Publications

TitleAbstractYear
Filter
PMID
Filter
[turdus merula l. as a proper host of capillaria ovopunctata (nematoda, capillariidae)].biometrical analysis of four morphometric characters of male and female specimens of capillaria ovopunctata parasitizing in sturnus vulgaris, erithacus rubecula, turdus philomelos and turdus merula, i.e. length of body, oesophagus, number of stichocytes or length of spicula and vulvar appendage respectively was carried out. it has been proved, that characters of females c. ovopunctata parasitizing in t. merula significantly differ from those of the nematodes found in other hosts. the present and ...19911822042
[trematodes of birds from lower silesia. iii. urotocus rossitensis (mühling, 1898)--new for poland species of trematode parasitism in passeriform birds].during the studies on trematode fauna of birds from lower silesia, the rare species--urotocus rossitensis (mühling, 1898)--was found. it parasitized in the bursa fabricii of sylvia borin, erithacus rubecula and turdus philomelos, and in the cloaca of turdus merula. all these birds are new hosts for u. rossitensis which was recorded for the first time in poland. it is worth mentioning that the localization of this trematode in the cloaca of t. merula is nontypical, since the parasite has underdev ...19911844788
[isolation of influenza a viruses with a new antigenic formula from wild birds].three hemagglutinating agents were isolated from mixed pools of the viscera from black-headed gulls (larus ridibundus) and robin (erithacus rubecula) collected in the byelorussian ssa and the kaliningrad region of the rsfsr. typing of the viruses by double immunodiffusion technique revealed antigenic relationships of the viruses with swine hemagglutinin (hsw1) and human hemagglutinin h0. one of the strains had neuraminidase n2 the other two nav2. an analysis of the polypeptide composition of the ...19816455856
possible role of birds and ticks in the dissemination of bhanja virus.several wild birds (4 fringilla coelebs, 1 coccothraustes coccothraustes and 2 erithacus rubecula) were inoculated subcutaneously with bhanja virus (bhav). no clinical symptoms of infection were observed in any of the birds; a low viremia was demonstrated only in c. coccothraustes (2 and 4 days p.i.), seroconversion in all birds. bhav was not isolated from organs 32 days p.i. consequently, the tested birds do not seem to serve as "amplifying hosts" of bhav. the paper includes a survey of geograp ...19826800906
ixodes ricinus immatures on birds in a focus of lyme borreliosis.the infestation of birds by immature ixodes ricinus was studied during 6 months in a swiss woodland, where lyme borreliosis is endemic. thirteen passerine species were found to be parasitized by i. ricinus subadults and specially turdus merula, t. philomelos and erithacus rubecula. overall, 300 larvae and 162 nymphs were collected on 95 avian hosts. prevalence of infestation of nymphs on birds was higher in spring; larvae peaked in summer. the infection of birds by borrelia burgdorferi was also ...19938314179
borreliae in immature ixodes ricinus (acari:ixodidae) ticks parasitizing birds in the czech republic.of 411 forest birds of 33 species examined near valtice, czech republic, 29% were infested with ixodes ricinus (l.); 2.2% were parasitized by haemaphysalis concinna koch. borreliae were detected in 5.1 and 11.7% of larval and nymphal i. ricinus, respectively. none of the 13 h. concinna tested was infected. in total, 3.2% of the birds examined were parasitized by i. ricinus immatures infected by borreliae. borreliae-containing ticks parasitized european robin, erithacus rubecula (l.); eurasian bl ...19968840682
prevalence of the trematode collyriclum faba in robins (erithacus rubecula) in slovakia. 19979316244
serum "b" esterases as a nondestructive biomarker for monitoring the exposure of reptiles to organophosphorus insecticides.a field study was conducted to validate serum b esterases as nondestructive biomarkers (ndbs) in lizards. serum butyrylcholinesterase (bche) and carboxylesterase (cbe) activities were measured in lizards and four species of birds collected in an area of 0.5 ha sprayed with 0.36 kg a.i./ha of folidol se5 (5% parathion). serum b esterase activities were determined in a total of 213 lizards (gallotia galloti) and 81 birds of four species (sylvia melanocephala, serinus canaria, parus caeruleus, and ...19979352213
feather mites, pectoral muscle condition, wing length and plumage coloration of passerines.i compared the feather mite (acari, proctophyllodidae) loads of moulting birds with features of the new plumage that they were growing. i examined 21 samples, each sample containing individuals of the same species, sex and age class (juvenile, yearling or adult). i used nine species: wren, troglodytes troglodytes; dunnock, prunella modularis; robin, erithacus rubecula; blue tit, parus caeruleus; great tit, p. major; chaffinch, fringilla coelebs; greenfinch, carduelis chloris; linnet, c. cannabin ...199910479371
entomologic and avian investigations of an epidemic of west nile fever in romania in 1996, with serologic and molecular characterization of a virus isolate from mosquitoes.between july and october 1996, a west nile (wn) fever epidemic occurred in the southern plain and danube valley of romania and in the capital city of bucharest, resulting in hundreds of neurologic cases and 17 fatalities. in early october 1996, entomologic and avian investigations of the epidemic were conducted in the city of bucharest and nearby rural areas. thirty (41%) of 73 domestic fowl sampled had neutralizing antibody to wn virus, including 5 of 13 ducks (38%), 1 of 1 goose, 19 of 52 chic ...199910548295
postexercise ketosis in night-migrating passerine birds.this study investigated the postexercise metabolism of six species of free-living, night-migrating passerine birds (european robin, pied flycatcher, wheatear, redstart, blackcap, and garden warbler). the birds were caught during autumn migration out of their nocturnal flight, and their metabolism changed from a fasting, highly active state to a fasting, resting state. concentrations of six plasma metabolites of the fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism were measured during up to 10 h of reco ...200111226017
prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the nightingale (luscinia megarhynchos) and other passerine birds.in order to explore the involvement of terrestrial birds in the ecology of lyme disease spirochetes, we determined the presence of borrelia burgdorferi s. i. dna in tick larvae feeding on the hosts. birds were caught at several study sites along the rhine valley in sw germany between august 1999 and march 2001. a total of 987 ixodes ricinus larvae were collected from 225 birds belonging to 20 host species. the following four passerine species that have not yet been subject to detailed reservoir ...200212141765
cutaneous trematode collyriclum faba in wild birds in the central european carpathians.the occurrence of cutaneous trematode collyriclum faba in wild birds was monitored in the central european carpathians from 1996 to 2001. a total of 5,414 birds, representing 86 species, was examined. collyriclum faba was found at 7 sites (5 in slovakia, 1 in poland, and 1 in the czech republic), and prevalences at the sites varied from 1 to 16%. ten species of passerine birds were infected: blackcap (sylvia atricapilla) (16 positive/622 tested, 2% prevalence), black redstart (phoenicurus ochrur ...200312760670
light-dependent magnetoreception in birds: analysis of the behaviour under red light after pre-exposure to red light.in previous experiments, migratory birds had been disoriented under 635 nm red light, apparently unable to use their magnetic compass. the present study with european robins, erithacus rubecula, confirms these findings for red light at the levels of 6 x 10(15) quanta s(-1) m(-2) and 43 x 10(15) quanta s(-1) m(-2), suggesting that the disorientation under red light was not caused by the test light being below the threshold for magnetoreception. however, pre-exposure to red light for 1 h immediate ...200414978060
retinal cryptochrome in a migratory passerine bird: a possible transducer for the avian magnetic compass.the currently discussed model of magnetoreception in birds proposes that the direction of the magnetic field is perceived by radical-pair processes in specialized photoreceptors, with cryptochromes suggested as potential candidate molecules mediating magnetic compass information. behavioral studies have shown that magnetic compass orientation takes place in the eye and requires light from the blue-green part of the spectrum. cryptochromes are known to absorb in the same spectral range. because o ...200415551029
magnetic compass orientation of migratory birds in the presence of a 1.315 mhz oscillating field.the radical pair model of magnetoreception predicts that magnetic compass orientation can be disrupted by high frequency magnetic fields in the megahertz range. european robins, erithacus rubecula, were tested under monochromatic 565 nm green light in 1.315 mhz fields of 0.48 microt during spring and autumn migration, with 1.315 mhz being the frequency that matches the energetic splitting induced by the local geomagnetic field. the birds' responses depended on the alignment of the oscillating fi ...200415614508
vertebrate host specificity of two avian malaria parasites of the subgenus novyella: plasmodium nucleophilum and plasmodium vaughani.the susceptibility of wild-caught european passeriform birds to naturally isolated malaria parasites, plasmodium (novyella) nucleophilum and plasmodium (novyella) vaughani, was studied by means of intramuscular subinoculation of infected citrated blood. plasmodium nucleophilum of the great tit, parus major, was transmitted to 3 great tits, but 3 blackcaps (sylvia atricapilla) were not susceptible. plasmodium vaughani of the robin, erithacus rubecula, was transmitted to 1 robin and 1 blackcap, bu ...200515986631
where in europe should we look for sources of the cutaneous trematode collyriclum faba infections in migrating birds?cutaneous cysts with trematodes of collyriclum faba have been found in birds during their spring and post-breeding migrations in the czech republic. during spring migrations, c. faba was found in one dunnock prunella modularis, two european robins erithacus rubecula, three common nightingales luscinia megarhynchos, one song thrush turdus philomelos and one great reed warbler acrocephalus arundinaceus. during post-breeding migration, the same parasite was found in one garden warbler sylvia borin, ...200617125543
ticks (ixodidae) from passerine birds in the carpathian region.birds have been found to be a reservoir host of borrelia. in order to assess the situation in slovakia ticks were collected from a total of 3057 mist-netted, ringed and released passerine birds in two locations at 500 m (in 2001) and 1000 m (in 2003) above sea level in the bukovské vrchy hills, part of the carpathian region in the north-east of slovakia. a total of 75 birds of 16 species were infested with subadult ticks of ixodes ricinus species (prevalence of parasitization 5%). sixty-two larv ...200617186172
the magnetic compass of domestic chickens, gallus gallus.by directional training, young domestic chickens have been shown to use a magnetic compass; the same method has now been used to analyse the functional characteristics and the physical principles underlying the chickens' magnetic compass. tests in magnetic fields with different intensities revealed a functional window around the intensity of the local geomagnetic field, with this window extending further towards lower than higher intensities. testing chickens under monochromatic 465 nm blue and ...200717575035
rhabdomyosarcoma of the pectoral muscles of a free-living european robin (erithacus rubecula).an adult free-living european robin (erithacus rubecula) with a large, firm, subcutaneous mass on the pectoral muscle was examined. the bird was unable to fly and died spontaneously. necropsy revealed a yellowish, bilobate mass almost completely replacing the pectoral muscles with extensive osteolysis of the keel bone. histopathology revealed a poorly demarcated, highly cellular sarcomatous tumour with metastases to the lungs, pulmonary blood vessels and heart. immunohistochemistry was negative ...200818568658
magnetoreception in birds: no intensity window in "fixed direction" responses.under 502 nm turquoise light combined with 590 nm yellow light and in total darkness, european robins, erithacus rubecula, no longer prefer their migratory direction, but exhibit so-called fixed direction responses that do not show the seasonal change between spring and autumn. we tested robins under these light conditions in the local geomagnetic field of 46 microt, a field of twice this intensity, 92 microt, and a field of three times this intensity, 138 microt. under all three magnetic condit ...201019760275
campylobacter jejuni colonization in wild birds: results from an infection experiment.campylobacter jejuni is a common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in most parts of the world. the bacterium has a broad host range and has been isolated from many animals and environments. to investigate shedding patterns and putative effects on an avian host, we developed a colonization model in which a wild bird species, the european robin erithacus rubecula, was inoculated orally with c. jejuni from either a human patient or from another wild bird species, the song thrush turdus philomelos. ...201020140204
avian magnetoreception: elaborate iron mineral containing dendrites in the upper beak seem to be a common feature of birds.the magnetic field sensors enabling birds to extract orientational information from the earth's magnetic field have remained enigmatic. our previously published results from homing pigeons have made us suggest that the iron containing sensory dendrites in the inner dermal lining of the upper beak are a candidate structure for such an avian magnetometer system. here we show that similar structures occur in two species of migratory birds (garden warbler, sylvia borin and european robin, erithacus ...201020169083
