Richard E. Major
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View article: Population differentiation in the white-fronted chat (Epthianura albifrons) at a continental scale: implications for dispersal, biogeography and conservation
Population differentiation in the white-fronted chat (Epthianura albifrons) at a continental scale: implications for dispersal, biogeography and conservation Open
The capacity for dispersal is an important determinant of a species’ resilience to decline from the serial extinction of local populations. Dispersal of animals can be difficult to measure directly but population genetics provides a powerf…
View article: Projecting the current and potential future distribution of New Zealand’s invasive sturnids
Projecting the current and potential future distribution of New Zealand’s invasive sturnids Open
Invasive species threaten native ecosystems, the economy and human health. Improved understanding of an invasive species’ ecological niche, and whether it has differentiated in the invasive compared to the native range, will enable better …
View article: The genome of a globally invasive passerine, the common myna, <i>Acridotheres tristis</i>
The genome of a globally invasive passerine, the common myna, <i>Acridotheres tristis</i> Open
In an era of global climate change, biodiversity conservation is receiving increased attention. Conservation efforts are greatly aided by genetic tools and approaches, which seek to understand patterns of genetic diversity and how they imp…
View article: Implications of altered fire regimes for birds of dry sclerophyll forest under climate change
Implications of altered fire regimes for birds of dry sclerophyll forest under climate change Open
Climate change is driving increases in forest fire activity around the world. Consequently, recent and future research into the implications for affected biota, and its translation into policy and management, is of vital importance for the…
View article: The genome of a globally invasive passerine, the common myna (<i>Acridotheres tristis</i>)
The genome of a globally invasive passerine, the common myna (<i>Acridotheres tristis</i>) Open
In an era of global climate change and massive environmental disturbance, biodiversity conservation is receiving increased attention. Conservation efforts are being greatly aided by genetic tools and approaches, which seek to understand pa…
View article: Tracing the introduction of the invasive common myna using population genomics
Tracing the introduction of the invasive common myna using population genomics Open
The common myna ( Acridotheres tristis ) is one of the most invasive bird species in the world, yet its colonisation history is only partly understood. We identified the introduction history and population structure, and quantified the gen…
View article: Morphometric and physiological development confirm skull ossification level as a reliable indicator of age in a passerine bird, the Noisy Miner
Morphometric and physiological development confirm skull ossification level as a reliable indicator of age in a passerine bird, the Noisy Miner Open
In birds, several physiological characters have been proposed and tested as possible criteria of age. Among them, skull development is likely to provide a valuable reflection of other physiological developments, however the relationship be…
View article: Repeated experimental removals unveil sex and age-specific dispersal strategies in a social passerine bird
Repeated experimental removals unveil sex and age-specific dispersal strategies in a social passerine bird Open
Context Sex and age are frequently proposed as drivers of a number of behavioural and demographic patterns that can have important consequences for population dynamics including access to mates, sexual selection, parental care and lifetime…
View article: Evaluating the evidence of culling a native species for conservation benefits
Evaluating the evidence of culling a native species for conservation benefits Open
Controlling problem species for conservation can be fraught, particularly when native species are subject to lethal control. The noisy miner ( Manorina melanocephala ), has been the target of numerous lethal control efforts. Outcomes of th…
View article: A citizen science approach reveals long‐term social network structure in an urban parrot, <i>Cacatua galerita</i>
A citizen science approach reveals long‐term social network structure in an urban parrot, <i>Cacatua galerita</i> Open
Parrots are often referenced in discussions of social and cognitive complexity, yet relatively little is known of their social organization in the wild. In particular, the presence of long‐lasting social ties has been highlighted as a hall…
View article: Australian Museum surveys of the vertebrate fauna of Coolah Tops National Park, NSW
Australian Museum surveys of the vertebrate fauna of Coolah Tops National Park, NSW Open
Coolah Tops, c. 360 km northwest of Sydney, at the western end of the Liverpool Range, in central western New South Wales, is a fertile basalt plateau that rises to over 1000 m, and so is cooler and wetter than the surrounding drier and ho…
View article: Establishing the adequacy of recorded acoustic surveys of forest bird assemblages
Establishing the adequacy of recorded acoustic surveys of forest bird assemblages Open
Franklin, M. J. M., R. E. Major, M. Bedward, and R. A. Bradstock. 2020. Establishing the adequacy of recorded acoustic surveys of forest bird assemblages. Avian Conservation and Ecology 15(1):8. https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-01521-150108
View article: A continental measure of urbanness predicts avian response to local urbanization
A continental measure of urbanness predicts avian response to local urbanization Open
Understanding species‐specific relationships with their environment is essential for ecology, biogeography and conservation biology. Moreover, understanding how these relationships change with spatial scale is critical to mitigating potent…
View article: A collaborative bird survey of East Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands
A collaborative bird survey of East Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands Open
We surveyed the birds of East Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands from 20 October to 2 November 2018. We conducted 66 point counts and recorded or observed 58 species of resident landbirds, including 23 of the 24 passerine species known from t…
View article: First record of Solomons Nightjar Eurostopodus nigripennis for Malaita, with a description of its nest site
