Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year Filter | PMID(sorted descending) Filter |
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| three babesia species in ixodes ricinus ticks from migratory birds in sweden. | migratory birds can cross geographical and environmental barriers and are thereby able to facilitate transmission of tick-borne pathogens both as carriers of infected ticks and as reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms. ixodes ricinus is one of the most abundant tick species in the northern hemisphere and a main vector of several babesia species, some which pose a potential threat to human and animal health. at present only two cases of overt babesiosis in humans have so far been reported in sw ... | 2021 | 33794970 |
| migratory birds as disseminators of ticks and the tick-borne pathogens borrelia bacteria and tick-borne encephalitis (tbe) virus: a seasonal study at ottenby bird observatory in south-eastern sweden. | birds can act as reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens and can also disperse pathogen-containing ticks to both nearby and remote localities. the aims of this study were to estimate tick infestation patterns on migratory birds and the prevalence of different borrelia species and tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) in ticks removed from birds in south-eastern sweden. | 2020 | 33272317 |
| mitochondrial dna in ixodus ricinus (acari: ixodidae) on birds reflects ticks' transportation routes to lista, norway. | ticks are important pathogen vectors, and large mammals and birds have the greatest potential for dispersing them. to study tick dispersal by migrating birds, we have analysed genetic variations in mitochondrial dna control region from ixodes ricinus from northward migrating blackbird, turdus merula, and (european) robin, erithacus rubecula, at the lista bird observatory in southwestern norway. we compared their genetic structure with that of resident tick populations from areas covering their e ... | 2020 | 33130437 |
| meteorological factors affecting refueling of european robin (erithacus rubecula) during migrations. | weather ultimately affects avian migration. the significance of meteorological variables is relatively well known for flights of migrants and for departure/landing decisions at stopover sites. success of migration greatly depends on storage of fat and body mass gain at stopovers; however, the influence of weather on refueling at stopovers is surprisingly poorly studied. we tested the hypothesis that body mass change of european robins during their migratory stopovers is affected by meteorologica ... | 2020 | 33068144 |
| temperature change is an important departure cue in nocturnal migrants: controlled experiments with wild-caught birds in a proof-of-concept study. | the decision-making process of migrating birds at stopover sites is a complex interplay of the innate migration program and both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. while it is well studied how variation in precipitation, wind and air pressure influence this process, there is less evidence of the effects of temperature changes on the departure decision. thus, we lack knowledge on how the predicted changes due to global climate change in temperature alone may affect the decision-making process durin ... | 2020 | 33023413 |
| free-ranging avifauna as a source of generalist parasites for captive birds in zoological settings: an overview of parasite records and potential for cross-transmission. | captive birds in zoological settings often harbor parasites, but little information is available about the potential for free-ranging avifauna to act as a source of infection. this review summarizes the gastrointestinal parasites found in zoo birds globally and in seven common free-ranging avian species [mallard (anas platyrhynchos), eurasian blackbird (turdus merula), common starling (sturnus vulgaris), eurasian jackdaw (corvus monedula), house sparrow (passer domesticus), european robin (erith ... | 2020 | 33005675 |
| a novel isoform of cryptochrome 4 (cry4b) is expressed in the retina of a night-migratory songbird. | the primary sensory molecule underlying light-dependent magnetic compass orientation in migratory birds has still not been identified. the cryptochromes are the only known class of vertebrate proteins which could mediate this mechanism in the avian retina. cryptochrome 4 of the night-migratory songbird the european robin (erithacus rubecula; ercry4) has several of the properties needed to be the primary magnetoreceptor in the avian eye. here, we report on the identification of a novel isoform of ... | 2020 | 32978454 |
| effects of forest structure on the interaction between avian hosts, dipteran vectors and haemosporidian parasites. | forest habitats are important biodiversity refuges for a wide variety of bird species. parasitism may modulate host species presence and abundance, and parasite effects can change according to forest management practices. such processes are not well studied in vector-borne avian haemosporidians. we analyzed the effects of forest management on bird-dipteran-haemosporidian interactions, using seven common bird species in managed and unmanaged beech forest habitats in northeastern germany. we assum ... | 2020 | 32814584 |
| a quasi-experimental approach using telemetry to assess migration-strategy-specific differences in the decision-making processes at stopover. | migrant birds travel between their breeding areas and wintering grounds by alternating energetically and physiologically demanding flights with periods of rest and fuelling, so-called stopovers. an important intrinsic factor influencing the decision to resume migration is the amount of energy stores available for the next flight. correlative studies with free-flying birds and experimental studies with caged birds have shown that the amount of energy stores affects the day-to-day, within-day and ... | 2020 | 32641125 |
