Datasets supporting the publication "High human presence is correlated with lower faecal glucocorticoidmetabolite levels in an urban bird population", Nhlapo et al. 2025, Hormones and Behavior.

Data are those used in the publication:Nhlapo, K.B., Cunningham, S.J., Sumasgutner, P., Ganswindt, A., McKechnie, A.E., Ngcamphalala, C.A. 2025. High human presence is correlated with reduced faecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in an urban bird population. Hormones and Behavior. 170: 105724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2025.105724These include data on blood corticosterone and feacal glucocorticoid metabolites derived from an ACTH challenge using wild Red-winged Starlings <i>Onychognathus morio</i> in Cape Town (captured in the suburb of Mowbray); feacal glucocorticoid metabolites derived from starling droppings collected on the University of Cape Town's Upper Campus; and counts of people on campus per hour on weekdays and weekends. The ACTH challenge results showed that an 11-oxoaetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay was suitable for measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in this species. We then applied this immunoassay to Red-winged Starling faecal samples collected from free-living birds on the University of Cape Town's Upper Campus between March and May 2021, on both weekdays and weekends. Results indicate faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in droppings of starlings are lower on weekdays than weekends in this sample. Counts of people on campus confirm higher foot traffic on weekdays than weekends.

本数据集所用数据源自已发表学术论文：Nhlapo, K.B.、Cunningham, S.J.、Sumasgutner, P.、Ganswindt, A.、McKechnie, A.E.、Ngcamphalala, C.A. 2025年发表于《Hormones and Behavior》的研究论文《城市鸟类种群中人类活动强度与粪便糖皮质激素代谢物水平降低相关》，DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2025.105724。

数据集涵盖三类核心数据：其一为针对在开普敦市莫布雷郊区捕获的野生红翅椋鸟（*Onychognathus morio*）开展促肾上腺皮质激素（Adrenocorticotropic hormone, ACTH）激发试验所获得的血液皮质酮与粪便糖皮质激素代谢物数据；其二为从开普敦大学上部校区采集的椋鸟粪便中提取的粪便糖皮质激素代谢物数据；其三为该校区工作日与周末每小时的人流量统计数据。

经促肾上腺皮质激素激发试验验证，11-氧雄烷二酮酶免疫测定法可有效用于该物种粪便糖皮质激素代谢物浓度的定量检测。后续研究团队将该免疫检测方法应用于2021年3月至5月期间，在开普敦大学上部校区自由栖息的红翅椋鸟粪便样本（采样覆盖工作日与周末）。

分析结果显示，本研究样本中的红翅椋鸟粪便糖皮质激素代谢物浓度在工作日显著低于周末；校区人流量统计数据亦证实，工作日校园人流量高于周末。