Are disturbance separation distances derived from single species applicable to mixed-species shorebird flocks?
Grant D. Linley
A , Patrick-Jean Guay B and Michael A. Weston B C
A Ecological Insights, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
B Deakin University, Geelong, Australia. Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Melbourne Campus.
C Corresponding author. Email: mweston@deakin.edu.au
Wildlife Research 46(8) 719-723 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR18198
Submitted: 17 December 2018 Accepted: 17 August 2019 Published: 9 December 2019
Abstract
Context: Human disturbance threatens many bird species worldwide. Flight-initiation distances (FIDs) offer a scientific basis for separation distances between fauna and agents of disturbance, such as people. However, most available FIDs are from single-species groups. Multi-species flocks have received scant attention with regard to their FIDs; yet, they are extremely common in nature.
Aim: To examine suitable separation distances for mixed-species shorebird flocks by comparing single-species FIDs with those of the same species in mixed-species flocks.
Method: We examined FIDs in mixed- and single-species flocks of four shorebirds (double-banded plover, Charadrius bicinctus, red-capped plover, Charadrius ruficapillus, red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis, and curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea). FIDs were collected in comparable habitat and sites with similar (i.e. highly restricted) regimes of human occurrence.
Results: FIDs of single-species flocks of these species differed in their FID to an approaching walker. Different species permutations in mixed-species flocks resulted in different FIDs. FIDs of mixed-species flocks were lower than or the same as the FIDs of single-species groups of constituent species.
Conclusions and implications: In our study system, separation distances (e.g. buffers; zones that exclude humans to reduce shorebird disturbance) based on FIDs of single species also would be efficacious for mixed-species flocks containing those species.
Additional keywords: escape, flight-initiation distance, plover, sandpiper, sentinel, stint.
References
Bernard, G. E., van Dongen, W. F., Guay, P. J., Symonds, M. R., Robinson, R. W., and Weston, M. A. (2018). Bicycles evoke longer flight-initiation distances and higher intensity escape behaviour of some birds in parks compared with pedestrians. Landscape and Urban Planning 178, 276–280.| Bicycles evoke longer flight-initiation distances and higher intensity escape behaviour of some birds in parks compared with pedestrians.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Blumstein, D. T. (2003). Flight-initiation distance in birds is dependent on intruder starting distance. The Journal of Wildlife Management 67, 852–857.
| Flight-initiation distance in birds is dependent on intruder starting distance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Blumstein, D. T. (2016). Habituation and sensitization: new thoughts about old ideas. Animal Behaviour 120, 255–262.
| Habituation and sensitization: new thoughts about old ideas.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Blumstein, D. T., Anthony, L. L., Harcourt, R., and Ross, G. (2003). Testing a key assumption of wildlife buffer zones: is flight initiation distance a species-specific trait? Biological Conservation 110, 97–100.
| Testing a key assumption of wildlife buffer zones: is flight initiation distance a species-specific trait?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cooper, W., and Blumstein, D. T. (Eds) (2015). ‘Escaping from Predators: An Integrative View of Escape Decisions.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK.)
Deboelpaep, E., Keleman, P. J., Vanschoenwinkel, B., and Koedam, N. (2018). Gallant geese, fearful flocks? Flock size and heterospecifics alter the escape behaviour of an invasive goose. Belgian Journal of Zoology 148, 135–147.
| Gallant geese, fearful flocks? Flock size and heterospecifics alter the escape behaviour of an invasive goose.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gaynor, K. M., Hojnowski, C. E., Carter, N. H., and Brashares, J. S. (2018). The influence of human disturbance on wildlife nocturnality. Science 360, 1232–1235.
| The influence of human disturbance on wildlife nocturnality.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29903973PubMed |
Glover, H. K., Weston, M. A., Maguire, G. S., Miller, K. K., and Christie, B. A. (2011). Towards ecologically meaningful and socially acceptable buffers: response distances of shorebirds in Victoria, Australia, to human disturbance. Landscape and Urban Planning 103, 326–334.
| Towards ecologically meaningful and socially acceptable buffers: response distances of shorebirds in Victoria, Australia, to human disturbance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Guay, P. J., van Dongen, W. F., Robinson, R. W., Blumstein, D. T., and Weston, M. A. (2016). AvianBuffer: an interactive tool for characterising and managing wildlife fear responses. Ambio 45, 841–851.
| 27055852PubMed |
Gutiérrez, J. S., and Soriano-Redondo, A. (2018). Wilson’s phalaropes can double their feeding rate by associating with Chilean flamingos. Ardea 106, 131–138.
| Wilson’s phalaropes can double their feeding rate by associating with Chilean flamingos.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jabłoński, P. G., Lee, S., and Ellwood, E. (2018). Vigilance responding to number of conspecifics among mixed groups of cranes in demilitarized zone. Animal Cells and Systems 22, 118–123.
| Vigilance responding to number of conspecifics among mixed groups of cranes in demilitarized zone.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 30460088PubMed |
Jiang, Y., and Møller, A. P. (2017). Antipredator escape distances of common and threatened birds. Behavioral Ecology 28, 1498–1503.
| Antipredator escape distances of common and threatened birds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lethlean, H., van Dongen, W. F., Kostoglou, K., Guay, P. J., and Weston, M. A. (2017). Joggers cause greater avian disturbance than walkers. Landscape and Urban Planning 159, 42–47.
| Joggers cause greater avian disturbance than walkers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lilleyman, A., Franklin, D. C., Szabo, J. K., and Lawes, M. J. (2016). Behavioural responses of migratory shorebirds at a high tide roost. Emu 116, 111–118.
| Behavioural responses of migratory shorebirds at a high tide roost.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mangini, G. G., and Areta, J. I. (2018). Bird mixed‐species flock formation is driven by low temperatures between and within seasons in a subtropical Andean‐foothill forest. Biotropica 50, 816–825.
| Bird mixed‐species flock formation is driven by low temperatures between and within seasons in a subtropical Andean‐foothill forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Martínez, A. E., Parra, E., Collado, L. F., and Vredenburg, V. T. (2017). Deconstructing the landscape of fear in stable multi‐species societies. Ecology 98, 2447–2455.
| Deconstructing the landscape of fear in stable multi‐species societies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28632944PubMed |
Martínez, A. E., Parra, E., Muellerklein, O., and Vredenburg, V. T. (2018). Fear‐based niche shifts in neotropical birds. Ecology 99, 1338–1346.
| Fear‐based niche shifts in neotropical birds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29787637PubMed |
Milton, D. (2003). Threatened shorebird species of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway: significance for Australian wader study groups. Bulletin - Wader Study Group 100, 105–110.
Møller, A. P., Vágási, C. I., and Pap, P. L. (2013). Risk‐taking and the evolution of mechanisms for rapid escape from predators. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 26, 1143–1150.
| Risk‐taking and the evolution of mechanisms for rapid escape from predators.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23617805PubMed |
Novcic, I. (2018). Aggression in flocks of foraging shorebirds during spring stopover at Delaware Bay, USA. Waterbirds 41, 73–79.
| Aggression in flocks of foraging shorebirds during spring stopover at Delaware Bay, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Weston, M. A., McLeod, E. M., Blumstein, D. T., and Guay, P.-J. (2012). A review of flight initiation distances and their application to managing disturbance to Australian birds. Emu 112, 269–286.
| A review of flight initiation distances and their application to managing disturbance to Australian birds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Weston, M. A., Ju, Y.-K., Guay, P. J., and Naismith, C. (2018). A test of the “Leave Early and Avoid Detection” (LEAD) hypothesis for passive nest defenders. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130, 1011–1013.
| A test of the “Leave Early and Avoid Detection” (LEAD) hypothesis for passive nest defenders.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ye, Y., Jiang, Y., Hu, C., Liu, Y., Qing, B., Wang, C., Fernández-Juricic, E., and Ding, C. (2017). What makes a tactile forager join mixed-species flocks? A case study with the endangered crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon). The Auk 134, 421–431.
| What makes a tactile forager join mixed-species flocks? A case study with the endangered crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zou, F., Jones, H., Jiang, D., Lee, T. M., Martínez, A., Sieving, K., Zhang, M., Zhang, Q., and Goodale, E. (2018). The conservation implications of mixed-species flocking in terrestrial birds, a globally-distributed species interaction network. Biological Conservation 224, 267–276.
| The conservation implications of mixed-species flocking in terrestrial birds, a globally-distributed species interaction network.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
