Multispecies relations shape bird-feeding practices

npj Biodiversity, vol. 4, pp. 9

Abstract

While humans often feed birds in their backyards, there is a growing awareness that this has positive and negative effects on local biodiversity. Whether the observed species assemblage shapes human activities has, however, rarely been investigated. We analyzed 15,088 open-ended answers from 9473 Finnish respondents about why they have increased or reduced feeding birds. They mentioned 58 avian and non-avian species linked to changed practices. The main reasons for change were (1) respondent's relation to nonhuman species, (2) respondent's relation to other humans, and (3) relations between nonhuman species. Most taxa and reasons could lead to both increase or decrease in feeding, although the direction was context-dependent. We suggest that bird-feeding is an interactive process where the species community strongly affects feeding practices, which in turn can affect community composition. Recognizing this process is crucial for understanding the effects of bird-feeding on both humans and nature and providing more nuanced guidance.

Authors 11

1. Tuomas Aivelo corresponding Aachen Science Communication and Society Faculty of Science, Leiden University

   Leiden University · University of Helsinki

   Affiliation as printed

   Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. t.j.e.aivelo@biology.leidenuniv.nl

   Science Communication and Society, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands. t.j.e.aivelo@biology.leidenuniv.nl

   Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

   Science Communication and Society, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands

2. Mikko Aulio

   University of Helsinki · Laurea University of Applied Sciences

   Affiliation as printed

   Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Espoo, Finland

   Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

3. Purabi Deshpande

   University of Turku

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Biology, University of Turku, Yliopistonmäki (Vesilinnantie 5), Natura, 20014, Turku, Finland

4. Anna Haukka

   University of Helsinki · Finnish Museum of Natural History

   Affiliation as printed

   Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

5. Heta Lähdesmäki

   University of Helsinki · University of Turku

   Affiliation as printed

   Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

   University of Turku, Turku, Finland

6. Katja H. Rönkä

   University of Helsinki · HiLIFE – Elämäntieteiden Instituutti

   Affiliation as printed

   HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

   Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

7. Andrea Santangeli

   Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies

   Affiliation as printed

   Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, Institute for Mediterranean Studies (IMEDEA), CSIC-UIB, 07190, Esporles, Spain

8. Virpi Väkkärä

   University of Helsinki

   Affiliation as printed

   Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

9. Aleksi S. Lehikoinen

   University of Helsinki · Finnish Museum of Natural History

   Affiliation as printed

   Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

10. Rose Thorogood

    University of Helsinki · HiLIFE – Elämäntieteiden Instituutti

    Affiliation as printed

    HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

11. Anttoni Kervinen

    University of Helsinki

    Affiliation as printed

    Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Viikki Teacher Training School, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland