Michael A. Weston
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View article: Avian Escape and Prevailing Light Levels
Avian Escape and Prevailing Light Levels Open
Anti-predator behaviour in birds is required by day and night but has barely been studied at night. For prey which detect predators visually, low light levels may diminish detection or monitoring of approaching threats. We conducted standa…
View article: Estimating setback distances for a threatened, cryptic, data-sparse migratory shorebird
Estimating setback distances for a threatened, cryptic, data-sparse migratory shorebird Open
Cryptic fauna species using highly modified habitats face many conservation challenges, with disturbance from human use being an ongoing issue across many global settings. Setbacks or buffers are a key planning tool for protecting habitat,…
View article: Vehicles kill birds on sandy beaches: The global evidence
Vehicles kill birds on sandy beaches: The global evidence Open
View article: Essentials of Research Integrity for Ecologists
Essentials of Research Integrity for Ecologists Open
View article: Web-based spatial decision support system for optimum route to forest fires: A case of Viphya plantations
Web-based spatial decision support system for optimum route to forest fires: A case of Viphya plantations Open
Efficient access to fire incidents is crucial for successful firefighting operations. This study aimed at developing a web-based spatial decision support system (SDSS) to determine optimal routes to forest fires and risk zones in the Viphy…
View article: Small-scale removal of an emergent coastal weed does not affect space use of a territorial bird which uses those weeds
Small-scale removal of an emergent coastal weed does not affect space use of a territorial bird which uses those weeds Open
View article: Lifting the Veil of Darkness: Thermal Technology Facilitates Collection of Flight‐Initiation Distances by Night
Lifting the Veil of Darkness: Thermal Technology Facilitates Collection of Flight‐Initiation Distances by Night Open
Flight‐Initiation Distance (FID)—a direct measure of an individual animal's escape response—is a widely used method to study escape ecology in fauna. The technique has primarily been applied to bird species that are active by day. Indexing…
View article: Estimating animal populations and body sizes from burrows: Marine ecologists have their heads buried in the sand
Estimating animal populations and body sizes from burrows: Marine ecologists have their heads buried in the sand Open
View article: Acoustic deterrents for Red Fox Vulpes vulpes and threatened shorebird clutch survival on sandy beaches
Acoustic deterrents for Red Fox Vulpes vulpes and threatened shorebird clutch survival on sandy beaches Open
Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes are a key driver of low reproductive success in beach-nesting shorebirds such as the Hooded Plover Thinornis cucullatus cucullatus, with lethal fox control curtailed by free-roaming pets and nearby urban dwellings. …
View article: Urban birds' tolerance towards humans was largely unaffected by COVID-19 shutdown-induced variation in human presence
Urban birds' tolerance towards humans was largely unaffected by COVID-19 shutdown-induced variation in human presence Open
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and respective shutdowns dramatically altered human activities, potentially changing human pressures on urban-dwelling animals. Here, we use such COVID-19-induced variation in human presence…
View article: Do different camera trap lures result in different detection rates of vertebrates because of their attractiveness to invertebrates?
Do different camera trap lures result in different detection rates of vertebrates because of their attractiveness to invertebrates? Open
Summary The type of attractant used in camera trap lures is recognised as an important methodological decision. We investigated whether the type of attractant in lures indirectly influences detectability of wildlife on cameras via differen…
View article: Seasonal Changes of Surface-Active Beach Invertebrate Assemblages in Southern Central Victoria, Australia
Seasonal Changes of Surface-Active Beach Invertebrate Assemblages in Southern Central Victoria, Australia Open
Invertebrates play a critical role in beach ecosystems, and seasonal variation in their occurrence and abundance likely influences food webs. We examine and characterise seasonal patterns in invertebrate activity on a temperate, southern s…
View article: Spatial Mismatch between Tourism Hotspots and Anthropogenic Debris on Sandy Beaches in an Iconic Conservation Area
Spatial Mismatch between Tourism Hotspots and Anthropogenic Debris on Sandy Beaches in an Iconic Conservation Area Open
View article: Sex and Age Bias in Australian Magpies Struck by Aircraft
Sex and Age Bias in Australian Magpies Struck by Aircraft Open
Wildlife–aircraft collisions represent a safety and financial challenge, necessitating site-specific hazard assessments, which are generally based on species’ attributes and collision frequencies. However, for many bird species, collision …
View article: Silent killers? The widespread exposure of predatory nocturnal birds to anticoagulant rodenticides
Silent killers? The widespread exposure of predatory nocturnal birds to anticoagulant rodenticides Open
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) influence predator populations and threaten the stability of ecosystems. Understanding the prevalence and impact of rodenticides in predators is crucial to inform conservation planning and policy. We collec…
View article: Attenuation of Responses of Waterbirds to Repeat Drone Surveys Involving a Sequence of Altitudes and Drone Types: A Case Study
Attenuation of Responses of Waterbirds to Repeat Drone Surveys Involving a Sequence of Altitudes and Drone Types: A Case Study Open
Remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS, or ‘drones’ hereafter) have potential for surveying waterbird species and habitats, but there is a risk that the disturbance from drones could compromise count accuracy and bird welfare. We examined…
