The Impact of Human Presence on the Behavioral Activity of Birds in Buea University Campus, Southwest Region, Cameroon

The interaction of different elements within urban systems varies with the nature of land-use both temporally and permanently. Land-use dictates amount and type of land cover but the length of time a fragment is maintained within the surrounding dominant landscape, as well as its size strongly influences the composition and abundance of its flora and fauna. Urbanization modifies landscapes by changing resources such as food, water, perches, roosts, and nesting sites for birds. The main objective of this study was to examine the role of human presence on the social activity of birds in the campus of university of Buea. The research data was collected on check-sheets for a period of 2 months, 6 days a week, from 7:00am – 6:00pm. The spot-count data collection method used witnessed 616 bird observations during the study. Simultaneously, data was collected on human activity state, day-period, bird species, bird location, and bird number. Bird location and human-campus activity showed a significant link, χ² = 8.696 df=4 P<0.05.  Moreso, bird activity showed a significance on human activity, χ² = 10.600 df=8 P<0.05. Similarly, bird number associated significantly with human activity in the campus, χ² = 19.842 df=20 P<0.05. Additionally, bird location associated significantly with their activity, χ² = 121.799 df=8 P=0.000. Besides, bird activity related significantly with the day-period, χ² = 11.061 df=8 P<0.05. Also, bird activity showed a link with the day-period, χ² = 11.061 df=8 P<0.05. The day-period revealed a significant link with bird number, χ² = 22.822 df=20, P<0.05. This survey showed the village weaver bird (Ploceus cucullatus) (17.86%) as the most dominant bird species in the campus of university of Buea. However, the survey also recorded an observation of 11.36%, 9.09%, 7.79%, 7.63%, 7.30%, and 6.01% on little weaver bird (Ploceus luteolus), grey-headed sparrow (Passer griseus), pied crow (Corvus albus), orange-cheeked waxbill (Estrilda melpoda), and little weaver bird (Ploceus luteolus), respectively. The study discovered that the university campus of Buea does not serve as a conflict zone for humans and birds, rather the social activity of birds was observed consistent with low human population presence.

Keywords: Bird activity, Bird species, Human activity, Landscape, Urban systems