Conservation Evidence: Evidence Data

Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Enforce legislation to protect birds against persecution Two before-and-after studies have evaluated effects of legislative protection on bird species in Europe. Both found that legislation protects bird populations. One found increased population levels of raptors in Scotland, following protective legislation. One found increased survival of kestrels in Denmark stricter protection, but not necessarily population-level responses. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F101https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F101Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:55:47 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use raptor models to deter birds and so reduce incidental mortalityA single paired sites study in Spain found no evidence that raptor models were effective in deterring birds from crossing power lines and may even have attracted some species to the area. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F266https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F266Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:53:56 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use perch-deterrents to stop raptors perching on pylonsA single controlled study from the USA found significantly lower raptor activity close to perch-deterrent power lines, compared to control lines. No data were provided on electrocution rates. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F269https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F269Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:21:29 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Reduce electrocutions by using plastic, not aluminium, leg rings to mark birdsA replicated and controlled study in the USA found no evidence for lower electrocution rates for raptors marked with plastic leg rings, compared to metal ones. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F270https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F270Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:27:10 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use legislative regulation to protect wild populations Six out of seven before-and-after studies and two literature reviews/meta-analyses found evidence that legislation protects bird populations. Five studies in Europe, Indonesia and across the world found increased population levels of vultures, raptors, cranes and cockatoos following protective legislation (amongst other interventions). However, one found populations of raptors declined soon after. The literature review also found two cases of limited or no impact of legislation. Two before-and-after studies from Denmark and the USA and Canada and the meta-analysis found increased estimated survival of falcons, ducks and parrots with stricter protection, but not necessarily population-level responses. A meta-analysis found decreased harvest of parrots in areas with stricter protection regimes, but a before-and-after study found no evidence for reduced shearwater harvest with legislation. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F271https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F271Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:57:57 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Mark eggs to reduce their appeal to egg collectorsA single before-and-after study found that marking eggs greatly increased the number of chicks fledging from six raptor nests in Australia in 1979 and 1980. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F276https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F276Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:25:58 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Restore or create inland wetlands Of eleven studies captured, 11, from the mainland USA, Guam, Canada and Hawaii, found that birds used artificially restored or created wetlands. Two found that rates of use and species richness were similar or higher than on natural wetlands. One found that use rates were higher than on unrestored wetlands. Three studies from the USA and Puerto Rico found that restored wetlands held lower densities and fewer species of birds than natural wetlands. A replicated study from the USA found that least bittern productivity was similar in restored and natural wetlands. Two replicated studies examined wetland characteristics: one from the USA found that semi-permanent restored wetlands were used more than temporary or seasonal ones. A study from Hawaii found that larger restored wetlands were used more than smaller sites. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F366https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F366Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:34:38 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Control avian predators on islands Out of 10 studies, six before-and-after studies from North America, Australia and Europe found that controlling avian predators led to increased population sizes, reduced mortality or increased reproductive success in seabirds on islands. The North American studies had several interventions, so increases could not be linked directly to predator control, and one found that increases were only at one of two sites studied. Two controlled studies in Europe found little evidence that crow control led to increased reproductive success in gamebirds or raptors on islands. A North American study found that, despite higher reproductive success, very few birds returned to the study site after predator removal. A study from North America found that an Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica translocation programme, combined with the culling of predatory gulls, appeared to be successful. A study from the UK found that the number of common terns Sterna hirundo and black-headed gulls Larus ridibundus declined on gravel islands despite the attempted control of large gulls. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F372https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F372Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:43:03 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Control mammalian predators on islands for raptorsA study in Mauritius found that numbers of Mauritius kestrel Falco punctatus may have increased following the trapping of predators near nests. However, the authors do not provide any data to support this observation. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F379https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F379Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:14:47 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Can nest protection increase predation of adults and chicks? Three replicated and controlled studies from North America and Sweden found higher levels of predation on adult birds with nest exclosures, one study from Sweden found that predation was no higher. A replicated and controlled study from Alaska found that long-tailed jaegers Stercorarius longicaudus learned to associate exclosures with birds, targeting adult western sandpipers Calidris mauri and quickly predating chicks when exclosures were removed. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F403https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F403Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:45:33 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Rehabilitation of injured and treated birds Two replicated studies from the USA and UK found that 40% and 25% of raptors were released following rehabilitation. The USA study also found that 32% of owls were released. Three replicated studies from the USA all found relatively high survival of released raptors, with only 2.4% of birds being recovered (i.e. found dead, 1) and 66–68% survival over two weeks and six weeks. One study found that mortality rates were higher for owls than raptors. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F476https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F476Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:15:35 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide artificial nesting sites for raptors Nine studies from North America and Spain found that raptors used artificial nesting platforms, although one describes low levels of use and another describes use increasing over time. Two studies from the USA describe increases in populations or population densities of raptors following the installation of artificial nesting platforms. Three studies describe successful use of platforms, whilst three describe lower productivity or failed nesting attempts, although these studies only describe a single nesting attempt each. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F488https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F488Mon, 03 Sep 2012 13:23:17 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Foster eggs or chicks of raptors with wild conspecifics Ten out of 11 studies from across the world found that fostering raptor chicks to wild conspecifics had high success rates. A single study from the USA found that only one of six eggs fostered to wild bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus nests were hatched and raised. The authors suggest that the other eggs may have been infertile. A replicated study from Spain found that Spanish imperial eagle Aquila adalberti chicks were no more likely to survive to fledging if they were transferred to foster nests from three chick broods (at high risk from siblicide), compared to chicks left in three-chick broods. A replicated study from Spain found that young (15–20 years old) Montagu's harrier Circus pygargus chicks were successfully adopted, but three older (27–29 day old) chicks were rejected. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F510https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F510Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:42:31 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide supplementary food for vultures to increase reproductive success Two before-and-after studies from the USA and Greece found that there were population increases in local populations of two vultures (one New World, one Old World) following the provision of food in the area. A study from Israel found that a small, regularly supplied feeding station could provide sufficient food for breeding Egyptian vultures Neophron percnopterus. A before-and-after study from Italy found that a small population of Egyptian vultures Neophron percnopterus declined following the provision of food at a feeding station, and only a single vulture was seen at the feeding station. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F531https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F531Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:08:42 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide supplementary food for raptors to increase reproductive success A single small before-and-after study in Italy found evidence for a small increase in local kite Milvus spp. populations following the installation of a feeding station. Four European studies found that kestrels Falco spp. and Eurasian sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus laid earlier when supplied with supplementary food than control birds. One study found that the earlier feeding began, the earlier average laying date was. Three studies from the USA and Europe found evidence for higher chick survival or condition when parents were supplied with food, whilst three from Europe found fed birds were more likely to lay or laid larger clutches and another found that fed male hen harriers Circus cyaneus bred with more females than control birds. Four studies from across the world found no evidence that feeding increased breeding frequency, clutch size, laying date, eggs size or hatching or fledging success. A study from Mauritius found uncertain effects of feeding on Mauritius kestrel Falco punctatus reproduction. There was some evidence that the impact of feeding was lower in years with peak numbers of prey species. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F532https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F532Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:23:06 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide supplementary food for raptors to increase adult survivalTwo randomised, replicated and controlled studies in the USA found that nesting northern goshawks Accipiter gentilis were significantly heavier in territories supplied with supplementary food, compared with those from unfed territories. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F546https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F546Sun, 16 Sep 2012 09:12:47 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use perches to increase foraging success Two studies from the USA found that raptors and other birds used perches provided, whilst a replicated and controlled study in Sweden found that raptors used clearcuts with perches significantly more than those without. However, a controlled study from the USA found that overall bird abundances were not higher in areas provided with perches and a small controlled cross-over trial on an island in the USA found that San Clemente loggerhead shrikes Lanius ludovicianus mearnsi did not alter their hunting patterns or increase their success rates following the installation of perches in their territories. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F556https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F556Sun, 23 Sep 2012 15:05:36 +0100Collected 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: 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 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: Wash contaminated semen and use it for artificial inseminationA single replicated controlled study in Spain found that semen contaminated with urine could be successfully washed to increase its pH and produced three raptor nestlings. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F603https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F603Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:47:48 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Artificially incubate and hand-rear raptors in captivity Six studies from across the world found high success rates for artificial incubation and hand-rearing of raptors. A replicated and controlled study from France found that artificially incubated raptor eggs had significantly lower hatching success than parent-incubated eggs. This study found that fledging success for hand-reared chicks was similar to wild chicks, whilst a replicated and controlled study from Canada found that hand-reared chicks had slower growth and attained a lower weight than parent-reared birds. A replicated study from Mauritius found that hand-rearing of wild eggs had higher success than hand-rearing captive-bred chicks. Three studies that provided methodological comparisons found that American kestrel Falco sparverius eggs were more likely to hatch at 38.5oC, compared to 36oC or 40oC, that peregrine falcon F. peregrinus eggs should be incubated over 37oC and that falcon chicks gained far more weight when saline was added to their diet. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F614https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F614Sun, 14 Oct 2012 12:05:10 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide supplementary food after release Three studies from found that malleefowl Leipoa ocellata, Andean condors Vultur gryphus and pink pigeons Nesoenas mayeri used supplementary food when it was provided after release. A replicated, controlled study from Australia found that malleefowl had higher survival when supplied with supplementary food. A study in Peru found that supplementary food could be used to increase the foraging range of condors after release, or to guide them back to suitable feeding areas. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F639https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F639Sun, 14 Oct 2012 23:54:01 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use fencing to exclude predators or other problematic species Ten studies evaluated the effects on mammals of using fencing to exclude predators or other problematic species. Four studies were in Australia, four were in the USA and two were in Spain. COMMUNITY RESPONSE (1 STUDY) Richness/diversity (1 study): A site comparison study in Australia found that fencing which excluded feral cats, foxes and rabbits increased small mammal species richness. POPULATION RESPONSE (10 STUDIES) Abundance (4 studies): Two of three studies (including two replicated, controlled studies), in Spain, Australia and the USA, found that abundances of European rabbits and small mammals were higher within areas fenced to exclude predators or other problematic species, compared to in unfenced areas. The third study found that hispid cotton rat abundance was not higher with predator fencing. A replicated, controlled study in Spain found that translocated European rabbit abundance was higher in fenced areas that excluded both terrestrial carnivores and raptors than in areas only accessible to raptors. Reproductive success (1 study): A replicated, controlled study in USA found that predator exclosures increased the number of white-tailed deer fawns relative to the number of adult females. Survival (7 studies): Four of six studies (including four replicated, controlled studies) in Spain, Australia and the USA, found that fencing to exclude predators did not increase survival of translocated European rabbits, hispid cotton rats, southern flying squirrels or western barred bandicoots. The other two studies found that persistence of populations of eastern barred bandicoots and long-haired rats was greater inside than outside fences. A controlled, before-and-after study in the USA found that electric fencing reduced coyote incursions into sites frequented by black-footed ferrets. BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F2497https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F2497Thu, 04 Jun 2020 15:36:46 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide artificial refuges/breeding sites Eight studies evaluated the effects on mammals of providing artificial refuges/breeding sites. Two studies were in each of the USA, Spain and Portugal and one was in each of Argentina and Australia. COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES) POPULATION RESPONSE (4 STUDIES) Abundance (3 studies): Two studies (one controlled), in Spain and Portugal, found that artificial warrens increased European rabbit abundance. A replicated, randomized, controlled, before-and-after study in Argentina found that artificial refuges did not increase abundances of small vesper mice or Azara's grass mice. Survival (1 study): A study in USA found that artificial escape dens increased swift fox survival rates. BEHAVIOUR (4 STUDIES) Use (4 studies): Four studies (two replicated), in Australia, Spain, Portugal and the USA, found that artificial refuges, warrens or nest structures were used by fat-tailed dunnarts, European rabbits, and Key Largo woodrats and Key Largo cotton mice. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F2583https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F2583Wed, 10 Jun 2020 15:06:41 +0100