Conservation Evidence: Evidence Data

Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Manage ditches to benefit wildlife Three out of four replicated studies from the UK found that some farmland birds responded positively to the presence of ditches managed for wildlife. All three also found that some species did not respond positively or responded negatively to management. A replicated, controlled and paired sites study from the UK found that bunded ditches were visited by more birds than non-bunded ditches. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F180https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F180Wed, 30 May 2012 14:17:50 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Physically protect nests from predators using non-electric fencing Two studies from the USA and UK found that fewer nests were predated or failed when predator exclusion fences were erected. Two studies from the USA found that nesting success or fledging success did not differ between areas with fences erected and those without fences; although one found that hatching rates were higher with fences. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F183https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F183Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:15:36 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Leave uncut rye grass in silage fields for birds Two reviews from the UK found that leaving rye grass uncut, or with only a single cut, benefited seed-eating birds and two replicated, controlled studies from the UK found that seed-eating birds were more abundant on uncut plots. Two replicated and controlled studies and a review, all from the UK, found that seed-eating birds were more abundant on uncut and ungrazed plots than on uncut and grazed plots. A replicated, controlled study from the UK found that the responses of non-seed-eating birds were less certain than seed-eaters, with some species avoiding uncut rye grass. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F224https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F224Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:04:39 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Maintain traditional water meadows A replicated study from the UK found that northern lapwing and common redshank populations increased on nature reserves managed to maintain water meadows. Two replicated studies from the Netherlands found that there were more waders or birds overall on specially managed meadows or 12.5 ha plots including several management interventions than on conventional fields, but one study found that these differences were present before the management scheme was introduced and the other found no differences between individual fields under different management. A replicated study from the UK found that common snipe decreased on nature reserves managed to maintain water meadows and a replicated before-and-after study from the Netherlands found that wader population trends on specially managed meadows were no different to those on conventionally-managed meadows. A replicated study from the UK found that lapwing populations on three of four water meadow sites managed for conservation did not have high enough productivity to maintain population levels. All three sites were judged deficient in at least one management category. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F229https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F229Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:37:55 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Weight baits or lines to reduce longline bycatch of seabirds Three replicated and controlled studies found evidence for reduced bycatch in some species when using weighted lines. One study found low bycatch rates, but was uncontrolled. In Hawaii and New Zealand, rates of bait loss and bycatch of albatrosses Phoebastria spp., white-chinned petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis and sooty shearwaters Puffinus griseus were much lower with weighted baits or integrated weight lines than with control lines. In the North Pacific, two trials found that bycatch rates of some species was reduced when using weights, but that shearwaters Puffinus spp. attacked weighted lines more often. A study off New Zealand found that attaching weights to lines had only localised effects on sink-rate. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F296https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F296Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:07:29 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning on deciduous forests Of four studies found, one paired sites study from the USA found that bird species richness was similar in burned and unburned aspen forests, although there were significant changes in the relative abundances of some species. A replicated, controlled study in the USA found no evidence for changes in community composition in oak and hickory forests following burning. A replicated controlled trial from the USA found no differences in wood thrush nest survival in burned compared to unburned areas. Another replicated controlled trial from the USA found a reduction in the number of black-chinned hummingbird nests following fuel reduction treatments that included burning. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F317https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F317Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:53:13 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Restore or create traditional water meadows Four out of five before-and-after studies, all from the UK, found that the number of waders and wildfowl on sites increased following the restoration of water meadows. One before-and-after study from Sweden found no increase in northern lapwing population following an increase in the area of managed meadows in the study area. This study also found that restored meadows were used less than expected by breeding lapwings. A before-and-after study from Sweden found that hatching success of northern lapwings were higher on meadows than on spring-sown crops. There were no differences between meadows and autumn-sown crops or grasslands. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F363https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F363Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:51:09 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Control mammalian predators on islands for songbirds Two before-and-after trials in the Seychelles and Cook Islands describe population increases in magpie robins and monarch flycatchers following cat and rat control. A before-and-after study from New Zealand found that the population of South Island robins Petroica australis australis was almost identical before and after rat control. Two studies found higher reproductive success in monarch flycatchers and shrikes in areas with rodent control, compared to areas without control. However, this was climate dependent in shrikes. A before-and-after study from Hawaii found lower predation on artificial nests after intensive rodent control. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F382https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F382Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:43:04 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Control predators not on islands for gamebirds Four controlled studies in Europe found increased populations or productivity of grouse and partridges on sites with predator removal. One study tested multiple interventions simultaneously. A fifth replicated UK study found no increase in grouse densities or reproductive success on sites with gamekeepers, compared to those without. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F387https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F387Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:25:00 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Physically protect nests with individual exclosures/barriers or provide shelters for chicks of songbirds Three studies from across the world found increased fledging success for nests in trees protected by individual barriers. A replicated controlled study from the USA also found higher success for ground-nests protected by individual barriers. Two studies from the UK and Japan found lower predation rates on nests protected by individual barriers. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F400https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F400Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:13:40 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use artificial nests that discourage predation Three trials in North America found lower predation or higher nesting success of wildfowl in nest boxes or nesting ‘tubs’ than natural nests in tree cavities or on the ground. A trial in captivity found that raccoons could be prevented from entering nest boxes if they were topped with a metal cone with a 7.6 cm overhang and the distance between entrance hole and the roof was increased from 30 to 60 cm. A replicated study in the USA found that fewer woods duck Aix sponsa used nest boxes with predator guards on when given the choice of unaltered boxes, but that both designs were used with equal frequency when only one design was available. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F402https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F402Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:40:11 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Can nest protection increase predation of adults and chicks? Three replicated and controlled studies from North America and Sweden found higher levels of predation on adult birds with nest exclosures, one study from Sweden found that predation was no higher. A replicated and controlled study from Alaska found that long-tailed jaegers Stercorarius longicaudus learned to associate exclosures with birds, targeting adult western sandpipers Calidris mauri and quickly predating chicks when exclosures were removed. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F403https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F403Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:45:33 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use aversive conditioning to reduce nest predation by mammalian predators One study from the USA and three ex situ experiments found evidence for lower consumption of eggs treated with repellent chemicals. However, when untreated eggs were provided simultaneously with or after treated eggs, no studies found evidence for continued lower predation. I.e. aversive conditioning did not occur. In addition, a study from the USA found no effect of repellent chemicals on predation rates of genuine nests. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F419https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F419Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:10:42 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Protect nest sites from competitors Two replicated studies from the USA found that red-cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis populations increased in five forests after several interventions, including the installation of restrictor plates around nesting holes, were implemented. A study from Puerto Rico found evidence for lower competition between Puerto Rican parrots Amazona vittata and pearly-eyed thrashers Margarops fuscatus after modifications were made to nest boxes. A replicated, controlled study from the USA found weak evidence for the effects of exclusion devices on house sparrows Passer domesticus nesting in nest boxes and a study from the USA found that fitting restrictor plates to red-cockaded woodpecker holes reduced the number that were enlarged. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F426https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F426Fri, 17 Aug 2012 17:45:26 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Control or remove habitat-altering mammals Four studies from the Azores and Australia found that seabird populations increased following the eradication of European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus or other species, although in three studies there were several other interventions used as well. Two studies from Australia and the Madeira archipelago, Portugal, found that seabird populations’ productivities increased following rabbit and house mouse Mus musculus eradications, with several other interventions used in the Australian study. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F431https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F431Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:21:43 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Remove/treat endoparasites and diseases Three studies from across the world investigating a range of taxa and parasites found that birds had higher productivity or survival if either chicks or adults were treated for endoparasites. One small study from Spain found no effect of Staphylococcus aureus treatment on eagle survival, while a study from Mauritius found uncertain evidence as to whether trichomoniasis treatment increased survival of pink pigeons Nesoenas mayeri after fledging. A randomised, replicated and controlled trial from the Netherlands found lower parasite burdens but also lower survival in Eurasian oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus chicks treated with anthelmintic drugs. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F434https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F434Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:54:24 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate wildfowl Three studies of two duck translocation programmes in New Zealand and Hawaii found high post-release survival, breeding and the successful establishment of new populations. A replicated study in USA found that none of 391 blue-winged teal Querquedula discors stayed in the release site and that there was high mortality after release. A replicated, controlled study in the USA found that wing-clipping female wood ducks Aix sponsa during translocation prevented them from abandoning their ducklings. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F571https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F571Sun, 30 Sep 2012 13:18:26 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Translocate nests to avoid disturbance Four small trials from the USA and a replicated study from Chatham Island, New Zealand found some success in relocating nests whilst they were in use. However, one study from the USA found that only 40% of burrowing owls Athene cunicularia were moved successfully, another found that American kestrels Falco sparverius tolerated movement of their nest, but not repeated disturbance and another found that barn swallow Hirundo rustica may follow their nest as it is slowly moved on a car, but may not stay at the new site. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F584https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F584Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:27:21 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations of raptors Three small studies and a review from around the world all found that raptors bred successfully in captivity. Two small studies on Accipiter spp. found that wild-caught birds bred in captivity after a few years, with one pair producing 15 young over four years, whilst a study on bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, captive breeding found low fertility in captive-bred eggs, but that birds still produced chicks after a year or so together. A review of Mauritius kestrel, Falco punctatus, captive breeding found that 139 independent young were raised over 12 years from 30 eggs and chicks taken from the wild (of which 13 survived). An update of the same programme found that hand-reared Mauritius kestrels were less successful if they came from captive-bred eggs, compared to wild ‘harvested’ eggs. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F596https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F596Sat, 13 Oct 2012 15:08:20 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use artificial insemination in captive breeding A review of artificial insemination argued that it could be a useful tool to conservationists, but that there were challenges to its use. Deep and repeated inseminations increased fertility. Two trials from the USA found that artificial insemination of raptors achieved approximately 50% fertility or 0%. A review of a houbara bustard Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii captive breeding programme in Saudi Arabia found that artificial insemination increased fertility, whilst another review found that the highest fertility levels were achieved with inseminations of at least 10 million spermatozoa every 4–5 days. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F601https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F601Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:16:19 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Artificially incubate and hand-rear seabirds in captivity Five studies from across the world found evidence for the success of hand-rearing seabirds. One small study in Spain found that one of five hand-reared Audouin’s gulls Larus audouinii successfully bred in the wild. Four studies found that various petrel species (Procellariiformes) successfully fledged after hand-rearing. One controlled study found that fledging rates of hand-reared birds was similar to parent-reared birds, although a study on a single bird found that the chick fledged at a lower weight and later than parent-reared chicks. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F604https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F604Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:50:42 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Release captive-bred individuals into the wild to restore or augment wild populations of wildfowl Two studies of reintroduction programmes of ducks in New Zealand found high survival of released birds and population establishment, with one describing successful breeding. One study describes higher success in the second year of the release programme, potentially because there was then a population present in the wild and more intensive predator control. A before-and-after study from Alaska found low survival of released cackling geese Branta hutchinsii, but that the population recovered from 1,000 to 6,000 birds after releases and the control of mammalian predators. A review of a reintroduction programme from Hawaii found that the release of 2,150 Hawaiian geese (nene) Branta sandvicensis had not resulted in the establishment of a self-sustaining population, although some birds bred. Two studies from Canada found very low return rates for released ducks with one finding no evidence for survival of released birds over two years, although there was some evidence that breeding success was higher for released birds than wild ones. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F618https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F618Sun, 14 Oct 2012 13:05:11 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Release captive-bred individuals into the wild to restore or augment wild populations of gamebirds One of five studies from across the world found that releasing gamebirds established a population or bolstered an existing population, although the authors argued that the population of 30–40 western capercaillie Tetrao urogallus (from nearly 400 released) was unlikely to be self-sustaining. A review of a reintroduction programme in Pakistan found some breeding success in released cheer pheasants Catreus wallichii, but that habitat change at the release site then excluded released birds. Three studies from Europe and the USA found that released birds had low survival, low reproductive success and had no impact on the wild population. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F619https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F619Sun, 14 Oct 2012 13:38:41 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Release captive-bred individuals into the wild to restore or augment wild populations of vultures Four studies of two release programmes found that release programmes led to large population increases in Andean condors Vultur gryphus in Colombia and griffon vultures Gyps fulvus in France. A small study in Peru found high survival of released Andean condors Vultur gryphus over 18 months, with all fatalities occurring in the first six months after release. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F625https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F625Sun, 14 Oct 2012 14:40:59 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Release captive-bred individuals into the wild to restore or augment wild populations of parrots A before-and-after study from Venezuela found that the local population of yellow-shouldered amazons Amazona barbadensis increased significantly following the release of captive-bred birds, along with other interventions. A replicated study in Costa Rica and Peru found high survival and some breeding of scarlet macaw Ara macao after release. Three replicated studies in the USA, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico found low survival in released birds (4–41% in the first year after release), although the Puerto Rican study also found that released birds bred successfully. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F629https%3A%2F%2Fconservationevidencejournal.com%2Factions%2F629Sun, 14 Oct 2012 22:56:19 +0100