Exurban land development and breeding birds

This chapter reviews the influences of exurban development on breeding birds and identifies how positive influences may be enhanced and negative influences reduced. Exurban development affects breeding birds primarily by altering (reducing or increasing) structures required as nest sites, availability of food for adults or nestlings, and the number of predators and competitors. The presence of humans also potentially changes behavior of nesting birds. A given development scheme will likely favor some native species while harming others. Identifying the best development scheme will depend on the assemblage of species present and the conservation objectives.