established and emerging pathogens in ixodes ricinus ticks collected from birds on a conservation island in the baltic sea.tick-borne pathogens such as lyme borreliosis spirochaetes, anaplasma phagocytophilum, rickettsia spp. and babesia spp. cause a great variety of diseases in animals and humans. although their importance with respect to emerging human diseases is increasing, many issues about their ecology are still unclear. in spring 2007, 191 ixodes ricinus (acari: ixodidae) ticks were collected from 99 birds of 11 species on a bird conservation island in the baltic sea in order to test them for borrelia spp., ...201020868431
the importance of ixodes arboricola in transmission of rickettsia spp., anaplasma phagocytophilum, and borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the czech republic, central europe.abstract wild birds are known to be a reservoir of infectious disease agents and disseminatory hosts of ticks. the purpose of this work was to obtain information about the occurrence of rickettsial, anaplasmal, and borrelial infections in some ticks that parasitize wild birds in the czech republic. a total of 549 subadult ticks of three species ixodes arboricola (75.0%), ixodes ricinus (23.1%), and haemaphysalis concinna (1.8%) were collected from 20 species of birds (passeriformes). rickettsiae ...201121612531
avian ultraviolet/violet cones identified as probable magnetoreceptors.background: the radical-pair-model postulates that the reception of magnetic compass directions in birds is based on spin-chemical reactions in specialized photopigments in the eye, with cryptochromes discussed as candidate molecules. but so far, the exact subcellular characterization of these molecules in the retina remained unknown. methodology/principal findings: we here describe the localization of cryptochrome 1a (cry1a) in the retina of european robins, erithacus rubecula, and domestic chi ...201121647441
synanthropic birds associated with high prevalence of tick-borne rickettsiae and with the first detection of rickettsia aeschlimannii in hungary.the aim of this study was to analyze synanthropic birds as risk factors for introducing ticks and tick-borne pathogens into human settlements, with an emphasis on rickettsiae. altogether 184 subadult ticks were found on 5846 birds. tick infestation was most prevalent during the spring. in this sample group the majority of ticks were molecularly identified as ixodes ricinus, and three individuals collected from the european robin as hyalomma marginatum marginatum. the latter is the first molecula ...201323289394
do ticks and borrelia burgdorferi s.l. constitute a burden to birds?ticks consume resources from their hosts shaping their life-history traits and are vectors of many zoonotic pathogens. several studies have focused on the health effects of blood-sucking ectoparasites on avian hosts, but there is limited information on the effects of ticks on adult and sub-adult birds, which may actively avoid ticks and are likely to present low infestation intensities. we evaluated the effects of the presence of feeding ticks and intensity of infestation on health variables of ...201323430359
which forest bird species are the main hosts of the tick, ixodes ricinus, the vector of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, during the breeding season?wild birds are important hosts for vector-borne pathogens, especially those borne by ticks. however, few studies have been conducted on the role of different bird species within a community as hosts of vector-borne pathogens. this study addressed individual and species factors that could explain the burden of ixodes ricinus on forest birds during the reproductive periods of both vectors and hosts. the goal was to identify which bird species contribute the most to the tick population at the commu ...201222732161
chlamydiosis in british garden birds (2005-2011): retrospective diagnosis and chlamydia psittaci genotype determination.the significance of chlamydiosis as a cause of mortality in wild passerines (order passeriformes), and the role of these birds as a potential source of zoonotic chlamydia psittaci infection, is unknown. we reviewed wild bird mortality incidents (2005-2011). where species composition or post-mortem findings were indicative of chlamydiosis, we examined archived tissues for c. psittaci infection using pcr and arraytube microarray assays. twenty-one of 40 birds tested positive: 8 dunnocks (prunella ...201424947738
description, molecular characterisation, diagnostics and life cycle of plasmodium elongatum (lineage perirub01), the virulent avian malaria parasite.plasmodium elongatum causes severe avian malaria and is distributed worldwide. this parasite is of particular importance due to its ability to develop and cause lethal malaria not only in natural hosts, but also in non-adapted endemic birds such as the brown kiwi and different species of penguins. information on vectors of this infection is available but is contradictory. pcr-based analysis indicated the possible existence of a cluster of closely related p. elongatum lineages which might differ ...201627349510
taxonomic status of syngamus nematodes parasitizing passeriform hosts from central europe: morphological, morphometric and molecular identification.the systematic position and validity of species within genus syngamus have always been controversial. in this present work, we evaluated the taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships between three species of syngamus nematodes (syngamus trachea, syngamus taiga and syngamus merulae) and one taxa, determined only to the generic level, collected from respiratory tracts of passeriform hosts from central europe using newly obtained sequences of 2 nuclear markers (internal transcribed spacers 1 ...201627353021
testing avian compass calibration: comparative experiments with diurnal and nocturnal passerine migrants in south sweden.cue-conflict experiments were performed to study the compass calibration of one predominantly diurnal migrant, the dunnock (prunella modularis), and two species of nocturnal passerine migrants, the sedge warbler (acrocephalus schoenobaenus), and the european robin (erithacus rubecula) during autumn migration in south sweden. the birds' orientation was recorded in circular cages under natural clear and simulated overcast skies in the local geomagnetic field, and thereafter the birds were exposed ...201425505150
learning fine-tunes a specific response of nestlings to the parental alarm calls of their own species.parent birds often give alarm calls when a predator approaches their nest. however, it is not clear whether these alarms function to warn nestlings, nor is it known whether nestling responses are species-specific. the parental alarms of reed warblers, acrocephalus scirpaceus ("churr"), dunnocks, prunella modularis ("tseep"), and robins, erithacus rubecula ("seee") are very different. playback experiments revealed that nestlings of all three species ceased begging only in response to conspecific ...200415539356
influences of population size and woodland area on bird species distributions in small woods.distributions of individual bird species in 151 small woods (size range 0.02-30 ha) were investigated in 3 consecutive years during which the abundance of certain species varied markedly. relationships between the probabilities of certain bird species breeding and woodland area were described using incidence functions derived from logistic regression analysis. in general, for species which were largely dependent on woodland and seldom occurred in other habitats (such as hedgerows and gardens), t ...199628307128
