Journal articles on the topic 'Suburban birds'
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1
Catterall, CP, RJ Green, and DN Jones. "Occurrence of Birds in Relation to Plants in a Sub-Tropical City." Wildlife Research 16, no. 3 (1989): 289. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9890289.
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Habitat use by birds in suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland was studied during winter, at sites with relatively similar habitat features near to (0.25-0.5km) and far from (2-3km) a eucalypt forest. Variation in other factors was restricted. Distance from native forest was found to have little influence on abundance of birds in suburban habitats. House sparrows and willie wagtails were relatively more abundant at the far sites. Most of the more common forest-dwelling species were not common in either near or far suburbs. There was little similarity in relative abundance of bird species between the forest and either the near or far suburbs. A similarity in species diversity and positive correlations in species abundance between near and far sites indicate that most species are either forest or suburb 'specialists'. Native birds were more selective in their choice of plant category than introduced birds, and had a high probability of using certain native and exotic plant species, and a lower probability of using others. Although generally more abundant, introduced birds did not have a high probability of using any plant genus or type. Birds in the area studied are probably altering their patterns of habitat use in response to changes in food availability.
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Nelson, Bryan Raveen, Mazrul Aswady Mamat, Wong Cheeho, and Salwa Shahimi. "Forest birds as diversity indicator in suburban and residential areas." Ecofeminism and Climate Change 1, no. 1 (May 18, 2020): 57–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/efcc-03-2020-0007.
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Purpose Birds are biological indicators for environment health in which their sightings and abundance could reflect a certain situation or become evaluation tool for co-existence of another species. Here, the study aims to observe urban settlements with substantial forestation, may it be artificial or natural, and the occurrence of bird assemblage across time. Considering the foraging activity of birds hardcoded with sustainability, their spatial overlap resultant into service provision, which can mean, baseline occurrence or an expected encounter equates to support system for ecological vigour. Design/methodology/approach From this, birds could indicate external environment vulnerability related to climatic fluctuations, whereby documentation of their arrival across spatial-temporal regimes allowed us to understand their distribution between residential and forested areas. Findings Though urban birds are abundant and viewed less important for conservation, the existence of certain species such as long-tailed shrike and little green pigeon disclose the types of food they consume and, the other types of birds attracted to their prey. With regard, the sightings of these birds would mean an encounter with 20 or more other species at a bird watching occasion, though it is limited to the sightings of urban birds. Originality/value Subject to criteria for green space, attaining plenty of bird species provides understanding of food availability, the support services and opportunity for urban birds to thrive in midst the opportunity for resources such as food, perching grounds and sufficient numbers of counterparts to reproduce into healthy urban bird populations.
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Sewell, Sven R., and Carla P. Catterall. "Bushland modification and styles of urban development: their effects on birds in south-east Queensland." Wildlife Research 25, no. 1 (1998): 41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr96078.
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Variation in bird assemblages associated with forest clearing and urbanisation in the greater Brisbane area was assessed by counting birds in sites within six habitat categories: large remnants, small remnants, no- understorey remnants, canopy suburbs (original trees present), planted suburbs, and bare suburbs. Total bird abundance and species richness were generally highest in canopy suburbs. Individual species showed many significant abundance differences among the habitat types, and were classified into three major response categories: bushland species (3 in summer, 13 in winter), tolerant species (13 in summer, 13 in winter), and suburban species (12 in summer, 11 in winter). The commonly proposed notion that urbanisation results in lowered bird species richness and increases in introduced species is broadly consistent with the observed differences between bare suburbs and large remnants. However, it does not adequately describe the situation in the planted and canopy suburbs, where there was high species richness and extremely high abundance of some native species (including noisy miners, lorikeets, friarbirds, and butcherbirds) but low abundance of a majority of the species common in the original habitats (including fantails, wrens, whistlers, and other small insectivores). Retained forest remnants are essential for the latter group. Urban plantings of prolifically flowering native species do not reverse the effects of deforestation, but promote a distinctive group of common native suburban bird species. Origins of the urban bird assemblage are discussed.
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Elgmork, Kåre. "Dynamics of garden birds at a feeding station in a suburban area near Oslo, Norway, 2000–2008." Ornis Svecica 21, no. 2–4 (April 1, 2011): 179–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.34080/os.v21.22605.
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The presence of birds visiting a feeding site near a villa in a suburban area to the west of Oslo was observed daily at close range during 2000–2008. The bird assemblage consisted of 17 species. Some species were present throughout the year, whereas others occurred during different seasons. Most species showed a stable occurrence from year to year and was little influenced by climatic factors. When comparing with the bird community in a spruce forest about three kilometres away, only 36% of the forest species occurred regularly at the suburban site, showing a considerable loss of diversity when a forest is changed into a suburban habitat. Abundance was recorded by the time it took the birds to consume one kilo of sunflower seeds. Maximum consumption occurred during summer and minimum during late winter. A general decrease in consumption in all years of study started during autumn followed by another marked decrease at the time of the first snowfall, which obviously acted as a signal for emigration out of the area.
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Fanelli, Giuliano, and Corrado Battisti. "Comparing disturbance-sensitivity between plants and birds: a fine-grained analysis in a suburban remnant wetland." Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution 60, no. 1 (May 5, 2014): 11–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15659801.2013.924326.
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Hemeroby is a concept widely employed in assessment of the effect of human activities on vegetation. In this study, we apply the concept to a set of bird species occurring in a Mediterranean remnant wetland. The aim was to obtain an average hemeroby index for two seasonally related bird assemblages (i.e. breeding and wintering) based on the information related to two levels of plant hemeroby. In a grid of 47 cells 100×100 m-wide, we sampled the fine-grained distribution of plant communities (Braun-Blanquet method/cell) in parallel with birds (point count method; one point count/cell), assigning an independent score of hemeroby to plants and birds on a scale from I to V, from pristine habitats with a lack of natural and/or anthropogenic disturbance (score = I) to completely artificial habitats (score = V). Whereas bird species ranged from categories II to V, vegetation types spanned only the categories III and IV. Therefore, bird species showed a higher variability in hemeroby. By comparing hemeroby scores, we can deduce the effect that the vegetation disturbance may have on bird species. The mean hemeroby for breeding birds, calculated on all the species occurring in a determined plant hemeroby category, is not significantly different between sites with higher (= IV) and lower (= III) plant hemeroby (i.e. higher and lower level of disturbance). The mean hemeroby of the wintering birds was significantly different in the two levels of plant hemeroby (i.e. higher vs. lower hemeroby). Our data suggest that only the wintering birds had a hemeroby distribution pattern related to that of the plants, while the distribution of breeding birds showed no association, i.e. they appear in similar distribution in both plant hemeroby classes. This pattern may reflect the characteristics of the habitat types in relation to bird seasonality: a large section of wintering bird species are strictly water-related, linked to habitats with low plant hemeroby, so appearing more sensitive to change in plant hemeroby when compared to breeding species. Although explorative, our data may be useful in wildlife management, implying that in wetland–grassland mosaics the more sensitive wintering bird species are suitable as indicators aimed to test the effect of natural and anthropogenic disturbances.
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Erskine, Anthony J. "Pileated Woodpeckers, Dryocopus pileatus, Foraging in Suburban Habitats in New Brunswick." Canadian Field-Naturalist 122, no. 3 (July 1, 2008): 226. http://dx.doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v122i3.603.
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Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus), usually woodland birds, were seen often in Sackville, New Brunswick, in winters 2005-2007. Excavations in trees were made mostly by two female birds. A male bird joined each female briefly in late winter. These birds probably all roosted in wooded areas west of town. Most large trees in town are broad-leafed, in contrast to the mostly conifer woods to the west (there are only open lands to the east). Feeding excavations in town were mostly in maples, with little use of elms. Prey noted were large larvae, seemingly of sawflies, unlike published reports of Pileated Woodpecker feeding mainly on adult ants and beetles. Excavations further weakened trees already damaged by boring insects, causing perceived risks to passers-by and to overhead wires. Work by woodpeckers alerted arborists to weakened trees or branches, many of which were removed. Local people were excited at seeing, close up, these impressive – and tame – birds.
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Blewett, Christina M., and John M. Marzluff. "Effects of Urban Sprawl on Snags and the Abundance and Productivity of Cavity-Nesting Birds." Condor 107, no. 3 (August 1, 2005): 678–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/107.3.678.
