Journal of Radiation Research, Vol. 56, No. S1, 2016, p. i63 doi: 10.1093/jrr/rrv095 Special Issue – Fukushima Abstracts Monitoring of avian productivity and tail feathers Kiyoaki Ozaki Division of Avian Conservation, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, 115 Konoyama, Abiko, Chiba 270-1145, Japan Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, 115 Konoyama, Abiko, Chiba 270-1145, Japan. Tel.: +81-47182-1107; Fax: +81-47182-4342; Email: [email protected] It is possible that breeding populations of local birds are affected Buntings breed in wetlands and grassland, and mainly inhabit reed when the birds’ breeding environment and food resources are con- beds during the migration and wintering period. Abnormalities in the taminated by radioactive substances. Since birds have considerable tail feathers of Common Reed Bunting were found at the Fukushima- capacity for movement and dispersal, not only population data but lagoon monitoring station at Niigata Prefecture in October 2011. also the birth rate (productivity) and the survival rate are important Since, the phenomenon had never been observed before at that place, parameters when investigating breeding populations. Since the late we called bird-banders from all over Japan to collect data of tail 1980s, Europe (CES, Constant Effort Site Ringing) and the USA anomalies. Data from 17 places in 14 prefectures from Fukushima to (MAPS, Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) have been Kagoshima were reported up until Spring 2012. Abnormalities of the conducting standardized monitoring of bird reproduction using indi- tail feather were found in 767 out of 5541 birds. The abnormalities vidual marking at a national scale. These investigations provide data were found at all of the localities examined, but the frequency varied (such as population index, birth rate index and adult bird survival rate from place to place. Of the locations where >100 birds were released, index), which enable us not only to understand the dynamics of bird Iwata city in Shizuoka had the highest frequency (25.6%), the second populations, but also to understand the variables affecting those highest frequency was recorded at Yasugi city, Tottori (20.1%), and dynamics. General census methods counting individual birds cannot the lowest frequency was found in Oota-ku, Tokyo (1.6%). obtain survival rate data, making it difficult to analyze factors affecting Almost all abnormalities were found in juveniles (97.3%). It was population change. In Japan, we started monitoring during the breed- reported that abnormality in length in the tail feathers or partial ing season, as mentioned above. Monitoring was conducted at sites in whitening were observed of Barn Swallows in Chernobyl. Although Hokkaido (2) and in six prefectures, including Fukushima (3), that was said to be associated with radiaoactive materials, that obser- Niigata (1) and Tottori (1). By comparing indexes for population, vation is not consistent with our findings. Some parts of Common birth rate and survival rate for each year, we can detect yearly changes Reed Bunting population pass through Fukushima prefecture during (from fixed-point observation) and place-dependent differences, even migration, but it is unlikely that their genes will be altered during the on a global scale. These data are expected to become a powerful tool short period of stay. Similar tail abnormalities were found all over for evaluation of short- and long-term influences on birds from the Japan in the following years. Recently, tail abnormalities are also radiological pollution from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant acci- found on other species including Black-faced Buntings and Siberian dent. Rubythroats (Luscinia calliope). Further investigation is needed on Common reed Bunting (Emberiza shoeniclus) is widely distributed this matter, including the cause of this phenomenon. over the Eurasian Continent. In Japan, it breeds in Hokkaido and in the northern part of Honshu, and it winters in the southern part of FUNDING Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. 15 000–20 000 are ringed annually in This study was supported by Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Environment Fund. Japan, and the total number ringed since 1961 is approximately Funding to pay the Open Access publication charges for this special 440,000. This is the second largest number ringed following 900,000 issue was provided by the Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the of Black-faced Bunting (Emberiza spodocephala). Common Reed Promotion of Science (JSPS) [KAKENHI Grant No. 26253022]. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact [email protected] • i63.