Støstad, Hanna N., Aldwinckle, Phil, Allan, Andrew et al. (1 more author) (2017) Foraging on human-derived foods by urban bird species. Bird study. pp. 1-9. ISSN 0006-3657
Abstract
Capsule: Providing peanuts on bird feeders was shown to attract more individuals and more species than providing cheese or bread. Aims: To investigate how the provision of different human-derived foods affected visit rates of urban birds at bird feeders. Methods: A fully replicated study design was set up in parkland, offering a binary choice from three food types (peanuts, bread and cheese) on bird tables. Birds were observed by using a scan-sample method. Results: Peanuts attracted more visits, and a greater diversity of bird species, than cheese or bread. This preference was strongest for Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus and Great Tits Parus major, whereas European Robins Erithacus rubecula visited all food types equally, and Blackbirds Turdus merula preferred cheese. Bread was the most consumed food type when measured by mass, but this could be linked to varying bite sizes. Conclusion: Our results indicate that birds preferred to visit feeding stations with the most protein- and energy-rich foods, but that some birds still chose the carbohydrate-rich bread. The findings indicate that peanuts, rather than household scraps like bread and cheese, attract the highest number of species and individuals to bird tables. The findings will be of interest to the public and to organizations providing information on bird feeding for recreational purposes.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 British Trust for Ornithology. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details |
Keywords: | urban birds,Foraging behaviour,behavioural ecology |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Environment and Geography (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 09 May 2017 10:20 |
Last Modified: | 16 Oct 2024 13:45 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2017.1311836 |
Status: | Published online |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/00063657.2017.1311836 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:116151 |
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Filename: Urban_birds_paper_2017_Author_final_for_PURE.pdf
Description: Urban birds paper 2017 Author final for PURE