chewing lice of genus ricinus (phthiraptera, ricinidae) deposited at the zoological institute of the russian academy of sciences, saint petersburg, russia, with description of a new species.we revised a collection of chewing lice deposited at the zoological institute of the russian academy of sciences, saint petersburg, russia. we studied 60 slides with 107 specimens of 10 species of the genus ricinus (de geer, 1778). the collection includes lectotype specimens of ricinus ivanovi blagoveshtchensky, 1951 and of ricinus tugarinovi blagoveshtchensky, 1951. we registered ricinus elongatus olfers, 1816 ex turdus ruficollis, r. ivanovi ex leucosticte tephrocotis and ricinus serratus (dur ...201626902646
redescriptions and comments on the validity of acuaria subula and a. skrjabini (nematoda, spirurida, acuariidae), parasites of passerine birds.acuaria subula (dujardin, 1845) is redescribed by light microcopy (lm) and scanning electron microscopy (sem) on the basis of specimens from its type host, erithacus rubecula (passeriformes, muscicapidae), from curonian spit (kaliningradskaya oblast', russia) and bulgaria. acuaria skrjabini (ozerskaya, 1926) is redescribed by lm and sem on the basis of specimens from passer domesticus (type host) and p. hispaniolensis (passeriformes, passeridae) from bulgaria. contrary to previous opinions recog ...201323990424
localisation of the putative magnetoreceptive protein cryptochrome 1b in the retinae of migratory birds and homing pigeons.cryptochromes are ubiquitously expressed in various animal tissues including the retina. some cryptochromes are involved in regulating circadian activity. cryptochrome proteins have also been suggested to mediate the primary mechanism in light-dependent magnetic compass orientation in birds. cryptochrome 1b (cry1b) exhibits a unique carboxy terminus exclusively found in birds so far, which might be indicative for a specialised function. cryptochrome 1a (cry1a) is so far the only cryptochrome pro ...201626953791
diversity and seasonal patterns of ticks parasitizing wild birds in western portugal.the diversity and abundance of questing ticks and ticks parasitizing birds was assessed during 1 year in two recreational forests in western portugal, a suburban forest and an enclosed game area. the aim of this study was to assess the distribution and seasonality of tick species and to understand the role of bird species as hosts for ticks. ixodes ricinus was the most abundant questing tick collected in the enclosed game area, whereas in the suburban forest, only three ticks were collected by b ...201222669280
lateralized activation of cluster n in the brains of migratory songbirds.cluster n is a cluster of forebrain regions found in night-migratory songbirds that shows high activation of activity-dependent gene expression during night-time vision. we have suggested that cluster n may function as a specialized night-vision area in night-migratory birds and that it may be involved in processing light-mediated magnetic compass information. here, we investigated these ideas. we found a significant lateralized dominance of cluster n activation in the right hemisphere of europe ...200717331212
seasonal changes in colour: a comparison of structural, melanin- and carotenoid-based plumage colours.plumage coloration is important for bird communication, most notably in sexual signalling. colour is often considered a good quality indicator, and the expression of exaggerated colours may depend on individual condition during moult. after moult, plumage coloration has been deemed fixed due to the fact that feathers are dead structures. still, many plumage colours change after moult, although whether this affects signalling has not been sufficiently assessed.201020644723
a preliminary investigation on ticks (acari: ixodidae) infesting birds in kızılırmak delta, turkey.ticks are mandatory blood-feeding ectoparasites of mammals, birds, reptiles, and even amphibians. turkey has a rich bird fauna and is located on the main migration route for many birds. however, information on ticks infesting birds is very limited. in the present study, we aimed to determine ticks infesting birds in kızılırmak delta, turkey. in 2014 autumn bird migration season, a total of 7,452 birds belonging to 79 species, 52 genera, 35 families, and 14 orders were examined for tick infestati ...201626487249
nestling mouth colour: ecological correlates of a begging signal.the mouths of begging nestlings vary widely in colour, ranging from yellow in robins, erithacus rubecula, to red in reed buntings, emberiza schoeniclus. two functions have been suggested for bright nestling mouth colour: (1) it may improve the detectability of chicks, particularly in poorly lit nests and (2) within species, it may signal need. we tested these hypotheses in a comparative analysis, measuring the mouth colours of nestlings from 31 species under conditions of standardized light avai ...19989784220
provenance does matter: links between winter trophic segregation and the migratory origins of european robins.amongst migratory species, it is common to find individuals from different populations or geographical origins sharing staging or wintering areas. given their differing life histories, ecological theory would predict that the different groups of individuals should exhibit some level of niche segregation. this has rarely been investigated because of the difficulty in assigning migrating individuals to breeding areas. here, we start by documenting a broad geographical gradient of hydrogen isotopes ...201627638183
weak broadband electromagnetic fields are more disruptive to magnetic compass orientation in a night-migratory songbird (erithacus rubecula) than strong narrow-band fields.magnetic compass orientation in night-migratory songbirds is embedded in the visual system and seems to be based on a light-dependent radical pair mechanism. recent findings suggest that both broadband electromagnetic fields ranging from ~2 khz to ~9 mhz and narrow-band fields at the so-called larmor frequency for a free electron in the earth's magnetic field can disrupt this mechanism. however, due to local magnetic fields generated by nuclear spins, effects specific to the larmor frequency are ...201627047356
seasonally changing cryptochrome 1b expression in the retinal ganglion cells of a migrating passerine bird.cryptochromes, blue-light absorbing proteins involved in the circadian clock, have been proposed to be the receptor molecules of the avian magnetic compass. in birds, several cryptochromes occur: cryptochrome 2, cryptochrome 4 and two splice products of cryptochrome 1, cry1a and cry1b. with an antibody not distinguishing between the two splice products, cryptochrome 1 had been detected in the retinal ganglion cells of garden warblers during migration. a recent study located cry1a in the outer se ...201626953690
'candidatus rickettsia mendelii', a novel basal group rickettsia detected in ixodes ricinus ticks in the czech republic.a novel rickettsial sequence in the citrate synthase glta gene indicating a novel rickettsia species has been detected in 7 out of 4524 ixodes ricinus ticks examined within several surveys performed in the czech republic from 2005 to 2009. this new candidatus rickettsia sp. sequence has been found in 2 nymphs feeding on wild birds (luscinia megarhynchos and erithacus rubecula), in a male tick from vegetation, and 4 ticks feeding on a dog (3 males, 1 female tick). portions of the ompa, ompb, sca4 ...201626873811
migratory connectivity and effects of winter temperatures on migratory behaviour of the european robin erithacus rubecula: a continent-wide analysis.many partially migratory species show phenotypically divergent populations in terms of migratory behaviour, with climate hypothesized to be a major driver of such variability through its differential effects on sedentary and migratory individuals. based on long-term (1947-2011) bird ringing data, we analysed phenotypic differentiation of migratory behaviour among populations of the european robin erithacus rubecula across europe. we showed that clusters of populations sharing breeding and winter ...201626820488
re-calibration of the magnetic compass in hand-raised european robins (erithacus rubecula).migratory birds can use a variety of environmental cues for orientation. a primary calibration between the celestial and magnetic compasses seems to be fundamental prior to a bird's first autumn migration. releasing hand-raised or rescued young birds back into the wild might therefore be a problem because they might not have established a functional orientation system during their first calendar year. here, we test whether hand-raised european robins that did not develop any functional compass b ...201526388258
ticks on passerines from the archipelago of the azores as hosts of borreliae and rickettsiae.we examined the presence of borreliae and rickettsiae bacteria in ticks from wild passerine birds on three islands of the archipelago of the azores, the westernmost region of palearctic. a total of 266 birds belonging to eight species from seven families were examined on são miguel, santa maria and graciosa islands in 2013. ticks collected from these birds consisted of 55 ixodes frontalis (22 larvae, 32 nymphs, 1 adult female) and 16 haemaphysalis punctata nymphs. turdus merula and erithacus rub ...201526013915
magnetoreception in birds: ii. behavioural experiments concerning the cryptochrome cycle.behavioural tests of the magnetic compass of birds and corresponding immunohistological studies on the activation of retinal cryptochrome 1a, the putative receptor molecule, showed oriented behaviour and activated cry1a under 373 nm uv, 424 nm blue, 502 nm turquoise and 565 nm green light, although the last wavelength does not allow the first step of photoreduction of cryptochrome to the semiquinone form. the tested birds had been kept under 'white' light before, hence we suggested that there wa ...201425472973
regulatory mechanisms of testosterone-stimulated song in the sensorimotor nucleus hvc of female songbirds.in male birds, influence of the sex steroid hormone testosterone and its estrogenic metabolites on seasonal song behavior has been demonstrated for many species. in contrast, female song was only recently recognized to be widespread among songbird species, and to date, sex hormone effects on singing and brain regions controlling song development and production (song control nuclei) have been studied in females almost exclusively using domesticated canaries (serinus canaria). however, domesticate ...201425442096
aprocta cylindrica (nematoda) infection in a european robin (erithacus rubecula) in britain.a european robin (erithacus rubecula) found dead in england had marked blepharitis and periocular alopecia associated with aprocta cylindrica (nematoda: aproctidae) and concurrent mixed fungal infections. aprocta cylindrica should be considered a differential diagnosis in periocular abnormalities of robins and other insectivorous, migratory passerines in western europe.201425121405
magnetic orientation of garden warblers (sylvia borin) under 1.4 mhz radiofrequency magnetic field.we report on the experiments on orientation of a migratory songbird, the garden warbler (sylvia borin), during the autumn migration period on the courish spit, eastern baltics. birds in experimental cages, deprived of visual information, showed the seasonally appropriate direction of intended flight with respect to the magnetic meridian. weak radiofrequency (rf) magnetic field (190 nt at 1.4 mhz) disrupted this orientation ability. these results may be considered as an independent replication of ...201424942848
oxidative stress in endurance flight: an unconsidered factor in bird migration.migrating birds perform extraordinary endurance flights, up to 200 h non-stop, at a very high metabolic rate and while fasting. such an intense and prolonged physical activity is normally associated with an increased production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (rons) and thus increased risk of oxidative stress. however, up to now it was unknown whether endurance flight evokes oxidative stress. we measured a marker of oxidative damage (protein carbonyls, pcs) and a marker of enzymatic anti ...201424830743
anthropogenic electromagnetic noise disrupts magnetic compass orientation in a migratory bird.electromagnetic noise is emitted everywhere humans use electronic devices. for decades, it has been hotly debated whether man-made electric and magnetic fields affect biological processes, including human health. so far, no putative effect of anthropogenic electromagnetic noise at intensities below the guidelines adopted by the world health organization has withstood the test of independent replication under truly blinded experimental conditions. no effect has therefore been widely accepted as s ...201424805233
a bird distribution model for ring recovery data: where do the european robins go?for the study of migratory connectivity, birds have been individually marked by metal rings for more than 100 years. the resulting ring recovery data have been compiled in numerous bird migration atlases. however, estimation of what proportion of a particular population is migrating to which region is confounded by spatial heterogeneity in ring recovery probability. we present a product multinomial model that enables quantifying the continent-wide distribution of different bird populations durin ...201424683455
anthropogenic noise affects vocal interactions.animal communication plays a crucial role in many species, and it involves a sender producing a signal and a receiver responding to that signal. the shape of a signal is determined by selection pressures acting upon it. one factor that exerts selection on acoustic signals is the acoustic environment through which the signal is transmitted. recent experimental studies clearly show that senders adjust their signals in response to increased levels of anthropogenic noise. however, to understand how ...201424333298