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Abstract We investigated the occurrence of, and relationships among, snags and cavity-nesting birds in the rapidly urbanizing region around Seattle, Washington in 2001 and 2002. We measured the density of snags in 49 sites (1-km2 “suburban landscapes” that included built and forested portions), and determined the diameter, height, decay status, and species of individual snags. We spot-mapped territories and observed nests of cavity-nesting birds at a stratified, random subsample of 13 sites. Snags, especially red alder (Alnus rubra), were abundant in sites' forested portions, but rare in the built portions. Snag density was positively correlated with density of live trees. Snags in built versus forested portions were similar in all attributes except decay, which was more advanced in forested areas. In the oldest suburbs (60–80 years old), snags in forested portions were larger, more decayed, and more likely to have broken tops than those in younger suburbs (2–20 years old). Cavity-nesting bird species richness and equity of individuals per species was highest in suburban landscapes where remaining forest was not fragmented, but adjacent to highly intermixed urban and urban-forest land covers. Suburban landscapes with highly interspersed land covers had higher densities of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), Red-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta canadensis), Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus) and Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens); suburban landscapes with higher percentages of forest had higher densities of Brown Creepers (Certhia americana), Chestnut-backed Chickadees (Poecile rufescens), Pileated (Dryocopus pileatus) and Hairy Woodpeckers (Picoides villosus). Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) densities were positively correlated only with the density of snags. All study sites had low bird densities compared to wildlands, presumably due to the relative lack of live trees and snags. Cavity-nesting birds bred successfully in all landscapes; seven of the nine species produced fledglings in >50% of their nesting attempts. Snags important for nesting were larger in diameter, taller, and more decayed than expected based on availability. Snags with active nests also had evidence of previous use, fungal conks, broken tops, and substantial bark. Efectos de la Expansión Urbana sobre la Abundancia y la Productividad de Aves que Nidifican en Cavidades Resumen. Durante el 2001 y 2002, investigamos la presencia de, y la relación entre, troncos muertos y aves que nidifican en cavidades en los alrededores de Seattle (Washington), una región que está urbanizándose rápidamente. Medimos la densidad de troncos en 49 sitios (1-km2 de “paisajes suburbanos” que incluyeron ambientes edificados y bosques) y determinamos el diámetro, altura, estado de descomposición y especie de troncos individuales. Mapeamos los territorios mediante registros puntuales y observamos los nidos de aves que nidifican en cavidades en una sub-muestra estratificada y al azar de 13 sitios. Los troncos, especialmente de Alnus rubra, fueron abundantes en las áreas con bosque, pero raros en las áreas edificadas. La densidad de troncos se correlacionó positivamente con la densidad de árboles vivos. Los troncos de las áreas edificadas y de las áreas con bosque fueron similares en todos sus atributos excepto en su descomposición, que fue más avanzada en los sitios boscosos. En los suburbios más viejos (60–80 años), los troncos en las áreas con bosque fueron más grandes, estuvieron más descompuestos y presentaron mayor probabilidad de tener sus extremos rotos que aquellos presentes en los suburbios más nuevos (2–20 años). La riqueza de especies que nidifican en cavidades y la equitatividad de individuos por especie fueron mayores en los paisajes suburbanos donde el bosque remanente no estaba fragmentado, sino adyacente a coberturas con una gran mezcla de sitios urbanos y sitios en la transición bosque-ciudad. Los paisajes suburbanos con coberturas ampliamente entremezcladas presentaron mayores densidades de Poecile atricapillus, Sitta canadensis, Colaptes auratus y Picoides pubescens; los paisajes suburbanos con porcentajes más altos de bosque presentaron mayores densidades de Certhia americana, Poecile rufescens, Dryocopus pileatus y Picoides villosus. Las densidades de Sphyrapicus ruber sólo se correlacionaron positivamente con la densidad de troncos. Todos los sitios de estudio tuvieron bajas densidades de aves comparados con áreas silvestres, debido presumiblemente a la carencia relativa de árboles vivos y troncos. Las aves que nidifican en cavidades criaron con éxito en todos los paisajes; siete de las nueve especies produjeron volantones en >50% de sus intentos de nidificación. Los troncos importantes para nidificar fueron más grandes en diá metro y altura y estuvieron más descompuestos que lo esperado con relación a su disponibilidad. Los troncos con nidos activos también presentaron evidencias de uso previo, deformaciones producidas por hongos, copas rotas y bastante corteza.
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Fleischer, Arthur L., Reed Bowman, and Glen E. Woolfenden. "Variation in Foraging Behavior, Diet, and Time of Breeding of Florida Scrub-Jays in Suburban and Wildland Habitats." Condor 105, no. 3 (August 1, 2003): 515–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/105.3.515.
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Abstract Supplemental food enables some birds to lay eggs earlier, perhaps by allowing birds to increase their energy intake or allocate energy from other activities to reproduction. We examined the relationships between prelaying behavior, food handling and consumption rates, and the timing of breeding of female Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) in suburban and wildland habitats. Scrub-jays in suburban habitats had access to ad libitum human-provided foods; wildland jays did not. During both years of this study, suburban scrub-jays bred earlier than their wildland counterparts. Wildland scrub-jays bred earlier in 1997 than in 1996, but the timing of breeding by suburban scrub-jays did not vary between years. Suburban scrub-jays spent less time foraging and more time perching than wildland jays. They handled more food per hour and per foraging hour, suggesting their foraging was more efficient. Despite this, food consumption rates did not differ between the two habitats. Neither time spent foraging or perching nor food consumption rates significantly influenced variation in time of breeding among individuals. Time of breeding was significantly influenced by site, year, and rate of food handling. Individuals that handled more food items per foraging hour, that is, those individuals that were most efficient, were the earliest breeders in both habitats. These results suggest that foraging efficiency increases with access to human-provided food and that resource predictability may be a perceptual cue for the appropriate timing of breeding. Variación en el Comportamiento de Forrajeo, la Dieta y la Época de Reproducción de Aphelocoma coerulescens en Ambientes Suburbanos y Silvestres Resumen. El alimento suplementario le permite a algunas aves poner huevos más temprano, quizás aumentando su ingestión de energía o permitiendo cambiar la asignación de energía de otras actividades a la reproducción. En este estudio examinamos las relaciones entre el comportamiento pre-postura, la manipulación de alimento y la tasa de consumo con la época de reproducción de hembras de la especie Aphelocoma coerulescens en ambientes suburbanos y silvestres. Las aves en ambientes suburbanos tenían acceso a alimento provisto ad libitum por humanos, mientras que las aves de las áreas silvestres no. Durante los dos años de estudio, las aves suburbanas se reprodujeron más temprano que las de las áreas silvestres. Las aves de áreas silvestres se reprodujeron más temprano en 1997 que en 1996, pero la época reproductiva de las aves de áreas suburbanas no varió entre años. Las aves suburbanas pasaron menos tiempo forrajeando y más tiempo perchadas que las de áreas silvestres, y además manipularon más alimento por hora y por hora de forrajeo, lo que sugiere que forrajearon más eficientemente. Sin embargo, las tasas de consumo de alimento no difirieron entre los dos ambientes. La variación entre individuos en el momento de la reproducción no fue influenciada significativamente por el tiempo invertido en forrajeo o descanso ni por la tasa de consumo de alimento, pero sí por el sitio, el año y la tasa de manipulación de alimento. Los individuos que manipularon más ítems alimenticios por sesión de forrajeo (los más eficientes), fueron los que se reprodujeron más temprano en ambos ambientes. Estos resultados sugieren que la eficiencia de forrajeo aumenta con el acceso a alimentos provistos por humanos y que la predecibilidad de los recursos podría ser percibida como una señal indicadora del momento de reproducción adecuado.
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Weaver, Melinda, Pierce Hutton, and Kevin J. McGraw. "Urban house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) are less averse to novel noises, but not other novel environmental stimuli, than rural birds." Behaviour 156, no. 13-14 (2019): 1393–417. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-00003571.
