DOCSLIB.ORG

The Red-Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus Cafer): Serious Pest Or Understudied Invader?

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Red-Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus Cafer): Serious Pest Or Understudied Invader? View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Archive Ouverte en Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) : serious pest or understudied invader? Martin Thibault, Eric Vidal, Murray A. Potter, Ellie Dyer, Fabrice Brescia To cite this version: Martin Thibault, Eric Vidal, Murray A. Potter, Ellie Dyer, Fabrice Brescia. The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) : serious pest or understudied invader?. Biological Invasions, Springer Verlag, 2018, 20 (1), pp.121-136. 10.1007/s10530-017-1521-2. hal-01789436 HAL Id: hal-01789436 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01789436 Submitted on 2 Apr 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. DOI 10.1007/s10530-017-1521-2 The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer): serious pest or understudied invader? Martin Thibault . Eric Vidal . Murray A. Potter . Ellie Dyer . Fabrice Brescia Received: 28 December 2016 / Accepted: 23 July 2017 Abstract Recently, debate has flourished about for future research. We reviewed the scientific liter- inadequacies in the simplistic ‘‘worst invasive spe- ature and information from three databases (ABBA, cies’’ approach and its global scale. Here we investi- GAVIA, eBird) and highlight that the attention paid to gate the status of the red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus this species by scientists and managers varied consid- cafer), an Asian passerine bird. This species has been erably between islands and contexts and was globally introduced widely across Pacific islands and is com- lower than the attention paid to other species on the monly blamed for its impacts on agriculture and IUCN-ISSG list. The red-vented bulbul has now biodiversity via dispersal of invasive plant seeds and established on 37 islands and in seven continental competition with native fauna. This case study eval- locations outside its native range. We show that three uates all available data on the impacts and manage- categories of effects are associated with this species: ment of this invasive species and identifies priorities plant damage, seed dispersal and disturbance of fauna. We compiled lists of 110 plant species consumed, 33 plant species dispersed, and 15 species of bird that this Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10530-017-1521-2) contains supple- bulbul interacts with. However, these lists were mentary material, which is available to authorized users. mainly made of opportunistic observations rather than specific assessments. Research outputs that focus on & M. Thibault ( ) Á F. Brescia better ways to prevent or quantify the impacts of the Institut Agronomique ne´o-Cale´donien (IAC), Equipe ARBOREAL (AgricultuRE BiOdiversite´ Et vAlorisation), red-vented bulbul remain scarce. We found very few 73, 98890 Paı¨ta, New Caledonia references exploring potential positive impacts of this e-mail: thibault@iac.nc species, and only two examples of management actions undertaken against it. The latter are required E. Vidal Institut Me´diterrane´en de Biodiversite´ et d’Ecologie to inform management actions, especially on sensitive marine et continentale (IMBE), CNRS, IRD, Avignon tropical islands where invasions and dispersal of the Universite´ Centre IRD Noume´a, Aix Marseille Universite´, red-vented bulbul are ongoing. Our analysis of the BP A5, 98848 Noume´a Cedex, New Caledonia literature found no clear support for considering this M. Thibault Á M. A. Potter species to be one of the ‘‘world’s worst’’ invasive alien Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment, species. Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand Keywords Invasive alien bird Á Islands Á Impact Á E. Dyer Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Biodiversity Á Conservation Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK 2 M. Thibault et al. Introduction contrast to alien birds (Pysˇek et al. 2008; Kumschick and Nentwig 2010). Several studies have called for Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the main causes improvements in the way in which impact values of of biodiversity loss (Sala et al. 2000; Keane and IAS are assessed beyond experts’ ‘‘worst’’ lists, Crawley 2002; Pereira et al. 2012; Gren et al. 2016), particularly for bird species (Strubbe et al. 2011; with associated economic impacts (Bergman et al. Ricciardi et al. 2013; Kumschick et al. 2015 ; Saxena 2000; Pimentel et al. 2005; Pimentel 2011) and 2015) and they have stressed that this is vital to better degradation of ecosystem services (Walsh et al. inform management decisions. 