dna-barcoding contradicts morphology in quill mite species torotrogla merulae and t. rubeculi (prostigmata: syringophilidae).torotrogla merulae skoracki, dabert et ehrnsberger, 2000 and t. rubeculi skoracki, 2004 have been considered as distinct steno- and monoxenous quill mite species (acari: prostigmata: syringophilidae) parasitizing the thrushes of the genus turdus linnaeus and the european robin erithacus rubecula (linnaeus), respectively. morphological and molecular studies on the taxonomical status of these two species provided contradictory results. well defined differences in morphology were not supported by s ...201323539952
experimentally increased noise levels change spatial and singing behaviour.the reasons why animal populations decline in response to anthropogenic noise are still poorly understood. to understand how populations are affected by noise, we must understand how individuals are affected by noise. by modifying the acoustic environment experimentally, we studied the potential relationship between noise levels and both spatial and singing behaviour in the european robin (erithacus rubecula). we found that with increasing noise levels, males were more likely to move away from t ...201323173189
night-migratory songbirds possess a magnetic compass in both eyes.previous studies on european robins, erithacus rubecula, and australian silvereyes, zosterops lateralis, had suggested that magnetic compass information is being processed only in the right eye and left brain hemisphere of migratory birds. however, recently it was demonstrated that both garden warblers, sylvia borin, and european robins have a magnetic compass in both eyes. these results raise the question if the strong lateralization effect observed in earlier experiments might have arisen from ...201222984416
development of lateralization of the magnetic compass in a migratory bird.the magnetic compass of a migratory bird, the european robin (erithacus rubecula), was shown to be lateralized in favour of the right eye/left brain hemisphere. however, this seems to be a property of the avian magnetic compass that is not present from the beginning, but develops only as the birds grow older. during first migration in autumn, juvenile robins can orient by their magnetic compass with their right as well as with their left eye. in the following spring, however, the magnetic compas ...201222933375
avian ultraviolet/violet cones as magnetoreceptors: the problem of separating visual and magnetic information.in a recent paper, we described the localization of cryptochrome 1a in the retina of domestic chickens, gallus gallus, and european robins, erithacus rubecula: cryptochrome 1a was found exclusively along the membranes of the disks in the outer segments of the ultraviolet/violet single cones. cryptochrome has been suggested to act as receptor molecule for the avian magnetic compass, which would mean that the uv/v cones have a double function: they mediate vision in the short-wavelength range and, ...201122446535
ixodes eldaricus djaparidze, 1950 (ixodidae) on migrating birds--reported first time in poland.during the ornithological "operation baltic" on the hel peninsula (the baltic sea coast in poland) the first case of transfer to poland of ticks of the species ixodes eldaricus djaparidze, 1950, on prunella modularis (one female tick) and erithacus rubecula (two males and one female tick). p. modularis and e. rubecula have not previously been recorded among the hosts of this tick species. although the natural populations of i. eldaricus are very distant from poland, it should be taken into accou ...201222142944
magnetic orientation of migratory robins, erithacus rubecula, under long-wavelength light.the avian magnetic compass is an inclination compass that appears to be based on radical pair processes. it requires light from the short-wavelength range of the spectrum up to 565 nm green light; under longer wavelengths, birds are disoriented. when pre-exposed to longer wavelengths for 1 h, however, they show oriented behavior. this orientation is analyzed under 582 nm yellow light and 645 nm red light in the present study: while the birds in spring prefer northerly directions, they do not sho ...201121865522
robins have a magnetic compass in both eyes.arising from w. wiltschko et al. 419, 467-470 (2002); wiltschko et al. replythe magnetic compass of migratory birds is embedded in the visual system and it has been reported by wiltschko et al. that european robins, erithacus rubecula, cannot show magnetic compass orientation using their left eye only. this has led to the notion that the magnetic compass should be located only in the right eye of birds. however, a complete right lateralization of the magnetic compass would be very surprising, an ...201121455128
microfilariae in birds in the czech republic, including a note on adult nematodes eufilaria delicata in a song thrush turdus philomelos.blood samples of more than 1,100 passerineform birds of 40 species were investigated for the occurrence of microfilariae. in the year 2005, 3 out of 677 birds of 31 species (prevalence 0.4%) were infected with microfilariae during the post-nesting period. during the pre-nesting period in the year 2007, 11 out of 438 birds of 31 species were infected with microfilariae (prevalence 2.5%). both the pre-nesting and post-nesting examinations were conducted at the same location in the northeastern par ...201121400118
interaction of magnetite-based receptors in the beak with the visual system underlying 'fixed direction' responses in birds.european robins, erithacus rubecula, show two types of directional responses to the magnetic field: (1) compass orientation that is based on radical pair processes and lateralized in favor of the right eye and (2) so-called 'fixed direction' responses that originate in the magnetite-based receptors in the upper beak. both responses are light-dependent. lateralization of the 'fixed direction' responses would suggest an interaction between the two magnetoreception systems.201020707905
multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of old world chats and flycatchers reveals extensive paraphyly at family, subfamily and genus level (aves: muscicapidae).the chats and flycatchers (muscicapidae) represent an assemblage of 275 species in 48 genera. defining natural groups within this assemblage has been challenging because of its high diversity and a paucity of phylogenetically informative morphological characters. we assessed the phylogenetic relationships of 124 species and 34 genera of muscicapidae, and 20 species of turdidae, using molecular sequence data from one mitochondrial gene and three nuclear loci, in total 3240bp. bayesian and maximum ...201020656044
magnetic field changes activate the trigeminal brainstem complex in a migratory bird.the upper beak of birds, which contains putative magnetosensory ferro-magnetic structures, is innervated by the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (v1). however, because of the absence of replicable neurobiological evidence, a general acceptance of the involvement of the trigeminal nerve in magnetoreception is lacking in birds. using an antibody to zenk protein to indicate neuronal activation, we here document reliable magnetic activation of neurons in and near the principal (prv) and spi ...201020439705
