Changes in parasite transmission stage excretion after pheasant release

The production of parasite transmission stages was investigated in the faeces of 77 farm-bred ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). Coccidian oocysts (Eimeria sp.), and nematode eggs (Heterakis sp., and Capillaria-like eggs) were recovered before and after release but all birds were treated prior to release. Treatment with fenbendazole significantly reduced the abundance of trans-mission-stage excretion for all parasites, and reduced the prevalence in the case of Eimeria sp. and Heterakis sp. Nonetheless, a significant increase in the excretion abundance for all parasites and in the prevalence of Eimeria sp. and Heterakis sp. was found after release. Eggs of Ascaridia sp. were found only after releasing, suggesting infection ocurred in the wild. A negative relationship was found between the pheasant body condition and Heterakis excretion abundance and a higher abundance of Capillaria sp. eggs in female birds. No significant relationship was found between parasite excretion abundance and pheasant survival. Despite this, results suggest that an increase in the excretion of parasite transmission stages follows the release of captive pheasants into the wild. This can in part explain restocking failures, but also means that autochtonous free-living birds may become exposed to new and potentially harmful pathogens. To avoid these risks it is proposed that improved prophylactic measures should be taken. © CAB International, 2006.This work is a contribution to the joint project CSIC/Principado de Asturias. The authors wish to thank Maria and Emilio Álvarez, Pilar and Pepe Collada, A. de Miguel, J. Marcos. and P. Talavera. Oscar Rodríguez received a Torres Quevedo grant from the MEC.Peer Reviewe

Changes in parasite transmission stage excretion after pheasant release

The production of parasite transmission stages was investigated in the faeces of 77 farm-bred ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). Coccidian oocysts (Eimeria sp.), and nematode eggs (Heterakis sp., and Capillaria-like eggs) were recovered before and after release but all birds were treated prior to release. Treatment with fenbendazole significantly reduced the abundance of trans-mission-stage excretion for all parasites, and reduced the prevalence in the case of Eimeria sp. and Heterakis sp. Nonetheless, a significant increase in the excretion abundance for all parasites and in the prevalence of Eimeria sp. and Heterakis sp. was found after release. Eggs of Ascaridia sp. were found only after releasing, suggesting infection ocurred in the wild. A negative relationship was found between the pheasant body condition and Heterakis excretion abundance and a higher abundance of Capillaria sp. eggs in female birds. No significant relationship was found between parasite excretion abundance and pheasant survival. Despite this, results suggest that an increase in the excretion of parasite transmission stages follows the release of captive pheasants into the wild. This can in part explain restocking failures, but also means that autochtonous free-living birds may become exposed to new and potentially harmful pathogens. To avoid these risks it is proposed that improved prophylactic measures should be taken. © CAB International, 2006.This work is a contribution to the joint project CSIC/Principado de Asturias. The authors wish to thank Maria and Emilio Álvarez, Pilar and Pepe Collada, A. de Miguel, J. Marcos. and P. Talavera. Oscar Rodríguez received a Torres Quevedo grant from the MEC.Peer Reviewe

Comunidad de aves de un agrosistema mesomediterráneo; composición y variación espacio temporal

En este trabajo, se ha abordado el estudio de la composición de una comunidad de aves de un agrosistema extensivo de secano, tratando de identificar algunos de los factores que influyen en su variación, bien sean causas naturales como las estaciones o la disponibilidad de hábitat, o causas antropogénicas, como es la instauración de un regadío. En el periodo comprendido entre 2007 y 2011 se han realizado estimas de abundancia mediante diferentes métodos y se ha caracterizado el hábitat con distintas herramientas SIG. Se ha identificado una comunidad ornítica compuesta por 136 especies, dos de ellas catalogadas como En Peligro (EN), siete como Vulnerables (VU) y otras diez como Casi Amenazado (NT). 65 especies ha permanecido en el área de estudio durante todo el año, 39 tan sólo durante el periodo estival, 18 únicamente durante el periodo invernal y otras 14 han aparecido de manera ocasional. Se ha detectado una fuerte variación en el número de especies detectado cada año, con un mínimo de 84 especies detectadas en 2007 y un máximo de 111 identificadas en 2010. Para el caso de las especies diurnas, se han detectado diferencias significativas en el índice de abundancia (IPA), la riqueza específica (S) y la diversidad (H´) registrada en los diferentes hábitats durante el periodo estival, siendo mayores en el matorral y el soto y menores en el cereal y el pinar. Estas diferencias no se han encontrado durante el periodo invernal. En el caso de las especies nocturnas, no se han encontrado diferencias entre los hábitats en ninguno de estos índices. Los viales, el matorral y la huerta fueron los hábitats más seleccionados positivamente mientras que los cultivos leñosos, los ambientes humanizados y la tierra arable fueron los menos seleccionados. Con la instauración de los regadíos se redujo significativamente la abundancia de A. campestris, U. epops, C. brachydactyla, O. hispanica, L. megarhynchos y E. calandra en comparación con la zona control. Otras 4 especies, C. cyaneus, L. senator, T. tetrax y M. calandra, también mostraron una clara disminución hasta la práctica desaparición de la zona regada aunque no se alcanzó el nivel de significación exigido

