How the color of reflective materials influences the occurrence of mammals and birds

Color reflective materials have been widely employed in agriculture, airports, and road traffic as signals and to prevent the damage caused by mammals and birds. The negative impacts of such applications on wildlife have been acknowledged, but little is known about the particular effects of different colors applied to these materials. We recorded the occurrence of wildlife using 56 camera traps placed in locations affected by different reflective color sheeting (red, yellow, green, blue, white, mirror and control without disturbance) in a subtropical montane forest of southwestern China. We compared richness and abundance of ground bird and mammal species. The results showed that the yellow reflective material has an attractive effect on birds during daytime compared with the control group, while the red and green ones appear to repel them. However, the general tendency was a reduction of bird species occurring at night because of all the different sources of reflective light. For mammals, no significant difference was found among disturbances during either day or night. Species showed different responses to specific colors but further research in this regard is needed. Based on these experimental findings, we recommend that all reflective materials should be avoided or used carefully within protected areas. Moreover, red and green signals are suitable for airports and agriculture fields to effectively prevent damage and safety concerns inflicted by birds. Biodiversity, Conservation biology, Environmental contamination and remediation, Environmental impacts, Population biology