Effect of domestic cats on the behavior of common birds in the peri-urban area of ​​the city of Granada

Invasive alien species such as the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) have remained linked to humans for millennia, initially as commensals and currently as companion animals. In urban environments, their populations increase due to the care provided by citizens, which can have a negative effect on the biodiversity concentrated in parks and gardens. To see the effect that the presence of cats has on birds, fixed observation points were chosen in areas with historic gardens in the city of Granada (Spain), such as the Alhambra monumental complex, a place where a feline colony is managed through the TNR method. Five-minute counts of both bird abundance and richness were performed. Cats were more abundant on average in areas where there were feeding points, and depending on the area (with or without the presence of feeding points), the abundance of cats had a significant effect on the abundance and richness of birds in the studied area. In areas near the feeding points, the abundance and richness of birds were lower and the number of cat contacts present in the area was greater (3.17 ± 0.32; range 0-12 cats), while in the areas where there were no feeding points, bird abundance and richness were greater, with a lower number of cat contacts (0.14 ± 0.02; range 0-2 cats). This work highlights the negative effect of cat feeding points and the abundance of cats on birds. A possible management measure in the monumental complex could be to feed the cats of the feline colony at a single (or a maximum of two) feeding point, located in one of the areas with the greatest influx of tourists, with little vegetation, thereby reducing the impact that both domestic cats and tourist overcrowding have on them.