Les articles de Jocelyn Champagnon

Effects of non-breeding conditions on the survival of the Collared Pratincole, an Afro-Palearctic migrant

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 11:40:12

de Sandra Hodić, Pablo Vera, Pedro Marin Prado, Wouter M.G. Vansteelant, Leo Zwarts, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Ibis, (en ligne) (August, 2026)
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Afro-Palearctic migrant populations are declining in Europe, and non-breeding conditions in Africa have been shown to be important in determining the population size of long-distance migrants. Overwintering conditions and prenuptial migration may both influence population growth through direct effects on survival. However, studies examining the impact of environmental factors on species survival remain limited, as this requires data over several years. The Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola is an insectivorous and strictly migratory wader that nests in grasslands and steppes in Europe and overwinters in savannas, mainly in the Sahel. In this study, we used a 13-year mark–recapture dataset collected at the breeding site in L'Albufera, Valencia (Spain), to estimate annual survival rates of Collared Pratincole. We found a high mean annual survival probability of 0.84 ± 0.01 se, though this varied from year to year. Wet years, as indicated by large maximum floods over the inner Niger delta, the Senegal river and delta, and the NDVI (a remotely sensed measure of vegetation based on primary production) in West Africa, positively affected the survival of the species, explaining respectively 49%, 50% and 62% of the survival temporal variation. Contrary to our prediction, unfavourable winds during prenuptial migration periods were not correlated with survival. Our study supports the hypothesis that drought conditions experienced by migratory birds in the Sahel (e.g. the Great Drought in 1969–1992) may have negatively impacted their populations.

Using Two-Stage Random Sampling and N-Mixture Models to Estimate the Breeding Population Size of a Threatened Nomadic Species in Morocco

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:48:34

de Haytem Bouchri, Rhimou El Hamoumi, Raphaël Musseau, Arnaud Béchet, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Animal Conservation, (en ligne) (July, 2026), 1-11
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Robust estimates of animal population size are critical for effective conservation planning, yet such studies remain scarce in the North African region, making it difficult to assess the population status of various species. Here, we present the results of a national-scale survey of the rare and elusive Marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) conducted over 2 years in Morocco. Using a two-stage random sampling design, we surveyed 187 secondary sampling units of 0.25 km2 nested within 35 primary sampling units of 100 km2, spanning from the Moulouya River to the Saharan wadis. We applied hierarchical binomial N-mixture models to estimate the breeding population size of the species and identify key breeding habitat features. At the scale of sampled sites that cover 46.75 km2 of wetlands, our best-supported model estimated a total of 24 broods, with an average detection probability of 0.71 (95% BCI: 0.49–0.86), highlighting the need to account for imperfect detection in field surveys. When extrapolated to all Moroccan wetlands (748 km2), this translated into a national breeding population size estimate of 386 broods (95% BCI: 283–487). Emergent vegetation was found to be the strongest predictor of brood abundance. Among wetland types, ponds showed positive associations with brood abundance relative to dams, while rivers were associated with lower abundance. These findings represent the first robust national-scale estimate of Marbled duck breeding population size in Morocco. The analysis highlights emergent vegetation and wetland types as predictors of brood abundance, offering direction for habitat-focused conservation efforts. The scalable survey and modeling framework used here can be adapted elsewhere to improve monitoring and conservation efforts of vulnerable waterbird species.

Multi-sensor tracking reveals the extent of nocturnal migration in landbirds

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:48:33

de Paul Dufour, Raphaël Nussbaumer, Paul Doniol-Valcroze, Yann Rime, Peter Adamik, Susanne Åkesson, Raphaël Arlettaz, Arnaud G. Barras, Nyambayar Batbayar, Ian Beggs, et al.
In Current Biology, (en ligne) (July, 2026)
En ligne : www.cell.com[...]

The authors combine multi-sensor geolocator data from 411 individuals across 56 landbird species to quantify nocturnal and diurnal migratory flight. They show that nocturnal migration is the dominant strategy among small landbirds, is phylogenetically conserved, and that several species previously considered diurnal migrants in fact fly exclusively at night.

Migratory connectivity, short steps and loop migration in an alpine population of Whinchats Saxicola rubetra

Tue, 9 Jun 2026 11:28:19

de Frédéric Jiguet, Jocelyn Champagnon, Olivier Duriez, Paul Dufour
In Journal of Ornithology, (en ligne) (May, 2026)
En ligne : doi.org[...]

We investigated the migratory strategy of an alpine population of Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, a long-distance migratory passerine experiencing severe population declines in Europe. We tracked seven individuals breeding in the French Alps using multi-sensor loggers combining light, accelerometer, and barometric pressure data. Tracked whinchats exhibited an anti-clockwise, loop migration. In autumn, birds migrated westward through France and the Iberian Peninsula, entering Africa near the Strait of Gibraltar and moving south along the western edge of the Sahara Desert. Autumn migration lasted 17–50 days and was characterized by a short step strategy, with numerous short nocturnal flights (mean 9 h) interspersed with frequent, often brief stopovers (on average 15 stops of median duration 16 h). Spring migration followed a more direct, easterly route across the Sahara Desert toward Europe. In contrast, it was faster (12–24 days) and more synchronized, typically beginning with a single, non-stop trans-Saharan flight lasting 37–45 h. These initial spring flights reached the highest of the recorded altitudes (4000–6000 m above sea level), considerably higher than autumn flights, likely facilitating barrier crossing and thermoregulation. Subsequent spring movements involved fewer flights and short stopovers, resulting in a highly accelerated return to breeding sites. Non-breeding ecology revealed flexible strategies. Each individual used one or two main non-breeding sites in West Africa, primarily in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Mauritania. Four of seven birds shifted between non-breeding sites at mid-winter, while others remained resident or roamed locally before spring migration. Compared to British breeding populations, alpine Whinchats showed a more spatially aggregated winter distribution, suggesting a moderate degree of migratory connectivity. Conservation implications emphasize the importance of preserving a network of stopover and late-winter fueling sites along the West African flyway, particularly in the context of habitat degradation and climate change.

Ecological barrier crossing strategies in small migratory birds depend on wing morphology and plumage color

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:54:31

de Paul Dufour, Raphaël Nussbaumer, Martins Briedis, Pierrick Bocher, Greg Conway, Yannig Coulomb, Rose Delacroix, Thomas Dagonet, Christophe de Franceschi, Sophie de Grissac, et al.
In iScience, 29(2) (February, 2026)
En ligne : www.cell.com[...]

Recent tracking technologies have revealed remarkable diel flight altitude changes over the Sahara Desert in small migratory birds. However, the drivers and traits behind these strategies remain poorly understood, partly because few species and barriers have been studied. Using a dataset from 67 recovered multi-sensor loggers across 17 species, we examined how small landbirds cross two major marine barriers (the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean Sea) and the Sahara. We then used a comparative approach to test the influence of wing morphology, wing structure, and plumage color on flight altitude. Birds showed important differences across barriers: over the desert, they averaged 1,600 m at night and 2,800 m during prolonged daytime flights, while marine crossings occurred lower (750 m), sometimes just above water. Flight altitude increased with wing area, and species with shorter wing bones and darker plumage flew higher over the Sahara, likely to enhance heat dissipation and reduce solar heating. These findings refine hypotheses on barrier-crossing strategies and suggest broader ecological and evolutionary implications.

Nasal saddles reduce survival rate in Eurasian teal

Tue, 3 Feb 2026 11:22:37

de Matthieu Guillemain, Marion Gelin, Betty Plaquin, Emilienne Gregorczyk, Jocelyn Champagnon, Léo Bacon
In The Journal of Wildlife Management, (en ligne) (March, 2026), e70181
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Nasal marks are used to study duck behavior and demography. Earlier tests detected no negative effects on dabbling duck physiology and behavior, but the potential deleterious effect on annual survival probability remained to be evaluated. We relied on multistate capture-mark-recapture models applied to 11,874 Eurasian teal (Anas crecca) banded in France from 2002 to 2021, of which 308 were recaptured alive at least once and 1,390 yielded dead band recoveries. Of the banded individuals, 6,770 teal (57.0%) were also marked with a plastic nasal saddle to evaluate the cost-benefit trade-off of the technique. Saddled teal had a lower annual survival probability (ranging from 0.30 ± 0.02 [SE] in hatch-year females to 0.45 ± 0.02 in after hatch-year males) than banded-only individuals (0.44 ± 0.03 to 0.53 ± 0.02). Incorporating live nasal saddle resighting information in life histories of the individuals did not improve precision of annual survival probability estimates. The mechanism behind such reduced annual survival remains unclear, and a potential greater influence of hunting on saddled birds cannot be excluded, either through greater exposure to hunting owing to birds’ behavior or through greater targeting by hunters. In any case, there were clear drawbacks to bird survival, with very limited benefits for the biologists, so this technique should be abandoned when the unique goal of fitting nasal saddles is to evaluate long-term demographic parameters in dabbling ducks. The method could remain valuable for other purposes such as shorter-term monitoring of brood-rearing females, evaluation of stopover duration, or some migration studies, but even then, results should be interpreted with caution and animal welfare issues should be considered.

Les oiseaux nicheurs rares et menacés en France en 2024

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:46:26

de Gwenael Quaintenne, Antoine Arnaud, Arnaud Béchet, Maurice Benmergui, Baptiste Boutilleux, Christian Boutrouille, Jean-Jacques Boutteaux, Bernard Cadiou, Pierre Camberlein, Gaëtan Cavitte, et al.
In Ornithos, 174 (Janvier, Février, Mars 2026), 04-35

L’observatoire des oiseaux nicheurs « rares et menacés » s’intéresse depuis 1994 à suivre l’évolution d’espèces à l’état de conservation jugé fragile ou préoccupant, mais aussi aux espèces rares, localisées ou nouvellement nicheuses dont certaines montrent depuis quelques années des dynamiques de population singulières, illustrées entre autres par des essors numériques fulgurants. Cette 25e publication des résultats des suivis des espèces nicheuses rares et menacées présente les éléments clés de la saison 2023 de reproduction de ces espèces, rendue possible par la contribution de près de 200 structures et associations naturalistes et d’un millier d’observateurs.

Assessing geographic changes in hunting pressure on wildfowl through ring recovery locations

Wed, 7 Jan 2026 15:52:06

de Betty Plaquin, Matthieu Guillemain, Jocelyn Champagnon, Adrien Tableau
In Wildfowl, 75 (December, 2025), 146-158
En ligne : tidsskrift.dk[...]

Management of exploited populations needs to account for hunting pressure, yet estimating this parameter remains challenging. The study presented here compares the geographic distribution of dead recovery sites between the mid-20th century (1953–1983) and early 21st century (2002–2025), for birds all ringed in the same initial area (the Camargue in southern France) and proposes that this approach be used as a method for evaluating changes in relative hunting pressure over time. Analysis of ring recovery data from Common Teal Anas crecca, used as an example, suggests that hunting pressure on these birds has become increasingly concentrated in France in the 21st century, highlighting the responsibility of the country for hunting management of this species.

Spring-accelerated loop migration in the Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator

Fri, 7 Nov 2025 16:08:22

de Frédéric Jiguet, Jocelyn Champagnon, Olivier Duriez, Christophe de Franceschi, Stephan Tillo, Paul Dufour
In Journal of Ornithology, 167(2) (April, 2026)
En ligne : doi.org[...]

The Woodchat Shrike is a long-distance migrant bird whose European populations have declined over the past decades. To inform conservation efforts, we tracked five breeding male individuals from southern France using light-level and multi-sensor loggers. We revealed a distinct anticlockwise loop migration. In autumn, birds departed from late July to mid-August, stopping for extended periods in Spain or Morocco, and again in Mauritania or Mali, before reaching their non-breeding grounds in the Sahel (eastern Mali, western Niger, northern Nigeria) by early October. The average duration of post-breeding migration was 52 days. In spring, birds departed mid-April and returned to breeding sites synchronously between April 27 and May 1. The spring route was more direct, with a significantly shorter average duration of 15 days. Stopovers were brief (median duration 20 h), and flights occurred almost exclusively at night. Only two individuals extended one nocturnal flight into daytime during spring Sahara crossings. Flight altitudes were significantly higher in spring than in autumn. These findings have important conservation implications. Woodchat Shrikes spend only three full months on breeding grounds, limiting the window for habitat management. Since they spend most of the year in sub-Saharan Africa, threats in the Sahel —such as rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and land degradation are critical. Early arrival in the Sahel may allow birds to benefit from seasonal rains there and complete their post-breeding moult.

Évolution des effectifs nicheurs des ardéidés coloniaux arboricoles et paludicoles en Camargue et sur la façade méditerranéenne française

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:17:45

de Yves Kayser, Thomas Blanchon, Antoine Arnaud, Olivier Pineau, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Jean-Laurent Lucchesi, Gregoire Massez, Christophe Pin, Clément Pappalardo, Jérémiah Petit, et al.
In Ornithos, 172 (Juillet, août, septembre 2025), 16-33

Les suivis des populations reproductrices d’ardéidés coloniaux sont réalisés chaque année sur la bordure méditerranéenne française depuis 1968 pour les hérons paludicoles ainsi qu’en Camargue depuis 1969 pour les espèces arboricoles. Neuf espèces de hérons se reproduisent dans cette région dont sept sont concernées par ces recensements : le Bihoreau gris Nycticorax nycticorax, le Crabier chevelu Ardeola ralloides, le Héron garde-bœufs Ardea ibis, le Héron cendré Ardea cinerea, le Héron pourpré Ardea purpurea, la Grande Aigrette Ardea alba et l’Aigrette garzette Egretta garzetta.

