Bird tolerance to humans in open tropical ecosystems

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Wildlife Conservation
• Animal Behavior

Background:

• Animal tolerance towards humans is vital for wildlife-human coexistence.
• Understanding factors influencing animal tolerance is crucial for conservation in the Anthropocene.
• Traits predicting animal tolerance across tropical ecosystems remain poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors influencing avian tolerance towards humans in tropical ecosystems.
• To identify key traits and environmental conditions affecting animal escape distances.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 10,249 observations across 842 bird species in tropical open ecosystems.
• Assessed avian tolerance by measuring escape distances in response to human approach.
• Quantified human disturbance using the Human Footprint Index.

Main Results:

• Avian tolerance was lower in rural versus urban populations and in areas with lower human disturbance.
• Larger bird species, those with larger clutches, and enhanced flight ability exhibited less tolerance.
• Escape distances were longer when birds were approached during the wet season and from greater starting distances.

Conclusions:

• Human disturbance levels and habitat type (urban vs. rural) significantly impact avian tolerance.
• Species-specific traits (size, flight ability, clutch size) and seasonal variations influence tolerance.
• Findings aid in predicting species distributions and managing wildlife in human-dominated landscapes.