Blog post 7: Plant Density, Suburban gradient & Passer domesticus
My study looks at the relationship between a common urban backyard bird; House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the suburban environment it frequents.
In my original observations I observed that this bird species frequently visited my backyard perennial garden. With my observations I took notes of which plant material in the garden it seemed to frequently visit. I observed the species more frequently visiting areas in my garden with denser plant material more than in thinner areas.
Hypothesis: Habitat density (more plant cover) influences the presence of the house sparrow
Underlying ecological processes: The ornamental landscaping in suburban and residential areas attract bird species (particularly the house sparrow), by providing shelter, food sources and nesting habitats. House sparrows show strong preference for gardens with sense vegetation, as they are well known for inhabiting bushes and shrubs for forage and shelter. Ornamental plants may provide food (seeds/berries etc).
Residential areas with gardens may be under increased pressure for sparrow housing, as development has taken away other green spaces.
Other underlying processes: I have also observed the house sparrow species frequently visiting my feeders in my chicken coup. This is in a different area of my yard then where I am conducting the study. By this I would assume the sparrows presence in my yard is also influences by the food source provided by the chicken feeders.
Keywords: Plant density, Suburban gradient, and Passer domesticus
Resources:
Factors influencing the small-scale distribution of House Sparrows Passer domesticus in a suburban environment https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00063650609461414
A good start to the theoretical piece for your paper