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The Influence of Risk Factors Associated with Captive Rearing on Post-Release Survival in Translocated Cirl Buntings Emberiza Cirlus in the UK

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The Influence of Risk Factors Associated with Captive Rearing on Post-Release Survival in Translocated Cirl Buntings Emberiza Cirlus in the UK The influence of risk factors associated with captive rearing on post-release survival in translocated cirl buntings Emberiza cirlus in the UK K. FOUNTAIN,C.JEFFS,S.CROFT,J.GREGSON,J.LISTER,A.EVANS,I.CARTER Y. M. CHANG and A . W . S AINSBURY Abstract Population decline resulting from agricultural in- success (Griffith et al., ; Fischer & Lindenmayer, tensification led to contraction of the range of the cirl bunt- ). However, there is a lack of evidence on which to ing Emberiza cirlus in the UK to a small area of south base decisions about the most favourable rearing and release Devon. As part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan for the methods (Parker et al., ), and few studies have examined species, a project to re-establish a population in suitable the effect of factors in the captive-rearing process on the habitat in Cornwall was undertaken during –,in post-release survival and reproductive performance of re- which chicks were removed from the nest in Devon, leased individuals (Parker et al., ). Many reintroduction hand-reared and then delayed-released. The survival of programmes either have not conducted adequate monitor- the birds to four time points in the year after release was ing or have not reported the results (Ewen et al., ; analysed in relation to the effect of rearing factors, using a Nichols & Armstrong, ). A common finding in avian multivariable logistic regression model. Individuals with and mammal reintroductions is a high rate of mortality higher body weight at capture were more likely to survive shortly after release (Tavecchia et al., ; Bernardo to January and May in the year following release, and in- et al., ; Burnside et al., ). In reintroduced dividuals released in June and July were more likely to sur- captive-bred grey partridges Perdix perdix there were high vive than those released in August. Individuals released in levels of post-release mortality as a result of sub-optimal and had a higher survival rate than those released habitat selection and poor predator avoidance by inexperi- during –. Timing of capture, time spent at each enced birds (Rantanen et al., ). Predation was the only stage in captivity, medication and the detection of parasites confirmed cause of mortality in radio-tagged eastern logger- in the brood had no significant effect. Immunosuppressive head shrikes Lanius ludovicianus migrans (Imlay et al., disease, weather factors and predator activity may have led ). The choice of rearing and release strategy has an im- to some of the observed differences in survival. This analysis pact on the rate of mortality in some species, and no effect provides evidence with which to plan future translocation on others (Bernardo et al., ). More time spent in pre- projects for cirl buntings and other passerine birds. release enclosures and release of larger cohorts were found to increase post-release survival in captive-bred red-billed Keywords Capture body weight, cirl bunting, immunosup- curassows Crax blumenbachii (Bernardo et al., )but pressive disease, multivariable logistic regression, passerine, negatively affected post-release survival in captive-reared predation, rearing factors marbled teal Marmaronetta angustirostris (Green et al., ). Post-release survival in reintroduced grey partridges was lowest in captive-reared adults, compared to wild Introduction adults and fostered captive-reared chicks (Buner & Schaub, ). Stress is often cited as a factor affecting onservation programmes involving the release of the success of avian conservation activities (Teixeira Ccaptive-reared animals have had varying degrees of et al., ), and captivity is the critical factor that induces a significant and prolonged loss of the negative feedback mechanism of the stress response axis (Dickens et al., K. FOUNTAIN (Corresponding author) and A. W. SAINSBURY Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK ). This renders released birds less able to cope with E-mail [email protected] acute stressors in the wild and may blunt the normal flight C. JEFFS,S.CROFT and A. EVANS Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Sandy, response for evasion of predators. Bedfordshire, UK The cirl bunting Emberiza cirlus, a sedentary passerine, is J. GREGSON Paignton Zoo and Environmental Park, Paignton, Devon, UK categorized as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List on the J. LISTER The National Trust, South West Regional Office, Broadclyst, Exeter, UK basis of its extensive range throughout south and western I. CARTER Natural England, Peterborough, UK Europe (BirdLife International, ). It was once wide- Y. M. CHANG The Royal Veterinary College, London, UK spread at the northern edge of its range, in the UK, but suf- Received May . Revision requested July . fered dramatic declines in the th century as a