The Experts below are selected from a list of 297 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Raimundo Real - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Feral Pigeon (Columba livia var. domestica) management in low-density urban areas: prevention is better than cure
Urban Ecosystems, 2019Co-Authors: Miguel Ángel Farfán, Francisco Díaz-ruiz, Jesús Duarte, Raimundo RealAbstract:Currently, there are naturalized populations of Feral Pigeon ( Columba livia var. domestica ) worldwide with an estimated global population between 165 and 330 million individuals. Feral Pigeons are adapted to urban environments, creating problems related to human health, damage to architectural structures, unpleasant soiling, and foul odors. Thus, local governments usually implement measures to reduce Feral Pigeon populations in cities to a suitable size. We monitored a Feral Pigeon trapping campaign to investigate the use of cage traps as control method in residential zones. We analyzed efficiency (daily capture rate), effectiveness (defined as the number of Feral Pigeons captured relative to the total number of potential Pigeon captures), animal welfare, selectivity (the proportion of captured Feral Pigeons in relation to the total number of captured animals), and the effect on Feral Pigeon abundance. All procedures were conducted in compliance with current European and Spanish legislation. Overall efficiency was 0.25 Feral Pigeons/trap-day, effectiveness was 22.5%, and selectivity was 99.7%. Over the study period, there was a decreasing trend in abundances. A significant decrease was found in the relative abundances of Feral Pigeons after 2 months of extractions, and population abundances remained low up to the end of the extraction period. The use of cage traps was a useful and effective method to reduce local Feral Pigeon populations in isolated urban areas with low building density in which the Feral Pigeon population has not yet reached high densities.
Marion Chatelain - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Do trace metals influence visual signals? Effects of trace metals on iridescent and melanic feather colouration in the Feral Pigeon
Oikos, 2017Co-Authors: Marion Chatelain, Anaϊs Pessato, Adrien Frantz, Julien Gasparini, Sarah LeclaireAbstract:Trace metals are chemical pollutants of prime concern nowadays given their implication in several human diseases and their noxious effects on wildlife. Previous studies demonstrated their negative (e.g. lead, cadmium) or positive (e.g. zinc) effects on body condition, immunity and reproductive success in birds. Because of their effects on bird condition, trace metals are likely to influence the production of condition-dependent plumage colours, that may be used in mate choice. In the Feral Pigeon Columba livia, we investigated iridescent colouration in response to lead and zinc experimental (i.e. metal supplementation in standardized conditions) and natural exposure (i.e. metal concentrations in feathers of wild urban Pigeons), and melanic feather colouration in response to experimental lead and zinc exposure. Both studies (i.e. experimental and correlative) consistently showed that lead exposure decreased iridescent neck feather brightness independently of colour morph. Moreover, lead, when provided alone, decreased melanic feather reflectance in the middle wavelengths while zinc supplementation increased melanic feather reflectance in the violet-wavelength. In conclusion, our study suggests that the colouration of iridescent and melanic feathers depends on the exposure to pollutants. Whether trace metal exposure affected the ability of birds to produce melanin pigments, to grow the microstructural feather elements required for maximum colour display, or to cope with bacteria that degrade feather microstuctures remains unclear. Future studies should investigate whether these metal-induced modifications of plumage colouration affect behaviours involved in sexual selection.
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Trace Metals Affect Early Maternal Transfer of Immune Components in the Feral Pigeon
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2016Co-Authors: Marion Chatelain, J. Gasparini, C. Haussy, A. FrantzAbstract:Maternal early transfers of immune components influence eggs' hatching probability and nestlings' survival. They depend on females' own immunity and, because they are costly, on their physiological state. Therefore, trace metals, whether toxic and immunosuppressive (e.g., lead, cadmium, etc.) or necessary and immunostimulant (e.g., zinc, copper, iron, etc.), are likely to affect the amount of immune components transferred into the eggs. It may also vary with plumage eumelanin level, which is known to be linked to immunity, to transfer of antibodies, and to metal detoxification. In Feral Pigeons (Columba livia) injected with an antigen and experimentally exposed to lead and/or zinc (two highly abundant trace metals in urban areas), we measured specific antibody transfer and concentrations of two antimicrobial proteins (lysozyme and ovotransferrin) in eggs. As expected, lead had negative effects on specific antibody transfer, while zinc positively affected lysozyme egg concentrations. Moreover, eggs from lead-exposed females exhibited higher ovotransferrin concentrations; because it binds metal ions, ovotransferrin may enable egg detoxification and embryo protection. Finally, eggs' lysozyme concentrations increased with plumage darkness of females not exposed to zinc, while the relation was opposite among zinc-exposed females, suggesting that benefits and costs of plumage melanism depend on trace metal environmental levels. Overall, our study underlines the potential ecotoxicological effects of trace metals on maternal transfers of immune components and the role of plum-age melanism in modulating these effects.
