O urubu-de-cabeça-preta (Coragyps atratus) é uma ave de vida livre com ampla distribuição no Brasil. Esta espécie é comumente encontrada em áreas urbanas concentrando-se em locais de deposição de lixo. O fato de se alimentarem de carcaças em decomposição facilita o contato de urubus-de-cabeça-preta com muitos patógenos. No entanto, ainda não está clara qual a real implicação de muitos desses microrganismos para a saúde dos mesmos. Assim, o objetivo desse estudo foi investigar a ocorrência de alguns patógenos selecionados, avaliar o perfil hematológico e a microbiota cloacal de C. atratus em ambiente urbano. Para isso, amostras de sangue, soro e swab cloacal foram obtidos de 120 urubus de vida-livre capturados na Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo, SP. A prova de soroaglutinação rápida (SAR) foi utilizada na detecção de anticorpos contra Salmonella Pullorum/Gallinarum, Mycoplasma synoviae e M. gallisepticum. O teste de aglutinação em látex (AL) foi utilizado para a pesquisa de antígeno de Cryptococcus neoformans. Foram utilizadas técnicas convencionais de hematologia, microbiologia e testes de sensibilidade microbiana. Das amostras de soro analisadas pela SAR, 15% foram reagentes para M. gallisepticum. Anticorpos contra S. Pullorum/Gallinarum e M. synoviae não foram detectados. Nenhuma amostra foi positiva para C.neoformans ou para hemoparasitas. A média e o desvio padrão dos seguintes valores hematológicos foram obtidos para 61 aves: eritrócitos (1.8x10¹²/L); leucócitos (13,11x10/L); hemoglobina (10,4 g/dL); hematócrito (48,44%); VCM (275,1 fL); HCM (42 pg); CHCM (15,8 g/dL); proteína sérica total (3,76 g/dL); heterófilos (78%); linfócitos (13,5%); eosinófilos (5,4%); monócitos (2,8%); basófilos (0,1%); trombócitos (14,14x10/L). De 75 colônias bacterianas isoladas de 20 swabs cloacais, 78,7% foram Gram-positivas e 21,3% Gram-negativas, sendo Enterococcus sp. o gênero mais frequente. Aproximadamente 86,7% das cepas isoladas foram resistentes a pelo menos um dos antibióticos testados. Cepas de Bacillus sp. e Enterococcus casseliflavus apresentaram resistência a sete dos oito antibióticos testados. Leveduras não foram isoladas em nenhumas das culturas. As informações obtidas nessa pesquisa são de suma importância, uma vez que poucos estudos avaliam o estado de saúde de urubus no mundo. / Black vulture (Coragyps atratus) is a free-living bird widely distributed across Brazil. These birds feed on rotting carcasses and large groups are commonly found in urban areas, including rubbish dumps. By feeding on decomposing carcasses, they are often exposed to innumerous pathogens. However, the role of infectious microorganisms on vultures health still need to be clarify. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of selected infectious agents, the hematological profile and cloacal microbiota of black vulture in urban areas. Therefore, blood, serum and cloacal swabs were obtained from 120 free-living vultures trapped in Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo, SP. The rapid seroagglutination test (RST) was performed for detection of antibodies against Salmonella Pullorum/Gallinarum, M. synoviae and M. gallisepticum. Furthermore, latex agglutination test was used to detect Cryptococcus neoformans \' antigen. Conventional techniques for hematology, microbiology and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed. From the serum samples analyzed by RST, 15% were positive for M. gallisepticum, antibodies against S. Pullorum/Gallinarum and M. synoviae were not detected. None sample was positive to Cryptococcus neoformans or hemoparasites. Mean and standard deviation from the following hematological values were obtained for 61 birds: erythrocytes (1.8x10¹²/L); leukocytes (13.11x10/L); hemoglobin (10.4 g/dL); hematocrit (48.44%); MCV (275,1 fL); MCH (42 pg); MCHC (15,8 g/dL); total serum protein (3.76 g/dL); heterophils (78%); lymphocytes (13.5%); eosinophils (5.4%); monocytes (2.8%); basophils (0,1%); thrombocyte (14.14x10/L). From 75 bacterial colonies isolated from 20 cloacal swabs, 78.7% were Gram-positive and 21.3% were Gram-negative. Enterococcus sp. was the most frequent genus. Approximately 86.7% of the isolated strains were resistant to at least one of the antibiotic tested. Bacillus sp. and Enterococcus casseliflavus strains shown resistance to seven in eight antibiotics tested. Yeasts were not isolated. The information obtained in this research is of paramount important since few studies have been carried out on the vultures health condition in the world.

This study examined the effects of habitat parameters, disturbances and predation on the reproductive success of golden eagles (Aguila chrysaetos), ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis), red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and prairie falcons (Falco mexicanus) in the desert area southwest of the Great Salt Lake in northwestern Utah. The prairie falcon was the only species examined that had a normal reproductive output during the study years of 1984-1986. The prairie falcon was better able to utilize the avian prey species which were very difficult for the larger and slower raptor species to capture. During the reproductive period prairie falcons used Townsend ground squirrel (Sperrnophilus townsendii) heavily. The golden eagles, ferruginous, and red-tailed hawks were not able to obtain sufficient numbers of their primary prey species, the cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus nuttallii) and black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), to allow for a normal reproductive output. These prey species were at the low point of their cyclic population pattern. Disturbance to raptors was not an important factor on this remote study area. Predation, primarily terrestrial mammals, did have a negative effect on reproductive success; however, it was not a major consideration due to lack of predator access on most of the cliff nesting sites of the golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, and prairie falcon. Predation appeared to have a greater impact on the ferruginous hawk nesting success as their nest sites were normally accessable to mammalian predators. Raptor nest site exposure was unimportant to nesting raptors. The nest exposure was very similar to the exposure ratio of the available cliff sites.

<p>The white-tailed eagle is a formerly threatened raptor that is commonly used as a flagship and indicator species in conservation work. This thesis uses molecular genetic methods to study sex determination of nestlings, genetic variability, population structure and phylogeography of the white-tailed eagle.</p><p>Fourteen microsatellite markers were developed and tested for the white-tailed eagle.</p><p>A method to sex white-tailed eagle nestlings in the field is presented. The method is based on just one tarsus measure, and is suitable for situations where a single person is handling the nestlings alone in a treetop.</p><p>Most European white-tailed eagle populations underwent extreme declines during the 20th century. The results presented here show that bottlenecked populations have maintained significant levels of genetic diversity. Gene flow between regions is not a main explanation for this, as indicated by both genetic and ringing data. Instead, the long generation time of white-tailed eagles has acted as an intrinsic buffer against rapid loss of genetic diversity. Additionally, local conservation led to protection of more genetic diversity than if conservation had focused on the large remnant population in Norway.</p><p>Mitochondrial DNA of white-tailed eagles is structured in two main clades with a predominantly eastern and western Eurasian distribution. The clades likely correspond to separate Ice Age refugia but do not grant classification as evolutionary significant units given their current extensive overlap across large parts of Eurasia.</p><p>Microsatellite variation was studied in populations across Eurasia. Variability was rather constant across the continent, but clearly lower on Iceland and Greenland. This is best explained by founder effects during their colonisation, but only weak bottlenecks during colonisation of and persistence on the continent. Current population differentiation between Europe and eastern Eurasia is not compatible with a zero gene flow model but requires some amount of gene flow over evolutionary time scales.</p>

The white-tailed eagle is a formerly threatened raptor that is commonly used as a flagship and indicator species in conservation work. This thesis uses molecular genetic methods to study sex determination of nestlings, genetic variability, population structure and phylogeography of the white-tailed eagle. Fourteen microsatellite markers were developed and tested for the white-tailed eagle. A method to sex white-tailed eagle nestlings in the field is presented. The method is based on just one tarsus measure, and is suitable for situations where a single person is handling the nestlings alone in a treetop. Most European white-tailed eagle populations underwent extreme declines during the 20th century. The results presented here show that bottlenecked populations have maintained significant levels of genetic diversity. Gene flow between regions is not a main explanation for this, as indicated by both genetic and ringing data. Instead, the long generation time of white-tailed eagles has acted as an intrinsic buffer against rapid loss of genetic diversity. Additionally, local conservation led to protection of more genetic diversity than if conservation had focused on the large remnant population in Norway. Mitochondrial DNA of white-tailed eagles is structured in two main clades with a predominantly eastern and western Eurasian distribution. The clades likely correspond to separate Ice Age refugia but do not grant classification as evolutionary significant units given their current extensive overlap across large parts of Eurasia. Microsatellite variation was studied in populations across Eurasia. Variability was rather constant across the continent, but clearly lower on Iceland and Greenland. This is best explained by founder effects during their colonisation, but only weak bottlenecks during colonisation of and persistence on the continent. Current population differentiation between Europe and eastern Eurasia is not compatible with a zero gene flow model but requires some amount of gene flow over evolutionary time scales.

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigte sich mit zwei Methoden zur Diagnostik der Aspergillose bei Greifvögeln, um neue Erkenntnisse über die Aussagekraft dieser nicht invasiven Diagnostika zu gewinnen. In der ersten Studie wurden bei ausschließlich Aspergillose-positiven Falken (Falco spp.) (n = 110) spezifische Röntgenzeichen an digital erstellten Röntgenbildern systematisch ermittelt und mit den typischen Röntgenzeichen von Papageien mit Erkrankungen des unteren Respirationstrakts verglichen. In der zweiten Studie wurden gesunde (n = 73) und an Aspergillose erkrankte (n = 32) Jagdfalken (Falco spp.) mittels Serumelektrophorese untersucht, Referenzwerte für die gesunden Falken erstellt und mit den Werten der erkrankten Falken verglichen. In beiden Studien stammten die Tiere aus dem Patientengut derselben Klinik. Bei der Auswertung von Röntgenbildern Aspergillose-positiver Falken wurden hauptsächlich subtile Röntgenzeichen beschrieben. Von den 110 Tieren waren 29 (26,4 %) radiologisch vollkommen unauffällig. Die am häufigsten beschriebenen Befunde waren inhomogene Verschattungen des Lungenfeldes (38,2 % laterolateral [ll]) und strichförmige Verschattungen der kaudalen Lungengrenze (30,0 % ll) sowie inhomogene (34,5 % ll; 29,1 % ventrodorsal [vd]) und streifige (26,4 % ll) Verschattungen der Luftsäcke, aber auch eine schlechte Abgrenzbarkeit des Herzschattens in der laterolateralen Projektion (42,7 %). Im Vergleich zu an Papageien mittels konventioneller Projektionsradiographie durchgeführten Studien war der Anteil an subtilen Röntgenzeichen geringer und der Anteil an massiven Röntgenzeichen größer. Verglichen mit Referenzwerten diverser Greifvogelspezies aus der Literatur zeigten die Referenzwerte der gesunden Falken dieser Studie unter Verwendung des hochauflösenden Elektrophoresesystems SAS 1 unit (Helena, Saint Leu La Forest, Frankreich) relativ niedrige Gesamtproteinwerte und relativ hohe Präalbuminwerte auf. Bei den 32 Serumproben der an Aspergillose erkrankten Falken ließ sich im Gegensatz zu den 73 Serumproben der gesunden Falken ein signifikant erniedrigter Totalalbuminwert (Albumin + Präalbumin) sowie ein hoch signifikant erniedrigter Präalbuminwert mittels Serumelektrophorese feststellen. Obwohl die Falken meist schon in frühen Krankheitsstadien vorgestellt wurden und die Diagnostik in diesen Stadien besonders schwierig ist, konnten mit beiden Untersuchungsmethoden von gesunden Tieren differierende Befunde erhoben werden. Diese in Zusammenhang mit Aspergillose erhobenen Befunde wichen jedoch teilweise deutlich von den in der Literatur beschriebenen „typischen“ Befunden bei an Aspergillose erkrankten Vögeln ab. Dies kann damit erklärt werden, dass die meisten vergleichbaren Studien an als Heimtiere gehaltenen Papageien oder gefangen gehaltenen Zoovögeln (von Falken abweichende Haltungsform, Anatomie und Physiologie sowie Leistungsniveau) und mit unterschiedlicher Technik (digitale versus konventionelle Projektionsradiographie, unterschiedliche Elektrophoresesysteme und Verwendung von Serum anstelle von Plasma) durchgeführt wurden. Die digitale Projektionsradiographie kann aufgrund ihrer schonenden, einfachen und schnellen Durchführbarkeit sowohl den Vogelmedizin spezialisierten Institutionen als auch den Kleintierpraktikern uneingeschränkt empfohlen werden. Die Proteinelektrophorese kann bis zum heutigen Zeitpunkt nur bedingt für den Praktiker, wohl aber für spezialisierte Institutionen bei Beachtung aller