result of Accepted November . First published online March . changes in farming methods, such as the removal of Oryx, 2017, 51(2), 332–338 © 2016 Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605315001313 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.202.126, on 28 Sep 2021 at 14:44:06, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605315001313 Survival of translocated cirl buntings 333 hedgerows, the decline in cultivation of spring-sown cereal except for one occasion when chicks required rehydration crops and the loss of the resulting overwinter stubbles (Jeffs following traffic delays on a hot day. & Evans, ). Cirl buntings form pairs in spring and may raise up to three broods. During winter they flock to feed on Body weight at collection Chicks were weighed using seeds and insects in stubble and weedy marginal land spring balance scales upon collection from the nest. (Evans, ). A residual population in Devon was esti- Following a review in of captive mortality during mated to comprise only pairs in (Evans, ). –, chicks , g were identified as having a Conservation action by partner organizations under the higher risk of mortality than those . g, and therefore no government’s agri-environmental schemes to reduce the chicks , g were collected after July (K. Fountain frequency of hedgerow cutting, allow the growth of scrub et al., unpubl. data). and unimproved grassland areas, particularly in field mar- gins, and allow stubble to remain overwinter resulted in an increase in the population but with little increase in range Rearing Each brood of chicks was maintained in (Peach et al., ). To establish a second population in a quarantine for the duration of their captivity, with geographically separate area birds were translocated to dedicated tools and equipment, and strict hygiene was Cornwall during –. The factors that had led to ex- practised. Chicks were placed in a heated brooder cage tinction in the area were addressed and the project was as- maintained at °C, and individually hand-fed every sessed using the IUCN guidelines on reintroductions hours during .–. with brooder pellets mixed with (IUCN, ). Previous mist-netting of adult birds had boiled eggs and banana, and locusts and mealworms. When led to an unacceptably high mortality rate (Jeffs & Evans, they reached a sufficient size they were transferred to a box ), and therefore chicks from nests in Devon were cage (canary cage), and hand-feeding was continued until hand-reared and delayed-released at a suitable site. they began feeding themselves, when mixed seed and Following an outbreak of disease caused by isosporosis millet was added. Their diet was developed specifically for during a trial translocation, a preventative protocol was de- this project by the aviculture department at Paignton Zoo, veloped for the first true translocation (McGill et al., ). in Devon. To avoid stress, birds were not handled after During the planning stage a disease risk analysis was con- fledging, unless sick. They were transferred to pre-release ducted (McGill & Sainsbury, ) and detailed protocols aviaries and delayed-released, with food provided at the were put in place to reduce the risk from disease, including release site. The duration spent in each type of housing the introduction of exotic pathogens into the release area varied, as chicks were moved on when they were while maintaining the native parasite fauna of the birds. considered to be sufficiently developed. The time spent in This project is the first example of a passerine translocation each type of housing during rearing was recorded. in the UK but the project managers were able to draw on experience from passerine translocations in New Zealand Faecal examination for parasites In , and (Castro et al., ; Taylor et al., ; Robertson et al., pooled faecal samples were collected from the nest when ; Leech et al., ) and elsewhere (Komdeur, ; the chicks were collected, from the box used for transport Tweed et al., ; Cristinacce et al., ). to the rearing site, on day in the brooders, on day in To increase the evidence base for planning future trans- the canary cages, on days and in the pre-release locations of cirl buntings and other passerines, we sought to aviaries, and post-release from any individuals returning examine the effects of various capture, rearing, health and to aviaries to roost. Samples were examined either by light release risk factors on the survival and reproduction of cirl microscopy or by salt flotation (McGill & Sainsbury, buntings post-release in a reintroduction programme in ). Parasites found included coccidial oocysts, which Cornwall during –, and to assess the impact of were not identified to species level, Hymenolepsis-like ova, the preventive medicine protocols developed during the dis- and strongyle-type ova. During the frequency of ease risk analysis on survival. faecal sampling was reduced (n = ), and in and no faecal screening was undertaken. Individual birds were noted as parasite positive or negative on the basis of Methods the results for pooled samples collected from a brood. Chicks were collected from nests at up to sites in Devon.
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