Topic
Delichon
About: Delichon is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 33 publications have been published within this topic receiving 783 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed some major recorded mortality incidents among migratory birds attributed to inclement weather and other factors, including: (1) in-flight losses, caused by storms and other adverse weather en route, usually over water; (2) unseasonable cold weather soon after arrival in breeding areas; and (3) cold weather before departure from breeding areas.
Abstract: A major perceived cost of migration in birds is the associated mortality. This mortality has proved difficult to measure and separate from mortality during stationary periods of the annual cycle. This paper reviews some major recorded mortality incidents among migratory birds attributed to inclement weather and other factors, including: (1) in-flight losses, caused by storms and other adverse weather en route, usually over water; (2) unseasonable cold weather soon after arrival in breeding areas; and (3) unseasonable cold weather before departure from breeding areas. Cold weather often kills migrants in their breeding areas, but not the local resident species which can better withstand it at those times. For migrants, cold and snow act to cut off the food supply, and can have a major selective effect on the seasonal timing of migration. Records of in-flight weather-induced mortality, involving up to hundreds or thousands of birds at a time, have affected mainly small passerines, but also larger birds, including eagles and swans. Most occurred in conditions of mist, rain or snow storms, and some involved nocturnal collisions with illuminated masts and other tall structures. Records of post-arrival mortality in breeding areas have involved mainly small insectivores (especially hirundines), but also waders and waterfowl. Such incidents, associated with cold and snow, have reduced local breeding densities from the previous year by 25-90%, depending on species and area, with up to several years required for recovery. Records of pre-departure mortality on breeding areas have mainly affected hirundines. Two major incidents in central Europe in September 1931 and 1974 killed hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of swallows and martins. After the latter incident, House Martin Delichon urbicum populations in Switzerland the following year were reduced by an estimated 25-30%. Such climatic extremes that occurred in spring or late summer in particular parts of the breeding range have been recorded at approximate mean frequencies of 2-10 per century. Average daily mortality in many bird species can clearly be much greater during migration periods than during stationary periods. Despite the heavy losses of birds on migration, it may be assumed that migration persists in the long term because the fitness costs (in terms of associated mortality) are more than offset by the fitness benefits (in terms of improved overall survival and breeding success) that accrue from migration.
343 citations
TL;DR: The phylogeny of swallows was reconstructed by comparing segments of three genes, nuclear beta-fibrinogen intron 7 (betafib7), mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb), and mitochondrial ND2, in a variety of combinations using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods.
119 citations
TL;DR: A close relationship between the monotypic African and Australian genera Pseudhirundo and Cheramoeca is found and Delichon, which has persisted in the nomenclature as a genus separate from Hirundo, is monophyletic with taxa that are commonly considered to be members of Hirundo.
Abstract: -The phylogeny of the subfamily Hirundininae was estimated by hybridizing single-copy nuclear DNAs of 21 swallow species, representing 19 former and current genera, and a Tufted Titmouse (Parus bicolor) as outgroup. The phylogeny, which was unusually well resolved, consisted of three fundamental clades: Hirundo and allies, core martins, and African sawwings. The clade of Hirundo and allies comprised Hirundo rustica, Ptyonoprogne fuligula, Delichon urbica, Cecropis semirufa, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, and P. spilodera. The sister-group of Hirundo and allies was the core martin clade, which consisted largely of endemic New World taxa (Pygochelidon cyanoleuca, Neochelidon tibialis, Atticora fasciata, Phaeoprogne tapera, Progne chalybea, Haplochelidon andecola, Stelgidopteryx ruficollis, and Tachycineta bicolor) and some basally branching Old World groups (Riparia riparia, R. cincta, Phedina borbonica, Pseudhirundo griseopyga, and Cheramoeca leucosternus). The African sawwings (represented by Psalidoprocne holomelas) formed the sister group of the core martins and Hirundo and allies. Among some interesting discoveries, we found a close relationship between the monotypic African and Australian genera Pseudhirundo and Cheramoeca. We also found that Delichon, which has persisted in the nomenclature as a genus separate from Hirundo, is monophyletic with taxa that are commonly considered to be members of Hirundo. On the other hand, Haplochelidon andecola, which is often considered to be a Hirundo or Petrochelidon, is not closely related to those genera, but instead lies among the New World members of the core martin clade. Received 1 July 1992, accepted 25 November 1992. PERHAPS NO FAMILY of passerines is as uniform morphologically and diverse generically as the swallows (Hirundinidae). All swallow species conform to a fundamental body plan that includes long and pointed wings, medium length tails, short legs, and bills that are short and wide. This uniformity is the likely result of adaptation to a strictly aerial insectivorous lifestyle. Apparently because of this uniformity, systematists have been loath to attempt a phylogenetic reconstruction of the swallow family as a whole. While there have been many classifications of the Hirundinidae (e.g. Sharpe 1885, Peters 1960, Turner and Rose 1989, Sibley and Monroe 1990) and many discussions of the systematics of individual species or small groups of taxa, only one published paper has considered the familywide relationships of swallows based on evolutionary or phylogenetic logic. This is the 50-year-old study of Mayr and Bond
98 citations
TL;DR: It is found that the swift and the barn swallow significantly advanced both arrival and laying dates, whereas all other species did not show any significant temporal trend in either arrival or laying date.
Abstract: Climate change is affecting the phenology of seasonal events in Europe and the Northern Hemisphere, as shown by several studies of birds’ timing of migration and reproduction. Here, we analyse the long-term (1982–2006) trends of first arrival dates of four long-distance migratory birds [swift (Apus apus), nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), and house martin (Delichon urbicum)] and first egg laying dates of two migrant (swift, barn swallow) and two resident species [starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Italian sparrow (Passer italiae)] at a study site in northern Italy. We also addressed the effects of local weather (temperature and precipitation) and a climate index (the North Atlantic Oscillation, NAO) on the interannual variability of phenological events. We found that the swift and the barn swallow significantly advanced both arrival and laying dates, whereas all other species did not show any significant temporal trend in either arrival or laying date. The earlier arrival of swifts was explained by increasing local temperatures in April, whereas this was not the case for arrival dates of swallows and first egg laying dates of both species. In addition, arrival dates of house martins were earlier following high NAO winters, while nightingale arrival was earlier when local spring rainfall was greater. Finally, Italian sparrow onset of reproduction was anticipated by greater spring rainfall, but delayed by high spring NAO anomalies, and swift’s onset of reproduction was anticipated by abundant rainfall prior to reproduction. There were no significant temporal trends in the interval between onset of laying and arrival in either the swift or the barn swallow. Our findings therefore indicate that birds may show idiosyncratic responses to climate variability at different spatial scales, though some species may be adjusting their calendar to rapidly changing climatic conditions.
59 citations
TL;DR: House martins are the first passerine birds in which torpor has been found, and these adaptations might have played a role in the great success of the house martin, one of the 10–15 most abundant bird species in Europe.
Abstract: Special energetic adaptations are of great evolutionary significance for birds that encounter transient problems in finding food during the breeding season. House martins, as aerial insectivores, encounter such problems during spells of bad weather, when they must survive on body reserves. This species employs the following behavioural and physiological adaptations to save energy: Low basal metabolic rate (only 43% of the values predicted by allometric equations); low thermal conductance 51% (day) and 67% (night) of the predicted values; clustering behaviour; high tolerance of the young to periods of low food supply; and the ability to become torpid, found in adults and young from the age of 11 days on. House martins are the first passerine birds in which torpor has been found. These adaptations might have played a role in the great success of the house martin, one of the 10–15 most abundant bird species in Europe.
54 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2015 | 2 |