Spatiotemporal factors influencing bird collisions in urban and suburban areas

초록

Window collisions are a major anthropogenic threat to birds. Studies have shown that habitat characteristics or seasonal factor is key determinants on collision risk. Since phenology shapes habitat selection, the influence of environmental variables is expected to vary across seasons. It is important to understand these interactions for assessing the ecological impacts of artificial structures such as noise barriers. This study aimed to examine the spatial and seasonal drivers of bird collisions and assess their interactive effects. Bird carcass surveys were conducted along noise barriers from September 2023 to August 2024 in Ansung and Pyeongtaek cities, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Highly urbanized areas exhibited lower collision rates compared to suburban areas. The collision rate was significantly correlated with glass area and dot pattern stickers mitigate the negative effects of the glass area. Collision rates increased in autumn and it would be attributed to increase in migratory birds, juvenile individuals, and competitive behavior. Among habitat variables, microhabitat characteristics (ground cover, woody vegetation density, etc.) exerted a stronger influence in autumn than in other seasons. Also, the proportion of agricultural land cover, which provides abundant food resources, had significant effects on autumn collision rates. Non-migratory bird species, which are present across the entire urban gradients, exhibited higher collision rates than migratory species. Therefore, we emphasize the need for urban planning that consider both the spatial and seasonal context in which urban infrastructures are placed.

키워드