Effects of Human Disturbance On Spatial and Temporal Feeding Patterns of Blackbird Turdus Merula in Urban Parks in Madrid Spain
Effects of Human Disturbance On Spatial and Temporal Feeding Patterns of Blackbird Turdus Merula in Urban Parks in Madrid Spain
Effects of Human Disturbance On Spatial and Temporal Feeding Patterns of Blackbird Turdus Merula in Urban Parks in Madrid Spain
To cite this article: E. Fernndez-Juricic & J.L. Tellera (2000) Effects of human disturbance on
spatial and temporal feeding patterns of Blackbird Turdus merula in urban parks in Madrid,
Spain, Bird Study, 47:1, 13-21, DOI: 10.1080/00063650009461156
We studied how human presence in three urban parks in Madrid (Spain) might
affect Blackbird densities by changing feeding behaviour patterns. Our specific
purposes were: (a) to ascertain the effect of park visitors on Blackbird feeding
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There is an increasing interest in the manage- the reported decrease;710 however, these factors
ment of urban parks to improve wildlife have yet to be tested to unravel the possible
diversity since many of them may be important mechanisms involved. This paper deals with
reservoirs for native species in densely one such process capable of producing a
populated areas.15 Several works on the local negative response on density patterns of
and landscape determinants of bird densities in breeding species: the presence of humans in
urban parks have yielded the level of human urban parks as a factor modifying spatial and
presence as a relevant factor negatively affect- temporal feeding patterns. We selected the
ing breeding densities and distributional Blackbird Turdus merula as a representative
patterns of bird species.69 Lack of food urban model to test this idea because it is a
resources, little protective cover, increasing common species in urban areas of the
levels of predation and human disturbance are Palaearctic, and is found in gardens and parks
all processes put forward as explanations for over much of its range.11
The approach we followed to study
* Correspondence author. variations in feeding behaviour assumes that
Email: [email protected] birds perceive humans as potential predators,12
2000 British Trust for Ornithology
14 E. Fernndez-Juricic and J.L. Terrera
such that the response to human disturbance walking. Blackbirds are abundant in these
can be assessed in a similar way to that of parks, where they feed on earthworms and
predation.13 As a result, birds may modify some other invertebrates.11
behavioural traits (such as feeding and moving We selected certain areas with similar
rate, and distance to cover) to achieve protec- structural characteristics (approximately equal
tion.1416 Since these behavioural adjustments percentages of grass, tree and shrub cover)
are also affected by the duration, frequency within each park, and we determined the num-
and proximity of disturbance,17 it might be ber of Blackbirds by mapping their territories.19
supposed that birds living in urban parks Thus, each patch surrounded by pathways was
under different levels of disturbance (number assumed to be a sample unit, since there was
of visitors) would face different levels of little movement of birds across patches because
stress. If this is the case, the management of the of visitors. Within the selected patches, we
number and distribution of visitors in urban assessed the variation in feeding behaviour,
parks may be an important strategy to improve spatial and temporal habitat use, and human
habitat suitability for native species.8,18 disturbance.
The aims of this work are: (a) to evaluate the
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Table 1. Contrasts based on planned comparisons to determine different levels of human disturbance (pedestrians per
minute) in the three parks sampled in Madrid (Spain). Results from a two-way ANOVA (balanced design with three cases
per cell).
Contrast F1,12 P
Dependent variable: pedestrian rate; independent factors: park and time of day (PARK: Moro, Oeste and Retiro; TIME:
morning and afternoon).
ns, non-significant; *, significant.
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Number of cases
undisturbed) the independent factors; 20
replicates were made of each combination of 60
treatments. Our sampling design met the
assumptions of ANOVA analysis.23,24,b To circum- 40
vent the effect of increasing the probability of
Type I error due to the high number of 20
probability estimations, a Bonferroni sequential
correction was performed.25 0
Pedestrian Magpie Dog Conspecific Car
Flee cause
Spatial and temporal distribution of feeding
Figure 1. Sources of disturbance that caused flushing
activities
responses of Blackbirds in three urban parks in Madrid.
We tested the predictions of increasing distance
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Fixed factor: disturbance (two levels: disturbed and undisturbed); random factor: parks (three levels: Moro, Oeste,
Retiro); number of replicates in each level of the random factor: 20. Dependent variables: V/S rate (vigilance/search),
feeding rate, and moving rate (walking and hopping). Data were log transformed (log x + 1).
df, degrees of freedom; *, significant.
