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Differential response of migratory guilds of birds to park area and urbanization

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Abstract

Variation in species richness and density of native birds in urban parks and greenspaces (“parks”) is often substantial. Understanding why differences exist, and whether all migratory guilds are equally affected, is poorly known. We surveyed breeding bird communities in 48 undeveloped forested parks in Portland, Oregon, USA, to determine the contributions of park area, shape, connectivity, landscape composition surrounding parks, and differences in structure/composition of local habitat to variation in richness and density of residents, long-distance migrants, and short-distance/partial migrants. Migratory guilds responded differently to environmental factors. Richness and density of long-distance migrants increased with park area and abundance of small (< 10 cm DBH), mostly native, tree species. Resident richness also increased with the abundance of small trees. However, resident and short-distance/partial migrant richness was independent of park area, and resident density declined with increasing area. Park shape, connectivity, and landscape composition did not influence richness or density of any migratory guilds, possibly because of relatively high tree cover in Portland’s landscape. Separate analyses of forest-dependent species of all migratory guilds revealed that area was the primary contributor to variation in density of residents and long-distance migrants, structural habitat features contributed to variation in density of residents but not long-distance migrants, and that density of long-distance migrants declined with elongated park shape. Few forest-dependent species existed in parks below 10 ha, and their minimum area requirements for maintaining populations were estimated to be 30 to 40 ha. Without such parks most long-distance migrants would likely disappear from Portland’s landscape.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Jennifer Budhabhatti, Lori Hennings and J.O. Price at Metro Regional Services for providing advice and access to GIS data. The input of two anonymous reviewers also helped clarify our thoughts and improved our manuscript.

Funding

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grants to MTM (1448-13420-01-J145) and by the American Society of Mammalogists Grant-in-Aid of Research to NIL.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Portland State University, PO Box 751, 97207, Portland, OR, USA

    Michael T. Murphy, David C. Bailey, Nathanael I. Lichti & Laura A. Roberts

  2. 4th Avenue, Apt. 1, 97138, Seaside, OR, USA

    David C. Bailey

  3. Department of Statistics, Purdue University, 250 N. University Street, 47907, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Nathanael I. Lichti

  4. Bonneville Power Administration, EPT-4, 3621, 97208-3621, Portland, OR, USA

    Laura A. Roberts

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Correspondence to Michael T. Murphy.

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No animals were handled and therefore not required.

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Full consent to conduct research in parks within the Portland Metropolitan area were given by Metro Regional Services, City of Portland, Oregon State Parks, Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, City of Lake Oswego, City of West Linn, Riverview Cemetery Association, Lake Oswego High School, Clackamas County, City of Durham, City of Troutdale, City of Gresham, Mt. Scott Church of God, Lake Oswego United Church, and Three Rivers Land Conservancy.

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Murphy, M.T., Bailey, D.C., Lichti, N.I. et al. Differential response of migratory guilds of birds to park area and urbanization. Urban Ecosyst 26, 101–116 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-022-01285-w

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