Foraging Routine of Two Common Urban Birds on Berries of Exotic Livistona chinensis: A Winter Supplement in an Urban Landscape

Amin U. Khan (), Fiza Pir Dad, Ramla Hasnain, Faiza Sharif and Asma Mansoor
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Amin U. Khan: Sustainable Development Study Centre, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Fiza Pir Dad: Sustainable Development Study Centre, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Ramla Hasnain: Sustainable Development Study Centre, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Faiza Sharif: Sustainable Development Study Centre, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Asma Mansoor: Society for the Conservation of Indigenous Vegetation (SCIV), 13B Lake Road, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-11

Abstract: Chinese Fan Palm, Livistona chinensis , was introduced as an ornamental plant towards the end of the nineteenth century in Pakistan, and since then, it has been used as a popular plant in urban landscaping. It dominates the green belt of parks, recreational gardens and road verges in Lahore, Pakistan. Recent trends in the plantation of fast-growing palm species and other exotics have replaced L. chinensis in urban landscaping. In this study, observations made on the daily routine of foraging of L. chinensis berries by two common urban birds, the red vented bulbul ( Pycnonotus cafer ) and the house crow ( Corvus brachyrhynchos ), showed that their consumption of berries peaked in December and January, but the duration of foraging was shown to be longer in house crows as compared to red vented bulbuls. This period of consumption corresponds to the time when the pulp of the berries has become soft, and during this period, no other fruits are available in the urban landscape. Nutrient analysis showed that the pulp of the ripened berries is a rich source of nutrients, and these berries are providing an ideal winter food to counter the increased energetic demands experienced by urban birds during the coldest part of the year, thus helping birds avoid the risk of starvation. This dietary intake of berries by birds also provides a rationale to popularize L. chinensis as an essential component of the planting palette of the urban landscape. This research can be considered as starting point for broad public support to improving landscape planning for managing nature in cities.

Keywords: exotic berries; urban landscape; winter food; nutrient source; urban birds (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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