Marine Cusa, Donald A. Jackson, and Michael Mesure in Urban Ecosystems (2015)
Abstract
Bird collisions
with buildings are an increasing concern and yet understanding the factors
contributing to collisions at the species level remains largely unknown. This
gap in our knowledge of species-specific strike patterns hinders the
development of accurate estimates for the impact of death-by-collision on bird
populations and impedes on our ability to minimize its effects. Our study
offers the first examination of the impact of environmental variables on
bird-window collisions at the species level. The Fatal Light Awareness Program
Canada collected bird-window collision data in three distinct regions of
Toronto, Canada during the migratory season of the years 2009 and 2010. Our
results indicated that building percent window cover, exposed habitat cover,
and cover of built structures significantly affect bird-window collisions.
Multivariate analyses showed that the bird species that collided with buildings
surrounded by a high level of urban greenery are species that typically occur
in forested habitats and are foliage gleaners. In contrast, species that
collided with buildings surrounded by a higher level of urbanization are
species that typically occur in open woodland and are ground foragers. These
results suggest that the composition of bird species colliding with buildings
across various regions of the Greater Toronto Area is influenced by the local
bird species community composition, by the configuration of the surrounding
landscape, and by the levels of greenery around the buildings.
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