The influence of road traffic on birds during autumn period: Implications for planning and management of road network

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess disturbance to birds at stopover sites in the vicinity of roads. We attempted to determine the influence of a busy road on birds during the autumn migration period. To our knowledge this is the first study in Europe carried out during this part of a bird's annual cycle in the context of road noise impact. Individuals were counted using the point method at 36 observation points located at three distances (60m, 310m, 560m) from the road. At each point we determined the habitat parameters and the intensity of noise. In total, 648 individuals from 25 species were recorded on the study plot. The number of birds per point was higher on the second line of points but lower on the last line from the road. Species diversity was lower near the road. The density of the following common species increased with distance from the road: Eurasian jay, great spotted woodpecker, siskin, mistle thrush and nuthatch. Only great tits preferred the proximity of the road. The number and species diversity of birds were correlated with road noise propagation across our study area. Noise levels below 49dB did not significantly influence the number of birds or species richness. Our results showed that species foraging on invertebrates preferred the neighbourhood of the road. These data may be helpful in planning and managing road environments in the context of bird conservation and protection against road noise.