Effect of replacing surface with underground rubbish containers on urban House Sparrows Passer domesticus

Abstract

Urbanisation processes are increasing worldwide at surprising rates affecting wildlife in many ways: changing habitat structure, reducing resources, and modifying the distribution, composition and abundance of local biota. In different countries, urban waste collection techniques are evolving and surface rubbish containers (neighbourhood receptacles for temporarily storing anthropogenic household waste located above-ground on the streets) are being replaced with underground ones (metal boxes with steel chutes that fed into large underground containers) to improve sanitation measures, to avoid bad smells and waste scattering by animals. We aimed to detect if House Sparrows were more abundant close to surface rubbish containers than close to the underground ones. We recorded an abundance index of House Sparrows during two visits in winter 2018–2019 to point counts located in groups of both container types (80 and 85 groups of underground and surface containers, respectively) in eight towns of Eastern Spain. We modelled the abundance index according to rubbish container type, and 14 other environmental variables at four scales: container, nearest buildings, near urban features, and general locality features using GLMMs. House Sparrows were more abundant close to surface than to underground rubbish containers, which may be linked with higher food debris availability. The presence of other urban features (bar terraces, private gardens, mature trees) interacting with the rubbish containers also influenced the abundance of House Sparrows. The replacement of above-ground rubbish containers with underground ones may deprive House Sparrows resources, which could lead to the decline of this species, especially in urban areas with little green cover.

A comparison of foraging‐range sizes, flight distances and foraging habitat preferences in urban and rural House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations

“…We found that poultry holdings and bin stages were the most preferred habitats both in foraging ranges and from foraging records. The bin stages and containers with waste and scraps provide a year-round rich supply of food in the urban environment, especially for adults (Bokotey & Gorban 2005, Erskine 2006, Bernat-Ponce et al 2022. Exploitation of waste bins and containers by House Sparrows may be affected by several factors.…”

“…For example, proofing against pests such as rats (Rattus spp.) and Feral Pigeons Columba livia domestica or a shift to underground systems can dramatically reduce access to this food resource (Bernat-Ponce et al 2022). These changes arise due to modernization and increasing urbanization of settlements (Bokotey & Gorban, 2005, Bernat-Ponce et al 2022).…”

“…and Feral Pigeons Columba livia domestica or a shift to underground systems can dramatically reduce access to this food resource (Bernat-Ponce et al 2022). These changes arise due to modernization and increasing urbanization of settlements (Bokotey & Gorban, 2005, Bernat-Ponce et al 2022). In the rural environment, preference for food resources of human origin given to poultry has also been recorded by previous studies (e.g.…”

“…debris of food from waste bins and containers or food given to poultry). However, they can disappear due to modernization, urbanization, as well as socio-economic and cultural change (Bokotey & Gorban, 2005, Rosin et al 2020, Bernat-Ponce et al 2022).…”

The Prevalence of Litter Foraging Among UK Birds Lessons Learned From A Citizen Science Project

“…Urbanisation and human presence have provided novel foraging opportunities for many bird species (Isaksson, 2018): Carrion Crows (Corvus corone) have been found to aggregate in areas rich in anthropogenic food sources, such as waste disposal sites (Preininger et al, 2019). House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) are more abundant in areas where there is access to rubbish containers, compared to areas where rubbish is stored underground or managed more effectively (Bernat-Ponce et al, 2021). Feral pigeon (Columba livia) populations have become dependent on anthropogenic food sources, with a sharp decline in population sizes occurring during the COVID-19 circuit-breaker lockdown period in Singapore (Soh et al, 2021).…”