounting for individual differences. We found that individuals responded differently to environmental covariates during each behavior, and identified regional differences for some covariates dependent on behavioral state. We also found important individual differences in habitat selection between birds inhabiting each region. We combined these results into an ensemble spatial prioritization model, and found that most areas of high priority for Andean condor conservation are not under protection. The strategic implementation of conservation measures in these priority areas could have important implications for the recovery of this species. Our study illustrates the value of integrating behavioral- and individual-specific habitat analyses into spatial conservation planning, and points to opportunities for effective management of threatened vultures.
... Aside from the six Neotropical species of scavenger raptors presented herein, dead fishes are eaten by the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Cathartes melambrotus Wetmore, 1974 (Robinson 1994), the Northern Caracara, Caracara cheriway (Jacquin, 1784) (Morrison & Pias 2006), and the Black Caracara, Daptrius ater Vieillot, 1816, ). As to the remaining Neotropical scavenger raptors, I was unable to find any reference to fish carrion fed upon by the King Vulture, Sarcoramphus papa (Linnaeus, 1758), which seem to feed mostly on terrestrial carrion including large mammals (Houston 1994), but I suppose that it would feed on fish carcasses even if rarely. The largest cathartid raptor, the Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus Linnaeus, 1758, forages at seashore where it feeds on carcasses of marine mammals and large seabirds (Houston 1994), the former being considerably larger than most fish found dead on shores. ...
... As to the remaining Neotropical scavenger raptors, I was unable to find any reference to fish carrion fed upon by the King Vulture, Sarcoramphus papa (Linnaeus, 1758), which seem to feed mostly on terrestrial carrion including large mammals (Houston 1994), but I suppose that it would feed on fish carcasses even if rarely. The largest cathartid raptor, the Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus Linnaeus, 1758, forages at seashore where it feeds on carcasses of marine mammals and large seabirds (Houston 1994), the former being considerably larger than most fish found dead on shores. Thus, if this raptor scavenges on fish carcasses, I presume that it would choose the large ones. ...
... We studied one of the most abundant vulture species in the world (Houston 1994), which migrates long distances and occurs in most of the American continent in habitats with diff erent characteristics. Th e high abundance and large distribution of this species indicate a high adaptability of the species to a very diverse suite of environments, and of each subspecies to their own local environment during residence periods as well as along the migratory path (Houston 1994). ...
... We studied one of the most abundant vulture species in the world (Houston 1994), which migrates long distances and occurs in most of the American continent in habitats with diff erent characteristics. Th e high abundance and large distribution of this species indicate a high adaptability of the species to a very diverse suite of environments, and of each subspecies to their own local environment during residence periods as well as along the migratory path (Houston 1994). Th e constraints and needs imposed by the wing morphology, as the environmental requirements to fl y Wing loading and aspect ratio are two morphological parameters broadly used to characterize the morphology of birds, especially in relation to their fl ight characteristics (Yong and Moore 1994, Lockwood et al. 1998, Mil á et al. 2008, Watanabe 2016. ...
Both wing size and wing shape affect the flight abilities of birds. Intra and inter-specific studies have revealed a pattern where high aspect ratio and low wing loading favour migratory behaviour. This, however, have not been studied in soaring migrants. We assessed the relationship between the wing size and shape and the characteristics of the migratory habits of the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), an obligate soaring migrant. We compared wing size and shape with migration strategy among three fully migratory, one partially migratory and one non-migratory (resident) population distributed across the American continent. We calculated the aspect ratio and wing loading using wing tracings to characterize the wing morphology. We used satellite-tracking data from the migratory populations to calculate distance, duration, speed and altitude during migration. Wing loading, but not aspect ratio, differed among the populations, segregating the resident population from the completely migratory ones. Unlike it has been reported in species using flapping flight during migration, the migratory flight parameters of turkey vultures were not related to the aspect ratio. By contrast, wing loading was related to most flight parameters. Birds with lower wing loading flew farther, faster, and higher during their longer journeys. Our results suggest that wing morphology in this soaring species enables lower-cost flight, through low wing-loading, and that differences in the relative sizes of wings may increase extra savings during migration. The possibility that wing shape is influenced by foraging as well as migratory flight is discussed. We conclude that flight efficiency may be improved through different morphological adaptations in birds with different flight mechanisms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
... Honduran authorities list it in Appendix 3 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES 2011). These different levels of concern relate to an overall paucity of information about the number of Sarcoramphus papa in the wild and its biology (Houston 1994). In a geographical range extending from Southern Mexico to Northern Argentina, the king vulture appears to use well-preserved forests to roost, feed and breed, while also using open grasslands close to preserved forest for food supply (Houston 1994; Kirk and Curral 1994;Smith 1970). ...
... These different levels of concern relate to an overall paucity of information about the number of Sarcoramphus papa in the wild and its biology (Houston 1994). In a geographical range extending from Southern Mexico to Northern Argentina, the king vulture appears to use well-preserved forests to roost, feed and breed, while also using open grasslands close to preserved forest for food supply (Houston 1994; Kirk and Curral 1994;Smith 1970). Ecological information on habitat use ...
Ecosystem management regularly requires bridging diverse cultural perspectives. As a result, researchers commonly assert that including local ecological knowledge in conservation strategies is essential to crafting enduring environmental solutions. Using the case of the king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa), we take preliminary steps in asking how ethnoecology and field biology might be combined in conservation practice. The paper reports on a questionnaire applied to sixty-six local experts in southern Yucatán, home to Mexico's largest expanse of tropical forest and the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Local experts included forest workers, i.e. hunters, loggers, and gum tappers, some of whom worked as guides for field biologists. The research results point to the possibility of a cultural consensus among these experts regarding the bird's natural history. After outlining this preliminary consensus and contrasting it with academic findings, the paper considers the implications of a consensus for conservation programming.
... Además, los estadíos juveniles presentan todo el cuerpo con plumaje marrón y los subadultos tienen caracteres intermedios en el plumaje y la coloración (Gargiulo, 2012). Una característica de los cóndores, también presente en otras aves, es que en tierra suelen adoptar una posición con las alas extendidas (termoeficiente) para regular la temperatura (Gargiulo, 2012;Houston, 1994). ...
El repertorio rupestre de Cerro Colorado presenta determinados motivos que le otorgan especificidad a la localidad arqueológica ubicada en las Sierras del Norte (Córdoba, Argentina). Uno de estos es el cóndor andino (Vultur gryphus), particular no solo porque no se registra en otros paisajes rupestres de la región de Sierras Centrales, sino también porque esta ave no cuenta con dormideros permanentes ni áreas de anidación en la localidad de Cerro Colorado y su presencia es solo ocasional. Para poder analizar esta materialidad en el repertorio rupestre proponemos una metodología de análisis que incluye rasgos morfológicos de cóndores y otros catártidos (v.gr. cabeza, cuello, cresta, alas, cola, patas) que se complementan con otras variables vinculadas con la resolución de cada representación (v.gr. diseño, color, relación con otros motivos, tamaño). Los datos obtenidos por la conjunción de estas dos líneas nos permiten indagar en la comprensión de la inclusión del cóndor durante el Período Prehispánico Tardío, como un rasgo que refuerza los lazos de pertenencia e identidad por medio de la vinculación al paisaje local en un marco de tensión social creciente.
... The book byWood & Fyfe, 1955 includes a good English translation of the text; in our article, it has been compared with a newer Italian translation by TrombettiBudriesi, 2009. 2 See also yapp, 1983 andKinzelbach: 2008aKinzelbach: , 2008b See alsoEgerton, 2003: 2; Oggins, 2004: 3; Chansigaud, 2009: 21. 4 Seeling refers to sewing the eyelids of the bird together. 5 While it is true that Old World vultures mainly rely on their excellent eyesight to find carcasses, the situation is different for three species of New World vultures (cathartid vultures) that have an unusually well-developed sense of smell(Houston, 1994). 6 For a different opinion, seeAbulafia,1988. ...
