Reduced human activity during COVID-19 alters avian land use across North America

Michael B. Schrimpf; Paulson G. Des Brisay; Alison Johnston; Adam C. Smith; Jessica Sanchez-Jasso; Barry G. Robinson; Miyako H. Warrington; Nancy A. Mahony; Andrew G. Horn; Matthew Strimas-Mackey; Lenore Fahrig; Nicola Koper

doi:10.1126/sciadv.abf5073

Reduced human activity during COVID-19 alters avian land use across North America

Michael B. Schrimpf, Paulson G. Des Brisay, Alison Johnston, Adam C. Smith, Jessica Sanchez-Jasso, Barry G. Robinson, Miyako H. Warrington, Nancy A. Mahony, Andrew G. Horn, Matthew Strimas-Mackey, Lenore Fahrig, Nicola Koper^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in extraordinary declines in human mobility, which, in turn, may affect wildlife. Using records of more than 4.3 million birds observed by volunteers from March to May 2017-2020 across Canada and the United States, we found that counts of 66 (80%) of 82 focal bird species changed in pandemic-altered areas, usually increasing in comparison to prepandemic abundances in urban habitat, near major roads and airports, and in counties where lockdowns were more pronounced or occurred at the same time as peak bird migration. Our results indicate that human activity affects many of North America's birds and suggest that we could make urban spaces more attractive to birds by reducing traffic and mitigating the disturbance from human transportation after we emerge from the pandemic.

Original language	English
Article number	5073
Number of pages	11
Journal	Science Advances
Volume	7
Issue number	39
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf5073
Publication status	Published - 22 Sept 2021

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Cite this

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title = "Reduced human activity during COVID-19 alters avian land use across North America",

abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in extraordinary declines in human mobility, which, in turn, may affect wildlife. Using records of more than 4.3 million birds observed by volunteers from March to May 2017-2020 across Canada and the United States, we found that counts of 66 (80%) of 82 focal bird species changed in pandemic-altered areas, usually increasing in comparison to prepandemic abundances in urban habitat, near major roads and airports, and in counties where lockdowns were more pronounced or occurred at the same time as peak bird migration. Our results indicate that human activity affects many of North America's birds and suggest that we could make urban spaces more attractive to birds by reducing traffic and mitigating the disturbance from human transportation after we emerge from the pandemic.",

author = "Schrimpf, {Michael B.} and {Des Brisay}, {Paulson G.} and Alison Johnston and Smith, {Adam C.} and Jessica Sanchez-Jasso and Robinson, {Barry G.} and Warrington, {Miyako H.} and Mahony, {Nancy A.} and Horn, {Andrew G.} and Matthew Strimas-Mackey and Lenore Fahrig and Nicola Koper",

note = "Funding: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Alliance COVID-19 grant ALLRP 550721-20. In-kind support was provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Cornell Lab of Ornithology.",

year = "2021",

month = sep,

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doi = "10.1126/sciadv.abf5073",

language = "English",

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journal = "Science Advances",

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T1 - Reduced human activity during COVID-19 alters avian land use across North America

AU - Schrimpf, Michael B.

AU - Des Brisay, Paulson G.

AU - Johnston, Alison

AU - Smith, Adam C.

AU - Sanchez-Jasso, Jessica

AU - Robinson, Barry G.

AU - Warrington, Miyako H.

AU - Mahony, Nancy A.

AU - Horn, Andrew G.

AU - Strimas-Mackey, Matthew

AU - Fahrig, Lenore

AU - Koper, Nicola

N1 - Funding: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Alliance COVID-19 grant ALLRP 550721-20. In-kind support was provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

PY - 2021/9/22

Y1 - 2021/9/22

N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in extraordinary declines in human mobility, which, in turn, may affect wildlife. Using records of more than 4.3 million birds observed by volunteers from March to May 2017-2020 across Canada and the United States, we found that counts of 66 (80%) of 82 focal bird species changed in pandemic-altered areas, usually increasing in comparison to prepandemic abundances in urban habitat, near major roads and airports, and in counties where lockdowns were more pronounced or occurred at the same time as peak bird migration. Our results indicate that human activity affects many of North America's birds and suggest that we could make urban spaces more attractive to birds by reducing traffic and mitigating the disturbance from human transportation after we emerge from the pandemic.

AB - The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in extraordinary declines in human mobility, which, in turn, may affect wildlife. Using records of more than 4.3 million birds observed by volunteers from March to May 2017-2020 across Canada and the United States, we found that counts of 66 (80%) of 82 focal bird species changed in pandemic-altered areas, usually increasing in comparison to prepandemic abundances in urban habitat, near major roads and airports, and in counties where lockdowns were more pronounced or occurred at the same time as peak bird migration. Our results indicate that human activity affects many of North America's birds and suggest that we could make urban spaces more attractive to birds by reducing traffic and mitigating the disturbance from human transportation after we emerge from the pandemic.

U2 - 10.1126/sciadv.abf5073

DO - 10.1126/sciadv.abf5073

M3 - Article

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VL - 7

JO - Science Advances

JF - Science Advances

IS - 39

M1 - 5073

ER -

Reduced human activity during COVID-19 alters avian land use across North America

Abstract

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