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Abstract Human-inhabited or -disturbed areas pose many unique challenges for wildlife, including reacting to novel environmental stimuli like car traffic, buildings and anthropogenic noise. Animals inhabiting these environments must adapt to such changes by overcoming such novelty (i.e., neotolerance, neophilia), and either exploiting new resources or avoiding danger. Although many studies have tested animal responses to individual forms of novelty (e.g., human objects, food, urban noise), to our knowledge no study has comprehensively assessed behavioural reactions of urban and rural populations to numerous novel environmental stimuli, including noise. We tested exploratory behaviour of urban, suburban, and rural house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) in response to four different types of novelty (novel structural environment, novel object, novel noise, and novel food) in separate captive experiments, while also recording each bird for 30 min before exposure to determine baseline activity level. Although we found few population-level differences in behavioural responses to novel objects, environment, and food, we found significant differences in how finches from different sites responded to novel noises. When played a novel sound (whale call or ship horn), urban and suburban house finches approached their food source more quickly and spent more time on it than rural birds, and urban and suburban birds were more active during the ship-noise presentation. These results indicate that, in comparison with other types of novel stimuli, anthropogenic noise may be a key driver of urban adaptation in birds and its influence may vary depending on the type of sound.
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Mao, Qian, Chencan Liao, Zhaolu Wu, Wenbo Guan, Wenda Yang, Yuqin Tang, and Gang Wu. "Effects of Land Cover Pattern Along Urban-Rural Gradient on Bird Diversity in Wetlands." Diversity 11, no. 6 (May 31, 2019): 86. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d11060086.
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Wetlands play an important role in the feeding, breeding, and lives of birds. However, available habitats for bird species are changing due to intensifying human activity, especially in the context of China’s mass urbanization. Urban sprawl has taken over the wetlands along the lakes in the past decades, which places tremendous pressure on wetland ecosystems and, therefore, on bird communities. However, the ways urban land cover pattern along the urban-rural gradient affects bird communities is still unclear. To investigate the influence of land cover pattern on the α and β diversity of birds in the urban-rural gradient we chose 31 sites distributed within the wetlands around the Dianchi Lake in Yunnan, China. We calculated the species richness to indicate α diversity and used the Morisita–Horn index to indicate β diversity. Meanwhile, we assessed the land cover pattern of each site by measuring the proportion of emergent plants, floating plants, submerged plants, ponds, forests, lawns, roads, agricultural lands and built lands in a quadrat of 1 square kilometer. Simple linear regressions, model selection, and an averaging approach based on corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc) were used to test the effects of land cover pattern on bird diversity. Using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD (honestly significant difference) test, we compared the difference between α and β diversity, respectively, along the urban-rural gradient. Based on our analyses, urban and suburban wetland birds were significantly homogeneous. The community structure in rural wetlands, however, was significantly different from that of the suburban and urban areas. According to our research, the land cover patterns that influenced bird species richness were the built lands acreage, submerged plants acreage, ponds acreage, and the edge density of emergent plants. Meanwhile, of these variables, the built lands acreage, ponds acreage and edge density of emergent plants were significantly different in urban, suburban, and rural wetlands. Therefore, to maintain high biodiversity in wetlands affected by urbanization, we must pay more attention to the land cover patterns.
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Flux, John E. C. "Comparison of predation by two suburban cats in New Zealand." European Journal of Ecology 3, no. 1 (October 26, 2017): 85–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/eje-2017-0009.
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AbstractTo study the effects domestic cats may have on surrounding wildlife, a complete list was made of 558 items caught in the garden or brought into the house by one cat over 17 years, from 1988 to 2005. The effect on prey populations was assessed by comparing their abundance with the previous 15 years’ population without a cat. On balance, this cat (Cat 1) was clearly beneficial to the native bird species by killing rodents and deterring mustelids. The diet of a second cat (Cat 2) was recorded in the same way from 2006 to 2016. This cat caught half the number of items 148:287, but in the same proportions: house mice (37.8:42.6); ship rats (12.8:12.1); European rabbits (all young) (8.1:6.7); weasels (0.7:0.4); dunnock (12.8:9.2); house sparrow (2.0:3.1); blackbird (2.7:2.5); song thrush (1.4:1.3); European greenfinch (0.7:5.8); chaffinch (0.7:3.3); silvereye (10.1:8.3); New Zealand fantail (2.0:1.0); lizards (8.1:1.7). Despite this, there were significant differences: Cat 2 avoided finches (2:28, P = 0.004), and took a few more lizards (12:5). For both cats, birds apparently formed about a third of their diet: 33.4% and 34.5%, but comparison of the proportion of birds and rodents brought into the house (12:92) and found dead away from the house (49:45) implies that 320 rodent kills may have been missed, being far more difficult to find. As top predators, these cats were clearly beneficial to native birds, and proposed control or elimination may precipitate mesopredator release and a rabbit problem.
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Blyton, Michaela D. J., Hongfei Pi, Belinda Vangchhia, Sam Abraham, Darren J. Trott, James R. Johnson, and David M. Gordon. "Genetic Structure and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli and Cryptic Clades in Birds with Diverse Human Associations." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 81, no. 15 (May 22, 2015): 5123–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.00861-15.
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ABSTRACTThe manner and extent to which birds associate with humans may influence the genetic attributes and antimicrobial resistance of their commensalEscherichiacommunities through strain transmission and altered selection pressures. In this study, we determined whether the distribution of the differentEscherichia coliphylogenetic groups and cryptic clades, the occurrence of 49 virulence associated genes, and/or the prevalence of resistance to 12 antimicrobials differed between four groups of birds from Australia with contrasting types of human association. We found that birds sampled in suburban and wilderness areas had similarEscherichiacommunities. TheEscherichiacommunities of backyard domestic poultry were phylogenetically distinct from theEscherichiacommunities sourced from all other birds, with a large proportion (46%) of poultry strains belonging to phylogenetic group A and a significant minority (17%) belonging to the cryptic clades. Wild birds sampled from veterinary and wildlife rehabilitation centers (in-care birds) carriedEscherichiaisolates that possessed particular virulence-associated genes more often thanEscherichiaisolates from birds sampled in suburban and wilderness areas. TheEscherichiaisolates from both the backyard poultry and in-care birds were more likely to be multidrug resistant than theEscherichiaisolates from wild birds. We also detected a multidrug-resistantE. colistrain circulating in a wildlife rehabilitation center, reinforcing the importance of adequate hygiene practices when handling and caring for wildlife. We suggest that the relatively high frequency of antimicrobial resistance in the in-care birds and backyard poultry is due primarily to the use of antimicrobials in these animals, and we recommend that the treatment protocols used for these birds be reviewed.
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Krawiec, M., M. Pietkiewicz, and A. Wieliczko. "Salmonella spp. as a cause of mortality and clinical symptoms in free-living garden bird species in Poland." Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences 17, no. 4 (December 1, 2014): 729–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/pjvs-2014-0107.
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Abstract Some species of garden birds are considered to be sensitive to Salmonella (S.) spp. infections. The aim of this study was to determine the cause of mortality of six free-living birds in one private property in suburban area of Wrocław (Poland). In 2013 Poland experienced prolonged winter, with low temperatures and snow precipitations. During March and April, two dead individuals of the Eurasian siskin (Carduelis spinus) and four dead individuals of the Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) were found in proximity of the bird feeder. At the time of ringing procedure in the same area, faecal samples of all individuals belonging to these two species of birds were collected, regardless clinical symptoms. In total, twenty two faecal samples of birds belonging to both bird species were collected in the same property. All of them were Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium positive. The visible illness among European siskins and Greenfinches, caused by S. Typhimurium, suggests that both Eurasian siskin and Greenfinch may be potential reservoirs of Salmonella spp. Therefore they might play a role in transmission of zoonotic pathogens to other garden bird species or to people.
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Hingston, Andrew B., and Marta Piech. "Eucalypt flower production in the suburbs andbush: implications for the endangered SwiftParrot Lathamus discolor." Pacific Conservation Biology 17, no. 4 (2011): 338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc110338.
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The endangered Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor breeds mostly in coastal south-eastern Tasmania, an area whereurban development is common and the city of Hobart is situated. Hobart’s suburbs are visited regularly by foragingSwift Parrots that nest in the surrounding forests. The reproductive success of Swift Parrots depends largely on theavailability of the birds’ major dietary items, the nectar and pollen of Eucalyptustrees. This study investigated therelative value of suburban trees and those in adjacent native forest in Hobart as food sources for Swift Parrots. Tothis end, we compared flower production between mature trees in suburban and bushland areas for the two specieson which Swift Parrots predominantly forage while breeding; Tasmanian Blue Gum Eucalyptus globulus and BlackGumE. ovata. For both species, flower production over the past few years was greater for individual trees in thesuburb than for those in the surrounding bushland. Hence, individual trees in the suburb probably provide more nectarand pollen than do those in the nearby bushland and are potentially important to the reproductive success of SwiftParrots. Our findings suggest that the relatively poor flowering in this peri-urban bushland may be the result of poorerhealth of trees in the bushland than in the suburb, particularly the greater fire damage and sparser canopies in thebushland trees. Further research is required to determine the frequency and intensity of fire in bushland that will promotethe greatest flower production in E. globulus andE. ovata.
