This note evaluates the numerical change in the Red-backed Shrike populations inhabiting two contrasting areas (coastal farmlands and inland pasturelands) in the Basque Country in 1974–1975 and 2014–2016. It attempts to show whether a decrease in these populations occurred before the onset of the Spanish bird monitoring programme (Sacre, 1998), which has detected declines of 58% (year 2014) and 75% (year 2016) from 1998. Results indicate the collapse of the two populations, with a loss of 95% of breeding pairs over the last forty years. The trends cannot be only explained by tree and urban encroachment in the study areas. However, because of environmental differences between the two study areas, it may be inferred that the decline could be related to processes acting on the species at larger scales. The results highlight our incomplete temporal scope for assessing the actual trends of this declining species and suggest a need to review its conservation status.—Tellería, J.L. (2018). Old counts suggest the collapse of two Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio populations. Ardeola.

Moult is one of three major events in the annual cycle of birds. However, in contrast to breeding and migration, relatively few studies have been carried out on this topic. This is particularly the case with the large group of birds of prey and is partly a consequence of a general lack of appreciation of the relevance of moult within the life cycle of species. This factor is exacerbated by the difficulty in obtaining large enough sample sizes in this group, since some species are scarce and birds of prey are almost always difficult to trap. Nevertheless, moult is an energy-demanding process that takes longer than the breeding cycle and, contrary to the latter, it occurs every year. We stress the importance of the annual moult process for providing a “fixed image” of an individual's biology and underline its utility in furthering knowledge of the life history of each species. In this review we first outline the basic definitions necessary for understanding the moult process, and discuss current information on the moult sequence of European birds of prey, as part of a comprehensive review of the mechanisms of the moult in each group. Secondly, we summarise the main methods used to study, analyse and understand the moult, and indicate how to use these to obtain relevant information. Thirdly, we explain the importance of the moult in the life cycle of birds of prey, and how we can use this information to advance our understanding of the ecology of each species. Finally, we include a view of possible strategies that may be used to improve future research, thanks to advances in knowledge of the moult process. —Zuberogoitia, I., Zabala, J. & Martínez, J.E. (2018). Moult in birds of prey: a review of current knowledge and future challenges for research. Ardeola, 65: 183–207.

Flight initiation distances (FIDs) were measured for nine wader species at the Venice lagoon (Italy), one of the most important sites for waterbirds around the Mediterranean. The response (277 instances) to boat and pedestrian disturbances caused outside the breeding season was observed. FID was positively and significantly correlated with the mean body size of the species. The correlation between FID and flock size was also positive and significant, irrespective of the type of disturbance. FID values ranged from 27.9 + 15.6 m (mean + SD, N = 32) in Common Snipe to 140.4 + 48.1 m (N = 30) in Eurasian Curlew, pooling data for both disturbance types. The same ranking was observed if pedestrian and boat disturbances were considered separately; differences were species-specific. For six species, the data allowed comparisons to be made between boat- and pedestrian-evoked FID; the observed differences were not significant. Thus, boat disturbances during the non-breeding season did not evoke a stronger response among waders, in terms of FID, compared to pedestrians. According to these results, set-back distances, expressed as mean FID + 2 SD, are suggested to reduce the effects of man-made disturbances to waterbirds at a local scale. These distances range from 59-74 m for the most confiding species (Common Snipe, Kentish Plover and Ruddy Turnstone) to 121–267 m for the most wary (Eurasian Oystercatcher, Grey Plover and Eurasian Curlew). To protect the multi-specific and often large winter roosts from disturbance caused by pedestrians or boats, a higher set-back distance, 270 m, is suggested. —Scarton, F. (2018). Disturbance of non-breeding waders by pedestrians and boats in a Mediterranean lagoon. Ardeola, 65: 209–220.

This note examines the effects of habitat, landscape, climate and geographical situation on the occurrence probability of the Red-backed Shrike at its westernmost range boundary. The results from 127 sampling localities distributed east-to-west along 600 km in northern Spain reflect local and regional effects on species distribution. Habitat patch size (the species prefers large patches) and summer temperatures (the species avoids warmer sites) are the two main environmental correlates of species distribution. In addition, the occurrence of the Red-backed Shrike decreased in the westernmost sectors of the study area. This result could be related to a peninsula effect potentially reinforced by the atypical migratory circuit of this summer passerine (birds arrive from the east). The conservation prospects of this peripheral population suggest a retreat to cold highlands as global warming increases, a reduction in suitable habitat patches due to forest encroachment resulting from rural abandonment and the reduced availability of individuals to offset local extinctions in the westernmost border of its European range. —Tellería, J.L. (2018). Distribution of the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio at its western range boundary: patterns and conservation prospects. Ardeola, 65: 221–232.

