Food source characteristics and diversity of birds based on feeding behavior in residential areas of Beijing

doi:10.17520/biods.2022473

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims: Urban areas can provide important habitats for birds. Residential green spaces can play an important role in urban green spaces and may provide valuable resources for urban birds. Food diversity and quantity can be one of the factors that could be limiting bird survival. Therefore, by considering the food preferences of birds, this study aims to determine the relationship between birds and their food sources in Beijing residential areas. Furthermore, this study seeks to determine what factors may influence bird feeding behavior in residential areas.
Methods: Forty residential areas were selected as survey plots and surveyed monthly from June 2020 to May 2021. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was used for evaluating bird diversity, and the distribution was defined as the numbers of residential areas where birds fed. A generalized linear model was used to evaluate the influencing factors of bird feeding in residential areas, and linear regression was performed on the diversity index, abundance and the distribution of bird feeding sources.
Results: (1) The feeding behavior of 2,242 birds (35 species, 14 families) were recorded. We observed that bird richness was at its highest in spring, followed by autumn, winter and summer, then abundance was at its highest in spring, followed by winter, autumn and summer, and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index was at its highest in autumn, followed by spring, winter, summer. (2) A decrease in food sources was observed in the following: insects (33.87%), samara (18.33%), berries (9.77%), cones (8.16%) and grass seeds (5.17%). (3) The direct utilization of plants by birds was 60.4%, while the indirect utilization was 39.6%. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index of food source plants decreased in autumn (3.1612), winter (2.9651), spring (2.9203) and summer (2.1763). (4) The species of food source was the most critical environmental factor that determined birds feeding behavior in residential areas. Birds with more abundant food sources had larger populations and wider distribution ranges.
Conclusion: Plant species in residential areas can be highly diverse and can offer a wide range of food sources for multiple species of birds throughout their entire phenology between the early spring and autumn. It is necessary to plant more native tree species and fruiting plants, reduce hedgerows, and advocate near-natural management measures with low disturbance.

Key words: bird diet, residential area, food source, food source plant, bird diversity, Beijing

Luqin Yin, Cheng Wang, Wenjing Han. Food source characteristics and diversity of birds based on feeding behavior in residential areas of Beijing[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2023, 31(5): 22473.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2022473

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2023/V31/I5/22473

Figures/Tables 10

Fig. 1 Distribution of study sites

Fig. 2 Relationship between birds and food sources in residential areas of Beijing. The number indicates the feeding frequency.

Fig. 3 Relationship between birds and food sources in residential areas of Beijing in different seasons. The number indicates the feeding frequency.

Fig. 4 Feeding frequency of different food types in different seasons

Table 1 Bray-Curtis similarity coefficients of food source plants or birds during different seasons in residential areas of Beijing

季节 Season	食源植物 Food source plant			鸟类 Bird
季节 Season	夏季 Summer	秋季 Autumn	冬季 Winter	夏季 Summer	秋季 Autumn	冬季 Winter
春季 Spring	0.0738	0.4725	0.4655	0.1389	0.5756	0.4789
夏季 Summer		0.1524	0.1115		0.2641	0.2027
秋季 Autumn			0.4291			0.4789

Fig. 5 Plant utilization of different life forms by birds in different seasons. The numerical scale in the figure indicates the feeding frequency.

Table 2 Model selection relating bird diversity based on feeding behavior and environmental factors

响应变量 Response variables	模型 Model	自由度 df	ΔAICc	权重 Weight	R²
物种丰富度 Species richness	CFST + SFST	3	0	0.1518	0.5729
	CFST + SFST + PAR	4	0.0188	0.1504	0.5936
	CFST + SFST + CY	4	1.2920	0.0796	0.5786
	CFST + SFST + AREA	4	1.3209	0.0784	0.5692
物种密度 Species density	CFST	3	0	0.1447	0.2352
	CFST + SFST	4	0.5466	0.1101	0.2516
	CFST + SFST + AREA	5	1.7703	0.0597	0.2572
Shannon-Wiener多样性指数 Shannon-Wiener diversity index	CFST + SFST	4	0	0.1129	0.2516
	CFST + SFST + CY	5	0.9647	0.0697	0.2516
	SFST	3	1.1036	0.0650	0.0358
	CFST + SFST + PAR	5	1.2596	0.0601	0.2431
	CFST + SFST + CY	5	1.9831	0.0419	0.2431
	CFST + SFST + BD	6	1.9843	0.0419	0.2253

Table 3 Parameter estimation of the average model relating bird diversity based on feeding behavior to environmental factors

响应变量 Response variables	环境因子 Environmental factors	参数估计 Estimate	标准误 SE	P
物种丰富度 Species richness	CFST	0.3885	0.1141	< 0.001***
	SFST	0.5979	0.1749	< 0.001***
	PAR	-0.0918	0.1684	0.5909
	CY	0.0227	0.0707	0.7528
	AREA	0.0248	0.0776	0.7538
物种密度 Species density	CFST	8.9247	2.5447	< 0.001***
	SFST	2.1968	2.9115	0.4577
	AREA	-0.6399	1.8525	0.7342
Shannon-Wiener多样性指数 Shannon-Wiener diversity index	CFST	0.2340	0.1696	0.1768
	SFST	0.5013	0.1594	0.0023**
	CY	0.0322	0.0928	0.7326
	PAR	-0.0665	0.1527	0.6672
	AREA	0.0138	0.0681	0.8434
	BD	0.0282	0.1034	0.7877

Fig. 6 Ranking map of bird species based on feeding behavior in residential areas of Beijing. Number indicates top 10 feeding sites, and ovals indicate 95% confidence intervals. 1, Acer truncatum; 2, Styphnolobium japonicum; 3, Lawn; 4, Ulmus pumila; 5, Salix matsudana ?Pendula?; 6, Fraxinus chinensis; 7, Bare land; 8, Platycladus orientalis; 9, Malus spectabilis var. riversii; 10, Koelreuteria paniculata.

Fig. 7 Relationship between bird abundance (A), number of residential areas (B) and Shannon-Wiener diversity index of food source in residential areas of Beijing. Gray areas indicate confidence intervals for the fitted lines.

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