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Hanmer, Hugh J., Rebecca L. Thomas, and Mark D. E. Fellowes. "Introduced Grey Squirrels subvert supplementary feeding of suburban wild birds." Landscape and Urban Planning 177 (September 2018): 10–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.04.004.
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Mason, Jamie, Christopher Moorman, George Hess, and Kristen Sinclair. "Designing suburban greenways to provide habitat for forest-breeding birds." Landscape and Urban Planning 80, no. 1-2 (March 2007): 153–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2006.07.002.
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Ardianto, A., Karyadi Baskoro, and Rully Rahadian. "Kelimpahan, Persebaran Populasi, Preferensi Pakan dan Ketersediaan Tumbuhan Pakan Burung Bondol (Lonchura Spp) di Beberapa Tipe Habitat Kota Semarang Jawa Tengah." Bioma : Berkala Ilmiah Biologi 24, no. 1 (June 13, 2022): 54–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.14710/bioma.24.1.54-60.
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The Semarang City is a metropolitan city with such rapid development, so that it also affects several animals, one of which is birds. One species of bird that can be found in various habitats is the Genus Lonchura. This study aims to examine the abundance and population distribution, feed preferences, and the availability of food plants for munia in urban, suburban, rural habitats in Semarang City. Data were collected using the transect method, Visual Encounter Survey (VES), and quadratic. Analysis of the data used are abundance index, diversity index, equity index, Morisita index, Kruskall-Wallis test, and Chi-Square Test/ Goodness of Fit. Three species of Lonchura, namely Scaly-breasted munia (Lonchura punctulata), White-headed munia (Lonchura maja), and Javan munia (Lonchura leucogastroides), are found in urban, suburban and rural habitats. The Genus Lonchura in urban and rural habitats is dominant, while the distribution of the bondol bird population based on the Morisita Index is clumped. The munias also did not show any food preference for the types of forage plants.
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Jones, Darryl N., and Paul G. Finn. "Translocation of aggressive Australian magpies: a preliminary assessment of a potential management action." Wildlife Research 26, no. 3 (1999): 271. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr98062.
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Australian magpies are the cause of a major wildlife-management conflict in suburban areas throughout Australia. Mitigation of this conflict is becoming increasingly difficult in some locations because of community opposition to the destruction of the birds involved, which remains a common management solution of many wildlife agencies. Translocation – the capture and release elsewhere – of offending birds has been advocated but never seriously evaluated. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of translocation as a means of eliminating magpie attacks. We also attempted to assess the impact of the approach on both the translocated birds and those remaining in the territory. A total of 20 aggressive magpies, all males, were captured and released at distances 17–150 km from the place of capture. Most birds released more than 30 km away were not seen again; two birds released less than 30 km away returned quickly and were recaptured. A single bird re-established itself on its original territory several months after capture. In many cases, new males had replaced the captured birds within days. There was no evidence of negative behavioural interactions between these males and the resident females or chicks. While the technique is effective in reducing the human–magpie conflict at specific locations, our lack of knowledge of the fate of translocated males, as well as several other issues, suggests that this approach be used only in extreme circumstances.
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French, K., R. Major, and K. Hely. "Use of native and exotic garden plants by suburban nectarivorous birds." Biological Conservation 121, no. 4 (February 2005): 545–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2004.06.004.
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Fulton, Graham R. "Where is the clamour and clutter of introduced birds?" Pacific Conservation Biology 18, no. 3 (2012): 151. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc130151.
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I write this editorial in the hope it will elicit some response from the conservation readership to produce papers on introduced birds. There is a dearth of research on introduced birds. Why? There is an obvious litany of reasons that spring to mind: 1) they are more drably coloured than native birds, but this is not to say they are ugly; 2) they occur too frequently in suburban habitats, which are less interesting as holiday destinations for field work; 3) they are perceived as less interesting biologically, which is an erroneous perception; 4) they are not endangered and not in need of urgent study; in short, they lack glamour and are
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Hodgson, P., K. French, and R. E. Major. "Comparison of foraging behaviour of small, urban-sensitive insectivores in continuous woodland and woodland remnants in a suburban landscape." Wildlife Research 33, no. 7 (2006): 591. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr05017.
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Small patches of remnant vegetation are often considered to have low conservation value. In urban landscapes their value may potentially be higher than in other landscapes because they can be the only representatives of original native vegetation. Despite this potential, many small insectivorous birds that rely on native vegetation demonstrate sensitivities within urban landscapes through reduced numbers or total absence. One reason for this sensitivity may be that remnants are of suboptimal quality, which may be reflected in behavioural changes. Using five insectivorous species that were present (in low numbers) in remnants surrounded by high-density housing, foraging behaviour was examined in relation to vegetation. The proportion of time birds spent on different foraging substrates and plant species was compared with that of conspecifics in continuous vegetation. Canopy and shrub foragers showed minimal behavioural changes. Ground foragers in remnants tended to forage at lower heights than those in continuous vegetation; however, these changes did not appear to reflect a negative effect. These changes were partially explained by structural differences between vegetation in remnants and continuous sites. The number of times a bird attacked prey items was significantly higher in continuous habitat for only two species. Overall, the foraging behaviour of small insectivorous birds in remnants surrounded by high-density housing was not adversely affected by urbanisation and it appears that remnants have potential value as habitat and foraging sources in an urban landscape. Despite this, small insectivores are still sensitive to urbanisation, suggesting that other factors, probably in the matrix, are important.
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Sakhvon, V. V., and M. E. Nikiforov. "Features of formation bird population structure in Minsk in the time aspect." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Biological Series 66, no. 4 (November 10, 2021): 412–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.29235/1029-8940-2021-66-4-412-425.
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The structure of bird population of urbanized areas is determined by the diversity of habitats within the city, the diversity of bird species in suburban biotopes, and regional processes of dispersal of birds closely associated with human settlements. The analysis of the dynamics of the breeding bird species richness in Minsk showed that its formation progressed in different ways. All in all, since 1946, 141 bird species have been recorded nesting (including allegedly) in the territory of Minsk.The breeding bird assemblages is dominated by dendrophilous (45.0 % of all species) as well as wetland and semi-aquatic (29,3 %) bird species, with more than half of all the breeding bird species (50.3 %) associated with trees and shrubs. In different periods, the breeding bird species richness varied, by now, it has noticeably increased (from 77 to 132 species). This happened due to the expansion of the administrative boundaries of the city with the inclusion of bird species of suburban habitats, an increase in the diversity of habitats suitable for bird nesting (for example, the formation of large water bodies) as well as due to active colonization of urban ecosystems by various bird species. At the same time, after 2000, 9 bird species stopped nesting and 17 bird species started nesting. Active processes of synurbization of some bird species on the European continent observed in recent decades have become the reason for the addition of new species to the avifauna in Minsk, although the basis of the current structure of bird population was formed back in 1986–1999. At the same time, the synurbized groups of various bird species may be of autochthonous, allochthonous, or mixed origin.
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Saarikivi, Jarmo, and Gábor Herczeg. "Do Hole-Nesting Passerine Birds Fare Well at Artificial Suburban Forest Edges?" Annales Zoologici Fennici 51, no. 6 (December 2014): 488–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.5735/086.051.0603.
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Green, R. J., C. R. Catterall, and D. N. Jones. "Foraging and Other Behaviour of Birds in Subtropical and Temperate Suburban Habitats." Emu - Austral Ornithology 89, no. 4 (December 1989): 216–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mu9890216.
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Grover, DR, and PJ Slater. "Conservation Value to Birds of Remnants of Melaleuca Forest in Suburban Brisbane." Wildlife Research 21, no. 4 (1994): 433. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9940433.
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The bird species composition of nine remnants of Melaleuca quinquenervia forest in NE Brisbane, Queensland, was censused from March 1992 to March 1993 to investigate the effect of forest fragmentation and fragment characteristics. Remnant area was a correlated with the total number of bird species and the number of raptors occurring, while understorey vegetation density was related to the number of forest and understorey bird species. The species composition of the M. quinquenervia remnants was compared with that of the Cooloola National Park and with that of eucalypt [Eucalyptus] remnants in lowland SE Queensland. Even the small M. quinquenervia remnants around Brisbane play an important role in conserving the avian fauna of the region by providing habitat and refuges for migrant, nesting, locally rate and uncommon species, and species not commonly found in other forest types. Future recommended management involves the maintenance of size, habitat diversity and understorey vegetation density, the prevention of disturbance and the preservation of swampy areas and ponds.
