Sex, personality and conspecific density influence natal dispersal with lifetime fitness consequences in urban and rural burrowing owls.

ABSTRACT: There is a growing need to understand how species respond to habitat changes and the potential key role played by natal dispersal in population dynamics, structure and gene flow. However, few studies have explored differences in this process between conspecifics living in natural habitats and those inhabiting landscapes highly transformed by humans, such as cities. Here, we investigate how individual traits and social characteristics can influence the natal dispersal decisions of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) living in urban and rural areas, as well as the consequences in terms of reproductive success and apparent survival. We found short dispersal movements among individuals, with differences between urban and rural birds (i.e., the former covering shorter distances than the latter)

SUBMITTER: Luna A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7015421 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature