'Shortest-distance' method is more accurate than conventional method in estimating flight initiation distances for close, perched birds

摘要

The conventional method to determine avian flight initiation distance (the distance at which birds exposed to an approaching human activity initiate escape behavior) overestimates this distance for perched birds because it uses the distance between the bird and the ground at the person's feet rather than the distance between the bird and the part of the person's body closest to the bird. Here, we introduce an alternative "shortest-distance" method that more accurately estimates flight initiation distance, especially for close, perched birds.