The Relationship between Plants Used to Sustain Finches

Hindawi Publishing CorporationEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative MedicineVolume 2012, Article ID 360913, 13 pagesdoi:10.1155/2012/360913

Research Article

The Relationship between Plants Used toSustain Finches (Fringillidae) and Uses forHuman Medicine in Southeast Spain

Antonio Belda,1 Victoriano Peiro,2, 3 and Eduardo Seva2, 3

1 Departamento Ciencias de la Tierra y del Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Alicante, Campus San Vicente,Apartado 99, 03080 Alicante, Spain

2 Departamento de Ecologıa, Universidad de Alicante, Campus San Vicente, Apartado 99, 03080 Alicante, Spain3 IMEM, Universidad de Alicante, Campus San Vicente, Apartado 99, 03080 Alicante, Spain

Correspondence should be addressed to Antonio Belda, [email protected]

Received 29 December 2011; Revised 13 February 2012; Accepted 14 February 2012

Academic Editor: Andrea Pieroni

Copyright © 2012 Antonio Belda et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

We analyzed plants that are traditionally used by wild bird hunters and breeders to capture and promote captive breeding ofFringillidae (finches or songbirds) in the province of Alicante, Spain. The majority of plants used in songbird breeding havemedicinal properties in traditional human medicine (48 different uses); thus, another main goal was to show their relationshipswith human medical uses. We compiled a list of 97 plant species from 31 botanical families that are used to attract finches andidentified 11 different use categories for these plants in finch keeping. The most common uses were for trapping birds and asa source of food for birds in captivity. Cannabis sativa has the greatest cultural importance index (CI = 1.158), and Phalariscanariensis (annual canary grass or alpist) was the most common species used to attract Fringillidae and was used by all informants(n = 158). Most of the 97 species are wild plants and mainly belong to the families Compositae, Gramineae, Cruciferae, andRosaceae and also have medicinal properties for humans. In the study area, the intensification of agriculture and abandonmentof traditional management practices have caused the population of many songbirds to decline, as well as the loss of popularethnographic knowledge.

1. Introduction

Throughout the ages, the human race has used plants forvarious purposes [1], particularly those that are accessible.In the Iberian Peninsula, several studies have been developedon medicinal plants [2–8] and edible flora [9, 10], as wellas some general ethnobotanical studies [11–15], and othersabout the importance of home gardens and cultivated areasin the evolution of useful flora [16]. However, few studieshave described the use of plants in ethnoveterinary medicine[17, 18], or in attracting and maintaining birds of theFringillidae family in captivity [19, 20]. Plants have beenused in traditional medicine for several thousands of yearsto treat and cure diseases in domestic animals and humanpopulations, especially native ones [21, 22]. Furthermore, innature, wild birds use particular plant species, which possessinsecticidal and bactericidal properties, to build their nests.

This practice creates optimal conditions for egg laying andincubation [23].

The ecological knowledge of local traditional uses thatdepend on the dynamics of natural resources has beenreflected in numerous studies [24–26], considering the eco-logical knowledge of local communities of hunters, anglers,and gatherers [27].

The culture of capturing songbirds was introduced to theIberian Peninsula by the Romans and had its beginnings,as did other forms of hunting, in the absolute necessity ofhuman nutrition. Thus, these birds were traditionally caughtas a source of food in Valencia, at least since the 17th century[28]. Today, following old customs and culinary habits, thereare still hunters who hunt this group of birds in order toeat them. On the other hand, the term “pajareros” describespeople who are dedicated to hunting, breeding, or sellingbirds [29]. Although these birds are not hunted excessively, it

2 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

is essential to monitor and control illegal methods of huntingFringillidae and to conserve this family of birds [30].

The capture of birds using a hinged net assembly isa traditional hunting method that is widespread in theprovince of Alicante and elsewhere in the Iberian Peninsula.These game nets are made with cotton, hemp, or nylonmesh. They are placed on the ground and have a manualactivation system; once a bird enters the net, a rope ispulled to trap the bird inside the net (see Photographicannex). The nets used since the middle ages to captureseveral species of Fringillidae intended for use as pets arewell known among the inhabitants of this zone [31, 32].These birds are relatively easy to maintain and rear incaptivity, and it is easy to train them to participate in singingcompetitions. Thus, at present, the capture of five speciesof birds (Serinus serinus, “verdecillo”, Carduelis carduelis,“jilguero”, Carduelis chloris, “verderon”, Carduelis cannabina,“pardillo,” and Fringilla coelebs, “pinzon”) is authorized andregulated by law (Council Directive 79/409/EEC and nationalLaws 4/1989, 62/2006, and 13/2004). What is more, it isan important cultural movement around the MediterraneanBasin [33]. The current trend is to increase breeding incaptivity and reduce the capture of wild birds. Therefore, it isimportant to acquire more knowledge about the traditionaluse of cultivated and wild plants.

