Meeting Abstract

30.2  Monday, Jan. 4  Human-avian interactions in urban areas CLUCAS, B.*; MARZLUFF, J.M.; University of Washington, Seattle and Humboldt University, Berlin; University of Washington, Seattle baclucas@uw.edu

Contact between humans and other animals can create positive or negative outcomes and these interactions can be quite numerous in urban areas. In particular, many avian species appear to have adapted to living in cities among high densities of humans. Here we explore the relationship between humans and birds (corvids and small songbirds) in Berlin, Germany by surveying residents’ attitudes and actions concerning birds and then testing bird behavior towards humans (flight distances and foraging behavior). In addition, our study sites covered an urbanization gradient (city center to outlying villages) in order to compare responses across human densities and habitat types. We found that humans vary in their encouraging actions (e.g., feeding) depending on their age and if they own their home. Furthermore, due to demographic differences across sites, encouragement of birds was higher in suburban and outlying areas compared to the city center and in high-rise apartments. Discouraging actions were not prevalent. Bird behavior did not vary due to level of encouragement by humans; rather, behavioral responses differed due to human density and habitat type (e.g., degree of vegetation). These studies are now being replicated in Seattle, Washington, USA to determine if cultural differences exist and if they influence interactions between humans and avian species.