Key factors promoting the niche establishment of black-winged kite Elanus caeruleus in farmland ecosystems

Abstract

Human disturbance has modified the ecosystem’s structure and function, reducing the availability of wildlife habitat, while environmental change has driven the migratory behavior birds. Black-winged Kites (Elanus caeruleus, BWK) have changed their migratory behavior to become residents in Taiwan since 2001, with the expansion of their population on the island in the following years. However, there is limited knowledge about the factors that impact the dispersal population of BWK and the areas suitable for this species’ habitat in Taiwan. Here, we aimed to identify important factors promoting the niche establishment of BWK in Taiwan. Our study integrated a fuzzy expert-based approach with empirical data to assess habitat suitability in farmland ecosystems. The results show that the model has high accuracy and that distance to grasslands and landscape ecological integrity are important factors related to BWK habitat. In addition, suitable habitat for BWK accounts for 206,734.91 ha (28.19%) of farmland area, primarily in eastern and southeastern areas of the Taiwan Island. Our findings are likely applicable to support conservation policies, prioritizing resources effectively to protect BWK habitat.