Migration shapes senescence in a long-lived bird

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:57:02

de Hugo Cayuela, Sébastien Roques, Antoine Arnaud, Christophe Germain, Arnaud Béchet, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(36) (2025-09-09), e2422882122
En ligne : www.pnas.org[...]

Each year, billions of animals migrate across the globe on diverse spatial and temporal scales. Migration behavior thus plays a fundamental role in the life cycle and Darwinian fitness of many organisms. While the influence of migration on early-life survival and reproduction is well documented, its effects on senescence (aging) in advanced age remain largely unexplored. Using a unique 44-y ring-resighting dataset from a long-lived, partially migratory bird species, the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), we demonstrate that migration plays a key role in shaping age-specific trajectories of mortality and reproduction. Resident flamingos exhibit higher early-life demographic performances, with lower baseline mortality than migrants, resulting in longer adult lifespan. Residents also have a higher probability of breeding than migrants, though their breeding success is similar. However, residents seem to pay for their early-life advantages in old age, experiencing accelerated actuarial and reproductive senescence compared to migrants. Overall, our study highlights the critical impact of migration on survival and reproduction throughout life, thereby illustrating the role played by behavioral decisions in the biology of aging in long-lived vertebrates.

Defining optimal small woody features and water densities to maximize European turtle-dove (Streptopelia turtur) occurrence in French agricultural landscapes

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 14:01:48

de Yuping Ren, Karine Princé, Pierrick Bocher, Jocelyn Champagnon, Olivier Duriez, Frédéric Jiguet
In Biological Conservation, 309 (September, 2025), 111302
En ligne : www.sciencedirect.com[...]

The European turtle-dove is globally threatened, suffering a widespread and sustained decline in numbers across its breeding range, partly driven by habitat loss. Although the effects of certain habitat features are recognized, questions remain as to which landscape elements should be given priority and in what proportions. We assess how different habitat elements influence the occurrence density of turtle-dove at two management scales (25 and 100 ha), using fine-scale GPS tracking data from 38 turtle doves in France during the breeding season. We found some non-linear responses, with a steeper increase in occurrence density up to at least 25 % small woody features (SWF) density or 10 % water density at a 100 ha scale, refining the proportion to nearly 50 % for SWF at a 25 ha scale. Additionally, at a 25 ha scale, broadleaved forest displayed a bell-shaped trend, indicating a positive effect up to 22 %, whereas vineyards showed a sharp initial decline at a 100 ha scale. Grassland was positively associated with occurrence at the 100 ha scale, whereas fodder, cereal, and broadleaved forest showed negative effects at the same scale, while fodder, build-up, and maize had negative effects at the 25 ha scale. Variable importance analysis revealed that water was the most influential factor at 100 ha, followed by SWF, while at 25 ha, SWF was dominant, followed by water, highlighting scale-dependent habitat preferences. Our study provides insights into the optimal densities of SWF and water resource required for effective conservation, offering valuable guidance for the management and restoration of turtle-dove breeding habitats in agricultural landscapes.

Crossing the Sahara by small jumps: the complete migration of the Western Orphean Warbler Curruca hortensis

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 11:30:02

de Frédéric Jiguet, Jocelyn Champagnon, Olivier Duriez, Christophe de Franceschi, Stephan Tillo, Paul Dufour
In Journal of Ornithology, 166(3) (July, 2025)
En ligne : doi.org[...]

We analyzed data retrieved from six multi-sensor loggers deployed on adult Western Orphean Warblers Curruca hortensis in France, to unravel the migration strategy of the species. Individuals followed a mostly direct, straight-line route towards wintering areas in North Senegal/South Mauritania, which was consistent across individuals and between autumn and spring migrations. Most migratory flights lasted around 6 h, covering approximately 300 km, with few variations even during the desert crossing, illustrating that the species crosses the Sahara by short, intermittent jumps. Individuals are likely using wadis with acacias along the route as stopover sites. Flights during spring were, on average, higher than during autumn. Long flights were performed at a median altitude of 2400 m, a few reaching up to 4000 m. Part of these flights were prolonged by a final flight at ground level, likely serving as repositioning flights during the early morning, to survey the landing area and identify suitable stopover habitats.

Do older parents do better? Relationships between parental age, chick body condition and migratory behaviour in a colonial-breeding waterbird

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:13:45

de Hugo R. S. Ferreira, Jocelyn Champagnon, Thomas Blanchon, Tamar Lok, José A. Alves
In Journal of Avian Biology, 2025(3) (May, 2025), e03387
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Animals' performance of basic functional behaviours, such as foraging and movement, may improve with age as a result of past experiences. In migratory birds, for example, due to earlier or more efficient migration, older and likely more experienced individuals tend to arrive at breeding sites earlier and enjoy better breeding conditions than younger conspecifics, resulting in a higher reproductive success. Yet, despite the advantages of early arrival for breeding adults, the long-term effects of fledging early and/or with a higher body condition on chicks' future fitness prospects remain largely unexplored. In differential migration systems, low-quality or socially subordinate individuals may be constrained to sub-optimal migratory behaviours associated with lower demographic rates. Therefore, producing high-quality chicks may enhance the survival of offspring. In this study, we analysed data from the long-term ringing programme on the breeding population of Eurasian spoonbills in the Camargue (southern France) to investigate how breeder age may influence the timing of breeding and, in turn, how this may affect chick body condition and their subsequent migratory behaviour. Using breeding resightings of birds individually marked as a chick since 2008, combined with chick biometric measurements and subsequent winter resightings of offspring, we show that older spoonbills tend to breed earlier in the season than younger individuals, and that early breeders, regardless of age, are more likely to produce chicks with higher body condition than late breeders. Finally, migratory behaviour of juveniles appears to be influenced by the timing of breeding, with later-born juveniles tending to undertake less demanding migrations (without crossing major ecological barriers) than juveniles born earlier in the breeding season. Our study therefore highlights the relevance of long-term studies to better understand the complex breeding phenology of migratory species, which can lead to changes in population-level patterns and processes.

Persistent lead poisoning of waterfowl in the Camargue (southern France) 10 years after the ban on the use of lead ammunition in wetlands

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 09:44:46

de Arnaud Béchet, Anthony Olivier, Francois Cavallo, Lou Sauvajon, Jocelyn Champagnon, Pierre Defos du Rau, Jean-Yves Mondain-Monval
In Conservation Science and Practice, (en ligne) (April, 2025), e70045
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Lead pollution is a worldwide environmental and health issue causing persistent detrimental effects on humans and wildlife. Despite having been identified as detrimental to waterfowl a century ago, in France lead shotgun pellets for hunting were banned only in 2006 and only in wetlands. We used long-term monitoring data from the Camargue (southern France) to (1) assess the local effectiveness of the French regulation at reducing the ingestion of lead shotgun pellets by waterfowl and to (2) assess local hunter compliance with the regulation. We used data on 2187 gizzards from 13 waterfowl species collected from 38 hunters in the Camargue over 20 hunting seasons (1998 to 2017). In addition, from 2008 to 2019, we systematically collected shotgun shell cases at three communal wetland hunting sites and used the ratio of cases indicating lead versus nontoxic shotgun shells to estimate hunter compliance with the ban. Across the 20-year study period that spanned pre- and post-ban, gizzards of harvested waterfowl had a mean lead shotgun pellet prevalence of 12% across the 13 species with no significant reduction over time. There was a slow increase in the use of nontoxic shot shells after the ban; lead shells continued to be used widely, suggesting inadequate policy enforcement. Because the ban was only applied for hunting in wetlands, hunters have to be caught with lead shells in the shotgun while in wetland to be fined. It is still legal to carry lead shells, favoring the circumvention of the regulation. Our results support the need for a complete ban of lead shotgun shells for both wetland and terrestrial hunting. A complete ban would facilitate policy enforcement and would favor compliance, eventually leading to a phase-out of lead shell production and use.

Presence and potential impact of anthropogenic nesting materials on a colonial breeding waterbird

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 15:10:34

de Hugo Rafael Soares Ferreira, Ana C. Hadden, Jocelyn Champagnon, Tamar Lok, Marion Vittecoq, José A. Alves
In Science of The Total Environment, 964 (February, 2025), 178588
En ligne : www.sciencedirect.com[...]

Despite the vital importance of wetlands globally, these habitats have increasingly received anthropogenic materials, such as plastics, which can impact the wildlife these habitats support. Despite commonly found in the nests of Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), the presence of such materials has never been quantified. Here, we monitored the occurrence of anthropogenic nesting materials (ANM) in spoonbill nests in the Camargue wetland in Southern France during two breeding seasons (2021−2022). We also investigated their potential function by associating their presence with breeder experience (based on their age) and hatching success. Out of 439 nests, 39 % contained at least one anthropogenic material item, usually plastic of sheet-like shape and white-transparent colours. Throughout the breeding season, the proportion of ANM in the nest lining increased, coinciding with a decrease in natural materials (i.e. vegetation). A higher proportion of natural green materials was detected during the egg phase compared to other phases of nest development. Our results did not support a correlation between the proportion of ANM and breeder experience, nor with hatching success. Further studies (e.g., physiological through necropsy or fine temperature nest assessment) may disentangle the benefits and adverse effects of such materials on waterbird breeding success.

Les oiseaux nicheurs rares et menacés en france en 2023

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 14:21:09

de Gwenael Quaintenne, Antoine Arnaud, Mathurin Aubry, Arnaud Béchet, Maurice Benmergui, Mathieu Bourgeois, Bernard Cadiou, Pierre Camberlein, Pierre Chambrelein, Jocelyn Champagnon, et al.
In Ornithos, 170 (Janvier, Février, Mars 2025), 04-31

L’observatoire des oiseaux nicheurs « rares et menacés » s’intéresse depuis 1994 à suivre l’évolution d’espèces à l’état de conservation jugé fragile ou préoccupant, mais aussi aux espèces rares, localisées ou nouvellement nicheuses dont certaines montrent depuis quelques années des dynamiques de population singulières, illustrées entre autres par des essors numériques fulgurants. Cette 25e publication des résultats des suivis des espèces nicheuses rares et menacées présente les éléments clés de la saison 2023 de reproduction de ces espèces, rendue possible par la contribution de près de 200 structures et associations naturalistes et d’un millier d’observateurs.

Eoldist, a web application for estimating cautionary detection distance of birds by automatic detection systems to reduce collisions with wind turbinew

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 16:14:45

de Julie Fluhr, Olivier Duriez, Constance Blary, Thierry Chambert, Bettina Almasi, Patrik Byholm, Nelleke H. Buitendijk, Jocelyn Champagnon, Mindaugas Dagys, Wolfgang Fiedler, et al.
In Wind Energy, 28(2) (January, 2025), e2971
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

The installation of automatic detection systems (ADSs) on operating wind energy facilities is a mitigation measure to reduce bird collisions. The effectiveness of an ADS depends on a combination of parameters, including the detection distance of the bird, its flight speed, and the time to complete the chosen action (e.g., turbine shutdown). We created a web application, Eoldist, to calculate cautionary detection distances required by an ADS, using bird flight speed and turbine shutdown time as input parameters. We compiled a database of the flight speeds of 168 Western Palearctic birds from a review of scientific literature supplemented by an analysis of unpublished GPS-tracking datasets. To estimate turbine shutdown time, we conducted 137 field trials of experimental shutdown at seven wind farms and found that the duration to reach residual rotor speeds of 3 or 2 rotations per minute (rpm) was respectively 32.2 or 38.8 s on average. Based on this data, Eoldist allows the user to select a species from the database, wind turbine characteristics, and a residual rotor speed (3 or 2 rpm); it then calculates the time to reach the selected threshold and provides a distribution curve for the cautionary detection distance needed to prevent collision. This article includes examples of cautionary detection distances required for several species to demonstrate the sensitivity of key input parameters. Eoldist is freely available and should help the wind energy industry, ADS suppliers, and environmental agencies to define requirements for ADS bird detection that are compatible with the biology of the target species.

Role of protected areas for a colonial-breeding waterbird in a fragmented landscape throughout its annual cycle

Mon, 6 Jan 2025 15:32:43

de Hugo Rafael Soares Ferreira, José A. Alves, Frédéric Jiguet, Olivier Duriez, Thomas Blanchon, Tamar Lok, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Landscape Ecology, 40(1) (December, 2024), 6
En ligne : doi.org[...]

Throughout their annual cycle and life stages, animals depend on a variety of habitats to meet their vital needs. However, habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation are making it increasingly difficult for mobile species such as birds to find suitable habitats. Wetlands are highly productive systems of great importance to many animals, but their continued degradation threatens their capacity to support different species, including waterbirds. In this context, waterbirds are likely to benefit not only from the creation and management of protected wetlands, but also from the existence of anthropogenic wetlands, managed for economic or recreational activities.
/ Cette étude explore comment la spatule, une espèce modérément spécialisée, bénéficie des changements globaux actuels grâce à sa capacité à exploiter des habitats appropriés, qu’ils soient naturels ou artificiels, au sein de paysages fragmentés. Cependant, sa dépendance aux zones humides gérées par le secteur privé soulève des questions importantes, car elle peut avoir de lourdes conséquences pour les espèces fortement tributaires de ces habitats. Ainsi, promouvoir la gestion des habitats favorisant des conditions naturelles apparaît crucial pour préserver la résilience des espèces.
Comprendre comment des actions de gestion spécifiques influencent la présence des oiseaux d’eau et l’utilisation de leur habitat est essentiel non seulement pour accroître l’efficacité des efforts de conservation, mais aussi pour renforcer la connectivité des zones humides et la résilience des espèces, en particulier dans des paysages fragmentés.

