Living on the edge: nature preserves as an oasis for birds, bats, and other mammals in the urban desert and concrete jungle

Abstract

Increasing urbanization threatens a variety of vital vertebrate habitats, including those of birds, and both terrestrial and aerial mammals. Nature preserves near urban centers at the rural/urban interface may harbor natural areas which can help to offset loss of habitat as cities expand. Therefore, techniques which allow managers to conduct short term surveys for vertebrates are needed. I conducted non-invasive, passive camera trapping and acoustic surveys in the vicinity of the urban area of Charlotte, North Carolina across 8 sites within Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, and Union counties during summer to fall 2023 to collect data on avian and mammalian communities. Five species of bats were documented, alongside 39 birds, and 11 terrestrial mammals. Bat activity decreased consistently along the sample period whereas terrestrial mammals were consistently sampled during the same time frame, with early summer providing effective data on avian presence. Automated identification software followed by manually vetting for bats and birds was effective in documenting diversity alongside camera trapping. The results presented here provide baseline data for future monitoring to inform urban planning management strategies and future studies on the potential presence of avian and mammalian presence in nature preserves.