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Mukhopadhyay, Shiladitya, and Subhendu Mazumdar. "Composition, diversity and foraging guilds of avifauna in a suburban area of southern West Bengal, India." Ring 39, no. 1 (December 1, 2017): 103–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ring-2017-0004.
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AbstractAvian communities are very good indicators of any ecosystem. Despite the alarming consequences of rapid urbanization, studies of avian diversity in the human-dominated landscapes of India are very few. Therefore, we studied the avian assemblage of Bongaon in southern West Bengal, India, a suburban area whose avifauna has thus far remained undocumented. Bird surveys were carried out from June 2015 to May 2016, following the fixed-radius (25 m) point count method together with opportunistic observations. We recorded 119 avian species belonging to 53 families.Ardeidaewas the most diverse avian family in the study area (RDi value = 5.882). Among the recorded avifauna, 89 species were resident, 26 species were winter visitors, three species were summer visitors, and one species was a passage migrant. Species richness of the resident and passage migrant species did not vary seasonally, while the winter and summer visitors displayed significant seasonal variation. In this suburban area, the species richness of feeding guilds varied significantly. Most birds were insectivorous (41.2%), followed by carnivorous (24.4%), omnivorous (18.5%), granivorous (7.6%), frugivorous (3.4%), nectarivorous (3.4%) and herbivorous species (1.7%). Maximum species richness was recorded in November and minimum species richness in July. Black-headed IbisThreskiornis melanocephalusand Alexandrine ParakeetPsittacula eupatriaare two near-threatened species found in this region. Interestingly, six species having a globally declining trend are still very common in the study area. Long-term studies are required to monitor any change in the avian communities of this suburban landscape resulting from urbanization.
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Echeverría, A. I., Aldo Iván Vassallo, and J. P. Isacch. "Experimental analysis of novelty responses in a bird assemblage inhabiting a suburban marsh." Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 7 (July 1, 2006): 974–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-089.
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Suburban areas in the Pampas region of Argentina are inhabited by several bird species that sharply differ in their ability to exploit human-modified, urban areas. This bird assemblage includes species restricted to natural grasslands (e.g., Great Pampa Finch, Embernagra platensis (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)) as well as generalist, highly cosmopolitan species such as House Sparrow, Passer domesticus (L., 1758). We explored the role of certain aversive responses to novelty in shaping the marked differences in ecological plasticity among species in the assemblage. In field experiments, we tested for differences in feeding in the presence of artificial objects near feeders regularly replenished with seeds. In spite of their granivorous diet, some non-urbanized species did not use the feeders, possibly because of an extreme degree of aversion to novel situations. The group of birds that visited the feeders included both urbanized (N = 8) and non-urbanized (N = 2) species. We found that the presence of novel objects discouraged visitation to an otherwise attractive food source, although neophobia was weak for most species. However, we found unexpectedly high levels of neophobia in highly generalist, urbanized species such as House Sparrow and Shiny Cowbird, Molothrus bonariensis (J.F. Gmelin, 1789). This response is discussed in the context of the influence of post-fledging development in a relatively simple and predictable ecosystem versus that in urban areas.
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Aberle, M. A., K. E. Langwig, J. S. Adelman, and D. M. Hawley. "Effects of bird feeder density on the foraging behaviors of a backyard songbird (the House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus) subject to seasonal disease outbreaks." Canadian Journal of Zoology 98, no. 9 (September 2020): 611–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0282.
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Provisioning of wildlife, such as backyard bird feeding, can alter animal behavior and ecology in diverse ways. For species that are highly dependent on supplemental resources, it is critical to understand how variation in the degree of provisioning, as occurs naturally across backyards, alters wildlife behavior and ecology in ways potentially relevant to disease spread. We experimentally manipulated feeder density at suburban sites and tracked local abundance, foraging behaviors, body mass, and movement in House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L. Statius Müller, 1776)), the primary host of a pathogen commonly spread at feeders. Sites with high feeder density harbored higher local House Finch abundance, and birds at these sites had longer feeding bouts and total time on feeders relative to sites with low feeder density. House Finches at high-density feeder sites had lower residual body mass despite greater apparent feeder access. Finally, birds first recorded at low-density feeder sites were more likely to move to neighboring high-density feeder sites than vice versa. Because local abundance and time spent on feeders have both been linked with disease risk in this species, the effects of heterogeneity in bird feeder density on these traits may have important consequences for disease dynamics in this system and more broadly.
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Girard, Jessica, Tony L. Goldberg, and Gabriel L. Hamer. "FIELD INVESTIGATION OF INNATE IMMUNITY IN PASSERINE BIRDS IN SUBURBAN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 47, no. 3 (July 2011): 603–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-47.3.603.
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Orros, Melanie E., Rebecca L. Thomas, Graham J. Holloway, and Mark D. E. Fellowes. "Supplementary feeding of wild birds indirectly affects ground beetle populations in suburban gardens." Urban Ecosystems 18, no. 2 (August 22, 2014): 465–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11252-014-0404-x.
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Xu, Weizhen, Weicong Fu, Jiaying Dong, Jiao Yu, Peilin Huang, Dulai Zheng, Ziru Chen, Zhipeng Zhu, and Guochang Ding. "Bird Communities Vary under Different Urbanization Types—A Case Study in Mountain Parks of Fuzhou, China." Diversity 14, no. 7 (July 10, 2022): 555. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14070555.
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Bird habitats are becoming increasingly fragmented as a result of rapid urbanization. As one of the essential refuges for urban bird communities, mountain parks are of practical significance for studying the spatial changes of birds, which can inform the future planning of mountain park planning. In this study, we assessed the α, β, and functional diversity of bird communities in mountain parks in Fuzhou, China, at three levels of urbanization (urban, peri-urban, suburban) and explored how diversity (abundance, richness, α-diversity, Chao1) varies along the urbanization gradient. A three-month bird survey was conducted using the transect method to examine the impact of urbanization on bird community structures in mountain parks. In addition, we evaluated the functional diversity of bird guilds in order to identify potential indicator species for monitoring different urbanization gradients in mountain parks. The results showed that: (1) During the three bird surveys from December 2021 to February 2022, 96 bird species and 2429 individuals of 9 orders, 34 families, and 63 genera were identified. (2) Urbanization had a significant impact on the overall bird α-diversity (p = 0.040) and richness (p = 0.024) but not on the overall bird abundance (p = 0.056). (3) The results of non-metric multidimensional scaling showed significant variations among overall birds in mountain parks along with three urbanization levels (stress = 0.155, p = 0.027). Similarly, significant differences were observed in the upper-stratum guild (stress = 0.183, p = 0.049) but not in other diet and vertical foraging stratum guilds. (4) Five species were identified as potential candidates for monitoring the trends of urban gradients. Moreover, compared to insectivorous or omnivorous guilds, most carnivorous and herbivorous guilds may not be suitable for monitoring the negative effects of urbanization in mountain parks. Our findings can help inform urban mountain park management or restoration strategies intended to mitigate the adverse impacts of urbanization.
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Foram P. Patel and Pravinsang P. Dodia. "Roosting patterns of House Sparrow Passer domesticus Linn., 1758 (Aves: Passeridae) in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India." Journal of Threatened Taxa 13, no. 14 (December 26, 2021): 20209–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/jott.6631.13.14.20209-20217.
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The House Sparrow Passer domesticus is widely distributed across the world, and local alarming declines in sparrow populations have prompted studies focused on this species. An understanding of fundamental life history aspects such as roosting patterns is necessary for the development of efficient conservation strategies. This study examined House Sparrow roosting patterns in urban, suburban and rural areas of Bhavnagar during 2017–2018. Potential roosting sites were identified, and peak arrival/ departure times and roosting duration of sparrows were recorded. We found that peak arrival and departure times were correlated with solar timings, indicating a strong influence of photoperiod on sparrow behaviour. Little variation was observed in sparrow arrival and departure times across the urban, suburban and rural gradient. However, arrival duration was significantly larger in urban and suburban areas. This may be due to the restricted availability of suitable patches within these habitats, requiring birds to spend more time foraging. House Sparrows mostly preferred thick vegetation for pre-roosting activities and roosting, and the loss of thick vegetation poses a threat to sparrow populations worldwide. In addition to increasing nesting opportunities by providing artificial nest sites, the importance of retaining appropriate habitats should be a major focus of conservation strategies.
