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Title: Inefficacy of mallard flight responses to approaching vehicles

Journal Article · · PeerJ
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3];  [4];  [3]
  1. University of Georgia, Aiken, SC (United States); University of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); Savannah River Ecology Laboratory - University of Georgia
  2. University of Georgia, Aiken, SC (United States); University of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)
  3. University of Georgia, Aiken, SC (United States)
  4. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Vehicle collisions with birds are financially costly and dangerous to humans and animals. To reduce collisions, it is necessary to understand how birds respond to approaching vehicles. We used simulated (i.e., animals exposed to video playback) and real vehicle approaches with mallards (Anas platyrynchos) to quantify flight behavior and probability of collision under different vehicle speeds and times of day (day vs. night). Birds exposed to simulated nighttime approaches exhibited reduced probability of attempting escape, but when escape was attempted, fled with more time before collision compared to birds exposed to simulated daytime approaches. The lower probability of flight may indicate that the visual stimulus of vehicle approaches at night (i.e., looming headlights) is perceived as less threatening than when the full vehicle is more visible during the day; alternatively, the mallard visual system might be incompatible with vehicle lighting in dark settings. Mallards approached by a real vehicle exhibited a delayed margin of safety (both flight initiation distance and time before collision decreased with speed); they are the first bird species found to exhibit this response to vehicle approach. Our findings suggest mallards are poorly equipped to adequately respond to fast-moving vehicles and demonstrate the need for continued research into methods promoting effective avian avoidance behaviors.

Research Organization:
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
Grant/Contract Number:
EM0005228
OSTI ID:
2460452
Journal Information:
PeerJ, Journal Name: PeerJ Vol. 12; ISSN 2167-8359
Publisher:
PeerJ Inc.Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
Antipredator behavior
Avoidance behavior
Flight initiation distance
Mallard
Video playback
Wildlife damage management
Wildlife-vehicle interaction