Emperor Frederick II’s early thirteenth-century book on falconry, De arte venandi cum avibus, is probably the most famous single source for scholars who survey the state-of-the-art in natural sciences in medieval times. Most of the research on his book has focused on the marginal illustrations featuring about 80 bird species. However, the book contains a large amount of ethological, ecological, morphological and faunistic knowledge about bird fauna. Frederick was also one of the first to conduct experiments with birds. Here, we describe the ornithological experiments and observations of Frederick and evaluate them from the perspective of modern ecology.
In many contexts, Frederick expressed criticism of Aristotle and his work Liber Animalium. Frederick’s observation upon the geographical variation of species was partially in contrast to the Aristotelian typological or essentialist species concept. This is an important finding from the point of view of the western history of biology.
De arte venandi cum avibus demonstrates Frederick’s deep knowledge of the ecology, morphology and behaviour of birds. This knowledge he gained via his long practice with falconry. The love of falconry made Frederick an early proponent of empiricism, and De arte venandi cum avibus was actually the most important achievement of empirical zoology in the thirteenth century.
... Currently, most studies indicate that King vultures follow the Cathartes vultures to carcasses (Houston 1984(Houston , 1994Beason, 2003). Lemon (1991) nevertheless found that that King vultures located carrion in dense forest, where Cathartes vultures were absent. ...
Large carnivores such as pumas are often killed in conflicts with humans because they prey on domestic livestock. Habitat loss, partly driven by the increasing use of traditional pasture systems, makes livestock vulneracle to puma attacks. The aim of this study was describe the conflict between local farmers and pumas in a mosais of Protected Areas in southern Brazil. We hypothesized that the farmer's preception, knowledge and attitudes towards the conflict with pumas is affected by socioeconomic variables, such as age, educaton, monthly income and farming experience. Forty-five face-to-face interviews with local farmers were performed in 2011, using a structured questionnaire with 16 open and 26 closed questions focusing on the perception farmers. Our results show that the majority of the local population considered the conflict with pumas a serious problem and thought that attacks by pumas on domestic herds shoud be controlled with the involvement of government authorities. Financial losses caused about pumas attacks on farms did not inflence the attitudes of farmers, and knowledge abou pumas was more inluenced by social variables such as age and educational level. Meetings with the local Rural Consulting Council revelated that conflict with pumas still remains in the region. In this context, a long-term educational program with local farmers is highly recommended, focused on engaging the community in the discussion about possible mitigations tools. Conservation wildlife depends on the ability to provaide decision makers with academic and traditional knowledge which could be build bridges between the commnunity and Environmental Agencies.
... Currently, most studies indicate that King vultures follow the Cathartes vultures to carcasses (Houston 1984(Houston , 1994Beason, 2003). Lemon (1991) nevertheless found that that King vultures located carrion in dense forest, where Cathartes vultures were absent. ...
INTRODUCTION
This book is edited by two environmental scientists with interests in GIS and remote
sensing applications, forest, and habitat change, and large animal ecology. It examines
the cutting-edge issues related to animal and habitat ecology research and
management, with case studies across Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe. The
topics are based on research and reviews of specific and general topics covering the
habitats as well as the species of importance in selected case studies, and the overall
general scenarios. The chapters of the book are written by leading academic and field
experts, who discuss their skills and research findings. The field covered is vast, so
selectivity enters, based on concurrent and relevant subjects, such as field research
techniques, nature-society relations, and chemistry in conservation biology and policy.
The chapters focus on cases as varied as vultures, storks, waterbirds, pumas or
cougars, and elephants, and research techniques such as genetics and GIS.
Technological developments, such as GIS and remote sensing, and some genetic
methods have altered the nature of ecological research. These include the utility of
GIS, and the related techniques of remote sensing, which allow more precise and
accurate measurements and consequently more informed and reliable results.
Species distribution modeling enables evaluations of habitat suitability and the impacts
of habitat alteration and the requirements for the improvement of animal conservation.
Integrated research, including the interfacial studies of social and natural sciences, is
increasingly important in ecological research, as disciplinary boundaries break down and
hybrid disciplines emerge. Simultaneously, chemical and genetic studies are
increasing in importance, with applications in the interfaces of the ecological, social, and medical sciences.
The topics covered in this book may contribute to the scientific understanding of
different, relevant topics on research methods on ecology and conservation biology.
This is especially the case, considering the wide selection of research topics in widely
varying contexts. Strands may emerge from these selected topics that may inform
further research and development in varied areas. These research findings may be
replicable in the different contexts to contribute to the objectives of ecological
sustainability. The results and conclusions presented, and the strategies
recommended in different chapters will help the policymakers and decision
implementers, scientists, resource managers, research scholars, and other
stakeholders to attain effective and sustainable animal conservation and habitat
... Shooting and deliberate or accidental poisoning are largely responsible for the delicate conservation status of both species , BirdLife International 2020, Finkelstein et al. 2020. A number of articles report the declines of condors, mentioning, for instance, that until the middle of the twentieth century it was not rare to observe California Condors in North America and Andean Condors in South America feeding in large groups at carcasses (Houston 1994). Although it is clear that the likelihood of finding many California Condors together is marginal these days, recent observations show that may not be the case for Andean Condors. ...
... C. emsliei can be confused with remains of the modern and common C. aura. The new taxon appears closer in affinity to C. burrovianus, with a preference for grassland, savanna and open habitats in marshes and mangroves, rather than forests (see Houston 1994a,b, Griffiths & Bates 2002. ...
A new small fossil species of vulture from Quaternary asphalt and cave deposits in western Cuba is described herein. Some specimens of this taxon are the smallest known in the genus Cathartes, including the modern Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture C. burrovianus. The extinction of the Cuban megafauna, coupled with the loss of open habitats once dominated by grassland savannas, contributed to the population decline and final extinction of endemic vultures in Cuba during the Holocene.
... To explore the regional demographic history of condors, we per- Table S2). Both species typically begin breeding at 6-8 years of age (Houston, 1994;; we set the generational time at 7 years. The mutational model of each locus was determined by the likelihood scores in JModelTest 2.1.10 ...
While genetic diversity of threatened species is a major concern of conservation biologists, historic patterns of genetic variation are often unknown. A powerful approach to assess patterns and processes of genetic erosion is via ancient DNA techniques. Herein, we analyzed mtDNA from historical samples (1800s to present) of Andean Condors (Vultur gryphus) to investigate whether contemporary low genetic variability is the result of recent human expansion and persecution, and compared this genetic history to that of California condors (Gymnogyps californianus).We then explored historic demographies for both species via coalescent simulations. We found that Andean condors have lost at least 17% of their genetic variation in the early 20th century. Unlike California condors, however, low mtDNA diversity in the Andean condor was mostly ancient, before European arrival. However, we found that both condor species shared similar demographies in that population bottlenecks were recent and co‐occurred with the introduction of livestock to the Americas and the global collapse of marine mammals. Given the combined information on genetic and demographic processes, we suggest that the protection of key habitats should be targeted for conserving extant genetic diversity and facilitate the natural recolonization of lost territories, while nuclear genomic data should be used to inform translocation plans.
... and reproduction within and across species combine to affect the flows and stocks of energy and 430 biomass in ecosystems (but see (45,46 physical energy and materials from the environment and convert them into living, self-461 perpetuating biomass. Shared physical-chemical-biological processes at molecular and cellular 462 levels of organization are reflected in common themes of structure and function at whole-463 organism, population and ecosystem levels, and common patterns of evolution and biodiversity. ...