Besonderheiten als zusätzliches Diagnostikum empfohlen werden. / The present study concentrates on two methods for diagnosing birds of prey with aspergillosis with the intent to increase the knowledge of the validity of these non-invasive diagnostic methods. In the first study, specific radiographic signs of digitally created radiographs of falcons (Falco spp.) which were exclusively positive for aspergillosis (n = 110) were systematically analyzed and compared to the typical radiographic signs of parrots with diseases of the lower respiratory tract. In the second study, healthy falcons (n = 73) and falcons affected with aspergillosis (n = 32) (Falco spp.) were examined by using serum protein electrophoresis in order to create reference values for healthy falcons and compare them with the values of the affected falcons. In both studies, the animals were patients of the same clinic. While evaluating the radiographs of the falcons with aspergillosis, mainly subtle radiographic signs were described. Radiographically within normal limits were 29 (26.4%) of the 110 animals. The most commonly reported findings were inhomogeneous increased radiodensity of the lung area (38.2% laterolateral [ll]), line-shaped shadowings of the caudal lung border (II 30.0%) as well as an inhomogeneous (34.5% ll, 29.1% ventrodorsal [vd]) and streaky (26.4% II) radiodensity of the air sacs, but also a poor delineation of the cardiac silhouette in the laterolateral projection (42.7%). Compared to studies performed on parrots by conventional radiography, the portion of subtle radiographic signs was lower and the portion of severe signs was higher. Compared to reference values of various raptor species from the literature, this study, which made use of the high-resolution electrophoresis SAS 1 unit (Helena, Saint Leu La Forest, France), revealed relatively low values for total proteins and relatively high values for prealbumin in the reference values of the healthy falcons. The 32 serum samples of the falcons suffering from aspergillosis showed a significantly reduced total albumin (albumin + prealbumin) level and a highly significantly reduced prealbumin level compared to the 73 serum samples of healthy falcons. Although the falcons were for the most part already brought to the clinic in one of the early stages of the disease, when diagnosing aspergillosis is particularly difficult, both examination methods revealed different results for the healthy and diseased animals. However, the findings related to aspergillosis were in some cases significantly different from those described in the literature as the \"typical\" findings in birds suffering from aspergillosis. This can be explained by the fact that most of the comparable studies were conducted with parrots held as pets or with captive zoo birds (when husbandry, anatomy and physiology, as well as performance level are different from falcons) and with a different technique (digital versus conventional radiography, different electrophoresis systems and the use of serum instead of plasma). The digital radiography can be fully recommended for specialized medical institutions for avian medicine as well as for small animal practitioners because of its easy, rapid and gentle feasibility. To date, the protein electrophoresis can only be recommended with restrictions for practitioners, however for specialized institutions, it can be useful as additional diagnostic tool if all its specific features are taken into account.