The main aim of this paper is to document the cross-cultural comparison between plant uses for songbirds andhumans in Mediterranean environments, relating an eth-noveterinary field study and its eventual link to folk therapiesfor humans, in order to preserve ethnological knowledgeon European folk health. With this purpose in mind, theinformation on plant uses for songbirds (capturing, feeding,and breeding) gathered here was collected during fieldworkand complemented with ethnobotanical references. Finally,we would like to contribute to the dissemination of resultswithin the scientific community in order to open a door toresearch in other disciplines.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Study Area. The province of Alicante is located inthe southeast region of Spain, in the southern part ofValencia. It is geographically located between the coordinates38◦30′N and 0◦50′E (Figure 1). The total area occupied bythe province is 5,863 km2, it has a population of 1,783,555inhabitants, and there are 141 localities. The province has avery mountainous and rugged relief, except for some rivervalleys. Thus, approximately 60% of the study area is locatedbetween elevations of 200 and 1,500 m above sea level.

Due to its geographical location, the province of Alicantehas a typical Mediterranean climate with mild temperatures.Thus, the average temperatures are between 6.2◦ and 16.8◦

in the coldest month (January) and 20.4◦ and 30.6◦ inthe hottest (August), with an annual mean of 17.8◦. Theaverage annual rainfall is 336 mm, concentrated in springand autumn, and there is a prominent dry period in summer.However, there are some climatic differences between thecoast and the interior of the province, due to its topography

[34, 35]. The plant species in the province of Alicanteinclude sclerophyllous shrubs and trees, which are adaptedto Mediterranean stress conditions. Local flora, consistingof evergreen, coriaceous, glabrous, and aromatic plants, isadapted to conserve water for much of the year. Somequalities are common to many of these plants, includingresistance to drought, adaptations to heat, and low toleranceto low temperatures. These bioclimatic and biogeographicalconditions favour the development of rare, endemic, andendangered species [35, 36]. Considering its bioclimatic andbiogeographical conditions, the province of Alicante maypotentially give rise to vegetation that can be divided intothree main types: evergreen oak forest (Rubio longifolia-Quercetum rotundifoliae), ash-maple forest (Fraxino orni-Aceretum granatensis), and spiny maquis (Chamaeropshumilis—Rhamnus lycioides) [37].

2.2. Ethnology. A total of 69 localities were prospected withoral interviews in all regions of the Alicante province (ElComptat, L’Alcoia, Alt Vinalopo, Vinalopo Mitja, MarinaBaixa, Marina Alta, L’Alacanti, Baix Vinalopo, and BaixSegura-Vega Baixa) (Figure 1). Vernacular names of plantspecies traditionally used were obtained in the field by inter-views with the local population. Ethnological informationwas based primarily on semistructured interviews, in whichwe gathered information. This ranged from the differentplant species used to attract and maintain songbirds, theseason of plant collection, traditional uses of the plantspecies collected, the composition of commercial mixturesused to feed captive birds, and folk remedies used to curesongbird illnesses, to the environmental problems faced bythe community.

People with a specific profile were selected in orderto obtain high-quality and reliable information. Peopleinterviewed were older (50–85 years old), living in a ruralenvironment and from a variety of socioeconomical strata,who had captured and bred birds throughout their lives.We wanted to emphasize the ethnobotanical importance oflocal variations of plant names and the different applicationsof these species. We conducted 158 oral interviews; 95.57%(n = 151) of the informants were male and 4.43%(n = 7) female, and the mean age was 56.7 years. In48 municipalities, inhabitants speak Valencian (variant ofCatalan), and Castilian (standard Spanish) is spoken in theothers.

Numerous folk botanical references were examined [38–41], including a variety of local books [35], magazines [7],and festivals, to obtain information on remedies for animalillnesses. Even though the information included in ouranalysis arose from an array of different spoken and writtensources in the study area, the semistructured interviewsrevealed many important issues previously unidentified [20].

