Species Richness and Species of Conservation Concern in Parks of Italian Towns

Abstract

The richness of all bird species and conservation concern species were investigated in 40 parks and their surrounding built-up areas of 27 Italian towns. Data were obtained from published urban atlases of breeding birds (25 parks) and additional personal communication of Italian ornithologists (15 parks). We define species of conservation concern as those included in the Annex I of EC Directive 09/147/CE and/or in the categories 1–3 of the Species of European Conservation Concern (SPEC). Total species richness and species of conservation concern were compared between the parks and the surrounding built-up areas (500 m around the parks). The role of park features such as size and distance from the centre was investigated for these two parameters. The analysis was repeated for single bird species of conservation concern and for a selection of functional groups of these species. According to homogenising theories of urban areas, no significant differences were observed between parks and surrounding built-up areas for the investigated parameters of breeding bird community and for the frequency of single species. Woodland bird species and woodpeckers of conservation concern were the only groups more diffuse in parks. Conversely, the frequency of building-nesting and aerial feeders was higher in built areas. Variables related to town size and distance from the centre appeared to produce higher effects than park size on species frequencies in parks.