Aversion of the feral pigeon and the house sparrow to pellets and sprouts treated with commercial formulations of methyl anthranilate

Two methyl anthranilate formulations, ReJex‐iT® TP‐40 and AG‐36, were tested as bird‐repelling agents for animal feed and vegetable sprouts, respectively. Feral pigeons (Columba livia) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) are important pests of animal husbandry and field crops in Israel. In each 4‐day experiment, four birds were held together in an aviary, and were offered four trays or dishes with animal feed or cauliflower sprouts in four corners of the cage. The trays and dishes were transposed daily in a Latin square sequence. Pigeons consumed significantly more untreated feed than treated feed. When no alternative untreated food was offered, there was no significant repellency. Treatment of animal feed with TP‐40 to give 2.0 ml methyl anthranilate kg^?1 or less had no repellent effect on sparrows. Concentrations of 4.0 ml kg^?1 or more repelled the sparrows significantly. When no untreated feed was presented, pigeons and sparrows preferred the lowest concentration of methyl anthranilate presented. When AG‐36 was tested on vegetable sprouts, the sparrows tended significantly to avoid the highest concentration used—14.5 ml methyl anthranilate litre^?1 spray. The inter‐specific differences between the birds indicate that the efficacy of methyl anthranilate formulations as a repellent has to be specified for every species. This study did not determine (1) the possibility of developing habituation, (2) the behaviour of birds under natural conditions in the field, or (3) the influence of the feeding behaviour of a sympatric bird species on the repellency of methyl anthranilate to other species. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

华北平原北部农区麻雀的繁殖生态

2006年4-8月对华北平原北部河北廊坊农区麻雀(Passer montanus)的繁殖生态进行了研究。观察到麻雀的巢主要建于农户的房舍,少量建于电表箱中的空隙和电线杆洞中。巢由主体巢和进入主巢的通道构成。亲鸟饲喂雏鸟次数从雏鸟孵出后第5日开始迅速增加,喂食高峰出现在第7~9日,此后逐渐下降。繁殖期麻雀具求偶炫耀、补巢、警戒、食物处理和对幼鸟的指导等行为。     

山麻雀命名的考证

山麻雀是一种广布的小型鸣禽,拉丁学名通常为Passer rutilans (Temminck).经作者考证,该种名发表于1836年12月31日,但在此之前,Gould已于1836年4月8日发表了该种并命名为Passer cinnamomeus.因此,根据动物命名法中的优先原则,该种应称作Passer cinnamomeus (Gould,1836).其公认的3个亚种也应分别称作P.cinamomeus rutilans (Temminck,1836),P.cinnamomeus intensior Rothschild,1922及P.cinnamomeus cinnamomeus (Gould,1836).     

城市化对麻雀数量与分布的影响——以北京为例

随着中国各地城市化进程的加快,城市中麻雀(Passer montanus)的生存可能受到食物和栖息地缺乏的影响.我们以北京为例研究了城市化对麻雀数量和分布的影响.结果表明:麻雀的丰富度与城市化分数呈显著负相关,高层居民区、商业中心以及主干道两侧的麻雀丰富度显著较低,而公园、校园、低层居民区以及城郊区的麻雀丰富度显著较高;50 m尺度内针叶树的数量和硬化地面积以及200 m尺度内高层建筑和植被面积是影响冬季麻雀分布的主要环境因子;50 m尺度内的低层建筑面积、针叶树数量、硬化地面积以及400 m尺度的高层建筑和植被面积是影响繁殖期麻雀分布的主要环境因子.以上结果表明尽管麻雀是一种适应人类环境的鸟类,然而高度城市化的区域不适合麻雀的栖息.我们建议将城市鸟类的栖息纳入未来的生态城市规划中.     

风速和持续时间对树麻雀能量收支的影响

风是自然环境中常见的因子之一,会对动物的行为以及能量收支产生不同程度的影响。为探讨不同风速和持续时间对树麻雀能量收支的影响,以3种风速(0.2-0.4、1.2-1.4、3.2-3.6 m/s)和3种持续时间(1、2、4 h)的9组树麻雀进行为期1周的不同风环境驯化,测定其体重、体温和摄食量、摄水量、排泄粪量、排泄次数、摄入能、排泄粪能、排出水热能散失、消化能、同化能并计算消化率和同化率。去除初体重影响和双因素分析的结果发现,摄水量(排出水量)和排出水热能散失随着风速增大而显著减少(P < 0.001);持续时间与树麻雀的摄入能、粪能和散热调节的次数显著相关(P < 0.01),其能量收支最高和散热调节次数最多为2 h,最低(少)为4 h;双因素交互作用对树麻雀能量收支的影响不显著。3级风速(4 m/s)和持续时间4 h以内的风环境不会对树麻雀的能量收支产生显著影响。     

鸡西地区[树]麻雀组织中铅、镉、铬的残留量

测定了黑龙江省滴道矿区、鸡西市区和凤凰山自然保护区(对照区)3个区域内,[树]麻雀(Passermontanus)4种组织中镉(Cd)、铅(Pb)和铬(Cr)的残留量。3种元素在3个区域内的分布规律大多表现为矿区>市区>保护区,而且大多存在显著的区域性差异,但心脏内的Cd和Cr除外。成鸟的残留量大多高于幼鸟,羽毛中的Cd存在显著的年龄差异。4种组织中,肝脏和初级飞羽中残留量最高,胸肌中的残留量最低。     

麻雀的消化道在繁殖期间的形态变化及适应意义

麻雀的消化道在繁殖期总重量、鲜重及干重均高于繁殖前期，分别增加了６１．２１％、３９．４２％和３２．１２％。其中小肠的长度、重量、鲜重及干重也明显增加了４．９２％、１３２．９５％、１７３．７４％和１２８．３３％，而胃内含物重量的增加更为显著。表明了鸟类在繁殖期间通过改变消化道的形态以增加对能量的需求，是鸟类保证繁殖成功的生存对策之一．     

重庆地区环境变化与鸟类种群动态关系研究

研究了以麻雀为代表的鸟类数量变化及分布特征,分析了鸟类数量减少的主要原因,揭示了环境变迁与鸟类的种群动态变化关系。研究表明,环境变化对鸟类的数量及其分布产生重要影响,植被破坏、城乡建设以及农药、化肥的大量施用等是引起某些鸟类数量减少的重要原因,而鸟类的种群动态也反映或预示了环境的变化趋势。     

Designer repellents: combining olfactory, visual or taste cues with a secondary repellent to deter free-ranging house sparrows from feeding

BACKGROUND: Repellents may prevent bird pests from eating crops or protect non‐target birds from eating harmful substances. The feeding behaviour of free‐ranging house sparrows (Passer domesticus) presented with wheat treated with the secondary repellent anthraquinone (AQ), paired with visual and/or olfactory and taste cues, was recorded in a series of trials. The aim was to determine the suitability of repellent combinations for preventing birds from consuming pest baits. RESULTS: Anthraquinone significantly reduced wheat consumption. The addition of cinnamon oil did not reduce consumption further, but the addition of either a blue colour or d‐pulegone enhanced repellency. Green wheat was consumed more than blue wheat. In a multichoice test, the sparrows did not differentiate between low and high concentrations of AQ on blue‐dyed wheat. With treatments on separate tables, the higher concentration was more repellent. Additional olfactory/gustatory cues palatable to pest mammals did not make the AQ‐treated wheat more or less acceptable to sparrows. AQ‐treated blue wheat with/without cinnamon oil was more repellent than green wheat with cinnamon oil, a colour/odour combination typically used for pest baits in New Zealand. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the potential of combining the secondary repellent AQ with additional salient cues for modifying the feeding behaviour of sparrows. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli isolates in cattle and house sparrows on two Czech dairy farms

Rectal smears of calves, cows and young bulls, as well as cloacal smears of house sparrows (Passer domesticus), from farms at the villages of Sumice and Troskotovice, Czech Republic, were examined for E. coli resistant to 12 antimicrobials. The resistant isolates were tested for antimicrobial-resistance genes and integrons. Totals of 40% (n=183), 3% (n=95), 0% (n=33), and 9% (n=54) of Escherichia coli isolates from calves, cows, young bulls and house sparrows, respectively, were antimicrobial resistant. The following genes were identified in cattle E. coli isolates: tetA, tetB (isolates resistant to tetracycline), bla(TEM) (beta-lactams), strA, aadA (streptomycin), sul1, sul2 (sulphonamides), and cat, floR (chloramphenicol). Seven of 16 antimicrobial-resistant calf isolates from the Sumice farm possessed class 1 integrons with the aadA1 gene cassette integrated, 1 kb in size. On the Troskotovice farm, eight of 57 antimicrobial-resistant calf isolates possessed class 1 integrons. Integrons of 1.5kb with the dhfr1- aadA1 gene cassette were found in four isolates, followed by a 1kb integron with the aadA1 gene found in three isolates, and a 1.7kb integron with the dhfr17-aadA5 gene cassette and the phenotype ASSuTSxtNaCipCCfG. The prevalence of resistant E. coli in calves compared to adult cattle was much higher and probably was influenced by oral antimicrobial usage in calves, feeding with milk and colostrum from treated cows, as well as mechanisms unrelated to antimicrobial drug selection. Although house sparrows lived together with the cattle and came into contact with cattle waste on the farm, they were not infected by resistant E. coli isolates with the same characteristics as those found in cattle.