A digital sound recorder was used to record interviewsand to create an audio record of the information. In addition,a photographical archive, with photographs of each of thespecies referred to by the informants, was constructed anddeposited in the Ecology Department Archive of AlicanteUniversity.

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 3

Mediterranean Sea

10◦00W

N

5◦00W 0◦00

40◦ 0

0 N

35◦ 0

0 N

0◦00

38◦ 0

0 N

1◦00W

0◦001◦00W

Spain

39◦ 0

0 N

38◦ 0

0 N

Mediterraneaan nn Sea

10◦00W

N

5◦00W 0◦000000

40◦ 0

000 N

353◦ 0

0 N

Spain

Figure 1: Map showing the location of the province of Alicante (Spain). Dots represent the localities that were prospected (n = 69).

The information gathered in interviews was furtherverified by field observations with the stakeholders. This kindof investigation, in sociological terms, is called “participantobservation” [42]. In this process, hunters were observedwhile they prepared for the hunt and during hunting, andtheir recreational activities were documented. In these fieldsamplings, we also identified species of plants currently usedby bird breeders and the techniques used to catch birds.

Plants were collected from various parts of the study areaand were identified in the laboratory, using dichotomouskeys [43] and registered at the ABH (Herbarium of AlicanteUniversity). We used Excel 2003 to perform a simple statisti-cal analysis of the data collected; specifically, we calculatedthe relative frequency of citation (RFC) [8] at which eachspecies of plant was used to attract birds during hunting andto maintain birds in captivity (in Table 1). Moreover, we cal-culated a cultural importance index (CI) where each addendis a measure of the relative importance of each plant use [8].

Finally, we related the use of these plants for wildfinches with their potential human medical use, by using

some important sources of reference for ethnobotanical andalternative medicine for Mediterranean environments in thesoutheastern part of Spain [7, 35, 39–41, 44]. Plant uses havebeen grouped according to cures for different ailments [18].

3. Results

We collected 97 species of plants and another variety of oneof these species, belonging to 31 botanical families, which areused for different purposes. We present the scientific namesof these plant species, voucher register, the family to whichthey belong, their main uses in finches, relative frequencyof citation, cultural importance, whether wild or cultivatedtypes were used, and their medical properties for humans(Table 1).

Compositae, Gramineae, Cruciferae, and Rosaceae arethe families most represented among the plants used to catchand promote breeding of songbirds. In this study, all thespecies of birds showed a preference for wild species of plants.


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3.1. Uses in Finches. The most important plant species usedby bird breeders are Phalaris canariensis, Cannabis sativa,Stipa tenacissima, Diplotaxis erucoides, and Brassica napus,representing more than 90% of relative citation frequency(RFC). Among the species with the greatest cultural impor-tance, two species with values higher than 1 for the CIindex are striking: Cannabis sativa (CI = 1.158) and Phalariscanariensis (CI = 1). In contrast, the lowest CI are in Citruslimon (CI = 0.025), Chelidonium majus, Cicer arietinum,Ocimum basilicum (CI = 0.038), Allium sativum, and Oleaeuropaea (CI = 0.051).

Most of the plant species (24.75%) identified were placedinside nets to attract and capture wild birds in the field(Figure 2). Thus, once birds have entered the nets, thehunter pulls a rope, and the birds are trapped (Figures 3and 4). The stems of some plants (e.g., Lygeum spartum,Olea europaea and Stipa tenacissima) are spread with anadhesive substance called birdlime (“envisque” or “liga” inlocal Spanish), obtained from a mixture of resins (e.g.,resin from Pinus halepensis and Pinus pinea), olive oil (fromOlea europaea), and some plants (e.g., Andryala ragusina,Chondrilla juncea, and Euphorbia characias). Birds that landon these stems while frequenting feeders or watering pointsare captured in this way. Catching tools include plants thatare used to construct hunter refuges (e.g., Arundo donax,Phragmites australis, and Viscum album) or decoys that areused to attract other birds to the nets (e.g., Brachypodiumretusum and Hyparrhenia hirta). Capture nets must blendin with the terrain conditions; therefore, they are dyed amatte colour that is as close as possible to the surroundingenvironment. Hunters use an infusion of certain plants(e.g., Punica granatum, Pinus halepensis, and Pinus pinea) toproduce these dyes.

