Conservation Evidence: Evidence Data

Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate raptors Six studies of three translocation programmes in the UK and the USA found that all three successfully established populations of white-tailed eagles Haliaeetus albicilla, red kites Milvus milvus and ospreys Pandion halieatus. However, the latest review of the programme to reintroduce red kites to England and Scotland reported that one of six populations was very small, with only four pairs, despite 90 birds being released. A replicated study in Spain found high survival and establishment of translocated Montagu’s harrier Circus pygargus fledglings. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F574https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F574Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:09:28 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate herons, storks and ibisesA before-and-after study in the USA found that a colony of black-crowned night herons Nycticorax nycticorax was successfully moved, with the new colony producing chicks the year after translocation. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F575https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F575Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:25:50 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate owls A small study from New Zealand found that translocating two male boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae allowed the establishment of a small population, when they interbred with the last remaining Norfolk Island boobook N. n. undulata A replicated study in the USA found high survival amongst burrowing owls Athene cunicularia translocated as juveniles, although no breeding was recorded and all birds left the release site and were not seen again. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F576https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F576Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:32:21 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate woodpeckers All five translocation programmes studied were for red-cockaded woodpeckers Picoides borealis in the southern USA. Six studies of four programmes found that >50% of translocated birds remained in their new sites, with two studies of the same programme reporting a large population increase. Birds from four programmes were reported as forming pairs or breeding, although some translocated pairs split up and some translocated nestlings were abandoned. One study found that translocated nestlings fledged at similar rates to native chicks. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F577https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F577Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:34:11 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate parrots Three studies of two translocation programmes from the Pacific and New Zealand found that populations of parrots were successfully established on islands following translocations, including the colonisation of other islands in the New Zealand study. Survival of translocated birds was monitored in five studies of four programmes from across the world and ranged from 41% over 60 days for red-fronted parakeets Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae in New Zealand to 98% for kakapos Strigops habroptila in New Zealand. Survival for translocated thick-billed parrots Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha in the USA was higher than for captive-bred birds. Despite very high survival, kakapos that were translocated had very low reproductive output in New Zealand. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F578https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F578Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:41:44 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate songbirds Nine studies from across the world, including a review of 31 translocation attempts in New Zealand found that translocations led to the establishment of songbird populations. The review found that 79% and 100% of translocation programmes for saddlebacks Philesturnus carunculatus and New Zealand robins Petroica australis, respectively, were successful in establishing populations. Eight of the studies were from islands, mostly following predator removal. Three studies from Zimbabwe, New Zealand and the USA report on three translocation programmes that failed to establish populations. A methodological paper found that the nesting success of saddlebacks decreased as the latitudinal difference between source area and release site increased. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F580https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F580Sat, 06 Oct 2012 12:49:36 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use techniques to increase the survival of species after capture A small controlled study from the USA found that providing dark, quiet environments with readily-available food and water increased the survival of small birds after capture and increased the probability that they would accept captivity. A study from Hawaii found that keeping birds warm in a ‘mock’ translocation in Hawaii increased survival, although all birds suffered some loss of condition. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F581https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F581Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:18:18 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Ensure translocated birds are familiar with each other before releaseTwo controlled trials from New Zealand found no evidence that translocating birds which were familiar with each other was more likely to succeed than translocating unfamiliar birds. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F582https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F582Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:23:28 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Ensure genetic variation to increase translocation success We did not find any studies on the effects of ensuring genetic variation in translocated birds. 'No evidence' for an action means we have not yet found any studies that directly and quantitatively tested this action during our systematic journal and report searches. Therefore we have been unable to assess whether or not the action is effective or has any harmful impacts. Please get in touch if you know of such a study for this action. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F583https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F583Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:25:41 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate nests to avoid disturbance Four small trials from the USA and a replicated study from Chatham Island, New Zealand found some success in relocating nests whilst they were in use. However, one study from the USA found that only 40% of burrowing owls Athene cunicularia were moved successfully, another found that American kestrels Falco sparverius tolerated movement of their nest, but not repeated disturbance and another found that barn swallow Hirundo rustica may follow their nest as it is slowly moved on a car, but may not stay at the new site. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F584https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F584Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:27:21 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use vocalisations to attract birds to safe areas Six studies from North America, the Galapagos and the Azores found that seabirds were more likely to nest in areas where vocalisations were played, or were successfully attracted to nest in new areas, following the playing of vocalisations. Four of these studies used several interventions at once. One study found that some calls were more effective than others. Two studies from the USA and the Galapagos found that birds did not colonise all new areas where vocalisations were played. It is possible that the result from the Galapagos was due to only having a single year’s data. One controlled study from Hawaii found that albatross were more likely to land in areas where vocalisations were played than in areas without vocalisation playback. A small controlled study from New Zealand found that terns were not more likely to land in areas where vocalisations were played. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F585https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F585Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:54:59 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use decoys to attract birds to safe areas Seven studies found that birds bred in areas where decoys (of birds or nests) were used to attract birds. Six of the studies used several interventions at once. Two studies from the USA found that least terns Sterna antillarum and herons were not attracted to new areas to breed when decoys were used. Five studies from North America and France and Spain found that more birds landed near decoys than in control areas. The two studies to compare decoy types found that three-dimensional models were better than two-dimensional ‘cut-outs’ and plastic models of birds were better than rag decoys. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F586https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F586Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:25:17 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Alter habitat to encourage birds to leave an areaA single before-and-after study in the USA found that an entire Caspian tern Sterna caspia population moved following (amongst other interventions) the alteration of nesting habitat at the old colony site. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F587https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F587Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:42:09 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of tinamousA replicated study from Costa Rica over three years found that great tinamous Tinamus major successfully bred in captivity, with similar reproductive success to wild birds. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F588https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F588Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:48:42 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of seabirdsA study from Spain over five years found that a single pair of Audouin’s gulls, Larus audouinii, successfully bred in captivity. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F589https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F589Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:52:51 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of railsA study from an island in Australia found that Lord Howe Island woodhens Tricholimnas sylvestris successfully bred in captivity, with 66 chicks being produced over four years from three pairs of adults. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F590https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F590Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:55:27 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of cranesA study from Canada over 32 years found that whooping cranes Grus americana successfully bred in captivity eight years after the first eggs were removed from the wild. The authors note that young ‘downy’ chicks suffered high mortality in captivity. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F591https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F591Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:58:51 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of bustards We captured four studies of a houbara bustard, Chlamydotis undulata, macqueenii captive breeding programme in Saudi Arabia. The project successfully raised chicks in captivity, with 285 chicks hatched in the 7th year of the project after 232 birds were used to start the captive population. Captive birds bred earlier and appeared to lay more eggs than wild birds. Forty-six percent of captive eggs hatched and 43% of chicks survived to ten years old, although no comparison was made with wild birds. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F592https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F592Sat, 06 Oct 2012 23:13:15 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of storks and ibises We captured a small study and a review describing the captive breeding of storks (Ciconiidae) and a study and a review describing the breeding of northern bald ibis, Geronticus eremita. Both studies on storks were from the USA. The small study found that a pair bred; the review found that only seven of 19 species had been successfully bred in captivity. A review of bald ibis conservation found that 1,150 birds had been produced in captivity from 150 founders over 20 years. However, some projects had failed, and a study from Turkey found that captive birds had lower productivity than wild birds. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F595https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F595Sat, 13 Oct 2012 14:54:55 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of raptors Three small studies and a review from around the world all found that raptors bred successfully in captivity. Two small studies on Accipiter spp. found that wild-caught birds bred in captivity after a few years, with one pair producing 15 young over four years, whilst a study on bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, captive breeding found low fertility in captive-bred eggs, but that birds still produced chicks after a year or so together. A review of Mauritius kestrel, Falco punctatus, captive breeding found that 139 independent young were raised over 12 years from 30 eggs and chicks taken from the wild (of which 13 survived). An update of the same programme found that hand-reared Mauritius kestrels were less successful if they came from captive-bred eggs, compared to wild ‘harvested’ eggs. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F596https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F596Sat, 13 Oct 2012 15:08:20 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of pigeonsA review of a captive-breeding programme on Mauritius and in the UK found that 42 pink pigeons, Nesoenas mayeri, were successfully bred in captivity.Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F597https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F597Sat, 13 Oct 2012 15:21:33 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of songbirds A replicated study from Australia and two small studies from the USA found that three species of songbird were successfully bred in captivity. Four out of five pairs of wild-bred, hand-reared puaiohi, Myadestes palmeri, formed pairs and laid a total of 39 eggs in 1998 and a breeding population of helmeted honeyeaters, Lichenostomus melanops cassidix, was successfully established through a breeding programme. Only one pair of loggerhead shrikes, Lanius ludovicianus, formed pairs from eight wild birds caught and their first clutch died. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F598https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F598Sat, 13 Oct 2012 15:24:35 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Can captive breeding have deleterious effects on individual fitness? Three studies of wild populations, wild and captive populations and museum specimens, one replicated, found evidence for potentially deleterious physiological or genetic changes due to captive breeding. These studies did not investigate fitness. A study of a wild Mauritius kestrel, Falco punctatus, population derived totally from captive individuals found high inbreeding and a loss of genetic diversity, but this was caused more by the very low population size (four wild birds) than by captivity per se. The museum-based study found reduced relative brain volume in captive wildfowl, compared with wild birds, whilst a comparison of wild and captive populations of white-headed ducks Oxyura leucocephala found lower genetic diversity in captive populations. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F599https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F599Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:00:16 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use artificial insemination in captive breeding A review of artificial insemination argued that it could be a useful tool to conservationists, but that there were challenges to its use. Deep and repeated inseminations increased fertility. Two trials from the USA found that artificial insemination of raptors achieved approximately 50% fertility or 0%. A review of a houbara bustard Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii captive breeding programme in Saudi Arabia found that artificial insemination increased fertility, whilst another review found that the highest fertility levels were achieved with inseminations of at least 10 million spermatozoa every 4–5 days. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F601https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F601Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:16:19 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Freeze semen for use in artificial insemination A small controlled trial in the USA found that using frozen semen for artificial insemination resulted in lower fertility in falcons, and a second small trial from the USA found that an American kestrel Falco sparverius had only 33% fertility when inseminated with frozen semen. A small trial from the USA found that fertility rates were highest when semen contained 10% dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO, a cryoprotectant), compared to semen containing 6% or 8% DMSO. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F602https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F602Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:27:01 +0100