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morning and afternoon disturbance levels in increased the scanning rate with increasing
Moro Park (Table 1) but there were number of pedestrians in the proximity of their
differences between morning and afternoon feeding patches, a common reaction of birds
disturbance levels in Retiro and Oeste Parks foraging in exposed parts of their habitats.3133
(Table 1). These distinctions allowed us to The more frequent movement of Blackbirds
classify the Retiro and Oeste as the more with increasing number of pedestrians could be
disturbed parks, and Moro Park as a control regarded as a way of escaping risky situations
owing to the lower levels of disturbance. The in search of cover. This is a frequent behaviour
daily activity of Blackbirds was probably pattern of conspicuous prey;13 it differs from
associated with such visitor levels, since the that of cryptic species, which usually restrict
number of active birds decreased (and the moving rates so as to decrease the probability
number perching increased) in relation to the of being detected.34,35
increased number of pedestrians during the Blackbirds moved away from pathways,
afternoon in Retiro (2 = 33.62, df =1, P < 0.001) occupying areas close to cover, probably to
and Oeste (2 = 20.48, df = 1, P < 0.001) Parks as increase protection, since tolerance to distur-
against the control park (Moro, 2 = 0.08, df =1, bance diminishes as the stimulus (in this case
ns) (Table 3). Finally, Blackbird densities varied pedestrians) gets closer. Similar results have
significantly among parks (Fig. 5), and that been found in other studies with wildlife
variation was negatively related to the number species in protected areas.36,37 Such shifts may
of visitors per park (Table 3). correspond closely to changes in the foraging
sites, as has been reported for other species,
which under increasing risk of predation make
DISCUSSION
similar modifications in habitat utilization.38,39
As many bird species inhabiting wildlife Therefore, human disturbance in urban parks
reserves are affected by human visitors,16, 2628 it arises as another relevant factor that could tem-
is not surprising that Blackbirds are affected in porarily modify Blackbird foraging activity
urban parks, where human disturbance reaches levels, lessening feeding bouts and increasing
higher levels because these areas have recre- the time before the resumption of feeding.
ational purposes. In fact, human visitors seem Human disturbance effects also appear to
to be the main cause of Blackbird flushing explain the daily rhythms of Blackbirds.
responses during the breeding season, despite Although the decrease in the number of active
their frequent aggressive interactions with individuals towards midday can be related to
Magpies.29,30 Our results suggest that Blackbirds other factors (e.g. thermoregulation40,41), Black-
react to human visitors as if they were potential bird inactivity appears to be coupled with
predators,13 changing the spatial and temporal human presence as suggested by the fact that in
use of their habitat. For example, Blackbirds the least disturbed park (Moro), activity levels
2000 British Trust for Ornithology, Bird Study, 47, 1321
18 E. Fernndez-Juricic and J.L. Terrera
1.6 12 a
y = 0.94 + 1.04 x
10 F1,38 = 106.7
6
0.8
4
2
0.4
0
0
Moro Oeste Retiro Moro Oeste Retiro 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Disturbed Undisturbed 12 b
y = 1.52 + 0.61 x
1.2 10 F1,38 = 66
Distance to path (m) R 2 = 0.63, P < 0.001
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1.0 8
Log feeding rate
6
0.8
4
0.6
2
0.4 0
0.2
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
0 Number of people
Moro Oeste Retiro Moro Oeste Retiro Figure 3. Relationship between the number of people
Disturbed Undisturbed and distance to path of feeding Blackbirds in two parks in
Madrid (Spain). (a) Oeste Park; (b) Retiro Park.
3.8
3.6
reduction of predation risk. Blackbirds may be
3.4 selecting where to feed at a local level (within a
Log moving rate
7 a 10 ANOVA test
F1,38 = 22.2
5 R 2 = 0.35, P < 0.001
8
4
7
3
2 6
1 5
0 4
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 3
Oeste Moro Retiro
8 b Park
y = 3.2 + 0.4 x
7 Figure 5. Density of Blackbirds in three urban parks in
Distance to cover (m)
F1,38 = 42.9
6 R 2 = 0.52, P < 0.001 Madrid (Spain). Values were calculated as the mean
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freely towards large areas with sufficient Oeste Park using a one-way ANOVA test
protective cover (bushes, trees) in order to nest (dependent variable: V/S rate; independent
and care for young. Methods for limiting variable: degree of independence). No signifi-
visitor effects within urban parks may include cant difference was detected between the two
restricting certain public activities with high procedural schemes (ANOVA, F1,58 = 0.0279, ns);
levels of pedestrians and noise (particularly hence, we adopted the former arrangement
during the breeding season), designing special primarily for logistical reasons. In addition,
areas for specific purposes (recreative, sports, data were log-transformed (log x + 1) so as to
etc.), setting buffer zones for visitors, deter- meet the other two assumptions of ANOVA: nor-
mining the appropriate level of visitor presence mality and homogeneity of variances.
in sensitive areas (e.g. where birds are nesting),
curtailing the use (e.g. for dog walking or
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