Raptor Presence Along an UrbanâWildland Gradient: Influences of Prey Abundance and Land Cover
Native animals are affected differently by urbanization. Some species respond favorably and thrive in human-dominated landscapes, but others are extirpated. Raptors are often sensitive to changes in land cover and prey abundance. We therefore used a combination of broadcast surveys and incidental observations while spot-mapping to evaluate the influences of these two variables on the presence of raptors at 21 sites from 2004â2008 along an urban-to-wildland gradient in western Washington, U.S.A.