Furthermore, many of the species were used to producethe seeds and wild vegetables (18.81%) used to feed birdsin captivity. Plants that facilitate breeding include the onesthat are used by birds in captivity to build nests (e.g., Agaveamericana, Cannabis sativa, Chamaerops humilis, Paronychiaargentea, and Phoenix dactylifera), feed their offspring (e.g.,Brassica oleracea var. italica), and stimulate mating (e.g.,Urtica dioica and Urtica urens). Breeders used the fruits androots of some plants (e.g., Daucus carota, Fragaria vesca, andRubus ulmifolius) to enhance the natural red factor in somespecies of birds, providing natural pigments, particularlyin Carduelis cannabina and Carduelis carduelis. Currently,the cages are made principally from metal or syntheticmaterials; however, informants can identify the specificnatural materials that are used to be used to build cagesand cage accessories (e.g., Arundo donax, Daphne gnidium,Phragmites australis, and Nerium oleander).

Birds in captivity may suffer from certain diseases, andbreeders often try to cure these birds by using natural, plant-based remedies. Thus, there are some vulnerary plants (e.g.,Chelidonium majus and Rosa agrestis) and others that stophaemorrhages (e.g., ash of Nicotiana tabacum). Some specieshave antibacterial properties (e.g., Cicer arietinum, vinegarof Malus domestica, and Citrus limon), or they promotemoulting (e.g., Lavandula latifolia), have disinfectant func-tions to eliminate microbes (e.g., Pistacia lentiscus), or can

host beneficial probiotic bacteria or tonic (e.g., vinegar ofMalus domestica). Some plants have been used as vermifuge,placed in the breeding carrier, in order to expel parasites(e.g., worms) from the intestines, such as mites (especiallySyringophilus sp., Dermoglyphus sp., and Dermanyssus sp.)and lice (Menacanthus sp. and Goniocotes sp.) that affectthis group of birds. Leafy vegetables are used as a laxativetreatment, the juice of Urtica urens to prevent anaemia, andCicer arietinum is used to stop diarrhoea. To sum up, weshow the number of species that are used with specific birdveterinarian uses in Table 2.

3.2. Human Medicine Uses. According to the ethnobotanicalreferences consulted, we found 57 plants used in finchesthat have medical properties in humans. These species areused to cure some ailments related to each pathologicalgroup (Table 2). Thus, 48 human uses have been detectedin the 97 plant species collected in the study area. Silybummarianum (15), Olea europaea (12), and Centaurea aspera(12) are the species with greater therapeutic uses. We foundthat 48 uses were related to medical properties: alteration ofblood pressure (n = 9), haemorrhoids (n = 3), depurative(n = 9), anxiety (n = 9), diarrhoea (n = 9), heartburn(n = 2), indigestion (n = 8), liver disease (n = 9), lossof appetite (n = 19), constipation(n = 11), helminthiasis(n = 8), cough (n = 7), cold (n = 16), respiratoryproblems (n = 8), hyperglycemia (n = 9), anaemia (n = 2),hypercholesterolemia (n = 1), retention of liquids (n =16), undefined symptom (tonic) (n = 7), gout (n = 3),rheumatism (n = 5), inflammation of bones or joints (n =11), undefined symptom (analgesic) (n = 4), injury (n =13), burns (n = 4), kidney stones (n = 2), menstruation(n = 5), lack of breast milk secretion (n = 2), ischocholia(n = 6), chilblains (n = 3), pimples (n = 5), skin diseases(n = 3), eczema (n = 5), skin fungus (n = 1), rubefaction(n = 1), calluses and skin hardness (n = 3), warts (n = 11),bacteria (n = 2), microbes (n = 5), headache (n = 2),inflammation (n = 11), fever (n = 3), alopecia (n = 1),flushing (refreshing) (n = 3), alcoholism (n = 1), toothache(n = 8), mineral deficiency (n = 1), and eye infection(n = 2).

We only found three vulnerary plants for finches;however, there are 13 species of the total used for this usein humans. There are three antibacterial plants in birds,while in humans we found two different species (Portulacaoleracea and Centaurea aspera). One plant is disinfectantfor finches, while in humans there are 5 antiseptics toeliminate microbes (Foeniculum vulgare, Centaurea aspera,Pinus halepensis, Lavandula latifolia, and Rubus ulmifolius)and fungal species (Centaurea aspera). Twenty eight speciesare used as a laxative treatment in birds, whereas only elevenhave the same medical use for humans. Conversely, we foundno plants that are probiotic or that stop bleeding in humans.

4. Discussion

Traditionally, nutritive uses [45] and curative applications[46] of ethnobotanical knowledge have been linked towomen. They have demonstrated a high knowledge of both


Figure 2: Local bird breeder.