Orientador: Reginaldo José Donatelli / Resumo: As aves de rapina diurnas são aves predadoras que estão inseridas em três Ordens: Falconiformes, Cathartiformes e Accipitriformes. Com a expansão de áreas urbanas tais aves têm se especializado a utilizar essas paisagens e muitas espécies estabelecem populações. Assim, os objetivos desse estudo foram: 1. Conhecer a taxocenose de rapinantes urbanos; 2. Sugerir uma adequação ao método de pontos de contagem para sua utilização em levantamentos de rapinantes em áreas urbanas e; 3. Verificar se existe sazonalidade e qual o horário de maior atividade de cada espécie no ambiente urbano. O estudo foi realizado no município de Pirajuí/SP, onde foi utilizada a metodologia de pontos de contagem. Entre outubro de 2014 a setembro de 2016 foram realizados levantamentos mensais onde foram amostrados quatro pontos de contagem na zona urbana durante quatro horas cada, sempre durante as primeiras horas da manhã. Foram realizadas também rotas de carro em áreas rurais para complementar a lista de espécies. Foram analisados: riqueza, número de contatos e frequência de ocorrência, horário em que cada espécie é mais frequente, sazonalidade e similaridade com outros estudos. Em geral, foram registradas 23 espécies de aves de rapina, destas, 19 foram registradas dentro da área urbana e 4 espécies nas áreas rurais. Em relação ao número de contatos, foram feitos 2555 contatos com as aves de rapinas durante o estudo, sendo que o número de contatos dos cathartídeos representou aproximadamente 60% de todo... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Diurnal birds of prey are predatory birds and are placed in three orders: Falconiformes, Cathartiformes and Accipitriformes. With the expansion of urban areas, these birds have adapted to use these landscapes and many species establish populations. Thus, the objective of this study was: 1. To know the taxocenoses of urban raptors; 2. Suggest an adaptation to the method of points counts for its use in raptor surveys in urban areas and; 3. Check for seasonality and what time of greatest activity for each species in the urban environment. The study was carried out in the city of Pirajuí, state of São Paulo, where the methodology of points counts was adopted. Between October 2014 and September 2016, monthly surveys were carried out, where four points counts were sampled in the urban area for four hours each, always during the first hours of the morning. Car routes were also carried out in rural areas to complement the list of species. We analyzed: richness, number of contacts and frequency of occurrence, time at which each species is more frequent, seasonality and similarity with other studies. In general, 23 species of birds of prey were registered, of these, 19 were recorded within the urban area and 4 species in rural areas. In relation to the number of contacts, 2555 contacts were made with the birds of prey during the study, and the number of cathartídeos contacts represented approximately 60% of all the contacts. Most Falconiformes show greater activity in the first hour af... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientador: Wesley Rodrigues Silva / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T17:36:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Baumgarten_LeandroClaudio_D.pdf: 2505570 bytes, checksum: 605fa921efad6929c5d1ccf17fe35faa (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Aves de rapina são pouco estudadas no Brasil e existem poucas informações sobre os padrões de dinâmica populacional das espécies que ocorrem no país, assim como os fatores que os influenciam. Com o objetivo de caracterizar a dinâmica populacional de rapineiros e como ela é influenciada pela abundância de presas, foi realizado um acompanhamento de 36 meses das populações de aves de rapina e pequenos mamíferos no Parque Nacional das Emas (Mineiros-GO). Além disto, foram coletadas informações sobre os padrões de atividade das presas para caracterizar mais claramente sua disponibilidade para predadores. A amostragem das presas foi realizada em nove estações de captura, cada uma com 24 armadilhas "pitfall" e a abundância de rapineiros foi a avaliada por censo de carro. Foram realizadas 12 coletas de dados com intervalos de dois meses entre si. Não foi verificada variação de abundância em nenhuma das espécies de aves de rapina entre anos, ao longo do estudo, no entanto a maioria delas apresentou grandes flutuações sazonais. Os dados obtidos sugerem que estas variações foram causadas principalmente pela movimentação das aves para dentro e fora da reserva. Para os pequenos mamíferos não foi encontrada variação sazonal significativa, mas durante 2001 foi registrado um grande aumento na abundância das três espécies mais comuns. A espécie de roedor mais abundante, Bolomys lasiurus, apresentou dinâmicas diferenciadas entre algumas estações de captura. Apesar da considerável variação de abundância das presas não foi detectada uma resposta numérica das aves de rapina no PARNA das Emas ao longo dos três anos de estudo. A comparação deste estudo com outros disponíveis na literatura, sugere que amostragens feitas em áreas mais extensas teriam dificuldade em detectar respostas predatórias, porque não seriam capazes de discriminar pequenas concentrações locais das aves de rapina causadas por aumentos pontuais de disponibilidade de presas / Abstract: Birds of prey are poorly studied in Brazil, and there is few information on patterns of population dynamics of species occurring in the country, as well as factor influencing them. We sample bird of prey and small mammals populations for 36 months aiming to describe raptor population dynamics and how it is influenced by prey abundance in Emas National Park (Mineiros - GO). Furthermore, we collect data on prey daily activity patterns to evaluate their availability for predators. Prey monitoring was performed in nine trapping sites, each one with 24 pitfall traps, raptor sampling was evaluated using car census. We did 12 one-month fieldtrips with two months apart. We did not detected abundance variation among years for any raptor species, although most of them showed seasonal fluctuations. Data gathered suggests these population changes were caused mostly by movements to and from the reserve. We did not find any seasonal fluctuations of small mammals, but we record a major increase of abundance for three of the commonest species. The most abundant species, Bolomys lasiurus, showed different population dynamics among trapping sites. We did no detected numerical response of birds of prey in Emas National Park along this three-year sampling. We compare these data with other studies available, and we suggest that sampling performed in larger areas would hardly detect predatory responses, because it would not be able to discern small local concentrations of raptors caused by increase in prey availability / Doutorado / Ecologia / Doutor em Biologia

The Influence of Land Cover and Its Change on Distribution and Species Composition of Raptors in the Czech Republic Abstract Bird species diversity and distribution in relation to a variety of factors have been the subject of numerous works. So far, none of these studies have dealt with an individual order of birds, and this is why I decided to undertake this type of research. The main theme of my work is the extent to which land cover and particularly its perpetual changes influence the local species of raptors. In the introductory part, I outline the character of the changes on the territory of the Czech Republic in the years 1970-2000 and describe their influence on the distribution and diversity of raptors. An analysis of historical and current data concerning the above mentioned period follows, the chief objective being to evaluate all the aspects of dependence of raptors on the past and present state of the landcover in the Czech Republic. The dependence of diversity of raptors on the diversity of land cover has been proved.

In our ever more populated world, the rapid expansion and intensification of agriculture is driving worldwide biodiversity loss, and the interactions between production landscapes and wildlife conservation are becoming increasingly important. Farming systems depend on ecosystem services such as biological control, while conservationists are calling for the establishment of conservation initiatives in non-preserve landscapes. Despite this, the goals of agriculture and the goals of predator-conservation are rarely mutual. Here, I demonstrate one of the first examples of a mutually beneficial scenario between agriculture and predator conservation. I used, as a case study, a reintroduction project that translocated individuals of the threatened New Zealand falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) from the hills of Marlborough into vineyards, to determine if predators can survive within an agricultural landscape while simultaneously providing that landscape with biological control services. Examples of vertebrates providing biological control to agriculture are rare. I show that the presence of falcons in vineyards caused an economically important reduction in grape damage worth over US $230/ ha. Falcon presence caused a 78- 83% reduction in the number of introduced European pest birds, which resulted in a 95% reduction in the damage caused by these species. Falcon presence did not cause a reduction in the abundance of the native silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), but did halve the damage caused by this species. To assess the conservation value of the falcon translocations, I used remote videography, direct observations and prey analysis to measure the behavioural changes associated with the relocation of falcons from their natural habitat in the hills and into vineyards. Falcons in vineyard nests had higher nest attendance, higher brooding rates, and higher feeding rates than falcons in hill nests. Additionally, parents in vineyard nests fed their chicks a greater amount of total prey and larger prey items compared to parents in hill nests. I also found an absence of any significant diet differences between falcons in hill and vineyard habitats, suggesting that the latter may be a suitable alternative habitat for falcons. Because reintroduced juvenile falcons were released in areas devoid of adult falcons, it was possible that they were missing essential training normally provided by their parents. I used direct observations to demonstrate that the presence of siblings had similar effects to the presence of parents on the development of juvenile behaviour, with individuals flying, hunting, and playing more often when conspecifics were present. Finally, through the use of artificial nests and remote videography, I identified that falcons nesting in vineyards are likely to suffer lower predation rates. I also found that falcons in vineyards are predated by a less dangerous suite of animals (such as hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus, and avian predators), than their counterparts in the hills, which are predated by more voracious species (such as stoats, Mustela erminea, and feral cats, Felis catus). The work presented in this thesis has also added to the current knowledge of New Zealand falcon breeding behaviour, prey preferences, and behavioural development. Although agricultural regions globally are rarely associated with raptor conservation, and the ability of raptors to control the pests of agricultural crops has not been previously quantified, these results suggest that translocating New Zealand falcons into vineyards has potential for both the conservation of this species, and for providing biological control services to agriculture

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-07-22Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:46:32Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 pereira_rjg_dr_jabo.pdf: 242711 bytes, checksum: 723f7381e49b4cd2159897db271a8b96 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Apesar da radiotelemetria ser considerada uma ferramenta valiosa em estudos ornitológicos, algumas teorias relativas ao impacto de radiotransmissores sobre a estimativa de parâmetros comportamentais, ecológicos e reprodutivos podem ser encontradas em literatura. Com o intuito de avaliar os potenciais efeitos fisiológicos de radiotransmissores do tipo mochila em falcões quiri-quiri (Falco sparverius) de vida livre, oito machos desta espécie foram capturados e divididos em dois grupos: indivíduos marcados com radiotransmissores (aproximadamente 5% do peso vivo, n = 6) e indivíduos controle (anilhados, n = 2). Em seguida, amostras fecais foram coletadas duas horas após a captura (dia −1) e durante os dias 0 (definido como o dia de soltura dos animais), 4, 7, 15, 30, 40 e 55. Previamente às análises laboratoriais, o ensaio imunoenzimático para dosagem de glucocorticóides fecais foi testado empregando procedimentos padrões de validação hormonal (paralelismo, curva de dose-resposta, validação fisiológica e coeficientes de variação inter- e intra-ensaio). Em relação aos machos monitorados, ambos os grupos apresentaram um aumento significativo nos níveis de glucocorticóides fecais durante o dia 0 (P < 0,001), mas as concentrações retornaram aos níveis pré-equipagem após 4 dias da soltura. Além disso, os níveis de glucocorticóides fecais não diferiram significativamente entre os falcões radiomarcados e os anilhados durante os 55 dias de monitoramento (P > 0,05). Embora o número de indivíduos neste estudo seja reduzido, estes resultados sugerem que radiotransmissores do tipo mochila não induzem efeitos persistentes sobre a atividade adrenal de machos de falcões quiri-quiri de vida livre. Considerando a literatura consultada, esta é a primeira pesquisa a analisar os efeitos de radiotransmissores sobre a resposta adrecortical de aves de vida livre. / Although radiotelemetry is considered a valuable technique for ornithological field studies, several assumptions have been made about the impact that transmitters may cause on the estimation of behavioral, ecological and reproductive parameters. To assess potential effects of backpack radiotransmitters, we captured and assigned 8 male American kestrels (Falco sparverius) in 2 groups: radio-tagged (n = 6) and control individuals (leg-banded, n = 2). Thereafter, we collected feces two hr after capture (day −1), and subsequently during days 0 (releasing day), 1, 4, 7, 15, 30, 40 and 55. Prior to fecal analysis, EIA corticosterone assay was validated using standard procedures (e.g. parallelism, dose-response curve), and physiological significance of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites was confirmed through adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) challenge, which induce an increase of 4-fold (446.10 ± 60.73 ng/ g) above baseline (114.27 ± 15.23 ng/ g) within 4 hr (P < 0.001). Both groups exhibited a significant increase in fecal glucocorticoids during day 0 (P < 0.001), but concentrations returned to pre-attachment values within 4 days. Fecal glucocorticoid concentrations did not differ between samples of radio-tagged and leg-banded kestrels (P > 0.05). In spite of the small number of monitored subjects, these findings suggested that radiotransmitters did not affect adrenocortical activity in male American kestrel. To our knowledge, this is the first research to evaluate the effects of transmitters on stress responses in free-ranging birds.