First record of Solomons Nightjar Eurostopodus nigripennis for Malaita, with a description of its nest site Open
Solomons Nightjar Eurostopodus nigripennis, listed as Vulnerable by BirdLife International, has previously been recorded only from the north and central Solomon Islands. Even within the species' known range there are few records, limiting …
View article: Optimizing future biodiversity sampling by citizen scientists
Optimizing future biodiversity sampling by citizen scientists Open
We are currently in the midst of Earth's sixth extinction event, and measuring biodiversity trends in space and time is essential for prioritizing limited resources for conservation. At the same time, the scope of the necessary biodiversit…
View article: How to build a biodiverse city: environmental determinants of bird diversity within and among 1,581 cities
How to build a biodiverse city: environmental determinants of bird diversity within and among 1,581 cities Open
Cities are novel environments compared with the evolutionary history of the species that reside within them. Collectively, cities and their fauna can be thought of as ecosystems, recognized as playing a critical role in supporting global b…
View article: Improving big citizen science data: Moving beyond haphazard sampling
Improving big citizen science data: Moving beyond haphazard sampling Open
Citizen science is mainstream: millions of people contribute data to a growing array of citizen science projects annually, forming massive datasets that will drive research for years to come. Many citizen science projects implement a "lead…
View article: Using citizen science data to define and track restoration targets in urban areas
Using citizen science data to define and track restoration targets in urban areas Open
Habitat fragmentation and land degradation, directly and indirectly caused by urbanization, are drastically altering the world's ecosystems and are therefore driving an imperative for ecological restoration within the world's cities. Curre…
View article: A continental measure of urbanness predicts avian response to local urbanization
A continental measure of urbanness predicts avian response to local urbanization Open
Understanding species-specific relationships with their environment is essential for ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology. Moreover, understanding how these relationships change with spatial scale is critical to mitigating poten…
View article: Supplementary material from "Optimizing future biodiversity sampling by citizen scientists"
Supplementary material from "Optimizing future biodiversity sampling by citizen scientists" Open
We are currently in the midst of earth's sixth extinction event and measuring biodiversity trends in space and time is essential for prioritizing limited resources for conservation. At the same time, the scope of the necessary biodiversity…
View article: Clean bill of health? Towards an understanding of health risks posed by urban ibis
Clean bill of health? Towards an understanding of health risks posed by urban ibis Open
Urban waterbirds are considered both serious pests and inspiring wildlife. Ibis and gulls are often vilified due to their dirty appearance and disruption of outdoor activities, while ducks are affectionately fed in parks. However, all wate…
View article: The effects of local and landscape habitat attributes on bird diversity in urban greenspaces
The effects of local and landscape habitat attributes on bird diversity in urban greenspaces Open
Contrasting trajectories of biodiversity loss and urban expansion make it imperative to understand biodiversity persistence in cities. Size‐, local‐, and landscape‐level habitat factors of greenspaces in cities may be critical for future d…
View article: Short‐term response of a declining woodland bird assemblage to the removal of a despotic competitor
Short‐term response of a declining woodland bird assemblage to the removal of a despotic competitor Open
Interspecific aggression by the noisy miner ( Manorina melanocephala ), a highly despotic species, is homogenizing woodland avifaunas across eastern Australia. Although a native species, the noisy miner's aggressive exclusion of small bird…
View article: Rain drives foraging decisions of an urban exploiter
Rain drives foraging decisions of an urban exploiter Open
Foraging decisions tend to drive individuals toward maximising energetic gains within a patchy environment. This study aims to determine the extent to which rainfall, and associated changes in food availability, can explain foraging decisi…
View article: The Australian Museum Lord Howe Island Expedition 2017—birds and mammals
The Australian Museum Lord Howe Island Expedition 2017—birds and mammals Open
The Australian Museum Research Institute Terrestrial Vertebrates team was on Lord Howe Island from 12–24 March 2017. Our aims were to improve the Museum’s specimen and tissue collection of birds and mammals from the Island, to collect base…
View article: Restricted gene flow in the endangered Capricorn Yellow Chat<i>Epthianura crocea macgregori</i>: consequences for conservation management
Restricted gene flow in the endangered Capricorn Yellow Chat<i>Epthianura crocea macgregori</i>: consequences for conservation management Open
Summary The Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea is comprised of three disjunct subspecies. Subspecies E. c. macgregori (Capricorn Yellow Chat) is listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act and has a distribution that also appears to be d…
View article: Travelling birds generate eco-travellers: The economic potential of vagrant birdwatching
Travelling birds generate eco-travellers: The economic potential of vagrant birdwatching Open
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Avitourism is one of the faster growing subsectors of ecotourism, recognized for its economic value. Much of our current understanding of the economic value of avitourism revolves around bird festivals, …
View article: Stand density management implications on the woody quality of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) in the Sault Ste. Marie MNR District of Ontario / by Richard Major
Stand density management implications on the woody quality of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) in the Sault Ste. Marie MNR District of Ontario / by Richard Major Open
"Creating quality tolerant hardwood stands through intensive silviculture and mapping their properties is considered a means for optimizing the value chain in Northeastern Ontario. A comprehensive literature review was conducted concerning…