Significance
Data and theory reveal how organisms allocate metabolic energy to components of the life history that determine fitness. In each generation animals take up biomass energy from the environment and expended it on survival, growth, and reproduction. Life histories of animals exhibit enormous diversity – from large fish and invertebrates that produce literally millions of tiny eggs and suffer enormous mortality, to mammals and birds that produce a few large offspring with much lower mortality. Yet, underlying this enormous diversity, are general life history rules and tradeoffs due to universal biophysical constraints on the channels of selection. These rules are characterized by general equations that underscore the unity of life.
Abstract
The life histories of animals reflect the allocation of metabolic energy to traits that determine fitness and the pace of living. Here we extend metabolic theories to address how demography and mass-energy balance constrain allocation of biomass to survival, growth, and reproduction over a life cycle of one generation. We first present data for diverse kinds of animals showing empirical patterns of variation in life history traits. These patterns are predicted by new theory that highlights the effects of two fundamental biophysical constraints: demography on number and mortality of offspring; and mass-energy balance on allocation of energy to growth and reproduction. These constraints impose two fundamental tradeoffs on allocation of assimilated biomass energy to production: between number and size of offspring, and between parental investment and offspring growth. Evolution has generated enormous diversity of body sizes, morphologies, physiologies, ecologies, and life histories across the millions of animal, plant and microbe species, yet simple rules specified by general equations highlight the underlying unity of life.
... However because they might be broken or lost (Mihoub et al. 2013), they must be complemented by metal rings that would allow a re-identification of bird if recaptured. In addition, leg rings are not suitable for Cathartidae due to their habit to defecate on their legs, presumably for thermoregulation (Houston 1994). Wing tags (also called "patagial tags") enhance resighting of birds at long distance and in flight (Wallace et al. 1980;Reading et al. 2014). ...
Scavenging is a key process in the ecosystems. Studying foraging movements of obligate scavengers such as vultures can contribute to a better understanding of the scavenging-related patterns and processes. Here we review methods that can be used to track foraging vultures in the field. Yet, in order to track, vultures need to be trapped and tagged in manner that would ensure their health and normal survival and behavior. GPS telemetry is currently the best tool to track vultures for foraging studies. In a review of recent studies, we highlight the predominance of studies of species from Europe, North America and Southern Africa, and we deplore the lack of knowledge of species from the Tropics. Home ranges vary tremendously between sites, season and species (from a few km² to >300,000 km²) but also depending on the analysis method used. Daily distances travelled are more repeatable between species, with values ranging between 30 and 40 km. Yet the way that carrion distribution can affect scavenger distribution and foraging behavior is still poorly understood.
... The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) is the most widespread of new world vultures, occurring from Canada to Argentina and Chile, and is one of three scavenger species in the genus Cathartes of the family Cathartidae (Houston 1994). An adult turkey vulture, debilitated and unable to fly, was captured on the 11 of October 2012 by governmental authorities in Antofagasta (23°39'00"S, 70°24'00"W), located in the Antofagasta Region, northern Chile. ...
A debilitated turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), showing prominent nodular masses in its head, was found in Antofagasta, Chile. Histopathological examination revealed the presence of epidermal hyperplasia and hypertrophy with typical eosinophilic intracytoplasmatic inclusion bodies in epithelial cells. Accordingly, a diagnosis of avian pox was established, corresponding to the first known occurrence of the disease in the southern hemisphere.
... Históricamente y en la actualidad, el cóndor andino ha tenido y tiene una amplia distribución a lo largo de la Cordillera de los Andes, desde Venezuela hasta Tierra de Fuego, en Argentina. Habita principalmente áreas montañosas y desciende hasta la costa en Chile, Perú y oeste de la Patagonia argentina (Blake 1977;Nores et al. 1983;Houston 1994). Su distribución extra-andina y más oriental corresponde a las Sierras Centrales de Argentina en las provincias de Córdoba y San Luis (Chébez 1994). ...
Action Plan for the Conservation of Andean Condor in Ecuador.
La meta del Plan de acción para la Conservación del Cóndor Andino
en Ecuador es la identificación, prevención y mitigación de amenazas
que ponen en peligro de extinción a la especie en el territorio
nacional mediante la ejecución de acciones coordinadas que, en
conjunto, contribuyen a reducir las presiones sobre la especie y su
ecosistema a mediano y largo plazo, permitiendo la recuperación de
la población y preservando su recurso genético. El plan incluye líneas
de acción estructuradas, desarrolladas, priorizadas y consensuadas
por el Grupo Nacional de Trabajo sobre el Cóndor Andino de Ecuador
(GNTCA), establecido en 2009 por iniciativa del Ministerio del
Ambiente y conformado por un conjunto de técnicos y especialistas
dedicados al estudio, conservación y manejo de la especie en el país.
... Trofik süreç bağlantıları, bitkilerin popülasyonlarını etkileyen antiloplar gibi otlayıcılar ve omurgasız ve omurgalı avların popülasyonlarını etkileyen aslan, yarasa ve av kuşları gibi avcı hayvanlardır (Kutu 3.1 ve 3.2). Akbaba gibi leşçiller, hastalık taşıma potansiyeli olan karkasların ayrışıp dekompoze olmasını hızlandıran hayatî bağlantılardır (Houston 1994). Yırtıcılar, çoğunlukla doğal haşere kontrolü sağlar (Holmes ve diğerleri 1979). ...
Gittikçe teknolojik hale gelen günümüz toplumumuzda, insanlar ekosistemlerin düzgün işleyişine ve insanlığa sunduğu hayatî önemdeki hizmetlere ne kadar bağlı olduklarını çok az düşünmektedirler. Ekosistem hizmetleri "doğal ekosistemlerin ve bu ekosistemleri oluşturan türlerin, insanın yaşamını sürdürdüğü şartlar ve süreçlerdir" (Daily 1997); diğer bir ifadeyle, ekosistem hizmetleri “insanlığa faydalı olan ekosistem işlevleri setidir” (Kremen 2005). İnsanlar, doğal ekosistemlerin insan toplumlarını desteklemeye yardımcı olduğunu uzun zamandır bilmelerine rağmen, "ekosistem hizmetlerinin" açıkça kabul edilip bilinmesi görece yeni bir olgudur (Ehrlich ve Ehrlich 1981a; Mooney ve Ehrlich 1997). Gezegenimizin tamamı geniş bir entegre ekosistemler ağı olduğu için, küresel ölçekten mikroskobik ölçeğe kadar çok çeşitli ekosistem hizmetleri söz konusudur (Tablo 3.1; Milenyum Ekosistem Değerlendirmesi 2005a). Ekosistemler, hava ve suyu arıtır, oksijen üretir ve iklimimizi dengeler. Uygun bir atmosfer oluşturup sürdüren bitkiler olmasaydı, dünya yaşamımız için uygun bir yer olmazdı. Organizmalar, organik atıkları çürütüp çözmekte ve zehirleyici etkisini gidermekte ve böylece medeniyetimizin kendi atığı altında kalmasını önlemektedir. Diğer canlı türleri; gıdamızı yetiştirdiğimiz toprakların oluşmasını ve tarım için gerekli olan besin maddelerinin geri dönüşümünün gerçekleşmesini sağlamaktadır. Sayısız canlı türü, bu toprağın korunmasını sağlamakta, besin maddelerinin geri dönüşümünde kilit roller oynamakta ve bu şekilde erozyon ve su taşkınlarını azaltmaya yardımcı olmaktadır. Binlerce hayvan türü, bitkilerin tozlaşmasını sağlamakta, polenlerini yaymakta ve bitkileri gübrelemekte, haşere ve zararlılardan korumakta ve tohumlarını etrafa yayıp dağıtmaktadır. Ve tabi ki insanlar, yiyecek, barınak, tıp, kültür, estetik ve daha birçok amaçla birlerce bitki, hayvan ve mikroorganizma türünü kullanmakta ve ticaretini yapmaktadır. Çoğu kişi bir ekosistemin ne olduğunu bilmemesine rağmen, insanların hayatta kalması için dünyanın ekosistemlerinin düzgün işleyişi kritik önem taşımaktadır ve ekosistem hizmetlerinin temellerinin bilinmesi ve anlaşılması son derece gereklidir. 95 ülkeden 1.300'ten fazla bilim insanının ekosistem hizmetleri hakkında çalışmaları (National Research Council - Ulusal Araştırma Konseyi 2005; Daily 1997) sonucu elde edilen bulgular bize resmi, derin ve küresel bir bakış sağlamıştır: Milenyum Ekosistem Değerlendirmesi (2005a). İnsanların doğrudan tükettiği doğal ürünler bir yana, ekosistem hizmetlerinin tamamını listelemek neredeyse imkânsızdır, bu nedenle, bu yazı ekosistem işlevine kısa bir giriş ve kritik ekosistem hizmetlerine genel bir bakış sunmaktadır.
