Hair determination and identification from bird nests

• Main Authors: Patkó, László, Újhegyi, Nikolett, Heltai, Miklós
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: University of Szeged, Faculty of Agriculture 2012
• Subjects: Rattus rattus; Lutra lutra
• Online Access: https://ojs.bibl.u-szeged.hu/index.php/rard/article/view/13239

The aim of our study was to test a new noninvasive method, the bird-nest analysis in urban environment. The study area (Merzse-swamp) is located in the south south-west of Budapest. The area is bordered by the M0 motorway (from East), the Ferihegy Airport (from South) and the suburb of the 17th district (from East). We have collected 13 nests and we have found mammalian hairs in 9 nests (69,23%). From one nest an average of 5,31 (SE=5,31) hairs were found, from this 3,77 (SE=4,17) were able to be prepared and 2,85 (SE=2,91) were categorized. We have created 13 categories from the data. 5 of these were species categories (Talpa europea, Mustela nivalis, Homo sapiens, Lutra lutra and Myoxus glis), 3 of them were twin-species (Rattus rattus-Rattus norvegicus, Muscardinus avellanarius-Dryomis nitedula and Oryctolagus cuniculus-Lepus europaeus). These species cannot be exactly identified just by hair morphology (supplementary data is needed, e.g.: area of distribution). 3 genera were identified (Canidae spp., Chiroptera spp. and Apodemus/Microtus sp.). Finally, there are 2 categories for unidentifiable hairs („not hair”: revealed during the microscope study, „unidentifiable”: data deficient). The most common species were Homo sapiens and Mustela nivalis. In the case of one species (Lutra lutra) we think it would be necessary to confirm the presence with other observations (visual observation, footprints and remains of preys). According to our study it has been demonstrated that the nest-analysis can be a useful technique to researchers and urban wildlife management experts. References from hairs and practice are necessary to get familiar with the method.