Host and anatomical filters prevent microbiome convergence in avian scavengers.

Host identity and anatomical niche jointly shape bacterial microbiomes in 155 European avian scavengers, with host species explaining more variation than body site.

• Why it matters: It remains unclear whether intense, repeated exposure to the same carrion-associated microbes drives microbiome convergence or whether host and anatomy maintain differentiation.
• What they did: The study profiled bacterial communities in four niches (facial, buccal, tracheal, cloacal) across all four European obligate vulture species plus the facultative scavenger Milvus milvus, and tested effects of host, niche, age, and sex.
• The result: Cloacal samples were enriched for anaerobic gut-associated taxa, while facial and tracheal niches favored environmental and respiratory-associated bacteria; host-specific signatures persisted despite shared exposure, and age influenced composition whereas sex showed little detectable effect.

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