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Fitzimons, James A., Mark J. Antos, and Grant C. Palmer. "When more is less: Urban remnants support high bird abundance but diversity varies." Pacific Conservation Biology 17, no. 2 (2011): 97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc110097.
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Urban remnant vegetation, especially where it occurs in public parks, allows for relatively easy access for ongoing biodiversity monitoring. However, relatively little baseline information on bird species distribution and abundance across a range of identifiable urban remnants appears in the published literature. We surveyed the relative abundance and distribution of birds across urban and suburban remnant vegetation in Melbourne, Australia. One hundred and six species were recorded, of which 98 were indigenous. Red wattlebirds had the highest mean relative abundance with 2.94 birds/ ha, followed by rainbow lorikeets (2.51), noisy miners (1.93), brown thornbills (1.75) and spotted doves (0.96). There was no obvious trend between overall relative abundance and the size of the remnant, in contrast to species richness which was positively correlated with remnant size. The data revealed that some species were either totally restricted to, or more abundant in, larger remnants and generally absent from smaller remnants. Some of the more common birds (crimson rosella, superb fairy-wren, spotted pardalote and black-faced cuckoo-shrike) recorded during this study were detected at similar densities to those found in comparable vegetation to the east of Melbourne within a largely forested landscape. Other species occurred at much lower densities (e.g., white-browed scrubwren, brown thornbill, eastern yellow robin and grey fantail) or had habitat requirements or ecological characteristics that could place them at risk of further decline or local extinction in the urban area. We identify a suite of bird species of potential conservation concern within Melbourne’s urban landscape. The establishment of repeatable, fixed-point, and long-term monitoring sites will allow for repeat surveying over time and provide an early warning of population declines, or conversely an indication of population increase for other species.
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Garfinkel, Megan, Sheryl Hosler, Christopher Whelan, and Emily Minor. "Powerline Corridors Can Add Ecological Value to Suburban Landscapes When Not Maintained as Lawn." Sustainability 14, no. 12 (June 10, 2022): 7113. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14127113.
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Electric powerline corridors are informal green spaces that encompass large areas of land and have the potential to support biodiversity in urban and suburban landscapes. However, the extent to which these corridors provide novel habitats compared to the surrounding landscape is unclear. Biodiversity in corridors is often compared to that of “natural” habitats despite the fact that the corridors are subject to frequent vegetation management. In urban and suburban landscapes, residential yards may provide a more appropriate comparison because they are a dominant type of green space and are also characterized by frequent vegetation management. We conducted a study of the biodiversity in suburban powerline corridors in northern Illinois, USA, and compared it to the biodiversity found in nearby residential yards. Our goal was to determine whether powerline corridors added ecological value to these suburban landscapes. We included three different management styles of powerline corridors: (1) frequently mowed and kept as lawn, (2) brush mowed on a five-year cycle (“old-field”), and (3) restored and/or maintained as native prairie. We measured the species richness and composition of plants, birds, and insect pollinators in corridors and yards. The corridor management types and comparison yards differed significantly in the richness of all three taxa, with old-field and/or prairie sites having greater species richness than mown corridors and/or comparison yards. Community composition also differed by management category. While the species richness of old-field sites tended to be high, prairie sites generally had more species of conservation interest. Our study shows that both old-field- and prairie-managed powerline corridors add habitat value to Midwestern U.S. suburban landscapes by providing alternative habitat types that support many species. Nonetheless, we suggest that managers looking to specifically support native and/or grassland specialist species in this region should manage sites as prairies when possible.
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Davis, R. A., and J. A. Wilcox. "Adapting to suburbia: bird ecology on an urban-bushland interface in Perth, Western Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 19, no. 2 (2013): 110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc130110.
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Birds in urban landscapes must contend with fragmented and degraded remnants of native vegetation and their survival may be dependent on factors such as their ability to disperse through and/or utilize the urban matrix. We examined the frequency of occurrence of birds in native bushland in Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia, and in nine adjacent suburban gardens. We quantified dispersal capacity by observing bird crossing frequency and height over a major six-lane road separating the bushland from adjacent gardens. Finally we quantified matrix utilisation by recording foraging behaviour in urban gardens and bushland. Native bushland had a higher species richness than urban gardens (30 versus 17 species) and 18 species were associated more strongly with bushland. Of these 18 species, 61% were never recorded in urban gardens. Gardens were typified by three generalist species, the Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens and the introduced Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis and Spotted Dove S. chinensis. Three generalist species, the Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata, Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus, and Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta were equally abundant in all habitats. Four of 18 bird species (Singing Honeyeater Red Wattlebird, Rainbow Lorikeet, and Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius) accounted for the majority of road crossing events. Urban gardens provided a rich resource for generalists and urban exploiters, all of which spent significantly more time foraging on nectar in gardens and significantly more time foraging on insects in bushland. We conclude that urban gardens provide habitat for some species that exploit nectar, but most species in bushland, particularly insectivores, do not use gardens. Our results indicate the importance of retaining well-managed bushland for supporting viable urban bird populations.
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Pedó, Ezequiel, Ana C. Tomazzoni, Sandra M. Hartz, and Alexandre U. Christoff. "Diet of crab-eating fox, Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus) (Carnivora, Canidae), in a suburban area of southern Brazil." Revista Brasileira de Zoologia 23, no. 3 (September 2006): 637–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0101-81752006000300005.
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The crab-eating fox, Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766), is a small canid with twilight and nocturnal habits from savannas and forests of South America. In this study, we seasonally determined and quantified the diet of C. thous in Lami Biological Reserve, a conservation unit with 179.78ha situated in a suburban area in the municipality of Porto Alegre, southern Brazil. During the year 2000, we collected 80 fecal samples - 20 for each season - in two or three week sampling intervals, along trails inside the Reserve. Samples were dried in an oven for 24h at 60ºC, immersed in 70% alcohol, and prey items were identified using a stereomicroscope. The diet of the crab-eating fox was essentially carnivorous (87.62% composed by vertebrates), with seasonal variation (p = 0.0009) and absence of fruits. Small non-flying mammals and birds were the most frequent prey, being proportionally more preyed in autumn and summer, respectively. Arthropods were more preyed in winter and spring and bird/reptile eggs only in summer and spring, in the reproduction period of these groups.
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Kopij, G. "Population Densities and Community Structure of Birds Breeding in a Suburban Wooded Grassland in the Highveld of Lesotho." Vestnik Zoologii 53, no. 2 (April 1, 2019): 155–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/vzoo-2019-0016.
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Abstract The mapping method was employed to study avian community structure in relation to rainfall in a town suburb in Highveld grassland in southern Africa. Studies were conducted in two breeding seasons: 1998, with dry spring; and 2001, with close to average spring rainfall. The total rainfall in 1998 was 1254 mm, while in 2001 it was 1445 mm, in both years much above the long-term annual average (866 mm). The avian community remained remarkably similar in both years, both in respect to the number of species (44 in 1998 and 53 in 2001), and dominance relationships. The Simpson’s Diversity Index was high and also very similar in 1998 and 2001 (D = 0.91; 0.93 respectively). In all years, dominant species included the Laughing Dove, Grey-headed Sparrow, Speckled Dove, Cape Turtle-Dove and Common Fiscal. The Southern Red Bishop in 2001 was also in the group of dominants. Significant differences were noted in the overall density of all birds, but contrary to expectation density was higher in 1998, with lower rainfall, than in 2001, with higher rainfall. The proportions of nesting and feeding guilds were similar in both years compared, except for the granivores, which were proportionally more common in 1998 than in 2001. This difference was mainly due to the Laughing Dove and Grey-headed Sparrow. Generally, it appears that the suburban avian community is more stable and more diverse than neighbouring communities in the natural habitats.
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DeGraaf, Richard. "Residential Forest Structure in Urban and Suburban Environments: Some Wildlife Implications in New England." Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 11, no. 8 (August 1, 1985): 236–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.48044/jauf.1985.054.
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Tree populations were compared in residential areas of urban Springfield and suburban Amherst, Massachusetts. The urban environment contains significantly fewer tree species, lower total tree density, no large conifers, a narrower range of tree diameters, and a more park-like condition because the lower margins of tree crowns are positioned higher. Both environments are dominated by relatively few tree species, and contain many exotic species and many species native to the country or region but not occurring locally. The latter compose the majority of metropolitan trees. These differences in residential forest structure contribute to dramatic differences in the composition of breeding birds between the two environments.
