Relazioni tra una comunità di uccelli e densità di Gatto domestico Felis silvestris catus in un’area urbana siciliana

Abstract

In an urban area of the Province of Catania the relationships between feral domestic cat Felis silvestris catus and the bird community have been studied. Despite a drastic decline of cat density, significant changes in the community structure and abundance of bird species were not observed in the same time-interval. Predation by the domestic cat on the bird populations living in urban environments may not necessarily have negative effects, differently form what observed in sea islands, owing to the ethological characteristics of the predator, environment and the type of management by man. Other human factors, like the conversion or destruction of habitats, including areas adjacent to the urban area, network of roads, traffic pollution, may have more intense and subtle effects.