| isospora oliveirai n. sp. (chromista: miozoa: eimeriidae) from the greenish schiffornis schiffornis virescens (lafresnaye, 1838) (passeriformes: tyranni: tityridae) in south america. | coccidia are obligatory intracellular parasites with at least one intestinal phase in their life cycles, being isospora schneider, 1881 the main coccidian genus related to the order passeriformes. however, there is no record of isosporans from the passerine family tityridae, which is the family of the greenish schiffornis schiffornis virescens (lafresnaye, 1838). | 2020 | 32494953 |
| protein-protein interaction of the putative magnetoreceptor cryptochrome 4 expressed in the avian retina. | migratory birds can sense the earth's magnetic field and use it for orientation over thousands of kilometres. a light-dependent radical-pair mechanism associated with the visual system is currently discussed as the underlying mechanism of the magnetic compass sense. the blue light receptor cryptochrome 4 (cry4) is considered as the most likely primary sensory protein that detects the geomagnetic field. since the protein interaction partners of cry4 are completely unknown at present, here, we aim ... | 2020 | 32355203 |
| no evidence for the use of magnetic declination for migratory navigation in two songbird species. | determining the east-west position was a classical problem in human sea navigation until accurate clocks were manufactured and sailors were able to measure the difference between local time and a fixed reference to determine longitude. experienced night-migratory songbirds can correct for east-west physical and virtual magnetic displacements to unknown locations. migratory birds do not appear to possess a time-different clock sense; therefore, they must solve the longitude problem in a different ... | 2020 | 32330188 |
| mechanical and structural adaptations to migration in the flight feathers of a palaearctic passerine. | current avian migration patterns in temperate regions have been developed during the glacial retreat and subsequent colonization of the ice-free areas during the holocene. this process resulted in a geographic gradient of greater seasonality as latitude increased that favoured migration-related morphological and physiological (co)adaptations. most evidence of avian morphological adaptations to migration comes from the analysis of variation in the length and shape of the wings, but the existence ... | 2020 | 32282960 |
| stopover departure decisions in songbirds: do long-distance migrants depart earlier and more independently of weather conditions than medium-distance migrants? | songbirds following distinct migration strategies (e.g. long- vs. short- to medium-distance migrants) often differ in their speed of migration during autumn and, thus, are assumed to face different time constraints. during migration, most songbird species alternate migratory flights with stopover periods. many of them restrict these migratory flights to the night, i.e., they are nocturnal migrants. at stopover, nocturnal migrants need to select a specific night (night-to-night decision) and time ... | 2020 | 32047634 |
| host dispersal shapes the population structure of a tick-borne bacterial pathogen. | birds are hosts for several zoonotic pathogens. because of their high mobility, especially of longdistance migrants, birds can disperse these pathogens, affecting their distribution and phylogeography. we focused on borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which includes the causative agents of lyme borreliosis, as an example for tick-borne pathogens, to address the role of birds as propagation hosts of zoonotic agents at a large geographical scale. we collected ticks from passerine birds in 11 european ... | 2020 | 31846173 |
| temporary caging results in reduced levels of circulating melatonin in migratory robins. | the hormone melatonin, a main component of the avian circadian system, plays an important role in the physiological transitions that accompany activation of the migratory phenotype in passerine birds. most small passerines migrate at night when circulating concentrations of melatonin are elevated. previous work measured nocturnal melatonin levels of migratory birds only in captive animals, because free-living individuals are usually caught in the daytime. in this study, we compared nocturnal mel ... | 2019 | 31767734 |
| signal complexity communicates aggressive intent during contests, but the process is disrupted by noise. | contestants use displays to signal their aggressive intent and settle disputes before they escalate. for birds, this is often in the form of song, which can vary in structural complexity. the role of song complexity in signalling aggressive intent has not been fully established, and its efficacy could be influenced by background noise levels. using playback experiments, we found that in european robins, erithacus rubecula, song complexity signalled sender aggression and affected receiver respons ... | 2019 | 30991914 |
| high brdu sensitivity of passeriformes chromosomes: conservation of brdu-sensitive fragile sites on their z chromosomes during evolution. | amongst 15 bird species, representative of 7 orders, recurrent breakages evocating the presence of fragile sites were detected in the chromosomes of the 5 species belonging to passeriformes. these breaks appeared when 5-bromodeoxyuridine (brdu) was added to the cell culture medium at a dose inefficient for inducing chromosome structure alterations in other birds and mammals. they involved, similarly in male and female, 3 loci on the z chromosome of 3 turdus species (turdidae). labeling by brdu a ... | 2019 | 30974432 |
| magnetic storms disrupt nocturnal migratory activity in songbirds. | birds possess a magnetic sense and rely on the earth's magnetic field for orientation during migration. however, the geomagnetic field can be altered by solar activity at relative unpredictable intervals. how birds cope with the temporal geomagnetic variations caused by solar storms during migration is still unclear. we addressed this question by reproducing the effect of a solar storm on the geomagnetic field and monitoring the activity of three songbird species during autumn migration. we foun ... | 2019 | 30862307 |
| ticks (acari: ixodida) on birds (aves) migrating through the polish baltic coast. | seasonal bird (aves) migration between breeding and wintering areas, often located on different continents, can facilitate the spreading of tick species (acari: ixodida) and of tick-borne pathogens. the aim of the study was to analyse the occurrence of ticks dispersed by birds migrating along the polish baltic coast during spring and autumn migration. field research was conducted at the bird ringing station in wicie, located on the middle of the polish baltic coast, in 2011 and 2012 during sprin ... | 2019 | 30771037 |
| screening for multiple tick-borne pathogens in ixodes ricinus ticks from birds in denmark during spring and autumn migration seasons. | presently, it is uncertain to what extent seasonal migrating birds contribute to the introduction of ticks and tick-associated pathogens in denmark. to quantify this phenomenon, we captured birds during the spring and autumn migration at three field sites in denmark and screened them for ticks. bird-derived ticks were identified to tick species and screened for 37 tick-borne pathogens using real-time pcr. overall, 807 birds, representing 44 bird species, were captured and examined for ticks duri ... | 2019 | 30709658 |
| parasites in space and time: a case study of haemosporidian spatiotemporal prevalence in urban birds. | prevalence responses to anthropic factors differ across hosts and parasite species. we here analyzed the spatiotemporal variation of avian haemosporidian prevalence in bird assemblages of the mooswald forest (i.e., urban greenspace; freiburg, germany), in response to local environmental features (e.g., water sources, human presence (visited)/absence (unvisited)) and bird-level traits (e.g., body condition, age, sex) in 2 years. we used a nested pcr protocol (mitochondrial (mt)dna cytochrome b (c ... | 2019 | 30673588 |
| malaria infection status of european robins seems to associate with timing of autumn migration but not with actual condition. | avian malaria parasites can negatively affect many aspects of the life of the passerines. though these parasites may strongly affect the health and thus migration patterns of the birds also during autumn, previous studies on avian malaria focused mainly on the spring migration and the breeding periods of the birds. we investigated whether the prevalence of blood parasites varies in relation to biometrical traits, body condition and arrival time in the european robin (erithacus rubecula) during a ... | 2019 | 30638174 |
| dogs can be trained to find a bar magnet. | magnetoreception, the ability to sense the earth's magnetic field (mf), is a widespread phenomenon in the animal kingdom. in 1966, the first report on a magnetosensitive vertebrate, the european robin (erithacus rubecula), was published. after that, numerous further species of different taxa have been identified to be magnetosensitive as well. recently, it has been demonstrated that domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris) prefer to align their body axis along the north-south axis during territori ... | 2018 | 30588405 |
| coxiella burnetii in ticks and wild birds. | the study objective was to get more information on c. burnetii prevalence in wild birds and ticks feeding on them, and the potentialities of the pathogen dissemination over europe by both. | 2019 | 30509727 |
| first evidence for the joint dispersal of mycorrhizal fungi and plant diaspores by birds. | seed dispersal allows plants to colonise new sites and escape from pathogens and intraspecific competition, maintaining plant genetic diversity and regulating plant distribution. conversely, most plant species form mutualistic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (am) fungi in a symbiosis established immediately after seed germination. because am fungi are obligate symbionts, using the same dispersal vector as their host should be highly advantageous for their survival, but the co-dispersal ... | 2019 | 30372538 |
| lidocaine is a nocebo treatment for trigeminally mediated magnetic orientation in birds. | even though previously described iron-containing structures in the upper beak of pigeons were almost certainly macrophages, not magnetosensitive neurons, behavioural and neurobiological evidence still supports the involvement of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (v1) in magnetoreception. in previous behavioural studies, inactivation of putative v1-associated magnetoreceptors involved either application of the surface anaesthetic lidocaine to the upper beak or sectioning of v1. here, ... | 2018 | 30089685 |
| atomistic insights into cryptochrome interprotein interactions. | it is striking that the mechanism by which birds sense geomagnetic fields during the biannual migration seasons is not entirely understood. a protein believed to be responsible for avian magnetoreception is the flavoprotein cryptochrome (cry), which fulfills many of the criteria for a magnetic field sensor. some experiments, however, indicate that magnetoreception in birds may be disturbed by extremely weak radio frequency fields, an effect that likely cannot be described by an isolated cry prot ... | 2018 | 30078611 |
| double-cone localization and seasonal expression pattern suggest a role in magnetoreception for european robin cryptochrome 4. | birds seem to use a light-dependent, radical-pair-based magnetic compass. in vertebrates, cryptochromes are the only class of proteins that form radical pairs upon photo-excitation. therefore, they are currently the only candidate proteins for light-dependent magnetoreception. cryptochrome 4 (cry4) is particularly interesting because it has only been found in vertebrates that use a magnetic compass. however, its structure and localization within the retina has remained unknown. here, we sequence ... | 2018 | 29307554 |
