Artificial nectar feeders reduce sunbird abundance and plant visitation in Cape Fynbos adjacent to suburban areas

Globally, people feed wild animals to interact with nature. Attracting nectarivorous birds gardens using artificial nectar feeders is increasingly popular, yet little known about its influence on and the plants they pollinate. We investigated effects of African their plant mutualists, by conducting feeding experiments in natural vegetation along suburban edge Cape Peninsula, South Africa. compared relative abundance local distribution patterns nectar-specialist, nectar-opportunist non-nectarivore bird species between feeder control treatments. then tested whether affected visitation rates two sunbird-pollinated Erica neighbouring sites. Nectar increased density nectarivores (but not non-nectarivores) but decreased vegetation, even winter when floral was high. These changes sunbird had no detectible E. abietina , plukenetii flowers average 16% at least up 300 m feeders. Thus, although supplementary may have conservation value for reducing urban sensitivity, it can inadvertently interfere bird-plant pollination networks competing native birds’ attention. • Effects mutualisms were tested. Feeders attracted suburbia-averse bordering fynbos veld. nectarivore regardless abundance. Sunbirds visited fewer present. significantly presence.