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Experimental exposure to trace metals affects plumage bacterial community in the Feral Pigeon
2016Co-Authors: Marion Chatelain, Adrien Frantz, Julien Gasparini, Sarah LeclaireAbstract:Bacteria are fundamental associates of animals, and recent studies have highlighted their major role in host behaviour, immunity or reproductive investment. Thus, any environmental factor modifying bacterial community may affect host fitness. In birds, trace metals emitted by anthropogenic activities accumulate onto the plumage where they may alter bacterial community and ultimately affect bird fitness. Although trace metals are current major environmental issues in urban habitats, their effects on feather bacterial community have never been investigated. Here, we supplemented Feral Pigeons (Columba livia), an emblematic urban species, with zinc and/or lead in drinking and bath water. As expected, lead and zinc supplementations modified plumage bacterial community composition. Zinc decreased bacterial load, while lead decreased bacterial richness and the frequency of preening behaviour in birds, known to regulate feather bacteria. Our results demonstrate for the first time the effects of common urban trace metals on plumage bacterial community and shed light on one of the mechanisms by which trace metals can affect bird fitness. Further studies are now needed to investigate how this effect modulates avian life history traits known to depend on plumage bacterial community.
Miguel Ángel Farfán - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Feral Pigeon (Columba livia var. domestica) management in low-density urban areas: prevention is better than cure
Urban Ecosystems, 2019Co-Authors: Miguel Ángel Farfán, Francisco Díaz-ruiz, Jesús Duarte, Raimundo RealAbstract:Currently, there are naturalized populations of Feral Pigeon ( Columba livia var. domestica ) worldwide with an estimated global population between 165 and 330 million individuals. Feral Pigeons are adapted to urban environments, creating problems related to human health, damage to architectural structures, unpleasant soiling, and foul odors. Thus, local governments usually implement measures to reduce Feral Pigeon populations in cities to a suitable size. We monitored a Feral Pigeon trapping campaign to investigate the use of cage traps as control method in residential zones. We analyzed efficiency (daily capture rate), effectiveness (defined as the number of Feral Pigeons captured relative to the total number of potential Pigeon captures), animal welfare, selectivity (the proportion of captured Feral Pigeons in relation to the total number of captured animals), and the effect on Feral Pigeon abundance. All procedures were conducted in compliance with current European and Spanish legislation. Overall efficiency was 0.25 Feral Pigeons/trap-day, effectiveness was 22.5%, and selectivity was 99.7%. Over the study period, there was a decreasing trend in abundances. A significant decrease was found in the relative abundances of Feral Pigeons after 2 months of extractions, and population abundances remained low up to the end of the extraction period. The use of cage traps was a useful and effective method to reduce local Feral Pigeon populations in isolated urban areas with low building density in which the Feral Pigeon population has not yet reached high densities.
Dimitri Giunchi - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Distance sampling as an effective method for monitoring Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica) urban populations
Urban Ecosystems, 2007Co-Authors: Dimitri Giunchi, Valentina Gaggini, N. Emilio BaldacciniAbstract:Current methods for estimating Feral Pigeon ( Columba livia f. domestica ) population size and for monitoring population trends are mainly based on indices, which according to the current literature on wildlife census methods often produce biased results. Distance Sampling techniques have never been used in this context, even though they could theoretically produce absolute abundance estimates at relatively low costs. The aim of this paper was to investigate the performance of Distance Sampling to census Feral Pigeons, and to compare these results with those obtained by using Quadrate Counts, a widespread method for monitoring these birds. Surveys were performed in Pisa (Italy) in two different periods of the year 2004 (end of January–beginning of February, and November), which correspond to minimum (January–February) and maximum (November) numbers for Pigeon populations. We considered 40 line transects each about 250 m long for Distance Sampling, and 40 250 × 250 m cells for Quadrate Counts. In both cases, sampling units were randomized in a stratified design. In contrast to Quadrate Counts, Distance Sampling detected the predicted increase of abundance from January–February to November with an acceptable precision and no increase of costs per survey. Even though the possible biases (due to the not rigorously random distribution of transects and to the spiked nature of collected distance data) should be further investigated, results suggest that Distance Sampling is a viable and efficient alternative to the traditional methods used to estimate Feral Pigeons population size and to monitor trends.
