The Black Kite (Milvus migrans) is one of the most widespread raptors in the world. The Palaearctic is populated by two migrating subspecies, Milvus migrans migrans and Milvus migrans lineatus, in ...the western and eastern part of this realm, respectively. There is a large intergradation zone of M. m. migrans/M. m. lineatus in-between. Although the migration routes of M. m. migrans from Europe to Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East are well known, detailed information about migration routes of Black Kites from intergradation zone are missing. Using satellite telemetry we are able to fill this gap in our knowledge of these birds. We tagged with GPS/SMS/GPRS telemetry loggers 13 and 6 Black Kite pulli in lowland around Biysk (Altai Krai, Russia) and in mountains around Kosh-Agach (Altai Republic, Russia), respectively. After fledging, Black Kites from both subpopulations stayed in a small, non-overlapping areas and then migrated to southern Asia through narrow corridors. Black Kites originating from Biysk migrated through the Western Circum-Himalayan Corridor. Black Kites originating from Kosh-Agach used the Trans-Himalayan Corridor crossing the Himalayas in altitudes of up to 6256 m asl. The average total distance travelled of Black Kites from both subpopulations was 9166 km without any significant differences between these subpopulations. Timing of both spring and autumn migration did not vary along different age groups. Black Kites from both subpopulations wintered in low elevations of Pakistan and India. Birds wintered on average for 190 days, and the mean area of individual home ranges in winter was 4704 km
. During the breeding period, birds dwelled in south-western Siberia, where they spent on average 125 days with an average home range size 3537 km
. We found that ontogenetic shifts in migratory behaviour of Black Kites from Eastern Russia differ from those in population/subspecies in Europe. Black Kites crossing the Himalayas fly and, moreover, stay for hours resting at night in the environment of mountains at altitudes over 5000 m.
The black kite Milvus migrans, one of the most common raptor species, shows great flexibility as regards food resources and breeding sites. While black kite subspecies are found all over Eurasia, ...Africa and Australia, it has been poorly studied outside of Europe, with virtually nothing known about the phylogeny of populations in Asia, India, Africa or Australia. We analysed 85 published black kite nucleotide sequences and ca 660 new sequences from the ranges of the main black kite subspecies using a non‐invasive method of DNA extraction from moulted feathers. In doing so, we evaluated genetic diversity and population affinities and reconstructed their demographic histories. Populations from Europe, northern Asia and India all had separate haplogroups of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The European and North Asian subspecies were isolated in the Pleistocene and spread across the northern Palearctic following climate amelioration, forming a broad intergradation zone from western Siberia and Kazakhstan to eastern Europe. Representatives of the European, North Asian and Indian haplogroups were found in Pakistan, where they probably breed. The Australasian population separated from the Indian population relatively recently and carries one of the two Indian major haplotypes. We found support for the assumption that the African yellow‐billed kite differs from the black kite at the species level. Further, the yellow‐billed kite contains at least two genetically distant mitochondrial lineages with ranges that do not correspond with its traditional subspecies ranges. Based on these data, we were able to outline the general pattern of black kite phylogeography over its entire range, making it possible to evaluate the evolutionary history of the species as a whole.
The gene
conferring resistance to last-line antibiotic colistin has been reported globally. Here, we describe the first detection of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in Russian wildlife, an ...isolate of
sequence type 2280 from a black kite (
) scavenging raptor. Whole-genome sequencing and plasmid transferability experiments revealed that
was located on conjugative IncI2 plasmid pDR164 (59891 bp). Migratory black kites may contribute to the global spread of mobile colistin resistance.