View article: Leash Status of Approaching Dogs Mediates Escape Modality but Not Flight-Initiation Distance in a Common Urban Bird
Leash Status of Approaching Dogs Mediates Escape Modality but Not Flight-Initiation Distance in a Common Urban Bird Open
Controversy exists around owned dogs’ impacts in public open spaces, with concerns about dogs’ impact on wildlife, including birds. Leashing dogs in public open spaces offers a tractable way of reducing dogs’ deleterious impacts on birds. …
View article: A review of the potential effects of recreational wind-powered craft on coastal habitats and wildlife
A review of the potential effects of recreational wind-powered craft on coastal habitats and wildlife Open
Wind-powered recreational (WPR) activities are increasingly popular and occur in many areas of high conservation value. Possible impacts are poorly understood; existing reviews do not generally include recent widespread forms of WPR or hav…
View article: Maintaining vegetative structure during weed management sustains birds and an invasive mammal
Maintaining vegetative structure during weed management sustains birds and an invasive mammal Open
Weed management often involves active measures to minimize or prevent negative impacts on local wildlife. Approaches include retention of weed structure, altered timing of management to avoid wildlife breeding seasons, and/or the gradual r…
View article: Bird feeding at urban wetlands: A comparison of demographics, attitudes and norms between feeders and non-feeders
Bird feeding at urban wetlands: A comparison of demographics, attitudes and norms between feeders and non-feeders Open
The feeding of wild birds is a popular but often controversial activity. This study explored differences in demographics, attitudes, and normative beliefs between waterbird feeders and non-feeders at an urban wetland residential estate in …
View article: Bird tolerance to humans in open tropical ecosystems
Bird tolerance to humans in open tropical ecosystems Open
View article: The habitat connectivity hypothesis of escape in urban woodland birds
The habitat connectivity hypothesis of escape in urban woodland birds Open
Habitat destruction and fragmentation increasingly bring humans into close proximity with wildlife, particularly in urban contexts. Animals respond to humans using nuanced anti-predator responses, especially escape, with responses influenc…
View article: Interactions between European rabbits and native marsupials in the absence of terrestrial predators
Interactions between European rabbits and native marsupials in the absence of terrestrial predators Open
European rabbits ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ) are ubiquitous across Australia and have the ability to influence native species directly and indirectly. Despite this, limited research focuses on interspecific interactions between rabbits and n…
View article: Invasive African boneseed and a native shrub support similar faunal assemblages in a heavily infested landscape
Invasive African boneseed and a native shrub support similar faunal assemblages in a heavily infested landscape Open
Invasive weeds may provide habitat for wildlife in altered landscapes. We compare fauna within three types of sites in You Yangs Regional Park in central Victoria, Australia, that is, sites with an invasive shrub understory (African bonese…
View article: Digging In! Burrowing Penguins and Surface Predators
Digging In! Burrowing Penguins and Surface Predators Open
A native Australian corvid, Little Raven Corvus mellori, has emerged as a dominant and problematic predator of an ecologically and economically important seabird, the Little Penguin Eudyptula minor. In 2013, ravens successfully preyed upon…
View article: Assessing the efficacy of electronic quail callers in attracting stubble quail and non-target predators
Assessing the efficacy of electronic quail callers in attracting stubble quail and non-target predators Open
Hunting is a prominent feature of many human societies. Advancements in hunting technologies can challenge the ethics and sustainability of hunting globally. We investigated the efficacy of an electronic acoustic lure (‘quail caller’), in …
View article: Urban birds’ tolerance towards humans was largely unaffected by increased variation in human levels due to COVID-19 shutdowns
Urban birds’ tolerance towards humans was largely unaffected by increased variation in human levels due to COVID-19 shutdowns Open
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic dramatically altered human activities, and, during shutdowns. Here, we evaluated whether urban birds from five countries changed their tolerance towards humans during the COVID-19 shutdowns.…
View article: Ecological and Cultural Understanding as a Basis for Management of a Globally Significant Island Landscape
Ecological and Cultural Understanding as a Basis for Management of a Globally Significant Island Landscape Open
Islands provide the opportunity to explore management regimes and research issues related to the isolation, uniqueness, and integrity of ecological systems. K’gari (Fraser Island) is an Australian World Heritage property listed based on it…
View article: Asian elephant movements between natural and human-dominated landscapes mirror patterns of crop damage in Sri Lanka
Asian elephant movements between natural and human-dominated landscapes mirror patterns of crop damage in Sri Lanka Open
Wildlife movements within a landscape are influenced by environmental factors such as food availability and, as human-modified landscapes continue to expand, the risks associated with encountering people. For Asian elephants Elephas maximu…
View article: Vocal traits of shorebird chicks are related to body mass and sex
Vocal traits of shorebird chicks are related to body mass and sex Open
Acoustic communication is critical during early life phases in precocial birds; for example, adult alarm calls can elicit antipredator behaviour in young, and chick vocalizations can communicate information to parents about chick identity,…