Herons (Ardeidae), an important group in wetland ecosystems, have a particularly strong relationship with humans. However, their predation on farmed fish and shrimp in aquafarms can lead to economic losses for local fish farmers. Consequently, notable conflicts arise between fish farmers and herons. Fish farmers adopt various measures to deter herons from “stealing” their fish; however, there is limited research on the behavioral responses of herons under such pressures of human disturbance. Flight initiation distance (FID) is an important manifestation of avian anti‐predation behavior and serves as an indicator of birds' tolerance to human disturbance. This study investigated the potential variations in tolerance to human disturbance between the little egret ( Egretta garzetta ) and the Chinese pond heron ( Ardeola bacchus ) in “stealing” environments (aquafarm environments) and non‐aquafarm environments in Hainan and Guangdong Provinces, south China, using FID as an indicator. Herons in aquafarm environments were less tolerant (having longer FIDs) to human disturbance compared to herons in non‐aquafarm environments. The main cause of this phenomenon could be the harsh deterrents used by humans to prevent herons from “stealing” fish. These deterrents increase the predation risk for herons when “stealing” in aquafarms, causing them to exhibit less tolerance to human disturbance. Our study increases understanding of the behavioral response patterns of herons in human–wildlife conflicts and provides valuable insights for more scientific and rational management and protection of Ardeidae species.

Understanding the mechanisms associated with community assembly can contribute to explaining the formation and maintenance of biodiversity patterns. In this study, we used the line transect method to survey breeding birds along the three major rivers of the Nandu River, Changhua River and Wanquan River on Hainan Island, south China. The patterns of community assembly were subsequently assessed by integrating functional and phylogenetic diversity, whereas environmental factors and interspecific competition intensity were incorporated to determine whether community assembly in these rivers is driven by environmental filtering or interspecific competition. Our findings revealed that bird communities within rivers were characterized by an overall slight clustering (i.e., more similar species), with the upper reaches of the Changhua River and the lower reaches of the Nandu River showing over‐dispersion, whereas the lower, middle, and upper reaches of the Wanquan River all showed clustering. Altitude and the human influence index were identified as the main factors driving bird community assembly within the three major rivers. Notably, for bird communities along different river reaches, the integration of functional and phylogenetic diversity prevented the mis‐classification of over‐dispersion or clustering in community structure caused by traits with weak phylogenetic signals, or the observation of traits unrelated to community assembly patterns. This empirical study demonstrates the importance of integrating functional and phylogenetic diversity, which not only contributes to gaining an understanding of the mechanisms underlying the development of community assemblies but also facilitates a determination of the extents to which function and phylogeny contribute to shaping the patterns of communities.

As urbanization intensifies, an increasing number of bird species incorporate anthropogenic materials into their nests. This behavior may confer certain benefits but can also constitute an ecological trap, causing mortality through entanglement. In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence of anthropogenic materials in barn swallows ( Hirundo rustica ) nests and their association with entanglement injury or mortality. We examined the nest material composition of 193 active barn swallow nests from two geographically distinct populations in China (Hainan in the south and Heilongjiang in the north), finding that 38.3% of nests contained anthropogenic materials, principally human hair (22.3%) and plastic (21.8%), with both occurring at significantly higher rates in the south Hainan population. We report, for the first time, seven cases (3.6%) of entanglement mortality in breeding adults and nestlings caused by human hair and plastic (fishing line) incorporated into nests. Although the number of individuals killed by entanglement in human hair and plastic was not large, our findings indicate that the ubiquitous presence of human hair and plastic in the environment may pose a direct threat to bird survival. A comprehensive, multidimensional understanding of the interactions between birds and anthropogenic materials will contribute to a broader assessment of the threats that environmental pollution poses to avian populations.