Two studies have shown that his invasive species does not affect the native ecosystems.
The waxbill, a species of the sub-Saharan Africa was the target of two studies that concluded that the environmental impact on native biodiversity is residual, as this exotic bird has come to occupy an ecological niche very different from most native specimens. Both investigations led by scientists Helena Batalha and Carlos Carvalho, researchers of CIBIO (Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto), show r "encouraging" results about the species and its presence in Portugal. Although it is an exotic species introduced two decades ago, coincides in time with the return of ex-colonists, the flocks of waxbills do not compete with the other birds, although they can also be found in agricultural areas, riparian and rice paddies, the fact that only eat seeds of certain gramineae, which seems to be less eaten by other specimens causes that this animal does not exert environmental pressure on the endogenous. Another factor to consider in this equation is the long reproductive period of these birds that generates less pressure on remaining native species. However, their choice of nesting sites eventually has an impact on a small local bird, the reed-bunting classified as "vulnerable" because it also lay eggs in the same wetlands that the waxbill.
articles:
- A successful avian invasion Occupies the marginal ecological niche ("Acta Oecologica»)
- Personality traits are related to ecology across the biological invasion ("Behavioral Ecology")
