The provision of supplementary food at vulture restaurants is a well-established tool in the conservation of vulture species. Among their many applications, vulture restaurants are used to provide a safe food source in areas where carcasses are commonly baited with poisons. Rapid and extensive declines of vultures in the Indian subcontinent have been attributed to the toxic effects of diclofenac, a pharmaceutical used in the treatment of livestock, to which vultures are exposed while feeding on the carcasses of treated animals. A vulture restaurant was established at the Oriental White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis colony at Toawala, in Punjab province Pakistan, to test the effectiveness of the technique in modifying ranging behaviour and mortality at the colony. Six male vultures were fitted with satellite transmitters to describe variation in movement and home-range during periods when safe food was alternately available and withheld at the vulture restaurant. There was considerable variation in individual home-range size (minimum convex polygons, MCP, of 1,824 km2 to 68,930 km2), with birds occupying smaller home-ranges centred closer to the restaurant being more successful in locating the reliable source of food. Fixes showed that 3 of the tagged vultures fed at the vulture restaurant and the home-range of each bird declined following their initial visit, with a 23–59% reduction in MCP. Mean daily mortality during provisioning was 0.072 birds per day (8 birds in 111 days), compared with 0.387 birds per day (41 birds in 106 days) during non-provisioning control periods. Vultures tended to occupy greater home-ranges, cover greater distances each day and spend proportionately more time in the air during the late brooding and post-breeding seasons. Attendance at the vulture restaurant also declined during this period with fewer birds visiting less often and no tagged vultures visiting the vulture restaurant at all. These findings indicate that vulture restaurants can reduce, but not eliminate, vulture mortality through diclofenac exposure and represent a valuable interim measure in slowing vulture population decline locally until diclofenac can be withdrawn from veterinary use.

Fisheries observers recorded incidental capture of seabirds during 338 days on Soviet squid trawlers in New Zealand subantarctic shelf waters around the Snares and Auckland Islands in 1990. Seven species were recorded entangled in fishing gear, including very high numbers of breeding adult White-capped Albatrosses Diomedea cauta steadi. The actual level of White-capped Albatross mortality was estimated at 2,300 birds in 1990, and is not considered sustainable. Nearly all albatrosses were killed by collision with the netsonde monitor cable. In New Zealand waters this equipment is carried only by Soviet trawlers, and is considered obsolete. Replacement of this cable by discrete netsonde transducers on Soviet trawlers should be a global seabird conservation priority.

The widespread decline of migratory shorebirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) is one of the greatest crises for migrating birds. Among the migratory species with known population trends, 88% (22 of 25 species) show population declines, and seven have been listed as threatened or Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List. The decline of migratory shorebirds is related to the deterioration of stopping sites (including staging and stopping sites) in the Yellow Sea, including loss of intertidal wetlands, spread of invasive smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora on intertidal flats, an increase in pollution, and an increase in human disturbance. We review research concerning shorebird migration through the Yellow Sea and highlight key research activities required for the conservation of shorebirds in the region. These activities include: confirming the population consequences of loss of stopping sites, estimating migration timing and numbers of shorebirds at stopping sites, determining the differing abilities of species to use alternative habitats, understanding intra- and interspecific differences in the use of stopping sites, maintaining and expanding surveys on shorebirds and habitat condition, and identifying threats to shorebirds beyond habitat loss by reclamation. The information generated by these research activities is required for the design and selection of effective conservation actions to reverse the decline in shorebird populations.

Count data show that wintering Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons numbers in their Chinese stronghold (the Yangtze River catchment) have fallen from about 140,000 in the late 1980s and early 1990s to c.18,000 now, despite increases in the overall flyway population (mostly wintering in South Korea and Japan). Declines have occurred in Jiangxi, but most markedly in Hunan (predominantly at East Dongting Lake) where the decline has been steady since 2003/2004, with few left from 2008/2009 onwards. Numbers have increased substantially in Anhui (predominantly at Shengjin Lake), which now supports more Greater White-fronted Geese than Jiangxi and Hunan combined. The species appears a habitat specialist in China, confined to grazing short-sward recessional Carex sedge meadows. At East Dongting Lake, reductions in Greater White-fronted Geese numbers correlated with declines in availability of suitable sedge swards, caused by earlier water table recession, which in recent years has meant swards were too tall for geese to utilise from their arrival in autumn. The hydrological changes are most probably due to the commissioning of the Three Gorges Dam in mid-2003. At Shengjin Lake, the increases may be due to recent stable first exposure dates and slow water recession rates which favour short Carex swards attractive to geese; high buffalo grazing density at this lake may also assist in maintaining suitable sward heights. These hypotheses require investigation.

