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

MAHLER, BETTINA; ATENCIO, MELINA; REBOREDA, JUAN CARLOS

BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Año: 2020

0959-2709

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.