Effects of Human Activity on Bird Vigilance Behavior at Campus Feeders

Addison A. VandeWalle
Dr. Joanna Hubbard and Dr. R. Drew Sieg, Faculty Mentors

Urbanization can negatively impact wildlife, yet thoughtfully designed environments may support both ecological health and well-being. Prior research suggests that bird diversity enhances human life satisfaction and that urban features such as bird feeders promote avian biodiversity. However, the influence of anthropogenic disturbance on bird behavior at feeders remains unclear. This project investigates how varying levels of human activity affect bird vigilance and, consequently, abundance across feeders at Truman State University. Video data collection was conducted during the spring semester of 2025 to capture patterns of bird and human activity. These data establish a baseline for bird visitation at feeders and provide a foundation for comparison with simulated activity using audio recordings. Deviations from baseline behavior will be quantified and analyzed using linear mixed-effect models.  Findings will improve understanding of how human presence shapes urban bird communities, informing strategies for wildlife stewardship while enhancing student life satisfaction.

Keywords: Human-wildlife interaction, Wildlife stewardship, Urban conservation, Bird vigilance behavior, Human activity impacts, Avian ecology, Animal behavior

Topic(s):Biology

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA