| persistent west nile virus transmission and the apparent displacement st. louis encephalitis virus in southeastern california, 2003-2006. | west nile virus (family flaviviridae, genus flavivirus, wnv) invaded the colorado desert biome of southern california during summer 2003 and seemed to displace previously endemic st. louis encephalitis virus (family flaviviridae, genus flavivirus, slev, an antigenically similar flavivirus in the japanese encephalitis virus serocomplex). western equine encephalomyelitis virus (family togaviridae, genus alphavirus, weev), an antigenically distinct alphavirus, was detected during 2005 and 2006, ind ... | 2008 | 18533445 |
| concentrations of chromium, manganese, and lead in air and in avian eggs. | the expansion of urbanization introduces air pollution to wildlife areas. some metal contaminants occurring in concentrations too small to have any measurable impact on adult birds may seriously affect embryos that are more sensitive to contaminants than the adult. chromium, manganese, and lead are toxic and can be passed from the hen to the egg. this study relates the concentrations of these metals in eggs to their concentrations in air in three cities. rock dove eggs were sampled and air pollu ... | 2002 | 12395831 |
| parasitic ventriculitis caused by hadjelia truncata in california rock pigeons (columba livia). | severe ventriculitis and emaciation caused by the infestation of the nematode hadjelia truncata occurred in meat-type breeder rock pigeons (columba livia) in southern and central california. hadjelia truncata can infest several species of birds, although it has only been reported as pathogenic in pigeons. the factors that contribute to h. truncata pathogenicity are not known. the gross and microscopic pathology caused by the infestation of h. truncata in the ventriculus of pigeons and its morpho ... | 2011 | 22362812 |
| prey species as possible sources of pbde exposures for peregrine falcons (falco peregrinus) nesting in major california cities. | our earlier findings indicate that (1) peregrine falcons (falco peregrinus anatum bonaparte) nesting in major california cities have among the highest polybrominated diphenyl ether (pbde) levels in the world (max ∑pbdes=100 ppm), and (2) big city peregrines have higher levels and proportions of the higher-brominated congeners (hepta- to deca-bdes) than do their coastal counterparts. in this study we classified the prey species (n =185) from the remains of prey (feathers) at 38 peregrine nest sit ... | 2011 | 20514482 |
| predation: prey plumage adaptation against falcon attack. | several plumage types are found in feral pigeons (columba livia), but one type imparts a clear survival advantage during attacks by the swiftest of all predators--the peregrine falcon (falco peregrinus). here we use quantitative field observations and experiments to demonstrate both the selective nature of the falcon's choice of prey and the effect of plumage coloration on the survival of feral pigeons. this plumage colour is an independently heritable trait that is likely to be an antipredator ... | 2005 | 15846334 |
| role of peridomestic birds in the transmission of st. louis encephalitis virus in southern california. | in response to the 1984 st. louis encephalitis (sle) epidemic in the los angeles basin of southern california (usa), an investigative program was initiated to evaluate the interactive components of the sle virus transmission cycle. from 1987 through 1996 (10 yr), 52,589 birds were bled and their sera tested for sle and western equine encephalomyelitis (wee) virus antibodies by the hemagglutination inhibition (hai) test. eighty-three percent of the birds tested were house finches (carpodacus mexi ... | 2000 | 10682741 |
| evaluation of domestic pigeons as sentinels for detecting arbovirus activity in southern california. | flocks of sentinel domestic pigeons (columbia livia) detected increases in st. louis encephalitis (sle) and western equine encephalomyelitis (wee) virus activity in southern california concurrently with flocks of sentinel chickens. however, occasional low-titered, transient seroconversions to both wee and sle viruses also occurred in pigeons during periods when virus activity was not detected by seroconversions in sentinel chickens, by virus isolation from culex mosquitoes, or by human disease. ... | 1992 | 1536386 |