Nest-site selection of an avian urban exploiter, the Eurasian magpie Pica pica, across the urban-rural gradient

0536902 - ÚBO 2022 RIV CZ eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Šálek, Martin - Grill, S. - Riegert, J.
Nest-site selection of an avian urban exploiter, the Eurasian magpie Pica pica, across the urban-rural gradient.
Journal of Vertebrate Biology. Roč. 70, č. 1 (2021), č. článku 20086. E-ISSN 2694-7684
Institucionální podpora: RVO:68081766
Klíčová slova: urbanisation * nest selection * urban birds * nest height * behavioural plasticity * urban habitats
Obor OECD: Zoology
Impakt faktor: 1.460, rok: 2021
Způsob publikování: Open access
https://bioone.org/journalArticle/Download?fullDOI=10.25225%2Fjvb.20086

Although rapid growth in the extent of urbanized habitats across the globe represents a major threat to biodiversity, there is growing evidence that urban ecosystems can represent suitable habitats for many taxa, including birds. Exploring aspects of bird ecology across the urban-rural gradient, including determinants of habitat associations, are crucial to understanding responses to urbanisation. Here, we examined factors affecting nest-site selection of Eurasian magpies across an urban-rural gradient, contrasting urban and non-urban habitats. The presence and density of Eurasian magpie nests was positively associated with the proportion of green urban areas, and negatively with forests, arable land and buildings, despite habitat associations differing across the urban-rural gradient. We also found a negative relationship between nest height and distance from city edge. The highest nests were found in city centre residential areas, whereas the lowest nests were in the new residential areas. We conclude that Eurasian magpies can successfully exploit urban environments, partially due to adaptation of their nesting behaviour. In particular, they construct their nests higher in urban areas to avoid the negative impacts of human disturbance and predation.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0314656