Keywords
breeding biology
invasive species
La Plata
roost
Sturnidae
Abstract
The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is one of the most damaging invasive species in the world, due to the economic and ecological impacts they produce in the regions it has invaded. In the Southern Cone, its distribution is expanding, although various aspects of its ecology in this region are poorly understood. To assess the use of the urban landscape by the European Starling in La Plata city (Argentina) during the breeding and non-breeding seasons, we analyzed the use of cavities for nesting and its relationship with building and tree cover. In addition, we evaluated differences in the number of starlings between plant species used as communal roosts. Out of 98 nests, 53.1% were located in human constructions, 29.6% in plants, and 17.0% in Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) nests. The density of nests in tree and palm hollows was positively related to tree and building cover. Out of 73 roosts, most were located in Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) (52.0%) and Cypress (Cupressus sp.) (30.1%), and to a lesser extent, in Pine (Pinus sp.) (13.7%). We detected a positive relationship between the number of starlings, the longest diameter and the volume of the crown of the roost. In addition, the number of individuals arriving at the roost showed a peak around 18:00 h. Our results indicate that urban environments provide key resources for the reproduction and refuge of the European Starling in the region, which would facilitate the expansion of its distribution range.
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