Report based on comparison of case studies in different wild boar populations representative of the different management and habitat conditions across Europe

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Parásitos de perdiz roja: Implicaciones para su aprovechamiento cinegético y conservación

108 pp.-- Tesis inédita de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) e Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Unidad de Sanidad animal.-- Fecha de lectura: 18-01-2008.-- Texto en castellano e inglés.La presente Tesis Doctoral ha sido concebida bajo un enfoque eminentemente práctico, tratando de responder a las cuestiones de carácter sanitario que plantea la conservación de la perdiz roja a través de sueltas de aves de granja como herramienta para recuperar las poblaciones naturales.Así pues, los objetivos de la presente tesis se podrían resumir en las siguientes preguntas:1. ¿Son realmente las repoblaciones con aves de granja un foco de introducción de nuevos parásitos en las poblaciones silvestres de perdiz roja?2. ¿Son los controles llevados acabo actualmente en las granjas de perdiz roja suficientemente eficaces como para evitar esta introducción de parásitos?3. ¿Son los tratamientos antiparasitarios actuales suficientemente eficaces en la perdiz roja como para evitar la introducción de parásitos en el campo?4. ¿Podrían las sueltas de perdices tener consecuencias negativas sobre el estado sanitario de las especies protegidas?5. ¿Existen otras salidas para recuperar la perdiz roja?El presente trabajo ha sido parcialmente financiado por el proyecto de investigación PAI-02-006 de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM) y por los convenios entre el Principado de Asturias y el CSIC.Peer reviewe

Avoiding bias in parasite excretion estimates: The effect of sampling time and type of faeces

The study of host-parasite relationships usually requires reliable estimates of parasite intensity, which is often estimated from parasite propagule concentration in faeces. However, parasite excretion in faeces may be subject to variation due to endogenous or exogenous factors that must be identified to obtain reliable results. We analysed the effect of the hour of sample collection on propagule counts of 2 intestinal parasites infecting the red-legged partridge: the capillarid nematode Aonchoteca caudinflata and coccidia of the genus Eimeria (Protozoa). Also, we test whether there are differences in propagule counts between caecal and intestinal faeces. Individual faecal samples from infected birds were collected daily at 4 different hours during several days. The hour of the day exerted a very strong effect on propagule counts, excretion of both types of parasites showing a clear and constant increase from dawn to dusk. Also, capillarid eggs were more abundant in intestinal than in caecal faeces, whereas the inverse pattern was found for coccidian oocysts. Standardization of the hour of sample collection or statistical control of this variable is recommendable to prevent bias. Similarly, in bird species with long caeca, consistent collection of one type of faeces may avoid significant errors in parasite burden estimates. © 2006 Cambridge University Press.We thank Elisa Pérez, Salvador Jesús Luna and Paqui Talavera for assistance during sample collection and analysis and Jesús Martínez-Padilla for statistical advice. Financial support was provided by the Research Project PAI-02-006 of the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha and by the agreement between CSIC and Principado de Asturias. Lorenzo Pérez-Rodríguez was supported by a FPU grant from the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia.Peer Reviewe

Distribution of the White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos lilfordi in the southern Pyrenees

