Avian responses to reed bed management: a study in the Torre Flavia wetland (Rome, Italy)

Inside the natural Monument "Palude di Torre Flavia", the structure of the reed bed has changed over the years, mainly due to the reed bed aging and mowing activities. Mowing activities have led to the formation of a new habitat in the study area, the mowed reed bed. Differences in the reed bad structure were quantified with plots in the study area, and with comparisons between mature and mowed reed bed, were quantified the differences between the two habitats. To study the responses of the bird community in the study area, censed with the mapping method, contacts of individual species per habitat, previously stratified within the study area, were counted. The habitat preference of the bird species was studied with use and habitat analysis, with a particular focus on mature and mowed reed beds. Four bird species, particularly related to reed bed habitats, territory numbers were estimated based on songs and intra- and interspecific interactions. Based on the number of territories for each species, compared to previous studies, gild-level analysis, Shannon, and evenness index were measured. The result of the study shows that, despite a non-significant decrease in the number of territories for the four species, many species do not use actively or select the cut reed bed. Future reed bed management should therefore consider the habitat preferences of various species and, if necessary, minimize cutting areas.