Migratory birds carry ticks harboring various pathogens, including the zoonotic Yezo virus. In Hokkaido, Japan, we collected ticks from migratory birds during 2020-2021. Eight of 385 pools, comprising 2,534 ticks, tested positive for Yezo virus RNA, suggesting Yezo virus might be spread through the flyways of migratory birds.

Bird banding is a survey method of attaching uniquely marked rings on a bird’s leg. Recaptured or resighted data of marked individuals enable researchers to study the ecology of birds, such as the migration and life history. The first bird banding survey took place in Denmark in 1899, and now many researchers and organizations around the world carry out such surveys. In Japan, Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce (the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry at present) started the bird banding scheme in 1924. The scheme was interrupted during and after World War II, but was resumed in 1961. During 59 years from 1961 to 2019, a total of 6,108,529 individuals (499 species) were marked and released, of which 40,607 individuals (262 species) were recovered. The numbers of marked and recovered individuals in the latest year (2019) were 126,907 individuals (282 species) and 1,254 individuals (88 species), respectively. Based on this comprehensive database, numerous findings and knowledge were obtained, including migration routes and life spans of many species, population trends of endangered species, avifaunal data of a certain region, birds’ response to climate change, contribution to the measure for avian influenza, and so on. The bird banding survey has contributed to the conservation of biodiversity, one of the most critical global issues today. We believe it is important to conduct and continue the survey with a sense of purpose and mission for greater good in mind.

Despite the recent decline in the Eastern Palearctic population of the Lesser White fronted Goose Anser erythropus (LWfG), numbers wintering in Japan have increased modestly since the 2000s. There have, however, been no systematic studies of the wintering ecology of the species previously conducted in Japan. In this study, count surveys were made of roosting and foraging sites, directed by tracking data from a GPS-tagged bird, to describe the movements of a wintering flock. The home range of the tagged LWfG during the 2020/21 winter was 9,120 ha (core area: 2,080 ha), and the distance between roosting and foraging sites ranged from 1.95-3.64 km. A change in the foraging and roost sites used by the geese was associated with low temperatures in mid-winter. This study provides preliminary information on the movements and habitat use by LWfGs in Japan, but further studies are required to improve our understanding of their wintering ecology, including their feeding habits and energy budgets, in relation to the quality and quantity of food resources available.

Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) is a method developed in North America to monitor local avian fauna by constant-effort mist netting and banding during breeding seasons across years. Following the protocol of MAPS, we have been studying avian fauna in Fukushima, Japan since 2012. Here, we report the results obtained from 2018 to 2020. Also, results including adult abundance index, productivity index, and apparent adult survival rate from the entire study period (2012–2020) were analyzed. Adult abundance of the Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone at a study site in Minami-Soma City were relatively stable. At a study site in Iitate Village however, adult abundance of this species fluctuated greatly. Adult abundance of the Oriental Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis in Minami-Soma has been increasing steadily during the study years while that of the Oriental Greenfinch Chloris sinica has increased in the later years (2018–2020). Adult survival of the Oriental Reed Warbler from 2012–2013 to 2018–2019 in Minami-Soma was 0.15–0.40 (mean=0.26).

In this study, we obtained a license for a packet radio communication device (2.4GHz transceiver) equipped with a token ring protocol and attached it to mute swans (Cygnus olor) around Lake Teganuma, Abiko city, Japan, on a trial basis to collect vital data for potential screening purposes. As avian influenza is known to be transmitted from birds to humans, so further knowledge about the health of wild birds could prove useful for disease prevention. The heart and respiration rates of the swans could be monitored through a terminal attached to the back of the thoracic wall with 3-axis angular velocity sensors. Although many communication protocols have been reported for packet radio communication, in this study, we selected and implemented wireless token rings that were considered suitable for a flock of swans, and then confirmed the results of the field operation. In this experiment, although the number of terminals that participated was small, it was confirmed that the communication protocol smoothly shared files without congestion because the transmission right of the token ring could be turned by the accurate time of GPS. In the future, we would like to develop equipment that is smaller and lighter and adjust the communication protocol to monitor more wild birds.