La Grue cendrée en France. Migration et hivernage. Saison 2023-2024

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 10:04:49

de Aurélien Deschatres, Jocelyn Champagnon, Gascogna Collectif Grus, Réserve d’Arjuzanx, Sébastien Merle, Alain Salvi
In La Grue cendrée en France, Septembre (01/09/2024), 16
En ligne : champagne-ardenne.lpo.fr[...]

De saison en saison, la Grue cendrée s’affirme comme une espèce phare de notre pays. Elle attire un public nombreux sur les sites qu’elle fréquente. Les observateurs, toujours fascinés par ce grand migrateur spectaculaire, sont toujours plus nombreux à reporter leurs observations sur les portails d’observations naturalistes et en particulier sur Faune France (https://www.faune-france.org/). Les grues qui nichent en grande partie sur le nord de l’Europe traversent notre pays en majorité entre le Grand Est et l’Aquitaine, mais elles sont également nombreuses à longer les côtes méditerranéennes ou à emprunter le couloir rhodanien. Signalons qu’une vingtaine de couples niche en Lorraine depuis de très nombreuses années sans que cette population n’augmente véritablement. Ce document retrace succinctement la migration et fait un point précis sur les effectifs hivernants de notre pays pour cette saison 2023-2024.

La Spatule blanche Platalea leucorodia en Dombes : origine, déplacements, place dans le contexte ouest-européen

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:18:41

de Maurice Benmergui, Marine Galy, Thomas Blanchon, Jocelyn Champagnon, Lok Tamar, Stefano Volponi
In Alauda, 92(3) (Septembre, 2024), 203-224

La Spatule blanche se reproduit depuis 2006 dans Ia Dombes, région composée de plus de 1 300 étangs piscicoles extensifs situés à quelques dizaines de kilomètres de l’agglomération lyonnaise. Sa population est l’une des plus petites et des plus fragiles de France, car soumise a l’aléa d’un système particulier d’exploitation des étangs, d’assèchement (a assec ii) et de drainage estival, qui semble compromettre Ia stabilité des colonies. La Dombes est historiquement Ia première et reste l’une des régions les plus continentales où se reproduit Ia Spatule blanche en France : le littoral le plus proche est celui de Ia Méditerranée, avec Ia Camargue, située à environ 300 km au Sud. Depuis 1991, cette espèce est baguée dans le cadre de plusieurs programmes européens de conservation. Plusieurs de ces oiseaux bagués fréquentent Ia Dombes. A partir des observations réalisées d’après 53 individus, entre 1991 et 2020, nous tentons de remonter aux origines géographiques des individus présents en Dombes. Les résultats révèlent, que les oiseaux contrôlés et bagués au nid proviennent de Camargue (67,9 %), des Pays-Bas (11,3 %), d’Italie (9,4 %), de Croatie (3,8 %), d’Allemagne (3,8 %) et de Belgique (1,9 %). Hormis Ia France, 13 pays accueillent des spatules en escale : l’Espagne (28,3 %); les Pays-Bas (20,8 %); l’Allemagne (9,4 %); l’Italie, Ia Belgique et la Mauritanie (7,5 % chacun); le Maroc (5,7 %); le Portugal et la Tunisie (3,8 % chacun); Ia Suisse, l’Autriche, le Sénégal et l’Algérie (1,9 % chacun). Les étapes migratoires correspondent globalement à celles des oiseaux camarguais qui empruntent Ia route côtière pour rejoindre I ’Espagne, le Maroc et le Banc d’Arguin mauritanien pour y hiverner. L’âge de première visite des Spatules en Dombes est dominé par Ia classe des oiseaux de 3-4 ans (39,6 %), puis celle des 5-6 ans (24,5 %). La durée minimale de séjour postnuptial est de 33 jours mais reste variable et 26 % des spatules restent plus de deux mois. Bien que marginales par rapport au nombre élevé d’oiseaux bagués en Europe du Nord, en Camargue, en Italie ou en Croatie, les contrôles réalisés dans Ia Dombes démontrent de possibles échanges entre : ces populations. Celle de Ia Dombes apparait, comme celle de Camargue, comme une population d’origine mixte, issue du groupe Mer du Nord-Atlantique d’une part et, du groupe Méditerranée Centrale d’autre part (Champagnon et al., 2019). Les oiseaux italiens et croates quant à eux appartiennent au groupe de Ia Méditerranée centrale, mais leur présence dans Ia Dombes, fortuite, témoigne d’une certaine fidélité à Ia région tant en migration qu’en période de reproduction. A ce jour, seuls deux oiseaux d’origine camarguaise sont nicheurs dans les colonies de Ia Dombes confirmant l’influence de Ia population camarguaise sur celle reproductrice de Ia Dombes. Un autre événement original est Ia dispersion postnuptiale d’une fraction des oiseaux camarguais vers les étangs de Ia Dombes et qui peut atteindre ponctuellement 200 à 300 individus. Nous discutons l’intérêt pour Ia Dombes de rejoindre les régions et pays réunis sur Ia question de Ia conservation de l’espèce dans un contexte climatique pouvant fragiliser notamment certaines populations littorales, ainsi que d’affirmer l’importance écologique et régionale de Ia biodiversité d’une région qui vient d’être désignée parmi les 18 zones humides emblématiques de France dans le nouveau Plan d’Action Zones Humides 2022-2026.

Assessing exposure to wind turbines of a migratory raptor through its annual life cycle across continents

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 13:26:22

de Giacomo Assandri, Gaia Bazzi, Ana Bermejo-Bermejo, Anastasios Bounas, Enrico Calvario, Carlo Catoni, Ines Catry, Teresa Catry, Jocelyn Champagnon, Federico De Pascalis, et al.
In Biological Conservation, 293 (May, 2024), 110592
En ligne : www.sciencedirect.com[...]

Unsustainable fossil fuel emissions have prompted a global shift towards renewable energy sources, such as wind. This has led to a strong expansion of wind power generation infrastructures, often conflicting with biodiversity conservation. Relatively large flying animals, such as birds and bats, have frequently been reported to collide with wind turbines, resulting in casualties that can depress population size and lead to local extinctions. Migratory species that move across continents through their year-round displacements may be especially at risk. We comprehensively assessed wind turbine exposure for a colonial migratory raptor of European conservation interest, the lesser kestrel Falco naumanni, based on the distribution and size of >1800 colonies and a large GPS-tracking dataset (>350 individuals) for three distinct biogeographical populations (from Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas). 26 % of the European population has at least one wind turbine within the foraging areas around colony sites, Italian colonies being most at risk. The main European network of protected areas, the Natura 2000 network, failed to mitigate the potential negative impact of wind turbines on breeding populations. GPS-tracking revealed that exposure was negligible in the African non-breeding areas (Sahel region), particularly high during migration, and lower during breeding for Iberian and Balkan individuals but not for Italian ones. Different countries should prioritize different measures to mitigate collision risk with wind power generation infrastructures. This case study can be leveraged by conservationists and renewable energy stakeholders to mitigate conflicts between biodiversity conservation and expected wind energy infrastructure development in the near future.

Les oiseaux nicheurs rares et menacés en France en 2022 : 24e rapport du réseau ENRM

Tue, 14 May 2024 09:33:42

de Gwenael Quaintenne, Antoine Arnaud, Mathurin Aubry, Arnaud Béchet, Maurice Benmergui, Mathieu Bourgeois, Bernard Cadiou, Pierre Camberlein, Justin Chambrelin, Jocelyn Champagnon, et al.
In Ornithos, 31(2) (Mars-Avril, 2024), 49-94

L’observatoire des oiseaux nicheurs « rares et menacés » en France s’emploie, depuis 1994, à suivre l’évolution d’espèces dont l’état de conservation est jugé fragile ou préoccupant, mais aussi d’espèces rares, localisées ou nouvellement nicheuses, dont certaines montrent depuis quelques années des dynamiques de population singulières, illustrées entre autres par des essors numériques fulgurants. Ce 24e rapport du suivi des espèces nicheuses rares et menacées (ENRM) en France présente les éléments-clés de la saison de reproduction 2022, grâce à la contribution de près de 200 structures et associations naturalistes et plus de 1 000 observateurs.
Parmi les éléments marquants de cette saison de nidification 2022 des espèces nicheuses rares et menacées en France, retenons l’actualisation des tailles de population du Cochevis de Thékla et du Traquet oreillard dans les Pyrénées-Orientales et le sud de l’Aude par le GOR et la LPO Aude (complétée pour le Traquet Oreillard par une actualisation des effectifs en PACA). Depuis leurs estimations de 2013, ces espèces méditerranéennes accusent un déclin de 50 % de leurs effectifs. Affiliées aux garrigues basses et ouvertes et aux milieux steppiques, ces espèces sont particulièrement affectées par la fermeture du milieu associée à la déprise pastorale et aux modifications de l’occupation du sol (urbanisation et plantation de résineux). Autre élément notable, les premières citations dans cette synthèse de l’épidémie d’Influenza aviaire hautement pathogène, avec des effets marqués sur le succès de la reproduction de certaines espèces qui se ressentiront les années suivantes : chez les Fous de bassan des Sept-Îles (avec la mort de près de 20000 adultes et un taux d’échec de la reproduction de près de 90 %), dans deux colonies de Sternes caugeks des Hautsde-France ou encore dans les colonies de Vautours fauves. Si les effectifs du Râle des genêts, de la Guifette noire ou encore de la Sterne de Dougall sont au plus bas, tout n’est pas noir cependant et nombre d’espèce suivies dans cette synthèse affichent des records absolus d’effectifs. La saison de reproduction a été exceptionnelle en termes de nombre de couples pour la Sterne caugek, la Sterne hansel, la Mouette mélanocéphale, tandis que les petites populations bretonnes de Guillemot de Troïl et de Pingouin torda continuent leur progression, dans un contexte d’augmentation globale des populations régionales. Sous les auspices des plans nationaux d’action et des programmes européens Life dédiés à leur conservation, les populations de rapaces menacés se restaurent lentement et gagnent en effectifs : Gypaète barbu (+2 couples), Vautour percnoptère (+3), Aigle de Bonelli (+2), Balbuzard pêcheur (+7) et Faucon crécerellette (+73). La saison de reproduction de la Glaréole à collier est également jugée exceptionnelle, l’espèce ayant profité d’un moindre dérangement (activités agricoles et inondations) des marais asséchés en lien avec la sécheresse et d’une occurrence importante de colonies dans des espaces protégés. Pour les espèces les plus rares, citons : l’absence de couple de Harle huppé sur Chausey, après 4 années d’échec de la reproduction ; la découverte d’un nouveau noyau de population de Marouettes de Baillon au marais d’Orx (Landes) et deux couples supplémentaires de Pygargue à queue blanche recensés en 2022.

Compte rendu ornithologique : Camargue, Crau, Alpilles, pour les années 2013 à 2018

Fri, 8 Mar 2024 16:35:40

de Yves Kayser, Thomas Blanchon, Thomas Galewski, Jocelyn Champagnon, Marc Thibault, Gregoire Massez, Christophe Pin, Nicolas Sadoul, Rémi Tiné, Jérémiah Petit, et al.
In Alauda, 92(1) (2024), 3-96