The international wildlife trade is a lucrative business. Although a huge variety of animal groups are trafficked, the Psittaciformes (parrots) are amongst the most traded avian groups. Deliberate or accidental releases of imported parrots have led to the establishment of feral populations in many countries. Far from their native habitats, parrots may cause economic and ecological damage, and may even favour the transmission of zoonotic diseases. Despite this, the links between numbers of imported individuals and the establishment of non-native populations is not well known. In this study, we analysed data on imports of two well-known invasive parrots, the Monk Parakeet Myiopsitamonachus and the Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri, in Spain. We contrasted this information with the growth of known naturalised populations of these species from 1975 to 2015 and compared the success of these two species with other Psittaciformes imported in similar numbers into the country. We show that more than 190,000 Monk Parakeets were imported from Uruguay and Argentina, and almost 63,000 Ring-necked Parakeets were legally brought into the country from Pakistan and Senegal. For both species, wild populations grew exponentially following peak importation periods in 2015 (18,980–21,455 Monk Parakeets and 3,005–3,115 Ring-necked Parakeets). Even though imports of the two species were banned in Spain in 2005, wild populations are now self-sustaining. We argue that these parrot populations started from accidental and deliberate bird escapes, especially from birds originally captured in the wild. Although lack of more precise data makes it difficult for us to propose clear statistical associations between imports and established bird populations, we nonetheless suggest that the international trade is with some certainty the main cause for the origin of naturalised populations of invasive species in Spain. Our conclusions are useful to help manage similar animal groups that are numerous in the wildlife trade, especially for wild-caught social species.—Lucrecia Souviron-Priego, Antonio Román Muñoz, Jesús Olivero, J. Mario Vargas & John E. Fa. (2018). The legal international wildlife trade favours invasive species establishment: the Monk and Ring-neked Parakeets in Spain. Ardeola, 65: 233–246.

Mediterranean wetlands show remarkable seasonal and annual variations in their hydroperiod, i.e. the period during which they are inundated. Climate change-induced hydroperiod reductions have been shown to affect marshland birds but more studies are needed to understand this process in Mediterranean wetlands. The present study shows the demographic response of the Common Reed-warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus to an unusual and prolonged drought in the Tablas de Daimiel National Park wetland (central Spain). We used data from two constant effort mistnetting stations (2005–2013), and spatially explicit capture-recapture Jolly-Seber models. The Reed-warblers continued reproducing in a dry environment for three years after the start of a dry phase, despite progressive declines in productivity, and ultimately stopped nesting in the fourth year. After the recovery of water levels in subsequent years, the population required another four years to recover a size and productivity similar to those preceding the drought. This situation may be common in the near future given ongoing alterations of the hydroperiod in Mediterranean wetlands as a consequence of climate change and groundwater overexploitation. We also show that spatially explicit capturerecapture models allow the detection of changes in the populations of small passerines, and are an accurate approach to estimating their densities. —Jiménez, J., Hernández, J.M., Feliú, J., Carrasco, M. & Moreno-Opo, R. (2018). Breeding in a dry wetland. Demographic response to drought in the Common Reed-warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus. Ardeola, 65: 247–259.

Traffic noise is an associated effect of roads, potentially impacting wildlife. In the case of birds, it may alter spatial distribution, behavioural responses and physiological status, frequently masking the acoustic signals of conspecifics and predators. We analyse how road traffic noise affects habitat selection of Little Bustard males during the breeding season, when they produce brief territorial snort calls. The study site is in a typical agrarian area in central Spain, markedly affected by traffic noise. A noise map was built using specific environmental noise modelling software. The habitat in the territories of 26 individually-recognisable males (62% of the male population in the study year) was characterised in relation to noise levels, agrarian substrate composition and distance to nearest males. Habitat selection models were performed using MaxEnt, and an averaged model of the first 20 significant ones was generated. The noise map revealed high noise pollution levels for the whole study area (range: 50.13–62.35 dB). Distance to the nearest male was the most important variable in habitat selection models, so that as distance increased suitability decreased, while the effect of traffic noise was nearly negligible. This lack of traffic noise effect on the habitat selection of Little Bustard males might be explained by the low overlap between their snort call frequency and that of traffic noise, but it also suggests a poor capacity by this bird to cope with recent, anthropogenic disturbance. In this respect, noisy but otherwise suitable habitats could be functioning as ecological traps for this rapidly declining species. — Martínez-Marivela, I., Morales, M.B., Iglesias-Merchán, C., Delgado, M.P., Tarjuelo, R. & Traba, J. (2018). Traffic noise pollution does not influence habitat selection in the endangered Little Bustard. Ardeola, 65: 261–270.

