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Demography of Raptor Populations in Urban Environments

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Urban Raptors

Abstract

Lands modified by humans vary widely in their environmental features, from areas that retain much of their natural character to areas in the urban core that retain little natural character. For example, a city that was built on lands that were once covered by a forest might be dominated at its core by pavement and buildings and support only a few trees, many of which are nonnative species. Areas surrounding the urban core usually are residential neighborhoods composed of private homes and small parks, where trees are more common. On the outskirts of the city are exurban areas dominated by natural forest vegetation with only scattered houses and other human structures. Consequently, urban areas often represent a gradient of development1 that spans an array of natural and anthropogenic features, many of which influence the probability of an area being inhabited by a species (figure 4.1). Some raptors are capable of inhabiting urban environments at one or more points along this gradient, provided the areas support their specific habitat resources and match their tolerance of human activity.2,3

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Authors
  1. R. William Mannan
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  2. Robert J. Steidl
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University, 15th and Boston, 79409-2120, Lubbock, TX, USA

    Clint W. Boal

  2. Susan Springs Dr 7280, 45069-3696, West Chester, OH, USA

    Cheryl R. Dykstra

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© 2018 Cheryl R. Dykstra

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Mannan, R.W., Steidl, R.J. (2018). Demography of Raptor Populations in Urban Environments. In: Boal, C.W., Dykstra, C.R. (eds) Urban Raptors. Island Press, Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.5822/978-1-61091-841-1_4

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