Ce 26e rapport ornithologique de Camargue s'inscrit dans la continuité d'une longue tradition commencée en 1930, peu après la création de la Réserve Botanique et Zoologique de Camargue, devenue par la suite Réserve Nationale de Camargue. L'ornithologie a toujours tenu une place importante en Camargue. Entre 1930 et 2012, 25 rapports ont été publiés. Ce rapport ornithologique couvre l'ensemble de la Camargue, de la Crau et des Alpilles et les années 2013 à 2018. La pression d'observation n'a cessé d'augmenter avec l'augmentation des données disponibles. Alors que l'édition précédente était basée sur 400 000 données d'observation, plus de 900 000 données d'observation ont été réalisées sur la période 2013 à 2018. Certains faits importants comme le déplacement de la colonie de Flamants roses Phoenicopterus roseus de l'étang du Fangassier (Salin-de-Giraud) sur les salins d'Aigues-Mortes. Ce constat est toujours lié aux difficultés de mise en eau suite au démantèlement des stations pompages ayant eu lieu après la vente progressive de 6500 ha de terrains par la Compagnie des Salins du Midi au Conservatoire du Littoral. À cela, s'est ajouté la présence régulière de prédateurs sur le site du Fangassier comme le Renard roux Vuipes vulpes ou le Grand-duc d’Europe Bubo bubo. Ces six années ont vu l’apparition de neuf nouvelles espèces sur la zone étudiée. En hivernage, une nette baisse du nombre d'Oies cendrées Anser anser été constatée avec des effectifs passant de 4800 individus en 2013 à 2400 en 2018. Les effectifs de Fuligule milouin Aythya ferina sont également en chute constante. Quant à l'hivernage du Fuligule morillon Aythya fuligula, il est pour ainsi dire devenu relictuel. Plusieurs nouvelles observations hivernales de Crabiers chevelus Ardeola ralloides ont été effectuées sur la période. Le nombre de Grues cendrées Grus grus hivernantes poursuit sa progression pour dépasser les 15000 oiseaux en 2018. Une nette baisse des effectifs nicheurs de Crabier chevelu Ardeola ralloides a été observée. L'effectif est passé de plus de 600 couples en 2014 à 189 en 2018. Il en est de même pour le Héron cendré Ardea cinerea qui voit le nombre de nicheurs passer de 793 couples en 2014 à 418 en 2018. En revanche, certaines espèces comme le Grand Cormoran Phalacrocorax carbo, la Spatule blanche Platalea leucorodia ou la Cigogne blanche Ciconia ciconia montrent des augmentations progressives du nombre de reproducteurs et d’autres, comme l'Ibis falcinelle Plegadis faicinellus continue leur progression spectaculaire. La Talève sultane Porphyrio porphyrio est à nouveau présente dans bon nombre de marais d’eau douce suite à la vague de froid de 2012 qui avait nettement freiné son expansion. Il a été constaté en Crau un fort taux de consanguinité chez le Ganga cata Pterocles alchata induisant un nombre de jeunes peu élevé survivant au premier hiver. La Glaréole à collier Glareola pratincola se maintient autour de 70 couples chaque année, par contre, un nombre important de jeunes a été élevé en 2017 (1,9 jeune à l'envoi par couple). Chez les laro-limicoles coloniaux de Camargue, la baisse du nombre de nicheurs continue chez le Goéland leucophée Larus michahellis alors que l'Avocette élégante Recurvirostra avosetta, le Goéland railleur Chroicocephalus genei et la Sterne naine Sternula albifrons ont connu des effectifs records depuis 1956. L’Aigle de Bonelli Aquila fasciata a connu une très mauvaise année de nidification en 2018 avec aucun jeune à l'envol. Durant les périodes hivernales et migratoires, il a été mis en évidence une très forte augmentation du nombre de données concernant le Busard pâle Circus macrourus et le Pouillot à grands sourcils Phylloscopus inornatus. Les observations de Pouillot sibérien Phyloscopus collybita tristis ont aussi augmenté. Enfin, une très forte hausse du nombre de contacts (tant au niveau des sites où l'espèce est présente qu'à celui du nombre de données) a été enregistrée chez le Bruant proyer Emberiza calandra en période de nidification.

Relationship between wintering site and survival in a migratory waterbird using different migration routes

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 17:03:41

de Hugo Rafael Soares Ferreira, Jocelyn Champagnon, José A. Alves, Tamar Lok
In Oecologia, February (February, 2024)
En ligne : doi.org[...]

When wintering at different sites, individuals from the same breeding population can experience different conditions, with costs and benefits that may have implications throughout their lifetime. Using a dataset from a longitudinal study on Eurasian Spoonbills from southern France, we explored whether survival rate varied among individuals using different wintering sites. In the last 13 years, more than 3000 spoonbills have been ringed as chicks in Camargue. These birds winter in five main regions that vary in both migratory flyway (East Atlantic vs. Central European) and migration distance (long-distance vs. short-distance vs. resident). We applied Cormack–Jolly–Seber models and found evidence for apparent survival to correlate with migration distance, but not with flyway. During the interval between the first winter sighting and the next breeding period, long-distance migrants had the lowest survival, independently of the flyway taken. Additionally, as they age, spoonbills seem to better cope with migratory challenges and wintering conditions as no differences in apparent survival among wintering strategies were detected during subsequent years. As dispersal to other breeding colonies was rarely observed, the lower apparent survival during this period is likely to be partly driven by lower true survival. This supports the potential role of crossing of natural barriers and degradation of wintering sites in causing higher mortality rates as recorded for a variety of long-distance migrants. Our work confirms variation in demographic parameters across winter distribution ranges and reinforces the importance of longitudinal studies to better understand the complex demographics of migratory species.

Les dénombrements et le baguage des oiseaux (2024)

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 10:09:06

de Jocelyn Champagnon
Le Sambuc, Arles : Tour du Valat, 2024, 97

L'érosion de la biodiversité a conduit à l'émergence des sciences de la conservation il y a une quarantaine d’années. Ce domaine de recherche scientifique interdisciplinaire vise à fournir les fondements nécessaires pour enrayer la perte de biodiversité. Dans une première partie, l'auteur présente comment deux activités de recherche, les dénombrements et le baguage, contribuent aux enjeux de conservation des oiseaux. Pour cela, il développe, selon trois axes, plusieurs travaux auxquels il a participé relatifs à : 1) l’évaluation de la tendance des populations et l’importance de prendre en compte statistiquement les biais d’observations; 2) l’identification des menaces qui pèsent sur les populations ; 3) des propositions pour inverser la tendance au déclin ou des tests de pratiques de gestion pour conserver les espèces d’oiseaux. Même si les sciences de la conservation ont conduit à des résultats notables, elles n’ont cependant pas réussi à atteindre l’objectif d’inverser la tendance au déclin de la biodiversité. Face à ce constat, l'auteur s’interroge, dans une deuxième partie, sur le rôle que le chercheur peut jouer pour agir en faveur de la biodiversité. Il y présente des activités de recherche-action développées avec les parties prenantes, de communication auprès de publics ciblés, ou de participation à des groupes d’experts afin de conseiller les décisionnaires. Enfin, il conclut sur les axes de recherche qu'il développera à moyen terme, en particulier pour la conservation des oiseaux d’eau et leurs habitats en Afrique du Nord. L’étude des déplacements des oiseaux dans cette région pourra être réalisée par le développement de suivis télémétriques qui prennent en compte les questionnements éthiques liés à la capture et la pose d’équipements embarqués.

Differential colour-ring loss among Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) colonies and its consequence on survival estimates

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 13:27:03

de Anastasios Bounas, Giorgos Catsadorakis, Dionyssia Hatzilacou, Theodoros Naziridis, Jocelyn Champagnon, Alain J. Crivelli
In Avian Research, 15 (2024), 100166
En ligne : www.sciencedirect.com[...]

The analysis of bird ringing data often comes with some potential sources of error and bias, as ring wear and/or loss could affect mark-recapture analyses and produce erroneous estimates of survival. Furthermore, ring wear and loss rates may differ between and within species based on the habitat they use or the species' life-history traits and behaviour as well as the type of the ring. In this study we use resighting data from a long-term double marking experiment to directly estimate the rate of colour-ring loss among different Dalmatian Pelican colonies over time, evaluate any possible factors that could contribute to differential ring loss and assess how it may bias the results of mark-resighting analyses. Based on 14,849 resightings from 1275 individuals and using multi-state continuous-time hidden Markov models (HMMs) we showed that probability of ring loss was markedly different among colonies, ranging from 0.10 to 0.42 within the first year of marking, whereas the cumulative probability of losing a ring after ten years ranged 0.64 to 0.99. These rates are among the highest estimated when compared to previous studies in waterbirds. Our approach assessing the intra-specific variance in ring loss provided several factors potentially involved, such as the use of glue and the fledgling age accuracy and we could further hypothesise the effect of environmental factors. Finally, our results showed that ring loss can be a significant challenge for the assessment of the species' population dynamics using mark-recapture methods as survival was consistently underestimated when not accounting for ring loss and varied significantly among different colonies.

Silent domestication of wildlife in the Anthropocene: The mallard as a case study

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:28:51

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Johan Elmberg, Matthieu Guillemain, Philip Lavretsky, Robert G. Clark, Par Soderquist
In Biological Conservation, 288 (December, 2023), 10
En ligne : www.sciencedirect.com[...]

In the Anthropocene, human activities have been a dominant force affecting wildlife, natural habitats, and climate worldwide. Over time, increasing incidences of wildlife-human interactions may have positive outcomes for some generalist species, but studies continue to uncover that most predictably these generalist wild species also suffer from such interactions. In particular, the line between domestic and wild continues to blur as gene flow between these groups intensifies in the Anthropocene. We explore the meaning of wildness, focusing on the mallard, currently the most abundant duck species in the world. Mallard has been connected to humans for tens of thousands of years. Considered an exemplary generalist species with the capacity to adapt to rapidly changing environments, evidence gathered from a variety of disciplines suggests that some management efforts over the last centuries have resulted in the deterioration of the mallard's prolific nature, and that the apparent success in terms of current population size and wide distribution could mask a genetic collapse. Highlighting warning signs from the mallard system, in this Perspectives paper we discuss how active management of habitats and populations runs the risk of compromising species' wildness, and we suggest precautionary and counter-measures in the context of species management and conservation.

Influence of changes in local environmental variables on the distribution and abundance dynamics of wintering Teal Anas crecca

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 15:02:39

de David Vallecillo, Matthieu Guillemain, Colin Bouchard, Sébastien Roques, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Biodiversity and conservation, 32 (Septembre, 2023), 23
En ligne : link.springer.com[...]

Explaining changes in waterfowl distribution and abundance is requested by wetland managers for a better understanding of their population dynamics and habitat use. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of interannual changes in wetland management, both through direct data and proxies, on the distribution dynamics of Teal day-roosts in the Camargue, a large wetland complex in southern France. We constructed a statespace model accounting for a conditional detection probability by aerial observers during duck counts, since changes in observers have a strong influence on variations in detection probability. First, we showed that the distribution of Teal day-roosts within the Camargue delta has changed over the last 35 years. Second, on a sub-sample of 18 years, we showed that annual changes in Teal abundance depended on salinity and open water area at the day-roost, and on the availability of potential feeding grounds surrounding the day-roost (available wetland area within 5 km). No association was detected between changes in Teal abundance and changes in the typology of wetland hydrology, or with changes in site protection status (i.e. hunted to protected). Our results reinforce the importance of considering management at the scale of functional units, by considering the complementarity of nocturnal feeding areas (mainly hunted areas) specifically managed for waterfowl, and diurnal roosts (mainly nature reserves, which have high conservation value for other animal and plant species). A good understanding of the factors affecting the localisation of waterfowl day-roosts is becoming more important in the context of climate change, which is likely to redistribute local birds with rising sea levels and increasing salinity in wetlands.

La Grue cendrée en France. Migration et hivernage.Saison 2022-2023

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 15:36:51

de Aurélien Deschatres, Jocelyn Champagnon, Gascogna Collectif Grus, Réserve d’Arjuzanx, Sébastien Merle, Alain Salvi
In La Grue cendrée en France, Septembre (Septembre, 2023), 16
En ligne : champagne-ardenne.lpo.fr[...]

Planning from scratch: A new modelling approach for designing protected areas in remote, data‐poor regions

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 15:18:22

de Delphine Ducros, Rodolphe Devillers, Antoine Messager, Marie Suet, Abakar Saleh Wachoum, Clemence Deschamps, Babakar Matar Breme, Ib Krag Petersen, Yves Kayser, Nicolas Vincent‐Martin, et al.
In Journal of Applied Ecology, Online (August, 2023), 13
En ligne : besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Human pressure on ecosystems has strongly increased over the last decades and now impacts even the most remote regions. To help mitigate these impacts, it is crucial to designate protected areas in regions that retain a high level of ecological integrity. However, ecological data remain scarce for many such areas, making the systematic design of new protected zones challenging.
Following a request from local managers, we developed an original methodological approach to help design new zoning for a pre-existing protected area in a remote, data-poor Sahelian wetland of southern Chad, a vast area rich in biodiversity and exploited by diverse human activities. The method involved first collecting extensive aerial survey data (6252 records) on birds and mammals and then analysing this through a combination of distance sampling and density surface modelling. The biodiversity data, combined with ecological predictors, helped model species distribution layers that were then incorporated with socio-economic constraints into the systematic conservation planning tool Marxan.
This approach produced an array of protected zoning options that met three levels of conservation objectives set by experts, corresponding to proportions of individuals from given species to protect in the proposed protected area. Frequent exchanges with local managers allowed the analyses to be refined, resulting in seven potential scenarios to be considered for conservation purposes.
Synthesis and applications. In a context of high data scarcity, lack of access and short-term conservation objectives, this combined approach that optimizes newly obtained data via a suite of modelling tools can facilitate identifying and protecting natural areas in regions most in need of urgent conservation policy.

The first resighting of a montenegro – ringed dalmatian pelican Pelecanus crispus in Bulgaria

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 10:02:28

de Andrej Vizi, Svilen Cheshmedzhiev, Jocelyn Champagnon, Alain Crivelli
In Larus, 58 (2023), 47-49
En ligne : hrcak.srce.hr[...]

One Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus individual, marked with a green ring with inscription A025, was spotted on the Rozov Kladenec reservoir in centraleast Bulgaria in January 2022. This bird was ringed as a pullus on 27 March 2021 at Skadar Lake, Montenegro. This resighting is the first documented evidence that Dalmatian Pelicans hatched at Skadar Lake winter in the continental Balkans.

