<b>Impact of tourism on bird behavior: a comparison of flight initiation distance between birds in areas of tourist and non-tourist attraction</b>

This study was conducted in May 2022 in Xijiang Miao Village (Figure 1a, b) and Zhaoxing Dong Village (Figure 1c, d) (25°19′–27°31′ N, 107°17′–109°35′ E) as areas of tourist attractions (both rated as the National 4A-level Tourist Attractions), with the surrounding villages and residential areas (Figure 1e, f) as non-tourist attractions in the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in southeastern Guizhou Province, China.Xijiang Miao Village is located in Xijiang Town, Leishan County, Guizhou Province. It is a famous historical and cultural town in China. The scenic area covers an area of 5.5 km², and the village has more than 1,400 households and more than 6,000 residents, with Miao people accounting for 99.5% of the population, making it the largest Miao village in China and even the world. According to government statistics, from May 1 to 5, 2024, Xijiang Miao Village received a total of 157,314 tourists (http://whhly.guizhou.gov.cn/xwzx/szdt/202405/t20240507_84591741.html).Zhaoxing Dong Village is located in the southeastern part of Liping County, Guizhou Province. As one of the National Key Scenic Spots, the core area currently covers 18 km², with more than 1,200 households and 5,200 residents, making it one of the largest Dong villages in China. Preliminary statistics show that during the holiday from April 29 to May 5, 2024, Zhaoxing Scenic Area received 68,400 visitors (http://www.lp.gov.cn/newsite/ztzl/rdzt/zxjq/202403/t20240308_83902438.html).This study compared the differences in the flight initiation distance (FID) of Eurasian tree sparrows (<i>Passer montanus</i>) between areas of tourist attraction (Xijiang Miao Village and Zhaoxing Dong Village) and non-tourist attraction (surrounding villages) in Guizhou Province, southwestern China. We found that Eurasian tree sparrows in areas of tourist attraction exhibited smaller FIDs than those in areas of non-tourist attraction, suggesting that Eurasian tree sparrows inhabiting areas with higher levels of human disturbance demonstrate a greater ability to adapt to anthropogenic disturbance. Moreover, the tolerance of Eurasian tree sparrows was less influenced by the size of the flock. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the differences in behavioral responses of birds to different intensities of human disturbance in areas of tourist attractions and adjacent areas of non-tourist attractions. It highlights the notable impact of human activities on wildlife, contributing to the scientific management and protection of birds in urban environments.本研究于2022年5月在中国贵州省东南部黔东南苗族侗族自治州开展，选取西江千户苗寨（图1a、b）与肇兴侗寨（图1c、d）作为旅游景区（二者均为国家AAAA级旅游景区），并以其周边村落及居民区（图1e、f）作为非旅游景区，研究区域地理坐标为25°19′–27°31′ N，107°17′–109°35′ E。 西江千户苗寨位于贵州省雷山县西江镇，是中国知名历史文化名镇。景区总面积达5.5平方千米，村内共有1400余户居民，总人口超6000人，其中苗族人口占比99.5%，是中国乃至全球规模最大的苗族聚居村寨。据政府公开统计数据，2024年5月1日至5日期间，西江千户苗寨累计接待游客157314人次（数据来源：http://whhly.guizhou.gov.cn/xwzx/szdt/202405/t20240507_84591741.html）。 肇兴侗寨位于贵州省黎平县东南部，作为国家重点风景名胜区之一，目前核心景区面积为18平方千米，村内有1200余户居民，总人口5200余人，是中国规模最大的侗族村寨之一。初步统计显示，2024年4月29日至5月5日假期期间，肇兴景区累计接待游客68400人次（数据来源：http://www.lp.gov.cn/newsite/ztzl/rdzt/zxjq/202403/t20240308_83902438.html）。 本研究对比了中国西南贵州省旅游景区（西江千户苗寨与肇兴侗寨）与非旅游景区（周边村落）内树麻雀（<i>Passer montanus</i>）的逃逸距离（Flight Initiation Distance, FID）差异。研究发现，旅游景区内的树麻雀逃逸距离显著小于非旅游景区内的个体，表明栖息于人类干扰强度更高区域的树麻雀，对人为干扰的适应能力更强。此外，树麻雀的行为耐受度受种群规模的影响较小。据我们所知，本研究首次报道了旅游景区与周边非旅游景区内鸟类对不同强度人类干扰的行为响应差异，阐明了人类活动对野生动物的显著影响，可为城市环境下鸟类的科学管理与保护提供理论支撑。