| baseline and stress-induced corticosterone levels are higher during spring than autumn migration in european robins. | during spring and autumn migrations, birds undergo a suite of physiological and behavioral adaptations known as migratory disposition. the position of migratory seasons within the annual cycle and specifics of environmental conditions in each season could lead to formation of specific regulatory mechanisms of spring and autumn migratory disposition. however, this topic remains largely unstudied. here we compared corticosterone (cort) concentration (baseline and stress-induced) in european robins ... | 2018 | 29288637 |
| ascorbic acid may not be involved in cryptochrome-based magnetoreception. | seventeen years after it was originally suggested, the photoreceptor protein cryptochrome remains the most probable host for the radical pair intermediates that are thought to be the sensors in the avian magnetic compass. although evidence in favour of this hypothesis is accumulating, the intracellular interaction partners of the sensory protein are still unknown. it has been suggested that ascorbate ions could interact with surface-exposed tryptophan radicals in photoactivated cryptochromes, an ... | 2017 | 29263128 |
| 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 ... | 2017 | 28796893 |
| 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 ... | 2017 | 28794163 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 28725370 |
| 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 ... | 2017 | 28508203 |
| 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 ... | 2017 | 28361169 |
| 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 ... | 1996 | 28307128 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 27638183 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 27353021 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 27349510 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 27047356 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 26953791 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 26953690 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 26902646 |
| '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 ... | 2016 | 26873811 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 26820488 |
| 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 ... | 2016 | 26487249 |
| 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 ... | 2015 | 26388258 |
| 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 ... | 2015 | 26013915 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 25505150 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 25472973 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 25442096 |
| 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. | 2014 | 25121405 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 24947738 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 24942848 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 24830743 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 24805233 |
| orientation of migratory birds under ultraviolet light. | in view of the finding that cryptochrome 1a, the putative receptor molecule for the avian magnetic compass, is restricted to the ultraviolet single cones in european robins, we studied the orientation behaviour of robins and australian silvereyes under monochromatic ultraviolet (uv) light. at low intensity uv light of 0.3 mw/m(2), birds showed normal migratory orientation by their inclination compass, with the directional information originating in radical pair processes in the eye. at 2.8 mw/m( ... | 2014 | 24718656 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 24683455 |
| 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 ... | 2014 | 24333298 |
| 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 ... | 2013 | 23990424 |
| magnetoreception: activated cryptochrome 1a concurs with magnetic orientation in birds. | the radical pair model proposes that the avian magnetic compass is based on radical pair processes in the eye, with cryptochrome, a flavoprotein, suggested as receptor molecule. cryptochrome 1a (cry1a) is localized at the discs of the outer segments of the uv/violet cones of european robins and chickens. here, we show the activation characteristics of a bird cryptochrome in vivo under natural conditions. we exposed chickens for 30 min to different light regimes and analysed the amount of cry1a l ... | 2013 | 23966619 |
| 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 ... | 2013 | 23539952 |
| 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 ... | 2013 | 23430359 |
| a strong magnetic pulse affects the precision of departure direction of naturally migrating adult but not juvenile birds. | the mechanisms by which migratory birds achieve their often spectacular navigational performance are still largely unclear, but perception of cues from the earth's magnetic field is thought to play a role. birds that possess migratory experience can use map-based navigation, which may involve a receptor that uses ferrimagnetic material for detecting gradients in the magnetic field. such a mechanism can be experimentally disrupted by applying a strong magnetic pulse that re-magnetizes ferrimagnet ... | 2013 | 23389901 |
| 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 ... | 2013 | 23289394 |
| 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 ... | 2013 | 23173189 |
