Publications

[preliminary study of the decoding of information contained in the territorial acoustic signal of the robin red-breast (erithacus rubecula l.)].		1961	13689376
[on some reactogenic properties of the motif of the acoustic signal of territorial defense of the robin (erithacus rubecula)].		1964	14253247
[reactogenic value of the acoustic frequencies in the territorial defense signal of the robin (erithacus rubecula)].		1965	14331242
[on the effect of static magnetic fields on the migratory orientation of the robin (erithacus rubecula)].		1968	5710023
effect of pcb on nocturnal activity in caged robins, erithacus rubecula l.		1971	4931612
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
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 ...	1975	1231422
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.	1976	827478
[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 ...	1981	6455856
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 ...	1982	6800906
[parasitic nematoda of the robin--erithacus rubecula l. (turdidae) from the region of wrocław].		1984	6537105
deuterium and oxygen-18 abundance in birds: implications for dlw energetics studies.	the doubly labeled water (dlw) technique for measuring energy expenditure may employ one (18o) or two (18o and deuterium) stable isotopes as tracers. these occur naturally in the environment, so when they are used as tracers it is necessary to subtract the background levels. few studies report data on background concentrations. this work provides such data for a range of avian species. overall, there was a strong positive correlation (r = 0.63) between the 18o and deuterium concentrations in bir ...	1990	2316726
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 ...	1991	2066079
[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 ...	1991	1844788
[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 ...	1991	1822042
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 ...	1993	8314179
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 ...	1996	8840682
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
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 ...	1997	9352213
prevalence of the trematode collyriclum faba in robins (erithacus rubecula) in slovakia.		1997	9316244
asymmetric territorial contests in the european robin: the role of settlement costs	a widespread feature of territorial systems is that residents almost invariably defeat challengers. this phenomenon has been explained by the existence of value asymmetries, variations in resource-holding potential or an 'owners always win' convention. removal-replacement experiments were performed on 75 robins, erithacus rubeculato test these hypotheses. the settling behaviour of newcomers was also examined in order to identify energetic costs incurred during territory establishment. in winter, ...	1997	9268431
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 ...	1998	9784220
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 ...	1999	10548295
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 ...	1999	10479371
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 ...	1999	10049476
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 ...	1999	10049466
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 ...	2000	11034834
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 ...	2000	10973717
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 ...	2000	10792933
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 ...	2001	11606603
magnetic compass orientation of european robins under 565 nm green light.	european robins tested under monochromatic green light with a peak wavelength of 565 nm at an intensity of 2.1 mw m-2 in the local geomagnetic field preferred their migratory direction, heading southward in autumn and northward in spring. inverting of the vertical component of the magnetic field caused the robins to reverse their headings, indicating that the birds used a magnetic inclination compass to locate their migratory direction. the behavior recorded under green light at an intensity of ...	2001	11688414
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 ...	2001	11226017
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 ...	2002	12141765
magnetic compass orientation in european robins is dependent on both wavelength and intensity of light.	magnetic compass orientation in birds has been shown to be light dependent. results from behavioural studies indicate that magnetoreception capabilities are disrupted under light of peak wavelengths longer than 565 nm, and shifts in orientation have been observed at higher light intensities (43-44x10(15) quanta s(-1) m(-2)). to investigate further the function of the avian magnetic compass with respect to wavelength and intensity of light, we carried out orientation cage experiments with juvenil ...	2002	12432008
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 ...	2003	12760670
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 ...	2004	15614508
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 ...	2004	15551029
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 ...	2004	14978060
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 ...	2004	15539356
light-dependent magnetoreception in birds: interaction of at least two different receptors.	passerine migrants require light from the blue-green part of the spectrum for magnetic compass orientation; under yellow light, they are disoriented. european robins tested under a combination of yellow light and blue or green light showed a change in behavior, no longer preferring their seasonally appropriate migratory direction: in spring as well as in autumn, they preferred southerly headings under blue-and-yellow and northerly headings under green-and-yellow light. this clearly shows that ye ...	2004	15034663
two different types of light-dependent responses to magnetic fields in birds.	a model of magnetoreception proposes that the avian magnetic compass is based on a radical pair mechanism, with photon absorption leading to the formation of radical pairs. analyzing the predicted light dependency by testing migratory birds under monochromatic lights, we found that the responses of birds change with increasing intensity. the analysis of the orientation of european robins under 502 nm turquoise light revealed two types of responses depending on light intensity: under a quantal fl ...	2005	16111946
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 ...	2005	16055857
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 ...	2005	15986631
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 ...	2006	17186172
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, ...	2006	17125543
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 ...	2006	16849236
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 ...	2006	15329011
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
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
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 ...	2007	17302975
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.	2007	17120137
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
orientation of european robins to kramer cages. eliminating possible sources of error and bias in kramer cage studies.		2009	4785204
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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