In 2002, the Japan Bird Migration Research Center compiled longevity records based on the research during 1961–1995. Subsequently, additional data have been updated in each issue of the Bird Banding Research Annual Report of Japan. However, no complete list has been published. Here, we report the top two longevity records of each species based on the Japan Bird Banding data during 1961–2017.

Cyclones are currently increasing in frequency and intensity across the tropical regions, and such changes in cyclonic activity can adversely impact tropical marine ecosystems. To examine the potential effects of these changes on marine migrations, we tracked the annual at-sea distribution of black-naped terns from Okinawa Islands, southwest Japan (26.5° N; 127.9° E). Using light-based geolocation loggers, we compared the migration chronology of six terns between 4 years of contrasted conditions regarding cyclones (regionally called typhoons). Shortly after breeding (30 August ± 13.9 days), the birds undertook their migration across the Philippine Sea to coastal regions of Borneo and Sulawesi Islands, and seemed able to avoid or cross the storm systems. The two birds tracked in years of medium–high typhoon activity (2012–2014) seemed to target a stopover area in the northern Philippines several days after a typhoon hit. By contrast, in 2017, no strong typhoon hit in August and the four study birds showed later departure by 23.8 days, but moved significantly quicker, with little or no stopover. Arrival date at the wintering site was similar among years (1 October ± 3.5 days). Terns thus show remarkable variability in their migration chronology, presumably linked with annual storm frequency. However, the limits to this variability are currently unknown. Further, if individuals respond to environmental cues to time their migration to potentially benefit from lagged optimal feeding conditions en route, it is likely that the increase of back-to-back cyclonic events in the region may reduce the benefits of such a strategy for surface-feeding predators.

We compared the number of individuals and juvenile-to-adult ratio of Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica, Black-faced Bunting E. spodocephala, and Reed Bunting E. schoeniclus captured in sound-lured and unlured mist nets at an autumn stopover site during October and November 2004-2011. The numbers of all three buntings captured and the proportion of juveniles of Black-faced and Reed buntings increased with sound luring. Use of sound luring could help further our understanding of migration ecology and conservation of the globally vulnerable Rustic Bunting and its congeners through increasing the number of individuals captured and banded.

In 2016 we continued the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) Program in Fukushima, Japan, using constant-effort mist netting and banding. Preliminary analysis of results, including adult abundance index, productivity index, and estimated adult survival rate, from five years of data showed (a) the Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone to have increased in Fukushima City and Minami-Soma City while decreasing rapidly in Iitate Village; (b) the Oriental Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis to have increased in Minami-Soma City and to have decreased in Fukushima City; and (c) the Oriental Greenfinch Chloris sinica to have increased rapidly in Minami-Soma City. A simplified technique for recording habitat characteristics is required to assess the effect of natural disturbance and/or unexpected anthropogenic disturbances on bird populations and dynamic parameters.

これまでブッポウソウは外部形態の性的二型がほとんどないとされていた．しかし，2010年から2012年に鳥取県内に設置された巣箱で繁殖中のブッポウソウの成鳥において，番いの羽色と体重を比較したところ，性差の傾向が認められた．

From 2012–2015 we conducted a Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program in Fukushima, Japan, using constant-effort mist netting and banding. Analysis of preliminary results, including adult abundance index, productivity index, and estimated adult survival rate, from four years of data showed no trend of increase or decrease. Continuous research for five to ten or more consecutive years is necessary in order to obtain reliable trends of productivity indices and estimated survival rates. Our results suggest that it is important to consider anthropogenic disturbances when study sites are chosen. To more-accurately analyze bird populations and dynamic parameters it is necessary to revise the JP MAPS protocol to include data from more study sites.