Evaluation of the distance sampling technique to monitor gregarious species: A simulation exercise

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 10:44:44

de Arthur Jacquemin, David Vallecillo, Matthieu Guillemain, Pierre Defos du Rau, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Wildlife Society Bulletin, Online (November, 2022), 19
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Wildlife count data are used to provide estimates of population abundance. To quantify changes in the size of populations, it is necessary to determine the precision of abundance estimates. Ground or aerial survey methods are often intended to be a census and thus do not provide estimates of precision. One solution is to switch approaches to a different sampling and estimation procedure, such as distance sampling. Using an example of the long-term waterfowl censuses in the Camargue, a major wintering area in southern France, we used simulation to quantify the precision and cost effectiveness of transitioning to a distance sampling approach. Based on abundance and distribution data for 14 species of waterbirds (Anatidae and coot [Fulica atra]) in the Camargue, we evaluated 5 distance sampling scenarios with parallel line transects corresponding to 5 different sampling intensities. Our results suggested that, if the objective of counts is to estimate the abundance of all waterfowl together, switching from pseudo-total to distance sampling counts would be realistic on both statistical and financial grounds. The most advantageous scenario would correspond to a sampling effort with transect lines spaced 1,000 m apart, which would allow a coefficient of variation of 0.20 for total waterfowl abundance with a 27% increase in flight costs compared to the current method. Heterogeneity in the size of detected bird groups contributed to the variability in our results, however, adjusting sampling effort from 1,750 m spaced transect to 760 m allowed reduced variation by 55%. We recommend proceeding to test flights which would allow some site-specific parameters to be refined before changing methods. However, the distance sampling method as simulated here would prove impractical to evaluate the abundance and distribution of one species alone.

Is hunting nonintentionally selective? A test using game bird capture‐dead recoveries

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 12:01:42

de Emilienne Grzegorczyk, Léa Bézier, Kévin Le‐Rest, Alain Caizergues, Charlotte Francesiaz, Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, Cyril Eraud
In Ecology and Evolution, 12(9) (September, 2022), 12
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Selective hunting has various impacts that need to be considered for the conservation and management of harvested populations. The consequences of selective harvest have mostly been studied in trophy hunting and fishing, where selection of specific phenotypes is intentional. Recent studies, however, show that selection can also occur unintentionally. With at least 52 million birds harvested each year in Europe, it is particularly relevant to evaluate the selectivity of hunting on this taxon. Here, we considered 211,806 individuals belonging to 7 hunted bird species to study unintentional selectivity in harvest. Using linear mixed models, we compared morphological traits (mass, wing, and tarsus size) and body condition at the time of banding between birds that were subsequently recovered from hunting during the same year as their banding, and birds that were not recovered. We did not find any patterns showing systematic differences between recovery categories, among our model species, for the traits we studied. Moreover, when a difference existed between recovery categories, it was so small that its biological relevance can be challenged. Hunting of birds in Europe therefore does not show any form of strong selectivity on the morphological and physiological traits that we studied and should hence not lead to any change of these traits either by plastic or by evolutionary response.

Les oiseaux nicheurs rares et menacés en France en 2020

Fri, 20 May 2022 18:18:45

de Gwenael Quaintenne, Arnaud Béchet, Maurice Benmergui, Hervé Bergère, Jean-Jacques Boutteaux, Bernard Cadiou, Pierre Camberlein, Jocelyn Champagnon, Frederic Chapalain, Virginie Couanon, et al.
In Ornithos, 29(2) (Mars-Avril, 2022), 73-111

Hotspots in the grid: Avian sensitivity and vulnerability to collision risk from energy infrastructure interactions in Europe and North Africa

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:10:04

de Jethro G. Gauld, João P. Silva, Philip W. Atkinson, Paul Record, Marta Acácio, Volen Arkumarev, Julio Blas, Willem Bouten, Niall Burton, Ines Catry, et al.
In Journal of Applied Ecology, 59(6) (June, 2022)
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Wind turbines and power lines can cause bird mortality due to collision or electrocution. The biodiversity impacts of energy infrastructure (EI) can be minimised through effective landscape-scale planning and mitigation. The identification of high-vulnerability areas is urgently needed to assess potential cumulative impacts of EI while supporting the transition to zero carbon energy. We collected GPS location data from 1,454 birds from 27 species susceptible to collision within Europe and North Africa and identified areas where tracked birds are most at risk of colliding with existing EI. Sensitivity to EI development was estimated for wind turbines and power lines by calculating the proportion of GPS flight locations at heights where birds were at risk of collision and accounting for species' specific susceptibility to collision. We mapped the maximum collision sensitivity value obtained across all species, in each 5 × 5 km grid cell, across Europe and North Africa. Vulnerability to collision was obtained by overlaying the sensitivity surfaces with density of wind turbines and transmission power lines. Results: Exposure to risk varied across the 27 species, with some species flying consistently at heights where they risk collision. For areas with sufficient tracking data within Europe and North Africa, 13.6% of the area was classified as high sensitivity to wind turbines and 9.4% was classified as high sensitivity to transmission power lines. Sensitive areas were concentrated within important migratory corridors and along coastlines. Hotspots of vulnerability to collision with wind turbines and transmission power lines (2018 data) were scattered across the study region with highest concentrations occurring in central Europe, near the strait of Gibraltar and the Bosporus in Turkey. Synthesis and applications. We identify the areas of Europe and North Africa that are most sensitive for the specific populations of birds for which sufficient GPS tracking data at high spatial resolution were available. We also map vulnerability hotspots where mitigation at existing EI should be prioritised to reduce collision risks. As tracking data availability improves our method could be applied to more species and areas to help reduce bird-EI conflicts.

Assessing spatiotemporal variation in abundance: A flexible framework accounting for sampling bias with an application to common pochard (Aythya ferina)

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 18:02:39

de Benjamin Folliot, Alain Caizergues, Adrien Tableau, Guillaume Souchay, Matthieu Guillemain, Jocelyn Champagnon, Clément Calenge
In Ecology and Evolution, 12(4) (April, 2022), 10
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Assessing trends in the relative abundance of populations is a key yet complex issue for management and conservation. This is a major aim of many large-scale censusing schemes such as the International Waterbird Count (IWC). However, owing to the lack of sampling strategy and standardization, such schemes likely suffer from biases due to spatial heterogeneity in sampling effort. Despite huge improvements of the statistical tools that allow tackling these statistical issues (e.g., GLMM, Bayesian inference), many conservationists still prefer to rely on stand-alone turn-key statistical tools, often violating the prerequisites put forward by the developers of these tools. Here, we propose a straightforward and flexible approach to tackle the typical statistical issues one can encounter when analyzing count data of monitoring schemes such as the IWC. We rely on IWC counts of the declining common pochard populations of the Northwest European flyway as a case study (period 2002–2012). To standardize the size of sampling units and mitigate spatial autocorrelation, we grouped sampling sites using a 75 × 75 km grid cells overlaid over the flyway of interest. Then, we used a hierarchical modeling approach, assessing population trends with random effects at two spatial scales (grid cells, and sites within grid cells) in order to derive spatialized values and to compute the average population trend at the whole flyway scale. Our approach allowed to tackle many statistical issues inherent to this type of analysis but often neglected, including spatial autocorrelation. Concerning the case study, our main findings are that: (1) the northwestern population of common pochards experienced a steep decline (4.9% per year over the 2002–2012 period); (2) the decline was more pronounced at high than low latitude (11.6% and 0.5% per year at 60° and 46° of latitude, respectively); and, (3) the decline was independent of the initial number of individuals in a given site (random across sites). Beyond the case study of the common pochard, our study provides a conceptual statistical framework for estimating and assessing potential drivers of population trends at various spatial scales.

Estimation des populations d’oiseaux nicheurs de France métropolitaine

Mon, 7 Mar 2022 13:21:35

de Jacques Comolet-Tirman, Gwenael Quaintenne, Jean-Philippe Siblet, Stanislas Wroza, Guillaume Bal, Jocelyn Champagnon, Laurent Couz, Michel-Alexandre Czajkowski, Pascal Denis, Bernard Frochot, et al.
In Alauda, 90(2) (Juin, 2022), 130-150

Connaître le nombre absolu d'oiseaux dans une population donnée peut sembler secondaire si l'on sait quantifier sa tendance ou décrire son état de conservation. Pourtant, il s'agit d'un paramètre crucial pour évaluer les risques d'extinction ou pour prendre des décisions en termes de politiques de conservation. Une connaissance détaillée de la taille des populations est également très utile pour contribuer au processus de rapportage européen. Cet article est une première réponse aux objectifs fixés par le CEPO: présenter les estimations les plus récentes et les plus fiables pour l'avifaune nicheuse de France métropolitaine et faire de ce document publié à intervalles réguliers une référence officielle et reconnue. 307 espèces nicheuses sont couvertes. Pour 300 espèces, une estimation est publiée ici avec son indice qualité allant de 1 (médiocre) à 3 (bon). Grâce aux indices qualité, le travail du CEPO permet de définir des priorités pour l'amélioration des connaissances.

Accounting for detection probability with overestimation by integrating double monitoring programs over 40 years

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 16:22:03

de David Vallecillo, Matthieu Guillemain, Matthieu Authier, Colin Bouchard, Damien Cohez, Emmanuel Vialet, Gregoire Massez, Philippe Vandewalle, Jocelyn Champagnon
In PLOS ONE, 17(3) (March, 2022), e0265730
En ligne : journals.plos.org[...]

In the context of wildlife population declines, increasing computer power over the last 20 years allowed wildlife managers to apply advanced statistical techniques that has improved population size estimates. However, respecting the assumptions of the models that consider the probability of detection, such as N-mixture models, requires the implementation of a rigorous monitoring protocol with several replicate survey occasions and no double counting that are hardly adaptable to field conditions. When the logistical, economic and ecological constraints are too strong to meet model assumptions, it may be possible to combine data from independent surveys into the modelling framework in order to understand population dynamics more reliably. Here, we present a state-space model with an error process modelled on the log scale to evaluate wintering waterfowl numbers in the Camargue, southern France, while taking a conditional probability of detection into consideration. Conditional probability of detection corresponds to estimation of a detection probability index, which is not a true probability of detection, but rather conditional on the difference to a particular baseline. The large number of sites (wetlands within the Camargue delta) and years monitored (44) provide significant information to combine both terrestrial and aerial surveys (which constituted spatially and temporally replicated counts) to estimate a conditional probability of detection, while accounting for false-positive counting errors and changes in observers over the study period. The model estimates abundance indices of wintering Common Teal, Mallard and Common Coot, all species abundant in the area. We found that raw counts were underestimated compared to the predicted population size. The model-based data integration approach as described here seems like a promising solution that takes advantage of as much as possible of the data collected from several methods when the logistic constraints do not allow the implementation of a permanent monitoring and analysis protocol that takes into account the detectability of individuals.

La Grue cendrée en france. Migration et hivernage. Saison 2020-2021

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 09:16:52

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Collectif Grus Gascogna, Patrick Dulau, Alain Gendeau, Sébastien Merle, Alain Salvi
In La Grue cendrée en France (Septembre 2021), 16
En ligne : champagne-ardenne.lpo.fr[...]

Ce document retrace succinctement la migration et fait un point précis sur les effectifs hivernants en France pour la saison 2020-2021.

Consequences of shortened hunting seasons by the Birds Directive on late winter teal Anas crecca abundance in France

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:10:32

de Matthieu Guillemain, David Vallecillo, Emilienne Grzegorczyk, Jean-Baptiste Mouronval, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Alain Tamisier, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Wildlife Biology, 2021(3) (July, 2021), 8
En ligne : bioone.org[...]

The European Birds Directive (EBD) prevents hunting during spring migration, primarily to facilitate birds' use of habitats before and during the prenuptial journey. In line with the EBD requirements, the hunting season for waterfowl in southern France was shortened by two months during February–March since the mid-1950s. However, consequences of such hunting bans for late winter habitat use have not been evaluated. We investigated a 55-years dataset from a major international wintering ground to assess whether the EBD-related changes in hunting legislation have led to increased regional teal Anas crecca numbers during late winter. Teal abundance in the Camargue during late winter increased over the last decades: the ban on hunting in February was the best predictor of teal numbers during that month, leading to a sudden 50% increase in relative abundance. In March a more gradual temporal increase since the mid-1960 was instead recorded. Whether the increase in teal during late winter resulted from locally wintering birds or those from elsewhere stopping in the Camargue cannot be discerned. Nonetheless, the increase in teal numbers supports the basis for the EBD, in that a ban on hunting during late winter is associated with a greater use of habitats during this crucial part of the annual cycle, especially in February.

Reliability of animal counts and implications for the interpretation of trends

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:00:43

de David Vallecillo, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Matthieu Guillemain, Marion Vittecoq, Philippe Vandewalle, Benjamin Roche, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Ecology and Evolution, 11(5) (January, 2021)
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Population time series analysis is an integral part of conservation biology in the current context of global changes. To quantify changes in population size, wildlife counts only provide estimates because of various sources of error. When unaccounted for, such errors can obscure important ecological patterns and reduce confidence in the derived trend. In the case of highly gregarious species, which are common in the animal kingdom, the estimation of group size is an important potential bias, which is characterized by high variance among observers. In this context, it is crucial to quantify the impact of observer changes, inherent to population monitoring, on i) the minimum length of population time series required to detect significant trends and ii) the accuracy (bias and precision) of the trend estimate. We acquired group size estimation error data by an experimental protocol where 24 experienced observers conducted counting simulation tests on group sizes. We used this empirical data to simulate observations over 25 years of a declining population distributed over 100 sites. Five scenarios of changes in observer identity over time and sites were tested for each of three simulated trends (true population size evolving according to deterministic models parameterized with declines of 1.1%, 3.9% or 7.4% per year that justify respectively a “declining,” “vulnerable” or “endangered” population under IUCN criteria). We found that under realistic field conditions observers detected the accurate value of the population trend in only 1.3% of the cases. Our results also show that trend estimates are similar if many observers are spatially distributed among the different sites, or if one single observer counts all sites. However, successive changes in observer identity over time lead to a clear decrease in the ability to reliably estimate a given population trend, and an increase in the number of years of monitoring required to adequately detect the trend. Minimizing temporal changes of observers improve the quality of count data and help taking appropriate management decisions and setting conservation priorities. The same occurs when increasing the number of observers spread over 100 sites. If the population surveyed is composed of few sites, then it is preferable to perform the survey by one observer. In this context, it is important to reconsider how we use estimated population trend values and potentially to scale our decisions according to the direction and duration of estimated trends, instead of setting too precise threshold values before action.

