The breeding biology, nest success, habitat and behavior of the endangered Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Xanthopsar flavus (Aves: Icteridae), at an Important Bird Area (IBA) in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Mohr, Luciane Rosa da Silva; Périco, Eduardo; Fonseca, Vanda Simone da Silva; Mohr, Alexsandro Rodrigo

doi:10.3897/zoologia.34.e20783

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In these grasslands, agricultural cropping and intensive livestock ranching, and timber plantations are the most frequently reported threats to both resident and migratory grassland birds (Phifer et al 2017, Renfrew et al 2017, Pedrana et al 2018, Weyland et al 2019. Livestock ranching has mixed effects: some grassland specialist birds react negatively to any grazing, others tolerate the presence of grazers, but overgrazing introduces numerous problems (Cerezo et al 2011, Fontana et al 2016, da Silva Mohr et al 2017, Jacobowski et al 2017, da Silva & Fontana 2020. Human settlement and urbanization result in land use change and grassland habitat loss (Freitas et al 2019).…”

Section: South America (53 Studies)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Habitat protection is a vital recommended action (da Silva Mohr et al 2017) and key research findings include the importance of large patches of habitat to grassland specialist abundance and richness (Pretelli et al 2018) and the recognition that specialists have different preferences within preserved areas (Isacch & Cardoni 2011). Meanwhile, land/water management strategies must reconcile avian habitat and human land use (Phifer et al 2017).…”

Section: South America (53 Studies)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Grazing practices should be improved through seed management and temporal rotation, heterogeneous grazing intensities and integrated silvopastoralism (Phifer et al 2017). Farmers disadvantaged by conservation actions should be compensated to incentivize uptake of beneficial practices (Renfrew et al 2017, Pedrana et al 2018, and appropriate livestock farming subsidized to balance out intensive crop production (da Silva Mohr et al 2017).…”

Section: South America (53 Studies)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2018), and appropriate livestock farming subsidized to balance out intensive crop production (da Silva Mohr et al . 2017).…”

Section: Regional Summariesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A global review identifies agriculture as the main threat to declining grassland birds

Douglas,

Waldinger,

Buckmire

et al. 2023

Ibis

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Grasslands are globally threatened and their biodiversity, including grassland birds, is declining markedly. To inform grassland bird conservation globally, we systematically reviewed threats and conservation actions for grassland birds, extracting data from 528 papers. Across the 10 primary grassland regions of the globe, agriculture was the most frequently or joint most frequently reported threat in nine regions (reported as a threat in 73% of publications); hunting was the most frequently reported threat in the remaining region. Natural system modifications (reported as a threat in 32% of publications) and climate change and severe weather (24%) were less frequently reported threats compared with agriculture. The types of threat from agriculture varied regionally, but the most pervasive were livestock farming and ranching (reported in 58% of publications where agriculture was a primary threat) and non‐timber cropping (43%). Most agricultural threats relate to intensification, but agricultural abandonment, typically the cessation of grazing, sometimes accompanied by tree planting/succession, poses an emerging threat to some grassland birds (reported in 32% of publications where agriculture was a primary threat). The most frequent conservation actions implemented to date include land/water management and protection, and species‐specific management actions. Authors of reviewed publications in almost all regions recommend more land/water management, followed by calls for further land/water protection. The parlous state of grassland birds globally suggests that existing conservation actions for grasslands are inadequate. Furthermore, our review suggests that these should be primarily targeted at reversing the negative impacts of agriculture, in particular livestock farming and cropping.

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Section: South America (53 Studies)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: South America (53 Studies)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: South America (53 Studies)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2018), and appropriate livestock farming subsidized to balance out intensive crop production (da Silva Mohr et al . 2017).…”

Section: Regional Summariesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A global review identifies agriculture as the main threat to declining grassland birds

Douglas,

Waldinger,

Buckmire

et al. 2023

Ibis

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Birds of the Campos Sulinos

Bencke,

Dias,

Fontana

2023

South Brazilian Grasslands

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Saffron-cowled Blackbirds’ reduced nest success in Argentina’s agricultural land highlights the importance of non-agricultural habitat for its conservation

Pucheta,

Pereda,

Di Giacomo

2024

Ornithological Applications

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The Saffron-cowled Blackbird (Xanthopsar flavus) is a globally endangered icterid endemic to the southern South American grasslands. Temperate grasslands are among the most threatened ecosystems in South America due to their high rate of land use change. In northeastern Argentina, over the last century, the conversion of natural grasslands to livestock farming, croplands, and afforestation have resulted in significant losses of breeding habitat for the Saffron-cowled Blackbird. Consequently, it has suffered severe populational declines, and its remaining populations are fragmented. In order to understand the impact of agricultural systems on the Saffron-cowled Blackbird populations, we studied its breeding biology (clutch size, hatching success, nestling production, and fledgling success) and the main parameters that influence nest survival rate in five breeding habitat types. During the breeding seasons of 2015 to 2019, we located nests and monitored their fate. We found that the cumulative probability of nest survival over the entire nesting cycle (i.e., laying, incubation, and chick rearing) was 0.06, and was lower for nests situated in grazed land covers. Conversely, nest survival was greater in breeding sites without agricultural use, particularly in marshes. Predation was the main cause of nest failure (76%), followed by brood parasitism (10%), and trampling by cattle and agricultural machinery (6%). Brood parasitism rates were higher in grazed paddocks, contributing together with predation to the failure of nests in this habitat. Our findings indicate a negative impact of livestock ranching on Saffron-cowled Blackbird reproduction. Non-agriculture habitats, like wetlands and flooded areas, are important as refuges for nesting. Thus, the creation of breeding refuges (non-productive sites) within agricultural matrices, in association with biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices, is crucial to ensure the Saffron-cowled Blackbird’s maintenance.

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The breeding biology, nest success, habitat and behavior of the endangered Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Xanthopsar flavus (Aves: Icteridae), at an Important Bird Area (IBA) in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Cited by 4 publications

References 8 publications

A global review identifies agriculture as the main threat to declining grassland birds

A global review identifies agriculture as the main threat to declining grassland birds

Birds of the Campos Sulinos

Saffron-cowled Blackbirds’ reduced nest success in Argentina’s agricultural land highlights the importance of non-agricultural habitat for its conservation

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