Global and regional targets to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss bring with them the need to measure the state of nature and how it is changing. A number of different biodiversity indicators have been developed in response and here we consider bird population indicators in Europe. Birds are often used as surrogates for other elements of biodiversity because they are so well known and well studied, and not for their unique intrinsic value as environmental indicators. Yet, in certain situations and at particular scales, trends in bird populations correlate with those of other taxa making them a valuable biodiversity indicator with appropriate caveats. In this paper, we look at two case studies, in the UK and Europe as a whole, where headline bird indicators, that is, summary statistics based on bird population trends, have been developed and used to inform and assist policy makers. Wild bird indicators have been adopted by many European countries and by the European Union as indicators of biodiversity and of sustainable development. In the discussion, we review the strengths and weaknesses of using bird populations in this way, and look forward to how this work might be developed and expanded.

Electrocution on poorly designed power poles is increasingly shown to pose a threat for the populations of many large raptors. Here we document that a power line in Sudan continues to cause mortality of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus, a problem that was first identified in 1984. We suggest that this power line may have caused the death of sufficient Egyptian Vultures to partially explain population declines in the Middle East, from where the electrocuted birds may originate. This report highlights the urgent need to plan and retro-fit power lines in Africa with non-lethal support structures.

We monitored the illegal pet trade in Los Pozos pet market from August 2004 to July 2005. As indicated in Bolivian law, all unauthorized trade in wild animal species is illegal, especially species considered threatened by IUCN. During this period, we recorded 7,279 individuals of 31 parrot species, including four threatened species, two of which were being transported from Brazil through Bolivia to markets in Peru. The most frequently sold species was the Blue-fronted Parrot Amazona aestiva with 1,468 individuals observed during our study, the majority of which (94%) were believed to have been captured in the wild. Most of the purchased birds remain within Bolivia, while the more expensive, threatened species frequently head to Peru; some individuals may even reach Europe. We believe our study describes only a small proportion of the Bolivian parrot trade, underscoring the potential extent of the illegal pet trade and the need for better Bolivian law enforcement.

Resumo

Monitoreamos el comercio ilegal de aves en el mercado de mascotas de Los Pozos, desde agosto de 2004 a julio de 2005. De acuerdo a lo que establece la ley boliviana, todo comercio no autorizado de animales salvajes es ilegal, especialmente de especies consideradas Amenazadas por la IUCN. Durante este periodo, grabamos 7.279 individuos de 31 especies de loros, incluyendo 4 especies amenazadas, de las cuales dos fueron transportadas desde Brasil a través de Bolivia hacia mercados en Perú. La especie más frecuentemente vendida fue el Loro Frente Azul Amazona aestiva, con 1.468 individuos observados durante nuestro estudio, de los cuales creemos que un 94% ha sido capturado en su hábitat natural. La mayoría de la compra de aves permanece dentro de Bolivia, mientras que las más caras especies amenazadas, se dirigen a Perú; algunos individuos pueden incluso alcanzar Europa. Creemos que nuestro estudio describe sólo un pequeão porcentaje del comercio de loro boliviano, subrayando el grado potencial del comercio ilegal de mascotas y la necesidad de una mejor aplicación de la ley boliviana.

