Variation in boldness and novelty response between rural and urban predatory birds: The Chimango Caracara, Milvago chimango as study case

Abstract

The study of traits that enable species to thrive in urban habitats is critical to a better understanding the evolution of urban ecosystems. Here, we examined variation in boldness, neophobia, and exploratory behavior in a generalist raptor, the Chimango Caracara, Milvago chimango, occurring in areas with different urbanization level. We also focused on the relationship between object exploration and neophobia in rural and urban population of this species. The results showed that birds from more urbanized habitats showed more tolerance to humans than rural raptors, without any effect of age and sex in this trait. Rural birds were also more neophobic and were slower to explore than urban raptors, though they dedicated a similar amount of time to exploring novel objects, indicating a non-correspondence between the speed to approach and contact these objects and the amount of exploration performed. Finally, we found a correlation between exploration speed and neophobia in rural birds, whereas for urban raptors this correlation was not observed. Our results show that urbanization not only influences the expression of risk-taking behaviors and novelty responses in the chimango, but can also modify the relationship between exploration and neophobia.