2016). The highly ambitious goal of the 2010 The three bird species classified as the world’s Convention for Biological Diversity, Nagoya, Japan, worst invasive species in the IUCN-ISSG list are the was to ensure that ‘‘By 2020, IAS and pathways are common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), the common identified and prioritized, priority species are con- myna (Acridotheres tristis), and the red-vented bulbul trolled or eradicated, and measures are in place to (Pycnonotus cafer). A recent review of the impact of manage pathways to prevent their introduction and alien birds on native ecosystems globally (Martin- establishment’’ (Secretariat CBD 2010). Concerns Albarracin et al. 2015) identified the three species with about the impacts of IAS have led to the production the highest global impact as being the mallard (Anas of several lists of high priority alien species including platyrhynchos, score = 16), the common myna the ‘‘100 of the World’s Worst’’ from the IUCN (score = 13), and the red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnono- Invasive Species Specialist Group (IUCN-ISSG) tus jocusus, score = 10) whereas the global impact (Brochier et al. 2010; Burgiel and Perrault 2011; score of the red-vented bulbul in this study should be Lowe et al. 2000). Such prioritization attempts have only 4. Recently, Kumschick et al. (2015) identified incited intense debate among the scientific community important overlaps in the impacts associated with the on the definition of an invasive species (e.g. Russell common myna and the red-vented bulbul. This raises and Blackburn 2017). Some considered invasion as a the question as to whether the red-vented bulbul natural phenomenon and compared the prevention of should be considered as one of the three worst invasive ´ species dispersal as a kind of racism (Valery et al. bird species on the planet. Local farmers and envi- 2013). Others saw the observed impacts of alien ronment managers need management frameworks in species as an important challenge for our developing order to deal with the dispersal/impacts of IAS societies (Richardson and Ricciardi 2013; Simberloff (Blackburn et al. 2011). Biosecurity protocols at and Vitule. 2014; Blondel et al. 2014; Pereyra 2016). frontiers were demonstrated to be the most useful Such debate also applied to species classification techniques to prevent biological invasions (Edelaar methods, as prioritization attempts based on expert and Tella 2012). However, controlling a newly assessments is opposed to different classification established invasive species in a territory depends on frameworks based on data analysis and statistics economic, ecological and social factors and therefore (Donlan and Wilcox 2008; Kumschick et al. 2012; on specific assessment of these factors at local scales Blackburn et al. 2014; Kumschick et al. 2015). In this (Mack et al. 2000). A synthesis of management study, we consider that an alien species expanding its programs toward an alien species offers concrete range in a sensitive territory deserves particular baselines for managers, and this knowledge also helps attention from both scientists and managers. For their understanding how the impacts associated with an part, scientists must consider the possibility that a invasive species give rise to management operations. species could be harmless in an alien territory and It is urgent that we review existing assessments of should produce a local assessment of potential issues impacts and management programs implemented associated with that species. against the red-vented bulbul. Of the terrestrial vertebrates in the IUCN-ISSG list, We review invasion data to determine the nature 14 are mammals, three are birds and only two are and severity of the impacts of this species, whether its reptiles (Lowe et al. 2000). Unsurprisingly, 10 years impacts are consistent throughout its alien range, after the publication of this ‘‘World’s Worst’’ list, whether its status as a major invasive species has led to authors have commented on the imbalance in attention more research and management programs at local paid by scientists and managers to mammals in scales, and to assess if its current acknowledged pest The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) status is deserved. We present an updated assessment species names listed in the IUCN ‘‘World’s Worst’’ of an invasive species nearly 110 years after it was list in Google Scholar. first record outside of its native range (Fiji in 1903, In order to update distribution maps, we included Watling 1978) and identify priorities for future records from three international databases. We used research. the 252 quotations with references from the Global AVian Invasion Atlas Project (GAVIA, Dyer et al. 2017), 150 sightings from the Atlas of Breeding Birds Methods of Arabia (ABBA, Ornithological Society of the Middle East, Jennings 2010) and 40,152 sightings Species description from the participative eBird database (eBird, Sullivan et al. 2009). Maps were designed using the following The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer Linnaeus, R software packages: maps (Becker et al. 2015a), 1766) is a passerine belonging to the family Pyc- mapdata (Becker et al.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Disaggregation of Bird Families Listed on Cms Appendix Ii
    Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals 2nd Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council (ScC-SC2) Bonn, Germany, 10 – 14 July 2017 UNEP/CMS/ScC-SC2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II (Prepared by the Appointed Councillors for Birds) Summary: The first meeting of the Sessional Committee of the Scientific Council identified the adoption of a new standard reference for avian taxonomy as an opportunity to disaggregate the higher-level taxa listed on Appendix II and to identify those that are considered to be migratory species and that have an unfavourable conservation status. The current paper presents an initial analysis of the higher-level disaggregation using the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volumes 1 and 2 taxonomy, and identifies the challenges in completing the analysis to identify all of the migratory species and the corresponding Range States. The document has been prepared by the COP Appointed Scientific Councilors for Birds. This is a supplementary paper to COP document UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.3 on Taxonomy and Nomenclature UNEP/CMS/ScC-Sc2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II 1. Through Resolution 11.19, the Conference of Parties adopted as the standard reference for bird taxonomy and nomenclature for Non-Passerine species the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 1: Non-Passerines, by Josep del Hoyo and Nigel J. Collar (2014); 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Genomics and Population History of Black-Headed Bulbul (Brachypodius Atriceps) Color Morphs
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School March 2020 Genomics and Population History of Black-headed Bulbul (Brachypodius atriceps) Color Morphs Subir B. Shakya Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Shakya, Subir B., "Genomics and Population History of Black-headed Bulbul (Brachypodius atriceps) Color Morphs" (2020). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 5187. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/5187 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contactgradetd@lsu.edu. GENOMICS AND POPULATION HISTORY OF BLACK- HEADED BULBUL (BRACHYPODIUS ATRICEPS) COLOR MORPHS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Biological Sciences by Subir B. Shakya B.Sc., Southern Arkansas University, 2014 May 2020 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A dissertation represents not only the effort of a single candidate but a document highlighting the roles and endeavors of many people and institutions. To this end, I have a lot of people and institutions to thank, without whom this dissertation would never have been completed. First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Frederick H. Sheldon, who has guided me through the six years of my Ph.D. studies.
    [Show full text]
  • The Red-Whiskered Bulbul
    Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 Volume 9 Number 8 1968 Article 8 1-1-1968 The red-whiskered bulbul John L. Long Follow this and additional works at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4 Part of the Behavior and Ethology Commons, and the Ornithology Commons Recommended Citation Long, John L. (1968) "The red-whiskered bulbul," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 9 : No. 8 , Article 8. Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4/vol9/iss8/8 This article is brought to you for free and open access by Research Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 by an authorized administrator of Research Library. For more information, please contact library@dpird.wa.gov.au. BIRD PESTS THE RED-WHISKERED BULBUL By J. L. LONG, M.D.A., Research Technician, Agriculture Protection Board Widely distributed in both Africa and Asia, Bulbuls are a largely tropical group of fruit eating birds ranging in size from that of a house sparrow to a blackbird. The Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus around Sydney and suburbs and is estab­ jocosus) is one of the commonest bulbuls lished around Melbourne in Victoria. It is in the oriental region. It is about eight gradually spreading to outlying districts up inches in length, with a brown back and to 60 miles from these centres and threat­ wings; the sides of the fac3 and underparts ens to become a major pest to fruit are white, but with a broken blackish band growers.
    [Show full text]
  • Moluccas 15 July to 14 August 2013 Henk Hendriks
    Moluccas 15 July to 14 August 2013 Henk Hendriks INTRODUCTION It was my 7th trip to Indonesia. This time I decided to bird the remote eastern half of this country from 15 July to 14 August 2013. Actually it is not really a trip to the Moluccas only as Tanimbar is part of the Lesser Sunda subregion, while Ambon, Buru, Seram, Kai and Boano are part of the southern group of the Moluccan subregion. The itinerary I made would give us ample time to find most of the endemics/specialties of the islands of Ambon, Buru, Seram, Tanimbar, Kai islands and as an extension Boano. The first 3 weeks I was accompanied by my brother Frans, Jan Hein van Steenis and Wiel Poelmans. During these 3 weeks we birded Ambon, Buru, Seram and Tanimbar. We decided to use the services of Ceisar to organise these 3 weeks for us. Ceisar is living on Ambon and is the ground agent of several bird tour companies. After some negotiations we settled on the price and for this Ceisar and his staff organised the whole trip. This included all transportation (Car, ferry and flights), accommodation, food and assistance during the trip. On Seram and Ambon we were also accompanied by Vinno. You have to understand that both Ceisar and Vinno are not really bird guides. They know the sites and from there on you have to find the species yourselves. After these 3 weeks, Wiel Poelmans and I continued for another 9 days, independently, to the Kai islands, Ambon again and we made the trip to Boano.
