Crossley's babbler (Mystacornis crossleyi) is a passerine endemic to Madagascar. Traditionally, it has been classified as a babbler (Timaliidae), although affinities with warblers and vangas have been suggested. We investigated the phylogenetic affinities of Crossley's babbler using sequence data from two nuclear introns (myoglobin intron 2 and beta-fibrinogen intron 5) and one mitochondrial ge...

although host species generally face increased risk of brood parasitism in fragmented temperate landscapes and forest edge, little information exists to assess such risks in tropical birds. we studied how cuculidae species populations, host species population, and micro-environmental variables changed along an edge-to-interior gradient in peninsular malaysia. bird observations and environmental...

Analysis of one of the most comprehensive datasets to date of the largest passerine bird clade, Passerida, identified 10 primary well-supported lineages corresponding to Sylvioidea, Muscicapoidea, Certhioidea, Passeroidea, the 'bombycillids' (here proposed to be recognized as Bombycilloidea), Paridae/Remizidae (proposed to be recognized as Paroidea), Stenostiridae, Hyliotidae, Regulidae (propos...

BACKGROUND Considerable resources are spent on habitat restoration across the globe to counter the impacts of habitat loss and degradation on wildlife populations. But, because of time and resourcing constraints on many conservation programs, the effectiveness of these habitat restoration programs in achieving their long-term goals of improving the population viability of particular wildlife sp...

Abstract Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity levels can be used as an indicator for AChE inhibition due to pesticide poisoning in bird species. We assessed the comparative brain cholinesterase level of five species inhabiting exposed croplands and Protected Area i.e. Deva Vatala National Park (DVNP), Bhimber by using a spectrophotometric method. ranged from 56.3 85.9 µmol/min/g tissue birds re...

The sentinel behaviour of 38 Arabian babbler adult floaters, who lived alone within a territory belonging to a foreign group, was studied and compared with their own sentinel behaviour in the past, when they were group members. All floaters acted as sentinels and uttered 'alarm calls'. This suggests that sentinel activity is due at least, in part, to selfish motives. Floaters sentinelled less t...