orientation of birds in total darkness.magnetic compass orientation of migratory birds is known to be light dependent, and radical-pair processes have been identified as the underlying mechanism. here we report for the first time results of tests with european robins, erithacus rubecula, in total darkness and, as a control, under 565 nm green light. under green light, the robins oriented in their normal migratory direction, with southerly headings in autumn and northerly headings in spring. by contrast, in darkness they significantly ...200818424144
light-dependent magnetoreception: quantum catches and opponency mechanisms of possible photosensitive molecules.dozens of experiments on magnetosensitive, migratory birds have shown that their magnetic orientation behavior depends on the spectrum of light under which they are tested. however, it is not certain whether this is due to a direct effect on the magnetoreceptive system and which photosensitive molecules may be involved. we examined 62 experiments of light-dependent magnetoreception in three crepuscular and nocturnal migrants (48 for the european robin erithacus rubecula, ten for the silvereye zo ...200717766294
fuelling decisions in migratory birds: geomagnetic cues override the seasonal effect.recent evaluations of both temporal and spatial precision in bird migration have called for external cues in addition to the inherited programme defining the migratory journey in terms of direction, distance and fuelling behaviour along the route. we used juvenile european robins (erithacus rubecula) to study whether geomagnetic cues affect fuel deposition in a medium-distance migrant by simulating a migratory journey from southeast sweden to the wintering area in southern spain. in the late pha ...200717609189
daytime noise predicts nocturnal singing in urban robins.ambient noise interferes with the propagation of acoustic signals through the environment from sender to receiver. over the past few centuries, urbanization and the development of busy transport networks have led to dramatic increases in the levels of ambient noise with which animal acoustic communications must compete. here we show that urban european robins erithacus rubecula, highly territorial birds reliant on vocal communication, reduce acoustic interference by singing during the night in a ...200717456449
light-dependent magnetoreception in birds: increasing intensity of monochromatic light changes the nature of the response.the radical pair model proposes that magnetoreception is a light-dependent process. under low monochromatic light from the short-wavelength part of the visual spectrum, migratory birds show orientation in their migratory direction. under monochromatic light of higher intensity, however, they showed unusual preferences for other directions or axial preferences. to determine whether or not these responses are still controlled by the respective light regimes, european robins, erithacus rubecula, we ...200717302975
redescriptions of monosertum parinum (dujardin, 1845) and m. mariae (mettrick, 1958) n. comb. from european passerine birds, with an amended generic diagnosis of monosertum bona, 1994 (cestoda: dilepididae).the type-species of monosertum bona, 1994, m. parinum (dujardin, 1845), is redescribed on the basis of the neotype designated by bona (1994). m. mariae (mettrick, 1958) n. comb. (originally paricterotaenia mariae mettrick, 1958) is recorded and redescribed from erithacus rubecula l. (passeriformes: turdidae) in the kaliningradskaya oblast', russia (new geographical record). an amended generic diagnosis of monosertum is presented.200717120137
vortex wakes generated by robins erithacus rubecula during free flight in a wind tunnel.the wakes of two individual robins were measured in digital particle image velocimetry (dpiv) experiments conducted in the lund wind tunnel. wake measurements were compared with each other, and with previous studies in the same facility. there was no significant individual variation in any of the measured quantities. qualitatively, the wake structure and its gradual variation with flight speed were exactly as previously measured for the thrush nightingale. a procedure that accounts for the dispa ...200616849236
optimal stopover decisions of migrating birds under variable stopover quality: model predictions and the field data.dataset on departure fuel loads, stopover length and fuel deposition rate of the european robins erithacus rubecula during their migration in the baltic area is presented. we test these empirical data against the predictions of an optimal migration model assuming that robins minimize time spent on migration, and that fuel deposition rate varies stochastically. the latter assumption sets this model apart from the alternative ones and makes it more realistic. in particular, it is applicable in fre ...200615329011
light-dependent magnetoreception in birds: the behaviour of european robins, erithacus rubecula, under monochromatic light of various wavelengths and intensities.to investigate how magnetoreception is affected by the wavelength and intensity of light, we tested european robins, erithacus rubecula, under monochromatic lights of various wavelengths at two intensities using oriented behaviour as an indicator of whether the birds could derive directional information from the geomagnetic field. at a quantal flux of 7 x 10(15) quanta s(-1) m(-2), the birds were well oriented in their migratory direction east of north under 424 nm blue, 510 nm turquoise and 565 ...200111606603
a mathematical expectation model for bird navigation based on the clock-and-compass strategy.we present here a mathematical formula for the directional distribution of migratory birds if they use a vector navigation/clock-and-compass strategy to find their winter quarters. it is based on mathematical expectation theory and shows that a simple parabola can describe the expected geographical spread of clock-and-compass birds as a function of migratory distance. predictions based on this model are then tested against all same autumn ringing recoveries of first-season pied flycatchers, fice ...200011034834
territoriality as a paternity guard in the european robin, erithacus rubecula.to investigate the relative importance of paternity defences in the european robin we used behavioural observations, simulated intrusions and temporary male removal experiments. given that paired males did not increase their mate attendance, copulation rate or territory size during the female's fertile period, the most frequently quoted paternity assurance strategies in birds were absent. however, males with fertile females sang and patrolled their territories more regularly, suggesting that ter ...200010973717
strategic diel regulation of body mass in european robins.stochastic dynamic programming (sdp) is a computational technique that has been used to model daily routines of foraging in small birds. a diurnal bird must build up its fat reserves towards dusk in order to avoid starvation during the night, when it cannot feed. however, as well as the benefits of avoiding starvation, storing fat imposes costs such as an increased predation risk and higher flight and metabolic costs. there is therefore an optimal level of fat reserves for a bird to reach at dus ...200010792933