... [Traducción del equipo editorial] Scavenging is a well-documented strategy for securing food in numerous and diverse taxa and communities distributed globally across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (DeVault et al. 2003, Beasley et al. 2012). Among terrestrial vertebrates, vultures (i.e., some Old and New World species ;Houston 1994) are the only true obligate scavengers-species dependent on finding and securing carrion as their exclusive food resource (Wilson and Wolkovich 2011). Most vertebrate predators are, to some extent, considered to be opportunistic or facultative scavengers (DeVault et al. 2003, Wilson andWolkovich 2011). ...
Although best known for capturing live prey, five of the six members of the genus Falco in the United States or Canada are documented facultative scavengers. During 1109 surveys of three coastal beaches in Washington between 1983 and 2015, we observed hunting and feeding by Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus), a species that migrates through and overwinters at those coastal beaches. Excluding records of Peregrine Falcons with food items of unknown origin (n = 44), our 172 observations of feeding included 77 prey items that we concluded the falcons had captured, 46 direct observations of prey captures, and 49 cases of scavenging. Scavenging records represented 29% of our observations of Peregrine Falcons with food items, and included food items representing 19 taxa. Seabirds and waterbirds were the most common food items consumed as carrion (44 of 49 items; 90%), whereas other captured or targeted prey were most often shorebirds or other small birds (206 of 277 items; 74%). We observed 21 color-banded falcons, ranging in age from <1 to 4 yr, scavenging up to three times each. We observed more scavenging by immature (<1 yr old) falcons than by adults, even though hunting success was similar between immature and adult falcons. We detected no difference in the occurrence of scavenging by season. Given the frequency of scavenging, the biomass of carrion potentially consumed, and the apparently predictable presence of carrion in the study area, we concluded that scavenging by peregrines in coastal Washington is relatively common. Additionally, carrion may represent a commonly used and important source of food in other regions of the world, particularly where carrion is common and persistent in the environment.
... En América contamos con especies especialistas en el consumo de carroña como Cathartiformes: Cóndores y Jotes, especies útiles que eliminan eficientemente las partes blandas de cadáveres (carroña), evitando la propagación de enfermedades (Houston, 1994). Otros dos grupos como Accipitriformes y Falconiformes, que si bien capturan sus propias presas, es frecuente que varias especies, de la familia, aprovechen cadáveres para alimentarse (Travaini et al., 1998), siendo los ejemplos más comunes en el caso de los Falconiformes, el Carancho (Caracara plancus) y el Chimango (Milvago chimango) (Biondi et al., 2005;Vargas et al., 2007). ...
... They are also a guild of species at risk of extinction; indeed, 16 of 22 vulture species are threatened (Buechley & Şekercioğlu, 2016;Koenig, 2006). The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), the world's largest soaring scavenger (wingspan of 3.2 m and weight up to 16 kg; Ferguson-Lees & Christie, 2001;Alarcón et al., 2017), was historically distributed across the Andes, from the extreme south of Argentina and Chile to the north of Venezuela, including the territories of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia (Houston, 1994), and sprawled into central Brazil (Lambertucci, 2007) and the southern Atlantic coasts of Argentina (Darwin, 1839). Currently, Andean condors are restricted to the Andean Mountains (with the exception of the central mountains of Argentina), where populations have declined significantly over the last century (BirdLife International, 2016). ...
Aim
Evaluating the patterns of genetic variation and population connectivity is fundamental to effectively designing and implementing conservation strategies for threatened species. However, connectivity patterns in highly mobile vertebrates, and especially in avian species, are often overlooked as it is generally assumed to be driven by demographic panmixia or isolation by distance. Herein, we investigated the genetic structure and patterns of connectivity across four biomes in a highly vagile bird, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus).
Location
Four major Neotropical biomes of Argentina (>300,000 km²): Puna, Monte, Chaco and Patagonia.
Methods
We genotyped 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci plus one sex‐determining gene in 300 moulted feathers from 13 roosting sites in the core of species distributional range. We quantified levels of genetic differentiation, population structure, effective gene flow, genetic diversity and assessed sex‐biased dispersal events.
Results
We detected genetic structure with a moderate differentiation between the north (Puna and Chaco) and south (Patagonia) regions with a contact zone in the central area (Monte). We observed a spatial pattern of genetic patches with higher levels of gene flow along the Andes range. Although we found no indication of bottlenecks or inbreeding, we observed larger effective population sizes in the south compared to the northern region.
Main conclusions
Our study revealed that, despite the high dispersal potential of condors, demographic panmixia is not consolidated, even in the core of this species range. Our analyses further suggest that gene flow rate is modulated by topographic features, as condors may disperse more following the natural updrafts and lifts along the Andean mountains. Conservation initiatives should prioritize the protection of the Andean corridor to maintain connectivity between the apparent source from Patagonia to the northern biomes.
... Se caracterizan principalmente por ser carroñeros, poseer un gran sentido del olfato, generalmente tener la cabeza desprovista de plumaje y ser aves de gran envergadura. El jote de cabeza colorada es el representante de la familia Cathartidae con mayor distribución en América, donde se puede encontrar desde Canadá hasta Argentina y Chile (Houston, 1994 Según Galaz y Yáñez (2005), D. rotundus utiliza como presas aves y grandes mamíferos (como ganado domésticos y pinnípedos), eso podría explicar de manera preliminar la presencia de estos quirópteros en esa caverna en particular, ya que en las cercanías se encuentra una colonia de lobo fino austral (Arctocephalus australis). Por otro lado, C. aura puede anidar en cuevas de cerros, entre rocas, en suelo dentro de matorrales densos y entre troncos caídos (Housse, 1945;Goodall, Johnson y Philippi, 1951;Moroni y Salvador, 2014;Hartert y Venturi, 1909;De la Peña, 2005;Sarasola, Sosa y Maceda, 2000;De Lucca, Bertini y Quaglia, 2012;Woods, 1988). ...
Phymaturus. vociferator, reptil endémico de la Región del Biobío y clasificado en peligro crítico, tiene una de sus poblaciones conocidas en el Parque Nacional Laguna del Laja; de esta especie, si bien existen algunos trabajos realizados en su ecología, no existe un mapa actualizado de distribución, por esta razón en marzo de 2017, se recorrió parte de la ruta Q-45 en búsqueda de P. vociferator. Se registró un total de ciento ochenta y cinco individuos en noventa y ocho puntos, veinte de ellos no estaban dentro de los límites de las figuras utilizadas como base, obteniéndose un polígono de extensión de la presencia de 57,4 ha y una superficie de hábitat potencial total de 322,6 ha, en tres sectores claramente definidos y separados. Se discuten posibles medidas de conservación y de futuras investigaciones.