The future for Mediterranean wetlands: 50 key issues and 50 important conservation research questions

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 10:11:49

de Nigel G. Taylor, Patrick Grillas, Hazem Al Hreisha, Özge Balkız, Maud Borie, Olivier Boutron, Ana Catita, Jocelyn Champagnon, Semia Cherif, Kerim Cicek, et al.
In Regional Environmental Change, Online (2021), 25

Wetlands are critically important for biodiversity and human wellbeing, but face a range of challenges. This is especially true in the Mediterranean region, where wetlands support endemic and threatened species and remain integral to human societies, but have been severely degraded in recent decades. Here, in order to raise awareness of future challenges and opportunities for Mediterranean wetlands, and to inform proactive research and management, we identified (a) 50 key issues that might affect Mediterranean wetlands between 2020 and 2050, and (b) 50 important research questions that, if answered, would have the greatest impact on the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands between 2020 and 2050. We gathered ideas through an online survey and review of recent literature. A diverse assessment panel prioritised ideas through an iterative, anonymised, Delphi-like process of scoring, voting and discussion. The prioritised issues included some that are already well known but likely to have a large impact on Mediterranean wetlands in the next 30 years (e.g. the accumulation of dams and reservoirs, plastic pollution and weak governance), and some that are currently overlooked in the context of Mediterranean wetlands (e.g. increasing desalination capacity and development of antimicrobial resistance). Questions largely focused on how best to carry out conservation interventions, or understanding the impacts of threats to inform conservation decision-making. This analysis will support research, policy and practice related to environmental conservation and sustainable development in the Mediterranean, and provides a model for similar analyses elsewhere in the world.

When survival matters: is decreasing survival underlying the decline of common pochard in western Europe?

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:34:14

de Benjamin Folliot, Guillaume Souchay, Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, Maurice Durham, Richard Hearn, Josef Hofer, Jacques Laesser, Christophe Sorin, Alain Caizergues
In Wildlife Biology, 2020(3) (September, 2020)
En ligne : bioone.org[...]

In western Europe, common pochard populations have experienced a sharp decline over the last two decades, together with an increasing proportion of males. Both of these changes were suggested to result from decreasing survival of nesting females (i.e. survival of adult females) owing to increasing predation pressure. To test this hypothesis, we used capture–mark–recapture/recovery data of common pochard ringed during autumn–winter (October–February) in three countries of western Europe (Switzerland, United Kingdom and France). We found no evidence for decreasing survival of individuals ringed in the United Kingdom or in Switzerland over the long term (1977–2011). In France, adult males and juvenile females experienced significant decreasing survival over a shorter interval (2004–2017). Overall, females displayed lower survival than males, although this was only weakly supported by the French dataset. In contrast, only sex differences and no age differences in survival rates were recorded in the UK and Switzerland (females 0.67 ± 0.03 and 0.69 ± 0.03; males: 0.81 ± 0.01 and 0.75 ± 0.01, respectively), while both age and sex differences were recorded for France (adult females 0.62 ± 0.07, adult males 0.66 ± 0.07, juvenile females 0.49 ± 0.08, juvenile males 0.54 ± 0.08). Therefore, decreasing survival of adult females was unlikely the underlying cause of the decline of common pochard populations in western Europe. Using an age-structured two-sex matrix population model, we show that when adult males experience higher survival than adult females (as it is the case for common pochards), decreasing survival of nests and/or juveniles can trigger decreasing population size and increasing proportions of males at the same time.

Long-distance Dispersal of the Afro-Eurasian Glossy Ibis From Ring Recoveries

Fri, 29 Nov 2019 16:04:27

de Simone Santoro, Jocelyn Champagnon, Sergey P Kharitonov, Leo Zwarts, H Dieter, Manuel Manez, Boudjema Samraoui, Riad Nedjah, Stefano Volponi, Santiago Cano-Alonso
In SIS Conservation, 1 (December, 2019), 139-146
En ligne : storkibisspoonbill.org[...]

The Glossy Ibis is among the most widespread bird species in the world. However, the Glossy Ibis erratic occurrence and distribution makes it a difficult species to study, and we know little about its dispersal and metapopulation dynamics. This study summarises previously-scattered and unpublished information by collating, in a single database, the largest number of longdistance recoveries ever reached for this species (190 individuals). Our findings suggest that (i) according to old records (about 1910 - 1995) the dispersal from the breeding grounds in East Europe was directed towards the Sahelian floodplains, North-East Africa, the Middle East and India; (ii) West and East Europe populations are probably connected; (iii) the recently (about 1995 onwards) increasing and spreading populations in West Europe do not tend to migrate south and overwinter in Sub-Saharan Africa; and, (iv) the genetic distance between geographically distant populations might be low considering the records of long-distance flights with the most impressive, and unpublished, one being that of an individual moving from Spain to the Virgin Islands (> 6,000 Km). Overall, these findings highlight the need for a research network capable of dealing with the frequent changes in the distribution and dispersal dynamics of the Glossy Ibis and its fast responses to environmental changes.

The Settlement of Glossy Ibis in France

Fri, 29 Nov 2019 16:04:13

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Yves Kayser, Jérémiah Petit, Loïc Marion, Sebastien Reeber, Thomas Blanchon, Samuel Hilaire, Irene Badone, Pierre Crouzier, Regis Purenne, et al.
In SIS Conservation, 1 (December, 2019), 50-55
En ligne : storkibisspoonbill.org[...]

The Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus was very rarely breeding in France until its settlement in Camargue in 2006, in a colony of ardeids. From then, the number of breeding pairs increased exponentially to reach 2,087 breeding pairs in 2017 distributed over ten colonies mainly in Camargue but also in others sites over the French Mediterranean coast. In parallel, breeding attempts occurred regularly in other regions, with some successes in Loire Atlantic on the Atlantic coast. Here we present some preliminary results on the ringing programme of chicks conducted in Camargue since 2006 and on the diet of the breeding birds. Finally, we discuss factors that influence the settlement of new colonies.

Effects of research disturbance on nest survival in a mixed colony of waterbirds

Fri, 18 Oct 2019 14:11:25

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Hugo Carré, Lisa Gili
In PeerJ, 7 (October, 2019), e7844
En ligne : peerj.com[...]

Background Long-term research is crucial for the conservation and development of knowledge in ecology; however, it is essential to quantify and minimize any negative effects associated with research to gather reliable and representative long-term monitoring data. In colonial bird species, chicks are often marked with coded bands in order to assess demographic parameters of the population. Banding chicks in multi-species colonies is challenging because it involves disturbances to species that are at different stages of progress in their reproduction. Methods We took advantage of a long term banding program launched on Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) breeding in a major mixed colony of herons in Camargue, southern France, to assess the effect of banding operation disturbance on the reproductive success of the three most numerous waterbirds species in the colony. Over two breeding seasons (2015 and 2016), 336 nests of Glossy Ibis, Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) and Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) were monitored from a floating blind in two zones of the colony: one zone disturbed twice a year by the banding activities and another not disturbed (control zone). We applied a logistic-exposure analysis method to estimate the daily survival rate (DSR) of nests and chicks aged up to three weeks. Results Daily survival rate of Glossy Ibis was reduced in the disturbed zone while DSR increased for Little and Cattle Egrets in the disturbed zone. Nevertheless, DSR was not reduced on the week following the banding, thus discarding a direct effect of handling on breeding success of Glossy Ibis. The protocol and statistical analysis presented here are robust and can be applied to any bird species to test for the effect of a research disturbance or other short and repeated temporal events that may affect reproductive success over one or more breeding seasons.

Mexico, une ville sur une zone humide

Thu, 3 Oct 2019 15:54:29

de Luis Zambrano, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Zones Humides Infos, 97-98 (Eté 2019), 7

Statut, distribution et fonctionnement démographique des populations de Fuligule milouin (Aythya ferina)

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 10:36:36

de Benjamin Folliot, Matthieu Guillemain, Jocelyn Champagnon, Alain Caizergues
In Faune sauvage, 322 (2019), 19-24
En ligne : www.researchgate.net[...]

Afin de comprendre l'origine du déclin des populations de Fuligule milouin constaté en Europe de l'Ouest, l'Office national de la chasse et de la faune sauvage réalise des recherches sur cette espèce depuis le début des années 2000. Le présent article, qui s'inscrit dans cette problèmatique, résume les travaux d'une thèse soutenue en décembre 2018 dont les principaux objectifs ont été d'appréhender le fonctionnement des populations de cet anatidé afin de cerner les causes possibles de son déclin.

Expériences de gestion cynégétique innovantes en Camargue : des pistes pour la chasse au gibier d’eau de demain ?

Fri, 30 Aug 2019 17:00:53

de David Vallecillo, Pierre Defos du Rau, Anthony Olivier, Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, Nicolas Croce, Gregoire Massez, Jérémiah Petit, Nicolas Beck, Jean-Yves Mondain-Monval
In Faune sauvage, 323 (Avril-Juin, 2019), 33-39

En Camargue, plusieurs groupes de chasseurs ont expérimenté des changements dans leurs modalités de gestion des habitats et des prélèvements, dans l'objectif de pratiquer une activité cynégétique à la fois plus durable et plus favorable à la biodiversité. Quelques exemples de ces différentes pratiques mises en oeuvre sur cinq territoires sont présentés dans cet article.

Monitoring amphibian species with complex chromatophore patterns: a non-invasive approach with an evaluation of software effectiveness and reliability

Thu, 10 Jan 2019 17:01:37

de Julien Renet, Lisa Leprêtre, Jocelyn Champagnon, Philippe Lambret
In Herpetological Journal (The), 29(1) (January, 2019), 13-22
En ligne : www.thebhs.org[...]

The estimation of demographic parameters in wild populations is strengthened by individual identification. For amphibians, various techniques are used to either temporarily or permanently mark individuals for identification. Photo-identification of body patterns offers a non-invasive technique. However, the reliability of photo-recognition software is key to the reliable estimation of the true demographic parameters. In the current study, we assessed the effectiveness of fully-automated and semi-automated software: Wild-ID and APHIS. We used the cryptic salamander Hydromantes strinatii as our study species. We used the False Rejection Rate (FRR) of Top 1, Top 5 and Top 10 matches of chest and cloaca pictures. Finally, we assessed the bias induced by our FRR for the estimation of population size through simulation.

Research studies on herons in the Camargue (Southern France)

Mon, 29 Oct 2018 15:36:10

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Jérémiah Petit, Yves Kayser
In Journal of Heron Biology and Conservation, 3(5) (2018), 13-14
En ligne : www.heronconservation.org[...]

Patterns of spatial distribution and migration phenology of common pochards Aythya ferina in the Western Palearctic: a ring-recoveries analysis

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 14:21:42

de Benjamin Folliot, Matthieu Guillemain, Jocelyn Champagnon, Alain Caizergues
In Wildlife Biology, 144 (10/2018), wlb.00427
En ligne : www.bioone.org[...]

We used ringed-recoveries to assess: 1) the connectivity (movements of individuals) between the three putative flyways (north–west Europe, central Europe, south–west Asia) of common pochards in the Western Palearctic, 2) possible spatio-temporal variations in the distribution of the species, and, 3) temporal evolution in spring and autumn migration dates. Based on winter counts of common pochards in the north–west European flyway, we distinguished three periods in the analyses (1960–1990, 1991–2000 and 2001–2016), which correspond to successive periods of population increase, peak and decline, respectively. Whatever the season (wintering or breeding) and period of ringing, large probabilities of ring-recoveries outside the flyway of origin (ringing) were recorded, suggesting a high connectivity between the three putative flyways. There was a significant trend towards an earlier departure from the wintering area, and an eastward shift of spring recoveries over periods. In contrast, neither autumn/winter recovery locations, nor departure dates from the breeding area in Latvia and Russia changed over periods. The latter results do not support the hypothesis that short-stopping (i.e. a reduction of fall migration distances/delaying of departure dates from the breeding area) could explain the observed decline of wintering common pochards in the north–west European flyway. Indirect recoveries support that large proportions of individuals wintering in western Europe may originate from the south–west Asia flyway and more particularly from a region in Siberia located in the Ob river catchment area. Considering trends in numbers for the three flyways together confirmed the “vulnerable” IUCN status of common pochard in the Western Palearctic as a whole, with a 35% decline over the last decade. The important connectivity between the northwest, central European and southwest Asian flyways call for considering such conservation problems at a much broader scale than the regional flyway. /
Le fuligule milouin, canard plongeur qualifié de migrateur partiel, accuse depuis les années 2000 un déclin préoccupant des population hivernantes européennes ayant mené à la réévaluation de son statut de protection. Depuis 2015, cette espèce est dorénavant considérée comme vulnérable selon l’IUCN. Une diminution de son succès de reproduction en Europe de l’Est a été évoquée, selon les dires d’expert européens, comme responsable de ce déclin. Dans cet article nous avons cherché à déterminer si la diminution récente (observée principalement grâce aux comptages en hiver en Europe de l’Ouest) n’est pas la conséquence de changements qui ont lieu au-delà de la voie de migration d’Europe de l’Ouest. Pour cela, nous avons utilisé les données de baguage-reprise depuis 1960.
Nos résultats montrent qu’effectivement de nombreux échanges ont lieu entre les voies de migration classiquement délimitées, et en particulier avec la voie de migration sud-ouest asiatique. Nous avons ainsi déterminé une très forte connectivité des milouins bagués en Europe de l’Ouest avec une importante aire de reproduction (~ 500 000 km²) située à l’Est de l’Oural, à la frontière entre la Russie et le Kazakhstan. La littérature récente atteste que cette aire de reproduction a subi une forte dégradation de son habitat notamment par l'assèchement des zones humides pour la culture de coton et l’intensification de l’exploitation de gaz et de pétrole entraînant une pollution des eaux et des habitats. Ainsi, le déclin des populations hivernantes observé en Europe pourrait provenir d’une diminution du succès de reproduction à la fois en Europe de l’Est mais également en Russie, ce qui n’était pas envisagée auparavant. L’état de la population hivernante dans la voie de migration sud-ouest asiatique reste inconnu (trop forte incertitude autour de la tendance moyenne des effectifs hivernants). Nous suggérons ainsi la nécessité de prendre sérieusement en compte cette voie de migration dans les objectifs de gestion du fuligule milouin, ce qui passe par l’amélioration de nos connaissances en Russie.

