Zigzag Heron (Zebrilus undulatus) Science Article 2 abstract Recently we, acquired DNA of two rare species of heron, the Neotropical Zigzag Heron (Zebrilus undulatus) and the African White-crested Bittern (Tigriornis le colophus). To estimate their phylogenetic relationships to other herons, we compared these species with representatives of the major heron clades using DNA-DNA hybridization. Even […]
Category: Ciconiiformes
Prey Handling in Yellow-crowned Night Herons
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) Science Article 1 abstract Although an extensive literature exists on the foraging ecology of wading birds (reviewed by Kushlan 1978), detailed studies of the Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) are lacking.The yellowcrown is unique among the ardeids in that it specializeson crustacean prey (Palmer 1962, Hancock and Elliott 1978) and […]
ORGANOCHLORINE RESIDUES AND EGGSHELL THINNING IN WOOD STORKS AND ANHINGAS
Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) Science Article 1 abstract All 10 Wood Stork eggs collected at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in 1973 contained residues of DDE (geometric mean 4.0 ppm wet weight) and PCBs (1.2 ppm). Nine other organochlorines were found at lower frequencies in the eggs. Eggshells from the recent period were 8.9% thinner […]
Aggregation size and foraging behavior of White Storks
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Science Article 7 abstract The foraging behaviour of breeding White Storks Ciconia cinconia was studied at a colony in central Spain to test various predictions related to the advantages of flocking. Storks devoted more time to preening and resting with increasing aggregation size. Time spent vigilant by individual Storks decreased significantly […]
Effects of power lines on a White Stork Ciconia ciconia population in central Spain
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Science Article 3 abstract The aims of this article are 1) to study the effect of mortality at power lines on a White Stork population and 2) to know which are the risky factors on both collision and electrocution incidents in a humanised area. Location: Study area was located at South-eastern […]
Condition-dependent parental effort and reproductive performance in the White Stork Ciconia ciconia
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Science Article 10 abstract Relationships between the parental quality and reproductive performance have been studied in many birds, but not in Ciconiiformes so far. We hypothesised that parental condition of White Storks Ciconia ciconia affects both parental care and breeding success. To examine our hypothesis we assessed body mass of White […]
Feeding in urban refuse dumps: ingestion of plastic objects by the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Science Article 2 abstract […]. According to our data, refuse dumps provide a staple food for storks throughout the year, but expose some birds, especially the juveniles, to the potential consumption of plastics and other potentially dangerous materials. Due to the healthy and increasing Spanish White Stork population to a certain […]
Variable inter-annual relationships between T-cell mediated immunity and individual traits in White Storks
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Science Article 4 abstract Aims: The PHA skin-testing technique has become a widespread way of studying the ecological and evolutionary implications of T-cell mediated immunity (CMI) in birds. Several breeding and individual traits have been found to be related to CMI. However, it is not known how consistent these relationships are […]
Variation of primary production during winter induces synchrony in survival rates in migratory white storks Ciconia ciconia
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Science Article 12 abstract The environmental conditions that migratory birds experience during their stay at different locations throughout the year can have significant impact on the variation of annual survival rates. Because migrants often crowd during non-breeding, environmental conditions can affect survival rates of individuals originating from different breeding populations, thus […]
Development of thermoregulatory ability during ontogeny in the White Stork Ciconia ciconia
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Science Article 1 abstract The development of thermoregulation abilities in White Stork Ciconia ciconia nestlings was examined. Our results showed that body mass, and not age, was the best predictor for thermoregulatory ability despite what was found in passerines. White Stork nestlings did not develop their thermoregulatory abilities abruptly since their […]