The Role of Environmental Engagement in Tolerating Urban Bird Problems

Abstract

Since negative attitudes toward wildlife reduce support for biodiversity conservation, understanding the relationship between urban residents’ attitudes and their experience with wildlife problems is important. We surveyed households in Wellington City, New Zealand, and modeled the relationship between attitude toward birds, and biodiversity awareness and engagement. Planting trees to attract birds was the only predictor to provide substantial inference for attitude (ω_i = 0.873). We then assessed how experiencing a problem with birds modified these relationships, finding that two models comprised the confidence model set (∑ω_i ≥ 0.95); planting for birds combined with the additive (ω_i = 0.568) and interactive (ω_i = 0.400) effects of experiencing a problem. Experience of a bird problem on its own did not influence attitude (ΔAIC = 17.50, ω_i < 0.001). Attitude toward birds may be robust to experiencing minor problems, and may be related to a person’s experience and engagement with birds rather than negative experiences.

Keywords:

• attitude
• environmental psychology
• human–wildlife conflict
• urban planting
• wildlife engagement