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Which Traits Influence Bird Survival in the City? A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Swaroop Patankar

    (Center for Climate Change and Sustainability, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru 562125, India)

  • Ravi Jambhekar

    (Center for Climate Change and Sustainability, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru 562125, India)

  • Kulbhushansingh Ramesh Suryawanshi

    (Nature Conservation Foundation, 1311, ‘Amritha’, 12th A Main, Vijayanagar 1st Stage, Mysore 570017, India
    Snow Leopard Trust, 4649 Sunnyside Avenue North, Suite 325, Seattle, WA 98103, USA)

  • Harini Nagendra

    (Center for Climate Change and Sustainability, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru 562125, India)

Abstract

Urbanization poses a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. We focused on birds as a well-studied taxon of interest, in order to review literature on traits that influence responses to urbanization. We review 226 papers that were published between 1979 and 2020, and aggregate information on five major groups of traits that have been widely studied: ecological traits, life history, physiology, behavior and genetic traits. Some robust findings on trait changes in individual species as well as bird communities emerge. A lack of specific food and shelter resources has led to the urban bird community being dominated by generalist species, while specialist species show decline. Urbanized birds differ in the behavioral traits, showing an increase in song frequency and amplitude, and bolder behavior, as compared to rural populations of the same species. Differential food resources and predatory pressure results in changes in life history traits, including prolonged breeding duration, and increases in clutch and brood size to compensate for lower survival. Other species-specific changes include changes in hormonal state, body state, and genetic differences from rural populations. We identify gaps in research, with a paucity of studies in tropical cities and a need for greater examination of traits that influence persistence and success in native vs. introduced populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Swaroop Patankar & Ravi Jambhekar & Kulbhushansingh Ramesh Suryawanshi & Harini Nagendra, 2021. "Which Traits Influence Bird Survival in the City? A Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-23, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:10:y:2021:i:2:p:92-:d:484054
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dana L Moseley & Jennifer N Phillips & Elizabeth P Derryberry & David A Luther & Ulrika Candolin, 2019. "Evidence for differing trajectories of songs in urban and rural populations," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 30(6), pages 1734-1742.
    2. Masaru Hasegawa & Russell A. Ligon & Mathieu Giraudeau & Mamoru Watanabe & Kevin J. McGraw, 2014. "Urban and colorful male house finches are less aggressive," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 25(3), pages 641-649.
    3. Dominique A. Potvin & Raoul A. Mulder, 2013. "Immediate, independent adjustment of call pitch and amplitude in response to varying background noise by silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis)," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 24(6), pages 1363-1368.
    4. Maria Moiron & Cesar González-Lagos & Hans Slabbekoorn & Daniel Sol, 2015. "Singing in the city: high song frequencies are no guarantee for urban success in birds," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 26(3), pages 843-850.
    5. David A. Luther & Jennifer Phillips & Elizabeth P. Derryberry, 2016. "Not so sexy in the city: urban birds adjust songs to noise but compromise vocal performance," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 27(1), pages 332-340.
    6. Diogo S. M. Samia & Shinichi Nakagawa & Fausto Nomura & Thiago F. Rangel & Daniel T. Blumstein, 2015. "Increased tolerance to humans among disturbed wildlife," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Mario Díaz & Antonio Parra & Clemente Gallardo, 2011. "Serins respond to anthropogenic noise by increasing vocal activity," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 22(2), pages 332-336.
    8. Jean-Nicolas Audet & Simon Ducatez & Louis Lefebvre, 2016. "The town bird and the country bird: problem solving and immunocompetence vary with urbanization," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 27(2), pages 637-644.
    9. Desirée L. Narango & Amanda D. Rodewald, 2016. "Urban-associated drivers of song variation along a rural–urban gradient," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 27(2), pages 608-616.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alessio Russo & Giuseppe T. Cirella, 2021. "Urban Ecosystem Services: Current Knowledge, Gaps, and Future Research," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-4, August.
    2. Hyun-Woo Kim & Jun-Kyu Park & Woong-Bae Park & Yuno Do, 2023. "Urbanization Reduces the Nest Size of Barn Swallow ( Hirundo rustica ) in South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-11, August.

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