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Effects of a non-lethal chemical repellent on airport bird communities

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dc.contributor.authorUrchek, Kathleen, author
dc.contributor.authorPejchar, Liba, advisor
dc.contributor.authorWerner, Scott, committee member
dc.contributor.authorKendall, William, committee member
dc.contributor.authorBright, Alan, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2024-09-09T20:51:11Z
dc.date.available2024-09-09T20:51:11Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractHuman-wildlife conflicts are likely to occur wherever the interests and activities of humans and wildlife overlap. Airport environments are a prime example of where such conflict is pervasive because wildlife can view airports as habitat, yet the presence of wildlife increases the risk of collision. As humans increase our reliance on air travel and development encroaches on natural areas, conflicts between humans and wildlife will continue to be prevalent in airport settings, thus creating the need for effective management tools. To assess the effectiveness of one such tool, we evaluated the effect of a non-lethal chemical repellent on bird abundance, species richness, movement, and behavior in airport settings. Following a Before After Control Impact Paired study design we compared the changes among each variable from a period of pre-treatment to a period of active treatment, in both treated and control sites. Using Poisson and zero-inflated mixed effects models we found that the repellent is likely effective in shifting birds from treated to untreated areas within airports, and that the abundance of two common species, Bobolinks and European Starlings, declined following treatment. We also found that the repellent does not change the frequency in which birds move out of treated plots and intersect with runways, but may be altering the within-plot behavior of Eastern Meadowlarks, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Sandhill Cranes. Our mixed findings highlight the need for continued study of the mechanisms behind avian response to chemical repellents in airport settings. Although a diverse set of approaches will always be needed to alleviate the many human-wildlife conflicts associated with airports, here we show that, to promote co-existence with wildlife, this chemical repellent can be a part of that toolset.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifierUrchek_colostate_0053N_18509.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/239155
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2020-
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.titleEffects of a non-lethal chemical repellent on airport bird communities
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineFish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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