After habitat loss and degradation, the leading threats to biodiversity are over-exploitation and invasive alien species. For birds, newly synthesised data using the standard classification schemes for utilisation and threat types for the IUCN Red List allow novel analyses on the importance of these threats and permit the calculation of Red List Indices (RLIs) to show trends in the status of birds driven by these factors. At least 45.7% of extant bird species (4,561 species) are used by humans, principally for pets (37.0%) and for hunting for food (14.2%), but other uses include sport hunting, ornamentation and traditional medicine. Much of this use drives trade at an international scale, involving at least 3,337 species (33.9%, substantially higher than previous estimates), mostly for the pet trade. RLIs show that although successful control and management of use and trade have led to some species improving in status, this has been outweighed by the number of species deteriorating in status owing to unsustainable exploitation. Overall, the RLI showing trends in extinction risk driven by issues related to use shows a negative slope: human use of birds is currently unsustainable. Similarly, and of relevance to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the RLI for internationally traded bird species showing trends in extinction risk driven by issues related to international trade is also declining: international trade remains a threat to the world's birds. Invasive species impact at least one third of the world's threatened bird species (398 species, 32.6%), with mammals being the most important (impacting 81.1%), particularly through predation by carnivores and rodents. The RLI illustrating impacts of invasive species shows that they are driving a deterioration in the status of the world's birds. RLIs for the impacts of use and invasive species will be important indicators to help track progress towards the target of significantly reducing biodiversity loss by 2010.

Populations of Oriental White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis and Long-billed Vulture G. indicus declined in India between the mid 1980s and late 1990s. Regional reports from India described declines of 95–100% across a wide area. This study was conducted to investigate the breeding success and pattern of mortality in two vulture colonies (Dholewala and Changa Manga) within Punjab Province, Pakistan between December 2000 and June 2001. Breeding success was found to be 62% in Dholewala and 59% in Changa Manga. A total of 668 sick and dead vultures were collected of which 591 were less than one month post mortem. No significant variation was found in the weekly mortality rate of adult and subadult vultures during the study period spanning winter through summer. A peak in mortality rate was observed during late April and early May that corresponded to mortality of newly fledged juveniles. Minimum annual mortality rate in the adult breeding population was calculated to be 11.4% and 18.6% in Dholewala and Changa Manga respectively. In a subsample of dead vultures (n = 185) visceral gout was found in 80% of adults, 63% of subadults, 19% of juveniles and 13% of nestlings. These mortality rates were consistent with a rapid population decline. Results imply that the mortality factor responsible for the decline in Gyps vultures described in India is also present in Pakistan and will potentially lead to a population decline of a comparable magnitude.

Studies of how avian communities are affected by human forest disturbance have given variable results. In order to focus conservation efforts we need comparative data for studying the relationship between community resilience and ecological predictability over much longer periods of time. This paper compares avian communities in mature forest and adjacent disturbed forest at a site in the Tanzania-Malawi Mountains which has probably had humid forest cover permanently since the Tertiary. At the same time the study presents a possible model design for such studies, which may be a suitable compromise between the needs for quantitative data and logistical constraints during exploratory visits to areas difficult of access. The method is highly time efficient as it is based on continuous recording of all birds during “random” walking through the forest. There were at least 70 species in disturbed, against 61–65 species in different kinds of adjacent mature forest, but with a marked loss of range-restricted species as we passed from mature to disturbed forest. Most seriously affected were birds of the shaded forest understorey, but also the larger insectivores of mixed canopy feeding parties declined. These species search for food in the masses of epiphytic lichens, mosses and ferns in mature forest canopies. Comments are given on the specific requirements of six species of conservation concern.

The Violet-throated Metaltail Metallura baroni is a high altitude hummingbird endemic to south-central Ecuador currently considered globally ‘Endangered’. Here we present the first detailed assessment of its distribution, ecology and conservation. We first used a maximum entropy model (Maxent model) to create a predicted distribution for this species based on very limited species occurrence data. We used this model to guide field surveys for the species between April and October 2006. We found a positive relationship between model values and species presence, indicating that the model was a useful tool to predict species occurrence and guide exploration. In the sites where the metaltail was found we gathered data on its habitat requirements, food resources and behaviour. Our results indicate that Violet-throated Metaltail is restricted to the Western Cordillera of the Andes Mountains in Azuay and Cañar provinces of Ecuador, with an area of extent of less than 2,000 km2. Deep river canyons to the north and south, lack of suitable habitat, and potential interspecific competition in the east may limit the bird's distribution. The species occurred in three distinct habitats, including Polylepis woodland, the upper edge of the montane forest, and in shrubby paramo, but we found no difference in relative abundance among these habitats. The metaltail seems to tolerate moderate human intervention in its habitats as long as some native brushy cover is maintained. We found that Brachyotum sp., Berberis sp., and Barnadesia sp. were important nectar resources. The ‘Endangered’ status of this species is supported due to its restricted distribution in fragmented habitats which are under increasing human pressures.