    [Show full text]
  • SPECIES LIST January 2015
    Sunrise Birding LLC www.sunrisebirding.com THAILAND SPECIES LIST January 2015 • 319 species • 2 species heard only • 3 species seen by leaders only • 43 species of shorebirds incl. jacanas Spoon-billed Sandpiper Photo by Kevin T. Karlson, January 2015 (C) = Common; (A) = Abundant; * = noteworthy/rare species 1) Bar-backed Partridge 18) Gray-capped Woodpecker 2) Scaly-breasted Partridge 19) Greater Yellownape 3) Red Junglefowl 20) Black-headed Woodpecker, m+f* 4) Kalij Pheasant (3) 21) Common Flameback 5) Gray Peacock-pheasant (heard) 22) Greater Flameback 6) Lesser Whistling Duck 23) Great Slaty Woodpecker (2) 7) Cotton Pygmy Goose 24) Lineated Barbet 8) Garganey 25) Green-eared Barbet (C) 9) Little Grebe 26) Blue-throated Barbet 10) Eurasian Wigeon 27) Moustached Barbet 11) Northern Pintail 28) Blue-eared Barbet 12) Eurasian Wryneck (1)* 29) Coppersmith Barbet 13) Speckled Piculet (3) 30) Oriental Pied Hornbill (many) 14) White-browed Piculet 31) Great Hornbill 15) Black-and-buff Woodpecker 32) Wreathed Hornbill (20+) 16) Heart-spotted Woodpecker 33) Eurasian Hoopoe 17) Crimson-winged Woodpecker 34) Indian Roller (C) Sunrise Birding LLC – THAILAND TOUR SPECIES LIST – January 2015 1 www.sunrisebirding.com 35) Dollarbird (Nick and Kevin) 63) Asian Barred Owlet 36) Orange-breasted Trogon 64) Collared Scops Owl 37) Red-headed Trogon 65) Spotted Owlet 38) Common Kingfisher 66) Brown Hawk Owl (1)* 39) Pied Kingfisher 67) Great-eared Nightjar 40) Banded Kingfisher (M) 68) Large-tailed Nightjar 41) White-throated Kingfisher 69) Indian Nightjar
    [Show full text]
  • Bird Checklists of the World Country Or Region: Myanmar
    Avibase Page 1of 30 Col Location Date Start time Duration Distance Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World 1 Country or region: Myanmar 2 Number of species: 1088 3 Number of endemics: 5 4 Number of breeding endemics: 0 5 Number of introduced species: 1 6 7 8 9 10 Recommended citation: Lepage, D. 2021. Checklist of the birds of Myanmar. Avibase, the world bird database. Retrieved from .https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?lang=EN&region=mm [23/09/2021]. Make your observations count! Submit your data to ebird.
    [Show full text]
  • Preliminary Systematic Notes on Some Old World Passerines
    Kiv. ital. Orn., Milano, 59 (3-4): 183-195, 15-XII-1989 STOBRS L. OLSON PRELIMINARY SYSTEMATIC NOTES ON SOME OLD WORLD PASSERINES TIPOGKAFIA FUSI - PAVIA 1989 Riv. ital. Ora., Milano, 59 (3-4): 183-195, 15-XII-1989 STORRS L. OLSON (*) PRELIMINARY SYSTEMATIC NOTES ON SOME OLD WORLD PASSERINES Abstract. — The relationships of various genera of Old World passerines are assessed based on osteological characters of the nostril and on morphology of the syrinx. Chloropsis belongs in the Pycnonotidae. Nicator is not a bulbul and is returned to the Malaconotidae. Neolestes is probably not a bulbul. The Malagasy species placed in the genus Phyllastrephus are not bulbuls and are returned to the Timaliidae. It is confirmed that the relationships of Paramythia, Oreocharis, Malia, Tylas, Hyper - gerus, Apalopteron, and Lioptilornis (Kupeornis) are not with the Pycnonotidae. Trochocercus nitens and T. cycmomelas are monarchine flycatchers referable to the genus TerpsiphoTie. « Trochocercus s> nigromitratus, « T. s> albiventer, and « T. » albo- notatus are tentatively referred to Elminia. Neither Elminia nor Erythrocercus are monarch] nes and must be removed from the Myiagridae (Monarchidae auct.). Grai- lina and Aegithina- are monarch flycatchers referable to the Myiagridae. Eurocephalus belongs in the Laniinae, not the Prionopinae. Myioparus plumbeus is confirmed as belonging in the Muscicapidae. Pinarornis lacks the turdine condition of the syrinx. It appears to be most closely related to Neoeossypha, Stizorhina, and Modulatrix, and these four genera are placed along with Myadestes in a subfamily Myadestinae that is the primitive sister-group of the remainder of the Muscicapidae, all of which have a derived morphology of the syrinx.