Pacific Decadal and El Niño oscillations shape survival of a seabird

Fri, 18 May 2018 10:33:30

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Jean-Dominique Lebreton, Drummond Hugh, Anderson David J.
In Ecology, 99(5) (May 1, 2018), 1063-1072
En ligne : esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Understanding and modeling population change is urgently needed to predict effects of climate change on biodiversity. High trophic?level organisms are influenced by fluctuations of prey quality and abundance, which themselves may depend on climate oscillations. Modeling effects of such fluctuations is challenging because prey populations may vary with multiple climate oscillations occurring at different time scales. The analysis of a 28 yr time series of capture-recapture data of a tropical seabird, the Nazca Booby (Sula granti), in the Galápagos, Ecuador, allowed us to test for demographic effects of two major ocean oscillations occurring at distinct time-scales: the inter-annual El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and inter-decadal oscillations. As expected for a tropical seabird, survival of fledgling birds was highly affected by extreme ENSO events; by contrast, neither recruitment nor breeding participation were affected by either ENSO or decadal oscillations. More interesting, adult survival, a demographic trait that canalizes response to environmental variations, was unaffected by inter-annual ENSO oscillations yet was shaped by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and small pelagic fish regime. Adult survival decreased during oceanic conditions associated with higher breeding success, an association probably mediated in this species by costs of reproduction that reduce survival when breeding attempts end later. To our knowledge, this is the first study suggesting that survival of a vertebrate can be vulnerable to a natural multidecadal oscillation. / Dans cette étude, des chercheurs ont évalué l'effet d'El Niño et de l'ODP sur la survie d'un oiseau marin tropical, le Fou de Nazca, qui niche aux îles Galapagos et dont l'espérance de vie est d'environ 15 ans. Cet oiseau est un bon modèle d'étude de l'impact du changement climatique sur les oiseaux car il consomme des ressources directement affectées (les sardines notamment) par les variations du climat. A partir du suivi à long terme des baguages de cette espèce (1984-2012), les scientifiques ont mis en évidence que la survie des jeunes Fous de Nazca est très faible lors d'événements El Niño car ces périodes sont marquées par une faible quantité de poissons (en particulier les sardines, l'aliment de prédilection de ces oiseaux). La survie des spécimens adultes est quant à elle affectée par l'ODP. Les chercheurs ont observé une mortalité plus importante lors des phases chaudes de ce cycle qui sont pourtant propices à la prolifération de sardines et offrent donc un accès privilégié à la nourriture. Cette surprenante corrélation pourrait s'expliquer par un coût de reproduction plus important : les adultes perdraient plus d'énergie dans la reproduction (moins d'abandon du nid) au détriment de leur propre survie. À l'inverse, lors de phases froides telles que celle en place depuis 2008, la survie des adultes est meilleure car la mortalité des petits et l'abandon du nid leur permettent de récupérer plus rapidement.
Ce travail constitue une avancée majeure pour la compréhension des effets du climat sur les oiseaux marins. Il démontre pour la première fois l'impact d'une variation climatique à long cycle (ODP) sur la survie d'une espèce et pourrait par la suite s'étendre à d'autres espèces d'oiseaux marins afin de prédire les effets du changement climatique sur ces espèces.

L’hivernage de la Grue cendrée Grus grus en Camargue : historique et statut récent

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 12:09:19

de Yves Kayser, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Thomas Blanchon, Philippe Vandewalle, Silke Befeld, Jérémiah Petit, Rémi Tiné, Amine Flitti, Jocelyn Champagnon
In Ornithos, 25(1) (2018), 4-13

The Common Crane was a rare wintering bird in The Camargue until the late 1990s and early 2000s. From the winter of 2003- 2004, wintering numbers have steadily increased to more than 14,000 individuals by January 2017, spread over a dozen roosts. The frequented roosts are large open areas, usually made up of freshwater marshes. During the winter season, cranes mainly feed on rice stubble. Other food resources such as winter wheat are used to a lesser extent. Some birds do not hesitate to fly further up to 30 km to fetch food. Fifty ringed birds were controlled between 2013 and 2017, the majority (89 %) of them originated from Finland. It seems that the cranes use two migration routes to The Camargue : one central European routeway and another one possibly passing through western France, which could indicate a loop migration.

Admixture between released and wild game birds: a changing genetic landscape in European mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

Fri, 1 Dec 2017 17:24:00

de P. Söderquist, J. Elmberg, G. Gunnarsson, C.-G. Thulin, Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, J. Kreisinger, H. H. T. Prins, R. P. M. A. Crooijmans, R. H. S. Kraus
In European Journal of Wildlife Research, 63(6) (12/2017), 1-13
En ligne : link.springer.com[...]

Disruption of naturally evolved spatial patterns of genetic variation and local adaptations is a growing concern in wildlife management and conservation. During the last decade, releases of native taxa with potentially non-native genotypes have received increased attention. This has mostly concerned conservation programs, but releases are also widely carried out to boost harvest opportunities. The mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, is one of few terrestrial migratory vertebrates subjected to large-scale releases for hunting purposes. It is the most numerous and widespread duck in the world, yet each year more than three million farmed mallard ducklings are released into the wild in the European Union alone to increase the harvestable population. This study aimed to determine the genetic effects of such large-scale releases of a native species, specifically if wild and released farmed mallards differ genetically among subpopulations in Europe, if there are signs of admixture between the two groups, if the genetic structure of the wild mallard population has changed since large-scale releases began in the 1970s, and if the current data matches global patterns across the Northern hemisphere. We used Bayesian clustering (Structure software) and Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components (DAPC) to analyze the genetic structure of historical and present-day wild (n = 171 and n = 209, respectively) as well as farmed (n = 211) mallards from six European countries as inferred by 360 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Both methods showed a clear genetic differentiation between wild and farmed mallards. Admixed individuals were found in the present-day wild population, implicating introgression of farmed genotypes into wild mallards despite low survival among released farmed mallards. Such cryptic introgression would alter the genetic composition of wild populations and may have unknown long-term consequences for conservation.

Determining the boundaries of migratory bird flyways: a Bayesian model for Eurasian teal Anas crecca in western Europe

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 11:04:18

de Matthieu Guillemain, Clément Calenge, Jocelyn Champagnon, Richard Hearn
In Journal of Avian Biology, 48(10) (10/2017), 1331-1341
En ligne : doi.wiley.com[...]

Accurate flyway delineation is a prerequisite for effective conservation and management of migratory bird populations, yet such limits have so far mostly been set subjectively. We present a statistical method to infer population boundaries from the analysis of ring recoveries, using a Bayesian framework. The approach was applied to Eurasian teal Anas crecca ringed in Camargue, southern France, and Abberton Reservoir, Essex, eastern England. The results presented show the boundaries of the two teal flyways in western Europe, with a zone of overlap, broadly matching those previously defined. The percentage of teal switching flyways (abmigration rate) was 2.4-2.6%, greater in birds ringed as juveniles than as adults. Abmigrants ended up at sites within the other flyway where the density of local birds was lower than expected by chance, suggesting abmigration resulted from exploratory or aberrant behaviour. The methodology presented here can be used to infer flyway boundaries of any bird with an adequate ring-re-encounter dataset, which has crucial consequences for the evaluation of their trends in abundance and hence conservation status, and the management of sustainable harvests.

Trois spatules blanches Platalea leucorodia nées en Camargue (Bouches-du-Rhône) contrôlées en hivernage au Soudan du Sud

Thu, 5 Oct 2017 14:47:34

de Thomas Blanchon, Jocelyn Champagnon, Yves Kayser, Lina Lopez-Ricaurte, Paul Isenmann
In Alauda, 85(3) (oct 2017), 231-233

Blood and cloacal swab sampling for avian influenza monitoring has no effect on survival rates of free-ranging ducks

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 16:01:24

de Matthieu Guillemain, Jocelyn Champagnon, Marie-Lucile Gourlay-Larour, Francois Cavallo, Anne-Laure Brochet, Jean Hars, Gregoire Massez, Thierry George, Pierre-Yves Perroi, Veronique Jestin, et al.
In Ibis, 158(4) (October 2016), 743-753
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Concerns about the spread of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have led to cloacal swab sampling of hundreds of thousands of birds worldwide as part of AIV surveillance schemes, but the effects of cloacal swabbing have not been adequately evaluated. We tested for differences between swabbed, swabbed and bled, and non-sampled wild ducks in terms of live re-encounter and dead recoveries for Common Pochard Aythya ferina and Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, and also determined re-encounter and recovery rates for Mallard Anas platyrhynchos and Common Teal Anas crecca. No effects of sampling methods were detected, except in Teal. Re-encounter rates were lower in sampled Teal than in controls, with annual re-encounter probabilities being 25% and 35% lower in males and females, respectively. Teal possibly left or avoided sampling sites, or sought sites where they were less detectable after sampling. In general, no deleterious effects were found, suggesting that cloacal swabbing and blood sampling are suitable methods for conducting AIV surveillance in ducks.

Robust estimation of survival and contribution of captive-bred Mallards Anas platyrhynchos to a wild population in a large-scale release programme

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 17:51:15

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Pierre Legagneux, Guillaume Souchay, Pablo Inchausti, Vincent Bretagnolle, François Bourguemestre, Laura Van Ingen, Matthieu Guillemain
In Ibis, 158(2) (April 2016), 1-10
En ligne : doi.wiley.com[...]

The survival of captive-bred individuals from release into the wild to their first breeding season is crucial to assess the success of reintroduction or translocation programmes, and to assess their potential impact of wild populations. However, assessing the survival of captive-bred individuals following their release is often complicated by immediate dispersal once in the wild. Here, we apply Lindberg's robust design model, a method that incorporates emigration from the study site, to obtain true estimates of survival of captive-bred Mallards Anas platyrhynchos, a common duck species released on a large scale in Europe since the 1970s. Overall survival rate from release in July until the onset of the next breeding season in April was low (0.18 ± 0.07 se) and equivalent to half the first-year survival of local wild Mallards. Higher overall detectability and temporary emigration during the hunting period revealed movements in response to hunting pressure. Such low survival of released Mallards during their first year may help prevent large-scale genetic mixing with the wild population. Nevertheless, by combining our results with regional waterfowl counts, we estimated that a minimum of 34% of the Mallards in the region were of captive origin at the onset of the breeding season. Although most released birds quickly die, restocking for hunting may be of sufficient magnitude to affect the wild population through genetic homogenization or loss of local adaptation. Robust design protocols allow for the estimation of true survival estimates by controlling for permanent and temporary emigration and may require only a moderate increase in fieldwork effort.

Contribution of released captive-bred Mallards to the dynamics of the natural population

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 17:51:34

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, Jean-Yves Mondain-Monval, Guillaume Souchay, Pierre Legagneux, Vincent Bretagnolle, Laura Van Ingen, François Bourguemestre, Jean-Dominique Lebreton
In Ornis Fennica, 93(1) (March 2016), 3-11
En ligne : www.ornisfennica.org

The consequences of releasing captive-bred game animals into the wild have received little attention, despite their potential demographic impact, as well as costs and/or benefits for recipient populations.If restockin gaims at increasing harvest opportunities,increased hunting pressure is expected,which would then be supported by either wild or released individuals.On the otherhand,the wild recipient population may benefit from there lease of captive-bred conspecifics if this reduces hunting pressure on the former through dilution of risk or selective harvesting of captive-bred individuals. Here, we modelled a Mallard (Anasplatyrhynchos)population consisting of wild individuals supplemented by captive-bred conspecifics,a very common practice in Europe over the last 40years.The objective was to test the effect of an increase of harvest rate on released and wild individuals, respectively. Our results show that, due to the low reproductive value of the released Mallards,the population was hardly affected by a change in harvest of these low performance individuals.