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On the use of pharmacological sterilisation to control Feral Pigeon populations
Wildlife Research, 2007Co-Authors: Dimitri Giunchi, Natale Emilio Baldaccini, G Sbragia, Cecilia SoldatiniAbstract:The use of chemosterilisation for controlling Feral Pigeon populations was investigated by: (1) quantifying the reproductive activity of Pigeons in two Italian cities; (2) testing the efficacy of nicarbazin, an anticoccidial drug with rapid and reversible effects on the reproduction of laying hens, on groups of paired Pigeons maintained in open aviaries; and (3) simulating the effects of the use of nicarbazin on a hypothetical population, allowing for the reproductive productivity recorded in (1) and the efficacy of this drug as obtained in (2). Breeding attempts were recorded all year round in both study sites with a minimum peak in September-October, a maximum in March-July, but with active nests in winter too. In terms of the sterility activity of the drug, the results showed only a partial inhibition of reproduction of Pigeons fed ∼38-82 mg nicarbazin day −1 (kg bodyweight) −1 (500 and 800 ppm in feed), which, according to the simulations, would produce only a fleeting reduction of their abundance in the field. Data do not seem to support the use of this drug as an effective control method for Feral Pigeons, and they cast doubts on the opportunity to make use of chemosterilants, which produce only partial and reversible effects. The use of this drug could perhaps be considered only as part of an integrated pest-management program, which necessarily has to include the reduction of carrying capacity of the urban environment.
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A temporal analysis of the foraging flights of Feral Pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) from three Italian cities
Italian Journal of Zoology, 2006Co-Authors: Cecilia Soldatini, N. Emilio Baldaccini, Danilo Mainardi, Dimitri GiunchiAbstract:Foraging flights of Feral Pigeon populations may differ in occurrence and extent from town to town. In this paper, the annual pattern of such flights from three medium‐sized Italian cities (Venice, Parma and Lucca) is described and compared with that recorded for a Mediterranean population of wild rock doves from Sardinia. The data provide evidence of the similarity of these flights both within urban populations and between Feral Pigeons and wild rock doves. On the other hand, the presented results point to a noticeable flexibility of this behaviour, whose features seem finely adapted to the environmental features of an urban habitat and its surroundings. In particular, the distribution of food resources and of the annual trend of reproductive attempts appear to exert a leading role in shaping the characteristics of these flights.
N. Emilio Baldaccini - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Distance sampling as an effective method for monitoring Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica) urban populations
Urban Ecosystems, 2007Co-Authors: Dimitri Giunchi, Valentina Gaggini, N. Emilio BaldacciniAbstract:Current methods for estimating Feral Pigeon ( Columba livia f. domestica ) population size and for monitoring population trends are mainly based on indices, which according to the current literature on wildlife census methods often produce biased results. Distance Sampling techniques have never been used in this context, even though they could theoretically produce absolute abundance estimates at relatively low costs. The aim of this paper was to investigate the performance of Distance Sampling to census Feral Pigeons, and to compare these results with those obtained by using Quadrate Counts, a widespread method for monitoring these birds. Surveys were performed in Pisa (Italy) in two different periods of the year 2004 (end of January–beginning of February, and November), which correspond to minimum (January–February) and maximum (November) numbers for Pigeon populations. We considered 40 line transects each about 250 m long for Distance Sampling, and 40 250 × 250 m cells for Quadrate Counts. In both cases, sampling units were randomized in a stratified design. In contrast to Quadrate Counts, Distance Sampling detected the predicted increase of abundance from January–February to November with an acceptable precision and no increase of costs per survey. Even though the possible biases (due to the not rigorously random distribution of transects and to the spiked nature of collected distance data) should be further investigated, results suggest that Distance Sampling is a viable and efficient alternative to the traditional methods used to estimate Feral Pigeons population size and to monitor trends.
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A temporal analysis of the foraging flights of Feral Pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) from three Italian cities
Italian Journal of Zoology, 2006Co-Authors: Cecilia Soldatini, N. Emilio Baldaccini, Danilo Mainardi, Dimitri GiunchiAbstract:Foraging flights of Feral Pigeon populations may differ in occurrence and extent from town to town. In this paper, the annual pattern of such flights from three medium‐sized Italian cities (Venice, Parma and Lucca) is described and compared with that recorded for a Mediterranean population of wild rock doves from Sardinia. The data provide evidence of the similarity of these flights both within urban populations and between Feral Pigeons and wild rock doves. On the other hand, the presented results point to a noticeable flexibility of this behaviour, whose features seem finely adapted to the environmental features of an urban habitat and its surroundings. In particular, the distribution of food resources and of the annual trend of reproductive attempts appear to exert a leading role in shaping the characteristics of these flights.