pollutants and diet influence carotenoid levels and integument coloration in nestlings of an endangered raptor. | carotenoid-based traits or ornaments, such as yellow-red integuments (feathers, beaks, legs or eye-rings) displayed by birds, play key roles in social communication by reliably advertising an individual's quality or health. in some species, these traits are displayed not only by adults but also by nestlings, and function in parent-offspring communication or sibling competition by advertising an individual's physical or physiological condition. pollutants such as organochlorine compounds (ocs) co ... | 2017 | 28628821 |
migratory patterns and settlement areas revealed by remote sensing in an endangered intra-african migrant, the black harrier (circus maurus). | annual movements have been widely described for birds migrating across the americas and between eurasia and africa, yet relatively little information exists for intra-african migrants. identifying the areas used throughout a species annual cycle by understanding migratory patterns and settlement areas during breeding and non-breeding seasons is essential for conservation initiatives. here, we describe for the first time, the migratory patterns and settlement areas of an endangered raptor endemic ... | 2019 | 30653592 |
blood concentrations of pcbs and ddts in an avian predator endemic to southern africa: associations with habitat, electrical transformers and diet. | persistent pollutants such as organochlorine compounds (ocs) have been highlighted as a cause of population decline in avian predators. understanding patterns of ocs contamination can be crucial for the conservation of affected species, yet little is known on these threats to african raptors. here we report on oc concentrations in an endangered predator endemic to southern africa, the black harrier circus maurus. blood samples were collected in 2012-2014 from wild nestlings (n = 90) and adults ( ... | 2018 | 28986081 |