The structure of mixed-species bird flocks, and their response to anthropogenic disturbance, with special reference to East Asia

• DOI: 10.1186/s40657-015-0023-0
• Publication Date: 2015-06-10T17:00:01Z
• Authors: Eben Goodale; Ping Ding; Xiaohu Liu; Ari Martínez; Xingfeng Si; Mitch Walters; Scott K. Robinson
• Keywords: Flock; Flocking (texture)

Mixed-species flocks of birds are distributed world-wide and can be especially dominant in temperate forests during the non-breeding season tropical rainforests year-round. We review from a community ecology perspective what is known about structure organization flocks, emphasizing that flocking species tend to those particularly vulnerable predation, led by able act as sources information predators for other species. Studies on how respond fragmentation land-use intensification continue accumulate, but question whether flock phenomenon makes more anthropogenic change remains unclear. literature East Asia demonstrate there good foundation knowledge which build. then outline potentially fruitful future directions, focusing studies investigate dependent each such interdependencies might affect avian habitat selection different types human-modified environments this region.