... Se caracterizan principalmente por ser carroñeros, poseer un gran sentido del olfato, generalmente tener la cabeza desprovista de plumaje y ser aves de gran envergadura. El jote de cabeza colorada es el representante de la familia Cathartidae con mayor distribución en América, donde se puede encontrar desde Canadá hasta Argentina y Chile (Houston, 1994 Según Galaz y Yáñez (2005), D. rotundus utiliza como presas aves y grandes mamíferos (como ganado domésticos y pinnípedos), eso podría explicar de manera preliminar la presencia de estos quirópteros en esa caverna en particular, ya que en las cercanías se encuentra una colonia de lobo fino austral (Arctocephalus australis). Por otro lado, C. aura puede anidar en cuevas de cerros, entre rocas, en suelo dentro de matorrales densos y entre troncos caídos (Housse, 1945;Goodall, Johnson y Philippi, 1951;Moroni y Salvador, 2014;Hartert y Venturi, 1909;De la Peña, 2005;Sarasola, Sosa y Maceda, 2000;De Lucca, Bertini y Quaglia, 2012;Woods, 1988). ...
Aegla concepcionensis es un decápodo endémico de la Región del Biobío y clasificado en peligro, cuyo registro de presencia se restringe a tres puntos de la región. En la Reserva Nacional Nonguén, este cangrejo se registró el año 2014 en el estero homónimo. Con el objetivo de conocer la distribución de este cangrejo en esta reserva, se recorrieron los principales esteros de la unidad en búsqueda de esta especie, registrándose un total de 253 puntos de presencia de A. concepcionensis en los cuatro recorridos. Del total de individuos avistados, doscientos catorce se observaron vivos y treinta y nueve muertos. Del total de vivos, noventa y trees fueron clasificados de tamaño grande, ochenta y siete , de mediano y cincuenta y nueve correspondieron a pequeños. Se describen observaciones sobre hábitat, comportamiento y posibles amenazas a la especie. Este trabajo constituye la primera línea base de la especie en esta reserva.
... Las aves rapaces también utilizan basurales y rellenos sanitarios en todo el mundo (Pomeroy 1975;Donázar 1992;Blanco 1994Blanco , 1997 como fuente de carroña (Houston 1994;White et al. 1994). Este grupo tiene importantes abundancias en algunos basurales de Patagonia y Chile central (Yorio & Giaccardi 2002;Lobos et al. 2011). ...
Rubbish
dumps and landfills are attractive sites for different species of opportunistic birds which can increase their
populations on the food supplement offered by organic waste. These birds can act like vectors of diseases or
polluting agents, damage agriculture, increase the risk of bird strikes, and have negative effects on other species
through competition or predation. The goals of this work are to identify and quantify the species of birds and
their habitat use within three landfills of the northeast of the Buenos Aires province, and to determine the
importance of the waste amount deposited on these variables during two consecutive winter periods. Total
bird abundance was different between landfills in both winters, and gulls predominated in the three landfills.
North 3 landfill had the greater abundance of gulls and doves. Wading birds were significantly more abundant
in González Catán Landfill, and the birds of prey had similar abundances in the three landfills in both periods.
In both periods, the gulls were abundant in all habitats of three landfills, whereas only the abundance of doves
in North 3 landfill was related to the final waste disposition sites and to the near edge (<200m) area. Exposed
waste in surface was positively correlated with total bird abundance and the abundance of doves, which are
themselves related to the daily amount waste deposited. Reduction of the organic portion and waste handling
during the final disposition, habitat management around the final disposition sites, together with both passive
and active direct control methods would reduce the abundance of birds in landfills and their negative potential
effects on man and the environment.
... This conflict causes major unrest among farmers but has received scarce attention from the scientific community . The opportunistic killing of small and medium-sized vertebrates has been reported as relatively frequent in some New World vulture species (Lowney, 1999;Avery and Cummings, 2004) but has only been reported occasionally in the Old World vultures (Houston, 1994). ...
... This conflict causes major unrest among farmers but has received scarce attention from the scientific community . The opportunistic killing of small and medium-sized vertebrates has been reported as relatively frequent in some New World vulture species (Lowney, 1999;Avery and Cummings, 2004) but has only been reported occasionally in the Old World vultures (Houston, 1994). ...
Birds of prey have been, in comparison to other avian groups, an uncommon study model, mainly due to the limitations imposed by their conservative life strategy (low population density and turnover). Nonetheless, they have attracted a strong interest from the point of view of conservation biology because many populations have been close to extinction and because of their recognised role in ecosystems as top predators and scavengers and as flagship species. Today, after more than a century of persecution, and with the exception of some vultures still very much affected by illegal poisoning, many populations of birds of prey have experienced significant recoveries in many regions of Spain and the European Mediterranean. These changes pose new challenges when addressing the conservation of raptors in the coming decades. On this basis, and from a preferentially Mediterranean perspective, we have focused our attention on the need of describing and quantifying the role of these birds as providers of both regulating (rodent pest control and removal of livestock carcasses) and cultural ecosystem services. Moreover, we revisited persisting conflicts with human interests (predation of game species) and call attention to the emergence of new conflicts with a strong social and media component such as the predation on live cattle by vultures. Also, the rampant humanization of the environment determines the need for new solutions to the growing, yet scarcely explored, problem of accidents in new infrastructures such as mortality in wind farms. Finally, we explored in depth the ecological response of birds of prey to large-scale habitat changes such as urbanisation and abandonment of marginal lands that are also expected to increase in the near future. We urgently need more scientific knowledge to provide adequate responses to the challenge of keeping healthy populations of avian predators and scavengers in a rapidly changing world.
... According to BirdLife International (2009), the species is globally near-threatened and declining. The Andean Condor has exceptionally low natural mortality and reproductive output, with one of the highest survival rates among birds (Ricklefs 1973) and is therefore very vulnerable to human persecution (Houston 1994). Most known threats to Andean Condors are anthropogenic, and it has been suggested that mortality rates are directly correlated with the frequency of contact with humans (Temple and Wallace 1989). ...
Causes of admission to rehabilitation centers can provide valuable information about factors that cause mortality in the wild. We studied causes of admission to a rehabilitation center for 108 Andean Condors (Vultur gryphus) in Chile. Seventy-nine, 28, and one condor came from central, south, and northern Chile, respectively. From central Chile, an area with high human population, the majority of condors received were adults. The most frequent causes of admission to the rehabilitation center were poisoning (52%) and collisions with power lines (13%). Seventy-two percent of the radiographed birds showed ammunition in their bodies. Almost all the condors (85%) were received during the wintering period, when condors use the lowlands, thus increasing the probability of interaction with humans. The condors admitted from southern Chile, an area with low human pressure, were mainly juveniles. The most frequently admitted birds in the south were young birds that were trapped just after fledging (68%), which made up only 4% of the cases in central Chile. There were no poisonings or collisions with power lines. Only 25% of the radiographed birds were positive for ammunition. No seasonal variation in admissions was observed, indicating that risk factors in the southern zone did not operate on a seasonal basis. The sample of birds admitted from central Chile had similar sex and age structure as the wild population, with some bias toward juveniles, in contrast with the sample from southern Chile, in which young birds dominated. In conclusion, we observed an important anthropogenic effect on causal and temporal patterns of admissions to a rehabilitation center for Andean Condors; for the segment of the population in central Chile, the mortality pressure is apparently higher than expected under natural conditions, which could promote a demographic sink in this region.
... The Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) is the most widespread of all Neotropical vultures, ranging from south Canada to Tierra del Fuego in Chile and Argentina. Its diet includes dung and refuse, some fruits, small animals actively hunted and mainly carrion, which it can locate through olfaction (Houston, 1994). We suspect marine food is important in the diet of Turkey Vultures living by the coast in subtropical Baja California peninsula, as individuals eating from discarded remains near fishermen's camps or from stranded carcasses at the beach are frequently detected (Fig. S1.B and C). ...
