The diet of a declining Red-billed Chough <i>Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax</i> population on Islay, Scotland

MacGillivray, Fiona S.; Gilbert, Gillian; McKay, Clive R.

doi:10.1080/00063657.2018.1505826

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…This will in turn require observational, experimental and comparative investigations of effects of agricultural activities such as grazing, silage cutting and livestock treatment regimes, as are now commencing (e.g. MacGillivray et al., 2018; Gilbert et al., 2019; Jonsson et al., 2020; SCSG, unpubl. data).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating advances in population and evolutionary ecology with conservation strategy through long‐term studies of red‐billed choughs

Reid

Bignal²,

Bignal³

et al. 2021

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating advances in population and evolutionary ecology with conservation strategy through long‐term studies of red‐billed choughs

Reid

Bignal²,

Bignal³

et al. 2021

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…habitat restoration, Schoech et al., 2008; Weidman & Litvaitis, 2011). Choughs can feed on diverse invertebrates, and plants, at different times of year (Kerbiriou & Julliard, 2007; MacGillivray, Gilbert, & McKay, 2018). However, changes in traditional pastoral agriculture and livestock grazing have likely reduced invertebrate abundance and availability (Bignal et al., 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collateral benefits of targeted supplementary feeding on demography and growth rate of a threatened population

Fenn

Bignal²,

Trask

et al. 2020

Journal of Applied Ecology

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1. Effective evidence-based conservation requires full quantification of the impacts of targeted management interventions on focal populations. Such impacts may extend beyond target individuals to also affect demographic rates of non-target conspecifics (e.g. different age classes). However, such collateral (i.e. unplanned) impacts are rarely evaluated despite their potential to substantially alter conservation outcomes. Subsequent management decisions may then be poorly informed or erroneous. 2. We used 15 years of individual-based demographic data in a 'before-after controlimpact' (BACI) analysis to quantify collateral demographic impacts of a targeted multi-year supplementary feeding programme designed to increase sub-adult survival and hence viability of a small, threatened red-billed chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax population. Specifically, we assessed whether the intervention also affected adult survival and reproductive success, and whether such collateral effects were themselves sufficient to stabilize population size and hence achieve short-term conservation aims. 3. The probabilities of adult survival and successful reproduction increased substantially between the 'before-feeding' and 'during-feeding' periods in those choughs associated with supplementary feeding, but not otherwise. Overall breeding success (i.e. number of chicks fledged per occupied territory) also tended to increase, even though brood sizes did not increase. These relationships, which were detectible only through BACI analyses, suggest that supplementary feeding targeted at sub-adults had unplanned positive impacts on adult demographic rates. 4. Deterministic matrix models designed to project population growth demonstrate that these estimated collateral effects were sufficient to make a substantial contribution to increasing population growth rate and achieving short-term population stability.

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“…Observations during the post-fledging period on Islay showed dung to be an important source of food, significantly more so for young birds (Gilbert et al 2019a). Dung invertebrates formed the majority of the biomass of chough diets from dune pastures on Islay during this period, and tipulid larvae the majority of chough dietary biomass on other pastures (MacGillivray et al 2018). Aphodius (dung beetle) larvae were scarce in the diet, despite having been a major component in the 1980s, suggesting that their availability had declined (MacGillivray et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Supplementary feeding led to increased survival, suggesting that food availability was limiting . Chough have a greater reliance on invertebrate prey than other corvids, with evidence of chough on Islay having more dung-associated insects in their diet than those elsewhere in Great Britain (Warnes 1982, Warnes & Stroud 1989, McKay 1996, MacGillivray et al 2018. Observations during the post-fledging period on Islay showed dung to be an important source of food, significantly more so for young birds (Gilbert et al 2019a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Livestock Management in Red-Billed Chough Feeding Habitat in Great Britain and the Isle of Man

Jonsson

Gilbert

MacGillivray

2020

Rangeland Ecology & Management

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In Great Britain, red billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) breed in discrete populations along the west coast: on Islay and Colonsay, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland; on the Isle of Man; in Wales; and in Cornwall. Chough are dependent on pastures grazed by cattle and sheep, and their survival is therefore dependent on sympathetic management of grassland. The Scottish population is in decline and all other populations are growing or stable. Sixty-three farmers in these locations whose farms were known to support feeding chough were asked questions about their farm management using a structured, questionnaire-based personal interview. Islay farms were significantly larger and had more grazing area, with the lowest stocking densities. Welsh farms had the least cropping area and the smallest number of cattle. Cornwall had the smallest number of sheep per farm. Welsh farms were more likely not to house cattle during winter. Liver fluke in sheep and ticks and tick-borne disease were a higher concern on Islay than other locations and abortion in sheep was of highest concern on the Isle of Man. Islay farmers used between four and 13 times as many treatments per year as farmers at other locations and the application 2 rate of triclabendazole (TCBZ) was higher on Islay. The rate of application of other products, including macrocyclic lactones ML, did not differ among locations. The study described here shows clear differences in the farm grazing management, in the priority given to animal health problems and in the frequency of application of veterinary parasiticides among four locations that provide feeding habitat for chough in the UK. These differences suggest that the viability of chough populations might be favoured by higher intensity grazing, and by low rates of application of veterinary parasiticides of either the TCBZ or synthetic pyrethroid SP, or both classes of parasiticides.

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The diet of a declining Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax population on Islay, Scotland

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Integrating advances in population and evolutionary ecology with conservation strategy through long‐term studies of red‐billed choughs

Integrating advances in population and evolutionary ecology with conservation strategy through long‐term studies of red‐billed choughs

Collateral benefits of targeted supplementary feeding on demography and growth rate of a threatened population

Livestock Management in Red-Billed Chough Feeding Habitat in Great Britain and the Isle of Man

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