Disentangling individual-and population-level variation in migratory movements is necessary for understanding migration at the species level. However, very few studies have analyzed these patterns ...across large portions of species' distributions. We compiled a large telemetry dataset on the globally endangered Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus (94 individuals, 188 completed migratory journeys), tracked across ∼70% of the species' global range, to analyze spatial and temporal variability of migratory movements within and among individuals and populations. We found high migratory connectivity at large spatial scales (i.e., different subpopulations showed little overlap in wintering areas), but very diffuse migratory connectivity within subpopulations, with wintering ranges up to 4,000 km apart for birds breeding in the same region and each subpopulation visiting up to 28 countries (44 in total). Additionally, Egyptian Vultures exhibited a high level of variability at the subpopulation level and flexibility at the individual level in basic migration parameters. Subpopulations differed significantly in travel distance and straightness of migratory movements, while differences in migration speed and duration differed as much between seasons and among individuals within subpopulations as between subpopulations. The total distances of the migrations completed by individuals from the Balkans and Caucasus were up to twice as long and less direct than those in Western Europe, and consequently were longer in duration, despite faster migration speeds. These differences appear to be largely attributable to more numerous and wider geographic barriers (water bodies) along the eastern flyway. We also found that adult spring migrations to Western Europe and the Balkans were longer and slower than fall migrations. We encourage further research to assess the underlying mechanisms for these differences and the extent to which environmental change could affect Egyptian Vulture movement ecology and population trends.
In the paper we describe two cases of eastern imperial eagle breeding in the former nests of greater spotted eagle and white-tailed eagle observed in the Tatarstan Republic, Russia. In both cases, ...eastern imperial eagles occupied non-favourable habitats they never used before - a vast alder forest in the wetlands and an island in a reservoir. The possible reasons that made the eagles expand their breeding ranges in the Volga region ofRussia are discussed in this paper
The purpose of this paper was to determine the morphometric characteristics of the heart in 7–10-year-old children living in the Arkhangelsk Region in relation to their physical development ...parameters. Materials and methods. The research was performed in Vyzhletsov Arkhangelsk Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital. Using echocardiography, we studied the morphometric parameters of 990 children of both sexes aged between 7 and 10 years without cardiovascular pathologies and collected their anthropometric data. Results. With the relative stability of the processes of morphofunctional maturation at this stage of ontogenesis, both sexand age-related structural features of the heart were detected. The largest number of sex-related differences was found for children aged 8 years, and they were associated with greater values of cardiac parameters in boys compared to girls. Sеx-related differences in the width of the major vessels get levelled out by the age of 10. Parameters of physical development naturally increase with age, evenly over the years; sexual dimorphism is not pronounced. The total increase in anthropometric values from 7 to 10 years in boys and girls was: 12.67 % and 14.10 % for body length, 38.68 % and 40.66 % for body weight, and 24.21 % and 27.17 % for body surface area (BSA), respectively. The most consistent and unidirectional age-related changes concern BSA, which demonstrates a significant correlation with cardiac morphology, especially in late prepuberty. The greatest stability in reflecting the share of variation in echocardiogram parameters in all age and sex groups has BSA calculated by the Mosteller formula. The left heart in boys starts to enlarge from 8 to 10 years, while in girls, between 9 and 10 years. Factor analysis showed an increase in the contribution of physical development parameters to the dispersion of morphological characteristics of the heart with age.
A representative sample of 18- to 65-year-old workers from a machine-building factory was studied using a standardized questionnaire.
To study the prevalence of low back pain syndrome among workers ...at an industrial enterprise and to estimate the association between low back pain syndrome and certain factors.
This was a cross-sectional study of 800 workers (400 men and 400 women), who were invited to participate in the study. Seven-hundred-and-one (87.6%) persons took part in the study--339 (84.7%) men and 362 (90.5%) women.
The life-time prevalence of low back pain complaints was 48.2%. The prevalence during the last year was 31.5%, and point prevalence was 11.5%. The number of patients with low back pain complaints increased with age. The duration of a low back pain episode was less than 2 weeks in 88.2% of the patients, and more than 12 weeks in only in 1.8% of the patients. Analysis of some social, individual, and professional factors revealed associations between low back pain and low level of education, marital status, absence of sports activity, intensity of smoking, and frequent lifting and bending during the work day.
Our study revealed a high prevalence of low back pain among workers at an industrial enterprise. This low back pain was primarily of an acute nature.
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