Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni (Fleischer, 1818) populations have been one of the best monitored bird in Spain over last 70 years. These suffered a sharp decline between 1950s and 1990s. Since then, periodic censuses showed population increase that lasted until 2010s. In those years, numerous projects for recovery species were also initiated (some EU LIFE Projects, among others), which continued...

BACKGROUND Departures from power law group size frequency distributions have been proposed as a useful tool to link individual behavior with population patterns and dynamics, although examples are scarce for wild animal populations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We studied a population of Lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) breeding in groups (colonies) from one to ca. 40 breeding pairs in 10,0...

This study is an avifaunistic diversity assessment was carried out in the Merine forest, Sidi Bel Abbes (Northwest Algeria). During three years (2019-2021). The major objective of our investigation to inventory avian species and define their phenological categories. Among important results a record of, 71 bird, belonging 17 orders 28 families. Passeriformes are most noted with 43 species, distr...

Understanding the selective forces that shape genetic variation in natural populations remains a high priority in evolutionary biology. Genes at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have become excellent models for the investigation of adaptive variation and natural selection because of their crucial role in fighting off pathogens. Here we present one of the first data sets examining patt...

Fecundity is an important component of individual fitness and has major consequences on population dynamics. Despite this, the influence of individual genetic variability on egg production traits is poorly known. Here, we use two microsatellite-based measures, homozygosity by loci and internal relatedness, to analyse the influence of female genotypic variation at 11 highly variable microsatelli...

Although microsatellites are one of the most popular tools in genetic studies, their mutational dynamics and evolution remain unclear. Here, we apply extensive pedigree genotyping to identify and analyze the patterns and factors associated with de novo germline mutations across nine microsatellite loci in a wild population of lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni). A total of 10 germline mutations ev...