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Responses of New Zealand forest birds to management of introduced mammals
journal contribution
posted on 2021-08-31, 03:59 authored by N Fea, W Linklater, Stephen HartleyStephen HartleyOver the past 1000 years New Zealand has lost 40–50% of its bird species, and over half of these extinctions are attributable to predation by introduced mammals. Populations of many extant forest bird species continue to be depredated by mammals, especially rats, possums, and mustelids. The management history of New Zealand's forests over the past 50 years presents a unique opportunity because a varied program of mammalian predator control has created a replicated management experiment. We conducted a meta-analysis of population-level responses of forest birds to different levels of mammal control recorded across New Zealand. We collected data from 32 uniquely treated sites and 20 extant bird species representing a total of 247 population responses to 3 intensities of invasive mammal control (zero, low, and high). The treatments varied from eradication of invasive mammals via ground-based techniques to periodic suppression of mammals via aerially sown toxin. We modeled population-level responses of birds according to key life history attributes to determine the biological processes that influence species’ responses to management. Large endemic species, such as the Kaka (Nestor meridionalis) and New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae), responded positively at the population level to mammal control in 61 of 77 cases for species ≥20 g compared with 31 positive responses from 78 cases for species <20 g. The Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) and Grey Warbler (Gerygone igata), both shallow endemic species, and 4 nonendemic species (Blackbird [Turdus merula], Chaffinch [Fringilla coelebs], Dunnock [Prunella modularis], and Silvereye [Zosterops lateralis]) that arrived in New Zealand in the last 200 years tended to have slight negative or neutral responses to mammal control (59 of 77 cases). Our results suggest that large, deeply endemic forest birds, especially cavity nesters, are most at risk of further decline in the absence of mammal control and, conversely suggest that 6 species apparently tolerate the presence of invasive mammals and may be sensitive to competition from larger endemic birds.
History
Preferred citation
Fea, N., Linklater, W. & Hartley, S. (2021). Responses of New Zealand forest birds to management of introduced mammals. Conservation Biology, 35(1), 35-49. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13456Publisher DOI
Journal title
Conservation BiologyVolume
35Issue
1Publication date
2021-02-01Pagination
35-49Publisher
WileyPublication status
PublishedOnline publication date
2020-03-23ISSN
0888-8892eISSN
1523-1739Language
enUsage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
bird populationsbody sizecavity nestingecosystem managementendemisminvasivemammalian predatornative biodiversitypredator controlthreatened speciesBird populationsAnimalsMammalsRatsPredatory BehaviorConservation of Natural ResourcesNew ZealandForestsEnvironmental SciencesBiological SciencesAgricultural and Veterinary SciencesEcology