Zimaroeva A. Ecological and ethological adaptations of corvids (Corvidae) in urban landscapes of Zhytomyr region

The thesis considers the ecological adaptations of corvids to various levels of anthropogenic impact in settlements of Zhytomyr region. We determined the density of Corvidae in anthropogenically transformed landscapes of Zhytomyr area and found that the urban gradient significantly affected the density of bird species. We also studied the species diversity and spatial-temporal structure of corvids populations in Zhytomyr and found that Rook is the dominant species in all habitats. We also performed comparative study of the breeding ecology of rural and urban populations of ravens. The take-off distance of Corvidae was determined as the main criterion of bird tolerance to human presence. The basic types of bird reactions to human disturbance (as example of three model species: rooks, jackdaws, crows) were considered. We determined significant influence of habitat, bird number in group, speed and direction of human appearance, and season on the take-off distance by factor analysis.