The White Stork is a farmland and wetland bird that has become part of village communities by nesting in urban areas. Despite breeding close to people, allowing easy access for monitoring, its population in Eastern Europe is poorly studied. This paper presents the breeding success and habitat selection of a White Stork population from Eastern Romania. During the 2016 breeding season their breeding performance was poor compared to other European countries; on average only 2.25 nestlings fledged per nest. With respect to their habitat selection, the Eastern Romanian population uses similar habitats to storks elsewhere in Europe. Parameters influencing their breeding success could include weather conditions, geomorphology, habitat, landscape and intraspecific variables. To find those variables involved in the fluctuation of chick numbers General Linear Model (GLM) analyses, with a step procedure selection, were used. These analyses covered 55 variables. The best model of breeding success included altitude (P = 0.001); a higher elevation is associated with a lower number of chicks per nest. The number of river sectors (P = 0.045) and the distance to the nearest empty nest (P = 0.001) also have a positive influence on breeding success. These two variables could relate to the food availability in the study area. —Fasolă-Mătăsaru, L., Baltag, E.Ş., Ichim, P. & Cojocaru, D. (2018). Factors influencing the breeding success of White Storks Ciconia ciconia in Eastern Romania. Ardeola, 65: 271–282.

The Great Bustard population in Xinjiang Province, the Chinese stronghold of Otis tarda tarda, is suspect to be declining, but little is known about its trends and numbers. Using the same methods, we compared two former published counts from the province (1988 and 1992) with ours (2013–2016), exhaustively covering the two known bustard areas of Tacheng (summer) and Qapqal (winter). A strong decline (92%) is reported, with a minimum 19 birds found in Tacheng and none in Qapqal. Cooperation between scientists is needed to study the causes of decline in O. T. tarda in Xinjiang and elsewhere.—Wang, M., González, M.A., Yang, W., Neuhaus, P., Blanco-Fontao, B. & Ruckstuhl, E.K. (2018). The probable strong decline of the Great Bustard Otis tarda tarda population in north-western China. Ardeola, 65: 291–297.

Woodcreepers are insectivorous birds that eventually form feeding associations with other species to complement their energy intake. Here we present quantitative data on a possible commensal association between two woodcreeper species, the Eastern Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus and the Pale-winged Woodcreeper Dendrocincla turdina, and a Neotropical monkey, the Black-faced Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus caissara, at Superagui National Park, Brazil. Our aim is to bring new information on bird/monkey associations in order to achieve a better understanding of the functional basis leading to the occurrence of these associations. We never observed the two woodcreeper species following monkeys at the same time and we found a significant difference between the mean height in which each bird species associated with monkeys. We did not observe interspecific aggressions between woodcreepers and monkeys. Birds benefited from flushed prey, and we did not find evidence that monkeys have benefits or incur costs due to their association with birds, suggesting that these associations may be characterised as a form of commensalism. —Moro-Rios, R.F., Silva-Pereira, J.E., Ludwig, G. & Gomes Barriento, F. (2018). Interspecific association between two Woodcreeper species (Dendrocolaptinae) and a group of Black-faced Lion Tamarins (Primates, Callitrichinae). Ardeola, 65: 299–304.

La Sección Bibliográfica de Ardeola publica reseñas breves de publicaciones recibidas en la biblioteca de SEO/BirdLife. Estas reseñas se realizan desinteresadamente por un conjunto de colaboradores. Las reseñas son normalmente solicitadas por los editores a los colaboradores, aunque otras adicionales pueden ser consideradas para su publicación.

Las reseñas expresan las opiniones de los revisores, de modo que no reflejan necesariamente la opinión de los editores o de SEO/BirdLife.

The Books Reviews section of Ardeola publishes reviews of the publications received and deposited in the library of SEO/BirdLife. Most reviews are solicited by editors to individual contributors, but additional reviews are always most welcome.

Reviews express the opinions of the individual reviewer. As such, they are subjetive assessments and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or any official policy of SEO/BirdLife.

Este informe recopila información de 145 especies que se reparten por toda la geografía nacional. Aunque desde hace algunos años las citas y observaciones se encuentra por diversas plataformas, foros, blogs, etc., se recomienda el envío de observaciones de algunas especies de presencia puntual o escasa y que recientemente ha salido de la lista de aves raras (véanse Rouco et al., 2017; De Juana y García, 2015; Gil-Velasco et al., 2017). La secuencia taxonómica sigue la Lista de Aves de España (Gutiérrez et al., 2012). Por otro lado, para registrar y consultar los datos del Noticiario Ornitológico, así como de aves exóticas o de aves raras se dispone de una aplicación, con la opción de ser utilizada a través de la telefonía móvil:  www.gruposdetrabajoseo.org