Invasive birds: global trends and impacts

Abstract

This 381-paged book covers the biology, ecology, impact and management of 34 common alien invasive species, with reviews on the history and context of avian introductions and invasions in five major regions (Oceania, Africa, Europe (including the Middle East, Asia and South America)), as well as management challenges and the potential of citizen science for monitoring alien birds. The book pitches at the introductory level and is ideal for readers to gain a quick and comprehensive view of the current status of global avian invasions. It has brought the records and research of avian invasion one step ahead of other alien invasive animal taxa. Many chapters contain distribution maps and data tables on the diet and morphology of the species, providing a good reference for the species and its management issues. Each chapter also contains a rich list of references that could help readers dive further into the topic.

Adaptive patterns of anti-predator escape behavior in a globally introduced bird species

“…With a multi-continent distribution of its native and introduced ranges, both longterm and short recency of repeated establishment, and high levels of aggression and competitive success over other cavity nesting birds, the common myna represents one of the most successful and globally impactful avian invaders (Lowe et al 2000;Downs and Hart 2020). Whether and how these repeated introductions may have led to local differences in morphology, cognition, and behavior have been the subjects of several recent studies on mynas both in their native and introduced ranges (e.g., Magory Cohen et al 2020).…”

“…Common mynas are native to South Asia, have been introduced to novel sites on five continents, including on several Pacific Island archipelagos, either as accidental releases of captive birds or deliberately imported agricultural control agents (Downs and Hart 2020). With arrivals and detections in non-native localities ranging from the early 19 th century to present day (e.g., Beesley et al 2023), the common myna is both a highly successful and locally rapidly spreading species, which often competes with native avifauna for valuable cavity-nests and food (the multiple negative effects of myna invasions are reviewed in Downs and Hart 2020; but see Lowe et al 2011).…”

“…Introduced species represent one of the major anthropogenically mediated global-change factors that threaten and reduce native biodiversity (Downs and Hart 2020). Accidental or deliberate species introductions can function as both ecological and evolutionary case studies (or "natural experiments": Diamond and Robinson 2011) to understand the role of physical and biotic factors on potential species establishment and spread, while also allowing for the documentation and analysis of evolutionarily novel interspecific interactions (Blackburn et al 2009).…”

“…Accidental or deliberate species introductions can function as both ecological and evolutionary case studies (or "natural experiments": Diamond and Robinson 2011) to understand the role of physical and biotic factors on potential species establishment and spread, while also allowing for the documentation and analysis of evolutionarily novel interspecific interactions (Blackburn et al 2009). When the same species has been introduced repeatedly at distant sites (i.e., metareplication), it can present a quasi-experimental system where biologically independent events can be analyzed within powerful statistical frameworks (Blackburn et al 2009;Samas et al 2013;Grim and Stokke 2016;Downs and Hart 2020;Magory Cohen et al 2020). Specifically, the impact of introduction lag (i.e., time since the onset of introduction) on foraging, anti-predator, social and breeding traits is best studied across different populations, introduced independently at various times from the native ranges.…”