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MOHAMAD FIZL SIDQ RAMJI and AMERA NATASHA MAH MUHAMMAD ADAM MAH. "The Influence of Perch Height Selection on Vocalization of Pied Triller, Lalage nigra (Aves: Campephagidae) in Suburban Landscapes, Sarawak." Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology 10, no. 2 (December 31, 2020): 179–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.33736/bjrst.2716.2020.
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Understanding how birds utilised songs and calls to communicate among conspecifics is crucial for their survival, yet it remains an understudied area in bird ecology. We studied the influence of perch height selection on the vocalisation of Pied Triller, a common garden bird, in two suburban landscapes namely Pustaka Negeri Sarawak Recreational Park, Kuching and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak campus, Kota Samarahan from October 2018 to February 2019. Using a Marantz recorder connected to a parabolic reflector, we recorded calls and songs during morning (0630-1030 hr) and late afternoon (1600-1830 hr). Perch object, tree species, roost substrate and perch height from the ground were identified and measured. Clear and good quality spectrograms were used directly to describe song and call types. Photos and video recordings were analysed to describe perch behaviour. The vocal output representatives were then matched to the corresponding behaviour displayed. Our results revealed that Pied Trillers emit four different vocal outputs namely (i) song type, (ii) call type A, (iii) call type B and (iv) call type C. A total of nine behaviours were observed, of which the perch-hop behaviour was observed the most from both male and female Pied Trillers (33.71%), followed by perching (29.21%), foraging (20.22%), preening (7.78%), defecating (2.25%), eating (2.25%), roosting (2.25%), bill wipe (1.12%) and flight (1.12%). They prefer to roost on high perch to emit calls compared to songs. This probably suggest that Pied Triller prioritised vocal transmission and signalling to avoid being masked by surrounding anthropogenic noises and to avoid being conspicuous to potential predators. The most frequently visited perch object was the Weeping fig tree, Ficus benjamina.
Keywords: Call, perch height, Pied Triller, song, suburban landscapes
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Fearn, S., B. Robinson, J. Sambono, and R. Shine. "Pythons in the pergola: the ecology of 'nuisance' carpet pythons (Morelia spilota) from suburban habitats in south-eastern Queensland." Wildlife Research 28, no. 6 (2001): 573. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr00106.
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Carpet pythons (Morelia spilota) are large (to >4 m, 11 kg) non-venomous snakes that are widely distributed across mainland Australia. In many parts of their range, viable populations persist even in highly disturbed urban and suburban habitats. Over a six-year period, we collected 258 ‘nuisance’ pythons from two cities (Brisbane and Ipswich) in south-eastern Queensland. Most of these snakes were reported by members of the general public, often after the snakes had consumed domestic pets or cage-birds. We provide data on seasonal activity patterns, body sizes, sexual size dimorphism, reproduction and food habits of these snakes. Snakes were active and fed year-round, primarily on domestic and commensal birds and mammals. Dietary composition shifted with body size: one small snake consumed a lizard, intermediate-sized snakes took mostly mice, rats and parrots, and large snakes fed on larger items such as cats, brushtail possums and poultry. Adult male pythons engaged in combat bouts during the breeding season, and (perhaps as an adaptation to enhance success in such bouts) grew larger and were more heavy-bodied than conspecific females.
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ISHIGAME, Go, and Greg S. BAXTER. "Practice and attitudes of suburban and rural dwellers to feeding wild birds in Southeast Queensland, Australia." Ornithological Science 6, no. 1 (July 2007): 11–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.2326/1347-0558(2007)6[11:paaosa]2.0.co;2.
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Vergara Mian, Vianey, Celia Isela Sélem Salas, and Wilian Aguilar Cordero. "Percepción ambiental de los murciélagos en niños de primaria de dos escuelas del municipio de Mérida, México." Revista Estudios Ambientales - Environmental Studies Journal 9, no. 2 (December 30, 2021): 115–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.47069/estudios-ambientales.v9i2.1293.
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La escasa conciencia y cultura ambiental ha contribuido en la pérdida de la biodiversidad. Los murciélagos son claro ejemplo de la poca conciencia ambiental, ya que son temidos y perseguidos, a pesar de ser un grupo ecológicamente importante debido a la diversidad de procesos ecológicos y servicios ecosistémicos en los que participan. Es importante comprender como las sociedades perciben el ambiente que los rodea y el significado que presenta para ellos, sobre todo en el ámbito educativo. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el conocimiento y la percepción biocultural de los niños hacia los murciélagos, describiendo los conocimientos y percepciones antes y después de un proceso de sensibilización ambiental, en dos escuelas de educación básica (urbana y suburbana). La metodología consistió en aplicar un cuestionario al inicio y después de impartir un taller de sensibilización, para analizar el nivel de conocimiento previo y posterior al taller de sensibilización sobre la importancia de los quirópteros. De los entrevistados, el 62% de estudiantes en la escuela suburbana concebía al murciélago como ave, posteriormente el 61% lo identificó como mamífero. En la escuela urbana, el 59% lo identificó inmediatamente como mamífero, posteriormente la cifra incrementó a 88%. El 77% de los estudiantes de la escuela suburbana opinó que los murciélagos son importantes para la naturaleza, en la escuela urbana el 65% opinaron lo mismo, posteriormente la cifra cambio al 94%. Lo anterior indica que los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje a través de la educación ambiental contribuyen en la formación ambiental en los niños.
Abstract
Poor environmental awareness and culture have contributed to the loss of biodiversity, being bats a clear example of this poor environmental awareness; they are feared and pursued, despite being an ecologically important group, due to the diversity of ecological processes and ecosystem services in which they participate. It is important to understand how societies perceive the environment surrounds them and the meaning that it has for them, especially in the educational field. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and cultural perception of children towards bats, describing the knowledge and perception before and after a process of environmental awareness, in two basic level education schools (urban and suburban). The methodology consisted of applying a questionnaire at the beginning and after the awareness workshop, to analyze the level of knowledge before and after the awareness workshop on the importance of bats. Of those interviewed, 62% of students in the suburban school conceived bats as birds, and later 61% identified it as a mammal. In the urban school, 59% immediately identified it as a mammal, later the amount increased to 88%. The 77% of the students in the suburban school believed that bats are important for nature; in the urban school, 65% had the same opinion, later the proportion of children changed to 94%. This indicates that the teaching-learning processes through environmental education contribute to the environmental awareness training of children.
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Hersek, Marta J., Michelle A. Frankel, John A. Cigliano, and Frederick E. Wasserman. "Brown-Headed Cowbird Parasitism of Ovenbirds in Suburban Forest Fragments." Auk 119, no. 1 (January 1, 2002): 240–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/auk/119.1.240.
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Abstract Forest fragmentation in North America concerns many biologists because of its effects on wildlife populations. One group that has demonstrated particular sensitivity is Neotropical migrant birds. We studied Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapillus) in forest fragments in a suburban landscape in eastern Massachusetts to determine effects of cowbird parasitism on Ovenbird reproductive success. Our three large (120–312 ha) and six small (10–59 ha) forests were all smaller than most of those studied by other researchers, and they were surrounded by wooded suburban lots rather than agricultural land. Twenty-nine percent of nests found were parasitized by cowbirds; that frequency is lower than other investigators have reported for small, isolated fragments. The number of Ovenbirds fledged in successful parasitized (x̄ = 2.4) and unparasitized (x̄ = 3.8) nests was similar to other studies. Cowbirds were found to remain in nests for one to two days after their Ovenbird nestmates fledged. Differences in parasitism rate between this and other Ovenbird studies may be related to landscape characteristics. Ovenbirds nesting in small fragments in relatively wooded landscapes, as was the case in this study, have higher reproductive success than do Ovenbirds nesting in similar-sized fragments within an agricultural landscape. Using Ovenbirds as a model for neotropical migrants, we suggest that small fragments in a landscape with relatively wooded connections between forested areas may allow migrants to attain higher reproductive success than similar sized forests surrounded by agricultural land.
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Groom, Quentin J., Tim Adriaens, Claire Colsoulle, Pauline Delhez, and Iris Van der Beeten. "Site selection by geese in a suburban landscape." PeerJ 8 (September 22, 2020): e9846. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9846.
