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School of Environment and Natural Resources

CFAES

Graduate Exit Seminar via Zoom - Leandro Lessin

Plan to join via Zoom Leandro Lessin's graduate exit seminar on November 18, 2021, at 9:00 a.m.  Leandro will present, "Factors related to bird-building collisions in Cleveland, Ohio."

Abstract:
In North America, the replacement of green-spaces with human-made structures causes hundreds of millions, if not billions, of avian fatalities every year. Through the continuous increase in urbanization, threats to avian wildlife are exacerbated by a multitude of related factors such as habitat loss, fragmentation, and pollution. Bird-building collisions are an integral component of these threats because they directly cause avian mortality, and it is bound to increase as human populations continue to grow in urban areas. Bird-building collisions account for the largest source of collision mortality, ahead of collisions with windmills, power lines, and vehicles. Cities serve as physical impediments for numerous bird species, as many of these urbanized landscapes are located along important migratory flyways. Consequently, the ubiquity of human-made structures over a landscape, specifically city buildings, creates a major obstacle for birds flying along their migratory routes. Birds play an important role in the proper functioning of ecosystems, and they also play an important role within human societies. Therefore, it is important to explore determinants of bird-building collisions as a means to identify effective mitigation strategies that aim to counter the rapid decline of bird populations.

Advisor: Dr. Stephen Matthews