Are we choosing the right flagships? The bird species and traits Australians find most attractive

Garnett, Stephen T.; Ainsworth, Gillian B.; Zander, Kerstin K.. 2018 Are we choosing the right flagships? The bird species and traits Australians find most attractive. PLoS ONE, 13 (6), e0199253. 17, pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0199253

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Abstract/Summary

Understanding what people like about birds can help target advocacy for bird conservation. However, testing preferences for characteristics of birds is methodologically challenging, with bias difficult to avoid. In this paper we test whether preferred characteristics of birds in general are shared by the individual bird species the same people nominate as being those they consider most attractive. We then compare these results with the birds which appear most frequently in the imagery of conservation advocates. Based on a choice model completed by 638 general public respondents from around Australia, we found a preference for small colourful birds with a melodious call. However, when the same people were asked which five birds they found most attractive, 48% named no more than three, mostly large well-known species. Images displayed by a leading Australian bird conservation organisation also favoured large colourful species. The choice model results suggest conservation advocates can promote a much wider range of bird types as flagships, particularly smaller species that might otherwise be neglected.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1371/journal.pone.0199253
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	1932-6203
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	birds, surveys, bird song, attitudes (psychology), Australia, decision making, experimental design, quiet
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	28 Jun 2018 11:37 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520417

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