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Background In European and North American cities geese are among the most common and most visible large herbivores. As such, their presence and behaviour often conflict with the desires of the human residents. Fouling, noise, aggression and health concerns are all cited as reasons that there are “too many”. Lethal control is often used for population management; however, this raises questions about whether this is a sustainable strategy to resolve the conflict between humans and geese when, paradoxically, it is humans that are responsible for creating the habitat and often providing the food and protection of geese at other times. We hypothesise that the landscaping of suburban parks can be improved to decrease its attractiveness to geese and to reduce the opportunity for conflict between geese and humans. Methods Using observations collected over five years from a botanic garden situated in suburban Belgium and data from the whole of Flanders in Belgium, we examined landscape features that attract geese. These included the presence of islands in lakes, the distance from water, barriers to level flight and the size of exploited areas. The birds studied were the tadornine goose Alopochen aegyptiaca (L. 1766) (Egyptian goose) and the anserine geese, Branta canadensis (L. 1758) (Canada goose), Anser anser (L. 1758) (greylag goose) and Branta leucopsis (Bechstein, 1803) (barnacle goose). Landscape modification is a known method for altering goose behaviour, but there is little information on the power of such methods with which to inform managers and planners. Results Our results demonstrate that lakes with islands attract more than twice as many anserine geese than lakes without islands, but make little difference to Egyptian geese. Furthermore, flight barriers between grazing areas and lakes are an effective deterrent to geese using an area for feeding. Keeping grazing areas small and surrounded by trees reduces their attractiveness to geese. Conclusion The results suggest that landscape design can be used successfully to reduce the number of geese and their conflict with humans. However, this approach has its limitations and would require humans to compromise on what they expect from their landscaped parks, such as open vistas, lakes, islands and closely cropped lawns.
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Wierzbowska, Izabela A., Sławomir Kornaś, Aleksandra M. Piontek, and Kaja Rola. "The Prevalence of Endoparasites of Free Ranging Cats (Felis catus) from Urban Habitats in Southern Poland." Animals 10, no. 4 (April 24, 2020): 748. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani10040748.
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Growing urbanization leads to an increased risk of parasite spread in densely inhabited areas. Free-ranging cats can be locally numerous and come into frequent contact with both wildlife and humans. Cats are thus expected to contribute to parasitic disease transmission. In our study, we investigated the prevalence of endoparasites in free ranging cats in urban areas of Kraków city, based on necropsy of road-killed cats in relation to sex and diet of cat, season and habitat type. We found that 62% of 81 cats were infected with endoparasites with Toxocara cati being the most prevalent. In total, we identified seven parasite species. The number of parasite species was higher in suburban habitats and aside from Eucoleus aerophilus the prevalence of all parasites was higher in cats from suburban areas than in the individuals living in the city urban core. The prey of examined cats included mostly rodents, followed by soricomorphs and birds, which can all serve as paratenic hosts. Based on our results, we suggest that cats in urban areas should be considered as a serious potential zoonotic threat. Implementation of proper veterinary control and wider education on the topic is recommended.
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Jones, Darryl N., and Thomas Nealson. "Management of aggressive Australian magpies by translocation." Wildlife Research 30, no. 2 (2003): 167. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr01102.
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Attacks on humans by Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) cause a significant human–wildlife conflict in suburban environments throughout Australia. Community opposition to lethal control methods generally has, in part, led to an increase in the use of translocation as an alternative. We assessed the effectiveness and implications of using this approach in the management of aggressive magpie in south-eastern Queensland during 1999 and 2000. A total of 968 (1999) and 707 (2000) magpies were reported by the public, of which 39–45% were able to be investigated by a two-person team working three days per week. A total of 141 magpies were translocated, 31.7% of all birds investigated. Of these, only five (3.5%) returned to the place of capture, and 22 (15.6%) were resighted elsewhere; there was no evidence of 'homing'. Only three translocated birds were subsequently reported as being aggressive towards humans. While extremely effective in reducing the conflict locally, we caution against the indiscriminate use of this method, and suggest that it be seen as one of many options available to wildlife managers.
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MOMOSE, Hiroshi, Naomi KIBE, and Nobuo FUJIWARA. "History and status of wetlands in suburban area of japan and their suitability as habitat for birds." ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH 29 (2001): 85–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.2208/proer.29.85.
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Sakhvon, Vital V. "NESTING FEATURES OF BLACKBIRD (TURDUS MERULA) IN URBAN GREEN SPACES IN MINSK." Journal of the Belarusian State University. Ecology., no. 4 (December 25, 2021): 46–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.46646/2521-683x/2021-4-46-53.
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Synurbic populations of birds are characterized by specific features that differ from those of wild populations of the same species, which is the result of adaptation to living in cities. The paper analyses some parameters of breeding of the Blackbird (Turdus merula) in two park in Minsk and compares them with the breeding biology of wild Blackbirds in natural habitats. During the years 2015-2017 and 2019-2021, 74 nests of urban Blackbird were obtained. For comparison, data on 245 nest of this species in natural landscapes were used.As a result, it was found that the nest selection in urban Blackbirds remains similar to wild Blackbirds in forests, and the differences are explained by the peculiarities of forestry activities carried out in urban parks. More than 74 % of all nests were built in the undergrowth layer, while most of the nests were located on the Norway spruce (59.72 %). A majority of urban Blackbirds started laying first eggs relatively later (from 21.04 to 10.05) than forest birds (from 11.04 to 30.04), which most likely results from the adaptation of birds to a significant recreational load from humans during the period when the trees have not come into leaf yet. Nevertheless, no differences were found in the average clutch size between urban (4.17 ± 0.72 eggs) and forest (4.51 ± 0.64 eggs) birds. The low breeding success of the Blackbird (39.4 %) in the urbanized area testifies to the fact that the homeostasis of the relatively high number of the urban Blackbird population in Minsk is most likely maintained due to the constant influx of individuals from local suburban forests.
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Johnson, Cheryl, James W. A. Grant, and Luc-Alain Giraldeau. "THE EFFECT OF HANDLING TIME ON INTERFERENCE AMONG HOUSE SPARROWS FORAGING AT DIFFERENT SEED DENSITIES." Behaviour 138, no. 5 (2001): 597–614. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853901316924494.
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AbstractInterference models of the ideal free distribution (IFD) assume competition among foraging animals causes intake rates to decline with increasing competitor density and that the strength of the decline influences forager distributions among food patches. However, the resulting distributions of animals may depend on which components of foraging success contribute to interference. We examined the effect of group size (1-13 birds) on the prey encounter rates, handling times, and foraging rates of house sparrows, Passer domesticus, feeding at three seed densities in a suburban backyard. House sparrows did not experience interference during search. Interference arose primarily from foraging time lost handling seeds. Foraging rates decreased with increasing seed density as a consequence of increased handling times. Also, birds experiencing significant increases in handling time with group size suffered most from interference. Our results suggest that animals adjust handling time to avoid costly aggressive interactions, indicating that handling time may be an important component of interference in some foraging systems. Future studies estimating interference should try to identify which components of foraging contribute to interference, paying particular attention to handling times for species that monitor and avoid competitors.
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Bélanger, Luc, Charles Maisonneuve, and Jean Rodrigue. "Avian Use of Dairy Farm Ponds and Landowners’ Perceptions of Their Management for Wildlife Conservation." Birds 2, no. 4 (December 15, 2021): 476–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/birds2040035.
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Farm ponds are among the last remaining lentic wetland habitats in human-dominated agricultural and suburban landscapes. However, their wildlife value and farmers’ willingness to maintain them for the conservation of regionally declining biodiversity are often both poorly documented. The objectives of this study of 61 dairy farm ponds located in Southern Quebec (Canada) were to (1) describe their biophysical features and birds’ use, (2) determine habitat and landscape characteristics that influence the bird community, and (3) assess the willingness of farmers to support wildlife use. The studied ponds were small (0.17 ha) and had rectangular shape with rocky/muddy steeply slopes (21°), surrounded by 3 m wide riparian strips and pastures, hayfields, and fallows. They were located about 300 m from farmhouses, buildings, streams, and adjacent ponds. A total of 1963 individuals belonging to 46 bird species were observed. The abundance of all bird species, of species with declining populations, and of crop damaging species were positively related to the area of fallow land and to the width of riparian strips; the areas of cereals and of mixed-wood forest had a negative influence. Only two habitat variables had influence on species richness: the width of riparian strips (+) and the distance to the closest farm buildings (–). Most pond landowners (>80%) were in favour of increasing wildlife use if they were given access to associated financial support and logistical assistance. Wider riparian strips and adjacent uncultivated field margins are recommended.