... However, interspecific dominance hierarchies among foraging vultures play a key role in regulating access to carcasses: the gregarious 'gulpers' (including the two Gyps in this study), with long narrow bills, typically arrive first at a carcass, mostly in groups that exclude other vulture species; the more solitary 'rippers' (including the Red-head), with strong wide bills, feed later; and the 'scrappers', relatively small-billed and also solitary, pick items from and near the carcass (Kruuk 1967, König 1983, Hertel 1994, Houston 1995, Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001. Disadvantages to particular species may, however, occur if the composition of a vulture community is in part shaped by carcass distribution (Wilmers et al. 2003, Blázquez et al. 2009 ), if carcass size plays a role in determining the number and proportions of vulture species feeding on it (Selva et al. 2005 ), and if aggression based on both group size and body size helps determine access to carcasses (Kruuk 1967, König 1974, Houston 1975, Kirk and Houston 1995. ...
Vulture populations are declining steeply worldwide. Vulture ‘restaurants’ or feeding stations are a tool for maintaining and monitoring numbers, but individual species may be disadvantaged by the effects of carcass distribution, carcass size and interspecific aggression. To test the degree to which restaurants give opportunities for each species to access the food provided, we studied behaviour and morphology in three Critically Endangered species of vulture in Cambodia: the gregariously breeding and feeding White-rumped Vulture
Gyps bengalensi
s and Slender-billed Vulture
G. tenuirostris
, and the solitary Red-headed Vulture
Sarcogyps calvus
. We video-recorded attendance time, attendance order and dominance behaviour at different-sized carcasses. Interspecific aggression at carcasses was least frequently shown by the ‘small’ White-rumped Vulture. The relatively ‘large’ Slender-billed and ‘medium’ Red-headed Vultures showed aggression more regularly and at similar levels. However, the latter avoids conflict by waiting until
Gyps
vultures are no longer crowding at the carcass, although its arrival at carcasses was correlated with total number of vultures present. While more numerous than Red-headed, the two
Gyps
vultures are more dependent on large carcasses, which increases their vulnerability to further declines in wild large ungulate species. Body size, number of individuals, hunger levels and carcass size and availability all influence carcass attendance behaviour. An increase in the number and spatial distribution of restaurants as well as of carcass size range could boost numbers of all vulture species.
... Though fossil evidence places Turkey Vultures on some Greater Antilles islands as far back as the Pleistocene, there is a lack of a general consensus as to when this species first appeared on Hispaniola (Santana et al. 1986). Despite its widespread dis-tribution in the Neotropics, the breeding habits of this species are generally understudied in this region (Houston 1994). While the Turkey Vulture is considered a permanent resident in Hispaniola, and breeding is assumed, nesting has not previously been documented on the island (Latta et al. 2006). ...
Though the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) is present year-round on Hispaniola, nesting for this species has not been documented in either Haiti or the Dominican Republic. During March to June 2011 and 2012, we located four active Turkey Vulture nests in the Dominican Republic: three in Los Haitises National Park and one on private land near the town of Pedro San-chez. This paper provides the first nesting record of Turkey Vultures on Hispaniola, a description of these four nests, and general information on three other previously unreported nests.
... Las aves rapaces también utilizan basurales y rellenos sanitarios en todo el mundo (Pomeroy 1975;Donázar 1992;Blanco 1994Blanco , 1997 como fuente de carroña (Houston 1994;White et al. 1994). Este grupo tiene importantes abundancias en algunos basurales de Patagonia y Chile central (Yorio & Giaccardi 2002;Lobos et al. 2011). ...
Rubbish dumps and landfills are attractive sites for different species of opportunistic birds which can increase their populations on the food supplement offered by organic waste. These birds can act like vectors of diseases or polluting agents, damage agriculture, increase the risk of bird strikes, and have negative effects on other species through competition or predation. The goals of this work are to identify and quantify the species of birds and their habitat use within three landfills of the northeast of the Buenos Aires province, and to determine the importance of the waste amount deposited on these variables during two consecutive winter periods. Total bird abundance was different between landfills in both winters, and gulls predominated in the three landfills. North 3 landfill had the greater abundance of gulls and doves. Wading birds were significantly more abundant in González Catán Landfill, and the birds of prey had similar abundances in the three landfills in both periods. In both periods, the gulls were abundant in all habitats of three landfills, whereas only the abundance of doves in North 3 landfill was related to the final waste disposition sites and to the near edge (<200m) area. Exposed waste in surface was positively correlated with total bird abundance and the abundance of doves, which are themselves related to the daily amount waste deposited. Reduction of the organic portion and waste handling during the final disposition, habitat management around the final disposition sites, together with both passive and active direct control methods would reduce the abundance of birds in landfills and their negative potential effects on man and the environment.
... Feathers of the head and neck are absent, the beak has a sharp cutting edge and is distally curved. Usually, they feed stepping on their prey and pull out the rotten meat through strong pullbacks (Houston 1994). ...
The continental vertebrate collection of the Santa Cruz Formation (Late-early Miocene) is known worldwide by its abundance and diversity. With regard to the bird fossil record, the taxonomical and morphological diversity is also really high. The initial collection was largely made by Carlos Ameghino by the end of the nineteenth century and the remains were studied and nominated by his brother, Florentino Ameghino.
... Feathers of the head and neck are absent, the beak has a sharp cutting edge and is distally curved. Usually, they feed stepping on their prey and pull out the rotten meat through strong pullbacks (Houston 1994). ...
... However, this foraging mode is overrated since caracaras feeding on carcasses, especially at road kills, are easily seen (Morrison 1996). Carrion-feeding apart, caracaras and vultures, especially the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) have some traits in common, such as flying low while foraging over open areas they favour, killing small vertebrates, feeding on fruits, pecking at ticks and sores on mammals (Haverschmidt 1947, Sazima and Zamprogno 1993, Houston 1994, White et al. 1994, Sick 1997, Sazima 2007) and such comparisons are not entirely out of place. ...
The Southern Caracara (Caracara plancus) has one of the most diversified diets and versatile foraging tactics among the Falconiformes. I present here a general view of the feeding habits of this falconid in Brazil, with about 10 main food types and a similar number of foraging tactics. Additionally, I comment on the feeding habits of the Caracarini and note that the trophic versatility of C. plancus is a feature shared with other species of this group that dwell in open areas. Phylogenetic studies place C. plancus as one of the basalmost species within the group, which may indicate that wide diet and behavioural versatility of the Caracarini are ancestral traits. The two Milvago species and Daptrius ater seem to be more specialised in some features (e.g., habitual tick-cleaning), but Phalcoboenus has a trophic pattern similar to that of Caracara though it forages cooperatively.
The diets of raptors are some of the best studied and well-known of all bird groups. Raptors are typically carnivores, hunting and feeding on vertebrates and, for some species, invertebrates. Here, we described instances of the Black Kite (Milvus migrans) and Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) consuming non-native avocado (Persea americana) fruit in commercial orchards in northern Australia, over multiple years. This appears to be the first instance of frugivory by raptors in Australia. We review instances of frugivory for other raptor species globally. This review finds that 29 species of raptor from the families Falconidae, Accipitridae and Cathartidae have been recorded consuming
fruit, significantly more than previous reviews.
PREFACE
El Salvador is regarded as the most environmentally challenged nation
in Latin America, despite its location in the highly ecological Meso-
American Biodiversity Hotspot. This geophysical, ecological and
geopolitical relationship has created serious ecological, economic and sociopolitical cataclysms, and positive conservation actions that are reported in scattered reports and analyses but are rarely included in one book. This book takes a critical look at the environmental system of El Salvador. Environmental disasters (volcanoes, deforestation, hurricanes and mudslides) are currently a hot topic in El Salvador, as the country recovers from a brutal civil war and seeks new developments more strongly related to environmental sustainability.
