Edge effect of busy high traffic roads on the nest site selection of birds inside the city area: Guild response

Abstract

The rapid development of road infrastructure is inevitable with increasing world human population and rise in the number of vehicles on the roads is going to be an increasing threat to native habitat of many wildlife populations around the world. The present work examines the edge effect of high traffic roads on nest site selection of birds in Udaipur city, Rajasthan (India). A total of 112 nesting site of 14 bird species (among six guilds), was recorded during the study. All six guilds (i.e., carnivore, omnivore, granivore, nectivore, frugivore and insectivore) were sharing similar kind of habitat with fine scale differences (P<0.0001). The PCA revealed that trees with suitable GBH, canopy and height were supporting birds’ nesting diversity, but the buildings were supporting the highest number of nesting. Different guilds showed different preference to different variables. Spatial heterogeneity, less predation, optimal feeding ground and higher number of advertising and display boards of shops at roadside buildings might be crucial factors for birds’ nesting in this highly disturbed area.