scholarly journals Effect of human recreation on bird anti-predatory response

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Bötsch ◽  
Selina Gugelmann ◽  
Zulima Tablado ◽  
Lukas Jenni
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Urban Birds ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Human Presence ◽  
Escape Responses ◽  
Human Use ◽  
Predatory Response ◽  
Human Recreation ◽  
Flight Initiation

Wildlife perceive humans as predators, and therefore normally flushes. Flight initiation distance (FID) is the distance a human can approach an animal at a steady pace until it flushes. Recently, several studies showed differences in within-species FID according to human presence by comparing urban and rural habitats, with urban birds showing reduced FIDs. However, urban and rural habitats also differ in structure, which might affect FID. Therefore, in order to understand the real effect of human presence, we investigated whether differences in FID are also present in natural habitats (forests), differing only in the intensity of human use for recreation. We found that human frequentation had a distinct effect on bird escape responses, with shorter FIDs in forests more-heavily frequented by humans than in forests rarely visited by humans. Whether this finding is driven by non-random spatial distribution of personalities (shy vs. bold) or phenotypic plasticity (habituation to humans) cannot be assessed with our data. Studies relying on FIDs should also incorporate human recreation intensity, as this affects the measurements strongly.

scholarly journals The effects of habituation on boldness of urban and rural song sparrows (Melospiza melodia)

Behaviour ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Taylor Elaine Fossett ◽  
Jeremy Hyman
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Exposure ◽  
Melospiza Melodia ◽  
Song Sparrow ◽  
Rural Populations ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Urban Birds ◽  
Wildlife Species ◽  
Song Sparrows ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Flight Initiation

Abstract As urbanization increases globally, wildlife species are changing their behaviour in many ways. Urban animals are often bolder, or less fearful of new stimuli, than rural animals. While adaptation can drive behavioural changes in urban animals, other factors, such as learning or habituation, can also lead to behavioural modifications. To determine how repeated exposure to a non-threatening human affects song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) behaviour in urban and rural habitat, we measured boldness as flight initiation distance (FID), for 5 consecutive days. We found that urban birds had consistently lower FID’s than their rural counterparts from days 1–4, yet there was no difference in rural and urban FID by trial 5. FID decreased over 5 days of repeated trials in the rural populations, but not the urban. These results suggest that habituation can occur quickly in rural birds and may account for the greater boldness we typically see in urban populations.

Differences in flight initiation distance (FID) between rural and urban populations of two species of Australian birds

Behaviour ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 156 (11) ◽  
pp. 1151-1164
Author(s):  
Sara Davey ◽  
Melanie Massaro ◽  
Rafael Freire
Keyword(s):  
Rural Populations ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Urban Birds ◽  
Urban Centre ◽  
New Town ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Australian Birds ◽  
The City ◽  
Predator Behaviour ◽  
Flight Initiation

Abstract Although flight initiation distance (FID) has been shown to be shorter in urban compared to rural populations of birds, less is known about how the characteristics of the urban environment, such as the population size and age of the city influences the FID and other aspects of anti-predator behaviour. Urban willie wagtails and magpie larks in a relatively small and new town had shorter FID than rural conspecifics. Both species were more likely to show a short, rather than long, escape flight if the experimenter started walking towards the bird from further away. There was some indication that urban birds may be more likely to show a short escape flight than rural birds. We conclude that anti-predator responses of birds can be influenced by a relatively small, recently established and sparsely-populated town. Additionally, the possibility of the characteristics of the urban centre influencing variation in the FID response is discussed.

Compromise between seabird enjoyment and disturbance: the role of observed and observers

2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALEJANDRO MARTÍNEZ-ABRAÍN ◽  
DANIEL ORO ◽  
DAVID CONESA ◽  
JUAN JIMÉNEZ
Keyword(s):  
Density Effect ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Human Presence ◽  
Local Populations ◽  
Bird Density ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Larus Michahellis ◽  
Ground Nesting ◽  
Flight Initiation

SUMMARYNatural areas are increasingly visited by people, and urban human visitors expect to watch wildlife as close as possible, but this may have associated disturbance costs. Here, effects of number of visitors and bird density on flight initiation distance (FID) as a proxy of disturbance vulnerability were evaluated in the large ground-nesting yellow-legged gull,Larus michahellis. Mean FID decreased with increasing number of visitors and with increasing gull densities, suggesting that (1) ground-nesting gulls habituate to massive human presence, while retaining their antipredatory mechanisms, and (2) dense groups of gulls were more reluctant to fly away. This density effect may be due to the increased risk of clutch predation by conspecifics at high densities and, if so, FID is a reliable metric of disturbance vulnerability in ground-nesting gulls. In conclusion, set-back distances are specific to local populations and it is unnecessary to ban or restrict human visits to ground-nesting gull colonies; redistributing visits, taking into account both the number of visitors and gull density, is preferable.

