Abstract
The Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is an invasive bird introduced in Argentina in the 1980’s that shares flocks with both native and exotic birds. Analyzing interspecific relationships and habitat use of introduced species is crucial to understand the invasion process and to alert for negative impacts on biodiversity. We conducted bird counts from April 2015 to March 2016 in a town from east-central Argentina to assess relationships between starling abundance, bird community attributes, and a group of birds as potential competitors for food. We analyzed the relationship between lawn cover and starling abundance. The starling was strongly positively associated with total bird abundance, and negatively with total bird richness and diversity, whereas the abundance and richness of the group of potential competitors showed a weak negative association with starling abundance. We found positive relationships with the abundance of native birds (Rufous-bellied Thrush Turdus rufiventris, Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis, Bay-winged Cowbird Agelaioides badius and Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata), as well as negative relationships with (Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) and Picui Ground-dove Columbina picui) and exotic birds (Rock Dove Columbia livia and House Sparrow Passer domesticus). Moreover, starlings were positively related to lawn cover. Negative associations with local species could be the result of either competition for resources or differences in habitat use, whereas positive associations could represent advantages related to food accessibility and reduction in predation risk, or similarities in habitat use in Argentina. Our results represent a first step to understand the ecology of this invasive species, as well as to identify native species under potential ecological threat.
Zusammenfassung
Der Star als eingewanderter Vogel in einer städtischen Kulturlandschaft: Lebensraumnutzung und Beziehungen zu anderen Vogelarten. Der Star (Sturnus vulgaris), ein invasiver Vogel, wurde in den 1980er Jahren in Argentinien eingeschleppt und lebt dort in Schwärmen zusammen mit einheimischen und exotischen Vögeln. Eine Analyse der zwischenartlichen Beziehungen und der Lebensraumnutzung eingeführter Arten ist von entscheidender Bedeutung, um Invasionsprozesse zu verstehen und in der Lage zu sein, negative Auswirkungen auf die biologische Vielfalt feststellen zu können. Wir führten von April 2015 bis März 2016 in einer Stadt im Osten Zentralargentiniens Vogelzählungen durch, um Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Vorkommen der Stare, den Eigenheiten der Vogelgemeinschaft und einer Gruppe von Vögeln als potenzielle Nahrungskonkurrenten einzuschätzen, und wir analysierten den Zusammenhang zwischen der Grasbedeckung und dem Vorkommen der Stare. Es gab einen starken positiven Zusammenhang zwischen den Staren und dem Vorkommen von Vögeln insgesamt und einen negativen Zusammenhang mit der Artenvielfalt, wobei das Vorkommen und die Größe der Gruppe potenzieller Konkurrenten einen schwachen negativen Zusammenhang mit dem Auftreten der Stare zeigte. Wir fanden einen positiven Zusammenhang mit der Häufigkeit einheimischer Vögel (Rotbauchdrossel Turdus rufiventris, Seidenkuhstärling Molothrus bonariensis, Graustärling Agelaioides badius und Ohrflecktaube Zenaida auriculata), sowie einen negativen Zusammenhang mit dem Mönchssittich (Myiopsitta monachus), dem Piciuttäubchen (Columbina picui) und exotischen Vögeln (Felsentaube Columba livia, Haussperling Passer domesticus). Es gab außerdem einen starken positiven Zusammenhang zwischen dem Auftreten der Stare und der Grasdecke. Ein negativer Zusammenhang mit einheimischen Arten könnte entweder das Ergebnis von Konkurrenz um Ressourcen oder von Unterschieden in der Habitatnutzung sein, während ein positiver Zusammenhang Vorteile beim Zugang zu Nahrung und bei der Verringerung des Raubtierrisikos oder auch eine ähnliche Habitatnutzung in Argentinien bedeuten könnte. Unsere Ergebnisse sind ein erster Schritt zum Verständnis der Ökologie dieser invasiven Art und um zu erkennen, welche einheimische Art potenziell ökologisch bedroht sein könnte.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Juan Manuel Girini for his help in the use of the Qgis software. Financial support was provided by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET PIP 112 201301 00138 CO (2014–2016), 2014 and by Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Proyecto acreditado de Incentivos UNLP (11/N708), 2014).
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Ibañez, L., Palacio, F.X., Maragliano, R.E. et al. The presence of an invasive bird, the Common Starling, in an urban landscape: habitat use and relationships with other bird species. J Ornithol 164, 537–546 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-023-02047-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-023-02047-x