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Brood parasitism leads to zero recruitment in the globally endangered Yellow Cardinal Gubernatrix cristata

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2020

MELINA ATENCIO Open the ORCID record for MELINA ATENCIO [Opens in a new window] ,
JUAN CARLOS REBOREDA  and
BETTINA MAHLER Open the ORCID record for BETTINA MAHLER [Opens in a new window]
MELINA ATENCIO*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución & IEGEBA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón II Ciudad Universitaria, Int. Güiraldes s/n (1428) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
JUAN CARLOS REBOREDA
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución & IEGEBA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón II Ciudad Universitaria, Int. Güiraldes s/n (1428) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
BETTINA MAHLER
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución & IEGEBA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón II Ciudad Universitaria, Int. Güiraldes s/n (1428) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
*
*Author for correspondence; email: melinatencio@gmail.com
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Summary

The Yellow Cardinal Gubernatrix cristata is an ‘Endangered’ passerine from southern South America. For the past three years a management plan for Yellow Cardinals has been implemented in Argentina, in which rescued individuals from the illegal cage bird trade were released back into suitable habitats within their population of origin. We studied the reproductive success of a mixed population of released and wild Yellow Cardinals in La Pampa province, Argentina, during the reproductive season of 2019. The population was highly parasitized by the brood parasitic Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis. The frequency of parasitism was 100% and the intensity of parasitism was 4.5 ± 3.4 (mean ± SD) eggs per parasitized nest (range 1–13). No Yellow Cardinal chicks were recruited in the monitored nests, mainly as a consequence of Shiny Cowbird parasitism. The unusually high rate of parasitism led to a poor outcome of the reintroduction programme and indicates the need to update the conservation actions that have been carried out for the Yellow Cardinal so far. Shiny Cowbird abundance varies within the distribution of Yellow Cardinals, related to habitat modification and farming activities. Thus, further research on habitat suitability and assessment of Shiny Cowbird abundance should be incorporated into future strategies for the conservation of the Yellow Cardinal.

Resumen

Resumen

El Cardenal Amarillo Gubernatrix cristata es un paseriforme endémico del sur de América del Sur. En los últimos tres años, se ha llevado a cabo un plan de manejo para Cardenales Amarillos en Argentina, en el cual los individuos rescatados del tráfico ilegal de aves de jaula fueron liberados en ambientes adecuados dentro de sus poblaciones de origen. Estudiamos el éxito reproductivo de una población mixta de Cardenales Amarillos liberados y silvestres en La Pampa, Argentina, durante la temporada reproductiva de 2019. La población fue altamente parasitada por el parasito de cría Tordo Renegrido Molothrus bonariensis. La frecuencia de parasitismo fue del 100% y la intensidad de parasitismo fue de 4,5 ± 3,4 (promedio ± DS) huevos por nido parasitado (rango 1–13). No se reclutaron pichones de Cardenal Amarillo en los nidos monitoreados, principalmente como consecuencia del parasitismo por parte del Tordo Renegrido. Estas tasas de parasitismo inusualmente altas han provocado resultados poco exitosos en el programa de reintroducción y llaman a una actualización en las acciones de conservación que se han estado llevando a cabo para el Cardenal Amarillo hasta ahora. La presión de parasitismo de Tordos Renegridos varía a lo largo de la distribución del Cardenal Amarillo, relacionado a la modificación de hábitat y actividades agropecuarias. Por lo tanto, llevar a cabo más trabajos de investigación en temas de aptitud de hábitat, así como considerar la abundancia de Tordos Renegridos deberían ser incorporados como estrategias futuras para la conservación del Cardenal Amarillo.

Keywords

Yellow Cardinalreintroductionsrecruitmentbrood parasitismCardenal Amarilloreintroduccionesreclutamientoparasitismo de cría
Type
Short Communication
Information
Bird Conservation International , Volume 32 , Issue 1 , March 2022 , pp. 147 - 153
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of BirdLife International

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