Figure 3: Traditional hunting method using nets.

wild and cultivated species [47, 48], especially in rural areas[7]. In contrast, wild bird hunting is traditionally a male-dominated pastime. Therefore, we want to highlight thatthe stakeholders have high know-how, which reflects theiridentification of different species and their applications. Thenames and traditional uses can vary depending on geo-graphical location, as vernacular names serve as intangibleheritage. Thus, it is necessary to preserve this heritage andpromote educational and awareness programmes [20].

The cultural importance index corresponds with aninterest in detailing the specific uses of plants that betterreflect the cultural aspects of plant utilization. In fact,ethnobotanical publications usually present plant uses intables or catalogues, where the information is grouped byspecies, indicating their particular uses and, commonly,the number of informants who mentioned them. This wayof grouping is much more reasonable for evaluating theimportance of each plant species by its cultural consensus[8]. This additive index takes into account not only thespread of use (number of informants) for each species, butalso its versatility, that is, the diversity of its uses [17]. Thus,Cannabis sativa and Phalaris canariensis have the greatestCI, being the principal commercial seed and, moreover,Cannabis sativa has other uses. In contrast, the lowest CI arein plants that are used to cure or have no typical uses and arenot used by informants to breed songbirds.

Various mixes of dried seeds, composed of seeds fromdifferent species, both wild and cultivated, are used to feedbirds in captivity [49]. Each bird breeder uses the mixture

Figure 4: Goldfinch claim in Centaurea aspera.

of seeds that he/she deems most appropriate. However, somebreeders use leafy vegetables to feed birds and supplementtheir diet of dried seeds. These plants are used mainlyin summer, during the birds’ moulting period and as alaxative. Other species not cited in this study, such asIlex aquifolium, Viscum cruciatum, or Onopordum nervosum[11–13, 50–52], are used to capture birds in other areas.Moreover, some plants also have different veterinary usesin other Mediterranean regions. Thus, some authors showthat several species, such as Stellaria media, Avena sativa,and Urtica dioica, are used to increase fertility and eggproduction in chickens. Urtica urens is mixed with feed forhens so that they lay eggs earlier in their lifespan and as aresult, the eggshells will be harder. Cirsium arvense, Daphnegnidium, Phragmites australis, and Linum usitatissimum areantidiarrhoeal and have been used to favour digestion.Allium sativum, Daphne gnidium, Nerium oleander, andNicotiana tabacum are useful against parasites on farms,and Cicer arietinum is used to facilitate the expulsion ofthe placenta and for purgation in goats and sheep. Oleaeuropaea is used to treat mastitis or to detoxicate, and latexfrom Chelidonium majus and Pinus halepensis is used to treatwounds [17, 19, 21, 53]. With these data, we can verify thatthere is a popular tradition for the use of ethnoveterinaryplants in Mediterranean areas.

Furthermore, some species identified without humanmedicine use in the study area have them in other Spanishregions [5, 54–57], such as Avena sativa (toothache and quit-ting smoking), Bituminaria bituminosa (vulnerary), Brassicaoleracea var. italica (vulnerary, remineralizing, headache,and anthelmintic), Brassica rapa (culinary), Cannabissativa (refreshing and relaxing), Chelidonium majus (anti-cholagogue, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic,warts, laxative, and vulnerary), Conyza bonariensis (diges-tive), Helianthus annuus (febrifuge), Phagnalon saxatile(carminative, analgesic, and cholesterol levels), Phalariscanariensis (cholesterol), Scorzonera hispanica (diuretic, uricacid, and cholesterol), Senecio vulgaris (anti-inflammatoryand antiseptic), and Viscum album (anticatarrhal, antiseptic,antivariolous, parasiticide, salutiferous, and sedative). Otherspecies, such as Carthamus tinctorius, Centaurea mariolensis,Centaurea melitensis, Guizotia abyssinica, Panicum mili-aceum, Perilla frutescens, Setaria italica, and Spinacia oleracea,do not present other applications in humans, according to


Table 2: Number and frequency of plants used for a specific human use.

