Bird

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Man  vs.  Bird:  Effects  of  Human  Activity  on  Bird  Richness   and  Abundance Kathryn  Oteri,  Barbara  Anane,  Mia  K.  Calderon,  Kayla  Pluviose,   Joseph  Svoboda  and  Danielle  Lema

RESEARCH  QUESTIONS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

• Is  there  a  correlation  between  human  activity  and  bird  richness? We  hypothesized  that  bird  richness  will  decrease  with  increasing  human   activity. • Does  population  density  of  surrounding  area  affect  bird  abundance? We  hypothesized  that  bird  abundance  will  decrease  with  increasing   population  density.   • Does  the  amount  of  particulate  matter  affect  bird  richness?   We  hypothesized  that  bird  richness  will  decrease  with  increasing  amounts  of   particulate  matter.   • Does  the  presence  of  water  affect  bird  richness?   We  hypothesized  that  bird  richness  will  increase  with  increasing  presence  of water.  

INTRODUCTION A  primary  goal  of  urban  ecology  is  to  study  how  the  development  of  cities   affects the  natural  environment  around  us.  Urbanization  is  one  of  the  most   devastating  forms  of  habitat  loss  for  wildlife,  and  birds  are  no  exception;;  their   ability  to  survive  and  reproduce  is  threatened  with  increasing  urbanization   (Barber  et.  al  2010).  Urbanization  stimulates  greater  human  population  density,   consequently  increasing  the  level  of  human  activity,  a  factor  that  can  be   classified  as  one  of  many  stressors  on  local  birds  (Schlesinger  et.  al  2008).   Additionally,  increasing  urbanization  is  partially  responsible  for  heightened   levels  of  particulate  matter  due  to  air  pollution  and  loss  or  fragmentation  of   natural  resources  such  as  bodies  of  water;;  both  of  which  further  inhibit  birds   from  thriving  in  an  environment  (Pitelka 1994,  McKinney  2002).   In  this  study  we  observe  the  correlation  between  human  activity  and  species   richness.  Surveying    areas  of  different  levels  of  urbanization  with  varying   amounts  of  human  activity  could  be  helpful  in  determining  which  species  of   birds  are  in  the  most  danger  of  population  decline  as  a  result  of  urbanization.  

● There  is  a  slight  inverse  relationship  between  the  number  of   vehicles/people  and  average  bird  richness,  so  the  data  supports   our  hypothesis (Figure  1).  The  Bronx  Zoo  is  considered  an  urban   green  space  because,  although  it  is  located  in  the  city,  it contains   many  acres  of  trees  and  suitable  habitats  for  animals.  The  sites  with low  and  medium  levels  of  human  activity both  still  had  relatively   high  average  richness.  However,  B3,  the  site  with  the  highest   activity  in  the  Bronx  Zoo,  had  a  much  lower  average  richness.  This   demonstrates  human  activity  impacts  green  spaces.  

Figure  1  displays  the  relationship  between  average  bird  richness  and  the   average  number  of  people  and  vehicles  at  each  site.  

Figure  2  displays  the  relationship  between  relative  abundance  and   surrounding  population  density  for  the  3  site  locations.  

● Figure  3 supports  our  hypothesis  by  showing  that  as  particulate   matter  increases,  average  bird  richness  decreases.  However,   two  sites  from  the  Bronx  Zoo  had  high  amounts  of  particulate  matter   and  high  bird  richness.  A  possible  explanation  for  this  could  be  the   nearby  parking  lots  causing  higher  amounts  of  particulate  matter.   The  only  Bronx  Zoo  site  not  close  to  a  parking  lot  did  follow  the   trendline.

Figure    3  displays  the  relationship  between  average  bird  richness  and   particulate  matter.  

Figure  4  displays  the  relationship  between  average  bird  richness  and  the   amount  of  water  present.

● At  both  the  Bronx  Zoo  and  Starlight  Park,  it  is  clear  that  bird   richness  increases  with  increasing  water  abundance (Figure  4).   Data  from  the  Calder  Center,  however,  did  not  have  a  constant   increase  in  relation  to  richness  and  water  abundance.  This  might  be   because  the  Calder  Center  offers  greater  habitat  availability for   birds  in  comparison  to  the  limited  spaces  and  water  sources of   Bronx  Zoo  and  Starlight  Park. ● We  observed  a  total  of  26  species  of  birds  and  430  individual  birds   in  sites  with  varying  conditions.  We  can  conclude  that  human   activity  has  an  overall negative  impact  on  bird  richness. Average  richness  is  relatively  low  at  sites  that  are  more  affected  by   human  activity  because  the  birds  that  are  most  often  found  at   theses  sites  are  “urban  birds”;;  birds  such  as  American  Robins,  Gray   Catbirds,  House  Sparrows,  etc.,  that  are  better  adapted  to  live  in   conditions  that  most  birds  find  unfavorable.

METHODS Point  counts  were  conducted  at  3  locations  within  3  different  sites:  the  Louis   Calder  Center,  the  Bronx  Zoo,  and  Starlight  Park.  Point  counts  began  five   minutes  after  arrival,  and  lasted  for  ten  minutes.  By  recognizing  field  marks  and   listening  for  calls,  observers  recorded  each  bird  seen  or  heard  within  a  radius  of   50  meters.  Point  counts  were  conducted  both  in  the  morning  and  afternoon  at   each  site;;  four  point  counts  at  each  location  were  recorded  over  the  course  of   two  weeks.  Human  activity  was  surveyed  at  each  site  by  counting  the  number   of  vehicles  and  humans  seen  at  the  closest  roadway  to  the  center  of  the  point   count  during  five  minute  intervals.  Time  of  day,  temperature,  and  weather  were   also  recorded  daily,  and  canopy  coverage  was  measured  at  each  site  as  a   covariant.  Amount  of  water  present  at  each  site  and  population  density  were   both  measured  using  Google  Earth.  Additionally,  an  AirBeam was  used  to   determine  the  amount  of  particulate  matter  present  at  each  site.    

● As  population  density  in  surrounding  areas  increases,  relative   abundance  increases  (Figure  2).  This  trend  does  not  support  our   initial  hypothesis.  The  unexpected  results  may  be  due  to  the  high   volume  of  urban  birds  we  saw  in  Bronx  Zoo  and  Starlight;;  an  area   with  more  people  presents  more  food/nesting  opportunities  for  birds   that  are  well-­adapted  to  urban  areas,  such  as  the  House  Sparrow.  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Colaptes auratus (Northern  Flicker)

Cyanocitta cristata (Blue  Jay)

Cardinalis cardinalis (Nothern Cardinal)

We  would  like  to thank Fordham  University,  The  Wildlife  Conservation   Society,  and  the  Bronx  Zoo  for  allowing  us  to  use  their  spaces  as  we   collected  data. Thanks  to  program  coordinators  Jason  Alosio  and   Kelsey  Brennan,  as  well  as  Fordham  and  WCS  staff  members  Dr.  Alan   Clark,  Dr.  James  D.  Lewis,  Dr.  Jason  Munshi-­South  for  their  ongoing   support.  Thank  you  to  the  camera  trap  team  for  donating  bird  pictures,   and  all  other  undergraduate,  graduate,  and  research  experts  for  aiding   us  in  our  research.

REFERENCES

©Patuxent  Wildlife   Research  Center

Corvus brachyrhynchos (American  Crows)

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