Depredación de nidos artificiales de Coturnix coturnix en un bosque urbano de Santo Domingo, Provincia de Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas - Ecuador

Abstract

Birds are a well-adapted group in urban environments, however, their conservation depends on the geographic and historical context of the city. In this sense, the survival capacity of the species will depend on different factors, among which is the predation of nests, for which the objective of the work was to analyze the levels of predation of bird nests within an urban forest of Santo Domingo in the province of Santo Domingo de Los Tsáchilas. Sixty artificial nests with Coturnix coturnix eggs were placed inside Chanchay Park. Some were placed on the ground, others on trees. The depletion was analyzed based on the days and number of eggs predated. In addition, a COX proportional hazard regression and Kaplan-Meier estimator were performed. The results show a significant relationship P = 0.005 in predation depending on the habitat, as the nests on the ground have higher predation, obtaining survival levels of less than 50% from the fifth day. On the other hand, spatial predation increases in places close to homes, which is why foragers could be associated with urban fauna such as dogs and cats. High levels of predation on the ground are repeated in other investigations, which is why conserving birds that nest on the ground becomes a challenge for local governments. Finally, guaranteeing the conservation of the diversity of ornithofauna in the city of Santo Domingo will depend on the management of local governments within the framework of their powers, whether controlling urban fauna or creating programs and projects for the conservation of wildlife.