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<p>Western Cattle Egrets (<i>Bubulcus ibis</i>) persist through phenotypic plasticity in behaviour and undertaking various forms of migration to exploit available resources in the anthropogenic landscape mosaics. The degradation of natural habitats, with land conversion for agriculture and urbanisation means co-existing alongside humans. However, their persistence is affected by human-egret conflict, exacerbated by a growing human population. We investigated the size of Western Cattle Egrets roosting colonies within the uMgungundlovu (Pietermaritzburg) and eThekwini (Durban) Municipalities, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We observed landscape features within 30&#xa0;km of roosts with notes on possible threats to urban persistence, from October 2018 to September 2019. These areas were both urban mosaic landscapes with some remaining natural green areas as well as managed green spaces with urban built. We conducted monthly roosting or nesting population estimates of Western Cattle Egrets in these municipalities and identified characteristics which allow their urban roost persistence. An increase in roosting population from under 500 individuals in 2018 to over 600 individuals in the post-breeding season in 2019 was observed; however, no significant difference in roosting population size between the breeding and the post-breeding seasons was found. All Western Cattle Egret roosting and nesting colonies were within 10&#xa0;km of a landfill, wetland, major road, river, or grassland. In addition, nesting sites were more likely to be near a wastewater treatment facility than roosts without nests. Roosting and nesting sites had varying levels of disturbance, and they require protection for continued Western Cattle Egret persistence in urban mosaic landscapes.</p>

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Western Cattle Egrets’ (Bubulcus ibis) roosting colony size estimates in urban landscape mosaics of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with notes on habitat threats and features near roosts

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年1月17日

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  • Jennifer Z. Cele,
  • Mfundo S. T. Maseko,
  • Colleen T. Downs

摘要

Western Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) persist through phenotypic plasticity in behaviour and undertaking various forms of migration to exploit available resources in the anthropogenic landscape mosaics. The degradation of natural habitats, with land conversion for agriculture and urbanisation means co-existing alongside humans. However, their persistence is affected by human-egret conflict, exacerbated by a growing human population. We investigated the size of Western Cattle Egrets roosting colonies within the uMgungundlovu (Pietermaritzburg) and eThekwini (Durban) Municipalities, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We observed landscape features within 30 km of roosts with notes on possible threats to urban persistence, from October 2018 to September 2019. These areas were both urban mosaic landscapes with some remaining natural green areas as well as managed green spaces with urban built. We conducted monthly roosting or nesting population estimates of Western Cattle Egrets in these municipalities and identified characteristics which allow their urban roost persistence. An increase in roosting population from under 500 individuals in 2018 to over 600 individuals in the post-breeding season in 2019 was observed; however, no significant difference in roosting population size between the breeding and the post-breeding seasons was found. All Western Cattle Egret roosting and nesting colonies were within 10 km of a landfill, wetland, major road, river, or grassland. In addition, nesting sites were more likely to be near a wastewater treatment facility than roosts without nests. Roosting and nesting sites had varying levels of disturbance, and they require protection for continued Western Cattle Egret persistence in urban mosaic landscapes.