| quantum coherence and sensitivity of avian magnetoreception. | migratory birds and other species have the ability to navigate by sensing the geomagnetic field. recent experiments indicate that the essential process in the navigation takes place in the bird's eye and uses chemical reaction involving molecular ions with unpaired electron spins (radical pair). sensing is achieved via geomagnetic-dependent dynamics of the spins of the unpaired electrons. here we utilize the results of two behavioral experiments conducted on european robins to argue that the ave ... | 2012 | 23005606 |
| 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 ... | 2012 | 22984416 |
| 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 ... | 2012 | 22933375 |
| 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 ... | 2012 | 22732161 |
| 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 ... | 2012 | 22669280 |
| the magnetic retina: light-dependent and trigeminal magnetoreception in migratory birds. | recent advances have brought much new insight into the physiological mechanisms and required characteristics of the sensory molecules that enable birds to use magnetic fields for orientation. european robins almost certainly have two magnetodetection senses, one associated with the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, and one based on light-dependent radical-pair processes in both eyes. the first brain areas processing magnetic information from each of these two senses have been identified ... | 2012 | 22465538 |
| 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, ... | 2011 | 22446535 |
| 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 ... | 2012 | 22142944 |
| 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 ... | 2011 | 21865522 |
| 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 ... | 2011 | 21647441 |
| 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 ... | 2011 | 21612531 |
| 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 ... | 2011 | 21455128 |
| 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 ... | 2011 | 21400118 |
| 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., ... | 2010 | 20868431 |
| 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. | 2010 | 20707905 |
| 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 ... | 2010 | 20656044 |
| 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. | 2010 | 20644723 |
| magnetoreception of directional information in birds requires nondegraded vision. | the magnetic compass orientation of birds is light dependent. the respective directional information, originating in radical pair processes, is mediated by the right eye. these findings suggest possible interactions between magnetoreception and vision, in particular with the perception of contours, because the right eye has been found to be dominant in discrimination tasks requiring object vision. here we report tests in the local geomagnetic field with european robins wearing goggles equipped w ... | 2010 | 20619654 |
| 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 ... | 2010 | 20439705 |
| 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 ... | 2010 | 20169083 |
| 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. ... | 2010 | 20140204 |
| visual but not trigeminal mediation of magnetic compass information in a migratory bird. | magnetic compass information has a key role in bird orientation, but the physiological mechanisms enabling birds to sense the earth's magnetic field remain one of the unresolved mysteries in biology. two biophysical mechanisms have become established as the most promising magnetodetection candidates. the iron-mineral-based hypothesis suggests that magnetic information is detected by magnetoreceptors in the upper beak and transmitted through the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve to the br ... | 2009 | 19865170 |
| 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 ... | 2010 | 19760275 |
| light-dependent magnetoreception: orientation behaviour of migratory birds under dim red light. | magnetic compass orientation in migratory birds has been shown to be based on radical pair processes and to require light from the short wavelength part of the spectrum up to 565 nm green. under dim red light of 645 nm wavelength and 1 mw m(-2) intensity, australian silvereyes and european robins showed a westerly tendency that did not change between spring and autumn, identifying it as a 'fixed direction' response. a thorough analysis revealed that this orientation did not involve the inclinati ... | 2008 | 18840669 |
| 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 ... | 2008 | 18568658 |
| 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 ... | 2008 | 18424144 |
| the decoy matters! hormonal and behavioural differences in the reaction of territorial european robins towards stuffed and live decoys. | simulated territorial intrusions (stis) represent a commonly used experimental manipulation to test behavioural and hormonal responses of birds towards conspecific intruders. they are typically either conducted with live birds in a cage or with stuffed decoys. to our knowledge, nobody has tested whether these two different kinds of stimuli elicit the same kind of behavioural and hormonal response. we compared the reactions of european robins to stis with stuffed and live decoys to see whether th ... | 2008 | 17904139 |
| magnetic compass of european robins. | the magnetic compass of european robins does not use the polarity of the magnetic field for detecting the north direction. the birds derive their north direction from interpreting the inclination of the axial direction of the magnetic field lines in space, and they take the direction on the magnetic north-south axis for "north" where field lines and gravity vector form the smaller angle. | 1972 | 17784420 |
| 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 ... | 2007 | 17766294 |
| 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 ... | 2007 | 17609189 |
| 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 ... | 2007 | 17575035 |
| 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 ... | 2007 | 17456449 |
| 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 ... | 2007 | 17331212 |