Advancing scientific knowledge and conservation of birds through inclusion of conservation social sciences in the American Ornithological Society

Dayer, Ashley A.; Barnes, Jessica Cavin; Dietsch, Alia M.; Keating, Jacqueline M.; Naves, Liliana C.

doi:10.1093/condor/duaa047

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Nevertheless, in general, we have sufficient information to determine the key actions required to halt and reverse avian biodiversity loss. The growing footprint of the human population represents the ultimate driver of most threats to avian biodiversity, so the success of solutions will depend on the degree to which they account for the social context in which they are implemented, and our ability to effect changes in individual and societal attitudes and behaviours (153). Emerging concepts of conservation social science can inform efforts to address biodiversity loss (154) and to achieve more effective and sustainable conservation outcomes (155), linking birds to human well-being, sustainability, climate resilience, and environmental justice.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

State of the World's Birds

Lees

Haskell

Allinson

et al. 2022

Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour.

114

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We present an overview of the global spatiotemporal distribution of avian biodiversity, changes in our knowledge of that biodiversity, and the extent to which it is imperilled. Birds are probably the most completely inventoried large taxonomic class of organisms, permitting a uniquely detailed understanding of how the Anthropocene has shaped their distributions and conservation status in space and time. We summarize the threats driving changes in bird species richness and abundance, highlighting the increasingly synergistic interactions between threats such as habitat loss, climate change, and overexploitation. Many metrics of avian biodiversity are exhibiting globally consistent negative trends, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List Index showing a steady deterioration in the conservation status of the global avifauna over the past three decades. We identify key measures to counter this loss of avian biodiversity and associated ecosystem services, which will necessitate increased consideration of the social context of bird conservation interventions in order to deliver positive transformative change for nature. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Volume 47 is October 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

State of the World's Birds

Lees

Haskell

Allinson

et al. 2022

Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour.

114

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As a result, bird conservation in residential landscapes depends on the perceptions and actions of individual householders as local stakeholders (Goddard et al, 2017). Accordingly, scholars have called for efforts that better integrate social science with ecological knowledge, including people's varying responses to birds, to support bird conservation globally (Dayer et al, 2020; Robinson, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species traits explain public perceptions of human–bird interactions

Andrade

Larson

Franklin

et al. 2022

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The impacts of urbanization on bird biodiversity depend on human–environment interactions that drive land management. Although a commonly studied group, less attention has been given to public perceptions of birds close to home, which can capture people's direct, everyday experiences with urban biodiversity. Here, we used ecological and social survey data collected in the metropolitan region of Phoenix, Arizona, USA, to determine how species traits are related to people's perceptions of local bird communities. We used a trait‐based approach to classify birds by attributes that may influence human–bird interactions, including color, size, foraging strata, diet, song, and cultural niche space based on popularity and geographic specificity. Our classification scheme using hierarchical clustering identified four trait categories, labeled as Metropolitan (gray, loud, seedeaters foraging low to ground), Familiar (yellow/brown generalist species commonly present in suburban areas), Distinctive (species with distinguishing appearance and song), and Hummingbird (hummingbird species, small and colorful). Strongly held beliefs about positive or negative traits were also more consistent than ambivalent ones. The belief that birds were colorful and unique to the regional desert environment was particularly important in fortifying perceptions. People largely perceived hummingbird species and birds with distinctive traits positively. Similarly, urban‐dwelling birds from the metropolitan trait group were related to negative perceptions, probably due to human–wildlife conflict. Differences arose across sociodemographics (including income, age, education, and Hispanic/Latinx identity), but explained a relatively low amount of variation in perceptions compared with the bird traits present in the neighborhood. Our results highlight how distinctive aesthetics, especially color and song, as well as traits related to foraging and diet drive perceptions. Increasing people's direct experiences with iconic species tied to the region and species with distinguishing attributes has the potential to improve public perceptions and strengthen support for broader conservation initiatives in and beyond urban ecosystems.

show abstract

“…As Gore (2011, p. 659) explains, social scientists in conservation criminology have the expertise to ‘describe, predictand explain effects of practices intended to influence human behavior and to reduce negative effects of environmental change on humans, other species, and ecological systems’. Such collaborations are part of a broader need to mainstream conservation social science into bird conservation (Dayer, Barnes, et al, 2020; Dayer, Silva‐Rodríguez, et al, 2020). Likewise, the shorebird conservation context provides an opportunity to explore a conservation harm and crime prevention setting different than addressed in much of the conservation criminology literature, which often focuses on those with more severe punitive dimensions (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managers and shorebird biologists' perceptions of enforcement and voluntary compliance techniques to increase compliance with dog regulations on beaches

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Disturbance to shorebirds by domestic dogs can cause direct and indirect bird mortality. Dog regulations to minimize disturbance are only effective if people comply with them.2. Non-compliance is a universal problem in biodiversity conservation, with an associated body of applicable social science from the field of conservation criminology. We apply the lens of this literature to better understand non-compliance with dog regulations on beaches along the Atlantic Flyway of the U.S. and the role of law enforcement and voluntary compliance techniques (e.g. persuasive communications, behavioural alternatives) in fostering compliance.3. Through in-depth interviews with 27 land managers and shorebird biologists experienced in creating and/or implementing regulations to reduce disturbance to shorebirds, we found that non-compliance is a challenge that law enforcement alone is inadequate to address.4. Managers are working to overcome these challenges with law enforcement through training law enforcement officers, as well as voluntary compliance approaches, such as conducting on-site stewardship programs led largely by volunteers, placing educational signage at sites, and highlighting alternative areas to walk dogs.5. The early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. increased dog walking on beaches and exacerbated the issue of non-compliance and lack of enforcement, while the capacity for educational and stewardship programs was also limited.6. We conclude by recommending that managers and biologists tackle noncompliance with multiple and concurrent strategies along a spectrum from enforcement to voluntary compliance techniques, while also better studying the efficacy of these approaches. We also highlight the importance of continuing to track the ongoing challenges to compliance with biodiversity conservation regulations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

show abstract

Advancing scientific knowledge and conservation of birds through inclusion of conservation social sciences in the American Ornithological Society

Cited by 14 publications

References 22 publications

State of the World's Birds

State of the World's Birds

Species traits explain public perceptions of human–bird interactions

Managers and shorebird biologists' perceptions of enforcement and voluntary compliance techniques to increase compliance with dog regulations on beaches

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About