Hadedas in the hood: Hadeda Ibis activity in suburban neighbourhoods of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Singh, Preshnee; Downs, Colleen T.

doi:10.1007/s11252-016-0540-6

Cited by 18 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The region generally experiences warm-to-hot summer temperatures with frequent rainfall and dry winters with high diurnal temperature variation (Nel 2009 ). The vegetation composition, topography and subtropical climate zone are the major factors that contribute to the area's suitability as a habitat for several wildlife species, particularly bird species (Singh and Downs 2016a , b ; Thabethe and Downs 2018 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The city’s zoning is a mix of old and new developments that have created a landscape mosaic of housing, industrial and business infrastructure, rural areas, and natural and managed green spaces (Singh and Downs 2016a , b ). Housing ranges from informal settlements to residential suburbs consisting of properties with no gardens nor vegetation, properties with small gardens and limited vegetation, and properties in high-income suburbs with large garden spaces and various vegetation types.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our second approach used public participation in the form of a newspaper article request for any geographic locations and/or information on Spotted Thick-knees' sightings by the public (Supplementary Material S1 ) (Singh and Downs 2016a , b ). The article was distributed to the public in the first week of June 2019 in newspapers delivered throughout Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas, often for free.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Human-wildlife interactions: presence of the ground-nesting Spotted Thick-knee across a South African mosaic urban landscape

Josiah

Downs

2022

Urban Ecosyst

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Urbanisation has increasingly encroached on numerous bird species' natural habitats, generally negatively affecting their persistence. Furthermore, increased human-wildlife interactions may benefit or be detrimental to the long term persistence of these species. The Spotted Thick-knee ( Burhinus capensis ), a ground-nesting species, persists in some mosaic urban landscapes in South Africa. We, therefore, assessed the presence of Spotted Thick-knees and their interactions with humans in the fragmented natural and human-modified landscape of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. We conducted presence-only surveys at 52 locations between July 2019 and December 2020. ‘Presence’ locations for Spotted Thick-knee were identified via active surveying and public participation. Newspaper articles were distributed in June 2019, requesting information on Spotted Thick-knee sightings. Questionnaires were also sent to respondents to collect qualitative information regarding their perceptions and observations of this species in Pietermaritzburg. We established that the presence of Spotted Thick-knee's at known locations was not random. They were present at 30 out of 52 sites for 75% of this study's duration. Fewer sites had Spotted Thick-knees present during non-breeding months than breeding months. Respondents' feedback highlighted the pressures associated with Spotted Thick-knees persistence in human-modified mosaic landscapes, particularly predation and disturbance by domestic pets. Our study highlights that some ground-nesting birds, such as Spotted Thick-knees, persist in mosaic urban landscapes, despite the anthropogenic pressures. This study highlights the need to address the paucity of studies on ground-nesting birds in mosaic urban landscapes to determine general trends. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11252-022-01254-3.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Human-wildlife interactions: presence of the ground-nesting Spotted Thick-knee across a South African mosaic urban landscape

Josiah

Downs

2022

Urban Ecosyst

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“…For example, Cattle Egrets, Bubulcus ibis, and the Blacksmith Lapwing, Vanellus armatus, both arrived in the Cape in the 1930s. Hadeda Ibis, Bostrychia hagedash, expanded into the Cape Region in the 1980s (Macdonald et al 1986), and their population has grown considerably as trees and lawns have proliferated in urbanising areas of a biome which is otherwise largely free of trees and grasses (Duckworth et al 2010(Duckworth et al , 2012Singh and Downs 2016). Urbanisation has been found to have a homogenising effect on the avian fauna of South African cities, with both native and alien birds increasing in density as a result of alien species (van Rensburg et al 2009).…”

Section: Invasive Birds In South Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrestrial Vertebrate Invasions in South Africa

Measey

Hui

Somers

2020

Biological Invasions in South Africa

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In this chapter we review the current knowledge on terrestrial vertebrate invasions in South Africa. Thirty species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians are considered to have arrived over the last 10,000 years, with two thirds having become invasive in the last 150 years. Half of the species are mammals, a third birds, with three reptiles and two amphibians. Although there are multiple pathways, there appears to be a trend from species that were deliberately introduced in the past, to accidental introductions in the last~100 years, which are a by-product of increasing trade, both internationally and within South Africa. Few invasive terrestrial vertebrate species have had their impacts formally assessed within South Africa, but international assessments suggest that many can have Moderate or Major environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Of particular concern is the growing demand for alien pets within the region, with increasing amounts of escapees being encountered in the wild. We consider the importance that the NEM: BA Alien and Invasive Species Regulations have had on the research of invasive terrestrial vertebrates in South Africa, and emphasise the importance of regulations for domestic exotics.

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“…This large-bodied (≥1.2 kg) species first appeared in the Cape Peninsula during the 1970s and is now common because irrigation in human-modified landscapes has increased soil moisture and therefore their ability to feed on subterranean invertebrates (Hockey & Midgley 2009, Duckworth et al 2010, 2012). Human structures – such as roofs, fence posts and pylons – are also the preferred perching sights for these birds (Singh & Downs 2016a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urbanization Around an Airfield Alters Bird Community Composition, but not the Hazard of Bird–Aircraft Collision

Jeffery

Buschke

2018

Envir. Conserv.

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SummaryBird strikes are a considerable hazard to the aviation industry, which has led airports to develop detailed management strategies to identify and reduce the risk of them. These strategies include plans to modify bird habitats in and around airports to limit the establishment of high-risk species. Although airports are generally located on the outskirts of towns and cities, they may be encroached on by urban sprawl. In this study, we examined how an urbanization gradient affects the bird community around an air force base in Cape Town (South Africa) and quantified how this could modify the hazard of bird–aircraft collision. We surveyed the bird community in and around the Air Force Base Ysterplaat across four seasons and categorized species based on their response to increased urbanization (urban avoiders, adapters and exploiters). By combining this with species-specific information on body size, flock size, flight behaviour and abundance, we showed that although urbanization affects bird composition, the overall hazard of bird–aircraft collision is consistent regardless of urban response. However, urbanization complicates mitigation in the matrix surrounding the airport and creates novel challenges for the management of bird hazards. Therefore, new bird hazard management strategies should be integrated within community-driven land-use planning to minimize the negative effects of bird–aircraft collisions.

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Hadedas in the hood: Hadeda Ibis activity in suburban neighbourhoods of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Cited by 18 publications

References 36 publications

Human-wildlife interactions: presence of the ground-nesting Spotted Thick-knee across a South African mosaic urban landscape

Human-wildlife interactions: presence of the ground-nesting Spotted Thick-knee across a South African mosaic urban landscape

Terrestrial Vertebrate Invasions in South Africa

Urbanization Around an Airfield Alters Bird Community Composition, but not the Hazard of Bird–Aircraft Collision

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