This book adopts a geographical perspective, relying on numerous maps and images throughout the text to illustrate the spatial issues of
environmental relations, and models that describe the links between
environmental components. A physical and ecological science approach is also used, looking at theoretical, methodological and applied developments in the sciences of physical geography. The book also adopts a historical approach in examining and describing the trajectories of change and the possible human factors behind such changes. While blaming major social upheavals and events (such as the Spanish colonization, the 20th century civil war, and recent intensive land use, rapid urbanization and ineffective environmental management) for the extreme environmental change, the
book also argues that recent management efforts and events have seen increased attention to environmental issues in El Salvador, with important ecological recovery in some areas. The book concludes that there are grounds for optimism for the future of El Salvador’s environment, but the possibilities of species re-introductions, reforestation, expanded environmental protection, more critical urban development and better management of natural hazards must be examined critically and socially supported for future benefit.
Background
Stereotyped sunning behaviour in birds has been hypothesized to inhibit keratin-degrading bacteria but there is little evidence that solar irradiation affects community assembly and abundance of plumage microbiota. The monophyletic New World vultures (Cathartiformes) are renowned for scavenging vertebrate carrion, spread-wing sunning at roosts, and thermal soaring. Few avian species experience greater exposure to solar irradiation. We used 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the plumage microbiota of wild individuals of five sympatric species of vultures in Guyana.
Results
The exceptionally diverse plumage microbiotas (631 genera of Bacteria and Archaea) were numerically dominated by bacterial genera resistant to ultraviolet (UV) light, desiccation, and high ambient temperatures, and genera known for forming desiccation-resistant endospores (phylum Firmicutes, order Clostridiales). The extremophile genera Deinococcus (phylum Deinococcus-Thermus) and Hymenobacter (phylum, Bacteroidetes), rare in vertebrate gut microbiotas, accounted for 9.1% of 2.7 million sequences (CSS normalized and log2 transformed). Five bacterial genera known to exhibit strong keratinolytic capacities in vitro (Bacillus, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Streptomyces) were less abundant (totaling 4%) in vulture plumage.
Conclusions
Bacterial rank-abundance profiles from melanized vulture plumage have no known analog in the integumentary systems of terrestrial vertebrates. The prominence of UV-resistant extremophiles suggests that solar irradiation may play a significant role in the assembly of vulture plumage microbiotas. Our results highlight the need for controlled in vivo experiments to test the effects of UV on microbial communities of avian plumage.
El monitoreo biológico es esencial para comprender la dinámica poblacional, los procesos ecológicos y los problemas emergentes. En este estudio determinamos la riqueza y abundancia de las rapaces diurnas en el Parque Estatal Cañón de Fernández en Durango, México. Detectamos 11 especies, cinco de éstas están bajo alguna categoría de riesgo según la Norma Oficial Mexicana 059-2010: gavilán pecho canela (Accipiter striatus), gavilán de cooper (A. cooperii), aguililla negra menor (Buteogallus anthracinus), aguililla rojinegra (Parabuteo unicinctus) y aguililla pecho rojo (Buteo lineatus). Las especies más abundantes fueron Coragyps atratus, Cathartes aura y Buteo jamaicensis. El hábitat donde obtuvimos más registros fue el bosque de galería. Las rapaces del área ven amenazada su conservación por la pérdida de hábitat, cacería y electrocución.
I report human-caused mortality of Andean Condors (Vultur gryphus) in Peru and number of individuals used in Yawar Fiesta celebrations from data collected between 2000 and 2017. From 2014 to 2017, 8 (7 adults and 1 juvenile) Andean Condors were killed and 5 were permanently injured due to poisoning and shooting in central and south Peru. Another 4 individuals were released after being rehabilitated. In all, 40 different individuals (14 males, 20 females, and 6 not determined) were used for Yawar Fiesta celebrations; 96% of these celebrations were held in the Apurimac department in southern Peru. One individual died and 3 were seriously injured after being trampled by bulls during celebrations. Direct and indirect poisoning was the highest cause of mortality in this country. However, given that Yawar Fiesta celebrations are not monitored by government officials and/or researchers, mortality of Andean Condors is higher than reported here. Yawar Fiesta celebrations might have altered the Andean Condor's population structure in the southern Peruvian Andes. In order to guarantee Andean Condor conservation in Peru, local and national government authorities should regulate and forbid the use of Andean Condors in Yawar Fiesta celebrations, while population size and structure of Andean Condors in Apurimac should be assessed.
The causes of the reversed sexual size dimorphism (RSD; females larger than males) in birds of prey are subject to a centuries-old, passionate debate. A crucial difficulty is to distinguish whether the postulated benefits derive from the proposed causal process(es) or are incidental. After reviewing the existing literature, we present a methodology that overcomes this difficulty and renders unnecessary any speculative a priori distinctions between evolved function and incidental effects. We can thus justify the following novel version of the well-known nest defence hypothesis as the most likely to explain the phenomenon in all birds of prey that show RSD: if the female predominates in actively defending the eggs and young against predators, then she is the heavier sex, and her relatively greater body mass is adaptive. That is, heavier females are favoured (independently of males) by natural selection. The attractiveness of this hypothesis is that it has the potential to explain the phenomenon in all raptors exhibiting RSD, can deal with the exceptional cases in this group, explains the direction of the dimorphism, focuses on a key factor in the reproductive success of most raptors, is parsimonious, i.e. does not require supporting hypotheses, and is supported by a substantial body of evidence.
THE ADAPTATION OF THE TURKEY VULTURE
(CATHARTES AURA, LINNAEUS 1758) TO CHANGING
CIRCUMSTANCES AND ECOLOGIES
Michael Campbell
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
ABSTRACT
The Turkey vulture of the Genus Cathartes is the most wide-ranging avian obligate scavenger in the New World (North and South America), being recorded in the coniferous forests of Canada and the Northern United States, the vast plains of the American mid-west, the Western cordillera and deserts, several islands in the Caribbean,
the deciduous forests of Central and South America, the Andes mountains, and the Pampas plains of southern South America. Unlike several other large, avian scavengers, the Turkey vulture appears unaffected by recent trends in deforestation, urbanization and
declining large mammal populations. Cathartes vultures are unique among vultures in possessing a sense of smell and hence are able to detect hidden carrion sources. This olfactory ability and consequent foraging ability may only partially explain the wide range of the Turkey vulture, as the other Cathartes species that share its olfactory ability
have much smaller ranges. Other, largely unexplored factors may be inter- and intraspecies ability to adapt to changing landcover, food sources and human proximity. This chapter reviews current knowledge on the intra and inter -species behavior of Turkey vultures. Neglected issues concern the intra-species, individualist adaptation of this
species that may complement knowledge of species level generalization. The hypothesis of individualism or actancy in animals within a strand of animal geography, critiqued by some as excessive anthropomorphism of animals is presented as a tool of analysis. More
research on Turkey vultures from this perspective is needed to further inform the adaptation and habituation of Turkey vultures to changing, human-modified and occupied spaces, especially considering the common, sometimes problematic intrusion of Turkey vultures into previously uninhabited, human occupied spaces. This represents an
important contribution to the greater understanding of vulture ecology, nature-society relations and the sub-discipline of zoogeography.
Egyptian Vultures are the most commonly seen vultures in Uttar Pradesh at present after the 'vultures hurtle in India. Food availability is the basic concern for animal survival; consequently, it is a fundamental component to identify the habitat exploitation, population compactness and endurance of the animal. The study started in Uttar Pradesh from January 2014-December 2016. Details of feeding sites including geographical location noted using GPS instrument, Digital Camera (Nikonp900 coolpix) and 70 D SLR camera and a predesigned format was used for data recording. This study points out the feeding points and their management for the persistence and productivity of the globally endangered species. The population of Egyptian vulture is comparatively higher than other vultures in Uttar Pradesh. The reason behind this is probably because Egyptian vulture is an opportunistic feeder and the feeding sites are more in number such as slaughterhouses, bone mill factories, dumping sites etc. The ingenious feeding sites have been reported in, Lakhimpur Kheri, Aligarh, Unnao, Bareilly and Sambhal. Lakhimpur Kheri holds maximum population of Egyptian vultures followed by, Aligarh, Unnao, Bareilly and Sambhal. Modification in management of slaughterhouse refusals, carrion and feeding points affects the species that are relied on them. This study will assist the management of a healthy vulture population as there are some of the districts where vultures still exist in large number and illustrate the capability of Egyptian vultures to exploit different food resources, as well as point out the variables which influence the presence of Egyptian vultures such as Distance from Water bodies, roosting sites and bone factories.