Anthropogenic conversion of natural wetlands into artificial wetland habitats has produced complex wetland landscapes worldwide. In this study we investigated the responses of migratory and wintering waterbirds to five artificial wetland habitats (aquaculture ponds, paddyfields, irrigation canals, open water reservoirs and saltpans) within a novel natural-artificial wetland landscape, Yellow River Delta (YRD), eastern China from October 2007 to May 2008. The results showed that almost all bird community indicators in the YRD natural wetlands were higher than those in adjacent artificial wetlands. Across the landscape, natural wetlands remained most important for all waterbird guilds, and more than 90% of waterbird populations were dependent on these habitats. Artificial wetlands mainly provided a secondary role, supporting about 70% of waterbird species (including six species that reached 1% of their global or biogeographical flyway populations), but with distinctive functional capacity for specific waterbird guilds in different artificial wetlands. The conservation value of artificial wetlands is often ephemeral, mainly during autumn, for specific migratory waterbirds and complements that of remaining areas of natural wetlands. Therefore, the utilisation patterns of artificial wetlands are highly temporal and the majority of species are dependent on areas of natural wetland. A comprehensive study of the inter-seasonal and inter-annual variations in these different habitats and dependence by the various guilds in the YRD is required to enable the true value of these habitats to be understood. We suggest that the conservation of artificial wetlands should not be at the expense of natural wetlands, which should remain the priority for wetland landscape management. Management to maintain the existing artificial wetlands for migrating and wintering water birds should target habitat features that are absent or limited in natural wetlands thus increasing the carrying capacity of the YRD landscape.

The current status of most West African birds is little known and may change quickly with increasing human population pressure and agriculture, road, tourism, hunting and mining developments. Following documented declines of raptors in Sudan and the Southern Sahel zones, I compared the number of birds counted along the same eight extensive transect counts in 1971–1973 (3,703 km) and 2004 (3,688 km) in arid steppes, acacia woodlands and desert mountains of northern Mali and Niger (Adrar des Iforhas, Aïr, Ténéré). The once widespread Ostrich Struthio camelus is now extinct west of Chad. No Arabian Ardeotis arabs and Nubian Bustards Neotis nuba were seen in 2004 (216 in 1970s) nor any Rüppell's Griffon Gyps rueppellii and Lappet-faced Vultures Torgos tracheliotus (114 and 96 respectively recorded in the 1970s). From Adrar to Ténéré, just one Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was recorded in 2004 (vs 75 in 1970s), but it was still common in the oases of Kawar (27 vs 38). These data are exploratory and the current status of the species involved should be further documented. Nevertheless, they are a serious warning about the future of several taxa. Overhunting, aggravated by overgrazing and degradation of acacia woodlands are obvious causes of the collapse of Ostrich and bustards. The near-extinction of wild ungulates, intensified use of cattle, increased disturbance and poisoning of predators may have been critical in the dramatic decline of vultures. An effective hunting ban, updates on the status of threatened species, reintroduction of Ostrich, enforcement of existing nature reserves and design of a new one in northern Mali are among the most urgent steps to take if the large birds of the vast subdesert areas of West Africa are to be conserved.

The Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres) is an obligate cliff-nesting vulture endemic to southern Africa. Its range and population size have declined markedly over the last century. Namibia has just one colony, located on the cliffs of the Waterberg Plateau, with a population estimated to be eight adult birds, including two females. The species is regarded as Critically Endangered in Namibia, and establishing a secure breeding population may require intensive management. Data on movements, foraging range and behaviour of Cape Vultures, important in any management programme, have been lacking. Five adult males and one immature were captured near the Waterberg site and fitted with satellite-tracking devices. Only two of the adult vultures still roosted on the cliffs and only one of those exclusively; the other individuals roosted in trees. Three individuals were observed building and attending to nests in trees, and, for one of these, the partner was identified as an African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus). The foraging range of the adult birds was large compared with other studies of this species. Most foraging took place on freehold farms. All adults avoided areas of communally owned land where wild ungulates are uncommon, thus further decreasing their potentially available food supply. Two ‘vulture restaurants’, feeding sites specifically for vultures, within the foraging range of the adult birds accounted for a large proportion of their time spent on the ground. The ranging behaviour of adult vultures varied throughout the year, and was apparently related to their nesting behaviour.

Anthropogenic emissions of mercury have doubled over the past two centuries. Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin that threatens human health and fish and wildlife populations. The effects of mercury on birds have been relatively well-studied in the laboratory and in nature. Several aspects of neurology, physiology, behaviour, and reproduction have been shown to be adversely affected. Many studies have documented ataxia, lethargy, reduced appetite, reduced egg production, poor hatching success, and aberrant parental care in birds exposed to mercury.

The majority of the research done to date, however, has been focused on select taxa (waterbirds), trophic levels (piscivores), habitat types (aquatic systems), geographic regions (North America and Europe), and life history stages (reproduction), leaving the assessment of mercury's threats to birds incomplete. Successful bird conservation strategies are dependent on a comprehensive understanding of the threats facing populations. Here, I discuss the significant knowledge gaps that remain and subsequently suggest priorities for future mercury research in birds. Studies of mercury in terrestrial, insectivorous, and/or passerine species, and how mercury affects migration are especially recommended to fill gaps in our present understanding.

We examined the causes and consequences of disturbance to the chicks of Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis in central southern Victoria, Australia. Humans were the most frequent source of encounters, and response rates to a variety of stimuli were high. Three possible mechanisms by which disturbance could reduce chick survival were evaluated. (1) Disturbance might cause thermal stress to chicks. An encounter with a human often caused brooding to cease, but it is not clear whether overall levels of brooding were compromised. Chicks found themselves un-brooded due to disturbance for up to 290 min, and in ambient temperatures of 10–46°C. (2) Disturbance might cause energetic stress to chicks. Encounters with humans usually caused chick foraging to stop. Higher levels of disturbance were associated with less chick foraging. There was a tendency for broods to forage in lower and potentially more profitable levels of the habitat in less-disturbed conditions. However, the overall pattern of habitat use was similar during disturbed and less-disturbed conditions. (3) Adult defence of broods could be compromised by disturbance. However, no brood predation occurred in disturbed circumstances, and adults stayed close to their broods even in disturbed conditions. These data suggest that defence of chicks was not compromised by disturbance.

Virtually the entire population of the globally ‘Vulnerable’ Swan Goose Anser cygnoides winters in the Yangtze floodplain. Historically, the species was widely distributed throughout the floodplain but now approximately 95% of the population is confined to three closely-situated wetlands in Anhui and Jiangxi Provinces. Recent counts indicate that at one of these sites, Shengjin Lake (in Anhui), a decline of about 10,000–20,000 birds, to about 1,000 currently, has taken place during the last five years. The likely cause of the decline in Swan Goose abundance at Shengjin Lake is the recent decrease in submerged vegetation, particularly tuber-producing Vallisneria which is the species’s main food; this decrease has been linked with the introduction of intensive aquaculture in the main areas used by Swan Geese within the lake. Earlier range contractions in the Yangtze floodplain may also be linked to reductions in submerged vegetation cover at other sites, where intensive aquaculture has also been implicated. Changes in lake hydrology following construction of the Three Gorges Dam may also have adversely affected submerged vegetation productivity. Key information needs for the effective implementation of conservation measures for Swan Goose include an understanding of (1) the fitness consequences of Swan Geese being forced to switch to different foods; (2) how aquaculture can be managed to minimise impacts on submerged vegetation; (3) the impact of changing lake hydrology on key Swan Goose food plants; and (4) the optimal management of wetlands to ensure that adequate food is both produced during the summer period and is available throughout the winter.