the effect of variability in the food supply on the daily singing routines of european robins: a test of a stochastic dynamic programming model.a stochastic dynamic programming (sdp) model offers a general explanation of daily singing routines in birds, but remains almost untested empirically. i examined a central prediction of the sdp model, that a more variable food supply decreases the bird's song output at dawn, relative to its song output at dusk. i provided supplementary food to make the food supply more or less variable over 2-week periods in the territories of free-living european robins erithacus rubecula. robins sang relativel ...199910049476
two tests of a stochastic dynamic programming model of daily singing routines in birds.many hypotheses have been put forward to account for the dawn chorus in birds. few of these, however, are able to account for variation in song output over the whole day, or for differences in daily singing routines between species, individuals, seasons and environmental conditions. one hypothesis that does offer a more general explanation is based on a stochastic dynamic programming (sdp) model of daily singing routines. this model relates the relative costs and benefits of feeding and singing ...199910049466
territorial aggression and song of male european robins (erithacus rubecula) in autumn and spring: effects of antiandrogen treatment.male robins aggressively defending a feeding territory in winter have low levels of testosterone, while males defending a breeding territory in spring have elevated levels of testosterone. song is an integrated part of territorial defense during both phases. we investigated whether testosterone is involved in the expression of these behaviors by treating free-living and captive male robins during both phases with the antiandrogen flutamide. results suggest that, similar to species in which terri ...19912066079
[parasitic nematoda of the robin--erithacus rubecula l. (turdidae) from the region of wrocław]. 19846537105
two new coccidians from passeriform birds.a description is given of two new coccidians, caryospora jiroveci sp.n. from erithacus rubecula and eimeria depuytoraci sp.n. from sylvia curruca. this is the second finding of a caryospora species from passeriform birds and the first finding of an eimeria species from sylviids.1976827478
the interaction of stars and magnetic field in the orientation system of night migrating birds. ii. spring experiments with european robins (erithacus rubecula).to investigate the relative importance of stellar and magnetic cues for the compass orientation of night migrating birds, 45 european robins (erithacus rubecula) were tested in automatically registering cages with view of the clear natural night sky. one group was tested in the natural local geomagnetic field, the other group in a field pointing to 120 degrees ese; birds from both groups were additionally tested in a magnetic field the horizontal component of which was compensated. the observed ...19751231422
effect of pcb on nocturnal activity in caged robins, erithacus rubecula l. 19714931612
[on the effect of static magnetic fields on the migratory orientation of the robin (erithacus rubecula)]. 19685710023
[reactogenic value of the acoustic frequencies in the territorial defense signal of the robin (erithacus rubecula)]. 196514331242
[on some reactogenic properties of the motif of the acoustic signal of territorial defense of the robin (erithacus rubecula)]. 196414253247
[preliminary study of the decoding of information contained in the territorial acoustic signal of the robin red-breast (erithacus rubecula l.)]. 196113689376
spatial behavior of medium and long-distance migrants at stopovers studied by radio tracking.spatial behavior and range of movements at daytime stopovers of three species of passerine nocturnal migrants (european robins, sedge warbler, and pied flycatchers) were studied by radio tracking. both in spring and in fall, 94% of european robins remained within 350-400 m of their landing location (n = 51 and 65, respectively). movements of robins became more area-restricted with more time spent at stopover. sedge warblers never moved more than 335 m (n = 12). a reason for this could be their r ...200516055857
singing from north to south: latitudinal variation in timing of dawn singing under natural and artificial light conditions.1. animals breeding at northern latitudes experience drastic changes in daily light conditions during the breeding season with decreasing periods of darkness, whereas those living at lower latitudes are exposed to naturally dark nights throughout the year. nowadays, many animals are also exposed to artificial night lighting (often referred to as light pollution). 2. animals strongly rely on variation in light levels to time their daily and seasonal behaviour. previous work on passerine birds sho ...201728796893
very weak oscillating magnetic field disrupts the magnetic compass of songbird migrants.previously, it has been shown that long-distance migrants, garden warblers (sylvia borin), were disoriented in the presence of narrow-band oscillating magnetic field (1.403 mhz omf, 190 nt) during autumn migration. this agrees with the data of previous experiments with european robins (erithacus rubecula). in this study, we report the results of experiments with garden warblers tested under a 1.403 mhz omf with various amplitudes (∼0.4, 1, ∼2.4, 7 and 20 nt). we found that the ability of garden ...201728794163
emlen funnel experiments revisited: methods update for studying compass orientation in songbirds.migratory songbirds carry an inherited capacity to migrate several thousand kilometers each year crossing continental landmasses and barriers between distant breeding sites and wintering areas. how individual songbirds manage with extreme precision to find their way is still largely unknown. the functional characteristics of biological compasses used by songbird migrants has mainly been investigated by recording the birds directed migratory activity in circular cages, so-called emlen funnels. th ...201628725370
plasma corticosterone concentrations in european robins during spring and autumn migration.to estimate differences in hormonal mechanisms of regulation of spring and autumn migration in european robins erithacus rubecula, the plasma corticosterone (cort) concentrations were compared in birds caught during both migratory seasons. a total of 414 blood samples were analyzed. it was found that the baseline and stress-induced cort concentrations in free-living robins during spring migration were practically twice as high as during autumn passage. our results demonstrate that autumn and spr ...201728508203
magnetic activation in the brain of the migratory northern wheatear (oenanthe oenanthe).behavioural and neurobiological evidence suggests the involvement of the visual and trigeminal sensory systems in avian magnetoreception. the constantly growing array of new genetic approaches becoming available to scientists would bear great potential to contribute to a generally accepted understanding of the mechanisms underlying this ability, but would require to breed migratory birds in captivity. here we show that the transcontinental night-migratory northern wheatear (oenanthe oenanthe), w ...201728361169
Displaying items 1 - 100 of 148