Becoming more sedentary? Changes in recovery positions of Mallard Anas platyrhynchos ringed in the Camargue, France, over the last 50 years

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 13:37:42

de Matthieu Guillemain, Jocelyn Champagnon, Gregoire Massez, Claire Agnès Pernollet, Thierry George, Andre Momerency, Géraldine Simon
In Wildfowl, 65 (2015), 51-63

Earlier studies from central and northern Europe have found a shortening of the ring recovery distance in Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, which was generally attributed to climate change leading to a northwards shift of the wintering range. Here we show that recovery distances for Mallard ringed during winter in the Camargue (southern France), at the southern end of their range, have also shortened over the last 50 years, from a mean of 417 km (se. +/- 17.4) for birds ringed between 1950-1978 to 74 km (+/- 28.9) for birds ringed between 2002-2013. In contrast to the studies in other areas, however, the more recent recoveries of Mallard ringed in the Camargue were made to the south and west of where they were previously, and changes in ring recoveries were likely caused by a greater proportion of sedentary birds among the Camargue wintering population. Discarding unlikely methodological biases that may explain the pattern observed, we suggest three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses to explain such a change: a) increased attractiveness of Camargue habitats as a winter quarter, with migrant birds now staying for longer periods and allowing more local recoveries, b) hybridization between resident captive-bred and wild Mallards, and 0 former migrants from northern Europe now foregoing long migration to this distant winter quarter due to climate change. Future studies combining genetic and isotope analyses may help in teasing these hypotheses apart, to provide a better understanding of the factors leading to such increased sedentarity.

Ringing does not appear to have an adverse effect on body mass immediately following capture in Eurasian Teal Anas crecca

Tue, 3 May 2016 17:36:47

de Matthieu Guillemain, Francois Cavallo, Gregoire Massez, Thierry George, Jean-Pierre Baudet, Pierre Gonzalez, Valerie Ducasse, Emmanuel Caillot, Benoit Lecaplain, Luc Tison, et al.
In Wildfowl, 65 (2015), 64-74
En ligne : wildfowl.wwt.org.uk[...]

Studies of waterbirds rely to a large extent on ringing and resighting or recapture data, whilst assuming that ringed birds are broadly representative of the population as a whole. This may not be the case if the capture process may in itself have an influence on the birds. The analyses presented here showed that the body mass of ringed ducks often decreases between capture and recapture if the latter occurs within a few days or weeks. This could possibly reflect stress caused by handling, which would be problematic if it causes ringed birds to behave in a way that differs from the population as a whole. Alternatively, body mass measurements could also be biased by the general use of bait to attract birds to the trap. Initial and subsequent body mass data recorded for Eurasian Teal Anas crecca caught then recaptured within three weeks were compared between sites where the birds were attracted to traps with bait or with live decoys. When bait was used individuals had a greater body mass at ringing but were lighter at recapture at all but one site, where only a marginal difference was found. Conversely, when using live decoys, body mass remained constant at the next capture event. This suggests that mass loss commonly observed between capture and recapture is not caused by handling, but is potentially an artefact linked to duck hyperphagia in the presence of abundant food at ringing. It also implies that most available duck body mass data, which are usually obtained from birds ringed at baited traps, may be artificially inflated. The present results are based on one single unbaited site, however, and experimental manipulative studies (alternating the use of bait and live decoys to trap birds) are needed to confirm the findings.

Disentangling the drivers of change in Common Teal migration phenology over 50 years: land use vs. climate change effects (2015)

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 10:02:27

de Matthieu Guillemain, Claire Agnès Pernollet, Gregoire Massez, F. Cavallo, G. Simon, Jocelyn Champagnon
2015

A large body of research has accumulated on the impact of climate change on wildlife movements and distributions, especially for migratory birds. We used large ringing datasets for the Common Teal (Anas crecca) from the Camargue, southern France, to compare historic (from 1956-1975) spatiotemporal patterns of teal recovery with those seen in modern (2002-2012) years and assess whether the migration phenology of these ringed birds and their use of the Camargue as winter quarters has changed. Because teal are short-distance migrants (i.e., they breed in northern Europe and winter north of the Sahara), they would be predicted to delay their autumn migration in response to climate change. Conversely, ring recoveries showed that teal are now arriving much earlier: a stable 80 % of the recoveries were made locally in the Camargue each week between mid-November and late January in the modern dataset, whereas this percentage was only 53 % on average in the older data, and the proportion of recoveries made locally in the Camargue gradually increased through the autumn and winter until late January. This suggests that Camargue habitats have changed markedly and become more attractive to teal compared to other potential wintering areas, consistent with known changes in local habitat management practices and improvements in the body condition of the birds. Despite the fact that global climate change will likely be one of the main drivers of wildlife distribution over the long term and at large spatial scales, local habitat management should not be overlooked, as it can increase habitat attractivity to migratory birds.

Assessing the genetic impact of massive restocking on wild mallard

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 11:33:21

de Jocelyn Champagnon, P.-A. Crochet, J. Kreisinger, D. Cizkova, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Gregoire Massez, P. Söderquist, T. Albrecht, Matthieu Guillemain
In Animal Conservation, 16(3) (JUN 2013), 295-305

Captive-bred mallards Anas platyrhynchos have been released for hunting purposes at a very large scale in Europe since the mid-1970s. In spite of a potential genetic impact, the actual contribution of restocked mallards to the genome of the target population has received little attention. The genetic structure of modern wild mallards in the Camargue, Southern France, was assessed from two samples: one originating from shot birds in hunting bags and one from presumed wild ducks captured alive in a hunting-free reserve. Reference samples originated from five mallard farms, as well as from museum samples collected before the mid-1970s (i.e. before massive mallard releases started). Our results revealed that the genetic signature of wild wintering mallards has not changed significantly because museum and presumed wild samples from the Camargue hunting-free nature reserve were genetically similar, and clearly differentiated from the farm mallards. This suggests that mallard releases in the Camargue or elsewhere in France, although massive, have not actually translated into complete admixture of wild and captive genomes, most likely due to low survival of released birds once in the wild. Nevertheless, although genetic introgression of the wild population by captive-bred was contained, we found significant rates of hybridization between wild and captive-bred mallards in modern samples. This result suggests that long-term releases of captive-bred mallards, if carried on at such large scale, could compromise irreversibly the genetic structure and composition of European mallards. This work contributes to fill in the gap on the monitoring of the genetic consequences of large-scale game releases for exploitation.

Les canards colverts lâchés pour la chasse interagissent-ils avec les populations sauvages

Fri, 23 Feb 2018 11:56:59

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Jean-Dominique Lebreton, Jean-Baptiste Mouronval, Matthieu Guillemain
In Faune sauvage, 298 (2013), 4-9

Duck's not dead: Does restocking with captive bred individuals affect the genetic integrity of wild mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) population?

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:12:39

de Dagmar Cizkova, Veronika Javurkova, Jocelyn Champagnon, Jakub Kreisinger
In Biological Conservation, 152 (AUG 2012), 231-240

The genetic integrity of natural populations can be threatened through large-scale introduction of farmed stocks with different genetic or geographic origin. Huge numbers of farm-reared mallard (Anas platyrhynchos, Anatidae) have been introduced into the wild in many European countries since 1970. Czech breeding facilities currently produce around 200-300,000 ducks annually, exceeding wild numbers by around 10 times. Such facilities, however, were founded with hybrid ducks from outside the Czech Republic. Three types of DNA markers, two neutral (14 microsatellite DNA loci and the mitochondrial DNA control region) and one under selection (MHC class I locus), were used to genotype mallards from six Czech breeding facilities (n = 131) and seven wild nesting localities (n = 139). We found marked genetic divergence between wild and captive-bred populations, the latter having significantly lower genetic diversity. Released captive-bred mallards were integrated into breeding wild population through hybridization mediated by high frequency nesting. Overall, our data suggest that release of captive-bred individuals threatens the genetic integrity of wild population. Massive restocking may also be undesirable as regards public health. Waterfowl are known reservoirs of transmittable pathogens and large-scale restocking could alter immune defence gene frequencies in wild population. We propose the establishment of a national genetic monitoring programme for breeding facilities. (c) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Conspecifics can be aliens too: A review of effects of restocking practices in vertebrates (2012)

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 10:06:20

de Jocelyn Champagnon, J. Elmberg, Matthieu Guillemain, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Jean-Dominique Lebreton
2012

Low survival after release into the wild : assessing the burden of captivity on Mallard physiology and behaviour (2012)

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 10:06:20

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, J. Elmberg, Gregoire Massez, F. Cavallo, Michel Gauthier-Clerc
2012

High influenza A virus infection rates in mallards bred for hunting in the Camargue, south of France (2012)

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 10:02:35

de Marion Vittecoq, V. Grandhomme, Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, B. Crescenzo-chaigne, F. Renaud, F. Thomas, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, S. Van Der Werf
2012

Conséquences des introductions d'individus dans les populations exploitées: l'exemple du canard colvert Anas platyrhynchos (2011)

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 10:10:43

de Jocelyn Champagnon
2011, 290p
En ligne : www.biu-montpellier.fr[...]

Le renforcement des populations naturelles exploitées par des individus captifs est rarement évalué, bien qu'il puisse induire des modifications notables sur la population naturelle à de nombreux niveaux : démographie, comportement, morphologie, génétique, pathogènes. Ce travail de thèse concerne les introductions de canards colverts Anas platyrhynchos réalisées à des fins cynégétiques. Cette pratique est très répandue en Europe, depuis plus de trente ans. Du fait de leur domestication en élevage, les canards lâchés subissent une mortalité naturelle très forte comparée aux oiseaux sauvages, à laquelle s'ajoute une plus grande vulnérabilité à la chasse. Une différenciation génétique marquée permet de discriminer les oiseaux lâchés de leurs congénères sauvages. Des croisements entre les deux groupes sont détectés, mais l'introgression reste limitée. Globalement, la contribution démographique et génétique des individus d'élevage à la population sauvage est faible, même si une modification morphologique attribuable aux lâchers a été constatée dans la population sauvage en trente ans. Les conséquences écologiques pour la population réceptrice semblent donc limitées, mais une vigilance continue doit s'exercer concernant la diffusion de pathogènes (forte prévalence occasionnelle de virus Influenza A dans les élevages) et les risques génétiques associés au renforcement sur le long terme.

Changes in Mallard Anas platyrhynchos bill morphology after 30 years of supplemental stocking

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:35:50

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, Johan Elmberg, Karin Folkesson, Michel Gauthier-Clerc
In Bird Study, 57(3) (2010), 344-351

Capsule Massive releases of captive-reared Mallard for hunting purposes have been practiced for 30 years. During this period the number of lamellae per centimetre of bill length in wild Mallard populations has decreased. Aims Every year since the 1970s, several million captive Mallard have been released in Europe. This may lead to a spread of unnatural phenotypes into the wild. Nevertheless, the consequences of such introductions have not been examined. Methods Two widespread and common migratory ducks were studied: Mallard Anas platyrhynchos and Teal A. crecca. Mallard is the only duck species for which stocking programmes occur, and Teal served as a control. In a 'before-after' design, we compared duck bill lamellar density over the last 30 years. Results Lamellar density in Mallard, but not Teal, decreased. The observed 10% decrease occurred in the first (proximate) centimetre of the bill, the most crucial in terms of food filtration. Conclusions We hypothesize that the change in bill morphology was because of the propagation of captive Mallard into the wild: captive Mallard eat mainly large items, relaxing the natural selection pressure maintaining high lamellar density for sieving small prey in wild ducks.

Wintering French Mallard and Teal Are Heavier and in Better Body Condition than 30 Years Ago: Effects of a Changing Environment?

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 13:28:00

de Matthieu Guillemain, Johan Elmberg, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Gregoire Massez, Richard Hearn, Jocelyn Champagnon, Géraldine Simon
In AMBIO, 39(2) (MAR 2010), 170-180

Animal populations are exposed to large-scale anthropogenic impact from e.g. climate change, habitat alteration and supplemental stocking. All of these may affect body condition in wintering dabbling ducks, which in turn may affect an individual's survival and reproductive success. The aim of this study was to assess whether there have been morphometric changes in Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and Teal (Anas crecca) over the last 30 years at a major wintering site. Body mass and condition increased from the 1950s-1960s to the 2000s in both species. The increase in body mass amounted to as much as 11.7%, with no corresponding change in body size. Improved body condition was maintained from early to mid-winter, but then converged with historical values for late winter. Our interpretation is that increasingly benign ambient winter conditions permit ducks to maintain better energetic "safety margins" throughout winter, and that converging spring departure values may be related to evolutionary flight energetic optima. The observed changes are consistent with large-scale climate amelioration and local/regional habitat improvement (both anthropogenic).

Consequences of massive bird releases for hunting purposes: Mallard Anas platyrhynchos in the Camargue, southern France

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 13:37:53

de Jocelyn Champagnon, Matthieu Guillemain, Michel Gauthier-Clerc, Jean-Dominique Lebreton, Johan Elmberg
In Wildfowl, 2 (2009), 184-191
En ligne : wildfowl.wwt.org.uk[...]

The release of captive-reared fish and game animals into the wild is a common management practice in Europe and North America. In Europe, millions of reared birds are released each year yet the consequences of these release programmes have received little attention. This paper describes the massive introduction of Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, a native migrant species released into the wild to increase the size of hunted populations. It provides the rationale for current and forthcoming experiments aimed at determining the effects of the augmentation of Mallard stocks on wild population genotype and survival rates.