Anthropogenic not climatic correlates are the main drivers of expansion of non-native common myna Acridotheres tristis in Jordan

Abstract

The common myna was first recorded in Jordan in 2010, in the Jordan Valley just north of the Dead Sea, as a result of secondary expansion of an invasive population from a neighboring country. After initial establishment, it rapidly spread throughout many parts of the country. This included apparent jump dispersals of 20–60 km to towns located in the desert along highways. The common myna is thus able to become fully invasive in arid and semi-arid environments under the influence of human factors. The results of a Maxent model trained with data from the invaded region (the southern Levant) and the native range suggest that the common myna’s expansion and current distribution is driven mainly by anthropogenic factors rather than climatic variables. This study provides a nationwide baseline about the distribution of the invasive common myna, and potential for further spread as a baseline for monitoring and prioritizing actions to control spread and impacts. The rapid expansion of common myna in Jordan, which is apparently enhanced by the influx of dispersing birds from neighboring countries, necessitates more attention and urgent action and coordination at various levels.