Rapid declines in habitat quality and population size of the Liben (Sidamo) Lark <i>Heteromirafra sidamoensis</i> necessitate immediate conservation action – ERRATUM

Donald, Paul F.; Buchanan, Graeme M.; Collar, Nigel; Abebe, Yilma D.; Gabremichael, Merid Nega; Mwangi, M. A. Kiragu; Ndang’ang’a, Paul K.; Spottiswoode, Claire N.; Wondafrash, Mengistu

doi:10.1017/s095927091000033x

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 1 publication

(1 reference statement)

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“…Fuhlendorf et al 2009). Our study demonstrates that grass height and cover or each one alone, depending on the habitat requirements of individual species, determines habitat use by birds (Winter et al 2005;Devereux et al 2006;Donald et al 2010). Regional studies that link species abundance to habitat do not take into account detection (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

et al. 2017

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Background: World-wide grassland birds are in decline due to habitat loss and degradation resulting from intensive agricultural practices. Understanding how key grassland habitat attributes determine grassland bird densities is required to make appropriate conservation decisions. We examine drivers of bird densities in a South African grassland area that has been managed for biodiversity conservation with reduced grazing pressure. Methods:We estimated the density of the eight most common grassland bird species encountered in our area to evaluate the effects of recent grassland management changes on the avifauna. We collected data on birds and habitat from the austral summers of 2006/2007, 2007/2008 and 2010/2011. We used hierarchical distance sampling methods to estimate density of birds relative to two main habitat variables, i.e., grass cover and height. In addition, we used regression splines within these distance sampling models as a more flexible description of suitable ranges of grass height and cover for each species.Results: For most species, density is related to grass height and cover as expected. The African Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) and Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) preferred relatively short and open grass. The Yellow-breasted Pipit (Anthus chloris), African Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus) and Red-capped Lark (Calandrella cinerea) preferred short and relatively dense grass, while the Wing-snapping Cisticola (Cisticola ayresii) preferred grass of intermediate height and cover. The Cape Longclaw (Macronyx capensis) and Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) preferred tall and dense grass. Our results agree with previous studies that grass height combined with grass cover are the most important habitat features that managers should manipulate in order to increase the density of target species. The regression splines show that the effect of these two habitat variables on density is well described by linear relationships for most species. Conclusions: This study supports previous studies suggesting that grazing and fire are important tools for management to use in order to create a mosaic of grass height and cover that would support high densities of desired species. We suggest that conservation managers of these grasslands combine fire and grazing as management tools to create suitable habitats for grassland birds in general.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

et al. 2017

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“…In the 1970s, a shift in government policy encouraged permanent settlement in place of transhumance, thereby increasing grazing pressure and eventually triggering cereal cultivation (Tilahun et al 2017). Anecdotal evidence, particularly the testimony of elders we have interviewed, indicated that by 2010 the grassland on the plain was already much degraded in terms of structure and grass species diversity compared to a generation earlier (Donald et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…The Liben Plain is one of only two known sites for Liben Lark Heteromirafra archeri , also known as Archer’s or Sidamo Lark (Collar 2009, Spottiswoode et al 2009, 2013, Donald et al 2010). A limited survey in October 2019 of the second site, near Jijiga in north-eastern Ethiopia, suggested that very few birds remain there (Negussie Toye and Abiy Dagne pers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rangeland loss and population decline of the critically endangered Liben LarkHeteromirafra archeriin southern Ethiopia

Mahamued

Donald

Collar

et al. 2021

Bird Conservation International

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Summary Liben Lark Heteromirafra archeri is a ‘Critically Endangered’ species threatened by the loss and degradation of grassland at the Liben Plain, southern Ethiopia, one of only two known sites for the species. We use field data from nine visits between 2007 and 2019 and satellite imagery to quantify changes over time in the species’ abundance and in the extent and quality of its habitat. We estimate that the population fell from around 279 singing males (95% CL: 182–436) in 2007 to around 51 (14–144) in 2013, after which too few birds were recorded to estimate population size. Arable cultivation first appeared on the plain in the early 1990s and by 2019 more than a third of the plain had been converted to crops. Cultivation was initially confined to the fertile black soils but from 2008 began to spread into the less fertile red soils that cover most of the plain. Liben Larks strongly avoided areas with extensive bare ground or trees and bushes, but the extent of these did not change significantly over the survey period. A plausible explanation for the species’ decline is that grassland degradation, caused before 2007 by continuous high-pressure grazing by livestock, reduced its rates of reproduction or survival to a level that could not support its previous population. Since 2015, communal kalos (grazing exclosures) have been established to generate forage and other resources in the hope of also providing breeding habitat for Liben Larks. Grass height and density within four grassland kalos in 2018 greatly exceeded that in the surrounding grassland, indicating that the plain retains the potential to recover rapidly if appropriately managed. Improvement of grassland structure through the restitution of traditional and sustainable rangeland management regimes and the reversion of cereal agriculture to grassland are urgently needed to avert the species’ extinction.

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“…Grass height and cover are proximate factors influencing habitat selection and nest survival amongst grassland birds (Devereux et al, 2008;Cao et al, 2009;Donald et al, 2010;Fisher & Davis, 2010;Klug, Jackrel & With, 2010). Several species of conservation concern occur with conflicting habitat requirements in our study region (Maphisa et al, 2009(Maphisa et al, , 2016.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peer Review #1 of "Dynamic multi-species occupancy models reveal individualistic habitat preferences in a high-altitude grassland bird community (v0.1)"

2019

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Moist, high-altitude grasslands of eastern South African harbour rich avian diversity and endemism. This area is also threatened by increasingly intensive agriculture and land conversion for energy production. This conflict is particularly evident at Ingula, an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area located within the least conserved high-altitude grasslands and which is also the site of a new Pumped Storage Scheme. The new management seeks to maximise biodiversity through manipulation of the key habitat variables: grass height and grass cover through burning and grazing to make habitat suitable for birds. However, different species have individual habitat preferences, which further vary through the season. We used a dynamic multi-species occupancy model to examine the seasonal occupancy dynamics of 12 common grassland bird species and their habitat preferences. We estimated monthly occupancy, colonisation and persistence in relation to grass height and grass cover throughout the summer breeding season of 2011/12. For majority of these species, at the beginning of the season occupancy increased with increasing grass height and decreased with increasing grass cover.Persistence and colonisation decreased with increasing grass height and cover. However, the 12 species varied considerably in their responses to grass height and cover. Our results suggest that management should aim to provide plots which vary in grass height and cover to maximise bird diversity. We also conclude that the decreasing occupancy with increasing grass cover and low colonisation with increasing grass height and cover is a results of little grazing on our study site. We further conclude some of the 12 selected species are good indicators of habitat suitability more generally because they represent a range of habitat needs and are relatively easy to monitor.

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Rapid declines in habitat quality and population size of the Liben (Sidamo) Lark Heteromirafra sidamoensis necessitate immediate conservation action – ERRATUM

Abstract: Figure 5 of the above paper (Donald et al., 2010) was printed in black and white rather than colour. The publishers apologise for this error, and have reprinted the image below correctly.

Cited by 5 publications

References 1 publication

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

Rangeland loss and population decline of the critically endangered Liben LarkHeteromirafra archeriin southern Ethiopia

Peer Review #1 of "Dynamic multi-species occupancy models reveal individualistic habitat preferences in a high-altitude grassland bird community (v0.1)"

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