title: Winter Bird Assemblages in Rural and Urban Environments: A National Survey.
abstract: Urban development has a marked effect on the ecological and behavioural traits of many living organisms, including birds. In this paper, we analysed differences in the numbers of wintering birds between rural and urban areas in Poland. We also analysed species richness and abundance in relation to longitude, latitude, human population size, and landscape structure. All these parameters were analysed using modern statistical techniques incorporating species detectability. We counted birds in 156 squares (0.25 km2 each) in December 2012 and again in January 2013 in locations in and around 26 urban areas across Poland (in each urban area we surveyed 3 squares and 3 squares in nearby rural areas). The influence of twelve potential environmental variables on species abundance and richness was assessed with Generalized Linear Mixed Models, Principal Components and Detrended Correspondence Analyses. Totals of 72 bird species and 89,710 individual birds were recorded in this study. On average (± SE) 13.3 ± 0.3 species and 288 ± 14 individuals were recorded in each square in each survey. A formal comparison of rural and urban areas revealed that 27 species had a significant preference; 17 to rural areas and 10 to urban areas. Moreover, overall abundance in urban areas was more than double that of rural areas. There was almost a complete separation of rural and urban bird communities. Significantly more birds and more bird species were recorded in January compared to December. We conclude that differences between rural and urban areas in terms of winter conditions and the availability of resources are reflected in different bird communities in the two environments.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tryjanowski
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Tim H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Sparks
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Invertebrate Ecology, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Kraśnicka 102, 20-718, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Biaduń
authors.affiliation: Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toruń, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brauze
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Pomeranian University, Arciszewskiego 22b, 76-200, Słupsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hetmański
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martyka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skórka
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Landscaping, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Ks. A. Kordeckiego 20, 85-225, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Indykiewicz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Myczko
authors.affiliation: Przemysl Ornithological Society, Węgierska 6, 37-700, Przemyśl, Poland.
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kunysz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kawa
authors.affiliation: Upper Silesian Ornithological Society, pl. Jana III Sobieskiego 2, 41-902, Bytom, Poland.
authors.forename: Stanisław
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Czyż
authors.affiliation: Institute for Tourism and Recreation, State Higher Vocational School in Sulechów, Armii Krajowej Str. 51, 66-100, Sulechów, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Czechowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Protection and Management, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45a, 15-351, Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polakowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Avian Biology & Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zduniak
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana St. 1, 65-516, Zielona Góra, Poland.
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jerzak
authors.affiliation: Department of Teacher Training and Biodiversity Studies, University of Łódz, Banacha 1/3, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Janiszewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce, Prusa 12, 08-110, Siedlce, Poland.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goławski
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lower-Silesian Field Station, Podwale 75, 50-449, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duduś
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology & Environmental Protection, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727, Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nowakowski
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lower-Silesian Field Station, Podwale 75, 50-449, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wuczyński
authors.affiliation: Department of Vertebrate Anatomy and Zoology, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-412 Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wysocki
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology; D002947:Cities; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D011044:Poland; D011156:Population Density; D012621:Seasons