Pathologic group Human useMedical

codeNo. ofspecies

FrequencyBird

veterinarian

Circulatory systemAlteration of blood pressure 1 9 9.28

Haemorrhoids 2 3 3.09

Undefined symptom (depurative) 3 9 9.28

Mental illness Anxiety 4 9 9.28

Digestive system

Diarrhoea 5 9 9.28 1

Heartburn 6 2 2.06

Indigestion 7 8 8.25 1 probiotic

Liver disease 8 4 4.12

Loss of appetite 9 19 19.59

Constipation 10 11 11.34 28

Helminthiasis 11 8 8.25 6

Respiratory systemCough 12 7 7.22

Cold 13 16 16.49

Respiratory problems 14 8 8.25

Metabolism, nutrition, and so forth

Hyperglycemia 15 9 9.28

Anaemia 16 2 2.06 1

Hypercholesterolemia 17 1 1.03

Retention of liquids 18 16 16.49

Undefined symptom (Tonic) 19 7 7.22 1

Gout 20 3 3.09

Bones, joints, and so forthRheumatism 21 5 5.15

Inflammation 22 1 1.03

Undefined symptom (analgesic) 23 4 4.12

Traumatic injuries and poisoningInjury 24 13 13.40 3

Burns 25 4 4.12

Genital urinary

Kidney stones 26 2 2.06

Menstruation 27 5 5.15

Lack of breast milk secretion 28 2 2.06

Ischocholia 29 6 6.19

Skin and subcutaneous tissues

Chilblain 30 3 3.09

Pimples 31 5 5.15

Skin problems 32 3 3.09

Eczema 33 5 5.15

Skin fungus 34 1 1.03

Rubefaction 35 1 1.03

Calluses and skin hardness 36 2 2.06

Infectious and parasitic diseasesWarts 37 11 11.34

Bacteria 38 2 2.06 3

Microbes 39 5 5.15 1

Symptoms, signs, and poorly definedmorbid states

Headache 40 2 2.06

Inflammation 41 11 11.34

Fever 42 3 3.09

Alopecia 43 1 1.03

Flushing 44 3 3.09

Alcoholism 45 1 1.03

Toothache 46 8 8.25

Mineral deficiency 47 1 1.03 1 molting

Nervous system and sensory organs Eye infection 48 2 2.06


these references. This may be due to the rarity of these speciesor that they are not traditionally cultivated species in thearea.

However, some of the species studied in this projectare in the group of the top vascular plants in traditionalphytotherapy in other regions, such as Allium sativum (anti-nostalgic, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory/antalgic, antiver-rucose, and antibronchitic), Foeniculum vulgare (carmina-tive, cold, intestinal anti-inflammatory, laxative, gastralgia,diuretic, and antihalitosis), and Olea europaea (antihyper-tensive, hyperglycemia, hernia, food poisoning, heartburn,warts, cough, erysipelas, sores, psoriasis, burns, hoarseness,baldness, rheumatism, antipyretic, antiseptic, laxative, andantinostalgic) [18, 58].

On the other hand, bird populations have declined,mainly due to the abandonment of crops, the use ofpesticides, predation of nests, poaching, increased preda-tion due to changes in their natural habitat, uncontrolleddevelopment, and in general socioeconomic changes inrecent decades [59]. In this aspect, the mechanization ofagricultural practices has changed the structure of theseagrarian ecosystems, accompanied by a steady degradationand loss of landscape elements with important ecologicalfunctions [60]. To preserve bird populations, it is essential tomaintain fields active. There are many plants linked to theseenvironments that birds use daily, such as for food or otherpurposes.

5. Conclusions

In conclusion, data obtained in this research are scarcelyknown and show many details of plants related to songbirds,facilitating access to interesting and novel information. Thisallows recovery of forgotten uses and traditions, highlightingthe utilization of different species to attract and cure birdsand their relation to human medicine, and resulting in a veryinteresting contribution to ethnobotanical bibliography.

We found that the majority of the plant species related tosongbirds were wild, reflecting that the wild bird hunters areaware of this preference and exploit this knowledge of wildflora in their hunting. This demonstrates that informantshave great knowledge of the plants used in traditionalmedicine and finch keeping. Also, the majority of specieshave medicinal properties that can be used for informantsto cure different pathologies.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Consellerıa de Medio Ambiente,Agua, Urbanismo y Vivienda, and the rangers who workedwith them on the project. They would also like to thankSEPRONA (Department of Nature Protection), CulturalSpanish Wildlife Ornithological Federation (FOCSE), andall collaborators who have contributed information to theirstudy, particularly Miguel Segarra Teruel. In addition, theythank Jose Carlos Cristobal and Antonio De la Torre forthe vouchers provided. This study was supported by theWADI Project (INCO2003-MPC2-015226), financed by theEuropean Commission.

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