    [Show full text]
  • Southeast Asia Mega Tour: Singapore/Borneo/Peninsular Malaysia/Halmahera/Sulawesi
    Southeast Asia Mega Tour: Singapore/Borneo/Peninsular Malaysia/Halmahera/Sulawesi August 9th-September 30th, 2013 This seven-week tour took us to some of Southeast Asia’s most amazing birding spots, where we racked up some mega targets, saw some amazing scenery, ate some lovely cuisine, and generally had a great time birding. Among some of the fantastic birds we saw were 11 species of pitta, including the endemic Ivory-breasted and Blue-banded Pittas, 27 species of night birds, including the incomparable Satanic Nightjar, Blyth’s, Sunda and Large Frogmouths, and Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar, 14 species of cuckooshrikes, 15 species of kingfishers, and some magical gallinaceous birds like Mountain Peacock- Pheasant, Crested Fireback, and the booming chorus of Argus Pheasant. 13 species of Hornbills were seen, including great looks at Helmeted, White-crowned, Plain-pouched, and Sulawesi. Overall we saw 134 endemic species. Singapore The tour started with some birding around Singapore, and at the Central Catchment Reservoir we started off well with Short-tailed Babbler, Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, Banded Woodpecker, Van Hasselt’s Sunbird, and loads of Pink-necked Green Pigeon. Bukit Batok did well with Straw-headed Bulbul, Common Flameback, and Laced Woodpecker, as well as a particularly obliging group of White- crested Laughingthrush. Borneo We then flew to Borneo, where we began with some local birding along the coast, picking up not only a number of common species of waterbirds but also a mega with White-fronted (Bornean) Falconet. We www.birdingecotours.com info@birdingecotours.com 2 | TRIP REPORT Southeast Asia Mega Tour: Aug - Sep 2013 ended the day at some rice paddies, where we found Buff-banded Rail and Watercock among several marsh denizens.
    [Show full text]
  • Unlocking the Black Box of Feather Louse Diversity: a Molecular Phylogeny of the Hyper-Diverse Genus Brueelia Q ⇑ Sarah E
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 94 (2016) 737–751 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev Unlocking the black box of feather louse diversity: A molecular phylogeny of the hyper-diverse genus Brueelia q ⇑ Sarah E. Bush a, , Jason D. Weckstein b,1, Daniel R. Gustafsson a, Julie Allen c, Emily DiBlasi a, Scott M. Shreve c,2, Rachel Boldt c, Heather R. Skeen b,3, Kevin P. Johnson c a Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA b Field Museum of Natural History, Science and Education, Integrative Research Center, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA c Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, 1816 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA article info abstract Article history: Songbirds host one of the largest, and most poorly understood, groups of lice: the Brueelia-complex. The Received 21 May 2015 Brueelia-complex contains nearly one-tenth of all known louse species (Phthiraptera), and the genus Revised 15 September 2015 Brueelia has over 300 species. To date, revisions have been confounded by extreme morphological Accepted 18 September 2015 variation, convergent evolution, and periodic movement of lice between unrelated hosts. Here we use Available online 9 October 2015 Bayesian inference based on mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (EF-1a) gene fragments to analyze the phylogenetic relationships among 333 individuals within the Brueelia-complex. We show that the genus Keywords: Brueelia, as it is currently recognized, is paraphyletic. Many well-supported and morphologically unified Brueelia clades within our phylogenetic reconstruction of Brueelia were previously described as genera.
