Human Recreational Activity Does Not Influence Open Cup Avian Nest Survival in Urban Greenspaces

Abstract

The breeding period of birds is a critical and sensitive period. Understanding how human use of urban greenspaces affects nest survival can improve our understanding of conserving breeding bird populations in cities and support science-based management of urban greenspaces that benefit both people and nature. We conducted a nest survival field study between April and August of 2023 in multiple greenspaces in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the country’s second-largest city. We asked whether human presence (distance to trails and amount of human activity) influences the nest survival of four common open-cup nesting bird species. We also asked if variables traditionally associated with nest survival, vegetation concealment and seasonality, would influence nest survival. Our analyses surprisingly revealed no significant influence of human activity, vegetation concealment, and seasonality on nest survival for our target species. We found for nests that did fail, nests established during the earlier part of the nesting period failed faster. Within the limitations of our study system, our findings suggest that human presence is not negatively impacting the nesting success for our target bird species using urban greenspaces. Our study provides integrated science advice to land managers so they can support opportunities for people to connect with nature without causing trade-offs with biodiversity conservation.