Artificially Created Feeding Stations for Native Urban Birds in Viennese parks: Environmental Determinants and Feeder Traits Shaping Exploration Time and Station Use

Urban environments can pose challenges for birds in winter, as natural food sources are often limited by vegetation structure and human land use. For this reason, supplementary feeding has become increasingly important in cities. However, birds do not use all feeders equally, and the factors influencing feeder use in urban habitats are still not fully understood, particularly in Austrian urban parks. In this study, I investigated how feeder location, habitat structure, habitat diversity, and feeder height influence bird feeder use in Vienna. Feeding experiments were carried out at four urban locations: the Augarten, the Danube Island, the Danube Canal towards the city center, and the Danube Canal towards Klosterneuburg. In total, 40 standardized bird feeders were installed in paired sets at two different heights and monitored over an eight-day period. Food consumption was measured repeatedly, and thirteen habitat attributes were recorded within a 10 m radius around each feeder. Habitat diversity was quantified using the Shannon–Wiener index. Feeder use differed strongly between locations, while feeder height had no significant effect on food consumption. Analyses showed that habitat context explained most of the variation in feeder use. Feeders placed in structurally diverse habitats were used more intensively than those in more uniform surroundings. Multivariate analyses further indicated that birds preferred mixed, intermediate habitat types rather than highly specialized environments. Overall, feeder use was best explained by combinations of habitat features and human infrastructure, rather than by any single habitat attribute. These results suggest that habitat diversity and local habitat context are key drivers of feeder use by urban birds in winter. Creating and maintaining structurally diverse urban habitats may therefore support bird populations during this critical period.