    [Show full text]
  • The Breeding Biology of Red-Whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus Jocosus) in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China
    ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH The breeding biology of Red-Whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) in Xishuangbanna, southwest China Huan LI1,3, Ming-Xia ZHANG3, Xiao-Jun YANG2, Liang-Wei CUI1,*, Rui-Chang QUAN3,* 1 The Faculty of Forestry, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming Yunnan 650224, China 2 The Faculty of Ecotourism, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming Yunnan 650224, China 3 Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna Yunnan 666303, China ABSTRACT it ranges from Southeast Tibet to South Yunnan (MacKinnon & Phillipps, 2011). It inhabits wooded habitats, secondary forests, To fill the gap in breeding biology information about urban areas, parks, and gardens (Fishpool & Tobias, 2005; the Red-Whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus), in Mark, 2009), commonly close to human populations. 2013, we studied the breeding biology of this P. jocosus mainly eats fruits and seeds, and smaller amounts species in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. The of invertebrates (Yang et al, 2004). It is one of the most common breeding began from February and continued until and important seed dispersal agents in anthropogenic open early August. The breeding strategy of P. jocosus habitats in tropical Asia (Corlett, 1998). However, so far, its was more flexible and their nests were only built in breeding biology is quite limited (Appendix 1, available online) cultivated landscapes, whereas, no nest building in (Chidkrua, 1999; Liu, 1992). The information regarding its native tropical rain forest was found. Small open cup incubation, parental roles, and nestling food are still lacking. The nests were built on 50 different plant species, and at previous study found the different nesting ecology in the P.
    [Show full text]
  • Red-Whiskered Bulbul: Are Trapping and Unregulated Avicultural Practices Pushing This Species Towards Extinction in Thailand? SUPATCHAYA TECHACHOOCHERT & PHILIP D
    BirdingASIA 20 (2013): 49–52 49 SPECIAL REPORT Red-whiskered Bulbul: are trapping and unregulated avicultural practices pushing this species towards extinction in Thailand? SUPATCHAYA TECHACHOOCHERT & PHILIP D. ROUND The Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus is a In addition to the reduction or loss of the wild relatively common bird of well-watered open population, the apparently widespread practice of country from South to South-East Asia and southern cross-breeding Red-whiskered Bulbuls with Yellow- China. It is naturalised elsewhere, in Mauritius, vented Bulbuls P. goaivier presents a possible Australia and North America (Robson 2008) and additional threat. The breeders believe that the its conservation status is Least Concern (BirdLife hybrids are more aggressive, and sing more International 2013). In Thailand the species is much vigorously than Red-whiskered Bulbuls, giving in demand due to its sweet, chuckling song, and it them an advantage in bird-singing competitions. is possibly the most widely kept native cage-bird The hybrids concerned are usually backcrosses species in the country, but it has nearly vanished with Red-whiskered Bulbuls from which they are from most of its Thai range due to the illegal almost indistinguishable. Prize-winning Red- trapping of wild birds for sale. The only recent whiskered Bulbuls in national competitions are national assessment (Tantipisanuh & Gale 2013) usually valued at a minimum of Baht 200,000 in which the Red-whiskered Bulbul was considered (about £3,800) and the highest price so far recorded ‘nationally Near Threatened’ is already too is Baht 1.6 million (£31,000) (K. Dumnoen pers. conservative given its precipitous and rapid decline.
    [Show full text]
  • Translocation of Rarotonga Monarchs Pomarea Dimidiata Within the Southern Cook Islands
    Bird Conservation International (2006) 16:197–215. ß BirdLife International 2006 doi: 10.1017/S0959270906000268 Printed in the United Kingdom Translocation of Rarotonga Monarchs Pomarea dimidiata within the southern Cook Islands HUGH A. ROBERTSON, IAN KARIKA and EDWARD K. SAUL Summary The translocation of species to a new site plays an important role in the conservation of many threatened birds; however, the problems and processes involved in planning and implementing such translocations are rarely reported. In order to establish a second secure ‘insurance’ population of the endangered Rarotonga Monarch Pomarea dimidiata, or Kakerori, 30 young birds were moved from the Takitumu Conservation Area on Rarotonga to the 2,700 ha island of Atiu between 2001 and 2003. The translocation of this single-island endemic was to a site outside the historical range of the species, because the small, but rapidly growing, population on Rarotonga was considered to be highly vulnerable to a catastrophe, such as a cyclone, or the arrival of a new bird disease or predator. The translocation followed consultation with local communities, an assessment of the suitability of islands in the southern Cook Islands, and an assessment of the disease risk posed by the translocation. The translocation appears to have been successful because Rarotonga Monarchs have bred well in a variety of forest habitats on Atiu. Introduction In a review of bird conservation problems in the South Pacific, commissioned by the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the International Council for Bird Preservation (now BirdLife International) in the early 1980s, Hay (1986) identified the Rarotonga Monarch, or Kakerori, Pomarea dimidiata, as one of the species most urgently in need of conservation management.
    [Show full text]