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Factors determining the occupancy of Trumpeter Hornbills in urban-forest mosaics of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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Abstract

Understanding the factors determining the occupancy and detection probability of birds in human dominated environments is important for their conservation. In this study we investigated various environmental variables believed to influence the site occupancy and detection probability of Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) in urban-forest mosaics of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Presence/absence data were collected from a total of 50 point count stations established between September 2014 and March 2015 in urban-forest mosaics of Durban, Eshowe and Mtunzini. Mean occupancy rate of Trumpeter Hornbill was 0.40 ± 0.09 with a low detection probability of 0.28 ± 0.04. For Trumpeter Hornbills, large trees influenced their occupancy positively (sum AIC weight (ω i ) = 79%) while relative human abundance negatively influenced their occupancy (ω i = 91%). Model selection suggested that housing density had a strong negative influence on detection probability of Trumpeter Hornbills (ω i  = 82 % ) and availability of fruiting trees influenced their detection positively (ω i  = 29%). With continued changing land use in KwaZulu-Natal, these finding are important for conservation of Trumpeter Hornbills as we provide insight into landscape variables or features that influence Trumpeter Hornbill’s occupancy and detection in areas of urban-forest mosaics.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Research Foundation (ZA), University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) and the Copperbelt University (Zambia) for the financial assistance provided to the first author. We thank EKZN Wildlife for granting us permission to conduct research in their nature reserves. We thank all nature conservancies in KZN for assisting with information on Trumpeter Hornbill sightings. Last but not the least, thanks to all graduate and post-graduate students that assisted with data collection with regards to point count station establishment and recording data on large trees, fruiting trees and relative human abundance.

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  1. School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa

    Moses Chibesa & Colleen T. Downs

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  1. Moses Chibesa
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  2. Colleen T. Downs
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Correspondence to Colleen T. Downs.

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Chibesa, M., Downs, C.T. Factors determining the occupancy of Trumpeter Hornbills in urban-forest mosaics of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Urban Ecosyst 20, 1027–1034 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-017-0656-3

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