It is possible that breeding populations of local birds are affected when the birds' breeding environment and food resources are contaminated by radioactive substances. Since birds have considerable capacity for movement and dispersal, not only population data but also the birth rate (productivity) and the survival rate are important parameters when investigating breeding populations. Since the late 1980s, Europe (CES, Constant Effort Site Ringing) and the USA (MAPS, Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) have been conducting standardized monitoring of bird reproduction using individual marking at a national scale. These investigations provide data (such as population index, birth rate index and adult bird survival rate index), which enable us not only to understand the dynamics of bird populations, but also to understand the variables affecting those dynamics. General census methods counting individual birds cannot obtain survival rate data, making it difficult to analyze factors affecting population change. In Japan, we started monitoring during the breeding season, as mentioned above. Monitoring was conducted at sites in Hokkaido (2) and in six prefectures, including Fukushima (3), Niigata (1) and Tottori (1). By comparing indexes for population, birth rate and survival rate for each year, we can detect yearly changes (from fixed-point observation) and place-dependent differences, even on a global scale. These data are expected to become a powerful tool for evaluation of short- and long-term influences on birds from the radiological pollution from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident. Common reed Bunting (Emberiza shoeniclus) is widely distributed over the Eurasian Continent. In Japan, it breeds in Hokkaido and in the northern part of Honshu, and it winters in the southern part of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. 15 000–20 000 are ringed annually in Japan, and the total number ringed since 1961 is approximately 440,000. This is the second largest number ringed following 900,000 of Black-faced Bunting (Emberiza spodocephala). Common Reed Buntings breed in wetlands and grassland, and mainly inhabit reed beds during the migration and wintering period. Abnormalities in the tail feathers of Common Reed Bunting were found at the Fukushima-lagoon monitoring station at Niigata Prefecture in October 2011. Since, the phenomenon had never been observed before at that place, we called bird-banders from all over Japan to collect data of tail anomalies. Data from 17 places in 14 prefectures from Fukushima to Kagoshima were reported up until Spring 2012. Abnormalities of the tail feather were found in 767 out of 5541 birds. The abnormalities were found at all of the localities examined, but the frequency varied from place to place. Of the locations where >100 birds were released, Iwata city in Shizuoka had the highest frequency (25.6%), the second highest frequency was recorded at Yasugi city, Tottori (20.1%), and the lowest frequency was found in Oota-ku, Tokyo (1.6%). Almost all abnormalities were found in juveniles (97.3%). It was reported that abnormality in length in the tail feathers or partial whitening were observed of Barn Swallows in Chernobyl. Although that was said to be associated with radiaoactive materials, that observation is not consistent with our findings. Some parts of Common Reed Bunting population pass through Fukushima prefecture during migration, but it is unlikely that their genes will be altered during the short period of stay. Similar tail abnormalities were found all over Japan in the following years. Recently, tail abnormalities are also found on other species including Black-faced Buntings and Siberian Rubythroats (Luscinia calliope). Further investigation is needed on this matter, including the cause of this phenomenon.

生態系サービスの持続的利用を考える上で，生物がどのようなサービスを人間に提供するかだけでなく，このサービスを提供する生物が環境変化によってどのような影響を受けているかの双方の理解が不可欠である．本研究では，東南アジアから繁殖のために日本に渡ってくる夏鳥の中から，気象庁生物季節観測（1953～2008年）および標識調査（1961～1971年，1982～2011年）で情報が多く得られているツバメ，カッコウ，オオヨシキリ，コムクドリを選び，成鳥および巣内雛の出現時期の長期変化，両時期と前冬および当春の気温との関係，および植物，昆虫の春期初認日との関係について調べた．その結果，ツバメ，オオヨシキリ，コムクドリの成鳥および巣内雛は，出現時期が早期化する傾向が見られたが，カッコウだけは出現時期が近年晩期化する傾向が見られた．ツバメ，オオヨシキリの成鳥および巣内雛の出現時期は，気温が高い年ほど早期化する傾向が見られたが，カッコウの出現時期は気温が高い年ほど晩期化する傾向が見られた．これらの長期変化の速度は，一部を除いて，欧米の先行研究の結果からの大きな逸脱は見られなかった．また，これら鳥類と植物および昆虫の出現時期とのずれは一定で推移しているとは言えなかったが，早期化あるいは晩期化する鳥類を隔てる要因や，フェノロジカルミスマッチをもたらす要因について明らかにすることはできなかった．今後フェノロジカルミスマッチに注目した研究を進める際には地域差を考慮した解析が必要である．

