Datasets supporting the publication "High human presence is correlated with lower faecal glucocorticoidmetabolite levels in an urban bird population", Nhlapo et al. 2025, Hormones and Behavior.

Data are those used in the publication:

Nhlapo, K.B., Cunningham, S.J., Sumasgutner, P., Ganswindt, A., McKechnie, A.E., Ngcamphalala, C.A. 2025. High human presence is correlated with reduced faecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in an urban bird population. Hormones and Behavior. 170: 105724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2025.105724

These include data on blood corticosterone and feacal glucocorticoid metabolites derived from an ACTH challenge using wild Red-winged Starlings Onychognathus morio in Cape Town (captured in the suburb of Mowbray); feacal glucocorticoid metabolites derived from starling droppings collected on the University of Cape Town's Upper Campus; and counts of people on campus per hour on weekdays and weekends. The ACTH challenge results showed that an 11-oxoaetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay was suitable for measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in this species. We then applied this immunoassay to Red-winged Starling faecal samples collected from free-living birds on the University of Cape Town's Upper Campus between March and May 2021, on both weekdays and weekends. Results indicate faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in droppings of starlings are lower on weekdays than weekends in this sample. Counts of people on campus confirm higher foot traffic on weekdays than weekends.