The Turkey vulture of the Genus Cathartes is the most wide-ranging avian obligate scavenger in the New World (North and South America), being recorded in the coniferous forests of Canada and the Northern United States, the vast plains of the American mid-west, the Western cordillera and deserts, several islands in the Caribbean, the deciduous forests of Central and South America, the Andes mountains, and the Pampas plains of southern South America. Unlike several other large, avian scavengers, the Turkey vulture appears unaffected by recent trends in deforestation, urbanization and declining large mammal populations. Cathartes vultures are unique among vultures in possessing a sense of smell and hence are able to detect hidden carrion sources. This olfactory ability and consequent foraging ability may only partially explain the wide range of the Turkey vulture, as the other Cathartes species that share its olfactory ability have much smaller ranges. Other, largely unexplored factors may be inter- and intra species ability to adapt to changing landcover, food sources and human proximity. This chapter reviews current knowledge on the intra and inter -species behavior of Turkey vultures. Neglected issues concern the intra-species, individualist adaptation of this species that may complement knowledge of species level generalization. The hypothesis of individualism or actancy in animals within a strand of animal geography, critiqued by some as excessive anthropomorphism of animals is presented as a tool of analysis. More research on Turkey vultures from this perspective is needed to further inform the adaptation and habituation of Turkey vultures to changing, human-modified and occupied spaces, especially considering the common, sometimes problematic intrusion of Turkey vultures into previously uninhabited, human occupied spaces. This represents an important contribution to the greater understanding of vulture ecology, nature-society relations and the sub-discipline of zoogeography.
The naked heads of Cathartes vultures are widely believed to be adaptations for temperature regulation and to reduce plumage fouling during carrion feeding. Bright head color and the elaborate pattern of caruncles on the head and neck skin have a likely function in intra- and interspecific signaling. These integumentary characters have been difficult to study because of extensive postmortem color fading and shrinkage in museum specimens. Here I provide the first detailed description of head color and caruncles of the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture (C. melambrotus) from freshly collected specimens and provide comparative notes on sympatric populations of the Turkey Vulture (C. aura) and Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (C. burrovianus) from Guyana.
Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), which have declined over the past two decades, are considered near threatened by the IUCN Red List. Virus research in this migratory population identified a diversity of virus pathogens within the free-living reproductive active population in Argentina and in the beached rescued population along the Brazilian Coast. Rehabilitating and releasing seabirds are important tools to minimize anthropogenic impacts in the sustainability of threatened species. Infectious diseases can be serious threats for the success of such initiatives, especially since knowledge on pathogens affecting those species in the wild is usually scarce. Avipoxvirus infection causing local cutaneous lesions was reported by Kane et al., (2012) in the Argentinian breeding colonies. A different avipoxvirus causing cutaneous and diphtheritic lesions in the oesophagus and bronchioli was reported by Niemeyer et al., (2013) in penguins housed in outdoor enclosures in a Rehabilitation Centre located at Florianópolis, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. By that time, the authors suspected of a spillover effect based on the divergence between the Brazilian penguinpoxvirus (Canarypox clade) and the avipoxvirus (Folwpox clade) described in the Argentinian breeding colonies. The Rehabilitation Centre kept monitoring and diagnosing based on clinical signs, histo- pathology, the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. The knowledge regarding the virus strain diversity was very important to avoid the introduction of a novel virus into the wild population by releasing rehabilitated infected birds. In 2011, a novel herpesvirus was identified in rescued oiled penguins that died within a respiratory outbreak at a Rehabilitation Centre located in the south of the Brazilian Coast (Niemeyer C., 2014). Sampling apparently healthy and reproductive active Magellanic penguins in Argentinian Patagonia, Niemeyer, C. (2014) identified a different herpesvirus. Meanwhile, different strains of coronavirus and herpesvirus were identified in asymptomatic rescued Magellanic penguins along the Brazilian Coast's beaches. PCR identification and partial virus sequencing allow us to identify pathogens related to mortality and morbidity. The aim of this chapter was to contribute to the knowledge and identification of viruses capable of infecting both free-living apparently healthy penguins, and the pathogens that may be related to the release of rehabilitated penguins and the implication of these agents in the conservation of species. The knowledge about the occurrence of virus infection in the species is crucial to determine conservation policies and management of a population that deal with different threats across the oceans.
It has been suggested that in South American ecosystems during Cenozoic times, carnivorous birds were hegemonic not only over any other trophic avian guild but also over other vertebrate carnivorous groups (Tambussi 2011 and the literature cited therein). To investigate this, we have chosen to dissect the avian fossil record to determine whether this assumption fits with the available data.
Andean Condors (Vultur gryphus) are a Near Threatened species that was formerly distributed along the entire length of the Andes from western Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego. Populations have been severely reduced north of Peru, but several thousand Andean Condors still exist in the southern portion of their range in Argentina and Chile. Little is known, however, about the size of the Andean Condor population in the central part of their range in Peru and Bolivia. From June to September 2012, we used feeding stations to attract Andean Condors and estimate the size and structure of the population in the eastern Andes of central and southern Bolivia. We estimated a minimum population of 253 condors, an adult male-to-female ratio of 1:0.6, an immature male-to-female ratio of 1: 0.9, and an adult-to-immature ratio of 1:1.1. At our five survey areas, estimated abundance ranged from 15 to 100 condors per area. Males outnumbered females in three areas and the opposite was true in two areas. Our estimated adult-to-immature ratio, overall and in each area, suggests that the populations could be reproducing at a high rate. As previously observed in other Andean Condor populations, skewed sex ratios could be associated with differences between sexes and age classes in habitat selection. Although our results suggest that Bolivian populations of Andean Condors are still reasonably large, population monitoring is urgently needed, including use of feeding stations throughout the entire Bolivian range of the species and intensive searches for roosting and nesting sites.
The importance of olfaction for various avian behaviors has become increasingly evident. So far, the use of olfaction for food detection among raptors has only been demonstrated for Cathartes vultures. The Oriental honey buzzard (Pernis orientalis) is a resident and migrant in Taiwan and regularly forages in apiaries. One of its foods in apiaries is yellow pollen dough, a softball-sized mixture of pollen, soybeans, and sugar that beekeepers provide as a supplementary food for bees. Given that pollen dough is not similar to any naturally occurring food, we hypothesized that buzzards identify the dough's nutritious contents using olfaction, perhaps in combination with vision. Using a series of choice experiments in which individuals could choose between two doughs, we showed that (1) buzzards almost unerringly chose pollen-containing over pollen lacking doughs when otherwise the doughs were identical in size, shape, and yellow color; (2) buzzards always preferred yellow over black or green doughs if both doughs contained pollen; (3) buzzards still preferred pollen-containing over pollen-lacking doughs when both doughs were black, but at a lower rate than in (1). We statistically excluded the possible influences of the doughs' relative brightness or of repeat visits by the same individuals. Our experiments thus suggest the use of a 'multi-modal foraging strategy' among buzzards whereby olfaction and vision are likely to be both used in identifying food at close distances. We also estimated the olfactory receptor gene repertoire size in the buzzard's genome which is almost five times as large as that of three other raptor species. Therefore, olfaction is likely of far greater ecological importance to this species than to other raptor species. We suggest that olfaction should be considered in the design of behavioral and genetic studies to better understand the use of multiple senses in avian behaviors.
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