scholarly journals Increased Flight Initiation Distance (FID) in Golden Marmots (Marmota caudata aurea) Responding to Domestic Dogs in A Landscape of Human Disturbance

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Zaman ◽  
Bryony A. Tolhurst ◽  
Mengyan Zhu ◽  
Guangshun Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Human Disturbance ◽  
Domestic Dogs ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Escape Responses ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Age And Sex ◽  
Flight Initiation

Humans and dogs initiate measurable escape responses in wild animals including flight initiation distance (FID), with potentially negative consequences. Golden marmots are important prey for endangered carnivores and are subject to human persecution including via marmot baiting with dogs. We quantified FID at four marmot colonies (72 individuals) in the Karakoram range, Pakistan in response to approach by a pedestrian with a leashed dog versus approach by a pedestrian alone (i.e., a control). Additionally, we related FID to background variables of human activity, namely proximity to roads, and presence of other pedestrians in the vicinity of study sites during sampling. We also controlled for potential environmental and social covariates (e.g., group size, age and sex, and colony substrate). Dogs initiated greater FID than pedestrians alone, and there was evidence that roads increased FID. However, these effects were weaker than those of marmot age and colony substrate. FID was greater at lower elevations, but this may reflect the clustering in these zones of human settlements and livestock pasture. Further work is needed elucidate the importance of colony substrate (linked to ease of human persecution), the effect of settlements and pasture, and the impact of increased FID on marmot fitness.

scholarly journals Do squirrels in human disturbed areas become habituated to humans? A measure of flight initiation distance across disturbance gradients

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan D Bjordal
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Human Disturbance ◽  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
North American Red Squirrels ◽  
Flight Initiation

Human population growth results in destruction of natural habitats, although some animals are adapting to living in areas with human disturbance. North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) may be one such species that is successfully adapting to living alongside humans. Flight initiation distance, the distance at which an animal flees from an approaching predator, may act as an indicator of habituation to humans. I predicted that if North American red squirrels were habituating to humans, their flight initiation distance would decrease along a gradient of increasing human disturbance. To examine this, I measured flight initiation distances of 39 North American red squirrels across eight sites, classified as low, medium or high human disturbance areas. No significant difference was found in mean flight initiation distances between disturbance levels, indicating that squirrel flight initiation distance may not be sensitive to small scales of human disturbance gradients.

scholarly journals Shyer and larger bird species show more reduced fear of humans when living in urban environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 20170730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier delBarco-Trillo
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Generalized Least Squares ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Urban Populations ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Consistent Response ◽  
Flight Initiation

As the natural habitats of many species are degraded or disappear, there is scope for these species to be established in urban habitats. To ease the establishment and maintenance of urban populations of more species we need to better understand what degree of phenotypical change to expect as different species transition into urban environments. During the first stages of urban colonization, behavioural changes such as an increase in boldness are particularly important. A consistent response in urban populations is to decrease the distance at which individuals flee from an approaching human (flight initiation distance, or FID). Performing a phylogenetic generalized least-squares (PGLS) analysis on 130 avian species, I found that the largest changes in FID between rural and urban populations occur in species that are larger-bodied and naturally shy (higher rural FID), two phenotypic traits that are not normally associated with urban colonizers. More unlikely species may thus be able to colonize urban environments, especially if we design cities in ways that promote such urban colonizations.

The Effect of Human Presence and Human Activity on Risk Assessment and Flight Initiation Distance in Skinks

Ethology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 120 (11) ◽  
pp. 1081-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn M. McGowan ◽  
Priya D. Patel ◽  
Jolie D. Stroh ◽  
Daniel T. Blumstein
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Human Activity ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Human Presence ◽  
Flight Initiation

scholarly journals European birds adjust their flight initiation distance to road speed limits

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 20130417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Legagneux ◽  
Simon Ducatez
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Structure ◽  
Territory Size ◽  
Speed Limit ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
Flight Initiation Distance ◽  
Speed Limits ◽  
Behavioural Responses ◽  
Road Speed ◽  
Flight Initiation ◽  
Local Speed

Behavioural responses can help species persist in habitats modified by humans. Roads and traffic greatly affect animals' mortality not only through habitat structure modifications but also through direct mortality owing to collisions. Although species are known to differ in their sensitivity to the risk of collision, whether individuals can change their behaviour in response to this is still unknown. Here, we tested whether common European birds changed their flight initiation distances (FIDs) in response to vehicles according to road speed limit (a known factor affecting killing rates on roads) and vehicle speed. We found that FID increased with speed limit, although vehicle speed had no effect. This suggests that birds adjust their flight distance to speed limit, which may reduce collision risks and decrease mortality maximizing the time allocated to foraging behaviours. Mobility and territory size are likely to affect an individuals' ability to respond adaptively to local speed limits.

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