We have compiled the information available for the White-Backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos lilfordi) on the south-facing slopes of the Pyrenees since its detection in 1968 until 2016 and we have added the results of specific censuses carried out between 2017 and 2021 and the results of the GPS marking of reproductive specimens, both within the known range, as in other beech forests beyond its borders. An expansion towards the West and North has been verified. The nests are always located in F. sylvatica, except in the extreme western territories where they use Q. rubra too. The breeders in the traditional range are always individuals of more than two years old (euring 6), although a number of breeding juveniles have appeared in the extreme west (euring 5). Beech occupies more than 70% of the surface of all the territories, but this percentage is significantly lower in the newly detected territories than in those within the traditional distribution area. These latest results suggest that the expansion process is relatively recent and that it may still be in progress. The role of forest management in efforts to enable the expansion of this species to other beech forests in which it has not yet been detected is discussed. Resumen: Recopilamos la información disponible para el pico dorsiblanco (Dendrocopos leucotos lilfordi) en la cara sur del Pirineo desde su detección en 1968 hasta el año 2016 y añadimos los resultados de censos específicos llevados a cabo entre 2017 y 2021 y los resultados del marcaje de ejemplares reproductores, tanto en el área de distribución conocida, como en otros hayedos fuera de ésta. Se comprueba una expansión del mismo hacia el oeste y norte. Los nidos se ubican siempre en hayas, salvo en los territorios del extremo oeste donde también utilizan Q. rubra. Los reproductores en la zona de distribución tradicional son siempre individuos de más de dos años (euring 6), mientras que en las zonas de reciente detección aparecen reproduciéndose ejemplares juveniles (euring 5). El haya ocupa más de un 70% de la superfice de todos los territorios, pero este porcetaje es significativamente menor en los territorios de nueva detección que en los del área de distribución tradicional. Estos últimos resultados inducen a pensar que el proceso de expansión es relativamente reciente y que todavía continúa. Se discute el papel de la gestión forestal para posibilitar la expansión de esta especie hacia otros hayedos en los que todavía no ha sido detectado

Nest-boxes for raptors as a biological control system of vole pests: High local success with moderate negative consequences for non-target species

Biological control of rodents in agricultural areas, increasing avian predator abundance by nest-box provisioning, has been proposed during the last decades in several regions around the world as an alternative to the widespread use of anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) to protect crops. However these experiences have often lacked a “Before-After-Control-Impact” (BACI) experimental design providing evidence strong enough about their efficacy reducing vole abundance or crop damages. Furthermore, little is known about possible indirect effects on non-target species. Here we test the effectiveness of providing nest-boxes to common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) and barn owls (Tyto alba) in reducing the abundance of two different vole species using indirect index methods to estimate rodent abundance in late spring (May). We monitored the abundance of both vole species in a treatment (with nest boxes) and control (without nest boxes) areas during three years in alfalfa fields, using a BACI design. We studied also the efficiency of this control method in three different crops (alfalfa, cereal and fruit-trees) during the last year of the experiment. We compare the results obtained in this study area in NE Spain with those obtained simultaneously in other three experimental areas in NW Spain. Finally we explored potential negative effects of this method on the abundance of several passerine birds present in our research area. Our results showed a clear-cut reduction in the abundance of the two vole species, the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the mediterranean-pine vole (Microtus duodecimcostatus) in the experimental area after applying the treatment (nest box installation) in alfalfa crops. We also found a significant decrease in the presence of both species of voles on fruit-tree plantations and alfalfa crops but we did not find significant effects in the cereal fields, where voles were in general very scarce. These results suggest higher efficacy of biological control in this study area than in some areas of NW Spain, what could be explained by several non-exclusive hypotheses presented in the discussion. For other species, we found a negative effect of nest-boxes on the abundance of a limited number of common bird species, but also positive effects over other species using poles with nest-boxes as perches. In conclusion, under the conditions of our study area, nest-box provisioning seemed to be an effective technique to reduce vole abundance, but also had some undesired side-effects on non-target species. However, these side-effects affected mainly to common bird species and can thus be considered less relevant than those caused by SGARs, often affecting to endangered rodent predators and that could thus have negative effects over any potential future natural control of vole abundance, potentially increasing future needs of SGAR use in a vicious circle.This study contributes to the research projects TOPIGEPLA, funded by BBVA Foundation and MOVITOPI (CGL2015-71255-P) funded by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain.Peer reviewe

Estudio de la eficacia del Producto C-96 para la caza con "Parany". Informe final.

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