Hunting effects on Bird communities: the case of the province of Perugia

Abstract

This study aims to verify if there can be differences between protected and free hunting areas as regards bird populations, taking into account the whole provincial territory of Perugia. Starting from a sample of 1266 points visited from year 2000 to year 2005 both in winter and in spring, 137 couples of points were individuated, each of them representing a point belonging to the protected territory and another belonging to the non-protected territory. The two groups of points (protected and non-protected) were compared according to the following parameters, calculated on a seasonal scale: species richness, total abundance, abundance of each species, abundance of some superspecific taxa, rarity index (Blana 1980). In winter, both species richness and total abundance were significantly greater within protected areas, the same showing a markedly higher value of the rarity index; significantly higher abundance values within protected stations were observed for 4 superspecific groups (Phasianidae, Falconiformes, Turdus, Corvidae) and for 10 species; only one superspecific group (Alaudidae) and 3 species were significantly more abundant within non-protected areas. In spring, no significant differences emerged between protected and non-protected areas in terms of richness, abundance and rarity index; only one superspecific group (Phasianidae) and 9 species came out to be significantly more abundant within the protected territory, 6 species within the free hunting area. The analysis undertaken reveals how during shooting season the hunting activity limits the settlement of the potential bird communities.