Agricultural grains are not sufficient for normal productivity of White-winged Doves
Agricultural intensification is a key factor in the decline of many avian populations throughout the world, yet the exact mechanisms that contribute to these declines are relatively unresolved, especially for seed-eating species. Scientists in the USA tested the hypothesis that forage quality, particularly protein content, limits productivity in White-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica) consuming diets dominated by agricultural grains and lacking in native forages. Birds with access to native seeds fledged 123% more young per pair, with young weighing 32% more at fledging than those fed only sorghum. Doves with access to native seeds selected a diet consisting of 43% sorghum, 32% croton, and 25% sunflower. They conclude that agricultural grains are not sufficient for normal productivity of White-winged Doves. The lack of native forages with sufficient metabolizable energy and protein content may be a factor in the declining productivity of white-winged doves in regions dominated by agriculture.

Pruitt, K.D. (kenneth.pruitt “at” utb.edu), Hewitt, D.G., Silvy, N.J. and Benn, S. (2008) Importance of native seeds in White-winged Dove diets dominated by agricultural grains. Journal of Wildlife Management 72(2): 433–439 (White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica).

EU takes Malta to court over the spring hunting of Turtle-doves
The European Commission to take Malta to the European Court of Justice, regarding the practice of spring hunting and trapping of wild birds, which is illegal under EU law. Every spring since its accession to the EU in 2004, Malta has permitted hunting and trapping of European Turtle-dove Streptopelia turtur (and Common Quail Coturnix coturnix), in direct contravention of the EU Birds Directive. The Commission had started legal action against Malta in 2006 and issued a final warning in the form of a Reasoned Opinion last October, urging the Maltese government to stop spring hunting once and for all. In the absence of a satisfactory reply from Malta the Commission eventually decided to take the country to the European Court on the 31.01.2008 (BirdLife 31.01.2008).

Study identifies tropical forest bird encounter rates to be highly sensitive to count period length
Scientists from Manchester Metropolitan University, UK investigated the effects on abundance estimates for Philippine forest birds of varying the count period from 2 to 10 minutes, and of including and excluding a pre-count settling down period. They found encounter rates to be highly sensitive to count period length but density estimates from 10-min count periods were, on average, only 13% higher than those from 2-min periods, and in several cases were actually lower than those from periods of 6–8 min. This was because birds tended to be recorded at greater distances from the recorder as the count period went on, thus ‘stretching out’ detection functions while having little effect on detection rates close to the recorder. For some bird groups, including canopy frugivores, density estimates were more than twice as high without than with a settling down period. They suggest that movement away from the recorder is more common than attraction to the recorder, and that unless pilot studies show otherwise, similar studies should not use a settling down period for surveying many species. For guilds relevant to columbid species, the count periods they recommend to maximize the probability of bird detection close to the central point while minimizing the unwanted effects of bird movement during the count period were:

Lee, D.C. (d.lee “at” mmu.ac.uk) and Marsden, S.J. (in press) Adjusting count period strategies to improve the accuracy of forest bird abundance estimates from point transect distance sampling surveys. Ibis (includes data on White-eared Brown-dove Phapitreron leucotis).

Endangered dove numbers falling in Japan amid bird flu countermeasures
The Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto, is in danger of becoming extinct in Japan, prompting the Wild Bird Society and other organizations to launch a survey of the bird's population in 2008. The Wild Bird Society of Japan suspect that bird flu countermeasures, following an outbreak of the disease in Japan in 2004, have negatively affected the population of the species. Many of the doves were previously sighted around livestock pens on farms, and it was thought that they used the leftovers from chicken and other livestock feed as a source of food. However, as a measure against bird flu, 90% of chicken coops in Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma prefectures are covered with netting to shut out wild birds, a move has apparently made it harder for the doves to find food. The Eurasian Collared Dove was designated as a Japanese national natural treasure in 1956 (Mainichi Daily News 14.01.2008).

Ogasawara Wood Pigeon Columba janthina nitens Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) workshop held.
The Japanese wood pigeon Columba janthina is currently divided into three subspecies, with the subspecies (C. j. nitens) inhabiting the remote Ogasawara islands given the highest conservation priority because of its very small population size (probably fewer than 100 individuals) and the degree of genetic divergence from its nearest neighbors. Major threats to the species include predation by feral cats and rats, and loss of available habitat. The local and provincial government authorities invited the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG; part of the Species Survival Commission of the IUCN-the World Conservation Union) to conduct a PHVA workshop for this critically endangered taxon. The workshop ran from the 10 - 13th January 2008 on the remote island of Chi-Chi Jima with specific attention devoted to promoting active involvement of local people in species conservation efforts, and to properly integrating management of both wild and captive populations.

Revisions to the global threat status of pigeons for 2008
BirdLife International have revised the global threat status of all bird following their recent assessment for 2008. The 2008 revisions to the threat status of pigeon and doves are listed in the table below. These new categories become official when the IUCN Red List is updated and released later in the year.

