Factors affecting the behavioural responses of whooper swans (Cygnus c. cygnus) to various human activities

Rees, Eileen C.; Bruce, Jennifer H.; White, George.T.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2004.05.009

Cited by 59 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The effect of the frequency of disturbance on the proportion of escape responses may be explained by the birds getting accustomed to human activity (e.g. Rees et al 2005), or by other processes such as the re-location of birds in safe places after being disturbed once, the lack of alternative places to stay safe when human presence is high or the energetic cost accumulated on days with many disturbances. The same explanation is proposed for the longer duration of running on working days compared to weekends/public holidays.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Disturbances to great bustards (Otis tarda) in central Spain: human activities, bird responses and management implications

et al. 2009

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We investigated the effects of human activities on the behaviour of great bustards (Otis tarda) in a Special Protection Area in central Spain. We recorded 532 disturbances, at a rate of 0.93 disturbances per hour, a high value compared to other studies. Escape (flight/running) was observed more often than alert. Flight was more frequent than running. Car traffic and walkers were the main sources of disturbance. Motorcyclists, dogs, helicopters and aeroplanes were also harmful in relation to their abundance and time of permanence. Farming and shepherding produced few disturbances and usually did not cause a flight response. These activities are thus considered compatible with the conservation of the great bustards. Hunting caused an increase in the frequency of disturbance on weekends and holidays with respect to working days. We propose access restrictions to car traffic and helicopters/ airplanes and hunting limitations in those areas more frequently used by the species.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Disturbances to great bustards (Otis tarda) in central Spain: human activities, bird responses and management implications

et al. 2009

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…, Rees et al . , Møller ). However, such responses may tell little about the impact of the disturbance (Gill et al .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Human disturbance of Bewick's Swans is reflected in giving‐up net energy intake rate, but not in giving‐up food density

Gyimesi

Franken

Feige

et al. 2012

Ibis

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Measuring the food left in experimental trays when study organisms cease feeding on them [so-called giving-up densities (GUDs)] is an accepted technique for assessing predation risk and disturbance. However, in natural settings, accessibility and energetic harvest costs may vary spatially, and GUDs may be confounded. In this study, we assessed whether at a heterogeneous site, non-experimental GUDs could reveal the effect of disturbance. We measured initial and GUDs of tubers of Fennel Pondweed Potamogeton pectinatus, which form here the exclusive food source of Bewick's Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii during their migratory stopover. We calculated giving-up net energy intake rates (GUNs) by correcting for biomass accessibility and foraging costs. The study area was a shallow lake consisting of nine creeks, three of which were open to the public (i.e. disturbed). GUDs in creeks open or closed to the public were not significantly different. In contrast, GUNs were generally higher in creeks open to the public, after correcting for initial net energy intake rate. The results suggest that natural GUDs may not reflect the effects of disturbance in heterogeneous habitats. When environmental differences are large within a site, GUNs may be a useful alternative as a behavioural indicator.

show abstract

“…We also recorded the management practice exerted on each pond during the previous summer (PRACTICE, categorized as either flooded, n=53 or dried, n=41). As human disturbance may affect swans (Rees et al 2005), we also recorded the presence of adjacent main roads (if less than 30 m from fishpond bank) as a potential disturbance factor (ROAD, categorized as a binary variable). A second set of variables aimed at describing the proximate (i.e.…”

Section: Fishpond and Landscape Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding mute swan habitat selection when accounting for detectability: a plastic behaviour consistent with rapidly expanding populations

et al. 2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

International audienceA number of native and exotic animal species show dramatic population increases in terms of both numbers and geographic range. Understanding the habitat selection processes behind such increases is crucial to implement adequate management measures. Mute swan (Cygnus olor) populations have experienced a tremendous demographic and geographic expansion in Western Europe during the twentieth century, colonizing a wide variety of aquatic habitats. We aimed at assessing how swans select nesting sites during the pre-laying and laying periods on medium to large fishponds (from 10 to 50 ha) in Eastern France, while accounting for detectability biases and testing for the effects of fishpond spatial configuration, vegetation resources, human disturbance and habitat management. Our results demonstrate that the mute swan is a non-selective species regarding its nesting habitat among such fishponds, using these independently from the parameters considered although fishpond characteristics varied. Although mute swan is one of the least cryptic Anatidae, owing to its white colour and large size, detection of breeding pairs remained imperfect for each over several sampling occasions. However, because we repeated the sampling sessions, detection of swan pairs by the end of the monitoring period was as high as 0.94. These results are consistent with previous assertions that the mute swan is a species of high ecological plasticity, which may partly explain its recent colonization rates. Given that even swan breeding events were imperfectly detected on each occasion, we highlight Communicated by H. Kierdor

show abstract

Factors affecting the behavioural responses of whooper swans (Cygnus c. cygnus) to various human activities

Cited by 59 publications

References 21 publications

Disturbances to great bustards (Otis tarda) in central Spain: human activities, bird responses and management implications

Disturbances to great bustards (Otis tarda) in central Spain: human activities, bird responses and management implications

Human disturbance of Bewick's Swans is reflected in giving‐up net energy intake rate, but not in giving‐up food density

Breeding mute swan habitat selection when accounting for detectability: a plastic behaviour consistent with rapidly expanding populations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About