We investigated the structure and materials of two nests of the Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra collected in Shimokita Peninsula, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The nest bowl was constructed of pine twigs with bark, shredded bark, wood-chips, other twigs, chemical fiber yarns, staple fibers, grasses, pine needles, feathers, rhizomorphs, animal hairs and fishing line. These materials were utilized in different manner in the exterior and interior nest bowl. Pine twigs with bark were used only for the most exterior portion, whereas the middle and interior parts consisted mainly of shredded bark of Cryptomeria japonica. Harder objects, such as twigs, wood chips and flexible fishing line, used for the middle part, served as a framework to produce a space between fibers and strings, creating a spongy layer of air. The area around the interior nest bowl was composed of thinner bark strings than the middle and outer nest bowl. Chemical fiber yarn, feathers and animal hairs were also found around the interior bowl.

2011年10月から2012年3月までに日本全国14県17ヶ所において，渡り・越冬中のオオジュリンで，尾羽の形成不全（以下，尾羽異常とする）の個体が頻繁に観察された（5,541個体中767個体，13.8％）．尾羽異常個体は，ほとんど幼鳥であった（97.3％）．尾羽異常の形態は，以下の3型のいずれかに明確に分類された；虫食い状欠損型（45.9％，約1 mmの穴が数ヶ所開いている状態や，羽枝が途中で溶けたようになり，その先が欠損している状態），成長異常型（14.5％，伸長か不全の2種類で，正常羽と比較して，伸長で5.0±3.0 mm（平均±標準偏差）長く，不全で5.8±3.1 mm短かった），及びこれらが同時に観察される複合型（39.6％）．虫食い状欠損型は尾羽中央3対に，成長異常型は中央2対に高頻度で観察された．その他ホオジロ科鳥類3種，ホオジロE. cioides（91個体中4個体，4.4％），カシラダカE. rustica（229個体中3個体，1.3％），及びアオジE. spodocephala（1,066個体中16個体，1.5％）でも同様の異常が少数例観察された．

AbstractMany endemic species, particularly those on remote islands, have been driven to extinction or near extinction by anthropogenic influences. The short-tailed albatross Phoebastria albatrus once numbered in the millions but was thought to be extinct by the mid 20th century. Albatrosses, of the family Diomedeidae, are among the most threatened birds globally as a result of commercial exploitation, introduced predators, and mortality in commercial fisheries. We applied an experimental approach over 5 years to evaluate the translocation and hand-rearing of albatross chicks by comparing growth, physiological health indices, post-fledging survival, and migration patterns with a control group of naturally reared chicks in the source population. Hand-reared chicks had comparable or superior health and similar rates of immediate post-fledging mortality (15%), with mortality strongly female-biased in both groups. Hand-reared birds had longer post-fledging drift periods before attaining sustained flight (also female-biased) but comparable, albeit somewhat wider ranging, migration patterns to naturally reared chicks during their first 6 months at sea. Recruitment to the translocation site of a breeding pair that included a hand-reared bird occurred within 5 years of the first translocation. Success will ultimately depend on continued recruitment and breeding over the coming decades, given delayed breeding in these long-lived species. The results to date, however, have exceeded initial expectations and can inform potential reintroductions of other long-lived, migratory avian species with strong natal philopatry, and reintroductions of native species to former breeding islands.