Accurate identification of sex in birds is important for the management and conservation of
avian wildlife in several ways, namely in the development of population, behavioral and …

Researchers commonly collect blood samples from wild birds, and most workers assume
that blood sampling has no adverse effect on the birds' survival. Few studies, however, have …

Background Determination of the interactions between hematophagous arthropods and their
hosts is a necessary component to understanding the transmission dynamics of arthropod …

Blood parasite (haemosporidian) infections are conventionally detected using blood
samples; this implies capturing and handling birds to obtain them, which induces stress and …

This article responds to the recent prominence of ornithological literature advocating the
plucking or clipping of feathers to obtain DNA in avian studies. We argue that the practise of …

The non-invasive collection of biological samples has proven useful to study a diverse array
of research topics worldwide. Here, we present a systematic bibliographical synthesis …

The use of direct PCR has been pioneered over the last decade for DNA analysis of
biological specimens of distinct origins. The information on how longer these specimens can …

The development of genetic methods broadens the scope of non-invasive sample types.
Large shed feathers are good material for genetic analyses, since they are easy to collect …

Non-invasive sampling methods are increasingly being used in conservation research as
they reduce or eliminate the stress and disturbance resulting from invasive sampling of …

Simple Summary Most bird species have no distinct sexual dimorphic traits. Molecular
genetic sexing is considered one of the most accurate methods for sex determination in …