Boneyard Birds: Is Avian Behavior or Biodiversity Related to Cemetery Structure?

Many cemeteries include large amounts of greenspace and so have substantial potential to support urban plant and wildlife communities. However, the physical structure and design of these human-focused greenspaces may ultimately determine which species successfully inhabit these areas. Here, I studied the relationship between grave markers, a unique and ubiquitous feature of cemeteries that vary widely in shape and structure within and between burial areas, and the behavior of cemetery avian communities. I hypothesized that areas with greater structural heterogeneity of markers would be used by a larger diversity of species and that species would alter their behavior and interactions with markers based on marker structure. I assessed avian abundance and species richness in areas with varied upright and homogenously flat grave markers and observed behaviors exhibited by four common species in relation to grave markers and other structural features. While I found no relationship between grave marker heterogeneity and avian species richness or abundance, there is evidence for species-specific behavior and interactions with grave markers, suggesting that marker design is an important and relevant landscape feature for birds. These results have practical applications for cemetery design at a time when there is both increased public interest in environmentally friendly burials and growing competition for land in increasingly heavily developed urban areas.