BirdLife International currently recognizes 317 species of columbid, 12 of which are already extinct and one species, the Socorro dove Zenaida graysoni, which is extinct in the wild. Of the 304 species extant in the wild, 59 (19.4%) are categorised as Threatened and a further 41 (13.5%) as Near Threatened (an increase of three on 2007). Overall, nearly one third of extant columbids face some degree of extinction threat. Of the threatened species, 9 (15.3%) are categorized as Critically Endangered, 16 (27.1%) as Endangered and 34 (57.6%) as Vulnerable.

Justification for change of threat status:
* The population size of this species is estimated to have fallen below 10,000 mature individuals during 1994-2000
^ A second population of this species was established following translocation
˜ The rate of decline of this species is suspected to have approached 30% over three generations (15 years) during 1994-2000, owing to deforestation.

Pigeons among the winners and losers across Europe in 2007
An analysis of 124 of Europe’s common birds has revealed that over a 26-year period 56 species (45%) have declined across 20 European countries. This alarming rate of decline has fueled fears for the future of many of the continent’s birds. Five of the ten common European species showing the greatest declines are birds of farmland habitats. The report, The State of Europe’s Common Birds 2007, lists the European Turtle-dove as the species with the the 7th greatest decline (with a 62% decline) across Europe between 1980 and 2005. Although 56 species have declined in Europe, 29 species have increased, while the populations of a further 27 species have been found to be stable. Among the 10 species that have shown the greatest increases in Europe between 1980 and 2005 are the Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus (71% increase; 7th greatest increase) and Eurasian Collared-dove Streptopelia decaocto (59% increase; 8th greatest increase).

PECBMS (2007). State of Europe’s Common Birds, 2007. CSO/RSPB, Prague, Czech Republic, 2007.

Woodpigeons are flocking from the countryside to towns and cities
Changes in farming and increased garden bird feeding have seen numbers of Woodpigeons Columba palumbus soar in British cities according to results of the the British Trust for Ornithology's Garden Birdwatch survey. A survey by 16,500 householders found woodpigeons in 46% of London gardens, compared to just 27% for the more familiar feral pigeon. As well as outnumbering London's traditional pigeons, the wood pigeon is also in the ascendancy in Manchester where it was reported in 61% of gardens; in contrast, the town pigeon was sighted in just 34%. The BTO put the shift down to changes in farming practices, such as sowing cereals in autumn which, along with more growing of oil seed rape, provides lots of food for wood pigeons in their agricultural heartlands throughout winter. This has led to a population rise which increases competition for food and nesting opportunities, which in turn causes a spill-over into other, often less favourable, habitats. The increased popularity of bird tables and feeders in urban gardens has also lured birds to the city (BBC 01.01.2008).

Climate change, elevational range shifts, and bird extinctions
Scientists at Stanford and Duke Universities, USA, have found limitations imposed on species ranges by the climatic, ecological, and physiological effects of elevation are important determinants of extinction risk. They modeled the effects of elevational limits on the extinction risk of landbirds, 87% of all bird species. Elevational limitation of range size explained 97% of the variation in the probability of being in a World Conservation Union category of extinction risk. At an intermediate estimate of surface warming of (2.8°C) they predict 400–550 landbird extinctions, with 2150 additional species at risk of extinction by 2100. Worldwide, every degree of warming projected a nonlinear increase in bird extinctions of about 100–500 species. Only 21% of the species predicted to become extinct are currently considered threatened with extinction. Sedentary species living in lowlands with little vertical relief (e.g., Amazon and Congo basins, eastern Canada, western Australia) would be affected because they would have nowhere to go. Migrating birds face lower risk of extinction than sedentary species. Different habitat-loss and surface warming scenarios predicted substantially different futures for landbird species and to improve the precision of climate-induced extinction estimates, they stress an urgent need for high-resolution measurements of shifts in the elevational ranges of species.

Sekercioglu, C.H. (cagan “at” stanford.edu), Schneider, S.H., Fay, J.P. and Loarie, S.R. (2008). Climate Change, Elevational Range Shifts, and Bird Extinctions. Conservation Biology 22(1): 140-150.

North Star Science and Technology transmitter grant program
North Star Science and Technology, LLC and American Bird Conservancy announce the 6th annual North Star Science and Technology Transmitter Grant Program. In the spirit of giving back to the research community that they serve, North Star will award a total of eight (8) satellite transmitters (Argos Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTTs)), to one or two recipients (8 PTTs to one project or 4 PTTs to each of two projects). PTTs are powerful, cutting-edge tools for the study of bird migration that greatly extend the range over which individual birds can be tracked. The program is open to projects throughout the world. Research that contributes to our knowledge of avian biology and that provides data useful for bird conservation, particularly of threatened species, will receive preference in the selection process. American Bird Conservancy (www.abcbirds.org) will handle the proposal submission process, review proposals, and select the winning projects. See www.northstarst.com for more information and proposal guidelines. Deadline for proposals is February 4, 2008. Any further questions about the program can be directed to George E. Wallace, American Bird Conservancy (E: gwallace "at" abcbirds.org).